Chairman's Press
ENZI: SCIENCE, NOT POLITICS, SHOULD DRIVE TOBACCO REGULATION
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said that sound science, not politics, should guide decisions on regulating or banning addictive tobacco flavorings, particularly menthol, used to market cigarettes to kids. "Tobacco companies use flavors to get kids hooked on cigarettes," Enzi said. "While the bill before us today would ban the use of some flavorings, it doesn't cover all flavored produc… Continue Reading
05.18.09
ENZI: FDA SEAL OF APPROVAL NO WAY TO PUT OUT SMOKING
Washington, D.C. - With the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee set to debate this week a bill requiring the Food and Drug Administration to approve and regulate tobacco products, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) today said that putting an implied FDA seal of approval on tobacco is no way to wipe out smoking. "My fierce opposition to smoking is a result of smoking killing my dad, and my mom, and my mother-in-law, and second-hand smoking conclusively affecting me. This i… Continue Reading
05.18.09
ENZI COMMENDS SENATE CONFIRMATION OF HAMBURG
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today commended the Senate for its quick confirmation of Dr. Margaret Hamburg to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs. "Dr. Hamburg is the right person for a tough job," Enzi said. "FDA needs aCommissioner with Dr. Hamburg's expertise and experience. "I look forward to working with Dr. Hamburg to protect and promote the public health,and to restore FDA's status a… Continue Reading
05.12.09
ENZI LAYS OUT CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM, SAYS REFORM LEGISLATION NEEDS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today outlined conservativeprinciples for health care reform and said he would work to include those principles as Congress drafts bipartisan reform legislation. Speaking to The Heritage Foundation's Conservative Principles of Health Care Reform:The Road Ahead, Enzi reaffirmed his commitment to working in a bipartisan fashion on healthcare reform saying, "Let m… Continue Reading
05.12.09
ENZI SUPPORTS HAMBURG NOMINATION SAYS FDA MUST STAY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC HEALTH MISSION
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today applauded HELP Committeeapproval of Dr. Margaret Hamburg's nomination to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs."Given Dr. Hamburg's expertise in emergency preparedness and public health, it isimportant that the Senate act on this nomination quickly," Enzi said. "I support Dr. Hamburg'snomination, and urge my colleagues to do the same." Enzi said that if Dr. H… Continue Reading
05.07.09
ENZI TO LABOR DEPARTMENT: SMALL BUSINESSES ARE NOT YOUR ENEMY
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today urged nominees to theDepartment of Labor not to view businesses, particularly small businesses, as adversaries. "I am concerned about the direction the Obama Department of Labor will take," Enzisaid. "I truly hope the Department does not assume an adversary role against small businesses and businesses in general. Small businesses are not the enemy of work… Continue Reading
05.07.09
Enzi Questions Nominee on Flu, Tobacco, Other Critical Issues
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), today said Dr. Margaret Hamburg, nominee for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if confirmed, will face unprecedented challenges to public health, from bio-defense and preparedness to possibly regulating tobacco, and added that Congress, FDA, and the Administration will need to work cooperatively to meet those challenges. "With the current pandemic flu threat looming, many Americans are concerned about the supply of flu va… Continue Reading
05.07.09
ENZI QUESTIONS FDA NOMINEE ON FLU, TOBACCO, OTHER CRITICAL ISSUES
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), today said Dr. Margaret Hamburg, nominee for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if confirmed, will face unprecedented challenges to public health, from bio-defense and preparedness to possibly regulating tobacco, and added that Congress, FDA, and the Administration will need to work cooperatively to meet those challenges. "With the current pandemic flu threat looming, many Americans are concerned about the supply of flu va… Continue Reading
05.05.09
ENZI: REDUCING HEALTH CARE COSTS CRITICAL TO EXPANDING ACCESS
Washington, D.C. - At today's Senate Finance Committee roundtable on, "Expanding Health Care Coverage, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said that efforts to expand health care coverage must be coupled with efforts to bring down health care costs. "Unless we halt skyrocketing health care costs, any attempt to expand health care coverage will be financially unsustainable," said Enzi, who serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and as a member o… Continue Reading
04.28.09
ENZI SAYS STATES CAN OFFER IMPORTANT INSIGHTS ON NATIONAL HEALTH CARE REFORMS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) said today dramatic changes imposed on market rules in the name of health care reform could do more harm than good if Congress moves too quickly and without taking into account the lessons learned by state-based health reform efforts. "Forcing states to dramatically change their insurance market rules too quickly could result in some very serious unintended consequences," Enzi said, during today's HELP Committee Round Table, "Learning from the St… Continue Reading
04.28.09
ENZI URGES DEMOCRATS TO REJECT BUDGET WITH RECONCILIATION INSTRUCTIONS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on the Democrats' decision to misuse budget reconciliation and bypass a full, fair legislative process on health care reform: "How did reconciliation instructions make it into the conference report after so many powerful Senate Democrats said they opposed using reconciliation and would fight to keep it out of the budget? In… Continue Reading
04.27.09
Enzi Announce Press Additions at HELP
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today announced the addition of two accomplished media professionals, Stephen D. Wymer and AshLee A. Strong, to expand the HELP Committee's press office. "As the Congressional agenda focuses more and more on the HELP Committee, I'm sopleased we can add these two impressive folks to our press team. I'm confident their skill andhard work will let us better inform t… Continue Reading
04.24.09
ENZI: RECONCILIATION CLOSES THE DOOR ON GOOD, BIPARTISAN HEALTH CARE REFORM
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statementin response to reports that Democrats may misuse budget reconciliation to bypass a full, fairlegislative process on health care reform: "For lasting, comprehensive health care reform to work and for Americans to really haveconfidence in the plan, we need 75 or 80 Senators supporting the plan - not just 51. Health carereform w… Continue Reading
04.21.09
ENZI: GREEN JOB SKILLS DEVELOPMENT MUST BE PART OF COMPREHENSIVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said that programs to develop training for "green jobs" should be a part of a comprehensive effort to prepare America's workforce with the knowledge and skills to succeed in the 21st century, global economy. "We cannot afford to create a parallel system of job training just for one sector of the economy," Enzi said. "We need to improve job training progr… Continue Reading
04.01.09
Enzi Commends Insurers' Call for Cooperative Effort to Reform Health Care, Promote Higher-Quality, Lower-Cost Plans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today wrote two of the nation'sleading health insurers and urged them to continue working with Congress to find ways to offerhigher-quality, lower-cost health care plans. "We need you to work with health care providers, patient advocates, other stakeholdersand those of us in Congress to find comprehensive solutions to bring down health care costs andinsurance p… Continue Reading
03.31.09
ENZI URGES SEBELIUS TO REJECT RECONCILIATION FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today urged Governor KathleenSebelius, nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, to reject the misuse of budgetreconciliation to enact health care reform. "Misusing the budget process to write health care reform behind closed doors isunacceptable and betrays the promise of transparency, bipartisanship and a new tone inWashington," Enzi said. "We need … Continue Reading
03.26.09
ENZI: NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION WILL EASE BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS, IMPROVE ACCOUNTABILITY
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today urged the Senate to support abill to reauthorize America's national service programs, which he said is a good step towardimproving the administration and accountability of the programs, while reducing the bureaucraticbarriers that have limited their success. "A comprehensive reauthorization of our national service statutes is long overdue," Enzisaid. "Thi… Continue Reading
03.18.09
NATIONAL SERVICE LEGISLATION HEADED TO SENATE FLOOR
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Edward M.Kennedy (D-Mass.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), all members of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) today applauded Committee passageof the Serve America Act (S. 277), legislation that greatly expands domestic service opportunities for all Americans. Continuing the bipartisan tradition of national servicelegislation, the Serve America Act was written by HELP Committee Chairman Kenn… Continue Reading
03.17.09
HELP COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC FAITH IN FOOD SUPPLY
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY), along with other Senate leaders, today said strengthening public faith in the safety of food is crucial to public health and reaffirmed their commitment to enact bipartisan, comprehensive legislation that will improve the quality of all food in the United States and better protect consumers and their families. Tomorrow, November 18, the HELP Committ… Continue Reading
03.10.09
ENZI: HEALTH CARE REFORM MUST PRESERVE PATIENT CHOICE OF PROVIDER AND PLAN
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the SenateHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said health care reformlegislation must expand, not reduce, meaningful choices for patients, and should not forceAmericans to lose their existing coverage. Enzi said he will work with Congress to protect Medicare Advantage plans, which servemillions of seniors. "We should not pay for health care reform by slashing programs and eliminatingchoices," Enzi said… Continue Reading
