{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2905", "Balderson, Cotton Introduce Bill to Stop Frivolous Lawsuits Blocking American Energy Projects", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Troy Balderson", "B001306", "balderson.house.gov", "balderson", "https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=1", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) today introduced legislation to streamline America\u2019s energy projects by ensuring a project can move forward without being trapped in perpetual legal battles. The Curtailing Litigation Excess and Abuse Reform Act of 2025 (CLEAR Act) eliminates excessive litigation against energy projects while maintaining stringent environmental standards.\n\nSenator Tom Cotton (R-AR) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cActivist groups have long weaponized our legal system to attack promising energy projects, filing lawsuit after lawsuit to grind progress to a halt. The CLEAR Act puts a end to this serial litigation,\u201d said Congressman Balderson. \u201cTo unleash American energy, lower costs, and strengthen our energy security, we must restore predictability and common sense to our permitting system.\u201d\n\n\u201cCutting-edge American energy infrastructure is critical for everything from lowering energy costs to winning the AI race,\u201d said Senator Cotton. \u201cUnfortunately, these projects often get delayed by frivolous litigation. My bill will end this nonsense and streamline the process to restore American energy dominance.\u201d\n\nThe CLEAR Act would:\n\nEnsure that once a court has ruled on an energy project, opponents can\u2019t drag it back into court repeatedly.\n\nPrevent activist groups from filing serial lawsuits to block projects they oppose ideologically, while still preserving legitimate avenues for oversight and enforcement.\n\nEnable critical energy infrastructure to be built faster by limiting costly delays. Create certainty for investors and communities.\n\nMaintain exceptions for certain lawsuits after a project is running.\n\nSupport America\u2019s energy independence, grid reliability, and access to critical minerals needed for modern technology.\n\nFull text of the CLEAR Act can be found HERE.\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nHouse passes Rep. Troy Balderson\u2019s bill to bolster grid reliability\n\nDecember 18, 2025 | Posted in Articles\n\nHouse Passes Balderson\u2019s Reliable Power Act\n\nDecember 17, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson Joins President Trump for Announcement to Lower Car Prices and Protect Consumer Choice\n\nDecember 3, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nRepublican Bill Targets Endless Litigation Over Energy Projects\n\nDecember 2, 2025 | Posted in Articles", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2905"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.589497085660696, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}