Michael S. Lee
Encyclopedia
Michael Shumway "Mike" Lee (born June 4, 1971) is the junior United States Senator
from Utah
and a member of the Republican Party. He is supported by the Tea Party movement
.
Lee has been a constitutional
lawyer
in Utah and Washington, D.C, in addition to serving as a clerk for then-Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr.. His father, Rex E. Lee
, was the founding dean of Brigham Young University
's J. Reuben Clark Law School
.
At the age of , Lee is the youngest current U.S. senator.
on June 4, 1971. His family moved to Provo, Utah
one year later when his father, Rex E. Lee
, became the founding dean of Brigham Young University
's J. Reuben Clark Law School
. While Lee spent about half of his childhood years in Utah
, he spent the other half in McLean, Virginia
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
His father served first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney General (overseeing the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during the Ford Administration) from 1975 until 1976, and then as the U.S. Solicitor General (charged with representing the United States government before the Supreme Court
during the first term of the Reagan
Administration) from 1981 until 1985.
Growing up Lee went to school with Senator Strom Thurmond
's daughter and lived three doors down from Senator Robert Byrd
. He was friends with Harry Reid
's son Josh. Senator Reid was the Lees' home teacher, a spiritual leader in the Mormon faith. Lee recalls as a child how Senator Reid once locked him and Josh in their garage as a practical joke.
After graduating from Timpview High School
(Provo, Utah
) in 1989, Mike attended Brigham Young University
as an undergraduate student, receiving a B.S. in Political Science
in 1994. He served as the President of BYUSA, a prominent student service organization, during the 1993–1994 school year.
in 1997, Lee served as a law clerk to Judge Dee Benson
of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
. The following year, he clerked for then-Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., who was serving at that time on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court in Newark, New Jersey
. After finishing his clerkships, Lee joined the Washington, D.C.
office of Sidley Austin
, where he specialized in appellate and Supreme Court
litigation. Several years later, Lee returned to Utah to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Salt Lake City, preparing briefs and arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He served as general counsel to Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. from January 2005 until June 2006, when he returned to Washington to serve a one-year clerkship at the U.S. Supreme Court with Justice Alito.
Lee returned to Utah (and to private practice) in the summer of 2007, joining the Salt Lake office of the Washington, D.C.
-based law firm of Howrey LLP. Lee focused on courtroom advocacy and constitutional law.
As an attorney, Lee also represented Class A low-level radioactive waste facility provider EnergySolutions Inc.
. At the Republican State Convention on the first ballot he received 982 votes (28.75%) defeating Tim Bridgewater and incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Bennett. Bridgewater, however won the second and third ballots to win the party endorsement. Both Bridgewater and Lee received enough support to have their names placed on the primary ballot.
In the primary election, held on June 22, 2010, Lee became the Republican nominee by winning 51 percent of the vote against Bridgewater's 49 percent.
The general election was held on November 2, 2010. Lee won the election with 62 percent of the vote to Granato's 33 percent and Bradley's 6 percent.
. He would again do the same in May 2011.
(R-South Carolina) and fellow Senate Tea Party Caucus
member Rand Paul
(R-Kentucky) to propose a plan that would extend the financial viability of the U.S. Social Security retirement payment system. The three senators' reform proposal (called the Social Security Solvency and Sustainability Act) was notable because it did not propose any tax increases to ensure solvency. Instead, it suggested that the $5.4 trillion difference between what was then funded and what had been promised could be eliminated by increasing the retirement age to 70 by the year 2032, and slightly reducing the benefits paid to upper-income recipients.
and have three children.
Lee is a second cousin to current U.S. Senators Mark Udall
of Colorado and Tom Udall
of New Mexico, as well as former Senator Gordon H. Smith of Oregon.
Lee has served on the BYU alumni board, the BYU Law School alumni board, and as a long-time member of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society
and the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. He is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served as a Mormon missionary
in the Texas
Rio Grande Valley from 1990 to 1992.
Lee earned the Eagle Scout
award from Boy Scouts of America
in 1989 and was selected to receive the National Eagle Scout Association
Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) in 2011.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and a member of the Republican Party. He is supported by the Tea Party movement
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
.
Lee has been a constitutional
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
lawyer
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
in Utah and Washington, D.C, in addition to serving as a clerk for then-Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr.. His father, Rex E. Lee
Rex E. Lee
Rex Edwin Lee from St. Johns, Arizona was a Constitutional lawyer, a law clerk for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White, and the United States Solicitor General under the Reagan administration. He argued 59 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court...
, was the founding dean of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
's J. Reuben Clark Law School
J. Reuben Clark Law School
The J. Reuben Clark Law School is a professional graduate school located in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University. Founded in 1973, the school is named after J. Reuben Clark, Jr.—former U.S. Ambassador, Undersecretary of State, and LDS Church General Authority—and its charter dean was former...
.
At the age of , Lee is the youngest current U.S. senator.
Early life and education
Lee was born in Mesa, ArizonaMesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
on June 4, 1971. His family moved to Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
one year later when his father, Rex E. Lee
Rex E. Lee
Rex Edwin Lee from St. Johns, Arizona was a Constitutional lawyer, a law clerk for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White, and the United States Solicitor General under the Reagan administration. He argued 59 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court...
, became the founding dean of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
's J. Reuben Clark Law School
J. Reuben Clark Law School
The J. Reuben Clark Law School is a professional graduate school located in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University. Founded in 1973, the school is named after J. Reuben Clark, Jr.—former U.S. Ambassador, Undersecretary of State, and LDS Church General Authority—and its charter dean was former...
. While Lee spent about half of his childhood years in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, he spent the other half in McLean, Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
His father served first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney General (overseeing the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during the Ford Administration) from 1975 until 1976, and then as the U.S. Solicitor General (charged with representing the United States government before the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
during the first term of the Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Administration) from 1981 until 1985.
Growing up Lee went to school with Senator Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond
James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
's daughter and lived three doors down from Senator Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
. He was friends with Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
's son Josh. Senator Reid was the Lees' home teacher, a spiritual leader in the Mormon faith. Lee recalls as a child how Senator Reid once locked him and Josh in their garage as a practical joke.
After graduating from Timpview High School
Timpview High School
Timpview High School, abbreviated "THS" , is a public secondary school located in Provo, Utah. Timpview is a 4A school and is part of the Provo City School District. The current principal is Dr...
(Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
) in 1989, Mike attended Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
as an undergraduate student, receiving a B.S. in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 1994. He served as the President of BYUSA, a prominent student service organization, during the 1993–1994 school year.
Legal career
After graduating from BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law SchoolJ. Reuben Clark Law School
The J. Reuben Clark Law School is a professional graduate school located in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University. Founded in 1973, the school is named after J. Reuben Clark, Jr.—former U.S. Ambassador, Undersecretary of State, and LDS Church General Authority—and its charter dean was former...
in 1997, Lee served as a law clerk to Judge Dee Benson
Dee Benson
Dee Vance Benson is a Federal judge and former chief judge for the United States District Court for the District of Utah. He was briefly a professional soccer player. He was nominated as judge by President George H. W. Bush on May 16, 1991, and confirmed by the United States Senate on September...
of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The following year, he clerked for then-Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., who was serving at that time on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. After finishing his clerkships, Lee joined the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
office of Sidley Austin
Sidley Austin
Sidley Austin LLP, formerly known as Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, is one of the oldest law firms in the world. It is the sixth-largest U.S.-based corporate law firm with more than 1,650 lawyers, annual revenues of more than one billion dollars, and offices in 17 cities worldwide, with the most...
, where he specialized in appellate and Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
litigation. Several years later, Lee returned to Utah to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Salt Lake City, preparing briefs and arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He served as general counsel to Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. from January 2005 until June 2006, when he returned to Washington to serve a one-year clerkship at the U.S. Supreme Court with Justice Alito.
Lee returned to Utah (and to private practice) in the summer of 2007, joining the Salt Lake office of the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based law firm of Howrey LLP. Lee focused on courtroom advocacy and constitutional law.
As an attorney, Lee also represented Class A low-level radioactive waste facility provider EnergySolutions Inc.
2010 election
Lee ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010United States Senate election in Utah, 2010
Lee-Polling:-Results:-Candidates:*Tim Bridgewater, small businessman *Mike Lee, attorney- Endorsements :BridgewaterLee-Polling:-Results:-Results:- Candidates :* Scott Bradley , businessman...
. At the Republican State Convention on the first ballot he received 982 votes (28.75%) defeating Tim Bridgewater and incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Bennett. Bridgewater, however won the second and third ballots to win the party endorsement. Both Bridgewater and Lee received enough support to have their names placed on the primary ballot.
In the primary election, held on June 22, 2010, Lee became the Republican nominee by winning 51 percent of the vote against Bridgewater's 49 percent.
The general election was held on November 2, 2010. Lee won the election with 62 percent of the vote to Granato's 33 percent and Bradley's 6 percent.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesUnited States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesThe United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and nuclear waste policy, territorial policy, native Hawaiian matters, and public lands....
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
- Subcommittee on Water and Power (Ranking Member)
- Committee on Foreign RelationsUnited States Senate Committee on Foreign RelationsThe United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
- Subcommittee on African AffairsUnited States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African AffairsThe Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs is one of seven subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs
- Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Global Narcotics Affairs
- Subcommittee on African Affairs
- Committee on the JudiciaryUnited States Senate Committee on the JudiciaryThe United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...
- Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the CourtsUnited States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the CourtsThe Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts is one of seven subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer RightsUnited States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer RightsThe Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights is one of seven subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
(Ranking Member) - Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights
- Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts
- Joint Economic CommitteeUnited States Congress Joint Economic CommitteeThe Joint Economic Committee is one of four standing joint committees of the U.S. Congress. The committee was established as a part of the Employment Act of 1946, which deemed the committee responsible for reporting the current economic condition of the United States and for making suggestions...
Patriot Act
In February 2011, Lee was one of two Republicans, along with Rand Paul of Kentucky, to vote against extending three key provisions of the USA PATRIOT ActUSA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
. He would again do the same in May 2011.
Social Security reform
In April of 2011, Lee joined with Lindsey GrahamLindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham is the senior U.S. Senator from South Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously he served as the U.S. Representative for .-Early life, education and career:...
(R-South Carolina) and fellow Senate Tea Party Caucus
Tea Party Caucus
The Tea Party Caucus is a caucus of the United States House of Representatives and Senate launched and chaired by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann on July 16, 2010. The caucus is dedicated to promoting what it considers fiscal responsibility, adherence to the movement's interpretation of...
member Rand Paul
Rand Paul
Randal Howard "Rand" Paul is the junior United States Senator for Kentucky. He is a member of the Republican Party. A member of the Tea Party movement, he describes himself as a "constitutional conservative" and a libertarian...
(R-Kentucky) to propose a plan that would extend the financial viability of the U.S. Social Security retirement payment system. The three senators' reform proposal (called the Social Security Solvency and Sustainability Act) was notable because it did not propose any tax increases to ensure solvency. Instead, it suggested that the $5.4 trillion difference between what was then funded and what had been promised could be eliminated by increasing the retirement age to 70 by the year 2032, and slightly reducing the benefits paid to upper-income recipients.
Personal life
Lee married Sharon Burr in 1993. They live in Alpine, UtahAlpine, Utah
Alpine is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9555 at the 2010 census. Alpine has been one of the many quickly-growing cities of Utah since the 1970s, and especially the 1990s. It is located on the...
and have three children.
Lee is a second cousin to current U.S. Senators Mark Udall
Mark Udall
Mark Emery Udall is the senior United States Senator from Colorado and a member of the Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2009, Udall served in the United States House of Representatives, representing . He also served a term in the Colorado House of Representatives.Born in Tucson, Arizona, he is the...
of Colorado and Tom Udall
Tom Udall
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Udall is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008,...
of New Mexico, as well as former Senator Gordon H. Smith of Oregon.
Lee has served on the BYU alumni board, the BYU Law School alumni board, and as a long-time member of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society
J. Reuben Clark Law Society
The J. Reuben Clark Law Society is an organization of lawyers and law school students consisting of over 65 professional and 125 student chapters throughout the world. It is named in honor of J. Reuben Clark the former Ambassador to Mexico and Under Secretary of State. Although alumni and...
and the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. He is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served as a Mormon missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Rio Grande Valley from 1990 to 1992.
Lee earned the Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout may refer to several ranks in Scout organizations around the world:* Eagle Scout ** List of Eagle Scouts * Eagle Scout...
award from Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
in 1989 and was selected to receive the National Eagle Scout Association
National Eagle Scout Association
The National Eagle Scout Association is an organization of men who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America...
Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) in 2011.
External links
- Senator Mike Lee official U.S. Senate website
- Mike Lee for Senate official campaign site