Press Releases
Miller Calls on Chairman Kline to Address Abusive Seclusion and Restraint Practices in Public Schools
05.09.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. - During remarks on the House floor today, Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, called on Chairman John Kline (R-MN) to consider the Keeping All Students Safe Act - a bill to protect children from abusive seclusion and restraint practices while attending school. Although the legislation passed the House more than two years ago with bipartisan support, it never became law. “Schools are supposed to be a safe place.… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Republican Efforts to Block Democratic Student Loan Bills
05.08.12 Washington, D.C. - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement today after House and Senate Republicans voted to block Democratic efforts to prevent student loan rates from doubling on July 1. "Today, Senate Republicans blocked debate on a Democratic student loan bill. An hour later, House Republicans yet again rejected efforts to allow a vote on a Democratic student loan bill in the House. Our young peopl… Continue Reading
Reps. Miller and Cummings Seek Information from Individuals in Recent NLRB Inspector General Investigations
05.04.12 WASHINGTON - Citing serious concerns raised by the National Labor Relations Board’s Inspector General in recent investigative reports, Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) sought additional information today from individuals named in the investigations. Miller and Cummings requested additional information from NLRB Member Brian Hayes and former NLRB Member Peter Schaumber. The Inspector General’s most recent investigative report was released Wednesday. Miller is the ran… Continue Reading
Rep. George Miller Calls for NLRB Board Member Terence Flynn to Resign after New Evidence of Improper Disclosures Surfaces
05.02.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) today called on Board Member Terence Flynn to resign after new evidence was uncovered by the National Labor Relations Board's Inspector General showing that Flynn disclosed additional deliberative and nonpublic information to outside parties. "Disclosing judges' deliberations in pending cases to outside parties, for example, is repugnant to the American justice system. Such behavior cannot be allowed to continue," wrote Rep. Miller, the senior Democrat… Continue Reading
Speaker Boehner’s Comments on Student Loans Issue Not Based in Fact, House Democratic Members Write
04.30.12 Calls to work together to keep student loan interest rates low ignored for months by House Republicans WASHINGTON - House Democratic leaders on education and public health issues wrote Speaker John Boehner today, challenging statements he made over the weekend on the pending doubling of interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans. Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, Speaker Boehner said that “Democrats and Republicans for months have been working together to try to figure out a w… Continue Reading
GOP House Approves ‘Cynical’ Bill to Keep Student Loan Rates Low by Slashing Funding to Support Women’s and Children’s Health
04.27.12 WASHINGTON - Rather than working in a bipartisan manner to prevent the doubling of student loan rates for more than 7 million college students in a fiscally responsible way, House Republicans instead pushed through partisan legislation that would harm public health. House Democrats have instead proposed to keep student loan interest rates low by eliminating billions of dollars in unwarranted tax subsidies to big oil. “Today’s vote shows that the Republicans are on very thin ice on this issue… Continue Reading
Speaker Boehner Calls Efforts to Protect Funding for Cancer Screenings for Women and Childhood Immunizations a ‘Political Stunt’ and ‘Playing Games’
04.27.12 WASHINGTON - Speaker John Boehner made a rare floor appearance today to urge his colleagues to vote against a Democratic effort to protect preventive medical care like breast and cervical cancer screenings as part of the debate to keep student loan interest rates low. Speaker Boehner’s floor speech came during the Democratic ‘motion to recommit’, which is a last-ditch parliamentary maneuver to amend the bill by a minority party. House Democrats have proposed to keep student loan interest rate… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on President Obama’s Action to End Deceptive Recruiting of Veterans by Schools
04.27.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on President Obama's executive order aimed at stopping deceptive recruiting practices of schools that target members of the military, veterans and their families. The executive order is intended to crack down on misleading online recruitment from colleges and require schools to provide information about dropout rates and financial aid possibilities. "I … Continue Reading
Sec. Sebelius: Prevention Fund Provides “Critical” Support for Women’s Health and Childhood Immunizations
04.26.12 WASHINGTON - Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius testified today before the Education and the Workforce Committee that the House Republican proposal to eliminate the Prevention Fund to stop the doubling of student loan interest rates would harm public health. House Democrats have instead proposed to eliminate billions in unwarranted tax subsidies to big oil. “The Prevention Fund is a long overdue investment and [part] of the most significant effort to keep our country he… Continue Reading
Rep. George Miller Statement on Workers Memorial Day
04.26.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement marking Workers Memorial Day on April 28, a day to remember those who have been seriously injured or died while on the job. “On Workers Memorial Day, our nation reflects on the high price of life and limb paid by too many workers while on the job. While we remember workers who have sacrificed so much, our work must not stop there. We must at the same tim… Continue Reading
Miller: GOP Needs to Correct Vote against Students & Join Effort to Stop Doubling of Student Loan Rates
04.25.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on new legislation that will keep college students’ loan rates from doubling on July 1st. “Today, we are introducing a bill that would save millions of students and their families from higher student loan debt. As you know, President Obama is calling on Congress to prevent a doubling of interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans that will ki… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Republican Student Loan Legislation
04.25.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on Republican legislation to address the fast approaching student loan interest rate hike. “I commend House Republicans for reversing themselves on the pending student loan interest rate hike. But I am deeply disappointed that Republicans propose extracting the price from women and children. To take health care away from middle class and low-income … Continue Reading
House Democrats Announce New Bill to Keep Student Loan Interest Rates Low and Reduce the Deficit
04.25.12 WASHINGTON - House Democrats announced that they will introduce new legislation today that will both keep college students’ loan rates from doubling on July 1st and reduce the deficit. The House Democratic bill “Stop the Rate Hike Act of 2012” will keep interest rates on need-based student loans at 3.4 percent next year, saving borrowers an average of $1,000 in loan repayment costs. The bill is fully paid for by ending unwarranted tax subsidies to big oil and gas companies. Additional saving… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on 10th Anniversary of National Healthy Schools Day
04.24.12 Washington, DC - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today released the following statement on the 10th anniversary of National Healthy Schools Day. National Healthy Schools Day is an important day to promote and celebrate healthy school environments that are conducive to learning and protect student and staff health. "When our children leave home each morning, they should arrive at a safe and healthy school. They should not be ex… Continue Reading
House and Senate Democrats to Introduce Legislation to Keep Student Loan Interest Rates Low
04.24.12 WASHINGTON - House and Senate Democrats announced today that they will introduce legislation to keep college students’ loan rates from doubling on July 1st. The “Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act of 2012” keeps interest rates on need-based student loans at 3.4 percent next year for the more than 7 million borrowers. This will save the average borrower $1,000 in loan repayment costs. The bill will be fully paid for by closing a tax loophole that some of the wealthiest Americans us… Continue Reading
GAO: Workers in Other Countries Better Protected from High Retirement Fund Fees
04.23.12 WASHINGTON - The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, found that other countries with defined contribution (DC) retirement systems better protect workers’ savings from high or excessive fees and require more disclosure on the fees accountholders do pay when compared with the United States. More than 51 million American workers actively participate in a 401(k) defined contribution plan, totaling about $3 trillion of assets. "U.S. participants typically do… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Fast Approaching Increase of Student Loan Interest Rates
04.20.12 Washington, DC - Rep. George Miller, the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today released the following statement regarding the approaching increase of student loan interest rates this summer: "This week, instead of taking action to stop a $6 billion interest rate hike on low-income and middle-income families, House Republicans passed a tax cut for the rich-and-famous that adds $46 billion to the deficit. At a time of historically low interest rates and with … Continue Reading
New GAO Report: Burdensome OSHA Regulatory Process Costs Lives
04.19.12 WASHINGTON-Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Representative George Miller (D-CA), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) reacted to a new Government Accountability Office report on workplace safety, released at a HELP Committee hearing. The GAO compiled the report on burdensome rulemaking process the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must use to regulate workplace safety, an… Continue Reading
U.S. Members of Congress Continue to Monitor Implementation of Colombia Labor Action Plan
04.19.12 WASHINGTON - Members of the U.S. House of Representatives who participate in the Congressional Monitoring Group on Labor Rights in Colombia issued the following statement today. The Monitoring Group was formed after Congress approved the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement to monitor implementation of the Colombian Action Plan Related to Labor Rights and ensure that it produces meaningful results in protecting the fundamental internationally-recognized rights of workers, including providing … Continue Reading
Enforcing Nondiscrimination Protections Vital to Families’ Economic Security
04.18.12 WASHINGTON - Democrats on the Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee, led by acting Ranking Member Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), today stood up for the mission of an important federal agency that protects the rights and opportunities of American workers who work for government contractors. Members of the HELP Subcommittee heard testimony about how the enforcement of existing guidelines and others proposed by the Office of Federal Contra… Continue Reading