2. Executive Office of the President · Major · Needs Congress
Enact a sweeping modernization of the federal permitting system
Printed page 61 2. Executive Office of the President
“Finally, the President should work with Congress to establish a sweeping modernization of the entire permitting system across all departments and agencies that is aimed at reducing litigation risk and giving agencies the authority to establish programmatic, general, and provisional permits.”
What has happened
- Attempted
The House passed the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776), a NEPA-focused permitting overhaul, 221–196 (roll call 356). It was received in the Senate the same day and referred to Environment and Public Works, where it remains.
- Attempted
Executive side: presidential memorandum ordered CEQ to produce a Permitting Technology Action Plan and a Permitting Innovation Center — modernization by administrative means, not the legislation the Mandate asks for.
Research log
What was searched, and what didn’t count as evidence
Research notes
- Requires Congress. Nothing has been enacted; the House-passed SPEED Act is the closest vehicle. The House vote and Senate referral were read from the congress.gov API (api.congress.gov/v3/bill/119/hr/4776/actions); the congress.gov bill page itself (https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4776) refuses automated fetches, so the govinfo.gov engrossed-bill record is the Evidence URL.
- Off-allowlist leads on Senate negotiations (Bipartisan Policy Center, Utility Dive) say talks restarted in March 2026; nothing on allowlisted sources yet.
- Action
- other
- Object
- Federal permitting system across all departments and agencies
- ID
- 94