Sen. Bennett tells Utah House uncertainty abroad and oil prices cloud recovery; stresses Congress authorized force

U.S. Sen. Robert F. Bennett addressed the Utah House of Representatives on Feb. 19, telling members he felt a particular responsibility to state legislatures and offering his take on national security and the economy.

Bennett said the question of war with Iraq rests with Saddam Hussein’s decisions and noted that Congress has already passed authorizing resolutions. "The president who will decide whether or not we go to war is named Saddam Hussein, not George W. Bush," he said, adding that compliance with U.N. resolutions could avert military action.

On the economy, Bennett told the chamber that recent indicators are not as dire as they may feel: unemployment has fallen from its recent 6 percent high and many forecasters expect modest growth. He said the economy suffered after the late-1990s tech boom and that uncertainty abroad — including upheaval in Venezuela and the situation in Iraq — is suppressing investment and recovery.

In questions, representatives pressed Bennett on whether a formal declaration of war should be sought; Bennett responded that Congress had passed resolutions authorizing military action and that, in his view, the president already had congressional authority tied specifically to Iraq.

Bennett also discussed energy policy, describing the administration’s plan to allow limited drilling in a small footprint of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) while pursuing alternative-energy initiatives. "We have to do it on the demand side as well," he said, arguing for a balanced approach to reduce foreign oil dependence.

On federal education policy, Bennett said he had voted against the No Child Left Behind Act in the past over concerns about federal overreach but acknowledged Congress was providing historically high education funding at that time — a development he said created both opportunity and pressure for states to meet new mandates.

The senator framed fiscal responsibility in terms of long-term debt relative to the size of the economy rather than single-year deficits, urging sustained economic growth to keep the debt-to-economy ratio stable.

The Senator took several questions from members before concluding; the floor then returned to regular legislative business.