House Advances Legislation to Accelerate Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday approved legislation designed to streamline and accelerate the federal permitting process for interstate natural gas pipelines, voting 213 to 184 in favor of the measure.
The bill would designate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as the lead agency overseeing pipeline permitting reviews, consolidating authority that supporters argue has long been fragmented and inefficient. Under the proposal, FERC would be permitted to consider water quality assessments as part of its environmental review, rather than waiting on separate Clean Water Act certifications issued by individual states, according to Reuters.
Backers of the legislation say state-level certification processes have routinely been used to stall or block pipeline projects for years, undermining energy reliability and economic growth. The measure, titled the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act, is one of several efforts advancing in Congress aimed at cutting red tape and speeding federal permitting.
Lawmakers also passed the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act, which received bipartisan support, signaling growing recognition across party lines that America’s infrastructure approval system is overdue for reform.
Permitting reform has become a central priority as policymakers work to expand domestic energy infrastructure to meet rising electricity demand—driven in part by the rapid growth of energy-intensive data centers nationwide. Supporters further argue that faster approvals would help stabilize supply and lower energy costs for American households already burdened by inflation.
FERC, traditionally composed of five commissioners nominated by presidents and confirmed by the Senate, has approved the majority of natural gas pipeline proposals that have come before it in recent years.
“These bills help unlock the infrastructure America needs to meet growing demand for affordable, reliable energy,” American Petroleum Institute President Mike Sommers said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Senate is pursuing a separate, broader effort to overhaul energy permitting rules. That initiative is focused on reforming the National Environmental Policy Act, which governs environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects, and would also include provisions aimed at upgrading electric transmission lines.
House Blocks Another Attempt to Impeach President Trump
In a separate development Thursday, the House decisively rejected another attempt by a left-wing lawmaker to impeach President Donald Trump, as nearly two dozen Democrats joined Republicans to halt the effort.
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) triggered the vote by introducing a privileged resolution containing two articles of impeachment, a procedural move that forces House consideration within two legislative days. Republicans quickly moved to table the resolution, effectively ending the impeachment push. The motion passed with bipartisan support, Fox News reported.
Twenty-three Democrats voted alongside Republicans to set aside the impeachment measure, while a significant number of Democrats voted “present,” including all three members of House Democratic leadership: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.).
In a joint statement explaining their decision, the three leaders said:
“Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust. The effort traditionally requires a comprehensive investigative process, the collection and review of thousands of documents, an exacting scrutiny of the facts, the examination of dozens of key witnesses, Congressional hearings, sustained public organizing and the marshaling of the forces of democracy to build a broad national consensus,”
They added:
“None of that serious work has been done, with the Republican majority focused solely on rubber stamping Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. Accordingly, we will be voting ‘present’ on today’s motion to table the impeachment resolution as we continue our fight to make life more affordable for everyday Americans.”
The final vote was 237 to 140, with 47 members voting “present,” Fox noted.
Among the Democrats who supported tabling the resolution were Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Josh Riley (D-N.Y.), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Don Davis (D-N.C.), Shomari Figures (D-Ala.), and others, according to the outlet.