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.
Senator Romney joined Senators Manchin, Sullivan, and King in introducing the China Defense Spending Transparency Act, bipartisan legislation requiring the Defense Intelligence Agency to publish a comprehensive report exposing the true extent of China’s defense-industrial build up.
Senators Romney and Lee (R-UT), with Representatives Stewart (R-UT), Curtis (R-UT), Owens (R-UT), and Moore (R-UT) introduced the Chemical and Biological Defense Program Improvement Act, legislation to remove a bureaucratic roadblock that prevents the U.S. Army from requesting funding for military construction projects related to chem-bio program facilities like those at Utah’s Dugway Proving Ground.
The U.S. Senate yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution marking National Police Week and reiterating support for the men and women in law enforcement. U.S. Senator Romney co-sponsored the bipartisan resolution, led by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Graham (R-SC) and Chair Durbin (D-IL), with 76 of his Senate colleagues.
At a Foreign Relations Committee hearing to discuss what comes next for U.S. policy towards Russia, Senator Romney recalled the success of our Soviet Union strategy and asked the witnesses to detail potential pressure points for Russia and Putin. Romney argued that we must then apply more effort to those pressure points should the U.S., in lockstep with our allies, be successful at preventing Putin’s goal of re-establishing the old Soviet Union.
Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined KSL’s Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson to discuss the Biden Administration’s mishandling of the crisis at our southern border, the expiration of Title 42 authorities, and need to complete the border wall.
In advance of the expiration of Title 42 authorities Senator Romney led a group of 14 of his colleagues in sending a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas criticizing the Administration’s failure to secure the border despite receiving congressionally-appropriated funds to continue construction of the border wall.
Senator Romney welcomed more than 70 Utah veterans to Washington, D.C., for their Honor Flight, meeting at the World War II Memorial. The Utah Honor Flight group included veterans from World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Cold War, and Desert Storm.
Senator Romney led a hearing to consider the State Department’s FY 2024 Budget Request for East Asia and the Pacific. The 2022 NDAA included legislation from Romney requiring the Administration to create a grand China strategy. During today’s hearing, he urged witnesses to follow through on creating a strategy that is more comprehensive than principles that have been publicly outlined by officials, as well as bipartisan and lasting in nature.