Senator Mike Lee visited the Uintah Basin on Tuesday. Vernal was among his stops where he spoke at length on Basin relevant topics. Sage grouse, the EPA, health care and economic recovery were among the topics explored but a running theme was the danger of big government and over-regulation. Senator Lee explained that 6 out of 10 of the nation’s wealthiest counties are located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., an area that unlike the Uintah Basin has no real natural resources. That area is not a hub of any sort but money is there because the power is there. “What gets people out of poverty more than anything else is access to free markets,” explained Senator Lee. “The time has never been greater to give more people access, which is ultimately what they need to not just survive but to thrive…If government is too big and regulating its own people excessively, it will cause the people to collapse. That is why we have to manage government carefully.” As part of his stop in Vernal, Senator Lee interacted with a panel of industry leaders who provided context to the economic challenges facing the Uintah Basin during this difficult time.
https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/about-mike
