url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1060,"Sen. Rand Paul Appears on CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer - December 18, 2013",2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=3d30fc40-cff8-4130-9306-e1ccf2452fac,McConnell to Oppose Confirmation of IRS Commissioner Nominee,2013-12-19,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the nomination of John Koskien to lead the IRS: “Earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service admitted responsibility for an incredible abuse of power.   “In the midst of an election season, it targeted and harassed Americans for the supposed crime of thinking differently. “An agency with access to some of the most personal information of every taxpaying American betrayed their trust. And in doing so, it showed the lengths to which this administration will go to stifle those who dissent from its policies.   “All of this was, and remains, an outrage. “It’s the kind of thing we might expect from a banana republic or a third-world dictatorship, not the world’s leading democracy. And the worst part is, we still don’t know everything that happened — or if it’s still going on. “That’s because the bipartisan investigation into all this still hasn't concluded yet. “It’s unclear to me how seriously the White House is taking this investigation. In many ways it seems to have treated the scandal more as a public relations problem to get past than a serious problem to solve.   “And now — get this — they just expect the elected representatives of the people to roll over and rubber stamp a new presidential nominee to head the IRS. They want Congress to forget what happened too, and just move on. “They expect us to just clear the way tomorrow and let them ram through the President’s new pick to run the IRS.   “Look: The American people deserve answers about how and why this targeting happened. They deserve justice too. And I will not be supporting any nominee to lead this agency until the American people get the answers they deserve.                                                                                                                     “But, of course, the Democrats in charge of the Senate changed the rules a few weeks back in order to ensure they could get their way on nominees, no matter what the American people think. It’s the same kind of attitude we’ve seen on the NDAA bill too, where the Majority Leader prevented other members from offering amendments.   “They’ll just do what they want – even if it means breaking the rules.   “So, if John Koskinen does find himself confirmed tomorrow, I want him to know a few things.   “First of all, he should understand that I don’t hold any animus toward him personally.   “Under different circumstances, I might very well have been able to support him.   “We had a good conversation when we met recently to discuss his nomination.   “But he’s also someone I’ll be keeping a close watch on, as will the other members of my conference. As will the American people. Because big challenges lie ahead for the next IRS Commissioner, whoever he or she may be. “We expect the next IRS Commissioner to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation into this scandal.   “We expect whoever is eventually confirmed to hold those who broke or bent the rules accountable. “We expect the next Commissioner to fairly implement the laws that he or she is charged with executing.   “To his credit, Mr. Koskinen has assured me he agrees with me on a topic I feel strongly about – that the IRS should stay out of regulating political speech. He told me so himself. And I was pleased to hear it.   “And so were he to become Commissioner, I’d expect him to oppose the extremely misguided proposed IRS rule that aims to overturn more than 50 years of settled law and practice by unfairly targeting the speech of those who criticize the Administration while leaving its supporters untouched. This proposed rule, which redefines what ‘social welfare’ means in order to target certain groups that seek to educate the public, would end up penalizing federal, state, and local organizations for the supposed ‘crime’ of providing information – much of it non-partisan or bipartisan.   “The goal is clear: to make it easier to push through the back door what Congressional Democrats have been unable to pass through the front door — discriminatory policies that seek to silence those who dare oppose them.   “It’s just the latest in a long and troubling pattern of Chicago-style tactics under this administration. And it’s exactly the kind of political meddling that the next Commissioner needs to ensure never happens again.   “Let’s not forget: the IRS should be a boring place, an impartial agency of tax collectors, not the Vanguard of the Left. “The next Commissioner needs to see to it that the organization finally returns to its mission.   “And he or she needs to root out those who would have the IRS target Americans for the way they think.   “Lastly, as I’ve told Mr. Koskinen, I’m deeply concerned about the IRS’ role in implementing Obamacare.   “The fact of the matter is, Obamacare represents a dramatic expansion of the use of the tax code to pick winners and losers. It gives the agency broad new responsibilities for enforcing Obamacare’s most onerous mandates, and to hand out nearly a trillion dollars in taxpayer subsidies. And in order to do all this, it will need to know who has insurance, penalize those who don’t, and determine who’s eligible for subsidies and how much they ought to receive – something that the agency has a very troubled history in doing with other programs.   “And if they get any of that wrong, they’ll need to come back and repossess subsidies after the fact too.   “In my view, the IRS doesn’t have any business snooping even further into the lives of our constituents — especially at a time when it’s already under a cloud of scandal. It’s just one of the many reasons I opposed Obamacare in the first place, and why I continue to oppose it.   “So if Mr. Koskinen is to become Commissioner, then — at a minimum — I expect him to hold the agency to the highest standards when it comes to protecting the privacy of the people we represent.   “I expect him to provide regular, transparent updates to Congress on the status of implementation, and to let us know of any problems as soon as they arise.   “The last thing we need is for the IRS to compound the pain it and Obamacare have already inflicted upon the American people by allowing fraud and further mistreatment to happen under its watch. “The IRS has done a lot to lose the trust of the American people. It will need to do a lot more to regain it.   “Following the advice I just laid out would put the IRS on a better path. And, if Mr. Koskinen ends up becoming the next Commissioner, that advice will form the criteria upon which his performance will be judged.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1386,Guthrie Receives Award for Protecting Seniors,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– The American Life Sciences Innovation Council (ALSIC) presented Congressman Guthrie with the Medicare Access Champion Award. “I am honored to receive this award,” said Congressman Guthrie. “I know how important it is for seniors to receive the specialized care they need and am proud to do all I can to help them.” The Medicare Access Champion Award recognizes Congressman Guthrie’s work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee. Protecting reimbursement rates under Medicare Part B ensures that seniors have access to specialized medications and treatments. “Medicare Part B benefits are essential to Kentuckians. Reduced access to treatment would mean higher costs – something that would be devastating to patients and the entire Medicare system,” added Congressman Guthrie. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140201110530/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1059,Sens. Paul and McConnell Introduce Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sens. Paul and McConnell Introduce Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today introduced S.1852, the Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013. This bill provides for the establishment of free market enterprise zones in order to help facilitate the creation of new jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities, enhance and renew educational opportunities and increase community involvement in bankrupt or economically distressed areas. These zones will apply to any zip code with unemployment greater than one and a half times the national average. This bill will dramatically reduce taxes and red tape so that families and businesses can grow and thrive.  ""In order to change our course, we must reverse the trend toward more Big Government by ending the corporate welfare and crony capitalism that limits choice and stifles competition. We must encourage policies that will lift up the individual, allow for the creation of new jobs, improve the school system and get these communities back to work. The answer to poverty and unemployment is not another government bailout; it is simply leaving more money in the hands of those who earned it. The Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013 will do just that,"" Sen. Paul said. ""I am proud to co-sponsor Senator Paul's bill and I applaud him for his work to help distressed areas around the nation, including those in Kentucky,"" Sen. McConnell said. ""In addition to helping bring businesses to distressed areas, this legislation will assist in job creation by unraveling burdensome federal regulations that are stifling economic development.""  ###   30Jan 14 28Jan 14 24Jan 14 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 30Jan 14 30Jan 14 30Jan 14",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=3371c270-28c1-4566-b0be-1ff07c01302e,Sens. Paul and McConnell Introduce Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today introduced S.1852, the Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013. This bill provides for the establishment of free market enterprise zones in order to help facilitate the creation of new jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities, enhance and renew educational opportunities and increase community involvement in bankrupt or economically distressed areas. These zones will apply to any zip code with unemployment greater than one and a half times the national average. This bill will dramatically reduce taxes and red tape so that families and businesses can grow and thrive. “In order to change our course, we must reverse the trend toward more Big Government by ending the corporate welfare and crony capitalism that limits choice and stifles competition. We must encourage policies that will lift up the individual, allow for the creation of new jobs, improve the school system and get these communities back to work. The answer to poverty and unemployment is not another government bailout; it is simply leaving more money in the hands of those who earned it. The Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013 will do just that,” Sen. Paul said. “I am proud to co-sponsor Senator Paul’s bill and I applaud him for his work to help distressed areas around the nation, including those in Kentucky,” Sen. McConnell said. “In addition to helping bring businesses to distressed areas, this legislation will assist in job creation by unraveling burdensome federal regulations that are stifling economic development.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=96e664f2-736c-4eee-b9cf-32980b999df9,"Senate Democrats Rush Defense Bill, Block Minority from Amendments, Debate",2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the National Defense Authorization Act and the majority’s continued powergrab: “The National Defense Authorization Act is one of the essential pieces of legislation the Senate considers every year. “This is legislation that authorizes funding for our troops and the equipment and the support they need to carry out their mission. “This is legislation that – along with the funding that follows in the Appropriations bill – puts muscle behind America’s most important strategic objectives across the globe. “And yet, under the Democrat majority, this bill has basically languished since the summer. “About 6 months — 6 months — have elapsed since the Armed Services Committee first reported the NDAA out for floor action. “Now, with just days to go before Christmas — after wasting valuable time ramming through political appointee after political appointee — the majority wants to rush this crucial legislation through without the debate it deserves. They want to push it through the Senate without even giving the minority the ability to offer more than a single amendment. “Just to give you some perspective, 381 amendments were proposed to this bill last year, and we agreed on 142 of them. The year before that, hundreds were again proposed and many were agreed to. “And keep in mind that all of this follows right on the heels of the Democrats’ ‘nuclear’ power grab just a few weeks back. “So this is what’s become of the Senate under the current Democrat majority: rules and traditions of the Senate that have served us well for years are broken or ignored in the interest of a short-term power grab. “And some of the most important legislation that we consider as a body is rushed through at the last minute without a real opportunity for debate or amendment. “Some have suggested that the Senate has become a lot like the House under the current Democrat leadership. From the standpoint of the minority, it’s worse. “Committee chairmen have been cut out of the process. Senators who thought they’d have an opportunity to legislate have been told they’re basically irrelevant. “And evidently so are the rules. “The Senate rules are now just as optional to Washington Democrats as the Obamacare mandates they decide they don’t like. All of which obviously makes a mockery of our institutions and our laws, and all of which suggests that this is a majority that has zero confidence in its own ideas. “This is a majority that can’t allow the minority to have a meaningful say when it comes to nominees…this is a majority that won’t allow members to offer amendments when it counts… “Why? Because of a fear that the minority might actually win the argument and carry the day. “And that’s exactly what we’re seeing with the NDAA. “The Majority Leader won’t allow a robust amendment process because he can’t stomach a vote on Iran sanctions. “He knows the Administration would lose that vote decisively, and he knows that many members of his own caucus would vote alongside Republicans to strengthen those sanctions. “So rather than allow a democratic vote that might embarrass the Administration, the Majority Leader simply won’t permit that vote to happen. “Here’s another consequence: by denying the Senate the ability to legislate, debate and amend the National Defense Authorization Act, the Defense Appropriations Act, and additional Iran sanctions – and by refusing the Senate the ability to vote on the Authorization for the Use of force against Syria – the Majority Leader has abdicated this chamber’s constitutional role in shaping and overseeing national security policy. “Without considering these matters, the Senate has been unable to address the programs, policies, and weapons systems necessary to make the President’s strategic pivot to the Asia-Pacific theater real. Are the programs in place adequate to address China’s aggressive encroachment upon the territorial and navigational rights of other nations in the region? Through defense legislation, have we considered the necessary tradeoffs to fund adequate force structure? Can we execute this pivot and maintain adequate force structure in the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean? “We won’t have that debate. “We have been denied the opportunity to consider additional Iran sanctions. Despite the assertions of the administration that it has worked with the Congress to craft the current sanctions regime, each time sanctions have been enacted during the Obama Administration these bills have basically been forced upon the President. Despite the fact that the administration concedes that sanctions have brought the Iranians to the negotiating table, it is actively working to forestall additional sanctions tied to verification of the interim agreement. The Senate should not be denied a vote concerning Iran – the President retains the power to veto anything we might pass. “What are our policies for preventing the ungoverned portions of Syria from becoming a terrorist safe haven? “Unfortunately, we will not be having that debate this session of Congress. “What is our policy for capturing, interrogating, and detaining terrorists? And if we had a coherent policy, would it survive after we draw down our forces from Afghanistan? “We will not have that debate. “This is not simply a matter of denying the minority a voice in shaping foreign policy, it’s an erosion of the Senate’s responsibility. We have given President Obama a free reign in shaping these matters and our allies in Asia and in the Arab world are now questioning our commitment to remaining forward deployed and combat ready. “Most importantly, though, the courageous men and women who defend us every day shouldn’t have to suffer from these tactics. “Still, despite the egregious abuses we’re seeing here of the legislative process, the underlying bill is an important one. “It contains the authorization needed for key military construction projects on our military bases, for multi-year procurement that’s more efficient – that saves the taxpayers money – and for the combat pay and special pay our troops deserve. “It also extends the prohibition on bringing Guantanamo Bay prisoners into the United States – a provision I and many Americans strongly support. “And it authorizes funding for the next generation of aircraft carriers, something that’s central to the success of the President’s ‘pivot’ to the Asian theater I mentioned earlier. “In short, there are a lot of good things in this bill, even if the process that got us here was unacceptable. “But let me be clear: the bill before us would be markedly improved if Senators were allowed to offer amendments, and more than just a day or two to debate it. “The Democrats who run the Senate really need to think hard about what they’re doing. “This is just about the only regular order legislation we even consider any more – it’s one of the only chances Senators can count on to offer important amendments. “And now, the Senate Democrat majority is even trying to shut that down too. “So in closing, I’d remind my colleagues on the other side that one day they’ll find themselves in the minority again. And they should think long and hard about what they’re doing to this institution. Because the Senate is bigger than any one party or presidential administration.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=fcd8eca9-0d21-4c00-a3fb-3f09ffbbacac,McConnell Shines Light on Kentuckians’ Coal Jobs Concerns,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refused to host a “listening session” in coal country, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell held a pro-coal listening session of his own in Pikeville, Kentucky on December 6th. Yesterday, every comment and testimony from the hearing was delivered to the EPA. Senator McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the powerful testimony and comments he heard from Kentuckians: “I rise today to give voice to the people of eastern Kentucky who are hurting due to this administration’s War on Coal. Recently, I traveled to Pikeville, Kentucky, to hear first-hand from coal miners, their families, those in the energy industry, and others about how their communities are being ravaged by the EPA’s excessive, overly burdensome regulations on coal. “The EPA did not want to listen to these folks, so I did. I held this listening session to put a human face on the suffering that is being felt in Appalachia due in large part to this administration’s War on Coal. I want to share with my colleagues just a little of what I heard. “Behind me is a picture of Howard Abshire. Howard is a former production foreman and a fourth-generation coal miner. Sitting in the audience during his testimony was Howard’s son, Griffin, a fifth-generation coal miner. “Both Howard and Griffin are out of work. Two of the over 5,000 Kentucky jobs lost in the War on Coal were theirs. “Howard is holding up a piece of coal to show us just what’s at stake—coal mining is what the EPA wants to stamp out, but coal is also the powerful substance that powers our homes, provides light and heat, and fuels the commerce of goods and services worldwide. “‘This is coal,’ he said when he held that piece up. ‘This keeps the lights on.’ “Howard is only one of many coal miners laid off for lack of coal mining work. ‘Look in our schools. Look in our nursing homes. Look in our pharmacies. We’re hurting,’ he said. ‘We need help. We don’t want to be bailed out. We want to work.’ “Seated next to Howard is Jimmy Rose, a veteran and former coal miner. Jimmy was perhaps the most famous attendee at the listening session because he brought attention to the War on Coal to a national television audience on ‘America’s Got Talent.’ His song ‘Coal Keeps the Lights On’ spoke directly to the hardship in his community largely caused by the War on Coal. “‘It’s in our heritage, it’s in our blood,’ Jimmy said. Addressing the administration, Jimmy said: ‘Look at what you’re doing, and who you’re affecting…Coal mining is a way of life, just like I say in the song. Don’t kill our way of life. I hope one day I can always say coal kept the lights on.’ “I also heard from Monty Boyd, the owner of Whayne Supply Company and Walker Machinery, a mining and construction equipment distributor that serves Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, and Ohio. The companies employ 1,900 people and operate 25 store locations. “Whayne Supply this year celebrated 100 years of operations. Yet, this is what Monty had to say: ‘At a time when I should be excited about our future, I am full of concern and uncertainty because our future outlook is bleak due to the regulatory ambush on the coal industry by the EPA.’ “He went on to say, ‘Coal in Kentucky is more than just mining. It is the driving force that keeps our energy rates affordable, keeps our manufacturing sector competitive, and is the economic life blood of eastern Kentucky.’ ‘I am disheartened to continually see the federal government and the EPA take such an anti-business stance that destroys an industry that is vital to our regional economy. The federal government appears to be choosing the winners and losers in regard to the energy sector of America.’ “Those are strong words from someone with a good perspective on Kentucky’s coal industry. I also heard from Anita Miller, a manager of safety for Apollo Fuels in Middlesboro. She has worked in the industry for more than 15 years. She had this to say: ‘My son walked earlier than my daughter…every time she would try to stand up, he would either knock her down, or put his hand on her head so she couldn’t stand. This is what is happening to the coal industry.’ “Anita went on to say: ‘Every time we try to stand up for ourselves, someone either knocks or holds us down…You can’t really buy anything or make plans for the future, because you don’t know what the future holds.’ ‘My wish is that the people who are trying so hard to destroy the coal industry would just stop for a minute and think about the hot showers they take, the lights they turn on, and that first hot cup of coffee in the morning, and remember that it came from electricity powered by coal.’ “I couldn’t agree more with what Anita says. It is apparently too easy for EPA bureaucrats in Washington to make decisions that have a huge impact on the people of eastern Kentucky, without thinking of the consequences. And, I might add, without bothering to meet face-to-face with the people they hurt. “The EPA scheduled listening sessions for its new regulations only in cities far away from coal country, both geographically and philosophically—cities including New York, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco. They held 11 listening sessions in all, but the closest one to eastern Kentucky was in Atlanta, requiring Kentuckians to make a 14-hour round trip drive to attend. “Clearly, the EPA did not want real input. “That is why I convened the listening session in Pikeville that resulted in the powerful testimony I’ve shared with my colleagues today. Since the EPA would not come to Kentucky, I’ve brought the voices of Kentuckians to the EPA. “We held three panels, composed of those in the coal industry, miners and their families, and local elected officials to illuminate the disruption in these communities caused in large part by the War on Coal. “Many of my constituents filled out comment cards also, and my office delivered them yesterday to the EPA along with the hearing testimony. “I want to leave my colleagues with the comments of one Kentuckian, Justine Bradford, who is a retired teacher in Pikeville. Here is what she wrote: ‘Dear EPA, will you please tell Santa Claus all we want for Christmas this year is to be able to work. Here in eastern Kentucky, we too are real people. Please help us find a job! Come and work in our shoes.’ “The people of eastern Kentucky believe in coal, and with good reason. The abundance of coal in America, and in Kentucky in particular, is a God-given resource. For decades it has powered our factories, transported our goods, and warmed our homes. “Yes, the blessings of coal come with the responsibility to use it in an environmentally friendly way. But they also come with the responsibility to see that hard-working Kentuckians who rely on coal for an honest day’s work and steady pay are given every chance to earn that. “And they come with the right for all Americans to take full advantage of this God-given domestic resource to produce clean, cheap, and safe energy. “These things have been true for many decades. There’s no reason they shouldn’t still hold true now. “Eastern Kentucky must look for some economic opportunities beyond coal. I support that, and I know the people of the region can accomplish great things. It’s vital that we consider eastern Kentucky’s future. “But let me make this point: It is equally vital that we not give up on eastern Kentucky’s present. And coal is the key to the present in eastern Kentucky. “So the EPA has the testimony I heard in Pikeville, whether they want it or not. Eastern Kentucky is going to continue to push back in this War on Coal. “This war isn’t over yet, not by a long shot. This president will be gone in three years, and the coal will still be in the ground. “The people of the region are resilient, and they will keep fighting. So I’m very hopeful for a positive outlook in eastern Kentucky and the Appalachian region. And I will defend them in every way that I can.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=6518f553-f0e8-48f3-8f25-8a618663e4f5,McConnell Statement on Ryan-Murray Budget Plan,2013-12-17,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement regarding the Ryan-Murray budget plan: “While I appreciate the challenges that House and Senate negotiators faced in crafting the budgetary guidelines, I cannot support the legislation they have agreed to. The Budget Control Act (BCA) was designed to cut spending in the short and long term, and I remain convinced that Congress should continue to adhere to the fiscal restraints it set. For the first time since the Korean War, government spending has declined for two years in a row as a result of the BCA. This was hard-won progress on the road to getting our nation’s fiscal house in order. We should not go back on that commitment.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=8dbd128c-4c1f-43c8-b6e0-80df824715f1,McConnell to Democrats: Help Stop The Painful Impact of Obamacare,2013-12-17,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor calling on Washington Democrats to work with Republicans on commonsense health care reform: “Earlier this morning, the Senate voted to advance the Ryan-Murray Budget Agreement that passed the House last week. The legislation's been a topic of much discussion over the past several days and there are sincere     arguments on both sides. While I appreciate the challenges that House and Senate negotiators faced in crafting these budgetary guidelines, I voted against this legislation because, in my view, congress should continue to adhere to the fiscal restraints that both parties agreed to under the Budget Control Act. “I was the principal Republican negotiator of that agreement. I've been particularly invested in its success and was very proud of it. As a result of the Budget Control Act, government spending has declined for two years, two years in a row, for the first time since the Korean War. This was hard-won progress on the road to getting our nation's fiscal house in order. “As I said, I fully appreciate the constraints that Chairman Ryan and Chairman Murray faced in their negotiations and there are clearly some good things to be said about their agreement. But in my view, we should not go back on the commitment we made under the B.C.A. “Nonetheless, this has been a very important public debate. “Unfortunately, our colleagues on the other side do not seem terribly interested in this or other substantive issues this week – least  of all Obamacare, which has been wreaking havoc on our constituents for months now but which Democrats seem entirely uninterested in discussing. “Instead, for much of this week, the Democrat-run Senate has decided to devote its attention to pushing through nominations — to spending time seating political appointees at places like the Department of Interior. Positions that, while they might be important, are not emergencies that need to be attended to right this second. “Meanwhile, out in the real world, millions of Americans will continue to suffer under a law they told Washington not to pass in the first place, a law that Washington Democrats still stubbornly refuse to change in any meaningful way. “Our colleagues on the other side seem to think they have no responsibility to do anything about the impact of Obamacare since the White House issued a press release declaring partial victory in fixing the website. “That’s their whole approach to this rolling disaster: let the White House dodge and deflect on any problem that arises until people forget about the last one. Point the finger at some bureaucrat or some web technician, and basically do nothing. “We’re now nearly three months into this national calamity, and what have Democrats done about it? Well, they’ve issued a lot of talking points and some half-hearted apologies. They’ve mouthed nostrums about ‘private sector velocity.’ They’ve waived laws for fear of the political impact of leaving them in place. And there’s been hardly any accountability for the massive consequences faced by American consumers as a result of this failed law. In other words, they haven’t done much of anything. They’ve treated this whole thing as a public relations problem to get past rather than a real-life problem for middle-class Americans to be solved. They’re engaged in daily battle aimed at one overriding goal: to protect this law. “And yet, nearly every day we hear more about its painful impact. “Since the October rollout, millions of Americans have lost their insurance plans. “More than 280,000 have lost coverage in Kentucky alone. And so many are feeling the squeeze of this law. “Folks like Lana Lynch – a mom from Brandenburg, Kentucky who told me the annual out-of-pocket expenses for her family rose from $1,500 to $7,000 under Obamacare. “And folks like Barrett Simpson from Sweeden, Kentucky. Barrett had a health plan he liked and wanted to keep – a $540 a month policy that was, in his words, ‘perfect’ for his family. The folks responsible for Obamacare apparently thought they knew better than he did about the needs of his family, so he lost it. Here’s what he had to say about that: ‘[My] plan is being eliminated because of the ACA, and the cheapest, closest similar plan will cost [u]s $1,400 next year. We can keep the plan until end of next year, but we will have to pick a new one. We don't need the extra coverage for maternity, vision or dental but yet we will be forced to pay for it.’ “And he continued: ‘These changes are absurd. Most people in this country who were content with what they had are now paying for what Obama is trying to do for a very few.’ “Barrett closed his letter by asking me to work to repeal Obamacare. “Well, Barrett and Lana should know this – in fact, every Kentuckian should know this…every American should know this: The members on my side of the aisle hear you. Loud and clear. We aren’t going to give up this fight. “No matter how much the other side tries to distract the country’s attention. “We won’t be fooled. And we know you won’t be either. “Look: the folks each of us were sent here to represent – not the government – should be the ones choosing plans that make the most sense for their families. And when our colleagues on the other side go around referring to insurance being lost as ‘junk’ that’s just beyond offensive to the people we represent. “There’s a lot of ivory tower thinking that goes on in this city. Way too much of it. “And it’s time for our Washington Democrat friends to finally climb out of the ivory tower and see the reality of their ideas in action – to witness the failure of their policies first hand. “It’s time for Washington Democrats to drop their refusal to change anything of real substance in Obamacare and it’s time for them to listen closely to the people who sent us here in the first place. “And here’s what so many Americans are saying: that they want Democrats to start working with Republicans to improve our nation’s health care system in a positive way – to help us implement real, patient-centered, common-sense reforms that can actually lower costs and improve the quality of care. “Because we were sent here to solve problems, not to make them worse as Obamacare does. “So let’s erase that mistake and start over with real reform. Working together, we can do it.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barr-joins-members-of-the-kentucky-delegation-in-filing-amicus-brief-at,Barr Joins Members of the Kentucky Delegation in Filing Amicus Brief at U.S. Supreme Court to Support Kentucky Coal Jobs,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced today that he filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court to support Kentucky’s coal miners, their families, small businesses and all those negatively affected by the Administration’s War on Coal. Senator McConnell’s amicus brief was joined by Senator Rand Paul and Congressmen Hal Rogers, Ed Whitfield, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie and Andy Barr of Kentucky. Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, also joined the brief.  The amicus brief was filed in a sequel case (Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency) to the Supreme Court’s 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency that the EPA may regulate greenhouse gases as hazardous pollutants under the Clean Air Act – which resulted in the EPA’s 2010 first-ever permitting requirements for motor vehicles, known as the “Tailpipe Rule.” The EPA has since used the Tailpipe Rule to trigger regulations on coal-fired power plants and other stationary sources. Senator McConnell (R-KY) said: “The President and the EPA have been misusing the 2007 ruling and subsequent regulations on automobiles to overregulate new and existing coal-fired power plants out of business, thus escalating their war on coal and Kentucky jobs. I am filing this amicus brief with the Supreme Court today because I believe the Obama Administration is usurping the lawmaking power. The EPA should not have used the Tailpipe Rule to further regulate coal-fired power plants. This is just another EPA power grab in their ongoing crusade to shut down our nation’s coal mines, and it must be stopped.” Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) said: “This case is an egregious example of the EPA’s violation of the law in pursuit of its overzealous, anti-coal agenda. The ability to create laws is the purview of Congress and the EPA has clearly overstepped its authority. In doing so, accountability has been thrown out the window and Kentucky families are left with nothing but frustration and the likelihood of even higher energy costs and more job losses.” Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-05) said: ""The EPA's power-grabbing schemes are unbelievable, and unconstitutional. This federal agency wants to bend the rules to suit its own agenda by undermining the authority of Congress. Time and again, the courts have struck down the overreaching arm of the EPA, and I hope that our highest court will see through the agency's efforts to impose one-size-fits-all regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. No region has realized the cost of the EPA's job-killing regulations more than the Central Appalachian coalfields, where power plants and mines are shutting down, and thousands of coal miners are losing their jobs every year. "" Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) said: “President Obama and his EPA have once again moved forward with an extreme regulation that makes it illegal to build a coal-fired electricity plant in America.  This move is another attempt to bankrupt the coal industry to fulfill a campaign promise to radical environmentalists. As Chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, I look forward to working with Senator McConnell as well as other Republicans and Democrats in the United States Congress to take any action possible to prevent this regulation from taking effect.  We simply cannot afford to place America at an economic disadvantage, particularly when CO2 energy-related emissions are at their lowest levels in 20 years.” Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) said: “A June 2013 report from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet indicated that 92 percent of Kentuckians get their energy from coal-fired power plants. With more than 14,000 Kentuckians employed in the industry, coal quite literally keeps the lights on. Coal should remain a part of our all-of-the-above energy policy, and we must do all that we can to protect these jobs and increase our access to affordable energy. The future of the Commonwealth depends on it.” Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-04) said: ""The EPA acted unconstitutionally by re-writing a statute passed by Congress. The Constitution reserves lawmaking authority for the legislative branch, not unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch. This is another example of the Administration’s repeated attempts to undermine the voice of the American people and force their anti-coal, anti-jobs agenda upon the Commonwealth of Kentucky."" Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) said: “This case is an important opportunity for the Supreme Court to make clear that the EPA’s legislation by regulation aimed at killing the coal industry and stifling our economic recovery is unconstitutional. For the EPA to amend or misinterpret unambiguous provisions of the Clean Air Act to advance its War on Coal is not acceptable and it intrudes on Congress’s lawmaking authority as reserved by the Constitution. Just because the votes for the President’s environmental agenda don’t exist in either the House or the Senate, doesn’t change the fact that the EPA’s overreach is unlawful.”   Background: An amicus brief is a brief filed in a court by someone who is not a party in the case.  Such briefs may supplement the legal arguments made by the parties and can aid the court by bringing to its attention aspects of the case not covered by the parties, such as the impact of the issues in the case on  third parties.    ####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1057,Senator McConnell Leads Kentucky Delegation in Filing Amicus Brief at U.S. Supreme Court to Support Kentucky Coal Jobs,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1058,Sen. Paul Applauds the Protection of Fourth Amendment Rights,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=679e9e1f-3a3c-45f6-8fae-68525f467d62,"McConnell: Kentuckians Upset about Higher Costs, Fewer Options under Obamacare",2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the consequences of Obamacare on consumers: “A few weeks ago, the Obama Administration declared that it had met its goals for fixing the Obamacare website. “And with the web site fixed, they led us to assume that Obamacare was ‘fixed’ as well. “But that was never true. As I’ve been saying all along, the problems here are much bigger than a website. “And even the administration’s claims about the Web site have been greatly exaggerated. “Recent news reports suggest that many Americans who thought they’d enrolled on the exchanges will find out that they do not, in fact, have coverage on January 1st, largely as a result of lingering problems with the site. “But an even bigger problem lies with the coverage options folks are finding if they actually make it through the website. “For the folks patient enough to successfully navigate through Healthcare.gov, many are finding that Obamacare offers higher premiums, costs, or deductibles – sometimes all three – in exchange for coverage that’s in many cases inferior to what they had before. “Fewer choices, restricted hospital networks, losing doctors our constituents know and trust.  “That’s what many are getting in exchange for higher costs and skyrocketing premiums, even after the President promised that reform would ‘cut costs and make coverage more affordable for families and small businesses.’ “Despite the President’s serial pledges to the contrary, the government’s own studies on this issue now indicate that Obamacare will actually increase the cost of health care in America by more than $620 billion. “As one California woman recently put it, Obamacare feels like being ‘forced into a lower coverage plan, for more money.’ “Many Kentuckians feel the same way. “Giselle Martino is a constituent of mine from Prospect, Kentucky. “Here’s what she recently wrote to me after losing her coverage: ‘I paid a very high premium to have a major medical plan. I am now forced into the exchange for a lesser plan with more exclusions and higher deductibles. I will most likely never reach those deductibles. How does this help me? I'm basically paying into the plan for the others. If I must pay for my higher tier heart drugs anyway, why should I bother with the health plan? What a disappointment this administration has caused.’ “Higher costs and less care: that’s what Obamacare means for Giselle Martino. “Obamacare’s been a disappointment for Mike Conn from Prestonsburg too. “Here’s what he had to say about this law: ‘A policy that has similar coverage to what we had would cost us around $1100 a month. [That] is a 100% increase for me and my wife. I was informed by the individual that was helping me find coverage that it was because we live in eastern Kentucky.’ “Mike says his plan is no longer available in that part of the state. And now he’s evidently facing a 100% increase in cost because of where he lives. “It’s not fair. Mike and Giselle both have every right to be upset. “But that’s the reality of Obamacare for too many Kentuckians – a state where 280,000 have already lost the coverage they had because of this law. It’s a reality facing millions of Americans across the country. And when the White House was asked today if they were confident that those millions of Americans with cancelled policies would be able to sign up for new insurance before January 1st, they couldn’t give a straight answer. “And that’s why Republicans are going to maintain our focus where it belongs – on the people we represent on the issues that truly matter to them. Because our constituents understand that Obamacare is about so much more than a website. “The Administration needs to start understanding that too. “Fixing a few lines of code isn’t going to help people keep the plans they like – plans that work for their families. “It isn’t going to help our constituents afford the law’s exorbitant premiums and deductibles. “It isn’t going to help our constituents cope with fewer choices and lower quality of care. “These are the things that actually matter to the middle class. “So the Administration and its allies in Congress can talk until they’re hoarse about a website, or about nominees, or about whatever else they think they can say to distract Americans from the failures of this law. “But it isn’t going to work. “And to the millions of Americans suffering under Obamacare, you should know that Republicans are on your side. “We’re going to keep fighting for true health reform that lowers costs, for reform that promotes choice and a better quality of care. And we’re going to keep fighting against the idea that government knows better than you do when it comes to your family’s health care. That’s what our constituents expect of us. I know it’s what Kentuckians expect. “And that’s just what Republicans are going to continue to do.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=cca123f4-9b79-45b1-b86d-b3c98473cc45,Senator McConnell Leads Kentucky Delegation in Filing Amicus Brief at U.S. Supreme Court to Support Kentucky Coal Jobs,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced today that he filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court to support Kentucky’s coal miners, their families, small businesses and all those negatively affected by the Administration’s War on Coal. Senator McConnell’s amicus brief was joined by Senator Rand Paul and Congressmen Hal Rogers, Ed Whitfield, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie and Andy Barr of Kentucky. Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, also joined the brief. The amicus brief was filed in a sequel case (Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency) to the Supreme Court’s 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency that the EPA may regulate greenhouse gases as hazardous pollutants under the Clean Air Act – which resulted in the EPA’s 2010 first-ever permitting requirements for motor vehicles, known as the “Tailpipe Rule.” The EPA has since used the Tailpipe Rule to trigger regulations on coal-fired power plants and other stationary sources. Senator McConnell (R-KY) said: “The President and the EPA have been misusing the 2007 ruling and subsequent regulations on automobiles to overregulate new and existing coal-fired power plants out of business, thus escalating their war on coal and Kentucky jobs. I am filing this amicus brief with the Supreme Court today because I believe the Obama Administration is usurping the lawmaking power. The EPA should not have used the Tailpipe Rule to further regulate coal-fired power plants. This is just another EPA power grab in their ongoing crusade to shut down our nation’s coal mines, and it must be stopped.” Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) said: “This case is an egregious example of the EPA’s violation of the law in pursuit of its overzealous, anti-coal agenda. The ability to create laws is the purview of Congress and the EPA has clearly overstepped its authority. In doing so, accountability has been thrown out the window and Kentucky families are left with nothing but frustration and the likelihood of even higher energy costs and more job losses.” Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-05) said: ""The EPA's power-grabbing schemes are unbelievable, and unconstitutional. This federal agency wants to bend the rules to suit its own agenda by undermining the authority of Congress. Time and again, the courts have struck down the overreaching arm of the EPA, and I hope that our highest court will see through the agency's efforts to impose one-size-fits-all regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. No region has realized the cost of the EPA's job-killing regulations more than the Central Appalachian coalfields, where power plants and mines are shutting down, and thousands of coal miners are losing their jobs every year. "" Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) said: “President Obama and his EPA have once again moved forward with an extreme regulation that makes it illegal to build a coal-fired electricity plant in America.  This move is another attempt to bankrupt the coal industry to fulfill a campaign promise to radical environmentalists. As Chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, I look forward to working with Senator McConnell as well as other Republicans and Democrats in the United States Congress to take any action possible to prevent this regulation from taking effect.  We simply cannot afford to place America at an economic disadvantage, particularly when CO2 energy-related emissions are at their lowest levels in 20 years.” Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) said: “A June 2013 report from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet indicated that 92 percent of Kentuckians get their energy from coal-fired power plants. With more than 14,000 Kentuckians employed in the industry, coal quite literally keeps the lights on. Coal should remain a part of our all-of-the-above energy policy, and we must do all that we can to protect these jobs and increase our access to affordable energy. The future of the Commonwealth depends on it.” Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-04) said: ""The EPA acted unconstitutionally by re-writing a statute passed by Congress. The Constitution reserves lawmaking authority for the legislative branch, not unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch. This is another example of the Administration’s repeated attempts to undermine the voice of the American people and force their anti-coal, anti-jobs agenda upon the Commonwealth of Kentucky."" Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) said: “This case is an important opportunity for the Supreme Court to make clear that the EPA’s legislation by regulation aimed at killing the coal industry and stifling our economic recovery is unconstitutional. For the EPA to amend or misinterpret unambiguous provisions of the Clean Air Act to advance its War on Coal is not acceptable and it intrudes on Congress’s lawmaking authority as reserved by the Constitution. Just because the votes for the President’s environmental agenda don’t exist in either the House nor the Senate, doesn’t change the fact that the EPA’s overreach is unlawful.” Background: An amicus brief is a brief filed in a court by someone who is not a party in the case.  Such briefs may supplement the legal arguments made by the parties and can aid the court by bringing to its attention aspects of the case not covered by the parties, such as the impact of the issues in the case on  third parties.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/statement-on-reducing-gun-violence/,Statement on Reducing Gun Violence,2013-12-14,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the massacre in Newtown, Conn. A gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. In the year since a gunman murdered 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, more than 190 children in the United States have lost their lives to guns. Families in our community and across the country have suffered unimaginable grief and loss as a result of gun violence. Rightly, millions of Americans have demanded that something be done to reverse the dramatic increases in gun violence in our schools, public spaces, and homes. But by and large, the response of our elected officials particularly Congress has been a failure. While most states have enacted new laws pertaining to guns during the past year, nearly two-thirds of them loosen measures designed to increase gun safety. Instead of responding to gun violence with rational, commonsense measures that address its numerous causes, far too many of our leaders have responded out of fear of an influential gun lobby and the vast networks of misinformation it promotes. Reducing gun violence requires a commitment to understanding and compassion, as well as the will to act. The losses we have endured from gun violence will remain forever, but the way we respond to them can change today.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barr-statement-on-bipartisan-budget-act-of-2013,Barr Statement on Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013,2013-12-13,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – Congressman Andy Barr released the following statement regarding his support for the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 332-94: “The agreement approved by the House of Representatives today honors the principles I pledged to support when I came to Washington: It reduces the deficit and reforms unsustainable spending programs without raising taxes. “Unlike the deal to raise the debt ceiling in October, which was produced in the absence any meaningful bipartisan cooperation and without any substantive fiscal reforms, today’s agreement was produced through a real and deliberative process that will result in modest reforms representing an important step in the right direction. “This agreement sets the very important precedent of trading short-term, temporary sequester relief for long-term, permanent reform of mandatory spending, which is the true driver of our long term debt.  Perhaps most importantly, this agreement does not ask more of hardworking taxpayers and removes the threat of another government shutdown.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=news&id=1055,Breitbart Op-Ed: Budget Surrender is a Step Backwards,2013-12-13,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140220235621/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=video&id=1056,"Sen. Rand Paul Appears on CBS This Morning - December 12, 2013",2013-12-13,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sen. Rand Paul Appears on CBS This Morning - December 12, 2013 Dec 13, 2013 20Feb 14 20Feb 14 19Feb 14 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 10Feb 14 4Feb 14 30Jan 14",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1384,Guthrie Supports Bipartisan Budget Agreement That Reduces Deficit,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressman Brett Guthrie today issued the following statement after voting in support of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2013: “Passing a budget is the basic job of Congress, and something that is long overdue after the past few years of partisan bickering and governing by crisis.  Today, Congress voted to reduce the deficit without raising taxes on Kentucky families. I continue to hear from people who are tired of Congress lurching from one flashpoint to the next, failing to work together to improve America’s economy. I know I am tired of it, and today’s vote moves us toward that objective. “We have divided government and that usually means not everyone gets everything they want, and that’s true today. I want further reductions in spending and meaningful entitlement and tax reform. This deal reduces the deficit, holds the line against tax increases, and protects against the repeated brinkmanship with which we have become all too familiar.  I commend Chairman Ryan for his leadership on this effort and look forward to tackling more of our nation’s pressing issues in the coming months.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1385,Guthrie's Urotrauma Bill Included in NDAA Reauthorization,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, the House passed the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included a provision from legislation introduced by Congressman Brett Guthrie. Congressman Guthrie introduced H.R. 984, legislation “to direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a task force on urotrauma” in March 2013. The House Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing on H.R. 984 in May and the bill was the basis for language included in the House NDAA bill in June 2013. Urotrauma includes injuries to the kidneys, reproductive organs, and urinary organs.  These injuries are now among the most common and debilitating kinds suffered by our troops as a result of IED blasts. “Urotrauma has quickly become a signature wound of IEDs and currently accounts for one-eighth of all injuries suffered by our troops in Afghanistan,” said Congressman Guthrie when he first introduced his legislation. This provision of the NDAA reauthorization will require the Department of Defense (DoD) to work with the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop and implement a comprehensive policy on improvements to the care, management, and transition of recovering members of the Armed Forces with urotrauma. At a minimum, the required improvements to care will include establishing eligibility for the Recovery Care Coordinator Program, returning soldiers to active duty when appropriate, and streamlining the transition process from DoD to VA care for service members who suffer urotrauma injuries. DoD and VA will file a report to update Congress on their progress within one year of implementation. An original cosponsor of the urotrauma amendment in the U.S. Senate, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell worked to ensure Congressman Guthrie’s language was included in the bill. “I applaud Congressman Guthrie for leading on this issue and his work to improve care for our service members and veterans that have experienced urotrauma,” said Senator McConnell. “I’m grateful for the support of Senator McConnell in moving this legislation toward passage. We owe so much to our service members and I will continue working to ensure they have the best resources for combating these debilitating injuries,” added Congressman Guthrie. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221000506/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=video&id=1054,"SENATE FLOOR: Sen. Paul Speaks Out Against Nuclear Option- December 12, 2013",2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact SENATE FLOOR: Sen. Paul Speaks Out Against Nuclear Option- December 12, 2013 Dec 12, 2013 20Feb 14 20Feb 14 19Feb 14 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 10Feb 14 4Feb 14 30Jan 14",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221001246/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1053,Sen. Paul Speaks Out Against Nuclear Option,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sen. Paul Speaks Out Against Nuclear Option WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul took to the Senate floor today to oppose Senate Democrats' use of the so-called nuclear option, stating that ""The death of the filibuster is death of dialogue."" A video of the floor speech can be found below. CLICK HERE TO WATCH TO SEN. PAUL'S FLOOR SPEECH  ###   20Feb 14 20Feb 14 19Feb 14 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 10Feb 14 4Feb 14 30Jan 14",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919154116/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-statement-passage-bipartisan-budget-act-2013,Whitfield Statement on Passage of Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, today released the following statement regarding his vote to pass the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which will set spending limits for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015. “The first district of Kentucky consists of many important initiatives that rely on federal dollars such as legacy clean-up costs at the Paducah Department of Energy site, our soldiers at Fort Campbell, those who rely on our community health centers, and many others.  These entities cannot adequately fulfill their duties to the people of Kentucky when we are continually relying on short-term budget extensions.  This is why I voted for a budget framework that creates fiscal stability over the next two years.  “While this framework produces modest savings overtime, we must do more to address the deficit and challenges presented by mandatory spending programs.  It is now up to Congress to pass the actual appropriations bills that prioritize the spending within the framework and fund the programs important to the people of Kentucky. “I still believe it is important that we reform our budget process to create consistent long-term stability.  One way we could improve the process is to go to a two year budget cycle where one year could be devoted to the budget itself, and the second year would be an evaluation and oversight of all government spending to determine that which is effective and that which is a waste or abuse of taxpayer dollars.” The Bipartisan Budget Act framework envisions reducing the deficit by between $20 and $23 billion.  For more information on the bipartisan budget agreement, please visit the House Budget Committee website here.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=e7da14df-5389-4dcb-8256-f9ca6f62c011,Latest Obamacare Delay Is Another Example of Law’s Many Difficulties for Consumers,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement regarding the Obama administration’s decision to extend enrollment for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan: “Despite the administration’s promises that Obamacare enrollment is on track, this announcement is a clear admission that Obamacare is failing Americans with pre-existing conditions who are losing the plans they already had. Millions of people were tossed off of the plans they already had but only a fraction of that number have been able to sign up on the Obamacare exchanges. How many extensions and waivers is it going to take for the administration to admit the consequences of Obamacare that are hitting millions of Americans they promised it would help?’",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/rep-yarmuth-honors-state-champion-desales-colts-on-house-floor/,Rep. Yarmuth Honors State Champion DeSales Colts on House Floor,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON In a speech on the House Floor this afternoon, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) congratulated the DeSales Colts on their victory in Saturday's Class 2A High School Football Championship game. The full text of the speech is below. Click on the image to view the video. Mr. Speaker, last weekend in Louisville, the world-famous Twin Spires of Churchill Downs glowed orange in support of something the hallowed track knows well: a champion. The DeSales High School Colts of Louisville's South End entered the state championship on a streak of dominance, posting six shutouts and holding opponents to just 9.4 points per game. When they lined up against Newport Central Catholic to play for the title on Saturday, the DeSales defense hadn't allowed a point in two weeks. Fueled by three touchdowns from all-time leading rusher Dylan Byrd, two passing scores from quarterback Nathan Roush, and a defense anchored by middle linebacker Matt Bouchard, the Colts overcame a tough opponent 34-26, taking state for the first time in school history. The title caps a remarkable 14-1 season for the Colts, who became only the second South End team ever to win state. For DeSales head coach Harold Davis, the title run offered a nice symmetry: Davis was a senior safety on the 1981 DeSales team, one of only two others in school history to play in the finals. The debate over the best Colts team in school history will continue back home, but there's no question this year's team now stands at the top. They might have been outsized through much of the playoffs, but they were never outmatched or outplayed. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to join all of Louisville in honoring the DeSales Colts, Kentucky's 2013 Class 2A High School Football Champions. Go Colts!",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/statement-on-bipartisan-budget-deal/,Statement on Bipartisan Budget Deal,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) issued the following statement on H.J. Res. 59, the Bipartisan Budget Act. The House approved the two-year agreement in a 332-94 vote this afternoon, with Yarmuth voting in favor. This bipartisan budget compromise is far from perfect, but it will resolve another immediate threat of shutdown and lessen the impact of radical cuts to education, medical research, and other key federal investments that strengthen Louisville families and bolster our economy. Congress needs to move beyond legislation by self-imposed crisis, and this is a start.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/dont-let-obamacare-extinguish-volunteer-firefighters,Barr: Don’t Let Obamacare Extinguish Volunteer Firefighters,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - After hearing from folks across the Sixth District about their concerns and sending a letter to IRS Acting Commissioner Werfel seeking clarification about how Obamacare treats volunteer firefighters under the employer mandate, yesterday Congressman Andy Barr helped introduce H.R. 3685, the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act. “Unfortunately, the more we learn about Obamacare, the more disappointing it becomes,” said Congressman Barr.  “I am disappointed that President Obama’s healthcare law is not only wreaking havoc on American families, small businesses and our economy, but now could be endangering our communities that rely on emergency response services provided by volunteer firefighters and EMTs.” Barr is an original cosponsor of this legislation authored by Congressman Lou Barletta (PA), which would simply ensure that emergency services volunteers are not counted as full-time employees under the employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act. Emergency services volunteers would include: volunteer firefighters and volunteers providing emergency medical services. Barr continued, “Forcing volunteer fire companies to comply with the employer mandate will potentially lead to the closure of firehouses and layoff of volunteer firefighters as the fire companies try to avoid classification as a large employer. And considering that over 90 percent of fire departments in Kentucky are either fully or mostly volunteer, we must do everything we can to ensure that our brave and selfless volunteer firefighters do not become the next victim of Obamacare’s costly mandates. The legislation is supported by the National Volunteer Fire Council and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.  “It is critically important that fire and EMS agencies not be forced to offer health insurance to volunteer personnel,” said Philip C. Stittleburg, Chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council.  “Agencies don’t have the resources to provide health benefits to their volunteers and individual volunteers have no expectation of receiving such benefits from the agencies they serve.  On behalf of the National Volunteer Fire Council I’d like to thank Congressman Barletta and all of the original co-sponsors for introducing this legislation to clarify that volunteers will not be treated as employees under the health care reform law.” “The IAFC strongly supports Rep. Barletta’s bill to clarify the status of volunteer firefighters under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” said Chief William Metcalf, President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.  “This is a bipartisan issue which could have serious impacts on staffing at fire departments across the United States. The IAFC looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to help ensure fire departments of all types are able to continue saving lives and serving their communities.” Click here for Congressman Barr’s letter to IRS Acting Commissioner Werfel seeking clarification about how the Affordable Care Act treats these volunteer firefighters under the employer mandate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1383,Guthrie's Spectrum Bill Passes through Committee,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– A bill introduced by Congressman Brett Guthrie was marked up and passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee today. “This bill would encourage additional spectrum, a necessary component for the advancement of American innovation, to be made available for commercial use,” said Congressman Guthrie. “It is encouraging to see a focus placed on this legislation and the underlying spectrum shortage.” H.R. 3674, the “Federal Spectrum Incentive Act” would provide financial incentives to encourage government agencies to relocate from their existing spectrum bands in order to free up additional spectrum for commercial and innovation purposes.  Agencies could use these funds to accommodate relocation costs or to offset sequestration cuts. Congressman Guthrie introduced H.R. 3674 on December 9, 2013, with bipartisan support. Congressman Guthrie and Congresswoman Doris Matsui, co-chairs of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Federal Spectrum Working Group, previously introduced H.R. 2739, the “Efficient Use of Government Spectrum Act” on July 18, 2013, which sought to reallocate and auction the 1755-1780 MHz spectrum block. Addressing the nation’s spectrum shortage is also a key tenet of Congressman Guthrie’s REBUILD Act, H.R. 3355. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131215195224/http://www.paul.senate.gov:80/?p=press_release&id=1052,Sen. Paul Opposes Budget Deal,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sen. Paul Opposes Budget Deal WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul today issued the following statement opposing the Ryan- Murray Budget Deal: ""There is a recurring theme in Washington budget negotiations. It's I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.[i]  I think it's a huge mistake to trade sequester cuts now, for the promise of cuts later,"" Sen. Paul said. ""The small sequester spending cuts were not nearly enough to address our deficit problem. Undoing tens of billions of this modest spending restraint is shameful and must be opposed. I cannot support a budget that raises taxes and never balances, nor can I support a deal that does nothing to reduce our nation's $17.3 trillion debt.""   ###   [i] E.C. Segar. Popeye, J. Wellington Wimpy: The Yale book of quotations           13Dec 13 12Dec 13 11Dec 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 13Dec 13 12Dec 13 9Dec 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919154143/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-chastises-health-secretary-botched-obamacare-rollout,Whitfield Chastises Health Secretary On Botched Obamacare Rollout,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"View comments here. WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chastised Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during questioning at today’s Health Subcommittee hearing entitled “PPACA Implementation Failures: What’s Next?”  The hearing focused on problems with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  “Our very first concern is with the people we represent,” stated Whitfield during his questioning.  “Some people said we are simply trying to put up obstacles to the successful implementation of this Act, and I can tell you that we are here because our constituents are genuinely concerned and upset about what is going on.” Since the October 1 start of open enrollment, major media outlets have described the launch of PPACA’s exchange program as “plagued by problems” and “nothing short of disastrous.”  The launch of the exchanges has been fraught with significant problems that are leading to major delays for Americans attempting to shop for health coverage. “The President said that everyone’s premiums would decrease, the President said people would be able to keep their plan, and the President said people would be able to keep their doctor.  It is turning out that is simply not the case and so there is a lot of frustration and we are upset about it,” concluded Whitfield. For more information on today’s hearing, please visit the Energy and Commerce Committee website. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1051,Sen. Paul?s Statement on the Legacy of South African President Nelson Mandela,2013-12-10,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barr-statement-on-soar-summit,Barr Statement on SOAR Summit,2013-12-09,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Andy Barr released the following statement regarding today's Shaping Our Appalachian Future (SOAR) Summit: ""I applaud Congressman Hal Rogers and Governor Steve Beshear for spearheading this initiative. The response today demonstrates the overwhelming interest in finding new opportunities to build community and economic success in the Appalachian region. The breakout committees have come up with many great ideas, and our challenge is to sustain and build upon this activity. Moving forward, I will continue today's conversation in the Eastern counties in the Sixth District, and continue this initiative's efforts to bring people together to drive regional success."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1382,Guthrie Introduces Legislation to Auction off Federal Spectrum,2013-12-09,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressman Brett Guthrie today introduced H.R. 3674, the “Federal Spectrum Incentive Act of 2013,” a bipartisan bill to encourage additional spectrum to be freed up for auction.  Reps. Guthrie and Doris Matsui (D-CA) were joined by Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-CA), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA). “Spectrum is essential to the development and growth of businesses in our country,” said Congressman Guthrie. “The efficient use of our limited spectrum resources is critical for continued innovation in the ever-changing technological world.” H.R. 3674 would provide financial incentives to encourage government agencies to relocate from their existing spectrum in order to free up additional spectrum for commercial and innovation purposes.  Agencies could use these funds to accommodate relocation costs or to offset sequestration cuts. “The Federal Spectrum Incentive Act would advance some of the goals of the REBUILD Act I introduced in October. In order to boost American competitiveness, we need to give manufacturers and other key industries the spectrum they need to innovate,” added Congressman Guthrie. Representatives Guthrie and Matsui, co-chairs of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Spectrum Working Group, previously introduced H.R. 2739, the “Efficient Use of Government Spectrum Act.” The bipartisan bill would reallocate and auction the 1755-1780 MHz spectrum block. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1049,"Sen. Rand Paul Appears on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace - December 8, 2013",2013-12-09,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1050,"Sen. Rand Paul Appears on Cashin' In with Eric Bolling on Fox News - December 7, 2013",2013-12-09,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-on-the-72nd-anniversary-of-the-attack-on-pearl-harbor,Statement on the 72nd Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor,2013-12-07,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"LEXINGTON — Congressman Andy Barr released the following statement commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941: “Today, we remember and honor the thousands of Americans who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Though it has been 72 years since the attack, we have not forgotten the effect it had on our country nor the service of the ‘Greatest Generation’ who answered the call of duty and fought to preserve the freedoms we have today. “As we remember those who gave their lives on this day 72 years ago, Carol and I send our thoughts and prayers to all members of our Armed Forces and their loved ones.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131209210200/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1048,Sen. Paul Proposes Billion Dollar Free Market Stimulus Plan for Detroit,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sen. Paul Proposes Billion Dollar Free Market Stimulus Plan for Detroit WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul today presented a plan to the Detroit Economic Club that provides depressed or bankrupt areas with new economic opportunities. The Economic Freedom Zone Act of 2013 removes the shackles of Big Government by reducing taxes, government regulations and burdensome union work requirements. These zones will apply to any zip code with unemployment greater than one and a half times the national average. Economic Freedom Zones will dramatically reduce taxes and red tape so that families and businesses in Detroit and cities like it can grow and thrive. The answer to poverty and unemployment is not another government bailout; it is simply leaving more money in the hands of those who earned it. The Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2013 will do just that.   CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL DISCUSS THE ECONOMIC FREEDOM ZONE ACT OF 2013     ###   6Dec 13 3Dec 13 20Nov 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 9Dec 13 9Dec 13 6Dec 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221000522/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=video&id=1047,"Sen. Rand Paul Speaks at Detroit Economic Club- December 6, 2013",2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sen. Rand Paul Speaks at Detroit Economic Club- December 6, 2013 Dec 6, 2013 20Feb 14 20Feb 14 19Feb 14 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 10Feb 14 4Feb 14 30Jan 14",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=4f4b1c20-56e9-42ce-87c7-bf01e95bd387,Senator McConnell Holds Pro-Coal Hearing in Coal Country,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Since the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) refused to host a “listening session” in coal country, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell held a pro-coal listening session of his own today in Eastern Kentucky at the University of Pikeville. Attending the session in Pikeville, Kentucky were eastern Kentucky community leaders, small business owners and coal mining families negatively affected by the President’s War on Coal. During the hearing, Senator McConnell said, “Since the EPA will not come to Pikeville to hear your message, I will deliver Pikeville’s message to them. I have called today’s session so that those in the region affected by this administration’s War on Coal will finally have a chance to be heard, just as I personally spoke on behalf of Kentuckians at a recent EPA hearing in Washington. And following the testimony today, I plan on taking the experiences you share with me directly to the EPA, so it can hear from all of us how President Obama’s War on Coal is negatively affecting our coal miners and economy in eastern Kentucky.” The following are Senator McConnell’s full remarks (as prepared) from the event and the list of panel participants: Hello, and welcome to this important listening session that will afford the voices of coal country and eastern Kentucky the opportunity to be heard in Washington, D.C. I want to start by thanking University of Pikeville President Dr. James Hurley for inviting us and providing this facility to hold this event today. He is a great leader of the university, he cares deeply about this region, and he is devoted to providing quality education for the people of eastern Kentucky. Thank you, President Hurley. Of course, I also would like to thank University of Pikeville Chancellor Paul Patton. Governor Patton, you ably led this school to new heights, including the opening of this new Coal Building, just as you so ably led the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It’s good to see you. I would note that I am the proud holder of an honorary degree from the University of Pikeville - Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. And in no small part I have Governor Patton to thank.  I don’t want it to escape notice what I just mentioned—that the building we’re assembled in today on the University of Pikeville campus is called The Coal Building. Coal literally built this place, as it has built infrastructure and economic security for so many across our great Commonwealth over the years. I organized this session because the EPA claimed it wanted citizen input on the future carbon regulations it intends to impose on existing power plants. However, its listening sessions were only scheduled for cities like New York, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco—cities far away from coal country. There were 11 listening sessions in all, but the closest one to eastern Kentucky was all the way in Atlanta, Georgia—requiring Kentuckians to make a 14-hour round trip drive to attend. Clearly, the EPA only wanted to hear applause for their efforts. I don’t think it’s right that the EPA would consider taking such drastic steps without listening to the people who would be most affected—Kentucky’s coal miners, their families, and the many people throughout the state whose jobs and well-being depend on coal. And I couldn’t think of a more fitting place than Pikeville. On numerous occasions, I asked the EPA to hold a listening session in Pikeville, but the bureaucracy has not deigned to respond to my invitation. So if the EPA will not come to Pikeville to hear your message, I will deliver Pikeville’s message to them. I have called today’s session so that those in the region affected by this administration’s War on Coal will finally have a chance to be heard, just as I personally spoke on behalf of Kentuckians at a recent EPA hearing in Washington. And following the testimony today, I plan on taking the experiences you share with me directly to the EPA, so it can hear from all of us how President Obama’s War on Coal is negatively affecting our coal miners and economy in eastern Kentucky. I want to thank Congressman Hal Rogers and Governor Steve Beshear for the very important efforts they will announce next week to forge a stronger economic future for eastern Kentucky. I appreciate the work they’re doing and I look forward to seeing its results. It is obviously vital that we consider eastern Kentucky’s future. But it is equally important that we not give up on eastern Kentucky’s present. And coal is key to the present in eastern Kentucky. Coal is crucial to the region’s people, economy, and way of life. Coal employs thousands of people in the Bluegrass State. Coal pays more than $1 billion dollars in direct wages to Kentuckians every year. For every miner employed, three more Kentuckians hold jobs indirectly dependent on coal. That’s why for many of us, to put it in the words of one of our panelists today, “Coal Keeps the Lights On.” Some who write for what I would call the more liberal state newspapers’ editorial boards claim that the recent steep decline in coal jobs is not about overly harsh EPA regulations. They claim there’s no such thing as this administration’s War on Coal. It’s just the natural decline of coal, they say. But that just doesn’t square with the facts. Yes, we need an “all of the above” strategy to develop our domestic energy resources. But coal provides roughly 40 percent the country’s electricity and over 90 percent of Kentucky’s electricity. The Commonwealth benefits from some of the lowest energy prices in the nation thanks to our supply of coal. Indeed, those low energy prices are one of our best competitive advantages in relation to other states. It is, in large part, this administration’s War on Coal that has caused the number of Kentucky coal jobs to plummet from 18,600 in 2009, when President Obama took office, to fewer than 13,000 today. If you don’t believe there is a War on Coal, just listen to the president. The president has openly stated his intentions for the coal industry. He has said, and I quote: “If somebody wants to build a coal power plant, they can—it’s just that it will bankrupt them.” Clearly this administration—with its radical regulatory ideology—wants to eliminate coal as a viable fuel source and they don’t care who it hurts. One of the first things this president did upon taking office in 2009 was to try to push through Congress his cap-and-tax bill, which was designed to hike utility rates and bankrupt the coal industry. It could not even pass a Congress entirely controlled by his own party. That’s how extreme this president’s agenda is. Because he could not get these unheard-of energy taxes enacted into law, now he is trying to enact them through the bureaucracy. He has unleashed the EPA to fulfill the same extreme mandates that were in his cap-and-tax bill. Well, the EPA is not going to do anything without hearing from Kentucky first. The messages you share with me today, I will deliver directly to the EPA in Washington so they hear firsthand how this War on Coal is hurting Kentucky miners and their families. We’re going to hear testimony from three panels today. The first consists of managers and owners of Kentucky companies in the energy sector who can directly testify to the effect the War on Coal is having on their industry, the jobs that are lost, and more. The second panel consists of Kentucky miners and others in the industry who are being directly impacted by the EPA’s drastic tactics. They will tell us how the loss of coal jobs is affecting them, their families, and their communities. This panel will include perhaps Kentucky’s most famous coal miner and star singer and songwriter, Jimmy Rose. Jimmy, your spotlighting this issue for a national audience has made Kentucky proud, and drawn new attention to the human costs of the president’s War on Coal. Our final panel consists of elected officials from the region who will testify how the damage done to the coal industry is hurting their constituents and their communities. Because I want to hear from as many Kentuckians as possible, we’re also circulating comment cards for all of you who are interested in sharing your story about how the War on Coal is impacting you, your family, your business and your community. Please write down as much as you like and my staff will collect the cards at the end of the session. Your contributions will also be included in the testimony I take back to the EPA. I’m also pleased that my friends Congressman Hal Rogers and Senator Rand Paul have provided written statements for today’s proceedings that will be included in the packet we deliver to the EPA. The more voices we present to them, the better. I’m looking forward to hearing what you all have to say, and I’m looking forward to delivering your message to the EPA. Let’s begin with our first panel. PANEL 1: Industry Representatives James H. Booth, President and CEO of Booth Energy Monty Boyd, President and CEO of Whayne Supply Company Charles J. Baird, Chairman of Coal Operators and Associates Kathy Walker, President and CEO of Elm Street Resources David Moss, Vice President of the Kentucky Coal Association PANEL 2: Miners and Families Jimmy Rose, veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, former coal miner, and third-place finisher on America’s Got Talent Howard Abshire, Former Production Foreman Gary Lockhart, Manager of Security and Contractors, James River Coal Company Anita Miller, Safety Director, Appolo Fuels Traci Nolen, Training and Program Development Coordinator, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program PANEL 3: Elected Officials State Senator Robert Stivers, President, Kentucky State Senate State Senator Brandon Smith, Majority Whip, Kentucky State Senate State Representative Jill York State Representative Fitz Steele Albey Brock, County Judge-Executive, Bell County",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/rep-yarmuth-family-health-centers-break-ground-on-expansion/,"Rep. Yarmuth, Family Health Centers Break Ground on Expansion",2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE This morning, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) and the Family Health Centers (FHC) Board of Governors broke ground on the East Broadway Community Health Center, the largest expansion project in the 37-year history of the nonprofit agency. The $6 million renovation project is supported through a $5 million federal grant, part of a series of capital investments made in community health centers through the Affordable Care Act. The expanded health center will be located at 834 East Broadway, in a building that recently housed an antique mall. Occupying the first three floors of the five-story building, the East Broadway Community Health Center will significantly expand FHC's current operation, from 8,400 square feet to more than 30,000 square feet. The renovated site, which will offer primary care integrated with behavioral health services, as well as on-site radiology, dental, and pharmacy services, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014. The Family Health Centers expansion on East Broadway is a key step toward achieving our goal of ensuring that every Louisvillian has access to quality, affordable health care, said Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3). As tens of thousands of Kentuckians realize the benefits of the Affordable Care Act in their everyday lives, I am proud to support this critical investment in health infrastructure that will expand access and care in our community. Recent federal investments in community health centers are helping build the infrastructure to care for the more than 100,000 uninsured Louisville residents who are gaining access to coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The expanded FHC-East Broadway Community Health Center will provide capacity to serve an additional 10,000 individuals every year. At present, FHC-East Broadway serves approximately 5,800 patients annually. This is the largest expansion project by Family Health Centers in our 37-year history, said Bill Wagner, FHC Executive Director. With so many people gaining health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and kynect, the Kentucky insurance exchange, services and providers are needed to care for these individuals. This expanded site will allow Family Health Centers to meet this community need. Family Health Centers is funding the remaining $1 million of the project's capital expenses through reserves and fundraising efforts, including online fundraising through Crowdrise. This expansion project is an important investment in the East Broadway corridor and an important step toward our goal of creating a much healthier city, said Mayor Greg Fischer. Providing access to timely preventive and primary care services is essential to keeping people healthy and keeping health care costs down. Family Health Centers is a nonprofit community health center established by the Louisville-Jefferson County Board of Health in 1976 to provide residents of Louisville and Jefferson County access to high-quality primary and preventive health care services without regard to the ability to pay. Family Health Centers is the largest safety-net primary care provider in the state, providing services to more than 42,000 individuals annually through a network of seven health center locations throughout Louisville Metro.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=2E796066-E3F8-42E4-8ED4-38D3CB3E4DFF,Rogers Welcomes New Chief of Staff,2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"David Thomas, Chief of Staff WASHINGTON, D.C. --?U.S. Rep. Harold ""Hal"" Rogers (KY-05) welcomes David Thomas as his new Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C.Thomas is a proven government affairs professional, having served as a trusted advisor in the White House during the second Bush Administration, as Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (VA-11) for five years, and most recently as Executive Director of the Republican Main Street Partnership in Washington, D.C. ""David Thomas brings a wealth of impressive legislative and policy experience to my staff,"" said Rogers. ""As a native of neighboring Virginia, he also understands the critical issues of our Appalachian region and I'm confident he will serve as a bolstering voice for the needs of southern and eastern Kentuckians."" Thomas is a graduate of George Mason University and led presidential campaign activities for President George W. Bush in the state of Washington, among several successful Congressional campaigns. Thomas will be replacing Michael R. Higdon who is transitioning to the private sector. After nearly 12 years serving Rogers as a leading advisor, including the last three years as Chief of Staff, Higdon has accepteda position in the private sector. ""For over a decade, Michael has served in my inner circle as a trusted friend, erudite leader, and thoughtful advisor on a wide spectrum of political and policy issues before the Congress,"" said Rogers. ""He shares a deep understanding and heart-felt commitment to Kentucky, the Appropriations Committee, and public service and I know he will serve others with excellent care."" Thomas will work in partnership with Rogers' District Director Karen Kelly in Somerset, Kentucky. Rogers has served Kentucky's 5th Congressional District since 1981. With a focus on economic development, job creation, fighting illegal drugs and preserving Appalachia's natural treasures, he has a reputation for listening to his constituents and fighting for the region he represents. For more information, visit http://halrogers.house.gov/ or follow Rogers onTwitteror onFacebook. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=A18CD644-65EC-4783-87D3-2350069ECE67,"SOAR Summit to be Broadcast, Streamed Live",2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"FRANKFORT, Ky.Several media outlets will broadcast or stream the upcoming SOAR: Shaping Our Appalachian Region Summit live on Dec. 9, allowing even more Kentuckians to learn about plans and strategies for Kentucky's southern and eastern region. The SOAR Summit, spearheaded by Governor Steve Beshear and U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers, is open to any individual who cares about Kentucky's Appalachian region and is willing to share new ideas and recommendations about how to move the region forward. Live coverage of the SOAR Summit will air on WYMT-TV (CBS) and online atWYMT.com, as well as onKET-TV and online atKET.org/live. Live coverage will include discussions from the main auditorium throughout the day. PIKE-TV will live-stream most of the day's events atpiketv.com. The summit will also be recorded for later broadcast on PIKE-TV. On Monday evening at 7 p.m. EST, WYMT Issues and Answers will feature Congressman Rogers and Governor Beshear with host Neil Middleton to discuss the SOAR Summit. KET will also present a special program on Monday evening with highlights from the Summit, beginning at 8 p.m. EST on KET and atKET.org/live.The hour-long program, hosted by Bill Goodman, will include excerpts from the SOAR Summit and a discussion with Gov. Beshear and Rep. Rogers. Schools are encouraged to incorporate the SOAR Summit into lesson plans on Dec. 9 and view the live broadcasts to enhance classroom discussions. Kentuckians watching SOAR coverage are encouraged to participate by following the latest updates through social media: Like the official SOAR Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/ShapingOurAppalachianRegionand follow SOAR on Twitter@SOAR_EKY, using the hashtags #SOAR and #SOARSummit. More than 1,500 people have registered for the event, which will be held on Monday, Dec. 9 at the East Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville. Online registration is currently closed, but interested participants can still attend the summit and register for free on site. For more information, please visitkydlgweb.ky.gov. Gov. Beshear, U.S. Rep. Rogers, Senate President Robert Stivers, House Speaker Greg Stumbo and other leaders announced plans for the summit last month. TheRural Policy Research Institute(RUPRI), a national policy institute dedicated fostering solutions to the challenges facing rural regions, will facilitate discussions at the Dec. 9 event. Other national agencies supporting the SOAR effort include theU.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Developmentand theAppalachian Regional Commission. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1046,"Sen. Paul Appears on Fox's Hannity- December 4, 2013",2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919154316/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfields-subcommitee-holds-hearing-role-federal-energy-regulatory-commission,Whitfield's Subcommitee Holds Hearing on the Role of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"View Whitfield’s Opening Statement Here. WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, today held a hearing entitled “Evaluating the Role of FERC in a Changing Energy Landscape.”  The hearing focused on the legal and regulatory authorities of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the manner in which it has been carrying out its statutory duties under the Federal Power Act, Natural Gas Act, and other authorities.  “I have serious concerns regarding how the president’s policies directly aimed at trying to bankrupt the coal industry will impact grid reliability, fuel diversity, and electricity prices for families and businesses,” stated Whitfield in his opening statement.  “Given FERC’s role in overseeing the reliability of the grid, I am very interested in understanding what impacts FERC believes will result from the elimination of a significant portion of affordable and reliable baseload generation.” FERC’s stated mission is to “assist consumers in obtaining reliable, efficient and sustainable energy services at a reasonable cost through appropriate regulatory and market means.”  One of the issues Whitfield’s hearing examined was FERC’s coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the potential impacts that EPA’s new and proposed regulations have on FERC’s ability to meet and comply with its mission statement.  The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced new emissions standards for coal-fired power plants that would make it illegal to build a new plant because the technology to comply with the standards is not yet commercially available.  To push back against the EPA’s unilateral implementation of these regulations, Whitfield unveiled bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would require Congressional approval of new regulations.    “The sectors and industries regulated by FERC comprise a substantial portion of the U.S. economy and infrastructure, so it is critical that FERC carry out its statutory duties independently and effectively, and do so in a manner that will help facilitate our new era of energy abundance,” concluded Whitfield. For more information on today’s hearing, please visit the Energy and Power Subcommittee website.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bath-county-banker-barr-battle-beltway-bureaucrats,"Bath County Banker, Barr Battle Beltway Bureaucrats",2013-12-04,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - The Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit held a hearing on Wednesday focused on legislation introduced by Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) that would provide rural areas like Bath County, Kentucky, the right to petition to be properly reclassified as “rural” and relieve them from burdensome regulations that limit their ability to lend and help create jobs in their communities. Kentucky’s Sixth District resident and fifth generation banker, Mr. Thomas Richards from Owingsville Banking Company, testified on behalf of the bill, which is titled H.R. 2672, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Rural Designation Petition and Correction Act. Mr. Richards shared his own personal, first-hand knowledge about the negative impact resulting from Washington-based bureaucrats’ decision to incorrectly consider Bath County, Kentucky ‘non-rural’ for purposes of lending rules that limit access to credit in the community. “Despite the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s bizarre claims to the contrary, it is clear to any of us who have ever been to Bath County that it is certainly rural. In fact, when Charles Vice, the top-banking regulator in Kentucky, testified in front of this Committee, he accurately characterized Bath County as one of the most rural places in Kentucky,” said Barr. 
“Obviously, government bureaucrats don’t always know best. And they certainly don’t know our local communities better than we do. That’s why I introduced H.R. 2672, the CFPB Rural Designation Petition and Correction Act, which would remedy this situation by simply creating a way for citizens to provide government with better information about our own communities. “H.R. 2672 is a simple, pragmatic, and bipartisan solution. It’s about inviting individuals to participate in their government and provide input on matters of local knowledge. It’s about making the federal government more accessible, more accountable, and more responsive to the people who know their communities best, so we can help create jobs in our local communities.” Click here for Congressman Barr’s full opening statement. Click here for Mr. Thomas Richards' opening statement. Click here to watch Congressman Barr question Mr. Richards.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=1DD89467-C806-478A-ACAB-E6525F7CC625,Rogers Welcomes New East Ky Field Rep,2013-12-04,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"PRESTONSBURG, Ky --U.S. Rep. Harold Hal Rogers (KY-05) welcomes Adam Rice as his new Field Representative for Eastern Kentucky. Rice will serve 15 counties in the Fifth Congressional District including Breathitt, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan, Rowan, Perry and Pike Counties. Adam was born and raised in Paintsville and knows first-hand, many of the issues and concerns of the people of our region, said Rogers. Adam's experience as an educator, counselor, and coach will will be beneficial in this new role and I am confident that he will be a great resource for Eastern Kentuckians.Rice brings a wealth of experience and education to the Rogers' team. He has a Bachelor's Degree in History from Eastern Kentucky University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from Morehead State University. Rice is a former teacher and coach at Paintsville Independent Schools and has spent the past year and a half as a Substance Abuse Counselor. I count it a privilege to work in my hometown region and I look forward to helping improve eastern Kentucky along-side Congressman Rogers, said Rice. ""I believe improvements in education and accessing more opportunities are key factors for the betterment of our region and I'm eager to be a part of the new SOAR: ""Shaping Our Appalachian Region"" initiative to pave a new path forward for our future."" Rice will be working along-side Shannon Rickett, Congressman Rogers' Field Representative for the western half of the district. Rice lives in Paintsville and will work out of the Prestonsburg and Hazard district offices. Rogers has served Kentucky's 5th Congressional District since 1981. With a focus on economic development, job creation, fighting illegal drugs and preserving Appalachia's natural treasures, he has a reputation for listening to his constituents and fighting for the region he represents. For more information, visit http://halrogers.house.gov/ or follow Rogers onTwitteror onFacebook. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=b9a793aa-7da4-43da-b634-ec3fa6a1b4fd,"Senator McConnell Honored with National Award by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)",2013-12-04,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"McConnell awarded “Crime Fighter Award” for work to protect women from violence WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was awarded the Crime Fighter Award this evening by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), in recognition of his work and commitment to combat sexual violence. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) also received the award. “I’m deeply honored to receive this award and I thank RAINN for its support. I look forward to continuing to work with them on behalf of the Kentuckians I represent in the United States Senate,” Senator Mitch McConnell said. “RAINN does incredibly important work by providing critical outreach to those who feel like they have nowhere else to turn. RAINN is doing far more than just assisting the victims of sexual violence. It’s helping to turn back the tide of sexual violence and ensuring that those who perpetrate these terrible crimes are brought to justice.” ""Sen. McConnell's partnership with RAINN has been essential on Capitol Hill. His extraordinary leadership, hard work and bipartisan efforts have led to a significant reduction in sexual violence and to safer communities in Kentucky and across America. Recently, Sen. McConnell co-sponsored S.822, the Justice for All Reauthorization Act. This bill renews the Debbie Smith Act and will help crime labs working to end the backlog of untested DNA evidence from unsolved rape cases and put rapists behind bars. Sen. McConnell also stood with us to pass the SAFER Act, which will be enormously helpful in eliminating the DNA evidence backlog. We thank Sen. McConnell for his leadership and his extraordinary efforts to enact laws that help victims of sexual violence and take predators off the streets,” said Scott Berkowitz, RAINN president & founder. As the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, RAINN helps prevent sexual violence, assists victims, and ensures that rapists are brought to justice. RAINN established and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org) in partnership with more than 1,100 rape crisis centers across the country, including more than a dozen across Kentucky. Upon accepting the award, Senator McConnell made the following remarks (as prepared): “Thank you all very much for this award. I’m deeply honored to receive it. “You do incredibly important work. And you know the challenges we continue to face when it comes to sexual assault in this country. “The statistics tell the story. Roughly 20 million people in this country have been the victims of sexual assault. An assault occurs every two minutes. And 97% of rapists will never spend a single day behind bars. “That’s why organizations like RAINN have never been more important. The hotlines you operate, the outreach you conduct, the programs you develop. You are truly providing hope to the hopeless. To those who feel they have nowhere else to turn. “And through its advocacy, RAINN is doing far more than just assisting the victims of sexual violence. It’s helping to turn back the tide of sexual violence – and to ensure that those who perpetrate these terrible crimes are brought to justice. “And let me also say this: you’ve been an indispensable legislative partner to those of us who share these goals. Working together, we’ve helped move the conversation forward in Washington. And we’ve seen results. “Last year, we fought together to reduce the unacceptable backlog for DNA testing and to get more criminals off the streets. And much of what we’ve fought for has since become law. But there’s a lot more to be done. “Our next challenge is to pass the Justice for All Act, a bill I’m proud to co-sponsor. “It’s critical that we provide crime labs with the resources they need to eliminate backlogs and speed up investigations. And we absolutely need to renew and strengthen the Debbie Smith Act, as Justice for All would do. “I was honored to meet with Debbie a few months ago. What an incredible woman. You know her story: a wife and mother who was viciously attacked, then victimized again as she waited years for justice. Debbie has since become a strong advocate for those who suffer terrible abuse. She fights so others won’t have to. And it’s fitting that such an important piece of legislation would carry her name. “So thank you again for your tremendously important work, and for the honor of this award. “As the father of three daughters, this fight is a personal one for me. “And while it’s true that we’ve made some strides against sexual assault in recent years, we can’t let up. “We owe it not just to our daughters, but to our sons, our friends, our neighbors…and the millions of Americans who suffer the torment of sexual violence. They deserve hope, and they deserve justice. “This is an issue Members of Congress should work across the aisle to address – because, working together, we can give them both. Thank you.” ####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=news&id=1045,Breitbart Op-Ed: Americans Trading Liberty for False Security,2013-12-03,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=628f5d0d-72ad-4421-91fb-0216a0731704,McConnell: ‘Obamacare is broken beyond repair’,2013-12-03,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s latest attempt to re-sell the American public on Obamacare: “Another campaign-style event won’t solve the myriad problems facing consumers under Obamacare. Consumers didn’t need another 20,000 pages of regulations and higher premiums and deductibles to let a 25-year old stay on his parents’ plan—and they really didn’t need Obamacare’s cancellation of millions of plans that people already have and like in order to provide help to those with preexisting conditions. “The American people have been learning about the impact Obamacare will have on individuals and families in the form of higher premiums, disrupted insurance, and lost jobs—more broken promises from the administration. And they’re becoming increasingly aware of the fact Obamacare is broken beyond repair. The only ‘fix’ is full repeal followed by step-by-step, patient-centered reforms that drive down costs and that Americans actually want.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/rep-yarmuth-highlights-louisvillians-health-care-story/,Rep. Yarmuth Highlights Louisvillian's Health Care Story,2013-12-03,2013,2013-12,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON In a speech on the House floor this afternoon, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) highlighted the story of Will Russell, a Louisville small-business owner who is benefiting from the Affordable Care Act through kynect, Kentucky's health insurance exchange. The full text of Congressman Yarmuth's remarks is below. Click on the image to watch the video. Mr. Speaker, my state of Kentucky is a national model for how the Affordable Care Act can make our constituents' lives more secure and their businesses stronger. I'd like to share one story. Will Russell is the owner of WHY Louisville, a small, independent business in my District that specializes in locally designed clothing and art. The father of a 1-year-old, he also has a pre-existing condition that led insurance companies to deny him coverage for the past 15 years. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, beginning January 1, Will and his wife and son will be covered under a plan they found on kynect, Kentucky's health insurance exchange. Will estimates his family will save $300 a month. Add that to the peace of mind that comes with knowing he'll never face medical bankruptcy and the threat of losing his thriving business just because he didn't have access to insurance. He's been so pleased with the ease and affordability of kynect that he's now exploring coverage for his employees for the first time through the state's small-business exchange. Mr. Speaker, Will's story is one among millions of Americans who are finding expanded care through the Affordable Care Act. To quote Will, It's going to be a new day for my family, for me, and so many people just like us in Kentucky and throughout the country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919154353/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/statement-kentucky-delegation-paducah-doe-site,Statement from Kentucky Delegation on Paducah DOE Site,2013-11-27,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) today released the following statement regarding General Electric’s (GE) request for offer (RFO) submittal being selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) at the Paducah DOE Site.  The announcement follows the delegation’s November 14th meeting with DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz in which they pressed for a final decision to be made. “When it became clear that DOE would ultimately close the Gaseous Diffusion Plant, we aggressively sought out partners with Paducah’s long-term economic interests in mind.  Specifically, we worked to ensure the Paducah community would be the benefactor of any future development using the DOE-owned depleted uranium tails.  GE made a commitment to Paducah early on, and we are pleased that Global Laser Enrichment has been chosen to lead Paducah – our proud Atomic City – into an exciting chapter involving state-of-the-art laser enrichment technology. “We have been encouraged by GE’s commitment to Paducah.  It is our understanding that GE proposes to invest over $1 billion to create a state-of-the-art laser enrichment facility at the DOE site that will create thousands of construction jobs, and hundreds of permanent jobs at a future GE facility.  From a national perspective, the proposal seeks to save the federal government money in cost reduction and revive the U.S. domestic nuclear supply chain while likely generating billions of dollars in new tax revenues for the local, state, and federal government. “Paducah is a proud city, and we are thrilled GE has placed its confidence in the people of Paducah to host this new state-of-the-art facility.  Paducah has a bright future ahead, and we are genuinely grateful to be a part of it.” Timeline of the Kentucky delegation’s efforts for background: May 15, 2012: The delegation announces a plan to extend the life of the gaseous diffusion plant by one year, extending 1,200 jobs while saving the taxpayers money. May 13, 2013:  The Kentucky delegation calls on the Department of Energy to develop a long-term solution for the Paducah DOE site.   May 24, 2013:  Upon learning that United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) would not be continuing operations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, the delegation requests a meeting with Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to express the urgency of developing a long-term solution for the Paducah DOE site.  They also express their disappointment with the Obama Administration’s inability to come up with an agreement to extend operations at the Paducah Plant. June 4, 2013:  The delegation meets with Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Ernest Moniz and Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman to discuss the long-term future of the DOE site. The delegation, on behalf of the community, which was still reeling from the DOE’s recent announcement not to extend the United States Enrichment Corporation’s (USEC) operation, stressed the importance of DOE's commitment to cleanup and utilizing the tails and other assets located in Paducah to secure a long-term future for the site. September 12, 2013: Paducah community leaders meet with Secretary Ernest Moniz. The main topics of discussion were finding a long-term solution for private sector development and accelerating cleanup activities at the Paducah Department of Energy (DOE) site. November 14, 2013: The delegation meets with Secretary Ernest Moniz to obtain an update on DOE’s efforts to utilize the depleted uranium tails for economic development in Paducah. We are encouraged by Secretary Moniz’s comments today that using DOE’s depleted uranium assets for development in Paducah ‘remains a very important criteria’ to the Department of Energy as they finalize their decision on the request for offers process. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=d805fb79-41b0-471a-9968-a36a442e7306,"Senators McConnell, Paul and Congressman Whitfield Comment on Paducah DOE Site",2013-11-27,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) today released the following statement regarding General Electric’s (GE) request for offer (RFO) submittal being selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) at the Paducah DOE Site.  The announcement follows the delegation’s November 14th meeting with DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz in which they pressed for a final decision to be made. “When it became clear that DOE would ultimately close the Gaseous Diffusion Plant, we aggressively sought out partners with Paducah’s long-term economic interests in mind.  Specifically, we worked to ensure the Paducah community would be the benefactor of any future development using the DOE-owned depleted uranium tails.  GE made a commitment to Paducah early on, and we are pleased that Global Laser Enrichment has been chosen to lead Paducah – our proud Atomic City – into an exciting chapter involving state-of-the-art laser enrichment technology. “We have been encouraged by GE’s commitment to Paducah.  It is our understanding that GE proposes to invest over $1 billion to create a state-of-the-art laser enrichment facility at the DOE site that will create thousands of construction jobs, and hundreds of permanent jobs at a future GE facility.  From a national perspective, the proposal seeks to save the federal government money in cost reduction and revive the U.S. domestic nuclear supply chain while likely generating billions of dollars in new tax revenues for the local, state, and federal government. “Paducah is a proud city, and we are thrilled GE has placed its confidence in the people of Paducah to host this new state-of-the-art facility.  Paducah has a bright future ahead, and we are genuinely grateful to be a part of it.” Timeline of the Kentucky delegation’s efforts for background: May 15, 2012: The delegation announces a plan to extend the life of the gaseous diffusion plant by one year, extending 1,200 jobs while saving the taxpayers money. May 13, 2013:  The Kentucky delegation calls on the Department of Energy to develop a long-term solution for the Paducah DOE site.   May 24, 2013:  Upon learning that United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) would not be continuing operations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, the delegation requests a meeting with Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to express the urgency of developing a long-term solution for the Paducah DOE site.  They also express their disappointment with the Obama Administration’s inability to come up with an agreement to extend operations at the Paducah Plant. June 4, 2013:  The delegation meets with Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Ernest Moniz and Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman to discuss the long-term future of the DOE site. The delegation, on behalf of the community, which was still reeling from the DOE’s recent announcement not to extend the United States Enrichment Corporation’s (USEC) operation, stressed the importance of DOE's commitment to cleanup and utilizing the tails and other assets located in Paducah to secure a long-term future for the site. September 12, 2013: Paducah community leaders meet with Secretary Ernest Moniz. The main topics of discussion were finding a long-term solution for private sector development and accelerating cleanup activities at the Paducah Department of Energy (DOE) site. November 14, 2013: The delegation meets with Secretary Ernest Moniz to obtain an update on DOE’s efforts to utilize the depleted uranium tails for economic development in Paducah. We are encouraged by Secretary Moniz’s comments today that using DOE’s depleted uranium assets for development in Paducah ‘remains a very important criteria’ to the Department of Energy as they finalize their decision on the request for offers process.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=71C3BAE0-9F29-4FE4-BADA-B24B91E279B5,SOAR Summit Agenda Announced,2013-11-25,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 22, 2013) Job creation, entrepreneurship, tourism, lifelong learning, and leadership development will be among the topics discussed at the upcoming S.O.A.R.: Shaping Our Appalachian Region summit next month. Governor Steve Beshear and Congressman Hal Rogers released the daylong conference agenda today. Already, more than 1,100 people have registered to attend the summit, which will be held on Monday, Dec. 9 at the East Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville. In an effort to focus on the future success of southern and eastern Kentucky, Gov. Beshear and Rep. Rogers organized the summit to gather ideas and recommendations about how to move Kentucky's Appalachian region forward. The summit will be moderated by Chuck Fluharty, President of the Rural Policy Research Institute. Sessions will focus on a number of topics, including how to encourage regional innovation, the importance of infrastructure, and developing youth engagement. One part of the day will be dedicated to the story of the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board, which channeled the collective energies and ideas of the people of the iron-mining region of northeastern Minnesota to forge a new and successful future. The SOAR Summit will host hundreds of attendees from across southern and eastern Kentucky with varied occupational backgrounds and interests including individuals representing education, business, nonprofits, arts, finance, tourism, local government and more. The summit is open to any Kentuckian with an interest in the strength and future of Kentucky's Appalachian region. Interested individuals are invited to attend the SOAR Summit by registering athttps://kydlgweb.ky.gov/. The agenda is available on the website. Kentuckians can also participate in SOAR by following the latest updates through social media: Like the Official SOAR Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/ShapingOurAppalachianRegionand follow SOAR on Twitter@SOAR_EKY, using the hashtags #SOAR and #SOARSummit. Click here for a copy of the day's agenda. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://massie.house.gov/press-release/advisory-rep-massie-announces-two-day-listening-tour-western-region-4th-district,***ADVISORY: Rep. Massie Announces Two-Day Listening Tour in Western Region of 4th District,2013-11-24,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Thomas Massie,M001184,massie.house.gov,,,legacy,"***ADVISORY*** Rep. Massie Announces Two-Day Listening Tour in Western Region of 4th District WASHINGTON – Rep. Massie will host several 'Meet & Greets' across the western part of Kentucky’s 4th District over the course of 48 hours. The stops are part of the Congressman’s tour across Kentucky’s 4th District to meet constituents and hear their concerns.   DAY 1 - Monday, November 25th, 2013 Stop #1 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 10AM - 11AM Location: McKinley’s Bread Shop and Deli                  615 Main St                  Shelbyville, KY 40065 Stop #2 Time:        Monday, November 25th, 11:20 AM - 12:00 PM Location:  Carriss’ Grocery                   7 Southville Pike                   Shelbyville, KY 40065   Stop #3 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Location: Elmar’s BP Gas Station/Convenience Store                  26 Commerce Dr                  Fisherville, KY 40023   Stop #4 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Location: Graeter’s Ice Cream                  13817 English Villa Dr.                  Louisville, KY 40245   Stop #5 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Location: Goshen General Store                  11940 W Hwy 42                  Goshen, KY 40026   Stop #6 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 5:35 PM – 6:35 PM Location: One Nineteen West Main                  119 West Main St,                  La Grange, KY 40031   DAY 2 - Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 Stop #1 Time:        Tuesday, November 26th, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Location:  Bray Orchards                   2580 Highway 42 W                   Bedford, KY 40006   Stop #2 Time:       Tuesday, November 26th, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: Our Best Restaurant                  5728 Smithfield Rd                  Smithfield, KY 40068   Stop #3 Time:       Tuesday, November 26th, 12:50 PM – 1:50 PM Location: The Smith House                  1640 Highway 22 E                  Owenton, KY 40359 *Media availabilities with Rep. Thomas Massie will be held following each event. *Constituent inquiries should be directed to Representative Massie’s Western District Field Representative, Stacie Rockaway at Stacie.Rockaway@mail.house.gov or 502-438-4951. *Media inquiries should be directed to Lorenz.Isidro@mail.house.gov or 202-225-3465.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221070702/http://massie.house.gov/event/rep-massie-two-day-listening-tour-western-region-4th-district,Rep. Massie Two-Day Listening Tour in Western Region of 4th District,2013-11-24,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Thomas Massie,M001184,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Rep. Massie Announces Two-Day Listening Tour in Western Region of 4th District WASHINGTON – Rep. Massie will host several 'Meet & Greets' across the western part of Kentucky’s 4th District over the course of 48 hours. The stops are part of the Congressman’s tour across Kentucky’s 4th District to meet constituents and hear their concerns.   DAY 1 - Monday, November 25th, 2013 Stop #1 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 10AM - 11AM Location: McKinley’s Bread Shop and Deli                  615 Main St                  Shelbyville, KY 40065 Stop #2 Time:        Monday, November 25th, 11:20 AM - 12:00 PM Location:  Carriss’ Grocery                   7 Southville Pike                   Shelbyville, KY 40065   Stop #3 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Location: Elmar’s BP Gas Station/Convenience Store                  26 Commerce Dr                  Fisherville, KY 40023   Stop #4 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Location: Graeter’s Ice Cream                  13817 English Villa Dr.                  Louisville, KY 40245   Stop #5 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Location: Goshen General Store                  11940 W Hwy 42                  Goshen, KY 40026   Stop #6 Time:       Monday, November 25th, 5:35 PM – 6:35 PM Location: One Nineteen West Main                  119 West Main St,                  La Grange, KY 40031   DAY 2 - Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 Stop #1 Time:        Tuesday, November 26th, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Location:  Bray Orchards                   2580 Highway 42 W                   Bedford, KY 40006   Stop #2 Time:       Tuesday, November 26th, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: Our Best Restaurant                  5728 Smithfield Rd                  Smithfield, KY 40068   Stop #3 Time:       Tuesday, November 26th, 12:50 PM – 1:50 PM Location: The Smith House                  1640 Highway 22 E                  Owenton, KY 40359 *Media availabilities with Rep. Thomas Massie will be held following each event. *Constituent inquiries should be directed to Representative Massie’s Western District Field Representative, Stacie Rockaway at Stacie.Rockaway@mail.house.gov or 502-438-4951. *Media inquiries should be directed to Lorenz.Isidro@mail.house.gov or 202-225-3465. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=88057D36-C99F-4FB4-B51A-39D1393A327E,1000 Kentuckians Signed Up for SOAR Summit,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Kentuckians continue to sign up in droves for next month's SOAR: Shaping Our Appalachian Region Summit, an effort spearheaded by Gov. Steve Beshear and U.S. Representative Harold Hal Rogers to focus on the future success of southern and eastern Kentucky. More than 1,000 people have now registered for the event, which will be held on Monday, Dec. 9 at the East Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville. The SOAR Summit is open to any individual who cares about Kentucky's Appalachian region and is willing to share new ideas and recommendations about how to move the region forward. Participation is free, but registration is required athttps://kydlgweb.ky.gov. Kentuckians can also participate in SOAR by following the latest updates through social media: Like the Official SOAR Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/ShapingOurAppalachianRegionand follow SOAR on Twitter@SOAR_EKY, using the hashtags #SOAR and #SOARSummit. Gov. Beshear, U.S. Rep. Rogers, Senate President Robert Stivers, House Speaker Greg Stumbo and other leaders announced plans for the summit last month. The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI), a national policy institute dedicated to fostering solutions to the challenges facing rural regions, will facilitate discussions at the Dec. 9 event. Other national agencies supporting the SOAR effort include the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the Appalachian Regional Commission. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1042,"Sen. Paul Appears On the Record with Greta Van Susteren- November 20, 2013",2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1043,"Sen. Paul Appears on CNN to Discuss Nuclear Option- November 21, 2013",2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919154420/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-pushes-additional-resources-help-states-combat-prescription-drug-abuse,Whitfield Pushes for Additional Resources to Help States Combat Prescription Drug Abuse,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"View Whitfield & Stack’s comments here. WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), recently pushed for the reauthorization of his bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3528, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) Reauthorization Act during a House Health Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Examining Public Health Legislation to Help Local Communities.”  Whitfield’s original legislation to create NASPER passed the House in 2005, but expired in 2010.      “We’ve all heard the statistics associated with the prescription drug abuse epidemic and they truly are staggering,” stated Whitfield.  “Drug overdose death rates in the United States have increased five-fold since 1980 and now kill more Americans than car crashes. Unfortunately, my home state of Kentucky has one of the highest death rates in the country. This is an issue that takes lives, ruins families and friendships, and is a drain on our health care system and its resources.”                       Originally authored by Whitfield, NASPER became law August 11, 2005, assisting states in combating prescription drug abuse through prescription drug monitoring programs, or PDMPs. In carrying out this objective, NASPER provides grants to states to establish and improve prescription drug monitoring programs. Specifically, Whitfield introduced NASPER to foster the establishment of State-administered PDMPs to ensure that health care providers have access to timely, accurate prescription history information that can be used as a tool for the early identification of patients at risk for addiction and to prevent doctor shopping. Dr. Steven Stack, a fellow Kentuckian from Lexington, testified at the hearing about the importance of PDMPs and the need to pass H.R. 3528 and see that the NASPER program is fully funded.  HR. 3528 is currently awaiting action in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Whitfield is a senior member. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=1e709056-6791-4d53-8427-be9da9dd0547,Senate Dems Want to Change the Subject from Obamacare to Nuclear Option,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the Senate Democrats’ attempt to focus on changing Senate rules rather than addressing the consequences of Obamacare: “Over the past several weeks, the American people have been witness to one of the most breathtaking indictments of big-government liberalism in memory. And I’m not just talking about a web site. “I’m talking about the way in which Obamacare was forced on the public by an administration and a Democrat-led Congress that we now know was willing to do and say just about anything to pass it into law. “The President and his Democrat allies were so determined to force their vision of health care on the public that they assured them up and down that they wouldn’t lose the plans they had, that they’d save money instead of losing it, and that they’d be able to keep using the doctors and hospitals they were already using. “But of course now we know that rhetoric just doesn’t match reality. “And the stories we’re hearing on a near-daily basis now range from heartbreaking to comic. “Just yesterday I saw a story about a guy getting a letter in the mail saying his dog had qualified for insurance under Obamacare. So yeah, I’d probably be running for the exits too if I had supported this law. “I’d be looking to change the subject just as Senate Democrats have been doing with their threats of going nuclear and changing the Senate rules on nominations. If I were a senator from Oregon, which hasn’t enrolled a single person yet for its Obamacare exchange, I would probably want to shift the focus too. “But here’s the problem with this latest distraction. It doesn’t distract people from Obamacare. It reminds them of it. It reminds them of all the broken promises. It reminds them of the power grab. It reminds them of the way Democrats set up one set of rules for themselves and another for everybody else. “It’s basically the same debate. “And rather than distract people from Obamacare, it only reinforces the narrative of a party that is willing to do and say just about anything to get its way. Because that’s just what they’re doing all over again. “Once again, Senate Democrats are threatening to break the rules of the Senate in order to change the rules of the Senate. And over what? Over a court that doesn’t even have enough work to do. “Millions of Americans are hurting because of a law Washington Democrats forced upon them – and what do they do about it? They cook up some fake fight over judges that aren’t even needed. “Look: I get it. As I indicated, I’d want to be talking about something else too if I had to defend dogs getting insurance while millions of Americans lost theirs. But it won’t work. And the parallels between this latest skirmish and the original Obamacare push are just too obvious to ignore. “Think about it: The Majority Leader promised over and over again that he wouldn’t break the rules of the Senate in order to change them. On July 14 he went on ‘Meet the Press’ and he said: ‘We’re not touching judges.’ “He may as well just have said ‘If you like the rules of the Senate you can keep them.’ “Then there are the double standards. “When Democrats were in the minority, they argued strenuously for the very thing they now say we will have to do without, namely the right to extended debate on lifetime appointments. In other words, they believe that one set of rules should apply to them, and another set to everyone else … just the way so many Democrats in the Administration and Congress now believe that Obamacare is good enough for their constituents, but that when it comes to them, their political allies, and their staffs – well, that’s different. “And let’s not forget about the raw power at play here. “On this point, the similarities between the Obamacare debate and the Democrat threat to go nuclear on nominations are inescapable. They muscled through Obamacare on a party-line vote and didn’t care about the views of the minority. And that’s just what they’re doing here too. “The American people decided not to give Democrats the House or to restore the filibuster-proof majority they had in the Senate back in 2009, and our Democrat colleagues don’t like that one bit. So they’re trying to change the rules of the game to get their way. “They’ve said so themselves. “Earlier this year the Senior Senator from New York said they want to ‘fill up the D.C. Circuit one way or another.’ “And the reason is clear. As one liberal activist put it earlier this year, President Obama’s agenda ‘runs through the D.C. Circuit.’ “In short, unlike the first two years of the Obama Administration, there’s now a legislative check on the President. And the Administration doesn’t much like checks and balances. So it wants to circumvent the people’s representatives with an aggressive regulatory agenda, and our Democrat colleagues want to facilitate that by ‘filling up’ a court that will rule on his agenda — a court that doesn’t even have enough work to do. Especially if it means changing the subject from Obamacare for a few days. “And get this: they think they can change the rules of the Senate in a way that benefits only them. They want to do it in such a way that President Obama’s agenda gets enacted, but that a future Republican president couldn’t get his or her picks for the Supreme Court confirmed by a Republican Senate using the same precedent our Democrat friends want to set. So they want to have it both ways. But this sort of gerrymandered vision of the nuclear option is really just wishful thinking. “As the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee put it yesterday: ‘If [the Majority Leader] changes the rules for some judicial nominees, he is effectively changing them for all judicial nominees, including the Supreme Court.’ “Look: I realize this sort of wishful thinking might appeal to the uninitiated newcomers in the Democratic Conference who’ve served exactly zero days in the minority. But others in their conference should know better. “Let’s remember how we got here. “Let’s remember that it was Senate Democrats who pioneered the practice of filibustering Circuit Court nominees, and who’ve been its biggest proponents in the past. After President Bush was elected, they even held a retreat in which they discussed the need to change the ground rules by which lifetime appointments are considered. Then they started holding hearings to justify doing it. They made a big deal about it. “It was all a prelude to what followed: the serial filibustering of several of President Bush’s Circuit Court nominees, including Miguel Estrada, whose nomination to the D.C. Circuit was filibustered by Senate Democrats a record seven times. And now they want to blow up the rules because Republicans are following a precedent they set themselves – and, I might add, we’re following that precedent in a much more modest way than Democrats did. “So how about this for a suggestion: How about instead of picking a fight with Senate Republicans by jamming through nominees to a court that doesn’t even have enough work to do, how about taking yes for an answer and working with us on filling actual judicial emergencies, as I’ve repeatedly suggested. “Yet rather than learn from the past precedents on judicial nominations that they themselves have set, Democrats now want to set another one. I have no doubt that if they do, they will come to regret that one as well. Our colleagues evidently would rather live for the moment, and try to establish a story line that Republicans are intent on obstructing President Obama’s judicial nominees — a story line that’s patently ridiculous in light of the facts. And here are the facts: before this current Democrat gambit to ‘fill up the D.C. Circuit one way or another,’ the Senate had confirmed 215 of the President’s judicial nominees and rejected a grand total of 2. That’s a confirmation rate of 99%. “Clearly, Republicans have been willing to confirm the President’s judicial nominees. And on the D.C Circuit, we just confirmed the President’s last nominee to that court by a vote of 97 to 0. “So I suggest our colleagues take a time-out, stop trying to jam us, and work with us instead to confirm vacancies that actually need to be filled. “This rules change charade has gone from being a biennial threat, to an annual threat, to now a quarterly threat. It’s become a threat every time Senate Democrats don’t get their way. “And their repeated promises at the end of every crisis, that they won’t threaten it again, just don’t seem to be worth any more than their promises on Obamacare. “And this Democrat strategy of distract, distract, distract is getting old. Because the American people aren’t fooled. “If our colleagues want to work with us to fill judicial vacancies that actually need to be filled, then let’s do it. “If our colleagues want to work with us to spare the American people from the pain of Obamacare, then let’s do that. “But if they want to play games and set yet another precedent that they will no doubt come to regret, well…that’s a choice only they can make. “Let me be clear: the Democrat playbook of broken promises, double standards, and raw power…the same playbook that got us Obamacare…it has to end. “That’s why Republicans are going to keep their focus where it belongs: on the concerns of the American people. “It means we’re going to keep pushing to get back to the drawing board on health care – to replace Obamacare with real reforms that do not punish the middle class. And we’ll leave the political games to our friends on the other side.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1041,"Sen. Paul Appears on CNN's Out Front with Erin Burnett- November 19, 2013",2013-11-20,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221001350/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1044,Senators: Congress Should Vote on Keeping Troops in Afghanistan Past 2014,2013-11-20,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Today, Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mark Begich (D-AK) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) urging Congressional approval as a condition for any American troop presence in Afghanistan past 2014.  The Administration is reportedly negotiating an agreement that could keep as many as 10,000 American troops in Afghanistan for another ten years. ""It is long past time to end the longest war in American history and bring our sons and daughters home,"" Senator Merkley said. ""The American people deserve to weigh in and Congress should vote before we decide to commit massive resources and thousands of troops to another decade in Afghanistan. These are resources that could be used here at home creating jobs, improving education, and cutting the deficit."" ""With our military involvement in Afghanistan winding down, it is vital for the elected representatives of the American people to approve or disapprove of further involvement past the 2014 timeline,"" Senator Lee said. ""This amendment protects the democratic rights of the American people to shape our foreign and military policy.""  ""When Congress authorized the war in Afghanistan it was not intended to last forever,"" Senator Wyden said. ""It has now become the longest war in American history.  If the president believes there are compelling national security reasons to require a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014 he should come to Congress and make that case.""  ""After spending over a decade at war in Afghanistan, it is time to transition our troops home,"" Senator Paul said. ""This bipartisan amendment reinforces the fact that the president needs to consult the American people and their representatives in Congress before increasing our troop involvement in Afghanistan."" ""After over a decade of war and thousands of American casualties, we need to focus on supporting our veterans and doing some nation-building here at home,"" Senator Tester said.  ""This amendment makes sure Congress and the American people have a say when it comes to our national priorities."" ""After years of war in which thousands of soldiers lost their lives and billions of dollars have been spent, Americans have the right to expect checks and balances should the President deviate from the current plan to end combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014."" said Sen. Begich.  ""This amendment ensures that the President can't make unilateral decisions that commit our country to another decade of conflict in Afghanistan."" After 12 years and nearly $600 billion spent, the Administration has declared that the war in Afghanistan will be wound down by December 31, 2014. However, the Administration is also negotiating an agreement with the Government of Afghanistan that would set guidelines for U.S. troops to remain in training, support, and counter-terrorism roles through at least 2024.  In June, the House of Representatives approved a similar amendment to the NDAA stating that it is the Sense of Congress that if the President determines that it is necessary to maintain U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014, any such presence and missions should be authorized by Congress.  The House amendment passed by a robust, bipartisan 305-121 margin.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919154445/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-fellow-committee-leaders-request-withdrawal-epa%E2%80%99s-proposed-power-plant,"Whitfield, Fellow Committee Leaders Request Withdrawal of EPA’s Proposed Power Plant Standards Citing Prohibition Under Energy Policy Act",2013-11-20,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, joined with fellow House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders to write to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy expressing concerns regarding EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas New Source Performance Standards for new power plants that would require the installation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies that are not commercially viable. The members believe the proposed standards go beyond the scope of the EPA’s legal authority and are requesting the proposed rule be withdrawn. EPA is proposing standards pursuant to Section 111 of the Clean Air Act, which provides that emissions standards must be achievable using “adequately demonstrated” technologies. EPA maintains that CCS technologies for coal-fired power plants have been “adequately demonstrated” based on three government-funded projects under construction or planned that are receiving assistance under the Department of Energy’s Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI) and one other small-scale Canadian government-funded project. EPA Acting Assistant Administrator Janet McCabe confirmed the agency uses these projects as the basis for its determination during questioning at last week’s Energy and Power Subcommittee hearing. While EPA is using these projects to justify its proposed standards, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 prohibits EPA from considering technology used at CCPI projects as being “adequately demonstrated” for purposes of Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. Based on these facts, the committee leaders concluded, “Under these provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, EPA’s consideration of CCPI projects to determine that CCS for coal-fired power plants is ‘adequately demonstrated’ is prohibited.” In the letter to McCarthy, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Chairman Emeritus Joe Barton (R-TX), Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and subcommittee Vice Chairman Steve Scalise (R-LA) wrote, “In light of these statutory prohibitions, we request that the EPA’s proposed rule, which has not yet been published in the Federal Register, be withdrawn. This will ensure that the agency does not propose standards beyond its legal authority. This will also ensure that stakeholders and the public will not have to incur additional costs to respond to a proposal that contravenes applicable law.” For a full copy of the letter to EPA, click HERE.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=1b7b35a7-4b4f-4fa1-b44a-e788074614f9,Obamacare: Predictions Coming True,2013-11-20,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the predictable consequences of Obamacare: “In recent weeks, we’ve seen a lot of handwringing on the other side of the aisle over Obamacare, a little shock here, a little dismay there, and more than a little feigned outrage. “What we haven’t seen, of course, is anything even approaching a good answer as to why the President told the American people one thing and did the other. Or a solution to the national crisis of millions of Americans — some with very serious medical conditions — heading into the holiday season having just been told they will lose their health care plans. “The folks who voted for this law and the President whose name it bears did everything they could to keep these folks in the dark about the realities of Obamacare for more than three years. “But the problems we’re seeing shouldn’t come as news to anyone – least of all our Democrat friends. “Because what we’ve seen are the utterly predictable consequences of Obamacare. “And the fact is, a lot of folks warned about these kinds of consequences coming to pass. But the President’s political machine just steamrolled anybody who spoke up. They laughed it all off. Dismissed everyone else as naysayers and cynics. “When all the while they basically knew we were right. “Countless independent experts, health-care professionals, and insurance authorities across the country all warned about what we’re seeing now. “And so did many of us. “If only the Democrats who run Washington had listened. “But the President needed their votes for a bill he hoped would define his legacy, so they gambled that their constituents would just learn to live with Obamacare and forget the false promises. “In other words, Washington Democrats were specifically warned about the kinds of consequences we’re seeing and they voted for Obamacare anyway. “Republicans repeatedly warned about Americans losing their health plans. Repeatedly. “We repeatedly warned about Americans losing access to their doctors and hospitals. “We repeatedly warned about rising costs and skyrocketing premiums. “Check the Congressional Record. We warned and we warned and we warned about each of these things. “Frankly, we shouldn’t have had to. It doesn’t take an actuary to figure this stuff out. “And the things my constituents now have to put up with as a result of this law they’re simply unacceptable. “Kimberly Maggard from Nicholasville wrote that the health plan available to her through the Obamacare exchange would cost more than her family’s house payment and car payment combined. “Here’s what she said: ‘We are just average Kentuckians working and living paycheck to paycheck without any assistance from government programs. I really don't know what we will do if we have to pay that amount out for insurance. We might lose our home…our transportation…my daughter might have to drop out of college…the list just goes on and on. What are we supposed to do?’ “Harriet White from Rockfield said that Obamacare is negatively impacting her family’s finances and quality of care. ‘The sad truth,’ she said, ‘is that like my co-workers, my deductible has doubled along with my premiums. The only way to be able to adjust is for us to either reduce or stop our 401K contributions. This is hardly affordable health care.’ “And here’s Larry Thompson from Lexington: ‘[The] health plan that I've had for 10 years just got cancelled, and the least expensive plan on the exchange is a 246% increase – that means hundreds of extra dollars per month we don't have.’ “Look: All of this is unacceptable. And so many of Obamacare’s consequences were basically predicted by Republicans years ago. “So it’s no wonder vulnerable Democrats are dashing for the exits, performing political contortions that would make Houdini blush. But here’s the thing: until these folks are willing to face reality, I doubt it will matter. “One of our colleagues on the other side was asked in 2009 if she’d accept ‘100% responsibility’ and ‘100% accountability’ for the failure or success of any legislation she voted for. She said she would. “So she and her colleagues now have a choice. “They can keep trying to distance themselves from Obamacare in public while simultaneously protecting it from meaningful change in private – to keep standing by as this trainwreck unloads on the middle class. “Or they can simply accept that they were wrong to ignore all the warnings, then work with Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare with real, bipartisan health care reform. “If Washington Democrats are looking for a political exit, that’s the only meaningful one available. “And if they’re looking for the best policy outcome – to do right by the people who elected them – they’ll reach the same conclusion too. That’s the good news. “I hope they’ll get there soon. “Because we’ve already seen Washington Democrats travel through just about every one of the stages of grief. “Denial at first, claiming the law’s only problem was that it was just too popular. “Then anger, pointing fingers of blame at contractors, Republicans, the media, really anyone but themselves. “Then bargaining, proposing nips and tucks to a law that needs an overhaul instead. “But for the sake of our country, let’s hope they just speed right along to acceptance – the acceptance that Obamacare can’t work and won’t work. And that their constituents deserve better. “When they do, Republicans will be right here – just as we always have been – ready to work with them to start over with real reforms that decrease costs and improve access to care. “That’s what our constituents have wanted all along. That’s just what we should give them.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/hearing-personal-health-information-more-secure-under-aca/,Hearing: Personal Health Information More Secure Under ACA,2013-11-20,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON During a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the Affordable Care Act yesterday, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) questioned Deputy Chief Information Officer Henry Chao of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about the security of users' personal information on the new health insurance exchanges. Chao explained that Americans' personal health information is far more secure under the new law than it was in the old insurance system: Rep. Yarmuth:Are people who are working with the exchange now subject to or vulnerable to more breach of their privacy than they were under the prior system, when the insurance companies had pages and pages and pages of health information, including every doctor they had ever visited, every prescription they had ever taken, every medical procedure they had undergone over a certain period of time? Would you say there was much more vulnerability under that system than there would be under the federal exchange? Mr. Chao:Much more so, because so much more personal information including health information was involved in that process. CLICK THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE FULL EXCHANGE:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1039,"Sen. Paul Appears on Fox's Special Report with Bret Baier- November 18, 2013",2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131209210159/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=news&id=1038,Click HERE To Tell Rand Your Obamacare Story,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Click HERE To Tell Rand Your Obamacare Story 6Dec 13 3Dec 13 20Nov 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 9Dec 13 9Dec 13 6Dec 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140104103859/http://www.paul.senate.gov:80/?p=press_release&id=1040,"Sens. Paul, Heller and Rep. Amodei Introduce Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act",2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sens. Paul, Heller and Rep. Amodei Introduce Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sens. Rand Paul, Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) released the following statements following the introduction of the Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act. This bill provides state governors with the power to regulate intrastate endangered species and intrastate threatened species.   ""By removing the red tape, state governments will be better equipped to manage, regulate, develop and implement recovery plans for their critical habitats. This bill will better protect endangered species by allowing a more tailored response as implemented by the states,"" Sen. Paul said. ""The Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act ensures that local needs will be considered in the regulation process and places the decision-making into the hands of the states by allowing them to choose whether regulation occurs on the state or federal level."" ""We have a responsibility to be good stewards of wildlife and the habitat that they rely on.  In Nevada, we have been working hard to protect both the sage grouse and our economy, which is why I am working hard with the Governor, the delegation, and Nevadans to prevent a listing for the bird. The Endangered Species Act already has an abysmal success rate, so it is time to give the states to the opportunity to step in where the ESA has largely failed,"" said Sen. Heller. ""Giving governors greater flexibility would go a long way mitigating the one-size-fits-all impact of the ESA, which is threatening to shutdown vast swatches of the American West, including Nevada"" Rep. Amodei said. ""Governor Brian Sandoval has met the challenge posed by the looming sage grouse listing and that kind of leadership deserves respect from federal land managers. I want to thank Senator Paul for recognizing that there are two chambers of Congress and for reaching out across the Hill to work on solutions to this issue. I am happy to team up with any Senator interested in genuine bicameral collaboration.""   ###   18Dec 13 16Dec 13 16Dec 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 19Dec 13 13Dec 13 12Dec 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919155457/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-statement-recent-paradise-plant-decision,Whitfield Statement on Recent Paradise Plant Decision,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, today released the following statement in response to the Tennessee Valley Authority Board voting to close down units one and two of the Paradise Fossil Plant and to replace them with natural gas turbines.  “The Paradise Fossil Plant is the latest casualty in President Obama’s assault on coal and affordable energy.  This is completely unacceptable, and unfortunately, the President is making true on a campaign promise that if he was elected, he would bankrupt the coal industry.  “As the Chairman of the House Energy and Power Subcommittee, I will continue fighting back against the overzealous regulations of the President and his Environmental Protection Agency.  It is also important for the Senate to act. “I will work with Senators McConnell and Paul to do all we can stop President Obama and his EPA at every turn because America's energy future and economic prosperity are too important not to act.  I will also continue supporting bipartisan solutions like the proposed bill that I drafted with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia that would stop the President’s attempts to unilaterally bankrupt the coal industry.  “This is an important issue that affects Kentucky’s livelihood.  It is worthy of a public debate, and I will continue fighting for that debate on behalf of Kentuckians.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=4663f351-2fc1-4bf4-9533-605f55706f21,High Risk Insurance Pool Enrollees Losing Coverage Because of Obamacare,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding cancelled insurance policies as a result of Obamacare: “Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen vivid, painful confirmation of the predictions that many of us made about Obamacare. “Most notable among them, perhaps, was that the President’s oft-repeated promise ‘If you like your plan, you keep it,’ just couldn’t be true. “This was always what Democrats thought they had to tell the American people in order to muscle Obamacare into law. They knew it wouldn’t work otherwise. They knew the truth would not sell. And that’s all coming out now. “But we’re also now learning a lot of other very unsettling things about this law. “Like the fact that a lot of things that were working well in our health care system are now being thrown out for no good reason. “By the same people who brought you the Obamacare website. “High-risk pools are a good example. “About three dozen states set up these kinds of pools to insure Americans with serious medical conditions, such as those suffering from diabetes and heart disease. “High-risk pools have often proven successful and popular among the communities they serve. They currently provide insurance to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including thousands of Kentuckians, nearly all of them with pre-existing conditions…the very people the law was supposed to help. “These folks benefit from this coverage and many want to keep it. “Unfortunately, that will no longer be possible under Obamacare. “Nearly all of them will lose their coverage at the end of the year. “Just like millions of other Americans across the country, folks who like the coverage they have in these high risk pools — and remember, I’m talking about some of the most vulnerable people in our society — are now discovering that they won’t be able to keep it either. “Despite what the President told us again and again and again. “As it turns out, the folks who rammed this law through Congress think people in these high risk pools belong in Obamacare instead. “They don’t think it matters whether my constituents want to get dumped into Obamacare or not…they’ve made that decision for them. “Well, a lot of folks in Kentucky don’t think this is right, and they’re upset. “And not just because they’re losing their plans, and all the hassle and complication that involves. For many of these folks, the plans they’re being forced into have more limited hospital and doctor networks than the plans they currently have. As one state official recently put it, ‘If you're in the middle of chemotherapy, the last thing you want to do is switch oncologists.’ “We seem to see these kinds of stories just about every day now. “There’s the North Carolina woman with a severe heart condition who said she didn’t know if her cardiologists and her procedures will be covered under Obamacare. Here’s what she said: ‘It’s…the uncertainty that gets to me.’ “There’s the breast cancer survivor and her husband who’d been paying about $800 a month for premiums in a high-risk pool. After that policy was cancelled, they expected lower rates under Obamacare. Instead, they found their premium and deductibles could actually be going up. “This is scary stuff. But these are the real-life consequences of Obamacare. This is no longer some theoretical policy discussion. “And I would suggest that, as we contemplate the future of this law, our Democrat friends should start paying closer attention to stories like these. “Because it’s not enough to have a messaging strategy and to play the old Washington game of trying to weather the P.R. storm until folks move on. These stories we’re hearing from our constituents are heartbreaking. This isn’t some hassle to move past. It’s a problem to solve. It’s what we were sent here for. And it’s what real health care reform should be about — about helping folks, not hurting them. “So we don’t need to get past this news cycle, as some of the White House spinners seem to think. What we need to get past is a White House mentality that told us last week that passing a bill to codify the very promise the President made to sell the bill would ‘gut’ Obamacare…We need to get past a mentality that caused the President to issue a veto threat on a law that would let him keep his promise to the American people about keeping the health care plans they have and like. “I mean, it’s almost comical watching the contortions the administration is making trying to explain this fiasco away. Over the weekend we learned through a White House leak to The Washington Post that the President’s new definition of success for the Obamacare website is four out of five users making it through the checkout line. Who thinks that’s acceptable? I don’t. And I can’t think of anybody outside the White House compound who will. “And frankly, if this is the President’s way of restoring credibility on this law, by leaking out that the website won’t even work for one out of five users just a few days after vowing it would soon be running like a top…well, he’s got work to do. And the bar for clarity, honesty, and ‘success’ under Obamacare has sunk to new lows. “Look: if you’re being treated for cancer and about to be dumped into Obamacare – the last thing you want to hear is that leaving one out of five people behind is now considered an Obamacare win. We’re talking about people’s lives here. “This kind of mindset…whether we’re talking about a website or anything else … it’s deeply worrying. “But then again, this has always been the problem with blind faith in massive government programs. It’s the old idea that we shouldn’t let the evidence get in the way of a good theory. That’s the mindset the supporters of this law are stuck in right now — just blindly adhering to the hope that this thing will work against all the evidence. It’s pretty distressing. And it’s going to have to change if we’re going to get anywhere. “The real question right now should be obvious: what’s the Administration’s plan to turn all this around? “We know they have a press plan – but what’s the policy plan? “Does the administration have anything of substance to tell folks who are losing their plans? Does it have anything to tell folks in these high risk pools who could be losing their doctors? Does anyone over there know? “I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. These are people’s lives we’re talking about. So it’s time for a reality check. The defenders of Obamacare have a choice: stand up for your constituents, or defend a law that’s falling apart before our very eyes – a law that threatens to drag down the quality and affordability of care for millions of Americans who need it, including those most in need.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=095385be-81ce-429f-be28-d63ae35e3c26,Senate Democrats Try to Change the Subject Again,2013-11-18,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding Senate Democrats’ effort to focus on D.C. Circuit Court nominations rather than the failings of Obamacare: “As I noted last week, despite the repeated promises of President Obama, millions of people are losing their health insurance—health insurance they very much liked and were assured they could keep. It has been reported that so far, 3.5 million Americans have lost their health insurance under Obamacare. That includes over a quarter million people in Kentucky, a third of a million people in Florida, and almost a million people in California.  “This is a serious problem that the President and Congressional Democrats need to do something about.  Unfortunately, they appear to be relying on half-measures and creative accounting, not real solutions.  “For example, we learned over the weekend that the Administration’s goal is to have the website serve only 80% of users, which is probably why our Democratic colleagues want to spend 100% of their time discussing other subjects. Which brings us to the vote we will have today.    “For the third time in this work period, the Majority will have the Senate vote on yet another nominee to the D.C. Circuit. This is not because that court needs more judges. It’s the least busy court in the country. “In fact, it is far less busy now than it was when Senate Democrats pocket-filibustered President Bush’s nominee to that court, Peter Keisler, for two years, and this is according to our Democratic colleagues’ own standards.  “Our colleagues are having the Senate spend time on this because doing so furthers their twin political goals. First, to quote a Member of the Democratic leadership, to ‘fill up’ that court because the President’s agenda, according to an Administration ally, ‘runs through the D.C. Circuit.’  “Second, ‘to divert as much attention as possible from the problem-plagued Obamacare rollout at this formative stage of the 2014 campaign,’ according to published reports.  “In other words, rather than focusing on keeping their commitment to the American people, they are focusing on things that appeal to their base. Rather than change the law that is causing so many problems for so many, they want to change the subject. “So unfortunately, the Senate will not be voting on legislation to allow Americans to keep their health insurance if they like it, as they were promised again and again. Rather, we will be voting on another nominee to a court that doesn’t have enough work to do.  “The Senate ought to be spending its time dealing with a real crisis, not a manufactured one. We ought to be dealing with an ill-conceived law that is causing millions of Americans to lose their health insurance. “Instead, we will spend our time today on a political exercise designed to distract the American people from the mess that is Obamacare, rather than try to fix it. “Last week, I also suggested that if our Democratic colleagues are going to ignore the fact that millions of people are losing their health insurance plans, they should at least be working with us to fill judicial emergencies that actually exist, rather than complaining about fake ones.  “I noted that there are nominees on the Executive Calendar who would fill actual judicial emergencies, unlike any of the D.C. Circuit nominations.  “Several of them, in fact, have been pending on the Calendar longer than the nomination on which we’ll be voting today.  “Another week has gone by without any action by the Majority to fill these actual judicial emergencies. Rather than work with us to schedule votes on them in an orderly manner, as we have been doing, the Majority chose to leap-frog over them in order to concoct a crisis on the D.C. Circuit so it can distract Americans from the failings of Obamacare.   “Unfortunately, our friends appear to be more concerned with playing politics than with solving actual problems. “So like last week, I will vote no on this afternoon’s political exercise. And as I said last week, I hope the Senate will focus on things the American people care about, rather than spend its time trying to distract them.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barr-statement-on-tva-announcement,Barr Statement on TVA Announcement,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Barr released the following statement closure or conversion to natural gas of eight coal-fired power units in the southeast, including three in Kentucky: ""I was disappointed to learn that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced the closure or conversion to natural gas of eight coal-fired power units in the southeast, including three in Kentucky.  Three of the four units at the Paradise Fossil Plant in Drakesboro, Kentucky are to be replaced by a natural gas plant as part of TVA’s new initiative to reduce coal’s share of the Authority’s power portfolio from 38 percent – in line with coal’s share of the nation’s electricity generation – to just 20 percent over the next decade.  According to the Kentucky Coal Association, the Paradise Fossil Plant burnt 6.15 million tons of mostly Kentucky coal last year, indirectly supporting many of the 13,000 Kentuckians employed in the coal industry and paying over $13.19 million in taxes to Muhlenberg County.  The TVA acknowledges this decision will impact 200 of the 400 jobs there with layoffs or reassignments, likely reducing the local tax base. ""The TVA moved forward with this decision despite a letter from seven Kentucky legislators, which I was proud to join, urging TVA to allow Paradise to keep burning Kentucky coal.  This latest action demonstrates that the assault on the way of life in our Commonwealth’s coal fields is not limited to the regulations of the EPA, but extends across the executive branch of the federal government.  I will continue to fight these economically ruinous policies designed to keep Kentucky from mining, burning, or exporting our nation’s most abundant natural energy resource.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barr-supports-kentucky-bid-to-return-world-equestrian-games-to-lexington,Barr Supports Kentucky Bid to Return World Equestrian Games to Lexington,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Congressman Andy Barr expressed support for Kentucky's effort to return the FEI World Equestrian Games to Lexington in 2018:    “I am pleased that Kentucky has submitted a bid to return the FEI World Equestrian Games to Lexington.  The 2010 Games were an all-around success - for the sport, its fans and for the hosts.  The International Equestrian Federation should have incredible confidence in the ability of the Kentucky Horse Park to repeat as a world-class venue.  Despite a challenging economy, the support from the community and the tremendous commitment delivered by sponsor Alltech ensured that everything came together for equestrian’s greatest event.   “Hosting the games would be an honor for Lexington, bringing a substantial economic impact to the region.  The 2010 Games generated more than $200 million in Kentucky, including more than $45 million in wages supporting over 3,000 jobs.  Lexington youth benefited from the opportunity to meet competitors and fans from around the world.      “I fully support the bid, and pledge any assistance my office can provide.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1370,"Guthrie Supports Effort to Keep Existing Health Plans, Shares Obamacare Stories from Kentuckians",2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) today voted in support of H.R. 3350, the “Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013.” “I have heard from countless Kentuckians who have received cancellation notices for their existing health care plans,” said Congressman Guthrie.  “President Obama told Americans for years that if they liked their health care plan, they could keep it.  That is clearly not the case.” Congressman Guthrie is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 3350, which would allow insurance plans currently on the individual market to continue to be offered in 2014. “This week I shared the stories of four residents of Kentucky’s Second District who faced skyrocketing premiums or cancelled plans.  These Kentuckians – and millions of Americans just like them – are looking for answers,” said Congressman Guthrie. “H.R. 3350 seeks to help the millions of Americans who have seen their current plans canceled.  The American people were told repeatedly that if they liked their plan, they could keep it.  House Republicans today are trying to honor that promise.” -------------------- Watch Congressman Guthrie’s remarks on the House floor here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=1F1D7756-9244-4093-BADF-5DDEE7FAC037,"Rogers Votes For Kentuckians to ""Keep Your Health Plan""",2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC --U.S. Rep. Harold ""Hal"" Rogers (KY-05) applauds passage of the ""Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013"" (H.R. 3350), an effort that won bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives after hearing from hundreds of thousands of people who now face losing their healthcare plans due to ObamaCare. Nearly 300,000 Kentuckians alone have received notice of cancellation from their insurance providers. Rogers co-sponsored the bill to allow providers to continue to offer health insurance plans that individuals and families currently have through 2014. ""Today, thousands of Kentucky mailboxes are filled with insurance cancellation notices. It's time to relieve Americans from being forced to find new healthcare coverage options as a result of multiple broken promises from the Obama Administration,"" said Rogers. ""Even after admitting you can't keep your health care plan as promised, the President has threatened to veto this bill to fix it. None-the-less this bipartisan effort speaks loudly for people across the country who want to keep the coverage they have trusted year after year. I strongly urge the Senate and the President to listen to the outcry from Americans and move quickly to pass this legislation."" Earlier this week, former President Bill Clinton said, ""I personally believe even if it takes a change in the law, the President should honor the commitment to the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got."" In fact, Section 1251 of the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act (ACA) states that nothing in this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) shall be construed to require that an individual terminate coverage under a group health plan or health insurance in which such individual was enrolled on the date of enactment of this Act. Congressman Rogers has repeatedly voted to repeal ObamaCare altogether. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1036,Senate Passes Resolution Calling for the Release of Pastor Abedini,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919155525/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-votes-allow-all-americans-keep-their-health-care,Whitfield Votes to Allow All Americans to Keep Their Health Care,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"5 million Americans risk losing their health care plan as a result of Obamacare WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, today voted for H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act.  H.R. 3350 allows health insurers to offer in 2014 those health insurance plans currently available in the individual market.  Over 5 million Americans have been notified that they will have their current health care plans cancelled as a result of Obamacare. “President Obama has repeatedly made the statement that if you like your health care then you can keep it,” stated Whitfield.  “As we now know, that is not the case, and over five million people have already received their cancelation notices.  This legislation creates a pathway for Americans to keep their current health care plans, just as the President has promised.” H.R. 3350 allows people to keep their current health insurance plans for an additional year.  Specifically, the bill allows health insurance companies in the individual market to continue to offer health policies that were in effect as of Jan. 1, 2013, even if they don't meet minimum coverage requirements set by Obamacare.  The legislation is designed in response to President Barack Obama’s broken “if you like it, you can keep it” promise. On October 28, NBC reported that the administration has known for years it could not keep this promise. According to the report, 50 to 75 percent of Americans who purchase insurance in the individual market can expect to receive a cancellation letter or the equivalent over the next year. H.R. 3350 passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 261 to 157.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://barr.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barr-shares-melody-s-story-we-are-more-likely-to-go-without-coverage,Barr Shares Melody’s Story: "We are more likely to go without coverage” because of Obamacare,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,,,legacy,"On November 14, Congressman Andy Barr spoke on the House floor about the need to allow Americans who liked their health care plans to keep them.  Barr shared Melody's story about how she and her family lost their current healthcare policies and will now go without healthcare coverage because Obamacare.     Full Transcript:   Mr. Speaker,    For the last four years, President Obama repeatedly promised the American people that, 'if you like your health care plan, you can keep it.'  But for Melody in Lexington, Kentucky, that's simply not true.    Melody received a notice that her healthcare plan was no longer good enough under Obamacare.  And when Melody looked into options for new insurance, like so many other Americans, she found out that her family of three's insurance costs would go up by 250 percent and their deductible would increase by $2,000.   Melody told me, ""We do not qualify for any premium assistance, even though we are a family of three living on a single income. We are more likely to go without healthcare coverage because our premiums are going to cost more per year than we would wind up spending on medical expenses without insurance.""   Mr. Speaker, this is not about politics.    This is about real people in our districts that are being harmed by Obamacare. The American people don't need apologies. They don't need temporary administrative waivers.    They need permanent solutions that will protect hardworking Americans from the coverage cancellations, loss of access to doctors and premium spikes.   It's time for President Obama to keep his promise and allow Americans who liked their health care plans to keep them.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=video&id=1033,"Sen. Paul Appears on Fox's Hannity- November 14, 2013",2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131114215114/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=video&id=1034,"SENATE FLOOR: Sen. Rand Paul Speaks Out Against Obamacare - November 14, 2013",2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact SENATE FLOOR: Sen. Rand Paul Speaks Out Against Obamacare - November 14, 2013 Nov 14, 2013 14Nov 13 13Nov 13 12Nov 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 14Nov 13 14Nov 13 13Nov 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131115024112/http://paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1035,Sen. Paul Speaks Out Against Insurance Cancellations,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact Sen. Paul Speaks Out Against Insurance Cancellations WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul today took to the Senate floor to speak out against the Obama Administration's Affordable Care Act by sharing the story of the Mangiones, a family from Kentucky affected by Obamacare. Below is video and transcript of Sen. Paul's floor speech.    CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL FLOOR SPEECH ON OBAMACARE   TRANSCRIPT: PAUL: The President promised the American people if you like your doctor you can keep him or her. He promised if you like your insurance, you can keep it. But he needs to tell Andy Mangione and his family why they can't keep their insurance. They had an individual policy they were happy with. They paid $300 a month. They are now going to be asked to pay $900 a month for things they don't want and they didn't choose to have. This isn't really just about health care. This is about freedom of choice. This is about whether or not you can choose what type of insurance you want. The question is what's next? What choices will be taken from us? I'm going to be signing up for Obamacare. I tried yesterday 15 times. I wasn't able to get beyond 'create an account' because every time I pushed 'create an account,' nothing happened. This is a real problem. Five million people without insurance. The President said if you can keep your insurance, you should be allowed to. You can keep your doctor. Something has to be done because the Mangione family is going to have to pay three times as much for an insurance policy they don't want. We're taking their freedom of choice away. I for one say enough is enough. Let's get rid of this. Let's give back freedom to the consumer, give back freedom to Kentucky families. In Kentucky, 10 times more families have been canceled than have actually gotten on. Something has to give. Mr. President, if you said we can keep our doctor, come forward and tell us why we can't keep our doctor. Thank you very much.  ###     14Nov 13 13Nov 13 12Nov 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 14Nov 13 14Nov 13 13Nov 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140314060443/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/statement-senators-mcconnell-and-paul-and-congressman-ed-whitfield-paducah-doe-site,Statement from Senators McConnell and Paul and Congressman Ed Whitfield on Paducah DOE Site,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01) today released the following statement regarding Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz’s update to the delegation on the Paducah Department of Energy Site. “Our Paducah community has long endured the hardships associated with uranium enrichment at the Paducah DOE site.  When it became clear that the Gaseous Diffusion Plant would ultimately be closing, we aggressively sought out partners with Paducah’s best interests in mind. That is why we have been placing constant pressure on the Department of Energy to select a plan through DOE’s competitive ‘request for offers’ process that will enable future development in Paducah. “To that end, we are encouraged by Secretary Moniz’s comments today that using DOE’s depleted uranium assets for development in Paducah ‘remains a very important criteria’ to the Department of Energy as they finalize their decision on the request for offers process. “The people of Paducah deserve stability and certainty, which is why we are pleased by Secretary Moniz’s comments today confirming that a final decision is coming soon.  We expect DOE to make its decision shortly.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919155556/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield%E2%80%99s-subcommittee-reviews-epa%E2%80%99s-unworkable-power-plant-proposal-and-bipartisan,Whitfield’s Subcommittee Reviews EPA’s Unworkable Power Plant Proposal and Bipartisan Legislative Solution,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – The Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01), today held a hearing to discuss EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas standards for new power plants and draft legislation authored by Chairman Whitfield and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). The bipartisan draft offers an alternative to these unworkable standards as well as EPA’s planned regulations for existing power plants. “The regulation at issue today, the proposed greenhouse gas standards for new power plants, may well be the most damaging one yet in the agency’s all-out attack on one of our nation’s most affordable, reliable energy sources, coal,” said Whitfield. Whitfield and Manchin authored their legislation in response to EPA’s proposed regulation that would require new coal plants to use carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies that are not yet commercially viable, effectively banning new coal-fired generation in the United States. The legislation allows coal to remain part of America’s energy mix, requiring EPA to set standards for new plants that are actually achievable and based on proven technologies. It also provides that Congress set the effective date for EPA’s planned greenhouse gas rules for existing plants. Tony Campbell, President and CEO of East Kentucky Power Cooperative, explained the importance of coal-fired generation to providing affordable and reliable electricity to consumers and businesses. He lent his support to the Whitfield-Manchin solution, saying, “This bipartisan bill is badly needed to ensure EPA does not promulgate a rule that jeopardizes the country’s energy future, puts electricity reliability at risk, and severely harms the economy.” Members of the subcommittee pressed EPA Acting Assistant Administrator Janet McCabe on the feasibility of CCS technology that would be required to meet the agency’s proposed standards. McCabe suggested that four plants using the technology are currently under construction or planned, but she conceded that none have reached completion and all the projects have received significant government funding. Later, engineering consultant Edward Cichanowicz testified on the second panel that, “At present, the technology is not commercially proven to allow broad application in the U.S.” Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt discussed states’ concerns over EPA's expansive regulatory efforts being undertaken under the guise of the Clean Air Act. Pruitt, along with the attorneys general of 16 other states and one senior environmental regulator, recently submitted a white paper to EPA outlining concerns with EPA’s failure to properly defer to state authority under the Clean Air Act, and the implications of the agency’s planned power plant rules. Pruitt reiterated these concerns in his testimony today, stating, “The elimination of coal-based electric generation – which according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration is projected to provide 40 percent of U.S. electricity in 2014 – would result in higher electricity prices for ratepayers, and would be detrimental to the national and state economies, as well as job-creation in general. No doubt, increased electricity prices will hurt the competitiveness of American manufacturing.” Chairman Whitfield concluded, “Prior to the Obama administration, the EPA and states had a decades-long history of regulating coal in ways that reduced emissions without abandoning this vital energy source. And I believe that Sen. Manchin and I have tapped into that tradition of realistic and achievable regulation with our draft legislation. Our bipartisan and bicameral proposal is the commonsense way to ensure that any greenhouse gas regulations for power plants going forward are achievable.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140919155703/http://whitfield.house.gov/press-release/whitfield-manchin-bipartisan-plan-protect-all-above-energy-strategy,"Whitfield & Manchin: Bipartisan plan to protect an ""all-of-the-above"" energy strategy",2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Edward Whitfield,W000413,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"By Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) The United States has a good story to tell. Over the last decade we have seen a boom in American energy production that has been a game-changer for the U.S. economy. Private sector innovation and advanced technologies have transformed our energy landscape, given birth to an American manufacturing renaissance, and spurred the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs. But there is another news story about to catch fire that threatens to change the rules of the game in a different way—the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) sweeping regulatory agenda, which stands to bring America’s energy revolution and economic recovery to a screeching halt. EPA is moving forward with a stream of costly regulations that will significantly change the future of energy production and consumption in this country and put an end to the promise of a true “all-of-the-above” energy strategy. EPA has proposed standards for new power plants that are so extreme they would effectively eliminate coal as a source of future electricity generation in America. The rule requires the adoption of costly capture and storage (CCS) technologies that are not yet commercially viable, essentially setting a standard that is impossible to meet.  No other country in the world has adopted such an extreme position.   All of America’s resources – coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables – play a critical role in keeping American electricity affordable and reliable, and a diverse energy portfolio is critical to maintaining America’s competitive advantage. But if EPA's rule for new plants is allowed to move forward as written, American consumers and businesses will be denied the benefits afforded by coal, which provides nearly 40 percent of the nation with affordable and reliable electricity. EPA’s proposed standard for new power plants is only the first of many greenhouse gas regulations to be proposed by the agency. Next in the queue, and perhaps the most impactful, are greenhouse gas rules for existing power plants. EPA is not stopping here.  EPA is also expected to expand its authority beyond just power plants to other stationary sources like refineries, industrial boilers, cement kilns, chemical plants, paper mills, and manufacturing facilities. The future of American energy and our economic prosperity is at stake, and we will not stand idly by. We are taking action to ensure America can maintain a diverse fuel mix that encourages economic growth and investment. We know the best approach to ensure affordability and reliability is to strike the right balance through market forces rather than government mandates or other market distorting policies. We have put forward a bipartisan, bicameral solution that will create guidelines for EPA to set standards for new power plants that are actually achievable, and will put the ultimate authority for any rule or guideline affecting existing plants in the hands of Congress. America is now standing at a critical crossroads and it is time to have a national discussion about energy policy and decide what direction we want to go. There’s a choice between one path that takes full advantage of all of our domestic resources and pursues innovative opportunities to expand access to energy, while keeping prices affordable and helping American businesses compete. Or, there’s a path that picks winners and losers, limiting our diversity and energy and economic security and resulting in higher energy prices for consumers and industrial stagnation.  It is up to us as policymakers to make the right choices to fulfill our energy and economic potential. We hope our colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join us in this fight to keep American electricity affordable and reliable now and into the future. EPA should not be the final arbiter of whether or not coal should be a part of our energy future.  The American people must be a part of that decision.  To read this column as featured in The Hill, click HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=89f57a80-2c5e-4c68-88e5-a455617dd573,Senate Republicans Highlight the Adverse Effects of Obamacare on Consumers,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell joined Senate Republicans on the Senate floor to discuss the negative consequences of Obamacare: “By now, I’m sure every member in this chamber has received countless letters, and emails, and phone calls from the millions of Americans who have been hurt by Obamacare. “I recently saw a press release from the Senior Senator from California saying that she’s heard from more than 30,000 constituents facing skyrocketing costs or cancelled plans. “Each story is unique. Each story is important. “And that’s why, this morning, Senate Republicans will share some of those stories…to put a human face to those who’ve suffered as a result of Democrats’ decision to force this law on our country. “I’ll start off with James Dotson, a constituent of mine from Owensboro. James has Type 2 Diabetes; he recently got a letter informing him that his high-risk pool coverage would expire next month. He says a replacement plan on the Obamacare exchange will cause his premiums to spike from $676 to more than $1,000 a month. And here’s the question he asked me: ‘Where [are] the savings that the Democrats…promised 3 years ago?’ “James’ story is another reminder why it’s time for Democrats to work with us – to repeal this law and start over with bipartisan reform. “James is counting on them, and so are millions of others across the country suffering under this law.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=f86d99df-a27c-493f-b61b-8c870d681105,McConnell Statement on the President’s Obamacare ‘Fix’,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement regarding the President’s belated response to the millions who’ve lost their health plans as a result of Obamacare: “President Obama’s announcement doesn’t even come close to fixing the problems that so many Americans are facing right now as a result of cancelled health care plans and skyrocketing premiums. But, it does represent the clearest acknowledgment yet that his oft-repeated pledge ‘if you like your plan, you can keep it’ was false all along. What makes this admission even worse is the fact that it was prompted not by the heartbreaking stories of millions of Americans, but by the private pleadings of a handful of endangered Democrats. Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the fact Obamacare is broken beyond repair. The only ‘fix’ is full repeal followed by step-by-step, patient-centered reforms that drive down costs and that Americans actually want.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/statement-on-white-house-plan-for-canceled-policies/,Statement on White House Plan for Canceled Policies,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) issued the following statement in support of the Obama Administration's proposal to address insurance companies' cancellations of certain policies for consumers in the individual and small-group insurance markets: In some cases, the grandfathering provision of the Affordable Care Act did not protect consumers from insurance companies' decisions to cancel policies, and this change will help fix that, Congressman Yarmuth said. At the same time, consumers should know that those policies do not guarantee them the new protections the law offers, meaning they could still be denied insurance renewal because of a pre-existing condition, face medical bankruptcy due to annual and lifetime limits, or face higher premiums because of their gender or health status. This fix guarantees that nothing in the law will require an insurance company to change any policy it is currently offering. However, as with the previous grandfathering provision, the federal government cannot force an insurance company to sell a policy if it chooses not to. The President's proposal would allow insurers to offer consumers the option to renew their 2013 health plans for 2014, without change.If insurers choose to continue offering those plans, they would be required to notify enrollees that they can purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they may qualify for tax credits and premium support to help cover the cost of insurance. More than four out of five currently uninsured Kentuckians are eligible for reduced premiums under the law. As of November 8, nearly 41,000 Kentuckians had enrolled in new health coverage through kynect, the state's new insurance marketplace. Insurers must also tell consumers which new protections they are forfeiting by renewing their old plans. Prior to enactment of the Affordable Care Act, more than 60 percent of all U.S. bankruptcies were a result of illness and medical bills, and nearly 80 percent of those who filed for medical bankruptcy were insured.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://halrogers.house.gov/press-releases?ID=270F70D6-1423-4866-9BC9-6C5E35AEDED7,600 Kentuckians Already Signed Up for SOAR Summit,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Harold Rogers,R000395,halrogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"FRANKFORT Ky. (Nov. 13, 2013) Kentuckians who care about the future of southern and eastern Kentucky are responding to the call from Gov. Steve Beshear, U.S. Representative Hal Rogers and other leaders to participate in an effort to focus on the future success of the region. Already 600 people have registered for the Dec. 9 summit titled Shaping our Appalachian Region' (SOAR), to be held at the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center in Pikeville. We know the people who live and work hard in this region are eager to help shape its economic future, and to provide the ideas needed to overcome both short-term and long-term challenges, Gov. Beshear said. So this overwhelming response is gratifying, but not surprising. We want folks to know that every voice will be heard at this summit, whether by submitting an idea electronically or through face-to-face interactions, said Congressman Rogers. The urgency for more jobs is overwhelming, as even more eastern Kentucky coal mines announced layoffs last week. It's time to get to work, so it's encouraging to see our people are ready to pitch in on December 9th."" Registration remains open for anyone who wants to contribute a voice or vision for strategies to transform the region, build on its strengths and overcome obstacles to success. The summit is open to any Kentuckian with an interest in participating, and is completely free. Register athttps://kydlgweb.ky.gov. Gov. Beshear, U.S. Rep. Rogers, Senate President Robert Stivers, House Speaker Greg Stumbo and other leaders announced plans for the summit last month. The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI), a national policy institute dedicated to fostering public dialogue and solutions to the challenges facing rural regions and communities, will help facilitate discussions at the SOAR Summit. Other national and regional agencies supporting the SOAR effort include the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the Appalachian Regional Commission. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1031,Sen. Paul Asks DHS Nominee Johnson: Do You Think the Fourth Amendment Applies to My Visa Purchases?,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131114032744/http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=video&id=1032,11/13/13 - Sen. Rand Paul Questions DHS Nominee Jeh Johnson,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Skip to Content Home About Rand About Kentucky Issues Services News Contact 11/13/13 - Sen. Rand Paul Questions DHS Nominee Jeh Johnson Nov 13, 2013 13Nov 13 12Nov 13 8Nov 13 19Dec 12 16Nov 12 15Oct 12 13Nov 13 7Nov 13 6Nov 13",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=72acda29-a7dc-4cd9-99a2-1c49f50ee3d4,Obamacare: Broken Promises,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the numerous broken promises of Obamacare: “One of the favorite pastimes of politicians in Washington is to talk about how frustrated the American people are with politicians in Washington. After the past few weeks, it’s easy to see why.   “I’m talking about the President’s promise — repeated dozens of times — that if you like your health care plan, you can keep it. And the sobering realization by millions of Americans that it just wasn’t true. “Some of the top fact-checkers in the country have used terms like ‘Pants on Fire’ and ‘False’ and ‘Four Pinocchios’ to describe the claim that, under Obamacare, folks would be able to keep their plans. “In a matter of weeks, it’s gone from being one of the law’s top selling points to a national punch line. And if millions of people weren’t so frustrated and upset by it, it might be funny. But it’s not the least bit funny.   “At this stage, about 50,000 folks are believed to have signed up for insurance on the federal exchange – way below Administration estimates – while at least 3.5 million Americans have lost their health coverage.   “In other words, about twice as many folks have lost their insurance in the state of Idaho alone since October 1st as have obtained health insurance across the entire federal exchange. So this is a real crisis. “In my home state of Kentucky, over a quarter of a million people have lost private health care plans so far, and only about 7,000 Kentuckians have been able to obtain new private insurance under Obamacare. “If you consider that Kentucky received more than $250 million in taxpayer funds to get Obamacare up and running, that works out to about $35,000 per private insurance enrollee. That’s before taxpayer subsidies.   “So we’ve thrown untold millions at this disastrous rollout and what do we have to show for it? Millions of people losing their coverage, despite assurances from the President that they’d be able to keep it — period.   “And let’s be very clear about something: these insurance cancellations are no accident.   “It’s the way the law was designed. “Remember: in order for Obamacare to work, millions of Americans had to lose the coverage they’d purchased on their own, so the government could dump them into the Obamacare exchanges. That way, the government could then get them to pay more to subsidize coverage for everybody else. “That 31-year old dentist from Louisville I mentioned last week — the one who isn’t married and has no kids but now has to carry pediatric dental care on his plan? Well, he’s one of the unfortunate ones who’s now subsidizing care for everybody else. And despite the fact that the President and the other supporters of this bill vowed up and down that folks like this would be able to keep the health care plans they had and liked…the fact is, that was never true. And they knew it.   “They knew folks would lose their coverage.   “Just as the President once famously predicted that utility rates would ‘necessarily skyrocket’ as a result of his cap and trade policy, so too would health care rates skyrocket under Obamacare. The only difference is that on health care, Democrats apparently knew they couldn’t tell people how it would all shake out in the end.   “But they knew. That’s why, in 2010, every Democrat who was in the Senate voted against a Republican proposal designed to hold the President to his word. “The fact is, the President’s health care law was designed to capture millions of middle-class Americans, jack up their premiums, and use the extra cash to keep Obamacare afloat. This isn’t some unforeseen consequence of the law…it is the law. It’s working just like they designed it. Just like what they voted for.   “So it’s hard to take seriously the faux outrage we’ve seen of late from some of our Democrat friends.   “And as for the President, well, this should be no great revelation to him either. Just the other day, the media pointed out that the administration knew for years that Americans would lose coverage. But here’s something else: at a bipartisan Health Care Summit in 2010, the President was asked directly about this kind of thing by House Majority Leader Cantor. In reply, the President admitted that ‘8 to 9 million’ would have to change coverage …and then justified it on the grounds that they’d be getting better coverage from the government once they lost it. “So the President actually admitted during that event that millions would lose their health care … and still went out on the campaign trail claiming Americans could keep the health care plans they had.   “This is why Americans feel so hurt by this particular broken promise. And what many of them want to know is this: Why would Washington Democrats persist with it even after it became clear it was false?   “I think the reasons are simple enough.   “One, they needed to pass the Obamacare bill; and two, they needed to sell it to a skeptical public.   “And neither would have been possible without it.   “If the President had gone out and told people that if he likes your plan, you get to keep it, it would never have passed. And that’s why the President’s so-called “apology” the other night rang so hollow for so many.   “Obamacare’s problems run so deep and the broken promises are so pervasive that it is impossible to identify an ‘easy fix’. It truly ought to be repealed or delayed. But if the President is truly sorry for breaking his promise to the American people, there is a natural place to start: He could support legislation that would help restore these plans to folks who want them back.   “And he can act on it as early as this Friday.   “That’s because the House is expected to send over a bill that would allow Americans to keep the plans they have and want to keep. There’s no reason the President and Senate Democrats should not join Republicans and the American people in supporting it. “This doesn’t have to be a partisan battle. These cancellations haven’t discriminated based on party. The people out there who are frustrated and upset at losing their health care plans are Democrats and Republicans. The President can help all of them by backing the bill the House is expected to pass Friday.   “I think that’s basically what Bill Clinton was suggesting yesterday when he said the President should honor the commitment the government made to these folks, even if it means changing the law.   “I’ve had a lot of disagreements with Bill Clinton over the years. But at key moments he was willing to cross party lines. And I think here’s a moment where the American people are expecting President Obama to do the same. Allowing Americans to keep their health plans is a promise Democrats made over, and over, and over again.   “Whether or not they meant it, Democrats promised this much to the American people – and it’s their duty to make good on what they said. Once the House acts, my conference will be watching closely to see whether the Senate Democrat majority allows a vote and will help us send that bill to the President’s desk. So will the American people.   “So my message to the President is simple. Mr. President: our constituents are frustrated and they’re upset. You can help. Do the right thing.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=9fb90aeb-e871-4710-a628-3d9e36ee5aed,McConnell Statement on Obamacare Enrollment Numbers,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement regarding the Obamacare enrollment numbers and the millions who’ve lost their health plans as a result of the law: “Even with the administration’s Enron-like accounting, fewer people have signed up for Obamacare nationwide than the 280,000 who’ve already lost their plan in Kentucky as a result of Obamacare mandates. And today’s enrollment announcement will be cold comfort for the millions who’ve lost the coverage they liked and the millions more facing higher premiums. Only in Washington could placing an item in a virtual shopping cart—without even buying it—count as a sale. If private businesses used that standard, online retailers would be poised to announce their best earnings season in American history.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=d907f7fb-0af1-499d-8320-26e80de2bfc2,McConnell Congratulates Ford on Continued Growth at the Louisville Assembly Plant,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding Ford manufacturing in Kentucky: “Ford Motor Company has a proud 100-year history of manufacturing in Kentucky. Today, the company announces a new model to be constructed in its Louisville Assembly Plant, further employing yet another generation of Kentuckians. I'd like to congratulate Ford on this development and applaud its continued excellence in manufacturing in the Commonwealth.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/aca-opponents-would-take-us-back-to-broken-health-care-system/,ACA Opponents Would Take Us Back to Broken Health Care System,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON In a speech on the House floor this afternoon, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) cited the success of kynect, Kentucky's health care exchange, while warning against a return to a broken health care system. The true danger to the more than 42,000 Kentuckians who have gained coverage under the law and the hundreds of thousands more who will is what opponents of the law are proposing in its place: A return to the broken system that failed tens of millions of Americans each year, Yarmuth said. Click on the image to view the speech. The full text of the speech: Mr. Speaker, opponents of the Affordable Care Act in Congress have spent the past few weeks reveling in the problems with the federal exchange website, Healthcare.gov. In my state of Kentucky, where we've created our own exchange, we've had tremendous success. As of last week, nearly 415,000 people had explored the website and assessed their options. More than 42,000 are now enrolled in health plans many of them for the first time. And 843 small businesses have begun applying for coverage for their employees with 309 of them already eligible to offer coverage to their workers. We are six weeks into a six-month open-enrollment period, and while the failures of the federal health care website are frustrating, they are far from fatal. The true danger to the more than 42,000 Kentuckians who have gained coverage under the law and the hundreds of thousands more who will is what opponents of the law are proposing in its place: A return to the broken system that failed tens of millions of Americans each year. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues and the American people to keep a healthy perspective. We did not enact the Affordable Care Act to launch a website. We did it to ensure every American has access to affordable, quality care. And we are on our way to that goal.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/statement-on-new-line-at-louisville-assembly-plant/,Statement on New Line at Louisville Assembly Plant,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) issued the following statement on this morning's announcement that Ford would begin producing the new Lincoln MKC sport-utility vehicle at the Louisville Assembly Plant: Louisville is a national leader in the revitalization of American manufacturing, and Ford has been integral to our success. The addition of a new line at the Louisville Assembly Plant strengthens our community's partnership with Ford and positions us for an even stronger future.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://paul.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1030,Sen. Paul Addresses Cadets at The Citadel,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,paul.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Services for Kentucky It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky in the United States Senate. One of my responsibilities is to assist individuals with federal agencies. As a resident of Kentucky, you may contact my State Office in Bowling Green at (270) 782-8303 to receive help with any federal government agency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=1c00deef-be3c-47b2-a541-ff227ac57494,McConnell Congratulates Archbishop Kurtz,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor congratulating Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville on his election as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:“I’d like to Congratulate Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, the Catholic Archbishop of Louisville, on his election as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archbishop Kurtz isn’t a native Kentuckian. He’s originally from Pennsylvania. But we’ve adopted him as our own since he was appointed head of the Louisville Archdiocese in June of 2007. I wish him all the best as he seeks to promote the Church’s mission in the United States. Congratulations.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=e4adde5e-205c-4b69-b135-8d9f71f4c7bd,Senate Democrats Trying to Change the Subject from Obamacare to Judges,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the Senate Democrats attempt to focus on D.C. Circuit Court nominations rather than the consequences of Obamacare:“Despite the repeated promises of President Obama, millions of people are losing their health insurance—health insurance they very much liked and were assured they could keep.  It has been reported that so far, 3.5 million Americans have lost their health insurance under Obamacare.  That includes over a quarter million people in Kentucky, a third of a million people in Florida, and almost a million people in California.  “This is a serious problem that the President and Congressional Democrats need to do something about. The obvious answer is repeal.  But in the meantime, the legislation offered by Sen. Ron Johnson would help Americans keep the plans they have and like. “If the President and Senate Democrats are serious about helping the millions of Americans who’ve unexpectedly lost their insurance over the past several weeks, then they should support it.  Unfortunately, they appear ready to ignore this problem.  “Rather than focusing on keeping their commitment to the American people, they are focusing on things that appeal to their base.  Rather than change the law that is causing so many problems for so many, they want to change the subject. “According to one recent report, our Democratic friends want ‘to divert as much attention as possible away from the problem-plagued Obamacare rollout at this formative stage of the 2014 campaign.’  Which brings us to the vote we will have today.  “We will not be voting on legislation to allow Americans to keep their health insurance if they like it, as they were promised again and again.  Rather, we will be voting on a nominee to a court that doesn’t have enough work to do.  “A court so underworked that it regularly cancels oral argument days.  “A court whose judges tell us that if any more judges were put on the court, there wouldn’t be enough work to go around.  “A court that is less busy now than it was when Senate Democrats pocket-filibustered President Bush’s nominee to the court, Peter Keisler, for two years.  “And it is less busy based upon the very standards that Democrats themselves set forth when they blocked Mr. Keisler’s nomination.   “By the way, it is also less busy now than it was then according to an analysis provided by the Chief Judge of that court. “The Senate ought to be spending its time dealing with a real crisis, not a manufactured one.  We ought to be dealing with an ill-conceived law that is causing millions of Americans to lose their health insurance.  “Instead, we will spend our time today on a political exercise designed to distract the American people from the mess that is Obamacare, rather than try to fix it. “If our Democratic colleagues are going to ignore the fact that millions of people are losing their health insurance plans, they should at least be working with us to fill judicial emergencies that actually exist, rather than complaining about fake ones.  “There are nominees on the Executive Calendar who would fill actual judicial emergencies, unlike the Pillard nomination.  “Some of them, in fact, have been pending on the Calendar longer than the Pillard nomination.  “But rather than work with us to schedule votes on these nominations in an orderly manner, as we have been doing all year, the Majority prefers to concoct a crisis on the D.C. Circuit so it can try to distract the American people from the failings of Obamacare.   “Unfortunately, our friends appear to be more concerned with playing politics than with solving actual problems. “So I will be voting no on this afternoon’s political exercise.  I hope the Senate will focus on things the American people care about, rather than spend its time trying to distract them.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/statement-on-veterans-day/,Statement on Veterans Day,2013-11-11,2013,2013-11,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) issued the following statement marking Veterans Day: Each Veterans Day, we come together to honor those who have sacrificed for our nation's defense, democracy, and prosperity. We step aside from our everyday lives to reflect on and thank all those who make our nation strong. And we are reminded of the obligations we have to our nation's veterans and their families, whose immense sacrifices should never be underappreciated. There are more than 22 million veterans in the United States, and nearly 340,000 in our Commonwealth. As we wind down our commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, hundreds of thousands more are returning home to loving families, grateful neighbors, and a difficult economy. Each one of them honored their commitments to our country, and we must keep ours to them whether that's ensuring access to high-quality health care and higher education or job training and the opportunity to pursue a rewarding career. After fighting for us overseas, no veteran should have to fight for a job here at home. No veteran or their family should go without a roof over their head. No veteran or their family should have to worry about where their next meal will come from. I am proud to be an ally of Louisville's veterans in Congress, and I will continue fighting to make these priorities a reality for all our veterans and their families.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://guthrie.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&itemid=1369,"Become a Citizen Cosponsor of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act",2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,KY,Brett Guthrie,G000558,guthrie.house.gov,,,legacy,"One of the key promises of Obamacare was that if you liked your health insurance plan, you could keep it. “No matter what.” But as NBC News now reports, “millions of Americans are getting…cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare.”  While the administration sticks to its broken promises, I have joined Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) in introducing the Keep Your Health Plan Act to provide peace of mind to Americans across the country who are currently receiving insurance termination notices. The House of Representatives will vote on this next week. You can make your voice heard by becoming a Citizen Cosponsor of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act. Cosponsor.gov is an innovative platform that brings the American people into the legislative process. Users log in via Facebook and can show their support for issues they care about by becoming a Citizen Cosponsor of that bill. Citizen cosponsors are then updated on the status of their bills as they move through the various stages of the legislative process. H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act, would allow health insurance plans currently available on the individual market to be offered next year. Additionally, the bill would allow Americans the choice to continue enrolling in those plans without being penalized under the individual mandate. Become a Citizen Cosponsor of H.R. 3350, Keep Your Health Plan Act here. Facing hardships as a result of the health law? I’d like to hear from you. Share your story here. Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtags #KeepYourHealthPlan, #KeepThePromise, and #FairnessForAll. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z