Senator Lee Speaks Against Bears Earns Monument Designation from the Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Lee spoke on the Senate floor against the Obama administration’s recent designation of Bears Ears as a national monument, as well as the plans to rescind the designation in the upcoming Congress and with the new administration.
Sen. Lee stated, "The truth is, what can be done through unilateral executive action can also be undone the same way. Such is the impermanence of executive power in our constitutional republic, where major policy changes require broad consensus, forged through legislative compromise, to endure the test of time.”
Sen. Lee continued, "In other words, starting on January 20, President-Elect Trump can use his executive powers to rescind President Obama’s designation of the Bears Ears National Monument – and I’ve asked the future Trump administration to do just that. I’ve also recently cosponsored Senator Murkowski’s bill, the Improved National Monument Designation Process Act, which would require all future presidents to obtain congressional and state approval prior to designating a national monument.
I’ve done these things, Madam President, and I’ll do more, because I believe the preponderance of evidence proves that President Obama abused the powers granted to him under the Antiquities Act when he designated the Bears Ears National Monument.”
Full text of the speech is attached, and text and video of the speech can be found at this link.
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Sens. Lee, Rubio, and Cruz Send Letter Supporting Obamacare Repeal Resolution
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a letter to Senate Republican leaders Tuesday supporting their efforts to repeal Obamacare within the first weeks of the 115th Congress. The letter reads:
“We understand that this will require first moving a budget resolution for fiscal year 2017 through Congress. While we recognize this budget resolution is primarily a mechanism to advance repeal, it should still contain transparent spending and revenue numbers and include all extant enforcement tools.
“Prior to consideration of this “Obamacare Repeal Resolution,” we wish to affirm our shared commitment to the following process that will lead to the delivery of the following conservative priorities.
“First, it is our belief that the 2017 budget resolution must include reconciliation instructions that enable Congress to quickly consider legislation that repeals at least as much of Obamacare as H.R.3762, which President Obama vetoed in December 2015. Indeed, we should try to use the reconciliation process to repeal as many provisions of Obamacare as possible, especially the insurance mandates that are driving up health insurance costs for millions of Americans.
“Second, we seek your commitment to passing a fiscal year 2018 budget resolution that sets our new, unified Republican federal government on a path to balance in 10 years without the use of budgetary gimmicks or tax increases. Our votes in favor of the “Obamacare Repeal Resolution” do not indicate in any way our support for the revenue, spending, and deficit numbers therein, nor for the use of those numbers as the basis for future federal budgets.
“We look forward to working with you this Congress and to delivering on the mandate given to us by the American people to repeal Obamacare and reform the status quo in Washington.”
The letter was addressed to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX), and Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) and can be read in its entirety here.
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