Chair's Press

MARYVILLE, Tenn., May 13, 2020 — U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today joined FOX News’ “America's Newsroom” to discuss efforts to ramp up COVID-19 testing to allow students to go back to school this fall, and his work as chairman of the Senate health committee during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcript of the interview...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, May 12, 2020 — Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said “interest rates on new federal student loans will drop to historic lows on July 1st.  “This rate drop is a result of Congress working together in 2013 with President Obama to tie student loan rates to actual...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, May 12, 2020 — Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that COVID-19 testing in the United States is “impressive” and “enough to begin going back to work.” “But millions more rapid tests created by new technologies are needed to...

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 10, 2020 — David Cleary, chief of staff for United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), today released the following statement: “Today, Sunday, May 10, a member of Senator Lamar Alexander’s staff tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member is recovering at home and is doing...

MARYVILLE, Tenn., May 10, 2020 — U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today joined Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to discuss efforts to ramp up COVID-19 testing and his work as chairman of the Senate health committee during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcript of the interview...

Alexander Statement on Administration Witnesses for Upcoming Hearing “COVID-19: Safely Getting Back to Work and Back to School” MARYVILLE, Tenn., May 9, 2020 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement regarding the upcoming committee hearing “COVID-19: Safely Getting...

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2020 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said “all roads back to work and back to school lead through testing.” Alexander made his remarks during the Senate health committee hearing—“Shark Tank: New Tests for COVID-19”—which featured testimony from Dr....

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2020 — U.S. Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education made final its rule clarifying Title IX — a federal law protecting students from sex discrimination in education programs or activities that receive federal...

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2020 — United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement: “With the increasing number of diagnostic tests available, I expect attitudes to change quickly about accepting the president’s offer to test members of Congress for COVID-19, especially as the House of...

 WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, applauded an announcement from the National...

MARYVILLE, Tenn., April 23, 2020 – United States Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) made the following statement on the 2018 results released today from the “Nation’s Report Card:” "These results from the ‘Nation’s Report Card’ are sobering. They remind us that the worst...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, April 21, 2020 — U.S. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that the Senate has “pulled out all the stops” to help increase COVID-19 diagnostic testing in order to contain the disease and give Americans the confidence to go back to work and back to school. Senator Alexander...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, April 16, 2020 — United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after being appointed to President Trump’s Economic Recovery Initiative: “The way to contain this disease and get back to work and back to school is to put politics aside and work together as fast as we can...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, April 15, 2020 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on COVID-19 testing: “Without more tests with quick results, it will be difficult to contain this disease and give Americans confidence to go back to work and back to school. In the last month, Congress...

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...

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 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...

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...