Most Americans don’t spend their day thinking about federal permitting rules, the guidelines that dictate when, how and where infrastructure projects are completed. Nor should they. But they feel the consequences every single day.
When you’re sitting in traffic because of a delayed road project, that’s the broken permitting system at work. When you’re waiting for a website to refresh because of a stalled broadband project or paying a utility bill that keeps rising month after month because of a postponed energy project — all results of inefficient permitting. These circumstances aren’t caused by a lack of resources or prioritization. They’re the predictable consequences of a federal government buried under its own bureaucracy. And it’s exactly the kind of problem Republicans have been working to address.
American families have suffered under disastrous permitting policies. Ignoring congressional intent and the needs of Americans, President Biden slammed the brakes on new projects by broadening the scope of federal evaluations, inviting frivolous litigation and increasing inconsistency in how evaluations occur. Major infrastructure permits that once took four to five years began stretching to seven or more. Bureaucracy that had been growing for decades increased even more rapidly — to the detriment of taxpayers. Delayed permitting doesn’t make projects safer — it just makes them more expensive and uncertain.
Today’s permitting system remains a maze. It’s slow. It’s confusing. And it’s difficult to navigate, even for project sponsors who do everything right. Federal agencies in charge of evaluating projects have sweeping discretion, few deadlines and almost no consequences for delays. Projects that would fulfill public needs are forced through years of duplicative paperwork, reviews and internal bottlenecks. Projects frequently get rejected or delayed by agencies for additional studies, revised applications or new reviews. A small change in a project can trigger a brand new round of analysis. Even after years of compliance, there’s no guarantee of approval. Success is uncertain no matter how carefully project sponsors navigate and comply with established rules.
For everyday Americans, government inefficiency has become a hidden tax on working families — meaning higher costs, fewer jobs and delayed infrastructure that communities desperately need to advance economic growth.
Since President Donald Trump took office, he has been working to get the American people out of our national energy emergency. His administration has issued new rules and guidance that help create a more linear path for project sponsors stuck in the permitting maze. While helpful, regulatory change cannot provide the lasting certainty needed for project sponsors. In another three years, sponsors may have to prepare for another shift in the maze’s walls, forcing adaptation or hitting another dead end. Legislative reform is essential to lock in permanent change that outlasts any single administration.
The first reconciliation bill of the 119th Congress recognized this necessity and enacted durable, lasting certainty for project sponsors. The 2025 Working Families Tax Cuts Act overturned the most harmful energy regulations implemented by the last administration, laid the groundwork for American energy producers to increase production and provided greater certainty to project sponsors. And House Republicans aren’t done yet.
The Republican Study Committee is pushing for a second major reconciliation bill and has released a legislative playbook focused entirely on providing affordability for American families and businesses. RSC’s “Make the American Dream Affordable Again” framework identifies dozens of already introduced, easily implemented bills that are ready to be passed through this powerful legislative vehicle that can move quickly with a simple majority.
My legislation, the Full Responsibility and Expedited Enforcement (FREE) Act, is included in this framework. Think of it like TSA PreCheck for infrastructure — if you’ve proven you meet the standards, you shouldn’t have to wait in an endless loop. My bill challenges the permitting status quo without abolishing environmental protections or gutting agency oversight. It requires agencies to evaluate their permitting processes and consider whether they can adopt a process called “permitting by rule” for categories of permits where applicants meet clearly defined standards. In plain terms, this means project sponsors have the responsibility to certify upfront that they meet all safety and environmental criteria. Qualifying projects get approved in weeks or months rather than years. For example, a solar installation that meets all established standards, or a broadband expansion that follows approved guidelines could move forward quickly — while agencies retain full authority to inspect, enforce compliance and protect the public interest. Many types of permits are routine and can be treated as such.
Agencies will uphold regulations at a pace that meets the needs of our communities and economies. Violators will face penalties, but rule-abiding project sponsors won’t be punished with endless delays for simply trying to comply with existing standards. This bill is a practical step in the direction of more responsive and efficient government. That’s not just good policy — it’s a necessary correction.
A nation that cannot build cannot lead. Reforming the permitting process strengthens American economic competitiveness. By cutting red tape while maintaining environmental standards, we can build critical infrastructure faster, deploy energy projects more quickly and innovate in a way that supports American jobs and reduces costs for consumers.
Permitting predictability attracts investment and allows communities to plan with confidence. Investment and confidence make America energy dominant and structurally sound. The FREE Act, as part of the RSC’s Make the American Dream Affordable Again Framework, will deliver the certainty American families and businesses deserve. I urge my colleagues to support this common sense reform — and I encourage constituents to make their voices heard by contacting their representatives in support of permitting reform that puts America back to work.