Sen. Lee Introduces the Federal Courts Access Act
Jan 31, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement after introducing the Federal Courts Access Act of 2019, Thursday.
“For too long, trial lawyers have been able to manipulate the diversity jurisdiction rules to deny litigants their day in federal court,” Sen. Lee said. “By creating a minimal diversity requirement consistent with the vision of the very first Congress, this bill increases out-of-state litigants access to the federal courts for major controversies. By returning to first principles, we can increase both fairness and efficiency in the civil litigation system.”
Sen. Lee Honored to Meet First Step Act Beneficiary Matthew Charles
Jan 28, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement after meeting Matthew Charles, the first prisoner released due to passage of the First Step Act:
“It was truly an honor to meet Matthew Charles today,” Sen. Lee said. “Here is a man who served his debt to society, turned his life around, and is already contributing to his family and community. There is still more we can do to make sure our criminal justice system is as fair and humane as possible, and success stories like Mr. Charles will make further reform possible.”
Sen. Lee Statement on End of Government Shutdown
Jan 25, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement after President Trump announced the end of the government shutdown:
“It is of course a relief that the shutdown is over. But the shutdown was not created by the crisis on the border. It was created by the failure of Congress to do its job. The way we are doing things now is convenient for politicians, but not for the American people. Government funding and immigration policy shouldn’t be a secret negotiation, but an open debate on the floors of the House and Senate. That’s the only way the American people can be included in this process.”
Sen. Lee Statement on Ending Shutdown and Paying Federal Workers
Jan 24, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Thursday after voting against a White House plan to fund the federal government:
“If this had been a vote to begin debate on a deal to end the shutdown, I would have happily voted yes,” Sen. Lee said. “But this was a vote to end debate on a bill that I believe is fundamentally flawed. In fact, after specifically asking for assurances that we would be allowed to offer amendments, no assurances were given. This bill as is simply does not do enough to reform our immigration system or address the crisis at our southern border.”
Sen. Lee Reintroduces Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing Act
Jan 24, 2019
WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), along with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), Rand Paul (R-KY), James Risch (R-ID), and Mike Crapo (R-ID) reintroduced the Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing Act of 2019, a bill that would ensure the elimination of all federal regulations of suppressors.
Sens. Lee, Grassley Reintroduce Balanced Budget Amendment
Jan 24, 2019
WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced an amendment to the United States Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget each year. This amendment would put a stop to the current “status quo” of Congress spending far more money than the federal government takes in and would place strict limitations on the federal government’s ability to increase taxes, raise the debt limit, and carry out other actions that threaten our long-term fiscal sustainability.
Sen. Lee Introduces Bill to Make Mexico City Policy Permanent
Jan 22, 2019
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation Friday that would make the administration’s “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” policy, former known as the Mexico City Policy, permanent statutory policy.
“The administration’s ban on funding overseas organizations that promote abortion has already saves and will continue to save countless lives across the globe,” Lee said. “We cannot leave the fate of these regulations up to the whims of successive presidents. Congress must now step up and do what they can to turn the ‘Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance’ executive order into law.”
Different Races, Same Boat
Jan 21, 2019
Could a conservative populism repair our racial divide?
Toward the end of his life, Martin Luther King Jr. turned his attention from an exclusive focus on racial justice to unequal opportunity more generally. The United States was “a nation gorged on money,” he wrote, “while millions of its citizens are denied a good education, adequate health services, decent housing, meaningful employment, and even respect, and are then told to be responsible.” He specifically blamed federal policymakers for “subsidies of the rich and unemployment and underemployment of the poor.”
Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform
Jan 18, 2019
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution says that no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The Founding Fathers specifically included this provision in the Constitution because, as they complained in the Declaration of Independence, the British often detained colonists and seized their property without any legal process at all.
Unfortunately in recent decades, the federal government and local law enforcement have been using a legal practice called “civil asset forfeiture” to short circuit these protections.
Let’s Start Working to End This Shutdown
Jan 18, 2019
This coming Monday will mark the 31st day of this partial government shutdown, the longest shutdown in our nation’s history. Families are going without paychecks, businesses are losing revenue, and the brave men and women who protect our country—including those at the border and in the waters surrounding our nation—are not getting the support they need to keep us safe.
This needs to end, and it needs to end as soon as possible.
