Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) has introduced the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, a bill aimed at eliminating what he calls outdated and burdensome federal building mandates that increase costs and slow down construction timelines.
Langworthy announced the legislation on Wednesday, describing it as a move to modernize federal construction standards and provide agencies more flexibility.
“Taxpayers should not be on the hook for radical policies that only drive up the cost of constructing federal infrastructure while harming reliability,” Langworthy said. “This bill would ensure federal agencies tailor building design and construction to their specific needs, rather than aiming to hit arbitrary efficiency targets.”
The bill targets energy efficiency mandates included in Section 305(a)(3)(D) of the Energy Conservation and Production Act and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Langworthy’s proposal would repeal those mandates, allowing agencies to adopt energy-efficient solutions based on practicality and cost-effectiveness, rather than compliance with broad national standards.
Original cosponsors include Reps. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Michael Rulli (R-OH), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), and Pat Harrigan (R-NC).
The bill has received support from numerous energy industry groups, including the American Gas Association, GPA Midstream, and the American Petroleum Institute.
“The Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act would preserve vital resiliency in our national infrastructure to ensure operability in high-stakes moments,” said AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert.
Stuart Saulters, Vice President of Federal Affairs at GPA Midstream, added, “These one-size-fits-all requirements on the design, construction, and operation of new federal buildings often result in unnecessary cost increases, inflexible compliance burdens, and construction delays.”
Langworthy said the proposal is part of his broader effort to return “common-sense” principles to federal policy.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].