Ranking Member's Press

WASHINGTON, October 23, 2017 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement on Iowa’s decision to withdraw its 1332 waiver request, citing “inflexible” requirements of the Affordable Care Act: “Iowa’s decision is further evidence that the Affordable Care Act is too...

WASHINGTON, October 19, 2017 – Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander today spoke on the Senate floor, announcing he and eleven other Republican senators are among 24 senators cosponsoring temporary legislation to keep premiums from rising 20 percent and to keep the federal debt from spiking $194 billion in 10 years. “Our...

WASHINGTON, October 19—A group of 24 senators—12 Republicans and 12 Democrats led by Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.)—today released short-term bipartisan legislation to stabilize premiums and access to insurance in individual health insurance markets. Alexander...

WASHINGTON, October 19 — Today, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said, “if we really want to focus on improving Americans’ health, why not connect the consensus on wellness to the insurance policies that 178 million Americans get from their job.” “There is remarkable consensus...

WASHINGTON, October 18 — Today, Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) made the following statement after the committee confirmed Kyle Fortson to serve as a member of the National Mediation Board:   “While the Board is very fortunate to have Kyle as a member, it will be a loss to the committee,...

WASHINGTON, October 18, 2017 — Following the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s approval today of 10 well-qualified nominees, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) called on his Senate colleagues to quickly confirm the nominees.    The committee met today to...

WASHINGTON, October 17 — Today, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced he and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have reached a short-term deal to offer bipartisan legislation to stabilize the individual health insurance market and begin to lower the costs of premiums, so all Americans have access to...

WASHINGTON, October 17, 2017 – U.S. Senate health committee chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R – S.C.) that will make “copper” catastrophic health care plans available to all:   “Sen. Scott’s leadership will help many...

WASHINGTON, October 17 — Today, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) chaired the second in a series of bipartisan hearings on what goes into the prices Americans pay when picking up the 4.4 billion prescriptions written every year. “There are many issues that have caused health care spending in this...

WASHINGTON, October 5 — Today, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) began a series of hearings on the opioid crisis with the federal response, saying the crisis is “tearing our communities apart, tearing families apart, and posing an enormous challenge to health care providers and law enforcement...

WASHINGTON, October 4 — The Senate labor committee, chaired by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), today held a confirmation hearing on three labor nominees “tasked with leading important agencies that protect working Americans.”   The committee met to consider the nominations of Cheryl Stanton to serve...

WASHINGTON, October 3 — At the Senate education committee hearing on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said that “Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Mexico have taken the most advantage of the flexibility we offered under the law in creating innovative state plans.”   “When President...

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 2, 2017 – U.S. Senate education committee Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced Tennessee’s commissioner of education, Candice McQueen, will be testifying Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate education committee, which he chairs, on innovative approaches states are pursuing in their new state...

MARYVILLE, Tenn., September 29, 2017 – U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s resignation: “I understand and respect Tom Price’s decision, but the news is disappointing.  He has had a distinguished career as a physician and public...

WASHINGTON, September 28 — Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the expiration of the Perkins Loan Program:   “In 2015, Congress passed a bipartisan law to phase out the Perkins loan program as a part of a longer term effort to simplify federal student aid. The...

WASHINGTON, September 26 – Senate health committee chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Senate’s health care work: “I will consult with Senator Murray and with other senators, both Republicans and Democrats, to see if senators can find consensus on a limited bipartisan plan that could be...

WASHINGTON, September 25, 2017 — United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on his vote to confirm Bill Emanuel as a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB): “Filling this final vacant seat on the National Labor Relations Board will help restore the board to its intended...

“Senator Murray and I had hoped to agree early this week on a limited, bipartisan plan to stabilize 2018 premiums in the individual health insurance market that we could take to Senate leaders by the end of the month. During the last month, we have worked hard and in good faith, but have not found the necessary consensus among Republicans and...

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 19, 2017 – At a confirmation hearing for two Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) nominees, Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said the EEOC should encourage better health and lower costs with clear guidelines for employee wellness programs. “While there are many...

WASHINGTON, September 14 — At the Senate health committee’s fourth health care hearing this month, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said that "it’s clear to truly protect patients, we need to stabilize the markets, limit premium increases, and begin to lower premiums in the future." “For seven years, hardly...