Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 7 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate education committee, today released the following statement recognizing “Teacher Appreciation Week,” being celebrated this week:  “This week we honor the 3.4 million teachers who work so hard each day so our nation’s...

IF we have learned anything about the economy over the past few years, it is this: Real, sustainable and fair economic growth comes from the middle out, not the top down. If the middle class isn’t feeling secure, and if workers can’t climb their way up the ladder, it doesn’t matter how many millionaires are getting bonuses or how...

(Washington, D.C.) – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) introduced the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $12 by 2020. The Raise the Wage Act would also index the federal minimum wage to the median wage, and gradually eliminate the...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) introduced the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $12 by 2020. The Raise the Wage Act would also index the federal minimum wage to the median wage, and gradually eliminate the...

WASHINGTON, April 30 – Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today led a group of nine Republicans on the Senate health committee in urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately finalize all guidance regarding the approval of biosimilar drugs.  Alexander was joined by Sens. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Johnny...

Top Democrats laid down their minimum-wage marker on Capitol Hill on Thursday, setting up their party's middle-class-focused economic message heading into the 2016 elections campaigns. Their pitch: "$12 by '20" — a $12 per hour federal minimum wage by 2020, which they say will give a pay raise to nearly 38 million Americans. "This is a...

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 29 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the unanimous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must take steps to reconcile discrimination complaints before suing employers: “The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision...

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 29 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today announced a bipartisan, full committee working group to identify ways to improve electronic health records (EHRs). “After $28 billion in taxpayer dollars spent subsidizing electronic health...

  WASHINGTON, D.C., April 29 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today announced a bipartisan, full committee working group to identify ways to improve electronic health records (EHRs).  “After $28 billion in taxpayer dollars spent subsidizing...

On Workers’ Memorial Day, Murray calls for Congress to support the Protecting America’s Workers Act (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee delivered remarks on the Senate floor on Workers’ Memorial Day to remember those who...

Murray writes letter to eight Washington state insurers about failure to provide approved contraception, accurate information on Washington Healthplanfinder Murray: “A lack of consumer awareness and transparency about what is covered for women is unacceptable.” (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and...

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) is calling on health insurance companies to follow the requirements for contraceptive coverage under ObamaCare.  Murray wrote to eight insurance companies offering coverage on the ObamaCare marketplace in her home state of Washington on Tuesday raising concerns about the results of a report from Northwest Health Law...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered remarks at a HELP Committee hearing on Continuing America’s Leadership: The Future of Medical Innovation for Patients. In her opening statement, Murray called for Congress to work to find ways to...

* * * “Our task is to help ensure that the exciting new technologies being developed and discoveries being made are reaching patients, and that the NIH is equipped to support the early-stage research required to make these advancements and that the FDA is equipped to review them.” –Lamar Alexander  WASHINGTON,...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, a bipartisan group of 29 Senators led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), wrote a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Stephen Ostroff to express concern over continued delays in establishing updated final advice to pregnant women on seafood...

Murray: “In Congress, we need to be looking for ways to make sure our economy and workplaces work for all families – not just the wealthiest few. Expanding access to paid sick days couldn’t be more important to achieving that goal.” (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP)...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) launched #HFAnow: Share Your Story a new tool to hear from workers and business owners in Washington state and across the country on why paid sick days are so important. This effort is the latest in Senator...

SMYRNA – A Senate education bill reforming No Child Left Behind could lessen federal control in the education system and help calm heated debates about Common Core standards, said U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, the bill's sponsor. The legislation passed unanimously this past week out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension...

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander concluded his weekly communication to constituents with words likely to prove prophetic. Referring to the Senate education committee agreement last week to fix the No Child Left Behind Act, he wrote: “We’ve got a long way to go, but we are off to a good start.” There’s reason for the tempered...

Says Board action is an "outrageous move that will jeopardize worker rights and job growth"  * * * WASHINGTON, D.C., April 21 – Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) request for legal briefs to examine the question...