US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions

HELP Committee Advances Pending Bills and Nominations

Wednesday, December 01, 2010Justine Sessions (202)-224-3254

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced the Committee passed six pieces of legislation and approved six nominees at today’s executive session.  All of the bills and nominations passed with unanimous consent and must now be approved by the full Senate.  At the executive session, Harkin also welcomed Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to the Committee.

“I am pleased that today the HELP Committee was able to move forward in a bipartisan fashion on important pieces of legislation that will, among other things, help prevent child abuse, advance medical research and enhance our museums and libraries.  I am also happy that we were able to approve nominations to posts that have been left vacant for too long now,” said Harkin.  “It is my hope that the full Senate will act quickly and approve all of these bills and nominations.

“I was also pleased to welcome Senator Manchin to his first HELP Committee meeting today.  Senator Manchin has a wealth of experience and knowledge that will make him a valuable asset to the Committee and I look forward to working with him as we address the critical health, education and labor issues facing our nation.”

A full list of bills and nominations cleared by the HELP Committee today follows:

1. S. 3817, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Reauthorization Act of 2010

2. S. 3199, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2010

3. S. 3036, National Alzheimer's Project Act

4. S. 1275, National Foundation on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition Establishment Act

5. H.R. 2941, To reauthorize and enhance Johanna's Law to increase public awareness and knowledge with respect to gynecologic cancers

6. S.3984,  the Museum and Library Services Act of 2010

7. Anthony Bryk, to be a member of the National Board of Education Sciences

8. Robert A. Underwood, to be a member of the National Board of Education Sciences

9. Kris D. Gutierrez, to be a member of the National Board of Education Sciences

10. Sean Buckley, to be the Commissioner of Education Statistics for the Department of Education

11. Susan Hildreth, to be the Director of the Institute for Museum and Library Sciences

12. Allison Blakely, to be a member of the National Council on the Humanities

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