Today’s Agenda
Senator Lee meets
with the Utah Physical Therapy Association in the morning, then heads to a
Foreign Relations Committee meeting on the continued US involvement in
Libya. He sits down with Utah members of
the medical device industry this afternoon, and welcomes FTC Chairman Jon
Leibowitz for a brief discussion.
From the Senator’s Desk
Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Bob Corker (R-TN), and Mike Lee
(R-UT) introduced a joint resolution requiring the Administration to provide a
detailed justification of U.S. operations in Libya and prohibiting the
deployment of U.S. troops on the ground there. It further calls on the
President to request authorization for the continuation of U.S. involvement in
NATO activities and states that Congress should fully debate such a request
expediently. Nearly 90 days after the
initiation of force in Libya, such debate has not occurred.
From the Resolution:
Title: Prohibiting the deployment, establishment, or
maintenance of a presence of units and members of the United States Armed
Forces on the ground in Libya, and for other purposes.
Whereas the President has not sought, and Congress has not
provided, authorization for the introduction or continued involvement of the
United States Armed Forces in Libya; and
Whereas Congress has the constitutional prerogative to
withhold funding for any unauthorized use of the United States Armed Forces,
including for unauthorized activities regarding Libya: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
Congress makes the following statements of policy:
(1) The United States Armed Forces shall be used exclusively
to defend and advance the national security interests of the United States.
(2) The President has failed to provide Congress with a
compelling rationale based upon United States national security interests for
current United States military activities regarding Libya.
(3) The President shall not deploy, establish, or maintain
the presence of units and members of the United States Armed Forces on the
ground in Libya unless the purpose of the presence is limited to the immediate
personal defense of United States Government officials (including diplomatic
representatives) or to rescuing members of the United States Armed Forces from
imminent danger.
Watch Senator Lee discuss Libya: http://youtu.be/l6iNIhC2VZA
Recent Votes
On the amendment to delay the restriction on debit
interchange fees (S. Amdt. 392), Senator Lee voted YEA
Around the Water
Cooler
Economy:
Municipal budgets tight for fiscal 2012
Liberty:
“A new study on freedoms at the state level ranked Utah third in the nation for
freedom from regulation and 20th overall.”
Afghanistan:
“Instead of trying to fashion a Western-style democracy in Afghanistan, Crocker
said, the goal should be ‘sustainable stability.’”
A Look Ahead
The Senate continues to debate the Economic Development
Administration Reauthorization. More
than two dozen amendments to the bill have been proposed.