Chairman's Press
ENZI APPLAUDS FINAL PASSAGE OF BILL TO ENHANCE AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), applauded last night's final passage of the "America COMPETES Act," H.R. 2272, a bill to enhance American competitiveness in the 21st century global economy. "Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, we again find ourselves facing an urgent need to boost America's competitiveness and enhance our education programs - particularly in the areas … Continue Reading
08.02.07
ENZI SAYS CONFERENCE AGREEMENT ON COMPETITIVENESS BILL HAS BEEN REACHED
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), today said that conferees from the Senate and House of Representatives have reached a bipartisan agreement on the "America COMPETES Act," H.R. 2272, a bill to enhance American competitiveness in the 21st century global economy. Enzi served as a member of the conference committee. "Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, we again find ourselv… Continue Reading
08.02.07
ENZI ANNOUNCES SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO PROTECT AMERICA’S SENIOR CITIZENS FROM FALLS
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), applauded last night's Senate passage of the "Safety of Seniors (S.O.S.) Act of 2007," S. 845, an innovative bill designed to expand research on approaches to fall prevention and treatment for America's senior citizens. "For many of our nation's seniors, a fall means serious injury and often leads to a rapid decline in health," Enzi said. "This act will … Continue Reading
08.02.07
ENZI CALLS ON LEADER REID TO AVOID HOUSE PLOYS TO MAKE FDA CONFERENCE A POLITICAL POKER GAME
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) today said appointing conferees on a landmark FDA reform bill will only play into the hands of House Democrats who have backed away from a commitment to complete work on the measure before the August recess, and urged Majority Leader Reid to insist on an agreement that will preserve the balanced, bipartisan approach reflected in the Senate bill before proceeding to … Continue Reading
08.01.07
HELP COMMITTEE ADOPTS ENZI AMENDMENT TO BAN CLOVE FLAVORED CIGARETTES
Washington, D.C. - The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee today accepted an amendment to ban clove flavored tobacco offered by U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), the panel's Ranking Member. Enzi's clove amendment was added to a flawed Democrat bill, S.625, which would have allowed clove flavoring while requiring FDA to regulate tobacco but failed to give the agency the full authority it would need to effectively combat tobacco use. "While I still believe that this bill is… Continue Reading
08.01.07
ENZI DENOUNCES HELP COMMITTEE APPROVAL OF DEMOCRAT “MARLBORO PROTECTION ACT”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today denounced the HELP Committee's approval of a Democrat bill he said "coddles Big Tobacco's ambitious marketing plans while protecting the industry's best tools to recruit and addict young smokers to inherently dangerous tobacco products." "Trying to make cigarettes safer through a billion-dollar bureaucracy is a waste of time and money," Enzi said. "The rig… Continue Reading
07.30.07
ENZI URGES SENATE TO ACT SWIFTLY ON CRITICAL ANIMAL DRUG LEGISLATION
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today urged theSenate to approve legislation that would prevent expiration of the Animal Drug User FeeAct (ADUFA), which provides the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with theresources to evaluate and approve new drugs for animals in a timely and effectivemanner. The bill also would create a new user fee program for generic animal drugs. "Pet owners, farmers, r… Continue Reading
07.29.07
ENZI INTRODUCES BILL TO ENCOURAGE DOCTORS TO VOLUNTEER MEDICAL SERVICES FOR POOR, UNINSURED PATIENTS
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), todayintroduced the Volunteer Health Care Program Act of 2008, a bill that will remove alegal barrier preventing physicians and health care professionals from volunteering theirservices to individuals who cannot afford or cannot access basic medical care. "There is an overwhelming need for volunteer medical care among the poor in theUnited States, but med… Continue Reading
07.26.07
HELP COMMITTEE ADOPTS ENZI AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE STRONGER WARNING LABELS ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said he was pleased that the HELP Committee agreed to include his amendment that requires stronger warnings labels on tobacco product packages. The amendment was added to a flawed Democrat bill, S.625, that would require FDA to regulate tobacco, but fails to give the agency the full authority it would need to combat tobacco use effectively. "While I still … Continue Reading
07.26.07
ENZI CALLS ON SENATE LEADERS TO NAME CONFEREES FOR CRITICAL DRUG SAFETY LEGISLATION
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urging them to move forward on critical drug safety legislation. Enzi called on Senator Reid and Senator McConnell to appoint conferees to finalize S. 1082, the "Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act." "We must think carefully about our p… Continue Reading
07.25.07
Statement of Michael B. Enzi Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Markup of S. 625, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
Mr. Chairman, The bill we are marking up today is ambitiously called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Well, I've carefully studied this bill. I've read all 168 pages. I can tell you that it will neither prevent families from smoking nor effectively control tobacco. That's what this fatally flawed bill won't do. What will it do? It will undermine the Food and Drug Administration's mission of making our nation's food and drug supply safe. Right now our efforts should be focus… Continue Reading
07.24.07
ENZI INVITES “TOBACCO-FREE KIDS” CEO TO DISCUSS SERIOUS EFFORT TO WIPE OUT TOBACCO
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today responded to criticisms from the President of "Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids" by inviting him to discuss the Enzi proposal to use a cap-and-trade program to shrink the of the tobacco market and save lives by cutting tobacco use. Enzi offered the legislation as an alternative to a Democrat proposal strongly supported by Big Tobacco and Campaign for Tobacco… Continue Reading
07.23.07
ENZI CALLS ON NATION’S TOP HEALTH OFFICERS TO WORK TOGETHER TO ELIMINATE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today called on three of the nation's top health officials to consider the use of a cap-and-trade program to shrink the of the tobacco market and save lives by cutting tobacco use - a proposal he has offered as an alternative to a Democrat proposal strongly supported by Big Tobacco. "We must help current users quit that deadly habit, and make sure that others, … Continue Reading
07.23.07
ENZI ANTI-TOBACCO “HEALTH ACT” vs. DEMOCRAT “MARLBORO PROTECTION ACT”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today highlighted the key differences between tobacco legislation he introduced, which will wipe out tobacco use in America in the next 20 years, and a Democrat bill that would require regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "Tobacco kills. We need new ideas to get people to stop smoking, or better yet, never to start. That's wh… Continue Reading
07.23.07
SENATE SET TO DEBATE HIGHER EDUCATION PROVISIONS ENZI SAYS WILL IMPROVE FEDERAL PROGRAMS, EXPAND COLLEGE ACCESS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said that the Senate is set to begin debate on key higher education reforms he said are critical to expand access to college, protect students from bad actors in the student loan industry, and provide students with clear information they need to understand and manage their debts.The Senate will begin debate on the "Higher Education Amendments of 2007," S. 1… Continue Reading
07.20.07
SENATE TAKES FIRST STEP TO MAKE COLLEGE MORE ACCESSIBLE, ENZI SAYS; URGES FURTHER ACTION ON KEY HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said the Senate has taken the first step toward making college more affordable with passage of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act early today, but warned that more action is needed to expand access to college, protect students from bad actors in the student loan industry, and provide students with clear information they need to understand and manage th… Continue Reading
07.16.07
ENZI CALLS FDA-TOBACCO LEGISLATION “A PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER,” SAYS PLAYING WORD GAMES WITH BILL LANGUAGE IS NOT ENOUGH
Washington, D.C. - - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said that changes slipped into the language of a bill that would require the regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA do not address his underlying concern with the bill - it does not help win the war on tobacco. "Tobacco is one of the biggest contributors to our nation's growing health care crisis. We need to address this … Continue Reading
07.12.07
HELP COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS CALL ON SENATE LEADERSHIP NOT TO DROP THE BALL ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today sent a letter signed by nine Committee Republicans to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), urging them to ensure that the two higher education bills approved by the HELP Committee in June are considered together by the full Senate in July. "The HELP Committee has taken the first step toward approving two key … Continue Reading
07.12.07
BILL TO PUT FDA SEAL OF APPROVAL ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS NO WAY TO WIN WAR ON TOBACCO, ENZI SAYS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said the decision to move forward on a bill to require the regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is no way to win the war on tobacco. "Trying to make cigarettes safer through a billion-dollar bureaucracy is a waste of time and money," Enzi said, following the HELP Committee's announcement that the 'Family Smoking Preventi… Continue Reading
07.12.07
ENZI PLEASED WITH HOUSE ACTION ON DRUG SAFETY, CALLS FOR CONTINUED BIPARTISAN EFFORTS
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said he is pleased that the House of Representatives acted on critical drug safety legislation late yesterday, and urged lawmakers in the House and Senate to continue working together in a bipartisan way as the bill moves to conference. "I am pleased that the House has acted on this important matter," Enzi said. "Each day, half of all Americans take at l… Continue Reading
