Washington – Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) and Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) today led a coalition of fifteen organizations in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reiterating support of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act and urging its swift passage in both chambers.
“The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act is a critical step toward meaningful permitting reform, which would lower energy costs and reassert our nation’s standing as a global energy leader,” said James Dozier, Founding President and Board Chair of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions. “Our existing federal permitting process is overburdensome, deterring investments in new infrastructure, advanced energy technologies, and stifling growth. To meet growing energy demand and truly unleash American resources, we must improve the system.”
“If the United States cannot build the infrastructure required for economic growth and technological leadership, we will become increasingly dependent on foreign nations for the materials, energy, and manufacturing capabilities critical to our prosperity and security,” said Avery Ash, CEO of Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE). “This bill helps address the increasingly dangerous mismatch between strategic necessity and permitting reality, and we urge its swift passage.”
“Our current federal permitting system is the largest obstacle to building the clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies needed to meet rising demand,” said Jeremy Harrell, ClearPath Action CEO. “This long-needed bipartisan deal will let America build. Negotiators on both sides of the aisle have put an extraordinary amount of effort into this legislation, and we look forward to working with them to get a permitting bill to the President’s desk.”
The following organizations joined CRES and SAFE as signatories on the letter: 60 Plus Association, American Association of Senior Citizens, American Conservation Coalition (ACC), Americans for Free Markets, Americans for Prosperity, C3 Solutions, ClearPath, Concerned Veterans for America, ConservAmerica, Conservative Energy Network, Goldwater Institute, Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Rainey Center Freedom Project.
The full text of the letter may be found HERE and below:
Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune:
As organizations devoted to secure and affordable energy, robust American supply chains, free markets, and a strong national defense, we write to voice our support for S. 5653, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA). We urge the swift consideration and passage of this important legislation in both chambers of Congress to drive down energy costs and achieve President Trump’s goal of American energy dominance.
For decades, House and Senate Republicans have prioritized reforming America’s broken permitting system because accelerating the deployment of American resources and vital infrastructure is key to American prosperity and national security. President Trump has acted swiftly to improve the permitting process, but expanding these reforms and ensuring durability requires statutory changes. After years of hard work, there is a real opportunity to enact generational reform through the BAAJA. If Congress fails to advance this important legislation, the United States would face many more years of dealing with a broken system, each day resulting in a less secure country and higher energy prices for American families.
The United States is at an energy crossroads, seeing energy demand increasing at a rate not experienced in decades. But today, because of overburdensome process and excessive litigation, it takes years, decades in some cases, to approve projects before construction can even begin. This is time the United States does not have to successfully deploy the resources and infrastructure necessary to meet rising demand.
Americans cannot afford a permitting system that delays or stops critical investments in necessary infrastructure. Timelines that are double or triple those seen in other countries like Australia and Canada increase the cost of deployment—costs that are passed on to American consumers and families. Exorbitant permitting costs also harm the ability of American businesses to compete globally, particularly against companies owned and controlled by foreign adversaries. Without the reforms included in the BAAJA, America will fall behind our global competitors and become increasingly dependent on supply chains we don’t control. Congress must seize this rare opportunity to deliver meaningful reforms that promote the deployment of affordable, reliable, and necessary energy resources.
The BAAJA integrates key policy solutions Republicans have long championed and supported—many of which have already passed the House this Congress, and in previous Congresses. This includes reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Federal Power Act, and National Historic Preservation Act. Furthermore, it amends federal laws to unlock domestic mining, expand geothermal energy, and build linear infrastructure from pipelines to transmission to roads. Our coalition is proud to endorse S. 5653 and urges expeditious consideration and passage.
For years, our organizations have worked with congressional Republicans to enact meaningful permitting reform. We applaud champions in both chambers whose work over the years laid the foundation for the legislation before you today. We remain ready and eager to help advance these durable reforms that strengthen American energy dominance, deliver greater affordability, and accelerate the deployment of critical infrastructure.
Sincerely,