Press Releases
Sen. Lee Urges Education Department to Reject Critical Race Theory
May 19, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) this week submitted a formal comment in response to the Department of Education’s proposed priorities for American History and Civics education. The comment reads in part:
“We have seen in recent years what happens when we indulge the cultural fragmentation of our national community. The critical race theory that undergirds the Department’s proposal does not celebrate diversity; it weaponizes diversity. It casts aside our national identity, instead sharpening hyphenated racial identities into knives and daggers as a means to cancel anyone daring to recognize the underlying reality behind the history of this country. While we are not without our mistakes as a nation, we have consistently sought to improve our society, so that all men and women – regardless of age, race, or religion – can flourish. It is dangerous for the federal government to knowingly support ideals and principles that pull us further apart, rather than those that bring us closer together.”
Sen. Lee Questions FTC on Merger Mismanagement
May 18, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today sent a letter to Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Slaughter regarding recent developments in the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) handling of merger enforcement. The Senator expressed concerns about the agency’s handling of 7-Eleven’s recent acquisition of Speedway, as well as the FTC’s February decision to suspend granting early termination under the Hart-Scott-Rodino ("HSR") Act. Under the Act, parties to certain mergers and acquisitions must submit premerger notification filings known as HSR filings, and wait up to 30 days before consummating the transaction.
Lee, McClintock Introduce Bill to Repeal Jones Act
May 14, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) have introduced the Open America’s Water Act, a bill that would repeal the Jones Act and allow all qualified vessels to engage in domestic trade between U.S. ports.
“Restricting trade between U.S. ports is a huge loss for American consumers and producers,” said Sen. Lee. “It is long past time to repeal the Jones Act entirely so that Alaskans, Hawaiians, and Puerto Ricans aren’t forced to pay higher prices for imported goods—and so they rapidly receive the help they need in the wake of natural disasters.”
Lee, Good Introduce Resolution Recognizing “National Pregnancy Center Week”
May 12, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced a resolution designating the week of November 8 as “National Pregnancy Center Week” and recognizing the vital work of pregnancy centers across the United States. The resolution is co-sponsored by 17 of his colleagues, and Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) has sponsored companion legislation in the House.
“Each year, thousands of women and men facing difficult pregnancy situations turn to these centers for help, hope, and healing,” said Sen. Lee. “Thanks to the heroic and tireless efforts of their staff and volunteers, parents receive compassionate care and crucial resources that help them to choose life, saving millions of babies’ lives each year. It’s only right that we honor and support their life-affirming work.”
Lee, Buck Question Amazon’s Influence on JEDI Contract Procurement Process
May 4, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) today sent letters to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense Sean O’Donnell regarding whether Amazon violated antitrust or ethics laws by attempting to influence the procurement process for the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (“JEDI”) contract for cloud computing services for the Department of Defense. A potential 10-year, $10 billion contract to support warfighter operations across the department, it is the largest government cloud contract to a single contractor in history.
Sen. Lee Responds to Biden’s Address to Congress
Apr 28, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) delivered the following in response to President Biden’s address to the joint session of Congress:
Lee, Rubio Call on Congress to Pass Tax Relief for Working Families
Apr 28, 2021
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a joint statement in response to President Joe Biden’s proposed child allowance plan, which would represent a return to the failed welfare system of the 1990s. In 2017, Lee and Rubio doubled the Child Tax Credit as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which tax return data confirmed has cut taxes for millions of American families.
Lee and Thune Introduce Bill to Strengthen National Guard Resources and Readiness
Apr 28, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and John Thune (R-SD) today introduced the Guarding Readiness Resources Act, a bill to ensure that National Guard units receive the reimbursement required by law for the use of federal equipment to support state missions.
Current federal law allows for the use of helicopters, trucks, and other federal equipment on state missions, but requires that states reimburse the National Guard for the costs associated with their use. However, state reimbursements are automatically diverted to the U.S. Treasury under the Miscellaneous Receipts Act (MRA), which mandates that any funds from a non-congressional source be sent to the Treasury. Without reimbursements, National Guard units are left with significant shortfalls in federal accounts used for operations and maintenance, under the level of the original congressional appropriation.
Sen. Lee, Rep. Smith Lead Letter to CDC on Face Mask Guidance for Kids
Apr 22, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) today led 30 of their colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requesting information on how the agency determined its guidance for children aged two years and older to wear face masks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Members of Congress wrote in part:
Sen. Lee and Republican Coalition Issue Joint Statement on Earmark Ban Victory
Apr 21, 2021
WASHINGTON – Following a vote by Senate Republicans to keep the ban on earmarks, Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), James Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Rand Paul (R-KY), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) issued the following joint statement:
“We’re encouraged our GOP colleagues upheld the ban on earmarks. Still, we will remain vigilant against any efforts to bring back earmarks – including efforts that ignore conference rules – so that in the Senate, the American people are respected and their tax dollars remain free from this widely abused and wasteful spending practice.”
