Today’s Agenda
Senator Lee is in Utah during the Senate Recess Work Period
meeting with a number of constituents and groups.
From the Senator’s
Desk
“Today, Senator Mike Lee applauded the decision by Secretary
of the Interior Salazar to not designate
any lands as “Wild Lands” in accordance with the 2011 Continuing Resolution.
Senator Lee also indicated he stands ready to work with the Utah state
legislature and other state and local officials to evaluate current wilderness
study areas.
“Secretary Salazar has rightly recognized that Congress, and
not the Department of the Interior, has the authority to designate wilderness
areas; he has also recognized the importance of working with federal, state and
local representatives in managing federal land,” said Senator Lee, who sits on
the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“With nearly 70 percent of Utah lands under federal control, it is
critical that we have a say early in the process to protect the rights of
Utahns and all Americans to access and use federal lands…”
Today’s news was welcomed by Senator Lee as an
acknowledgment that the Interior Department cannot and should not act
unilaterally to impose a highly restrictive land use policy.
“The ‘wild lands’ policy that was abandoned by the Secretary
today would have harmed the Utah economy, prevented job growth, blocked
domestic energy development, and resulted in less revenue for our state,” Lee
added. “I appreciate that the Secretary
has shifted his position and we can now work together with state and local
officials to determine the future designation of our current wilderness study
areas.”
#2ndOpinion
“[White House press Secretary Jay] Carney said Obama plans to listen to their concerns but will also
underscore their duty to the nation by citing a letter that President Ronald
Reagan sent to Capitol Hill demanding a debt limit increase in 1983. ‘The risks, the costs, the disruptions and the
incalculable damage lead me to but one conclusion: The Senate must pass this legislation
before the Congress adjourns,’ the letter says. Carney added: ‘We agree with
Ronald Reagan and many others that we cannot default.’” – House
rejects proposal to raise debt ceiling, The Washington Post 6/1/2011
Everyone is in agreement we should not default on our debt
obligations. However, the President
disagrees that we should do anything to fix the problem. He wants a “clean” debt ceiling vote, meaning
the President wants to push Americans further into debt without addressing the
reasons why we have so much debt in the first place. That is the very definition of being fiscally
irresponsible.
Around the Water
Cooler
Gas
Prices: “Our problem is a president who would rather buy foreign oil than
produce it here in America and is willing to subsidize those purchases as well,
even if it means shipping American jobs overseas.”
Debt
Limit: House overwhelmingly rejects “clean” debt limit
Public Land:
Obama ditches idea for “Wild Lands”
A Look Ahead
A report out today says just 38,000 jobs were created in
May, significantly below the 175,000 that economists predicted. While
the Administration is focused on scaring seniors and raising taxes on America’s
energy producers, the economy continues to flounder. As the Work Period comes to a close and the
Senate goes back in to session next week, Senate Republicans will look to
highlight the President’s unimpressive record on creating jobs.