Op-Eds

As a conservative Utahn and a Latter-day Saint, I have a unique view of our nation’s immigration policy. I’m proud of the hospitality extended by Utahns who welcome refugees and asylees. I think the perspective of Utahns from a conservative state whose ancestors fled their homes due to religious persecution is capable of informing solutions to the crisis at our southern border.

Lamentably, the federal government does not have much enthusiasm for school choice. That cold shoulder toward school choice hurts low-income families the most

As a congressional delegation, we stand united in opposing the unilateral expansion of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by way of President Joe Biden’s divisive proclamation. From the beginning of his presidency, we have been clear about our willingness to work with him on a permanent legislative solution. It is disappointing that these calls were ignored, and a route was chosen that will only delay needed permanent protections and resources for these areas.

On August 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention spent the final hours of the week embroiled in debate over how to start a war. The debate focused on the phrase “to make war,” and its placement within the powers of the Congress. Pierce Butler and Charles Pinckney of South Carolina spoke in opposition, noting the sluggish nature of convening Congress and its subsequent proceedings. Mr. Butler, in particular, favored placing the responsibility on the shoulders of the president, noting a president’s possession of “all the requisite qualities,” and restraint to “not make war but when the nation will

I learned as a child it is much easier to tear down than to build something worthwhile. It seems our political discourse has forgotten this simple lesson. Critical race theory is seeping into our foundational institutions and attacking what it means to be American. This dangerous philosophy undermines our founding principles, institutions, social mobility and history itself — threatening to take us backward in time, not forward.

As the school year comes to a close, children are looking forward to getting out of the classroom and into camps, vacations, and summer activities. Parents are reflecting on the past year and preparing for the one ahead — especially in light of the problems that the pandemic exposed in schooling.

The past year—full of challenges, division, and isolation—exposed many of the fault lines in our society. Events across the country brought renewed attention to enduring racial divisions, and highlighted a number of challenges related to law enforcement and policing. But if there is one issue that ought to help provide healing and unity for our communities, it is commonsense criminal justice reform.

Of all the things shared by the United States and Britain, perhaps the most important is the common law—a system of law that isn’t imposed from above but arises from the people in the form of cases and precedents. Engrained in common law is the concept of “partnership.” Partnerships allow individuals to cooperate by sharing knowledge and resources for mutual benefit. They are also voluntary, allowing each member to freely associate, and require each to value the welfare of his counterpart as much as his own.

The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the United States for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution. But not all legal issues reach the court, and even if they do, it takes years for them to do so. That is why we, as U.S. senators ourselves, take an oath to uphold the Constitution.

Earlier this week, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema publicly declared their support for the Senate’s cloture rule, which requires a supermajority of 60 votes to end floor debates and pass most legislation. Their statements effectively ended the Senate’s latest flirtation with the so-called “nuclear option” — the parliamentary gambit by which many Democrats want to eliminate the 60-vote threshold with only their 50 votes.