Speeches

It’s Time for the Senate to Get Back to Work

Mr. President, it’s with a heavy heart that I come to the floor of the Senate today. Over the last few weeks I’ve talked to countless people throughout Utah and across the nation, but especially in Utah, about the troubles that they have encountered; about the profound sadness that the American people are experiencing right now; the frustrations that they have.

One Step Closer to Real FISA Reform

A “Pivotal Moment” for FISA Reform

Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act

Mr./Madam President, Last week, the Senate had a chance to adopt measures that would protect the dignity of human life – not just unborn human life, but born human life. And unfortunately, due to a minority of this body, we lost the opportunity to do so.

February 27, 2020

To afford all, an unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life.

Abraham Lincoln, in a message to Congress on July 4, 1861, wrote that the leading object of government was “to elevate the condition of men — to lift artificial weights from all shoulders — to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all — to afford all, an unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life.” It is no coincidence that he gave this message on the anniversary of our nation’s birth.

February 27, 2020

A Lost Opportunity to Protect the Dignity of Human Life

Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to address these important issues today. I thank my friend and colleague from Oregon for outlining his reasons for objecting to this legislation. I feel the need to respond to a few things that he said because they call for an immediate response.

February 12, 2020

Utah Women Lead The Way

Mr. President, On February 14, 1870 a remarkable thing happened in Utah – something that changed the course of history not just in our state, but in our entire nation. Seraph Young, a twenty-three-year-old school teacher, became the first American woman to cast a vote in a political election under an equal suffrage law. It was a moment that both followed and preceded a long line of remarkable contributions from Utah women – women who have pioneered and led in our state and in our nation.

February 12, 2020

Remarks on Iran War Powers Resolution

Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague, Senator Kaine, to support the resolution before us, which would prohibit the President from conducting offensive military strikes against Iran, unless and until Congress explicitly authorizes it. This is how security policy in our republic is supposed to be made: Congress authorizes the use of military force, and the president – as commander in chief – directs the military to complete the missions.

February 5, 2020

Against Undoing the Vote Taken by the American People

Mr. President, I have long maintained that most, if not all of the most serious vexing problems within our federal government can be traced to a deviation from the twin core structural protections of the Constitution. There are two of these protections one that operates along a vertical axis, the other a horizontal. The vertical protection we call federalism, which states a very simple fact that in the American system of government most powers are to be reserved to the states.

December 19, 2019

Another Spending Extravaganza

It’s December, Mr./Madam President. And so America’s attention turns once again to the great debate of our times: which is the best Christmas movie? White Christmas? Elf? A Christmas Story? Die Hard? I’m partial to It’s a Wonderful Life myself. We have to debate the best Christmas movie that we all watch every year because there really is no debate about the worst. The worst Christmas movie is the one that runs every year on C-Span the week before Our Savior’s birthday: it’s called Omnibus.