A rare bipartisan bill could lower power bills, create good jobs, and stop endless energy lawsuits.
Say you want to build a new garage. You fill out the forms. Then you wait. Four and a half years later, a group from out of state sues to stop it.
That sounds crazy for a garage. But it is close to how America builds power plants, pipelines, roads and bridges today.
A big group of conservative leaders wants Congress to fix that. And we are proud to say our own organization is one of them.
On October 30, Citizen Outreach joined a coalition of more than 30 conservative groups and leaders urging lawmakers to pass the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026.
That is a mouthful. So folks in Washington shorten it to BAAJA, using the first letters of Bipartisan, American, Affordability, Jobs and Act.
Our president, Chuck Muth, signed the letter.
What the Bill Does
The Senate bill is S. 5653. Republicans Shelley Moore Capito and Mike Lee wrote it with Democrats Sheldon Whitehouse and Martin Heinrich.
The idea is simple: Make the government say yes or no faster.
Agencies would have 60 days to tell a builder if an application is complete. Once the environmental review is done, the lead agency gets 45 days to decide. If agencies miss these deadlines, builders can go to court.
The bill also goes after lawsuits. Today, opponents have up to six years to challenge a federal environmental review. BAAJA would cut that to 150 days. If a judge finds a mistake, the agency fixes it while the project keeps going.
The coalition letter said,
“This would prevent the progressive strategy of suing not to win, but to run out the clock.”
It also stops one state from blocking a project for reasons that have nothing to do with clean water. And it protects permits once they are issued, so the next administration cannot yank them for politics.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Conservatives believe government should serve people, not stand in their way. Right now the process itself has become the punishment. You do not have to win a lawsuit to kill a project. You just have to drag it out.
The numbers are hard to ignore. The coalition says federal reviews for major projects have averaged 4.5 years. The Mountain Valley Pipeline was supposed to cost $3.5 billion and open in 2018. After years of lawsuits, it opened in 2024 at $9.6 billion. Guess who pays for that? You do, on your bill.
Demand keeps climbing, too. Electricity use is growing at its fastest pace since 2000, and home power prices are up nearly 5 percent this year.
Americans for Prosperity studied 30 energy projects in six states. Six were canceled outright, wiping out 38,000 jobs.
These are jobs for welders, pipefitters and electricians. Many do not need a four-year degree. An industry-funded study for the American Petroleum Institute found reform could save households $55.6 billion on electric bills through 2035.
What It Means for Nevada
Nevada has a lot to gain. Our state has more geothermal energy than any other. Under BAAJA, geothermal testing would no longer trigger a full federal review.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto has said it herself.:
“Nevada could produce 30 times more geothermal power than it currently does.”
And since most of Nevada is federal land, Washington’s red tape hits us harder than most.
What Critics Say
Not everyone is cheering. More than 200 environmental groups asked lawmakers to halt the bill. They say it would gut protections for endangered species.
The Sierra Club worries it limits a judge’s power to stop projects built on bad reviews.
Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, said lawmakers:
“can’t throw states, tribes, impacted communities, and threatened and endangered wildlife under the bus.”
Some conservatives want guardrails, too. E.J. Antoni, writing for the Heritage Foundation, supports reform. But he warned Congress not to tuck hidden costs into utility bills, where families can’t easily spot them.
What Happens Next
The Senate is expected to vote November 9. The bill needs 60 votes to move forward.
The four sponsors may still make small changes before then. If it clears the Senate, the House still has to act. Time is short, since this Congress ends in January.
What You Can Do
Call Nevada’s senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Ask them to vote yes and to keep the lawsuit limits strong. Then call your member of the House. Share this story with a neighbor who is tired of high power bills. A short, polite call really does get counted.
Read the full coaliton letter: 10-30-26 – Coalition Letter – BAAJA Support
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI.
