Senator Romney, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined his colleagues in releasing the following statement marking the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover and the 3rd anniversary of the Hong Kong “National Security Law.”
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 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.
Senator Romney served as Ranking Member at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing for ambassadorships to Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Palau, and Djibouti, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation.
Senator Romney joined Senators Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Lankford (R-OK) in introducing bipartisan legislation to reduce the United States’ reliance on China and other adversarial nations for critical minerals. Critical minerals and rare earth metals are used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries, military equipment, and other technology that is vital to American economic competitiveness and homeland security.
Senator Romney, along with Senators Coons (D-DE), Dr. Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Cornyn (R-TX), and Blumenthal (D-CT), introduced the bipartisan Platform Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA), a bill that would require social media companies to share more data with the public and researchers.
Senators Romney, Van Hollen (D-MD), Sullivan (R-AK), Cornyn (R-TX) and Scott (R-SC), applaud today’s unanimous committee passage of the Ending China’s Developing Nation Status Act. This bipartisan legislation establishes U.S. policy to oppose the granting of “developing nation” status to China in future treaties and international organizations.
Senator Romney, joined by Senators King (I-ME) and Cotton (R-AR), introduced the Military Service Promotion Act of 2023, legislation aimed at addressing the current military recruitment crisis by enhancing military recruiter access to high schools and colleges.
At a Foreign Relations Committee hearing today to examine the State Department’s Consular Affairs services and programs, Senator Romney criticized the inability for State to handle passport renewal requests and urged the Administration to open a passport agency in Salt Lake City to accommodate the needs of Utahns. As a rapidly expanding center for global commerce and with thousands of missionaries traveling abroad every year from Salt Lake City, Utahns are in desperate need of expanded consular services. However, Utah is essentially a passport service desert with no feasible options for same-day, in-person services.
Senators Romney, Van Hollen, Rubio, and Markey introduced a resolution to recognize the 34th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square Massacre, during which thousands of peaceful protesters were injured and killed at the direction of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership. The resolution also condemns the Chinese government’s ongoing and increasing repression of human rights and civic freedoms in mainland China as well as in Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang.