Hello Utah! Time for highs and lows. If you are receiving this for your first time, highs and lows are one of the many ways I work to keep Utahns connected to my work in Washington. For those who have been eagerly awaiting the next edition since December, welcome back. I am sorry it has been so long and I hope you enjoy.

Since the start of January, my team and I have been working in a temporary office. My high this week was finally selecting our new, permanent office! Unfortunately, it may be as long as June before we move in, but I hope you’ll visit me, whether in the temporary office or the new one.

The low—the Senate-wide phone system experienced major disruptions. It typically handles about 40 calls per minute, but this week, it spiked to 1,600 per minute—causing a total crash. As a result, many of you couldn’t reach my office, and I know that makes you grumpy. It makes me grumpy, too. I kindly ask for your patience as my staff works to review your messages and share them with me. 

When in doubt, you can always reach me at curtis.senate.gov—just click “Contact” to send me an email.

I love hearing from you. I hope you all have a great weekend.

This week, Senator Curtis helped introduce several pieces of legislation, including a bill to protect lawful industries from financial discrimination. By ensuring banks use impartial, risk-based criteria when evaluating customers, the Fair Access to Banking Act would protect industries like firearms, energy producers, and cryptocurrencies.

Senator Curtis also joined Senator Lee (R-UT) in introducing two bills to improve military readiness for U.S. maritime forces. The Ensuring Naval Readiness Act and the Ensuring Coast Guard Readiness Act take common-sense measures to strengthen America’s Navy and Coast Guard while keeping costs down and reinforcing our alliances with trusted partners.

Additionally, this week, Senator Curtis had the honor of presiding over the Senate during the final confirmation vote for Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General.
 

Last week, Senator Curtis spoke with Peter Mattis, President of The Jamestown Foundation, on China’s state-sponsored intellectual property theft and influence operations in the United States. During the exchange, Senator Curtis shared this message to his CCP handlers watching the hearing:

"I know you’re listening. I know you try to read my emails. I know you try to read my texts. I know you try to influence me back in my home state and my staff here in Washington, D.C. So, I have a word for you. Listen carefully [spoken in Mandarin]. It’s not working. I’m not intimidated. And I will continue to fight for freedom and democracy around the world, especially in Hong Kong and Taiwan."

Utah readies itself to expand nuclear energy generation (Deseret News)

The Utah House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that sets up the Utah Energy Council, establishes energy development zones and creates a nuclear energy consortium as the state eyes a more secure, carbon free future.

HB249 by Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, has a lot of moving parts and he conceded it will be tweaked in the coming years, long after he is gone.

He told his House colleagues he is fine with that.

“Politicians are like dirty diapers, every once in awhile they need to be changed."

Read the full article by Amy Joi O'Donoghue here.

Drug abuse is of increasing concern in Utah—ravaging families and taking lives. Senator Curtis met with youth coalitions from across Utah who are working to address substance abuse in their communities. 




With Utah’s expanding population and booming economy—plus the upcoming 2034 Olympics—transportation infrastructure is more important than ever. Senator Curtis met with UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras to discuss key projects for the Beehive State, including double-tracking FrontRunner and advancing the Northern Corridor.




While meeting with the Rural Water Association of Utah, Senator Curtis got to sample Bear River Water Conservancy District's award winning best tasting water and discuss Utah's water and wastewater industry.  




The safety and wellbeing of our communities rely on the work and daily sacrifices made by law enforcement. Senator Curtis enjoyed meeting with several Utah sheriffs to discuss public safety priorities and to thank them for their service.




Senator Curtis appreciated the opportunity to sit down with Buu Nygren, President of the Navajo Nation, to discuss their shared priorities. 

Republicans taken ‘by surprise’ over Trump’s suggestion to take control of Gaza (Deseret News)
“To what extent the president wants to move on this, we will see,” Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, told the Deseret News. “But we have to be willing to think outside the box to bring peace and stability to Israel and the Palestinian people.”

John Curtis wants to be Trump’s climate guy (E&E News)
John Curtis, the new Utah senator who made his name in the House by pushing conservatives to acknowledge climate change, has a new target: President Donald Trump. In fact, the soft-spoken 64-year-old was optimistic he might be able to get through to the man who just four months ago suggested climate change simply meant that the sea level might “rise one-eighth of an inch in 400 years, … and you’d have more seafront property.”

This Republican Senator Says Trump Needs to Hear Dissent. Will He Speak Up? (New York Times)
During his years as a popular mayor of Provo, the home of his alma mater Brigham Young University, he said he had posted his cellphone number on the city website and personally fielded calls from neighbors upset about barking dogs, unfilled potholes and late garbage pickup. When it snowed, Mr. Curtis would hop on his four-wheeler and plow his neighbors’ driveways — a service he says he still performs if it snows while he’s home.

Donald Trump and the incredible shrinking Congress (Washington Post)
Last week’s confirmation hearings raised the possibility of more defiance. Key Republican senators were openly skeptical of Kennedy, nominated for health and human services secretary, and Gabbard, picked for director of national intelligence, during questioning, or voiced concerns afterward. “I leave today’s hearing with more questions than answers,” said Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), a swing vote, after Gabbard’s grilling on Thursday. “Some of her responses, and non-responses, created more confusion than clarity and only deepened my concerns about her judgment.”

curtis.senate.gov