U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) participated in a joint hearing today between the Congressional and Senate Western Caucuses to examine the negative impact policies implemented in Washington are having on the West. Hatch invited Brigham City Mayor Dr. Dennis Fife to testify at the hearing, titled “Washington Obstacles to Prosperity and Property Rights in the West.”
Hatch is the Chairman of the Public Lands Subcommittee of the Senate Western Caucus. The Senate Western Caucus was organized four years ago by senators from states West of the Mississippi who are committed to upholding fundamental principles and protecting the way of life in the West.
“The Mountain West holds some of the most beautiful and prosperous areas of our country, but it’s increasingly come under attack from bureaucrats in Washington,” Hatch said. “Whether it’s cutting off public lands to American energy production or the EPA issuing restrictive rulings, Utah and our neighbors in the West have been a target from bureaucrats thousands of miles away in Washington. Mayor Fife gave the Caucuses a great firsthand perspective of how Washington’s policies are affecting the prosperity in the West, and I appreciate his leadership in confronting these destructive policies head-on.”
“I work every day to stimulate growth and attract new businesses to Brigham City and Box Elder County and I see firsthand the negative impacts that policies sent down from Washington are having on Utahns,” Fife said. “We do the best we can to create a climate where business can thrive, but unfortunately the EPA and other regulatory agencies inhibit our success. Senator Hatch has always stood up and fought for Utahns against Washington’s destructive policies towards the West, and I appreciated the invitation and opportunity to speak at today’s hearing.”