Permitting Reform Can Unlock American Affordability

Streamlining Permitting Requirements Would Increase Supply, Boost Competition and Ease the Cost-of-Living

As the midterms approach, affordability remains a top concern for working Americans. One policy area that would bring both immediate and long-term relief is permitting reform. Permitting reform is key to unlocking investment, expanding supply, and strengthening American competitiveness. Market economies are driven by supply and demand, and the American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 is a bill that could help boost supply across different sectors of the economy, including housing, energy and manufacturing.

AFFM supports a permitting system built on clear rules, timely decisions, and regulatory certainty so Americans can invest and build with confidence. This bipartisan legislation will remove obstructive regulations and streamline the processes necessary to continue America’s prosperity.

See what leading policymakers and experts are saying about this bipartisan bill and the latest efforts to address the affordability crisis:

David Ibsen, Americans for Free Markets (AFFM) Executive Director: “This bipartisan agreement is welcome progress toward the meaningful permitting reform America urgently needs. Outdated permitting processes drive up costs, delay critical energy and infrastructure projects and hold back American investment and job creation. At a time when families and businesses are facing higher costs and growing energy demands, we cannot afford to let unnecessary delays stand in the way of growth and affordability.”

U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman: “The point is we can build things quickly, effectively and allow Americans to benefit from them…We can do this by making sure government operates more effectively and more efficiently…It’s an American bill. It’s a pro-consumer bill. And it is also pro-environmental, pro-historic preservation…This is good for all of us.”

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman: “The bipartisan reforms we secured in this deal will transform our nation’s ability to power our economy and fuel future growth, while continuing to protect the land, water, and wildlife we all cherish. I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and the House, and President Trump to get this essential legislation signed into law so we can build the infrastructure America needs to grow and thrive.”

Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO: “Manufacturers are all in on this game-changing agreement and getting it across the finish line. Our nation’s permitting system is outdated and burdensome, delaying projects across industries and contributing to rising costs across the economy. Costly, duplicative permitting delays are costing manufacturers $8 billion annually, limiting manufacturers’ ability to hire new workers, build and expand their operations. Removing these barriers would unlock greater investment and growth. Manufacturers are ready to build, and modernized permitting will help us race to the future.”

Mark McManus, United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters General President: “In our industry, uncertainty means one thing: unemployment. It is long past time that Congress enacts meaningful permitting reform to put UA members to work faster delivering reliable and affordable energy to American communities…This bipartisan legislation…will increase project certainty, streamline federal review timelines, and create thousands of good-paying jobs – all while maintaining reasonable environmental safeguards and opportunities for public input.” 

Brent Gardner, Americans for Prosperity Chief Government Affairs Officer: “Legislation like this doesn’t come around often, and Washington shouldn’t let it slip away. America’s permitting system is the biggest thing standing between this country and the energy it needs to grow. Every year it stays broken, families pay more for electricity, businesses walk away from projects, and the country falls further behind. This bill is a critical first step in addressing that challenge.” 

Michele Stockwell, Bipartisan Policy Center Action President: “Americans are paying the price for a broken permitting system through rising everyday costs and worse environmental outcomes. Power demand is climbing as manufacturing returns stateside and businesses need more electricity. We have the technology to meet that demand at a lower cost, but projects often stall for years in reviews and litigation. Today’s permitting inefficiencies weaken the grid, cede ground to competitors, and keep much-needed infrastructure on the drawing board.”

Mike Sommers, American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO: “Washington has a generational opportunity to fundamentally transform a broken permitting system and help address the affordability challenges facing American consumers…The bipartisan package would modernize NEPA, reduce duplicative reviews and unnecessary litigation, and provide greater certainty for critical projects. Congress should seize this moment and finish the job—making it easier to build the infrastructure America needs and helping keep costs down for consumers.”

This permitting reform represents a commonsense, bipartisan solution to provide direct relief to American families struggling with today’s affordability crisis while promoting America’s competitive edge. It’s now on Congress to deliver this much-needed reform.

Read AFFM’s statement applauding The American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026.