Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sen. Bob Bennett briefs Utah House on Washington priorities and answers members’ questions
Summary
U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett addressed the Utah House on the new federal administration, treaty ratification procedures, arts funding, land-management and health-care reimbursement concerns; he took multiple floor questions and emphasized the Senate’s treaty role and need to address HCFA administration and university hospital funding.
U.S. Senator Bob Bennett visited the House to provide a Washington update and take questions from members. Bennett described the early balance between new and experienced administration officials and noted a cooperative opening that will be tested when the first presidential budget is submitted. He highlighted Condoleezza Rice and other senior national-security appointees as capable additions to the administration's foreign-policy team.
On international agreements, Bennett reminded members that a treaty has no force until the Senate ratifies it by a two-thirds vote; he used the Kyoto global-warming agreement as an example of a signed but unratified pact that currently has no binding force absent Senate ratification. On arts funding, he urged continued support for federal dollars to benefit Utah cultural and educational programs.
Members asked about federal land and antiquities issues, balanced-budget act impacts on health-care reimbursements, and federal support for the University of Utah Medical Center. Bennett criticized HCFA implementation of the balanced-budget act, saying agency administration had exceeded congressional intent and strained hospitals and home-health providers; he said appropriations efforts attempted to correct some shortfalls and he pledged continued advocacy for federal support to mitigate local impacts.
