{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mikekennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kennedy-introduces-bill-cut-red-tape-and-empower-states-advance-transit", "Rep. Kennedy Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape and Empower States to Advance Transit Infrastructure", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Mike Kennedy", "K000403", "mikekennedy.house.gov", "mikekennedy", "https://mikekennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Mike Kennedy (UT-03), alongside Senator Lee introduced the Streamline Transit Projects Act to improve transit project timelines and quality by empowering states \u2013 not unelected bureaucrats in Washington\u2013 to manage environmental reviews for local transit needs.\n\n\u201cUtahns need infrastructure that keeps pace with our rapid growth, and we can\u2019t afford to see critical projects stalled by Washington red tape,\u201d said Congressman Mike Kennedy. \u201cUtah\u2019s agencies know our communities better than unelected bureaucrats ever will. This bill returns decision-making power to the state so we can deliver results for Utah quickly, responsibly, and without years of needless delay.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Streamlining Transit Projects Act will help UTA deliver reliable, accessible public transit service for Utahns by cutting through burdensome regulatory red tape that often slows critical projects,\u201d said Carlton Christensen, Chair, UTA Board of Trustees. \u201cThis legislation preserves the rigorous environmental standards, while giving agencies the flexibility to move forward more efficiently. We appreciate Congressman Kennedy\u2019s leadership in introducing this important bill in the House of Representatives.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) strongly supports the Streamlining Transit Projects Act because it provides additional tools to advance essential transit investments that improve mobility for communities across Utah,\u201d said Andrew Gruber, Executive Director, WFRC. \u201cProviding multimodal transportation choices, including public transit, helps Utah address challenges like traffic congestion, air quality, and housing availability which accompany our state\u2019s rapid growth. By streamlining the environmental review process, while still safeguarding environmental considerations, this bill helps deliver high-quality transportation options more effectively. We thank Congressman Kennedy for championing this legislation and for his leadership in strengthening Utah\u2019s transportation future.\u201d\n\nThe Streamline Transit Projects Act:\n\nAuthorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to enter into a memorandum of understanding with interested state transit agencies to assume responsibility under NEPA for one or more transit projects.\n\nRequires participating states to determine whether certain activities are included within classes of action identified by the Secretary that are categorically excluded from requirements for environmental assessments or environmental impact statements.\n\nAllows the Secretary to terminate the assignment of responsibilities if the transit agency is not adequately carrying them out.\n\nSenator Lee is leading a version of this legislation in the Senate.", 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://mikekennedy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kennedy-introduces-bill-cut-red-tape-and-empower-states-advance-transit"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7910770364105701, "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"}