Chair's Press

“America’s working women have made incredible strides in the workplace.  And as women succeed, America succeeds and our economy succeeds.  But huge challenges remain.  Too many working women are stuck in poor-quality, low-wage jobs, living in or near poverty, struggling to make ends meet.  “In addition, even as...

 “We have convened this hearing to examine the state of tobacco use and regulation in the United States – both the extraordinary public health efforts that have driven down tobacco use and the enormous challenges that remain.  “Our nation has made remarkable progress in the 50 years since the first Surgeon...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tom Carper (D-DE) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education (ED) urging them to put in place stronger protections for students in career education programs—particularly those at...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced the Stop Subsidizing Childhood Obesity Act of 2014, legislation that would end the federal tax subsidy for unhealthy food and beverage marketing to...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement after the HELP Committee approved the Strong Start for America’s Children Act, legislation he introduced in November to expand access to high-quality early learning...

“Today, we will mark up the Strong Start for America’s Children Act.  I introduced this bill last November along with Congressmen George Miller and Richard Hanna, and it has received broad support from more than a quarter of the members of the Senate and the House combined.  The bill enjoys bipartisan support in the House but,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after today’s law enforcement announcement against Sallie Mae for violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. “As Chairman of the Senate’s education...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter sent today to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) to call on the agency to recognize recent studies that show...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Ted Mitchell to serve as the U.S. Under Secretary of Education. The HELP Committee approved Mitchell’s nomination in January 2014. “The...

“We have convened this hearing to consider the nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Ms. Burwell, thank you for joining us today. I also welcome your husband, Stephen Burwell, your sister, Stephanie O’Keefe and her husband Joe O’Keefe, as well as your friends...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today applauding the Obama Administration’s move to ensure that health insurers cover a range evidence-based tobacco cessation services, as required by the Affordable Care...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement today on the April employment report showing that the economy added 288,000 jobs last month, with the national unemployment rate dropping to 6.3 percent from 6.7 percent. “The April...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the Senate author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, today submitted testimony to the New York City Taxicab and Limousine Commission in support of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to improve accessibility for New York City...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement today after Republicans obstructed Senate consideration of the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, a bill he introduced to raise the national minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in three steps, then...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor before the Senate voted on whether or not to consider the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, a bill he introduced to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in three steps and to provide...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Democratic Senate and House leaders today wrote to Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene Dodaro requesting a study on the inclusion of women in NIH-supported clinical trials to look at whether the level of participation is sufficient for researchers to provide meaningful results on the applicability...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today opened Senate floor debate on the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, a bill he introduced to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in three steps, then provide for automatic, annual increases linked to changes...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ahead of a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) today met with Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who has been nominated to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  “Sylvia Mathews Burwell has proven herself...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement after the Senate approved David Weil to serve as the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the U.S. Department of Labor. Weil was approved by the Senate HELP Committee...