The Federal Government owns 47 percent of all the land in the western United States.

These inflexible regulations and other requirements imposed by the Federal Government often outcompete the good intentions of federal employees.

This has long been an active Subcommittee, and I appreciate your diligence in reviewing pending legislation.

However, Utah's most productive lands in terms of forage, production, and agricultural value happen to be owned by private individuals.

I have worked with some of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Senators Rosen and Fischer and Schatz...

For too long, the wealthy and big corporations have avoided paying their fair share.

They've proposed a 3.5 trillion dollar tax and spend blowout, one that would increase American's taxes by over 2 trillion dollars.

Unfortunately, we have come here today because the Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress want to squeeze the American people with higher taxes and more regulation.

Now let's be clear the major winners from the Democrat's plan are special interests and beltway bureaucrats.

They have proposed a $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend blowout, one that would increase Americans' taxes by over $2 trillion.

Unfortunately, we've come here today because the Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress want to squeeze the American people with higher taxes and more regulation.

States need a change so that they can more readily address the drought issues that they face--like those that Utah faces, in particular.

Everywhere I go in my state, I hear of the need for increased water storage infrastructure.

The impact of the drought on my home State of Utah has been quite severe--really severe, in fact.

Unfortunately, bureaucratic federal processes often stand in the way of safe, effective, responsible drought mitigation efforts.

Before the pandemic disrupted American's work lives and social connections, tax cuts and deregulation supported a thriving economy that delivered broad benefits to families and workers.

The legislation introduces needed coordination requirements to efficiently deploy broadband infrastructure on Federal lands and reach unserved communities like those I represent.

It would be the largest tax increase in my lifetime, and it would substantially expand the Federal Government's footprint into our homes, our businesses, and across our economy.