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U.S. Senate Honors Marlow Cook

February 5, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution yesterday honoring former United States Senator for the Commonwealth of Kentucky Marlow Cook. The resolution was sponsored by Senators McConnell and Rand Paul. The text of S.Res.364 from the Congressional Record follows:

SENATE RESOLUTION 364

Relative to the death of Marlow Cook, former United States Senator for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Whereas Marlow Cook was born in New York in 1926;

Whereas during World War II, Marlow Cook entered the United States Navy at age seventeen and served in the submarine service in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans;

Whereas Marlow Cook graduated from University of Louisville Law School in 1950, was admitted to the Kentucky bar and practiced law in Louisville, Kentucky;

Whereas Marlow Cook was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1957 in which he served two terms and was elected as a Jefferson County judge in 1961 and reelected in 1965;

Whereas Marlow Cook as Jefferson County judge purchased and refurbished the boat known today as the Belle of Louisville, an essential element of the famed annual Kentucky Derby Festival;

Whereas Marlow Cook was first elected to the United States Senate in 1968 and served as a Senator for the Commonwealth of Kentucky until 1974;

Whereas Marlow Cook was the first Roman Catholic elected to major statewide office in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;

Whereas Marlow Cook was known for his integrity, humility and dedication to public service.

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Marlow Cook, former member of the United States Senate.

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate these resolutions to the House of Representatives and transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceased.

Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns today, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Honorable Marlow Cook.

McConnell Urges FDA Nominee to Address Prescription Opioid Epidemic

‘I had a productive meeting with Dr. Califf this afternoon, and will be reviewing the details of FDA’s proposal carefully.’

February 4, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell met today with Dr. Robert Califf, the nominee for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to discuss the agency’s proposal to address the prescription opioid epidemic in Kentucky and our nation.

The FDA plays a leading role in addressing the prescription opioid epidemic through their drug approval process, where they are required by federal law to ensure that drugs are safe and effective. However, FDA has been criticized for not recognizing the severity of this epidemic and not taking steps to do more to address the problem.

During the meeting, Senator McConnell expressed concerns to Dr. Califf that he has heard from Kentuckians regarding FDA’s lax attitude toward this epidemic, and he urged Dr. Califf to commit to taking concrete steps to address the severity of the problem.

“Drug overdoses, largely driven by prescription painkillers, continue to outpace the number of fatalities from traffic accidents in Kentucky,” Senator McConnell said. “While I recognize the need to protect legitimate patient access to prescription painkillers, FDA must do better to protect our friends and families from unwanted dependence and addiction to prescription opioids. I had a productive meeting with Dr. Califf this afternoon, and will be reviewing the details of FDA’s proposal carefully.”



Senator McConnell and FDA Commissioner Nominee Califf meet in Washington, D.C.

NOTE: In 2012 and 2013, Senator McConnell sent letters to the FDA expressing concerns with generic, crushable opioids coming to market without abuse-deterrent features. As a result, in April 2013, FDA announced its decision to prohibit a generic version of a certain opioid without abuse-deterrent features from coming to market.

Last year, Senator McConnell also worked to enact and pass the bipartisan Protecting Our Infants Act, which requires a comprehensive strategy to be set in place to address the rise in prenatal opioid addiction and the infants born dependent on opioids as a result of this addiction.

And in October, 2015, Senator McConnell joined more than twenty Republicans in the Senate and House in sending a letter to OMB Administrator Howard Shelanski urging him to exercise his leadership and commitment to addressing the prescription drug abuse epidemic by ensuring manufacturers would not be disincentivized from developing abuse-deterrent formulations, which make opioids harder to crush and abuse, by having to pay additional Medicaid rebates.

Senator McConnell Recognized as a Teach for America Congressional Champion

McConnell Honored for Efforts to Increase Educational Equity for Students

February 4, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be recognized as a Teach For America Congressional Champion for his continued efforts to expand educational opportunities for students in Kentucky and across the nation. McConnell is one of 12 bipartisan members of Congress to be honored in this way by CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard.
“Our Congressional champions have played an instrumental role in growing Teach For America’s impact in our first 25 years. Their support for critical funding and key policy provisions has helped expand educational opportunity for children growing up in poverty across the country and inspired thousands of individuals to join the fight for educational equity and excellence,” said Teach For America CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard. “I am thankful for leaders like Senator McConnell who are committed to ensuring that all children in this nation have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.”
McConnell was selected for his strong and consistent support for high quality alternative routes to certification, which provide the opportunity for qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds to enter the teaching profession, fulfilling a critical need.
“Teach for America is doing outstanding work in the Commonwealth recruiting, training and supporting new teachers to help children in eastern Kentucky succeed in the classroom and in the community. It is an honor to be recognized by TFA as a Congressional Champion and to assist TFA with educational opportunities for the Appalachia region of Kentucky,” McConnell said.
Teach For America has been a community partner in the Appalachia region since its founding in 2011. This year, as Teach For America celebrates its 25th anniversary nationally and the region celebrates its fifth year in Appalachia, 44 corps members reach thousands of local students. Another 140 alumni call Kentucky home and work from all sectors to expand opportunity for children growing up in low-income communities. As the most selective teacher preparation program in Kentucky, Teach For America’s focus on talent is showing results: Betsy Layne High School, in Floyd County, Kentucky, where TFA has placed teachers for the past five years, has successfully transitioned from a school that “Needs Improvement” to “Distinguished” on its annual school report card. BLHS was recently honored by a visit from Bill and Melinda Gates and their Foundation staff to see how this dramatic accomplishment was achieved.
2016 Congressional Champions
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Rep. Susan W. Brooks (R-IN)
Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
Sen. William Cassidy (R-LA)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Chairman John Kline (R-MN)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)

 

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