Press Releases

(As Entered into the Record) I commend Arne Duncan for his nomination to be Secretary of Education and welcome him to our committee today. Mr. Duncan brings inspiration, dedication, and ability to the field of education and I look forward to learning more about his vision for improving and strengthening all aspects of education, from early...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today’s report shows a loss of 524,000 jobs – it’s now a full year of consecutive monthly job losses. The national unemployment rate rose to 7.2% and the number of unemployed Americans rose to 11.1 million. “Today’s depressing news highlights the magnitude of the challenge we face in revitalizing...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today emphadthat the Department of Labor would achieve better results by approaching employeeemployerrelations in a cooperative, not confrontational, manner, and urged the Secretaryof Labor designate to work...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said he is“ready to work with the Obama Administration to make access to affordable health care areality for all Americans.” “I want to work with you and President-elect Obama to help...

(As Prepared for Delivery) It is an honor to welcome our members to our first hearing of the new Congress. I particularly welcome our very special witness today – a valued friend and former colleague, Tom Daschle. Tom Daschle is a leader of great integrity and strong dedication. He has served his nation with distinction, both in uniform and...

WASHINGTON, DC— Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today released the following statement on today’s CBO report on report on financing health care: "Today's report from the Congressional Budget Office is a major contribution to health reform, and gives Congress important...

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), today announced that Senator Jeff Bingaman will lead the committee’s health care reform working group on insurance coverage. Senator Bingaman replaces Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of State. Last month, Kennedy asked Senator Dodd to...

Washington, D.C. – Marking the 20th anniversary of “World AIDS Day,” U.S.Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Laborand Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said that the United States has made great stridescombating AIDS at home and across the world, and must continue to lead the way totreat,...

WASHINGTON, DC— Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on the Senate’s passage of extended unemployment benefits. The legislation provides an additional 7 weeks of unemployment insurance to workers whose benefits have expired, for a total of up...

Washington, DC— Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee committed today to work together early in the 111th Congress toward comprehensive health care reform. Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and HELP Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) were joined at an afternoon discussion in...

Washington, DC— Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee committed today to work together early in the 111th Congress toward comprehensive health care reform. Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and HELP Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) were joined at an afternoon discussion in...

Washington, DC – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) were joined today by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) in announcing legislation to help ease the financial strain on American...

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), andSenator Tom Coburn, R-OK, have asked the Food and Drug Administration to provideinformation about a no-bid contract that officials awarded to a public relations firm withties to the agency. “We...

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), said areport released today demonstrates that, “America’s community colleges are doing atremendous job of controlling costs while providing lifelong learning opportunities toprepare...

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), todayapplauded President Bush for signing the “Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008,” whichhe said will make it easier for patients to receive quality health care in rural andunderserved...

WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley, Max Baucus, Ron Wyden, Mike Enzi, and BenNelson today released a discussion draft of legislation that would provide for greater disclosureof health insurance costs to workers. Better informing workers about what they pay for healthcare and how much costs are increasing year after year is a way to begin to...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today’s report showed a loss of 159,000 jobs, the ninth consecutive month of job losses. The number of unemployed Americans rose to 9.5 million, and the number of workers unemployed for over six months rose to 2 million (an increase of 728,000 over the past year). Anthony Coley, spokesman for Senator Edward M. Kennedy,...

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), todayapplauded the Department of Education for unveiling a prototype for a new, simpler FreeApplication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). “Applying for financial aid shouldn’t be harder...

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), today saidSenate passage of the “Health Centers Renewal Act of 2008” will make it easier forpatients to receive quality health care in rural and underserved areas – particularly...

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member ofthe Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today called onthe Senate to reject efforts to resurrect the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act,” callingthe bill “a blueprint for the most radical and unwarranted change in employee andmanagement...