Press Releases
Levin and Miller Joint Statement on Suspension of GSP Trade Preferences for Bangladesh
06.27.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, and Sander Levin (D-Mich.), the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, issued the following joint statement after the Obama administration announced that it will suspend Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade benefits for Bangladesh. "Given the deteriorating conditions for worker rights in Bangladesh, President Obama's decision to suspend GSP trade benefi… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on New Senate Proposal to Prevent Student Loan Rates from Doubling
06.27.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), released the following statement today after Senate Democrats announced a new plan to keep student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1. "I applaud Senator Harkin's continued efforts to keep interest rates from doubling on July 1 and to keep a focus on students in that process," said Rep. Miller. "The new Senate proposal will provide $4 billion in student debt relief for the neediest students next year. This stands in stark contrast t… Continue Reading
Sen. Franken, Rep. George Miller Announce Introduction of Bill to Train Workers for Open, High-Skills Jobs
06.27.13 WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) announced the introduction of legislation to close the skills gap-where jobs go unfilled because businesses can't find workers with the right skills-by fostering partnerships between community and technical colleges and businesses to train students to fill high-demand jobs in Minnesota and across the country. Rep. Miller is introducing the legislation in the House today, and Sen. Franken plans to introd… Continue Reading
Standards for School Nutrition are Needed for Student Success, Witnesses Tell House Education Panel
06.27.13 WASHINGTON - Public schools have a distinct responsibility to ensure the meals they serve our children are nutritious, well-balanced and tasty enough that our kids actually want to eat them, witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Today's hearing comes as the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced final standards this morning to ensure that children have access to healthy "competitive food" options while in school. Competitive foods are … Continue Reading
GOP Rerun: Legislation to Weaken Workers’ Rights Expected to Move
06.26.13 WASHINGTON - House Republicans indicated that they will shortly move on new legislation to dramatically restrict the ability of American workers to join together to collectively bargain for a better life, marking a continuation of a sustained campaign against workers’ rights and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “Union rights have paved the way to the middle class for millions of Americans over the last century,” said Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.). “Unfortunately, today’s hearing is one … Continue Reading
Student Loan Solution that Makes Student Debt Worse No Solution At All, Says Rep. George Miller
06.26.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on the latest developments on student loans. "I'm disappointed that Republicans are blocking an agreement on student loans by insisting that students take on even more debt to pay down the Bush deficit. Their obstruction is unacceptable. A solution that makes the long-term problem of student debt worse, or fails to cap potentially high inter… Continue Reading
After Marriage Equality Decisions, Time to Act on Employment and Education Non-Discrimination
06.26.13 WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after this morning's Supreme Court decisions regarding marriage equality: "Today's Supreme Court rulings mark an enormous step forward in the battle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans to be treated as full-fledged citizens. Of course there is much more work to do to ensure full marriage equality across the country, but today s… Continue Reading
Waters and Miller Applaud CFPB’s Proposed Rule to Oversee Nonbank Student Loan Servicers
06.26.13 WASHINGTON- Two senior Democratic lawmakers from the House- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Ranking Member on the Financial Services Committee, and Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic Member on the Education and the Workforce Committee, today released a joint letter to Director Richard Cordray commending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for its proposed rule to subject certain nonbank education loan servicers to its supervisory authority. The letter… Continue Reading
On FLSA’s 75th Anniversary, Time to Renew Commitment to Nation’s Minimum Wage, Overtime and Child Labor Protections
06.25.13 WASHINGTON - On the 75th anniversary of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) issued the following statement urging Congress to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and stop Republican attacks on the law’s basic wage protections. “Seventy-five years later, the Fair Labor Standards Act remains the nation’s bedrock laws that ensures workers are paid fairly for the work they perform. It established the minimum wage, made the 40-hour work week possible and provided tha… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Affirmative Action Case
06.24.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court delivered the decision in Fisher v. University of Texas-Austin, a case challenging the use of race as one factor in admissions policies in higher education. The Court preserved the principle that universities may consider racial and ethnic diversity as one factor among many in a carefully crafted admissions p… Continue Reading
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