Press Releases
Sen. Lee Issues Statement on Google Ad-Tech Antitrust Case in France
May 28, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today issued the following statement as Google nears a settlement of an antitrust case with France alleging that the company has abused its power in online advertising.
“Like many Americans across the political spectrum, I have been concerned by the exercise of market power held by Google and other tech giants, which is why I chaired a hearing on Google’s conduct in digital advertising last fall. As we heard in the hearing, Google appears to have a commanding share of every piece of the online advertising market, and appears to be using its leading market positions in search and online video to engage in tying on the advertiser side of its business, essentially forcing the vast majority of demand onto its platform. I’m pleased to see that France has made headway in securing fair competition in online advertising, and hope that Americans soon receive the same benefits of competition as the French.”
Lee, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Empower State Antitrust Enforcers
May 25, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) yesterday introduced the State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act of 2021, a bill to ensure state attorneys general are able to remain in the court they select rather than having their cases moved to a court the defendant prefers. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) has introduced companion legislation in the House.
Sen. Lee, Rep. Cloud Request Debt Servicing Costs
May 21, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX) today led 34 of their colleagues in sending a bicameral, bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Budget Committees requesting that they direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to begin including debt servicing costs whenever they produce an official cost estimate. The letter also highlights the high interest costs of deficit spending, especially in light of emerging inflation threats.
Lee, Tuberville Introduce the CHOICE Act
May 20, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) today introduced the Children Have Opportunities in Classrooms Everywhere Act, or CHOICE Act, a bill to allow low-income families with children in grades K-12 to use federal education funds for educational options that best fit their needs.
Sen. Lee Reintroduces Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Act
May 19, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act Tuesday, a bill that would empower local managers of wilderness areas to decide whether to allow and how to regulate non-motorized travel in wilderness areas.
“The National Wilderness Preservation System was created so that the American people could enjoy our country’s priceless natural areas,” Sen. Lee said. “This bill would enrich Americans’ enjoyment of the outdoors by expanding recreational opportunities in wilderness areas.”
Sen. Lee Urges Education Department to Reject Critical Race Theory
May 19, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) this week submitted a formal comment in response to the Department of Education’s proposed priorities for American History and Civics education. The comment reads in part:
“We have seen in recent years what happens when we indulge the cultural fragmentation of our national community. The critical race theory that undergirds the Department’s proposal does not celebrate diversity; it weaponizes diversity. It casts aside our national identity, instead sharpening hyphenated racial identities into knives and daggers as a means to cancel anyone daring to recognize the underlying reality behind the history of this country. While we are not without our mistakes as a nation, we have consistently sought to improve our society, so that all men and women – regardless of age, race, or religion – can flourish. It is dangerous for the federal government to knowingly support ideals and principles that pull us further apart, rather than those that bring us closer together.”
Sen. Lee Questions FTC on Merger Mismanagement
May 18, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today sent a letter to Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Slaughter regarding recent developments in the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) handling of merger enforcement. The Senator expressed concerns about the agency’s handling of 7-Eleven’s recent acquisition of Speedway, as well as the FTC’s February decision to suspend granting early termination under the Hart-Scott-Rodino ("HSR") Act. Under the Act, parties to certain mergers and acquisitions must submit premerger notification filings known as HSR filings, and wait up to 30 days before consummating the transaction.
Lee, McClintock Introduce Bill to Repeal Jones Act
May 14, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) have introduced the Open America’s Water Act, a bill that would repeal the Jones Act and allow all qualified vessels to engage in domestic trade between U.S. ports.
“Restricting trade between U.S. ports is a huge loss for American consumers and producers,” said Sen. Lee. “It is long past time to repeal the Jones Act entirely so that Alaskans, Hawaiians, and Puerto Ricans aren’t forced to pay higher prices for imported goods—and so they rapidly receive the help they need in the wake of natural disasters.”
Lee, Good Introduce Resolution Recognizing “National Pregnancy Center Week”
May 12, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced a resolution designating the week of November 8 as “National Pregnancy Center Week” and recognizing the vital work of pregnancy centers across the United States. The resolution is co-sponsored by 17 of his colleagues, and Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) has sponsored companion legislation in the House.
“Each year, thousands of women and men facing difficult pregnancy situations turn to these centers for help, hope, and healing,” said Sen. Lee. “Thanks to the heroic and tireless efforts of their staff and volunteers, parents receive compassionate care and crucial resources that help them to choose life, saving millions of babies’ lives each year. It’s only right that we honor and support their life-affirming work.”
Lee, Buck Question Amazon’s Influence on JEDI Contract Procurement Process
May 4, 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) today sent letters to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense Sean O’Donnell regarding whether Amazon violated antitrust or ethics laws by attempting to influence the procurement process for the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (“JEDI”) contract for cloud computing services for the Department of Defense. A potential 10-year, $10 billion contract to support warfighter operations across the department, it is the largest government cloud contract to a single contractor in history.
