Category: US Senate

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Romney, Cotton, Capito, Collins, Portman Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Wage, Protect Jobs for Legal Workers

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

Romney, Cotton, Capito, Collins, Portman Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Wage, Protect Jobs for Legal Workers

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Rob Portman (R-OH) today introduced the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, legislation which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $10 and mandate E-Verify to ensure the wage increase only goes to legal workers. The bill will also index future minimum wage increases to inflation and includes protections for small businesses. Text of the legislation can be found here.
                        
“It’s been more than a decade since the federal minimum wage has been increased, leaving millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet,” Senator Romney said. “Our proposal would raise wages for nearly 3.5 million workers without costing jobs. Additionally, requiring employers to use E-Verify would ensure that businesses only hire legal workers—eliminating a key driver of illegal immigration.”
                      
“American workers today compete against millions of illegal immigrants for too few jobs with wages that are too low—that’s unfair,” Senator Cotton said. “Ending the black market for illegal labor will open up jobs for Americans. Raising the minimum wage will allow Americans filling those jobs to better support their families. Our bill does both.”
         
“This framework balances the needs of employers with opportunities for employees,” Senator Capito said. “This effort demonstrates there are long-term solutions that can be put forth and debated outside of a partisan process that has dubious merit in its implementation in the name of COVID relief.”
                    
“I know how difficult it is for anyone trying to get by on the federal minimum wage, which has not been increased since 2009,” Senator Collins said. “Our bill provides a commonsense solution to help struggling families while avoiding the unintended consequence of small businesses being forced to eliminate jobs or reduce hours for their employees.”
             
“For years I have supported the way Ohio handles the minimum wage by indexing it to inflation. This takes some of the politics out of the issue, provides more certainty for small businesses and workers, and prevents the sudden spikes that cost jobs,” Senator Portman said. “I’m pleased to support this legislation to provide a responsible and gradual increase to the federal minimum wage after this pandemic ends and then indexing the minimum wage to inflation moving forward. This approach will give both businesses and people the certainty they need and deserve. It also ensures that younger employees seeking their first job are not priced out of the workforce. Unlike the Democrats’ proposal, this bill would protect tipped workers by ensuring they are still able to work in a capacity that ensures they have larger take home pay. This legislation also ensures use of E-Verify. I’ve taken a lead on advocating for a workable E-Verify because of its proven effectiveness of deterring unlawful immigration and helping employers ensure they are hiring Americans. Hiring Americans for jobs available across the country will be crucial as we our economy continues to reopen and businesses get back on their feet.”
                   
Summary of the Higher Wages for American Workers Act:
         
Minimum Wage Increase:

  • Gradually raises the federal minimum wage to $10 over four years, and then indexes it to inflation every two years.
  • Creates a slower phase-in for small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.
  • Prevents any increase during the COVID-19 emergency.

          
Mandatory E-Verify:

  • Mandates E-Verify for all employers, phasing in implementation over 18 months to allow small businesses additional time to comply.
  • Raises civil and criminal penalties on employers that hire unauthorized aliens and/or violate I-9 paperwork requirements.
  • Prevents fraud by requiring workers 18 and older to provide a photo ID to their employer for verification, which will be cross-referenced if a photo is available through the E-Verify system.
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Senators Romney, Ossoff, Warnock, Rep. Williams Introduce Bicameral Resolution Honoring Late Congressman John Lewis’ 81st Birthday

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

Senators Romney, Ossoff, Warnock, Rep. Williams Introduce Bicameral Resolution Honoring Late Congressman John Lewis’ 81st Birthday

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced bicameral legislation honoring the life and legacy of the late Congressman John Lewis, days after what would have been his 81st birthday.
 
Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) will introduce companion legislation in the House.
 
Lewis passed away in July 2020 after courageously battling pancreatic cancer.

“Congressman John Lewis was a man of unwavering principle, unassailable character, great purpose, and heartfelt compassion. With this resolution, we honor his life and his legacy as a champion for civil rights,” said Senator Romney.
 
“Congressman Lewis has passed, but he lives on through his towering legacy, his powerful ideas, and his monumental accomplishments. One of the greatest figures in American history, John R. Lewis was a passionate and courageous champion of peace, justice, and human dignity whose selfless work advanced voting and civil rights for millions of Americans,” Senator Ossoff said. “The struggle for human rights continues, and Congressman Lewis taught us never to give up or give in, to keep the faith, and to keep our eyes on the prize. Poverty, violence, and racism are not necessary or inevitable. Our obligation is to carry the torch Congressman Lewis passed and keep working to build the Beloved Community in America and around the world. I feel the Congressman’s spirit profoundly every day and urge my colleagues to come together, honor his life, and be inspired by his example to speak up, speak out, and make Good Trouble,” Senator Ossoff continued.
 
“The legacy Congressman John Lewis leaves is a point of eternal pride for the state of Georgia. He believed in the promise and the power of the vote, and the way people can right our country’s grave mistakes by strengthening our democracy,” said Senator Warnock. “We remember and honor him, and the lessons he taught us about the sacred responsibilities we have to exercise our voices at the ballot box and strengthen voting rights across the board. In honoring him, we renew our efforts to protect our democracy and defend the sacred right to vote.” 
 
“Congressman Lewis sacrificed so much and risked his life so people who look like me could enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted today,” said Congresswoman Williams. “He was a humanitarian, visionary leader, and a change agent whose fight for civil and voting rights has inspired people for generations. His commitment to inclusivity and equality showed his dedication to building and protecting the ‘Beloved Community’ he envisioned as he worked to ensure liberty and justice for all. On the week of what would have been Congressman Lewis’ 81st birthday, I am proud to introduce this bicameral resolution in the House honoring his life and legacy. His spirit lives on in all of us.”
 
Please click here to find a PDF copy of the resolution.

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Romney, Rubio, Grassley, Portman Urge President to Implement Rule on Confucius Institutes

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

Romney, Rubio, Grassley, Portman Urge President to Implement Rule on Confucius Institutes

Rule would require U.S. academic institutions to disclose their contracts with CCP-backed Confucius Institutes

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Rob Portman (R-OH) today urged the Biden Administration to implement the proposed rule requiring U.S. academic institutions disclose their relationships with Confucius Institutes, which are funded by the Chinese Communist Party. The letter reflects a similar effort in the House of Representatives.
        
“We have significant concerns regarding the CCP’s nefarious actions and urge you to follow through on your commitments to advancing the interests of the American people as we collectively respond to the challenge that the CCP poses,” the senators wrote. “We believe it is critically important to better understand and reduce the CCP’s influence on the American people, including through the Hanban, its propaganda arm that runs Confucius Institutes through the PRC Ministry of Education. The proposed rule is a necessary step in that effort and would bring needed transparency to Confucius Institutes.”
       
The full text of the letter can be found below.
        
Dear President Biden:
       
We write to urge you to implement the proposed rule requiring that educational institutions participating in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program report on their contracts with Confucius Institutes. We also stand in support of our colleagues in the House, who have similarly written to you in support of the proposed rule. Confucius Institutes are a tool of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) propaganda efforts in the United States, and we must protect our nation’s students by enforcing transparency.
        
We have significant concerns regarding the CCP’s nefarious actions and urge you to follow through on your commitments to advancing the interests of the American people as we collectively respond to the challenge that the CCP poses. We believe it is critically important to better understand and reduce the CCP’s influence on the American people, including through the Hanban, its propaganda arm that runs Confucius Institutes through the PRC Ministry of Education. The proposed rule is a necessary step in that effort and would bring needed transparency to Confucius Institutes.
       
The Senate, including the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee via the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has repeatedly conducted oversight of the problematic presence of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in American campuses. Such oversight uncovered serious concerns about academic freedom and the CCP’s long-term goal to exert political influence over U.S. elites through our education system, as detailed in its report, “China’s Impact on The U.S. Education System:”
       
“Confucius Institute funding comes with strings that can compromise academic freedom… The Chinese teachers sign contracts with the Chinese government pledging they will not damage the national interests of China. Such limitations attempt to export China’s censorship of political debate and prevent discussion of potentially politically sensitive topics…Confucius Institutes exist as one part of China’s broader, long-term strategy. Through Confucius Institutes, the Chinese government is attempting to change the impression in the United States and around the world that China is an economic and security threat. Confucius Institutes’ soft power encourages complacency towards China’s pervasive, long-term initiatives against both government critics at home and businesses and academic institutions abroad.”
       
Many in Congress have worked for years on bipartisan efforts to raise awareness in their states of the problems associated with CCP funding in our institutions of higher learning, and believe that this rule will serve as a tool in our efforts to heighten public awareness of the risks of Confucius Institutes.
     
While we understand that your administration may be engaged in a broad review of regulatory actions, we believe that the proposed rule is necessary to enhance our understanding the reach of the CCP in the U.S. and urge you to implement it, or a similar rule, swiftly.

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Romney, Cotton Plan Would Raise Minimum Wage, Protect Jobs for Legal Workers

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

Romney, Cotton Plan Would Raise Minimum Wage, Protect Jobs for Legal Workers

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) today announced plans to introduce the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, legislation which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $10 and mandate E-Verify to ensure the wage increase only goes to legal workers. The bill will also index future minimum wage increases to inflation and includes protections for small businesses. A summary of the legislation can be found here.
         
“For millions of Americans, the rising cost of living has made it harder to make ends meet, but the federal minimum wage has not been increased in more than ten years,” Senator Romney said. “Our legislation would raise the floor for workers without costing jobs and increase the federal minimum wage to $10, automatically raising it every two years to match the rate of inflation. Additionally, our bill would protect American jobs by requiring employers to use E-Verify to ensure that businesses cannot hire illegal immigrants. We must create opportunities for American workers and protect their jobs, while also eliminating one of the key drivers of illegal immigration.”
     
“American workers today compete against millions of illegal immigrants for too few jobs with wages that are too low—that’s unfair,” Senator Cotton said. “Ending the black market for illegal labor will open up jobs for Americans. Raising the minimum wage will allow Americans filling those jobs to better support their families. Our bill does both.”
        
Background on the Higher Wages for American Workers Act
    
Minimum Wage Increase:

  • Gradually raises the federal minimum wage to $10 over four years, and then indexes it to inflation every two years.
  • Creates a slower phase-in for small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.
  • Prevents any increase during the COVID-19 emergency.

    
Mandatory E-Verify:

  • Mandates E-Verify for all employers, phasing in implementation over 18 months to allow small businesses additional time to comply.
  • Raises civil and criminal penalties on employers that hire unauthorized aliens and/or violate I-9 paperwork requirements.
  • Prevents fraud by requiring workers 18 and older to provide a photo ID to their employer for verification, which will be cross-referenced if a photo is available through the E-Verify system.
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Romney Releases Statement for Congressional Record on Impeachment Trial

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

Romney Releases Statement for Congressional Record on Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) entered the following statement into the Congressional Record regarding the impeachment trial:
         
Once again, I have listened to the arguments of the respective counsel, studied briefs, and weighed evidence in an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. This is not a responsibility I sought or expected. I certainly did not anticipate having to serve a second time as a Senator-juror in an impeachment trial.
   
An initial question shaping the context of this trial was whether or not the Senate has constitutional jurisdiction to try a President who is no longer in office. The Constitution gives the Senate the power to try all impeachments. In this case, where the House impeached the President while he was in office, it is particularly clear that the impeachment is constitutional and therefore that this trial is constitutional. The weight of legal opinion and historical precedent affirms this conclusion. Further, the Senate decided this question in the affirmative. I believe its decision was correct: The Senate must not surrender its power to hold accountable those who abuse their office or threaten our Republic, even in their final days in office.
   
In following the oath in an impeachment trial and in our deliberations on the final question, I believe it is up to every Senator to determine what to consider and what the Constitution and their conscience require of them. The conclusion I reached on the final verdict will not surprise anyone who read my reasoning in the first impeachment trial: I consider an attempt to corrupt an election to keep oneself in power one of the most reprehensible acts that can be taken by a sitting president. The second impeachment resulted from the President’s continued effort to do just that.
   
His attempt to pressure Georgia’s Secretary of State to falsify the electoral results was itself a heinous act that merited impeachment. President Trump summoned his supporters to Washington on the very day of the electoral vote count, knowing that among the people he gathered were many who had committed violence in the past and who had violent intent. Despite the obvious and well-known threat of violence, he incited and directed thousands to descend upon the seat of Congress as it was undertaking the constitutionally prescribed process to certify his successor. And then he not only failed to defend the Vice President and the others at the Capitol who he saw were in mortal danger, he also incited further violence against the Vice President.
    
The President’s conduct represented an unprecedented violation of his oath of office and of the public trust.
   
There is a thin line that separates our democratic republic from an autocracy: it is a free and fair election and the peaceful transfer of power that follows it. President Trump attempted to breach that line, again. What he attempted is what was most feared by the Founders. It is the reason they invested Congress with the power to impeach.
  
Accordingly, I voted to convict President Trump.
   
We must also consider how we came to a point where a president felt he could do as he did without suffering meaningful consequence.
       
It has become almost cliché to say that America is divided as never before in modern history. So, too, is the observation that this division is the product of a decline in trust in our governing institutions, of a decline in the social bonds forged in churches and charities and communities, of expanding income inequality, and of trusted news sources replaced by cable and internet algorithms calculated to inflame our prejudices.
   
Less unanimous are the predictions of where this division will lead. Even so, no one suggests that it will lead to a better future. Some envision an economy buffeted by policies drafted by the extreme wings of the political parties. Others claim that authoritarianism will replace democracy. Some anticipate social unrest and violence. A few even predict civil war. Still others fear that a weakened America will become vulnerable to an opportunistic foreign foe.
   
We instinctively know that the growing division represents a growing danger. Academics and pundits may promote cures, but in our hearts, we know that their bromides won’t heal the rift: People aren’t going to return to mainstream media, churches aren’t going to experience a resurgence, and income inequality will remain a persistent feature of the global digital economy.
   
Throughout history, only one thing has been able to unite a divided nation: great leaders—leaders like Churchill who inspired a fearful nation; leaders like Lincoln who mustered the national will to save the Union; and leaders like Reagan who raised our spirits from suffocating malaise. Leaders like these also have been essential in our churches and universities and businesses and charities, and just as importantly, in our homes.
   
With our nation so divided, so vulnerable to economic distress or to civil violence or even to foreign adversaries, the need for leadership that unites and uplifts, that calls on our better angels, is as great as we have ever known. The corollary is that the failure of leaders to unite, to speak truth, to place duty above self, is as dangerous as we have ever known.
  
With the country as divided as it assuredly is, a person in a position of leadership who inflames passions with the purpose of perpetuating untruth commits a singularly dangerous sin against the Republic.
    
We Senator-jurors did not all vote in the same way in this impeachment trial. Differences in perception of the facts that were presented are to be expected. So, too, are the differences in our respective estimations of the impact of the outcome of the trial. People of conscience reached different conclusions. National unity does not require unanimity of opinion.
   
But civic unity does require truth. There is one untruth that divides the nation today like none other: it is that the election was stolen, that there was a massive conspiracy, more secret and widespread than any in human history, so brilliant in execution that no evidence can be found of it and no observer among the tens of thousands in our intelligence agencies will speak of it.
   
That lie brought our nation to a dark and dangerous place. Invented and disseminated by the President, it poisoned our politics and our public discourse.
   
Like you, I hear many calls for unity. It is apparent that calling for unity while at the same time appeasing the big lie of a stolen election is a fraud. It is the lie that caused the division. It is in the service of that lie that a mob invaded the Capitol on January 6th.
  
Now that the impeachment trial is behind us, it falls to each of us to affirm what we all know: President Biden won the election through the legitimate vote of the American people. The division in America will only begin to heal in the light of this truth, a truth which must now be affirmed by each of us in this chamber.

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Romney Statement on Impeachment Vote

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

Romney Statement on Impeachment Vote

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today released the following statement regarding his vote on the article of impeachment:
                   
“After careful consideration of the respective counsels’ arguments, I have concluded that President Trump is guilty of the charge made by the House of Representatives. President Trump attempted to corrupt the election by pressuring the Secretary of State of Georgia to falsify the election results in his state. President Trump incited the insurrection against Congress by using the power of his office to summon his supporters to Washington on January 6th and urging them to march on the Capitol during the counting of electoral votes. He did this despite the obvious and well known threats of violence that day. President Trump also violated his oath of office by failing to protect the Capitol, the Vice President, and others in the Capitol. Each and every one of these conclusions compels me to support conviction.”

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Romney Releases Questions for Q&A Period of Impeachment Trial

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

Romney Releases Questions for Q&A Period of Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today released the questions he has submitted for the question and answer period of the impeachment trial. If selected, the questions, which can be directed to House managers or the former President’s counsel, will be read today during the trial’s question and answer period.
               
The following questions have been submitted by Senator Romney:

  1. (Counsel to the former President): When did President Trump first learn that the Capitol was breached and what specific actions did he personally take to defend the Capitol, Vice President Pence, and the others inside? 
  2. (House Managers): Is it necessary to the House Managers’ case to prove that President Trump intended for the mob to enter the Capitol and cause mayhem? 
  3. (Counsel to the former President): When President Trump sent the disparaging tweet at 2:24PM regarding Vice President Pence, was he aware that the Vice President had been removed from the Senate by the Secret Service for his safety? 
  4. (Counsel to the former President): Is it the position of Counsel to the former President that President Trump’s call to the Georgia Secretary of State was not an attempt to have him falsify the election results? 
  5. (Counsel to the former President): Did President Trump personally approve the deployment of the National Guard to the Capitol and if so, at what time?
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Romney Announces Committee Assignments for the 117th Congress

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

Romney Announces Committee Assignments for the 117th Congress

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) announced his four committee assignments for the 117th Congress. His committee assignments include Foreign Relations; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP); Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs; and Budget.
       
“Action is essential if we are to overcome the challenges facing our families, our state, and our nation. My committee assignments for this Congress will allow me to work directly on several key policy areas,” Senator Romney said. “With ever-increasing challenges to our national security interests, it is imperative that the United States promote peace through strength as the leader of the free world. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee to develop an effective strategy to countering China.”
     
“As we start this new Congress, our country marks one year in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. On the HELP Committee, I will continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to better combat the pandemic and support Americans who are struggling,” Senator Romney continued. “As a new member of the Budget Committee, tackling the nation’s skyrocketing federal debt and deficit remains one of my top priorities. And with ever-increasing, complex threats to our security, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s role in securing our homeland, preventing cyberattacks, and ensuring proper oversight is more critical than ever.”
     
Background on Romney’s committees:

  • Committee on Foreign Relations: Since 1816, the Committee has been instrumental in developing and influencing United States foreign policy of broad significance, in matters of war and peace and international relations. The Committee also holds jurisdiction over all diplomatic nominations.
  • Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP): HELP has broad jurisdiction over our country’s health care, education, employment and retirement policies. The committee is also committed to ensuring our country’s workforce is prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st Century through a lifetime of learning for our citizens.
  • Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (HSGAC): HSGAC is the chief oversight committee of the U.S. Senate. Formerly known as the Committee on Governmental Affairs, it took on primary oversight responsibility for the Department of Homeland Security in 2003.
  • Committee on the Budget: The Committee remains responsible for drafting budget plans for Congress and for monitoring and enforcing rules surrounding spending, revenue, and the federal budget.
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Romney Has “Cleverly Laid Out the Conservative Case for the Child Benefit”

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

Romney Has “Cleverly Laid Out the Conservative Case for the Child Benefit”

Romney’s Family Security Act would create a new national commitment to American families

WASHINGTON – Policy leaders and writers expressed support for U.S. Senator Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) newly unveiled Family Security Act, which would provide greater financial security for American families by modernizing antiquated federal policies into a monthly cash benefit.
                  
“The plan has some very considerable virtues, starting with the one that Romney highlights: It would substantially reduce poverty and drastically reduce extreme poverty, especially among children. It would simplify government programs and probably make them easier to administer…It would also make it easier for people to start and expand their families.” – Ramesh Ponnuru, Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
            
“The Romney plan offers something to left and right alike. It would significantly reduce child poverty, a core left-wing ambition. At the same time it reduces the current system’s penalties for marriage and its tacit bias against stay-at-home parents, both social-conservative goals, and raises the current subsidy for middle-class families, usually a Republican-leaning constituency. Finally, it’s both deficit neutral and softly pro-life, with a benefit that starts while the child is still in utero. So with all this winning, who could be against it?” – Ross Douthat, New York Times Opinion Columnist
          
“Romney’s proposal does a better job of fixing some (unintentional but meaningful) disincentives to marriage in the existing welfare and work-support system than any prior attempt to do so, and it manages that with relatively little disincentive to work.” – Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute
      
“By being available to expecting parents, the Romney child allowance will help support pre-natal health while reaffirming the value of the unborn…The Family Security Act does not stop at simply expanding benefits to families and children. In the spirit of good government and fiscal responsibility, the Romney child allowance is fully paid-for through the consolidation of duplicative policies and programs.” – Niskanen Center
          
“The new [Mitt Romney] family security proposal is a significant development and exactly the sort of thorough and thoughtful policy innovation we need more of on the right-of-center. Debating ideas like these is the right way for conservatism to move forward.”  – Oren Cass, Executive Director of American Compass
         
“I love the core concept of replacing complicated safety-net programs with a simple, flat benefit for most American families…It’s good to see a Republican starting this sorely needed conversation with a serious, detailed proposal.” – Robert Verbruggen, National Review
        
“Given that we know financial concerns factor into the abortion decision, it strikes me that the Romney proposal provides a promising vehicle for using public policy to promote life even in a pro-choice administration.” – David French, Senior Editor of the Dispatch
         
“Mr. Romney has now cleverly laid out the conservative case for the child benefit, couched in terms of fiscal responsibility and family security…Mr. Romney’s plan pre-emptively addresses most conservative qualms about expanding government. Democrats may balk at some of his accompanying ideas, such as junking TANF. But some accommodation here would mean a great deal for millions of poor children—and may ease Congress back onto the long-neglected path of bipartisan policymaking.” – Idrees Kahloon, The Economist
          
“We see efficiency, especially in cleaning up some dated and cumbersome programs and we see a focus on handing the responsibilities to families, to getting them assistance more directly and trusting them with the use of those funds.” – Rick Larsen, President and CEO of the Sutherland Institute

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Romney Proposes Measures to Support Utah and National Priorities

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

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today filed 11 amendments to the Senate budget resolution for fiscal year 2021 aimed at addressing the range of challenges Utah and the nation face, including providing greater financial security for American families, ensuring clean water for Utah’s Navajo Nation, supporting energy leasing on federal lands, and bolstering U.S. national security.
      
“These amendments are aimed at helping Utah and our country confront the wide array of challenges we face,”Senator Romney said. “These measures prioritize ensuring greater financial security for families, protecting our children from the harmful and lasting effects of tobacco, and put our country on a responsible fiscal path for future generations.”
   
“Importantly for Utah, these amendments seek to support energy leases on federal lands, ensure that Utah’s Navajo Nation will receive the funding it needs to build water infrastructure, and promote Utah’s role in carrying out our country’s national security strategy,” Romney continued. “They also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening our alliances and partnerships, modernizing our military equipment and missile defense, and advancing research in technology.”
     
Summary of Romney’s amendments:

  • Providing financial security for America’s families. An amendment based on Romney’s recently introduced Family Security Act, which would create a fully-paid-for cash benefit for America’s families with children.
  • Ensuring solvency of federal trust funds. An amendment based on Romney’s TRUST Act, which would create congressional committees to improve the solvency of major Federal trust funds.
  • Funding to secure clean water for Utah Navajos. An amendment calling on Congress to fully fund public health and critical water supply projects authorized by Romney’s Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act, which was passed by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
  • Supporting energy leasing on federal lands. An amendment to oppose legislation that would prohibit, limit, or otherwise substantially delay the issuance of new oil and gas leases or drill permits, new coal leases or permits, new hard rock leases or permits, or new uranium leases or permits, on Federal land. Romney cosponsored the POWER Act to ensure that long-term decisions or pauses to energy leases be considered and approved by Congress, and he recently joined the Utah congressional delegation and state officials in urging the president to reconsider the suspension of energy leases on federal lands.
  • Protecting youth from harmful effects of e-cigarettes. An amendment based on Romney’s Ending New Nicotine Dependencies (ENND) Act, which would create a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to the application of the tobacco excise tax to electronic nicotine delivery systems.
  • Safeguarding America’s medical supply chain. An amendment based on the Commission on America’s Medical Security Act, legislation Romney cosponsored which would support and strengthen medical supply chains, including by improving manufacturing and sourcing capacity and capabilities domestically and with allied and partner nations.
  • Promoting marriages and families. An amendment to oppose legislation that would create a new or larger Federal marriage penalty for families.
  • Investing in climate technology innovation. An amendment to improve and develop domestic clean energy technologies to address global climate change through partnerships with the private sector, academic institutions, or nonprofit organizations. Romney is a member of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus which aims to create productive dialogue in working toward potential solutions to address climate change.
  • Imposing maximum pressure against Iran. An amendment to ensure maximum pressure sanctions against Iran remain in place until there has been a full evaluation of the strategic impact of such sanctions, including on the economy, domestic politics, and internal security of Iran.
  • Countering China by linking arms with European allies. An amendment to increase cooperation with European allies and develop a mutual strategy to address the People’s Republic of China.
  • Prioritizing Utah’s role in national security. An amendment to ensure continued, expedient intercontinental ballistic missile modernization through the ground-based strategic deterrent system.