Press Releases
House Approves Legislation to Give Whistleblower Protections to Offshore Workers
07.30.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - On a strong bipartisan vote of 315 to 93, the House today approved legislation to extend modern whistleblower protections to workers whose employers are engaged in oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, or cleanup on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Currently, individuals working on the OCS have no protection against retaliation by an employer for speaking up on hazardous conditions. “A whistleblower may be the only thing standing between a safe workplace and a cata… Continue Reading
Mine Safety Funding Included in Emergency Supplemental Bill Approved Today
07.28.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives gave final approval to legislation today to reduce the backlog of more than 17,000 cases involving mine operator appeals of safety and health violations. H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010, will add an additional $22 million to the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission to attack the backlog of cases. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature. “It is clear… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
07.26.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today issued the following statement celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).“Today, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we share in a very proud moment for this country. “It wasn’t too long ago that people with disabilities were invisible, shut out and segregated by structural barriers that literally kept them out … Continue Reading
Miller Demands New Head of PBGC Address Serious Inspector General Findings
07.23.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, called on the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to immediately address serious concerns raised by the agency’s inspector general that an auditing contractor hired by the agency has failed to exercise due diligence and that PBGC failed to properly oversee the contractor. Miller asked the inspector general to look into the termination of the United Airlines plans in 2009. “Plan participants … Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on Final Approval of Extension of Unemployment Insurance
07.22.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after the House gave final approval to an emergency extension of unemployment insurance.“After weeks of obstruction by Senate Republicans, more than 2.5 million Americans struggling to find work will now be able to breathe a small sigh of relief. Unemployment benefits are a proven way to boost our economy while delivering a much-needed lifeline for Americans look… Continue Reading
House Committee Approves Landmark Miner and Worker Safety Legislation
07.21.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - On a 30-17 vote, the House Education and Labor Committee approved legislation today to reform the nation’s mine and worker safety laws. The Robert C. Byrd Miner Safety and Health Act (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that underground coal mine operations with troubling safety records improve conditions, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns and give the Department of Labor the tools it needs to ensure that all workers go home safely at the end of t… Continue Reading
House Approves Legislation to Improve Public-Private Sector Economic Development
07.19.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation today on a voice vote that will help key industries, such as manufacturing, meeting their skilled workforce needs.The Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success Act (SECTORS), H.R. 1855, will help address local skills shortages by bringing employers in key industries together with education, labor, workforce, and other groups to identify and provide training tailored to meet the sector needs of th… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Calls on Senate GOP to Allow Vote on Summer Jobs and Unemployment Extension
07.16.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today demanding U.S. Senate Republicans allow a vote on important provisions on jobs and an unemployment benefits extension. “The Senate GOP’s continued obstruction shows once again that they are willing to play politics with the livelihoods of millions of Americans out of work and in desperate need of help. While Democrats are working to dig this country out of … Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on 401(k) Fee and Conflicts Disclosure Rules to Plan Sponsors
07.15.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and author of 401(k) fee disclosure legislation, issued the following statement on the Department of Labor’s interim final rule released today requiring greater disclosure of fees and conflicts of interests contained in 401(k) plans to plan sponsors. “I am pleased that the Department of Labor has taken this important step to ensure that employers have information on the fees and conflicts of in… Continue Reading
Bipartisan Child Nutrition Legislation Clears House Education Committee
07.15.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Education and Labor Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to support children’s health and reduce childhood hunger by dramatically improving federal child nutrition programs. The Committee passed the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act, H.R. 5504 with a bipartisan vote of 32-13. The bill includes sweeping reforms to significantly increase access and remove barriers to child nutrition programs, improve the quality of the meals served and implement … Continue Reading
Lincoln, Miller Call on President Obama to Make Ending Childhood Hunger and Obesity a Top Legislative Priority
07.13.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.) , Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor today sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to make child nutrition reauthorization a top legislative priority before current programs expire on September 30 of this year. Lincoln delivered the letter to the President during a meeting at the White House wh… Continue Reading
Miner Safety Bill Will Save Lives, Ensure Culture of Safety, Witnesses tell House Committee
07.13.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Legislation responding to the nation’s worst mining tragedy in four decades will save lives and hold mine operators accountable for putting their workers in unnecessary danger, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today. The Miner Safety and Health Act (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with troubling safety records improve safety and empower workers to speak up about safety concerns. Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch explos… Continue Reading
Child Nutrition Legislation Will Improve Children’s Health and Address National Challenges, Witnesses Tell House Panel
07.02.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The bipartisan child nutrition reauthorization legislation introduced earlier this month will improve children’s health, increase access to healthy meals, and create more year-round meal opportunities for children, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee yesterday. At the hearing, Miller announced that he plans to markup the legislation when Congress returns after the July 4th recess. “We need to get our country back on a pathway of healthy eating and healthy li… Continue Reading
Pell Grant Scholarship Increases Today for Millions of Students
07.01.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Student aid benefits increase today, as the Pell Grant scholarship increases to an all-time high and interest rates on need-based student loans decrease. Additionally, all federal student loans will originate through the Direct Lending program, as a result of a measure passed earlier this year that eliminates wasteful subsidies to banks and invests those savings to help students and families, all at no new cost to taxpayers. “Today, students and families working hard to pay fo… Continue Reading
House Democrats Introduce Landmark Miner Safety Legislation
07.01.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Democrats today introduced major reforms responding to serious health and safety concerns raised by workers and their families since Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy that killed 29 miners and other recent workplace tragedies. The House Education and Labor Committee also announced that the committee will hold a hearing on the bill on July 13. The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with t… Continue Reading
Miller Applauds Key Supplemental Provisions for Workers, Teachers and Students
07.01.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, tonight issued the following statement on the House passage of H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010. “With tonight’s vote, the House acted on behalf of American workers, teachers and students across the nation who have suffered in the recent economic downturn. “The bill helps to close a multi-billion dollar shortfall in the Pell Grant program that could have deterred many… Continue Reading
Kildee and Miller Respond to NAEP Report Showing Disappointing Progress in Indian Student Achievement
06.30.10 WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education and Democratic Chairman of the House Native American Caucus, issued the following statements after the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) released its National Indian Education Study. The study showed no significant gains in mathematics performance among fourth … Continue Reading
House and Senate Democrats Announce Summary of Major Safety Reforms for Mines and Other Dangerous Workplaces
06.29.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leading members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives released a summary and discussion draft today of major reforms responding to serious health and safety concerns raised by workers and their families since Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy and other recent workplace accidents. The reforms would provide stronger oversight to ensure that employers comply with the law, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns and give the Department of Labor the … Continue Reading
Better Protections Needed to Regulate Purging of Natural Gas, Witnesses Tell House Panel in Middletown, Conn.
06.28.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The deadly explosion at a Middletown, Conn. power plant under construction could have been prevented if there were clear national safety protections, witnesses told members of Congress today. The Workforce Protections Subcommittee of House Education and Labor Committee convened the forum to hear the cause of the explosion and examine ways to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.“As unbelievable as this sounds, there is no law, regulation or standard or code, … Continue Reading
Miller, Rahall Demand MMS to Work with OSHA Before Finalizing New Oil Rig Safety Rule
06.25.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, asked the Bureau of Energy (BOE), formerly the Minerals Management Service (MMS), to work with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in developing a process safety management regulation. Process safety management standards are used to prevent or contain a catastrophic release of hazardous… Continue Reading