Press Releases
New Poll: 80% of Americans Support Raising Minimum Wage to $10.10 and Want it to be a Congressional Priority
07.24.13 WASHINGTON - By a ratio of four to one, Americans support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and adjusting it for the cost of living in future years, according to a new poll released today. Conducted on behalf of the National Employment Law Project Action Fund. The poll also found that 75 percent of Americans think it important Congress raise the minimum wage over the next year. It was four years ago today that the federal minimum wage was last increased. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) … Continue Reading
Rep. Miller Asks U.S. Trade Rep to Assess Vietnam’s Compliance with International Labor Standards
07.24.13 WASHINGTON - In light of a recently released report highlighting labor rights violations in Vietnam, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman today asking him to assess whether Vietnam is in compliance with current trade agreements. "This report compiles the stark evidence that export industry workers in Vietnam, one of the countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (… Continue Reading
Miller Urges Immediate House Passage of Senate Student Loan Bill
07.24.13 WASHINGTON - In a letter sent to Speaker John Boehner today, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) urged immediate consideration and passage of the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, the bipartisan Senate legislation that would reverse the July 1 student loan interest rate hike. "Mr. Speaker, the House passed a bill that was detrimental to students and families. The Senate has passed a bill that helps students and families afford college as they climb out of a deep recession," wrote Rep. Mill… Continue Reading
Affordable Care Act Working for Millions of Americans, GOP Efforts to Sabotage Law Dangerous
07.23.13 WASHINGTON - House Democrats pushed back efforts at a joint hearing of two House Education and the Workforce Committee panels by the Republican majority today to disrupt implementation of the Affordable Care Act that is already guaranteeing new rights for millions of Americans. "So far the majority is zero for 38 in repealing the health care law. There are other issues confronting the nation," said Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subco… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Proposed Changes to E-Rate Program
07.23.13 Washington - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after the Federal Communication Commission released its proposal for modernizing the E-rate program for schools and libraries. “I applaud the Federal Communications Commission for taking this first important step to help bring our schools into the 21st century,” said Rep. Miller. “By modernizing the e-Rate program the FCC is ensuring tha… Continue Reading
Bill to Restore Equity in Airline Pilot Pension Benefits Introduced
07.23.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, joined a bipartisan group of House members to introduce legislation on Thursday to ensure that airline pilots with pensions administered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PGBC) are not treated unfairly because of federal aviation requirements. The Airline Pilot Pension Fairness Act, H.R. 2697, would clarify that airline pilots forced to retire at age 60 because of a … Continue Reading
GOP House Approves Education Bill that Lets Students Down
07.19.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Republicans voted today to advance legislation that lets our students down and takes American education backwards. H.R. 5, the Letting Students Down Act, walks away from our nation’s civil rights responsibility to ensure all children have access to a quality education. Unlike previous reauthorizations of ESEA, H.R. 5 passed the House without any bipartisan support. “NCLB is very much the education reform of the past. It is inflexible. It encouraged some states to lower … Continue Reading
Rep. Miller Statement on Senate Approval of Thomas Perez as Secretary of Labor
07.18.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after Thomas Perez was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of Labor. "I congratulate Thomas Perez for his confirmation today as our next Secretary of Labor. His strong leadership at the Labor Department will be critical as we work to grow and strengthen the nation's middle class. I look forward to working with Secretary Perez on … Continue Reading
House Dems Introduce Jobs Bill to Address Long-Term and Youth Unemployment
07.18.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) joined other House Democratic members in introducing legislation today to help out-of-work Americans get a job and gain the skills needed to be successful in the global economy. The Pathways Back to Work Act (H.R. 2721) addresses the long-term unemployment crisis by connecting workers with job opportunities, providing young adults with jobs in summer and year-round employment, and creating a competitive grant for work-related training programs. Program… Continue Reading
Rep. Miller Statement on NLRB Nominations
07.17.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after President Obama nominated Nancy Schiffer and Kent Hirozawa to the National Labor Relations Board. "The swift consideration and approval of these capable and highly qualified nominees will ensure that the agency tasked to enforce the National Labor Relations Act will remain open. This is good news for our nation's workers and emplo… Continue Reading
Miller & Polis Call for Hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
07.11.13 WASHINGTON - Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, and Jared Polis (D-Co.), the lead House sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act who also serves on the committee, today called on Chairman John Kline (D-Minn.) to hold a hearing into legislation that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Yesterday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Today’s Senate Student Loan Vote
07.10.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), released the following statement today as the Senate attempted to move legislation that would reverse the July 1 doubling of interest rates on student loans. "I applaud Senators Reid and Harkin for standing up again today for the 7.2 million students who saw their interest rates double last week. Last month, a majority of the Senate voted in support of a responsible solution that puts students first, only to have it blocked by a Republican minori… Continue Reading
Rep. Joe Courtney Opening Statement at Subcommittee Hearing on the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act
07.10.13 WASHINGTON, DC - The following are prepared remarks by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee's Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, for the hearing on the Federal Employees' Compensation Act. *** Chairman Walberg, thank you for calling this hearing today to discuss the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, or FECA. FECA has been the governing statute providing benefits for federal civilian workers injured or killed on the job since … Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Senate HELP Committee Bipartisan Approval of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
07.10.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the Senate HELP committee approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act on a bipartisan vote of 15-7. "Today's bipartisan Senate committee vote in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act reflects the growing consensus that LGBT Americans should have the freedom to work and be full participants in our economy. The Senate HE… Continue Reading
Levin and Miller Joint Statement on So-Called Bangladesh Safety Alliance
07.10.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Reps. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, and George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following joint statement on today's announcement of the U.S. corporate-led Bangladesh factory safety alliance by the Bipartisan Policy Center. "This May, following a long string of preventable tragedies in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh, we called on the major U.S. bra… Continue Reading
Miller: Students Need Relief Now, Congress Must Act Today to Reverse Rate Increase
07.09.13 Rep. George Miller (D-CA) Opening Statement at Committee Hearing on Improving Higher Education through Innovation WASHINGTON, DC -- Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, for the committee hearing on improving higher education through innovation. *** Good morning, Chairman Kline. We meet today to examine ways to improve higher education. We will look at innovations from around the country… Continue Reading
With July 1 Doubling of Interest Rates, GOP Once Again Blocks Efforts by Democrats to Keep Federal Loan Interest Rates Affordable
07.09.13 WASHINGTON - While Congress' immediate job today is to undo higher borrowing costs for more than 7.2 million college students, House Republicans are content to leave students saddled with the extra debt. "Today we offered our Republican colleagues a chance to immediately move forward on a bill that would keep rates low for one more year. Not a single one chose to take action," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member on the committee. "House Republicans may be content to… Continue Reading
GOP Student Loan Bill Harmful to Students, Totally Irresponsible
07.08.13 Washington, DC - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today as congressional Republicans' refuse to act to reverse the doubling of student loan interest rates. Interest rates on need-based student loans doubled last week from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent due to Republican obstruction. This rate increase will cost more than 7.2 million students an additional $1,000 per loan. "Once again, House … Continue Reading
Miller Announces Next Steps on Student Loan Interest Rates
07.02.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, announced today that he is collecting signatures to force committee action on legislation (H.R. 2574) to reverse yesterday's doubling of student loan interest rates. Today's announcement comes after Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) ignored a request from committee Democrats to take immediate action on the Keeping Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013, legislation introduced by Mil… Continue Reading
House Education Committee Democrats Aim to Force a Vote to Prevent Doubling of Student Loan Rates
06.28.13 WASHINGTON - Democrats on the House Education and the Workforce Committee today began a procedural move to force the committee to take up recently introduced legislation to ensure another year of debt relief for college students, keeping student loan interest rates for 7 million people at 3.4 percent. The legislation (H.R. 2574), introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the committee, is identical to a bill introduced by Senate Democrats yesterday that locks in interes… Continue Reading