PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 2, 2023
Building American Energy Security Act of 2023
This bill establishes requirements to accelerate the environmental review of federal agency actions that involve certain energy infrastructure or critical mineral projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which is a natural gas pipeline located in Virginia and West Virginia.
Specifically, the bill modifies requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, including by
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
setting maximum timelines for the environmental reviews of federal actions that involve major energy infrastructure projects,
allowing project sponsors to sue agencies if the timelines are not met,
establishing requirements to accelerate such reviews that involve multiple agencies, and
limiting judicial review of agency decisions.
Further, the President must designate and periodically update a list of high-priority energy infrastructure projects and prioritize permitting for these projects.
The bill also expands covered projects under FAST-41, which qualify for expedited environmental review, to include certain federal agency actions that involve (1) critical minerals, or (2) energy infrastructure projects that require an investment of more than $50 million.
In addition, the bill modifies provisions under the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act, including by authorizing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve permits for certain interstate electric transmission facilities and hydrogen pipelines. Finally, the bill requires federal agencies to take certain actions to complete the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
People & committees
Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] · D–WV
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.1399 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.1399 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.1399 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.1399 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.