Chair's Press

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, August 8, 2020 — United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President Trump’s executive orders to provide COVID-19 relief: “The president is doing all he can to help workers, students and renters, but Congress is the one who should be acting. Democrats...

“This is the surest path toward normalcy until we have a vaccine. Thanks to NIH’s ‘Shark Tank,’ scientists are transforming COVID-19 testing by fast tracking new technologies with a goal of producing tens of millions more diagnostic tests this fall that can deliver results in minutes, instead of...

“The COVID-19 pandemic has led to one of the most dramatic developments in the delivery of medical services ever. Congress should learn from these four months of lessons, which will likely mean that hundreds of millions of physician-patient visits will be remote or online that were in-person before.” — Senator Lamar...

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 — United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on Senate confirmation of Marvin Kaplan and Lauren McFerran to serve as members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB):   “Today the Senate confirmed two qualified nominees, one Republican, one...

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 — Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-Ore.), House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Ranking Member Virginia Foxx...

“If you are one of 43 million Americans with a student debt, you can continue to defer your monthly payment after October 1 if you have no income. When you do begin earning income your monthly payment will never be more than 10% of your income AFTER deducting the necessities of life such as rent or mortgage and...

“Giving children more opportunity to choose their school is a real answer to inequality in America.” — Senator Lamar Alexander   WASHINGTON, July 22, 2020 — Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) cosponsored the “School Choice Now Act,” legislation introduced today by committee...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Congressional School Choice Caucus co-chair, introduced the School Choice Now Act – legislation that ensures all students will return to their pre-pandemic educational institutions. Senator Scott was joined by Senate Education Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander...

“Nothing was more disruptive to American life, and nothing would help lead it back toward normalcy than for our 135,000 public and private K-12 schools to reopen safely this fall.” — Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)   WASHINGTON, July 22, 2020 — The Senate Education Committee Chairman today published a webpage...

“In other words, if you have a student loan, your monthly payment is ZERO if you do not have any income, for whatever reason. When you do begin earning income, your monthly payment will never be more than 10 percent of your income AFTER you deduct the necessities of life, such as the cost of housing and food.” — Senator Lamar...

“Let’s not succumb to the familiar dangerous habit of ‘Panic. Neglect. Panic.’ Congress can take these three steps to keep vaccine manufacturing on shore and stockpiles supplied, now, while the pandemic has our attention, while we have our eye on the ball.” — Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)   WASHINGTON,...

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, July 13, 2020 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Democratic white paper on COVID-19 vaccines:   “The United States is developing safe and effective vaccines for a new virus faster than at any other time in our history. Democrats...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, July 9 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Democratic staff report on COVID-19 diagnostic testing: “Blaming President Trump for a problem that four Presidents and several Congresses have tried to solve for twenty years does not make...

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, July 7, 2020 — U.S. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President Trump’s decision to terminate the United States’ membership in the World Health Organization (WHO): “I disagree with the president’s decision. Certainly...

*Click HERE for video of the senator’s remarks.*   “The administration has said that 40-50 million tests will be available per month by September, enough for widespread testing as Americans go back to school and back to work. Whether there will be enough tests to allow teams to play sports or spectators to watch may...

“Unfortunately, this simple lifesaving practice has become part of a political debate that says: If you're for Trump, you don't wear a mask. If you're against Trump, you do. But the administration’s four health experts testifying today have said: ‘If you want to be able to go back to school, back to work and out to eat: wear a...

“Most of the time he's with people who have been tested, he's been tested...but there are times when he could wear a mask or the vice president could wear a mask. I think it would be a sign of strength if he would from time to time wear a mask and remind everyone it's a good way [to slow the spread of COVID-19].” — Senator...

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2020 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said on the Senate floor that “now, during this pandemic when we have got our eye on the ball,” is the time for Congress to act on needed changes to prepare for the next pandemic.   Alexander discussed some key takeaways from...

While the nation is in the midst of responding to COVID-19, the United States Congress should take stock now of what parts of the local, state, and federal response worked, what could work better and how, and be prepared to pass legislation this year to better prepare for the next pandemic, which will surely come.” — Senator Lamar...

“In 2016, there were almost 884 million visits nationwide between patients and physicians... If 15-20 percent of those were to become remote permanently due to telehealth expansion during COVID-19—that would produce a massive change in our health care system. Our job should be to ensure that change is done with the goals of better...