Sens. Lee, Durbin Introduce Smarter Sentencing Act
Nov 14, 2019
WASHINGTON — Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and others introduced legislation Wednesday that would modernize federal drug sentencing polices by lowering certain mandatory drug sentences.
“Our current federal sentencing laws are out of date and often counterproductive,” said Sen. Lee. “The Smarter Sentencing Act is a commonsense solution that will greatly reduce the financial and, more importantly, the human cost imposed on society by the broken status quo. The SSA will give judges the flexibility and discretion they need to impose stiff sentences on the most serious drug lords and cartel bosses, while enabling nonviolent offenders to return more quickly to their families and communities.”
Preventing Another Pension Bailout
Nov 8, 2019
As more and more print newspapers are struggling to stay afloat in today’s predominantly digital media world, they are trying to come up with creative ways to cut costs.
And some of them have found a potential lifeline in their workers’ pensions.
Making It Easier to Work Together
Nov 8, 2019
“Government,” Democrats often say, “is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together."
And while it is true there are many things we do together through government - national defense, interstate highways, and law enforcement to name a few – there are far more things we do together that do not require government programs: producing food, making cars, building homes, and most importantly – raising a family. These activities are all best accomplished by voluntary interactions between citizens.
Remarks on the Retirement of General Burton
Nov 5, 2019
Mr./Madam President,
I rise today to honor Major General Jeff Burton, Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard, for his many years of devoted service to our nation and the great state of Utah.
As he closes a long chapter of 37 years of military service, he leaves behind a tremendous legacy as an American patriot and a true servant-leader. And so I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to that legacy today.
Bringing Fairness to Labor Law
Nov 1, 2019
Our jobs are an incredibly important part of our lives. They allow us to provide for ourselves and our families, to contribute to society at large, and are crucial to our dignity as human beings. So it’s a huge problem when we experience injustice in the workplace – whether through unfair labor practices, contract disputes, or collective bargaining issues in unions.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an independent federal agency, was established in the 1930s with the intention of speedily resolving these kinds of problems in the workplace. Consisting of a general counsel and five political appointees, the NLRB has the power to investigate, prosecute, and rule on labor cases.
No More Unearned Privilege for the American Bar Association
Nov 1, 2019
Since 1953 the American Bar Association has provided evaluations of the “professional qualifications” of nominees to the Article III federal courts. These evaluations are given to the Senate as the Senate considers confirmation of each judicial nominee.
According to the ABA, these evaluations focus “strictly on professional qualifications: integrity, professional competence and judicial temperament” of each nominee. The ABAB claims it “does not consider a nominee’s philosophy, political affiliation or ideology.”
A Response to Sen. Durbin’s Call for a Hearing on S.386
Oct 31, 2019
I would like to speak briefly about Sen. Durbin’s recent request for a hearing about the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act.
The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act is a bill that many senators have worked on for nearly a decade, and has long been a top priority of mine. I have introduced this bill in the Senate every Congress since I was first elected in 2010. During that time it has been the subject of widespread debate and attention both on and off the Hill, and other members, including Senator Schumer, have sought to pass the bill, as I am doing, by unanimous consent.
