Energy Permitting Delays Threaten U.S. AI Growth, Senator Warns

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2026 – Permitting reform legislation moving through Congress must avoid becoming so compromised that it fails to accelerate construction of major energy infrastructure projects, Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla., said Tuesday.

Armstrong said the United States already has the resources, companies, and technical expertise needed to expand domestic energy production, but lacks a permitting system capable of supporting large-scale infrastructure development.

“What we don’t have is a permitting process that allows us to get the infrastructure built,” Armstrong said during remarks at a United States Energy Association event in Washington.