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WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) released a letter supporting the Falun Gong, a banned religion in China whose followers are routinely persecuted, even to the point of death, for their religious beliefs. Sen. Lee is a consistent advocate of religious freedom at home and internationally, and the letter will be read at a rally supporting followers of the Falun Gong being held at the U.S. Capital today. Similar rallies are being held across the country today. The letter reads, in part: “I applaud the efforts of each of you who continue to raise awareness of the plight of the practitioners of the Falun Gong, and I condemn the actions of the Chinese government. No person should have to fear repercussions for the faith they choose to practice, and we join in voicing support for your efforts to protects the innocents being persecuted.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday in response to President Trump’s Executive Order ending the separation of migrant families who cross the border illegally while seeking asylum. “Ending the separation of migrant families who cross the border illegally is a step in the right direction,” Sen. Lee said. “But to make this change permanent, Congress needs to act. We need to pass legislation to make sure the federal government has the proper authority and funding to house migrant families. We need to pass legislation to make sure the federal government has the resources needed for a swift and fair asylum adjudication process. I hope the Senate will do its job and take up a bill that addresses these issues.”

This week the Unites States Senate took up the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill which broadly sets our nation’s defense priorities. Congress has passed an NDAA every year since 1961. In the past, the Senate would have debated and voted on dozens of amendments before final passage of this bill. But not this year. This year there has been a single roll call vote on an amendment that changed the name of a Department of Defense fellowship program. It passed 97-0. This was hardly a consequential issue.

WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis today asking for details on the United States’ involvement in the Saudi’s war in Yemen, and to do so before US involvement in those hostilities intensifies. The letter expresses concern that Congress’s attempt to play their proper Constitutional oversight role may be impeded by Pentagon officials withholding information, leading to a violation of the War Powers Act of 1973.