Guest Opinion: Empowering American innovation
By Rep. Kera Birkeland
Recent reports of Russian and Chinese cyber-attacks on Ukraine along with President Bidenâs warning to U.S. businesses to strengthen their cybersecurity in response to economic sanctions imposed on Russia, reveal the vital role American technology innovators play in our national security defense. In a world that is more digitally connected than ever, with nearly every organization having some sort of online presence or technological underpinning, the importance of strengthening domestic tech innovation and our cybersecurity cannot be understated.
The American tech industry helps develop systems that strengthen our national security and cybersecurity. In the face of rising authoritarian regimes, ensuring we are able to rely on our own domestic tech sector for the tools our private sector and governments leverage every day is vitally important. Imagine if these businesses or local governments had to rely on a Chinese or Russian-based app and the potential risks that could pose to their privacy and data security...
To strengthen our cyber capabilities and protect our public and private sectors, we must develop collaborations across the federal government and partnerships with the private sector on data protection and cybersecurity to maintain our competitive edge and protect our businesses and governments...
A number of elected officials are eager to rush antitrust legislation that aims to break up Americaâs most innovative technology companies, many of the very companies that are working to strengthen our national and cyber defenses and that help spur economic growth. Members of the Utah Federal delegation should reject efforts to drastically expand federal government power by changing current antitrust laws. Instead of creating unique competition legislation for every sector of the economy, we should let the court and regulating bodies ensure companies are playing by existing rules. (Read More)
News Releases
USBE: Skyline, Logan, West, and Hillcrest students named 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars
The U.S. Department of Education today named 161 Presidential Scholars for 2022. Among them are:
- Alan Z. H. Mo, of Murray, a student at Skyline High School in the Granite School District. He is a Career and Technical Education scholar.
- Gary Zhan, of Logan, a student at Logan High School in the Logan School District.
- Malavika G. Singh, of Salt Lake City, a student at West High School in the Salt Lake City School District. She is an arts scholar.
- Danju Zoe Liu, of Sandy, a student at Hillcrest High School in the Canyons School District. (Read More)
Salt Lake County awarded $3.9 million from the EPA to help clean up and redevelop contaminated properties
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $3.9 million in new funding to Salt Lake County to clean up and redevelop contaminated properties. âWeâre grateful for the EPAâs substantial investment in Salt Lake County. It expands our ability to effectively leverage the Revolving Loan Fund and make a difference,â Mayor Jenny Wilson said.
The EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund allows the County and its coalition partners â Salt Lake City and Ogden City â to issue loans to public or private property owners who meet EPA qualifications for assistance with brownfields. Brownfields are properties with contamination that hinder development or redevelopment. Common examples are old auto repair shops, dry cleaners, and properties near old smelters, railroad lines, and mines. (Read More)
Sen. Lee introduces regulatory reform bills to spur economy
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the PIONEER Act today to create a federal regulatory sandbox reducing the heavy burden of federal regulations and allowing businesses to grow, develop, and innovate with an expanded degree of flexibility. The PIONEER Act joins Sen. Leeâs LIBERATE Act as proposals to reduce burdensome regulations on businesses to spur growth and bolster the struggling economy. The Competitive Enterprise Institute has estimated that federal regulations and intervention cost American consumers and businesses $1.9 trillion each year. Just within federal infrastructure projects alone it is estimated that federal regulations increase a projectâs cost by as much as 20%. (Read More)
Owens co-signs letter to AG Garland calling for enforcement of the law and action against those intimidating Supreme Court Justices
Today, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) co-signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding enforcement of the law and action against those intimidating Supreme Court Justices following the leak of a decision draft in the Dobbs v. Jackson case before the Court. The letter highlighted the need to zealously guard the First Amendment while also ensuring judges are not intimidated by mob rule. (Read More)
Office of the State Auditor releases report on Kane County Water Conservancy District
The Office of the State Auditor (Office) released a report on the Kane County Water Conservancy District (District). The report was conducted in response to information submitted to the Officeâs hotline program. The report identifies key internal control weaknesses as well as best practices the Kane County Water Conservancy Board and District management should implement to improve their oversight. (Read More)
Sen. Lee celebrates House passage of RECA
The House of Representatives has passed Sen. Mike Leeâs (R-UT) two-year extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) ensuring that those Americans harmed by the nationâs early nuclear program can be compensated. Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) championed the RECA extension in the House. The United States Senate unanimously passed the Lee measure in April. (Read More)
Rep. Stewart on the bipartisan RECA Extension Act of 2022
Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) released the following statement regarding House passage of the Bipartisan RECA Extension Act of 2022. The program, originally enacted in 1990, provides compensation to victims of radiation exposure caused by the federal governmentâs above-ground nuclear weapons testing during the 1950s and 1960s.
âFor years, the federal government conducted nuclear tests in Utahâs backyard,â said Rep. Stewart. âThousands of Utahns were infected by radiation exposure simply by living downwind of the testing sites. And today, thousands of âdownwindersâ and their families are still suffering from the irreversible damage of radiation. (Read More)
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