Press Releases
Lee and Romney Join Effort to Prevent President from Unilaterally Suspending Energy Leases on Federal Lands
Jan 28, 2021
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined their colleagues, led by Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), in introducing the Protecting our Wealth of Energy Resources (POWER) Act of 2021. The POWER Act would prohibit the president or his secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Energy departments from blocking energy or mineral leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters without Congressional approval.
“President Biden’s energy moratorium has already done considerable damage to Utah’s economy. President’s should not have the unilateral power to kill jobs like this. The POWER Act will check the president’s power by giving Congress a say in future leasing disruptions,” Sen. Lee said.
Sen. Lee Introduces PPP Protection Legislation
Jan 28, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Thursday after introducing legislation earlier in the week to ease the regulatory burden on banks participating in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“The Paycheck Protection Program has become an essential vehicle for protecting millions of small businesses and hundreds of millions of jobs. The CFPB unauthorized attacks on banks participating in this program is putting all of these businesses and jobs at risk. Congress needs to act now to prevent CFPB meddling from creating any further delay in PPP lending and loan forgiveness,” Sen. Lee said.
Sen. Lee Explains Why Senate Does Not Have Impeachment Jurisdiction Over Former Officials
Jan 26, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Tuesday after voting not to table a point of order, noting it is unconstitutional for the Senate to try a former president.
“If the Senate were to adopt a broad interpretation of the impeachment power—one allowing federal officials to be convicted on impeachment charges even after leaving office—the result would not only be problematic, but also contrary to the most natural reading of the text, structure, and historical understanding of the Constitution.”
Sens. Lee and Romney Introduce the Protect Utah’s Rural Economy (PURE) Act
Jan 25, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Protect Utah’s Rural Economy (PURE) Act Friday, a bill that would protect Utah from presidential Antiquities Act abuse in much the same way Alaska and Wyoming are currently protected.
“Rural Americans want what all Americans want: a dignified decent-paying job, a family to love and support, and a healthy community whose future is determined by local residents – not their self-styled betters thousands of miles away,” Sen. Lee said.
“That is why I am introducing the Protecting Utah’s Rural Economy Act today, a bill that would protect Utah from future abuses under the Antiquities Act by prohibiting the president from establishing or expanding a national monument in Utah unless the proposed monument has been authorized by an act of Congress and the state legislature.”
