Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said on Tuesday that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is an example of executive overreach and advocated for healthcare reforms that he drafted with fellow Republican senators. Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Hatch Read more…

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing on Thursday to examine allegations that a number of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities across the country falsified or concealed records. VA facilities around the country allegedly concealed medical records Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced bipartisan legislation on Wednesday that would align veteran contracting programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The legislation is designed to make it easier Read more…

The Senate approved legislation on Thursday that was introduced by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) to require the Department of Justice to issue a report on penalties for child abuse in each state. The Kilah Davenport Child Protection Act mirrors legislation Read more…

Members of the Senate Finance Committee requested a full accounting of an IRS rewards system on Monday that allegedly distributed cash bonuses and time off for employees who owed back taxes and received reprimands. More than 2,900 IRS employees with Read more…

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) co-sponsored a measure on Wednesday that would prevent the IRS from giving performance bonuses to employees who have committed serious misconduct or owe back taxes. Burr and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) co-authored the bipartisan No Bonuses Read more…

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) warned on Thursday that unionization of college athletes would hurt the country’s secondary education system and destroy college sports. In a recent decision, the National Labor Relations Board classified college athletes as Read more…

Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) recently joined a bipartisan group of legislators and the advocacy group Autism Speaks to call on Congress to take steps to address the rising prevalence of autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced Read more…

Senate leaders from both parties recently cosponsored a measure that would allow people with disabilities to access tax-advantaged savings accounts. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) cosponsored the Achieving a Better Read more…

A bipartisan group of senators requested on Wednesday that the FDA provide clarification and transparency on its medical mobile applications policy to avoid confusion among stakeholders. Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Mark Read more…

The Senate reauthorized on Thursday in a bipartisan vote a program that issues childcare vouchers to low-income parents so they can rejoin the workforce. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act was sponsored by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Read more…

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) joined a bipartisan group of legislators on Friday who raised concerns over changes to military benefits that exclude coverage for more than 100 lab tests. In a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, the senators Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced a resolution on Monday that calls for an independent investigation into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka and urges the Sri Lankan government to recognize media freedoms. The senators introduced Read more…

The Patient Choice, Affordability, Responsibility and Empowerment Act would reduce healthcare costs, lower premiums, expand coverage to more Americans, increase healthcare productivity and reduce the nation’s debt, according to a recent analysis by the Center for Health Economy. Sens. Richard Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced an alternative to the Affordable Care Act on Monday that would establish patient-based reforms in an effort to reduce healthcare costs and increase access to quality care. The Patient Choice, Affordability, Read more…

A group of senators raised concerns on Wednesday about a report that concluded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services does not adequately oversee the $32.7 billion electronic health record meaningful use incentive program. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Richard Burr Read more…

The bipartisan Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, introduced by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) to provide tax-free savings accounts to individuals with disabilities, recently gained its 60th cosponsor in the Senate. “The ABLE Act is a commonsense piece of legislation Read more…

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would combine the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce into a single agency in an effort to cut costs and improve economic policies. The consolidated department, the Department Read more…

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) introduced the Kilah Davenport Child Protection act of 2013 on Monday, which would require the Department of Justice to issue a report on penalties handed down in child abuse cases in each state. The bill, named Read more…

Senate Education Committee Ranking Member Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Committee Member Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in announcing a task force on Monday that will review regulations and reporting requirements placed on colleges. The Read more…

House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) called on Congress on Wednesday to pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, which would provide people with disabilities access to tax-free savings accounts. The ABLE Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) reintroduced the Public-Private Employee Retirement Parity Act on Tuesday in an effort to address future liabilities facing the federal government. The bill would eliminate the defined benefit pension provision Read more…

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said that the recent release of a Government Accountability Office report examining the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products’ regulatory review process for new tobacco products showed that the CTP “significantly underperformed in its mission.” “It is Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) recently led a bipartisan effort in the senate to increase awareness about infant mortality and access to prenatal care in the U.S. Resolution S.Res.258, passed unanimously by the Senate, Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) recently lauded the recent passage of the bipartisan Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013. The act, passed by the Senate Health, Education, Read more…

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, recently praised the committee for passing legislation he sponsored that would provide veterans with essential benefits and services. “Our nation’s veterans selflessly give themselves to defend Read more…

A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced legislation that would prevent student loan interest rates from doubling and would lower and fix interest rates for 100 percent of newly issued student loans. Sponsors of the bill, named the Bipartisan Student Read more…

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) recently announced their approval of the progress of a bill that would give people access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources passed Read more…

A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced legislation to help low and moderate income parents access and afford childcare while they work or attend school. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 reauthorizes and updates the CCDBG Read more…