January 24, 2011 ... With committee assignments now complete in the Massachusetts Senate, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, is clearly at the center of a host of issues facing the state in the new legislative term. "Both my new and continuing committee assignments give me a seat at the table as we seek to bring positive change to benefit the people of Massachusetts," Sen. Moore stated.

Among the top issues facing Beacon Hill this year are balancing the state budget in a time of dramatic drop in federal aid; creating private sector job opportunities and economic recovery from the recession; reducing health care costs while maintaining access and quality; and reforming the public pension system. Senate committee assignments were released today and Sen. President Therese Murray looked to Sen. Richard T. Moore for his leadership, experience, and ability to deliver real results within all of these complex issues.

Sen. Moore will continue to chair the Committee on Health Care Financing. In that role, President Murray has asked him to lead the effort in cutting health care costs by reforming the system of payments to providers while promoting high quality outcomes. In her opening remarks to the Senate on January 5th, the Senate President said, "it is my goal, under the leadership of Sen. Richard Moore, for the Senate to once again lead the way on health care payment reform."

As a leader and co-author of the state's landmark Health Care Reform Law and two subsequent major bills to contain costs and promote more affordable health insurance for small businesses, Sen. Moore has considerable experience to tackle this complicated agenda.

"I am thrilled to be able to continue in a leadership role in reforming our health care system," Sen. Moore stated. "This is going to be one of the top issues facing the state in the next few years, and I believe my experience and understanding of the issues will allow me to help forge a new direction for this important segment of the state's economy," he added.

Continuing as a senior member of the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, Sen. Moore will play an important role in addressing the serious budget shortfall facing state and local government. "I'll be in there fighting for local aid to help our schools, police and fire services while trying to ease the burden on local property taxpayers," he said. "In addition, I'll be continuing my push to make state government work better at lower cost," he added.

As a new member of the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, Moore is well-positioned to promote private sector job creation in Massachusetts, with special attention to his Central Massachusetts area. With growing technology and biotech sectors in southern Worcester County, Sen. Moore sees this assignment as especially helpful in promoting job growth in the region.

In addition, Sen. Moore continues as a member of the Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development which plays a major role in the Massachusetts economy - particularly in the Blackstone Valley and the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley Heritage Corridors. Moore said he will continue to push for development of the Blackstone Valley Greenway, the French River Greenway, the Upper Charles Trail and the Quinebaug Rail Trail through his work on this committee.

As a returning member of the Committee on Public Service, the veteran legislator will bring his experience as a local and state official to reforming the state's pension system so that it is affordable for both taxpayers and retirees. As former Senate Chairman of the committee, Sen. Moore led efforts in the past at pension reform as well as health care for public employees - a program that has become a major burden for local and state budgets as well as public employees.

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