Senator Romney voted in favor of the government funding bills, which included legislation he fought for to reduce youth vaping, support Hill Air Force Base, repeal Obamacare taxes, and protect rural Utah communities. The funding bills included:

✔️ the Senator's Tobacco to 21 Act, raising the federal tobacco age to 21
✔️ Permanent repeal of the medical device tax
✔️ Requires the FDA to review vaping cartridges to ensure they're tamper proof
✔️ Modernizes our missile defense program
✔️ Funds nearly 100 F-35s, with maintenance and repairs occurring at Hill Air Force Base
✔️ Reauthorizes and funds the PILT and SRS programs
✔️ Funds wildfire suppression and prevention activities

You can read more about what was included in this year's funding bills here.



For the first meeting of the bipartisan working group on student athlete compensation, Senator Romney and Senator Murphy (D-CT) met with NCAA President Mark Emmert to better understand the association's position. There will be more stakeholder meetings in the new year to move the ball forward on paying student athletes.



During the meeting, the senators and Dr. Emmert agreed on the potential need for a federal standard, rather than 50 different state laws.



Full story by Dennis Romboy here.





At a time when we face complex threats around the globe, this year's defense bill reaffirms our commitment to strengthening our alliances and partnerships, modernizing our equipment and missile defense, and advancing research in technology. Senator Romney fought to ensure the FY2020 NDAA authorized funding for F-35 maintenance and military construction projects at Hill Air Force Base, and included his provision to protect the U.S. from the threat that China's Huawei poses to national security. You can learn more about the Senator's priorities in this year's defense bill here.



During negotiations over a potential legislative package of tax provisions, Senator Romney teamed up with Senator Bennet (D-CO) on a bipartisan compromise to support American families, workers, and businesses. Their proposal includes expanded and reformed child tax credits, a permanent repeal of the medical device tax, and technical corrections to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. While this proposal did not receive action before Congress adjourned, the final FY2020 appropriations bill included a permanent repeal of the medical device tax.



Full story by Samuel Hammond here.



Senator Romney, along with Governor Herbert and Congressmen Bishop and Curtis (R-UT), condemned legislation introduced by Senator Durbin (D-IL) that would undercut the Emery County Public Land Management Act, part of the public lands package enacted earlier this year. Senator Romney released the following statement:

“The final lands package was based on a good faith agreement to bring certainty to thousands of acres of land in Emery County and ensure those lands would remain accessible to Utahns. The ink is barely dry on the lands package, and Senator Durbin and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) are already reneging on that agreement by pushing this land grab. Emery County would not have agreed to the lands bill if commissioners had known they would be sold out, and they will hold Senator Durbin and SUWA accountable for this action, which severely undermines the potential for future such land agreements.”

Senator Romney and Congressman Bishop then introduced legislation to lock up nearly 300,000 acres of land in Illinois and make it part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, saying: “Senators in the East shouldn’t be telling people in the West what to do with our land. If wilderness is so important to Senator Durbin, he doesn’t need to go all the way to Utah to designate it. Our bill would designate the 289,000 acres of national forest in Illinois as wilderness so he can save himself a trip across the country and enjoy the wilderness in his own backyard.”



Full story by Carter Williams here.



Senator Romney called Department of Interior Secretary Bernhardt to urge Interior to stay on schedule with the environmental approval process to amend the Bureau of Land Management's Resource Management Plans. Utah DOT's Northern Transportation Corridor Right-of-Way and Washington County's renewal application for the desert tortoise habitat conservation plan permit are tied up with the BLM's plans.





Senator Romney spoke on the Senate Floor to honor Wayne County Commissioner Newell Harward, who is battling cancer. "A loving father to Kelly, Lynette, Sarah, Shonna, Carol, and Travis, a grandfather to 18, and a great grandfather to three. All of us should strive to live our lives as Newell does - with an overwhelming love of family and community, an enduring faith, and a boundless spirit of adventure. Newell, Gloria, and their family continue to be in our prayers as they fight health challenges with great courage. May God bless the Harward family."





Senator Romney met with Utahns visiting Washington this week including:



Utah Farm Bureau President Ron Gibson.



Weber County Elections Director Ryan Cowley.