Today’s Agenda
This morning, Senator Lee is the featured guest at the American Spectator’s monthly media breakfast. He will discuss the policy agenda he will pursue this fall. Senator Lee also meets with representatives from the Utah Tourism Industry, the Utah branch of NAIFA, Proctor & Gamble, and has interviews with Lou Dobbs and the New York Times. He also attends his regularly scheduled constituent social hour at 3:30 pm. All are welcome.
From the Senator’s Desk
Democrats Oppose President’s Plan
“Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, said the caucus isn’t yet united behind all of Obama’s proposals to cover the bill’s $447 billion cost.” (“Obama Plan To Tax Health Benefits Stirs Democratic Opposition,” Bloomberg, 9/14/11)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “‘I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do yet with the president’s jobs bill, but we’re going to have a full caucus meeting on it on Thurs,’ Reid told reporters, saying merely that he had introduced the bill Tuesday. A number of Democrats have previously opposed some of the ideas in the bill.” (“Reid Not Sure if Obama’s Jobs Bill Can Pass,” Fox News, 9/13/11)
SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): ‘Terrible.’ ‘We shouldn’t increase taxes on ordinary income.’ “‘Terrible,’ Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) told POLITICO when asked about the president’s ideas for how to pay for the $450 billion price tag. ‘We shouldn’t increase taxes on ordinary income. … There are other ways to get there.’” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)
SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-AK): ‘Frustrating … There’s an unfairness to it.’ “Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, from the oil-rich state of Alaska, said it was ‘frustrating’ to see the president single out the oil industry after calling on the congressional supercommittee in last week’s address to Congress to find savings. ‘When you start singling out certain industries, there’s an unfairness to it,’ he said in an interview. ‘On the pay-fors, I have a problem.’” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “I have serious questions about the level of spending that President Obama has proposed, as well as the actual effectiveness some of these policies will have when it comes to creating jobs…” (“Manchin’s Strategy For Surviving 2012 In A Red State: Bash President Obama,” The Hill, 9/14/11)
SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D-MD): “I disagree with the president.” “Senator Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat whose state includes some of the wealthiest counties in the U.S., said she didn’t support the health-care tax. ‘I disagree with the president,’ she said.” (“Obama Plan To Tax Health Benefits Stirs Democratic Opposition,” Bloomberg, 9/14/11)
SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): “I’ve made it clear I’m looking for [tax] cuts, so I’m very hopeful there will be cuts.” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)
SEN. TOM CARPER (D-DE): “I think the best jobs bill that can be passed is a comprehensive long-term deficit-reduction plan… That’s better than everything else the president is talking about — combined.” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)
On Twitter | Follow @SenMikeLee | @SenLeeComs | @SenLeePressSec
SenMikeLee
In President’s speech last week he complained about our high corporate tax rate. His #jobs plan doesn’t address this. #avoidingcommonground
SenLeeComs
What good reason should Americans have to believe #stimulus2 will create jobs when #stimulus1 failed so miserably? http://bit.ly/ocz6C9
SenLeePressSec
On our weekly conference call with Utah press. Talking about Obama’s jobs plan now. #utpol #stimulus2
Around the Water Cooler
Hearing on tough Utah immigration law delayed
Utah state attorneys said in a court filing Tuesday that federal authorities might get involved in a lawsuit challenging the state’s tough immigration enforcement law that civil rights groups argue is unconstitutional.
Poll finds majority pessimistic on Obama job creation plan
According to a Bloomberg Poll released Wednesday, 51 percent of Americans don’t think Obama’s American Jobs Act will lower the country’s unemployment rate. The poll found that 40 percent think Obama’s jobs package has a chance of creating jobs and lowering the unemployment rate.
White House pressed on review of solar company now under investigation
The August 2009 e-mails, released exclusively to The Washington Post, show White House officials repeatedly asking OMB reviewers when they would be able to decide on the federal loan and noting a looming press event at which they planned to announce the deal. In response, OMB officials expressed concern that they were being rushed to approve the company’s project without adequate time to assess the risk to taxpayers, according to information provided by Republican congressional
A Look Ahead
At noon tomorrow, Senator Lee will speak at the Heritage Foundation regarding the Law of the Sea Treaty and his opposition to ceding our national sovereignty to the U.N. All are welcome. He will also meet with Circle Four Farms of Milford, UT, and has several media interviews on the president’s disappointing jobs plan.