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Mike Lee’s Solutions Summit meets for first time in Trump era

Posted at 7:06 PM, Aug 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-24 21:06:20-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Business and political leaders gathered at the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City for Senator Mike Lee's annual Utah Solutions Summit.

The senator holds the Summit each year with a different theme. The focus in 2017: Collaboration.

"I hope to get some more ideas today. Ideas that I can bring back to Washington," Lee said.

But collaboration is a tall order this year, despite GOP control of both houses of Congress and the White House.

For Lee, health care tops the list of disappointments because repealing the Affordable Care Act has been a Republican promise since it's passage seven years ago.

"For us not to accomplish this is shameful and we can't just leave it alone," said Lee, suggesting he still sees hope for a repeal soon.

Lee is also skeptical of President Donald Trump's announcement to commit more troops to Afghanistan indefinitely.

"I still have questions for the president as to what his plan is in Afghanistan," Lee said. "How long are we going to be there? What's our ultimate objective? What are we going to do to keep our men and women who serve us over there safe?"