Podcast Summary: Newt’s World – Episode 917: Chairman Bruce Westerman on the SPEED Act
Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Newt Gingrich (Gingrich 360)
Guest: Congressman Bruce Westerman (Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources)
Episode Overview
In this episode, Newt Gingrich interviews Congressman Bruce Westerman about the bipartisan SPEED Act (Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act). They discuss the urgent need for permitting reform in the U.S., its connection to economic development, national security, energy affordability, and America’s competitiveness—particularly against countries like China. The conversation emphasizes the impact of outdated and over-complicated environmental regulations, and the potential for the SPEED Act to streamline the permitting process across industries ranging from infrastructure to artificial intelligence.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Background on NEPA and Permitting Problems
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The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), enacted over 50 years ago, was intended to ensure environmental consideration in federal projects, but has become an obstacle preventing or delaying infrastructure, energy, and resource projects.
- “NEPA’s become this massive kind of a spider web... where you get in these continuous do loops and you can’t get out.”
— Bruce Westerman [04:25]
- “NEPA’s become this massive kind of a spider web... where you get in these continuous do loops and you can’t get out.”
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Average federal permitting under NEPA takes 4-5 years, and can take decades for projects like mining, leading to U.S. dependence on countries like China for critical minerals.
- “The National Mining association says it takes 29 years from the time you find a resource until you’re producing that resource in a mine.”
— Bruce Westerman [05:10]
- “The National Mining association says it takes 29 years from the time you find a resource until you’re producing that resource in a mine.”
2. Economic and Strategic Consequences
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The complexity and delays caused by NEPA directly raise costs for consumers and discourage domestic and foreign investment.
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Impact on energy: The inability to quickly permit new energy projects puts the U.S. at a disadvantage as demand for electricity grows (especially due to AI and data centers).
- “…if we want to reshore things here in America, we’re going to need more electricity for manufacturing. And we’re really behind the eight ball…”
— Bruce Westerman [06:51]
- “…if we want to reshore things here in America, we’re going to need more electricity for manufacturing. And we’re really behind the eight ball…”
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National security risk: U.S. permitting delays impact the nation’s ability to compete technologically and militarily and to access critical resources.
3. The SPEED Act – Key Reforms
- Streamlines the federal permitting process; aims for a “one-stop shop” by consolidating regulatory authority and reducing duplicity.
- “We want to streamline it, have one person or one group in charge and then take down roadblocks and obstacles… to make it a streamlined process.”
— Bruce Westerman [10:02]
- “We want to streamline it, have one person or one group in charge and then take down roadblocks and obstacles… to make it a streamlined process.”
- Codifies that NEPA is a procedural, not outcome-dictating, statute—as established by the Supreme Court.
- Ensures states have a stronger role.
- Addresses delays by setting firm timelines for reviews and closing loopholes used by bureaucracies to slow-walk permits.
4. Bipartisan & Economic Impact
- The SPEED Act was developed over 8 years, and its passage requires broad bipartisan support. There is growing understanding on both sides that outdated permitting restricts progress for infrastructure, the environment, and the economy:
- “We’ve built a huge amount of momentum… there’s a lot of conversations taking place on how do we get the Speed Act not only out of the House, but through the Senate and signed into law.”
— Bruce Westerman [19:47]
- “We’ve built a huge amount of momentum… there’s a lot of conversations taking place on how do we get the Speed Act not only out of the House, but through the Senate and signed into law.”
- Cumulative economic cost of permitting delays is immense:
- “McKinsey… said that it’s costing Americans $2.7 trillion for these public infrastructure projects that are held up in permitting.”
— Bruce Westerman [18:23]
- “McKinsey… said that it’s costing Americans $2.7 trillion for these public infrastructure projects that are held up in permitting.”
- Westerman cites staggering value-add potential if U.S. can efficiently process its own resources: $120B in material could become $3.7T in economic activity and jobs.
- “…for every 1% we increase the labor participation rate, we grow the economy a trillion dollars.”
— Bruce Westerman [22:00]
- “…for every 1% we increase the labor participation rate, we grow the economy a trillion dollars.”
5. Case Studies and Examples
- Mountain Valley Pipeline: Explicitly legislated but still delayed for years due to regulatory and legal obstacles.
- “It was some of the most explicit legislation that I’ve ever seen. It was almost like it came from scripture. But… nothing shall impede its development. Yet, obstacles prevailed.”
— Bruce Westerman [13:42]
- “It was some of the most explicit legislation that I’ve ever seen. It was almost like it came from scripture. But… nothing shall impede its development. Yet, obstacles prevailed.”
- State Differences: Pennsylvania vs. New York on shale development—regulation in NY leads to missed economic opportunity.
- “The amount to which New York has itself made people poor with that kind of regulation is just, I think, crazy.”
— Newt Gingrich [15:05]
- “The amount to which New York has itself made people poor with that kind of regulation is just, I think, crazy.”
- Atlanta Airport Runway: Took 11 years—only 18 months to construct, but 9.5 years to permit. [25:01]
- Military Readiness: Permits delayed redevelopment of strategic Pacific airfield for the U.S. military, while China rapidly constructs military infrastructure with no such barriers.
- “The Chinese Communist Party understand our environmental laws better than we do.”
— Bruce Westerman [26:54]
- “The Chinese Communist Party understand our environmental laws better than we do.”
- Air Traffic Control: $12B in approved funding can’t be used promptly for upgrades—held up by permitting to lay fiber optics.
- “They can’t get the fiber optics cables to the towers because of the NEPA permitting process.”
— Bruce Westerman [30:19]
- “They can’t get the fiber optics cables to the towers because of the NEPA permitting process.”
6. Permitting as an Affordability Issue
- Overregulation and permitting delays drive hidden costs into everything from energy to food prices, affecting all Americans.
- The reforms could make U.S. energy, infrastructure, and everyday goods more affordable while also strengthening national security and environmental outcomes.
- “…if the cost for energy rises, the cost for everything rises.”
— Bruce Westerman [33:50]
- “…if the cost for energy rises, the cost for everything rises.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “If you can’t build what you dream, then someday we’re going to lose that innovative advantage.”
— Bruce Westerman [11:41] - “People would love to invest in our country… But nobody’s going to invest if they can’t get a return…”
— Bruce Westerman [08:53] - “This bill will not get signed into law without bipartisan votes.”
— Bruce Westerman [19:47] - “…what we found out is that bureaucrats said, okay, we’ll follow that one year and two year guideline. There’s no requirements on how long we can delay before we actually start the process.”
— Bruce Westerman [16:18] - “…the far left seems like they just don’t want to build here in our country and they’re using the permitting process to stop that.”
— Bruce Westerman [10:02] - “Anybody who’s ever served in Congress has their Corps of Engineers horror story that they’ve dealt with, and it’s happening every day.”
— Bruce Westerman [28:49]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [04:25] – History and consequences of NEPA
- [06:51] – U.S. vs. China in construction & energy
- [08:04] – U.S. competitiveness and AI; strategic risk
- [10:02] – SPEED Act’s “one-stop shop” approach
- [13:42] – Mountain Valley pipeline case study
- [15:05] – Impact of state regulations on economic opportunity
- [18:23] – $2.7 trillion cost of infrastructure delays
- [19:37] – Eight-year journey and bipartisan process
- [22:00] – Economic value of accelerating development
- [26:54] – Military/national security consequences
- [30:19] – Air traffic control upgrades blocked by permitting delays
- [33:50] – Permitting’s hidden cost to affordability and everyday life
Tone & Style
The conversation is both practical and urgent, driven by Westerman’s background as an engineer and policymaker, and Gingrich’s perspective as a historian and former Speaker. Both call out bureaucratic obstacles while emphasizing the opportunities of bipartisan reform. The tone is earnest, at times exasperated by government inefficiency, but ultimately optimistic about the prospects for common-sense change.
Conclusion
Congressman Westerman and Newt Gingrich make a compelling case that permitting reform is a rare bipartisan opportunity to improve America’s economic prospects, national security, and affordability for average citizens. Listeners are encouraged to learn more via Westerman’s office (westerman.house.gov) and to frame permitting reform as a nonpartisan path toward a more prosperous, innovative, and competitive United States.
End of summary.