U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and 17 of their Republican colleagues in introducing the No Bailouts for Campus Criminals Act, legislation that would make any individual who is convicted of a state or federal offense in connection with a campus protest ineligible for federal student loan relief. The bill comes as widespread antisemitic protests spread on college campuses across the United States. Representative Brandon Williams (R-NY) led companion legislation in the House. “The Biden Administration’s student loan relief schemes are unfair ..read more

Gov. Spencer Cox has named Dan Bokovoy to the Board of Pardons and Parole (BOPP). This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate. This position results from the retirement of former BOPP Chair Carrie Cochran.  “With his experience providing legal counsel to the Board of Pardons and Parole, Dan Bokovoy is uniquely qualified to join as a board member,” Gov. Cox said. “His insight and experience will be a tremendous asset to the board and the people of Utah will benefit from his service.” Bokovoy is currently an assistant attorney general in the Utah Attorney General’s Office ..read more

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack, and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy Cohen raising concern with the agencies’ inaction to understand and contain the outbreak of the bird flu virus (H5N1)—especially given the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent baby formula shortage. In the letter, Romney calls ..read more

Nominations are now open for the Annual Women Tech Awards! This program recognizes the technology-focused women in our tech ecosystem who are driving innovation, creating new technologies, impacting companies and inspiring the tech community. Help us find these amazing women! Nominate the women in tech you’re working with who are making an impact at all stages of their careers. All nominations are due by May 31, 2024. And save the date now for the awards luncheon on October 3, at the Grand America! This will be an incredible event to celebrate the inspirational women in ou ..read more

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today joined a bipartisan and bicameral group of colleagues, led by Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Representatives John James (R-MI) and Russ Fulcher (R-ID), in introducing Congressional Review Act (CRA) legislation to block the Biden Administration’s electric vehicle (EV) mandates. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized new emissions regulations which would require up to two-thirds of new cars and nearly 40% of trucks sold in the U.S. to be EVs in eight years. The lawmakers introduced two separate CRA resolution ..read more

The Utah Department of Commerce has appointed Dr. Zachary Boyd as the Director of the newly established Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy. Dr. Boyd brings an extensive background in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, which will help lead the state’s efforts in exploring AI technologies and developing policies. “We are excited to welcome Zachary Boyd as the Director of our new Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy,” said Margaret Busse, Utah Department of Commerce Executive Director. “Utah is pioneering the way for the responsible development and integration of AI tech ..read more

Representatives Burgess Owens (UT-04), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the Child RESCUE Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal efforts to rescue U.S. children from sexual exploitation and abuse.  “The explosion of child exploitation and abuse is a crisis that demands immediate action,” said Rep. Owens. “Capitalizing on the latest technology, predators have found new and horrifying ways to target our most vulnerable, and we can’t turn a blind eye to these abhorrent crimes. I’m proud to once again lead the Child RESCUE Act, a key too ..read more

For the first time, most Utah voters believe the state is on the wrong track and that their quality of life is worse now than five years ago. More than 60% of Utahns believe that Utah is on the wrong track and that their quality of life is worse now than five years ago. These and other findings will be released Tuesday in the Utah Foundation’s 2024 Utah Priorities Project report titled: “Priced Out and Fed Up.” The title refers to Utah voters’ concerns about the cost of living and government dysfunction. By heeding voters’ concerns, state leaders can work to govern by the will of the people to ..read more

Utah Valley University (UVU) is recruiting community teams to join in a day of fun and support for a great cause at the first-ever Boots on Base Kickball Tournament on May 18 at Lakeside Park, 1850 W. 400 South, in Orem. Check-in begins at 8 am, with tournament play kicking off at 9 am. Teams of 10-12 members are invited to register for this double-elimination competition, which is hosted by the UVU Veteran Success Center. A $300 registration fee per team includes team T-shirts, lunch from participating food trucks, and the chance to compete for the tournament trophy. “Our inaugural kickball t ..read more

Today, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy led a hearing regarding U.S. policy on Taiwan. Romney argued that it is in the United States’ interest to support Taiwan in the face of China’s growing aggression in the Indo-Pacific. In his exchange with the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Romney raised the fact that Congress has still yet to receive from the Administration a comprehensive strate ..read more