Press Releases
Miller Statement on Election of Rep. Scott as Ranking Member of Committee on Education and the Workforce
11.19.14 WASHINGTON-House Democrats today elected Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) as the next Ranking Member for the Committee on Education and the Workforce, succeeding Rep. George Miller (D-CA), who is retiring at the end of this session of Congress. Rep. Miller released the following statement upon announcement of the election results: "I am thrilled that my Democratic colleagues have selected Congressman Bobby Scott as the next Ranking Member of the Education and the Workforce Committee. For the… Continue Reading
Miller, Harkin Press Education Department on Behalf of Struggling Borrowers
11.18.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, today questioned the Department of Education (ED) about its new policies for calculating how many student borrowers at a given school have defaulted on their loans. The recent changes will allow poorly performing institutions to continue operating, putting more student borrowers a… Continue Reading
Kline, Miller Praise Senate Passage of Bill to Update Child Care Program
11.17.14 WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) and Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the committee, praised the Senate's passage of a bill to improve and reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant today. House and Senate leaders negotiated the bipartisan agreement in September, and the House approved the legislation shortly thereafter. The bill will now headed to President Obama's desk to be signed into law. "Today we mo… Continue Reading
Miller: Ahead of Open Enrollment Period, It’s Clear ACA is Working
11.14.14 WASHINGTON-Americans will once again be able to shop for health insurance tomorrow when the second annual open enrollment period in the Health Insurance Marketplace begins. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee and co-author of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the law that created the Marketplace, released the following statement: "The Affordable Care Act is working today-and as we head into year two, it is more apparent than ever t… Continue Reading
Ahead of NCLB Waiver Guidance, Miller and Tri-Caucus Reissue Call to Protect Educational Equity, Civil Rights
11.11.14 WASHINGTON—In advance of the Department of Education’s release of guidance to states on what they must do to keep their No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers, senior Democratic lawmakers Monday called on the Department to protect the civil rights of children nationwide. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Cauc… Continue Reading
Miller: Gainful Employment Rule Raises Expectations for Career Colleges
10.30.14 WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Education today announced final rules to help ensure that career colleges accepting federal funds improve outcomes for students and protect consumers from waste, fraud and abuse. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response to the regulations: "I commend the Department of Education for moving forward with a rule that raises expectations for career programs that to… Continue Reading
House Dems Urge U.S. Businesses to Combat Gender-Based Violence in the Workplace
10.23.14 Senior Democratic lawmakers today called upon U.S. businesses to help fight gender-based violence—one of the most widespread human rights violations—in workplaces around the world and across industries. A group of 35 House Democrats sent a letter to the United States Council on International Business (USCIB), urging the group to support the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) proposed standards against workplace violence and abuse. Earlier this year, members of Congress sent a letter aski… Continue Reading
Miller Renews Call to Raise the Minimum Wage on 10/10/14, National Minimum Wage Day
10.10.14 WASHINGTON, DC - On National Minimum Wage Day, House Representative George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, reissued his call to pass H.R. 1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, which would raise the national minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour and index it to inflation, as well as raising the minimum wage for tipped workers. "We've all heard the arguments a thousand times by now: raising the national minimum wage to $10.10 will lift families… Continue Reading
Miller: New Report on School Accountability Shows ED Must Continue to Protect Equity in NCLB Waiver Renewals
10.09.14 WASHINGTON—New analysis released by The Education Trust today shows that despite poor performance of low-income and minority children, schools in several states have received top ratings. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response to the report, which calls into question certain school accountability systems and the priority they place on preserving equity in education: "Schools must be held acc… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on September Jobs Report
10.03.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after the Department of Labor economy added 248,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate dropped to 5.9 percent, the lowest unemployment rate since July 2008. "September's jobs report is another sign that our country is moving in the right direction after the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The economy has now seen 55 cons… Continue Reading
Miller Applauds Rule to Raise Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors, Calls on Congress to Act
10.01.14 WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule to raise the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour. The rule, which implements an executive order announced by President Obama on February 12, will benefit nearly 200,000 American workers. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), praised the passage of the rule and called on Congress to enact his Fair Minimum Wage Act (H.R. 1010) to raise the national minimum wage for all workers from $… Continue Reading
Miller: New Guidance to Combat Educational Inequality Affirms Access to Quality Teachers a Civil Rights Issue
10.01.14 WASHINGTON-Today the U.S. Department of Education released new guidance to states, school districts, and schools that provides critical civil rights protections for students across the country. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response to the guidance, which, for the first time, designates teacher effectiveness as a significant factor in the equal distribution of resources: "Every child, regard… Continue Reading
Miller Applauds Senate HELP Committee Passage of Education Research Bill
09.17.14 WASHINGTON-With a unanimous vote, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee today approved legislation to support federal education research and improve states' and school districts' access to information on successful education practices. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee and co-sponsor of the original House version of the Strengthening Education through Research Act (SETRA), released the following statement… Continue Reading
Education Committee Dems Praise House Passage of Child Care and Development Block Grant Rewrite
09.15.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), and Bobby Scott (D-VA), senior members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statements today upon the House's passage of a bill to improve and reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. "The Child Care and Development Block Grant is an indispensable resource for millions of children and families nationwide," said Rep. Miller, senior Democrat on the committee. "CCDBG enables … Continue Reading
Bipartisan, Bicameral Agreement Reached to Reform Child Care & Development Block Grant Program
09.12.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-A bipartisan group of House and Senate leaders today announced a legislative agreement to improve and reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. Negotiated by Representatives John Kline (R-MN), George Miller (D-CA), Todd Rokita (R-IN), David Loebsack (D-IA), and Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Richard Burr (R-NC), the agreement will enhance transparency, strengthen health and safety protections, and improve the qu… Continue Reading
Miller: New Grant Competition an Important Step to Increasing Access to High-Quality Early Education
08.13.14 WASHINGTON—Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, applauded U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell’s announcement today of a new grant competition for states to improve early education programs. These grants mirror a central component of the bipartisan Strong Start for America’s Children Act (H.R. 3461), Rep. Miller’s legislation to increase access to high-quality early learning op… Continue Reading
Miller applauds low rate increase for health insurance premiums in 2015 in California
07.31.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today's announcement that health insurance rates in the Covered California marketplace will increase next year at a far lower rate than before the federal health care law was enacted is further evidence that the Affordable Care Act is having a positive effect on individuals and families in California and across the country, said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. "Before Congress passed the Affordable Care Act i… Continue Reading
Miller: MSHA’s Black Lung Rule Will Protect Miners’ Long Term Health
07.31.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) begins implementing a new regulation to protect coal miners from black lung disease on August 1, to which Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following response today. "While black lung rates have dropped dramatically since the passage of Coal Act in 1969, there has been an alarming resurgence of coal miners-particularly you… Continue Reading
Miller Applauds President Obama’s Action on Behalf of Workers
07.31.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-President Barack Obama today signed a new Executive Order to bolster worker protections in the federal contracting system. The Executive Order requires prospective federal contractors to disclose labor law violations and gives agencies more guidance on how to consider labor violations when awarding federal contracts. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democratic member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, made the following statement: "Today, the Presid… Continue Reading
Miller, Stivers Introduce Bill to Help Children and Youth More Easily Secure Homeless Assistance
07.24.14 WASHINGTON D.C.-Today, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) introduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for homeless children, youth and families to receive homeless assistance. Currently, the Housing and Urban Development Department's (HUD) definition of "homeless" is inconsistent with other federal agencies. The Homeless Children and Youth Act (H.R. 5186) would expand HUD's definition of "homele… Continue Reading