Chairman's Press
Alexander: States Continue To Innovate As They Implement Law Fixing No Child Left Behind
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 25, 2018 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said students would benefit from the law fixing No Child Left Behind because "states are back in the driver's seat for decisions on how to help their students." Alexander said, "Candace Hines, a kindergarten teacher in Memphis, recently wrote in the Memphis Commercial Appeal: 'This year, Tennessee schools will begin to implement our state's new education plan under the Every Student Succee… Continue Reading
09.18.18
Alexander to College Leaders: Veto the Heckler’s Veto
"What the federal government should not do is pass a law trying to solve all this. Conservatives do not like it when judges try to write laws and conservatives should not like it when legislators and agencies try to rewrite the constitution." -Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, D.C., September 18, 2018 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said college leaders should "veto the heckler's veto" and punish students who interfere with the right of speakers to speak and aud… Continue Reading
09.17.18
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Says “Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018” is “Landmark Legislation”
*Click here for VIDEO of the Senator's remarks.* "We are already working to combine the Senate and House-passed bills into an even stronger bill to fight our nation's worst public health crisis. There is a bipartisan sense of urgency to send the bill to the President quickly." - Sen. Lamar Alexander, Senate health committee chairman WASHINGTON, September 17, 2018 - The U.S. Senate today passed The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018-which Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calls "landmark… Continue Reading
09.13.18
Alexander: NLRB Proposal Good News for Nation’s 780,000 Franchises
WASHINGTON, September 13, 2018-Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) released a new proposed rule on the "joint employer" standard: "The NLRB's proposed rule is good news for the men and women operating our nation's 780,000 franchises. It would return to the standard that for decades required that for a business to be considered a 'joint employer,' it must hold direct control over the term… Continue Reading
09.12.18
Alexander: Senate to Vote Soon on “Landmark” Opioids Legislation
*Click here for VIDEO of the senator's remarks.* "The appropriations bill Congress passed in March of this year included $4.7 billion to fight the opioid crisis, of which $1 billion was for grants to states. The fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill, which the Senate passed just last month, includes $3.7 billion to help combat the opioid crisis. That would mean Congress has approved roughly $8.4 billion within a few months." - Senator Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, September 12, 2018 - United Stat… Continue Reading
09.07.18
Alexander: Senate Agrees to Vote Next Week on “The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018”
WASHINGTON, September 6, 2018 - The Senate agreed today to vote next week on the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018-a bipartisan package of over 70 proposals recommended to the full Senate by five committees: Health, Finance, Judiciary, Commerce and Banking. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said: "This legislation represents the work of over 70 senators, five committees, and countless staff who have worked together to help put an end to the opioid epidemic ravaging vir… Continue Reading
08.27.18
Bipartisan, Bicameral Leaders Urge Effective Administration of 340B Drug Pricing Program
WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding the fact that they have not used their rulemaking authority to implement regulations to better administer … Continue Reading
08.24.18
Senators Introduce Legislation To Protect Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, August 24, 2018 CONTACTS: Daniel Keylin (Tillis) | (202) 224-6342 Taylor Haulsee (Alexander) | (202) 224-8816 Nicole Tieman (Grassley) | (202) 224-6522 Megan Taylor (Heller) | (202) 224-6244 Matt Wolking (Cassidy) | (202) 224-5824 Karina Petersen (Murkowski) | (202) 224-9301 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dean Heller (R-NV), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joni Erns… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Alexander: Senate Approves Fourth Straight Year of Record Funding for Biomedical Research at National Institutes of Health
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23, 2018 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Senate passed a bill that provides the fourth straight year of record funding in a regular appropriations bill for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, $3.7 billion to help fight the opioid epidemic, and raises the maximum Pell grant to $6,195 to help more students afford higher education. "For the fourth straight year, the Senate has provided record funding for biomedical res… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Alexander: U.S. Must Keep Advantage in Basic Research, Continue to Support NIH Breakthroughs
Alexander to NIH Director: "The reason Congress has devoted so much funding to biomedical research is captured in testimony you, Dr. Collins, made in April 2016, when you offered ten 'bold predictions' of what we might be able to achieve in the next ten years if we continued to invest in research." WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23, 2018 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said, "We often say it is hard to think of a major scientific advancement since World War II that … Continue Reading
08.15.18
Alexander: President Signs Legislation to Keep Animals Healthy, Protect Food Supply
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 15, 2018 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said legislation signed into law by President Trump yesterday will help farmers in Tennessee keep their animals healthy. "A farmer in Tennessee knows the drug he has given to his calf is safe for the same reason we know that the medicines patients take are safe-the Food and Drug Administration has approved it," Alexander said. "Today President Trump signed into law critical legislation that will… Continue Reading
08.09.18
Alexander: President Trump Signs Into Law $716 Billion Defense Bill that Supports Pay Raise for Tennessee Troops
WASHINGTON, August 13, 2018 - United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after President Trump signed into law a defense bill the Republican Congress passed that supports pay raises for troops at Ft. Campbell and nuclear weapons and national security programs at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. "I am glad the president signed this very important bill into law today - it supports the men and women who serve in our armed forces by auth… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Alexander Statement on Administration Rule to Expand Access to Short-Term Insurance Plans
WASHINGTON, August 1 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration's final rule to expand the availability of short-term, limited-duration health insurance: "Millions of Americans who are between jobs and who pay for their own insurance will welcome this extended option for lower-cost, short-term, renewable policies. During the 1990's, Congress gave states this authority to offer short-term plans, and during most … Continue Reading
07.31.18
Alexander: Senate Passes Legislation to Keep Animals Healthy, Protect Food Supply
"A farmer in Tennessee knows the drug he has given to his calf is safe for the same reason we know that the medicines patients take are safe-the Food and Drug Administration has approved it." WASHINGTON, D.C., July 31, 2018 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said legislation passed by the Senate will help keep animals healthy and protect the food supply. "A farmer in Tennessee knows the drug he has given to his calf is safe for the same reason we know that the … Continue Reading
07.31.18
Alexander: To Reduce Health Care Costs, We Must Reduce Administrative Burden on Doctors, Hospitals
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 31, 2018 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the federal government is at fault for some of the administrative burden that the nation's doctors and hospitals face-which means "more time spent on paperwork, less time actually treating patients, and an increase to the cost of health care." "Administrative costs are much higher in the United States than in other countries," Alexander said. "According to Dr. Ashish Jha, a witness at our fir… Continue Reading
07.26.18
Alexander, Administration Exploring Ways to Modernize Apprenticeships for American Workers
"The hope is that with a modernized approach to apprenticeships, industries that weren't around when Paul Revere was training to be a silversmith or even when Elvis was learning to be an electrician, would be able to start apprenticeship programs." WASHINGTON, July 26, 2018 - Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said that a modernized approach to apprenticeships may help more industries use apprenticeships to train skilled workers. "In this booming economy, there are 6.6 m… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Alexander: Senate Democrats Block Common-Sense Bill to Help Restaurants Provide Calorie Counts for Americans
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2018 - Senate Democrats today blocked a common-sense bill to help restaurants with more than 20 locations comply with a federal rule that they provide calorie counts for Americans. "If I'm a 21-year-old manager at the Chick-fil-A in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I would be pretty hesitant to sign a statement, as currently required by the rule, that could subject me to criminal and financial penalties because one of my employees put extra slices of cheese on a sandwich," Alexander… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Alexander: Legislation Strengthening Career and Technical Education Heads to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 25, 2018 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act: "At a time when our economy is booming, companies everywhere are in the market for skilled workers. Over 200,000 Tennesseans participate in the career and technical education programs funded by this legislation that will give them the skills they need to find a go… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Alexander: Secretary DeVos Right to Propose New Safeguards for Students, Taxpayers
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 25, 2018 - Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education released a new regulation on borrower defense to repayment: "Secretary DeVos is right to propose new regulations that set important safeguards and clear standards for when a student can file a claim, so taxpayers aren't paying for unreasonable or unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Federal law allows students to petition the U… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Senate Committee Approves Bill Allowing Pharmacists to Tell Patients That a Drug is Cheaper if They Use Cash Instead of Insurance
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2018 - The Senate health committee today approved four important pieces of legislation, including a bill that will help Americans who are struggling to afford their prescriptions, and a bill that will encourage research to help treat sickle cell disease. "Many Americans struggle to afford their prescriptions," Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said. "Senator Collins' bill ends 'gag rules' that prevent a pharmacist from telling a patient that a prescription is cheaper if th… Continue Reading
