Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - 2/4/26… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler joined Reps. Josh Harder (CA-09), Adam Gray (CA-13), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), and Don Bacon (NE-02) in introducing the Fighting for Reliable Energy and Ending Doubt for Open Markets (FREEDOM) Act expedites judicial review, creates new protections for fully-permitted projects, establishes enforceable deadlines, and mandates ode-risking programs and compliance reporting.

Energy projects face catastrophic financial losses from permit revocations, unreasonable agency delays, and years-long processing times, even after sponsors invest millions based on approvals. This regulatory uncertainty deters critical infrastructure investment across all energy technologies and undermines America's energy security. 

“America's energy security depends on our ability to build critical infrastructure efficiently and responsibly. The FREEDOM Act cuts through regulatory delays that have stalled vital energy projects across the country. By establishing clear timelines and accountability for federal agencies, this legislation protects investments, creates jobs, and ensures NY-17 can power its future with reliable, affordable energy,” said Congressman Lawler. 

“Working families across the country are facing soaring energy prices because we’ve made it too hard to build new energy projects. The FREEDOM Act delivers the smart, pro-growth certainty that critical energy projects desperately need by cutting delays, fast-tracking approvals, and holding federal agencies accountable. This is a common sense solution that will mean more energy projects being brought online in the short term and lower energy costs for our families for the long run,” said Congressman Harder.

How the FREEDOM Act delivers tech-neutral permitting certainty:

• Empowers project sponsors to file court petitions with expedited review and limits non-project sponsors from extended legal challenges.
• Federal agencies cannot revoke permits, issue stop-work orders, or halt construction on fully permitted projects that do not meet a narrow set of extreme circumstances.
• Non-negotiable timelines that, when missed by agencies, empower project sponsors to hire qualified contractors to complete administrative work at no cost to the project.
• Insurance-style program under the Department of Energy (DOE) to protect developers from losses due to federal actions or inaction.
• Mandatory GAO reporting to Congress 180 days and annually on agency deadline compliance, unfair treatment, and industry success.

“Projects in my district are being held up by a dysfunctional permitting system that takes years to process simple applications. It's long over-due for Congress to act. I am proud to co-lead the bipartisan FREEDOM Act with Reps. Harder, Bacon, and Lawler to ensure America can build reliable infrastructure, quickly,” said Congressman Gray.

“Energy projects should not face years of uncertainty that undermine our energy security after sponsors have invested millions by following the rules and securing permits. I’m pleased to co-lead the bipartisan FREEDOM Act to bring common-sense timelines, protect permitted investments, and ensure the permitting process is fair, predictable, and applied equally,” said Congressman Bacon. 

“Both parties have watched administrations weaponize the permitting process against disfavored energy sources,” said Thomas Hochman, Director of Energy & Infrastructure Policy at the Foundation for American Innovation. “The FREEDOM Act would fix that, creating a level playing field so that energy technologies succeed or fail based on their merits, rather than politics.”

“NOIA strongly supports bipartisan efforts like the FREEDOM Act, which delivers enforceable permitting deadlines, robust protections for fully permitted projects, expedited judicial review, and a de-risking compensation program to provide certainty and decision durability for all forms of offshore energy development, including oil and gas, offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, ocean mineral exploration, and emerging technologies,” said National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito. “We commend Representatives Josh Harder, Mike Lawler, Adam Gray, and Don Bacon for their leadership in advancing this critical legislation, which limits delays, safeguards investments from revocations or inaction, and ensures fair treatment across energy sources. By establishing predictable timelines, accountability mechanisms, and financial safeguards, efforts like the FREEDOM Act are essential to restoring investor confidence, unlocking capital, accelerating offshore infrastructure development, and building the all-of-the-above energy future America needs for security, economic growth, and affordability.”

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

###