Press Releases

Lee Statement on Gun Bill Votes

Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook, we all wanted to find answers that would reduce crime and prevent the next senseless act of violence. Unfortunately, the Senate did not consider any proposals that would achieve these objectives. Instead, the primary effect of most of the bills we voted on today, including the expansion of background checks, was to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens.

A Common Sense Approach to Protecting the Utah Prairie Dog

I am aware of recent efforts within the state of Utah to empower local agencies with greater roles in protecting endangered species such as the Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle, the Gunnison Sage Grouse, the Greater Sage Grouse, and the Utah Prairie Dog. I am hopeful that the US Fish and Wildlife Service will recognize the value of working with local and state officials to actively manage protected species as opposed to protecting species through top-down mandates from Washington that can’t take into account local nuances like the locations of cemeteries, the safety needs of airports, or private property

Lee Statement on Release of Immigration Bill

As of this afternoon, senators have received only a set of talking points promoting the new immigration proposal. Once it has been released, I strongly encourage my colleagues to read the bill and then decide for themselves whether this reform will accomplish what proponents are promising. It is unfortunate that we have so little time to digest and evaluate such an expansive piece of legislation before we hold our initial committee hearing. As senators, it is our duty to read the bill and fully understand the impact it will have on our immigration system before casting votes.

Lee Signs Letter Condemning IRS Warrantless Searches

Today, Senator Mike Lee (UT) joined several of his colleagues in sending a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), condemning their practice of accessing citizens’ private electronic communications, including emails, without a warrant.

Lee Discusses Gun Control and Immigration on Meet the Press

the gun control proposals we’ve seen would serve primarily to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens while doing little, if anything, to actually prevent tragedies like this from occurring in the future.

Lee, Paul, Cruz: Senate to Vote on Gun Bill No One Has Read

This morning the Senate will vote on the motion to proceed to the firearms bill (S.649). It is expected that the Toomey-Manchin provision announced yesterday will replace the current language regarding background checks.

Lee: “Don’t the American people deserve to know what we are voting on?”

As I have argued on this floor, in the national media, and back home in Utah, we should not be legislating by using closed door, back room deals away from the eyes of the American people. We should not be voting before we understand exactly how these proposals will affect the rights of law abiding citizens and whether we can say with any level of certainty that they will reduce crime.

Lee: Timing of Immigration Hearing “Completely Inadequate”

A single hearing scheduled so quickly to discuss legislative language that is not yet even available is completely inadequate for Senators or the American people to get answers to the many questions a bill of this magnitude will inevitably raise. We could not possibly have a meaningful hearing with a substantive discussion of what will surely be over 1,000 pages of provisions we haven’t even yet seen.

Lee: We have no intention of preventing debate or votes on gun control bills

For several weeks now, Washington and the rest of the country have been debating several new gun control proposals. Along with a number of my colleagues, including the Minority Leader, I have declared my intention to resist an immediate vote on any new restrictions that would serve primarily to limit the freedoms of law-abiding citizens rather than reduce violent crime.

Senator Lee Shares Voices of American Citizens Who Want to Protect 2nd Amendment

The President has spent several weeks evoking the tragedy at Sandy Hook and highlighting the voices of the victims in an effort to promote his gun control proposals. But he has not explained to the American people how any of his new gun control measures would have prevented that or any other terrible tragedy or reduced gun violence in any measurable way.