Press Releases
House GOP Unanimously Votes Against Increasing Minimum Wage
03.15.13 WASHINGTON - Today, House Republicans voted unanimously against raising the nation’s minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2015. The vote came as part of a final amendment to a bill that would harm access to job training and education programs for low-income Americans. The minimum wage amendment failed on a 184 to 233 vote, with all 227 Republican members voting ‘no’. “Even while corporate profits soar and the stock market reaches new highs, the working poor continue to fall further and furthe… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on New CFPB Rule to Supervise Nonbank Student Loan Servicers
03.15.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced today proposed regulations to oversee nonbank student loan servicers. Under the new proposed rule, CFPB will be able to view the complete cycle of private student loan debt, from origination through servicing to debt collection and credit reporting. At a time when total student loan debt… Continue Reading
Miller: GOP WIA Bill Puts Ideology over Practical Solutions and Evidence-Based Reforms
03.15.13 WASHINGTON-The following are the prepared remarks of Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, on this morning's debate on the House Republican's bill to gut the nation's workforce investment and training system, H.R. 803. Click here for more on the bill. *** Mr. Speaker, the House meets today to consider Republican legislation that reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act. Rewriting the Workforce Investment Act is an imp… Continue Reading
Students Need More, Not Less, Affordability in Federal Loan Programs, Witnesses Tell House Education Panel
03.13.13 WASHINGTON - While college tuition continues to increase at rates well above inflation, students and families need continued access to affordable federal student loans, witnesses told the House Education and Workforce Committee today. "A college degree plays a critical role in most American Dreams," said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). "Unfortunately, we know all too well that the rising cost of higher education is pushing those American Dreams a little further out of reach for too many fam… Continue Reading
Committee Dems Walk Out of Workforce Training Bill Debate & Vote
03.06.13 Committee Dems Walk Out of Workforce Training Bill Debate & Vote WASHINGTON - House Education and the Workforce Committee Democrats walked out of a committee debate and vote on the majority's bill to rewrite the Workforce Investment Act today. The GOP bill is expected to go to the House floor next week. Reps. John Tierney (D-MA), Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) and George Miller (D-Calif.) released the following statement. "We didn't come to this decision lightly. Unfortunately, we viewed boycotting… Continue Reading
Joined By Business Leaders and Workers, Sen. Harkin, Rep. Miller Unveil Bill to Raise the Minimum Wage to $10.10
03.05.13 WASHINGTON, D.C.-Joined by business leaders and workers, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA) today announced the introduction of legislation, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, to raise the federal minimum wage. Harkin and Miller's proposal would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from its current $7.25-in three steps of 95 cents-then provide for automatic annual increases linked to changes in the cost of living. Harkin and Miller's bill would also gradually raise the… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on California School Districts' Intent to Apply for Flexibility from No Child Left Behind
02.28.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the California Office to Reform Education (CORE) announced today their intent to apply for flexibility from No Child Left Behind. "I applaud CORE's leadership in providing a path forward and a vision for the future of education in California. The districts that make up CORE serve about 1.2 million students -- more than 26 states that… Continue Reading
Effective Evaluation Systems Improve Teacher Development and Student Achievement, Witnesses Tell Education Subcommittee
02.28.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Teacher evaluation systems should provide regular, productive feedback in order to help teachers improve and ensure struggling students are taught by highly effective teachers, education experts and educators themselves told a House education subcommittee today. "Teacher evaluations have multiple effects on our education system, and there are a variety of opinions on the topic. If there is one certainty however, it is that a one-dimensional approach to evaluation is not effe… Continue Reading
More Collaboration is Needed to Protect Kids from Violence at School, Witnesses Tell Education House Panel
02.27.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Witnesses testified today that more collaboration is needed between school officials, community leaders, students and parents in order to protect kids from acts of violence at school. "A school must be a place where children feel secure so that they can focus on learning, growing, and being kids," said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA). "Stopping an outside intruder from attacking students is only the last line of defense when it comes to school safety. Protecting children from … Continue Reading
GOP Worker Training Bill Moves System in Wrong Direction, Key Stakeholders & Experts Say
02.26.13 WASHINGTON - As Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans are poised to ram through a partisan rewrite of the nation’s workforce training and development system, a growing number of groups are raising serious concerns that the Republican approach would do great harm to the system’s ability to help workers and businesses. "As our nation is only beginning to emerge from the worst recession since the Great Depression and ongoing global competition is a long-term certainty, the Workforce… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Equity and Excellence Commission Report
02.20.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today on the Equity and Excellence Commission's "For Each and Every Child: A Strategy for Education Equity and Excellence" report. The commission's report released a set of recommendations for states and federal policymakers to make in order to address disparities the nation's education system. "The commission's report underscores the critical import… Continue Reading
Ed & Workforce Dems Reintroduce Bill to Help Workers Find Jobs by Modernizing Workforce Development Programs
02.15.13 WASHINGTON - Top House Education and the Workforce Committee Democrats reintroduced legislation today to improve the federal workforce development programs so that they better respond to local economic needs and help get workers find a good job or a new career. The Workforce Investment Act of 2013 - introduced by Reps. John Tierney (D-MA), Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) and George Miller (D-Calif.) - would modernize the current system by promoting more effective coordination among local stakeholders in… Continue Reading
Miller Introduces bill to Accelerate Children's Learning and Innovation of Technology
02.15.13 WASHINGTON - The way students learn and teachers educate could be dramatically improved through a new venture-like capital program introduced yesterday by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) to benefit student learning. Modeled after similar research programs in the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Education (ARPA-ED) Act will pursue technological breakthrough developments that have the potential to transform teaching and learning the w… Continue Reading
Bill to Prevent Industrial Dust Explosions Re-Introduced in the House
02.14.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. John Barrow (D-GA), and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), the senior Democrat of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, reintroduced legislation today to prevent workplace explosions caused by combustible industrial dusts. Five years ago, a massive explosion the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Ga. killed 14 workers, injured dozens and caused millions of … Continue Reading
Sen. Harkin and Rep. Miller Statement on President Obama’s Minimum Wage Proposal
02.13.13 Washington, D.C. - Today, Sen. Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Senior Democrat and former chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement in response to President Obama's call for an increase to the federal minimum wage in his State of the Union address. Harkin and Miller have been working together on legislation to increase the minimum wage and provide for automatic future inc… Continue Reading
NLRB Nominees Should Receive Speedy Senate Confirmation, House Labor Committee Leaders Say
02.13.13 WASHINGTON - Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), the ranking member of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee, issued the following joint statement on President Obama's nominations today of Richard F. Griffin, Jr., and Sharon Block to the National Labor Relations Board. "President Obama has nominated two highly-qualified and respected individuals to the National Labor Rel… Continue Reading
Rep. George Miller Statement on State of the Union Address
02.12.13 WASHINGTON -- Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on tonight's State of the Union Address. "The President laid out a bold, common sense and critical agenda to grow our economy, strengthen the middle class, and reduce inequality in America. I applaud his call to raise the minimum wage, to reform taxes to ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share, and to ensure an affordable and q… Continue Reading
Rep. Miller Supports Bill to Restore Fairness in Private Student Lending
02.07.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, announced his support for legislation introduced yesterday to restore fairness in student loan lending. The Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2013 would treat privately-issued student loans the same as other types of consumer debt in bankruptcy. "Not all loan debt is created equal. Private student loans have rightly been described as the 'wild w… Continue Reading
Miller Introduces Legislation to Speed Technology Innovation into the Classroom
02.05.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, introduced legislation today that would help speed adoption of innovative digital tools to improve student outcomes, close achievement gaps, boost educator skills and improve efficiency and productivity. “Technology provides us an opportunity to tackle chronic education challenges in new ways thanks to increasing use and access, constant innovation, and falling costs. T… Continue Reading
Rep. George Miller Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act
02.05.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement marking the 20th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act. "Today, we celebrate a monumental anniversary for our nation's working women and working families. While we celebrate, we also must remember that the Family and Medical Leave Act was only supposed to be a first step: Half of all workers are unable to take job-protected leave u… Continue Reading