Chairman's Press
Alexander: Republicans Have a Better Way to Raise Family Incomes Than the Democrat Minimum Wage Proposal That Would Cut 500,000 Jobs
*** "On the most important issue facing the country, surely we can do better than the stale, bankrupt idea that according to the Congressional Budget Office would destroy 500,000 jobs." -Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., April 30 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the committee that oversees labor policy, said Republicans have a "better way" to raise family incomes than the Democrats' proposal to increase the minimum wage by nearly 40 percent, which the nonparti… Continue Reading
04.28.14
Alexander Opposes Obama Nominee to Lead Wage and Hour Division at Labor Department
*** "In his new book, Dr. Weil suggests the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division-the division he is nominated to lead-could look for ways to expand its current interpretations of labor law and should target employers who use certain business models." -Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., April 28 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate labor committee, today opposed President Obama's nomination of Dr. David Weil to run the Department of Labor's Wage … Continue Reading
04.22.14
Alexander Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Michigan Ban on Affirmative Action in College Admissions
NASHVILLE, April 22 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate education committee and former U.S. Secretary of Education under George H.W. Bush, released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a Michigan ballot initiative banning affirmative action in admissions decisions at the state's public colleges and universities: "Two important principles that unite Americans were at stake in this decision: E Pluribus Unum and federalism. M… Continue Reading
04.21.14
Alexander Statement on UAW Dropping Appeal of Lost Election at Chattanooga VW Plant
MEMPHIS, April 21 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate labor committee, released the following statement on the announcement today by the United Auto Workers that the union is withdrawing its objections to the lost election at the Chattanooga, Tenn., Volkswagen plant: "The employees have made their decision. The UAW lost the election. Now the best thing for all concerned is to get back to building cars." # # #… Continue Reading
04.19.14
Sen. Alexander Delivers Weekly Republican Address
"Republicans want to enable and empower you. We want to be the iPhone party. We believe government ought to be a platform that gives you more opportunity and freedom to create a happier, more prosperous and safer life. Usually in Washington, Republicans are the enablers and Democrats are the mandators." NASHVILLE - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, delivered the Weekly Republican Address this morning. The audio of the address is availa… Continue Reading
04.17.14
Alexander, Thune, Hatch Urge Census Bureau to Keep Questions on Uninsured in Order to Understand Impact of Obamacare
Washington, D.C., April 17 - U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today sent a letter to Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson urging the administration to continue asking the existing health insurance coverage questions in the Census Bureau's annual survey, along with its planned new questions, for two years. The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Census Bureau is this year changing its annual Current Population Survey questions regardi… Continue Reading
04.16.14
Alexander Statement on Administration Changes to Health Insurance Questions in Census Bureau’s Annual Survey
Crossville, Tenn., April 16 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, today released the following statement on reports that the administration is revising the Census Bureau's annual Current Population Survey questions on health insurance coverage: "After unilaterally decreeing 22 changes to the health care law, the administration may now have found a way to alter the basic facts. Congress and the American people are counting on the Census B… Continue Reading
04.11.14
Alexander, Burr: Unionization is No Solution for College Athletes
WASHINGTON, April 11 - In a discussion on the floor of the United States Senate (VIDEO HERE), Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.) last night warned that the unionization of college athletes, as permitted by a recent National Labor Relations Board regional director's decision, would destroy college sports and harm the entire American system of higher education. "Our message is that the opinion of one regional director of the National Labor Relations Board is not … Continue Reading
04.10.14
Alexander on Resignation of Secretary Sebelius
WASHINGTON, April 10 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, released the following statement on reports that U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will resign and that the president will likely nominate Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Burwell to replace her: "This is the right decision. The challenge for Ms. Burwell, or any other successor, is to help Congress find the right way to repair the dama… Continue Reading
04.10.14
Alexander to Introduce Early Childhood Education Bill to Let States Decide How Best to Use Federal Dollars
*** "Enabling states and parents will get better results than creating a national school board for early childhood education." -Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., April 10 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate education committee, today said he was developing legislation that would provide states the flexibility to decide how best to use some or all of the more than $22 billion in federal money spent annually on 45 different early childhood education prog… Continue Reading
04.09.14
Alexander Statement on “Paycheck Fairness” Vote
Washington, D.C., April 9 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate labor committee, today released the following statement on his vote against Senate Democrats' so-called "Paycheck Fairness" legislation that would increase litigation and limit the ability of employers to give working parents more flexibility: "Democrats ignore the fact that existing law protects workers from wage discrimination, and are proposing more litigation and less workplace flexibilit… Continue Reading
04.07.14
Alexander Statement on Unemployment Benefits Vote
WASHINGTON, April 7 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on his vote against Democratic legislation that would extend unemployment benefits without considering Republican proposals to help unemployed Americans: "This bill does not contain a single proposal to help grow the economy or encourage hiring. Republicans have many good ideas for helping the 10.5 million unemployed Americans find a job, but the Democratic leader has cut off amendments and debat… Continue Reading
04.07.14
GOP Senators Oppose NLRB Ambush Elections Rule
Washington, D.C., April 7 - A group of 18 Republican senators today submitted comments opposing the National Labor Relations Board's proposed rule to speed up workplace union elections, which "poses significant harm to businesses and workers alike in the United States." The senators write that the rule is essentially a reissuance of one proposed by the board in June 2011, implemented in part in April 2012, and "subsequently invalidated by a federal court." Despite 65,000 comments submitted on t… Continue Reading
04.02.14
Alexander: Bill to Ensure Tennessee Children Continue to Have Access to Pediatricians Trained at St. Jude Headed to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON D.C., April 2 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, today commended passage by the House of Representatives of legislation to continue the successful children's hospitals graduate medical education program that supports the training of pediatricians at children's hospitals in Tennessee and across the country. The legislation was passed by the Senate in November and now heads to the president's desk. Alexander said: "I am glad … Continue Reading
04.01.14
Alexander: Congress Should Focus on More Flexibility for Working Parents, Not Higher Incomes for Trial Lawyers
*** "Instead of a law like the one proposed here, which would literally reduce the flexibility that employers can provide their employees to do things like go to their child's football game or the school play. I think we need more flexibility." -Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., April 1 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate labor committee, said today that Congress should focus on finding ways to provide more flexibility for working parents, rather than … Continue Reading
03.28.14
Washington Times Op-Ed: Obama’s unfair union-election tilt By Sen. Lamar Alexander, Rep. John Kline, and Rep. Phil Roe
The president is waging a public-relations campaign about income inequality in this country, but rather than focus on growing the economy and encouraging businesses to hire, this administration has fallen back on stale, bankrupt ideas that don't help workers achieve more. The latest is a rule proposed by the National Labor Relations Board to speed up union elections, reduce the time workers have to decide whether or not to join a labor union, and force employers to hand over to union organizers… Continue Reading
03.27.14
Alexander: “College More Affordable than Most Students Think”
*** "The average community college student in America is receiving about $1,500 more in grants and scholarships than it costs in tuition and fees…. The average in-state tuition and fees [at public four-year universities] are about $8,900, and those students receive on average $5,800 in grants and scholarships, leaving them to pay $3,100 on average, in tuition and fees." - Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, March 27 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that college is more afford… Continue Reading
03.27.14
Senate, House Leaders Introduce Legislative Response to NLRB Ambush Election Rule
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 27 - Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN), House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN), and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN), today introduced legislation that will protect the rights of workers and employers by rolling back the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) controversial ambush election rule. "The National Labor Relations Board ou… Continue Reading
03.26.14
Alexander Statement on NLRB Decision in Northwestern Football Unionization Case
WASHINGTON, March 26 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on the ruling by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board that Northwestern University football players are employees eligible to form a union: "Imagine a university's basketball players striking before a Sweet Sixteen game demanding shorter practices, bigger dorm rooms, better food, and no classes b… Continue Reading
03.26.14
Alexander: Let’s Rewrite “Outdated, Imprecise” Teacher Preparation Reporting Requirements in Higher Education Act
*** "After the parent, a teacher is the most important person in a child's life. So, what can we do to create an environment in which the best teachers can succeed?...I'd like to review the requirements we impose from Washington on teacher colleges today and make sure they're current and that they're useful and that they just haven't stacked up over the last 40 years." -Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., March 25 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate ed… Continue Reading
