Undoubtedly, conservative lawmakers will set aside Ronald Reagan Day, urge Congress to push President Bush's Social Security privatization plan through and celebrate Marriage Week.
They will recognize the Bear River Heritage Area, stroke awareness, outgoing Utah State University President Kermit Hall and Waldo Wilcox's efforts to preserve the Range Creek Area for archaeological exploration.
And they will oppose nuclear testing, support moderately sized schools and appreciate Utah's military personnel.
The one thing on Capitol Hill that Republican and Democratic lawmakers can agree on are the largely fluffy, feel-good messages. This year, there are more than 70 legislative resolutions under consideration. Some would have concrete results. For example, one would place a constitutional amendment on the ballot for voters to decide whether to limit the governor to two terms. Others serve more nebulous purposes, like recognizing the Golden Rule Project.
Call them legislative editorials.
"They are effective in letting people know where we're at," said House Speaker Greg Curtis. "But I would question their overall effectiveness."
Most resolutions don't cost anything but time. But resolutions that propose putting an issue on the ballot carry a $11,500 fiscal note. Legislative Research Director Mike Christensen said the number of resolutions stays steady from year to year.
For several years, it was former Murray Republican Rep. Chad Bennion's self-appointed task to draft resolutions supporting Bush's initiatives, including the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This year - after the searchers came up empty-handed and Bennion was booted from his seat - that duty has fallen to Rep. Mike Morley.
Morley was somewhat sheepish this week when he introduced his third resolution encouraging approval of Bush's judicial nominees. "Bear with me here," the Spanish Fork Republican asked colleagues. Still, he insisted the resolution would send an important message to federal lawmakers.
Americans for Tax Reform paid for Morley, along with more than 30 other state legislators, to fly to Washington and meet with Bush in preparation for sponsoring similar resolutions in state legislatures across the country.
ATR President Grover Norquist credits legislative resolutions with changing the final vote on Bush's 2001 tax cuts. And ex-U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., ignored his state legislature's resolutions at his own peril, Norquist said.
"They're very important. They allow state legislatures to put themselves on the record on national issues, which they have a right to do," Norquist said. "The president is very appreciative."
Morley didn't bother sending his three resolutions to the Senate. "I didn't want to take up a lot of time," he said.
Sen. Lyle Hillyard would appreciate similar discretion from one of his colleagues. He vented some steam Friday about controversial statements that mean nothing - in particular, South Weber Republican Sen. Dave Thomas' resolution urging Congress to block U.S. involvement in the Free Trade Areas of the Americas.
"We spend a lot of time debating issues that generate a lot of bad feelings that really don't mean anything," the Logan Republican said.
Saving time wasn't an issue last year, when former Clearfield Republican Rep. Don Bush's resolution to pull the U.S. out of the United Nations took up hours.
Sometimes, lawmakers resort to resolutions when their colleagues resist legislation on the issue. Orem Republican Rep. Margaret Dayton abandoned her 2004 legislation opting out of No Child Left Behind and replaced it with a resolution. This year, Provo GOP Rep. Jeff Alexander's resolution delves into the bank and credit union debate lawmakers managed to avoid last year. The nonbinding resolution already has burned up a fair amount of committee and floor time.
Every lawmaker insists his or her resolution is the exception to complaints about do-nothing message bills.
Holladay Democratic Rep. Pat Jones, one of the most vocal critics of the time spent on resolutions, has her own this year: a measure encouraging schools to improve nutrition and physical education programs. Last year, she withdrew a bill requiring school districts to stock healthy food in elementary school vending machines after lawmakers gutted it on the House floor.
"I'm not a resolution fan. They waste a lot of time," she said. "But this is important."
