Former Officials Urge Congress to Pass Permitting Reform to Counter China

A group of former economic and national security advisers to six U.S. presidents is pressing Congress to pass bipartisan permitting reform, warning that stalled energy infrastructure projects threaten American competitiveness against China. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, introduced in the Senate in late September, is expected to be debated after the midterm elections when Congress returns November 9. The bill would reinforce statutory deadlines for key reviews, overhaul environmental rules, and require data centers to pay for new transmission built to serve them. In a letter to congressional leaders on Tuesday, signatories including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said China has built more high-voltage transmission in the last 15 years than the U.S. has in its entire history. They cited National Science Foundation data showing China accounted for 31.5% of global knowledge- and technology-intensive manufacturing value added in 2024, versus 20.7% for the U.S. The American Petroleum Institute and BP have also urged lawmakers to pass the legislation this year, arguing it provides investment certainty for energy projects.