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Situational awareness - September 18, 2019

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City

Thanks for reading Utah's must-read daily political news rundown. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up for our emails.


Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:

  • The companies that won permits to grow medical marijuana in Utah may struggle to get operations up and running by the March 1 deadline.
  • Most Utah voters say they're "ashamed" of the number of mass shootings in the U.S., but they say the onus for preventing them lies with families and communities.
  • The Trump administration is weighing "a menu" of responses to the attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

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TICK TOCK

Days to the 2019 Utah municipal elections: 48 (11/5/2019)

Days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature: 131 (1/27/2020)

Days to the Utah presidential primaries: 167 (3/3/2020)

Days to the 2020 Utah primary elections: 279 (6/23/2020)

Days to the 2020 election: 412 (11/3/2020)



Today At Utah Policy

images/1000px_Article_Photos/Marijuana_Grow_Operation.jpgUtah's medical marijuana growers may struggle to meet deadline for providing product
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Publicly, Utah lawmakers and officials say they are confident they'll have the state's medical cannabis program delivering product to patients by the March 1, 2020, deadline. But it appears meeting that deadline is going to be a challenge.
images/1000px_Article_Photos/Vegas_Strong.pngMost Utah voters say they're 'ashamed' by mass shootings, but it's up to families and communities to solve the problem
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The spate of recent mass shootings in the U.S. has focused attention on the problem of gun violence, and possible solutions for the epidemic.
images/1000px_Logos/Bernick_and_Schott_Logo_1000.jpgLike Febreze for politics - Bernick and Schott on politics
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Utah lawmakers tweak the state's medical cannabis laws in a special session. They also approved money for the 2020 census and a legal settlement with former Attorney General John Swallow.

OTHER UTAH HEADLINES

Deseret News

Salt Lake Tribune

Other



NATIONAL HEADLINES

Iran

The Pentagon is exploring options for a response to the attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia [CNN].

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is making a spur-of-the-moment trip to the region even though Iran says they will not participate in talks with the U.S. [WaPo].

Saudi Arabia is promising to provide proof that Iran was behind the attack [Reuters].


Circus in Congress

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski testified before a House committee on Tuesday where he stonewalled questions from Democrats. However, he did confirm that President Donald Trump asked him to help gut the Mueller investigation, an apparent obstruction of justice [NYT].


Seems important

The acting director of national intelligence is refusing to comply with a House Intelligence Committee subpoena to turn over a whistleblower complaint that a government watchdog says is "urgent." Democrats on the committee believe the agency may be trying to conceal wrongdoing involving high-level staffers in President Trump's White House [Politico].

Acting director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire says he will not testify before the committee to explain why he is withholding the complaint [NYT].


Trump vs. California

President Donald Trump is expected to revoke a rule allowing California to set stricter car emissions standards than the federal government. The move will likely set up a protracted court fight [LA Times].


Carter warns about presidential age

Former President Jimmy Carter says he could not have managed the demands of the presidency at 80 years old. Both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden will turn 80 if they win the 2020 election [AP].


Economy

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates on Wednesday afternoon [NYT].


Abortion rate plummets

The number of abortions in the U.S. fell to the lowest number since 1973. The decrease is likely due to increased access to contraceptives and healthcare [AP].


2020

Another Republican member of Congress announced they would not seek re-election in 2020, bringing the number of GOP House members heading for the exit to 18 so far [The Hill].


Trump on homelessness

President Trump said Tuesday that the number of homeless people in San Francisco and Los Angeles ruins the "prestige" of those cities [WaPo].


Immigration

The Trump administration wants to charge immigrants $975 to request an appeal of an immigration judge's ruling and $895 to ask a case be reconsidered. The current fee is $10 [BuzzFeed].


Build the wall

The National Park Service says the effort to build President Trump's border wall could destroy several sensitive archeological sites in Arizona [WaPo].


Free college

New Mexico says they will provide free tuition to all state colleges for residents regardless of income [NYT].



BUSINESS HEADLINES


Policy News

images/1000px_Logos/Congressional_News_02.jpgReps. Curtis and Malinowski introduce Justice for Victims of Kleptocracy Act
Representatives John Curtis (R-UT) Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) introduced the Justice for Victims of Kleptocracy Act. The legislation, developed with the support of the US Helsinki Commission, directs the Department of Justice to clearly list on a website the amount of money that has been stolen from the citizens of various kleptocracies around the world and recovered by the United States.
Nominees announced for two 3rd District Court vacancies
The 3rd District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected nominees for two vacancies on the 3rd District Court.
Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce and Leaders for Clean Air partner on business lead clean air initiative
The Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce and Leaders for Clean Air announced a partnership to improve Utah County's air quality.
Utah trade delegation travels to Asia to expand trade and investment
Gov. Gary R. Herbert is leading a trade mission to Japan later this week. Representatives from 22 of Utah's leading companies and organizations will join him.

More National Headlines



ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1793 - The first cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building is laid by George Washington.

1850 - Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which allowed slaveowners to reclaim slaves who had escaped to other states.

1851 - First publication of the New York Daily Times, which later becomes the New York Times.

1870 - Old Faithful Geyser is observed and named by Henry D. Washburn.

1919 - The Netherlands gives women the right to vote.

1947 - The National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency are established in the United States under the National Security Act.

1948 - Margaret Chase Smith of Maine becomes the first women elected to the U.S. Senate without completing another senator's term.

1997 - Ted Turner donates $1 billion to the United Nations


Wise Words

Courage


"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."Dale Carnegie

Lighter Side

Grumpy Old Men


"Some of the candidates went after Joe Biden, like he was some kind of deadbeat dad on the Maury Povich show. Julin Castro in particular. It was almost elder abuse. There was one moment when Castro lashed out at Biden for forgetting something - which he didn't forget, by the way - and Bernie appeared to lean over and help Joe out. It was kind of endearing. It made me hopeful for a reboot of 'Grumpy Old Men.'"- JIMMY KIMMEL

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