This week, the Senate took a significant step on tax reform
On Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee approved tax reform legislation that will be considered by the full Senate soon. This bill is good for Tennesseans’ family incomes. Its middle class tax cuts will leave more money in the pockets of Tennesseans. Tax cuts for job creators will grow the economy and cause employers to raise wages in order to compete for employees.
This week, the Senate health committee held a hearing on a gene editing technology that, when used properly, has the potential to transform human health.
On Tuesday, I chaired a hearing to look at this technology, called CRISPR. The technology’s most widespread use until now has been in agriculture. Its use in humans is more recent, but the possibility of the diseases it could treat and the lives that could be improved is remarkable. We heard from witnesses who see the potential of treating blood diseases and sickle cell disease, improving the amount of time immune cells are active in fighting tumors, or even identifying, and then treating, a predisposition to Alzheimer’s.
While the ability to edit genes has been around for a while, CRISPR is less expensive, more precise, and more readily available to scientists all over the world than other gene editing technologies.
While CRISPR has amazing potential, it is not hard to see how we can quickly get into societal and ethical issues. The technology could lead to permanent changes to the human genome, and in the hands of our adversaries, CRISPR poses national security concerns through the potential to produce new biological weapons.
Part of our job on the Senate health committee is to learn about new technologies, to lead discussions with experts about the implications of these scientific advancements and to ensure that the National Institutes of Health and others have the proper authority to oversee and conduct research.
You can watch our full hearing here.
It was great to talk with Marjorie Hass, President of Rhodes College while she was in Washington, D.C., this week.
Surgeon General’s focus on wellness could have real impact on millions of Americans
On Wednesday, the Senate health committee held a hearing with the Trump Administration’s Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, to hear more about his plans to make wellness a priority. It makes sense for that to be his focus because there is a remarkable consensus that wellness – lifestyle changes like eating healthier and quitting smoking – can prevent serious illness and reduce health care costs. At a hearing we held last month on wellness, we heard from witnesses that employers can have a powerful impact on their employees’ health. Dr. Adams’s motto as Surgeon General is “better health through better partnerships,” and I hope our committee can be one partner going forward.
Hearing from four of President Trump’s well-qualified nominees
On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a confirmation hearing on four of the president’s nominees for positions at the Department of Education and the Department of Labor. The nominees at the Department of Education will serve as important leaders who will implement the law fixing No Child Left Behind as Congress intended, and the Department of Labor nominees will review the Obama administration’s overtime and fiduciary rules and protect workers participating in pension plans.
I was glad to host Alex Azar, President Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, in my office on Thursday and was impressed with his knowledge and experience. As a former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and private sector executive, Alex Azar has the qualifications to get results.
Last week, the Senate confirmed Tennessee State Senator Doug Overbey’s nomination to serve as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. I’ve known Doug for a long time—and I know that Tennessee will be well-served by a man of such good character. Doug is a lifelong East Tennessean who has dedicated his life to service, and I am glad the Senate confirmed his nomination.
Visiting Washington, D.C., on a Tuesday? Sign up to attend Tennessee Tuesday, the weekly constituent breakfast I host with Senator Corker every week that the Senate is in session. My office can also arrange tours of the U.S. Capitol and other attractions throughout our nation’s capital.
Finish what you start, and don’t start more than you can do well.
#177 in Lamar Alexander’s Little Plaid Book
