Trump Backs Bipartisan Bill to Speed Energy Permits Ahead of Senate Vote
Key Facts
President Donald Trump announced his support for a bipartisan bill to speed federal approvals for major energy and infrastructure projects, on the eve of a procedural Senate vote on November 9. In a social media post, Trump said the legislation would allow pipelines, mines and power plants to be built faster, lower energy costs for American families and create high-paying jobs. The Senate schedule listed a 3:00 p.m. session, with a vote announced for about 5:30 p.m. on ending debate over proceeding with H.R.2347, the legislative vehicle for permitting reform. The bill aims to reduce the time required for infrastructure reviews and approvals, while the procedural vote would not amount to final passage of the legislation. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said the bill gives permitted projects greater certainty, with their permits remaining in effect unless exceptional circumstances, legal violations or a court order arise.
The bill is called the Bipartisan Energy Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, and its draft is 417 pages long, according to S&P Global. It aims to speed permits for energy projects of all types by limiting judicial review under laws including the National Environmental Policy Act. It also includes reforms to the Clean Water Act to ease permits for natural gas pipelines, and measures to expand electricity transmission. According to a summary by Sen. Martin Heinrich, the bill sets a two-year deadline for environmental impact statement reviews and a one-year deadline for preliminary environmental reviews. It also proposes a 150-day deadline for legal challenges under the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.
The bill's provisions include requiring data centers to bear the full cost of associated electricity transmission, according to a summary by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Heinrich said when introducing the legislation that the United States was entering a new era of energy demand, adding that the infrastructure needed “should not take decades to build.” Sen. Mike Lee said the agreement followed years of work in Congress and months of negotiations, and was intended to speed decisions to approve or reject energy projects while retaining environmental safeguards and consultation with tribes. Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said in September that negotiators had explored dead ends before reaching compromises, and that the question of returning wind and solar projects to the normal process remained unresolved at the time. These issues are part of the broader debate over the scope of the reforms and the safeguards that would accompany faster permitting.
An updated version of the bill issued on Saturday changed rules for revoking permits and added safeguards for wildlife and consultation with tribes, according to Axios. But the National Wildlife Federation said it could not support the legislation in its current form, after reviewing the full bill and the recently released substitute amendment. The federation reiterated its opposition after the revised version was released. By contrast, the Edison Electric Institute backed the reform bill ahead of the Senate vote. The institute's president and chief executive, Drew Maloney, attributed the negotiators' position to steps he said “strengthen the bill and clarify its provisions.”
Support for the bill also came from groups in the energy, labor and business sectors, while the construction workers' union LIUNA said its standard was whether permitting reform would lead to good union jobs at prevailing wages and strong apprenticeship opportunities. The National Association of Manufacturers said permitting delays cost manufacturers billions of dollars a year and limit companies' ability to expand and hire. A statement signed by 21 governors also called for passage of the legislation, saying outdated federal processes delay energy and infrastructure projects. These positions highlight the competing interests surrounding the bill: reducing delays for companies and workers, alongside objections to the version defining the scope of reviews and environmental safeguards. The groups' public support did not indicate the outcome of the scheduled Senate procedural vote.
The legislative process does not end with a Senate vote alone; the House must also pass the bill before it can be sent to Trump's desk, according to Axios. Passage of the package before the end of the year is also uncertain, after the report said some Democrats, citing their midterm election victory, believe waiting until next year could give them more leverage and time to review the legislation. S&P Global reported that Democratic gains in the 2026 midterm elections could complicate efforts to pass a permitting reform package before the current Congress ends. The Associated Press reported that the Senate hoped to begin voting on Monday on legislation to speed reviews of permits for energy infrastructure projects, after Trump urged its members to act. The immediate next step remains the Senate vote on proceeding with H.R.2347, after which passage depends on the bill clearing both chambers.