United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) generally considers matters relating to these issues. Its jurisdiction also extends beyond these issues to include several more specific areas, as defined by Senate rules.

History

While it is currently known as the HELP Committee, the committee was originally founded on January 28, 1869, as the Committee on Education. Its name was changed to the Committee on Education and Labor on February 14, 1870, when petitions relating to labor were added to its jurisdiction from the Committee on Naval Affairs.

The committee’s jurisdiction at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries focused largely on issues relating to federal employees’ working conditions and federal education aid. Prominent action considered by the committee in the 1910s and 1920s included the creation of a national minimum wage, the establishments of a Department of Labor, a Department of Education, and a Children’s Bureau. During the 1930s, the committee took action on the National Labor Relations Act, the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act of 1936 and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

In 1944, the jurisdiction of the Public Health Service was transferred from the Commerce Committee to the Committee on Education and Labor, adding issues relating to public health matters to its jurisdiction. The committee's name was changed during the 80th Congress to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare as part of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (Public Law 79-601). The act further expanded the committee's oversight to include the rehabilitation, health, and education of veterans. Mine safety was also added to the committee’s jurisdiction in 1949.

During the Administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, the committee took the lead in shaping legislation as part of Johnson's war on poverty, resulting in the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Through the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-510), certain issues pertaining to veterans were transferred to the newly created Committee on Veterans Affairs. In the 95th Congress, the Senate passed S. Res. 4, which renamed the committee to be the Committee on Human Resources. However, the name was again changed in the 96th Congress by S. Res. 30 to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources. On March 18, 1992, the committee’s jurisdiction was updated to include all of the areas listed below. The committee was given its current name, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, on January 19, 1999, by S. Res. 20.

On July 25, 2024, the committee voted 16-4 to issue its first-ever subpoena, compelling the testimony of Steward Health Care's CEO Ralph de la Torre in relation to accusations of mismanagement of the health system.

Jurisdictional areas

Under the Rule 25 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following subject matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Committee:

• Measures relating to education, labor, health, and public welfare
• Aging
• Agricultural colleges
• Arts and humanities
• Biomedical research and development
• Child labor
• Convict labor and the entry of goods made by convicts into interstate commerce
• Domestic activities of the American Red Cross
• Equal employment opportunity
• Gallaudet University, Howard University, and St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C.
• Individuals with disabilities
• Labor standards and labor statistics
• Mediation and arbitration of labor disputes
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration, including the welfare of miners.
• Mine Safety and Health Administration
• Private pension plans
• Public health
• Railway labor and retirement
• Regulation of foreign laborers
• Student loans
• Wages and hours of labor, including the federal minimum wage

Members, 119th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Bill Cassidy, Louisiana, Chair Rand Paul, Kentucky Susan Collins, Maine Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Roger Marshall, Kansas Tim Scott, South Carolina Josh Hawley, Missouri Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Jim Banks, Indiana Jon Husted, Ohio (from January 24, 2025) Ashley Moody, Florida (from January 24, 2025)

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Bernie Sanders, Vermont Ranking Member Patty Murray, Washington Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Tim Kaine, Virginia Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire John Hickenlooper, Colorado Ed Markey, Massachusetts Andy Kim, New Jersey Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Education and the American Family	Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)	Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
Employment and Workplace Safety	Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)	John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Primary Health and Retirement Security	Roger Marshall (R-KS)	Ed Markey (D-MA)

Historical members

110th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Ted Kennedy, Massachusetts, Chair Chris Dodd, Connecticut, Vice Chair Tom Harkin, Iowa Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Patty Murray, Washington Jack Reed, Rhode Island Hillary Clinton, New York Bernie Sanders, Vermont Sherrod Brown, Ohio Barack Obama, Illinois, until November 16, 2008

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Mike Enzi, Wyoming, Ranking Member Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Orrin Hatch, Utah Pat Roberts, Kansas Wayne Allard, Colorado Tom Coburn, Oklahoma

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Children and Families	Chris Dodd (D-CT)	Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety	Patty Murray (D-WA)	Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging	Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)	Richard Burr (R-NC)

111th Congress

The Committee was chaired by Democrat Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts until his death on August 25, 2009. Under seniority rules, Acting Chair Christopher Dodd was next in line, but Dodd chose instead to remain chair of the Senate Banking Committee. Tom Harkin, next in line by seniority, assumed the chair on September 9, 2009, vacating his post as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Republican Mike Enzi of Wyoming continued to serve as Ranking Member.

Majority

Minority

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Ted Kennedy, Massachusetts, Chair until June 9, 2009 Tom Harkin, Iowa, Chair from September 9, 2009 Chris Dodd, Connecticut, Acting Chair from June 9, 2009 – September 9, 2009 Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Patty Murray, Washington Jack Reed, Rhode Island Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Kay Hagan, North Carolina Jeff Merkley, Oregon Al Franken, Minnesota, from June 7, 2009 Michael Bennet, Colorado Carte Goodwin, West Virginia, July 2010 – November 2010 Joe Manchin, West Virginia, from November 2010

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Mike Enzi, Wyoming, Ranking Member Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia John McCain, Arizona Orrin Hatch, Utah Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Pat Roberts, Kansas

Source: 2010 Congressional Record, Vol. 156, Page / S6226 ,

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Children and Families	Chris Dodd (D-CT)	Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety	Patty Murray (D-WA)	Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging	Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)	Richard Burr (R-NC)

112th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Tom Harkin, Iowa, Chair Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Patty Murray, Washington Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Kay Hagan, North Carolina Jeff Merkley, Oregon Al Franken, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Mike Enzi, Wyoming, Ranking Member Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia Rand Paul, Kentucky Orrin Hatch, Utah John McCain, Arizona Pat Roberts, Kansas Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Mark Kirk, Illinois

Source: 2011 Congressional Record, Vol. 157, Page / S557

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Children and Families	Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)	Richard Burr (R-NC)
Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety	Patty Murray (D-WA)	Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging	Bernie Sanders (I-VT)	Rand Paul (R-KY)

113th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Tom Harkin, Iowa, Chair Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Patty Murray, Washington Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Kay Hagan, North Carolina Al Franken, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, Ranking member Mike Enzi, Wyoming Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia Rand Paul, Kentucky Orrin Hatch, Utah Pat Roberts, Kansas Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Mark Kirk, Illinois Tim Scott, South Carolina

Source: 2013 Congressional Record, Vol. 159, Page / S296 to 297

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Children and Families	Kay Hagan (D-NC)	Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Employment and Workplace Safety	Bob Casey (D-PA)	Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Primary Health and Aging	Bernie Sanders (I-VT)	Richard Burr (R-NC)

114th Congress

Majority	Minority
style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, Chair Mike Enzi, Wyoming Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia Rand Paul, Kentucky Susan Collins, Maine Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Mark Kirk, Illinois Tim Scott, South Carolina Orrin Hatch, Utah Pat Roberts, Kansas Bill Cassidy, Louisiana	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Patty Murray, Washington, Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Al Franken, Minnesota Michael Bennet, Colorado Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts

Source

Source: 2015 Congressional Record, Vol. 161, Page / S67 to 68

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Children and Families	Rand Paul (R-KY)	Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Employment and Workplace Safety	Johnny Isakson (R-GA)	Al Franken (D-MN)
Primary Health and Retirement Security	Mike Enzi (R-WY)	Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

115th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, Chair Mike Enzi, Wyoming Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia Rand Paul, Kentucky Susan Collins, Maine Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Todd Young, Indiana Orrin Hatch, Utah Pat Roberts, Kansas Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Tim Scott, South Carolina

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Patty Murray, Washington, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Michael Bennet, Colorado Al Franken, Minnesota (until January 2, 2018) Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Tim Kaine, Virginia Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Tina Smith, Minnesota (from January 3, 2018) Doug Jones, Alabama (from January 3, 2018)

116th Congress

Majority

Minority

style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, Chair Mike Enzi, Wyoming Richard Burr, North Carolina Johnny Isakson, Georgia (until December 31, 2019) Rand Paul, Kentucky Susan Collins, Maine Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Pat Roberts, Kansas Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Tim Scott, South Carolina Mitt Romney, Utah Mike Braun, Indiana Kelly Loeffler, Georgia (from January 6, 2020)

style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Patty Murray, Washington, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Tim Kaine, Virginia Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Tina Smith, Minnesota Doug Jones, Alabama Jacky Rosen, Nevada

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Children and Families	Rand Paul (R-KY)	Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Employment and Workplace Safety	Tim Scott (R-SC)	Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Primary Health and Retirement Security	Mike Enzi (R-WY)	Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

117th Congress

Majority	Minority
style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Patty Murray, Washington, Chair Bernie Sanders, Vermont Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Tim Kaine, Virginia Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Tina Smith, Minnesota Jacky Rosen, Nevada Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico John Hickenlooper, Colorado	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Richard Burr, North Carolina, Ranking Member Rand Paul, Kentucky Susan Collins, Maine Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Tim Scott, South Carolina Mitt Romney, Utah Mike Braun, Indiana Roger Marshall, Kansas Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Jerry Moran, Kansas

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Children and Families	Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)	Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Employment and Workplace Safety	John Hickenlooper (D-CO)	Mike Braun (R-IN)
Primary Health and Retirement Security	Bernie Sanders (I-VT)	Susan Collins (R-ME)

118th Congress

Majority	Minority
style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Bernie Sanders, Vermont Chair Patty Murray, Washington Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Chris Murphy, Connecticut Tim Kaine, Virginia Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Tina Smith, Minnesota Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico John Hickenlooper, Colorado Ed Markey, Massachusetts	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" valign=top | Bill Cassidy, Louisiana, Ranking Member Rand Paul, Kentucky Susan Collins, Maine Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Mike Braun, Indiana Roger Marshall, Kansas Mitt Romney, Utah Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Ted Budd, North Carolina

Subcommittees

Subcommittee Name	Chair	Ranking Member
Children and Families	Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)	Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
Employment and Workplace Safety	John Hickenlooper (D-CO)	Mike Braun (R-IN)
Primary Health and Retirement Security	Ed Markey (D-MA)	Roger Marshall (R-KS)

Defunct subcommittees

The committee has had other subcommittees in the past, such as:

• the Subcommittee on Migratory Labor during the 1950s through 1970s.
• the Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research during the 1970s.
• the Subcommittee Investigating Violations of Free Speech and the Rights of Labor, informally known as the "La Follette Civil Liberties Committee"

Chairs

Education 1869–1870

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	MO	1869	1870

Education and Labor, 1870–1947

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	SC	1870	1873
	Republican	TX	1873	1875
	Republican	CT	1875
	Republican	SC	1875	1877
	Republican	RI	1877	1879
	Democratic	TN	1879	1881
	Republican	NH	1881	1891
	Republican	WY	1891	1893
	People's	SD	1893	1895
	Republican	ID	1895	1897
	People's	SD	1897	1901
	Republican	MD	1901	1905
	Republican	PA	1905
	Republican	IA	1905	1909
	Republican	ID	1909	1913
	Democratic	GA	1913	1919
	Democratic	IA	1919	1922
	Republican	ID	1922	1924
	Republican	CO	1924	1926
	Republican	MI	1926	1929
	Republican	RI	1929	1933
	Democratic	MA	1933	1937
	Democratic	AL	1937
	Democratic	UT	1937	1945
	Democratic	MT	1945	1947

Labor and Public Welfare, 1947–1977

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	OH	1947	1949
	Democratic	UT	1949	1951
	Democratic	MT	1951	1953
	Republican	NJ	1953	1955
	Democratic	AL	1955	1969
	Democratic	TX	1969	1971
	Democratic	NJ	1971	1977

Human Resources, 1977–1979

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Democratic	NJ	1977	1979

Labor and Human Resources, 1979–1999

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Democratic	NJ	1977	1979
	Republican	UT	1981	1987
	Democratic	MA	1987	1995
	Republican	KS	1995	1997
	Republican	VT	1997	1999

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, 1999–present

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Republican	VT	1999	2001
	Democratic	MA	2001
	Republican	VT	2001
	Democratic	MA	2001	2003
	Republican	NH	2003	2005
	Republican	WY	2005	2007
	Democratic	MA	2007	2009
Acting	Democratic	CT	2009
	Democratic	IA	2009	2015
	Republican	TN	2015	2021
	Democratic	WA	2021	2023
	Independent	VT	2023	2025
	Republican	LA	2025	present

Ranking members

Name	Party	State	Start	End
	Democratic	UT	???	1949
	Republican	OH	1949	1953
	Democratic	MT	1953	1955
	Republican	NJ	1955	1959
	Republican	UT	1959	1965
	Republican	NY	1965	1979
	Republican	PA	1979	1981
	Democratic	MA	1981	1987
	Republican	UT	1987	1993
	Republican	KS	1993	1995
	Democratic	MA	1995	2001
	Republican	NH	2001	2003
	Democratic	MA	2003	2007
	Republican	WY	2007	2013
	Republican	TN	2013	2015
	Democratic	WA	2015	2021
	Republican	NC	2021	2023
	Republican	LA	2023	2025
	Independent	VT	2025	present

See also

• List of United States Senate committees
• Health education

External links

• Official Committee Page (Archive)
• Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.