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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent letters to Federal Trade Commission Acting Chair (FTC) Rebecca Slaughter and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) calling for a public Judiciary Hearing into recent revelations that the Obama-Biden FTC failed to enforce antitrust law in an 2011 investigation of Google and instead let the company off with a slap on the wrist. The senators call for testimony from Google executives and relevant FTC officials, including the former Commissioners who now represent big tech firms.

The stated mission of the Department of Health and Human Services “is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans.” The HHS Secretary is thus charged with overseeing all government healthcare and social services, and protecting the health and rights of the American people. It’s a worthy goal, and an important job. Unfortunately, the history of the nominee before us, Mr. Xavier Becerra, poses grave concerns for carrying out this very goal, and for overseeing an agency with such vast, far-reaching responsibilities.

WASHINGTON - Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021 today, a bill that aims to reduce overcriminalization, rein in excessive regulation, and curb overzealous prosecutions. As the power of the federal government has grown in size and scope, regulators and prosecutors have found ways to penalize activities that most Americans would view as innocent or non-criminal. As a result, ordinary Americans have found themselves facing jail time for supposedly “criminal” activities like abandoning a snowmobile on federal land, accidentally diverting sewage backups to the wrong drain, or unknowingly selling goods to the wrong person. In each of these cases, the government did not have to prove that the person knew or intended to commit a crime; they simply had to prove that the person committed the action.

WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) reintroduced the Global Trade Accountability Act Wednesday, a bill that would subject unilateral actions by the president to increase trade barriers to congressional approval. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined as cosponsors of the bill. “Congress has ceded far too much of its lawmaking power to the executive branch, including the power to unilaterally raise tariffs,” Sen. Lee said. “Sudden hikes in trade barriers can have real and devastating impacts on American small businesses, farmers, and families, including in my home state of Utah. As the deliberative body and the people’s representatives, Congress must be involved in any decision that would increase barriers to trade, especially as global supply lines continue to be disrupted from the pandemic.”