Press Releases
Congressional Delegation Announces $2.4M Grant for the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company's Gardner Branch Line
Washington, D.C. - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey along with Representatives Jim McGovern and Niki Tsongas announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $2,376,682 grant for track improvements along the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company's Gardner Branch rail line in Central Massachusetts. The rail project will reduce the risk of derailments that could impact the drinking water supplied to the City of Worcester. "This federal … Continue Reading
September 09, 2016
Lynch, Warren, Markey Announce $4.2 Million in Grant Funding for Quincy Center MBTA Station
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-Boston) and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) announced that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will receive $4.2 million in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program. The MBTA will utilize this grant funding to help build a new Quincy Center bus terminal and make intermodal enhancements. Earlier this year, … Continue Reading
September 09, 2016
Scott, Warren Highlight GAO Study on 401k Annuity Options for America's Workers
Washington, DC- Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), released the findings of a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) they co-requested on the challenges working Americans face in making their 401(k) savings last throughout retirement. Specifically, GAO analyzed whether employers' 401(k) plans provided workers with appropriate options to annuitize their savings-of the plans GAO surveyed, very few of them offered such options. GAO … Continue Reading
September 09, 2016
Sens. Warren, Markey, and Reps. McGovern, Neal, and Tsongas Announce $2.6M in Grants to Massachusetts Fire Departments
Washington, D.C. - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey along with Representatives Richard Neal, Jim McGovern, and Niki Tsongas announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded four fire departments in Massachusetts $2.6 million in grants through the Staffing for Adequate & Fire Emergency Response (SAFER) and the Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) programs. SAFER grants are awarded to support the hiring of trained, "front line" … Continue Reading
September 08, 2016
Senators Question Aetna's Billion-Dollar Break-up Fee and Decision to Leave ACA Exchanges After DOJ Challenges Merger with Humana
Washington, DC - In a letter sent to Aetna's CEO today, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) raised questions about the company's decision to withdraw from the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care exchanges after the Department of Justice (DOJ) challenged Aetna's proposed merger with Humana. "Aetna's decision regarding its participation in the ACA exchanges appears to be an effort to … Continue Reading
August 30, 2016
Warren and Grassley Ask Standard-Setting Committee About Next Steps to Incorporate Medical Device Identifiers on Insurance Claim Forms
Washington, DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter asking the Accredited Standards Committee X12 (ASC X12) about steps it is taking to include medical devices' unique device identifier (UDI) on health insurance claim forms. ASC X12 is the body responsible for setting standards for and recommending any changes to the standard electronic claims forms. Including UDI on these forms will help strengthen the post-market tracking of medical … Continue Reading
August 30, 2016
Senators Raise Concerns About Mylan's EpiPen Price Hike and Expanded Patient Assistance Program
Washington, DC - In a letter sent today to the CEO of pharmaceutical company Mylan, 20 senators expressed their serious concerns about the company's recent significant price hikes for the life-saving EpiPen Auto-Injector. The senators raised questions about Mylan's decision to expand its patient assistance program, which allows the company to sharply increase prices while passing the cost of these increases onto insurance companies and ultimately to consumers, and to introduce an authorized … Continue Reading
August 23, 2016
Senator Warren Applauds New Army Helicopter Engine Design Contract for GE's Lynn Facility
Boston, MA - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren today applauded the announcement that GE Aviation has been awarded a two-year contract as part of the U.S. Army's Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP). This contract will support more than 100 engineers working on the GE3000 engine for Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, primarily at GE Aviation's facility in Lynn, MA. Under the contract, the Army will conduct a Preliminary Design Review of the GE3000 engine. "Our military has long … Continue Reading
August 17, 2016
Sens. Franken, Brown, and Warren Push to End Local Nuisance Ordinances that Endanger Domestic Violence Survivors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)-along with over 20 of their colleagues-urged the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for action to combat unfair and discriminatory nuisance ordinances that disproportionately affect survivors of domestic violence. Local nuisance ordinances are generally aimed at combating crime and ensuring the public safety, but they can also unintentionally punish victims for … Continue Reading
August 04, 2016
Mass. Delegation Demands End to GOP's Abusive Subpoenas of State Attorneys General
Washington, D.C. -- The Massachusetts Congressional delegation is urging U.S. House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith to cease House Republicans' blatant abuse of congressional subpoena authority in an effort to deny the causes of global climate change. In July, Smith issued subpoenas to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and eight environmental organizations, claiming that a coordinated environmentalist plot exists to deprive … Continue Reading
July 15, 2016
Senators Urge Education Department to Reform Student Loan Servicing to Better Protect Borrowers
Washington, DC - In a letter sent today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), along with Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) urged the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and its Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) to make … Continue Reading
July 15, 2016
Menendez, Warren, Wyden, Stabenow, Booker Introduce Student Loan Tax Relief Act
Bill Text Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) yesterday introduced the Student Loan Tax Relief Act, which eliminates the hidden tax on forgiven student loan debt, to protect American students and their families from continued financial hardship, while bolstering long-term U.S. economic growth. The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). "Students and families are being crushed by … Continue Reading
July 15, 2016
Senators Markey, Warren, Hatch and McCain Applaud Passage of Legislation to Commemorate JFK Centennial
Washington DC - Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Orin Hatch (R-Utah) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) applauded passage of Senate legislation to establish a commission to be known as the "John F. Kennedy Centennial Commission" that would plan, develop, and carry out activities to honor President Kennedy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2017. The Commission will be comprised of 11 members, including the Secretary of the Interior and ten other … Continue Reading
July 14, 2016
Democratic Senators Urge Federal Regulators to Act to Protect Students & Veterans From Fraudulent Institutions Like Trump University
Text of the senators' letter available here Washington, DC - Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter calling … Continue Reading
July 14, 2016
Warren Joins Schatz in Urging FTC to Investigate Commercial Use of Short-Term Lodging Rental Services
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, today called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the commercial use of the rapidly expanding short-term lodging rental market. The letter, which was also signed by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), urges the FTC to study the commercial manner in which individuals or firms are using online services such as Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO, and … Continue Reading
July 14, 2016
Warren, Capito, Alexander, Bennet, Clark, Stivers Applaud Incorporation of Reducing Unused Medications Act in Final Passage of Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation
Washington, DC - Today, United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) applauded the inclusion of language in the Reducing Unused Medications Act as part of the final passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). This provision, originally introduced in February of this year with bipartisan, bicameral support, … Continue Reading
July 11, 2016
Members of Mass. Congressional Delegation Request Study of Airplane Noise Pollution
Washington, DC- United States Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey, along with Representatives Michael Capuano, Stephen F. Lynch, and Katherine Clark, have sent a letter calling on the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a study about the effects of air traffic noise and pollution on human health. The letter notes the recent significant spikes in the number of noise complaints logged by the Massachusetts Port Authority, as well at airports around the country. "In … Continue Reading
July 08, 2016
Senator Warren Urges Changes to Help Consumers Recover Unclaimed Property
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren today sent a letter raising concerns that the recent draft of the revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (UUPA) makes it too difficult for consumers to recover billions of dollars in unclaimed property. She called on the drafting committee to make several changes to the UUPA to better protect consumers. "The revised UUPA could help consumers across the country more easily recover their unclaimed property," Senator Warren wrote. "I urge the … Continue Reading
July 07, 2016
Warren Renews Objections to SEC Efforts to Limit Disclosure Requirements
Read a PDF copy of Senator Warren's letter here. Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Mary Jo White to follow up on Chair White's testimony at a Senate Banking Committee hearing regarding the SEC's "Disclosure Effectiveness Initiative," and to renew objections to any SEC efforts to limit disclosure requirements in ways that would harm investors. Senator Warren writes in the letter, "Based on … Continue Reading
July 05, 2016
Cummings, Warren, Warner Launch Investigation Of Major Derivatives Clearing Organizations’ Recovery and Resolution Plans
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Mark Warner (D-VA), members of the Senate Banking Committee, sent letters to two systemically important derivative clearing organizations (DCO)-CME, Inc. and Ice Clear Credit LLC-requesting information on the firms' recovery and resolution plans. "Like the nation's largest banks, systemically important DCOs are required to … Continue Reading
