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Feb. 28 - March 6, 2020
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Our office remains in touch with the Utah Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as coronavirus preparations and response efforts continue. This week, Senator Romney questioned top health officials at a Health Committee hearing on COVID-19, focusing on the need to boost our strategic national stockpile of protective equipment and the production capacity for a vaccine. Congress also passed a bill delivering $7.8 billion in funding for patient monitoring, test kits and protective equipment, vaccine research, and other necessary resources. Our team will continue working to keep Utahns informed about response efforts.
Keep scrolling for details on how to stay up-to-date with the latest coronavirus information and a brief recap of Senator Romney's week.
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It’s critical that everyone stays informed about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and what you can do to protect yourself from it and other illnesses. If you have any questions, please be sure to speak with your health care provider and visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website on the coronavirus.
For Utah-specific updates on the coronavirus, Utahns should look to the Utah Department of Health and Governor Herbert's Coronavirus Task Force.
During a Senate Health Committee hearing on the coronavirus, Senator Romney questioned representatives from the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, HHS, and the FDA about the administration's efforts to combat COVID-19. The Senator applauded the efforts of our public health community to slow the transmission of the coronavirus and urged the administration to partner with pharmaceutical companies to produce a large number of vaccines once a viable vaccine is found. Senator Romney also urged Congress to better prioritize and prepare for situations such as this, particularly when it comes to ensuring our strategic national stockpile has adequate resources.
Full story by Lois M. Collins here.
The men and women who serve in the Utah National Guard embody our state's core values of patriotism and dedication to service. Senator Romney met with Brigadier General Michael Turley, who took command of the Utah National Guard in November, and other leaders from Utah's Army and Air National Guards.
Senator Romney filed three amendments to the American Energy Innovation Act, a package of bills to modernize our country's energy policies for the first time in over a decade. Along with Senator Lee, Senator Romney introduced an amendment that would limit the extension or establishment of national monuments in Utah, similar to the PURE Act. His second amendment, in partnership with Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV), aims to rein in China's economic aggression by monitoring China's global mineral investments. Lastly, the Senator filed the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act as an amendment to the energy package, continuing his efforts to get this across the finish line and to the president's desk.
During a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on the Department of Homeland Security's 2021 budget request, Senator Romney pressed Acting DHS Secretary Wolf about proposed budget cuts to the agency dealing with our nation's cybersecurity, the lack of Arctic resources provided to our Coast Guard, and advocated for mandatory E-Verify.
In January, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Huawei will be allowed to supply up to 35 percent of the country’s 5G communications infrastructure, despite the significant security concerns related to Huawei. Senator Romney joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the House of Commons, urging Parliament to reconsider this decision.
“Given the significant security, privacy, and economic threats posed by Huawei, we strongly urge the United Kingdom to revisit its recent decision, take steps to mitigate the risks of Huawei, and work in close partnership with the U.S. on such efforts going forward,” the senators wrote.
The House of Commons took up debate on the Huawei decision this week, and the measure is still being considered.
During a discussion with Podium employees at their headquarters in Silicon Slopes, Senator Romney outlined his three major challenges the U.S. is currently facing: addressing our national debt and deficit, combatting the threat China poses to our national and economic security, and finding a global solution to climate change.
Full story by Liesl Nielsen here.
Senator Romney met with several groups of Utahns this week, including:
Central Wasatch Commission Leadership—Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Chairman and Summit County Commissioner Chris Robinson, Executive Director Ralph Becker.
Duchesne County Commissioners Greg Todd and Greg Miles (left) and Washington County Commissioner Gil Almquist (right).
Gary Hoogeveen, the CEO of Rocky Mountain Power.
Rich West, CEO of YMCA of Northern Utah.
Students from Timpanogos High School (left) and Weber State University (right).
Representatives from Zion National Park and the Zion Forever Initiative. |
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