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Around 150 people attended and the issues ranged from spending in Washington to immigration to the Narrows project. I heard many people voice concerns that Washington was not doing its job addressing illegal immigration into our country. They said that state legislators in Utah had tried to do something about the problem but that ultimately the federal government would have to step up enforcement. I couldn’t agree more, and would add that part of the problem is how difficult it is to come to this country legally. By addressing the backlog of legal immigration we can significantly reduce the motivation to come here illegally.

It's well past time to have a spirited debate over the proper role of government, and the proper reach of government into our lives. Clearly, there are two very different visions for what this role should be.

We have to get out of it. Our ability to provide jobs, our ability to continue to be the world's most robust economy depends upon getting our house in order, but it is not just our financial well-being, it is also our individual liberty that will benefit as we take this step, as we pass a balanced budget amendment, and as we restore that which is properly ours.

The American people have a right to know what their government is going to do with their tax dollars. Not only do closed door meetings by this Committee prevent the public from knowing how their dollars are being spent, but these meetings also have the potential to promote deals with special interests. Open door proceedings will allow the public to be their own advocates, rather than relying on games of inside baseball that too often dominate today’s Washington.