First lady for the choir, for donnie and marie, tonight, every step of the way, please give the good governor and the first lady a round of applause. [applause] gov. Herbert were honored to have everybody here and thank you. Welcome to utah, this has been a great event so far. I appreciate the little gift i just got from my good friend, governor of montana. Its a monocle. It allows me to see the fine print when i sign legislation. [laughter] for the last year, ive had the distinct honor and privilege of representing americas 55 governors of our states and territories. Couldnt be more pleased witch the work we have done together. Governors all across the country are on the frontlines and their states each and every day. Theyre serving constituents, coming up with Real Solutions. Unfortunately for us, fortunately for us, we have support from the National Governor association along that way as well. Nga staff has been especially helpful to me throughout my tenure as governor of montana. I still remember showing up in california for the new governors academy, or what Governor Hogan and i call baby governor school. Even doing that with my peers, democrats and republicans, gave me a Good Foundation to start serving. Then more recently National GovernorAssociation Staff provided me the resources and platform to take my chairs initiative, good jobs for all americans, and make it a great success. With the support of nga then and the governors coming along, we and countless partners have taken the positive steps to create a future ready workforce. We sparked the conversation but conversation about the growing skills gap and empowering the nation to make sure no american is left behind in our evolving economy. Want to take a moment and recognize interim director nicky gilford as well as her staff at the nga. Thank you for stepping into this. This isnt in the script you wrote. [cheers and applause] gov. Bullock but for those that also dont know, nicki was going to be transitioning from nga and working for governor dewine and planned to do that long before we asked her to be the interim executive director and you have been a star. Thank you. Its also my pleasure to announce in the governors only meeting today that we announced and approved, were going to have a new executive director, bill mcbride. He worked for governor engler in michigan. Governor snyder is his dc rep and has incredible experience on the hill as well. Think that bill mcbride is a person thats really well positioned to take National Governors association to serve the voices of the 55 governors, as we go forward. So thanks so much, bill, as well. [applause] gov. Bullock i would also, i guess, take the chairs discretion. I want to thank my staff. Often, we take on a new project with awe and excitement, while our staff is like with dread and what did he sign up for this time . And when it comes to doing this National Governor association work, what it really does is piles additional responsibilities on folks already working hard for montana. So Adam Schaeffer and my staff, thank you so much for your good work. [applause] and id like to thank my fellow governors for supporting me throughout the exciting journey. When you sign up for nga leadership, you sign up for not one year but two years. I served as vice chair under former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and then had as my vice chair governor larry hogan and both working with them have made me both a better governor, better leader and a better person. Thank each of you as governors when you provided input on what the National Governor association can be and should be, and thanks for the support of our initiative did our initiative. And thanks for what you do every day. It gives me great pleasure at a time when political divisiveness seems to distract from what is being accomplished that you all together at nga gives the platform to work past the politics and work sidebyside to make our states and nation a better place. For the last couple of days, we have shared best practices and learned from each other, enjoyed each Others Companies and listened to one another and respected one another. Our governors continue to show we truly are the United States of america. It is a bittersweet day for me in many respects as i pass the baton to the new chair, but im more than confident in my friend Maryland Governor, larry hogan. He has already shown his strong leadership, putting his all into the organization while serving as vice chair and then jumping into the chair ship head first. Its any honor to announce the new York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been named as the vice chair. Im confident that Governor Hogan and Governor Cuomo will continue our long and important legacy of bipartisanship. Join me in congratulating governor larry hogan, vice chair andrew cuomo, and each of the new executive committee. [applause] bullock now i like to call on the new vice chair, andrew cuomo, to say a few words. [applause] thank you very much. Lets give governor bullock another big round of applause and thank him for his leadership. [applause] gov. Cuomo were all excited that chairman hogan i like chairman better than governor in some ways chairman hogan is taking over the helm and has already demonstrated his commitment, energy, effort and his achievement. Lets give chairman hogan a big round of applause. [applause] gov. Cuomo and governor herbert, the dean of the governors, thank you for the hospitality and courtesy. Everything has been beautiful. Governor herbert. [applause] im a new yorker so i know you expect a blunt new york style assessment, and i dont want to disappoint so here it is. Washington is a political mess. That is my shocking, revealing, candid assessment. It is also as plain as the nose on my face, which is saying something. So much for new york bluntness. Because in the case of washington, the truth is obvious to all. Washington is in a state of political paralysis, and that paralysis has stymied functionality. I was speaking to a congressman the other day, and i was saying, we need washington to work. I cant do my job without washington working, and the congressman said, well, we have been making progress recently. And i said, congressman, progress is a relative concept. Did you ever hear the story what what the snail said when it went for a ride on the turtles back . Whee [laughter] so washington has been making progress, not enough. Dont get me wrong, governors are also good at pontification. But we havebattles to keep the lights on and balance a budget and respond to daily need. Governors cannot filibuster to solve the opioid epidemic. Fromnt take a recess educating a child and cant rely on a parliamentary point of order to build a road. Governors must deliver. Justice brandeis spoke about laboratories of democracy. We are beyond that now. Yes, were still laboratories of democracy, but states are now factories of democracy. And were hospitals of democracy and schools of democracy and democracy and roads and bridges of democracy and Emergency Managers of democracy and the job generators of democracy. States have no choice but to proceed on their own the best they can to be the most functional unit of government. It is hard, its not ideal. Its not the intended design. Nor is it sustainable longterm, but it is essential today. How long the political paralysis lasts in washington is anyones guess. There was this is not the first time theres been a strange illness in washington. In the 1830s, there was cholera outbreak. In 1865, typhus. In 1918, influenza. Lets hope this passes faster and with less pain. But the governors job is to deal with the here and now and today the burden falls to us, the states, to get results. To help people to better lives , to solve problems and to make progress. That is what it is all about at the end of the day. And the same time, i believe that is the best antidote to the washington paralysis, to reduce the anxiety, fear, division, that caused the paralysis in the first place. Working together as seemingly simple but extraordinarily profound as that concept is, is the cure. As president of the United States in 1908, the former governor, new york, teddy roosevelt, convened a nations governors to washington because he understood the states roles in the essential notion of federalism. That was the initiation of the nga. It may have taken 111 years for a new yorker to become vice chair of the nga. [laughter] gov. Cuomo i dont take it personally. But i couldnt be more proud to be part of the team. Never before has there been a more important time to use our collective strength as governors to show how to lead this nation forward. Never has there been a more important time to show the people of this country that we can still find commonality, and there is still a collective and unity is not an illusion. , thega is, in many ways only National Vehicle that can do it. The nga led the way in 1908 and together the nga will lead the way once again. I look forward to working with each and every member of this distinguished body. Thank you. [applause] gov. Bullock thank you, Governor Cuomo, and again congratulations on becoming nga vice chair. I started my tenure as chair with respect for Governor Hogan. I end my tenure with not only respect but also with trust, admiration and a sincere friendship. Governor hogan, thank you for not only all the support you , and all of the governors over this last year. Thank you for your tireless dedication as well as your staff. And please come up because it is not only time for transfer of the gavel, and then i made sure you cant see it from out here but it says maryland, Governor Hogan, nga chair, made out of a little barbed wire from montana. Thank you. Thank you very much. Just really quickly issue want to again thank chairman bullock for his incredible leadership over the last year. His initiative on better jobs for all americans was a tremendous success. I want to thank you. You can do great partner to work with. Its been fun. We all thank you for your leadership. I have a few gifts for you. I know that you have a lot of cowboy boots and you can never have enough boots, as they are made for walking, so we have boots in here. We have a Great Company in maryland called under armour and so wew you are running, have a bag of goodies you cant get in montana. Thank you. K thats cool. [applause] gov. Bullock thank you all. Attention ton your the screens as well play short video about the next governors chairs initiative. [video clip] bullock its been an honor to serve as chair of the National Governors association. With Governor Hogan as my vice chair, Governor Hogan has a proven record of chair hogans initiative. Both sides must come together to address this issue. Infrastructure is a priority in montana and across the nation. It is a way to create good paying jobs while ensuring our communities remain viable. I look forward to hearing the ideas and best practices that come out of chair hogans initiatives. Its only when the partisan shouting stops that we can hear each others voices and concerns. I am prepared to create an environment of trust and cooperation. What i envision for maryland is not just an economic and fiscal recovery but a rebirth of our spirit, and a renewed commitment to our common purpose. Starting today, let me say loudly and clearly, maryland is open for business. [cheers and applause] one and a half years ago Governor Hogan launched an initiative to make maryland open for business. We have experienced four years of consecutive recordsetting growth. We had the busiest month ever. The governor launched a 600 Million Investment to improve the baggage handling system, restrooms, retail operations. Three, two, one. Were open the new concourse connecting terminal d and e is open, including an eightlane security checkpoint. Gov. Hogan since i have been governor, we have deepened the port and its only one of the deep water ports that can handle the biggest ships in the world, increasing the value of the port, increasing jobs and revenues to the site. The confidence level and the support that the Hogan Administration has provided understanding there is a True Partnership and understanding of what drives business and the market has responded incredibly well. A growth of almost 90 . Almost a 9 annual growth rate. Governor hogan recognized for the washington metropolitan area that metro is the life blood of our system, our economy. The purple line project providing rail transportation between the states two largest counties. He worked aggressively with me and other local leaders across partisan lines. A white republican governor. He acts like regular human being. It is what it is, we are making it work. In my state, happens to be a more than two to one democratic state. Im a republican governor. My legislation is twothirds majority of the opposite party. We got together with the democrats and legislature and the local and federal government for the largest e3 Transit System in north america. Across america. Has thee of maryland second worst Traffic Congestion in america. Its just parked. The cars are wall to wall and i cant get across. I am trying to take a left. Gov. Hogan folks spending lives sitting in soulcrushing traffic. Not for the faint of heart. This is a big deal. The governor just concluded a press conference, i270, i495 and 295 all to get four additional lanes each. Gov. Hogan this is a Publicprivate Partnership, 9 billion project where we get private Sector Investment without the need to raise taxes on our citizens. Governor hogan announces another plan to east major Traffic Congestion in maryland and comes a month after the after he unveiled a plan to add lanes. Tolls in maryland have sending had an increase of 300 . I cut tolls also every single facility for the first time in 50 years. We have put 370 million back into the pockets of struggling maryland families and Small Businesses and back into our growing economy. He lowered the tolls and i saw a change in maryland instantly. I know 25 doesnt seem like a lot but to a single mom it is. Gov. Hogan our most important Natural Resources the chesapeake bay. Its a national treasure. Pollution doesnt respect political boundaries and in addition to a strong investment in the environmental the environment, the governor wasted no time in helping to broker a historic agreement between the Environmental Community and the agriculture community. Gov. Hogan the bay is now the cleanest its been in recorded history. 100 years from now i want marylanders to say that this was when marylands renaissance began. [applause] hogan rebuilding americas infrastructure, a critical issue. Not only for our states but for the entire country. The unique role of being the governor of the state, we have to govern every day and get things happen in our state. Our goal is to get all of the best ideas from all of or governors and get washington on board and make some real progress. [applause] please welcome back to stage the new chair of the National Governors association, Maryland Governor larry hogan. Gov. Hogan i just want to sincerely thank all of my fellow governors for electing me as the chairman of the nga. Im so honored to have this opportunity to lead the nations governors over the next year. I can remember going to my very first seminar for new governors, or as steve and i like to call school baby governor back in 2014 after i was first elected. And i didnt know any of the governors and i can tell you it was hard for me to tell the democrats from the republicans. And i realized right then how special and how unique this organization is. The nga is not just about representing americas governors. Its also about what americas governors represent. While partisanship and dysfunction have consumed washington, in states all across the country, governors are working together in a bipartisan way, showing real leadership, making real progress, and finding Real Solutions to the Serious Problems that face us. Our nations governors on both sides of the aisle are finding new ways to innovate, to reform, and to drive the debate. Four years ago in maryland, i committed to usher in a new era of bipartisan trust and cooperation, were the best ideas could rise to the top regardless of which side of the aisle they come from. I pledge to govern with civility and moderation and avoid the attempts to drive us to the extremes of either political purity political party. That common sense practice pragmatism has guided our path forward and other governors across the country on so many of the Biggest Challenges like health care, education and the environment. We have sought out Common Sense Solutions and gotten things done. One of the things that makes americans so special, so exceptional, is that when we see something thats broken, we fix it. Or at least we try to. And like so many of you, im fed up with the angry and divisive politics that is literally tearing our country apart. In Washington People in both , parties seem to be moving away from Com