Press Releases

WASHINGTON, July 14 – United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today urged the President to sign the bipartisan conference committee report to reform opioid programs sponsored by Senators Portman (R-Ohio), Ayotte (R-N.H.), Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Klobuchar (D-Minn.) which passed the United States Senate yesterday. Speaker Ryan signed...

Republicans blocked multiple attempts to include critical investments in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act to ensure policies have full impact   New legislation introduced by Senators would provide $920 million in funding for states to improve and expand treatment and recovery programs   Senators: If we’re going to...

“It is inexplicable that Senate Democrats are blocking a bill that would provide millions of dollars to hospitals, public health departments, community health centers, and health care providers in Puerto Rico, simply because some of the money is directed to providers that the Puerto Rican government has deemed Medicaid-eligible in Puerto...

“I am focused on four areas of the regulation that seem to the most in need of overhaul: the timeline for new state accountability systems, the summative rating system, the requirement for evidence of state academic standards, and the return to high stakes federal tests.” WASHINGTON, D.C., July 14 – Chairman Lamar...

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 14 – Top Republicans on the Senate’s labor committee today introduced two resolutions to block the administration’s attack on workplace wellness programs, which allow employees to save money on their health care premiums by making healthy lifestyle choices.  “Wellness programs are the only...

During a hearing on the Every Student Succeeds Act, Murray reiterates need for strong federal guardrails, flexibility for states and school districts, & robust collaboration to ensure law “accomplishes the clear goals” laid out   Murray: “I’m glad we have another opportunity to continue our discussion on...

"Each year, more than 1,000 Tennesseans die from opioid abuse or overdose—this is an epidemic taking more Tennessee lives than car accidents or gunshots do." WASHINGTON, July 13 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today urged the President to sign bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senators Portman (R-Ohio),...

  Murray: “I’m going to keep working not just for better policies, but better results for families in Washington state and nationwide”   (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered the following statement...

In new resolution, 26 Senators call for termination of Select Investigative Panel; demand House Republicans to stop playing politics with women’s health   Numerous independent investigations have exonerated Planned Parenthood   Murray: “It’s well past time for Republicans to end their partisan, unfounded attacks on...

Murray, Senators convene stakeholders from across the country to address the prevalence of violence—bullying, harassment, hazing, sexual and dating--on college & university campuses   Citing increased incidents, and in light of recent events, roundtable participants also addressed the urgent need to protect students from gun...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today introduced the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Regulatory Relief Act, legislation that would provide regulatory flexibility and hardship relief to providers and hospitals...

“Rarely do we have such an opportunity: it includes support for the President’s Precision Medicine initiative and the Vice President’s Cancer Moonshot. Speaker Ryan has said that 21st Century Cures is a major part of his health care agenda. Majority Leader McConnell says he wants to pass the bill this year.” WASHINGTON, July...

(Washington, D.C.) — Sen. Lamar Alexander, it seems, is taking the long view on one of the major achievements of his legislative career, the Every Student Succeeds Act. His goal: making sure the new federal K-12 law isn’t implemented in a way that negates neither Congress’s intent nor the good will that emerged after its...

“This is a bipartisan bill to reform important programs that already passed 94 to 1 in the Senate earlier this year and has had the input and hard work of many members. In addition, over the last three years, we've increased funding for opioids already by 542 percent—that's over five times more than two and a half years...

WASHINGTON, July 7 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today voted for legislation to create a national standard for bioengineered food labeling. “I commend Senator Roberts and Senator Stabenow for reaching a compromise consensus which keeps American consumers informed, and provides much needed clarity to...

WASHINGTON, July 7 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today congratulated Vanderbilt University Medical Center for receiving a $71.6 million grant – the largest it has ever received – to support research for the President’s Precision Medicine Initiative. “This puts Vanderbilt’s medical...

“I hope you’ll tell [Secretary King]: ‘No more national school board. No more ‘Mother May I?’ waivers. No more telling me how to rate my teachers or whether my school is succeeding or failing.’” WASHINGTON, July 7 – Today Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) was given the...

Murray receives NEA’s “Friend of Education Award” for bipartisan work on the Every Student Succeeds Act; hundreds of Washington state teachers, paraeducators in D.C. for national meeting   In acceptance remarks, Murray highlighted the importance of bringing in the voices of teachers and paraeducators into the process as K-12...

In New Letter—Part Of A Series Of Requests To Strengthen College Accountability & Protect Students—28 Senators Call On VA To Firmly Exercise Its Authority Under “Principles of Excellence” Executive Order   Intended To Correct Findings From Senate HELP Committee Reports, The Executive Order Requires VA To Hold...

Politico House and Senate Democrats today urged the Department of Veterans Affairs to step up oversight of for-profit colleges that enroll students under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and 26 other Senate Democrats wrote VA Secretary Robert McDonald, demanding the agency “do more to hold...