releases: https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/blog?ContentRecord_id=092b83f6-d0e3-4a0c-b6ef-ed112fbc61aa
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| https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/blog?ContentRecord_id=092b83f6-d0e3-4a0c-b6ef-ed112fbc61aa | December 2013 Tele-townhall: A Year in Review | 2013-12-17 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Republican | House | UT | Mike Lee | L000577 | www.lee.senate.gov | legacy | A Year in Review On the night of Wednesday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m. MT, I will be holding my final tele-townhall of the year. We have had a busy year in Washington and there is much I want to discuss with the people of Utah. As I look forward to where we are headed as a country, I believe we need to come together in an open dialogue about how to best chart a course toward a better future. I look forward to having a discussion about your questions and concerns, observations and insight. Below is a list of major developments from the last year that I hope we can touch on during our discussion. Read the bill before you vote One of the first things that Congress did in 2013 was pass a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff." Many Americans were alarmed to find that Congress approved this legislation after only having 6 minutes to read the bill. We saw similar tactics employed when the Senate tried to pass new gun control laws and when it passed the Gang of 8 comprehensive immigration reform bill. On October first, millions of Americans started experiencing first-hand the consequences of a law that was passed without many members of Congress ever reading it as Americans across the country started reading the cancelation notices for their health insurance plans because of Obamacare. Unfortunately, Americans spent more time reading these cancelation notices than those who voted for Obamacare spent reading the bill. Americans are right to be outraged. Americans deserve proposals that offer simplicity instead of complexity, that work by promoting freedom and flexibility instead of mandates and coercion, and that can be debated in the open, not negotiated in secret. Cut This, Not That Throughout the year, Congress has continued to debate spending, deficits and our debt ceiling. At the beginning of this year, we experienced our first round of sequester cuts. Unfortunately, the Administration decided to intentionally make these cuts as painful as possible. Americans saw through this charade, and together we identified areas where a government with $17 trillion in debt can make responsible cuts. Congress is currently working on finalizing the budget, and we still haven’t passed any structural spending reforms that are necessary to avoid the fiscal avalanche I have warned against. This week, the Senate is set to debate the most recent version of a budget that makes more government more expensive. This recent budget deal increases spending, eliminates concrete spending reductions now for theoretical spending cuts a decade from now. A New Year, A New Day, A New Agenda The media likes to focus on the discord, dysfunction, and disruption that come from Washington. Most Americans would be surprised to find out how frequently I work with my colleagues from the other side of the aisle. This year I have co-sponsored several bipartisan bills that would improve our patent system, prevent privacy rights abuse, and limit domestic surveillance. I have also recently been introducing several elements of a conservative reform agenda. We need a positive agenda which lifts and creates opportunities for those trapped in poverty and relieves pressures facing the middle class. Protecting Our Constitutional Rights During the spring of 2013 we had a robust debate on several gun control proposals. I was encouraged to see so many American people rally to defend their Second Amendment rights. This year we have also had extended debates about due process rights and privacy rights. The freedom of the press has been threatened. The freedom of speech is in the crosshairs of the IRS. States’ rights have been subverted. We are also witnessing the erosion of our religious liberty. In short, it is becoming painfully obvious to Americans that our enormous government has grown at the expense of individual liberty. Americans are finding that a government that costs trillions of dollars to run comes with other staggering costs that aren’t so easy to quantify. Looking Ahead Last week, I joined the vast majority of my colleagues to speak out against recent actions by the Senate Democrats to overturn centuries-long precedents in the Senate for confirming presidential nominees. In my speech I emphasized the point that these actions take power away from the American People and shut them out of the political process. I do not believe that the American people will quietly be shut out. I am always grateful to see high levels of engagement among my constituents. Tomorrow’s tele-townhall will be a great opportunity for us to maintain an open dialogue on how we can move forward as a country. I am looking forward to your feedback. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |