Press Releases
Chairman Miller Statement on Historic Health Reform Legislation
11.07.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and a key architect of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, during consideration of the legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives today. ***Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this historic legislation to fix our broken health insurance system and finally bring affordable health coverage to every American. We are truly on the verge of making his… Continue Reading
CBO Confirms Republican Health Care Bill Would Maintain the Status Quo
11.04.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Fifty-two million people would continue to go uninsured if the House Republican health care legislation was enacted, the Congressional Budget Office said tonight. Overall, CBO estimates that the bill would only reduce the number of uninsured by 3 million and would cover 83 percent of Americans by 2019 - about the same as what would happen under the status quo. In contrast, the House Democratic health insurance reform bill would cover 96 percent of Americans by 2019 and provid… Continue Reading
Miller: Direct Certification is an Important Tool to Ensure More Eligible Students Receive School Meals
11.03.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - More school districts are implementing ways to directly enroll more eligible students for free and reduced priced school meals, according to a new report out today. The report, Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP): State Implementation Progress, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), examined the effectiveness of states and school districts in helping to eliminate barriers to direct enrollment in the NSLP. The Child Nutrition and WI… Continue Reading
MIT Analysis Confirms That H.R. 3962 Will Deliver Substantial Savings
11.03.09 WASHINGTON, DC — According to a new analysis by MIT Professor and CBO health advisor Dr. Jonathan Gruber, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) will lower premiums and improve coverage for individuals and families purchasing in the non-group market. The MIT study estimates that an individual and a family of four would save from $470 and from $1,260, respectively, in health insurance premiums, even without subsidies. The savings would be even greater for low- and middle- income… Continue Reading
House Democrats Introduce H1N1 Flu Emergency Sick-Leave Bill
11.03.09 WASHNGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, announced emergency temporary legislation today that will guarantee five paid sick days for a worker sent home or directed to stay home by their employer for a contagious illness, such as the H1N1 flu virus. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation the week of November 16.“Sick w… Continue Reading
CBO Affirms H.R. 3962 Will Control Costs, Lower Premiums
11.02.09 Washington, D.C. — Today the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released estimates confirming that H.R. 3962 — the Democratic health reform bill — will succeed in controlling costs that will be reflected in individual and family premiums. CBO found that by 2016, premiums will be $5,300 for an individual and $15,000 for a family of four in the Exchange. This is well below the $24,000 family premium expected if Congress fails to act and premiums grow as projected under current law. “This under… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on the Recovery Act Saving and Creating Education Jobs
11.02.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement after the Department of Education issued a report showing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments in education helped save or create 325,000 jobs.“It is clear the historic investments in education are already starting to pay off - education budget cuts are being delayed, jobs are being created, and children aren’t losing a year of learning as… Continue Reading
Record Fine against BP for On-Going Negligence Raises Serious Concerns, Chairs Miller and Woolsey Say
10.30.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, today released a statement on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s announcement of a record $87 million proposed fine against BP Products North America for its failure to correct serious health and safety standards at the company’s Texas City, Texas refinery - the location of a 2005 explosion … Continue Reading
Chairman Miller: Recovery Act Reporting Shows Us the Jobs
10.30.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and a key architect of Recovery Act investments intended to help save teaching jobs, today issued the following statement after the White House released reports showing the Recovery Act is on track to creating and saving 3.5 million jobs by next fall.“Today’s report answers every critic out there asking ‘where are the jobs?’ While this data only gives a partial picture of the hundreds of th… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on 3rd Quarter Rise in GDP
10.29.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee released the following statement today after the announcement that GDP rose 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2009."Today's news is another important indicator that the Recovery Act is beginning to repair our economy and get our nation back on its feet. While it will take time for all these investments to kick in, we know that the Recovery Act has already helped to stave off hundreds of thous… Continue Reading
Historic Bill to Provide Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans Heading to House Floor
10.29.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - For the first time in U.S. history, all Americans would have access to quality, affordable health care under updated health insurance reform legislation unveiled by House Democrats today. The House is expected to debate and vote on the legislation next week.The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), which blends and updates the three versions of previous bills passed by the House committees of jurisdiction in July, embodies President Obama’s key goals for health r… Continue Reading
Greater Oversight of State Worker Health and Safety Programs Needed, Witnesses tell House Labor Panel
10.29.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Stronger federal oversight of state-run health and safety programs is needed to ensure that states provide workers with basic on-the-job protections, witnesses told the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee. Serious questions were raised after a federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration review of Nevada OSHA found significant gaps in the agency’s protections. “Basic oversight of state plans is not only important in Nevada, but it is vital to the 57 million Ameri… Continue Reading
Miller: New Report Shows Too Many States Weakening Education Standards
10.29.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Many states have lowered the bar on what their students are expected to learn -- meaning that fewer children are being held to expectations that will adequately prepare them for a competitive economy, according to a new report released today. The study, conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, placed all state academic standards for proficiency in reading and math scores on a common scale to compare results across states and compare with/to proficiency standa… Continue Reading
Chairmen Rahall and Miller Deliver for Indian Country in House Health Insurance Reform Bill
10.23.09 Washington, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) and House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) today announced that they successfully secured provisions in the House version of the health insurance reform package that would provide for reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) - a long-sought priority for the two Chairmen.“The job of reforming the Nation’s health care system and providing access to quality care fo… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Applauds Unanimous Senate Approval of Joe Main as Federal Mine Safety Chief
10.22.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, applauded yesterday’s unanimous U.S. Senate confirmation of Joe Main as the next Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. “I congratulate Joe Main’s unanimous Senate confirmation as the next head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Main will be a tireless advocate for the health and safety of America’s miners and bring a needed jumpstart to an agency that suffer… Continue Reading
New Report Highlights Need to Expand Families’ Access to Reliable Federal College Aid
10.20.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Students and families are increasingly relying on Pell Grant scholarships and other forms of federal student aid to help pay for college, a new report released today by the College Board shows. While college tuition prices continued to increase at rates consistent with years past, students had greater access to reliable low-cost federal loans and grant aid. The report also shows that private student loan borrowing decreased by 50 percent from one year earlier, in part due to t… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Administration Estimates on Education Jobs
10.20.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and a chief architect of the education investments included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, issued the following statement after the White House released preliminary estimates yesterday showing that recovery funding has already created or saved at least 250,000 education jobs across the country.“While this was just the first step in our greater efforts to spur job growth and … Continue Reading
Democratic Lawmakers Respond to Institute of Medicine Recommendations for School Meal Programs
10.20.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, and U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chair of the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities today issued the following statement after the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM) released its recommendations to revise the standards and requirements for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. The IOM recommends increasing the variety of fruits, ve… Continue Reading
House Committee Announces Hearing on Federal Review of Nevada Health and Safety Program
10.20.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - In light of a new government report released today highlighting dangerous gaps in health and safety protections for workers in Nevada, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today announced that the committee will hold a hearing on Thursday, October 29 to examine the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s critical review of Nevada’s workplace health and safety program. “This report confirms that there are serious … Continue Reading
Miller and Woolsey Applaud OSHA Action to Protect Workers from Dust Explosions at Industrial Work Sites
10.20.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, today applauded the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s issuance of an advance notice of rulemaking to prevent combustible dust explosions like the one that occurred at the Imperial Sugar refinery in February 2008 that killed 14 workers and injured dozens.“OSHA’s announcement is a giant step forward … Continue Reading