Press Releases
Inside Information at NLRB Converted for Private Benefit of Former Members, says NLRB Inspector General
03.23.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, wrote the Attorney General today asking him to consider evidence resulting from an investigation by the National Labor Relations Board Inspector General, which found that current Board Member Terence Flynn, when serving as a chief counsel, provided confidential information to former Board Members Peter Kirsanow and Peter Schaumber for their private benefit. “As the senior Democratic m… Continue Reading
Miller Welcomes Rep. Fudge Back to the Education and the Workforce Committee
03.21.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U. S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), was assigned back to the committee to fill the vacancy resulting from the passing of Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ). Fudge will sit on the Workforce Protections and the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittees. "I am pleased to welcome back to the committee Rep. Marcia Fudge from Ohio's 11th di… Continue Reading
Labor Department Priorities are Moving Country Forward to Rebuild Nation’s Middle Class
03.21.12 WASHINGTON - Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis testified today before the House Education and the Workforce Committee emphasizing efforts that she and the Obama administration are taking to improve employment opportunities and ensure that all Americans can benefit from the economic recovery. “At stake is the very survival of the basic American promise that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family, own a home and put enough away for retirement,” said Sec. Solis. “The best way to c… Continue Reading
Reps. Tierney, Hinojosa, Miller to Offer Bill to Address Worker Retraining Crisis
03.20.12 Washington, D.C. - As the House Committee on Education and the Workforce looks to start work on reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act, which is the preeminent federal employment service and job training law, Congressmen John Tierney (D-MA), Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), and George Miller (D-CA) held a conference call with reporters today to announce their blueprint for how to strengthen and modernize this critical law. Later today, the lawmakers will introduce sweeping legislation to expand opport… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Council on Foreign Relations Report
03.20.12 Washington, DC - Today, Rep. George Miller (D-CA) issued the following statement on the Council on Foreign Relations' "U.S. Education Reform and National Security" report. The report found that failures in America's education system pose five national security threats, including to economic growth and competitiveness, to U.S. physical safety, to intellectual property, to U.S. global awareness and to U.S. unity and cohesion. "Yesterday we received a report warning of grave consequences from the… Continue Reading
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) Opening Statement for the Hearing on Overtime and Minimum Wage Protections for Home Health Workers
03.20.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), the ranking member of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. *** Mr. Chairman, the nation's nearly 2 million home care workers, the overwhelming majority of whom are women and minorities, are currently excluded from federal minimum wage and overtime protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Home care workers help patients live in their homes … Continue Reading
Miller Statement on February Jobs Report
03.09.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy created 227,000 jobs in February. January job creation was revised upwards by 51,000 jobs to 284,000 total jobs. "There was more good news today on the employment front. But just imagine how many more jobs the economy would be creating each month if Congress was working together instead of s… Continue Reading
Crandall Canyon Criminal Charges Long Awaited, Congress’ Job to Protect Miners Remains Unfinished, says Rep. Miller
03.09.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Attorney in Salt Lake City announced two criminal misdemeanor charges against Genwal Resources, a subsidiary of Murray Energy Corporation, related to the Crandall Canyon Mine tragedy that killed six miners and three would-be rescuers in August 2007. Under the chairmanship of Miller, the Education and Labor Committee launched an investiga… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on MSHA Internal Report on the Upper Big Branch Mine Tragedy
03.06.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released a report looking into the agency’s actions leading up to the Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy in April 2010. “It is clear the entire system failed these 29 miners, from Congress’s failure to maintain adequate and experienced staffing at MSHA over the years, to the agency’s fai… Continue Reading
Rep. George Miller Opposes Repeal of Critical Piece of Health Care Reform Law
03.06.12 WASHINGTON - The Energy and Commerce committee today approved a bill, H.R. 452, to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a key cost-efficiency provision of the historic Affordable Care Act. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), who was a coauthor of the Affordable Care Act as chairman of the Education and Labor Committee in 2009 and 2010, issued the following statement in opposition to the Republican bill to repeal IPAB. "I strongly oppose this legislation. It eliminates from the Affordabl… Continue Reading
Miller statement on parent trigger laws
03.06.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement in response to the outpouring of parents and families using "parent trigger" laws to improve struggling schools. "We can no longer just pay lip-service to parental involvement in schools. Instead parents must be empowered to stand up and say the status quo isn't good enough for their children. When school districts and communities … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Miller Statement on the Passing of Rep. Donald Payne
03.06.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the news of the passing of Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ). Payne was a senior member of the committee. "I am heartbroken to learn of Congressman Payne's passing. Donald served his constituents and this nation with honor, distinction and a deep sense of justice. He was an uncompromising voice on the committee for the disadvantaged and the powerless. He d… Continue Reading
New Data from the Department of Education Shows Continuing Disparities in Educational Opportunities and Resources
03.06.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education released new civil rights data. The data, released as part of the Civil Rights Data Collection, shines much-needed light on disparities in educational resources and opportunities for students across the country. The data released today includes information on suspensions, seclusion and restraint occurrence… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on National Labor Relations Board Federal Court Rulings
03.02.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, issued the following statement today after a federal judge rejected corporate interests’ suit over President Obama’s recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board. In another ruling, the judge ruled that the NLRB has the power to require employers to post rights of workers under the National Labor Relations Act. “Today’s ruling clearly upheld the National Labor Relat… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Sentence of Ex-Mine Security Head of the Upper Big Branch Mine
03.01.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce, issued the following statement after the ex-mine security chief of Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch mine was sentenced to three years for lying to investigators about giving advanced notice for impending mine safety inspections and for ordering the destruction of evidence. “This conviction and sentence in West Virginia should send a strong message that those who break the law and put miners’… Continue Reading
Despite Opposition Raised By Education, Civil Rights & Business Communities, Committee Republicans Push Through Radical Bill to Rewrite Nation’s Education Law
02.28.12 WASHINGTON - On a partisan vote, House Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans today pushed through highly partisan legislation, H.R. 3989 and H.R. 3990, that would turn the clock back decades on equity and accountability in American public education. The bills approved today would dismantle the federal role in education and the core principals of equal opportunity incorporated into federal policy since 1965. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) argued in opposition to the Republican b… Continue Reading
Washington Republicans continue attack on workers’ rights
02.16.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after House and Senate Republicans announced that they are introducing legislation to block a recent National Labor Relations Board rule that reduces the amount of wasteful pre-election maneuvering used by some employers to delay or deny workers’ right to a secret ballot election. “Washington Republicans are once again pushing anti-worker specia… Continue Reading
Republicans Continue to Ignore Grave Concerns that Education Bills Abandon Commitment to Students, Schools and Taxpayers
02.16.12 WASHINGTON -Witnesses testified today that legislation proposed by committee Republicans to rewrite the nation's education law will turn back the clock on decades of advancement in education. "As members of Congress, it's our job to update the law to reflect current best practice and protect kids in the process. Through a rewrite of ESEA, we can alter roles. We can increase flexibility. But we cannot abandon the principles of equity and accountability if we want to uphold the promise of Bro… Continue Reading
Miller: Obama’s community college proposal will ensure American workers remain globally competitive
02.13.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after President Obama presented his fiscal year 2013 budget to Congress and proposed a new partnership between community colleges and local businesses to help connect workers with jobs in demand. "President Obama's budget proposal released today addresses the real challenges facing our nation. By making smart investments today, we can continue to m… Continue Reading
Miller, Hinojosa Urge Action to Prevent Student Loan Interest Rate Increase
02.10.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), the senior Democrat on the Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee, today sent a letter to Chairman John Kline (R-MN) urging action to prevent the student loan interest rate hike that is scheduled to take effect in July. “This July, more than 7 million undergraduate students will see the interest rates on their need-based student … Continue Reading