Chair's Press
Harkin Statement on Private Student Loan Market Report
WASHINGTON - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), issued the following statement after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the U.S. Department of Education released a report today illustrating the misleading practices and debt that stemmed from the financial boom and bust of the private student loan market over the last decade: "With student loan debt at a record level, we must empower students and families to mak… Continue Reading
07.16.12
HELP Committee Releases Report, Recommendations on Disability Employment
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the Senate author of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, released a report detailing the current state of employment for adults with disabilities, and describing policy recommendations that would help to increase labor force participation. Following a series of bipartisan HELP Committee hearings to explore the persistently low employment rate of people with disabiliti… Continue Reading
07.13.12
Harkin Statement at the Senate HELP Committee Field Hearing: “The Americans with Disabilities Act at 22: A New Generation of Iowans Approaches the Labor Force with High Expectations”
*As Prepared for Delivery* "The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will come to order. The title of this hearing is 'The Americans with Disabilities Act at 22: A New Generation of Iowans Approaches the Labor Force with High Expectations.' "Later this month, on July 26, in celebrations across Iowa and the nation, we will mark the 22nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act or the 'ADA.' Thanks to the ADA and other civil rights laws, Iowans wit… Continue Reading
06.28.12
Harkin Statement on Supreme Court Health Care Ruling
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act: "Today's decision by the Supreme Court is a rigorous, resounding confirmation of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. It is great news for America's families and businesses, and for our economy. This decision keeps consumers, rather than insurance companies, in… Continue Reading
06.26.12
Harkin, Enzi Applaud Passage of Bipartisan Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, heralded final passage of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (S.3187), bipartisan HELP Committee legislation that would ensure that the FDA can approve drugs and medical devices, save biomedical industry jobs, protect patient access to new therapies, and preserve America's global leadership in biomedical innov… Continue Reading
06.25.12
Harkin Floor Statement on FDA User Fee Bill
WASHINGTON--Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, spoke on the floor of the Senate to urge his colleagues to invoke cloture on the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. Below is the full text of Harkin's statement, as prepared for delivery: "Mr. President, after many months of bipartisan negotiation, I have high hopes that the Senate will vote very shortly to invoke cloture on the House Message to accompan… Continue Reading
06.20.12
Harkin-Enzi Statement on House Passage of Bipartisan FDA User Fee Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (S.3187), which would reauthorize the user fee programs for the Food and Drug Administration: "We are pleased to see the House pass this important legislation, which will help patients, create jobs and save… Continue Reading
06.18.12
Harkin, Enzi, Upton and Waxman Announce Bipartisan Agreement on Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act
WASHINGTON, DC- Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) today announced a bipartisan agreement on the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, S 3187, which reauthorizes Food and Drug Administration user fees to ensure the continuation of various FDA programs and the creation of new ones to facilitate t… Continue Reading
06.05.12
Statement by Senator Tom Harkin on the Paycheck Fairness Act
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, spoke on the floor of the Senate in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill to help close the wage gap. Today, an American woman makes an average of 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. In Iowa, that figure is 83 cents for every dollar paid to men. To watch an excerpt of Senator Harkin's floor speech, click here. The full text of Harkin's statement is below, as pr… Continue Reading
06.05.12
Harkin Statement on Disney Nutritional Guidelines for Kids
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions applauded the Walt Disney Company for updating its nutritional standards and for announcing new guidelines ensuring that junk food won't be advertised on Disney's kid-targeted TV programming and websites: "I welcome Disney's new efforts to combat childhood obesity and commend them on this important progress. As a media company with a presence in millions of American households… Continue Reading
05.24.12
Harkin, Enzi Hail Senate Approval of Bipartisan FDA Safety and Innovation Act
WASHINGTON-Today, Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY) of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee issued a joint statement welcoming Senate passage of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), bipartisan HELP Committee legislation that would ensure that the FDA can approve drugs and medical devices, save biomedical industry jobs, protect patient access to new therapies, and preserve America's global leadership in biomedical … Continue Reading
05.24.12
Harkin, Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Families and Students Understand the True Cost of College
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today joined Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) and a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing legislation so that families and students will gain a more accurate picture of exactly how much college will cost them before deciding which school to attend. Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. In addition to Harkin, the legislation was cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Richard Blumenthal (D… Continue Reading
05.21.12
In Floor Speech, Harkin Calls for Passage of Bipartisan FDA Safety and Innovation Act
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, spoke on the floor of the Senate to call for passage of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), a bill which passed out of the HELP Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support. Below is the full text of Harkin's remarks, as prepared for delivery: "Mr. President, after many months of bipartisan negotiation, I have high hopes that the Senate will pr… Continue Reading
05.15.12
Harkin Welcomes Administration Directions to Help Reduce Seclusion and Restraint
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the announcement by Education Secretary Arne Duncan of a new resource document aimed at reducing the use of seclusion and restraint practices in schools: "I am pleased that Secretary Duncan has affirmed today that the use of seclusion and restraint to discipline students is dangerous and outmoded," Harkin said. "I share Secretary Du… Continue Reading
05.08.12
Harkin: Time to Put Politics Aside to Protect Students
WASHINGTON-Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today expressed his disappointment at the failure of a Senate cloture vote on a measure that will keep interest rates on federal student loans from doubling in July, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Harkin helped develop and is one of the lead cosponsors of the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act, a one-year freeze of the interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans. This inter… Continue Reading
05.08.12
In Letter, Harkin Calls on Embattled NLRB Member Flynn to Resign
WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, sent a letter to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Terence Flynn, requesting his resignation after the NLRB Inspector General uncovered Flynn's repeated ethics violations. The Inspector General's report uncovered violations of ethical standards including disclosure of confidential draft opinions to attorneys in private practice, including to former NLRB Members Peter… Continue Reading
05.07.12
Harkin Calls for Bipartisan Support to Keep Loan Rates from Doubling for 7.4 Million Students
WASHINGTON-Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today called for bipartisan support for a measure that will keep interest rates on federal student loans from doubling in July, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Harkin helped develop and is one of the lead cosponsors of the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act, a one-year freeze of the interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans. This interest rate extension is fully paid for b… Continue Reading
05.02.12
Harkin Calls for Resignation of NLRB Board Member Flynn
WASHINGTON - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today released the following statement calling for the resignation of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Terence Flynn after the NLRB Inspector General revealed additional evidence that Flynn violated ethics rules by repeatedly providing confidential Board information to former Board Member Peter Schaumber: "I am deeply disturbed by the findings of today's Inspector General … Continue Reading
04.25.12
Reed, Harkin, Brown Seek to Keep Student Interest Rates Low
WASHINGTON, DC -In an effort to prevent the cost of college loans from doubling for millions of students, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have teamed up to introduce the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act, a short-term remedy that will freeze the interest rates on subsidized federal Stafford loans for one year. The current fixed interest rate on federal Stafford subsidized loans, held by 7.4 million low and middle-income undergraduates, is … Continue Reading
04.25.12
Bipartisan FDA User Fee Reauthorization Is Good Starting Point
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Ranking Member Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) today said the Committee's markup of FDA user fee reauthorization reflected a strong bipartisan effort. "Today's markup of the user fee agreement reauthorizations was an important step," said Harkin and Enzi. "At a time when Congress has been deeply divided, today's markup displayed strong bipartisan cooperation." Harkin and Enzi noted… Continue Reading
