Category: US Senate

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Romney: U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan Will Have Serious Consequences

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney: U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan Will Have Serious Consequences

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today released the following statement after attending a Senate briefing with Administration officials on Afghanistan and the recently announced withdrawal of U.S. troops.
              
“Following today’s frank and candid briefing from Administration officials, I believe that the President’s plan to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by September is an error that could have serious consequences for our national security interests. The U.S. and our allies maintain a small number of troops with an outsized ability to prevent the Taliban from providing terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS the ability to train and flourish. Our military presence also helps to buttress the democratic government and its military, foster human rights for women and girls, and hold the Taliban accountable to their promises. Like all Americans, I want our troops to come home, but I recognize and profoundly appreciate the vital role they often play in far and dangerous places like Afghanistan to protect our national security.”

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Romney Fights to Keep Ban on Earmarks

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney Fights to Keep Ban on Earmarks

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today joined his colleagues, led by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), in signing a letter pledging to oppose lifting the ban on earmarks.
     
“We, the undersigned, stand committed to the ban on earmarks,” the letter reads in full. “We will not vote to repeal it. We will not participate in an inherently wasteful spending practice that is prone to serious abuse.”
 
“Earmarks are rife with waste and abuse, and they open the door to excessive spending on unnecessary government projects,” Senator Romney said. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort to preserve the ban on earmarks.”
 
The letter was also signed by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Braun (R-IN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Steve Daines (R-MT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rand Paul (R-KY).

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Romney, Sinema Introduce Bill to Reduce Student Loan Debt, Make College More Affordable

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney, Sinema Introduce Bill to Reduce Student Loan Debt, Make College More Affordable

Earn to Learn Act creates a college-matched savings program and provides financial training for students

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced the Earn to Learn Act, legislation to reduce student loan debt and make college more affordable for students. The bipartisan bill establishes a college matched-savings program that helps qualifying low-income students, including adult learners, pay for tuition, books, fees, and other education-related expenses.
          
“We must do better to ensure American students have the skills and training necessary to pursue good-paying jobs that keep up with our changing economy,” Senator Romney said. “Our legislation will help students pursue their education by equipping them with the financial resources and knowledge they need to attend college, career, and technical schools without the burden of being saddled with debt when they graduate.”
    
“Education was my key to opportunity, and I’m committed to ensuring all Arizona students have the same access to higher education that I did. Creating a college-matched savings program helps Arizona students save for school while teaching the importance of money-management,” Senator Sinema said.
     
“For nearly a decade, Earn to Learn has been changing the lives of Arizona students who may have thought a college education was financially out of reach. I applaud sponsoring Sens. Sinema and Romney for their efforts to make this innovative program available to students across the country, fostering economic opportunity for low-income American families and helping to break the cycle of multigenerational poverty,” said Kate Hoffman, Earn to Learn founder and CEO.
   
Background:
 
Romney and Sinema’s Earn to Learn Act establishes educational savings accounts to allow students to save for higher education. For every $1 a student contributes, the amount is matched by an additional $8 from the participating state or non-profit. This money will go to the student’s chosen educational institution once the student enrolls. Participating states and non-profits are awarded grants to provide the tuition assistance and financial literacy training. Romney and Sinema also introduced the Earn to Learn Act in the 116th Congress.
     
The legislation is modeled off Arizona’s successful Earn to Learn program, which has a nearly decade-long track record helping underserved and underrepresented students access and complete a college education. Earn to Learn scholars, who must qualify for Pell Grant aid, have a first-year retention rate that approaches 90%, and the majority graduate with little or no student loan debt.

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Romney Leads Bipartisan Coalition in Introducing the TRUST Act

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Bipartisan, bicameral legislation to rescue endangered federal trust funds and rein in national debt

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today led his colleagues in introducing the Time to Rescue United States’ Trusts (TRUST) Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation which would create a process to rescue the endangered federal trust funds and rein in the national debt. Romney initially introduced the legislation last Congress. A one-pager of the legislation is available here.
           
Some of the nation’s most important federal programs are financed through dedicated revenue sources and managed through trust funds. A number of the largest trust funds are heading towards insolvency—made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2020, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that four of the major trust funds will exhaust their reserves within the next 11 years. The bipartisan, bicameral TRUST Act would provide a vehicle to address the key structural issues behind the debt and allow Congress to put our major federal programs on a stronger footing.
              
The TRUST Act is cosponsored by: Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Todd Young (R-IN), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Angus King (I-ME), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY). U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Ed Case (D-HI), Scott Peters (D-CA), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), and Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
       
“There is broad recognition that we need to address the looming insolvency of our federal trust funds,” Senator Romney said. “Getting our country through the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to borrow trillions of dollars, which has in turn threatened essential programs like Medicare and Social Security. Congress must respond in a way which will address this long-term problem, which is coming down the pike much sooner than was expected. Our TRUST Act is a bipartisan solution which will shore up our federal trust funds and put us on a path toward a stronger fiscal future.”
     
“Future generations of Americans should not be burdened by our poor financial decisions today,” Senator Manchin said. “Generations of irresponsibly cutting taxes combined with spending beyond our means has left the important programs on which we all depend – Medicare, Social Security, highways, and pensions – on the brink of insolvency. We must work to put the federal budget back on track to reflect our priorities while being fiscally responsible. It is past time we got our fiscal house in order, and I am proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing this legislation to put our budget back on track.”
  
“We need to act now to save programs like Social Security and Medicare. If we don’t, these programs will go bankrupt and America’s safety net will disappear,” said Senator Young. “With the TRUST Act, we can set in motion a bipartisan national plan to finally begin tackling the long-term drivers of our national debt.”
  
“As we work to fuel a full economic recovery from the pandemic for Arizona, we must also plan for sustainable federal spending in the future. Our bipartisan, commonsense bill protects the retirement benefits Arizonans have earned and grows Arizona’s economic opportunities while helping address our nation’s debt,” said Senator Sinema.
   
“Without responsible action, many of our nation’s trust funds will eventually be depleted. I’m proud to join my colleagues once again to reintroduce the TRUST Act, which provides a path toward commonsense, bipartisan solutions that strengthens these programs and puts them on a solid foundation for years to come. Preserving these trust funds is critical to America’s future,” Senator Capito said.
 
“Social Security, Medicare, and the Highway Trust Fund fulfill some of our nation’s most pressing needs – healthcare and income for our senior citizens, repairs to our federal highways, care for our disabled citizens, and more,” said Senator King. “At the same time, the federal trusts that fund these programs are on unsteady financial ground; without action, they will become insolvent, and result in drastic benefit cuts, a heavy strain on the federal budget, or both. We can take on this challenge, and secure Social Security, Medicare, and our highways for future generations, if we act now. Every day that we delay, the problem grows larger and more difficult to solve. Now is the time for bipartisan work to secure the long-term financial health of our federal trusts and the vital programs that they fund.”

“If left unaddressed by Congress, federal trust funds will cause our nation’s deficit to rise and have detrimental effects on taxpayers, especially seniors,”

Senator Portman said. “The TRUST Act takes a critical step in restoring, strengthening, and modernizing these important, yet endangered trust funds.”
    
“Millions of Texans rely on the safety net provided by programs like Social Security and Medicare,” Senator Cornyn said. “We cannot continue to kick the can down the road and must ensure these funds are available for future generations, and this legislation would help ensure the solvency of these critical programs.”
    
“If programs like Medicare and Social Security are not reformed, they will continue down a path toward insolvency, and the benefits our seniors rely on will become unavailable to them,” said Senator Cramer. “The TRUST Act would form bipartisan committees tasked with crafting solutions to consider which would be aimed at fixing these vital programs and ensuring current and future recipients receive the benefits they have earned. We cannot continue to pretend doing nothing is acceptable and this problem will magically go away on its own. Congress needs to act.”

“Our national debt and fiscal deficits threaten our position as the world’s economic leader and the U.S. Dollar as the global reserve currency. We can’t stick to the status quo and expect our outlook to get better. I applaud Senator Romney for his leadership to begin righting our fiscal ship when it comes to federal trust funds. We cannot stop here and the bipartisan, bicameral TRUST Act is an important step in the right direction and gives me optimism about our fiscal future,”

said Senator Lummis.
      
Support for the TRUST Act:
 
“More than a decade after the Fiscal Commission we co-chaired released common-sense, comprehensive recommendations to fix the debt and to secure our major entitlement programs, those programs still remain in serious financial jeopardy. The Social Security, Medicare, and Highway Trust Funds are all predicted to be insolvent in the next 11 years, triggering deep, across-the-board cuts in benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic has sped the timeline to insolvency and makes solutions even more urgent. While most people in Washington would prefer to burrow – or leave! – their heads in the sand, the TRUST Act would create a truly bipartisan process to save these important programs. We know from personal experience that when Democrats, Republicans, and Independents work together in good faith, they can identify real and lasting solutions: the Fiscal Commission recommendations were supported by 11 of 18 commissioners. We earnestly thank Senators Romney and Manchin, Representatives Gallagher and Case, and other co-sponsors for taking the lead on this important and vital effort. Time is running out to enact critical and thoughtful reforms to appropriately fund our infrastructure and return solvency to Social Security and Medicare.” – Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
 
“Senator Romney and these cosponsors deserve immense credit for developing a plan to fix the federal government’s most important trust fund programs, which are headed toward insolvency due to years of neglect. We just can’t wait any longer to fix a problem that leaves all who depend on these programs dangerously vulnerable. The TRUST Act is a sensible, bipartisan and balanced approach that would bring together lawmakers to develop fixes, without pre-baking any of the outcomes. We have known for decades that we must shore up the finances of these critical systems, and the current crisis is a reminder of how being prepared is a must in responsible governing. The TRUST Act would provide much-needed fiscal leadership.” – Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
 
“The Senate expressed bipartisan support for the TRUST Act in its recent budget resolution. It’s good to see momentum behind this and other proposals that would help ensure we don’t lose sight of the serious fiscal challenges that lay ahead.” – Michele Stockwell, Executive Director of BPC Action
 
“This proposal could prompt bipartisan action on key trust fund depletion dates that threaten indiscriminate across-the-board cuts to vital programs within the next 15 years. It is, in effect, a responsible call to repeal and replace the irresponsible ‘do nothing plan.’ Democrats and Republicans may have very different ideas about how to address the shortfalls in these trust funds, but neither party should want to be responsible for the damaging and disruptive consequences of inaction. Time is running out to enact reforms. The TRUST Act is a credible way to get the process started and The Concord Coalition applauds its bipartisan, bicameral leaders.” – Robert L. Bixby, Executive Director of The Concord Coalition

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Romney, Bennet, Curtis, Garamendi Reintroduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Emergency Wildfire Cleanup Bill

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney, Bennet, Curtis, Garamendi Reintroduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Emergency Wildfire Cleanup Bill

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) with Congressmen John Curtis (R-UT) and John Garamendi (D-CA) today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Making Access to Cleanup Happen (MATCH) Act, legislation to expedite disaster cleanup, save taxpayers money, and prevent further disasters. The MATCH Act was first introduced last Congress.
         
“After seeing the many bureaucratic hurdles communities in Utah and Duchesne counties faced after the wildfires of 2018, Congressman Curtis and I saw a need to streamline the mitigation process,” Senator Romney said. “With more than 126 wildfires burning more than 6,200 acres of land, Utah’s 2021 fire season has already surpassed the five-year average for this time of year. We are proud to continue advocating for leaders in our state by reintroducing this legislation, which would cut through the red tape that local communities face in the aftermath of wildfires to make it easier for them to recover.” 
     
“Last year, Colorado faced the three largest wildfires in our history. When communities in Colorado and across the West are knocked off their feet by devastating wildfires, they need a steadfast partner in Washington,” Senator Bennet said. “The Emergency Watershed Protection Program is an essential resource for post-fire recovery, but often Coloradans face challenges with local match requirements and delays in project approval. The bipartisan MATCH Act would remove hurdles to securing funding and help communities act quickly to mitigate damage and protect their watersheds and infrastructure.”
       
“As Utahns know, the impacts of a wildfire do not end when the fire is put out. Without quick action to rehabilitate and restore the land, it is left open to additional damage,” Congressman Curtis said. “While federal cleanup programs have been a significant recovery tool, administrative delays and backlogs too often lead to extra work and unnecessary cost overruns. Communities need the flexibility to begin cleanup activities as soon as possible. To that end, I am proud to introduce the MATCH Act which will allow communities to begin certain rehabilitation activities immediately following a disaster while saving local funds and taxpayer dollars.”
       
“California is experiencing historically devastating wildfires with regularity and a year-long wildfire season. We must take forward-thinking steps to recover from wildfires as quickly as possible to support our communities. The MATCH Act takes critical steps to prioritize wildfire prevention and recovery, and I am proud to support this legislation,” Congressman Garamendi said.
      
Statements of Support:
  
“Thanks to the ongoing efforts of Sen. Romney and Rep. Curtis, Utah communities affected by wildfires will get the vital resources they need to recover and rebuild quickly. We thank them for this legislation and, as a former mayor, city councilman and county commissioner, for keeping the needs of locals in mind.” – Governor Spencer Cox
 
“The MATCH Act will eliminate the crippling delay we encountered after the Bald Mountain Fire. Had this been in place during last year’s fire season, we would be better equipped to handle the threats we will face this summer from wildfires. We appreciate Senator Romney and Congressman Curtis for hearing our concern and doing something about it.” – Ty Ellis, Mayor, Elk Ridge
  
“I appreciate the efforts of Congressman Curtis and Senator Romney in helping local communities recover from the aftermath of a natural disaster. The MATCH Act will greatly assist the city of Woodland Hills in our post-fire mitigation efforts as we prepare for potential flooding, debris flow, and mudslides after the devastating Bald Mt/Pole Creek fires of 2018.” – Kari Malkovich, Woodland Hills City Council Member
  
“The city council and I greatly appreciate the efforts of Representative Curtis and Senator Romney in sponsoring the MATCH Act. For communities like ours that are vulnerable to the devastation of wildfires, this provides an opportunity to take additional preventative measures, and would speed up the recovery process if a wildfire should occur.” – Troy Walker, Mayor, Draper City
          
The MATCH Act will:

  • Direct the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop a list of watershed rehabilitation activities for potential Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program sponsors to carry out prior to project approval. 
  • Direct the NRCS to establish a procedure for potential EWP sponsors to consult with state NRCS offices about additional pre-approval watershed rehabilitation work. 
  • Ensure that those activities count towards the program’s required 25% sponsor match.
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Utah Delegation, State Officials Statement on Interior Secretary Haaland’s Visit to Utah

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Utah Delegation, State Officials Statement on Interior Secretary Haaland’s Visit to Utah

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Representatives Chris Stewart (R-UT), John Curtis (R-UT), Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Blake Moore (R-UT) with Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson, Attorney General Sean Reyes, Senate President Stuart Adams, and Speaker of the House Brad Wilson, issued this statement following Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s visit to Utah to discuss the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.
     
“We appreciate Secretary Haaland’s visit and thank her and her team for taking time to meet with us and with state, local, and tribal leaders as part of the ongoing review of these monuments. During these discussions, we reiterated our desire to find a permanent legislative solution, which we believe is the only path to finally resolving the longstanding dispute over the monuments’ boundaries and management. If the Administration decides to act unilaterally, a legislative solution that provides certainty will be nearly impossible to achieve. And without protections against the Antiquities Act, Utah is left vulnerable to the whim of future presidents. We continue to urge the Administration to work with us to craft a collaborative, consensus plan that reflects the input of the people most directly impacted and ends the political back-and-forth that our communities have been subjected to for more than 25 years.”

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Romney, Curtis Announce Reintroduction of Bill to Advance the Popular Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney, Curtis Announce Reintroduction of Bill to Advance the Popular Bonneville Shoreline Trail

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Representative John Curtis (R-UT) announced the reintroduction of bicameral legislation to enable the construction of high priority sections of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) to enhance recreation opportunities near Utah’s most urban areas. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act, also supported by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT), Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT), and Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) will adjust management boundaries to allow the advancement of the BST while also designating nearby U.S. Forest Service land for permanent protection. The BST is planned to eventually connect the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah—stretching over 280 miles. The legal map for the legislation can be found here. Romney and Curtis first introduced the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act last Congress.
   
“The Bonneville Shoreline Trail provides great outdoor recreational opportunities for Utahns, but several wilderness-designated areas along the trail are hampering full use of the trail,” Senator Romney said. “We are reintroducing our legislation to adjust the boundaries of the trail to ensure that construction can be fully completed and Utahns can enjoy its wide range of recreational opportunities for many years to come.”
     
“This legislation balances creating new recreational opportunities with protecting the environment,” Representative Curtis said. “With a rapidly increasing population, Salt Lake and Utah Counties are in need of more widely accessible opportunities to hike, bike, and get outdoors. This legislation will do this is a responsible manner and help pave the way for all Utahns to enjoy this world class trail.”
      
Statements of Support:
  
“I love your effort to complete the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. As you surely know, the trail is a decades long project with both recreational and historical significance. It has the potential to be both a beautiful recreational asset for Utah residents and a tool for teaching us about ancient Lake Bonneville and Utah’s fascinating geologic history. For the past 30 years, numerous Utah political jurisdictions, businesses, recreational users, and private landowners have played a role in securing portions of the trial. Much remains to be done, but your bill, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act, is a next step in that process.” – Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox
       
“The International Mountain Bicycling Association is excited to support the Bonneville Shore Trail Advancement Act reintroduced by Congressman John Curtis (R-UT) and Senator Mitch Romney (R-UT). The Senator and Congressman and their offices continue to be staunch supporters of public lands protection through outdoor recreation. This legislation will establish better trail connectivity to create more trails close to home, making mountain biking and trail-based recreation more accessible for communities along Utah’s Wasatch Front. We look forward to working with the Congressman and our partners in Utah on this important legislation.” – David Wiens, Executive Director, International Mountain Bicycling Association
      
“On behalf of the human powered outdoor recreation community, we write to express our support and gratitude for your efforts to introduce the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act (BSTAA). The BSTAA will help facilitate completion of the multiple-use 280-mile Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST). The proposed boundary adjustments will remove 326.27 acres from Wilderness management across 19 carefully drawn areas, and these adjustments will be offset by the addition of an equal area of new Wilderness protection in Mill Creek Canyon. These adjustments will ensure bicycle access on the BST and allow for work on the trail to proceed using tools impermissible under Wilderness management. In addition to the direct benefits of the trail itself, the BST is a central component for trail planning efforts for jurisdictions across the Wasatch Front.” – Louis Geltman, Policy Director, Outdoor Alliance
        
“In 2017, Utah’s outdoor recreation economy generated more than $12.3 billion in consumer spending and directly supported more than 100,000 jobs in Utah. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act will help to complete the vision of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail; giving mountain bikers, runners, hikers, equestrians, cross-country skiers— and families— new opportunities to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. We look forward to working with you to advance the legislation through Congress and to achieve the promise of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.” – Bill Lee, Senior Vice President for Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations, The Trust for Public Land
    
“Trails Utah is delighted to join forces with Congressman Curtis, IMBA and local organizations in the effort to secure a shared-use future for Northern Utah’s iconic Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act is needed to maximize recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts—including mountain bikers—along the populous Wasatch Front. The demand for secure access to trails and open space and the need for careful, consistent management is greatest at the wild/urban interface where the BST resides. We are enormously grateful to Congressman John Curtis for his support for this bill and the active lifestyles that Utahns enjoy. We look forward to being a part of the effort to build a sustainable and enjoyable Bonneville Shoreline Trail in the years to come.” – Sarah Bennett, Executive Director, Trails Utah
     
“The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee was formed thirty years ago to promote development of a 280 mile long shared use trail along the urban wildland interface of  the northern Wasatch Front in Utah. However, there are many obstacles in completing the entire envisioned trail which is still only about halfway complete. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act is important to overcome one of those obstacles by adjusting wilderness boundaries so that mountain bikes can use the entire trail as originally envisioned. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is enjoyed by thousands of trail users every year and the mountain bike community is a  large and important user group.” – John Knoblock, Chairperson, Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee
     
“The Utah High School Cycling League has nearly 2,000 registered student-athletes and coaches living within ten minutes of the trailheads connecting to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. As a league, our vision is to enable Utah teens to strengthen body, mind and character through the life-long sport of cycling. We have witnessed first hand how mountain biking has strengthened families and communities. The culture of our league and mountain biking in general is one of inclusivity and respect. We fully endorse the efforts of IMBA and other local associations striving to implement the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act.” – Dallen Atack, League Director, Utah High School Cycling League
    
“The Salt Lake Valley Trail Society enthusiastically supports the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act as an opportunity to provide accessible outdoor recreation for a wide variety of trail users. Hikers, cyclists, families, and adaptive athletes will be sure to be recreating in a more sustainable fashion as the sections of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail facilitated by the Act are built out and authorized for local recreation. Please join us in supporting this bill and the recreation and community-building opportunities that local trails create.” – Kevin Dwyer, Executive Director, Salt Lake Valley Trails Society
 
Background:
 
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a popular trail in Utah that will ultimately stretch 280 miles. However, small segments of wilderness designations have prohibited biking on parts of the trail, preventing the full vision multi-use trail connecting dozens of Utah’s communities.
  
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act:

  • Releases 326 acres of wilderness, divided over more than 20 small locations, to accommodate the advancement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in Salt Lake County and Utah County, two population centers in high demand for additional recreation opportunities.
  • Resolves a wilderness boundary issue in Birch Canyon to ensure the trail that runs parallel to the road can be fully utilized as a multiuse trail.
  • Designates 326 acres of wilderness to preserve land formerly owned by the Boy Scouts of America in Mill Creek Canyon that fully offsets any wilderness release to accommodate the BST.

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Romney, Colleagues Condemn China’s Human Rights Abuses Against Uyghurs

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Bipartisan resolution condemns treatment of religious and ethnic groups, seeks to build international investigation into human rights abuses and crimes in Xinjiang

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, today joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Edward Markey (D-MA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Tim Kaine (D-VA), in introducing a resolution condemning the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for its treatment of the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and calling for an international investigation into the abuses and crimes committed there.
           
“The Chinese Communist Party is exacting genocide against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,” said Senator Romney, Ranking Member of the East Asia Subcommittee. “With this resolution, we condemn the CCP’s treatment of the Uyghur people and call for an investigation into the crimes and abuses committed against them.”
     
“Whether on behalf of individuals like Ekpar Asat – a Uyghur journalist and entrepreneur who has been unjustly detained since 2016 – or entire groups who are victims of forced labor or monitored by mass surveillance systems, we must speak out against the abuses taking place in Xinjiang,” said Senator Coons. “We’re calling on the United States and our allies and partners to ensure a credible investigation into crimes committed by the PRC government in Xinjiang. We should cooperate with the PRC when possible, but we cannot turn a blind eye to the government’s blatant disregard for the human rights of its own citizens.”
      
“I’m proud to join Senator Coons in introducing this bipartisan resolution condemning the egregious human rights violations, including genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang,” said Senator Rubio. “The Trump administration was right to issue a genocide determination and the time is now for the Biden administration to take meaningful action and lead our allies and partners to put an end to these abusers and bring forth accountability and justice for the perpetrators.”
    
“We must speak in one voice against China’s campaign to deprive its Uyghur and other Central Asian and religious minorities of their fundamental rights,” said Senator Markey, Chair of the East Asia Subcommittee. “While President Trump’s pursuit of a trade deal with China reportedly took precedent over his concern for atrocities committed by Beijing, I know that the Biden administration will use every economic and diplomatic tool at its disposal to hold perpetrators to account for their crimes – and rally the world to take similar action. Beijing’s attempts to erase the identity of an entire group, in the 21st Century, will not succeed.”
      
“The Chinese Communist Party continues to pursue repressive and cruel dictatorial rule against people in China, including engaging in genocide and crimes against humanity with respect to Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang,” said Senator Hagerty. “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan resolution strongly condemning the CCP-controlled Chinese government for these barbaric actions and demanding an investigation.”
   
“For years, the Chinese government has waged a horrific campaign to forcibly assimilate Uyghur Muslims and eliminate their cultural and religious practices,” said Senator Kaine. “Congress must continue to call out the ongoing abuses in Xinjiang and pressure China about its devastating treatment of other religious and ethnic minorities as well.”
      
“This resolution lends critical support to a simple proposition: that no government, including one as powerful as China’s, should expect impunity when it commits serious human rights violations,” said Sophie Richardson, China Director at Human Rights Watch.
   
Full text of the resolution is available here.

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Romney Joins 37 Colleagues in Calling on President Biden to Become First U.S. President to Officially Recognize the Armenian Genocide

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney Joins 37 Colleagues in Calling on President Biden to Become First U.S. President to Officially Recognize the Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 36 Senate colleagues in requesting the Biden administration join the U.S. Congress in officially recognizing the Ottoman Empire’s genocide against the Armenian people. To date, no U.S. president has made it U.S. policy to affirm the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide, which lasted from 1915 to 1923 and resulted in the forced deportation of around 2 million Armenians, 1.5 million of whom were brutally killed.
 
“We join the Armenian community in the United States and around the world in honoring the memory of these victims, and we stand firmly against attempts to pretend that this intentional, organized effort to destroy the Armenian people was anything other than a genocide,” the senators wrote in a letter to President Biden. “You have correctly stated that American diplomacy and foreign policy must be rooted in our values, including respect for universal rights. Those values require us to acknowledge the truth and do what we can to prevent future genocides and other crimes against humanity.”
 
Beyond recognizing the facts of the Ottoman Empire’s systematic extermination of Armenians, the senators stressed that the move would rectify the executive branch’s position regarding the Genocide by aligning it with congressional consensus as well as President Biden’s previous remarks.
 
“Administrations of both parties have been silent on the truth of the Armenian Genocide. We urge you to break this pattern of complicity by officially recognizing that the Armenian Genocide was a genocide,” added the senators.
  
Joining Senators Romney and Menendez in signing the letter to President Biden were Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ed Markey (D-MA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jack Reed (D-RI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). 
 
Find a copy of the letter here and below.
 
Dear President Biden:
 
We write today to strongly urge you to officially recognize the truth of the Armenian Genocide. In the past you have recognized the Armenian Genocide as genocide, including in your Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day statement during the 2020 campaign. We call on you to do so again as President to make clear that the U.S. government recognizes this terrible truth.
 
From 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Empire systematically sought to eliminate the Armenian population, killing 1.5 million Armenians and driving hundreds of thousands more from their homeland. We join the Armenian community in the United States and around the world in honoring the memory of these victims, and we stand firmly against attempts to pretend that this intentional, organized effort to destroy the Armenian people was anything other than a genocide. You have correctly stated that American diplomacy and foreign policy must be rooted in our values, including respect for universal rights. Those values require us to acknowledge the truth and do what we can to prevent future genocides and other crimes against humanity.
 
In December 2019, after decades of obstruction, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution affirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide. The House also overwhelmingly passed its own resolution recognizing the facts of the Armenian Genocide in 2019. We appreciate that in your April 2020 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day statement you pledged “to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” but Congress has already made its position clear. It is time for executive branch to do so as well.
 
As you said in your Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day statement last April, “It is particularly important to speak these words and commemorate this history at a moment when we are reminded daily of the power of truth, and of our shared responsibility to stand against hate — because silence is complicity.” Administrations of both parties have been silent on the truth of the Armenian Genocide.  We urge you to break this pattern of complicity by officially recognizing that the Armenian Genocide was a genocide.
 
Sincerely,

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Romney Urges Biden to Bring Utah to the Table on Lands and Waters Issues

Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Romney Urges Biden to Bring Utah to the Table on Lands and Waters Issues

Requests clarification on 30×30 initiative to put restrictions on 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined his Senate and House colleagues from Western states, led by Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), in requesting further clarification regarding President Biden’s Executive Order establishing a mandate to put restrictions on 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, and urged the administration to include state and local governments, tribes, and stakeholders in future negotiations and decisions regarding Utah’s lands and waters.
           
“Conservation remains a top priority for Western congressional members, and our constituents’ lives and livelihoods rely upon a healthy, actively-managed landscape,” the senators wrote. “However, the 30 by 30 initiative displays a dangerous thoughtlessness and far too many of our questions have been left unanswered. It is also our understanding that key constituencies have yet to be engaged on this initiative. As such, we respectfully urge you to provide state and local governments, the energy, minerals, and agriculture sectors, tribes, sportsmen, and recreationists an equitable and meaningful voice in the process. We also request a detailed briefing with the signers of this letter within 60 days of the Executive Order being signed.”
          
The full text of the letter is available here.