Trade groups representing manufacturing, energy and builders are prodding the Senate to support a House-passed bipartisan bill that would loosen the red tape tying up construction projects.
The bill would ease the environmental laws enacted in 1970 that mandate the review of potential environmental impacts before infrastructure and other projects can go forward.
“By reforming provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act, these bills provide project sponsors and contractors with greater certainty to plan, invest and deliver even the most complex construction projects — certainty that is essential to meeting the nation’s infrastructure needs,” said Kristen Swearingen, vice president of government affairs for Associated Builders and Contractors.
The bill, Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development, or the SPEED Act, passed the House in a 221-196 vote, with 11 Democrats supporting it.
American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers called it a “commonsense step toward fixing a federal permitting system that’s long been broken.”
“By modernizing NEPA and reducing duplicative reviews and litigation, this bill restores certainty and helps unlock the infrastructure needed to deliver affordable, reliable energy and meet growing demand.”
National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons said, “With permitting reform, manufacturers will be able to build and expand operations all across the country, creating more well-paying jobs that strengthen communities and help families thrive.”
He added, “It’s about lifting people up, expanding opportunity and making the American Dream a reality.”
NEPA and subsequent regulations and judicial precedents have put forth protocols that agencies must follow to determine which level of NEPA review is needed for which projects and agency actions.
The SPEED Act would make significant changes to these procedures. The legislation also clarifies that NEPA is a procedural statute that does not require any specific environmental outcomes.
The legislation would amend the environmental law to clarify that it does not prohibit any specific environmental consequences from an agency’s actions or from a project that an agency is considering.
“This is in contrast to federal environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act, which create, or authorize federal and state agencies to create, specific environmental standards with which projects must comply,” the Bipartisan Policy Center said.
The SPEED Act also clarifies that agencies are not required to conduct new research once a permit application is submitted and limits the need to incorporate outside research
Government urged to stop picking on pharmacy benefit managers
A Competitive Enterprise Institute study found that America’s prosperous pharmaceutical delivery system provides consumers “real choice and convenience,” despite widespread criticism of high drug prices.
The libertarian think tank said pharmacies are still the primary source for prescription drugs, and these businesses are offering more online and mail-order options than ever before.
However, government regulators are targeting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to take control over how pharmacies can market and distribute their medicines to consumers.
“Policymakers and other participants in the pharmaceutical market are skeptical of PBMs’ role and are concerned PBMs will use market power to hurt competition and consumers,” the study said.
“Some policymakers are trying to preclude PBMs from operating pharmacies, whether they are retail pharmacies that customers can drive to or mail-order pharmacies that deliver drugs directly to customers.
“These proposals are misguided and ill-conceived. Policymakers should reject them and let consumers drive the decisions.”
Mail-order pharmacy sales made up 40% of total retail prescription revenues in 2025. This is a 37% increase since 2017.
The major providers of mail-order pharmaceuticals are PBMs. In addition to these online-only options, pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens also offer mail delivery services as extensions of their retail operations.
The study lists several pharmaceutical drug market competitors, many of which offer delivery, telehealth, subscription and other online services. They include GoodRx, CVS, Amazon Pharmacy, Walgreens, Capsule, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, Honeybee Health, DiRx and BlinkRx.
TrumpRx, announced in September, is a direct-to-consumer portal operated by the federal government.
Several drug companies have already announced their participation in TrumpRX, including Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Eli Lilly.
It is expected that TrumpRx will allow drug manufacturers to sell their medicines directly to consumers, bypassing pharmacies and PBMs entirely.
GOP gets campaign strategy for ‘affordability’ issue
The Club for Growth released a detailed “Christmas memo” telling Republicans to think of the 2025 election losses as a warning rather than a harbinger of doom.
The conservative fiscal policy organization said the message from voters is “unmistakable.” They are furious about not hearing from conservatives about the cost of living
Club for Growth advises GOP lawmakers to remind voters that former President Joseph R. Biden “created this mess — and Trump and congressional Republicans are fixing it and planning to do even more to end the affordability crisis.”
The group urged Republicans to zero in on how the previous administration’s policies related to healthcare, price transparency, housing, energy, and food hurt Americans’ bank accounts and what the Trump administration, in alliance with the GOP-controlled Congress, did to remedy it.
“Republicans CANNOT be Democrat-Lite with federal subsidies and government price controls. If Republicans fail on the issue of the affordability crisis, you will lose the majority,” Club For Growth said. “During this Christmas season, LISTEN to constituents’ concerns, talk about what you’ve done to help, and explain what Republican Majorities are going to do with President Trump to do even more in 2026.”
• The Advocates column is a weekly look at the political action players who drive the debate and shape policy outcomes in Washington. Send tips to theadvocates@washingtontimes.com.
