SENATOR

MIKE LEE
ANNUAL
REPORT

PUBLISHED JANUARY 2019

 Cover Photo: Cedar Breaks National Monument by Carl Mazur

OFFICES OF SENATOR MIKE LEE

Salt Lake City Office St. George Office
Wallace Bennett Federal Building 285 W Tabernacle
125 S State Street, Suite 4225 Suite 200
Salt Lake City, UT 84138 St. George, UT 84770
(801) 524-5933 (435) 628-5514

Ogden Office Washington, DC Office

James V. Hansen Federal Building Russell Senate Building
324 25th Street, Suite 1410 Room 361A
Ogden, UT 84401 Washington, DC 20510
(801) 392-9633 (202) 224-5444
 CONTENTS
06 16 30
Intro Judiciary/ Photo Gallery
First Step Act
08 36
Committee 22 DC Events
Assignments Yemen War
Powers
38
10 Communication/
Sponsored 24 Outreach
Legislation Public Lands
44
14 26 Internships
Social Capital Solutions Summit/
Project Opioid Crisis
4 Addressing the Utah Senate | February 21, 2018
The founders designed a legislative branch where U.S.
Senators would be accountable to the states. Each year
during Utah’s legislative session, I deliver my annual
report to the Utah Legislature and people of Utah. I
take this responsibility seriously. This annual report is
intended to keep the Utah Legislature and the people of
Utah abreast of what I am doing as I strive to represent
the values for which we stand in this great state.

5
 STRENGTH PAYS OFF
FOR UTAH
Patience is not a virtue many Amer-
icans often attribute to politicians
in Washington, DC, but I believe it is
essential to making sure good, princi-
pled, and honest policy becomes law.
Fifteen years ago, when I was an As-
sistant U.S. Attorney, then-U.S. District
Judge Paul Cassell sentenced a young
father of two with no criminal record
to more than 50 years in jail for selling
three one-gram bags of marijuana.
Judge Cassell explained at the time
that he believed the sentence he
was handing down was unjust, but
his hands were tied due to inflexible
mandatory minimum sentencing laws.
“Only Congress can fix this problem,”
Judge Cassell said.
When I first came to Washington,
some seven years later, I immediately
began looking for a colleague to work
with to reform our criminal justice sys-
tem. My work with Sen. Dick Durbin
(D-IL) eventually led to the introduc-
tion of the Smarter Sentencing Act in
2013. The Senate Judiciary Committee
6
eventually passed the bill out of com-
mittee but it never received a full vote
on the Senate floor.
In 2015, we added some prison reform
elements to our sentencing reform
bill, allowing us to bring 11 more co-
sponsors on board, including Senate
Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck
Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Cory Booker
(D-NJ). This new Sentencing Reform
and Corrections Act also passed out of
the Senate Judiciary Committee, but
it also failed to secure a vote on the
Senate floor.
Finally, just this year, after the House
passed a prison reform bill called The
First Step Act in May, we saw an op-
portunity to leverage White House
support to encourage Senate lead-
ership to give criminal justice reform
a vote. Working closely with activists
from the right and left we combined
the prison reform elements of the First
Step Act with many of the sentencing
reform elements from the Sentencing
Reform and Corrections Act that could
pass the Senate.
And it did pass, by an overwhelming
87-12 margin, this December.
This is the same model for legislative
change Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and I
deployed to secure tax relief for Utah
families through the expanded child
tax credit that was included in the Tax
Cut and Jobs Act of 2017.
A similar child tax credit expansion
was first introduced back in 2015, but
it wasn’t until the White House was
occupied by a president friendly to tax
cuts that the policy had a chance to
become law.
look at how the crisis is affecting Utah.
Looking forward to 2019, the JEC’s So-
cial Capital Project will begin turning
all of the data and analysis it has been
producing on communities into actual
policy that can strengthen our families
and our country.
It was an honor to serve the state
of Utah in 2018. We achieved many
things that were years in the making.
But we have many more things to
achieve in the coming years, especially
on public lands, health care, and gov-
ernment accountably. If we are patient
and dedicated, I know we can accom-
plish progress on those issues as well.

Throughout 2018, I continued to

patiently pursue principled policy
solutions for Utahns. This October the
Utah Opioid Task Force, led by Utah Michael S. Lee
United States Senator for Utah
Attorney General Sean Reyes, DEA
360 Program Director Brian Besser
and I, hosted the 5th Annual Solutions
Summit: Instead – Connecting for a
Cure. Over 5,000 students, educators,
healthcare officials, and community
members were in attendance.

Back in Washington, the Joint Eco-

nomic Committee released an update
to its 2017 national report on the
opioid crisis, with a new more in depth

7
 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Judiciary Committee - The Senate Committee on the Judiciary oversees the Department
of Justice, considers executive nominations, and reviews pending legislation. Senator Lee has
served on this important committee since 2011.
• Chairman of Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights
• Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts
• Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights

Energy & Natural Resources Committee - The Senate Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources oversees matters related to energy and nuclear waste policy, territorial policy,
and public lands. This committee is crucial for public lands issues facing Utah.
• Chairman of Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
• Subcommittee on Energy
• Subcommittee on Water and Power

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee - The Senate

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation oversees the Coast Guard and Merchant
Marine, interstate commerce, communications, the Internet, highways, aviation, rail, shipping,
transportation security, oceans, fisheries, climate change, natural disasters, science, sports,
tourism, consumer protection, economic development, technology, competitiveness, product
safety, insurance, and standards and measurement.
• Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
• Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
• Subcommittee on Communications Technology, Innovation, and the Internet
• Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security
• Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness

Joint Economic Committee - The Joint Economic Committee is responsible for

reporting and making suggestions to improve the United States economy. Senator Lee served as
vice-chair in the 115th Congress and will serve as chair in the 116th Congress (2019-2021).

8
99
 Sponsored Legislation
115th Congress
S. 103 Local Zoning Decisions Protection Act - Nullifies a rule that basically gives
the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development national zoning authority.

S. 177 Global Trade Accountability Act - Requires actions taken by the executive
branch on trade to be subject to congressional approval.

S. 299 Agency Accountability Act - Makes all fines, fees, and penalties subject to the
appropriations process, allowing for more oversight.

S. 1746 CBO Show Your Work Act - Requires higher transparency from the
Congressional Budget Office by making more data available.

S. 1594 Protecting American Jobs Act - Transfers the power to hear and adjudicate
NLRB complaints to the U.S. Court System.

S. 185 Head Start Improvement Act - Gives states and parents greater flexibility to
meet the specific needs of low-income children.

S. 244 Davis-Bacon Repeal Act - Repeals 80-year-old wage subsidy law which drives
up federal project costs and hinders economic growth.

S. 801 Working Families Flexibility Act - Allows employers to give option for
employees to choose either overtime pay or paid time off for overtime hours.

S. 1290 Welfare Reform and Upward Mobility Act - Reform welfare to repair
dignity, strengthen families, and assist Americans in becoming self-sufficient once again.

S. 2228 Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act - Provides students

with options that prepare them for the challenges and opportunities in today’s job market.

S. 2158 USA Liberty Act - Closes a warrantless data collection loophole in standard
domestic criminal investigations.

S. 1933 Smarter Sentencing Act - Reduces mandatory minimum sentences for non-
violent offenders. This bill was incorporated into the First Step Act and was passed by the House
and Senate and signed into law by the President.

S. 1657 ECPA Modernization Act - Updates federal statutes to better reflect

Americans’ modern expectations of privacy.

10
S. 1654 Email Privacy Act - Requires higher transparency from the Congressional
Budget Office by making more data available.

S. 1216 Due Process Guarantee Act - Protects Americans from being detained
indefinitely, without charge or trial.

S. 281 Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act - Eliminates the per country
percentage caps on employment-based immigrants.

S.J. Res. 7 Balanced Budget Amendment - Consitutional amendment requiring

Congress to balance the federal budget.

S. 2817 Pay for Printing Act - Requires the sponsor of a ceremonial or commemorative
Senate resolution to pay for the printing costs out of the Senators’ budget.

S. 2979 Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act -

Rescinds approximately $15 billion in budget authority from various expired and unnecessary
programs.

S. 3198 Allied Burden Sharing Report Act - Requires a report submitted

to Congress by the Secretary of Defense that details annual defense spending to minimize
contribution limitations of U.S. allied nations.

S. Res. 92 A Resolution Expressing Concern over the Disappearance

of David Sneddon - Passed Senate by unanimous consent.
S. 409 Military Humanitarian Operations Act - Requires that the president first
obtain an AUMF from Congress before any introduction of U.S. military forces for humanitarian
purposes where hostilities are present or anticipated.

S. 118 Reinforcing American-Made Products Act - There are currently

conflicting standards between the states (California) and the federal government. S.118 would
simply make the federal standard the supreme labeling law when goods are introduced in
interstate or foreign commerce.

S. 993 Restoring Internet Freedom Act - Repeals the 2015 FCC Open Internet
Order, which classified Internet Service Providers as “Telecommunications Services” under Title II
of the Communications Act of 1934. The bill also prohibits the FCC from re-issuing a similar rule
unless pursuant to an act of Congress.

S. 2650 Aviation Empowerment Act - More affectionately known as “Uber for

Planes,” this act addresses issues that stifle innovation in the general aviation community.

S. 3190 Transportation Empowerment Act - Would lower the federal gasoline

tax from 18.3 cents per gallon to 3.7 cents per gallon, leaving Washington with sufficient funds to
maintain the current interstate highway system. States would then be free to set their own gas tax
levels and fund their own transportation projects.

11
 S. 3441 Screening Partnership Reform Act - Allows airports to more easily and
fairly contract with private TSA screening services.

S. 3617 Government Spectrum Valuation Act - Would require the NTIA to

coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to annually determine the market
value of electromagnetic spectrum assigned or allocated to each federal agency as well as report
the market value in the President’s budget and each federal agency’s financial statement.

S. 185 Head Start Improvement Act - Moves funding from Head Start into block
grants for states and territories .

S. 2306 Enhancing Educational Opportunities for All Act - Allows for Title I
portability for students and removes the contribution limitations on Coverdell education savings
accounts.

S. Res. 15 Mexico City Policy Resolution - Expresses the sense of the Senate that
the Mexico City policy should be permanently established.

S. 2525 First Amendment Defense Act - Prevents the Federal Government from
denying federal grants, contracts, licenses, certifications, accreditations, or tax exemptions from
individuals or groups based on their belief about marriage.

S. 2450 Poverty Measurement Improvement Act - Authorizes the Census

Bureau to conduct a new survey of income and receipt of federal means-tested benefits that will
be compared against records from administrative agencies.

S. 740 Voluntary Checkoff Program Participation Act - Allows farmers and

ranchers to participate in checkoff programs if they desire, but ends the tax on those producers
who would prefer not to participate.

S. 741 Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act - Prohibits checkoff from

contracting with any organization that lobbies on agricultural policy, with an exemption for
research at institutions of higher education. Prohibit employees and agents of the checkoff boards
from engaging in activities that may involve a conflict of interest.

S. 2611 EQIP Repeal - This bill repeals the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a
program intended to financially incentivize farmers to engage in conservation practices. This is
not an appropriate function of the federal government and the GAO has identified several serious
concerns with the programs.

S. 1863 Native Species Protection Act - If enacted, the bill would allow states
like Utah to manage entirely intrastate species such as the Utah Prairie Dog without federal
interference.

S.J. Res. 38 CRA EPA’s Approval of Air Quality Plans and Regional
Haze - Would have overturned an Obama-era EPA Clean Air Act rule that imposed unworkable
requirements on the state of Utah. The Trump administration has eased some of the regulations

12
and the window for the CRA has closed.

S. 2877 Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act - Federal

regulations currently prohibit the use of mountain bikes and other forms of non-motorized travel
in wilderness areas. This bill would end this unreasonable blanket ban and increase recreational
access on federal lands by authorizing local wilderness managers to allow and regulate non-
motorized travel on certain routes in wilderness areas.

S. 3193 Protect Utah’s Rural Economy Act - Prohibits the president from
establishing or extending a national monument in Utah unless the proposed monument has been
authorized by an act of Congress and the state legislature has enacted legislation approving the
proposed establishment or extension.

S. 3297 Washington County Public Land Act - Designates a right of way for the
construction of the northern corridor in Washington County. To offset any potential impacts to the
desert tortoise, a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, the bill would add 6,865
acres to the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and extend the existing desert tortoise habitat conservation
plan by 25 years. The bill also would guarantee access to utilities and grazing within the Red Cliffs
and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas.

S. 3472 Big Sand Wash Project Title Transfer Act - Directs the Bureau of
Reclamation to convey certain lands and facilities associated with the Big Sand Wash Project
in Duchesne County to the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, who would then convey
those lands and facilities to the Moon Lake Water Users Association once certain conditions are
met. The bill removes federal involvement in the project and ensures that it is controlled by state
and private entities.

S. 3690 Major Brent Taylor Vet Center Outstation - This bill would rename the
North Ogden, Utah Veterans Affairs Office to the Major Brent Taylor Vet Center Outstation.

13
 THE SOCIAL CAPITAL PROJECT
In 2017, Senator Lee established the So-
cial Capital Project within the Joint Eco-
nomic Committee with the goal to assess
the state of the American social fabric.
In the first year of the project, staff con-
ducted and published research on a wide
range of topics including trends in the
opioids crisis, volunteering, and attach-
ment to work, families, communities, and
religious practices. In 2018, the project
continued to publish research on a num-
ber of related subjects, including trends
in loneliness, a statistical portrait of men
disengaged from the labor force, and the
numbers behind Utah’s experience with
the opioids crisis; the report on the latter
was a major contributor to the 2018 Solu-
tion’s Summit.
One highlight of this year was the release
of a major report, “The Geography of So-
14
cial Capital in America,” which used data
from dozens of sources across several do-
mains to develop state- and county-level
indexes showing the strength and weak-
ness of associational life across the United
States. It showed that the health of fami-
lies, communities, and institutions varies
widely by geographic region. Utah fared
well, ranking first in the nation overall and
first on family unity, social support, and
philanthropic health.
The report and the index received pos-
itive coverage from a variety of local
and national publications, including The
Washington Post and Deseret News,
and enjoyed broad circulation on social
media. Senator Lee continues to use the
report to influence the views of his col-
leagues and to inform policy so that it
better addresses our frayed social fabric.
The Geography of Social Capital in America
The social capital index reveals the extent of social disrepair varies considerably across the
United States. The index and the associated report present the geographic distribution of
several subcomponents of social capital, including family unity, family interaction, social sup-
port, community health, institutional health, collective efficacy, and philanthropic health.

It is our hope that the availability of the index will inspire researchers and policy-makers to
focus more on social capital and its relationship to other features of economic and social life.

No information Bottom 20% Top 20%

No information Bottom 20% Top 20%

View the full reports from the Social Capital Project at lee.senate.gov

15
 Judiciary Committee
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Lee played a key role in the confirmation
of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. The following excerpt from an article in Politico
showcases some of Senator Lee’s efforts in the confirmation process:

As the world waited for a sign of Brett Kavanaugh’s fate, Mike Lee was doing a simple job with
profound consequences: helping to persuade the man who had thrown the Supreme Court nominee’s
confirmation into disarray.

Lee’s friendship with Jeff Flake, another conservative senator from a neighboring western state, put
him in an optimal position to assuage the mercurial Arizonan after he orchestrated a new FBI inquiry
into misconduct claims against the judge. That’s how Lee and Flake found themselves holed up for much
of Thursday in the secure basement room where senators view the nation’s most sensitive secrets,
poring over the FBI’s report.

The two had been in even closer touch than normal for weeks, the younger Utahan calling the retiring
Arizonan multiple times a day, stepping out of church to check in as Flake wrestled with his vote on
Kavanaugh — and holding Washington and the nation in his thrall. At the day’s end, with the judge’s
fate teetering, Lee called Flake again to explain his reading of the FBI’s work: no corroboration for
Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez’s claims against Kavanaugh.

“So, I’m a yes,” Lee told Flake. He then asked where Flake was: “Yes,” Flake replied.

16
Judicial Confirmations

66 TOTAL
CONFIRMATIONS

24 US ATTORNEY
CONFIRMATIONS

47 DISTRICT COURT
CONFIRMATIONS
18 CIRCUIT COURT
CONFIRMATIONS

1 SUPREME COURT
CONFIRMATION

“Judge Kavanaugh is a good man. He is eminently qualified

to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. I was
honored to vote for his confirmation.”
SENATOR MIKE LEE on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh

17
17
 Criminal Justice Reform
When Mike Lee was an assistant US attorney, he became aware of a case involving a young father
and music producer named Weldon Angelos. Angelos was arrested after selling 3 dime bags of
marijuana to a police informant while carrying a firearm. Due to mandatory minimum sentencing
laws, Angelos was sentenced to 55 years in prison, essentially a life sentence.

Judge Paul Cassell, who heard the case and was forced to issue the sentence wrote in his opinion,
“The court believes that to sentence Mr. Angelos to prison for the rest of his life is unjust, cruel
and even irrational. It is also far in excess of the sentence imposed for such serious crimes as air-
craft hijacking, second-degree murder, espionage, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and rape.”

Then Judge Cassell uttered the words that stuck with Senator Lee for years, “Only Congress can fix
this problem.”

After being elected to the US Senate, Senator Lee went to work to find allies to fix these unjust
sentencing laws. Together with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, he introduced the Smarter Sen-
tencing Act to address mandatory minimum sentences for certain controlled substance offenses.
The bill passed out of committee in 2014, but didn’t make it to the floor for a vote.

Senator Lee reintroduced the bill in subsequent Congresses, and in 2018 an opportunity present-
ed itself to attach the bill to a prison reform bill passed by the House titled the First Step Act.

Senator Lee continually worked to persuade his Republican colleagues and the White House of
the merits of the bill, joinng forces with Senators Cory Booker, Dick Durbin, Chuck Grassley, and
others, as well as Jared Kushner and Van Jones. Thanks in large part to President Trump’s influ-
ence, Senator McConnell brought the bill to the floor and it passed with a vote of 87-12. It was
signed into law by President Trump on December 21, 2018.

The First Step Act has already benefitted individuals and families who were disproportionately

Mike Lee was an assistant

23-year-old Weldon Angelos US attorney at the time
arrested for selling dime and was consulted in the
bags of marijuana to a
police informant.
2004 Angelos case. Lee knew 2011
Congress had to fix this.

Due to mandatory Lee takes office

2002 minimum sentencing as Utah’s 16th US
laws, Angelos is Senator.
sentenced to 55 years.

18
18
 punished under mandatory sentencing laws. Matthew Charles is one such individual. Charles was
sentenced to 35 years for selling 216 grams of crack in 1996. While in prison he completed 30 Bible
correspondence courses, taught GED classes, and helped fellow inmates with their cases. He was
released in 2016 after a judge determined he qualified for a sentence reduction under the 2010
Fair Sentencing Act. But federal prosecutors appealed his release, eventually succeeding in putting
Mr. Charles back in prison.

In 2018, Charles was again released by a federal judge citing The First Step Act provisions to elimi-
nating the crack vs. cocaine sentencing discrepancy.

Since being released, Mr. Charles has been a model member of the community, finding an apart-
ment to live in and continuing to volunteer at the food pantry he was assigned for parole even
after he didn’t have to. He reconnected with his daughter and grandkids, and spent Christmas with
them.

Matthew Charles and his family are one of the first of many families who will benefit from the re-
forms made in the First Step Act.

Senator Lee meets with Weldon Angelos in his office in Washington, DC.

Senators Lee and Durbin

introduce the Smarter 2018 President Trump signs the
Sentencing Act. First Step Act into law.

Reforms from the Smarter

2013 Sentencing Act are combined Dec. 21,
with the House’s prison reform
bill known as the First Step Act. 2018
19
19
 Op-Ed:
Op-Ed: A Conservative Case
for Criminal Justice Reform
President Trump announces support for the First Step Act, alongside Senator Mike Lee and other key players
in criminal justice reform efforts in Congress. The bill was signed into law in December 2018.
“Government’s first duty,” President Reagan
said in 1981 and President Trump recently
tweeted, “is to protect the people, not run
their lives.” The safety of law-abiding citizens
has always been a core principle of conserva-
tism. And it is why we need to take this oppor-
tunity to pass real criminal-justice reform now.
Although violent crime rose during the final
two years of President Obama’s time in office,
it decreased during the first year of Trump’s
presidency. We need to keep that momentum
going. Criminal justice reform can help us do
that in two ways.
First, commonsense sentencing reform can
increase trust in the criminal-justice system,
20
thus making it easier for law enforcement
personnel to police communities. Right now,
federal mandatory-minimum sentences for
many drug offenses can lead to outcomes that
strike many people as unfair, and thus under-
mine the public’s faith in our justice system.
For example, when I served as an Assistant
United States Attorney in Salt Lake City,
Weldon Angelos -- a young father of two with
no criminal record -- was convicted of selling
three dime bags of marijuana to a paid infor-
mant over a short period of time.
These were not violent crimes. No one was
hurt. But because Angelos had been in pos-
session of a gun at the time he sold the drugs
(a gun which was neither brandished nor dis-
charged in connection with the offense), the
judge was forced by federal law to give him
a 55-year prison sentence. The average fed-
eral sentence for assault is just two years. The
average murderer only gets 15 years. While ac-
knowledging the obvious excessiveness of the
sentence, the judge explained that the appli-
cable federal statutes gave him no authority
to impose a less-severe prison term, noting
that “only Congress can fix this problem.”
When the public sees judges handing out
unfair punishments, it undermines trust in
the entire justice system. This makes it harder
for police to do their job. As Ronald Reagan
explained when he was Governor of Califor-
nia, “[w]ithout respect for the law, the best
laws cannot be effective. Without respect for
law enforcement, laws cannot be carried out.
We must have respect, not only for the law,
but also for the many who dedicate their lives
to the protection of society through enforce-
ment of the law.” Fairer sentencing laws will
increase respect for police, especially in many
communities where such respect is currently
lacking.
Second, excessive prison sentences break
apart families and weaken communities -- the
building blocks of American civil society. In-
carceration is tough on any marriage. Few can
survive the loss of marital love and financial
strain that happens when a spouse is behind
bars. And the longer the sentence, the more
likely a marriage will end in divorce. One 2011
study found that each additional year behind
bars increases the likelihood of divorce by 32
percent. This has real costs for the families --
and especially the children -- of offenders.
Incarceration is an essential law enforcement
tool that protects communities and keeps
families safe. But it also inflicts costs on com-
munities and families, and at some point the
negative impact of incarceration on marriage
and family can become too stark to ignore.
And for non-violent offenders, especially
those with no prior criminal history, excessive
sentences often do far more harm than good.
We now have a rare opportunity to pass
criminal justice reform that will help restore
trust in law enforcement and protect Amer-
ican families. In May of this year, the House
of Representatives passed the First Step Act,
which includes some much-needed prison re-
form measures that would reduce recidivism.
Unfortunately, it did not include any reforms
to address manifestly unjust sentences for
non-violent offenders.
The Senate now has a chance to add some of
those much-needed prison reform measures
into the bill. We won’t get everything we want,
but we have an incredible opportunity to
reach a compromise that includes meaningful,
commonsense reforms to our nation’s manda-
tory-minimum drug sentencing laws.
It is unlikely we will get another opportunity
to enact meaningful reform anytime soon.
President Obama failed to accomplish crimi-
nal-justice reform during his eight years in of-
fice. But President Trump and the Republican
Congress can get the job done now. It would
be another big step toward making America
great again.
Senator Mike Lee
Op-Ed Published on FoxNews.com
November 13, 2018
21
 Restoring Congress’s
War Power
Senate Passes Yemen War Powers Resolution

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states that Congress, not the President, shall have the
power to declare war. The Founders could not have been clearer about this.

Unfortunately, our republic has moved away from this principle for decades now, sending
American servicemen and women into harm’s way in numerous conflicts across the globe.

In March of 2015, Saudi Arabia launched a war against Houthi rebels shortly after the
Houthis ousted the Saudi-backed government in the capital city of Sanaa.

The Obama administration, without consulting Congress, then directed U.S. military forces
to provide “logistical and intelligence support” to the Saudi coalition. This military activity
included midair refueling, surveillance, reconnaissance information, and target selection
assistance. This military intervention has continued into the Trump administration.

In other words, we have been actively participating in the activities of war in Yemen for
years now across two presidential administrations. A war Congress never declared.

This March, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and I introduced a joint reso-
lution, pursuant to the War Powers Act, that would have forced President Trump to either
withdraw U.S. forces from the military conflict in Yemen, or come to Congress and ask for a
formal declaration of war.

That resolution was tabled by a vote of 55 to 44, with the Senate Foreign Relations Commit-
tee promising to hold hearings and introduce legislation on Yemen. That never happened.

But then on October 2nd, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist living in the United
States, was abducted and then murdered by Saudi Arabian forces in Turkey. Unhappy with
Saudi Arabia’s failure to take responsibility for the murder of an American resident on the
soil of a NATO-ally, many United States senators announced they were rethinking their deci-
sion to table our Yemen resolution.

In light of this changing consensus, Sen. Sanders moved to reconsider the resolution this
November and it passed 56 to 41 in December. This resolution will need to be reintroduced
in 2019 but its prospects of passing the House this time are much better.

22
23
 Op-Ed: This bill will protect
rural Utahns from abuses of
the Antiquities Act
In the final days of his presidency, President Obama designated over 1.3 million acres as Bears Ears National Monument
Twice in the past 20 years, Washington pol-
iticians serving wealthy out-of-state special
interests attacked Utah’s rural communities.
President Donald Trump provided these com-
munities some temporary relief in October,
but if we want to permanently protect Utah’s
rural economy from outside intervention, we
need to act now.
The looming danger for Utah’s rural commu-
nities comes from the Antiquities Act of 1906,
which was originally intended to protect
objects of historic and cultural interest, such
as artifacts and religious sites.
Unfortunately, what was once a narrowly
targeted tool for preventing looting on federal
24
lands has become a weapon of faraway elites
to use against hardworking rural Americans.
First, in 1996, at the height of his re-election
campaign, President Bill Clinton used the
Antiquities Act to create a 1.5 million-acre
monument in southern Utah. Environmental
activists were on hand for Clinton’s announce-
ment in Arizona, but no one from Utah’s state
government or federal delegation was noti-
fied beforehand. It was a complete surprise.
Then, in 2016, after an extensive campaign by
well-funded out-of-state environmental activ-
ists, President Barack Obama created the 1.3
million-acre Bears Ears National Monument.
For outsiders, it’s hard to see any downside
from designating millions of acres of federal
land as a national monument. Who could be
against protecting public lands?
But for locals, that “protection” comes at a
high cost, in the form of restrictions on travel,
recreation and economic opportunities. Re-
duced grazing access is particularly harmful to
Utah’s communities. Utah’s rural economy is
built on the agriculture industry, and livestock
is the state’s single largest source of farm
income.
Since the 1940s, federal agencies have cut
livestock grazing on Utah rangelands by more
than 50 percent — a trend only accelerated by
monument designations.
Well-meaning environmental activists have
suggested that Utah’s rural communities
embrace the tourist economy that comes with
monument designations. But while tourism
has contributed much to rural Western econ-
omies, communities can’t survive on tourism
alone.
Tourism is at best a complement to — not a
substitute for — broader economic develop-
ment. We ought not limit the job opportuni-
ties in our rural regions to just one industry.
We as Utahns are not powerless to stop these
attacks on our rural communities. Nor are we
opposed to protecting public lands. Utahns
love public lands. And there is no one better
suited to protect these lands than the very
people who live closest to them and rely on
them for their livelihoods. We can empower
local communities to give them a voice in
public land management while also main-
taining the president’s power to protect these
lands. In fact, Congress has twice granted
similar protections to other states.
First, in 1950, Congress prohibited future
monument designations in the state of
Wyoming. Then, more than 30 years later,
Congress passed another law requiring con-
gressional approval for any monument desig-
nation in Alaska larger than 5,000 acres.
At a bare minimum, Utahns deserve the same
protections from the Antiquities Act that the
people of Alaska and Wyoming enjoy.
That is why I am introducing the Protect
Utah’s Rural Economy, or PURE, Act. This bill
would protect Utah from future abuses under
the Antiquities Act by prohibiting the presi-
dent from establishing or expanding a nation-
al monument in Utah unless the proposed
monument has been authorized by an act of
Congress and the state Legislature.
Rural Americans want what all Americans
want: a dignified, decent-paying job, a family
to love and support and a healthy community
whose future is determined by local residents
— not their self-styled betters thousands of
miles away.
We have a limited window to protect our rural
communities by passing the PURE Act. Let’s
pass this bill now.
Senator Mike Lee
Op-Ed Published in Deseret News
July 11, 2018
25
 Utah Solutions Summit
Since 2014, Senator Mike Lee has hosted an annual Utah Solutions
Summit, inviting thought leaders across the state of Utah and the
nation to discuss big ideas and to find solutions for issues we’re facing
as a state and nation.

In 2018, Senator Lee partnered with Attorney General Sean Reyes and DEA Special Agent in Charge
Brian Besser to host the 5th Annual Solutions Summit: Instead – Connecting for a Cure. Over 5,000
students, educators, healthcare officials, and community members were in attendance at the event.

The summit, which was held in two parts, focused on combatting the opioid epidemic in the state
of Utah. The morning session was created with the intent to educate high schoolers on the dangers
of opioid use and give them real-time resources to stop addiction before it starts. Students enjoyed
musical numbers, educational videos, and stories from families who had lost loved ones to the cri-
sis. The general session, which was held in the afternoon, focused on enabling communication and
support across the various communities involved in combating the crisis.

Learn more and view video from the Summit at utahsolutionssummit.com.

Summit Presenters
Mike Lee Lisa Harkness Gary Herbert
US Senator for Utah Primary General Presidency Governor of Utah

Sean Reyes Jim Wahlberg Bob Woodson

Utah Attorney General Wahlberg Youth Foundation The Woodson Center

Becky Savage Shara Park Elder Allen D. Haynie

525 Foundation KSL 5 News General Authority

Uttam Dhillon Court McGee Alema Harrington

Acting Administrator, DEA UFC Fighter TV Personality

Brian Besser Damien Patton Lexi Walker

DEA Agent in Charge Banjo Founder & CEO Singer/Songwriter

J.D. Vance Amber Baum Matt Butler

Bestselling Author Overdose Awareness Utah Songwriter/Musician

Arthur Brooks Foreign Figures

President of AEI Musical Guest

26
27
 Op-Ed: We Can Beat the
Opioid Epidemic
Attorney General Sean Reyes, Senator Mike Lee, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Besser,
co-chairs of the Utah Opioid Task Force, meet to discuss efforts to combat the opioid crisis in Utah.
Our nation is struggling through one of the
worst public health crises in its history. Approx-
imately 64,000 people died from drug over-
doses in 2016, the most recent year of national
data. Opioids accounted for nearly two-thirds
of those deaths.
This plague has not spared Utah. In fact, ours
is one of the states hardest hit by the opioid
crisis. On average, nearly six Utahns die week-
ly from opioid overdoses. Opioid deaths now
outnumber deaths from motor vehicles and
firearms. And three Utah rural counties were
identified recently by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture as being among the most vulnera-
ble nationwide.
This epidemic has affected every community
in our great state; urban and rural, rich and
poor, churchgoing and not. Nearly every family,
no matter where they come from, has a story
28
about how this tragedy has affected their lives.
But in all of this alarming news, there is hope.
There is a power in the togetherness of our
common suffering. Through our shared pain
and experience, we can work unitedly to identi-
fy solutions. In fact, we have already started.
Last May, building on important work done
over years by many in our state, and comple-
menting critical efforts of groups like the Utah
Coalition for Opioid Overdose Prevention and
Utah Department of Health, two of us — agent
Brian Besser and Attorney General Sean Reyes
— united leaders from many backgrounds and
formed the Utah Opioid Task Force to expedite
and enhance efforts to save Utah lives.
The Opioid Task Force assembled experts from
diverse fields, including medicine, law, treat-
ment, recovery, law enforcement and business.
It includes physicians, pharmacists, legislators,
local officials, educators, persons who have
recovered from addiction and families affected
by it.
Immediately, the task force produced results
that have benefited all Utahns. Agent Besser, a
tireless advocate for our state, spearheaded an
initiative landing Utah as the first jurisdiction
to receive statewide funding from the ground-
breaking DEA 360 grant program. Similarly, At-
torney General Reyes has worked closely with
the White House and federal agencies to find
solutions, fix federal regulations, protect Utah
and bring resources back home.
Besser, Reyes and other Opioid Task Force
members travel the state educating citizens
on the perils of opioid dependency, the need
to remove shame and judgment from opioid
conversations, and the importance of treating
addiction as a disease the way we would can-
cer or diabetes.
Thankfully, opioid prescriptions are declining
as we spread awareness about their destructive
potential. In fact, due in large part to pressure
by members of the task force, many pharma-
cies have recently begun to self-impose lim-
itations on filling even a valid physician’s scrip.
We also have partnered with federal, state and
local governments to help promote Utah Take
Back Day, a biannual effort to collect unused
prescription medications lying around in
people’s homes. Just this past April, more than
three dozen Utah law enforcement agencies
removed more than 17,000 pounds of unused
prescription drugs from Utah homes.
These are significant achievements, but there
is so much more we can do. That is why we are
pleased to welcome Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)
to the Utah Opioid Task Force as a co-chair.
Sen. Lee has shed light on our opioid prob-
lem through his Social Capital Project, which
produced an in-depth study on the numbers
behind the opioid crisis.
According to the Social Capital Project report,
in the 1960s, 80 percent of heroin addicts be-
gan addictions with heroin, itself, while today
75 percent of heroin addicts began abusing
drugs with opioids obtained through a doctor
or through someone else’s prescription. The re-
port also found that 40 percent of opioids tak-
en by opioid abusers were obtained freely from
friends and family with legal prescriptions.
These sobering findings underscore the impor-
tance of reducing opioid prescriptions on the
front end and disposing of unused prescrip-
tions on the back end while getting desper-
ately needed treatment and recovery to those
already caught in the cycle of addiction.
Just as importantly, Sen. Lee’s Social Capital
Project has discovered that individuals who
are disconnected from their families and who
either never married or are divorced are much
more susceptible to opioid addiction. We need
to find ways to reach these individuals and
reintegrate them into our communities.
This is a fight we can win. We know this be-
cause Utah already is seeing results. Our state
was one of just 14 where opioid deaths actually
fell last year.
Still, we need to keep up the work and identify
new ways to combat this epidemic. So please
join our effort. You can help us solve this prob-
lem by sharing your experiences and ideas. The
task force is here to listen and act.
Only through our combined efforts will Utah
beat the opioid epidemic.
Brian Besser, Sean Reyes, and Mike Lee
Op-Ed Published in Deseret News
May 10, 2018
29
 Engaging Communities &
Empowering Utahns
Since beginning his senate service in January 2011, Senator Lee has been committeed
to the belief that Utahns offer a special perspective that can uniquely benefit the Unit-
ed States of America. Consequently, he has shaped his staff structure, resources, and
priorities with a focus on community engagement and the empowerment of Utah’s
many voices.

30
 Valley of the Gods, San Juan County

Senator Lee firmly believes that nurturing relationships based on respect and trust
is the best way to find common ground and build consensus among differing view-
points. No matter how controversial the issue, his staff members reach out and com-
municate with their fellow Utahns to find principled agreement and forge innovative
solutions.

Whether it be through town hall meetings, mobile office visits, roundtable discussions,
tele-town halls, or scheduled meetings in one of his offices, Utahns are always wel-
come to share ideas and feedback with Senator Lee and his staff.

31
 On the Utah House Floor for resolution urging fair PILT funding Chatting with Utah students nominate

Awarding a Purple Heart to Vietnam veteran Scott Shupe Discussing the opioid crisis with repre

32
Meeting with legislators to discuss PILT funding. Speaking to
ed to attend Military Academies Meeting with county commissioners at the Utah Capitol

esentatives from Intermountain Healthcare Stopping by the iconic Sinclair station in Elberta.

33
students at the Other Side Academy Stopping for a photo with a group of students touring the Utah Capitol
 Joining the Candy Bomber (Gail Halvorsen) for a candy drop in Spanish Fork

Meeting with DEA Agent Brian Besser and Attorney General

Speaking to the Women’s State Legislative Council of Utah Sean Reyes to discuss the opioid crisis

34 Speaking to a group of
Meeting with the Other Side Academy Awarding Legion of Merit to the family of Kent Hogge Utah students in DC
Meeting with Utah manufacturers to discuss issues they’re facing Public Lands Speech at Sutherland Institute

Listen to the podcast by scanning the

QR code or searching for “Silicon Slopes
Podcast with Ajit Pai and Senator Lee”

Recording a podcast with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and

Meeting with fellow members of the Utah Opioid Task Force Silicons Slopes Executive Director Clint Betts

35
Meeting with Doug Wright and a group of students from Tintic High School in Eureka
 Taste of Utah
Senator Lee welcomed over 500 Utahns and friends of Utah to his annual Taste of Utah
in Washington, DC. The event allowed those in attendance to celebrate Pioneer day
with some of the great food Utah has to offer.

36
Bringing Utah to
Washington

411
tour groups were welcomed
by Senator Lee’s staff in 2018,
totalling thousands of Utahns.

144
constituent flag requests
fulfilled for flags flown over
the US Capitol.

35
Jell-O with the Senator events
held throughout the year, with
more than 1,100 cups served.

Hundreds of Utah students, families,

businesses, industry organizations, and others had
meetings in Washington with Senator Lee and his staff.

37
37
 Media Year in Review
Communicating the message of limited, constitutional government

126 media
interviews 11 op-eds
published 31 speeches
given

38
 Constituent Communication
Every day, Senator Lee’s offices receive hundreds of emails, letters, phone calls, and
faxes from constituents offering feedback and asking that the Senator support or op-
pose specific issues or pieces of legislation. Listening to and responding to these mes-
sages from constituents is one of the privileges of representing the people of Utah.

76,190 35,620 15,697 197

Received emails, completed email, fax, phone calls answered Eagle Scout
faxes, and US mail and mail responses sent from constituents letters sent

Town Hall Events

Senator Lee held several tele-town hall events throughout the year. These events give Utahns
the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what Senator Lee is working on. You
can participate online at lee.senate.gov/live, via phone, or on Senator Lee’s Facebook page.

In 2017, 64,965 people participated in these events via phone and over 160,000 were
reached on Facebook.

To sign up to be notified about future tele-town hall events, visit lee.senate.gov/live.

39
 1,000th Mobile Office
Since he took office in 2011, Senator Lee has emphasied the importance of making
his office accessible to everyone in the state. His staff has now held over 1,000 mobile
offices, visiting every corner of the state.

Senator Lee’s mobile office program provides a unique opportunity for Senate staff to
engage with Utahns in their local communities. It serves as a resource for constituents
who might not otherwise be able to meet with casework officers or other staff in the
Salt Lake and St. George offices.

In 2018, Senator Lee’s staff held mobile offices in over 100 communities in all 29 coun-
ties of Utah. They also held a mobile office at the state capitol each day of Utah’s legis-
lative session.

Senator Lee’s staff will continue to hold mobile offices throughout the state to give
Utahns an opportunity to receive the assistance they need. To view the upcoming
schedule and learn more, please visit lee.senate.gov.

40
41
41
 Senior Outreach
After two years of the senior Outreach Program, Senator Lee’s office has complet-
ed 86 visits and at least one in all 29 counties. Senator Lee and his staff have had
the opportunity to hear from hundreds of seniors across the state of Utah and pro-
vide them with assistance with issues they may have related to federal agencies.

Veteran Outreach
Senator Lee’s staff has visited many veterans groups throughout the state and
helped those who have served in our military receive the benefits they are entitled
to. Senator Lee’s office has been able to assist Utah veterans with things such as
medal requests, VA benefits, burials, military records, and more.

42
42
Military Academy Nominations
Senator Lee has the honor to nominate fine young men and women to attend our
service academies. His office accepts applications from Utah students who are seek-
ing a nomination to the United States Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Merchant
Marine Academy, or the Military Academy at West Point for the class entering in July
of 2019.

To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, an applicant must meet

the eligibility requirements set by law and each respective academy, and be nomi-
nated from an authorized person, including a member of the United States Senate
or House of Representatives.

For more information on applying for a military academy nomination, please visit
lee.senate.gov or call the Salt Lake City office at (801) 524–5933.

43
 Senate Internship Program
Senator Lee’s internship program provides college students a forum in which they
may enhance their studies with the practical application of academic concepts in
a real world setting. The internship experience has proven valuable for many stu-
dents as they see the inner workings of the U.S. Congress and the American legisla-
tive process.

A limited number of internships are available each year for Senator Lee’s Washing-
ton, DC and Utah offices. Preference is given to college students who are attending
a Utah university or college, and residents from Utah who are attending out-of-state
schools.

Washington, DC Internships
Washington, DC interns are responsible for a variety of tasks in the office such as
completing legislative research projects, answering phone calls from constituents,
giving tours of the United States Capitol Building, attending hearings, preparing
memos, assisting with weekly constituent events, processing mail, and performing
a variety of other tasks as needed. Working in the Washington, DC office allows for
students to have an up-close look at the legislative process, and a better under-
standing of how policy is created and passed through Congress.

Utah Internships
State internships are available in our Salt Lake City and St. George offices. State in-
terns perform a variety of important tasks including consituent outreach, casework
assistance, setting up and running mobile offices, processing mail, answering calls
from constituents, and a variety of other tasks as needed.

In addition to full time state internships, there are part time options available which
allow you to attend school while completing the internship.

If you have any questions about interning with the office of Senator Mike Lee,
please visit lee.senate.gov/public/senate-internships.

44
45
 Mount Timpanogos | Photo Credit: Carl Mazur
46
Important Links:
Federal Case Work, Mobile Offices, Town Hall Meetings
lee.senate.gov/public/utah-first

Legislation and Voting Record

lee.senate.gov/public/sponsored-legislation

The Social Capital Project Reports

lee.senate.gov/public/socialcapitalproject

Academy Nominations, Tour Requests, Internships, etc

lee.senate.gov/public/constituent-services

Facebook: /SenatorMikeLee

Twitter: @SenMikeLee

Instagram: @SenMikeLee

Annual Report Online:

lee.senate.gov/public/annualreport2019

47
US SENATOR
MIKE LEE