Press Releases
Miller Leads Effort for Greater Worker Protections in Qatar as World Cup 2022 Construction Accelerates
07.24.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-As preparations ramp up for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, leading members of Congress, including the co-chairs of the Congressional Soccer Caucus and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, today introduced a resolution calling for better protections for the mainly migrant workers who have been building new World Cup-related infrastructure in the Persian Gulf emirate. Qatar's migrant workforce faces horrible conditions, including 12-16 hour working days in triple-digi… Continue Reading
Harkin, Miller, Franken: Five Years Since Last Minimum Wage Increase Has Meant $6 Billion Pay Cut for Low-Wage Workers
07.24.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-On the fifth anniversary of the last minimum wage increase, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Representative George Miller (D-CA), and Senator Al Franken (D-MN) held a press conference to outline the growing pay cut currently faced by millions of minimum- and low-wage workers as a result of Congressional Republicans' refusal to raise the minimum wage. For instance, since 2009, the cost of child care has risen more than 14 percent, mass transit fares have increased by more than 21 perce… Continue Reading
Bipartisan House Action Improves Student Aid Transparency and Promotes Innovation in Higher Education
07.24.14 WASHINGTON, D.C. —Three modest, bipartisan pieces higher education legislation aimed at improving transparency around financial aid and promoting innovative approaches for students passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week, prompting Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the Senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee to call for more comprehensive action to keep college accessible and affordable for students. “We have made a promise to America’s students to make a coll… Continue Reading
Miller, Hinojosa, Tierney Commend President’s Signing of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
07.22.14 WASHINGTON-Three senior Democratic members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce today applauded President Barack Obama's signing of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) after the bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. Representatives George Miller (D-Calif.), Rubén Hinojosa (D-Tex.) and John Tierney (D-Mass.) said the legislation, which reauthorizes the decades-old Workforce Investment Act, will help connect job training pr… Continue Reading
Miller, Harkin, Warren, DeLauro Introduce Legislation to Establish Fair Work Scheduling Practices
07.22.14 WASHINGTON—In response to recent workplace trends and research that suggests uncertain work schedules can have dire consequences for working families, leading Democratic members of Congress today introduced legislation to stem abusive scheduling practices that are directed primarily at hourly workers. In some of the economy’s fastest-growing and lowest-paying industries—including the retail, food service, and janitorial sectors—workers face erratic and irregular work schedules. Ever-changing, o… Continue Reading
DeLauro, Miller Call for USDA to Publish Revised Poultry Slaughter Rule, Open New Public Comment Period, Solicit Public Comments
07.18.14 WASHINGTON, DC-Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and George Miller (D-CA) today led a group of 28 Members of Congress calling on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publish a revised poultry slaughter rule, open a new public comment period on the rule and solicit public comments on the revision. The draft final rule was sent from USDA to the Office of Management and Budget last week. DeLauro is a former Chairwoman of the subcommittee that funds the USDA and Miller is the senior Democra… Continue Reading
Miller: Democrats’ Top Priority is to Jumpstart the Middle Class
07.16.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.—House Democrats today announced their new “Middle Class Jumpstart” economic agenda, a legislative action plan to ensure prosperity and opportunity for all Americans. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, who helped to formulate the policies in the plan, released the following statement. “The deck is stacked against American middle class families, but, tragically, Washington Republicans continue to stack that deck in f… Continue Reading
Senior Democrats Call for Action on Legislation to Prevent Seclusion and Restraint
07.16.14 WASHINGTON-Senior Democrats on the House Education and the Workforce Committee today called for swift action on legislation to protect children from the use of seclusion and restraint in schools. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the committee, and fellow committee Democrat Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), sent a letter to committee chairman Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), requesting that the committee consider the bipartisan Keeping All Students Safe Act (H.R. 1893). "As we've discussed pr… Continue Reading
Miller: State Aid Concession by Tennessee Officials a Victory for VW Workers
07.14.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response to the news that the state of Tennessee will provide a $165.8 million grant to expand a Volkswagen manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and an additional $12 million for training new employees. "It is welcome news that Tennessee officials have agreed to provide state aid for expanding operations at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant,… Continue Reading
Miller: Creation of New Works Council in Chattanooga a Win for VW, Employees, and Supporters of Workers’ Rights
07.10.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today in response to the news that the United Auto Workers will create a works council to represent workers at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "Volkswagen, the employees at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant, and supporters of workers' rights everywhere all have cause to celebrate. Today's announcement is particularly hearten… Continue Reading
Bipartisan Legislation Improves Transparency on College Costs, Democrats Push for Proposals to Rein in Student Loan Debt
07.10.14 WASHINGTON-The House Committee on Education and the Workforce today approved a package of bipartisan bills aimed at helping students and their families make well-informed decisions about enrolling in and paying for college. "These pieces of legislation will help to give students more and better information when considering and financing college," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior emocrat on the committee. For the first time, borrowers, whether they are sophomores or seniors, will have … Continue Reading
Overhaul of America’s Job Training Programs Headed to President’s Desk Following Strong Bipartisan Support from Congress
07.09.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.-Legislation to update the Workforce Investment Act, overdue for reauthorization for more than a decade, is headed to the President's desk following overwhelming bipartisan support from both houses of Congress. The Senate and House authors of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) applauded the passage of the bill, which seeks to update and improve the nation's workforce development system. The legislation was approved today by a vote of 415 to 6 by the House of Repr… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Department of Education’s New Teacher Equity Initiative
07.07.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today in response to the Department of Education's "Excellent Educators for All Initiative," which aims to ensure that all students, regardless of their background or zip code, have access to effective teachers. The Department developed this plan with extensive input from the country's Chief State School Officers, school districts, civil rights groups, te… Continue Reading
Levin, Miller Joint Statement on Bangladesh GSP Action Plan Review
07.02.14 WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) and Education and the Workforce Committee Senior Democrat George Miller (D-CA) today issued the following joint statement in response to USTR's six month review of the progress Bangladesh has made in implementing the Action Plan laid out in June 2013, when President Obama suspended the country's Generalized System of Preferences: "We support USTR's findings regarding Bangladesh's implementation of the Action Plan. Banglade… Continue Reading
Senior Dem Lawmakers Call on Bangladesh to Address Unfair Labor Practices and Anti-Union Violence
07.02.14 WASHINGTON-Senior U.S. lawmakers this week called on the prime minister of Bangladesh to address unfair labor practices and violence against union activists in the country's garment industry. The Bangladeshi minister of commerce and the head of the nation's garment industry have recently called for the criminal prosecution of a union leader for sharing information with the U.S. Congress about a particular case of anti-union violence and harassment of garment workers. In a letter sent to Prime M… Continue Reading
Committee Leaders Issue Joint Statement in Response to PBGC Financial Report
06.30.14 WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN), Education and the Workforce Committee Senior Democrat George Miller (D-CA), Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Senior Democrat John Tierney (D-MA) issued the following joint statement after the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) released its latest financial projections report: The latest PBGC repo… Continue Reading
Levin, Waxman, Miller Statements on Hobby Lobby Decision
06.30.14 WASHINGTON - The ranking members of the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce Committees today issued statements in response to the Supreme Court decision in the case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, allowing some for-profit corporations to exclude contraception coverage in their employees' insurance plans: Rep. Sander Levin: "Today's Supreme Court ruling undermines a woman's right to make health decisions that are best for her and her family. This ruling not only limit… Continue Reading
Miller: Harris v. Quinn Decision Ignores Realities of Modern Workplace
06.30.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today in response to the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Harris v. Quinn, in which the Court ruled that in-home health care workers in Illinois who are paid by the state are not similar enough to full-fledged government employees to be compelled to pay union dues. "It is unfortunate and discouraging that the Supreme Court disregarded both 40… Continue Reading
Congressional Leaders to Chairman Camp: Proposed Fast Track Is DOA in This Congress
06.19.14 WASHINGTON, DC--Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and George Miller (D-CA) released the following statement today responding to Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp's speech at the Global Business Dialogue. In his speech, Chairman Camp called for congressional approval of outdated "Fast Track" Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), on which the three representatives have led the opposition. "The Fast Track mechanism at the core of Chairman Camp's TPA legislation is t… Continue Reading
Miller to CA Delegation: Vergara Affirms Civil Rights of Students, Presents Opportunity to Develop Modern Education System
06.19.14 WASHINGTON-Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, sent a letter to California's congressional delegation today, lauding the Vergara v. California decision issued June 10, in which a Los Angeles Superior Court judge challenged state policies on tenure, dismissal, and layoffs based on their effect on low-income and minority students. "I strongly support the plaintiffs and the decision in this case and I believe California must take the o… Continue Reading