U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, led 40 colleagues in urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to take immediate action to stop the largest tax increase in history, set to take place on January 1, 2013 unless the President and Congress act to prevent it. In the letter, the Senators outlined the economic dangers posed by these tax increases and that they stood ready to work to ensure all taxpayers are protected.

“If Congress and the President do not act by the end of this year, American taxpayers will face $310 billion in tax increases next year. This would be, without any exaggeration, the largest tax increase in American history,” the Republican Senators wrote. “The failure to extend the expiring tax relief — tax relief previously supported by President Obama — would hit all taxpayers, undermine small businesses, and be a dangerous drag on the economy.”

To view a signed copy of the letter click HERE.

Below is the full text of the letter:

May 17, 2012

The Honorable Harry Reid
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Leader Reid:

We are deeply concerned about the nation’s fiscal health.  The failure of Democrats in Congress and the President to support aggressive policies that will facilitate robust long-term economic growth and job creation continues to undermine our fragile economic recovery.  Economic growth slowed to 2.2 percent in the last quarter, down from 3.0 percent at the end of last year.  For 39 consecutive months, the unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent, and that only tells part of the story.  12.5 million Americans are unemployed and, of those, more than 5.1 million workers have been looking for work for 27 weeks or more.  Furthermore, 7.9 million workers are working part time for economic reasons, and another 2.4 million have only a marginal attachment to the labor force.   There are close to 2 million college graduates who are unemployed, and the best thing that anyone could do to relieve their debt and improve their situation is to promote job creation.

Yet there seems to be little urgency on the part of the Administration to enact pro-growth policies.  President Obama spent much of the first half of his presidency working to pass his health care law, which creates $2.6 trillion in new government, but does nothing to create jobs.  Nowhere is the lack of attention to this economic and jobs crisis more evident than with the Administration’s cavalier attitude toward the coming fiscal cliff that The Washington Post has termed “Taxmageddon.”  If Congress and the President do not act by the end of this year, American taxpayers will face $310 billion in tax increases next year.  This would be, without any exaggeration, the largest tax increase in American history.  The failure to extend the expiring tax relief — tax relief previously supported by President Obama — would hit all taxpayers, undermine small businesses, and be a dangerous drag on the economy.

The adverse impact of these tax increases on economic growth is unquestioned.  It is our understanding that last week Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reconfirmed in a discussion with Senate Democrats that the nation faces a “fiscal cliff” so significant that the Chairman said that monetary policy would not be capable of offsetting the resulting decline in economic growth.  And the former Director of President Obama’s Office of Management and Budget concluded that what he estimates to be a $500 billion tax increase would be so large that “the economy could be thrown back into a recession.”  The impact of this fiscal cliff might actually be understated.  Billions in new taxes on capital that were enacted as part of the President’s health care law come online in 2013, and they will almost certainly dampen economic growth even further.

The fiscal cliff is not the only danger imperiling our economy.  In addition to the massive scheduled tax hikes, budget cuts from the sequester that followed from the Administration’s failure to arrive at a budget are scheduled to hit in the near term.  According to the magazine The Economist, the Congressional Budget Office has found that the combined effects of the sequester and the expiring tax relief would add up to 3.6% of GDP in fiscal year 2013.  In a $15 trillion economy, that would be a hit to GDP of $540 billion which would surely tip us toward recession and even more job losses.

Instead of addressing this fiscal cliff, President Obama and Congress have spent much of the past year advancing misguided redistributionist policies in the name of fairness.  The American people have made it clear that they are not interested in politically-motivated redistribution of wealth.  Taxpayers know that the surest way to achieve fairness and equality is by giving people greater opportunity.  They want Congress and the President to foster conditions for economic growth and job creation. The opportunities that will come to individuals and families — to purchase a home, send a child to college, or start a business — as a result of  economic growth far outweigh those that come from efforts by Washington politicians to redistribute wealth in the name of fairness.

The fiscal cliff that the nation is approaching is utterly predictable.  It is essential that Congress and the President address these coming tax increases this summer, rather than creating additional uncertainty for families and job creators by waiting until the last possible minute.  The time to begin is now.  Inaction is irresponsible.  As the President remarked recently, this being an election year is “not an excuse for inaction.”  Indeed, the President concluded that “[s]ix months is plenty of time for Democrats and Republicans to get together and do the right thing, taking steps that will spur additional job creation right now…”

We can think of no better steps to take than to address the recessionary threat of Taxmageddon and eliminate some of the uncertainty that continues to contribute to economic malaise.  Action now will also help return our economic environment to one with sustainable economic growth and less debt, which will allow interest rates to normalize.  Years of near-zero interest rates — even repressively negative rates once adjusted for inflation — have been starving our seniors of much-deserved pension and other investment incomes.  We cannot delay and cause even more prolonged harm to the balance sheets of our cherished senior citizens.

We look forward to working with you and the President to prevent the historic tax increases that we all know are scheduled to take place in the near term, helping us secure liberty and economic opportunity for all Americans.

Sincerely,

Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah)
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
Republican Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.)
Republican Conference Chair John Thune (S.D.)
Republican Policy Chair John Barrasso (Wyo.)
Senator Lamar Alexander (Tenn.)
Senator Kelly Ayotte (N.H.)
Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.)
Senator John Boozman (Ark.)
Senator Richard Burr (N.C.)
Senator Saxby Chambliss (Ga.)
Senator Daniel Coats (Ind.)
Senator Thad Cochran (Miss.)
Senator John Cornyn (Texas)
Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho)
Senator Jim DeMint (S.C.)
Senator Michael Enzi (Wyo.)
Senator Lindsey Graham (S.C.)
Senator Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
Senator John Hoeven (N.D.)
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas)
Senator James Inhofe (Okla.)
Senator Johnny Isakson (Ga.)
Senator Mike Johanns (Neb.)
Senator Ron Johnson (Wis.)
Senator Mark Kirk (Ill.)
Senator Mike Lee (Utah)
Senator Richard Lugar (Ind.)
Senator John McCain (Ariz.)
Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.)
Senator Rand Paul (Ky.)
Senator Robert Portman (Ohio)
Senator James Risch (Idaho)
Senator Pat Roberts (Kan.)
Senator Marco Rubio (Fla.)
Senator Jeff Sessions (Ala.)
Senator Richard Shelby (Ala.)
Senator Olympia Snowe (Maine)
Senator Patrick Toomey (Pa.)
Senator David Vitter (La.)
Senator Roger Wicker (Miss.)

Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-01) delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to bring greater awareness to onerous federal fines levied against schools, including two so far in Utah, which may have unknowingly been in conflict with federal nutrition rules.  Schools in Box Elder and Davis Counties were fined $19,000 and $16,000 respectively.

Click here to watch the video.

Excerpts of Bishop's remarks:

“Despite advice to the contrary, our Constitution establishes a government with two sovereigns: the nation and the individual states. They worried about that in Philadelphia. In fact, James Wilson wondered if this system would be like two meteors on a collision course, the collision of which would be catastrophic. Or if this system would be like the solar system, where the planets stayed in their sphere and course and did not interfere with one another. That latter vision we call federalism. It is restated in the 10^th Amendment where each level of government had a specific and distinct responsibility. When the states were interfering with the federal government, it produced historical catastrophic consequences. But also when the federal government interferes with the role of states, the consequences will range from being catastrophic to just plain silly.”

“In 2010, this congress passed the Healthy and Hunger-free Kids Act. We were wrong to pass it for five reasons. Number one, it was a Senate bill. That should have been our first tipoff.  Number two, it was opposed by the National Governor's Association. Three, it was opposed by the school boards association. Four, it violated the Constitution. Finally, number five, we created a one-size-fits-all federal program, not defined by us.”

“Two schools in my district have now been hit by those standards. I care about those schools because from one I graduated a long, long time ago. And the other, I taught for 23 years. They were hit with a $16,000 and $19,000 fine respectively. What was the heinous crime for which these fines were levied against the funds that go to help the kids in these schools? During the lunch hour their vending machines were plugged in.”

Congressman Jim Matheson today voted for a bill to renew federal support for state and local programs that help the victims of domestic violence. The Violence Against Women Act –HR 4970 –continues the funding for law enforcement training programs and programs to help victims through 2017.

“I have always been an advocate for the programs that offer help and support to victims of domestic abuse.  Since it was first passed in 1994, I believe a lot of progress has been made by local advocates and law enforcement who work together to prosecute the perpetrators and aid the victims,” said Matheson.

Matheson said the bill reflects a strong funding commitment to local officials to assist with investigating and prosecuting the criminals, as well as with legal assistance, housing and public safety for the victims and those at risk.

Matheson noted there has long been overwhelmingly bipartisan support for the measure and he is hopeful the differences between the House and Senate version can quickly be resolved so that it can be signed into law.

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) delivered a speech on the Senator floor regarding his budget resolution, Saving the American Dream. The proposal is scheduled for a vote this afternoon along with resolutions offered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and President Obama. To watch the video, click here.

A portion of the speech is below, and the full text is available here. A video of the speech can be viewed here.

“Mr. President, The true greatness of our nation lies in the power and promise of the American dream.  Unfortunately for many individuals and families this dream has become a national nightmare.

“Without the clear priorities and accountability of a budget we continue to careen toward the economic cliff with our massive debt and trillion dollar deficits threatening the prosperity of Americans from every walk of life.  To put it simply, we must change course!

“Restoring the American dream will require more than clever bumper-sticker slogans.  While optimism is an important part of the American dream, hope simply is not a strategy for the kind of course correction our country needs.
“Doing nothing is no longer an option! – Although this President and this Congress have attempted, by not having a budget, to convince the American people that doing nothing is the only option.

“Ignoring our broken entitlement programs, maintaining our complex tax code, and pretending we don’t have a spending problem ensures that our economy will never truly recover and the American dream will not be restored.

“The good news for Americans is that many of us do have solutions to confront and correct the country’s most pressing challenges.  In today’s debate and discussion the nation has seen that changing course and balancing our budget doesn’t take 30 years, nor does it require the kind of drastic cuts that could devastate America’s our most vulnerable citizens.

“As we approach this debate I remind my colleagues of the old adage, “You can make excuses or you can make progress, but you cannot make both.””

U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today said that the reason the Senate unanimously opposed the President’s Budget by a vote of 99 to 0 is because it taxes, spends and borrows too much.  In addition, Hatch slammed Senate Democrats for failing to produce and vote on a budget of their own for the third straight year and issued the following statement:

“If Utah families can make the tough choices to ensure they have the money to send their children to school and put gas in their tanks, why can’t Senate Democrats?  The fact that they have done nothing to pass a budget is an embarrassment,” Hatch said. “Senate Democrats have shown absolutely no willingness to address our dire fiscal situation. They didn’t even try to put forward a budget, and the Presidents’ proposal failed 99 to zero, because it predictably taxed too much, spent too much, and borrowed too much. Instead of putting forward a meaningful plan to rein in spending and confront our debt, Democrats in Washington have shown once again that their only plan to cut our debt is to tax and spend more of the American people’s hard-earned money.”

NOTE: Hatch voted against President Obama’s budget, which increases spending by $1.4 trillion over the next 10 years, and includes $2 trillion in tax increases. Hatch supported individual budget proposals introduced by Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Rep. Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Budget Committee.

First Lady Michelle Obama joined U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and London hopefuls to announce a nationwide commitment to get more than 1.7 million American children active as part of her Let’s Move! initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation.   Through commitments to the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), U.S. Paralympics, the U.S. Olympians Association, and USOC National Governing Bodies for sport, including USA Cycling/USA BMX, USA Soccer, USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, US Tennis Association, USA Field Hockey and USA Volleyball, these organizations will provide beginner athletic programming to more than 1.7 million kids in 2012. PHA has also created a website, www.ahealthieramerica.org/olympics, to help families find affiliated sports programs in their area.

Mrs. Obama, who will lead the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer, is working to turn the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games into action by getting more kids healthy and active. In March, Mrs. Obama welcomed Mrs. Samantha Cameron, wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, to the United States by hosting a mini-Olympics event for local school children and two weeks ago, Mrs. Obama spoke at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games.

“This year, 1.7 million young people will be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities – many of them for the very first time.  And that is so important, because sometimes all it takes is that first lesson, or clinic, or class to get a child excited about a new sport,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “So this summer, together with our children, we can support Team USA not just by cheering them on, but by striving to live up to the example they set. In the end, some of these athletes will bring home the gold, but all of them will make our country proud, and all of them will inspire a generation of young people to get active, to strive for excellence, and to pursue whatever dreams they may hold in their hearts.”

“We’re incredibly honored to have Mrs. Obama join us in Dallas to celebrate the accomplishments of America’s finest athletes and announce new ways we can all work together to increase access to sport for young children,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “The Let's Move! initiative is an important one and something the entire Olympic family in the United States is eager to support.”

“This summer, Team USA will inspire us all with their skill, their grace and their abilities. Because of today's commitments, the inspiration will not end after the closing ceremonies,” said PHA President and CEO Larry Soler. “The First Lady's leadership has brought together a group of organizations that are committed to helping more than a million young people engage in sports in ways that were previously unavailable to them.  It's important for us to remember that being active and moving more doesn't mean you have to train like our nation’s elite athletes - but being active is part of a healthy lifestyle. And the more opportunities our kids have to move, the healthier lives they will lead.”

“It was extremely important to my parents that I was active from an early age,” said Natalie Coughlin. “I started swimming competitively at age 6 to make friends, be active and be healthy.  It wasn't important to my parents that I win ribbons or trophies, but it was important that I was active and dedicated to something in addition to school.  Not only did it feed my competitive drive and help me be healthy, but it made me a better student and a better kid. To join with the First Lady and spread that message is truly an honor.”

Mrs. Obama has been leading a nationwide effort to combat childhood obesity so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.  The Let’s Move! initiative is a comprehensive, collaborative, and community-oriented initiative that has sought to engage every sector of society to tackle head-on the many different factors that lead to childhood obesity.  Today’s announcement is a significant step towards providing children across the country with many different opportunities to become physically fit and stay active.

The Partnership for a Healthier America secured the following commitments from several National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC). PHA and USOC will work with each of these groups to evaluate and monitor their progress with these efforts.

USA Cycling/USA BMX will offer free 30-day memberships to tracks and free races/clinics at 350 BMX tracks nationwide this summer. These efforts will engage approximately 88,000 young people, an increase of 40% from 2011.

USA Field Hockey will launch the “FUNdamental Field Hockey” program to introduce kids ages 7-11 to the sport of Field Hockey at 250 locations.  This program will engage 15,000 kids this year.

USA Gymnastics will challenge its local member clubs to host introductory clinics and events for National Gymnastics Day on September 22, 2012.  These events will reach approximately 40,000 kids – an increase of 80% over USA Gymnastics’ youth engagement last year.

The US Olympians Association recently kicked off a “Walk to London” initiative through which 5,456 children will walk a total of 5,456 miles – the distance from Los Angeles to London – at 20 free community-based walks from April 8 through June 23. More than 250 Olympians and Paralympians will participate as walk leaders, and each walk will host other clinics and sports expos alongside the route.

US Paralympics will facilitate 300 Paralympic Ambassador visits to schools and community centers and provide training for an additional 1,000 local leaders. US Paralympics will also work with local partners to establish 80 new Paralympic Sports Clubs to reach a total of 250 clubs by the end of this year.  The organization estimates that they will engage a combined 87,500 young people through these programs, an increase of 40% over last year.

The US Soccer Federation will engage 12,000 youth in 13 cities through the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Soccer for Success program, which provides free, afterschool programming to urban youth.  In 2011, the program reached 8,000 kids in 8 cities.

USA Swimming will enroll 530,000 new learn-to-swim participants in its “Make a Splash” program at more than 500 local partner sites.  Additionally, USA Swimming will engage 70,000 new youth members through its local chapters.  In all, USA Swimming will provide beginner programming to 600,000 young people in 2012.

The US Tennis Association (USTA) will introduce 620,000 youth to tennis by training 4,000 physical education professionals in the “10 & Under Tennis” curriculum.  USTA will also expand its National Junior Tennis and Learning Network (NJTL) to reach 100,000 youth through local partner sites.  Additionally, USTA will involve 30,000 youth in Kids Tennis Clubs that provide afterschool and summer programming in communities across the country.  In all, USTA will reach 750,000 new kids this year.

USA Track& Field will expand its youth programming by 35% this year to reach 120,000 kids across the country.  USATF will do this by engaging 80,000 youth in local track clubs and by facilitating beginner clinics and Olympian visits for 40,000 students through its Win with Integrity and Track in a Box programs for schools.

USA Volleyball will introduce 30,000 children to volleyball in 2012 by enhancing their “Grow the Game Together” programming, launching a new “Move with a New Player” program,  and expanding its existing youth outreach with partners including the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) and the YMCA.

In addition, USA Basketball, as part of its Hoops for Troops initiative, will host a series of events and clinics for military families this summer in collaboration with Let’s Move!, the First Lady’s Joining Forces Initiative, and the Department of Defense.  These efforts will coincide with the 2012 USA Basketball Men's and Women's National Team tour and the World Basketball Festival in July.

The USOC will support its National Governing Bodies as they work to fulfill these commitments throughout the year.  In addition, the USOC will utilize the platform of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote active, healthy lifestyles through multiple communications channels, events, and media opportunities.

Citing the Obama Administration’s failed energy agenda, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) called on the Democrat-led Senate to advance the Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act in a speech on the Senate floor today. The measure, introduced by Hatch and U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), focuses on strengthening the economy and creating jobs in the West.  Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Steve Pearce (R-New Mexico).

“President Obama’s energy agenda tops the list of pernicious policies that hurt American families, hinder economic growth, and harm businesses, by dramatically raising the costs of everyday life,” said Hatch. “The Administration’s position is clear.  The President wants to drive up the cost of gasoline and drive Americans out of their cars.”

Hatch has long fought to enact common-sense policies that will increase access to American energy and lower prices at the pump. This Congress, Hatch teamed up with Barrasso to introduce the WEST Act which incorporates bills that have been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and are awaiting action in the U.S. Senate. The House-passed bills were all featured in the Western Caucus Jobs Frontier report jointly issued by the Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses last fall.

“The President’s unilateral decision to kill that project [Keystone XL Pipeline] might play well at Midtown Manhattan fundraisers where wealthy elites have the luxury of supporting a radical environmental agenda without worrying about the real world consequences of that agenda for the middle class,” Hatch said.  “But it was bad for jobs, bad for the economy, and bad for American families. President Obama has said that he wants to find an all-of-the-above approach to energy production.  He need look no further than the WEST Act.”

Hatch is the Chairman of the Senate Western Caucus’ Public Lands Subcommittee.

Below is the text of Hatch’s full speech delivered on the Senate floor today:

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the Western Economic Security Today — the WEST Act — which I recently introduced with my good friend and colleague from Wyoming, Senator Barrasso.

This bill is an outgrowth of our work with the Senate Western Caucus and the Congressional Western Caucus.  These groups, which include my good friend from Utah, Congressman Rob Bishop, and Congressman Steve Pearce from New Mexico, are truly leading the way.  We have been doing the hard work of identifying solutions that will promote job creation, boost America’s energy production, and put our nation on better fiscal footing by encouraging economic growth.

We keep hearing from the Democrat leadership that Congress is dysfunctional. That may be. But it is not because of a lack of good ideas.

It is because — in an effort to help the President in his reelection and shield vulnerable Democrats — the decision was made to promote politically motivated show votes rather than sound job-creating legislation.

Americans don’t want higher taxes in the name of redistribution and government-dictated fairness.  They don’t want bureaucrats in Washington figuring out how to spread the wealth around, as then candidate Obama put it in 2008.

What they want is economic opportunity, and the security that comes with it.

They want the freedom and opportunity to pursue new ventures, start new businesses, and save for their retirement and their children’s education.

If the Democratic leadership ever decides to listen to the American people and advance reasonable legislation to grow the economy and create jobs, they could start with the WEST Act.

The WEST Act is a sound and solid bill, one that puts together some of the best ideas identified by the Western Caucuses, and my hope is that it will meet with bipartisan support here in the Senate.

This bill could not come at a better time.  The proposals in the WEST Act will go a long way toward generating the employment and economic growth that citizens and taxpayers are longing for.

The proposals in the WEST Act should not be controversial here in the Senate.  The President claimed that his trillion dollar stimulus would create or save millions of American jobs.  As it turns out, those were hollow promises.

But the WEST Act is the real deal.  And if the President and his party are serious about stimulating the economy, this legislation is a good place to start.

They are commonsense pro-growth policies, and I am confident that these proposals, if put to a vote of the American people, would pass overwhelmingly.

They certainly would in Utah.

The eight bills that Senator Barrasso and I have included in the WEST Act have all passed the House of Representatives.

They should pass the Senate as well.

The bill has three main objectives.

First, we are going to put America back to work by producing more American energy.  Our bill ends the Obama Administration’s de facto moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in a safe, responsible, and transparent manner.  We set firm timelines for considering permits to drill, and we require the Administration to move forward promptly to conduct offshore lease sales that have been delayed or cancelled in the Gulf and Outer-Continental shelf.

The WEST Act sets a production goal of 3 million barrels of oil per day by 2027, reducing foreign imports by nearly one-third.

And at a time when every job counts, our bill would produce thousands of high-paying jobs.

Second, our bill will help bring down energy prices, making it easier for Americans to drive their cars and heat their homes.  We could produce over 1 million barrels of oil a day with our bill’s elimination of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the EPA’s decision-making process for clean-air permits.

The bill prohibits the EPA administrator from promulgating any regulation that takes into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas in order to address climate change using the Clean Air Act.

And third, our bill will protect agriculture by reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens.  It amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act — or FIFRA — to ensure that National Pollutant Discharge Eliminations System permits are not needed for the application of pesticides that are currently registered and regulated under FIFRA.

This provision of the bill will also ensure that diseases like the West Nile Virus can be managed through mosquito abatement.  It is very important for communities in Utah to be able to address these issues without constantly seeking approval from federal overlords.

The bill also stops the EPA from imposing more stringent dust standards for one year. Additionally, it would afford states and localities the flexibility to address any rural dust issue before the federal government would have the authority to do so.

For the life of me, I do not understand the Administration’s stance on energy production.

The Department of Energy claims there are more than 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil in oil shale in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado.  This is more than the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia.  If we were able to develop this resource the way we are capable of doing, we could have a major impact on the jobless rate as well as the cost of energy in our country.

Last month, one of the largest oil companies in the world announced a $200 million investment in a commercial demonstration project for oil shale.  The project will be in my home state using technology developed by a Utah company.

Another major company that has been successfully developing commercial oil shale for more than 80 years is opening offices in Salt Lake City and seeking permits for a very large facility in Utah.

The state of Utah, local governments, and the business community support the development of these resources.  Yet the President and his administration are working to stop it at all costs.  The most recent roadblock was the rewriting of the final 2008 three-state programmatic impact statement to cut back by more than 70 percent the federal lands available for oil shale and oil sands development.

Well, I believe strongly that Interior Secretary Salazar has no authority to take that action.

I recently heard from an energy company in Utah that it is easier to do business in Somalia than it is in the United States.

Unfortunately, that is not a surprising sentiment.

But that is what we have come to expect from President Obama.  He talks a big game about fairness when it comes to raising taxes, but his energy policies are both regressive and elitist.  In the interest of appealing to the environmental interests of his wealthy supporters, the administration leaves middle class people behind.  Obstructing domestic energy production prevents the creation of high-paying jobs that provide good wages for families.  And it fails to bring down the high cost of fuel that hits middle and lower income families the hardest.

In fact, President Obama’s energy agenda tops the list of pernicious policies that hurt American families, hinder economic growth, and harm businesses, by dramatically raising the costs of everyday life.

The Administration’s position is clear.  The President wants to drive up the cost of gasoline and drive Americans out of their cars.

In 2008 when the President still harbored grandiose plans of changing the course of world history, his Energy Secretary Steven Chu said that his goal was to “boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”

In the meantime, the President and his party suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2010 elections, and now faced with the prospect of going the way of President Carter this fall, the Administration is trying to walk back this position.

With voters facing $4 a gallon gasoline, Secretary Chu now claims he is doing everything he can to reduce the price of energy.

And the President’s advisors are suggesting that this is just a gotcha quote.

It isn’t.

It represents the real view of the President and those in his bubble.  The price of gasoline was no big deal to the President prior to being elected to the Senate and the White House.  His short commute from his Hyde Park house to the University of Chicago might not have even required a car.

His wealthiest supporters, those being appealed to with his anti-energy agenda, do not spend a significant amount of their income on gasoline.

And when Warren Buffett flies in his private jet to meet with the President to discuss plans for raising taxes on small businesses, he is not worried about the cost of the jet fuel.

But for families that are now spending nearly $100 to fill up their cars, the cost of gasoline is a big deal.

Members of the President’s party seem to get this.  Even here in the Senate, we see Democrat support for the President’s decision to hold-up the Keystone Pipeline collapsing.

And for good reason.

The President’s unilateral decision to kill that project might play well at Midtown Manhattan fundraisers where wealthy elites have the luxury of supporting a radical environmental agenda without worrying about the real world consequences of that agenda for the middle class.

But it was bad for jobs, bad for the economy, and bad for American families.

Mr. President, President Obama has said that he wants to find an all-of-the-above approach to energy production.  He need look no further than the WEST Act.

Thank you.

Senator Mike Lee announced that he expects his budget resolution to receive a vote on the Senate floor this week.  The resolution is based on Senator Lee’s proposal to balance the federal budget in five years, simplify the tax code, reform entitlement programs, and significantly reduce federal spending.

“The differing visions for the future of the country will be on display this week when the Senate votes on the various budget proposals,” said Senator Lee. “Senate Republicans have proposals that solve the problems.  The President’s proposal ignores the problems or makes them worse.  And Senate Democrats have absolutely nothing to offer.

“Families and businesses must have budgets.  State and local governments need them, too.  But for three years, the Democrat-controlled Senate has gone without a plan to spend taxpayer money.  It is an abdication of the core responsibility of Congress that must be reversed immediately.”

Last week, Senator Lee officially submitted his budget resolution and announced the “Saving the American Dream” plan.  The plan simplifies the tax code by creating a single, low, unified tax rate, eliminating most credits and deductions, and repealing the death and payroll taxes. The proposal repeals ObamaCare and replaces it with a new market-based income-adjusted tax credit for purchasing health insurance.  It also saves Social Security by providing economic security for seniors, protecting retirees from poverty due to unforeseen events, and means-testing benefits so that the affluent elderly do not add unnecessary stress to the program.

Lee’s budget is expected to receive a vote on Thursday along with proposals from Senators Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, and the President.

WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee introduced a budget resolution that puts the country on a sustainable economic path, fixes America’s deeply flawed entitlement programs, and creates a new simple and transparent tax system.  Lee’s bold and innovative plan is built upon the principles of individual freedom and consumer choice, rather than government mandates and market distortion.  His tax plan and entitlement reform frees Americans to make financial planning and health care decisions based on their own individual needs and personal choices, promotes personal savings and wealth creation for all income levels, and reduces the burden of government programs on future taxpayers.

“Americans deserve to define their own financial future,” said Lee. “Today, we have a government that mandates, regulates, and controls almost everything we do.  As a result, we have an unsustainable debt, less prosperity, and less economic freedom.  This plan reverses the endless growth of government and empowers individuals to make their own savings, investment, and health care choices, while creating a better delivery system for America’s safety net services, like Social Security and Medicaid.”

Lee’s budget proposal is modeled on a plan first published by the Heritage Foundation called Saving the American Dream, which eliminates budget deficits after five years and stays balanced thereafter.

The plan introduces a new single, unified income-based tax rate on consumption for both individuals and businesses, eliminates special interest loopholes, and retains just two tax credits and three deductions.  The Social Security plan reforms the program into a retirement security system more akin to a traditional insurance plan, and Medicare transitions to a defined contribution premium support plan that ensures seniors at all income levels can afford health insurance.  All entitlements are means-tested, eliminating payments to wealthy individuals and preventing sudden poverty as a result of unforeseen events.

“Americans understand we have a big problem and that it is going to take big solutions to solve them,” Lee added. “Our answer is more freedom, not more government control.  The Saving the American Dream budget puts power in the hands of Americans to decide what works best for their own needs and families.”

U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) issued the following statement after President Barrack Obama reversed his position and announced that he now supports same-sex marriage:

“I’m glad the President finally laid out his position to the American people, but changing the definition of marriage is not something I can support.  The sanctity of marriage is not to be taken lightly.  Sanctioned by God, this sacred union between a man and a woman must be respected, preserved, and fostered as the foundation for healthy and prosperous families and communities.”