Trump Signs Order on Streamlining Reviews of Infrastructure Projects

the order’s text by our deadline. Trump didn’t mention broadband or other telecom infrastructure during the briefing, but the order's text does specify that "broadband internet" projects are affected. The Trump administration’s work on an infrastructure plan has been widely expected to include a section on broadband deployment (see 1706220042 and 1707240071). Trump said his order is aimed at dramatically reducing the timeline for the federal environmental review and permitting process, saying he wants “quick” turnaround. The order also requires one lead federal agency to spearhead reviews for each major infrastructure project and would hold agencies accountable if they “fail to streamline” their processes, Trump said. “No longer will we accept a broken system that benefits consultants and lobbyists at the expense of hard-working Americans,” he said. Trump later noted that a White House-initiated infrastructure plan is "something that I think we’ll have bipartisan support on” in Congress, in contrast to the Senate’s 49-51 vote earlier this month defeating a bill to repeal some elements of the Affordable Care Act. “I actually think Democrats will go along with the infrastructure” bill, he said. National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn later told reporters that the White House hopes to pivot to a full infrastructure plan later this year once the House clears tax revamp legislation. At that point, “we'll put infrastructure in the House,” he said.