Preparing for Supreme Court Decision -- Day Lee Brieifing 6/25/2012

Jun 25, 2012

The Supreme Court will issue its last opinions on Thursday, with its decision on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul expected to come down that day.

Weekly Wrap-up: No Higher Taxes -- Day Lee Briefing 6/22/12

Jun 22, 2012

This week, the number of voices calling for an extension of all of the Bush tax cuts grew, including the number of Democratic voices. Alice Rivlin, Budget Director for President Bill Clinton, announced her support for the extension of the cuts, along with retired Republican Senator Pete Domenici. Like many others, Rivlin and Domenici see the damage that would be done by higher taxes, especially in a time of economic stagnation. Both also stated their support for comprehensive reform of the complicated and burdensome federal tax code.

Here are some of the week’s articles about the economic pain that would come with higher taxes:

Senate Dems balk at ending Bush-era tax rates on wealthy without a deficit deal

A growing number of Senate Democrats are signaling they are not prepared to raise taxes on anyone in the weak economy unless Congress approves a grand bargain to reduce the deficit.
 

Study: Obama plan means higher taxes on business profits

President Barack Obama’s plan to raise tax rates for the top 2 percent of U.S. households would mean higher taxes on the people who report 53 percent of business income reported on individual returns, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
 

Study: Higher taxes will slow growth, create job losses

A new study released Friday shows that letting any of the Bush-era tax cuts expire will weigh heavily on economic growth and lead to millions of job losses, likely plunging the economy back into recession. 

 

And here are some of the week’s best tweets on taxes:

Our Two Paths -- Day Lee Briefing 6/21/2012

Jun 21, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of the National Patient Advocate Foundation. He will also be a guest on KSL’s Grant and Amanda show at 7:45 AM EDT (5:45 MDT), and will speak to the 2012 recipients of the Congressional Award at 12:20 PM EDT (10:20 AM MDT).

 

From the Senator’s Desk

 

On Twitter

 

Around the Water Cooler

GOP, Holder open to talks before contempt vote

House Republican officials and Attorney General Eric Holder said they're willing to negotiate an end to a potential constitutional confrontation in a dispute related to the botched "Fast and Furious" gun-tracking operation.

 

Court: Union must give fee increase notice

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that unions must give nonmembers an immediate chance to object to unexpected fee increases or special assessments that all workers are required to pay in closed-shop situations.

 

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Senator Lee will meet with constituents in his Washington office.

The Universal Music Group/EMI Merger and the Future of Online Music

Jun 21, 2012

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today highlighted the challenges facing the music industry and identified important issues relating the Universal Music Group’s proposed acquisition of EMI’s record label.

A Government Program I would Eliminate -- Day Lee Briefing 6/20/2012

Jun 20, 2012

The Forest Legacy Program is a specific government program that I propose we eliminate

Eliminating the Forest Legacy Program

Jun 20, 2012

The farm bill that the Senate is currently considering contains a reauthorization of the Forest Legacy Program. The program uses taxpayer money to pay landowners to not develop their land, acquire land with the specific purpose of not developing it, and purchase “conservation easements” that limit development rights on land with certain “conservation values.”

July 2012 - Mobile Office Schedule

Jun 20, 2012

1.  Mobile Office Visit to Millard County
When: Tuesday 10 July  2012 @ 10 AM – 11:15 AM (followed by a Mobile Office visit to a local cattle ranch/business)
Where: Scipio, Utah @ Scipio Town Hall and Fire House, 160 North Main Street, Scipio, Utah 84656 (Community Room)

2.  Mobile Office Visit to Millard County
When:  Tuesday 10 July 2012 @ 1 PM - 3 PM
Where: Holden, Utah @ Holden Town Hall/Community Center, P.O. Box 360127, 158 South Main Street, Holden, Utah 84636 (Town Hall)

3.  Mobile Office Visit to Beaver County
When: Wednesday 11 July 2012 @ 9 AM – 11 AM
Where: Minersville, Utah @ Minersville Town Hall, P.O. Box 159, 60 West Main Street, Minersville, Utah 84752 (Legion Room)

4.  Mobile Office Visit to Piute County
When: Wednesday 11 July 2012 @ 1 PM – 3 PM
Where: Junction, Utah @ Piute County Courthouse, P.O. Box 99, 550 North Main Street, Junction, Utah 84740 (Commission Chambers)

5.  Mobile Office Visit to Iron County
When: Thursday12 July 2012 @ 9 AM – 11 PM
Where: Enoch, Utah @ Enoch City Hall, 900 East Midvalley Road, Enoch, Utah 84721 (Council Chambers)

6.  Mobile Office Visit to Iron County
When: Thursday 12 July 2012 @ 12 PM – 2 PM
Where: Paragonah, Utah @ Paragonah Town Office, P.O. Box 600247, 44 North 100 West, Paragonah, Utah 84760 (Town Hall)

7.  Mobile Office Visit to Sevier County
When: Tuesday 17 July  2012 @ 10 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Monroe, Utah @ Monroe City Hall, 10 North Main Street, Monroe, Utah 84754

8.  Mobile Office Visit to Sevier County
When:  Tuesday 17 July 2012 @ 12 PM - 2 PM
Where: Annabella, Utah  @ Annabella Town Office, P.O. Box 175, 295 East 300 North, Annabella, Utah 84711 (Town Council Room)

9.   Mobile Office Visit to Carbon County
When: Wednesday 18 July 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Wellington, Utah @ Wellington City Hall, P.O. Box 559, 150 West Main Street, Wellington, Utah 84542 (Council Room)

10.  Mobile Office Visit to Carbon County
When: Wednesday 18 July 2012 @ 1 PM – 3 PM
Where: East Carbon, Utah @ East Carbon City Hall, P.O. Box 70, 101 West Geneva Drive, East Carbon City, Utah 84520 (Conference Room)

11.  Mobile Office Visit to Sanpete County
When: Thursday 19 July 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Ephraim, Utah @ Ephraim City Hall, 5 South Main Street, Ephraim, Utah 84627 (Council Room)

12.  Mobile Office Visit to Sanpete County
When: Thursday 19 July 2012 @ 1 PM – 3 PM
Where:  Spring City @ Spring City Hall, P.O. Box 189, 150 East Center Street, Spring City, Utah 84662 (Council Room)

13.  Mobile Office Visit to Duchesne County
When: Tuesday 31 July  2012 @ 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Where: Tabiona, Utah @ Tabiona Town Hall, P.O. Box 449, 38048 West 3800 North, Tabiona, Utah 84072  (Conference Room)

14.  Mobile Office Visit to Duchesne County
When:  Tuesday 31 July 2012 @ 1 PM - 3 PM
Where: Roosevelt, Utah @ Roosevelt City Hall, 255 South State Street, Roosevelt, Utah 84066 (Council Chambers)

MATS is Inefficient, Costly Regulation

Jun 19, 2012

Utah currently receives approximately 95 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants, and plans are in place to build more.  I stand alongside Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma in opposition to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule (also commonly called the Utility MACT rule) devised by the Environmental Protection Agency.

This unnecessary and expensive regulation will cost the electric power sector approximately $100 billion, more than all other EPA air rules combined.  The National Economic Research Associates found that the MATS rule would kill as many as 215,000 jobs by 2015. Thus far, 169 coal-fuel electric generating units located across 21 states have had to be prematurely retired due to the threats posed by MATS and other EPA regulations.  Over 27,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity will be retired within the next three years, raising concerns about electric reliability at the local level. 

EPA figures show that more than 99.99 percent of quantified health benefits attributed to the MATS rule are due to reductions in fine particles, not reductions in mercury emissions. The EPA already regulates fine particles under other parts of the Clean Air Act.  Additionally, coal-fueled power plants have already reduced mercury emissions by 60 percent without the MATS rule.

Excessive regulation of the power sector forces coal plants to shut down prematurely which will significantly raise energy prices for Americans. MATS and other EPA regulations increase operation costs for plants, drive up prices for consumers, and kill thousands of jobs. That’s why we need regulation reform, such as the REINS Act, to ensure that all major regulations that significantly affect our economy go through the proper legislative channels before they are made official policy. 

Until then, I firmly support S. J. Res. 37, and stand with a growing bipartisan group of Senators, private sector unions, and business interests who believe we can do better than imposing these kinds of regulations on the American people.


Regulating the Regulators

Jun 19, 2012

We can have sensible regulations that keep our air and our water and other aspects of our environment clean. We need those things; we want those things as Americans. We can also have a balanced approach that considers the economic cost of new rules and restrictions on small businesses and on consumers. That's what we need.

The EPA's Utility MACT Rule -- Day Lee Briefing 6/19/2012

Jun 19, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Treatment Communities of America. He will also attend a breakfast hosted by the Association of American Railroads.

 

From the Senator’s Desk

 

On Twitter

Around the Water Cooler

Senators request live TV for health care ruling

Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee are asking the Supreme Court to allow live television coverage when it delivers its ruling on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

 

GOP lawmakers allege cozy ties between Obama officials and solar company

Republicans are expanding attacks on federal green-energy programs with allegations that officials at the Department of Energy (DOE) were too cozy with Prologis Inc., a company that received a $1.4 billion loan guarantee to help support a major nationwide rooftop solar project.

 

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of Warner Music Group, Transfuels, the Utah Rural Electric Association, Universal Music, AARP’s Utah state offices, and Regent BlueCross & BlueShield. He will also host a Jell-O bar for office visitors at 3:30 EDT (1:30 MDT).