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Crossing the aisle
Passage votes where John R. Curtis broke ranks with ≥75% of Republicans. Threshold catches substantively partisan splits; unanimous-ish or close votes are excluded.
Curtis, Rosen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Protect Drinking Water Infrastructure During Extreme Heat
Position: Senators Curtis and Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to expand EPA drinking water infrastructure resilience funding to include extreme temperature events and reauthorize the program through 2032.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced legislation to help protect drinking water infrastructure when faced with extreme heat or cold. The bipartisan Protecting America’s Drinking Water from Extreme Temperatures Act would make extreme temperatures, like extreme heat, an eligible condition for public water systems to apply for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Midsize and Large Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program. This program is currently only available to bolster water infrastructure against extreme weather, natural disasters, and cybersecurity attacks. The bill would also reauthorize the program—which is set to expire this year—through 2032. The legislation is cosponsored by Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).
“From prolonged heat to freezing winter conditions, extreme temperatures can threaten access to safe, reliable drinking water for communities across Utah and the West,” said Senator Curtis. “This bipartisan bill gives local water systems greater flexibility to strengthen infrastructure before emergencies happen and helps ensure families can continue to count on clean water no matter the weather.”
“Nevada has seen some of the hottest summers ever recorded over the past few years—putting at risk our ability to access clean drinking water when we need it the most,” said Senator Rosen. “Extreme temperatures pose as much of a threat to our infrastructure as other weather events. That’s why I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure our communities can qualify for federal resources to strengthen public water systems.”
“Americans count on their government to ensure they have access to clean water, especially during extreme heat and extreme cold,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “We must properly invest in the resiliency of the infrastructure that makes it happen. I am proud to stand with Senators Rosen and Curtis to introduce the bipartisan Protecting Midsize and Large Drinking Water Systems from Extreme Temperature Act.”
The full text of the bill can be found here.
Communities facing extreme temperatures are especially vulnerable to drinking water contamination and interruptions. Rapid temperature changes can weaken underground drinking water pipes, and extreme heat can warm drinking water enough to grow toxic microorganisms and expose the water to plastic or metal pollutants from overheated pipes. In the case of extreme cold, pipes can burst and leave many homes without running water.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Curtis Highlights Utah’s Nuclear Leadership, Calls for Local Empowerment in Federal Nuclear Policy
Position: Senator Curtis advocates for federal nuclear policy that empowers states and local communities rather than imposing uniform mandates, calls for streamlining slow and duplicative permitting processes, and supports expanded uranium conversion and small municipal nuclear applications.
NRC Chairman confirms summer timeline for Utah conversion status and pledges support for small-scale municipal applicants.
WASHINGTON—During a U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Senator John Curtis (R-UT) discussed the future of nuclear energy as a clean baseload power source for Utah with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Ho K. Nieh and Commissioner David A. Wright. Throughout the exchange, the Senator stressed that federal policy must empower states rather than imposing “one-size-fits-all” mandates. Curtis also raised concerns regarding slow and duplicative permitting processes, secured a timeline on Utah’s request to add uranium conversion to its state agreement, and advocated for small municipal power agencies navigating the complex NRC application process.
The full transcript of the exchange is below, and video can be found here.
Senator Curtis: Chairman Nieh, congratulations. Mayor Wright, thank you for your service and for your leadership during that period of time. Some of you will remember from previous hearings that we both share that title in common. Senator Whitehouse, all those lists of accomplishments that you mentioned, I would attribute to him having been a mayor. And if we could just make every member of the Senate a mayor, we would be in good shape.
Utah, as many of you know, is known as the Beehive State. That's a reminder that working together produces better outcomes. State and local leaders and industry partners often recognize the potential in their communities long before a federal agency thousands of miles away. That's why I believe federal policy works best when it empowers states and communities instead of imposing a one-size-fits-all solution across the country.
We also need to acknowledge the reality that comes up repeatedly in these hearings. Our permitting and regulatory processes are too slow, too duplicative, and too unpredictable.
We should recognize the tremendous opportunity in front of us. America has the talent, resources, innovation, capacity to lead the world in next generation energy development and advanced technologies. But leadership requires a government that can move at the pace of innovation.
So, let me start, Chairman Nieh, with a question about rulemaking. As you consider new rules, are you looking at anything for making uranium recovery as a plan for that? If so, maybe a timeline please.
The Honorable Ho K. Nieh: Yes, Senator. The NRC's efforts for these rulemakings started under the executive order, will cover the entire life cycle of nuclear from the front end to the back end. It's important that we really look at our regulatory frameworks to make sure that we can enable the entire circle of life in nuclear.
As you already know, America is too dependent on foreign uranium and enrichment, and we need to fix that. And what we are doing with all of these rules is that when the commercial interests align with the capital resources, workforce, and supply chain to bring new facilities all around the fuel cycle to the NRC, we will have a predictable and credible licensing framework to support that.
Curtis: Thank you. Utah has a request to allow conversion to be added to Utah's agreement in the state status. I hope the NRC is still on track by to give them an answer by the summer. Can you comment on that?
Nieh: I believe we are on track, but I will verify that.
Curtis: Super important. Thank you.
With that, Utah is actively exploring nuclear as a dependable source of clean baseload power. I think it's been clear Utah wants to be a leader in this. How is the NRC engaging states to provide clarity around the path forward for deploying nuclear?
Nieh: So, Senator, we always stay ready to engage with our state partners through any NRC licensing activities. I would share personally, I've been invited to several states to speak about some of the reforms happening at the NRC related to some of the new requirements.
I'll be, by the end of this month, attending an event in your home state, Senator to do the same. So, we stand ready to engage with the states to ensure that there's full transparency and awareness about the NRC's licensing process.
Curtis: Commissioner Wright, please.
The Honorable David A. Wright: If I could add to that, mayor, I mean, Senator, thank you.
Curtis: Mayor works just fine.
Wright: I actually met with the governor's team, as well as the President of the Senate in Utah and the Speaker of the House, to discuss these things several months ago. I've also met personally with Governor Cox and actually appeared in a video with him on the nuclear issues and the nuclear stuff that's going on in Utah.
So, we are a resource for the states. I think it's important. And we will assist them as appropriate, to do exactly what Chairman Nieh was talking about to answer the questions, help them better understand the process and all of it consistent with our mission.
Curtis: Excellent. Good. Chairman, or any of you really, comment, really, to the American taxpayers. You're looking at these changes. These are the things that are upcoming. How can the American taxpayer be assured that we're on track, that we're spending their money well? And what is your message to my constituents back home?
Nieh: The message to your constituents is judge us by our actions. We are making our licensing performance more transparent. On our website, there are dashboards that show how we are using resources for licensing. So, there's increased transparency.
Again, I've set priorities for this agency to operate in a more disciplined and efficient manner. So, my message would be the NRC is enabling the safe use of nuclear technologies in America. And I hope that people in your state will be able to judge that and confirm that through our actions and results.
Curtis: Ranking Member Whitehouse, I'm going to paraphrase something you said in remarks, and I'll get it wrong, so I'll apologize. But you kind of classified a couple of different applicants to those who are on their game. They know what they're doing, and when they do so, they interact well with NRC. Others are not so.
I would introduce a third class. I think of Utah Municipal Power Authority and Power and UAMPS, two municipal organizations in the state of Utah who I would say kind of fall in a third category, who really just don't have the resources to navigate the way that some of these larger organizations do.
And so just a quick question about what you're doing to ensure applicants who don't have a wealth of resources know how to navigate this as well, who are good actors and who we want to be players in this in this space.
Nieh: One of the most important things we do, Senator, is our pre-application engagement with applicants. That is one of the most valuable things to ensure that there's clear expectations on what is expected to be in an application.
And, you know, it's very clear that the applications have to contain sufficient information that demonstrate NRC requirements are met. So, we do those discussions upfront, and it really is a prioritization tool for us as well as an agency.
We can judge through a pre-application engagement what level of maturity the application may be, in, what type of information gaps may exist, and it helps us really prioritize what to focus on.
Curtis: I'm out of time, but thank you for your answers and really thank you for the good work that all of you do as Commissioners. We don't get very many hearings—and yes, we have our questions and yes, we have our concerns—we don't get very many hearings when we have a body in front of us that's really doing really good work and really at a critical point, not just for nuclear, but for energy throughout our whole country.
So, thank you and I yield my time.
Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse: And I will accept my friend’s characterization of a third category.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Curtis, Bennet Lead Bipartisan Letter Affirming U.S. Commitments to Taiwan
Position: The senators affirm congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act and assert that there should be no unilateral changes to U.S. policy on Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of maintaining defense commitments to Taiwan and regional stability.
WASHINGTON—Ahead of President Donald Trump’s summit with China’s President Xi Jinping, U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Michael Bennet (D-CO), member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led 10 colleagues on a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and asserting there should be no unilateral changes to this policy nor any new U.S. declaratory policy on Taiwan.
In addition to Curtis and Bennet, the letter was signed by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
“For nearly five decades, the TRA has been the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan ties, enabling a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. This bipartisan law requires the United States to provide Taiwan—a critical economic and technological partner, and a thriving democracy—defense articles and services necessary to maintain the island’s self-defense capability. The TRA further states that the United States would consider any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by non-peaceful means to be ‘a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific,’ and of ‘grave concern,’” wrote the senators.
“Our commitment to this legislation has long helped ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait—which is essential to U.S. interests there and across the Indo-Pacific. Maintaining this commitment is necessary to ensure the credibility of U.S. security commitments to allies and partners in the region and beyond,” continued the senators.
“In the spirit of longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, we stand ready to work with your administration to further strengthen this partnership,” concluded the senators.
The text of the letter is available here and below.
We write to reaffirm congressional support for the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and our firm belief that there should be no unilateral changes to this policy nor any new declaratory policy on Taiwan, consistent with longstanding U.S. commitments including the Six Assurances President Reagan articulated.
For nearly five decades, the TRA has been the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan ties, enabling a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. This bipartisan law requires the United States to provide Taiwan—a critical economic and technological partner, and a thriving democracy—defense articles and services necessary to maintain the island’s self-defense capability. The TRA further states that the United States would consider any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by non-peaceful means to be “a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific,” and of “grave concern.”
Our commitment to this legislation has long helped ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait—which is essential to U.S. interests there and across the Indo-Pacific. Maintaining this commitment is necessary to ensure the credibility of U.S. security commitments to allies and partners in the region and beyond.
During your tenure in the U.S. Senate, you consistently demonstrated strong support for U.S.-Taiwan relations and for the TRA. In 2017, you joined a bipartisan letter to President Trump stating that the “One China policy, based on the [Taiwan Relations] Act, the Three Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances […] provides the basis for our enduring relationship with Taiwan.” You further emphasized the “bipartisan commitment that we must not waver in providing necessary support for Taiwan to defend itself in the face of China’s ongoing military aggression and the cross-Strait military imbalance."
These principles remain true and necessary today. In the spirit of longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, we stand ready to work with your administration to further strengthen this partnership.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Position: Senators Curtis and Shaheen welcome Taiwan's approval of a supplementary defense budget and call for continued U.S. support for Taiwan's defense capabilities and domestic asymmetric weapons production in response to Chinese military pressure.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), SFRC Ranking Member, released the belowstatement welcoming the approval by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan (LY) of a supplementary defense budget that will strengthen Taiwan’s deterrence capabilities against growing People’s Republic of China (PRC) aggression. The vote follows a visit to Taipei by the senators five weeks ago, in which they met LY leaders and urged support for the package. Following that visit, the senators sent abipartisan letter to LY Speaker Han and his colleagues noting support not only for the purchase of U.S. arms but also for investment in speedier domestic production of asymmetric capabilities in Taiwan.
“Taiwan’s approval of this supplementary defense budget sends a strong signal of resolve at a critical moment for peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific. During our visit to Taipei in March, we urged Taiwan’s leaders to move quickly to approve a supplementary defense budget that would accelerate the procurement of critical U.S. defense equipment and strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetric capabilities.
“This vote demonstrates that Taiwan is taking seriously the urgent need to strengthen its defenses in the face of Beijing’s growing military coercion and pressure campaigns. As the PRC continues to test the limits of what it can achieve through intimidation and aggression, Taiwan’s investment in its long-term deterrence makes clear the island’s unity and preparedness. We also look forward to additional steps by Taiwan’s leaders to further strengthen investments in asymmetric capabilities and domestic defense production, which remain essential to long-term deterrence. The United States’ partnership with the people of Taiwan remains rock solid and Congress will continue to support Taiwan’s ability to defend itself and preserve stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Curtis, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Improve Education Transparency at Community Colleges
Position: Senator Curtis supports legislation requiring community colleges and universities to report graduation and completion rates for a broader range of students, including part-time and non-first-time students, to improve transparency and accurately reflect institutional success.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) cosponsored legislation that would improve education transparency by ensuring that reported graduation rates accurately reflect the success of community colleges. The Time for Completion Act requires colleges and universities to report graduation and completion rates for a broader range of students, including non-first-time and part-time students.
The bill was introduced by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), and is also co-sponsored by Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Ted Budd (R-NC).
“Often having to balance work, family, and school, many of Utah’s community and technical college students’ success frequently isn’t counted in current graduation metrics,” said Senator Curtis. “The Time for Completion Act brings greater transparency and fairness to our education system, giving students and families the tools they need to make good decisions while ensuring our institutions are recognized for the full impact they have on our workforce.”
“Wyoming is fortunate to have eight wonderful community colleges. These schools represent the future of Wyoming’s workforce. They deserve to have all of their students accurately accounted for in graduation rates,” said Senator Barrasso. “Current reporting requirements do not reflect the unique background of community college students. The Time for Completion Act will make sure prospective students have the most accurate information about graduation rates so they can choose the best school for them.”
“Wyoming’s colleges are training the next generation of skilled workers our state depends on, and they deserve credit for every student they help succeed,” said Senator Lummis. “Far too often the workers earning degrees and certificates while holding down jobs or raising families go uncounted, and that shortchanges both the institutions and the students themselves. This legislation offers a long overdue fix in federal reporting and gives prospective students the honest picture they need to plan for their future.”
Under current Higher Education Act (HEA) requirements, institutions receiving federal student aid must report graduation and completion rates only for full time, first time, certificate- or degree-seeking undergraduates who start and finish at the same institution. This excludes millions of nontraditional students, such as part-time, transfer, and returning students, from being reflected in this data.
As a result, publicly available graduation rates can significantly underestimate student success and mask gaps across different types of learners. These rates inform state performance-based funding and are required disclosures for institutions receiving federal student aid. They also guide institutional benchmarking, and students and families rely on this data to assess institutional quality and value.
The Time for Completion Act would provide a more accurate and comprehensive picture of institutional performance by counting a wider range of students in graduation and completion metrics. The bill expands disclosure requirements to include the completion or graduation rates of non-first-time and half-time, certificate- or degree-seeking undergraduates. It also amends the HEA so that part-time and other nontraditional students are included in federally reported graduation rate calculations.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Curtis, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Highlighting Chinese Threat to American Strategic Interests
Position: Senator Curtis and bipartisan colleagues support a coordinated U.S. response to China that strengthens Indo-Pacific deterrence, protects American workers from unfair economic practices, maintains technological leadership, supports allies, preserves stability across the Taiwan Strait, and advances human rights and democratic values.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined a bipartisan resolution affirming concern over the growing threat China poses to America’s national security and economic prosperity at a pivotal moment for U.S.-China relations. The resolution calls for a continued and steady focus on strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, protecting American workers and businesses from unfair economic practices, maintaining leadership in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, supporting allies and partners, preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and advancing human rights and democratic values.
“At this pivotal moment in U.S.-China relations, we must approach the future with clear eyes and steady resolve,” said Senator Curtis. “China’s actions demand a coordinated and bipartisan response. This resolution reinforces our commitment to strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, standing with our allies, and ensuring American workers and innovators can compete on a level playing field. The United States must lead with both strength and principle to safeguard our security, our prosperity, and the values that define us.”
The resolution was led by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE). Joining Senator Curtis as cosponsors were Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Patty Murray (D-WA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jim Banks (R-IN), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Todd Young (R-IN), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
“In the run-up to next month’s U.S.-China summit, the United States Senate is sending a clear message: remember who Xi Jinping and the PRC are,” said Senator Coons. “Beijing is trying to create a more aggressive, coercive, and lawless international landscape that harms the American people, and the United States cannot give away the store in negotiations in exchange for fig leaves. We must stand with our allies and partners and work with every tool of the U.S. government to combat these aggressive practices.”
“Communist China is the greatest threat to the American way of life,” said Senator Ricketts. “Communist China actively threatens the rules-based system that has maintained peace and prosperity for over 80 years. We must deter Communist China. We must stand with our partners and allies that Beijing threatens.”
The resolution states that the United States should address the security, economic, technological, diplomatic, and strategic threats posed by China as a top foreign policy priority. It also calls for the United States to:
A copy of the resolution is available here.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Curtis Raises Alarm on Undersea Cable Threats, Pushes for Stronger U.S. Action
Position: Senator Curtis advocates for legislation to strengthen U.S. protection of undersea cable infrastructure near Taiwan against Chinese sabotage and covert activities, including monitoring systems and new sanctions.
Senator highlights legislation to protect Taiwan’s undersea communication cables against “gray zone tactics” used by China
WASHINGTON—During a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Senator John Curtis (R-UT) raised urgent concerns about the vulnerability of global undersea cable infrastructure, emphasizing the need for stronger U.S. leadership to protect critical economic and security lifelines amid malicious “gray zone” activities by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The cables—critical for global communication and commerce—have been a primary target of the PRC for covert sabotage to undermine Taiwan’s security and sovereignty.
Senator Curtis also highlighted insights from a recent bipartisan delegation visit to Taiwan, where he observed firsthand the growing risks to undersea cable systems that carry the vast majority of global internet and communications traffic.
Curtis also highlighted bipartisan legislation he is leading with Senator Jacky Rosen, which would mandate the establishment of an initiative, led by the Secretary of State and in coordination with other agencies, to prioritize the protection and resilience of undersea cables near Taiwan.
The full transcript of the exchange is below, and video can be found here.
Senator Curtis: This Committee recently passed a bill that I have with Senator Rosen, the Critical Undersea Infrastructure Resiliency Act. The bill contains an initiative to harden and monitor Taiwan's undersea cables and proposes new sanctions. I was in Taiwan with the Ranking Member just a couple of weeks ago. We visited one of the factories that actually produces the cable. We were all very curious about what they were doing to prevent breaks, whether it's undersea monitoring or cameras, and what we found is zero motivation because they produce cables. Their answer was just lay more cables.
And I'm curious what your experience is. Do we have a motivation problem here, and it just feels like there was very little effort to put in equipment that could monitor and see a problem coming before it got there. What's your experience?
Dr. Benjamin Schmitt: So, this is an energy security question for Taiwan as well as these cables connect to their offshore wind and can interconnect to their outlying islands. One of the things that is this is more from a physics standpoint. If you put a fiber optic cable on the seabed, you can start to monitor the vibro-acoustic environment, the vibrations of subsea vessels, sea surface vessels and things like this around it.
And so, this is actually what happened in the case of the Chunghwa Telecoms line, when last year the Hong Thai 58, this vessel from China, cut the cable. The Taiwanese coast guard was alerted by Chunghwa Telecom right before that cable cut took place because they knew this vessel was sitting there. And then they acted just a few hours later when they got their armada together to seize this vessel.
And what they found, this was an empty Chinese vessel that was a bulk carrier that had no bulk on it. Its cargo doors were actually rusted shut so that it couldn't be used for that. So, it was only used as a sabotage vessel. And the prosecutor that I talked to likened it to a ‘pawn sacrifice' from the PRC.
In other words, he is sending out a vessel that he doesn't care if he loses. I wanted to see that vessel, but it's already been deconstructed and scrapped.
Curtis: If there's major disruption to Taiwan with both cables, What’s the impact militarily and economically that potentially could happen?
Schmitt: There was often a discussion that Taiwan does have redundancy—something like 14 cables connecting out to the global internet. There's also cables to the Penghu Islands, Matsu Islands, Kinmen, others like this. I've often been asked, you know, well, we have this redundancy. So, China couldn't possibly cut all 14 cables. I said, you've got another thing coming because guess what? If they can cut 1 or 2 cables by dragging an anchor pretty easily, in an all-out military assault or invasion or even a blockade or a quarantine, those can be cut pretty quickly. What that will have is immediate impact on the global economy.
It's kind of like the Strait of Hormuz closure by the IRGC for the internet, and it means that all of our economic trade with Taiwan, which is significant, will be cut off not just for us, but for our partners and allies. And I'll tell you, it will make military coordination more difficult. It won't stop it because there is satellite backup, but it is something that we really need to think of. And I've talked with folks in Taiwan that are in the military. I think that it needs to be part of the military's doctrine in Taiwan, that rapid cable repair under fire is important as well to deter this.
Curtis: So, another question. We've learned a lot from Taiwan, and what's happening there. What lessons can be applied to the Baltic and what should we be doing in the Baltic that we've learned from the Indo-Pacific?
Schmitt: I think that one of the biggest things is, again, repair capabilities. We need more repair capabilities in Europe. We need a legal system that allows for attribution and jurisdictional questions, we've mentioned already in this hearing. Again, just like in Taiwan where they're aware of this, we need European democracies to be ready to act and, and have that capability through NATO to do so.
The Honorable James O’Brien: I will just add, Senator, and thank you for your bill. The motivation problem, I think, is, with the U.S. government, all of the undersea infrastructure, separate companies, others, they're all doing their work. It's unrealistic to expect them to monitor the activities of a predatory superpower. Same thing with middle powers. They don't have the ability to stand up. So, this is for the U.S. government to say the future of our economy depends on this infrastructure.
We have to make sure that we have enough of it and that we can repair it, but that we can protect it. And that involves both more robust sanctions program, I think, more physical presence and coordinating with others who are affected so that they're able to operate effectively.
Curtis: It feels to me like the technology is not that difficult. It's the will. You mentioned the one incident in Taiwan where they were able to find the actor. How prepared are we to find the bad actors? Just generally speaking.
Schmitt: I mean, we're prepared. I think U.S., you know, geospatial intelligence is strong. I think we need more commercial data to make sure that satellite data can be released quickly so that these sort of indictments can happen rapidly. But the other thing I want to point out, and we're going to want to bring it back to the Nord Stream case really briefly and say we need to listen not only to policymakers, no offense, but technical experts like those that work in the industry, people that build the cables, people that are captains of these ships, people that actually dive to the bottom of the seabed.
We talked with many of these experts, and they said that the idea that using a rental sailboat to blow up Nord Stream is not technically impossible, but that it would never be used in this way, and they said that it's an insufficient platform. It would have a large radar profile to begin with because of the sail, obviously.
And that you would use a cheap drone, and I'll tell you what, there's a lot of media that have gone out there and put a drone on the seabed and looked at the damage site, and they've proven you can put a drone down there. You can put one down there with a camera, you can put it down there with explosives.
I went out and actually got seabed sonar data at the Nord Stream two blast site, and you can just go out there. So again, listening to the experts in a way that is integrated not only into our policy but our media and discussions of these, because it takes so long for attribution that disinformation can be sowed. And obviously, in the case of Nord Stream, Russia pointed the finger at the UK, Poland, the United States, of course, and all these different directions, so chaos right after this, this happened again, a disinformation campaign that seems kind of precooked to me.
O’Brien: I’ll just add, we know much more today than even two or three years ago. The NATO efforts, the EU efforts provide information very quickly. And having the access to the work that the Dr. Schmitt and others are doing in the public sphere, it increases the responsibility of policymakers to act quickly because we can no longer say we don't know or we can't share.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Curtis Statement Ahead of 60th Day of Iran Conflict
Position: Senator Curtis states that while the President's military action in Iran has been consistent with War Powers Resolution authority, Congress must authorize continued military action after the 60-day mark. He will not support continued funding for military operations without congressional approval and is engaged in discussions with colleagues and the Administration on a constitutional path forward.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement ahead of the 60-day mark of the war in Iran:
“From the beginning, my position has been that the President’s actions in Iran have been consistent with his legal authority under the War Powers Resolution of 1973. However, that same law is clear that after 60 days, military action must begin to wind down unless Congress provides formal authorization.
“I take this requirement seriously for two reasons. First, the Constitution deliberately provides power to Congress to authorize war. Second, the legacy of the Vietnam War serves as a permanent reminder of the devastation that occurs when the lines of authority are blurred or ignored. That is why I have been clear: I will not support continued funding for the use of force without Congress weighing in. This is not an adversarial stance against the Administration; rather, it is a commitment to our system of government. It is critical to our national security that Iran’s malign capabilities are neutralized, but it is equally critical that we do so on a sound constitutional footing.
“As we reach this 60-day mark, it is time for decision-making from both the Administration and from Congress—and that can happen in league with one another, not in conflict. I am currently engaged in thoughtful discussions with my Senate colleagues, and also with the Administration, on a path forward that honors our respective constitutional roles, clearly outlines objectives and guidelines, and is in the best interest of the country and our servicemembers.”
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 intended to limit a president’s ability to engage in military action without congressional approval. It requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying armed forces and prohibits forces from remaining in combat for more than 60 days (with a possible additional 30-day withdrawal period) without authorization from Congress.
In an April opinion piece published in the Deseret News, Senator Curtis stated he would not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
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Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
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Curtis, Colleagues Introduce Bill Giving Parents Control Over Kids’ AI Chatbot Use
Position: The senators support legislation requiring AI chatbot companies to establish parental controls, obtain parental consent for child users, limit manipulative design features, prohibit targeted advertising to children, and conduct further study on potential harms to minors.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Commerce Committee, along with Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Committee Chairman; Brian Schatz (D-HI); and Adam Schiff (D-CA), introduced the Children’s Health, Advancement, Trust, Boundaries, and Oversight in Technology Act (CHATBOT Act). The bipartisan legislation would require AI companies to establish “family accounts” for parents to manage access and usage of AI chatbots by their children.
While AI chatbots can support a child’s learning, research, and creativity, they also pose real risks to minors, including exposure to inappropriate content, language, and addictive features. Some AI companies havze even deployed rewards, notifications, and targeted advertising to drive prolonged engagement by adolescent users. The Senators’ legislation would require AI chatbot companies to limit manipulative design features, require parental consent for chatbot usage and parental controls to access and monitor a child’s conversations with a chatbot, and prohibit targeted advertising to children. In addition, the bill would direct further study on potential chatbot-related harms to children and best practices for parents.
“Parents deserve both clarity and control over how their children interact with AI chatbots, which are becoming more integrated into their education and everyday lives,” said Senator Curtis. “Our bipartisan bill provides commonsense guardrails that prioritize kids’ safety, limit manipulative design, and help ensure that parents—not algorithms—hold the reins.”
“The rapid development of sophisticated chatbots has left many parents in the dark as powerful AI systems enter children’s lives,” said Chairman Cruz. “Congress has an opportunity to put parents back in control. With the right safeguards, AI systems can benefit a child’s education without putting their well-being at risk. The CHATBOT Act ensures America leads in deploying AI safely and responsibly.”
“AI is an incredibly powerful tool – it’s everywhere, and it poses real risks for kids,” said Senator Schatz. “We’ve seen reports of AI chatbots encouraging kids to hurt themselves and for some, they’re replacing real life relationships, isolating kids from their families and friends. Our bill will give parents better tools to keep their kids safe and hold AI companies accountable.”
“It is essential that we institute commonsense guardrails on the use of AI chatbots by children and teenagers that empower parents’ ability to protect their kids,” said Senator Schiff. “In California and across the country, we have seen firsthand the tragic consequences of quickly evolving AI chatbots which, in the worst cases, have encouraged self-harm, emotional dependency, violence, and exploitation of the youngest Americans. This moment demands action to protect children’s health and safety online, and I’m proud to join Senators Cruz, Schatz, and Curtis in introducing this bipartisan legislation as a first step towards that goal.”
The full text of the bill can be found here, and a one-pager can be found here.
The CHATBOT Act is supported by 3Strands Global Foundation, America First Policy Institute, Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), American Counseling Association, American Federation of Teachers, American Principles Project, Bull Moose Project, Citizens for Renewing America, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, David’s Legacy Foundation, Digital Progress Institute, Encode AI, Enough is Enough, HSA Coalition, Interparliamentary Taskforce on Human Trafficking, NCOSE, Pearl at the Mailbox, Street Grace, and many others.
SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5251
3601 N University Ave
Suite 250
Provo, UT 84604
801-841-2665
125 S. State Street
Suite 8402
Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
801-524-4380
Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
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Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AIPAC)Ideological30 contributionsPAC arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, federalized in 2021. Backs candidates of both parties who support U.S.-Israel security and economic ties.AI$215,580
2.NO LABELS PROBLEM SOLVERS PACIdeological7 contributionsCentrist advocacy PAC — supports candidates focused on bipartisan problem-solving and pragmatic governance across party lines.AI$52,200
3.UNITED POSTMASTERS AND MANAGERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL FUND2 contributions$10,000
4.AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY PACAgriculture2 contributionsAgricultural company PAC for a major sugar producer — backs candidates supporting farm subsidies, tariff protections, and agricultural trade policies.AI$10,000
5.TUESDAY GROUP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
6.MAJORITY COMMITTEE PAC--MC PACLeadership2 contributionsLeadership PAC — likely affiliated with a member of Congress or caucus group; backs allied candidates and party priorities.AI · low$10,000
7.RECLAIM THE MAJORITYLeadership1 contributionMember-of-Congress leadership PAC — supports Democratic candidates and party priorities aligned with reclaiming House or Senate control.AI$5,067
8.HALLIBURTON COMPANY PAC1 contribution$5,000
9.AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC1 contribution$5,000
10.BUILD POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS (BUILDPAC)Real Estate1 contributionHomebuilding-industry PAC — supports candidates backing residential construction, favorable zoning and permitting policies, and housing-affordability initiatives.AI$5,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.ADVANTAGE CAPITAL$13,500
2.SUMMIT RIDGE ENERGY$12,500
3.NEXTRACKER$10,500
4.GOODLEAP$10,000
5.ECA SOLAR$8,000
6.SOROBAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LP$7,000
7.ARNOLD VENTURES$7,000
8.TIBER CREEK GROUP$6,700
9.INVARIANT$5,500
10.TEXAS CRUDE ENERGY, LLC$5,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
