Press Releases
Chairman Miller Statement on President Obama’s Budget
05.07.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today after President Obama released his complete budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2010.“President Obama is serious about transforming our economy and strengthening our middle class and his budget shows it. This budget backs up his promises to reverse years of damaging policies that undermined the health and safety of our nation’s workers. It will put the succ… Continue Reading
Protecting At-Risk Public Health Workers is Critical to Fighting Pandemic Flu Outbreaks, Witnesses Tell Congress
05.07.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Protecting health care workers, first responders, and other employees on the frontlines of a pandemic outbreak is key to strengthening the nation’s ability to fight viral outbreaks and keep the public safe, experts told the House Education and Labor Committee today. The witnesses were testifying before the committee at a hearing examining how the current H1N1 flu outbreak has challenged schools, childcare centers, colleges, and workplaces. “This outbreak has proven that a pand… Continue Reading
House Education Committee Approves Legislation to Modernize and Green America’s Schools
05.06.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Districts across the country would receive billions of dollars to modernize, upgrade, repair and green America’s schools under legislation approved today by the House Education and Labor Committee. By a vote of 31 to 14, the Committee passed H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities Act, which would make critical investments to provide more students with modern, healthier, more environmentally-friendly classrooms. It would also support hundreds… Continue Reading
Troubled Worker Safety Program Needs Revamping, Witnesses tell House Labor Subcommittee
04.30.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - A special worker health and safety program that targets employers that repeatedly put their workers in harms way is not working and needs to be refocused, witnesses told the Workforce Protections Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee today.“After six years of operation, it’s clear that the Enhanced Enforcement Program original design is flawed, and that OSHA under the Bush administration did not implement the program as intended,” said U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey … Continue Reading
Lawmakers Reintroduce Legislation to Modernize and Green America’s Public Schools and Create Jobs
04.30.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Democratic lawmakers today reintroduced legislation that will help make America’s public school facilities more safe, healthy, energy-efficient and technologically advanced, while creating thousands of new jobs in construction and green industries. The House Education and Labor committee will consider and vote on the bill next Wednesday, May 6.The bill, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, (H.R. 2187), reintroduced by U.S. Reps. Ben Chandler (D-… Continue Reading
Miller Hails House Approval of Budget Conference Agreement
04.29.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the House voted to approve final passage of the conference report for the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2010, which help will turn the economy around by investing in strategies for long-term growth - education, health care, and energy and cutting the deficit by two-thirds by 2013. The Senate is expected to vote on final passage tonight.U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, hailed the budget as a roadmap for rebuildin… Continue Reading
Miller statement on Swine Flu School Closings
04.29.09 WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. George Miller (D-CA) made the following statement today regarding the temporary closure of Highlands Elementary School in Pittsburg, CA. “I know many of us are worried about the impact of the H1N1 flu on our families and our community, especially our school community. Obviously, our first concern is that we keep our children and our families as safe as possible. But we also need to deal with this in a timely manner so we can get kids back into the classroom.“Federal gover… Continue Reading
Congress Must Support State Efforts for Rigorous Common Standards, Witnesses Tell House Panel
04.29.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The federal government should support state efforts to develop a common core of rigorous, internationally benchmarked academic standards, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today. The hearing showed that momentum for stronger, state-developed standards is growing, with teachers, schools, business leaders and stakeholders from across the political spectrum voicing support. “With standards varying vastly from state to state, a high school diploma no longer g… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on Equal Pay Day
04.28.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today issued the following statement on Equal Pay Day. The day commemorates how far into the year a woman must work in order for her wages to equal those of a man in the previous year. “In an economy as difficult as ours, the fundamental value of equal pay for equal work is more important than ever. This marks the first Equal Pay Day in eight years with a President and Labor Secretary who … Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on NAEP Long Term Trends Study
04.28.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, 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 9, 13 and 17 year old students in reading and math. The report, “The Nation’s Report Card: Trends in Academic Progress 2008,” studies long term trends in student achievement and was last issued in 2004. “In … Continue Reading
Chairman Miller: Sebelius Confirmation Strengthens Prospects for Comprehensive Health Care Reform
04.28.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, today lauded the Senate’s confirmation of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Miller said today’s action further strengthens prospects for meeting President Obama’s goal of enacting comprehensive health care reforms this year. “With our nation facing a swine flu outbreak, and the need for health care reform growing by the day, I am pleased that the Senate has finally confir… Continue Reading
Low Health and Safety Penalties Endanger Workers’ Lives, Witnesses tell House Labor Committee
04.28.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Current penalties against employers that endanger workers’ health and safety are too low to deter future violations, witnesses to the House Education and Labor Committee today.“Penalties are the key enforcement mechanism under the law. They must be real. They must be meaningful,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the committee. “And, these penalties must not be just the cost of doing business.” Created with flickrSLiDR. Today is also Workers Memorial Day, whi… Continue Reading
House Ed & Labor Subcommittee Hears Options to Rein in Health Care Costs and Boost Coverage
04.23.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Solutions that will reduce health care costs are critical in order to provide quality and affordable coverage for all Americans, witnesses told the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee today. Congress is currently weighing several options that will meet President Obama’s goal of guaranteeing quality and affordable health care insurance coverage to all Americans. “One key way to reduce costs in our health care system is… Continue Reading
House Democrats Introduce Bill to Reform Nation’s Worker Health and Safety Law
04.23.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Democrats on the House Education and Labor Committee, led by U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, introduced legislation today that would help the nation’s health and safety agencies to hold unscrupulous employers accountable for exposing their workers to preventable hazards. “It has been more than 30 years since the passage of the OSH Act, and it is badly in need of reform. While thousands of workers have been saved as a result of OS… Continue Reading
Legislation Needed Now to Expose Hidden 401(k) Fees, Witnesses tell House Ed & Labor Subcommittee
04.22.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The current economic crisis has heightened the need for legislation that will provide American workers with clear and complete information about Wall Street fees taken from their 401(k)-style accounts, witness told the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee today.“When a worker spends most of their lifetime investing their hard-earned dollars into an account for their retirement and later discover that they were being ch… Continue Reading
Hoyer, Health Care Chairs Report Continued Progress and Coordination on Reform Efforts
04.22.09 WASHINGTON, DC - Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) met today with the chairmen of the three committees working to develop health care reform legislation in the House - Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (CA), Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (NY), and Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (CA) - and other health care leaders to discuss the reform initiative. Hoyer and the three chairmen issued the following statement after the meeting:“We m… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on Jump in Private Student Loan Borrowing
04.21.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to a new study showing the number of undergraduate students borrowing private student loans increased by 9 percent over the past five years, from 5 percent in 2003-04 to 14 percent in 2007-08, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement: “This report confirms our fear that many students - coping with a worsening college cost crisis - may be turning to more expensive, risky private student … Continue Reading
Chairmen Miller, Andrews Introduce 401(k) Fee Disclosure Bill
04.21.09 WASHINGTON, DC - Leading House Democrats on 401(k) issues introduced legislation today that will provide American workers with clear and complete information about Wall Street fees taken from their 401(k)-style accounts. The Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation Wednesday. The 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 1984) will help workers shop around for the best retirement … Continue Reading
Chairman Miller and Congresswoman McCarthy Applaud Signing of Historic Service Legislation
04.21.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) today issued the following joint statement after President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in to law. McCarthy was the original House sponsor of the legislation. Miller is the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and chief House co-sponsor of the bill. “This is a historic day for all Americans. By signing this law, President Obama has launched a new era of service and volun… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Announces California is First to Receive State Stabilization Funds to Save Jobs
04.17.09 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today announced that California will be the first state in the country to receive state fiscal stabilization funds provided under President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The relief, which will help stave off teacher layoffs and other cuts to education, comes as tens of thousands of teachers in California are at risk of losing their jobs. “This is a huge boost for educat… Continue Reading