Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, and Vice President Kamala Harris gesture as his wife Sue Snarr Curtis looks on during a ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. The 119th Congress begins its term on Capitol Hill today. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Friday was Republican Senator John Curtis’ first official day in a different chamber on Capitol Hill. The freshman senator from Utah was sworn in by outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris in the morning and, just after that, in a call with reporters, he asked the public to watch his work in the U.S. Senate.
“I have what feels like my whole life unfolding in front of me. Today we start this new beginning. And it’s clear to me that the hard work, the heavy lifting of governing actually begins, to say, today,” Curtis said in a virtual news conference on Friday. “I think politicians in general tend to say, ‘trust me, I’m going to go do a bunch of big things,’ but today, I’d like to actually give all of you an invitation to watch me.”
When asked about his first action as a senator — confirming President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks — Curtis said he has tried to take care in his assessments for the whole process.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Two names are still in headlines of uncertain cabinet appointments, as the nominees’ investigations are still underway.
One is Pete Hegseth, a Fox News contributor and Trump’s pick for Defense secretary who is being investigated for alleged misconduct.
The other is Kash Patel, who was nominated to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation while facing scrutiny after pushing conspiracy theories and stating he would “shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.’”
Curtis, Kennedy win U.S. Senate, House seats as Republicans lead Utah congressional races
Curtis said there will be an FBI background check for all nominees, and hearings with “really tough questions.”
“Both the case of Kash and Pete, I have spoken to people they’ve worked with, I’ve read their books, and I’m continuing to study them,” he said. “I do think that we need to move quickly. That doesn’t mean we can be sloppy or that we won’t do our job.”
Since time is of the essence, with a changing administration and many priorities to work toward in Congress, Curtis said he was pleased with a somehow speedy reelection of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, who he described as honest, well informed, educated, humble and God fearing.
“I think it shows a tone of ‘look, we have work to do, and we’re serious about it.’”
Another new face from Utah also took an office in Washington on Friday — Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy.
Kennedy quit the Utah Senate to run for Curtis’ former spot in the House. He’s a physician who sponsored state legislation banning gender-affirming surgery for minors in 2023. He also was part of the Utah delegation that helped confirm Trump as GOP presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention last year.
Curtis’ priorities
Curtis stepped up to replace former Republican Sen. Mitt Romney after spending seven years in the U.S. House representing Utah’s 3rd District. Still, he said on Friday, he brings “some scars from the House” with him.
In a fractured party, he realized that ununited, they were totally ineffective, he said. Now, with high expectations among constituents, such as bringing down inflation, solving issues at the border and being strong overseas, he’s making a commitment to work with the Senate, House and the president to “make substantial progress.”
Curtis will serve on the Senate committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; Foreign Relations; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. Expect from his mandate a strong support for Trump’s priorities, and a continuation of his work as congressman, he said.
“I’m ready to jump in on deficit spending and even Social Security,” Curtis said. “You’ll see me continue to lead an effort for conservative climate approach and holding China in check, unleashing American energy, public lands and federal lands, and bringing a stronger position for Utah.”
Additionally, he’s ready to work for substantial permitting reform, he said.
“I think for national security, that’s one of the most important things that we can do. There’s a recent article in our local press about 1 out of 4 having a difficult time paying for the utility bills,” he said. “That’s tied to permitting reform.”
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.