Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitt Romney is nearing the end of his first and only term in the U.S. Senate, after deciding against a second run. Romney, who earlier served as governor of Massachusetts and was a Republican presidential nominee, said it was time for the "next generation" of leaders to step forward.
Romney served during a tumultuous six years, starting his service in January 2019, midway through Donald Trump's first term as president, and a year before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. was also roiled during the summer of 2020 by demonstrations — sometimes violent — that spread across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
And then there was Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters at the U.S. Capitol tried to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden as winner of the presidential election. Romney called the events of that day an "insurrection" and said Trump "incited" his supporters to action.
He also traveled to Israel after the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and fought for funding for Ukraine after Russia invaded in February 2022.
Romney saw some of his most productive legislative years after President Biden took office in 2021, when Democrats had control of the House and Senate, but were well short of the 60 votes needed to pass legislation in the Senate.
Romney and a group of like-minded senators, including then-Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona — who both later left their party to become independents — worked with other Republicans, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, to help negotiate and pass legislation like the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act.
During these negotiations, Romney also focused on securing funding for projects in Utah, including for Hill Air Force Base, the Great Salt Lake and for a new passport office.
He admits there are many things left undone.
When Romney decided to run for Senate in 2018, he said he wanted to tackle the national debt — and it's only grown since then, despite his and others' efforts.
Romney sponsored and championed a bill, the Fiscal Stability Act, that aimed to force lawmakers to face the growing national debt. Despite the bill receiving bipartisan support, he couldn't get it across the finish line.
During his last visit to Utah, he listed five of his biggest worries — the debt, growing authoritarianism in the world, artificial intelligence, climate change and performative politics.
But on Tuesday, Romney took a moment to look back at his record in the Senate and celebrate the wins he feels he was able to accomplish.
"In just one month, I will reach the end of my Senate term — time has flown by," Romney said in the intro to the report. "Over the last six years, we have faced many challenges. Yet, we've been able to accomplish important things for the Beehive State and our country. I'm also grateful for the tireless efforts of my team to improve the lives of Utahns."
Romney released a video to accompany the report on what he considers his Top 10 accomplishments.
Here is what Romney sees as his 10 greatest accomplishments during his six years in the Senate:
1. Bipartisan infrastructure bill
In 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, with Romney and nine other U.S. senators present for the signing. Romney was one of 10 senators — five Republicans and five Democrats — who worked closely on the legislation. Romney said at the time the bill "represents the largest investment in infrastructure in our nation's history."
Part of a $1.2 trillion package, including $550 billion for new investments and programs, the bill included billions of dollars for road, public transit and water projects across the U.S., including in Utah.
The bill — which saw about $3 billion go toward Utah infrastructure repair — was rejected by Utah's four Republican congressmen and Sen. Mike Lee at the time. Still, Romney said he was "proud" to have worked on the bill, "which includes historic investments that will benefit Utah and rebuild our nation's physical infrastructure," he said. "This legislation shows that Congress can deliver for the American people when members from both sides of the aisle are willing to work together to address our country's critical needs."
2. Drought and wildfire work
Representing a state with a plethora of breathtaking landscapes, Romney contributed to numerous initiatives to preserve Utah's outdoors as a beloved space for both locals and tourists to enjoy. The legislation he sponsored included:
- Enhancing Mitigation and Building Effective Resilience Act: Introduced in June, Romney and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., worked on the legislation to modernize wildfire Prevention and management across the country.
- MATCH Act: A bipartisan bill between Utah, California and Colorado to accelerate aid and cleanup for communities affected by wildfire disasters.
- Central Utah Project: Ensured $160 million "to provide water for municipal use, mitigation, hydroelectric power, fish and wildlife and conservation" for the state of Utah.
3. The Great Salt Lake
In 2022, when the lake was reaching record lows, Romney introduced the Great Salt Lake Recovery Act to allow "engineers to study the hydrology of saline lake ecosystems in the Great Basin," as well as in the Great Salt Lake "to investigate the feasibility of a project for ecosystem restoration and drought solutions in the Great Salt Lake."
"It is incumbent on us to take action now which will preserve and protect this critical body of water for many generations to come," Romney said when the legislation was initially passed.
