Press Releases
Sen. Warren Questions Labor Secretary Nominee Acosta Before Confirmation Hearing
A PDF copy of the letter is available here. Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) today sent a 23-page letter to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Nominee, Alexander Acosta, outlining a range of questions concerning Acosta's qualifications and views on issues before the department. The letter was sent in advance of Acosta's confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) scheduled for Wednesday. "Your career has … Continue Reading
March 16, 2017
Senator Warren: Cruel GOP Health Care Bill Will Hurt Efforts to Address Opioid Crisis
WASHINGTON, DC - In a Senate floor speech on Wednesday, Senator Elizabeth Warren raised concerns about how the Republican health care bill would hamper efforts in Massachusetts and across the country to address the opioid crisis. The text of her remarks is below, and a video of her speech is available here. Remarks by Senator Elizabeth WarrenMarch 15, 2017*As Prepared for Delivery* Last week, Republicans in the House released a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act and cut Medicaid to the … Continue Reading
March 14, 2017
Warren and Gillibrand Question Trump and Mattis About Harmful Impact of Executive Order on Families of Military Personnel
Washington, DC - In letters sent today to President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) raised concerns about the harmful impact on military families of the president's recent "Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements" Executive Order. Under previous executive guidance, undocumented family members of individuals serving in the Armed Forces have been permitted to lawfully remain in the U.S. … Continue Reading
March 14, 2017
Warren, Bonamici Urge Administration to Protect Student Loan Borrowers from Unnecessary Fees
Washington, DC - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) have asked the Department of Education to stand up for struggling student loan borrowers by keeping in place commonsense limits on the fees charged to those who have defaulted on their loans. Borrowers who default on loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) may be assessed a collection fee of up to 16 percent of the principal and accrued interest owed on the loans. The … Continue Reading
March 13, 2017
Reps. Conyers, Waters, Scott, and Sen. Warren Applaud Appointment of Raphael Bostic to Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank
Washington, DC - United States Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee; Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member on the Financial Services Committee; and David Scott (D-GA), a senior member of the Financial Services Committee; and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), today released the following statements to recognize the historic appointment of Raphael Bostic to be the President of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank. Bostic will become the first … Continue Reading
March 13, 2017
Senate and House Leaders Raise Concerns About the Impact of President Trump's Decisions on HHS and CDC Preparedness for a Flu Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), along with Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Gene Green (D-Texas), and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), today wrote to Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ask how several actions taken by the Trump administration could harm the CDC's preparedness for a pandemic flu outbreak. "The Department of Health and Human … Continue Reading
March 13, 2017
Amid Opioid Epidemic, Senator Warren Launches Survey of Massachusetts Treatment Facilities
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Monday launched a new survey of over 70 organizations across Massachusetts providing dedicated behavioral health treatment and recovery services for patients suffering from substance use disorders. The aim of the survey, developed with input from the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, is to determine the specific challenges faced by various providers in responding to the opioid epidemic and treating patients with mental health … Continue Reading
March 08, 2017
Warren, Carper and Cummings Question White House Counsel About Jared Kushner's Compliance with Conflict-of-Interest Laws
Washington, D.C. - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, today wrote to the Office of White House Counsel asking for clarification on Jared Kushner's compliance with federal conflict of interest laws. In a letter sent to Stefan C. Passantino, Deputy Counsel to the President and Designated Agency Ethics Official, the members raised concerns that Mr. … Continue Reading
March 07, 2017
Warren, Sanders, Casey, Baldwin, Franken, Hassan and Murphy Ask Alexander for HELP Committee Hearings on Education Department Nominees
Washington, D.C. - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) today sent a letter asking asking Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to hold hearings prior to any committee votes on President Trump's nominees for critical posts at the Department of Education (ED). Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made clear … Continue Reading
March 06, 2017
As Trump and GOP Congress Seek to Roll Back Worker Protections, Senator Warren Releases Report Detailing Labor Violations by Federal Contractors
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Monday released a report detailing repeated violations of labor laws by companies that receive billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal contracts. These illegal actions include stealing wages and endangering workers, sometimes resulting in injuries or deaths. Nearly a quarter of the American workforce is employed at a company that holds at least one federal contract. "All Americans deserve a safe workplace and fair pay for a … Continue Reading
March 03, 2017
Senators Re-Introduce LifeBOAT Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) re-introduced the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act (LifeBOAT Act), which would establish a permanent funding stream to provide and expand access to substance abuse treatment. "A major barrier that those … Continue Reading
March 03, 2017
Warren, Murray, Sanders Call on DOJ to Open Criminal Investigation into Federal Contractor VT Halter Marine's Repeated Workplace Deaths and Injuries
Washington, DC - In a letter sent today to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for a criminal investigation into the deaths and injuries of workers for federal contractor VT Halter Marine Inc. at their Mississippi shipyards. Despite repeated horrific accidents and penalties assessed by the Occupational Health and Safety … Continue Reading
March 02, 2017
Warren, Markey, and Kennedy Announce Additional Funding for General Dynamics' WIN-T Program
Washington, D.C. - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congressman Joseph Kennedy III (D-Mass.) today announced that the House and Senate Appropriations committees have included two additional set orders and awarded an additional $114 million for General Dynamics' Warfighter Information Network-Tactical program (WIN-T) in their final version of the fiscal 2017 defense appropriations bill. WIN-T, which is produced at the General Dynamics facility in Taunton, … Continue Reading
March 02, 2017
Senators Ask DOJ to Uphold Existing Policy on State Marijuana Laws
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators, including Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) today sent a letter that calls on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to request the Department of Justice (DOJ) uphold its existing enforcement policy … Continue Reading
March 02, 2017
Warren, Murray, Brown Question Businesses on Support of Expanded Overtime Rule
Trump Pick for Labor Secretary Has Not Taken a Position on Helping More Workers Get Overtime Pay Washington, D.C. - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member on the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Ranking Member on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) today sent letters to 14 companies asking whether they oppose efforts to block new rules expanding overtime protections for 4.2 million new … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Senator Warren Announces Tiba Faraj as Guest at Joint Session of Congress
Washington, D.C. - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren today announced that Tiba Faraj will accompany her to President Trump's address to the joint session of Congress on February 28, 2017. Faraj, an Iraqi refugee, arrived in Lynn, Mass., in 2010 along with her parents and siblings. After a tumultuous journey spanning seven years and thousands of miles, Faraj became an American citizen last year. "Like many before her, Tiba came to America seeking a better life. Since arriving in … Continue Reading
February 27, 2017
Sens. Warren and Markey Question Federal Agency Heads About President Trump's Executive Order to Deny Funding to "Sanctuary Jurisdictions"
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey on Monday will send a letter to the confirmed or nominated heads of 17 federal grant-making agencies to ask whether and how they intend to comply with President Trump's recent Executive Order directing Administration officials to identify "sanctuary jurisdictions" and to cut off all federal grants to those jurisdictions. In their letter, the senators highlight that the president's order is clearly unconstitutional, and detail … Continue Reading
February 24, 2017
As Foreign Favors Pile Up, Democratic Senators Call On Trump To Halt Unconstitutional Conduct
The full text of today's letter is available here. Washington, DC - Following news that the Chinese government awarded the Trump Organization a trademark that may be worth billions of dollars - one of many foreign favors President Trump may have accepted since taking office - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined a group of thirteen Senators led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in calling on President Trump to take immediate action to resolve conflicts of interest that are … Continue Reading
February 23, 2017
Sens. Warren, Markey, Murray and Stabenow Request GAO Study on Food Insecurity at American Colleges and Universities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) today asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on food insecurity at American colleges and universities. "Sacrificing food for education can undermine a student's educational … Continue Reading
February 22, 2017
Warren Requests Update from Treasury on Investigation of Trump Advisor's Meeting with CEO of Sanctioned Russian Entity
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin asking him to follow through on his commitment to investigate reports that Anthony Scaramucci, while acting as a "Trump translator" during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, engaged in direct talks regarding potential business transactions with the head of a Russian entity subject to sanctions by the Treasury Department. Today's letter follows a January 19th … Continue Reading
