Celebrating Father's Day and Juneteenth this weekend, Golden State warriors NBA champs, EU backs Ukrainian membership | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com. | | |
Situational Analysis | June 17, 2022 Happy Friday as we head into a weekend that celebrates both Juneteenth and Father's Day. (Monday is the legal holiday for Juneteenth.) Be in the Know Some White House officials thought that a plan for then-Vice President Mike Pence to disrupt the transfer of power on Jan. 6, 2021, was wrong, according to testimony at a House panel hearing. An angry mob chanting âhang Mike Penceâ came within 40 feet of the vice president. He spent nearly five hours in an underground loading dock. And the president called him a âwimpâ and worse. Penceâs refusal to overturn the election avoided plunging the U.S. into a Constitutional crisis, said a former federal judge who advised him. Committee members have sent a letter to conservative activist Virginia (Ginni) Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, to come and testify.
The Senate voted 84-14 on Thursday to advance legislation expanding healthcare benefits for U.S. military veterans dealing with medical conditions possibly tied to toxic burn pit exposure during overseas deployment. The House is expected to pass the measureâwhich will cost approximately $300 billion over the next decadeâin the coming days, at which point President Joe Biden has said he will sign it into law. Both Utah Senators voted no. Rapid Roundup The Golden State Warriors are this year's NBA champs, next year's RootsTech will be in-person and virtual, power shutoff watch issued for Cedar City as wildfire danger escalates, FDA approves COVID vaccine for young children, Britain approves an extradition order for Julian Assange and EU backs Ukraine's membership bid. | | |
| | | FROM OUR SPONSOR, CHRIS STEWART FOR CONGRESS Chris Stewart is Fighting the Tough Fights Utah's values are rooted in honor, duty, and service to God and country. With all its exceptional values, Utah needs exceptional leadership. Chris Stewart considers it his honor and duty to serve the exceptional people of Utah. Learn more about Chris Stewart's personal creed at stewartforutah.com. | | |
Utah Headlines General âA Dream Deliveredâ: New film tells story of lost letters reuniting relatives of man born into slavery. Inspiring family history journey featuring actor Anthony Anderson and historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is released in timing with Juneteenth (Deseret News) Politics After 10 years, the future for âDreamersâ is more uncertain than ever (Deseret News) Enrique Sanchez: I canât serve the state I love if Congress doesnât pass a pathway to citizenship (Salt Lake Tribune) Cox signals heâs âopenâ to conversations on gun control and hits Biden on gas prices at monthly news conference (Salt Lake Tribune) What trick-or-treating and 9/11 have to do with this memorable Supreme Court case (Deseret News) Orem city's bid process 'extremely unusual' says RFP professional (KUTV) Elections Some Utah poll workers concerned about safety this year amid national tension over elections (KSL) Time running out to register to vote in Utah primary by mail-in ballot (KUTV) Pignanelli & Webb: Elections are approaching â how will Jan. 6 and gun legislation factor in? (Deseret News) Environment Republicans are taking action on climate change. Why are Democrats ignoring them? (Deseret News) Steve Handy: Sen. Romney is helping Utahns breathe easy with clean air action (Deseret News) 120 residents out of water in Millard County town (KSL) Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society to head Utah's new $40M Great Salt Lake program (KSL) Family Commentary: Give stay-at-home fathers the respect they deserve (Salt Lake Tribune) Fathers, too, can be source of safety, strength for victims of child abuse (KSL) The latest developments in the baby formula crisis. Flooding has reclosed a key infant formula plant in Michigan. Meanwhile, Utah Sen. Mike Lee has harsh words for President Bidenâs team (Deseret News) Abuse, financial exploitation of the elderly rising in Utah (Daily Herald) Health COVID: 6522 new cases, 13 new deaths in Utah this week Utahâs COVID-19 death toll rises above 4,800 (Salt Lake Tribune) 'Here we go again,' Salt Lake County reaches high risk COVID-19 transmission (Fox13) Housing How this Utah nonprofit is tackling the stateâs rental crisis. The Utah Housing Preservation Fund buys older housing units, renovates them and keeps rent at affordable rates (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah/Ukraine BYU nursing students provide aid to Ukrainian refugees (Daily Herald) National Headlines General Jan. 6 takeaways: âHeatedâ Trump, Penceâs near miss with mob (AP) Trump aides told him that using Pence to overturn election was illegal. The Jan. 6 committee presented evidence that lawyers advising Trump knew the plan had no legal merit. But he pursued it anyway. (Washington Post) Who is John Eastman, the Trump lawyer at the center of the Jan. 6 investigation? (NPR) John Eastman says Ginni Thomas invited him to speak on âelection litigationâ (Washington Post) Doctor who pushed hydroxychloroquine gets 60-day prison sentence for storming Capitol on Jan. 6 (The Hill) Larry Nassar loses last appeal in sexual assault scandal (AP) Politics What we learned about Mike Pence and Donald Trump in the Jan. 6 hearing (Deseret News) Herschel Walker says he didnât try to hide his other three children (Washington Post) As Montana reels from floods, no one is sure where Gov. Gianforte is (Washington Post) Biden to meet with major economic powers on climate, launch new global initiatives (The Hill) 'It wonât let up': Michigan GOP plunges into chaos (Politico) Ukraine ðºð¦ U.S. ambassador to Ukraine: 'It's going to be a long, grinding, tough war' (NPR) As Russia presses assault, Ukraine given possible path to EU (AP) EU backs Ukraine's membership bid to 'live the European dream' (Reuters) | | |
News Releases Salt Lake County Juneteenth Celebration Juneteenth recognition and celebration with speakers, music, and light refreshments at the Salt Lake County Government Center. This is the first year both the state of Utah and Salt Lake County recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday. Today, Friday, June 17, 11:30 AM at the Salt Lake County Government Center Council Chambers, North Building, 2001 S. State Street (Read More) ISTE spotlights innovative educators for creating transformational learning experiences The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a nonprofit focusing on accelerating innovation in education, today announced the winners of the 2022 ISTE Impact Award, Distinguished District Award, Making It Happen Award, and 20 To Watch Awards. The award winners will be recognized during ISTELive 22 on June 26-29. Syd Dickson is receiving the ISTE Impact Award and Alberto Herraez and Mario Herraez, both in the Davis County School District, are the "20 To Watch" Award. (Read More) Owens co-sponsors the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022 Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) co-sponsored the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022. The bipartisan legislation requires the posting of the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the restrooms of all U.S. airplanes, airports, trains, train stations, busses, and bus stations so that any victim, or anyone who notices a potential victim of human trafficking, knows who to reach out to for help. (Read More) Moore and AUKUS working group introduce new bill to establish Officer Training Pipeline for Australian Submarines
Rep. Blake Moore (UT-01) was joined by Reps. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Mike Gallagher (WI-08), and Derek Kilmer (WA-06) in introducing the Australia-U.S. Submarine Officer Pipeline Act. The new bipartisan bill will establish a joint training pipeline between the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy and will enable the start of U.S.-based training of Commanding Officers for Australiaâs future fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS alliance. Moore, Courtney, Gallagher, and Kilmerâthe four Chairmen of the Congressional AUKUS Working Groupâwere also joined by Reps. Rob Wittman (VA-01), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) as original co-sponsors of the bill. (Read More) Leeâs Antitrust Venue Act passes Senate
Sen. Mike Leeâs (R-UT) State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act of 2021 unanimously passed the Senate. The bill would give state officials the same deference granted to federal antitrust enforcers in regard to the venue in which cases are heard. When antitrust enforcement cases are brought in federal court by either federal or state enforcers, a number of private cases are often also brought against the defendant corporation. These private cases often complicate the venue determination of an enforcement case and bring significant delays. The State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act ensures that the States are afforded the same deference as the United Sates when selecting their venue to enforce the federal antitrust laws and removes the inefficiencies and barriers they confront under the current process. (Read More) Romney: Administration recklessly and unilaterally spent taxpayersâ money During an exchange at a HELP Committee hearing with Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn OâConnell, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) highlighted how the Administration has failed to be transparent with Congress regarding how it has spent COVID fundsâarguing that the Administration claimed to not have the funds to purchase monoclonal antibody treatments, antivirals, and other preventative treatments when it actually did. In March, Romney led his colleagues in pressing the White House for an accounting of how the federal government allocated trillions in taxpayer funds to combat the pandemic. (Read/Watch More) Owens helps introduce the Educational Choice for Children Act Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, helped introduce the Educational Choice for Children Act, which would support parentsâ right to choose school options that work for their family. Specifically, this legislation would expand education freedom and opportunity for millions of students by providing a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education, amounting to $10 billion on an annual basis. (Read More) Number of the Day | | |
Upcoming Primary election day â June 28 ULCT Annual Convention - Oct 5-7, Salt Palace Convention Center, Register here General election â Nov 8 | | |
On This Day In History 1579 - Sir Francis Drake claims California for England 1631 - Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, then spends more than 20 years building her tomb, the Taj Mahal. 1775 - Battle of Bunker Hill begins 1865 - Susan La Flesche Picotte is born. She became the first Native American physician in 1889. 1873 - Susan B. Anthonyâs trial starts for illegally voting in Rochester, New York, on November 5, 1872 1885 - Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor 1903 - Ruth Wakefield is born. She created the Toll House chocolate chip cookie. My kids think today should be a national holiday. 1994 - O.J. Simpson leads LAPD on a low-speed chase Wise Words "In my career, there's many things I've won and many things I've achieved, but for me, my greatest achievement is my children and my family." â David Beckham Lighter Side Q:What's the difference between a man's wallet before and after kids? A: There are pictures where the money used to be. | | |
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