Permitting Reform Talks Restart—A Welcome Sign for Manufacturers
Washington, D.C. – Following the decision by Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to reopen permitting reform negotiations, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:
“Permitting reform is one of the key pillars of a comprehensive manufacturing strategy that will help clear the skies for manufacturers. We thank Sens. Whitehouse and Heinrich for reopening negotiations on this critical issue. The stakes couldn’t be higher for manufacturers: America’s permitting system is broken—with projects taking up to 80% longer to move forward than in peer nations. America cannot lead the world in all forms of energy, AI and advanced manufacturing while projects remain stuck in yearslong permitting delays. Coming off the NAM State of Manufacturing Tour, the message has been clear—America needs a faster, more reliable permitting system to build the infrastructure that powers growth and keeps our industry competitive. 2026 must be the year of permitting reform. We want ribbon cuttings, not red tape, so manufacturers can build new shop floors, energy facilities and new infrastructure here in the United States.
“In addition to our champions in the House of Representatives—including Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME)—we are grateful to Sens. Whitehouse, Heinrich, Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Mike Lee (R-UT) for their continued efforts to advance bipartisan, comprehensive permitting reform—an essential pillar of a comprehensive manufacturing strategy and an all-of-the-above approach to energy. By modernizing our broken permitting system, Congress can deliver the certainty manufacturers need to build faster, invest with confidence and improve the quality of life for all Americans.”
Background:
In February, the NAM launched “Building to Win,” a six-figure campaign urging Congress to pass robust infrastructure investments and reauthorize critical federal highway programs before they expire on Sept. 30. As part of the launch, the NAM unveiled a new infrastructure policy roadmap, including original analysis on the economic costs of congestion on manufacturers and a set of core infrastructure policy pillars. The NAM also debuted a new ad underscoring the importance of infrastructure investment and permitting reform to manufacturing competitiveness.
Permitting reform has long been a top legislative priority for the NAM. In the final weeks of 2025, the NAM pushed for permitting reform measures that advanced in the House—including the passage of the SPEED ACT. Manufacturers are calling on the Senate to take the helm and build on that momentum by advancing the SPEED Act, a cornerstone of the NAM’s “Manufacturing’s Roadmap to AI and Energy Dominance.”
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The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.95 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.
