U.S. Sen. Mike Lee tells Utah senators he will press for a balanced-budget amendment, state control on Medicaid and contest federal land actions

U.S. Sen. Mike Lee visited the Utah State Senate in a Committee of the Whole and urged lawmakers to back a proposed balanced-budget amendment and press for greater state control over federal programs.

Lee, describing his Senate Joint Resolution 5 as the "Lee-Kyle proposed balanced budget amendment," said the measure would require Congress to limit annual spending to revenues, cap spending at 18 percent of GDP and force a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers to raise the debt ceiling or raise taxes. "You may not spend more than you take in each year," Lee said, arguing the amendment would force difficult choices now rather than push costs onto future generations. He cited the national debt as approaching $15,000,000,000,000 and warned that rising interest costs could consume large shares of future federal budgets.

Lee also told senators he will resist debt-ceiling increases through procedural tools in the U.S. Senate and said he will use his role on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to push back against federal land-management decisions he described as imposed without adequate consultation.

On health care, Lee praised the Utah Legislature—s recent actions limiting state implementation of federal changes and said states should receive maximum flexibility. He advocated converting Medicaid funding to a block-grant model so states can tailor programs: "This is for you to run your Medicaid program," he said, adding that simpler restrictions would allow states to control costs.

During a question-and-answer period, Utah senators pressed Lee on the practical effects of his proposals. Senator Valentine raised concerns that federal health-care changes could leave Utah—s budget and residents strained; Lee said the legislature—s previous actions had helped establish standing in litigation and reiterated the need for state-level discretion. Senator Kirstyerson asked Lee to press Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on wolf-management policy; Lee said he would raise the issue in Washington and is cosponsoring legislative efforts to delist the gray wolf in Rocky Mountain areas under the Endangered Species Act.

The Committee of the Whole dissolved by unanimous voice vote after senators thanked Lee for his visit. The visit and exchanges focused on federal fiscal policy, state control of entitlement programs and public-lands management.

What happens next: Lee—s proposals (notably the proposed balanced-budget amendment and any federal legislation on wolf delisting) would require action in Congress and, for a constitutional amendment, ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures before taking effect. Lee—s promises to press Interior leadership and to oppose debt-ceiling increases signaled which federal battles he intends to pursue on Utah—s behalf.