Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

U.S. SENATOR Jeff Bingaman

Monday, December 15, 2008

Contact Senator Bingaman's Office:

Jude McCartin
Maria Najera
703 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521

Chairman Kennedy Announces Bingaman as Lead of Insurance Coverage Working Group on Healthcare Reform

Washington, DC— Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), today announced that Senator Jeff Bingaman will lead the committee's health care reform working group on insurance coverage. Senator Bingaman replaces Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for Secretary of State.

"Senator Bingaman is a longtime advocate of quality and affordable health care for the American people, and I'm pleased he will join Senator Dodd, Senator Harkin, and Senator Mikulski to serve in these expanded roles. We are all committed to working with the Obama Administration and our colleagues in Congress to finally give the American people the health care reforms they urgently need and deserve," Kennedy said. 

"New Mexico has one of the highest uninsured rates in the country.  Furthermore, many New Mexicans that are fortunate enough to have health insurance struggle because the coverage may be very costly or may not provide comprehensive benefits," Bingaman said. "I look forward to working with Chairman Kennedy, my other colleagues in the Senate and the incoming administration to develop a plan that provides meaningful and affordable health care to all Americans."

Bingaman is a senior member of the Senate HELP Committee. 

Last month, Kennedy asked Senator Dodd to serve as his chief deputy for health reform and established three working groups within his committee to concentrate on areas essential to comprehensive health care reform.  Senator Dodd will continue in that capacity and Senator Tom Harkin and Senator Barbara Mikulski will continue to chair the working groups on prevention and health, and improvements in quality, respectively.