Press Releases

Sen. Lee Mourns the Loss of Congressman Jim Hansen

Nov 14, 2018

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday on the passing of former-Rep. Jim Hansen (R-UT): “Jim Hansen was a friend and mentor who I will deeply miss. For over 30 years he served his community honorably in the Navy, the Utah state legislature, and the United States Congress. The state of Utah will sorely miss this faithful public servant.”

Sen. Lee Thanks President Trump for Supporting Criminal Justice Reform

Nov 14, 2018

“President Trump has always been a strong voice for tough on crime policies and his endorsement of bipartisan criminal justice reform is a huge win for the American people. This legislation strengthens public safety by increasing faith in the criminal justice system, reducing recidivism, and protecting vulnerable families. Now it is time for the Senate to act by bringing this important bipartisan legislation to the Senate floor.”

Sens. Lee, Markey Introduce Spectrum Valuation Act

Nov 14, 2018

Today, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Government Spectrum Valuation Act. The bill would require the annual coordination of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to determine the value of electromagnetic spectrum assigned or allocated to each federal agency. It would also require each federal agency to report the value of their electromagnetic spectrum in the President’s budget and each federal agency’s financial statement.

“Congress has a clear responsibility to ensure that federal spectrum is being managed effectively and appropriately,” Sen. Lee said. “One of the first steps to conducting effective oversight is assessing the value of federal spectrum allocations. By simply calculating the value of federal spectrum allocations, Congress and the Administration will be better equipped to identify valuable federal spectrum bands and manage each federal spectrum allocation more efficiently.”

“Spectrum is the oxygen of the wireless world,” Sen. Markey said, “ensuring American consumers and companies enjoy all of the benefits of this Internet of Things economy. It’s a simple formula: more available spectrum equals more competition and innovation. But you cannot effectively manage what you have not measured, and this legislation will finally ensure the public knows the value of spectrum held by the federal government so we can ensure it is being put to the best use.”

Sen. Lee Thanks AG Sessions for His Service

Nov 7, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday after Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned. “Jeff Sessions is a dear friend who has served our nation admirably as U.S. Attorney, a senator, and as Attorney General. I wish him well in the next chapter of his long and successful career.”

Sen. Lee Mourns the Loss of Utah Soldier Brent Taylor

Nov 5, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY - Sen. Mike Lee issued the following statement after the Utah National Guard confirmed that Major Brent Taylor was tragically killed on Kabul, Afghanistan Saturday.

ICYMI: As Caravan Nears, Grassley, Lee Call on State, DHS to Explore Asylum Agreement with Mexico

Oct 24, 2018

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) called on the Trump Administration to seek an agreement with Mexico to assist in accommodating a steady stream of migrants traveling through Mexico seeking asylum. The senators noted acknowledgements by Obama Administration officials that potential security threats are exploiting immigration vulnerabilities to enter the United States.

Sen. Lee Calls for End to U.S.-Saudi War in Yemen

Oct 22, 2018

WASHINGTON – In light of Saudi Arabia’s admission that they killed Jamal Khashoggi, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Monday calling for an end to United States involvement in Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen.

ICYMI: Sen. Lee's Solution Summit

Oct 15, 2018

In case you missed it, last Friday Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) joined with Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, DEA District Agent in Charge for the State of Utah Brian Besser, the DEA 360 Program, and others to host the 5th Annual Solutions Summit: Instead – Connecting for a Cure. Senator Lee has hosted the Solutions Summit annually since 2013, focusing on a different topic each year. This year, Sen. Lee chose to work with his fellow co-chairs on the Utah Opioid Task Force to put together an all-day event focusing on the opioid crisis. The decision was made to focus on the crisis as it touches all states, all classes, and affects all of us.

Utah Opioid Solutions Summit a Success

Oct 12, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY – Today, the co-chairs of the Utah Opioid Task Force hosted the 5th Annual Solutions Summit: Instead – Connecting for a Cure. Over 5,000 students, educators, healthcare officials, and community members were in attendance at the event presented by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, DEA 360 Program Director Brian Besser, and others.

The summit, which was held in two parts, focused on combatting the opioid epidemic in the state of Utah.

The morning session was created with the intent to educate high schoolers on the dangers of opioid use and give them real-time resources to stop addiction before it starts. Students enjoyed musical numbers, educational videos, and stories from families who had lost loved ones to the crisis.

The general session, which was held in the afternoon, focused on enabling communication and support across the various communities involved in combating the crisis.

While the co-chairs were pleased with the success of the summit, they stressed the importance of continuing this effort beyond today’s events. “The way we keep the momentum going is by connecting to the communities,” DEA District Agent in Charge for the State of Utah Brian Besser said. “We are wearing our tires out traveling around the state. We spend most of our time finding those who are hardest hit, listening, and learning how we can help."

The Utah Solutions Summit was made possible by the following partnerships: US Senator Mike Lee, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes, Utah Opioid Task Force, DEA 360 Strategy, Sutherland Institute, Utah Anti-Bullying Coalition, The 525 Foundations, Salt Lake Chamber, and The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

More information about the Utah Solutions Summit can be found here

Release as prepared by the Utah Attorney General's Office on behalf of the Utah Opioid Task Force co-chairs. 

5th ANNUAL SOLUTION SUMMIT FOCUSES ON OPIOID SOLUTIONS AND RESOURCES

Oct 11, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY – On Friday, October 12th, Utah Opioid Task Force co-chairs Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), DEA District Agent in Charge for Utah Brian Besser, and Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes will host the 5th Annual Solution Summit – Instead: Connecting for a Cure addressing solutions and resources available to fight the opioid crisis in Utah.