Mike Lee

I have a statement for the record that has been submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska.

I think we all seem to agree... that there should be more local law enforcement involvement in this area.

I think it is important from time to time to look at whether what we have created makes sense.

That would not be Armageddon. It would not produce an Armageddon type environment. Dogs and cats living together in the streets.

It is called the Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act.

And to the extent it can achieve that, it saves the taxpayer money.

I think to that extent in those instances BLM law enforcement agents are failing to do their job appropriately.

I am sure you would agree that the BLM-led standoff at the Bundy ranch, out of which those particular criminal charges arose, was ill-conceived and was poorly executed.

I think that is one of the reasons why we have to be concerned here, one of the reasons why FLPMA favors, encourages and arguably creates a strong presumption in favor of bringing in local law enforcement to assist with the day-to-day…

It's a shame when our entire profession is disparaged on the basis of only eight or nine hundred thousand bad apples.

I think you would agree, has suffered significant reputational damage due to its officers, its agents, engaging in misconduct and their overzealous use of some really heavy-handed tactics.

Former Attorney General Ed Meese and I have urged Congress to adopt a mistake of law defense...

They said that essentially that it is not only unknown, but it is unknowable.

It will be of little avail to the American people if their laws are written by those of their own choosing, if those laws are so voluminous and complex if they can't reasonably be read and understood.

I appreciated what you said earlier about the overcriminalization issue and noting that although that is not the precise focus of this hearing, it is closely related to the overcriminalization problem.

So it should not be the presumption that when somebody has done something wrong that the only solution, every time, is always just do criminal action.

Given that profile of activity why are armed BLM law enforcement agents wearing flak jackets, no less, executing search warrants in the private homes of artifact collectors?

We recognize the sheriff as the supreme law enforcement official in the counties they serve in.

We are not talking about a slight difference there. That is a very significant difference.

We feel like we can do better as a state in managing our law enforcement affairs than the Federal Government.

Yet nothing in federal law precludes them from using local law enforcement and in some ways it encourages it.

The FAA has banned commercial flight of supersonic aircraft in this country.

I want to thank you for all of the help that you provided hurricane victims in the last few months.

The Bureau is far too powerful, and with precious little oversight of its activities.

The structure and powers of the Bureau are not something the Founders and Framers would recognize.