Chairman's Press
Alexander Statement on HHS Proposed Rule to Improve Electronic Health Records
NASHVILLE, April 20, 2019- Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on a new draft of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule that will improve the exchange of information across health networks: "This proposed rule is an important step toward making it as easy for patients to get their medical records as it is to book an airline flight - and to reduce administrative burdens that are driving doctors away from the prac… Continue Reading
04.10.19
Chairman Alexander: Federal Government Should Not Act as A “National School Board for Colleges”
"Congress should create a new measure of accountability that looks at whether students are actually repaying their loans. A second step to improve accountability would be for the federal government to make the data it collects from colleges more useful to students and families. And third, we should strengthen the 44 federally recognized accrediting agencies upon which we rely for certifying that students are receiving a quality education." - Sen. Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, April 10, 2019 - Sen… Continue Reading
04.04.19
Alexander: President Trump Deserves Great Credit for China’s Decision to Control Fentanyl, Saving Thousands of American Lives
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2019 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said China's decision to control all forms of fentanyl "will save thousands of American lives." Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be 100 times stronger than opioid prescription pills and is the source of the greatest increase in opioid overdoses in our country. "When our senior delegation was in China in October, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency officials told me that one way or the other almost all of the… Continue Reading
04.02.19
Alexander: Congress Must Bring Certainty, Stability to the Laws Governing How Colleges Respond to Accusations of Sexual Assault
"I would like to focus on three issues raised by the Education Department's proposed Title IX rule: The requirements of due process, including cross examination; the effect of the location of the alleged assault; and the definition of sexual harassment. As Congress seeks to reauthorize the Higher Education Act this year, we should do our best to agree on ways to clarify these three issues." - Sen. Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, April 2, 2019 - U.S. Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexa… Continue Reading
04.01.19
Alexander Statement on U.S. Department of Labor Proposed Joint Employer Rule
WASHINGTON, April 1, 2019 - Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Labor's new proposed "joint employer" rule: "The Trump Administration's proposed rule will help restore to franchise owners, who are hurt the most by the patchwork of joint employer standards, the opportunity to make their way into the middle class. The new rule gives businesses and workers a clear standard as to whether workers have two differ… Continue Reading
03.21.19
Alexander Statement on President Trump’s Higher Education Executive Order
NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 21, 2019 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration's Higher Education Executive Order: "I agree with the administration that colleges should provide better data on student debt and put some 'skin in the game' to reduce student borrowing. And I agree that colleges should punish hecklers who veto free speech, and stop coddling students to protect them from disagreeable points of view. … Continue Reading
03.18.19
Chairman Alexander Statement on White House Higher Education Reform Proposal
NASHVILLE, March 18, 2019 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration's Higher Education Reform Proposal: "I share the Administration's goals to make a college education worth it and to make it simpler to apply for federal student aid and pay back student loans. It is helpful to have these suggestions as I work with Senator Patty Murray, the senior Democrat on the education committee, to develop bipartisan re… Continue Reading
03.12.19
Alexander: “Final Step” of Simplifying Federal Aid Will Make it Easier for 400,000 Tennessee Students to Attend College
"After five years of bipartisan work, the FAFSA is simpler and on mobile devices, and Congress is now ready to take the final step to make it easier for 20 million American families to apply for federal financial aid and to eliminate $6 billion annually of mistakes that are unfair to taxpayers." -- Sen. Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, D.C., March 12, 2019- Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said Congress is ready to take the "final step" of simplifying federal aid … Continue Reading
03.05.19
Chairman Alexander: The Science Is Sound, Vaccines Save Lives
"Vaccines are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and meet the FDA's gold standard of safety. There is nothing secret about any of this science. It is important for those who have questions about vaccines, especially parents, to speak with a reputable health care provider. As with many topics, just because you found it on the internet doesn't make it true."-Sen. Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2019- Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said… Continue Reading
02.27.19
Senate Education and Labor Committee Advances 11 Well-Qualified Nominees
WASHINGTON, February 27, 2019 - Following the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee's approval today of 11 well-qualified nominees, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) called on the full Senate to quickly confirm their nominations. Alexander said, "This Committee has already approved all but three of these nominees last Congress, but unfortunately, the Democrat minority has prevented these nominees from being considered on the Senate floor. This meant these well-qualified nomine… Continue Reading
02.12.19
Chairman Alexander: As We Deal With Opioid Crisis, We Must Keep In Mind Millions Of People Who Are In Pain
Now that we have started to turn the train around and head in a different direction on the use of opioids, everyone - doctors, nurses, insurers, and patients - will need to think about the different ways we should treat and manage pain. WASHINGTON, D.C., February 12, 2019- Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said, "We want to make sure that as we deal with the opioid crisis, we keep in mind those people who are in pain." "A new report released in 2018, from the Cen… Continue Reading
02.11.19
Chairman Alexander: Administration Proposals Will Help Patients Access Their Personal Medical Information
WASHINGTON, February 11, 2019 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the new Trump Administration proposals to improve electronic health records will help patients access their personal medical information. "These proposed rules remove barriers and should make it easier for patients to more quickly access, use, and understand their personal medical information. It should also unleash new ways of helping doctors and other medical providers to make sense of that i… Continue Reading
02.05.19
Alexander: Expanded Access to Primary Care Can Help Reduce Health Care Costs
"I have asked for specific suggestions on what the federal government can do to lower the cost of health care for American families, and this year, I am committed to passing legislation based on that input to create better outcomes and better experiences at a lower cost." WASHINGTON, D.C., February 5, 2019 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said, "Expanded access to primary care can help reduce health care costs." "Dr. Lee Gross, of Florida testified at this com… Continue Reading
02.04.19
Alexander at AEI: Congress Must Act to Make College Worth It
"The questions I hear most often about college are: Can I afford it? Is it worth it? And can you make applying for financial aid and repaying student loans simpler? And from administrators-can't you do something about the jungle of red tape that makes it so hard to apply for federal financial aid, to pay back student loans and that wastes money on overhead that could instead be spent on students? Today, I have three proposals to help make the answer to all four of those questions YES." ** For … Continue Reading
01.29.19
Alexander: Congress Must Act Soon To Ensure 27 Million Americans Can Continue to Receive Primary Care Close to Home
"Community health centers have also been an important part of combating the opioid crisis that has impacted virtually every community across the country." WASHINGTON, D.C., January 29, 2019 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said, "27 million Americans receive their primary care and other services at community health centers." Alexander said, "Community health centers are one way American families can have access to affordable health care close to home. This in… Continue Reading
01.22.19
Alexander: American Families Deserve More Choices of the Best Possible Schools for Their Children
WASHINGTON, January 22, 2019 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement commemorating National School Choice Week of 2019: "Low-income families should have more of the same choices of schools that wealthier families already have for their children. When President Trump signed the tax bill, he opened the door for families to use the tax code to exercise school choice through 529 savings accounts - which was previously only available to … Continue Reading
01.18.19
Alexander, Murray Introduce Bill to Support Community Health Centers That Allow Over 27 Million Americans to Get Care Close to Home
WASHINGTON, January 18, 2019 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today introduced legislation that will extend for five years federal funding for community health centers, and four other federal health programs, that are set to expire at the end of the fiscal year. "This legislation is the first step in ensuring millions of Americans can continue to have access to quality health care they can afford close to their homes," Alexan… Continue Reading
01.16.19
Alexander Announces Enzi, Isakson, Paul Will Serve as HELP Subcommittee Chairmen for the 116th Congress
01.04.19
Alexander Welcomes Sens. Mitt Romney, Mike Braun and Jacky Rosen to HELP Committee
WASHINGTON, January 4, 2017 - Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today welcomed Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, after Senate leaders announced committee assignments for the 116th Congress: "I welcome Senators Mitt Romney, Mike Braun and Jacky Rosen to the HELP committee and look forward to working with them on reducing health care costs for Americans, making the cost of college wor… Continue Reading
12.20.18
Chairman Alexander: This Congress, HELP Committee Produced 18 Laws Including “Landmark” Opioid Legislation to Combat Nation’s Most Pressing Public Health Crisis
WASHINGTON, December 20, 2018 - U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said, "over the last two years, this committee has produced solutions that will have an impact on the lives of virtually every American." Chairman Alexander continued: "Most recently, in October, President Trump signed into law what Senate Majority Leader McConnell called 'landmark' legislation to fight the opioid crisis. President Trump said that this new … Continue Reading
