Press Releases
Democratic Lawmakers Respond to NAEP Math Report
10.14.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), issued the following statement after the National Assessment Governing Board released its report on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), which measures the performance of fourth and eighth grade students in math. The report, “The Nation’s Report Card: Mathematics 2009,” studies student achievement in mathematics at the state and national lev… Continue Reading
Waxman, Rangel, Miller Statement on Senate Finance Vote to Pass Health Insurance Reform
10.13.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), and George Miller (D-CA), the chairmen of the three committees with jurisdiction over health policy in the U.S. House of Representatives, today issued the following statement after the Senate Finance Committee approved its version of health insurance reform legislation. The House is currently working to combine the three versions of the bills approved by their committees in July. “This marks an historic day in our de… Continue Reading
House Approves Legislation to Improve Access to Healthy and Nutritious School Meals
10.07.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation that will ensure more children have year-round access to healthy and nutritious meals at school, in child care settings, and during the summer months, at no new cost to taxpayers, as part of the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Conference Agreement. The legislation, which passed with a bipartisan vote of 263-162, temporarily extends expiring provisions of the law governing child nutrition provisions and makes inve… Continue Reading
Bicameral Legislation Will Protect Older Workers From Discrimination; Restore Civil Rights
10.06.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, three Chairmen - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced landmark legislation that restores vital civil rights protections for older workers in the face of the Supreme Court’s decision in Gross v. FBL Financial. In Gross, the Supreme Court … Continue Reading
Record Low Youth Employment Need to Be Addressed, Witnesses Tell Congress
10.01.09 WASHINGTON - While the current economic crisis has driven youth unemployment to historic highs, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today that falling youth employment is part of a much longer trend that needs to be addressed. “The recession has only made a bad situation worse for younger workers. Even in periods of economic stability, fewer young people do not make the transition to the workforce. They face challenges completing high school and obtaining the skills they need… Continue Reading
All Children Deserve Great Teachers, Witnesses Tell House Education Committee
09.30.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Students at schools with the highest concentration of poor and minority students do not have equal access to effective teachers as their peers in more affluent school districts, education experts, including teachers, told the House Education and Labor Committee today. Teachers are the most important factor in determining the success of students, yet low-income and minority students are more likely to be taught by less experienced, less qualified teachers than their peers in we… Continue Reading
Waxman, Rangel, Miller Reinforce that Health Reform Efforts Will Strengthen Health Care for Veterans
09.24.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Earlier this week, U.S. Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), and George Miller (D-CA), the Chairmen of the three Committees with jurisdiction over health policy in the House, sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Veterans Committee to reinforce their commitment to protecting veterans’ current health plans and expanding access to quality, affordable health care options for their dependents as health insurance reform efforts move forwar… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on Secretary Duncan's First Major Speech on the Future Reauthorization of ESEA
09.24.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, today issued the following statement after U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan convened a meeting of stakeholders and education advocates to discuss education reform and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Duncan has visited schools in over 30 states as part of his “Listening and Learning” Tour, which Secretary Duncan launched in May to seek input from stake… Continue Reading
Changes to Bankruptcy Laws Needed to Protect Student Borrowers, Says Chairman Miller
09.23.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today praised the House Judiciary Committee for holding a hearing to examine the need to allow Americans to discharge their private student loans in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy legislation enacted by President Bush in 2005 severely limits individuals in bankruptcy from discharging the college loans they borrow from for-profit lenders. Miller, the author of a 2008 law that provided new consumer … Continue Reading
Legislation Needed to Stop Widespread Practice of Workplace Discrimination, Witnesses Tell House Committee
09.23.09 WASHINGTON - Legislation is needed to stop widespread discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today.“Fully qualified individuals are being denied employment or are being fired from their jobs for completely non-work-related reasons,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the committee. “This is profoundly unfair and un-American.” The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017), int… Continue Reading
Administration Needs to Work More Collaboratively to Protect the Safety of School Meals, GAO Finds
09.22.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - To ensure that foods served to children in the nation’s schools are safe, the federal agencies that oversee school meals and food safety must work more collaboratively and establish better communications procedures, according to a government report released today by Congressional Democrats. The investigation by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), the government agency which oversees t… Continue Reading
House Approves Legislation to Help More Children Reach Kindergarten Ready to Succeed
09.17.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to dramatically transform early learning settings for low-income children to ensure they arrive at school with the skills they need to succeed. The bill, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (H.R 3221) was passed by a bipartisan vote of 253 to 171.Among other investments, H.R. 3221 establishes an Early Learning Challenge Fund to award competitive grants to states that implement comprehensive standards-base… Continue Reading
Legislation to Make Landmark Investments in College Affordability Clears House
09.17.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Legislation that will make college dramatically more affordable for millions of Americans, at no new cost to taxpayers, overwhelming passed the U.S. House of Representatives today. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (H.R. 3221), which was approved by a bipartisan vote of 253 to 171, will move the U.S. closer to reaching President Obama’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. It will generate almost $90 billion in savings ov… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Floor Statement on Historic Student Aid Bill
09.17.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, during House consideration of H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009.***I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, a bill that will be transformative for our children, our economy, and our future.Like President Obama’s other two pillars for economic growth - health reform and energy -this bill… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement at Press Conference on Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
09.15.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, for a press conference on H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009.***Good afternoon. I’d like to thank U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Reps. Tom Petri, Tim Bishop, Ruben Hinojosa, and all our colleagues for joining us today.I’d especially like to thank all the students for coming, and Jelisa Difon who will be sharing her story wi… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on September 11th as a National Day of Service
09.11.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today commemorating September 11th as a national day of service, an initiative that was part of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Miller was a lead House author of the law, which was signed by President Obama earlier this year.“Eight years ago today, our country suffered devastating losses. But in the aftermath of this tragic and senseless act, we witnessed t… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Praises Biden College Affordability Speech
09.09.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after Vice President Joe Biden delivered a speech on college affordability and urged Congress to pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. The legislation passed the House Education and Labor Committee in July with bipartisan support and is expected to be considered by the House of Representatives in September. The legislation will generate almost … Continue Reading
Obama Speech Moves Congress Closer to “Finish Line” on Health Reform, says Chairman Miller
09.09.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barack Obama’s address to Congress tonight moved Congress closer to approving comprehensive health insurance reform, said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and one of the chief architects of the House reform legislation.“Tonight President Obama made a clear and convincing case to Congress: We must pass health insurance reform. Repeating history by doing nothing is not an option. American families and our nation’s busi… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Congratulates Sen. Harkin on Taking HELP Committee Gavel
09.09.09 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today congratulated Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for becoming chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Sen. Harkin replaces Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) who passed away in August.“I congratulate Senator Harkin for becoming the next chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Tom is a longtime friend and I can attest to his strong co… Continue Reading
Chairman George Miller Statement on Labor Day
09.04.09 WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement in honor of Labor Day. “Labor Day is a time to reflect on the achievements of the American worker and our nation’s commitment to helping all families pursue the American Dream. However, Labor Day 2009 comes at a … Continue Reading