House Passes Key Bill In Nod To Trump Admin
The House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would make it easier to get federal permits to build infrastructure for AI projects. The bill, known as the SPEED Act, garners support from major tech companies such as OpenAI, Micron, and Microsoft.
Advertisement The bill passed the House by a vote of 218 – 213, despite a conservative revolt that almost killed it in a procedural vote. The Senate will now look at the bill, and it will probably be part of a bigger discussion about changing the rules for permits.
SPEED Act supporters say the U.S. must beat China and other global rivals to be the top AI leader.
Advertisement “The electricity we will need to power AI computing for civilian and military use is a national imperative,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the bill’s sponsor and chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.
The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal reviews for projects that would affect the environment
The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal reviews for projects that would affect the environment.
The SPEED Act would shorten the current six-year statute of limitations for NEPA litigation to 150 days and tighten the deadlines for NEPA reviews.
Advertisement Recent permitting delays for Democratic-backed clean energy projects have garnered bipartisan support for permitting reform.
As AI has become a major industry and power hungry data centers have put more strain on the electric grid, pressure has grown on Congress to take action
As AI has become a major industry and power-hungry data centers have put more strain on the electric grid, pressure has grown on Congress to take action.
The SPEED Act would enable the United States to be “nimble enough to build what we need, when we need it,” according to Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, the bill’s Democratic cosponsor.
However, the majority of Democrats opposed the SPEED Act and insisted that any permitting bill reverse President Donald Trump’s efforts to stifle offshore wind and other renewable energy sources.
The GOP leadership’s insertion of language to exempt Trump’s attempts to block renewables from provisions in the SPEED Act that would limit the White House’s ability to arbitrarily yank permits it dislikes intensified Democratic resistance
The GOP leadership’s insertion of language to exempt Trump’s attempts to block renewables from provisions in the SPEED Act that would limit the White House’s ability to arbitrarily yank permits it dislikes intensified Democratic resistance.
During a procedural vote on the House floor, conservatives opposed to renewable energy demanded concessions in exchange for their votes, leading to the addition of the amendment.
“That provision codifies a broken permitting status quo. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle in the Senate to craft a bipartisan product that can become law,” said Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., who supports permitting reform but opposed the SPEED Act.
Tech Force,” a new initiative announced by the Trump administration this month, will employ roughly 1,000 engineers and other experts to work on artificial intelligence infrastructure and other technology projects across the federal government
The “U.S. Tech Force,” a new initiative announced by the Trump administration this month, will employ roughly 1,000 engineers and other experts to work on artificial intelligence infrastructure and other technology projects across the federal government.
According to an official government website, participants will commit to a two-year employment program where they will work with teams that directly report to agency leaders in “collaboration with leading technology companies.”
According to the website, these “private sector partners” include Amazon Web Services, Apple, Google, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle, Palantir, Salesforce, and many more.
As it vies with China for supremacy in the quickly expanding field, the Trump administration is putting more effort into building America’s AI infrastructure, according to the Tech Force
As it vies with China for supremacy in the quickly expanding field, the Trump administration is putting more effort into building America’s AI infrastructure, according to the Tech Force.
Four days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a national AI policy framework, which industry leaders opposed, states creating their own regulations, the initiative was unveiled.
After completing their two terms, Tech Force members are eligible to apply for full-time positions with companies that have agreed to hire program alumni. Employees of the private partners may also be nominated to serve periods in the government.
Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor recently told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
“We’re trying to reshape the workforce to make sure we have the right talent on the right problems,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor recently told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
Clarence Thomas Blasts Supreme Court For Refusing Florida Case
Florida argued the two states were undermining public safety by allowing individuals without legal immigration status — and, in some cases, insufficient English-language proficiency — to obtain commercial trucking licenses despite federal standards intended to govern interstate transportation safety.
The dispute gained national attention after a deadly 2025 crash on the Florida Turnpike involving an undocumented truck driver reportedly licensed through California or Washington.
According to the lawsuit, the driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn and was unable to properly interpret roadway signage, resulting in a collision that killed three people.
Joined by Justice Samuel Alito, Thomas argued the high court had a constitutional obligation to hear the interstate dispute because Florida had no other legal forum available to challenge another state’s policies.
The court’s majority denied Florida’s request without explanation.
The case underscores the growing national clash over immigration enforcement, state licensing authority, and whether states with looser immigration policies are creating broader public safety consequences for the rest of the country.
Thomas ripped the majority for refusing to hear the lawsuit since disputes between states can only be brought before the Supreme Court.
“If this Court does not exercise jurisdiction over a controversy between two States, then the complaining State has no judicial forum in which to seek relief,” Thomas wrote.
Thomas argued that Florida’s allegations against California and Washington raised serious public safety concerns, warning that failures to properly follow federal commercial driver licensing (CDL) laws can create dangerous conditions on American roadways.
Thomas pointed to the fatal Florida highway crash involving truck driver Harjinder Singh, who he said “could not read the road signs,” and argued Florida deserved a chance to pursue its claims.
Two blue states – California and Washington – issued Singh a CDL.
“An illegal alien who cannot read English road signs cannot drive an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer,” Thomas wrote.
“Federal law and regulations prohibit States from providing commercial driver’s licenses to applicants unless they pass a driver’s test, sufficiently understand the English language, and show appropriate immigration status,” he added.
Thomas argued that while the Supreme Court of the United States may have broad discretion when deciding whether to hear ordinary appeals, disputes between states occupy a different category because the Constitution grants the high court exclusive jurisdiction over those cases.
“We have no more right to decline the exercise of jurisdiction which is given, than to usurp that which is not given,” Thomas wrote.
He also accused the court of failing to follow the Constitution by refusing to hear disputes between states.
“This Court has adopted a discretionary approach to its exclusive original jurisdiction based on policy judgments that are in conflict with the policy choices that Congress made in the statutory text,” Thomas wrote.
Thomas argued that if Florida, California, and Washington were separate sovereign nations rather than American states, a dispute involving one government allegedly allowing unsafe drivers into another jurisdiction could trigger major diplomatic conflict.
Thomas suggested that in an international context, such disputes would likely be addressed through international courts, treaties, or direct government action.
“By entering the Union, States agree to instead have such disputes resolved by this Court,” he wrote.
The issuance of commercial driver’s licenses to non-citizens came under increased scrutiny from the Department of Transportation last summer following a series of deadly crashes involving undocumented immigrant truck drivers.
Last September, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced stricter federal requirements for non-citizens seeking commercial driver’s licenses, part of a broader push by the Trump administration to tighten transportation and immigration enforcement standards, Fox News reported.
Duffy also warned that California could risk losing federal transportation funding if the state continued allowing commercial licenses to remain active for individuals deemed ineligible under revised federal guidelines.
