Over the past two decades, Utah has experienced tremendous growth in population, business development and tourism. I am working hard to expand our state’s transportation infrastructure to accommodate this impressive growth and to protect Utah from over-reaching federal mandates on labor practices, to ensure that Utahns are able to enjoy the highest possible standard of living.
From my position on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I am able to represent Utah's interests over a variety of labor-related issues, including mining. Equitable labor laws in this country have protected workers from unfair discrimination and harassment, and I don’t want encroachments of any kind to peel back that progress. Having been a card-carrying member of a labor union in my youth, I believe that unions have played an important role in the United States, but that labor laws must be tempered by what's best for workers, not unions.
Regarding transportation, historically, Utah has been very successful at securing hundreds of millions of federal highway, transit, and airport infrastructure funds for transportation projects. But we face many challenges. Because rapid growth continues to put a strain on our highways, public transit systems, and airports, I will keep working with officials throughout the state to plan, organize, fund and realize new transportation initiatives. |