Congressman Jimmy Patronis, representing Florida’s First Congressional District and serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has identified permitting reform as the construction industry’s most urgent policy fight. In a recent episode of the podcast Beyond the Build, Patronis joined Kelvin Enfinger, Vice President at Greenhut Construction and past chair of ABC North Florida, to discuss the regulatory environment, infrastructure funding, and workforce shortages that are shaping the industry in Northwest Florida and beyond.
Patronis did not mince words when discussing the impact of permitting delays. “I get very spun up when we have excessive delays that lead to excessive soft costs,” he said. “Legal expenses, engineering expenses, survey expenses – because somebody is nickel-and-diming or challenging a development.” These soft costs, which accumulate while projects stall waiting for permits, erode margins and strain cash flow without moving any dirt or placing any beams. The congressman’s target is not just bureaucratic slowness but an institutional culture within agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers, where some career staff treat permit denial as a default rather than an exception. He noted that new Corps leadership has shown interest in refocusing the agency on its mission, and contractors should watch closely whether that shift holds.
The timing for reform may be favorable. Patronis pointed to a political window created by a cooperative White House, a majority in both chambers, and roughly 70 outgoing members motivated to leave on a productive note. This window does not stay open indefinitely, making it critical for the construction industry to push for changes now.
On infrastructure funding, Patronis’s committee is prioritizing the surface transportation authorization bill, which authorizes federal spending on roads and bridges. In markets like Northwest Florida, population growth is outpacing road capacity on corridors like Highway 98. The Warrior Road Act, which Patronis championed, addresses access to Hurlburt Field and the broader military corridor, bringing real construction volume. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $489 million port infrastructure development program signals continued federal investment under the current administration. Enfinger asked whether the industry should expect this level of commitment to continue, and Patronis gave a measured but optimistic answer, citing the aligned political environment.
The workforce shortage remains a pressing issue. Enfinger cited the current national shortage of 360,000 construction workers, a number that could grow by another 100,000 within a year. Patronis, whose first credential was a culinary arts degree, made the case for skilled trades directly to young people. “There is a satisfaction you get by creating something with your hands that you’re never going to get from taking a test and hopefully getting an A,” he said. “When you get that gratification – you’ve done something yourself, that’s a different type of confidence builder.” For the construction industry, which struggles to communicate the dignity of trades work, such authentic testimony from a public official carries weight. The workforce pipeline requires policy support, institutional buy-in from schools, and elected officials willing to say that a skilled trade is a foundation, not a fallback.
As the industry faces material costs, workforce shortages, and supply chain fragility, permitting reform stands out as the challenge most directly solvable through policy. With congressional momentum building, the message for contractors is clear: pressure on permitting reform is mounting, and the window for action is now.
