GOP Rep. who voted for someone besides Jordan received 'credible death threats'; Biden announces Israel aid, will address nation tonight | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com. | | |
Situational Analysis | October 19, 2023 It's Thursday and World Humanitarian Action Day. What You Need to Know House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan failed yesterday to become speaker of the House for the second time in two days, receiving only 199 votes of the 217 he needed to win the gavel. After securing 200 votes on Tuesday, Jordan on Wednesday lost four House Republicans who had previously voted for himâthough he managed to flip a few detractors into his column. Jordan vowed to stay in the race and is expected to make a third attempt on Thursday. However, more GOP lawmakers are expected to oppose Jordan on Thursday. Some House Republicans are examining ways to elevate Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to give him all the powers of the officeâthough itâs unclear whether such a move is possible or likely.
Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeksâwho voted for Jordan on Tuesday but switched her vote on Wednesdayâsaid she received âcredible death threatsâ following Wednesdayâs vote. Jordan condemned those threats last night as âabhorrent." Other House Republicans not supporting Jordan have complained about an intense pressure campaign from Jordan allies.
President Joe Biden will deliver a prime-time speech tonight, scheduled for 6 pm MDT. He is expected to ask Congress for $100 billion in emergency funds to arm Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan and fortify the U.S.-Mexico border. Rapid Relevance Las Vegas Aces become first repeat WNBA champs in 21 years, beating NY Liberty; meet Hoodah â The Granary Districtâs new âprotectorâ sculpture and festival mascot; residents upgrade skeleton pole-dancing Halloween display after city tells them it has to be moved; and autism kits placed in ambulances across Utah to better serve patients. | | |
| | BLM Releases Plan that finally protects Labyrinth Canyon After years of prioritizing off-road vehicles, a recent decision from the Bureau of Land Management brings balance to this special place. Travel plans are an opportunity to develop reasonable, balanced, and forward-thinking blueprints that ensure public access while preserving the backcountry and minimizing damage. Learn more at suwa.org | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Editorial Board: Civilized world must stand against murder and terrorism, every time (Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Mitt Romney raises concerns over nomination of Jack Lew as ambassador to Israel (Deseret News) Sens. Mitt Romney, Jacky Rosen introduce resolution calling for release of hostages held by Hamas (Deseret News) Rep. Blake Moore encourages Egyptian authorities to fast-track aid for Gaza refugees (Deseret News) Rep. Blake Moore: âWe canât waste another day,â as Jim Jordan loses 2nd speakerâs vote (Deseret News) âPart of our DNA': Cox issues executive order promoting community service for state, businesses (Deseret News) Opinion: How will the Hamas attack, House chaos and concerns about Bidenâs age affect Utah politics? (Deseret News) Sean Reyes: The Federal Trade Commission is blocking access to a life-altering, early detection cancer test. The federal agency needs to get on board with President Bidenâs Cancer Moonshot. (Salt Lake Tribune) Lawmakers call for shutdown of Utah psychiatric hospital (Fox13) Election news Maloy leads Riebe in fundraising with special election just over one month away (KSL) Taxes and growth on the minds of Hooper City Council, mayoral candidates at Tuesday debate (Standard-Examiner) Ogden mayoral debate focus of intense scrutiny after candidate pulls out (Standard-Examiner) General Utah news Hereâs why Utahâs governor says latest IOC decision is ânext best thingâ to getting another Olympics (Deseret News) Ashley Hatch talks about her return to U.S. national team, Olympic dreams and BYU soccer (Deseret News) Itâs fall break â here are some ideas for family fun in Utah (Deseret News) So whatâs going on with Post Malone and Utah? (Deseret News) 'Long overdue': New $6.6M bridge may finally solve a decades-old hurdle in Salt Lake City (KSL) Check your mail: Utah to start reuniting Utahns with their unclaimed property automatically (KSL) Park City renovation leads to Army Corps of Engineers investigation, lawsuit from neighbors (Salt Lake Tribune) Number of Utah pedestrians getting hit by cars spiking, DPS says (Fox13) Business Judge orders TikTok to respond to Utah subpoenas or be found in contempt (Deseret News) Window-seat passengers will be allowed to board United Airlines first in economy under new boarding plan (Deseret News) Options for small Utah businesses seeking loans (KSL) Netflix raises prices for its premium plan (NPR) Crime Joran van der Sloot admits to 2005 murder of teen Natalee Holloway, pleads guilty to extorting her mother (Deseret News) Family of murdered man wondering why suspect has not yet gone to trial (KSL) West Valley woman accused of performing illegal liposuction procedures in her basement (KSL TV) She trusted her first OB-GYN because he spoke Spanish. Now sheâs 1 of 94 women suing him for sexual assault. (Salt Lake Tribune) Domestic violence cases rising amongst Utah seniors (KUTV) Ex-police officer Eric Moutsos, friend of Tim Ballard, says he believes Ballard's accusers (KUTV) Feds: 14,000 fentanyl pills seized from 2 Clearfield men (ABC4) 3 in jail after hundreds of cans of baby formula recovered during traffic stop in Washington City (St. George News) Culture Perspective: How your weight became part of the culture war (Deseret News) Camera-hungry mothers and Easter bunny scares on the latest episode of âThe Real Housewives of Salt Lake Cityâ (Deseret News) Barbie may be behind why Americans are spending record amounts of money on Halloween this year. 1.8 million Americans said they are planning to dress up as the iconic Margot Robbie character they saw in the film last summer (Deseret News) Education Unique student housing project at the U. will fund scholarships, housing stipends through rent (KSL) Salt Lake City School District still losing students, enrollment data shows (Salt Lake Tribune) Mariachi band, dual-immersion program makes Esperanza Elementary this week's Cool School of the Week (Fox13) Environment UDOT expects a 30% air quality bump with the I-15 expansion. Is that possible? (KUER) Volunteers make âhugeâ contributions to maintenance of Forest Serviceâs vast trail system (KUER) Family What becoming a mother after age 40 taught me about the anxiety of knowing too much (Deseret News) Thereâs been a number of day care-related deaths this year. Hereâs how to find and choose safe child care (Deseret News) Why Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldinâs work matters to families (Deseret News) Health Cost of family health insurance nearly $24,000 this year (Deseret News) Massive new Apple study finds pickleball now outpacing tennis in popularity. Data gathered via Apple Watch users also found Utah is the No. 1 pickleball-playing state in the country (Deseret News) Pfizer prices Covid drug Paxlovid at $1,400 for a five-day course. The U.S. government paid $529. (Wall Street Journal) Housing US mortgage application flow plunges to lowest since 1995 (Reuters) Housing affordability worsens as mortgage rates reach 8% (KUTV) âThriving in Placeâ is now Salt Lake Cityâs plan for displacement and affordable housing (KUER) | | |
National Headlines General Pro-Palestinian protests in U.S. Capitol end in arrests (Deseret News) A video of a Catholic nun tackling someone went viral. What made things turn violent? (Deseret News) Anti-Jewish hate crimes on the rise, FBI data records highest numbers in decades (KUTV) John Stamos says he was sexually abused as a child (ABC4) Republicans and Democrats agree that the Afghanistan war wasnât worth it (AP) Why the average American family's net worth increased 37% during the pandemic (NPR) Politics Meet the BYU grad at the center of DeSantisâ education fight (Deseret News) Measured justice. Is it time to reform the Supreme Court? (Deseret News) Ahead of her Georgia trial, Sidney Powell seeks distance from Trump. Ms. Powell now says she never represented former President Trump or his campaign, after promoting conspiracy theories about election fraud in 2020. (New York Times) Biden says his Tel Aviv trip was a gamble. Tonight, he has another high-stakes moment (NPR) Election news Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert faces tough road to reelection (Deseret News) Trumpâs campaign cash overwhelms his GOP rivals. (AP) Biden and Democrats report raising $71 million-plus for his 2024 race from July through September (AP) Ukraine ðºð¦ Russia carries out new overnight air strikes on Ukraine (Reuters) Russia presses ahead with offensive push in Eastern Ukraine (New York Times) Ukraine's economy starts to rebound as it adapts to war (New York Times) Israel ð®ð± Why Egypt and other Arab countries are unwilling to take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza (AP) Palestinians trapped in Gaza find nowhere is safe during Israelâs relentless bombing (AP) Children make up nearly half of Gaza's population. Here's what it means for the war (NPR) Harrowing images from Israeli border towns attacked by Hamas (Reuters) Gaza crisis spurs push to get aid flowing. Biden said the U.S. secured a deal with Egypt and Israel to send 20 trucks of humanitarian aid (Wall Street Journal) World Russia detains Radio Free Europe journalist with dual U.S. and Russian citizenship (Reuters) | | |
| | News Releases Romney, Barrasso, Lummis, Lee urge BLM to withdraw outrageous land grab proposal in Wyoming U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Mike Lee (R-UT) sent a letter urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to immediately withdraw its misguided Rock Springs Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP). On August 17, 2023, BLM announced that over 1.8 million acres of land in Wyoming, managed by the Rock Springs Field Office, would be given special designation as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). The proposal ignores more than a decadeâs worth of local input and would reduce the land to single use. If enforced, it will inevitably end grazing, critical transmission line improvements, and gas production that powers the region. (Read More) Romney, Rosen, colleagues introduce bipartisan resolution demanding safe release of hostages from Hamas U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today joined his colleagues, led by Jacky Rosen (D-NV), in introducing a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamasâs brutal terrorist attacks on Israel and demanding that Hamas release all hostages and allow for their safe return home. Joining Senators Romney and Rosen in introducing the resolution include Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). Senators Romney, Rosen, and Cassidy recently returned from a bipartisan delegation to Israel, where they met with Israeli leaders and families of those taken hostage. (Read More) Romney: It is unacceptable for Hamas to continue to exist U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today spoke at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on former Treasury Secretary Jack Lewâs nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Last weekend, Senator Romney joined a bipartisan delegation of senators on an official visit to Israel following the unconscionable terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. (Read/Watch More) George Washington scholar and executive Dr. Peter Cressy to keynote 2024 Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit The Salt Lake Chamber and Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute announced today that Dr. Peter Cressy, a former rear admiral and university president, and director of the George Washington Leadership Institute will give the keynote address at the 2024 Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit on January 12, 2024, The Summit is the stateâs premier economic forecasting and public policy event attended by policy and academic thought leaders from across the state. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming 2nd Congressional Debate â Oct. 26, 6:00 pm UVU Conference on Mental Health â Oct. 27, 9 am - 5 pm, Register here Martha Hughes Cannon Award with Utah Women Run â Nov 2, 6:00-8:00 pm, Nominate someone here Interim Day â Nov 14-15, le.utah.gov Celebrating 30 years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, with the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation â Nov 16, 10 am, MST, Register here
General election â Nov. 21
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On This Day In History 1781 - Americans defeat the British at Yorktown. As the British and Hessian troops marched out to surrender, the British bands played the drinking song âThe World Turned Upside Down.â 1789 - John Jay is sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the United States. 1850 - Annie Smith Peck is born. Among her many accomplishments, she became known for her mountaineering spirit, setting climbing records for 44 years. 1858 - Alice McLellan Birney is born. In 1897, Birney founded the National Congress of Mothers. Today, the organization is better known as the National Parent-Teacher Association 1943 - Researchers at Rutgers University isolate the antibiotic Streptomycin which becomes the first antibiotic treatment for tuberculosis. 1953 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is published in the US. Something about banning burning books... 1976 - US President Gerald Ford signs the first major revision of copyright law since 1909 1983 - The US Senate establishes Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, observed on the 3rd Monday in January 1985 - The first Blockbuster video-rental store opens. 2003 - Mother Teresa is beatified by Pope John Paul II 2005 - Saddam Hussein goes on trial in Baghdad for crimes against humanity Quote of the Day âNot all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.â âMother Teresa On the Punny Side I applied for a job hanging mirrors. It's something I can see myself doing. | | |
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