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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 [email protected].

 

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Situational Analysis | April 11, 2024

It's Thursday and National Cheese Fondue Day. 🧀

What you need to know

  • First lady Abby Cox is recovering from emergency surgery to remove degenerative discs from her neck. Gov. Cox said “It’s been a rough few weeks at our house. Abby and I feel terrible that we’ve had to miss some important events, but we feel so blessed for your love and prayers."

Rapid relevance

On the Hill today

 
 

Utah Headlines

Political news

  • Utah Lt. Gov. Henderson signs school safety bill, other ‘family-friendly’ measures at ceremonial bill signing (Deseret News)
  • Mitt Romney advocates strong U.S.-Japan alliance as Biden, Kishida meet (Deseret News)
  • Amid a divided government, Rep. Celeste Maloy and House Speaker Mike Johnson seek progress (Deseret News)
  • Tooele residents say they’re fighting a ‘losing battle’ against inland port projects (Salt Lake Tribune)

Election news

  • Utah GOP Senate hopefuls spar over who can best shake up Washington (Deseret News)
  • What does ‘compromise’ mean? 3rd District candidates weigh in on how they’ll work in Congress (KSL)
  • Utah Republican attorney general candidates talk about abortion, immigration, and federal overreach (Deseret News, KSL)

Utah news

  • IOC official sees ‘the spirit of Utah’ during tour of potential 2034 Winter Olympics venues (Deseret News)
  • NHL, Jazz owner making ‘significant and meaningful progress’ in bringing team to Utah (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Venezuela, Brazil, India fuel growth of Utah's foreign-born population; numbers from Mexico dip (KSL)
  • Skeletal remains found in Box Elder County confirmed as Dylan Rounds (KSL)

Business/Tech

  • Instagram begins blurring nudity in messages to protect teens and fight sexual extortion (AP)
  • A drone factory in Utah is at the epicenter of anti-China fervor (Washington Post)

Crime/Court

  • Advocates see significant improvements at the Utah State Correctional Facility (KUER)

Culture

  • If you’re SLM RPR, I have your license plate (Deseret News)
  • Real-life 'Rosie the Riveters' reunite in D.C. to win the nation's top civilian honor (NPR)

Education

  • Davis School District educator vying to become 'America's Favorite Teacher' (Fox13)

Environment

  • March 2024 sets heat record for 10th month in a row (Deseret News)
  • ‘It looks a lot better than it did,’ officials say of Panguitch Lake dam situation (KSL Newsradio)
  • UN climate chief presses for faster action, says humans have 2 years left ‘to save the world’ (AP)

Housing

 

National Headlines

General

  • Twice in 100 days: Trump's ex-CFO Weisselberg faces jail time, sentenced for perjury in N.Y. civil fraud case (Deseret News)
  • Fewer Americans file for jobless claims as labor market continues to shrug off higher interest rates (AP)
  • Police fire 96 shots in 41 seconds, killing Black man during traffic stop (Washington Post)
  • Japan will give new cherry trees to replace those lost in D.C. construction (NPR)
  • Possible tornado hits Louisiana, police describe ‘unbelievable’ damage (The Hill)

Political news

  • Trump faces do-or-die moment with hush money trial (The Hill)
  • Group of Republicans blocks FISA bill with spy powers deadline looming (The Hill)

Election news

  • Arizona’s abortion ban is a distinct danger for GOP (Washington Post)
  • Biden loses support among Black men, WSJ poll finds (Wall Street Journal)
  • Trump objects to Arizona abortion ruling, says he wouldn't sign federal ban if reelected (Politico)

Ukraine 🇺🇦

  • Russian air strikes destroy Kyiv power plant, damage other stations (Reuters)
  • Meet the Ukrainian amputees returning to the front to resist Russian advance (Reuters)
  • Ukraine’s parliament passes a controversial law to boost much-needed conscripts as war drags on (AP)
  • US General warns House on Ukraine: ‘The side that can’t shoot back loses’ (Washington Post)

Israel and Gaza

  • An Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills 3 sons and 4 grandchildren of Hamas’ top leader (AP)
  • Hamas may not have enough living hostages for cease-fire deal (Wall Street Journal)
  • Famine has begun in nothern Gaza, U.S. official says (New York Times)

World news

  • Middle East on alert for Iranian attack as Lufthansa suspends Tehran flights (Reuters)
 

Number of the Day 

Number of the Day, April 11, 2024

 

News Releases

Romney and Peters bill to strengthen oversight of government spending advances in the Senate

Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Spending Oversight subcommittee, and Gary Peters (D-MI), HSGAC Chairman, to strengthen oversight of federal funds vulnerable to fraud today passed out of committee and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. The bill creates the Government Spending Oversight Committee, a successor to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, to combat and prevent fraud in government spending. (Read More)


Romney leads Senate hearing on strengthening export controls enforcement

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight Subcommittee, today led a bipartisan hearing with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Subcommittee Chair, focused on strengthening the enforcement of export controls, which protect national security and prevent our adversaries from acquiring and misusing American-developed technology. (Read/Watch More)


Utah’s innovative portable benefits legislation paves the way for Stride’s launch of first-ever portable benefits contributions program

Today, Stride, a portable benefits provider, announced it is choosing to debut its first-ever independent worker contributions program in Utah. The program will allow independent workers to receive health coverage, paid time off, long-term savings and other benefits typically extended to traditional employment. (Read More)

 

Tweet of the Day

Screenshot 2024-04-11 at 7.39.01 AM

 

Upcoming

  • April 11-12 — One Utah Summit, Grand America Hotel, Register here
  • April 12 â€” Investiture of USU President Elizabeth R. Cantwell, 5:00-6:30 pm
  • April 18 — Utahns’ Perceptions of the Challenges Facing Women and Girls, 12:00-1:15 pm, Register here
  • April 20 — United Utah Partyconvention
  • April 26 — YWCA Leader Luncheon, Grand America Hotel, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, Purchase tickets here
  • April 27 — State GOP and Democratic Conventions
  • June 6 — Bolder Way Forward 2nd Annual Summit, Zions Technology Campus, 9:00 am-2:00 pm, Register here
 

On This Day In History 

  • 1814 - Napoleon abdicates the throne and is exiled to Elba.
  • 1865 - Mary White Ovington is born. She co-founded the NAACP.
  • 1899 - Percy Lavon Julian is born. This African American chemist received 130 patents and was a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants.
  • 1910 - Annie Dodge Wauneka is born into the Tse níjikíní (Cliff Dwelling People) Clan of the Navajo Tribe. She viewed education and leadership as the best ways to make improvements and earned a degree in public health from the University of Arizona. She ran for office on the Navajo Tribal Council, becoming the second woman elected. She went on to serve seven terms. She was awarded the National Medal of Freedom in 1963.
  • 1945 - The US Army liberates Buchenwald concentration camp. Among those saved by the Americans was Elie Wiesel, who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
  • 1948 - Jackie Robinson signs a professional baseball contract and becomes the first Black player in the major leagues.
  • 1968 - LBJ signs the 1968 Civil Rights Act which outlaws discrimination in the sale, rental or leasing of housing. This bill also made it a crime to interfere with civil rights workers and to cross state lines to incite a riot.
  • 1970 - Apollo 13 launches to the moon.
  • 2005 - Maurice R. Hilleman, American microbiologist who developed over 36 vaccines including measles, mumps, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, meningitis, pneumonia, dies at 85

Quote of the Day

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

—Elie Wiesel


On the Punny Side

Why do fish always know how much they weigh?

Because they have their own scales

 

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