Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) issued a statement following his vote against H.R. 4776, the SPEED Act. This bill would significantly limit the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, one of the most significant pieces of federal environmental policy.

"Today, I voted against the SPEED Act. I agree that we need to get energy-generating projects up and running faster, but that should not come at the expense of cost-saving clean energy and protections for our environment," said Representative Tran. "With energy demands reaching new heights and everyday Americans looking for relief from their skyrocketing utility bills, my colleagues in Congress must work in good faith to address delays in the permitting process without gutting federal environmental oversight that protects our communities. This legislation will also limit the clean energy alternatives available to the American people, driving up energy costs and making it harder for families to make ends meet. I'm committed to fighting for forward-looking environmental reforms that bring down costs for everyday Americans and protect the environment for our children."

Representative Tran is dedicated to cost-saving clean energy initiatives and environmental protections in Congress. He has voted againstlegislation that would raise utility costs for families, and has pushed backagainst the Trump Administration's cuts to low-cost clean energy initiatives. Tran has cosponsored several bills imposing restrictions on exploration and leasing for oil and gas drilling on the West Coast, including:

• H.R. 2849, the West Coast Protection Act;

• H.R. 2882, the Central Coast of California Conservation Act;

• H.R. 2862, the Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act; and

• H.R. 2820, the California Clean Coast Act.

Tran is also a cosigner on letters urging EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to uphold high air quality and drinking water standards, and condemning cuts to the EPA's Solar for All program that was struck down by H.R. 1.

###

Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.