FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 13, 2026
CONTACT:
Chrissy Harbin, Miranda Dabney
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
Senator Alan Armstrong (R-OK)today released a new video outlining his agenda to reform America’s broken permitting system and get the nation building again.
Drawing on decades of experience in the energy industry, Armstrong explains how regulatory delays and litigation are holding back economic growth, energy development, critical infrastructure, and America’s ability to compete.
“I didn’t come to the Senate from politics. I came from the field. I’ve spent years on job sites watching good projects get tied up by red tape, lawsuits, and a permitting system that makes it too hard to build in America,” said Senator Armstrong in the video. “And that’s a problem — because America’s future depends on our ability to build again. I could have stayed on the sidelines and complained about it. Instead, I accepted the call to public service because I believe if you see a problem this serious, you ought to step in and help fix it.”
Since his appointment to the Senate by Oklahoma Gov. Stitt on March 24, Senator Armstrong has made permitting reform a central priority, working to build support for meaningful legislation that strengthens national security, expands American energy production and exports, and provides businesses with the certainty needed to invest in major projects.
“For too long, America has been living off what previous generations built for us. The roads, pipelines, power systems, and infrastructure that made this country strong are aging and running out of capacity. But instead of making it easier to build the next generation of infrastructure, we’ve made it harder,” he continued. “If America wants to lead the world in energy, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, we need to be able to actually build things again.”
BACKGROUND
On June 25, Armstrong introduced the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act, legislation to reform federal permitting and accelerate construction of critical energy and mineral infrastructure. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), James Lankford (R-OK), and Rick Scott (R-FL) joined as original co-leads. The legislation is backed by more than 30 national trade associations, companies, labor organizations, and policy groups.
On June 24, Senator Armstrong convened “Getting America Building Again,” a high-profile official event on Capitol Hill in June 2026 featuring remarks by 7 U.S. Senators, 3 House Members, and 1 Governor in the program, and an audience of 150+ executive stakeholders. The event generated national media coverage and demonstrated broad cross-sector support for permitting reform. An archive of the video is online.
Senator Armstrong has also outlined his vision for permitting reform in a series of recent op-eds. He’s written about the problem of inaction on permitting reform in The Hill, “America’s Energy Weakness isn’t Overseas – It’s at Home,” in the Washington Reporter, “The Same Permit Snare that Stops Pipelines Will Stop the Grid Buildout Too,” in The Oklahoman, “OK Has Become One of the Best Places to Build in the US. Here’s How,” and the Washington Examiner, “Global Energy Security Hangs in the Balance. Here’s How America Can Restore It.”
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