Tom Harkin

So I want to congratulate you and the President for focusing on this. It's long overdue, but better to get started on it as soon as possible.

I just want to say to my friend from Arkansas that some years ago, back in the 1990s, I and my other colleagues from Iowa provided startup funding for AP online, advanced placement courses online, because we have small towns like you do…

I love it. Now, let me see the budget.

I'm very concerned about that and the impact on affordability and the increase of debt always on students.

the President's plan would not--let me be clear--would not be a new Federal entitlement program or a new Federal mandate.

Colleges and universities are partially making up for that by shifting the cost burden to students and their families.

I think Senator Moran and I might have some disagreements on this and that, but the one thing I think we do agree on is moving the process and getting a bill through and having an open amendment process and letting people be heard and let…

Being the second round, I just have one question I wanted to follow up on.

As I have often said, this is no way to run a Government.

There is no bigger economic or educational failure than having a committed and prepared student who has to forego a postsecondary education because it's just too expensive.

Thank you for the Federal financial aid that has been made available to me and for the opportunity to achieve my dreams in life.

Senator Harkin recently introduced the Smarter Borrowing Act to improve loan counseling requirements.

I wish to announce that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will meet in open session on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Hearing for…

Students from wealthy families are seven times as likely to have earned a bachelor's degree by age 24 than those from poor families.

I wish to announce that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will meet in open session on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``The…

Thanks to the health reform, Americans now have the same protections that every Senator on this dais has had for years.

Put everybody in this pool. Give everybody at least some basic coverage which they can rely on.

Our priority now must be implementing the law as smoothly and quickly as possible so that all Americans can share in its benefits.

Medicaid soaks up 26 percent of the Tennessee State budget; that is up from 7 percent at the time I was Governor.

The question is: how do we make it work best? Yes, how do we make it cost-effective?

The law requires every insurance plan to cover evidence-based preventative services that will head-off many illnesses.

Senator Alexander is always looking to see just what is the best way forward.

As Senator Harkin discussed in the hearing, this issue is important because the non-group market needs to have the risk spread to as many consumers as possible.

Any Senator who voted for the health care law ought to be sentenced to serve as Governor for 8 years.

I wish to announce that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will meet in executive session on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to mark-up S.__, Mental Health…