Today, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman Emeritus of the Hatch Foundation, released the following statement after the passage of S. 4902, legislation to name Utah’s federal courthouse in honor of Senator Orrin G. Hatch. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on November 17 and passed the House of Representatives with unanimous support this afternoon. “I felt immensely humbled when I heard about the naming of the federal courthouse,” said Hatch. “This news came as a complete surprise to me, and I understand that many of my friends, both here in Utah and across the country, went to great lengths to make it happen. This includes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senators Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, and Congressman Ben McAdams, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes—as only he could—to put this bill on Speaker Pelosi’s radar. I’d like to thank them and all members of the Utah House delegation for this incredibly kind gesture. I’d also like to thank my late friend, the great Senator Bob Bennett, who was instrumental in securing funding for this building in the first place. “As one of the longest-serving members in the history of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I made it my life’s legacy to defend the rule of law and the integrity of our courts. I hope the naming of the federal courthouse will inspire generations of judges and attorneys to carry on this legacy for decades to come.”
