Propogandizing Obamacare -- Day Lee Briefing 5/23/2012
May 23, 2012
In the past day, much has been made about the news that the Administration has engaged a PR firm with a $20 million contract designed to promote ObamaCare's preventive "benefits."
Why a Budget Matters -- Day Lee Briefing 05/22/12
May 22, 2012
Today’s Agenda
Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of Hungary and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
From the Senator’s Desk
From the Whip
The Senate will convene at 10:00am and the Majority Leader Reid will be recognized. It is anticipated that the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 3187, the FDA User Fee Reauthorization bill.
The Senate will recess from 12:30 - 2:15pm for the weekly policy lunches.
At 2:15pm, the motion to proceed to S. 3187 will be agreed to, the Harkin-Enzi substitute amendment will be agreed to, and the Majority Leader Reid will be recognized.
The two Leaders continue to work on a potential list of relevant amendments to the bill. It is expected that we will be on the FDA bill for the balance of the week.
Roll Call Votes are possible today.
Note – Flood Insurance expires on 5/31 (the House passed a one month extension last week).
On Twitter
@SenMikeLee
Statement of U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Mike Lee on the EU’s Announcement Regarding Google: http://ow.ly/b38va
@SenLeeComs
Another sad story of how the #EPA torments businesses for no reason and little purpose http://on.wsj.com/LiHMT8 @WSJ
@SenLeePressSec
We received our first issue of The Payson Chronicle in the office today. Excited to add it to the Friday New http://instagr.am/p/K7l9aeS5Sr/
@SenLeeResearch
Get ready for your electric bill to explode thanks to Obama's new #EPA regs: http://fxn.ws/JuPOeb #tcot #tlot #power #coal #makingitworse
Around the Water Cooler
Commercial spacecraft speeds toward space station
Opening a new, entrepreneurial era in spaceflight, a ship built by a billionaire businessman sped toward the International Space Station with a load of groceries and other supplies Tuesday after a spectacular, middle-of-the-night blastoff.
Obama’s War on Coal hits your electric bill
Obama’s War on Coal has already taken a remarkable toll on coal-fired power plants in America.
Looking Ahead
Tomorrow, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of the University of Utah and the Appraisal Institute. He will also host a Jell-O bar for office visitors at 3:30 PM EDT (1:30 MDT).
Statement of U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Mike Lee on the EU’s Announcement Regarding Google
May 21, 2012
We are pleased that the EU is working with Google to develop a set of voluntary solutions to the search engine’s problematic practices, including those that we identified at our September 2011 hearing.
Senator Ron Johnson Supports Lee Budget
May 17, 2012
I would like to thank my good friend, Senator Ron Johnson, for taking the time to speak on the Senate floor in support of my Saving the American Dream budget proposal. He eloquently articulated the reasons why we must reduce the growth of government and stop going further into debt before it is too late. Below is a video of his remarks, as well as a transcript:
Senator Lee presses FBI Director Mueller on detention and surveillance of U.S. citizens
May 16, 2012
At a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing this morning, Senator Lee questioned FBI Director Mueller on the potential for indefinite detention of U.S. citizens under the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. Director Mueller agreed that the government should not be allowed to detain U.S. citizens indefinitely without charge or trial.
Ending the Import-Export Bank -- Day Lee Briefing 05/15/12
May 15, 2012
Today’s Agenda
Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of Kenworth Sales Company and host a Utah tele-press conference at 6:15 PM EST (4:15 MST). He will also hold a blogger briefing to explain the Saving the American Dream budget at 12:00 PM EST (10:00 AM MST), and he will appear on Fox News Channel’s Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4:00 PM EST (2:00 MST).
From the Senator’s Desk
From the Whip
The Senate will convene at 10:00am and following the Leaders remarks will resume the motion to proceed HR 2072, the Ex-Im Bank Reauthorization.
At 11:15am the Senate will begin up to 2 hours of debate on the following amendments:
-Lee amendment #2100 (Ex-Im phase-out)
-Paul amendment #2101 (no financing with countries whom hold debt instruments)
-Corker amendment # 2102 (financing limits)
-Vitter amendment #2103 (fossil fuel projects)
-Toomey amendment #2104 (lending authority)
-Final passage of HR 2072
The Senate will recess from 12:30 – 2:15pm for the weekly party lunches.
As early as 2:15pm, the Senate will conduct up to 6 Roll Call Votes on the amendments listed above and final passage of the Ex-Im bill. 60 votes will be required for all amendments and passage of the bill.On Twitter
SenMikeLee
The differing visions for future of the country will be on display this week when the Senate votes on budget proposals: http://ow.ly/i/CTpD
SenLeeComs
#LeePlan "puts forth a framework for strengthening the core principles that make this country exceptional" http://bit.ly/JddBbG @heritage
SenLeePressSec
VIDEO: Senate Dems Continue to Ignore Legal Requirement to Pass a Federal #Budget http://youtu.be/B4fdpfrRDG0 #3YearsNoBudget (via @Senate_GOPs)
SenLeeResearch
It's been 1111 days since the Senate passed a #budget. Read @SenMikeLee's budget plan here: http://bit.ly/JddBbH #balancedbudget #tcot #tlot
Around the Water Cooler
Boehner: Spending cuts must exceed debt limit hike
House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that when Congress raises the nation's borrowing cap he will again insist on spending cuts and budget reforms to offset the increase.
Greece to hold fresh elections as unity talks fail
Against a backdrop of division, despondency and despair, debt-stricken Greeks head back to the polls next month amid fears the new election will do the very thing it is supposed to stop: hasten the country's economic collapse and exit from the eurozone.
Looking Ahead
Tomorrow, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of Newfield, the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants, Utah Valley University, and the Utah Association of Realtors. He will also attend a prayer breakfast and host a tele-town hall event at 7:45 PM EST (5:45 MST).
Lee offers Amendment to End Export-Import Bank
May 15, 2012
It's time that we wind down the Export-Import Bank, and my amendment, amendment number 2100, would do precisely that. The American people cannot be the world's financial backstop. The government shouldn't be picking winners and losers. Businesses in Utah and across the country are not receiving government help and are shutting their doors after decades serving their communities. We should not through this government be adding insult to injury by using tax money they contributed to prop up companies overseas.
Weekly Wrap-up: The President's "To-Stop" List -- Day Lee Briefing 05/11/12
May 11, 2012
This week, President Obama said he had a “to-do” list for Congress. Well, Senate Republicans have a list for the president as well—a “to-stop” list. Stop creating complicated and unnecessary job-killing regulations. Stop trying to raise taxes on job creators and small businesses. Stop blocking the Keystone pipeline. Stop stirring up class warfare that divides Americans.
If the president would stop any of these things, it would bring welcome relief to the country at a time when relief is desperately needed. Instead, he has chosen to point fingers and try to blame Republicans for the failure of his “stimulus” plan, the disaster that is Obamacare, the unsustainability of trillion-dollar deficits, and the fact that he can’t even get a single vote from his own party in support of his budgets.
Those are just a few of the embarrassments that President Obama wants Americans to ignore, but they are increasingly doing the opposite. Young people, especially, have been hit hard by this administration’s policies, and are now paying attention to what the White House is doing wrong:
"Today's slow economic growth is a disaster for those unemployed and underemployed as they look for jobs when so few new jobs are being created. For younger Americans as a group, this is a particularly acute issue." ("One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed," Gallup, 5/9/12)
UNIVERSITY STUDY: "In a study to be released Thursday, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that recent graduates are taking awhile to find work. Only 49% of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school…" ("For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits," The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
ABC NEWS: "A survey released Thursday showed that only 34 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds are 'satisfied' with the Obama presidency. More than half - 51 percent – said they were either 'disappointed,' 'worried' or 'angry,' according to the survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University's Berkeley Center." ("Bad Economy Puts Obama In Tight Spot With Young Voters," ABC News, 4/20/12)
Below are some of this week’s best tweets about the to-stop list:
@Senate_GOPs
President Obama has a list of things he wants Congress to do. Americans just want Obama to stop. http://bit.ly/JhYQW3 #ObamaStopList
@SenJohnThune
I agree w/ Leader McConnell. POTUS' ‘to-do’ list for Congress is breathtaking in its cynicism. http://bit.ly/J85uAK #ObamaStopList
@RWrasse
Don't miss this video of @SenJohnThune reacting to President Obama's "to-do list" http://bit.ly/KLJtoh #ObamaStopList
@RachelKnust
Obama wants Congress to invest in clean energy technology; Americans want Obama to stop blocking solutions to #PainAtThePump. #ObamaStopList
@Katherine750
Instead of dictating a list of cosmetic fixes to Congress, I'd like to see #Obama stop opposing #KXL and its 20,000 jobs. #ObamaStopList
@ashlee_strong
A 'to-do' list from Obama? @SenJohnThune says we need a 'to-stop' list: http://bit.ly/IVQE3j #ObamaStopList
Big Government and Godzilla -- Day Lee Briefing 5/10/2012
May 10, 2012
Big Government is like godzilla.
