Utah Sen. Mike Lee has sent a letter to Republican offices outlining his suggested course of action for the successor of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, warning his colleagues that “the health of the Republican Party and the future of the republic itself are at stake.”
Senators John Cornyn, R-Texas; John Thune, R-S.D. and Rick Scott R-Fla., are among those jockeying to take over McConnell’s leadership role after the 82-year-old announced in February that he would be stepping down in November.
“The best way we can help lower the temperature of our politics and restore public trust in our institutions is to ensure that the people have more say in the laws that govern their lives,” Lee wrote in his letter, which was obtained by Politico. We have a once-in-a generation opportunity to do so with the upcoming election for our Senate Republican leadership.”
“This is our moment to reaffirm and strengthen the greatest features of the Senate and set a new course for our conference,” he added. “I am confident that with the right leadership and a commitment to these reforms, we can create a stronger, more accountable Senate that truly serves the people.”
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Utah Sen. Mike Lee, left, has written a letter to colleagues ahead of Mitch McConnell stepping down from his position as a Senate Republican leader. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/AP/Mariam Zuhaib)
In his letter, Lee outlined three reforms that he says should “guide” the approach of Senate Republicans going forward.
He called for more time for debate and deliberation, writing that “We all know the pressure that comes with last-minute votes on massive spending bills that are dropped on our desks hours before a deadline” and “This is not how the Senate should operate.”
“First, at the beginning of each year, the republican floor leader should propose a structured process and floor schedule for considering appropriations legislation, just as the leader publishes a calendar of days in session at the beginning of each year,” Lee said. “Second, when omnibus spending bills are considered, we should ensure at least four weeks to debate and amend them.”
Lee also said “We must be strategic in promoting the conservative values that our voters elected us to champion” and that “currently, must-pass legislation is overwhelmingly shaped by the progressive priorities of the Democratic Party.”
“First, we should ask that our new floor leader to propose policy goals at the start of each year, to be ratified by the conference,” he said. “Second, in addition to having general policy goals, the leader should present specific strategies for achieving Republican victories in connection with must-pass legislation.”
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the war effort against Russia, on Sept. 26. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
“Third, the Republican floor leader and whip should whip for or against a bill or nominee only with the support of the majority of the conference,” Lee continued. “Above all, this would protect Republican leadership from ever being in the position of having to whip for legislation advancing Democrat priorities, as happens from time-to time when must pass legislation is up against a critical deadline.”
In addition, Lee told his colleagues: “One of the fundamental issues we face is that our current processes are shutting out the people we represent. Most Americans would be shocked to learn that their senators often cannot offer amendments to legislation. Filling the [amendment] tree has become commonplace in recent years. Since Sen. Harry Reid began centralizing the process in the early 2010s, the vast majority of senators have been largely excluded from the legislative process for most bills.”
The Senate describes filling the amendment tree as “a process by which a certain number and type of amendments are offered under Senate precedents” and “Once these amendments are offered and the ‘tree is filled’ no other amendments are allowed.”
It’s a process that the Congressional Research Service says majority leaders can use to “freeze” the amendment process in place and block additional floor amendments.
Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, joins House Freedom Caucus members for a news conference on the national debt ceiling at the U.S. Capitol in Washington in March 2023. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)
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Lee wrote that “One simple, additional reform” for this process “could involve requiring three-fourths of our conference to agree before the tree can be filled.”
