Sen. Warren Hatch tells Utah senators he’s pushing balanced-budget goals and Olympic support in Washington

U.S. Sen. Warren Hatch addressed the Utah Senate in a committee-of-the-whole session, reviewing federal priorities and taking questions on transportation funding, federal land-management rules and Olympic security.

Hatch told senators the federal goal is a balanced budget by 02/2002, saying it will require tradeoffs but create a fiscal framework that “makes us have to live within our means.” He described congressional efforts on what he called the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act and said Utah is working to ‘‘change our place in line’’ for federal transportation dollars related to hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Why it matters: Senators pressed Hatch for help shifting Utah’s priority for federal highway funding as the state prepares facilities and security for the 2002 Games. Hatch said the Olympics give the state a persuasive argument to move earlier in federal funding queues, but he cautioned that changing the federal funding formula to increase total dollars for Utah is unlikely.

Senators raised constitutional and local concerns, federal land management, and law-enforcement implications. Hatch described new BLM enforcement regulations and said his office and federal partners are ‘‘on top of those issues’’ and expect organizational changes soon. On the question of federal involvement in Olympic security, Hatch said the federal government would play a significant cooperative role and that national agencies, including the FBI and Department of Defense, would likely assist.

During a Q&A, senators pressed him about taking highway funds ‘‘off budget’’ and the risks that could create in federal budgeting. Hatch said removing major entitlement programs from the budget would shift burdens and potentially harm programs such as Social Security; instead, he urged protecting dedicated transportation revenues and ensuring they are spent for their intended purpose.

Hatch also told senators that lobbyists who succeed provide timely, technical information rather than entertainment, and he encouraged state and local officials to supply accurate project data to federal offices. He closed by reiterating his support for Utah’s delegation and offering his staff’s assistance in presenting data and prioritization to relevant federal decisionmakers.

Next steps: Hatch accepted senators’ offers of assistance and said he would press the administration and relevant committees on matters related to transportation funding and Olympic security.