OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 12, 2025
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. WEBER of Texas. Gosh, Mr. Speaker, fairy tales begin ``once upon a time.'' You know how those begin. We are hearing one today right here in our very presence, saying that somehow the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has caused this problem.

Mr. Speaker, the plain and simple fact is that America's population is growing, our economy is growing, and natural gas already provides more than 40 percent of the electricity Americans rely on every day.

Mr. Speaker, during the time period of 2013 to 2021, several pipeline projects were canceled, leading to a pipeline capacity growth of only 26 percent. Let that sink in. Meanwhile, natural gas demand has increased by 49 percent. Do that math.

This trend will be compounded if there are not statutory reforms. It is absolutely dishonest to try to blame LNG for this. America can't run without energy, Mr. Speaker. Like it or not, a lot of that energy comes from natural gas.

Listen to this. When we stopped building pipelines between 2013 and 2021, over 25 million homes were put at risk. That is exactly what H.R. 3668 fixes. This bill clarifies that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is the leading agency for coordinating the environmental review process for interstate natural gas pipelines. It requires other Federal and State agencies to align their reviews with FERC's timeline.

It is written with a clear objective, reducing delays and approving coordination. Did I mention that gas has really needed to be given to a lot more American households?

Here is what we are going to do. We have already seen what happens when we don't build. Again, pipeline cancellations put over 25 million, with an m, homes at risk. Do the math. With the average 3.15 people in that household, that is nearly 79 million, with an m, 79 million people affected. Mr. Speaker, that doesn't even account for higher prices or the hit to our energy security or the actual possibility that our energy security will be severely damaged.

Mr. Speaker, if we want reliable power and lower costs, we have got to stop telling fairy tales, and we have got to start doing. That is exactly what my friend and colleague, Congressman Hudson's, bill does. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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