U.S. Senators Hatch and Bennett brief Utah Senate on judiciary, immigration and federal spending

The Utah Senate heard visits from U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett during its 2004-02-17 floor session.

Sen. Orrin Hatch addressed the Senate in a committee of the whole and discussed national judicial-confirmation fights, arguing judges deserve up-or-down votes and criticizing filibusters for nominations. He referenced the withdrawal of Miguel Estrada and said that while there are sincere disagreements on issues such as abortion, those differences should not prevent otherwise qualified nominees from receiving votes. Hatch also discussed immigration policy and called the Dream Act "his" legislative effort to address young people raised in the U.S. who lack lawful status. He urged that federal guidelines be shaped into a legal system that provides registration and temporary work authorization.

Hatch raised concerns about Hill Air Force Base and emphasized the importance of maintaining military facilities and jobs in Utah, noting the base’s significance to local employment and training ranges.

Later the Senate received Sen. Bob Bennett, who spoke about the national deficit and the difficulty of long-range projections. He warned that five-year deficit forecasts are unreliable and said that while nominal dollar deficits are large, deficits measured as percentages of GDP can be comparable to previous recoveries. Bennett also addressed criticism that Utah seeks 'pork' and defended federal spending for legitimate local transportation and infrastructure projects when they serve national as well as state interests. Both senators took questions from state senators and offered to coordinate federal assistance through staff liaisons in Washington.