Press Releases
Republican Labor-HHS Bill a Significant Step Backwards
10.04.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after Chairman Rehberg unveiled a draft Labor, Health and Education appropriations bill. “The Republican draft Labor, Health and Education appropriations bill released last week represents a significant step backwards for our nation’s working families, from students to workers and those struggling to secure a job. It signals that, once again, Repu… Continue Reading
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) Opening Statement for the Hearing on “Modernizing the Workforce Investment Act: Developing an Effective Job Training System for Workers and Employers"
10.04.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for the hearing on "Modernizing the Workforce Investment Act: Developing an Effective Job Training System for Workers and Employers. *** Thank you, Chairwoman Foxx. … Continue Reading
Government Investigation Finds High Risk of Fraud in Distance Learning Education
09.28.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new, alarming report issued by the Department of Education's Office Of Inspector General (OIG) raises serious concerns about fraud vulnerabilities among distance learning programs. The report shows examples of individuals conspiring to defraud Title IV programs of the Higher Education Act by enrolling significant numbers of "straw" students in distance education programs and keeping excess federal aid funds above tuition and fees before dropping out. U.S. Rep. George Miller … Continue Reading
Government Investigation Finds High Risk of Fraud in Distance Learning Education
09.27.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new, alarming report issued by the Department of Education's Office Of Inspector General (OIG) raises serious concerns about fraud vulnerabilities among distance learning programs. The report shows examples of individuals conspiring to defraud Title IV programs of the Higher Education Act by enrolling significant numbers of "straw" students in distance education programs and keeping excess federal aid funds above tuition and fees before dropping out. U.S. Rep. George Miller … Continue Reading
Miller Statement on New Job Training Grants Issued as Part of Miller's Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA)
09.26.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor awarded nearly $500 million to community colleges across the country. These grants will support job training and workforce development opportunities and were funded through the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act at no new cost to taxpayers. This is the first installment of the $2 billion, four-ye… Continue Reading
Committee GOP Ignores Calls to Address Jobs, Continues Partisan Hearings against Workers’ Rights
09.22.11 WASHINGTON - Despite calls to examine President Obama’s job proposals nearly two weeks ago, House Education and the Workforce Committee Republican held a fourth hearing attacking the National Labor Relations Board, which enforces workers’ labor rights. “I just wish this House would put half as much effort into addressing America’s top concern of jobs and the economy,” said Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat of the committee. “This committee should be doing whatever it can to grow… Continue Reading
Miller Announces eForum on Jobs
09.22.11 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, today launched an online forum on portions of President Obama’s American Jobs Act. The “eForum” invites the American people to submit their stories about how the economic downturn has affected their lives in several areas. “With 14 million Americans looking for work, time is of the essence. In order to effectively evaluate the President’s job proposal, Congress must gather facts f… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Obama’s New Waivers to NCLB
09.22.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced today that he would allow states to apply for waivers from certain parts of No Child Left Behind in exchange for adopting reforms that include college and career ready standards, new accountability, school improvement systems and meaningful teacher and school leader evaluations. "President Obama has presented state… Continue Reading
Kildee Statement at the Hearing on “Education Reforms: Ensuring the Education System is Accountable to Parents and Communities
09.21.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), the ranking member of the Subcommittee On Early Childhood, Elementary, And Secondary Education of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for the hearing on "Education Reforms: Ensuring the Education System is Accountable to Parents and Communities" *** Thank you Mr. Chairman for calling this subcommittee hearing. I was impressed by the quality of our discussion on accountability issues in the Full C… Continue Reading
Harkin, Miller Statement on DOL Fiduciary Regulation
09.19.11 WASHINGTON - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), and Representative George Miller (CA-7), ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement after the Department of Labor announced that it will be reproposing its rule clarifying who is a fiduciary with respect to retirement plans: "Today, the Department of Labor announced it would be taking further steps to make sure that i… Continue Reading
House Republicans Approve Bill to Protect Illegal Job Outsourcers
09.15.11 WASHINGTON - The House approved a special interest bill today that would make it easier for corporations to ship jobs overseas in retaliation against American workers for exercising their fundamental labor rights. The bill, dubbed the GOP’s Outsourcers’ Bill of Rights (H.R. 2587), would remove the only meaningful legal remedy available to workers if a company illegally moves operations or eliminates work because workers engage in protected activities like forming a union or collective bargainin… Continue Reading
Miller: GOP’s Job Outsourcers’ Bill of Rights is a Reckless Assault on Working Americans
09.15.11 WASHNIGTON - Below are the prepared House floor remarks of Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, on H.R. 2587, the GOP’s Job Outsourcers’ Bill of Rights. *** Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2587. This special interest bill is a job killer. It was spurred by a particular case, involving a Fortune 500 corporation, the Boeing Company. But this bill is not just about Boeing. All working people across this country … Continue Reading
Miller: GOP’s Job Outsourcers’ Bill of Rights is a Reckless Assault on Working Americans
09.15.11 WASHNIGTON - Below are the prepared House floor remarks of Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, on H.R. 2587, the GOP's Job Outsourcers' Bill of Rights. *** Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2587. This special interest bill is a job killer. It was spurred by a particular case, involving a Fortune 500 corporation, the Boeing Company. But this bill is not just about Boeing. All working people across this country s… Continue Reading
Accountability Must Be a Priority in the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
09.14.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Fixing No Child Left Behind (NCLB) must be a top priority for Congress, and focus has to be put on ensuring accountability in schools for all students, witnesses told the Education and the Workforce Committee. "Without accountability, it is too easy to return to a time, prior to NCLB, when students' actual performance was masked by averages. Accountability was at the heart of No Child Left Behind. The law shined a bright light on how all students were performing, including lo… Continue Reading
Miller Welcomes Congressman Altmire Back to the Education and the Workforce Committee
09.14.11 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 U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), was assigned back to the committee to fill a minority vacancy. Altmire will sit on the Health, Employment Labor and Pensions (HELP) and Higher Education subcommittees. "I am pleased to welcome back to the committee Congressman Jason Altmire from Pennsylvania's 4th district. Mr. Altmire joined this committee as… Continue Reading
Stronger, Not Weaker, Protections Needed for U.S. and Foreign Agricultural Workers
09.14.11 WASHINGTON - During these economic times, Congress should be working on ways to ensure that the nation's temporary agricultural guestworker program encourages the recruitment of U.S. workers and also provides sufficient protections for all agriculture workers, the Workforce Protections Subcommittee learned today. "We don't need a race to the bottom. We need to administer the H-2A program to ensure that U.S. workers have the first chance at employment and foreign workers aren't exploited," s… Continue Reading
House Passes First Bipartisan Piece of ESEA Reauthorization
09.13.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation that included key Democratic priorities to strengthen and improve charter schools. The legislation, the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act, is the first bipartisan piece of the reauthorization of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 365 to 54. Republicans, though, have yet to put forth critically-needed reforms th… Continue Reading
New Government Investigation Highlights Need for Better Child Care Standards
09.13.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An investigation conducted at the behest of U.S. Rep. George Miller, the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, showed the urgent need for better standards in child care facilities and more Congressional attention on early learning and child care concerns. The report, Overview of Relevant Employment Laws and Cases of Sex Offenders at Child Care Facilities, is the second in a series of reports the Government Accountability Office has initiated following… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on 2009 Default Rate for Student Loans
09.12.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller, senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education released the national student loan cohort default rate for students who defaulted before September 30, 2010. The default rate rose to 8.8 percent, up from 7 percent in 2008. This group of students defaulted on loan payments first owed between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009. “Earning a college degree … Continue Reading
Miller Requests Immediate Hearings on Job Creation Proposals
09.09.11 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today requested that Chairman John Kline (R-MN) immediately schedule hearings into the job creation proposals outlined by President Obama yesterday. The Education and the Workforce Committee has legislative jurisdiction over a number of the proposals contained in the American Jobs Act. "The American people share the President's sense of urgency that Congress must act together … Continue Reading