Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup of eight bipartisan bills — three permitting reform proposals, including the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, and five bills pertaining to federal and tribal land management. Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

“Today, the Committee took an important bipartisan step toward lowering energy prices for hardworking Americans and building critical projects. The increasing demand for electricity and critical minerals is fueling new investments, and federal permitting laws must keep up. The SPEED Act eliminates bureaucratic delays that hinder projects and restores NEPA to its original purpose. The Committee’s bipartisan support for NEPA reform is a victory for government efficiency, economic growth, national security, transportation infrastructure and lower energy bills for Americans. I thank my colleagues for their hard work on the bills we advanced, and I look forward to advancing them through the legislative process.”

Background

H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), will make critical improvements to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to streamline the permitting process and restore the law to its original purpose as a procedural statute that sets parameters for evaluating and disclosing the environmental impact of major federal actions. The bill will shorten permitting timelines, reduce the frequency of frivolous litigation, set reasonable limits on judicial review timelines and clarify when NEPA is triggered.

H.R. 573, the Studying NEPA’s Impact on Projects Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.), will inform policymakers about NEPA’s impacts by requiring the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to publish an annual report on NEPA projects and outcomes, ensuring greater transparency.

H.R. 4503, the ePermit Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), will provide legislative direction on how federal agencies should implement electronic permitting systems and clarify CEQ’s authority to coordinate interagency efforts on permitting technology.

H.R. 4386, the America the Beautiful Motorcycle Fairness Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), will permit America the Beautiful annual pass holders to enter national parks and federal lands with up to two motorcycles. This is a return to the previous policy and will encourage motorcycle tourism on our federal lands. By expanding access to our federal lands ahead of America’s 250^th anniversary next year, this bill advances the goals of President Trump’s EO 14189, “Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday.”

H.R. 5131, the Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), withdraws public land for use by the military to provide long-term certainty to the military and protect the unique training environments, infrastructure and restricted airspace necessary to maintain military superiority and deter America’s adversaries. This legislation directly reflects the priorities outlined in President Trump’s EO 14183, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” which reaffirmed America’s commitment to maintaining the world's most capable armed forces.

H.R. 3903, the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), allows for a land exchange to resolve split estate challenges with land ownership in Chugach, Alaska. This legislation restores value to Native shareholders and promotes local conservation of the area by the Chugach Alaska Corporation.

H.R. 681, introduced by U.S. Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.), will authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head. Both tribes are located in Massachusetts. 

H.R. 4467, the Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), will authorize the conveyance of 7 acres of National Park Service land to the State of Mississippi for the construction of a new welcome and interpretive center at Vicksburg National Military Park. By improving visitor experiences and enhancing a site integral to American history, the bill advances the goals of President Trump’s EO 14189, “Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday,” and EO 14314, “Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks.”