McCaskill Bill to Streamline Federal Permitting Process Sails Through Senate Committee Hurdle

Press Release

A bipartisan bill backed by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill to streamline and improve the federal permitting process, which is currently bogged down by red tape and uncertainty hindering investment and job creation--today passed out of committee with near-unanimous approval, bringing it one step closer to passage by the full Senate.

"I think most Missourians would agree we need a whole lot less red tape in government--especially when it comes to promoting business opportunities in our state," said McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor and a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee. "Infrastructure projects create good-paying jobs, and employers can't afford the uncertainty of lengthy, unnecessary delays because of an uncoordinated bureaucracy. We've got to help give businesses and communities a streamlined process that will better allow them the freedom to plan and invest."

The Federal Permitting Improvement Act, which McCaskill has introduced along with Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, would streamline and speed up the federal permitting process, right now laden with unpredictability and uncoordinated federal review that hinders economic growth. Businesses looking to undertake large infrastructure projects are currently subject to a massive bureaucratic process involving up to a dozen agencies and approvals, and even after approval, litigation can stall projects for years. The World Bank has ranked the United States 41st in the world in "Dealing with Construction Permits," a metric that measures how easy it is to actually build something.

The bill is backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and a number of major labor unions including the AFL-CIO's Building Trades Unions. It is cosponsored by Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, as well as Senators Angus King of Maine, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

A recent Bloomberg piece described the bill as "legislation seen as having the best chance of locking down enough Democrats for Senate approval," among more than a half-dozen bills aimed at revamping regulatory procedures.

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