Situational Analysis | June 24, 2021

It's the last Thursday in June, which means it's National Work from Home Day - just like yesterday and all the other days before it for the last 15 months.

Fingers crossed for rain today.

Be in the Know

Congressman John Curtis had a big day yesterday. He unveiled the new Conservative Climate Caucus with 50 Republican members. "The goal of the Conservative Climate Caucus," he said, "is to bring members of the Republican party together to educate each other on climate policies that will make real progress on reducing emissions through American innovation and resources...without sacrificing American jobs and principles."

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of the First Amendment, when deciding that schools cannot punish students for what they say off campus unless it amounts to bullying or threats. (It's the cheerleader/SnapChat case.)

A new report is out from the Multicultural Advisory Committee of Utah's COVID-19 response on how gender, race and ethnicity are connected to evictions in Utah. "The research team was able to show that despite moratoriums reducing the number of evictions in Utah during the year 2020, the disparity of evictions persisted in BIPOC communities."

The last supermoon of the year, the "Strawberry Supermoon" can be seen through Friday. Check it out.

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Rep. Curtis introduces Conservative Climate Caucus with over 50 members

“Today, I am proud to launch the Conservative Climate Caucus with many of my Republican colleagues. Republicans have conservative solutions to lower emissions while enhancing economic prosperity. We do care about climate – and we already have solutions and plan to find more.

The goal of the Conservative Climate Caucus is to bring members of the Republican party together to educate each other on climate policies that will make real progress on reducing emissions through American innovation and resources. Proposals to reduce emissions and be good stewards of the earth do not have to hurt the American economy – in fact they do the opposite. There is a way to lower global emissions without sacrificing American jobs and principles – and I believe Republicans are the ones that can and should be leading the charge. Read More

Conservative Climate Caucus gains wide support

This morning, Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced the new Conservative Climate Caucus in a press conference at the US Capitol. The Congressman will serve as Chairman and lead the Caucus of over 50 members, including representatives from every committee with jurisdiction over climate policy and various ranking members. Read More

Curtis introduces bipartisan legislation to empower patients to take control of their pain treatment

Today, Representatives John Curtis (R-UT) joined Reps. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), David B. McKinley (R-WV), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), to introduce the bipartisan Non-Opioid Directive (NOD) Act, which would allow patients to notify health professionals that they do not wish to be treated with opioids.

“There’s no question Congress must keep addressing the growing opioid crisis across the US. The COVID-19 pandemic has left many socially isolated and without access to adequate behavioral health care or addiction treatment services,” said Curtis. Read More

Rep. Stewart co-sponsors bill to ban U.S. dollars from funding Gain-of-Function research

Yesterday,Congressman Brad Wenstrup(R-OH) introduced the Foreign Gain-of-Function Research Prevention Act of 2021. Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) is an original cosponsor of this legislation, which would prevent federal dollars from going to fund gain-of-function research in foreign adversarial nations.
“There is significant circumstantial evidence that COVID-19 leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” said Rep. Stewart. “The origin of this virus is one of the most important questions we currently face, and the American people deserve answers. But we already have one unfortunate answer that can’t be ignored: U.S. taxpayer dollars have been funneled to the very lab that conducted this dangerous research and turned our world upside down." Read More

Rio Tinto Kennecott and BYU researchers partner to improve reclamation

Rio Tinto Kennecott and Brigham Young University (BYU) researchers are joining forces to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to improve reclamation at the Bingham Canyon Mine.
In June 2020, a group of students and professors from the BYU Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences broke ground on four research projects on land areas surrounding the mine with the goal to increase plant diversity, stability and enhance the aesthetics of areas visible from the Salt Lake Valley. Read More

Gov. Spencer J. Cox appoints Ryan Tenney to the Utah Court of Appeals, Senate asks for public input

Gov. Spencer J. Cox has appointed Ryan Tenney to the Utah Court of Appeals. The governor’s nominations are subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate.
“Ryan is one of the most accomplished and respected appellate attorneys in the state,” Gov. Cox said. “His appellate experience, sharp legal writing and ethical grounding will make him an excellent addition to the Utah Court of Appeals. I’m grateful for his willingness to serve the people of Utah.”
Tenney currently serves as assistant appellate attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office.

Sen. Lee speaks on ending federal mask mandate

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of Sen. Rick’s Scott’s (R-FL) Stop Mandating Additional Requirements for Travel (SMART) Act, and to ask for its passage by unanimous consent. Though Democrats blocked its passage, the SMART Act would prohibit the federal government from requiring Americans to wear masks on public transportation. Read More

Number of the Day

Commentary: Federal infrastructure investments will magnify local efforts

By Senator Kirk Cullimore

The Utah State Legislature has worked hard to prioritize infrastructure investments all across Utah. We are doing this to improve our roads, update our passenger rail system, and fund transportation projects creating jobs, spurring economic development, and improving the quality of life for all Utahns.

As Assistant Majority Whip for the Utah State Senate, I am proud of the work that our legislature has done. Earlier this year, I sponsored H.B. 433 specifically to ensure tax dollars were used for critical infrastructure needs like addressing our state’s growing transportation, transit, and energy needs. I also wanted to ensure any future spending in Utah by the federal government is done in a way that both supplements and leverages results from our existing state spending.

Utah will soon receive nearly $1.6 Billion from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). While I have publicly expressed concerns with Congress’ overall spending amounts under ARPA, I firmly believe that any future federal spending in Utah should be carefully targeted in a way that maximizes results from our existing state expenditures. For example, it should specifically address problems associated with high growth, rather than merely fund additional social programs that are unrelated to our infrastructure needs. Any federal bill, like H.B. 433, should also be forward-thinking, comprehensive, and bipartisan. I would hope that Senator Mitt Romney would be among those leading the charge to champion bold, broad infrastructure investments—including in clean energy and emerging energy technologies—that will complement our existing efforts here in Utah.

H.B. 433 will help advance a number of infrastructure priorities, such as funding new road projects, double-tracking our passenger rail system, relieving traffic gridlock in our high tourist areas, and maintaining construction levels through 2024. These efforts will go a long way towards creating local jobs and supporting local economies while still ensuring Utah’s entire infrastructure system is well-positioned for continued growth and development in the future.

If federal spending is carefully targeted, it could amplify our efforts and magnify the positive economic impact on Utah communities. Investing in infrastructure can also help spur American innovation, particularly when it comes to developing our energy resources to provide cleaner and more affordable power. Maintaining an all-of-the-above approach to energy that includes traditional and newer sources will help keep costs down for consumers while ensuring long-term reliability.

Utah is fortunate to be blessed with an abundance of natural resources like crude oil, natural gas, and coal. We also are increasingly tapping into our renewable energy resources like wind and solar power. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, roughly 14 percent of our total electricity generation was derived from renewables last year. Since 2015, 97 percent of new electric generating capacity came from solar energy.

National infrastructure investments should likewise be made with an eye toward continuing to develop these renewable resources while also investing in emerging energy technologies, from clean-burning natural gas and advanced nuclear to carbon capture and energy storage. Ultimately, this is all part of the same comprehensive strategy that we need to meet our current and future energy needs in a responsible, sustainable, and pro-growth way.

Moreover, these investments in infrastructure and clean energy will help strengthen and stabilize local economies by creating 21st Century jobs for Utah’s workforce, which is particularly important given everything Utah has been through this past year. Now is the time to invest in a stronger, more resilient economy here in Utah and throughout the nation—and infrastructure investments are one way of doing that.

When all is said and done, our legislative efforts in Utah to improve our infrastructure and advance clean energy will only take us so far. That’s why Congress should pass a comprehensive, bipartisan infrastructure spending bill that will specifically reinforce our efforts here in Utah to create much-needed jobs and strengthen our economy.

Senator Romney, as well as his colleagues, should take a page out of the Utah State Legislature’s playbook, making sure that Washington prioritizes infrastructure investment as we have here in Utah.

Senator Kirk Cullimore is the Majority Assistant Whip in the Utah State Senate, representing Utah’s 9th District.

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On This Day In History

From History.com

Wise Words

"Take as much math as possible."
-Carolyn Shoemaker

Lighter Side

Visiting Annapolis, I noticed several plebes on their hands and knees holding pencils and clipboards. “What are they doing?” I asked our tour guide. “Each year, the upper­classmen ask the freshmen how many bricks it took to finish paving this courtyard,” he said. “So what’s the answer?” my friend asked. The guide replied, “One.”

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