H.R. 7 Speeds Up Bureaucratic Approvals for Infrastructure Projects, Cuts Permitting Time in Half

According to the Federal Highway Administration, infrastructure projects can take as long as 15 years to complete because of excessive government regulations and red tape. These types of bureaucratic delays are a major barrier to economic growth and job creation. To prevent needless delays and cost increases and facilitate the timely repair of roads and bridges, which are critical to the economys ability to function, the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7)

SPEEDS UP BUREAUCRATIC APPROVALS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS & CUTS PERMITTING TIME IN HALF BY:

• Allowing federal agencies to review transportation projects concurrently rather than waiting for one to finish before beginning another;

• Setting hard deadlines for federal agencies to approve projects;

• Delegating more decision-making authority to the states, eliminating duplication with the federal government and reducing delays and costs to taxpayers; and more.

We know infrastructure projects can be completed quickly and safely. For example, when a design flaw caused the I-35 bridge in Minnesota to collapse in 2007, the replacement was contracted to be completed within 437 days. It was actually finished well ahead of schedule in 14 months thanks to the kind of streamlined review and permit process created by the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act.

H.R. 7 also eliminates or consolidates nearly 70 federal transportation programs, and is earmark-free. As Congressman Boehner wrote in Human Events today, gone are the days when powerful chairmen and the most senior members of Congress steer your money to their most-favored pet projects.

Stay tuned to the Congressmans blog for part five in our series on pro-growth reforms in H.R. 7, a bill that removes barriers to energy production to create more than a million new jobs and address rising gas prices, and focuses taxpayer resources on high-priority infrastructure projects  without earmarks, without adding to our national debt, and without raising taxes on families and small businesses.

READ MORE:

• H.R. 7 Has No Earmarks & Eliminates or Consolidates Nearly 70 Duplicative Programs
• H.R. 7 Ensures Scarce Taxpayer Dollars Are Focused on High-Priority Infrastructure Projects, Not Wasteful Pork
• H.R.7 Removes Barriers to Energy Production to Create More Than a Million New Private-Sector Jobs