Chair's Press

Today, Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi release a bipartisan Drug Approval and Patient Access Draft: Click here to view the pdf. This discussion draft reflects bipartisan efforts to develop consensus policy proposals to accompany the FDA human medical product user fee legislation. Our goal is to solicit feedback on the policy merits,...

Today, Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi release a bipartisan Drug Approval and Patient Access Draft: Click here to view the pdf. This discussion draft reflects bipartisan efforts to develop consensus policy proposals to accompany the FDA human medical product user fee legislation. Our goal is to solicit feedback on the policy merits,...

Today, Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi release a bipartisan Drug Approval and Patient Access Draft: Click here to view the pdf. This discussion draft reflects bipartisan efforts to develop consensus policy proposals to accompany the FDA human medical product user fee legislation. Our goal is to solicit feedback on the policy merits,...

Harkin Praises HHS for Commitment to Prevention and Wellness WASHINGTON— Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) welcomed today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of a $750 million investment in disease prevention and wellness, funded through the Prevention and Public Health Fund established by the Affordable...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) today made the following comments on the Senate floor about the importance of health reform and the consequences of repealing the law. The Senate is expected to vote on a Republican amendment that would repeal the Affordable Care Act, the health reform bill that was signed into law last year. Repeal...

WASHINGTON – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) released the following statement on today’s ruling by Florida U.S. District Court judge Roger Vinson on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act:  “Since the Affordable Care Act passed, opponents of reform have filed...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At this morning’s hearing, Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and other members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) heard testimony from Americans who are already experiencing benefits of the Affordable Care Act.  One witness, a 21 year old named Emily Schlichting who suffers from a...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, made the following remarks on the benefits of health reform at the Families USA’s 16th Annual Health Action Conference in Washington, D.C. today.  Harkin was the first speaker at the conference, which is expected to...

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today reintroduced major legislation to create a healthier future for America by giving our citizens access to better preventive care and consumer information to encourage healthier lifestyles.  The Healthier Lifestyles and Prevention America Act, also known as the HeLP America Act,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, will be the opening speaker at the Families USA’s 16th Annual Health Action Conference, which begins this Thursday, January 27 at 8:30am.  The conference, which is expected to draw more than 800 health care...

WASHINGTON – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced the Committee will meet on Thursday at 10:00 A.M. to examine how the Affordable Care Act protects consumers against insurance industry abuses.  The hearing, entitled “The Affordable Care Act: The Impact of Health...

WASHINGTON – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) released the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services released a new report showing that, without the Affordable Care Act, up to 129 million Americans under the age of 65 who have a pre-existing health condition...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that the Committee will hold a series of hearings in the coming months to examine how the health reform law benefits Americans.  The hearings will explore implementation of several provisions of the Affordable Care...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) released the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office released a new analysis showing that repealing the Affordable Care Act would add $230 billion to the federal deficit by 2021:  “Today’s report from the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced the Committee passed six pieces of legislation and approved six nominees at today’s executive session.  All of the bills and nominations passed with unanimous consent and must now be approved by the full...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) hailed today’s Senate passage of legislation to better protect Americans against contaminated food and food-borne illness.  The measure passed by a vote of 73 to 25.  Harkin, who is Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), is a lead sponsor of the...

August 12, 2010   Senate Leaders Release Manager’s Package of The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Six Senate leaders have been negotiating in good faith: Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY), authors of The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Dick Durbin...

August 12, 2010   Senate Leaders Release Manager’s Package of The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Six Senate leaders have been negotiating in good faith: Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY), authors of The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Dick Durbin...

  STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN TOM HARKIN (D-IA) ON THE FOOD SAFETY MANAGER’S PACKAGE WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today issued the following statement on the manager’s package for The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.   Harkin has...

“Good morning, everyone.  We meet today to discuss a profoundly important issue:  the lack of effective treatments for rare and neglected diseases.   “In addition to my role as chair of this committee, I also serve as chair of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds health initiatives.  In that capacity, I have...