After a tense year, President Trump and Congress face challenge of agreeing on federal relief for Texas in wake of Hurricane Harvey. Family lays to rest Utah soldier killed in Afghanistan. Utah tribal leaders pledge a legal fight if Trump shrinks Bears Ears.
Happy Monday. President Donald Trump and Congress — which haven’t had the same opinion on much this year — face a pressing challenge: agreeing on recovery funding for Texas to clean up in the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s unprecedented floodwaters. It will be a test of whether the two branches can bridge a deep and growing divide to provide timely emergency relief. “I don’t think the wall becomes as important now as making sure that the individuals in Texas who have been suffering from this storm are taken care of,” said a former GOP staffer. [WaPost]
Topping the news: Utah’s top search and rescue team was sent to Texas to help people trapped by Hurricane Harvey. [Trib]
-> Aaron Butler, the Utah National Guard member killed in Afghanistan, was laid to rest Saturday. Family members remembered the 27-year-old man as brave and loving. [Trib]
-> Utah tribal leaders say they are ready for a legal fight over Bears Ears National Monument should President Donald Trump decide to shrink it. [Trib]
-> Rep. Rob Bishop held a town hall in Layton on Friday, where he was grilled on public lands. [Trib] [DNews]
Tweets of the weekend: From @ConanOBrien: ”Just think, 100 years from now, our grandchildren will be taking down Senator Kid Rock statues.”
-> From @joshgad: ”Woke up to a dangerous new world: N. Korea is developing 2 new missiles and Taylor Swift is being attacked by snakes at an alarming rate.”
-> From @mariskreizman: ”’I have the attention span to be enraged about Trump Tower Moscow, Houston, and Joe Arpaio simultaneously,’ she tweeted, from her honeymoon.”
Happy Birthday: To Rep. Chris Stewart’s legislative assistant Luci Arveseth and Winston Wilkinson.
Weekend in review: State and local leaders involved with Operation Rio Grande spoke with residents in Salt Lake City’s westside about a potential surge in crime brought on by the crackdown. [Trib]
-> The Utah Democratic Party said that it must hold a second convention this year after delegates left the first one before addressing the party platform, constitution and bylaws. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Former Salt Lake County Recorder Gary Ott’s aide, Julie Dole, is asking for severance after she was not retained by Adam Gardiner, who won the race for interim recorder. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The ROTC programs at BYU will not move their offices to UVU after the assigned colonel refused to sign the Honor Code. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley gives his take on Texas residents asking for aid in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. [Trib]
-> Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb weigh in on Confederate statues. [DNews]
Nationally: President Donald Trump will travel to Texas on Tuesday to assess the damage left in the path of Hurricane Harvey. [WaPost]
-> After holding a rally in Phoenix, Trump pardoned the controversial former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. [WaPost]
-> Trump’s deputy assistant Sebastian Gorka left his post Friday. [WaPost]
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-- Courtney Tanner and Emily Anderson
Follow @sltribpolitics