Congressional Future Caucus: Rep. Blake Moore on new bipartisan role

SALT LAKE CITY — Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, is the new co-chairman of the Congressional Future Caucus, which aims to solve problems in a bipartisan and civil fashion. The road to that goal has been uphill, he said.

Moore joined Inside Sources host Boyd Matheson to discuss his new role and the effort to find bipartisanship in a very divided town — Washington, D.C.

Catching up to tech

“Tell us just a little bit about the genesis of this Future Caucus. We’re really looking at millennials, and what that means for the country,” Boyd said.

Read more: Moore, Jacobs tapped to lead bipartisan caucus for young representatives

Moore said there’s a bipartisan push in the caucus for modernizing policy work and the legislative process.

“Policy oftentimes lags so far behind technology,” Moore said. ” . . . Electric vehicles, right? We struggle to be able to implement policy that keeps up with all the changes that are going on in technology.”

Moore said it has been hard to build relationships with other members of Congress due to the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, COVID protocols and the cancellation of freshman orientation.

“I had heard from other members who are more veteran. They’re like, ‘Oh, that orientation time is a really awesome time. You get to interact and get to know people,'” he said. 

“I’m so glad you raised the orientation issue because I saw that as . . .  always such a unique period of everybody’s learning, everybody’s new, everyone’s getting lost in the tunnels underneath the Capitol trying to figure out where their committee room is,” Boyd said.

Being ‘Moore’ bipartisan: getting along with the others

Compromise between congressional Democrats and Republicans is possible, Moore said, citing the bipartisan work to reform entitlements in 1997.

“That entitlement reform is something they were able to do, even in a bipartisan way. I know that the framework — and what they want to do — is there, but it’s getting Republicans and Democrats to agree on what framework ultimately is,” Moore said.

Cybersecurity and young reps

“In terms of cyber, that seems to be another area where younger members of Congress can come together and get to some good policy solutions,” Boyd asked.

Moore said congressional work on cybersecurity needs to be led by industry.

“One of the things I’m excited about is meeting with some companies in Utah that are doing a lot of really, really good work in thinking about what are the potential threats and issues going forward,” he said.

Moore said cybersecurity is not only about national security, but financial and consumer protection as well.

“I think the industry is ahead of this, more so than even government. I’m wanting to embrace that side of it to be able to engage with experts,” he said.

Bringing the rhetorical heat down

“In addition to going after certain policy goals, you’re also really looking at how can we change the dialogue. How can we elevate the conversation there in Congress?” Boyd asked. “Tell me about some of your work there, some of the things you hope to accomplish in this Future Caucus, as it relates to the rhetoric and the tone in our nation’s capital.”

“I look back at my professional career, and there was, I guarantee you, there was always things that we disagreed with,” Moore said. “But when you have to be present with people and interacting with them, you can find common ground. There are always going to be wedge issues that we may never ultimately agree on, but the other issues just need a little bit more collaboration.”

 

Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson can be heard weekdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app.