# 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 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 |
| 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) | 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 |
| 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 | 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 Chairman Christopher Dodd was next in line, but Dodd chose instead to remain chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Tom Harkin, next in line by seniority, assumed the chairmanship on September 9, 2009, vacating his post as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Republican Mike Enzi of Wyoming continued to serve as Ranking Member.
| Majority | Minority |
| 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 | 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 |
| Tom Harkin, Iowa, Chairman 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 | 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| Lamar Alexander, Tennessee, Chairman 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) | 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 |
| Patty Murray, Washington, Chairwoman 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 | 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 |
| Bernie Sanders, Vermont Chairman 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 | 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"

## Chairpersons
### Education 1869–1870

* Charles D. Drake (R-MO) 1869–1870

### Education and Labor, 1870 – 1947

* Frederick Sawyer (R-SC) 1870–1873
* James W. Flanagan (R-TX) 1873–1875
* Orris S. Ferry (R-CT) 1875
* John J. Patterson (R-SC) 1875–1877
* Ambrose Burnside (R-RI) 1877–1879
* James E. Bailey (D-TN) 1879–1881
* Henry W. Blair (R-NH) 1881–1891
* Joseph M. Carey (R-WY) 1891–1893
* James H. Kyle (PO-SD) 1893–1895
* George Shoup (R-ID) 1895–1897
* James H. Kyle (PO-SD) 1897–1901
* Louis McComas (R-MD) 1901–1905
* Boies Penrose (R-PA) 1905
* Jonathan P. Dolliver (R-IA) 1905–1909
* William E. Borah (R-ID) 1909–1913
* Hoke Smith (D-GA) 1913–1919
* William S. Kenyon (R-IA) 1919–1922
* William E. Borah (R-ID) 1922–1924
* Lawrence C. Phipps (R-CO) 1924–1926
* James Couzens (R-MI) 1926–1929
* Jesse H. Metcalf (R-RI) 1929–1933
* David I. Walsh (D-MA) 1933–1937
* Hugo L. Black (D-AL) 1937
* Elbert D. Thomas (D-UT) 1937–1945
* James E. Murray (D-MT) 1945–1947

### Labor and Public Welfare, 1947–1977

* Robert A. Taft (R-OH) 1947–1949
* Elbert D. Thomas (D-UT) 1949–1951
* James E. Murray (D-MT) 1951–1953
* H. Alexander Smith (R-NJ) 1953–1955
* Lister Hill (D-AL) 1955–1969
* Ralph Yarborough (D-TX) 1969–1971
* Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D-NJ) 1971–1977

### Human Resources, 1977–1979

* Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D-NJ) 1977–1979

### Labor and Human Resources, 1979–1999

* Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D-NJ) 1979–1981
* Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT) 1981–1987
* Ted Kennedy (D-MA) 1987–1995
* Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS) 1995–1997
* James M. Jeffords (R-VT) 1997–1999

### Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, 1999–present

* James M. Jeffords (R-VT) 1999–2001
* Ted Kennedy (D-MA) 2001
* James M. Jeffords (R-VT) 2001
* Ted Kennedy (D-MA) 2001–2003
* Judd Gregg (R-NH) 2003–2005
* Michael Enzi (R-WY) 2005–2007
* Ted Kennedy (D-MA) 2007–2009
* Chris Dodd (D-CT) 2009, acting
* Tom Harkin (D-IA) 2009–2015
* Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 2015–2021
* Patty Murray (D-WA) 2021–2023
* Bernie Sanders (I-VT) 2023–2025
* Bill Cassidy (R-LA) 2025–present