Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for his leadership on our committee and for this piece of legislation, as well as all my colleagues who had input into this piece of legislation.
Mr. Chair, it is a great piece of commonsense legislation. I tell folks all the time I have got more years behind me than in front of me. One of the reasons that I came to Washington, D.C., was to make sure that my kids and the next generation had the same opportunities that I did when I was growing up.
This piece of legislation addresses that. It is one of many pieces, but it addresses that with the fact that all we are doing is asking for the Federal Government to become more efficient and more productive. When we do that, we make life more affordable for everyone.
Mr. Chair, it just does not make common sense that it takes over 10 years to build a road out. It does not make sense when we spend over 7 years fighting for permits and fighting frivolous lawsuits with environmentalists on a build-out plan of 2\1/2\ or 3 years.
It doesn't make common sense when an electric generating power company wants to build a natural gas facility but they will miss the economic growth because it takes over 10 years to get a permit to lay the pipeline.
It doesn't make common sense when our rural communities out there are struggling. The water treatment facilities are worn out and they are old, but they can't participate in the economic growth that is coming because it will take them over a decade to get a permit. That is not just to mention the fact this bill addresses clarity for our farmers out there or more affordable homebuilding.
Mr. Chair, I know this is not a big, sexy headline topic, but this is an important piece of legislation. It will help improve efficiency and productivity with our Federal Government and make sure that life is more affordable so that these young people can get out there and chase their version of the American Dream.
Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support this piece of legislation. Let's get H.R. 3898 passed out of the House and sent over to the Senate.
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