This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
GOP losing its own battle to repeal and replace Obamacare. Bishop, Love say they're both undecided on the bill. SLC joins 33 other cities arguing for sanctuary city money.
Happy Thursday. Republicans have been harping for years about Obamacare and plans to repeal it but its first attempt with a GOP-led Congress and White House could go down in flames today. Some of the more ardent conservatives are unwilling to back the proposal because it doesn't go far enough while more moderate members are peeling off because of the harm it would do to their constituents. Democrats are expected to lock-step oppose the GOP's repeal and replace legislation. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/house-republicans-obamacare-236396">Politico</a>]
<strong>Topping the news:</strong> Sen. Mike Lee said he anticipates the Republican health care bill that would replace the Affordable Care Act will fail when it comes to a vote later today. [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/22/senator-mike-lee-on-upcoming-health-care-vote-this-bill-is-going-to-fail/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]
<p class="p1">-> Utah Reps. Rob Bishop and Mia Love said they were still undecided about how they'd vote on the GOP health care plan. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/day-before-vote-on-gop-health-plan-two-utah-reps-still-undecided"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]</p>
-> Salt Lake City joined 33 other cities in signing a court brief arguing it would be unconstitutional for President Donald Trump to withhold money from 'sanctuary cities' that won't support his immigration crackdown. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5091401-155/salt-lake-city-joins-brief-challenging"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<p class="p1"></p>
<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From <a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/kumailn"; target="_blank">@kumailn</a>: "If our current political situation was a tv show I'd be like 'Too many characters and subplots'"
-> From <span class="username u-dir" dir="ltr"><a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/aedwardslevy">@aedwardslevy</a>: </span>"I stopped paying attention to the news for like three hours to write a story and now I literally do not understand what is happening"
-> From <span class="username u-dir" dir="ltr"><a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/BenSasse">@BenSasse</a>: </span>"<a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Awkward?src=hash"><s>#</s>Awkward</a>: sitting betw 3 Mormons when <a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC"><s>@</s>LindseyGrahamSC</a> asked <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gorsuch?src=hash"><s>#</s>Gorsuch</a> his polygamy question (Note: I pre-cleared this tweet w/the Mormons)"
<strong>In other news: </strong>The chance for South Salt Lake to host a homeless shelter went up this week when Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams told the city's mayor the number of sites in consideration within the city's borders had increased to four total. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5087457-155/south-salt-lake-protests-as-city"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/two-cities-seething-as-homeless-selection-deadline-looms"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]
-> Hundreds of South Salt Lake and West Valley residents lined up at the state Capitol to voice concerns in a desperate, pleading tone to the 16 people who sit on Salt Lake County's homeless site evaluation committee, which will help decide site to recommend to the state for a new homeless shelter. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5092006-155/latest-hearing-on-utah-homeless-shelters"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/22/hundreds-give-feedback-on-proposed-locations-for-homeless-shelter-in-salt-lake-county/"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]
<p class="p1">-> It's not just residents who are opposed to the site proposals. More than 70 South Salt Lake business owners who are worried they will lose customers and property value if a site in the city is approved held an emergency meeting to plan a strategy to fight back against the county. [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/22/business-owners-speak-out-against-proposal-to-put-homeless-shelters-in-south-salt-lake/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> During a naturalization ceremony at the Utah State Capitol, House Speaker Greg Hughes told 127 new U.S. citizens, "We are a nation of immigrants." [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5089691-155/127-people-naturalized-at-utah-state"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/meet-americas-newest-citizens/678421489"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/22/a-citizenship-celebration-127-new-americans-take-oath-at-state-capitol/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> On the final day of Judge Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Sen. Orrin Hatch questioned the candidate about religious freedom. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676203/Hatch-questions-Gorsuch-about-religious-freedom-in-Supreme-Court-confirmation-hearing.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Though 2015 data show that almost all people involved in fatal drunken driving crashes measured well above the 0.08 blood-alcohol content limit, lawmakers say a proposed bill awaiting Gov. Gary Herbert's signature that would reduce Utah's legal limit to 0.05 percent will save lives. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676230/Utah-drivers-in-most-DUI-fatals-test-well-above-08.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> A Utah gun rights group joined those opposed to the blood-alcohol content legislation, arguing the bill would have consequences for Second Amendment rights and self defense. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676221/Utah-gun-rights-group-takes-aim-at-05-DUI-law.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> This November, Blanding residents will vote on whether to allow alcohol sales in one of Utah's last remaining "dry" cities. [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/22/one-of-utahs-dry-cities-will-vote-on-whether-to-allow-alcohol-sales/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Gov. Gary Herbert has yet to veto a bill. Today, he signed another 66 bills from this year's Legislature into law. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5092081-155/gov-herbert-signs-rape-kits-bill"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/herbert-signs-bills-on-confidential-reporting-college-data"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Medical marijuana advocates say they're done waiting for Utah lawmakers to move toward legalizing the drug. Instead, they're trying to get an initiative on the November 2018 ballot that would allow the drug to be used for treatment. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5092032-155/utah-group-starts-medical-marijuana-ballot"; target="_blank">APviaTrib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Bears Ears is a national monument — for now — but its future is far from certain as Utah Republicans push for Trump and Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke to rescind its designation. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5091138-155/bears-ears-is-a-national-monument"; target="_blank">WaPostviaTrib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> San Juan County — home to Bears Ears — was America's fastest-growing county last year with a 7.56 percent growth rate. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5090064-155/san-juan-county-home-of-new"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
-> Opponents of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resource's crackdown on antler gathering have questioned the organization's authority to do so. But wildlife officials say the resulting reduced human contact has meant the difference between life and death for the state's deer population. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5086767-155/horns-of-a-dilemma-utah-wildlife"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paid Utah $464,000 to fully reimburse the state for costs incurred during the response to a 2015 mine water waste spill that soiled rivers in three Western states. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-reimbursed-for-cost-of-colorado-mine-spill-weigh-suit"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]
-> Conservation dogs from Canada visited Lake Powell— the only Utah reservoir infested with quagga mussels — to sniff out and prevent the spread of the invasive species. [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/k-9s-sniff-out-invasive-species-in-lake-powell/678555385"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]
<p class="p1">-> A report from Google's Project Sunroof says 71 percent of Salt lake City's rooftops could support solar panels. If implemented, the report says the solar panels would remove 403,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/22/71-of-salt-lake-citys-roofs-could-have-solar-panels-on-them/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Low gasoline prices last year led to lower ridership on Utah Transit Authority buses and trains — meaning UTA officials now get lower bonuses. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5091518-155/uta-ridership-down-so-bonuses-are"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> The Salt Lake City metropolitan area has the highest concentration of millennials among the nation's 60 largest housing markets, the lowest unemployment rate of the examined markets and is the third-most affordable. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5090941-155/among-nations-largest-metro-areas-salt"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Almost 400 townhomes in South Jordan's Daybreak Community have a building defect that's letting water and moisture inside and causing major damage — and homeowners are absorbing the costs to fix the problem. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/upset-daybreak-neighbors-face-huge-costs-to-fix-defective-townhomes"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Arguing that the disclosure of some documents created during an investigation of sexual assault allegations against a former Utah State University football player "would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy," the university is asking a court to block the records' release. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5091764-155/utah-state-appeals-to-keep-torrey"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">-> </span>Get a vasectomy and recover during the NCAA Tournament — that's the premise behind the University of Utah's U. Vas Madness campaign, which is now in its third year. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5081541-155/making-the-cut-u-health-runs"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<p class="p1">-> At a Salt Lake City discussion around fake news, three panelists from the journalism industry explored what news consumers can trust in the digital age and urged readers to take responsibility when engaging with media online to confirm the truth. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5091996-155/fake-or-fact-panelists-in-salt"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> President Donald Trump has remained silent since FBI Director James Comey's statements before the House Intelligence Committee about Russia earlier this week, so Robert Gehrke imagined what he might have tweeted after the testimony. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5086233-155/gehrke-fake-tweets-what-president-trump"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<strong>Nationally:</strong> The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said conversations by Trump or his associates may have been "incidentally" picked up after the election by American intelligence agencies conducting foreign surveillance. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/us/politics/devin-nunes-wiretapping-trump.html?emc=edit_ne_20170322&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=78265872&te=1&_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-intelligence-chair-says-its-possible-trumps-communications-were-intercepted/2017/03/22/f45e18ba-0f2d-11e7-9b0d-d27c98455440_story.html?utm_term=.48dc7905bcb1"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/politics/devin-nunes-trump-communications/"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/donald-trump-wiretapping-claim-vindicated-236379"; target="_blank">Politico</a>]
-> As of late Wednesday, roughly 30 Republicans said they either would vote against the measure to replace the Affordable Care Act or hadn't made up their minds yet for today's vote — leaving the bill's sponsors short of the approval they need. In a last-minute attempt to change the minds of members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Trump met with the group to negotiate changes to the bill. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/us/politics/health-care-vote-republicans.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/biden-defends-obamacare-hill-republican-leaders-hunt-votes-n737086"; target="_blank">NBCNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/03/22/521135511/republican-health-care-bill-undergoes-final-changes-ahead-of-vote"; target="_blank">NPR</a>]
-> Gorsuch steered around Democrats' sharp questioning and refused to share his personal views during his confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court. "You have been very much able to avoid any specificity like no one I have ever seen before," said California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/politics/gorsuch-confirmation-hearing-analysis/"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/news/325343-gorsuch-rewrites-playbook-for-confirmation-hearings"; target="_blank">TheHill</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/neil-gorsuch-confirmation-hearings-supreme-court-nominee-heads-into-day-3/2017/03/21/2c346a8c-0e93-11e7-ab07-07d9f521f6b5_story.html?utm_term=.54acbfcc0b28"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/us/politics/supreme-court-confirmation-neil-gorsuch.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>]
<strong>Where are they?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a> </strong>chairs an Oversight Committee hearing on transparency proposals and votes.</li>
<li>Rep. Chris <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a> </strong>attends a House Intelligence Committee briefing, meets with SilencerCo, votes and meets with constituents in his D.C. office.</li>
<li>Rep. Mia <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank">Love</a> </strong>attends a Financial Services Committee meeting, meets with constituents about water infrastructure needs, heads to a strategy meeting with staff, votes and flies back to Utah.</li>
<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a> </strong>holds a monthly news conference, joins KSL's Let Me Speak to the Governor Radio Show segment and reviews legislation.</li>
<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a> </strong>heads to a Multicultural Commission Meeting and an ASIS International Event and reviews legislation.</li>
<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>spends the day in his office.</li>
<li>President Donald <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Trump</a> </strong></strong>receives his daily intelligence briefing, meets with House Freedom Caucus members and has lunch with Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin and Nelson Peltz. He will then welcome truckers and CEOs for a listening session regarding healthcare.</li>
</ul>
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— Thomas Burr and Taylor Stevens
<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/tstevens95">Twitter.com/tstevens95</a>