Press Releases

WASHINGTON, March 1 — United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after meeting today with Alexander Acosta — President Trump’s nominee to become the next United States Secretary of Labor: “I enjoyed meeting today with Alexander Acosta, who understands how harmful Obama-era...

  (Washington, DC) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the Department of Labor’s delay of the conflicts of interest rule:   “This misguided delay is yet another clear signal from the Trump Administration...

Title X family planning centers provide millions of low-income women and men health care services   President Obama reinforced protections in the Title X family planning program before leaving office—LINK   In new letter, Senators urge Leader McConnell not to consider House Republican legislation seeking to overturn these...

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 28  – U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on President Trump’s address to a Joint Session of Congress: “The president’s speech was hopeful and well-delivered. I especially liked his focus on the importance of national defense, on restoring local...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on new information about House Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and undermine the health care system.   “The deeply harmful path House...

President Trump has reportedly asked Jerry Falwell Jr., President of Liberty University, to lead new “task force” recommending changes in higher education   Falwell has repeatedly stated interest in rolling back so-called “overreaching regulation” protecting students and loan borrowers from abuse     Today...

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on the decision by the Trump Administration to instruct the Departments of Education and Justice to withdraw guidance for schools and institutions of higher education...

A town hall meeting on the future of the Affordable Care Act scheduled for Thursday took on fresh urgency with last week’s announcement that Humana would no longer participate in the law’s health insurance exchanges. Humana, the sole ACA exchange insurer remaining in the Knoxville area, announced plans to exit the...

WASHINGTON, February 21 — A bipartisan group of Senate and House health committee leaders today sent colleagues a letter to highlight the importance of immunizations, saying: “Vaccines save lives.” “The introduction of vaccines was a turning point in our country’s public health history.  Vaccines led to the...

There is an Obamacare emergency in Tennessee. Humana’s announcement that it is pulling out of all Obamacare exchanges could leave 40,000 residents in Knoxville with no health care exchange options next year — they may have an Obamacare subsidy but it’ll be like holding a bus ticket in a town where no buses run. This news from...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the vote in the House of Representatives to roll back protections for Title X family planning programs.   “Millions of people have spoken out, marched, and...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the nomination of Alexander Acosta for Secretary of Labor, following Andrew Puzder’s withdrawal from consideration.   “People across the country...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2017 – Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the selection of Alexander Acosta to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor: “Mr. Acosta’s nomination is off to a good start because he’s already been confirmed by the Senate three times. He has an...

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray, D-Wash. and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today issued statements following the release of a proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule related to the individual and small group health insurance...

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 15, 2017 –Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on Andy Puzder’s decision to withdraw his nomination for Labor Secretary: “Andy Puzder has the experience and ability to make an excellent Labor Secretary, but I respect his decision. He...

Murray: “Workers and families across the country spoke up loud and clear that they want a true champion for all workers in the Labor Department”   Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement today on the withdrawal of CEO Andrew Puzder from consideration for the role of Secretary of...

WASHINGTON, February  15 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services released a proposed rule on market stabilization to help rescue Americans from the currently collapsing Obamacare individual market: “Today’s administrative...

WASHINGTON, February 15 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on the news that Humana is pulling out of the Obamacare exchanges in Tennessee and 10 other states, leaving 70,000 Tennesseans faced with finding new health coverage for next year – including 40,000 Knoxville...

President Trump’s Labor Secretary nominee failed to pay years of taxes for a household employee   Puzder only paid taxes owed after being nominated for a Cabinet position—LINK   Murray is calling on Puzder in new letter to release three years of tax returns to “fully understand” past hiring practices before...

WASHINGTON, February 10 — Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on Secretary DeVos’s letter to Chief State School Officers clarifying the timeline and process for submitting their state plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act: “Today’s letter is a good step...