The House approved the SPEED Act on Thursday, a bill designed to streamline permitting for data centers and energy infrastructure needed to power artificial intelligence development.
The legislation passed 218-213 despite a procedural vote that nearly derailed it amid conservative objections. Major technology companies including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Micron backed the measure, which now heads to the Senate for consideration as part of broader permitting reform discussions.
What the Bill Does
The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act by shortening the statute of limitations for environmental litigation from six years to 150 days. It would also accelerate federal review timelines for infrastructure projects affecting the environment.
Supporters argue the changes are necessary to ensure the United States can compete with China in artificial intelligence. “The electricity we will need to power AI computing for civilian and military use is a national imperative,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the bill’s sponsor and chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, a Democratic cosponsor, said the bill would make the United States “nimble enough to build what we need, when we need it.”
Democratic Concerns
Most Democrats opposed the measure, citing provisions that protect Trump administration efforts to block offshore wind and renewable energy projects from being revoked. House GOP leadership added language exempting these initiatives from certain permitting restrictions, intensifying opposition.
“That provision codifies a broken permitting status quo,” said Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., a permitting reform supporter who voted against the bill. “I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle in the Senate to craft a bipartisan product that can become law.”
Trump Administration’s Tech Initiative
The Trump administration this month announced the “U.S. Tech Force,” a program employing roughly 1,000 engineers and specialists to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure and technology projects across federal agencies. Participants commit to two-year positions working directly with agency leadership.
Private sector partners in the initiative include Amazon Web Services, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle, and Palantir. After completing their service, Tech Force members can apply for permanent positions with participating companies, while private sector employees may be nominated for government roles.
“We’re trying to reshape the workforce to make sure we have the right talent on the right problems,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told CNBC. The initiative came days after Trump signed an executive order establishing a national artificial intelligence policy framework.
This story has been updated. CNN’s team contributed to this report.
