Less red tape that keeps infrastructure projects on the drawing board.
I will cut red tape so infrastructure projects can move forward.
Occurrences
Evidence
On passage, H.R. 5587, the HEATS Act, passed the House 231-186. The bill text and debate state it would waive the federal drilling permit requirement for certain geothermal activities and exempt some activities from NEPA.
Gray's office said he passed three bipartisan bills on the House floor, including the HEATS Act, which 'will streamline geothermal energy development and production and decrease energy costs.'
Gray said the Central Valley Project is 'one of the most important water infrastructure systems anywhere in the country' and that 'at least five water projects are effectively stalled because there aren't enough staff to process approvals.' He tied the problem to permitting reform and his Valley Water Protections Act and CERTAIN Act.
The House passed H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, on a 215-202 vote. The measure itself is labeled a federal infrastructure bill and moved forward in the same late-April floor package that included Gray-backed permitting legislation.
Assessments
Gray materially advanced red-tape-cutting infrastructure policy during the same federal term, including House-passed permitting-related legislation such as the HEATS Act and related infrastructure measures. However, the evidence shows House passage and advocacy, not final enactment or completed permitting reform that actually cut red tape across infrastructure projects. His May 2026 statements also describe continuing bottlenecks and stalled water projects, indicating the promised outcome has not been delivered. Because he made serious legislative and oversight efforts but the outcome remains undelivered, this is best scored as a failed delivery with effort credit rather than partial fulfillment.