MEMO
The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, passed by the U.S. Senate today, is the 17th bipartisan bill in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s jurisdiction to pass the Senate in the 113th Congress under Chairman Tom Harkin’s leadership. Eleven of these bills have already been signed into law. These achievements are particularly significant in a Senate that has struggled as a result of Republican obstructionism.
“The members of the HELP Committee represent a broad ideological spectrum, but time and time again this Congress, we have been able to work together on important measures to strengthen federal child care and workforce training and education programs, defend the public health, protect pensions for charities and cooperatives, and safeguard Americans from discrimination in the workplace," Harkin said.
“I am encouraged by the Committee’s growing record of bipartisan accomplishments. The work of the HELP Committee, including the passage of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act today, shows that with negotiation and compromise, it is possible for Congress to enact meaningful legislation for the benefit of all Americans and the betterment of our nation. I thank Ranking Member Alexander and all of the members of the Committee who helped make these accomplishments possible," Harkin added.
A list of the 17 HELP Committee bipartisan bills passed by the Senate in the 113th Congress follows:
Signed into law
1. H.R. 307, Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013 (PAHPA) (Senators Burr, Harkin, Alexander, and Casey)
2. S. 622, Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Reauthorization Act of 2013 (ADUFA/AGDUFA) (Senators Harkin and Alexander)
3. H.R. 1911, Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 (Senators Alexander, Blunt, Burr, Carper, Coburn, Durbin, Enzi, Harkin, Heller, Hoeven, Isakson, King and McCaskill)
4. H.R. 2094, School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (Senators Durbin, Kirk, and Harkin)
5. S. 330, HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (HOPE Act) (Senators Boxer, Coburn, Baldwin, Paul, and Harkin)
6. H.R. 2747, Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act (Senator Harkin)
7. S. 252, Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers Who Deliver Infants Early (PREEMIE) Reauthorization Act (Senators Alexander, Bennet, and Harkin)
8. S. 1561, CHIMP Act Amendments of 2013 (Senators Harkin, Alexander, Burr, Landrieu, and Collins)
9. S. 424, National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013 (Senators Brown, Wicker, Blumenthal, Collins, Portman, Whitehouse)
10. H.R. 3204, Drug Quality and Security Act (Senators Harkin, Alexander, Franken, Roberts, Bennet, and Burr)
11. S.1719, the Poison Center Network Act (Senators Murray, Burr, and Harkin)
Passed (or attached to legislation) in the Senate
12. S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 (Senators Mikulski, Burr, Harkin, and Alexander)
13. S. 815, Employment Non-Discrimination Act (Senators Merkley, Harkin, Kirk, Collins, and Baldwin)
14. S. 1557, Children’s Hospital GME Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Senators Casey, Isakson, Whitehouse, Harkin, and Alexander)
15. S. 689, Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013 (Senators Harkin, Alexander, Sanders, Franken, and Roberts)
16. S.1417, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Senators Hagan, Hatch, and Harkin)
17. S. 1302, Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act (Senators Harkin and Roberts)
In addition, two more bipartisan bills have been reported out of the HELP Committee and are awaiting consideration by the full Senate:
1. S. 1562, Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Senators Sanders, Harkin, and Alexander)
2. S.1356, Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (Senators Murray, Isakson, Harkin, and Alexander)
