Questioning the Law of the Sea Treaty -- Day Lee Briefing 5/29/2012

May 29, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee is meeting with constituents in Utah.

 

From the Senator’s Desk

 

On Twitter

Around the Water Cooler

Western nations expel Syrian envoys over massacre

As U.N. officials cited eyewitness accounts of shadowy gunmen slaughtering whole families in their homes, Western nations expelled Syrian diplomats Tuesday in a coordinated move against President Bashar Assad's regime over the massacre of more than 100 people.

 

Escape From New York? High-Taxing Empire State Loses 3.4 Million Residents in 10 Years

New York State accounted for the biggest migration exodus of any state in the nation between 2000 and 2010, with 3.4 million residents leaving over that period, according to the Tax Foundation.

Weekly Wrap-up: The ObamaCare PR Campaign -- Day Lee Briefing 05/25/12

May 25, 2012

This week, reports that the Department of Health and Human Services had signed a $20 million contract to promote ObamaCare surfaced. Many members of Congress, and many Americans along with them, were justifiably outraged that President Obama would have the gall to use taxpayer money to fund a PR campaign for his extremely unpopular policy.

Here are just a few of the countless criticisms of the deal:

Senator Roy Blunt: “It’s clear the burdensome and costly ObamaCare law is bad for families, seniors, and job creators, which is why the Obama Administration is spending $20 million to sell this unpopular legislation to the American people between now and Election Day.”

Senator Rob Portman: “There is no justification for wasting $20 million in taxpayer dollars on an advertising blitz for the President’s health care spending law. With Washington nearly $16 trillion dollars in debt, the American taxpayers should not be asked to fund ad campaigns defending a law that only deepens the spending hole we’re in.”

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: “We don’t have the money to begin with, and he’s spending it to market his policies? Americans don’t want him spending their hard-earned money trying to spin policies they don’t like."

And here are some of the week’s best tweets about the subject:

Lee: Verizon/Cable Deal Appears Procompetitive and Likely to Benefit Consumers

May 24, 2012

Although antitrust law is by its very nature forward looking, unmoored speculation must not be allowed to overtake rational economic analysis.

Protecting America's Sovereignty -- Day Lee Briefing 5/24/2012

May 24, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will meet with Ambassador Gauto of Paraguay and representatives of Mountainville Academy. He will also attend the National Religious Freedom gala reception and award dinner.

 

From the Senator’s Desk

 

From the Whip

The Senate will convene at 9:30am and will resume consideration of S. 3187, the FDA User Fee bill and continue debating the pending amendments listed below.

At 2:00pm, all debate time will expire and the Senate will begin voting on any remaining pending amendments to the FDA bill. 

Note - The Majority Leader has indicated that some votes could occur earlier in the day, possibly before 12:00pm.

-Bingaman #2111 (generic drugs) (60 votes required)

-McCain #2107 (prescription drug importation from Canada) (60 votes required)

-Sanders #2109 (drug exclusivity conditions) (60 votes required)

-Murkowski #2108 (genetically engineered fish) (60 votes required)

-Portman #2146, as modified (synthetic drugs)

-Portman #2145, as modified (interstate drug monitoring efficiency)

-Coburn #2132 (performance awards)

-Coburn #2131 (independent assessment of FDA drug application reviews)

-Durbin #2127 (dietary supplement registration)

-Paul #2143 (FDA employees carrying firearms -and making arrests without warrant)

-Burr #2130 (user fee agreement negotiation transparency)

-Final Passage of S. 3187, as amended

*Following disposition of S. 3187, the Senate will begin consideration of S. 2343, the Reid Student Loan bill and a Republican amendment (text of S. 2366) for up to 10 minutes of debate.  

Following the use or yielding back of debate time, the Senate will proceed to 2 Roll Call Votes on the Republican amendment and passage of S. 2343 (60 votes required for each). 

 

On Twitter

Featured Tweet

Around the Water Cooler

Real federal deficit dwarfs official tally

The typical American household would have paid nearly all of its income in taxes last year to balance the budget if the government used standard accounting rules to compute the deficit, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

 

Yemen: 35 al-Qaida militants killed in clashes

Yemen's military launched an attack Thursday on an al-Qaida hideout in the country's south as part of a wider offensive, killing 35 militants, the Defense Ministry said.

 

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Senator Lee will be back in Utah to meet with constituents.

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:

Saving the American Dream

May 16, 2012

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.