Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement today after voting against H.R. 3684, the $1.2-trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as amended: “I am sorely disappointed that the Senate chose to pass this irresponsible and so-called ‘infrastructure’ bill. It drastically expands federal power; it increases spending without legitimate ‘pay-fors’; it exacerbates our already dangerous inflation; and it facilitates burdensome taxes and regulations that will hamper and harm our infrastructure. Ultimately, it will be the American people who will be forced to pay the exorbitant price. That is why I opposed this bill, and why I am deeply concerned with the $3,500,000,000,000 cost of the next spending plan before the Senate.”

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has put forth an alternative to the “bipartisan infrastructure bill.” Lee’s amendment #2255 is a combination of the Transportation Empowerment Act, the UNSHACKLE Act, and the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act. The amendment would reduce the federal gas tax by more than eleven cents per gallon, return the national Highway Trust Fund to solvency, speed-up and simplify burdensome National Environmental Policy Act requirements, and remove Davis-Bacon wage rules. Each of these reforms will allow more federal infrastructure projects to be built more quickly and more affordably. Of the amendment Sen. Lee said, “We cannot pour money into a broken pitcher. Without these reforms, spending trillions of dollars on infrastructure will not only exacerbate inflation, it will not substantially improve our infrastructure standing. The ‘Pay Less, Build More’ Amendment is a way to cut taxes and burdensome regulation to improve our infrastructure standing while spending less.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) today introduced legislation to rename the Provo Vet Center in Orem, Utah after Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen, the “Candy Bomber.” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT), Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Chris Stewart (R-UT) joined as cosponsors of the legislation. The delegation also wrote a letter to the Chairman John Tester and Ranking Member Jerry Moran of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in support of the name change. “Col. Gail Halvorsen exemplifies the best of the Utah spirit of service,” said Sen. Lee. “His creativity and compassion helped to heal the wounds of the Second World War, and softened the relationship between occupied Germany and the United States. Renaming the Provo Vet Center in his honor is a fitting and deserved recognition of this American hero.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan expressing concerns regarding several recent developments at the agency. Sen. Lee said in part, “The unifying theme of these developments is a progressive putsch to consolidate power and burden American businesses. For the sake of our antitrust enforcement regime, competitive markets, and the American economy, I hope you will change course.”