National Taxpayers Union urges all Representatives to vote “YES” on H.R. 3062, the “Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act.” This legislation would help expedite consideration of power generation projects that improve the reliability of the electric grid.
Enactment of H.R. 3062 is much-needed because of hostility toward traditional fuel sources from radical activists. Previous administrations were influenced to use the power of the federal government to stop development of pipelines that carry oil and gas across international borders, particularly from Canada. Presidents Obama and Biden unilaterally revoked permits for the Keystone XL Pipeline, killing thousands of blue-collar jobs and stranding billions in capital investment.
Currently, cross-border energy projects—such as pipelines and electric transmission lines—must go through an outdated, unpredictable permit process. This creates unnecessary delays and costly inefficiencies for projects that could otherwise create jobs, lower energy costs, and improve North American energy cooperation. Such an unpredictable permitting process creates uncertainty for a highly capital-intensive industry and leaves it at the whims of politically-charged decisions.
The Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act would require congressional approval to reverse a cross-border project, insulating energy projects from politically-driven decisions. The legislation also creates a more consistent statutory framework by reassigning permitting authority to federal agencies already equipped to handle infrastructure reviews, like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. This slight but meaningful change will promote business certainty and bolster investment in America’s energy industry.
Additionally, this bill promotes stronger ties with our neighbors—Canada and Mexico—by facilitating secure and reliable cross-border energy infrastructure. With increasingly unstable global energy markets, it is in America’s national interest to modernize how we approve and manage critical infrastructure projects.
Roll call votes on this legislation will be included in NTU’s annual Rating of Congress and “YES” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU’s Senior Director of Government Affairs Thomas Aiello at Taiello@ntu.org
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