Blog
The American people have a right to know the truth and the President has a responsibility to provide answers about the Benghazi terrorist attack on our consulate.
As with every piece of legislation that comes across my desk, I read the UNCRPD with a fine-tooth comb, analyzed it with my staff and my senate colleagues and found these five major concerns that give me great pause before allowing it’s passage into law. The Senate Foreign Relations committee convened just once to discuss the treaty and these concerns were not addressed, and while I am pleased that some of my colleagues are comfortable with it, I am not.
Sep 18 2012
Lee Holds Constitution Bowl for Local Students
Senator Mike Lee and the Utah League of Cities and Towns hosted the first annual "Constitution Bowl" on Friday, September 14, testing the knowledge of teams from four local high schools on topics related to the U.S. Constitution and government. The event was held in honor of the 225th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution and to get students talking about the country’s founding document.
Sep 17 2012
Happy Constitution Day!
Today, Americans celebrate the 225th Anniversary of the signing of the Constitution – that enduring document that guarantees the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that our Founders envisioned at the birth of our nation.
Sep 13 2012
Evaluating Our Presence in Libya
First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and colleagues of Ambassador Chris Stevens and the three other Americans killed in Libya. The events and tragedies over the last 48 hours in Egypt and Libya remind us that the values we hold dear in America are constant targets in the most dangerous parts of the world.
The Administration’s response has been a mixed message to the world. At a time when Americans are outraged at the killing of four American citizens, including our chief diplomat in Libya, as well as the destruction of our consulate there, the President appears more concerned with offending the protesters. His statements have scantly mentioned the need to bring the perpetrators to justice. And he has not yet given any indication that he is using what leverage he has to demand the full cooperation of Libyan officials to investigate the killings.
More broadly, we must also evaluate the value of our presence in Libya. After the fall of Qadafi, Americans were right to assume we would have a friend in the newly liberated country. But progress has been difficult. There is not yet a fully functional government in Libya. On July 7, 2012, Libyan voters chose 200 members of a General National Congress (GNC) in the country’s first nationwide election in 30 years. The GNC is now charged with overseeing national government affairs, appointing a new cabinet, and determining the method for drafting a new constitution. But as we are now painfully aware, whatever form this new government takes, it is not yet capable of protecting our embassy and consulates.
We should close the consulate in Benghazi and vacate the premises. America has a clear history on this front. The U.S.withdrew its last Ambassador to Libya in 1972; a few years later, all remaining U.S. government personnel were withdrawn and the consulate was shut down after a mob attacked and set fire to it on December 2, 1979. In that incident no one was killed, yet the American response was swift and firm. A diplomatic presence in Libya was not restored until 2004.Only after the Libyan government has demonstrated the ability to ensure the safety of American diplomats should we reopen a U.S. consulate.
We also have significant leverage through the funding Libya now receives from the U.S. As of August 2012, the United States government has provided more than $200 million in assistance to Libya since the beginning of the uprising in 2011. If Libya is unwilling to lend its full cooperation to finding the criminals who took American lives, we should cut some or all of the funding Libya receives.
Finally, it is important to remember that a consulate is a diplomatic and policy center, not a military base. Apart from protecting and removing American citizens, there is no reason to put Marines there. Absent a defined purpose, time period, and desired result, the United States should not engage in military operations in Libya.
Libya has the potential to be a great American ally and an advocate of democracy and freedom in the region. The United States will stand ready to support Libya if these are its aims, but not until it has shown this is the path it will pursue.
The Administration’s response has been a mixed message to the world. At a time when Americans are outraged at the killing of four American citizens, including our chief diplomat in Libya, as well as the destruction of our consulate there, the President appears more concerned with offending the protesters. His statements have scantly mentioned the need to bring the perpetrators to justice. And he has not yet given any indication that he is using what leverage he has to demand the full cooperation of Libyan officials to investigate the killings.
More broadly, we must also evaluate the value of our presence in Libya. After the fall of Qadafi, Americans were right to assume we would have a friend in the newly liberated country. But progress has been difficult. There is not yet a fully functional government in Libya. On July 7, 2012, Libyan voters chose 200 members of a General National Congress (GNC) in the country’s first nationwide election in 30 years. The GNC is now charged with overseeing national government affairs, appointing a new cabinet, and determining the method for drafting a new constitution. But as we are now painfully aware, whatever form this new government takes, it is not yet capable of protecting our embassy and consulates.
We should close the consulate in Benghazi and vacate the premises. America has a clear history on this front. The U.S.withdrew its last Ambassador to Libya in 1972; a few years later, all remaining U.S. government personnel were withdrawn and the consulate was shut down after a mob attacked and set fire to it on December 2, 1979. In that incident no one was killed, yet the American response was swift and firm. A diplomatic presence in Libya was not restored until 2004.Only after the Libyan government has demonstrated the ability to ensure the safety of American diplomats should we reopen a U.S. consulate.
We also have significant leverage through the funding Libya now receives from the U.S. As of August 2012, the United States government has provided more than $200 million in assistance to Libya since the beginning of the uprising in 2011. If Libya is unwilling to lend its full cooperation to finding the criminals who took American lives, we should cut some or all of the funding Libya receives.
Finally, it is important to remember that a consulate is a diplomatic and policy center, not a military base. Apart from protecting and removing American citizens, there is no reason to put Marines there. Absent a defined purpose, time period, and desired result, the United States should not engage in military operations in Libya.
Libya has the potential to be a great American ally and an advocate of democracy and freedom in the region. The United States will stand ready to support Libya if these are its aims, but not until it has shown this is the path it will pursue.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senator Lee made the following statement regarding the recent settlement of an antitrust dispute between a group of retailers and credit card companies.
Consumers benefit when free market forces are allowed to determine prices. As a result, lawmakers shouldn't interfere with those competitive forces. Existing antitrust remedies are generally sufficient to address particular instances of anticompetitive conduct and restore competitive balance. I believe the government ought not be in the business of picking winners and losers in the marketplace, especially since legislation addressing specific allegations of anticompetitive behavior can result in broad and unintended negative consequences.
These principles apply to the market for credit cards, including the market for the interchange fees that retailers pay credit card companies and banks for the use of those cards. Last week’s settlement agreement between Visa and MasterCard on the one hand, and retailers on the other, demonstrates the adequacy of existing antitrust law to remedy alleged anticompetitive behavior. This settlement was negotiated in an effort to restore competitive market balance and will allow credit card companies and retailers to get back to work serving consumers.
Consumers benefit when free market forces are allowed to determine prices. As a result, lawmakers shouldn't interfere with those competitive forces. Existing antitrust remedies are generally sufficient to address particular instances of anticompetitive conduct and restore competitive balance. I believe the government ought not be in the business of picking winners and losers in the marketplace, especially since legislation addressing specific allegations of anticompetitive behavior can result in broad and unintended negative consequences.
These principles apply to the market for credit cards, including the market for the interchange fees that retailers pay credit card companies and banks for the use of those cards. Last week’s settlement agreement between Visa and MasterCard on the one hand, and retailers on the other, demonstrates the adequacy of existing antitrust law to remedy alleged anticompetitive behavior. This settlement was negotiated in an effort to restore competitive market balance and will allow credit card companies and retailers to get back to work serving consumers.
Jul 18 2012
Floor Speech on Raising Taxes
Below is a transcript of the remarks I gave on the Senate floor today regarding the Democrats' proposal to raise taxes:
Jun 27 2012
The Historic Decision
In anticipation of the Supreme Court's decision on this historic case, Senator Lee provides his analysis of each of these issues to help Americans better understand the impact that this decision will have on the healthcare system, the limits of Congress' power, the boundaries between state and federal power, and the individual liberties of all Americans.
Jun 20 2012
Eliminating the Forest Legacy Program
The farm bill that the Senate is currently considering contains a reauthorization of the Forest Legacy Program. The program uses taxpayer money to pay landowners to not develop their land, acquire land with the specific purpose of not developing it, and purchase “conservation easements” that limit development rights on land with certain “conservation values.”
Jun 19 2012
Regulating the Regulators
We can have sensible regulations that keep our air and our water and other aspects of our environment clean. We need those things; we want those things as Americans. We can also have a balanced approach that considers the economic cost of new rules and restrictions on small businesses and on consumers. That's what we need.