Press Releases
TODAY: Leader Pelosi & House Dems Join Students to Urge a Stop to Doubling of Loan Rates
06.20.13 WASHINGTON - College students will join House education leaders Thursday urging Congress to stop the doubling of interest rates on student loans and to speak about how increasing debt burden will harm their futures. If Congress fails to act, approximately 7 million student loan borrowers will see a doubling of their interest rates on July 1st. House Republicans pushed through a bill that would add more debt onto students and families, even more than if rates were allowed to double. Watch live a… Continue Reading
Republicans Pass Education Bill that Undermines Progress and Raids Funding for Poor, Minority Students
06.19.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - On a partisan vote, Republicans on the House Education and the Workforce Committee today pushed through an ideological bill that doubles down on the across-the-board sequestration cuts to education programs and undermines the progress made in education for poor and minority children. The Republican legislation would gut education funding, roll back protections for disadvantaged students, and remove accountability provisions that ensure all students receive an excellent educati… Continue Reading
New Survey Shows Majority of Americans want Congress to Keep Student Loan Interest Rates at 3.4 Percent or Lower
06.18.13 WASHINGTON - 83 percent of Americans want Congress to keep interest rates on student loans at 3.4 percent or lower according to the results of a new poll released today. “The survey responses confirm what House Democrats have known for some time: Congress needs to keep interest rates low and a not add more debt onto students and families,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. “With just days to act before interest rates doub… Continue Reading
Miller asks GAO to Expand Investigation into Child Abuse Reporting Laws to Include Athletics, Extracurricular Activities
06.18.13 WASHINGTON - In light of recent reports of sex abuse of student athletes at the hands of coaches, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate youth athletic clubs' handling of child abuse allegations. This would be part of an ongoing investigation by GAO, launched at Miller's request last year, into the weaknesses in reporting laws and policies in the wake of… Continue Reading
Ensuring Decent Pay – Not Lower Pay – Key to Economic Recovery, House Labor Subcommittee Learns
06.18.13 WASHINGTON - Democrats on the Education and Workforce Committee vigorously defended the benefits of the Davis-Bacon act to workers in a hearing designed by the GOP to undermine the nation's historic wage protection law. "For the last eight decades, the Davis-Bacon Act has provided millions of hard working Americans fair wages for the their hard work. During all these years, the Davis-Bacon Act has done exactly what it was intended to do - prevent federal projects from driving down local wage ra… Continue Reading
House Approves Bill Containing Amendment Regarding Bangladesh Safety Accord and Military-Branded & Licensed Apparel
06.14.13 WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives approved a defense authorization bill today containing a measure that will require that military-branded garments made in Bangladesh and sold at base retail stores owned by the Department of Defense, known as exchanges, comply with an enforceable fire and building safety accord that will improve conditions in Bangladesh ready-made garment factories. The amendment was authored by Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and George Miller (D-Calif.). “We thank Chair… Continue Reading
Congress Must Ensure Accreditation Systems Provide Students with a High Quality Education
06.13.13 WASHINGTON - As the committee looks to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, Congress must ensure that accreditation systems support high-quality education programs worthy of student and taxpayer investment, witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training today. "The Higher Education Act recognizes the critical role that these actors play in providing a framework for shared responsibility and for ensuring that the 'gate' to student financial aid programs opens o… Continue Reading
House Dems Move to Force Vote on Student Loan Interest Rate Relief
06.13.13 WASHINGTON, DC — With Congress facing just fewer than 10 legislative days to act before a looming increase on student loan interest rates hits more than 7 million students and families, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) joined his Democratic colleagues today, led by U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), in an effort to force a vote in the House to provide student debt relief to millions of student loan borrowers. “Across the country today, rapidly-accumulating student loan debt threatens not just … Continue Reading
Congress Must Work to Stabilize Multiemployer Retirement Plans to Protect Beneficiaries & Taxpayers, House Panel Learns
06.12.13 WASHINGTON - Congress will need to work together to fix the nation's multiemployer retirement pension system in order to ensure that the retirement benefits workers earned will be there when they need and expect them, a House retirement subcommittee learned today. An association of multiemployer pension plans represented by businesses and unions that operate these plans testified about their recent legislative proposals for Congress to consider. "I think there is broad consensus that we want to… Continue Reading
Military-Branded & Licensed Apparel Sold at Base Stores Must Comply with Bangladesh Fire & Safety Accord, House Dem Amendment Says
06.12.13 WASHINGTON - An amendment filed by two House Democrats to a defense authorization bill would require that garments made in Bangladesh and sold at base retail stores owned by the Department of Defense, known as exchanges, comply with an enforceable fire and building safety accord that will improve conditions in Bangladesh ready-made garment factories. A number of garments and documents with Marine insignias were found in the rubble of the November 2012 Bangladesh Tazreen Fashions fire that kille… Continue Reading
Miller Applauds Gainful Employment Rule-making Process Moving Forward
06.11.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education announced a new negotiated rule-making process specifically for gainful employment. "I applaud the administration for moving forward to define minimum standards that protect students and taxpayers from the most predatory academic programs that over-promise, over-charge and under-deliver. With student loan … Continue Reading
GAO: Students Need More Affordable Textbook Options to Keep College Costs Low
06.07.13 WASHINGTON - In a new report released yesterday, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that more affordable textbook options can help students keep college costs low. "Textbook prices play a major part in the cost of a college education," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a joint statement today. "While we are pleased that publishers and schools are complying with federal transparency requirements, more needs to be done to provide more affordable … Continue Reading
Miller Statement on House Republican Education Proposals
06.06.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after Chairman John Kline (R-MN) introduced highly partisan legislation to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). "I am disappointed that Chairman Kline decided to move forward with last year's rendition of legislation that turns the clock back decades on student achievemen… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on President Obama’s ConnectED Initiative
06.06.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after President Obama unveiled a new initiative called ConnectED to connect 99 percent of America’s students to the internet through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within five years and to improve the skills of educators to use technology to improve learning. “I applaud President Obama for taking this important step to help br… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Upcoming Senate Student Loan Vote
06.06.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today as the Senate prepares to vote on legislation to stop interest rates on student loans from doubling on July 1. "In addressing student loan interest rates, any 'solution' should at the very least do no harm. A proposal that increases the debt load of students and families is no solution at all. It's as simple as that. Unfortunately, the cur… Continue Reading
Health Reform Law Providing Positive Change for Families, Employers and Governments, Says Sec. Sebelius
06.04.13 WASHINGTON - Despite repeated and false attacks against the Affordable Care Act leveled by opponents, Health and Human Services Sec. Kathleen Sebelius testified today that the implementation of the historic law is on track and already delivering positive results for Americans. "[The ACA] will provide the opportunity for most to Americans to have access to affordable health plan," said Sec. Sebelius. "What we are seeing is a transition in the delivery system and in the competitive market so that… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Senate Legislation to Rewrite ESEA
06.04.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced legislation to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind. "I commend Senator Harkin for his leadership in introducing legislation that continues to set high expectatio… Continue Reading
Rep. George Miller Statement on President Obama’s Speech on Student Loans
05.31.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after President Obama’s speech on urging Congress to come together in order to prevent the doubling of student loan interest rates for 7 million borrowers on July 1. “I applaud President Obama for continuing to focus on making college more affordable and accessible for all Americans. At a time of rising college costs, saddling student… Continue Reading
Low Wages at a Single Wal-Mart Store Cost Taxpayers about $1 Million Every Year, Says New Committee Staff Report
05.30.13 WASHINGTON, DC - The price of Wal-Mart's low wages and benefits at just one Wal-Mart store not only costs families in lost income and economic security, but it also may cost taxpayers about one million dollars in higher usage of public-assistance programs by Wal-Mart employees and their dependents, according to a report released today by the Democratic staff of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. While up-to-date data on Wal-Mart's wage and employment practices are not alw… Continue Reading
California Families Win Big in Major Health Insurance Announcement, Miller Says
05.23.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (Contra Costa County), coauthor of the national health reform law in Congress, known as Obamacare, issued the following statement after it was announced today that more than a dozen health insurance plans will offer a number of quality and affordable coverage options in the newly established insurance market for individuals and families who have been crushed by rising premium costs or who have gone without insurance altogether. The announcement was made by Covere… Continue Reading