WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Mike Lee issued the following statement regarding Senator Jim DeMint’s announcement he will be leaving the Senate to join The Heritage Foundation as the think tank’s new president:

“Jim has been a source of inspiration for many of us who came to Washington to fight for our core conservative beliefs.  He has shown that getting things done doesn’t have to mean abandoning your principles.  For too long, he was a movement unto himself in the Senate, keeping the torch lit for free-market principles and limited government. We are a better country for his service. Jim is a friend and mentor, and I plan to honor his time in the Senate by continuing the push for individual liberty and restoring constitutional government.”