Senator Romney and Senator Murphy (D-CT), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee covering the Middle East, convened a hearing on U.S. policy in Iraq and Lebanon. The hearing focused on the ongoing protests in the region and their implications for U.S. security interests, as well as the recent hold on U.S. military aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces. Senator Romney's opening remarks can be viewed below:



The recent protests in Lebanon and Iraq - civilians decrying high unemployment, Iranian intervention, and corruption - have major implications for U.S. national security in the region. The U.S. needs an effective strategy on how to best partner with these nations to advance mutual interests.



Full story by Dennis Romboy here.



China has a comprehensive, rigorous strategy to achieve global domination. At a forum this week, Senator Romney warned of China’s growing economic aggression, human rights abuses, and military strength - and the need to forge international partnerships to counter these challenges.

“[A]s the leader of the free world, we should lead the development with our allies of a comprehensive strategy designed to convince China that it is in its best interest to change its ambition from dominating the world to instead collaborating and competing in the world,” he said.

The Senator's remarks can be found here.





Senator Romney voted to advance the nomination of Dr. Stephen Hahn to serve as FDA Commissioner out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for full consideration by the full Senate. He did so with reservations, saying: “Dr. Hahn committed under oath that if he was confirmed, he would use science and data to guide his decisions on the youth vaping crisis. I am counting on him to follow through on that commitment, and I will insist that if confirmed, he will keep this committee and the nation informed about how his decisions are being made. We have a massive public health emergency, with five million kids in high school who are vaping and becoming addicted to nicotine, and we must place the interest of public health above political interest."



The Senator also expressed alarm at new data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealing that more than 27 percent of high schoolers and 10.5 percent of middle schoolers reported having vaped within the last month: “The latest data released today by the CDC shows that the vaping crisis is worsening, with more than one quarter of high schoolers and 10.5 percent of middle schoolers reporting they have vaped in the past 30 days. To reverse this deadly trend, the Administration and Congress must act without any more delay to ban flavors that appeal to kids and prevent vaping cartridges from being adulterated with substances that kill. A continued failure to act in the face of this data would be unconscionable.”



As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Senator Romney joined Sen. Peters (D-MI) on legislation to combat the circulation of opioids, including fentanyl, through the mail saying. The U.S. Postal Service Opioid & Illicit Drug Strategy Act would require the U.S. Postal Service to develop and publish a comprehensive organizational strategy to combat the use of the mail in illicit drug distribution, allowing the agency to identify areas for improvement, enhance coordination across departments, and proactively meet emerging challenges.



Full story by Dennis Romboy and Pat Reavy here.



During a Senate Foreign Relations hearing focused on U.S. policy toward Russia, Senator Mitt Romney stressed the need for the U.S. to develop a comprehensive strategy, instead of just ad hoc sanctions, that diverts Russia from its current path. 





In continuation of his efforts to find a solution that compensates student athletes while preserving the integrity of college sports, Senator Romney teamed up with Senators Murphy (D-CT), Rubio (R-FL), Perdue (R-GA), and Booker (D-NJ) to form a bipartisan working group that facilitates these ongoing discussions and evaluate potential solutions.



Full story by Matthew Brooks here.



If we don't act now to address the solvency of programs like Medicare and Social Security, our government's trust funds will be depleted in 13 years. Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, published an op-ed about how Senator Romney's bipartisan, bicameral TRUST Act would put in place a process to rescue these programs that millions of Americans rely on.



Full op-ed by Maya MacGuineas here.



This week, the Senate confirmed David B. Barlow of South Jordan to serve as United States District Judge for the District of Utah. Senators Romney and Lee (R-UT) released the following statement upon his confirmation: “We have full confidence David will serve Utah and the country with honor and integrity, faithfully applying the law and our Constitution to all matters and parties that come before him. We wish him well as he begins this next chapter of service to our nation as a U.S. District Judge for the District of Utah.” 





Senator Romney met with several groups of Utahns this week, including:



Students from Springville, Green Canyon, Mountain Crest, Ridgeline, and Logan high schools who were in Washington as part of the Close Up program.



Clint Betts, Executive Director of Silicon Slopes, to discuss Utah's technology industry.



Troy Williams, Executive Director of Equality Utah, to discuss the organization's work at the state and federal level advocating on behalf of the LGBT community.