Utah lawmakers on Monday advanced a bill renaming a section of a state highway after President Donald Trump, a move that was met with strong opposition from Democrats and hundreds of Utah residents, the Deseret News reports.
The bill, H.R. 481, would rename the National Parks Highway the Donald J. Trump Utah National Parks Highway to thank the president for shrinking the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. The bill advanced out of the House Natural Resources Committee, 9-2.
The change would help send the message that “contrary to some beliefs out there, Donald Trump really is a supporter of public lands,” according to Rep. Mike Noel, the bill’s sponsor. “He’s a big supporter of national parks.”
Tribal nations and environmental groups have filed separate lawsuits challenging Trump’s actions in Utah, and Democrats have decried those changes.
A name change has also been denounced.
“Democrats are opposed to renaming one of Utah’s most beautiful scenic routes after an American president who has: openly bragged about sexually assaulting women; normalized lying and demonizing the press; failed to denounce dangerous hate groups; shown little integrity; shown more loyalty to Russia than to the United States; and who has shown contempt towards immigrants, minority groups, and anyone who does not share his nationalistic, zero-sum view of the world," House Minority Leader Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, said.
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