Mike Lee

U.S. Government officials in all three branches of government...are expected...to look out for basic structural protections in the Constitution like federalism.

Our Federal Government was always intended as a limited-purpose national government, not a general-purpose national government.

Federalism is an issue that is near and dear to many of us, and I know it is important to you.

We have seen a slow but steady drift over the last 80 years away from this principle of federalism.

I have enjoyed working with you over the last 6 years and always found you to be someone who treats colleagues, regardless of differing viewpoints, with dignity and respect.

[R]emoving Director Cordray would be consistent with President Trump's oath to `preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States' and his duty to serve as an independent guardian of the U.S. Constitution.

I cannot imagine anyone as well-qualified to take this post as U.S. Ambassador to Russia as my friend and former boss, Governor Jon Huntsman.

Please, I implore you, I beg of you, let us continue to work toward consensus. Tell the President not to declare a national monument in San Juan County, Utah.

My bill would simply put Utah on an equal footing with Wyoming and give the people of Utah, who have been severely harmed by the abuse, the flagrant abuse, of the Antiquities Act, some piece of mind about the future of their lands and…

This threat is exactly why I have introduced S. 3317 which would prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in the State of Utah, except by express authorization of Congress.

Just like the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, the proposed Bears Ears Monument would deprive these vulnerable communities... of vital economic, recreational and cultural resources.

Twenty years later the verdict is out. The people of Utah were right. The Grand Staircase has been devastating for the people of Utah's Garfield and Kane Counties.

Our fee-setting authority expires in 2018. And I cannot tell you, as head of this agency, how helpful it has been to be able to set the price of the services that we provide.

We want them to get the right laws on the books.

It is an issue that we are very aware of, we hear a lot from, from American companies.

Yes. We have made a lot, and we will continue to make any additional improvements as is necessary.

Two percent of all the claimed hours by an examiner that lacked a digital footprint were unsupported.

But, that has got to be balanced against the desire to incentivize innovation.

Patents are a key driver of investment and innovation.

One of the things that I do worry about, about millennials and about all generations of Americans, for that matter, relates to what could happen in this sort of doomsday scenario that keeps me up late at night, the scenario in which we…

It's one thing to hand over a business to your kids with the corporate credit card maxed out, with a steady income stream.

I'm worried about the fact that not only are we driving up the government's debt with costly decisions in Washington.

I wish I had more time to explore this with Dr. Rivlin and Senator Gregg. But I thank you for being here, and I just add to that that our interest payment on our debt has been relatively stable in the last 20 years.

The Antiquities Act, which the President would use to make a national monument designation, simply does not allow for the inclusive, grassroots-based, land management required by these shared goals that I have outlined.

I also believe in accountability. Those who are elected by the people bear the burden of accountability of those who have put them into office.