Chairman's Press
Key Health Committee Senators Urge Making COVID-19 Antibodies Test Free for Everyone
WASHINGTON, April 8, 2020 - The chairmen of the United States Senate's top health committees today urged Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to confirm that the new law allows free tests for Americans who have had COVID-19 and are likely immune to the disease. A copy of the letter is available here. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairmen of the two Senate committees responsible for health policy and spending said, "Health professionals agree that Am… Continue Reading
03.27.20
Alexander: President Signs Into Law Bill to Keep Paychecks Coming For Workers and Relieve Financial Burdens For Americans Hurt By COVID-19
MARYVILLE, Tenn., March 27, 2020 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said legislation the president signed into law today provides "sweeping relief to keep paychecks coming for workers, to relieve financial burdens for Americans hurt by COVID-19, and especially, to contain the disease." Alexander voted for and the Senate passed the legislation Thursday by a vote of 96-0. The senator said that this unprecedented legislation will provide $1,200 checks for individuals, increase unemp… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Alexander: “Sweeping Relief” On Its Way to Keep Paychecks Coming For Workers and Relieve Financial Burdens For Americans Hurt By COVID-19
"The government has temporarily shut down the economy because of this disease, and the government must help those who are hurt by it." - Senator Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, March 25, 2020 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said legislation he voted for and the Senate passed today by a vote of 96-0 will send "sweeping relief to keep paychecks coming for workers and relieve financial burdens for Americans hurt by COVID-19." The senator said that unprecedented legislation will pr… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Chairman Alexander: Senate Legislation Will Keep Paychecks Coming For Workers and Help Relieve Financial Burdens For Americans Hurt By COVID-19
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2020 - Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act will help keep Americans healthy, keep paychecks coming for workers, and help relieve financial burdens for Americans hurt by COVID-19. "The government has shut down the economy for the public health, so the Senate is responsible for taking steps to help families, workers and business who have been hurt by … Continue Reading
03.23.20
Alexander to Senate Democrats: This Is No Time to Be Running a Political Campaign
WASHINGTON, March 23, 2020 - "This is no time to be running a political campaign," U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said today on the Senate floor as Democrats block legislation that will generate trillions in economic support to help keep employees on payrolls and to relieve Tennesseans' - and all Americans' - financial burden while containing COVID-19. As chairman of the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Alexander has been negotiating with his Democrat coun… Continue Reading
03.22.20
Alexander: "This Legislation is About Your Paycheck"
WASHINGTON, March 22, 2020 - "This is about your paycheck," Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said today in describing a collection of Republican and Democrat senators' ideas that he said will generate trillions in economic support to help keep employees on payrolls and to relieve Americans' financial burden while containing COVID-19. He said that about $1.7 trillion is federal spending. The legislation also authorizes the Federal Reserve Board and the Treasury to create trillions more in financ… Continue Reading
03.19.20
Health Care Provisions of Third COVID-19 Bill Will Keep Americans Healthy, Improve Access to Medical Supplies, Help Doctors and Nurses
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2020 - The Chairmen of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Senate Finance Committee today released the following statements on provisions included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to keep Americans healthy and help families, workers, and schools during the COVID-19 outbreak. "This urgent situation requires a united approach to help Americans hurt by the outbreak. That includes fixing problems with the paid leave mand… Continue Reading
03.18.20
Alexander: “We Are Going to Have to Pay What It Costs to Contain This Disease”
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2020 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after he voted for and the Senate passed, by a vote of 90-8, a second piece of legislation to address the COVID-19 outbreak: "We are here not as Democrats and Republicans, but we are here to work together to do whatever we can to address COVID-19. Since the federal government is closing down the country - on behalf of all the people -- to contain a disease, we're going to have to … Continue Reading
03.13.20
Alexander Statement on Trump Administration COVID-19 Testing Actions
MARYVILLE, Tennessee, March 13, 2020 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced actions to help address diagnostic testing for the COVID-19 outbreak: "The Trump Administration's actions yesterday are the type of leadership needed from the federal government in order for our country to better combat COVID-19. Laboratory developed tests are a crucial part of our health care infrastructure, and emerge… Continue Reading
03.12.20
DURBIN, ALEXANDER, SENATORS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ADDRESS MEDICAL SUPPLY VULNERABILITY DUE TO CORONAVIRUS
WASHINGTON - Amid the coronavirus outbreak, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), along with a group of nine Senators, today introduced the Commission on America's Medical Security, bipartisan legislation to safeguard America's medical supply chain and address shortages due to the United States' dependence on foreign-made medical equipment. Approximately 40 percent of finished drugs and 80 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients are manufactured overseas-primarily fr… Continue Reading
03.10.20
Alexander Statement on Final Electronic Health Records Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 10, 2020 - U.S. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Trump Administration released two final electronic health record rules: "These rules are a continuation of the effort to make electronic health records systems work so patients have access to their own medical records. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these two rules should give more than 125 million patients easier acc… Continue Reading
03.06.20
Alexander Statement on Election of Senator Collins to Chair the Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2020 - Senate Labor Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) was elected as Chair of the Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety replacing former Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.): "Having one of the Senate's ablest and most respected members chair the important subcommittee on Employment and Workforce Safety is good news for the Senate and even better news for the American people," said S… Continue Reading
03.04.20
Alexander: Congress Acting Quickly to Fight Coronavirus
WASHINGTON, March 4, 2020 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the coronavirus supplemental funding legislation: "This legislation will deliver an important boost in funding to fight coronavirus and the Senate should pass it this week so President Trump can sign it into law as soon as possible. The United States has taken aggressive steps to keep Americans safe from the coronavirus and to prepare for additional cases, and this le… Continue Reading
03.03.20
Alexander: Respected Professionals With Decades of Experience Give Americans the Facts About Coronavirus
WASHINGTON, March 3, 2020 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said "respected professionals with decades of experience are the right people to give the American people accurate information about the coronavirus-both what individuals can do and what the federal government is doing to respond." "Around the world, the spread of the coronavirus is alarming, with nearly 90,000 cases in about 70 countries and 3,000 deaths, as of yesterday morning, according to the Worl… Continue Reading
02.25.20
Alexander: Trump Administration, State and Local Health Systems Doing Their Job to Help Protect Americans Against Coronavirus
** Click here or on the image above for Senator Alexander's conversation with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar. ** Washington, D.C., February 25, 2020 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Trump Administration and state and local health systems are "doing their job" to protect Americans against the coronavirus - a viral disease that was first detected in Wuhan, China - and asked U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about specific steps the A… Continue Reading
02.25.20
Alexander Statement on White House Coronavirus Funding Request
WASHINGTON, February 25, 2020 - U.S. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the White House request for additional funding for novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, response: "Every year, Senator Blunt and Senator Murray fund the programs that ensure we are prepared to address public health emergencies, and this is the right way for the White House to request additional funding for a specific public health threat. As a member of the Senat… Continue Reading
02.25.20
Alexander Statement on National Labor Relations Board Final Joint Employer Rule
WASHINGTON, February 25, 2020 - Senate Labor Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) final rule on the joint employer standard: "The NLRB's final rule is positive news for the men and women operating our nation's 733,000 franchise establishments. It returns to the standard that for decades required that for a business to be considered a 'joint employer,' it must actually exercise direct control over empl… Continue Reading
02.10.20
Alexander Statement on President Trump’s Budget Proposal
Washington, D.C., February 10, 2020 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2021: "I appreciate the president's budget suggestions and will carefully consider his recommendations as Congress begins the process to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year. Under the Constitution, it is Congress' job to set spending priorities and pass appropriations bills, and as a member of the Senat… Continue Reading
02.05.20
Alexander on Impeachment: “Let the People Decide”
WASHINGTON, February 5, 2020 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today on the Senate floor discussed his decision to vote for acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial. Below is a partial transcript of his remarks. "I worked with other senators to make sure that we had the right to ask for more documents and witnesses," Alexander said. "But there was no need for more evidence to prove something that I believe had already been proven and that did not meet the United States Constitution's h… Continue Reading
01.30.20
Alexander Statement on Impeachment Witness Vote
"I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense. …The Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate. "The question then is not whether … Continue Reading
