Bruce Westerman: “This amendment would require the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Army Corps of…”

“This amendment would require the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Commerce to determine the technological needs for their respective permitting programs and report those needs to Congress annually. The permitting process can be a significant barrier to economic development and innovation in our country, made even worse if outdated technology and bureaucratic inefficiencies are hindering the process. While far from a total solution to our Nation's permitting woes, identifying technological deficiencies that contribute to inefficiencies could help Congress prioritize scarce resources to modernize the permitting process. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”