There is wide bipartisan consensus that Congress should make legislation to overhaul federal energy project permitting a priority. When lawmakers will act — as part of the debt ceiling negotiations or through separate talks — is emerging as a big question as the June 1 deadline nears for raising the debt limit.
At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on permitting on May 11, Chairman Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., noted that in addition to his reintroduced bill — which fell short as an amendment to the fiscal 2023 defense authorization — there are proposals from the committee’s ranking member, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and from Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
That committee’s chairman, Thomas R. Carper, D-Del., has promised his own proposal, and the House Republican energy bill included permitting provisions that were also in their bill to lift the debt ceiling.
