With Congress weighing a slate of federal permitting reforms over the next two weeks, national and Arizona manufacturing leaders are urging lawmakers to modernize outdated processes that they say are slowing down job-creating projects in every corner of the country.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is calling the window the “12 Days of Permitting Reform,” urging House members to advance several bills — including the PERMIT Act and the SPEED Act — aimed at streamlining federal reviews, clarifying the scope of environmental statutes, and shortening timelines for major infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects.
NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said momentum is building for bipartisan action.
“Congress has an opportunity over the next 12 days to demonstrate strong, bipartisan momentum on comprehensive permitting reform,” Timmons said in a statement. “Manufacturers urge policymakers to seize the moment and make it easier and more cost-efficient for manufacturers to get shovels in the ground on job-creating projects.”
For Arizona, the debate in Washington carries significant weight. The state is facing rising demand for power, advanced manufacturing capacity, and data-center infrastructure — all sectors that hinge on timely federal approvals. Chamber leaders say lengthy permitting processes increase costs, deter investment, and make it harder for Arizona to meet workforce and energy needs tied to semiconductor manufacturing, AI development, and onshoring supply chains.
Arizona Chamber: predictable permitting is essential for competitiveness
Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden said modernizing federal permitting is critical for Arizona’s economic future.
“Manufacturers can’t meet demand, onshore supply chains, or power new AI and data-center growth without a permitting system that works,” Seiden said. “Arizona’s economy depends on major projects moving on predictable timelines. Congress should advance the PERMIT Act and the SPEED Act so companies can build the infrastructure and capacity our economy requires.”
Seiden added that Arizona has already seen projects slowed or complicated by federal bottlenecks, noting that stronger permitting coordination will help reinforce the state’s position as a national leader in advanced manufacturing.
AMC: Federal uncertainty hits small and mid-sized manufacturers hardest
Grace Appelbe, executive director of the Arizona Manufacturers Council, said modernizing federal processes would reduce uncertainty for Arizona companies, especially the small and medium-sized firms that make up the backbone of the state’s supply chain.
“Long, unpredictable permitting timelines create real challenges for Arizona manufacturers trying to expand, upgrade equipment, or bring new technologies online,” Appelbe said. “Streamlining these reviews will give companies more certainty, lower costs, and strengthen Arizona’s ability to compete for new investment.”
Appelbe noted that many Arizona manufacturers planning new facilities or energy upgrades face multi-agency review processes that can take years. “A clearer federal framework would help every part of the supply chain plan more confidently,” she said.
National implications for energy and AI growth
According to NAM, more than 80% of manufacturers say today’s permitting challenges hinder their ability to invest, and nearly nine in 10 report they would expand operations or hire more workers if the federal process were streamlined. Reforms under consideration would simplify Clean Water Act reviews, reduce duplicative federal studies, expand categorical exclusions, and accelerate environmental assessments needed for large-scale projects.
For Arizona, business leaders say the stakes are especially high. The state is home to rapidly expanding semiconductor fabs, aerospace production lines, defense manufacturing, AI-driven data centers, and massive energy infrastructure needs, all of which depend on permitting predictability.
What comes next
The House is expected to take up several permitting reform bills over the next two weeks. NAM is urging lawmakers to advance the PERMIT Act and a series of companion bills this week, followed by the SPEED Act — legislation the organization calls a cornerstone of U.S. competitiveness in energy and emerging technologies — next week.
Manufacturing leaders say Senate action will be essential in the new year to convert these efforts into lasting policy changes.
For Arizona manufacturers and utilities preparing for dramatic load growth, Chamber and AMC leaders say they will continue advocating for reforms that allow job-creating projects to move forward at the pace the economy demands.