Westerman Statement on Permitting Reform

House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement:

"House Republicans have worked on permitting reform for years because we know the detrimental impact the broken and litigious permitting process has on our country. Senators Manchin and Barrasso's bill, which only passed out of committee and not the full Senate, addressed some reforms but needed the House NEPA provisions to strengthen it. Ultimately, progress stalled because of a failure to agree on legislative text that would have fixed the broken process. Compromise can't be one sided and House priorities were watered down or ignored, which would have resulted in a permitting reform bill in name only. America still desperately needs commonsense reforms that allow our industries to build and our workers to compete. I look forward to working in the next Congress with President Trump and a Republican House and Senate along with those across the aisle who desire meaningful permitting reform."