Military Readiness Permitting Efficiency Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3]
Introduced
Summary
Expedited environmental reviews for priority military projects. This bill would create a formal interagency pathway letting the Department of Defense arrange and pay for faster environmental reviews by fisheries and wildlife agencies when national defense needs make speed essential.
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- Department of Defense: The Secretary could request an expedited review for a priority program or project when the Secretary determines it is in the national defense interest and the reviewing agency says it lacks funds or staff to meet the timeline.
- National Marine Fisheries Service and Fish and Wildlife Service: Those agencies could enter agreements to perform the reviews and receive direct financial assistance from the Department of Defense to hire personnel, with the money used only for that purpose.
- Scope and activities covered: Reviews under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act are included. Eligible expenses include pre-review military planning, activities tied to the review and consultations, and developing programmatic agreements.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster environmental reviews for military
If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary of Defense or a military department pay the National Marine Fisheries Service or the Fish and Wildlife Service to hire staff for faster environmental reviews. The money could be used only to hire personnel for reviews under three laws: the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Agreements would be allowed only for projects the Secretary calls a defense priority and only if the agency says it lacks funds or staff to finish the review in time. Eligible expenses would include pre-review military planning support, activities tied to the review and any consultations, and development of programmatic agreements.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3]
MD • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1]
MI • R
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov