Congress May Be Out Of Time To Strike Deal On Permitting Reform

Republican members of Congress are running out of time to strike a permitting reform deal after the House passed its own overhaul and left Washington for the midterm campaign trail.

The House passed the bipartisan Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act 221-196 in December 2025, sending legislation aimed at accelerating federal approvals for energy and infrastructure projects to the Senate. Eleven Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, while Democratic California Rep. Brad Sherman voted against it.

But the legislation has remained tied up in the Senate as lawmakers negotiate how far Congress should go in changing environmental reviews and litigation rules. Senate Republicans are expected to discuss Wednesday whether to cut their session short or remain in Washington, Politico reported, citing two people familiar with the planning.

Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins is pressing for a bipartisan permitting agreement in the coming days, leaving senators with a narrowing window to reach a compromise before potentially joining their House counterparts on the campaign trail.

The House-passed SPEED Act would reform the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including changes to environmental reviews and litigation surrounding federal approvals. House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman and Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden introduced the legislation in July 2025 with the stated goals of shortening permitting timelines and providing greater certainty for developers.

The House vote did not settle the permitting fight. Senate lawmakers have pursued broader negotiations that extend beyond the House bill, including disputes over what projects should benefit from permitting changes and what environmental safeguards should remain.

Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Shelley Moore Capito has expressed optimism about reaching a deal, while ranking Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has sought assurances that Senate and House leadership have a path for moving an agreement through both chambers.

That creates another complication for negotiators: even if senators reach a permitting agreement before leaving Washington, changes to the House-passed legislation could require the House to act again before a final bill could reach President Donald Trump’s desk.

House Republicans currently have no plans to return to Washington before the election to consider a Senate-passed permitting bill, Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman reported on X Wednesday, citing anonymous senior House GOP sources. House Republicans would also be wary of accepting the Senate’s version outright, while the GOP’s narrow three-vote majority and attendance issues could complicate passage if lawmakers were called back, he noted.