Hello, Utah! It’s time for this week’s highs and lows. If you're following the news, you saw Cory Booker—the Senator from New Jersey—beat the filibuster record of over 24 hours, and that I had a chance to be presiding over the chamber when it happened.

That was cool, but what was even more special is that he beat the record of Strom Thurmond, who was filibustering against civil rights. So, for Cory Booker—a black man from New Jersey—to beat that, I thought was a very special moment.

Also a high for me is Sue and I had the chance to go to Lexington, Virginia and see my brand new 18th grandchild. But the low is also tied into that because I felt a heavy heart about the debt situation here in Washington, D.C.

While spending time with these grandkids—three little boys—I couldn’t help but think about how we're saddling them with so much public debt—$100,000 per person! So, I just want you to know that I'm very committed to ensuring we change course and don’t pass this immense debt burden onto our children and grandchildren.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

China wants the world to turn a blind eye to its nefarious ambitions with Taiwan. We cannot allow nations to fall prey to China’s pressure campaigns. Senator Curtis, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Van Hollen (D-MD) and Kim (D-NJ) in introducing the Taiwan Allies Fund Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation to support Taiwan’s international standing and counter China’s efforts to diplomatically isolate Taiwan on the global stage. This bill helps countries stand strong in the face of the CCP and strengthen their ties with Taiwan—and aligns with the Trump Administration’s priority to ensure any U.S. funding abroad is directly tied to America’s safety, strength, and prosperity.



Full story by Cami Mondeaux here. 



The United States must work to end Russian aggression and ensure a free and democratic Ukraine—an ally that shares our values. Senator Curtis joined Senators Graham (R-SC) and Blumenthal (D-CT), and 47 of their colleagues, in introducing primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. With these sanctions, the Senate is prepared to ramp up the pressure on Russia if it does not agree to long lasting peace.

It’s a general rule of thumb that when federal funding is involved in a project, costs tend to increase by about 30%—even when the project is state-led and meets all applicable standards and environmental requirements. During a committee exchange with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Senator Curtis advocated for key Utah priorities to be included in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill—including rolling back burdensome federal regulations, expanding the FrontRunner commuter rail system, and urging reinvestment into Utah’s off-road trail systems.

Members of the majority party in the Senate are responsible for presiding whenever the Senate is in session. For Senator Curtis, that means carving out a few hours each week to take the chair. This week, however, was special: Senator Curtis had the opportunity to preside during a historic moment—when Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) broke the record for the longest speech ever delivered on the Senate floor. Watch the moment here.

Full story by Cami Mondeaux here. 

Amid a busy voting schedule, Senator Curtis spent time discussing issues with Utahns during a virtual meet-and-greet event. If there’s a way our office can help you with issues involving federal agencies like IRS payments, VA benefits, or passports—or if you have a voice to add to the conversation—we want to hear it. Constituents are encouraged to reach out anytime at curtis.senate.gov.

As wildfires become more frequent and destructive in the American West, it’s essential to strengthen mitigation and management efforts. Senator Curtis met with fire chiefs from Utah to discuss solutions and programs that are critical to protecting the state’s lands and communities.





Senator Curtis enjoyed meeting with students from BYU who are interning in the nation’s capital this semester. Their energy and optimism, he said, are exactly what the country needs more of.

Proposed legislation could propel Utah’s Bonneville Shoreline Trail to national recognition (Daily Herald)

John Curtis Presses Transportation Duffy About Delegating Increased Power To State Governments (Forbes)

Curtis, Schatz introduce bipartisan bill to remove barriers and boost Tribal access to federal energy resources (Utah Policy)

Curtis sponsors bipartisan bill to study effects of NEPA environmental reviews (Ripon Advance)

Sen. John Curtis sent Sen. Booker message of ‘encouragement’ as he presided over record-breaking speech (Deseret News)

curtis.senate.gov