WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dean Phillips issued this statement following on H.R.1, the Polluters over People Act:

“Let me be clear: Reforming our energy sector is imperative. But instead of providing comprehensive, bipartisan solutions for the permitting crisis,  H.R.1 puts polluters over people and gives special benefits to big oil companies at the expense of our planet and our pocketbooks. I will not support legislation that rolls back bipartisan environmental protections passed in the last Congress and places undue danger on our natural resources and federal lands. Instead, Republicans and Democrats must come together again to pass substantive permitting reform that will secure our energy independence, lower energy costs, and power up our clean energy transformation.”

H.R.1 fails to address the lack of funding and resources at federal agencies charged with conducting environmental review, one of the biggest causes of delays in the permitting process.

In the 117th Congress, Phillips helped pass the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act, which began to revitalize the permitting process.

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