OPINION: FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY—A LEADERSHIP TEST WE CAN’T IGNORE
It has been said that when the sea is calm, the sun is out and the breeze is light, every boat on the water has a great captain. But when the sea is stormy, the night is dark and the wind is howling, you discover if your captain can truly navigate you safely home. America is in the midst of a raging sea of fiscal irresponsibility, and it is time for all the captains in Congress to lead.
Many elected officials love to talk about fiscal responsibility, like armchair sea captains from the safety of a cushy beach chair on the shore. I’ve had the privilege of steering a city through the fiscal torrent and into the strength of a financially secure harbor. When I served as mayor of Provo, Utah, in 2010, we faced a storm of financial reckoning. I learned raging seas won’t wait until after the next election. With nowhere to turn and nowhere to hide, tough choices had to be made.
CURTIS JOINS INTERIOR SECRETARY BURGUM AT SIGNING OF UTAH LAND TRANSFER AGREEMENT
Senator Curtis joined Interior Secretary Burgum, Acting BLM Director Jon Raby, and Utah Governor Spencer Cox for the signing of the Record of Decision on the Emery County Public Land Management Act, finalizing the transfer of nearly 100,000 acres of federally managed land to the state of Utah. This transfer is expected to generate millions of dollars to support Utah’s schools
CURTIS CALLS FOR FEDERAL PERMITTING REFORM TO BOOST UTAH’S CLEAN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
During his exchange with expert witnesses, Senator Curtis highlighted Utah’s Operation Gigawatt as a leading example of state-driven innovation in geothermal, nuclear, and hydrogen energy. He called for the elimination of duplicative reviews, including those for housing development, as well as modernizing transmission infrastructure and delegating more permitting authority to states to reduce federal bureaucracy.
CURTIS HIGHLIGHTS UTAH’S NATIONAL SECURITY ROLE DURING NORTHERN UTAH VISIT
Senator Curtis spent the weekend in northern Utah engaging with military leaders, industry executives, and local officials to highlight the state’s role in national defense and build collaborative relationships with key Utah stakeholders. With a demanding vote schedule in Washington, D.C. and limited opportunity to be in Utah, Curtis’ visit underscores his commitment to understanding and supporting local communities.
CURTIS TOURS HILL AIR FORCE BASE
Senator Curtis visited Hill Air Force Base today to meet with military leaders and discuss the base’s critical role in national defense, military readiness, and strategic deterrence. As Utah’s largest military installation and a hub for advanced aircraft engineering and logistics, Hill AFB plays a critical role in maintaining and modernizing the nation’s airpower.
Curtis, Hickenlooper, Lankford, Bennet, Maloy, Neguse Reintroduce Bill to Waive Fees for Replacing Documents After Natural Disasters
Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper (D-CO), Lankford (R-OK), and Bennet (D-CO), along with Representatives Maloy (R-UT) and Neguse (D-CO), introduced the Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies (REPLACE) Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation which would automatically waive replacement fees for survivors who lose critical documents like passports in natural disasters.
CURTIS CALLS FOR STREAMLINED APPROVALS OF CARBON MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES
During an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Senator Curtis highlighted the promising role carbon capture technologies play in supporting affordable, reliable, and clean energy production. During his exchange with Kevin Connors and Dan Yates —Curtis expressed frustration with bureaucratic obstacles preventing companies in Utah from implementing innovative technologies. He specifically pointed to permitting delays at the federal level and underscored the importance of the USE IT Act, which aims to streamline the approval process for carbon management projects. He noted that the FAST Act, initially designed for surface transportation projects, should be leveraged to expedite permitting for carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects.
CURTIS-BACKED BILL PURSUING $200 BILLION IN COVID FRAUD ADVANCES
The Senate Small Business Committee passed the Complete COVID Collections Act, legislation cosponsored by Senator Curtis and led by Senator Ernst (R-IA) to extend the life of the watchdog tasked with tracking down criminals who stole COVID relief funds designed for small businesses. The senators introduced the bill after the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery warned that its authority was expiring and estimated that criminals would evade consequences for stealing more than $200 billion.
CURTIS, CRAMER, COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT LAW-ABIDING INDUSTRIES FROM FINANCIAL DISCRIMINATION
Senators Curtis and Cramer, along with 39 of their colleagues, reintroduced the Fair Access to Banking Act, legislation to prevent large banks and financial institutions from denying fair access to financial services based on political or ideological preferences. In recent years, prominent banks have engaged in debanking, the discriminatory practice of refusing to lend or provide services to law-abiding, legal industries—such as firearms, ammunition, cryptocurrency, federal prison contractors, and energy producers.
CURTIS CONFRONTS CCP ON SURVEILLANCE AND INFLUENCE EFFORTS ON U.S. LAWMAKERS, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
During a Foreign Relations Committee hearing titled “The Malign Influence of the People’s Republic of China at Home and Abroad: Recommendations for Policy Makers,” U.S. Senator Curtis spoke with Mr. Mattis, President of The Jamestown Foundation, on China’s state-sponsored intellectual property theft and influence operations in the United States. During the exchange, Curtis directly addressed his “CCP handlers,” in both English and Mandarin, vowing to continue advocating for freedom and democracy, especially in Hong Kong and Taiwan.