Opinion Pieces by Rob

For much of the past decade, America has struggled to build.

Major infrastructure projects have taken years to clear regulatory hurdles. Housing construction has slowed under layers of federal and local mandates. Energy development has been delayed by lengthy permitting processes. Manufacturing capacity has moved overseas while supply chains have grown more fragile.

The result has been predictable. When we build less, costs rise. When projects stall, families pay more for housing, energy, and goods. When investment slows, economic growth follows.

If we are serious about long-term affordability and competitiveness, America must build again.

Congress recently passed the SPEED Act, a long-overdue reform of the federal permitting process. For years, environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act expanded beyond their original intent, creating open-ended timelines and uncertainty for builders, utilities, and infrastructure developers. Projects that should take months often stretch into years.

Permitting reform is not about eliminating environmental standards. It is about setting reasonable timelines, improving coordination among agencies, and providing clarity so projects can move forward responsibly. Predictability reduces risk. Reduced risk lowers cost.

Housing supply is another critical challenge, particularly in fast-growing regions of Virginia. Regulatory barriers at every level of government add significant expense before construction even begins. The Housing for the 21st Century Act modernizes outdated federal housing rules and reduces red tape that inflates pre-construction costs. Expanding supply is one of the most direct ways to stabilize housing prices over time.

Manufacturing and industrial investment are equally important. Congress enacted 100 percent expensing for new domestic factories to encourage capital investment in the United States. Policies that make it more attractive to build here rather than abroad strengthen supply chains and create durable private-sector jobs.

Energy infrastructure also plays a central role in economic stability. Reliable and affordable energy lowers operating costs for businesses and reduces household expenses. Streamlining energy permitting and restoring domestic production improves price stability while strengthening national security.

For Virginia, these issues are not theoretical.

In the Richmond region, housing availability affects workforce mobility and economic growth. Across the Commonwealth, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and small businesses depend on predictable energy and transportation infrastructure. Delays and uncertainty increase costs that ultimately reach consumers.

A nation that builds efficiently is a nation that competes effectively.

The question is not whether growth will occur, but where it will occur. If regulatory systems discourage investment here, capital will flow elsewhere. If we create a stable, predictable environment for builders and manufacturers, Virginia and the United States can remain economic leaders.

America’s long-term prosperity depends on productive capacity. That means housing that families can afford, factories that produce goods domestically, infrastructure that moves commerce efficiently, and energy systems that support modern life.

Rebuilding that capacity requires thoughtful reform, not paralysis. It requires clear standards, predictable timelines, and a recognition that affordability and growth are closely connected.

If we want lower costs, stronger supply chains, and sustained economic opportunity, we must be willing to build again.

Virginia is well positioned to lead that effort.

Read the full article in the Richmond Times Dispatch here.