Town Hall Meeting Recap -- Day Lee Briefing 05/02/2012

May 2, 2012

Today, Senator Lee will be meeting with local officials and constituents in Garden City and Logan.

Town Halls Tonight and Tomorrow -- Day Lee Briefing 05/01/12

May 1, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will be meeting with local officials and constituents in Morgan, Brigham City, and Layton. He will also be holding a town hall meeting at Bridgerland Applied Technology College in Brigham City, and the meeting will be streamed online via Senator Lee’s Ustream feed, which can be watched directly on the senator’s Facebook page here.

From the Senator’s Desk

The House Ways and Means Committee is out today with a report analyzing one of the many reasons why Obamacare’s costs could skyrocket.  According to the study:

  • 71 of the nation’s largest employers could save more than $28 billion in 2014 alone, and $422.4 billion over a decade, by deciding to drop health insurance coverage for their 10.2 million employees and dependents and paying the $2,000 per-employee penalty instead. 

  • The average savings per firm from dropping coverage amounts to more than $400 million in 2014 alone, and $5.9 billion over a decade.

  • The average savings per employee from dropping coverage amounts to $4,821 in 2014, and just under $10,000 in 2023.

  • 84% of responding firms indicated they expect their health costs will increase FASTER in the future than they did before Obamacare passed.  The responding firms have faced annual increases of 5.9% over the past five years, but they expect costs to rise at a 7.6% rate in the future.

This morning’s report further reinforces the numerous prior studies, papers, briefs, reports, employer questionnaires, consultant presentations, surveys, op-eds, interviews, quotes, and comments from other prominent Democrats suggesting that employers will drop coverage in numbers far greater than the White House lets on.  Even Jon Stewart, in an interview with Secretary Sebelius in January, would not believe the Administration’s line that employers would keep offering coverage: Stewart stated that there would likely be a “big dump” by employers into Exchanges, meaning Obamacare would become “sort of, a back door, of government, not a takeover necessarily, but of a government responsibility for the health care.”

Today’s developments again raise the obvious question:  If the numbers suggest dropping coverage is a rational thing for employers to do, why will they keep offering insurance?  And if even liberals like Jon Stewart are convinced employers will dump coverage, does anyone believe they will be permitted to keep their current coverage under Obamacare?

On Twitter

SenMikeLee

I will be streaming my Brigham City townhall tonight @ 7:00 p.m. Tweet me your questions using #leetownhall: http://ustre.am/ESPP #utpol

SenLeeComs

.@SenMikeLee holding town hall TONIGHT 7pm MT. Come in person or watch LIVE online #utpol http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2012/04/30/town-hall-meetings-with-sen-lee-to-broadcast-over-internet/

SenLeePressSec

.@SenMikeLee is spending the day in Morgan, Layton, and Brigham City. Don't miss tonight's town hall at 7pm MT! http://bit.ly/HMHvUC #utpol

SenLeeResearch

Growth and growth expectations both racing downward: http://bit.ly/ICICZE #tcot #tlot #economy #GDP #jobs

Around the Water Cooler

Critics slam Senate for failing to pass a budget — three years running

Democrats in the United States Senate are facing a rush of criticism as April 29 came and went, marking the third anniversary since the Senate passed a budget under the guidance of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Solyndra Not Dealing With Toxic Waste At Milpitas Facility

Three months ago, CBS 5 caught Solyndra tossing millions of dollars worth of brand new glass tubes used to make solar panels. Now the bankrupt solar firm, once touted as a symbol of green technology, may be trying to abandon toxic waste.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Senator Lee will be meeting with local officials and constituents in Garden City and Logan. He will also be holding a 7:00 PM (MST) town hall meeting at the Historic Courthouse in Logan, and the meeting will be streamed online via Senator Lee’s Ustream feed, which can be watched directly on the senator’s Facebook page here.

Streaming Town Hall Tomorrow -- Day Lee Briefing 04/30/12

Apr 30, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee is in Utah to meet with constituents.

From the Senator’s Desk

The Huffington Post reported late Friday that, effective today, the Administration is ending a program giving $100 fees to insurance agents and brokers that refer customers to Obamacare’s new high-risk pool for individuals with pre-existing conditions.  Last May, the Administration instituted a $100 broker referral fee in an attempt to increase otherwise underwhelming enrollment in the high-risk pool program.  One individual active among insurance brokers provided an interesting explanation as to why the Administration discontinued the referral fee program: “They [i.e., the Administration] said enrollment’s up to where we want it to be, basically, and we don’t need your [i.e., brokers’] services anymore.” 

According to the most recent data released by the Administration, 56,257 individuals with pre-existing conditions are enrolled in the federal high-risk pool program established under Obamacare.  Six states have enrollment of fewer than 100 individuals – the District of Columbia’s pool, for instance, has but 44 enrollees.  The current enrollment data do not come anywhere close to earlier projections – the Medicare actuary originally projected enrollment at 375,000 individuals in 2010, and Congressional Budget Office estimated up to 700,000 individuals would attempt to enroll in the program by next year.

Two key points follow from the underwhelming enrollment in the pre-existing condition coverage, and the Administration’s claims enrollment is satisfactory:

1. It’s difficult for the Administration to argue that 129 million individuals have pre-existing conditions and “could be denied affordable coverage.”  The 56,257 individuals enrolled in the new federal high-risk pool as of February 29 represent only .04% of the total number of Americans the Administration claimed suffer from pre-existing conditions. 

2. Obamacare spends $2.6 trillion in its first decade of full implementation, largely to ensure that those with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage.  At this rate and based on these metrics – $2.6 trillion in spending, and 56,257 participants – the federal government will spend $4,621,647.08 per year for every person with pre-existing conditions newly enrolled in coverage.  That’s not just enough money to buy each person with pre-existing conditions a platinum-plated insurance policy – that’s enough to buy each one a small hospital.

That the Administration is content with high-risk pool enrollment of just over 50,000 persons with pre-existing conditions shows that the problem of individuals with pre-existing conditions is real, but not insurmountable.  More to the point, it doesn’t take a 2700-page, $2.6 trillion law the American people didn’t need or want – taking away the health coverage of millions in the process – to provide access to about 56,000 individuals with chronic or pre-existing conditions.

On Twitter

SenMikeLee

Senator Mike Lee TV is my Ustream Channel. I will stream town hall events here May 1 and May 2 @ 7 p.m. MST: http://ustre.am/ESPP #utpol

SenLeeComs

Finally! A win for common sense: Obama DOL Withdraws Radical Farm Labor Rule http://1.usa.gov/JMfD60 @SenJohnThune

SenLeePressSec

Flat Stanley came to visit all the way from Sunrise Elementary in Smithfield, #Utah! #flatstanley http://pic.twitter.com/XU2IYvej

SenLeeResearch

Growth and growth expectations both racing downward: http://bit.ly/ICICZE #tcot #tlot #economy #GDP #jobs

Around the Water Cooler

With an asterisk, WTC is back as tallest skyscraper in New York City

One World Trade Center, the giant monolith being built to replace the twin towers destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks, will lay claim to the title of New York City’s tallest skyscraper on Monday. Workers will erect steel columns that will make its unfinished skeleton a little over 1,250 feet high, just enough to peak over the roof of the observation deck on the Empire State Building.

Wind farms are warming the earth, researchers say

New research finds that wind farms actually warm up the surface of the land underneath them during the night, a phenomena that could put a damper on efforts to expand wind energy as a green energy solution.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Senator Lee will be meeting with local officials and constituents in Morgan, Brigham City, and Layton. He will also be holding a town hall meeting at Bridgerland Applied Technology College in Brigham City, and the meeting will be streamed online via Senator Lee’s Ustream feed, which can be watched directly on the senator’s Facebook page here.

May 2012 - Mobile Office Schedule

Apr 30, 2012

1.  Mobile Office Visit to Garfield County
When:  Tuesday 8 May 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Escalante, Utah @ Escalante City Offices, 56 North 100 West, Escalante, UT 84726 (Council Chambers)

2.  Mobile Office Visit to Garfield County
When: Tuesday 8 May  2012 @ 1 PM - 3 PM
Where: Tropic, Utah @ Tropic Town Office, 20 North Main Street, Tropic, UT 84776 (Meeting Room)

3.  Mobile Office Visit to Kane County
When: Wednesday 9 May 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Alton, Utah @ Alton Town Hall, 11 South 100 West, Alton, UT 84710 (Conference Room)

4.  Mobile Office Visit to Kane County
When:  Wednesday 9 May 2012 @ 1 PM - 3 PM
Where: Glendale, Utah @ Glendale Town Hall, P.O. Box 220, 90 East Center Street, Glendale, UT 84729 (Social Hall)

5.  Mobile Office Visit to Washington County
When:  Thursday 10 May 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Enterprise, Utah @ Enterprise City Offices, P.O. Box 340, 375 South 200 East. Enterprise, UT 84725 (Council Room)

6.  Mobile Office Visit to Washington County
When:  Thursday 10 May 2012 @ 1 PM – 3 PM
Where: Veyo, Utah @Veyo Water Company Building, 176 South Spanish Trail Drive, Veyo, UT 84782 (Community Meeting Room)

7.  Mobile Office Visit to Wayne County
When:  Monday 14 May 2012 @ 1 PM – 3 PM
Where: Loa, Utah @ Wayne County Courthouse, P.O. Box 189, 18 South Main Street, Loa, Utah 84747 (Commission Chambers)

8.  Mobile Office Visit to Grand County
When:  Tuesday 15 May 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Moab, Utah @ Grand County Courthouse, 125 East Center Street, Moab, Utah 84532 (Council Chambers)

9.  Mobile Office Visit to San Juan County
When: Wednesday 16 May 2012 @ 10 AM – 12 PM
Where: Monticello, Utah @ San Juan County Offices, 117 South Main Street, Monticello, Utah 84535 (Commission Room)

Weekly Wrap-up: No Budget for Three Years -- Day Lee Briefing 04/27/12

Apr 27, 2012

This Sunday will mark the three-year anniversary of the last time that the Democrat-controlled Senate passed a budget. Majority Leader Harry Reid has already stated that he will not allow a vote on a Democratic budget in 2012, which means that we will be approaching the last budget’s four-year anniversary before a new one will even be considered.

The Senate Democrats' failure to do their statutorily mandated job is shameful. When asked about a budget by Greta van Susteren on April 3rd, the Democratic Chairwoman said that she expected the Senate to take up and pass a budget this year, even though Senator Reid had already dismissed that possibility. On April 25th, the Chairwoman acknowledged to Bret Baier that she had not known what her own party’s plans were despite being one of its leaders.

Worse still, she also told Baier that the budgets proposed by President Obama and Congressman Paul Ryan offered “two blueprints that show the different directions that this country can go” without mentioning that she had voted against President Obama’s budget in the House’s unanimous 414-0 rejection of the plan. That vote reminded many of the last time Harry Reid allowed the Senate to vote on an Obama budget, when his FY2012 proposal was turned down 97-0.

This week serves as yet another reminder that the Democrats find their own budget ideas more embarrassing than the complete abdication of one of their most basic responsibilities. Below are a few articles delving further into the subject:

SESSIONS: Senate’s scofflaw Democrats

This Sunday marks exactly three years since the Democratic majority in the Senate last passed a budget, on April 29, 2009. During that time, the federal government has spent $10.4 trillion and added another $4.5 trillion to our total debt.

Democrats Have Nothing to Offer But Fear Itself

Asked why the Senate hasn't produced a budget in three years, the head of the Democratic Party instead stoked fear about the "Romney-Ryan budget that ends Medicare as we know it." FDR, call your office.

Senate Dems: We don't need no stinkin' budget

April 29 will mark three years since Senate Democrats passed a budget. This dereliction of duty flagrantly violates the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act.

   

And here are some of the week’s best tweets about the continued lack of a federal budget:

@SenLeeComs

Happy Anniversary Harry! Sunday marks the third full year the Democrat-controlled Senate has failed to produce a budget #3yearsnobudget

 

@RandyNeugebauer

Why haven't @Senatedems passed a #Budget in over 1000 days? #questionsthatdontgetanswers

 

@GOPrincess

BREAKING: The Senate Democrats have just released their federal #Budget plan. http://via.me/-uuuynw

 

@RWrasse

The federal government has added nearly $4.5 trillion to the #debt since Senate Dems last passed a #budget. #3YearsNoBudget

@TimmyHydeisLost

@NowWithAlex said #TeaParty hasn't done anything in #congress #PaulRyan & crew passed a #budget Senate gave #Obama 0 votes 2 years in a row

 

@washingtonstrat

#Democrats in the #Senate aren’t pressing ahead at all on the #budget, fearful of politically risky votes http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/health_care/gop-pulls-its-budget-punches-as-follow-up-legislation-advances-on-capitol-hill/2012/04/24/gIQAfbz5eT_story.html

@BudgetGOP

#3YearsNoBudget RT @philipaklein The last time the Senate passed a budget, Andrew Luck had yet to play a college game.

Lee: VAWA Oversteps Limits on Federal Power

Apr 26, 2012

My opposition to the current VAWA reauthorization is a vote against big government and inefficient spending, and a vote in favor of state autonomy and local control. We must not allow a desire by some to score political points and an appetite for federal spending to prevent states and localities from efficiently and effectively serving women and other victims of domestic violence.

VAWA Vote -- Day Lee Briefing 04/26/2012

Apr 26, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of the Utah Insurance Department, Emery County, Wheeler Machinery, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Federal Bar Association, the Creative Coalition, and the Association of Governments.

 

From the Senator’s Desk

From the Whip

The Senate will convene at 9:30am and will resume consideration of S. 1925, the Violence Against Women Act.  The time until 11:30am will be for debate only.

At 11:30am, the Senate will begin up to 30 minutes of debate on executive calendar #509, Gregg Jeffrey Costa, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, and executive calendar #510, David Campos Guaderrama, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas.

Around 12:00pm, the Senate will proceed to two Roll Call Votes on confirmation of the nominations.

Following the votes, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1925 and Majority Leader Reid will be recognized. The two Leaders are still discussing a path forward on VAWA.

 

Wednesday’s Session:

Roll Call Votes:

-Manchin #2079 (mandatory 2 year closure moratorium)(43-53) not agreed to

-Paul #2028 (local postal autonomy)(35-64) not agreed to

-Paul #2039 (collective bargaining)(23-76) not agreed to

-Casey #2042 (maintain delivery standards)(44-54) not agreed to

-DeMint #2046 (union dues)(46-53) not agreed to

-Passage of S.1789, the Postal Reform bill, as amended (62-37) passed

 

UC Items:

S.Res.437 (Boston College Men’s Hockey)

S.Res.438 (National Safe Digging Month)

 

On Twitter

Featured Tweet

Around the Water Cooler

Analysts say North Korea's new missiles are fakes

Analysts who have studied photos of a half-dozen ominous new North Korean missiles showcased recently at a lavish military parade say they were fakes, and not very convincing ones, casting further doubt on the country's claims of military prowess.

EPA Official's 'Philosophy' On Oil Companies: 'Crucify Them' - Just As Romans Crucified Conquered Citizens

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) took to the Senate floor today to draw attention to a video of a top EPA official saying the EPA’s “philosophy” is to “crucify” and “make examples” of oil and gas companies - just as the Romans crucified random citizens in areas they conquered to ensure obedience.

Looking Ahead

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

 

Lee Responds to Interior Secretary’s Comments on Utah Lands

Apr 25, 2012

More than two-thirds of all the land within Utah’s borders is owned by the federal government, which makes it very difficult to grow our state economy, pay for education, and create new opportunities for Utahns. The President and his advisers like to talk about fairness, yet how fair is it that the state of Utah must ask for federal permission to use the vast majority of their own land?

Medicare Heading for Bankruptcy -- Day Lee Briefing 04/25/2012

Apr 25, 2012

On April 23, 2012, the Medicare Trustees issued their annual report outlining the financial status of the program. The report described a program headed for bankruptcy and severely damaged by the Obama Administration's budget gimmicks and failure to lead.

Playing Politics with Medicare Advantage -- Day Lee Briefing 04/24/12

Apr 24, 2012

Today’s Agenda

Today, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, the Farm Bureau Federation, the Center for Persons with Disabilities, and Weber State University. He will also be a guest on American Family Radio at 8:20 AM EDT (6:20 MDT), and he will host a Utah tele-press conference at 6:15 PM EDT (4:15 EDT).

From the Senator’s Desk

Ahead of this afternoon’s release of the official Medicare trustees report, the Administration is out with its own “study” attempting to put a positive spin on Obamacare’s impact on Medicare.  The report claims that Obamacare will “save” $200 billion between now and 2016.  However, those claims are based on spending reductions that the non-partisan Medicare actuary believes “would become unsustainable and that Congress would likely override or modify them.”  If the spending reductions are not overridden, the actuary has stated that 15 percent of hospitals and other providers could become unprofitable by 2019, and up to 40 percent of providers could become unprofitable in the long term.

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released today makes this exact point – illustrating how the Obama Administration created an $8 billion Medicare Advantage demonstration program that overrides many of Obamacare’s cuts.   GAO found that this massive demonstration project “is at least seven times larger than that of any other Medicare demonstration conducted since 1995 and is greater than the combined budgetary impact of all of those demonstrations.”  According to GAO, the demonstration “precludes a credible evaluation of its effectiveness,” and is instead focused on shelling out money to temporarily undo much of Obamacare’s cuts – a whopping 71% of Obamacare’s Medicare Advantage cuts will be undone in 2012, compared to just 32% in 2013 and 16% in 2014. (Can anyone think of a reason why the Obama Administration might want to undo the Medicare Advantage cuts this year…?)  For all these reasons, as a New York Post op-ed this morning noted, the demonstration program looks suspiciously like a political attempt by the President to avoid angering seniors by cutting Medicare Advantage while running for re-election.

The GAO report proves how the Administration’s study is fundamentally flawed.  The Administration report assumes all the Medicare spending reductions will go into effect, but the GAO report illustrates how the Obama White House has already reversed one of the major spending reductions – the Medicare Advantage cuts – in order to fend off political dissent during the President’s re-election campaign.  The Associated Press previously reported on the Medicare Advantage demonstration last year, noting that the program “could head off service cuts that would have been a [political] headache for Obama and Democrats in next year’s elections.”  Even a former Democrat staffer who worked in the Clinton Administration admitted that the effort amounted to a political stunt: “It’s fair to say that [Medicare] could not tolerate dislocation, given the political climate.”

While Obamacare’s spending reductions are subject to alteration for political purposes, the new spending on the law’s massive new entitlements are sacrosanct, and virtually guaranteed to take effect if President Obama remains in office.  Of course, undermining the spending reductions while keeping the new spending would make the entire law, and Medicare itself, even more fiscally unsustainable than the status quo.  That’s why, when it comes to today’s dueling reports, don’t believe what the Administration says in its spin-laden study – look at what it already did to undermine politically unpalatable spending reductions.

On Twitter

SenMikeLee

Fairness in the market means companies compete on a level playing field, and no one receives special treatment: http://ow.ly/aos67 #taxes


SenLeeComs

For those using #dontdoublemyrate, are you aware the president is #doublingyourdebt?


SenLeePressSec

.@SenMikeLee spends a lot of time in that room! RT @gretawire: Senate Judiciary Com Room http://pic.twitter.com/3KNkZ0dd


SenLeeResearch

How much does it cost to move a single bush? $205,075 if you're in government: http://bit.ly/HI9E3z #tcot #tlot

Around the Water Cooler

Democrats' latest tax target: Private corporations

First it was people earning at least $1 million a year. Now Democrats seeking their next election-year target for tax increases on better-off Americans may have found it: the owners of many privately held corporations.


Stocks: Blue chips take cue from earnings

U.S. stocks finished mixed Tuesday, with the Dow holding onto solid gains, while Netflix's disappointing outlook weighed down tech stocks.

"Stocks are moving higher today on the back of decent earnings reports, but overall, I think investors are wondering whether the economic and market momentum that boosted stocks from last October through March is starting to fade," said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial Group.


Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Senator Lee will meet with representatives of NASA, the Club for Growth, the Western Energy Alliance, the American College of Radiology, and eBay business owners. He will also host a Jell-O bar for visitors at 3:30 PM EDT (1:30 MDT).