John Kerry

Kerry Proposal Builds on Successful Best Practices in Massachusetts Health Care Reform

11/13/2009 --
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee, has written Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) requesting Kerry’s proposal to provide affordable insurance plans for the middle class be included in the health reform legislation that comes to the senate floor.

Kerry’s plan, often referred to as “prudent purchasing,” would allow state-run health insurance marketplaces to negotiate with private insurance companies to select the best, most affordable options for consumers.    » read more »

11/10/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee and lead author of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, today argued the tremendous opportunities for job creation as part of comprehensive climate change legislation and dismissed reports presented at today’s hearing that failed to factor in the immense potential of alternative energy job creation.    » read more »

11/10/09 -- Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22) and Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member and former Chairman of the Small Business Committee, today announced their introduction of a bill to support small businesses that employ military reservists.

The Small Business and Military Family Assistance Act of 2009 will provide tax incentives for small business employers who make up the salary difference for their reservist employees while they’re serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. While many large businesses can afford to supplement the lower wages reservists earn while in active duty, small business owners struggle to offer the same service.    » read more »

November 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member and former Chairman of the Small Business Committee, and Congressman Ron Klein (D-Fla.) today announced their introduction of a bill to support small businesses that employ military reservists.

The Small Business and Military Family Assistance Act of 2009 will provide tax incentives for small business employers who make up the salary difference for their reservist employees while they’re serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. While many large businesses can afford to supplement the lower wages reservists earn while in active duty, small business owners struggle to offer the same service.    » read more »

November 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) who, along with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), authored S. 1733, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, today released the following statement on the passage of their legislation out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW):

"Congratulations to Chairman Barbara Boxer who this morning advanced landmark legislation out of her committee. She did so under the toughest of circumstances, after months of meetings, deliberations, and vigorous debate. This wasn't easy, but her commitment was resolute. Today's step in the process sends a clear message to the world that the United States is serious about tackling climate change and securing our clean energy future.    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, today applauded the long overdue enactment of his legislation by the Obama Administration to finally end a travel ban that prevented those with HIV from entering the United States.

Since 1987, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) contained a provision to bar HIV positive individuals from travelling or immigrating to the US, including HIV positive doctors and experts, as well as refugees seeking asylum. No scientific evidence supported the ban as effective for disease control or to curb costs to the public health care system.    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- BOSTON – Senators John Kerry and Paul Kirk today announced that three Massachusetts organizations will receive a total of $230 million under the 2009 round of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program. The funding is administered through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund which aims to expand the capacity of financial institutions to provide capital, credit and financial services to underserved populations and communities in Massachusetts and throughout the nation.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- BOSTON – Senators John Kerry and Paul Kirk today announced that six Massachusetts communities and companies will receive a total of $35,778,357 in Recovery Act funding for investments in Smart Grid technologies. The funding aims to ease the nation’s transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system.

“These investments will make our electricity delivery system more efficient, give us more control over power surges and reduce the amount of energy we use,” said Sen. Kerry. “I’m grateful that the Obama Administration recognizes the benefits of investing in these projects.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and co-author of the Kerry-Boxer Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, today addressed Chairman Barbara Boxer’s (D-Calif.) Environment and Public Works Committee on the first day of markup of comprehensive legislation to reduce pollution and combat global climate change.    » read more »

10/14/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today at a joint press availability, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry, House Foreign Relations Chairman Howard L. Berman and Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi announced the release of a joint explanatory statement to accompany Senate Bill 1707, the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009.

Chairman Kerry made the following remarks at today’s press availability:    » read more »

10/14/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee, vows to continue his push to limit the amount insurance companies can charge older Americans for healthcare premiums. During the Finance Committee’s debate on healthcare legislation, Kerry offered an amendment to impose a 2:1 limit on “age rating” which mirrors provisions in legislation approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

In response to the Kerry proposal, Chairman Baucus agreed to reduce the age rating band from 5:1 to 4:1. Kerry will continue to push for a lower age rating band with the ultimate goal of eliminating the discrimination of older Americans.    » read more »

10/13/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) wrote an op-ed in this morning’s New York Times calling for bipartisan Senate action on climate change legislation.

The full text of the op-ed is below:

October 11, 2009

Yes We Can (Pass Climate Change Legislation)

By John Kerry and Lindsey Graham    » read more »

10/13/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee, today addressed his Republican colleagues before the Committee’s final passage of comprehensive health care legislation.

“Should we add another 20 million Americans to the ranks of the uninsured over the next decade?” Senator Kerry asked in a challenge to the committee’s Republican members. “Because if we fail to act now, that’s exactly what will happen.”    » read more »

10/13/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Several provisions authored by Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, will be included in comprehensive healthcare legislation expected to be passed by the Committee this week.

“This marks another in a series of historic steps we’re taking to ensure that health care is a right of all our people,” said Sen. Kerry. “This process has tested the faith of the American people, but we move forward today more committed than ever to providing health insurance to all those struggling in this country.”

The top Kerry proposals included in the Senate Finance Committee passed health care bill are:

Excise Tax Changes    » read more »

10/13/2009 -- BOSTON – Senators Paul G. Kirk, Jr. and John F. Kerry sent a letter on October 9, 2009 to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, commending his decision to bring Unemployment Insurance extension legislation to the floor of the Senate, and urging him to do so as expeditiously as possible.

Without an extension, more than 1.3 million Americans, including as many as 40,000 Massachusetts residents, will be at risk of losing their UI benefits by the end of this year. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, enacted in February, has been providing a weekly supplement to families in need. But, with unemployment continuing to rise, additional action by Congress is urgently needed to continue their benefits.    » read more »