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Situational awareness - January 11, 2019

Good morning from Salt Lake City and TGIF!

Friday's executive summary: Lawmakers propose a flood of legislation ahead of the 2019 session. Federal workers miss paychecks because of the government shutdown. Cohen will testify before Congress.

You're reading Utah's most reliable and informative morning political news roundup. Please add info@utahpolicy.com to your contacts to ensure delivery to your inbox.

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TICK TOCK

Today is the 11th day of the year. There are 354 days remaining in 2019.

15 days until Salt Lake County Democrats elect a new County Mayor (1/26/2019)
17 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
62 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019)
113 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019)
143 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019)
147 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019)
214 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019)
298 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019)
389 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020)
657 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today At Utah Policy

Mexico is not paying for the wall - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 405
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
It's once again time to tiptoe through the week in Utah political news with Managing Editor Bryan Schott and Contributing Editor Bob Bernick....Bob Bernick's notebook: Thank goodness Utah's lawmakers don't act like Congress
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
As a divided Congress and GOP President Donald Trump stumble towards no budget compromise, and part of the U.S. government is closed, one can only be pleased with how Utah state government is working these days....Lawmakers have opened more than 1,100 bill files ahead of the 2019 session
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Even though about a fourth of the 104-member Utah Legislature will be new come the general session later this month, lawmakers are still filing a large number of bills, a review for UtahPolicy.com shows....Chaffetz to Democrats who say the border wall can be beaten with a ladder: 'Lets see you do it'
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Fox News commentator, and potential 2020 Utah gubernatorial candidate, Jason Chaffetz was in a feisty mood on Thursday night, mocking Democrats over their objection to President Donald Trump's promised border wall....Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 405
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
It's once again time to tiptoe through the week in Utah political news with Managing Editor Bryan Schott and Contributing Editor Bob Bernick....Weekly survey - Border wall funding fight
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The federal government is partially shut down because Congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump are at loggerheads over funding for Trump's promised border wall....Register for Chamber's 2019 Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit
By Salt Lake Chamber
There's still time to register for the 2019 Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit. This premier economic forecasting and public policy event offers an unrivaled opportunity for attendees to gain insights on the future of Utah's economy and the policy priorit...

OTHER UTAH HEADLINES

Deseret News

A. Scott Anderson: Congrats to Utah's new elected officials - and good luck

Jay Evensen: Still think you have a right to burn wood in the winter?

Sens. Mike Lee, Mitt Romney try again to block presidents from creating national monuments in Utah

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney says 'good chance' Trump declares border emergency

Do too many Utah teachers lack licensure, training?

Salt Lake Tribune

Utah's school lunch funding gets extended into March as the government shutdown continues

What Utah kids learn about science is up for debate with draft of new school standards

Utah voters approved Medicaid expansion, but lawmakers may delay it or impose work requirements

North Ogden City Council appoints new mayor to replace fallen Utah National Guard Maj. Brent Taylor

Sen. Mitt Romney rebuffs Trump's latest border wall strategy: 'I don't want to see a declaration of national emergency'

White House intensifies search for new Interior secretary and Utah's Rob Bishop is a focus

NATIONAL HEADLINES

Breaking Friday morning. U.S. military officials say they have begun withdrawing troops from Syria. The move blindsided allies - https://wapo.st/2FunN7P

Federal workers miss a payday. Because of the partial government shutdown, thousands of federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay will not get paid today - http://bit.ly/2FsNwNY

Federal workers are selling their stuff on Craigslist to try and make ends meet - https://wapo.st/2FrxOmb

President Trump promised Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine he will sign a bill to give back pay to federal workers once the government shutdown ends - http://bit.ly/2Fr8Ymi

Emergency declaration coming. The Trump administration is laying the groundwork to declare a national emergency to construct the president's long-promised wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. The administration is eyeing unused disaster money to pay for its construction - https://wapo.st/2Fph272

Trump at the border. President Donald Trump visited the southern border to make his case for building a wall - https://nyti.ms/2FohMtb

Spoiler alert...Trump's not telling the truth. President Trump claimed on Thursday he never promised Mexico would pay for construction of his proposed border wall. That claim is demonstrably not true - https://wapo.st/2FqnnPF

Trump cancels Davos trip. President Trump said he is canceling his trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland because of the government shutdown. Some observers say it's a sign the White House is digging in for the long haul - http://bit.ly/2FupySt

McConnell quietly pushing to end the shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to find a solution to the budget impasse that has shut down the government for nearly 3 weeks, but he's not having much luck so far - http://bit.ly/2FqV4kb

Trying to ease the shutdown pain. The White House asked federal agencies to send them a list of services they would like to resume to minimize the impact of the shutdown on the public - https://wapo.st/2FqQVMX

Disruptions intensify at airports. Miami International Airport plans to close one of its terminals over the weekend to shift TSA agents to busier checkpoints due to the government shutdown - https://hrld.us/2FpiSEY

Must see TV. Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer," agreed to testify publicly in front of the House Oversight Committee on February 7 - https://cnn.it/2FnMAu9

Mueller met with Trump's pollster. Special counsel Robert Mueller's team questioned Tony Fabrizio, pollster for the Trump campaign. Fabrizio is a former business associate of Paul Manafort, who has been accused by Mueller of sharing polling data with a foreign national with ties to Russian intelligence - https://cnn.it/2FsrYRd

Democrats angry with Mnuchin. House Democrats ripped Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin after he "barely testified" during a classified hearing on the Trump administration's decision to ease economic sanctions linked to a Russian oligarch. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it "one of the worst briefings" they've ever received from the Trump administration - https://politi.co/2FpYd3A

White House on R.B.G. deathwatch. The White House has begun communicating with conservative activists in preparation for a confirmation fight if Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg steps down from the bench - https://politi.co/2Fr91hY

Bringing A.O.C. to heel. Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is making enemies in the House Democratic Caucus, is frustrating Democratic leaders. They're trying to find ways to rein her in while not alienating her supporters - https://politi.co/2FrNOEs

Most of the high-profile new members of the Democratic Caucus in the House were passed over for important House committee assignments - http://bit.ly/2FpLfmp

No recession this year. Fed chairman Jerome Powell says there won't be a recession in 2019, adding the U.S. economy is "solid" - https://wapo.st/2FurbQ5

Another scary climate story. Scientists say the world's oceans are warming 40% faster than they originally thought. That's alarming as oceans have been absorbing excess heat generated by global warming. The rising temperatures are killing off marine ecosystems and making hurricanes more destructive - https://nyti.ms/2FpLz4F

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1785 - The Continental Congress convened in New York City.

1861 - Alabama secedes from the United States.

1908 - Grand Canyon National Monument is created.

1935 - Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.

1964 - Surgeon General Luther Terry released a landmark report saying smoking is a health hazard.

Policy News

Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Weekend EventOutdoors Report--Tribune:Deal will keep Utah's Zion Narrows, one of the nation's most popular trails, open through March - once the shutdown goes away--Tribune: Disappointed international visitors get to Arches only to find the gate closed. How about seeing a fi...Sens. Lee and Romney introduce the Protect Utah's Rural Economy Act
Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) reintroduced the Protect Utah's Rural Economy (PURE) Act....Westminster College names new provost
Westminster is pleased to announce the appointment of Debbie Tahmassebi, Ph.D., as provost of the college....Career Education Corporation, a for-profit company, agrees to stop collecting student loans in agreement with Utah, 48 Attorneys General
Francine A. Giani, Executive Director of the Department of Commerce, announced the Utah Division of Consumer Protection will receive settlement funds for students as the result of a 493.7M nationwide lawsuit against Career Education Corporation (CEC), a for-profit education...