MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today led 24 House Democrats in demanding that the National Park Service (NPS) immediately halt implementation of new rules that impose up to triple baseline fees on non-U.S.-resident visitors for passes and entry to national parks. Under the new rules, non-U.S. resident visitors must pay an additional $170 surcharge on annual park passes and an additional $100 per person fee to enter 11 of the most visited national parks.

In a letter addressed to NPS Acting Director Jessica Bowron, Members cited concerns that the significant increase in financial barriers to visiting national parks would have adverse effects on international tourism patterns, significantly affecting NPS planning and operations and outdoor recreation businesses that rely on park visitors. The Members also noted the uncertainty resulting from the roll-out of these rules, noting the lack of sufficient notice, guidance, and public input.

“In recent years, the outdoor recreation economy has accounted for more than $1 trillion in gross economic output and more than 2% of our nation’s GDP,” wrote the Members. “Unfortunately, these rules specifically target parks in a number of states that disproportionately contribute to our outdoor recreation industry, including Florida, Maine, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. With overseas visitation already down 3% last year—and 25% from Canada—any further barriers or uncertainty that discourage visits to national parks will be a significant problem for both those states and the U.S. economy.”

“The burden of implementing these rules, which upend the longstanding fee structure at NPS units, has strained the Park Service’s staffing capabilities that have been significantly reduced over the past year. Since January 2025, NPS’s permanent workforce has been cut by 24%. Those permanent cuts have been compounded by uncertainty around seasonal hiring, with a temporary freeze last year scrambling NPS’ plans for the peak of the 2025 visiting season. The result is that, despite the dedicated work of NPS employees, visitor lines at parks affected by the new rules have been long, slow, and discouraged non-residents and residents alike from visiting our nation’s parks.”

The letter is signed by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (VA-08), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Judy Chu (CA-28), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Susie Lee (NV-03), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Dina Titus (NV-01), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Full text of the letter follows below, and a signed copy is available here.

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Dear Acting Director Bowron:

We write to request that National Park Service (NPS) immediately halt implementation of new rules that levy surcharges on non-U.S.-resident visitors to national parks. We are concerned that the new rules—which impose significant new financial barriers to visiting national parks—were rolled out with insufficient notice, guidance, and public comment. We ask that NPS end the flawed roll-out of these rules to avoid damaging NPS operations, reducing visitors to national parks, and hurting our nation’s essential outdoor recreation industry.

Under the new park access rules that went into place on January 1, non-U.S. resident visitors must pay an additional $170 surcharge on annual park passes (above the base $80 rate) and an additional $100 per person fee to enter 11 individual parks. Going forward, nonresident visitors will pay up to triple baseline fees for passes and entry. That significant added cost will change international tourism patterns and significantly affect NPS planning and operations and outdoor recreation businesses that rely on park visitors.

Most of the 11 parks with the additional surcharges are reporting longer lines, visitor confusion and visitors cancelling their visits. This will only increase as spring and summer approach.

In recent years, the outdoor recreation economy has accounted for more than $1 trillion in gross economic output and more than 2% of our nation’s GDP.3 Unfortunately, these rules specifically target parks in a number of states that disproportionately contribute to our outdoor recreation industry, including Florida, Maine, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. With overseas visitation already down 3% last year—and 25% from Canada—any further barriers or uncertainty that discourage visits to national parks will be a significant problem for both those states and the U.S. economy.

Those barriers will be compounded by tremendous uncertainty created by the roll-out of these rules, which were required by a July executive order but were not announced with details until late November. That is an unreasonably short implementation period for an unprecedented change to NPS’ visitor fees. Operating under that timeline, NPS has:

• Not provided visitors with reasonable notice to plan around the new rules, particularly given that many international trips are planned a year to 18 months in advance.
• Not communicated a consistent plan for verifying residency that protects visitor privacy, lets employees and visitors communicate consistently even in cases of language barriers, and provides a smooth visitor experience. NPS has instead provided conflicting information to the public and employees on how it plans, or does not plan, to do so.

The burden of implementing these rules, which upend the longstanding fee structure at NPS units, has strained the Park Service’s staffing capabilities that have been significantly reduced over the past year. Since January 2025, NPS’s permanent workforce has been cut by 24%. Those permanent cuts have been compounded by uncertainty around seasonal hiring, with a temporary freeze last year scrambling NPS’ plans for the peak of the 2025 visiting season. The result is that, despite the dedicated work of NPS employees, visitor lines at parks affected by the new rules have been long, slow, and discouraged non-residents and residents alike from visiting our nation’s parks.

Complicating the situation further is that the new rules were promulgated without clear authority under federal law or compliance with existing provisions. The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act only explicitly allows for residency verification for discounted parks passes on the basis of age, disability, and military service. All new or changed recreation fees are subject to clear advance notice and public participation requirements, notices in local newspapers regarding new or changed fees and public involvement in the development of those fees. As our colleagues in the Senate noted in December, there is no indication that those notices have been posted or that public engagement has taken place. The new rules also risk being struck down in court, producing even greater uncertainty for park employees, park visitors, and the outdoor recreation economy.

By continuing to implement these rules under those circumstances, NPS is unnecessarily hurting both its own workforce and the communities that rely on our national parks. We therefore ask that NPS halt the implementation of the new fee rules for national parks and engage with Congress on a robust solution to fund our National Park System. We thank you for your attention to this issue and request an update on NPS’ plans for these rules no later than February 15, 2026.

Sincerely,

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA), John Rutherford (R-FL), and Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), introduced the Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act, legislation to address an unfair rule in federal law that can create unnecessary delays when veterans with service-connected disabilities attempt to access earned education and employment benefits.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) administers the Veteran Readiness and Employment program (VR&E), which helps qualifying veterans with service-connected disabilities with job training, starting their own businesses, independent living services, education, employment accommodations, and resume development. The type of service offered are unique to fit the goals and needs of each veteran.

Under current law, veterans who use GI Bill education benefits before accessing the VR&E program can be prevented from accessing their VR&E benefits for years due to VA rules. Veterans who use VR&E first are not subject to the same penalty, creating an unfair disparity that disproportionately affects veterans with disabilities.

The Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act ensures that veterans who would like to access the VR&E program are not penalized based on the order in which they use their earned education benefits.

“San Diego is not only home to a vast military community, but to more than 240,000 veterans who proudly served our country—and it’s crucial they have the resources they need to thrive after their service ends,” said Rep. Peters. “No one, especially disabled veterans, should lose access to education and job-training benefits because of a technicality in the law. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill fixes this unfair disparity and ensures veterans can fully access their hard-earned benefits after serving our nation.”

“Our servicemembers sacrifice so much to keep the air we breathe free,” said Rep. Rutherford. “That’s why I am proud to join Rep. Peters in introducing the Veterans’ Access to Resources Act to get rid of unnecessary roadblocks preventing veterans from receiving the benefits they earned.”

“Veterans shouldn’t have to navigate a maze of red tape just to get the benefits they’ve already earned,” said Rep. McGarvey. “The Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act helps streamline that process, so our nation’s heroes can spend less time on paperwork and more time focusing on their future. I’m grateful to Rep. Peters for tackling this problem with a commonsense solution that will make the system work better for the veterans it’s meant to serve.”

“Our veterans served this country with grit and class, and now it is our turn to return the favor and provide commonsense access to the benefits they have rightly earned and deserve,” said Senator King, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “The Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act will help veterans access their benefits more efficiently – ensuring all veterans with disabilities can pursue their education without becoming tangled in red tape. This simple fix will make it easier for veterans to access benefits they have earned, making sure they can learn the skills they need to transition to the next phase in their life, beyond the military.”

“AMVETS strongly supports the Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act, which repeals an outdated limitation that prevents veterans from accessing both the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program and educational assistance benefits. Disabled veterans should never be forced to choose between rehabilitation and education when both are critical to achieving meaningful, long-term employment,” said American Veterans (AMVETS) National Executive Director Joe Chenelly.

“Veterans’ paths to meaningful employment are not one-size-fits-all. By removing unnecessary barriers between VA education benefits and the Veteran Readiness and Employment program, this legislation would modernize VA policy and put veterans’ long-term success first. The VFW applauds Rep. Peters for advancing a commonsense fix that better reflects today’s transition realities,” said VFW National Legislative Service Associate Director Joe Grassi.
 
“The Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act is a meaningful fix that puts veterans first. For too long, the outdated 48-month rule has penalized disabled veterans who rely on both the GI Bill and the Veteran Readiness and Employment program to pursue education and employment related training or rehabilitation. Repealing this rule ensures fairness, reduces unnecessary red tape, and empowers veterans to get the resources they need to succeed. IAVA is proud to stand with our partners in support of this legislation, and we urge Congress to move quickly to pass it,” said Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Full bill text can be found here.

Background

The VR&E program provides education, training, and rehabilitation services to veterans with service-connected disabilities to help them prepare for employment or independent living. While VR&E already has its own statutory limits and safeguards, outdated rules governing multiple education programs have created unnecessary barriers for veterans who need these services most.

The Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to remove VR&E from the combined benefit limitation, while preserving VR&E’s existing 48-month cap and the VA’s authority to grant extensions when medically or vocationally necessary.

Since coming to Congress, Rep. Peters has worked across the aisle to achieve the best possible outcomes for veterans and their families in San Diego – a city with one of the largest populations of veterans in the nation. He’s led several bills which have become law, including the Veteran HOUSE Act, the Veteran PEER Act, and the Sergeant Daniel Somers Veterans Network of Support Act, to ensure veterans have the housing, mental health care, and community support they need long after their service ends.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50) and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, led 24 Members of Congress in urging the European Union to maintain robust and consistent implementation of the European Union Methane Regulation (EUMR) in the face of Trump Administration attacks. As the lawmakers made clear, weakening the EUMR or providing broad exemptions would undermine global energy security, worldwide climate progress, and fair competition for responsible U.S. energy producers.

In a letter to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Members emphasized how strong methane standards prevent natural gas waste and cut pollution around the world, writing, “The EUMR is a critical tool to incentivize the capture of natural gas that would otherwise be wasted and emitted into the atmosphere. Setting clear, consistent rules for all suppliers is essential to reduce trade barriers between countries with cleaner oil and gas, provide a credible foundation to reward producers—like many in the United States—that deploy readily available common-sense methane reduction technologies, and alleviate the EU’s dependence on dirty natural gas from Russia.”

Globally, methane emissions from the oil and gas sector waste 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas each year, which is nearly as much natural gas as the United States exports annually. Many U.S. companies are already world leaders on methane management and could easily comply with EUMR requirements. “U.S. industry is in a strong position to be a reliable supplier to the EU and comply with EUMR requirements, so long as it can rely on a durable and transparent EU regulatory landscape,” wrote the lawmakers. 

Despite the health and economic harms of failing to capture wasted gas, the Trump Administration has increasingly attacked the EUMR. In December, the Department of Energy wrote a letter demanding that the EU delay U.S. data reporting requirements, grandfather all U.S. contracts, and waive penalties for non-compliance from U.S. exports, all of which would enable continued methane pollution and undermine the durability of the EU’s regulatory landscape. These efforts to weaken international methane standards mirror the Trump Administration’s damaging domestic agenda, where the Environmental Protection Agency has delayed and intends to revise domestic methane regulations that would have generated billions of dollars in benefits for Americans.

Calling for a strategic and durable approach, the lawmakers urged the European Commission to address technical issues as they arise rather than grant broad, unearned exemptions. “We encourage the European Commission to conduct necessary technical consultations with relevant experts across American federal and state governmental entities, industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations to support implementation of the EUMR, in lieu of issuing sweeping exemptions that go far beyond the technical and methodological implementation questions at hand,” wrote the Members of Congress.

 

While urging continued, timely enforcement of the EUMR to support responsible energy producers and protect the climate, the Senators and Representatives reaffirmed their commitment to working with the EU, American industry, and the Trump Administration to address implementation challenges.

In addition to Rep. Peters and Ranking Member Whitehouse, the letter was signed by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM),  Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Don Beyer (VA-08), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and George Whitesides (CA-27).

In September, Rep. Peters and Senator Whitehouse also led 15 Members of Congress in calling for the European Commission’s swift implementation of the EUMR.  

Read the full letter here.

Background:

As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee, Rep. Peters has been a leader in federal methane policy, working to rein in this potent climate pollutant.

He was an original co-sponsor of the bipartisan Methane Emissions Mitigation Research and Development Act to advance methane detection and mitigation technologies, and introduced House version of the Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair Act to modernize methane leak surveying and repair standards for natural gas infrastructure.

Rep. Peters also led a bipartisan resolution, signed by President Biden, to reinstate two key Obama-era rules that set stronger regulations on methane pollution emitted by the nation’s oil and gas industry.

Regulating methane is essential because it is one of the fastest-acting drivers of climate change, responsible for roughly 30 percent of the warming we’re experiencing today. It’s also a major contributor to smog that threatens public health in communities across the country.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) released the following statement after voting to pass the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. This bill includes five agencies’ full-year FY26 appropriations bills and a two-week continuing resolution through February 13 for Homeland Security.

“ICE has become a militant force in our communities that uses excessive force and scare tactics to rip families apart while operating under weak training standards with no accountability for their actions. We saw this in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. But shutting the government down is not a strategy to resolve these issues. Instead, I’ve introduced a bill, the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act, to rein in ICE.

“My bill would place strict limits on the use of military-style equipment like tear gas and flash-bangs and masks, requirements for always-on body cameras and for agents to render medical aid and intervene when colleagues act unlawfully, and increased training so agents can truly de-escalate. This is how Congress can protect the American people without dragging them into another shutdown.”

“Some of my colleagues believe that a shutdown could be the strategy to leverage control over ICE. But I disagree – shutdowns should not be used as leverage. I have no reason to believe that this shutdown would be anything other than chaos. ICE has already been funded for the next four years, totaling over $170 billion, thanks to Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ Voting NO won’t shut them down or take their money away. We need to take advantage of the next two weeks to fix DHS.

“As we saw during the 43-day shutdown at the end of last year, hardworking Americans have nothing to gain from a shutdown. In San Diego alone, tens of thousands of workers missed paychecks, SNAP benefits hung in limbo for 200,000 households, and travel delays and cancellations reached unprecedented levels. San Diego is also a proud military service community, and the hundreds of thousands of service members and federal workers in my district should never be used as collateral damage.

“Not only does this vote avoid a disastrous shutdown, but it also includes wins for San Diegans, and the American people. It includes vital project requests I secured for local infrastructure, homelessness programs, transit, and research at institutions like UCSD and Scripps. For the American people, it strengthens national defense, expands education programs, and bolsters public health programs. That’s what responsible, results-driven governing looks like, and it’s what my constituents deserve.

Background: On January 31, the government entered a partial shutdown because the Labor-HHS, Transportation-HUD, Defense, Financial Services and General Government, and National Security, Department of State, and Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bills did not become law. Aside from Homeland Security, Rep. Peters voted to pass these appropriations packages out of the House.

Today’s vote finalizes the Senate-negotiated versions of the non-DHS appropriations bills. The remaining funding packages were completed through bicameral negotiations and returned to the House for final passage. DHS funding will continue to be negotiated separately.

After passing both chambers of Congress, these bills now head to the President’s desk, and once signed, will reopen the government.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, DC – On December 19, 2025, Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), and Adam Gray (CA-13) released a discussion draft for the Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act to transform the federal permitting process and meet America’s energy and electricity needs.

 

The CERTAIN Act would address permit certainty—ensuring federal agencies handle project authorizations and environmental reviews fairly and efficiently, with clear timelines, notice requirements, and accountability. This would facilitate the build out of the energy we need to lower costs, create jobs, and protect our environment. It also emphasizes coordinating between different agencies involved in these processes to avoid unnecessary delays.

Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA)

 

“On behalf of the 530,000 members of LIUNA, I proudly support the CERTAIN Act. This is common sense policy for all of our nation’s critical infrastructure projects and for the thousands of union members who build them. Revoking permits for both current and future projects only perpetuates chaos within the construction industry, upends good union jobs, and leaves our members without a paycheck. For over a decade, LIUNA has supported permitting reform as our members, for too long, have suffered from the weaponization of its process. The CERTAIN Act rectifies this and provides certainty to project applications. We commend Congressmen Peters and Evans for this bill and urge it to be a part of any and all permitting reform legislation.” — LIUNA General President Brent Booker

 

Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action

 

“BPC Action applauds the release of the bipartisan permitting discussion draft, the CERTAIN Act, which would increase certainty in the federal permitting process and insulate projects from political interference. This is a cross-party issue that has affected a variety of infrastructure projects across multiple administrations, and measures to ensure permitting certainty will be critical to any comprehensive package. We look forward to working with Congress on a broader permitting reform deal that includes project certainty provisions along with other key reforms to NEPA, judicial review, Clean Water Act, and transmission. A more efficient and predictable permitting system will lead to greater energy affordability and reliability, and better outcomes for businesses, households, and the environment,” — Michele Stockwell, president of Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action).

 

American Petroleum Institute 

 

“Permitting reform must deliver real decision durability, and we commend Reps. Scott Peters and Gabe Evans for their bipartisan leadership on this issue. Projects that have completed lawful reviews shouldn’t be vulnerable to arbitrary reversals. Durable, predictable decisions are essential to restoring certainty, unlocking investment and building the energy infrastructure America needs.” — SVP of Federal Relations Kristin Whitman, American Petroleum Institute

 

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

 

“The IBEW’s workforce provides certainty on jobs big and small, helping to ensure projects are done on time, on budget, and to the highest standards. Projects that are cut short by politics or delayed because of government red tape hurt skilled workers like those in the IBEW. It is only right for projects directed or supported by the government to be able to count on clear guidelines for review and approval. I applaud Reps. Peters and Evans for their efforts with the CERTAIN Act.” — Kenneth Cooper, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International President

 

Geothermal Rising

 

“The CERTAIN Act addresses longstanding permitting breakdowns—unclear timelines, interagency delays, and political uncertainty. This is complementary to the SPEED Act and other sector-specific reforms already moving through Congress. We’re pleased to support this bipartisan effort, which reflects exactly the kind of durable, bipartisan solution the geothermal industry needs. We commend Representatives Evans, Peters, Vasquez, and Garbarino for advancing bipartisan permitting reform and look forward to continued engagement as the bill moves toward introduction.” — Vanessa Robertson, Director of Policy and Education, Geothermal Rising

 

Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

 

“The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America appreciates the leadership of Representatives Peters and Evans for working in a bipartisan manner to advance permitting predictability as part of a comprehensive permitting reform proposal. Permit certainty is essential to the natural gas pipeline sector, where projects undergo extensive environmental review and rigorous safety oversight prior to construction. Ensuring that once a project has satisfied all applicable federal and state requirements it can proceed without undue delay is essential to maintaining a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy system.”

 

North America’s Building Trades Unions

 

“Certainty is what our members need. It’s what our three million working members deserve. They’ve fulfilled their end of the bargain by training and being ready to build projects across the country. In return, they expect the federal government to uphold its promises by allowing fully permitted projects to move forward. The CERTAIN Act is a strong step towards stabilizing the construction industry by inhibiting the ability for the permitting process to be further distorted to stall, block, or otherwise kill a fully permitted project.” — North America’s Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey

 

Third Way

 

“It’s no secret that federal infrastructure permitting is broken. Whether it’s renewables, a gas pipeline, or transmission, energy project developers must have a clear and workable process to follow–and the confidence that federal agencies will administer that process efficiently and fairly. We commend Representatives Peters and Evans for advancing effective, commonsense solutions in permitting reform discussions, like instilling firmer timelines for agency action, encouraging stronger coordination between agencies, and clarifying the process to quickly resolve disputes. These changes will provide much-needed predictability and help ensure American families and businesses have access to affordable, reliable energy.” — Ryan Fitzpatrick, Vice President of Climate and Energy

 

Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

 

“Abundant, affordable clean energy is the lifeblood of American prosperity. Growing energy demand represents a critical economic opportunity for the U.S., powering advanced manufacturing and breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. To seize that opportunity, we need to make it easier to build and invest in America — including by not allowing political favoritism to get in the way of timely reviews of permitting applications. C2ES applauds Representatives Peters and Evans for their leadership in developing a durable solution to this national imperative with the CERTAIN Act. We look forward to working with Congress to help unlock investments that can meet the moment and support a thriving and resilient American economy for the 21st century.” — Nat Keohane, President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

 

The Nature Conservancy

 

“The Nature Conservancy greatly appreciates the addition of the CERTAIN Act to the bipartisan permitting reform conversation. Smarter permitting and planning processes will help modernize our energy infrastructure, restore forests and waters and advance projects that benefit people and nature. When the permitting process is done right, there are fewer conflicts, reduced timelines and improved outcomes for communities and conservation. The ideas in the CERTAIN Act would make important progress toward these goals, and we look forward to building on this discussion.” — Laura Brannen, Federal Climate Policy Lead, The Nature Conservancy

Solar Energy Industries Association

 

“For America’s solar industry, permitting reform starts with permit certainty. Without action to address the ongoing moratorium on permitting of solar energy, the industry will continue to face significant barriers to deployment and investment at a time of skyrocketing energy demand. We thank Congressmen Peters and Evans for their work to keep fairness and certainty at the center of permitting negotiations.” — Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association

 

Advanced Energy United

 

“Advanced Energy United welcomes the bipartisan CERTAIN Act as a valuable addition to the debate around permitting reform in Congress. Representatives Peters and Evans have crafted a bill that comprehensively addresses the sources of uncertainty and instability in the federal permitting process. In particular we are encouraged that the bill seeks to establish specific deadlines and milestones for all federal permitting processes, rather than just some, creates clear legal remedies when these deadlines are missed, and gives welcome attention to capacity constraints at permitting agencies. As this debate moves forward, we hope lawmakers incorporate these important components into a comprehensive package – America won’t achieve energy dominance without a holistic, technology-neutral solution to permitting instability.”

 

Chamber of Progress

 

“We won’t bring energy costs down unless we build a lot more of every kind of energy. The CERTAIN Act offers serious, bipartisan ideas to give developers the certainty they need to invest, regardless of who is in the White House. It’s an important contribution to the broader push for permitting reform.”

 

Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC)

 

“EPIC is excited to see Representatives Evans and Peter take steps to make federal permitting processes more predictable. When government decision-making is predictable, it makes it straightforward and fairer for applicants. Those tenets are central to business operations, environmental protection, economic growth, and a healthy democracy.” — Dr. Timothy Male, Executive Director, EPIC (Environmental Policy Innovation Center)

 

The National Audubon Society

 

“The National Audubon Society commends Reps. Peters and Evans for their introduction of the CERTAIN Act. In our efforts to conserve critical habitats and protect birds, we work closely with project sponsors to ensure infrastructure is designed with conservation in mind throughout the permitting process. Project sponsors and the public deserve certainty that permits will be finalized in a timely manner and not reversed without sufficient cause, while also ensuring appropriate consideration of environmental impacts and requirements. Introduction of the CERTAIN Act is a positive first step towards legislation to address these issues, and we are encouraged that further bipartisan action will strengthen the bill and ensure permits recently revoked without cause are fully restored.” — Sam Wojcicki, Senior Director of Climate Policy

 

Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)

 

“CEBA applauds Reps. Scott Peters and Gabe Evans for releasing their bipartisan CERTAIN Act discussion draft. If this country is going to meet this moment of growing energy demand, we must not let politics inhibit the private sector investments that will drive job creation and innovation. Bills like the CERTAIN Act would go a long way toward a fast and predictable permitting environment in the U.S. We call on House and Senate leadership to swiftly act on a comprehensive permitting and transmission legislative package to reform and depoliticize energy and infrastructure development in the U.S.”

The Breakthrough Institute

 

“The Breakthrough Institute applauds Representative Scott Peters (D-CA) for introducing the Creating Expeditious Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act. To ensure energy reliability and affordability and modernize our economy, America must be able to build at scale. This legislation provides the essential ‘permitting certainty’ that project developers and investors need to move forward without the threat of shifting political winds. Codifying technology-neutral standards to protect permits from administrative reversals is essential to end the tit-for-tat executive actions that stall critical infrastructure. We look forward to seeing Congress shape this legislation as a cornerstone of meaningful, bipartisan permitting reform so we can finally get America building again.”

 

American Rivers Action Fund

 

“American Rivers Action Fund welcomes the bipartisan commitment to improving our nation’s permitting system. We know communities, businesses, and ecosystems all benefit when reviews are timely, transparent, and fair. The CERTAIN Act discussion draft is an encouraging step toward building an endurable permitting framework that ensures efficiency does not come at the expense of environmental integrity or public trust. We look forward to continuing discussions with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to deliver a permitting process that balances much-needed development with the clean water we all depend on.” — Tom Kiernan, President, American Rivers Action Fund

 

American Clean Power Association

 

“Thank you for advancing the permitting reform discussion.  As the U.S. experiences major and rapid rising electricity demand , we need to start building again – new energy generation, transmission and infrastructure.  This is key to ensuring lower costs for American families and businesses.” — Frank J. Macchiarola, Chief Advocacy Officer

 

Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres)

 

“Rising energy demand, an aging grid, and new barriers to infrastructure deployment are threatening affordability and American economic competitiveness. Ceres commends the leadership of Reps. Peters and Evans, along with Reps. Garbarino and Vasquez, in advancing bipartisan solutions to reduce costs for American businesses and consumers by unleashing affordable, reliable, homegrown clean energy. By eliminating unnecessary hurdles and ensuring fair, efficient reviews, the CERTAIN Act would provide the private sector with the confidence needed to unlock capital and ensure projects move forward at the pace America needs to win the AI race and accelerate advanced manufacturing and electrification. Congress must seize the momentum and pass legislation that includes critical reforms for permit certainty and grid modernization in 2026.” — Zach Friedman, senior director, federal policy, Ceres.

 

American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE)

 

“The bipartisan CERTAIN Act introduced by Reps. Peters and Evans is a thoughtful and important proposal for modernizing our federal permitting laws to meet America’s need for affordable, reliable, secure electricity resources. America’s electricity system, which has been built over the past century, has served as the backbone of our national security, technological capacity, and economic prosperity and is in need of substantial upgrades to meet current needs. Recent forecasts indicate that to keep our economy strong, secure, and innovative, we will need the equivalent of 15 New York Cities’ worth of new electricity on the grid in the next four years. The clean energy sector is meeting this challenge with over 90% of new electricity generation installed through October 2025 represented by affordable, reliable electricity produced in communities across the United States. An even playing field for all technologies will allow the most cost-effective and reliable resources to continue to compete and win, driving down costs for consumers and strengthening our overall resource base.” — Ray Long, President and CEO, ACORE

 

Chamber of Commerce

“By establishing permit certainty, the CERTAIN Act provides the assurance investors need to move forward with confidence, knowing that once a project has earned its approvals, it won’t be derailed by shifting priorities or new legal challenges. We applaud the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Peters, Evans, Garbarino, and Vasquez with these commonsense reforms so we can unlock private capital, lower energy costs, and deliver the modern, reliable infrastructure that drives economic growth, strengthens communities, and ensures America’s competitiveness.” — Marty Durbin, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA)

“NOIA strongly supports comprehensive permitting reform that delivers durable certainty for all forms of offshore energy, including oil and gas, offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, ocean mineral exploration, and emerging technologies. We commend Representatives Scott Peters, Gabe Evans, Andrew Garbarino, and Gabe Vasquez for their bipartisan leadership on the CERTAIN Act, which protects lawfully issued permits. Clear, durable, and predictable permitting decisions are essential to restoring investor confidence, unlocking capital across the full spectrum of energy resources, accelerating development, and building the reliable, offshore energy infrastructure America needs for energy security, economic growth, and affordability.” — National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito

Background: Permitting reform is increasingly an area of bipartisan consensus, especially as energy demand rises and costs continue to increase. However, our existing permitting regime has failed to ensure project permitting is on-time, efficient, and fair for all project types. Oftentimes, delays in the permitting process are unrelated to environmental protection or informed decision-making, and are instead driven by overregulation and administrative failures, including inefficient coordination of interagency reviews. Additionally, one of the biggest issues stifling long-term development in America over the last decade has been the constant regulatory pendulum swing that occurs when administrations prioritize certain projects, while placing a thumb on the scale against others.

 

American communities need to be able to build, and we should not allow partisan politics to limit that investment. It is critical that Congress provides a bipartisan model for environmental reviews that is durable and ensures accountability, transparency, and efficiency throughout the permitting process, from application submission to final decision. Once permits are lawfully issued – and the project sponsor is fulfilling the terms of the permit – it should be safe from arbitrary revocation, alteration, or termination, regardless of project type.

 

This discussion draft would streamline the federal permitting process, making the environmental review and decision-making process faster and more certain. For more information, a section-by-section on the draft is available HERE, a one pager is available HERE, and legislative text for the discussion draft is available HERE.

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) issued the following statement after a grand jury in Federal District Court rejected an attempt by the Trump Administration to indict him over a video simply restating the law:

“Donald Trump’s DOJ just tried—and failed—to indict me in front of a grand jury.

“Americans should be furious that Trump and his goons tried to weaponize our justice system again against his political opponents. His attempts to intimidate and silence us will always fail.

“We will continue to fight back against their rising tyranny, along with all Americans of good conscience. Courage is contagious. 

“Don’t Give Up the Ship.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Newsmax’s The Record with Greta Van Susteren to discuss the SAVE America Act, commonsense legislation that requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote and photo ID to vote in federal elections. Leader Scalise highlighted Democrats’ hypocrisy on voter ID despite its popularity amongst the American people.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview. 
On the SAVE America Act and the popularity of Voter ID:“The [SAVE America Act] is so important to get passed through the House first – and we’re not taking that for granted with a two-seat majority – but then getting it passed through the Senate to President Trump’s desk is critically important. I think you’re seeing more people across the country take notice of this bill. The idea of one, proving your citizenship to register, and then, as you mentioned, showing an ID to vote. This is something that you do to get on an airplane, to go to a bar for goodness sake, how about to show an ID when you exercise the main right of democracy, and that is to vote? I think everybody gets it, 83% of Americans, as you pointed out, and it crosses all demographics, Republican, Democrat, Black, White, Hispanic, all groups support it by over 70%. We’re going to get this bill passed to the Senate tomorrow. Then I think you’re going to see a lot of pressure on the Senate to move this bill to President Trump’s desk.”On preserving the sanctity of each American’s vote:“I serve with a colleague, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, in Iowa, who won her first election by six votes – closest vote that anybody can recall in the history of Congress, six votes. Four people changing their votes, or seven people voting illegally would have changed that outcome. Look, Joe Biden opened the border, and millions of people came in illegally, and some states actually allow illegals to vote in local elections. This bill says in federal elections, you have to prove citizenship, and you have to show an ID to vote. Prove who you are. Because, Greta, when you go by the mantra of ‘one person, one vote,’ which we all believe in, that is nullified if somebody votes illegally, they’re stealing your vote. I think most Americans get that. Most Americans know if somebody is stealing your vote because they’re voting illegally, it undermines confidence in elections. This actually has led to more confidence in the outcome of elections in states where it’s been done.”On Democrat hypocrisy:“For those Democrats who are vocally opposing this – Chuck Schumer calls it Jim Crow 2.0. Chuck Schumer required you to show an ID to get into the Democrat National Convention, Greta. They’re hypocrites. Senator Ossoff over the weekend had a town hall meeting. You needed to show an ID to get into his town hall meeting, and yet he won’t vote to require ID to vote. So, let’s expose hypocrisy. If they’re going to try to oppose this bill, I think all Americans are going to be watching.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered remarks at a screening of “Children in the Fire,” a documentary film about Ukrainian children impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in the U.S. Capitol. Below is a transcript of his remarks:
 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) led the Washington delegation in celebrating the Seattle Seahawks’ historic Super Bowl LX victory by introducing a congressional resolution. 
 
“There’s no team more deserving of this year’s Super Bowl victory than the Seahawks. As our community and the nation watched this year’s game, it was clear from the onset that our Dark Side defense would stop at nothing to hold the Patriots back while Walker, Myers, Darnold, and our offense fought to clinch the win. This victory was 11 years in the making, and the 12s should savor every moment of it,” said DelBene.  
 
DelBene was joined by Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Emily Randall (WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Adam Smith (WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10). 
 
The text of the resolution is available here.