Press Releases
Sen. Lee Reintroduces Global Trade Accountability Act
May 2, 2019
WASHINGTON - Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Global Trade Accountability Act Thursday, a bill that would subject unilateral actions by the president to increase trade barriers to congressional approval.
“Congress has ceded far too much law making power to the Executive branch including the power to unilaterally raise tariffs,” Lee said. “Sudden hikes in trade barriers could wreak havoc on many small and midsize manufacturers in my home state of Utah that rely on imports and globally connected supply chains. Congress must be involved in any decision that would increase barriers to trade.”
The Global Trade Accountability Act would require both chambers of Congress to affirmatively approve of any “unilateral trade actions” by the president before they could take effect. The bill would only cover unilateral trade actions by the President to increase trade barriers. “Unilateral trade actions” in this legislation are defined as any increases in tariffs or duties, tightening of tariff-rate quotas or quantitative restrictions on imports, and other restrictions or prohibitions on imports.
Sen. Lee Asks President to Sign Yemen War Powers Resolution
Apr 4, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) joined Senator Sanders, Senator Paul, Congressman Ro Khanna, and others on a letter asking President Trump to sign a resolution pursuant to the War Powers Act calling for the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen after the House passed it earlier on Thursday.
Sen. Lee Introduces Working Families Flexibility Act
Apr 4, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee reintroduced the Working Families Flexibility Act Thursday, a bill that would give employees more flexibility on how to use their overtime benefits.
“For many families, especially those with young children, their most precious commodity is time,” said Sen. Lee. “But today, federal labor laws restrict the way moms and dads and everyone else can use their time. For decades, Congress has given a special exemption from these laws to government employees. This is unacceptable. The same work-life options available to government employees should be available to private-sector workers, as well.”
Sen. Lee Introduces Allied Burden Sharing Report Act
Apr 2, 2019
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) re-introduced the Allied Burden Sharing Report Act today, a bill that would require the Department of Defense to resume submitting an extensive report that includes the common defense contributions of NATO countries and other defense partners, including GCC countries, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, the Philippines, and signatories of the Rio Treaty.
Sens. Lee And Paul Introduce The Voluntary Check-Off Program Participation Act
Mar 28, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Voluntary Check-Off Program Participation Act Thursday, a bill that give would give farmers and ranchers the freedom not to participate in Department of Agriculture check-off programs.
“If farmers and ranchers want to get together and pool their resources to better promote their products, then that is the free market at its best,” Lee said. “But as soon as the power of the federal government is used to force people into a program they do not want to participate in, then that is crony capitalism at its worst.”
Sens. Lee, Booker Introduce Commodity Check Off Reform Bill
Mar 28, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act of 2019 (OFF Act) Thursday, a measure intended to bring much needed transparency and accountability to the federal government’s commodity check off programs.
Checkoff programs are mandatory participation programs under the US Department of Agriculture. These programs are funded through compulsory fees on producers of eggs, beef, pork and a multitude of other agricultural products. The programs and associated boards have received criticism in the past for a lack of transparency, apparent conflicts of interest, misuse of their funding and anticompetitive behavior.
MEDIA ADVISORY: Sen. Lee Town Hall
Mar 18, 2019
SALT LAKE CITY - Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) will be hosting a town hall at the following locations on Tuesday March 19, 2019.
Sen. Lee Statement on Yemen Resolution Passage
Mar 14, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Thursday, after the Senate passed a resolution pursuant to the War Powers Act calling for the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen.
Sen. Lee Announces Support for Termination of Emergency Declaration
Mar 13, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) made the following statement Thursday after the White House communicated it would not support the ARTICLE ONE Act, a bill that would reclaim legislative powers for Congress from the executive branch.
“Congress is supposed to be the first among the federal government’s three co-equal branches,” Sen. Lee said. “For decades, Congress has been giving far too much legislative power to the executive branch. While there was attention on the issue I had hoped the ARTICLE ONE Act could begin to take that power back. Unfortunately, it appears the bill does not have an immediate path forward, so I will be voting to terminate the latest emergency declaration. I hope this legislation will serve as a starting point for future work on this very important issue.”
Sens. Ernst, Lee Put Forward Paid Parental Leave Plan That is Budget Neutral and Flexible for Parents
Mar 12, 2019
U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Mike Lee (R-UT) are putting forward a paid parental leave plan that is budget neutral and flexible for parents who choose to opt in.
Their legislation, the CRADLE Act, would allow parents to receive one, two, or three months of paid leave by giving them the option to postpone activating their Social Security benefits. The plan provides every new mom and dad the flexibility to stay home with their newborns during the critical first months after birth, without creating another massive mandated government program or adding to our ever-growing deficit.
