Ranking Member's Press

WASHINGTON, January 4, 2017 — Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today welcomed Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, after Senate leaders announced committee assignments for the 116th Congress: “I welcome Senators...

WASHINGTON, December 20, 2018 — U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said, “over the last two years, this committee has produced solutions that will have an impact on the lives of virtually every American.” Chairman Alexander continued: “Most recently, in...

MARYVILLE, Tenn., December 15, 2018 — U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate’s health committee, today released the following statement on the ruling in Texas v. Azar: "If the U.S. Supreme Court eventually were to agree that Obamacare is unconstitutional—which seems unlikely, however poorly the law...

“I'm going to focus on making the system more of a market, getting rid of barriers, and—if I could—find a way to make it possible for those of us who buy health care services every day to know the price of what we're paying for.” – Sen. Lamar Alexander *You can watch Senator Alexander’s discussion with...

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 11, 2018 – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation sponsored by Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) to reduce infant deaths and improve infant health by continuing research and education programs aimed at preventing preterm...

** Click here for video of Senator Alexander’s remarks ** “The five hearings we held reminded us of something else we should agree on: one major reason for the unnecessarily high cost of health care is that the health care system does not operate with the discipline and cost saving benefits of a real market. Too many barriers to...

“I hope, more than anything, we see consumers who say, ‘Thank you,  for my electronic health care records, this is amazing, it's simple.’ People say that about how easy it is to make an airline reservation.” – Sen. Lamar Alexander WASHINGTON, D.C., November 30, 2018 – Senate health committee Chairman...

WASHINGTON, November 29, 2018 — The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) today concluded a productive 115th Congress by passing five additional bills and approving four more qualified nominations. At today’s markup, which was the committee’s final of this Congress, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)...

 “Going forward, I plan to take what we’ve learned today and from our previous four hearings, and ask leading health care policy experts for specific ideas on how the federal government can reduce the cost of health care.” WASHINGTON, D.C., November 28, 2018 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander...

WASHINGTON, November 16, 2018— U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate’s education committee, today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Education’s proposal to clarify Title IX, a law protecting people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive...

“We have apps on our phones to do anything from booking an airplane ticket to placing an Amazon order, so while it may seem very ordinary to fill out the FAFSA on an app, this is the first year it’s possible. There are still too many questions on the form. But this is an important step to...

“This is the most important new health care law this year. It deals with the nation’s worst public health epidemic by helping stop deadly fentanyl from coming from China to America by mail, finding new non-addictive pain killers, reducing the supply of opioids and providing more opportunities for treatment. During this year,...

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2018 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s newly released guidance for Obamacare’s section 1332 waivers: “Secretary Azar and Administrator Verma today are giving states a better tool to help lower...

Maryville, Tenn., October 15, 2018 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s proposed rule to add prices to prescription drug advertisements: “There is strong, bipartisan congressional support for this Trump Administration step to reduce...

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 10, 2018 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) praised a new law led by Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) that will ban “gag” clauses that prevent pharmacists from helping patients pay less for their prescriptions.  Alexander was at the White House today when President...

“Even after the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, President Obama and the Democratic Congress thought it was a good enough idea to allow these short-term plans to continue that they kept them in the law.” You can watch Senator Alexander’s floor remarks here.  WASHINGTON, October 10, 2018—Senate health committee...

WASHINGTON, October 3, 2018 — The United States Senate today passed by a vote of 98-1, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, sponsored by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has called the bill, which is now heading to the President’s desk for his signature to become law,...

WASHINGTON, October 3, 2018 — The United States Senate today passed by a vote of 98-1, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, sponsored by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has called the bill, which is now heading to the President’s desk for his signature to become law,...

WASHINGTON, September 27, 2018 — The House of Representatives today passed by a vote of  393 to 8 “The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018” sponsored by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has called it “landmark” opioids legislation. “This legislation represents...

WASHINGTON, DC – Bipartisan leaders from committees of jurisdiction in both the House and Senate today announced an agreement on sweeping legislation to combat the opioid crisis. In June, the House passed H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act by a vote of 396-14. On September 17th, the Senate passed the Opioid Crisis Response...