In Case You Missed It: Congressman Gabe Evans Highlights Bipartisan Leadership on Permitting Reform in 535 Interview

August 3, 2026 Press Release Rep. Gabe Evans Discusses the Bipartisan CERTAIN Act and Commonsense Solutions to Lower Energy Costs Congressman Gabe Evans joined Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA) on 535 to discuss their bipartisan efforts to modernize America's permitting system and advance commonsense reforms that will strengthen U.S. energy security, lower costs for families, and accelerate the construction of critical infrastructure. During the interview, Congressman Evans discussed his bipartisan CERTAIN Act , his work as the Republican co-lead of the Problem Solvers Caucus Working Group on Permitting, Energy & Environment, and the need for Congress to reduce unnecessary delays that prevent America from building the infrastructure needed to meet rising energy demand. “The first thing that Scott and I did was we put together this bipartisan permitting reform framework just because no one single bill is going to fix this... Here are the general things where Republicans and Democrats we think can agree to try to move the needle in terms of being able to responsibly build major infrastructure projects faster.” Congressman Evans explained that permitting reform is not about choosing winners and losers, but ensuring projects that successfully complete the federal permitting process are treated fairly and consistently. “If someone goes through all of the effort to jump through all of the different hoops to get a federal permit to build some of these big infrastructure projects that we need, we want to make sure that that permit is durable across administrations... We want a level playing field for all safe, affordable, and reliable energy.” As the representative of one of the nation's leading energy-producing districts, Congressman Evans also emphasized the importance of an all-of-the-above energy strategy that supports both traditional and renewable energy sources while reducing America's dependence on foreign competitors. “Just because we don't do something doesn't mean it's not going to happen. It will happen. It's just going to happen in other places like China... If we want to protect the environment, we have to build it here in the United States.” The Congressman also highlighted the need to reform the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), citing the Supreme Court's recent guidance that environmental review should inform decisions without preventing critical projects from moving forward. “The Supreme Court phrased it best... the point of this law is to inform, not paralyze. And unfortunately where we're at right now... we're paralyzed. It takes years to decades to build the most simple infrastructure.” Congressman Evans' bipartisan CERTAIN Act would establish clear permitting timelines, improve transparency and accountability throughout the federal review process, protect lawfully-issued permits from political interference, strengthen coordination between agencies, and help ensure the United States can build the energy infrastructure necessary to meet growing demand. In addition to leading the CERTAIN Act , Congressman Evans has championed several pieces of legislation to improve America's energy future, including the SPEED Act , the FIRE Act , the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act , and the Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Support Act . Together, these efforts seek to modernize permitting, strengthen domestic manufacturing, improve grid reliability, and lower costs for American families. The Congressman concluded the interview by expressing optimism that bipartisan permitting reform can become law. “I'm optimistic... I think that we're going to get something meaningful delivered and then across the finish line because we have to do it. This is a matter of national concern.” Watch his full remarks here . Issues : Congress Economy Energy