Four legislators and the White House finalized a deal to overhaul the federal review process for infrastructure projects to reduce the timeline for legal challenges. Republican and Democratic senators will move to a floor vote on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 after the election recess, though the measure faces a "buzz saw" of opposition in the House of Representatives. The deal streamlines approvals for power lines and pipelines and includes specific concessions to resolve a dispute over offshore wind projects.

The 400+ page bill, led by Senators Mike Lee, Shelley Moore Capito, Martin Heinrich, and Sheldon Whitehouse, limits judicial review under the National Environmental Policy Act and mandates energy use reporting for crypto and AI data centers for the first time. This progress comes while Senate Democrats block the House-passed Ratepayer Protection Act. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called that separate bill a toothless messaging trophy, despite its 417-3 pass in the House.