Ranking Member's Press
Harkin, Senate Democrats Call For Administration to Finalize Regulations For Tobacco Products
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Ed Markey (D-MA) on a letter this week calling on the Administration to review and finalize regulations for e-cigarettes and e-hookahs without further delay. By Executive Order, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has 90 days to complete revi… Continue Reading
03.11.14
Harkin, Alexander, Mikulski, Burr Urge Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Help American Families Access Safe, Affordable, and Quality Child Care
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Richard Burr (R-NC) today urged Senate passage of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014, a bipartisan reauthorization that will expand access to and improve the quality of child care for the more than 1.5 million children and families that benefit from the federal child care subsidy program. The law has been due for reauthorization since 2002. Harkin and Alexander are … Continue Reading
03.10.14
Opening Statement of Chairman Tom Harkin at the HELP Committee Field Hearing on Expanding Access to High-Quality Early Education
DES MOINES, IA-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today chaired a field hearing of the Committee in Des Moines to explore ways to expand and strengthen early education options for children and parents. The hearing, titled "Doing What's Right: Preparing Iowa's Children for Success in School and Beyond," is aimed at providing a platform to discuss early learning programs and initiatives that benefit young children in Iowa… Continue Reading
03.07.14
Harkin: Jobs Report Emphasizes Need to Renew Federal Unemployment Insurance
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 on the February employment numbers. Today's report shows that the economy added 175,000 jobs, yet the current unemployment rate is 6.7 percent. "Today's jobs report shows that our economy is slowly and steadily improving with 175,000 jobs added in February. Industries across a wide variety of sectors, including healthcare, constructi… Continue Reading
03.06.14
New Report: 57 Percent of Small Business Owners Support Harkin-Miller Proposal to Raise Minimum Wage to $10.10
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Rep. George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, released the following statement today in response to a new report from the Small Business Majority showing that 57 percent of small business owners support the Harkin-Miller proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 because it will boost consumer demand for small businesses, h… Continue Reading
03.05.14
Bicameral Coalition of Lawmakers Supports FDA’s Proposed Rule to Protect Consumers of Generic Drugs
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senate HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), House Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), Senator Al Franken (D-MN), House Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) led a bicameral coalition of 17 Senators and 24 Members of the House in submitting Congressional comments to support … Continue Reading
03.04.14
Harkin, Whitehouse, Eshoo, and Lance Applaud Development of Pancreatic Cancer Research Framework
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Yesterday, the National Cancer Institute announced a scientific framework for advancing research on pancreatic cancer, as directed under the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act of 2012. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and U.S. Representative Leonard Lance (R-NJ), the sponsors of that legislation, in welcoming the framework… Continue Reading
03.03.14
Chairmen Harkin, Carper Urge Veteran Affairs Department to Improve GI Bill Comparison Tool
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Tom Carper (D-DE), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urging additional improvements to the agency's GI Bill Comparison Tool. In the letter, sent Thursday evening, the senators commend the VA for launching the website, but recommend that the agency work with its partners-the … Continue Reading
02.27.14
Harkin Statement on HELP Committee Approval of Surgeon General, Department of Labor, Department of Education, and Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission Nominations
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 five nominees. The approved nominees include: Dr. Vivek Murthy to serve as U.S. Surgeon General, Portia Wu to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, Christopher Lu to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor, Heather MacDougall to serve as a Member of the Occupational Safety and He… Continue Reading
02.27.14
Harkin, Longtime Senate Champion for Healthy Eating, Praises FDA Proposal to Update Food and Beverage Nutrition Labels
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today praised new proposed rules from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve the nutrition facts panel that is displayed on food and beverage labels. The new labeling proposal will more accurately reflect typical serving sizes, and will include other valuable changes, including a listing of added sugars and reducing the daily value for sodium. "Preve… Continue Reading
02.27.14
Statement of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) At the HELP Committee Hearing: “Promoting College Access and Success For Students With Disabilities”
*As Prepared for Delivery* "Today's roundtable will focus on how students with disabilities are accessing and persisting throughout postsecondary education. This roundtable marks our sixth in a series to examine issues we plan to address in the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. And our review of this topic couldn't come at a better time. According to just-released research by the Pew Research Center, the value of a college education has never been greater. No matter how … Continue Reading
02.26.14
Harkin Welcomes CFPB Action Against For-Profit College ITT’s Private Lending Policies
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 after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against ITT Educational Services alleging predatory lending tactics. The high-interest rate ITT private loan programs at issue in the lawsuit were first exposed at Harkin's June 2011 HELP Committee hearing on the for-profit college sector. Harkin also released … Continue Reading
02.26.14
Harkin, Alexander Co-Host Monthly Lecture Series on Deaf Community and Culture
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Last evening, U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) co-hosted the first in a series of monthly lectures for senators and their staff on the deaf community and its culture. The lectures will take place over the next five months and are intended to help senators and their staffers expand their knowledge of deaf culture and learn some basic phrases in American Sign Language (ASL) to more effectively communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors to their o… Continue Reading
02.26.14
Harkin, Boxer, Durbin, Blumenthal, Markey Introduce Legislation To Protect Kids From E-Cigarettes
WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) today in introducing the Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act to prohibit the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens. "When it comes to the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens, it's 'Joe Camel' all over again. … Continue Reading
02.25.14
Statement of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) At the HELP Committee Hearing: “Examining Mental Health: Treatment Options and Trends”
*As Prepared for Delivery* "Today, our Committee will examine treatment options and trends for mental health conditions. We held a successful hearing on mental health issues last year, and I'm pleased to have the opportunity to continue the dialogue on this important topic with my colleagues and our panel of expert witnesses. "Mental health is an issue I care deeply about, and I believe we must do everything possible to ensure that individuals with mental illness get the services they need and… Continue Reading
02.18.14
Harkin: The Economic Case for Raising the Minimum Wage Outweighs Criticisms
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) issued the following statement today following the release of a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report regarding the minimum wage and its impact on the economy. Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the author, along with Congressman George Miller (D-CA), of legislation to raise the minimum wage to $10.10. "Since the first minimum wage was enacted more than 75 years ago, opponents have argu… Continue Reading
02.18.14
Democratic Leadership, Health Law Authors Sign Amicus Brief Defending Use of Tax Credits on Federally-Run Marketplaces
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Democratic leadership and the chairs of the committees involved in drafting the Affordable Care Act have joined a brief defending the use of tax credits on federally-run health insurance Marketplaces in the case of Halbig v. Sebelius in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The brief, submitted by the Constitutional Accountability Center, was signed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), former Finance… Continue Reading
02.14.14
Harkin, Senate Democrats Urge Top Cigarette Retailer to Remove Tobacco Products From Stores
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Following last week's announcement that CVS Caremark would begin removing tobacco products from its more than 7,600 U.S. stores, seven United States Senators today urged Walmart - the number one retailer of cigarettes in the country - to do the same, and stop selling tobacco products in its stores. Today's letter was signed by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee along with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barb… Continue Reading
02.13.14
GAO Report Highlights Troubling Practices at Schools Offering Campus Debit and Prepaid Cards; Harkin and Miller Urge Action to Protect Students
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Congressman George Miller (D-CA) called for action to better protect students and increase transparency around debit and prepaid card agreements between schools and financial firms. The lawmakers' action follows the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report today that confirms a number of alarming practices that occur when colleges partner with financial institutions to market debit cards to students. Harkin chairs the Sen… Continue Reading
02.12.14
Harkin Applauds Enrollment Numbers Showing 3.3 Million Americans Have Signed Up For Affordable, Comprehensive Health Insurance Through State and Federal Marketplaces
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 after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released new enrollment figures for the federal marketplaces showing that nearly 3.3 million people enrolled in the federal marketplaces by February 1st, with January alone accounting for nearly 1.1 million plan selections in state and federal marketplaces. According to HHS, 2… Continue Reading
