The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday designed to accelerate federal permitting for infrastructure projects tied to artificial intelligence. The bill, known as the SPEED Act, cleared the chamber in a 221–196 vote and now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to factor into broader permitting reform discussions.
Backed by major technology companies including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Micron, the bill seeks to address delays that can slow construction of data centers and energy infrastructure needed to support AI development. Proponents argue that faster approvals are critical as AI workloads place growing demands on the U.S. power grid and computing capacity.
The SPEED Act would amend the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 by shortening environmental review timelines and reducing the statute of limitations for related lawsuits to 150 days from six years. Supporters say the changes would help the U.S. compete more effectively with China and other countries investing heavily in AI infrastructure.
While the bill drew some bipartisan backing, most Democrats opposed it, citing provisions tied to renewable energy policy. The debate underscores rising tension in Washington as AI expansion increases pressure on energy systems, permitting processes, and long-term infrastructure planning.
