U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, is optimistic that his SPEED Act will make it into law before the end of the year, but he’s unsure how aid to farmers or a potential government shutdown will play out.
Appearing on this week’s TB&P D.C. Edition, Westerman said his permitting reform measure, the SPEED Act, could become law before year’s end. SPEED stands for “streamlining, permitting and enhancing economic development.”
“I’d say this is the most important bill that affects things that people have no idea it’s affecting them,” he said. “It goes with the idea that we can still protect the environment, but we can promote a strong economy at the same time.”
The bill intends to shorten the permitting process for everything from mining to infrastructure to energy projects. The permit process can take four to six years with government regulations.
“We have to do more mining, we have to produce more energy. We have to become less reliant on foreign supply chains and the antiquated, burdensome permitting process is one of the obstacles standing in the way from doing this more quickly,” said Westerman. “My goal is to get it done by the end of this year.”
Westerman held a hearing on the bill this past week. He sees a markup of the measure in the near future and then a vote to move it forward. One reason he believes it will pass in this Congress is the bipartisan support it enjoys.
“I’ve worked very closely with some Democrat colleagues. I’ve got Democrat co-sponsors on the bill, and we’re steadily adding more of those as we work through the process,” he said. “So my hope is to get a strong bill out of the House with a bipartisan vote, get it over to the Senate and let the Senate pass it and get it on up to the president’s desk. I really think there’s momentum to make that happen.
FARM AID, SHUTDOWN
With farmers struggling, Westerman said Congress is having many conversations on potential solutions, but there is still a lack of clarity on what that will be. When it materializes, Westerman thinks it will be voted on quickly.
“I can’t speak for all the Arkansas delegation, but I know I’m going to support a reasonable plan if we can get one put together, and I think our whole delegation will support that,” he said.
“I haven’t seen numbers yet. During Trump’s first administration, when he did tariffs, he redirected some of the tariff money, or Congress did, to help farmers that had experienced damage because of that. But these crops were planted with money that was borrowed last year before Trump got into office, so the production costs were already locked in as high,” he added.
Westerman said Brazil is accepting major investments from China in its farming sector. That’s harming Arkansas and American farmers, so how does the U.S. reverse this axis of agriculture?
“I don’t know that you do,” he said. “It is going to have to be through trade policies, and that’s a whole other can of worms… We didn’t get here overnight. We’re not going to get out of this overnight, but I think we’ve got to have a plan in place that protects our food supply, because I don’t mean to be Captain Obvious, but it’s a necessity of life. If we can’t feed ourselves, we’re in deep trouble.”
When asked if there would be a government shutdown on October 1st, Westerman said the House has done its duty. It now rests on Senate action.
“I don’t know that I’m the right one to ask that question,” he said. “I think Senator Schumer’s still saying they’re not going to accept it, but we will see how all of that happens.”
You can listen to Westerman’s interview at this link[1].
Related
References
- ^ Westerman’s interview at this link (traffic.libsyn.com)