Letter to the U.S. House in Support of the SPEED Act, H.R. 4776

By SBE Council at 16 December, 2025, 12:13 pm

United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council), I write in strong support of H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED Act). America's small businesses need a more timely and predictable regulatory process to grow, compete, and take advantage of expansion opportunities. The SPEED Act advances this longstanding priority by modernizing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process in a manner that preserves environmental considerations while reducing unnecessary costs and delays.

SBE Council urges all members of the U.S. House to vote in favor of the SPEED Act.

NEPA has evolved into an overly convoluted and time-consuming statute that too often stonewalls projects for years, driving up costs without delivering meaningful environmental benefits. SBE Council has long warned that these delays undermine economic growth and competitiveness, with small businesses bearing a disproportionate share of the burden due to their limited ability to absorb prolonged uncertainty and regulatory expense.

The SPEED Act improves the efficiency of the permitting process, enabling faster deployment of infrastructure and energy projects that directly benefit small businesses. It establishes clear timelines for regulatory review and narrows the scope of analysis to avoid speculative or unrelated considerations. The legislation also strengthens judicial review by setting reasonable deadlines for claims, requiring meaningful participation during the review process, and clarifying available remedies so projects are not derailed by prolonged litigation.

In addition, this bill makes permitting more predictable for small businesses. It creates a more streamlined framework by limiting duplicative reviews, allowing agencies to rely on previously completed environmental analyses, and clarifying when NEPA is triggered. These reforms help ensure that infrastructure, energy, and development projects move forward in a manner that meets the needs of our modern economy.

The SPEED Act represents a balanced and thoughtful effort to modernize an outdated review process. SBE Council urges your support of this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO