Ranking Member's Press

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today in response to a new report from the White House that highlights why the Harkin-Miller proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 is important for women and how it will...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Amidst mounting evidence that the emerging market of new nicotine delivery products poses serious public health and consumer protection issues, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined six of his fellow senators today in calling on the Food and Drug...

“This is the seventh in a series of hearings to inform this committee’s reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The focus of today’s hearing, teacher preparation, is profoundly important for all students, from the very youngest to our adult students. “Study after study shows that teacher quality is the decisive...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today as oral arguments began at the Supreme Court in the cases of Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius. On the basis of the religious...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) that would make it easier for charities and cooperatives to continue to offer pensions to their employees has cleared both houses of Congress and will be signed into law by the President. The Cooperative and Small Employer Charity...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), one of the authors of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), today applauded the news from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that thousands of Iowa Medicare beneficiaries, including seniors and people with disabilities,  have collectively saved more than $105 million on...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), one of the authors of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), today commemorated the anniversary of the law’s enactment by urging Iowans to enroll in quality, comprehensive health insurance coverage for 2014 before March 31. Already, more than five million Americans—including more than 15,000...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement today after the Department of Education (ED) released its Civil Rights Data Collection for the 2011-2012 school year.  Among other findings, ED’s new civil rights data show...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) in sending a letter signed by 195 Senators and Representatives to President Barack Obama calling on him to issue an executive order...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Department of Education’s proposed gainful employment rule: “I am grateful the Secretary moved forward with the re-regulation of this important...

MEMO The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, passed by the U.S. Senate today, is the 17th bipartisan bill in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s jurisdiction to pass the Senate in the 113th Congress under Chairman Tom Harkin’s leadership. Eleven of these bills have already been signed...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Bipartisan legislation to help American families access safe, affordable, and quality child care has cleared the Senate with strong support from senators on both sides of the aisle. U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Richard Burr (R-NC) released the following statements today...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI); Rep. George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee; and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today to introduce legislation to give American workers...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement in response to the news that today President Obama will direct the U.S. Department of Labor to begin the process of administratively strengthening overtime pay protections for millions...

“We have convened this hearing to examine FDA’s implementation of key public health initiatives being undertaken by the agency, including several significant reforms passed out of this Committee over the last few years. “Our nation faces a variety of public health challenges in this early part of the 21st century.  There have...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement today after the Senate approved by voice vote the nominations of James Shelton to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education; France Cordova to serve as Director of the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today opened Senate floor debate on the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014.  The bipartisan reauthorization will expand access to and improve the quality of child care for the more than 1.5...

*As Prepared for Delivery* “In his State of the Union address this year, President Obama said, ‘No one who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty.’  I strongly agree.  Indeed, that statement expresses a core American value. “But today, sadly, we are falling short.  Millions of working...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Representative George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, today welcomed the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule to ensure employers are given a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today applauded the news that 4.2 million Americans, including more than 15,000 Iowans, have signed up for health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplaces, up from 11,788 at the end of January. In Iowa, 25...