Ranking Member's Press

Last year’s fungal meningitis outbreak was a nightmare for Tennesseans. Our state alone suffered 152 cases, including 15 deaths. The tragedy would have been much worse if not for the heroism of state officials with the Department of Health who discovered the problem and helped to identify the cause. Their work prevented more people from...

Major news outlets in recent days have reported that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is raising money from the private sector—including from health-care executives—for use by a private entity that is helping to implement ObamaCare. The entity, Enroll America, is run by a former White House...

Washington, D.C., May 22 – In a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee vote today on the five nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member, opposed the nominations of Sharon Block and Richard Griffin, saying “they have continued to serve, even though...

Washington, D.C., May 22 – The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today passed legislation introduced by Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and his colleagues to fix responsibility for the safety of sterile compounded drugs and, Alexander said, “avoid another outbreak like the meningitis nightmare that killed...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, as the HELP Committee approved the Pharmaceutical Compounding Quality and Accountability Act—legislation that would improve the safety of compounded human drugs by making clear the compounding oversight responsibilities of state and federal authorities—Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander...

WASHINGTON, May 21 – Members of the Tennessee United States congressional delegation today called on the administration to provide details on its policy of awarding Medicare contracts to businesses not licensed in Tennessee, a violation of the administration’s bid policy and a violation of Tennessee state law. The members write:...

WASHINGTON—Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, have sent a letter to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), requesting documentation and information that could help the Committee identify Americans who may have been...

Washington, D.C., May 17 – At a hearing this week of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on addressing the challenges facing individuals with disabilities and removing barriers, Ranking Member U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) recognized efforts among Tennessee businesses to improve accessibility for individuals...

Washington, D.C., May 16 – Senate Ranking Members Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) of the Senate Finance Committee, with House Chairmen Fred Upton (R-Mich.) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Dave Camp (R-Mich.) of the House Ways and Means Committee, and...

Washington, D.C., May 16 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today said he would oppose the nominations of Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to the National Labor Relations Board because “they continued to decide cases after the federal appellate...

Washington, D.C., May 16 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today voted to oppose moving the nomination of Thomas Perez out of committee and to the Senate floor. Alexander said: “I will oppose voting Mr. Perez out of the HELP Committee for two...

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today introduced a bipartisan bill to strengthen and improve our nation’s drug distribution supply chain....

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 15—Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), with Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) and other members of the HELP Committee, today introduced legislation— S. 959, the Pharmaceutical...

Washington, D.C., May 14 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, along with 13 Republican senators today sent a letter to Chairman Tom Harkin requesting a committee hearing on the fiscal year 2014 budget request of the National Labor Relations Board, which...

*** “If the Department of Health and Human Services closely coordinates with Enroll America and other entities, then the analogy with Iran Contra is strong…Congress had said no, and the administration did it anyway. And that's precisely, it seems to me, what's happening here.”  –Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., May 13...

*** “If the secretary or others in her department are fundraising and coordinating the activities of Enroll America and soliciting donations to supplement appropriated funds, then those actions may be in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act” — Lamar Alexander NASHVILLE, May 11—U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander said today that...

Washington, D.C., May 10 – U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, along with 10 cosponsors, this week introduced a resolution congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools across the...

*** “When we met to discuss this legislation in November, I made it clear that I have a single goal here, or at least a primary goal, and that’s to make clear who’s on the flagpole, who’s accountable, to eliminate any confusion about responsibility.”  –Lamar Alexander Washington, D.C., May 9 –At a...

Washington, D.C., May 9 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today praised the Senate’s passage of the reauthorization Animal Drug User Fee Act and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act. Alexander said: “These programs have reduced the average...

The following documents are parts I and II of Thomas Perez’s responses to questions for the record submitted by Republican members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Part I was received by the committee April 24. Part II, which consists of the members’ follow-up questions, was received by the committee...