U.S. House Minority Leader says permitting reform bill fails to protect tribal sovereignty
Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries says the Senate bill to be reworked
A permitting reform bill being moved in the United States Senate has gathered tribal opposition and a powerful ally in the House.
A spokesperson for House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told POLITICO that the the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA) needs to be reworked before Jeffries would support it, which could create a barrier to getting the measures passed before a new Congress takes over in January 2027.
“We must once again support the clean energy economy and combat the climate crisis with the fierce urgency of now,” a spokesperson for Jeffries told POLITICO. “However, the current Senate bill under consideration falls short in several areas, including the manner in which NEPA reform is undertaken and the failure to adequately protect tribal sovereignty.”
Tribes have stated complete opposition to the bill. During the National Congress of American Indians conference in October, Santo Domingo Pueblo Governor Raymond Aguilar, Jr. stated bluntly, “We must kill this bill.”
On Monday, the Senate is expected to hold procedural votes on the bill.
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