Ranking Member's Press
Broad Range of Stakeholders Agree: Bipartisan, Bicameral Drug Quality and Security Act Will Improve Drug Safety, Should be Enacted As Soon As Possible
WASHINGTON, D.C.-A broad range of stakeholders has endorsed the Drug Quality and Security Act, legislation introduced by Senate and House health policy leaders this week to address high-risk drug compounding practices and secure the pharmaceutical supply chain. The bill would improve drug safety and help prevent a future public health crisis like the 2012 meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center. Leaders for the Congressional health committees-Senate HELP Committee Chairma… Continue Reading
09.28.13
HELP Committee Members Call for Senate Passage of Drug Quality and Security Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.-A bipartisan group of Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee senators-Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)-today applauded the House passage of legislation to help ensure the safety of compounded drugs and to track all prescription drugs from the time they are manufactured to the moment they are picked up at t… Continue Reading
09.26.13
Harkin, Durbin, Rockefeller, Waxman, and Members of Congress Call on E-Cigarette Makers to Explain Marketing Tactics Targeting Kids
Use of new nicotine delivery devices is on the rise among children and teens WASHINGTON, D.C.-Following new information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing a dramatic increase in the use of e-cigarettes among children and youth, twelve members of Congress-including Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA)-today called on nine e-cigarette makers to provide additional information regarding the sale, distribution, labeling, and m… Continue Reading
09.26.13
Harkin Unveils Report on the ‘ADA Generation,’ Offers Bold Steps to Improve Employment of Young People with Disabilities and Fully Realize the ADA’s Promise of Equality
Harkin Report Shines Spotlight on Barriers to Employment, Sets High Goal for Increasing Workforce Participation of the 'ADA Generation' WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released a report on the 'ADA Generation'-the young men and women who have come of age since the Americans With Disabilities Act was enacted-that offers bold steps to improve the employment of these young Americans as they seek … Continue Reading
09.25.13
Bipartisan Group of HELP Committee Senators Introduce Legislation to Address High-Risk Drug Compounding Practices and Secure the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C.-A bipartisan group of Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee senators-Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)-today announced that they have reached agreement with House health policy leaders on legislation to help ensure the safety of compounded drugs and to track all prescription drugs from the time they are ma… Continue Reading
09.25.13
Senate, House Health Policy Leaders Announce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Address High-Risk Drug Compounding Practices and Secure the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Leaders from the Senate and House committees overseeing health policy today announced that they have reached an agreement on legislation to help ensure the safety of compounded drugs and our nation's pharmaceutical supply chain. This legislation, the Drug Quality and Security Act, reflects a bipartisan, bicameral effort to improve drug safety and help prevent a future public health crisis like the 2012 meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center. "Plain and … Continue Reading
09.25.13
In Floor Speech, Harkin Defends Affordable Care Act Benefits
Congressional Republicans propose to reduce the deficit by - increasing deficits? WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the debate over funding of the government continues, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to make a strong defense of the Affordable Care Act. "This is the most inexplicable part of this debate," said Harkin. "Republicans have played the Washington stage for all it's worth over … Continue Reading
09.25.13
Harkin: New Health Insurance Marketplace Will Offer Health Care Choice and Affordability to Iowans
Iowa's Marketplace Will Offer Residents an Average of 39 Qualified Health Plan Choices WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today released the following statement in response to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) showing that Iowa's soon-to-open health insurance marketplace, created as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will offer Iowans health insurance choice and affordability. The report from HHS indicates that individuals in Iowa… Continue Reading
09.24.13
Statement of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) At the HELP Committee Hearing: “U.S. Efforts to Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections”
*As Prepared for Delivery* "In the late 1970s, a group of researchers began to examine reports of patient deaths and injuries caused by anesthesia. They found wide variation in quality, and a disturbing incidence of medical errors, leading to 6,000 deaths or serious injuries annually. ABC's "20/20" news program covered the study, and the modern patient safety movement was born. "We are meeting today because, more than 30 years later, safety and quality in health care facilities remains a p… Continue Reading
09.19.13
Harkin Applauds Continued Success of Prevention Fund-Supported Anti-Smoking Campaign
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today applauded news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's second 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign, which produced more than 150,000 additional calls to a central tobacco quitline and generated almost 2.8 million additional visitors to the campaign website. According to the CDC, these figures represent a 75 percent increase in call volume and a nearly 38-fold increase in unique website visitors, compared with the four weeks … Continue Reading
09.19.13
Statement of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) At the HELP Committee Hearing: “The Triad: Promoting a System of Shared Responsibility. Issues for Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act”
*As Prepared for Delivery* "Today's hearing marks the kick-off of the reauthorization process of the Higher Education Act here in the Senate. The Committee will hold a series of twelve hearings over the coming months to analyze the many aspects of our higher education system and how it can be improved. These hearings will range from a more in-depth analysis of what we are all here to discuss today - the role states, accreditors and the federal government play in our higher education system - … Continue Reading
09.18.13
Harkin Statement on HELP Committee’s Bipartisan Vote to Reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released the following statement after the Committee voted to pass the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 (CCDBG), a bill 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: "In the nearly 20 years since the Child Care and Develop… Continue Reading
09.17.13
Harkin Statement on Wage and Overtime Protections for Home Care Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor finalized a critical rule to ensure fair wages for workers providing in-home care and support to seniors and people with disabilities. The finalized rule will amend an existing regulation that exempts 2 million home care workers from the Fair Labor Standards Act, and will ensure that most home care… Continue Reading
09.17.13
Senate Education Committee Leaders Launch Higher Education Act Reauthorization Hearings
Will seek input from higher education community, including students, parents, and faculty WASHINGTON, D.C.-Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today announced their intention to hold a series of hearings on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for the 113th Congress. The hearings will address a host of higher education topics. Additionally, the Chairman and the Ranking Member rel… Continue Reading
09.13.13
Harkin Marks World Sepsis Day, Announces Upcoming Hearing on Efforts to Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections
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 to mark World Sepsis Day and to announce that the HELP Committee will convene on September 24th at 10:00 a.m. to discuss efforts to reduce healthcare-associated infections, including sepsis. "No one should leave a hospital sicker than when they came in. We know that many healthcare-associated infections are preventable and easily… Continue Reading
09.09.13
Harkin: New Anti-Smoking Data Proves Prevention Fund Works
1.6 Million Smokers Have Attempted to Quit Smoking; More Than 200,000 Americans Quit Smoking Successfully WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today hailed an announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the "Tips From a Former Smoker" ("Tips") 2012 national ad campaign led an estimated 1.6 million smokers to attempt to quit smoking and helped more than 200,000 Americans quit smoking immediately. The "Tips" campaign was funded by the Prevention and Publ… Continue Reading
09.05.13
Harkin, Blumenthal, Durbin, Carper, Markey Warn Against Dangers Of E-Cigarettes After CDC Releases Data Showing An Increase In Use Among Youth
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Ed Markey (D-MA) warned against the dangers of electronic cigarettes after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new data showing that use of these products has more than doubled among middle and high school students since the 2011-2012 school year. Electronic cigarettes or "e-cigs" are marketed as substitutes for tobacco smoking. However, in addition to rele… Continue Reading
08.27.13
Harkin: Labor Department Rule Sets Critical Goal for Disability Employment
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement in response to Vice President Joe Biden's announcement that the Administration will implement a new rule to promote employment for individuals with disabilities. The rule, aimed at federal contractors and subcontractors, is designed to increase the hiring, retention, and promotion of qualified individuals with disabilities. The rule … Continue Reading
08.23.13
Harkin Applauds OSHA Rule to Address Silica Exposure
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement welcoming an OSHA proposed rule aimed at protecting workers from exposure to crystalline silica. Exposure kills hundreds of workers and sickens thousands more each year. "I applaud Secretary Perez and the U.S. Department of Labor for putting forward a strong proposal to address the deadly threat that silica exposure presents to the … Continue Reading
08.23.13
Harkin Welcomes Education Department Proposal on “2 Percent Rule”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education's proposed rulemaking to transition away from the so-called "2 percent rule." "The U.S. Department of Education's proposal to eliminate the use of so-called 2 percent assessments and to work to provide all students, including those with disabilities, with the instruction and support for… Continue Reading
