Senator Romney applauded a $24.5 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for 15 Wasatch Front region projects that will improve transit access.
Senator Romney applauded an announcement from the Department of Commerce that the State of Utah would be awarded more than $317 million in a BEAD program grant. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—negotiated by Senator Romney and his colleagues—created the BEAD program to help expand high-speed internet access to rural and underserved communities.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced that Park City Transit will receive a $7,393,183 federal grant from the FTA’s Bus and Bus Facilities discretionary grant program. According to FTA’s release, “the Utah Department of Transportation will receive this funding on behalf of Park City Transit to improve more than 72 bus stops, including rider amenities. The project will provide a safer, more appealing interface with riders, particularly in areas with historically disadvantaged communities as well as season visitors.”
Senator Romney introduced legislation to bolster our domestic critical minerals capabilities by reducing our dependence on geopolitical adversaries. He also joined the Utah Congressional delegation on legislation to reduce barriers for Utahns to fly into Washington, D.C., called out Bernie Sanders for using his role as Chairman of the Health and Labor Committee for useless political posturing, and supported Utah’s action against a Biden Administration rule that would harm our state’s energy security.
The Utah Congressional delegation has announced its full support of the Direct Capital Access (DCA) Act, legislation to add 28 additional in-and beyond-perimeter flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in the 2023 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill. Senator Romney today joined on as co-sponsor of the Senate’s version of the DCA Act, which was originally introduced by Rep. Owens (R-UT) in the House.
Senators Romney, Sullivan (R-AK), and Peters (D-MI), today introduced the Critical Mineral Independence Act of 2023, legislation to push the Department of Defense to achieve critical mineral supply chain independence from China, Russia, and other geostrategic competitors and adversaries.
The United States’ reliance on communist China for materials critical to our industrial base poses a great threat to our national security and economic stability. This week, Senator Romney worked to advance legislation to bolster our critical mineral supply chains and led a hearing where he questioned witnesses on our competition with China.
The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has advanced the Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act. The bipartisan legislation authored by Senators Romney, Peters (D-MI), and Lankford (R-OK), would reduce the United States’ reliance on China and adversarial nations for critical minerals and now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
Senator Romney led his colleagues in introducing the Sentinel Nuclear Deterrence Act of 2023, legislation to strengthen and solidify the Sentinel program, which is vital to U.S. nuclear deterrence. The legislation would provide multiyear procurement authority for LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles, help to stabilize key supply chains, and increase program efficiency.
Senator Romney joined his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to take immediate action to resolve the massive, unacceptable backlog of passport applications. In the letter, the senators note countless reports from Americans in their states regarding issues and concerns with delayed wait times, lack of available in-person appointments, and an inability to communicate with passport agencies.
Senators Romney, member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), HELP Ranking Member, along with Representatives McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Richard Hudson (R-NC), called on the Biden Administration to bolster oversight of research involving dangerous pathogens, which Congress required as part of the PREVENT Pandemics Act.
Senator Romney served as Ranking Member at a Senate Homeland Security Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight Subcommittee hearing on how to reduce duplication, overlap, and fragmentation in the federal government and save taxpayer dollars.