Utah’s congressional delegation ranks among the best when it comes to turning legislative priorities into policy. Our representatives secure important committee assignments in Congress and are known for working together to serve all Utahns. Most importantly, they listen to their constituents and let that input guide the work they do for Utah in the halls of Congress.
Each year, the Salt Lake Chamber goes through a collaborative process to distill down a set of business priorities built around advancing opportunity and securing prosperity for our state. Business leaders are once again traveling to Washington, D.C. to present these priorities to our congressional leaders and discuss ways to bring Utah solutions to benefit the country.
As our nation comes out of the pandemic we stand at a crossroads between pursuing prosperity or mitigating decline. Inflation continues to rattle markets and consumers, with renewed supply chain disruptions exacerbated by international conflict. The need for congressional leadership has never been more important.
As business leaders from across the state, we are urging Congress to pass legislation that will reduce inflation hurting families. Raising taxes and printing more money will do little to curb this hidden tax on consumers. Getting our regulatory and fiscal house in order would do much to curb inflation and work in conjunction, rather than in contrast, with the Federal Reserve’s tightening monetary policy.
Critical to recalibrating the nation’s business climate is pursuing an energy transition that harmonizes environmental and economic progress. Utah has the opportunity to lead on an approach to this transition in a balanced way to secure an energy future that remains affordable, reliable and sustainable.
Cybersecurity and grid resilience are also priorities that need national attention. We are asking Congress to develop a federal data-privacy policy that promotes innovation, regulatory certainty, and respect for individual privacy and choice. Our legislative policy must keep pace with the rapidly changing cyber landscape so commerce can be trusted and secure. Updating policies to reflect the digital age would work in conjunction with protecting our critical infrastructure across industries.
Utah sits at the forefront in defending the nation and building bridges to communities around the world. Our presence in the national security realm is growing with a business presence expanding into new markets and countries. We are advocating for the federal government to prioritize cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, advanced manufacturing and other sciences to win the future today.
Perhaps no policy issue deserves more solution-minded attention than immigration reform. Securing the border and bringing order to the current chaos will be necessary for our nation to remain the land of opportunity. Visa reform and faster processing must occur with concurrent efforts to secure our border to keep out bad actors and let in people of goodwill. Utah has led the way on this issue for over a decade with the principle based Utah Compact and we ask our congressional leaders to stand with courage and continue to press for common ground and common sense solutions.
Lastly, Utah businesses need free markets and fair trading practices built on balanced agreements that sustain economic prosperity. Education, workforce development and equitable housing policies remain at the forefront as well. These are but some of the business priorities we are advocating for as topline issues in need of congressional action. Rooted in the policy work of the Salt Lake Chamber is the belief that finding common ground, working together and outlining goals for a brighter future will help us chart the way. It is our firm opinion that Utah and our elected officials must serve as examples for more cooperation and increased civility to make progress on the critical issues our nation faces.
By working and standing together we aim to keep Utah at the pinnacle of opportunity and an example for overcoming national challenges. Our business and market presence make our state stronger and globally relevant in combating these challenges. We are grateful for congressional leaders who seek and consider the counsel of the business community as they help lead our country.
