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December 5, 2019
Let’s encourage self-sufficiency by reforming our safety net
When welfare reform first inserted work requirements into our welfare system in 1996, some on the Left predicted doom for America’s most vulnerable families. New York Democratic Sen. Patrick Moynihan predicted that we would “find children sleeping on grates, picked up in the morning frozen.” New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg said that we would see “children begging for money, children begging for food, 8- and 9-year-old prostitutes.” And Massachussets Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy called the bill “legislative child abuse.”
November 22, 2019
Fighting for Utah’s Fair Share
There are many things unique to life in Western states. One of the special benefits is of our beautiful lands and landscapes. Unfortunately, these same lands are also often subject to federal ownership, which means that the federal government often controls how and who can enjoy it. For many years, the federal government has collected royalties from onshore oil and gas development on public lands. At first, the federal government split this revenue 50/50 with the host states where the development of this land takes place.
November 22, 2019
Why Work Matters
“What makes work meaningful doesn’t depend on its inspirational nature or on it having a transformative effect on the world,” Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Oren Cass told the Joint Economic Committee this week. “Work is meaningful because of what it means to the person performing it, what it allows him to provide to his family, and what role it establishes for him in his community.”
November 15, 2019
Fairness for Family Leave
Strong marriages and families are the bedrock of our society. But to form that foundation, they need the time and flexibility, especially during critical times – like the birth of a new baby, the unexpected illness of a family member, or the aging of a parent. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was established to provide for these very needs. Signed into law by President Clinton in 1993, it provides unpaid, job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons.
November 15, 2019
Angels in Adoption
The family is the first and most important institution of our society. It is where we learn the first and deepest lessons that inform our behavior and shape us as adults. By teaching us what it means to live with duties and obligations toward others, the family prepares us for citizenship and teaches us how to live as members of a community.
November 14, 2019
Sens. Lee, Durbin Introduce Smarter Sentencing Act
WASHINGTON — Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and others introduced legislation Wednesday that would modernize federal drug sentencing polices by lowering certain mandatory drug sentences. “Our current federal sentencing laws are out of date and often counterproductive,” said Sen. Lee. “The Smarter Sentencing Act is a commonsense solution that will greatly reduce the financial and, more importantly, the human cost imposed on society by the broken status quo. The SSA will give judges the flexibility and discretion they need to impose stiff sentences on the most serious drug lords and cartel bosses, while enabling nonviolent offenders to return
November 8, 2019
Making It Easier to Work Together
“Government,” Democrats often say, “is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together.” And while it is true there are many things we do together through government – national defense, interstate highways, and law enforcement to name a few – there are far more things we do together that do not require government programs: producing food, making cars, building homes, and most importantly – raising a family. These activities are all best accomplished by voluntary interactions between citizens.
November 8, 2019
Preventing Another Pension Bailout
As more and more print newspapers are struggling to stay afloat in today’s predominantly digital media world, they are trying to come up with creative ways to cut costs. And some of them have found a potential lifeline in their workers’ pensions.
November 5, 2019
Remarks on the Retirement of General Burton
Mr./Madam President, I rise today to honor Major General Jeff Burton, Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard, for his many years of devoted service to our nation and the great state of Utah. As he closes a long chapter of 37 years of military service, he leaves behind a tremendous legacy as an American patriot and a true servant-leader. And so I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to that legacy today.
November 1, 2019
No More Unearned Privilege for the American Bar Association
Since 1953 the American Bar Association has provided evaluations of the “professional qualifications” of nominees to the Article III federal courts. These evaluations are given to the Senate as the Senate considers confirmation of each judicial nominee. According to the ABA, these evaluations focus “strictly on professional qualifications: integrity, professional competence and judicial temperament” of each nominee. The ABAB claims it “does not consider a nominee’s philosophy, political affiliation or ideology.”