For decades, Utah’s business community has understood that a strong economy doesn’t happen by accident. It requires business and government leaders to look ahead, identify emerging challenges and work together on solutions that keep Utah competitive.
Over the past year, business leaders and employers from across Utah have helped identify the federal policy priorities most critical to the state’s continued economic success, from strengthening our workforce and modernizing infrastructure to meeting energy demands and improving the regulatory environment. These priorities also complement the long-term goals of Utah Rising, the business-led initiative for Utah’s continued economic prosperity.
This week, a delegation of Utah business and community leaders will take that agenda to Washington, D.C., meeting with members of Utah’s congressional delegation to advance the Utah Chamber’s 2026 Federal Priorities:
- Energy – Advancing an all-of-the-above energy strategy that expands generation, modernizes the grid and transmission infrastructure, meeting the rising demand of Utah’s growth industries while keeping power affordable and reliable.
- National Security & Critical Minerals – Strengthening Utah’s role in national defense and its growing critical minerals sector to secure domestic supply chains, advance American resource independence and support thousands of high-quality jobs.
- Natural Resources – Supporting responsible stewardship of Utah’s water, forest and public lands, including wildfire prevention, water infrastructure and continued progress on saving the Great Salt Lake.
- Regulation & Permitting – Advancing predictable, efficient and science-based regulation, including bipartisan permitting reform that provides certainty for major projects while protecting public health and the environment.
- Trade & Supply Chain – Strengthening supply chain resilience, modernizing trade infrastructure and expanding market access to keep Utah businesses competitive in global markets.
- Transportation & Infrastructure – Investing in modern transportation and infrastructure that keeps pace with one of the nation’s fastest-growing states and prepares Utah for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
- Workforce – Expanding talent pipelines, workforce education and training, and labor force participation to help employers meet the demands of a growing economy.
These priorities reflect the issues and opportunities that will shape Utah’s economic future. Many of them cannot be addressed by state and local leaders alone. Decisions made in Washington directly affect Utah employers, workers and communities, making a strong, unified business voice at the federal level essential to our continued economic success.
We firmly believe the strength Utah enjoys today is the result of good decisions made five, 10 and 15 years ago, by leaders who chose to invest and plan for the future when it would have been easier to sit on the sidelines. I want to thank the business community and elected leaders who continue to engage in this work. Utah is fortunate to have leaders willing to do the hard work today that will benefit the Utahns who come after us.
Utah succeeds when we plan ahead and work together. That is the Utah way. Bringing business leaders to Washington gives our federal partners a clear, unified agenda from Utah’s business community and strengthens the collaboration necessary to prepare for the opportunities ahead, including the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
I encourage Utah’s business leaders to familiarize themselves with these priorities, consider how federal policy affects their organizations and industries, and engage with us in this work. Utah’s economic future will be shaped by the decisions being made today, and the business community has an important role to play in those decisions.
Further details about each of the Utah Chamber’s Federal Priorities can be read in the 2026 Public Policy Guide found at utchamber.com/federal-priorities.
Derek Miller is the president and CEO of the Utah Chamber.
