Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Higher Education
Miller, House Democrats Reintroduce Legislation to Save College Students’ Time and Money When They Transfer Between Schools
04.01.14 WASHINGTON-Helping college students smoothly transfer between schools will save money for both students and taxpayers, while increasing the likelihood that transferring students will graduate on time. To help students who move between public institutions of higher education complete their studies without wasting time and money retaking courses, senior House Democrats reintroduced legislation today that allows students to keep more of their credits and protects their academic standing at the new … Continue Reading
Congress Must Act on Comprehensive Immigration Reform and DREAM Act So All Students Have Opportunity to Succeed
03.18.14 LAS VEGAS, NV- By passing comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM Act, Congress can help ensure that all American high school students-including undocumented immigrants-have the opportunity to pursue college and a career, members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce learned at a field hearing on career and technical education programs today. "Today's career and technical education programs, or CTE, are successfully preparing millions of students for lifelong success, bri… Continue Reading
Inspector General Report on Campus Debit Card Use Confirms Need to Better Protect Students
03.11.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.--U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative George Miller (D-CA) today said that a Department of Education Inspector General (IG) report they requested in 2012 recommends that the Department of Education should take action to better ensure that student interests are protected when colleges and universities use third-party servicers - such as Higher One and Sallie Mae - to deliver Title IV student financial aid dollars to students. “The Inspector General has expande… Continue Reading
Miller Fought to Protect Taxpayers, Workers' Lives from House Republican Efforts to Impose Unnecessary, Onerous New Requirements
02.27.14 WASHINGTON-Today House Republicans jammed misguided legislation through the House that would unnecessarily hamstring the federal government's efforts to protect taxpayers and preserve American lives. In response to the 60 onerous new requirements included in the All Economic Regulations Are Transparent Act (Alert) Act (H.R. 2804), Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) offered two amendments aimed at safeguarding taxpayers and students, protecting public and workplace safety and health, and otherwise inc… Continue Reading
Miller and Hinojosa Encouraged by Department of Education’s Efforts to Rein in Distance Education Fraud, Recognize More Work is Needed
02.25.14 WASHINGTON-Congressmen Miller and Hinojosa released the following statement in response to a report from the Department of Education's Office of Inspector General highlighting the need for additional safeguards to protect taxpayer money used by students to pay for distance education. "Today's report underscores the ongoing challenges we face in the unique environment of distance education, which is rapidly evolving and expanding. The Education Department has already taken a number of positive … Continue Reading
GAO Report Highlights Troubling Practices at Schools Offering Campus Debit and Prepaid Cards; Harkin and Miller Urge Action to Protect Students
02.13.14 WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Congressman George Miller (D-CA) called for action to better protect students and increase transparency around debit and prepaid card agreements between schools and financial firms. The lawmakers' action follows the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report today that confirms a number of alarming practices that occur when colleges partner with financial institutions to market debit cards to students. Harkin chairs the Sen… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Release Findings of eForum on Contingent Faculty
01.24.14 WASHINGTON-The Democratic staff of the House Education and the Workforce Committee today released the findings of an eForum on the state of contingent faculty in higher education, which details working conditions, the role those conditions play in affecting adjunct instructors' career prospects and ability to earn a living, and how the instructors' working conditions may impact their teaching. "What's been happening to the higher education workforce during the last couple decades should give al… Continue Reading
Miller Urges Banks to Comply with CFPB Request, Disclose Secret Campus Banking Contracts
12.17.13 WASHINGTON--Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) today released the following statement in response to a call from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to American financial institutions, which asked for public disclosure of all contracts with colleges and universities that allow the banks to aggressively promote debit cards to students: "I join the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's call to banks to disclose their campus banking contracts. Investigations by the media and federal agenc… Continue Reading
Pell Grants Remain Vital to Ensuring College Access, Require ‘Balanced Approach’ to Address Budgetary Shortfalls, House Panel on Higher Education Learns
12.03.13 WASHINGTON-Pell Grants remain vital to a robust American economy by expanding college access and affordability, and strengthening the program requires a thoughtful approach that does not balance budgetary shortfalls on the backs of needy students, members of a House subcommittee on higher education learned today. "Serving approximately nine million hard working students, the federal Pell Grant program is the single largest source of federal grant aid, which supports college students," said Rep.… Continue Reading
Miller Announces eForum on Adjunct Faculty in Higher Education
11.19.13 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today announced an eForum to investigate how an increased reliance on contingent faculty by colleges and universities nationwide has impacted the lives of faculty as well as students' higher education. "This eForum is an opportunity for adjuncts and other contingent faculty to inform the Congress about what's happening on the ground with higher education. I think there is a huge … Continue Reading
Career Technical Education Programs Prepare Millions for Modern Workforce, Must Continue to Evolve to Meet High-Skill Demands of Today’s Economy
11.19.13 WASHINGTON - Federal investments in career and technical education programs must ensure that all students are prepared for high-skill, high-wage jobs that meet the demands of today's economy, witnesses told the House Education and the Workforce Committee today at a hearing about the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. "Today's career technical education programs, or CTE, are successfully preparing millions of Americans to succeed in both college and career… Continue Reading
Democratic Lawmakers Ask Big Bank CEOs to Explain Student Debit Card Deals with Colleges
09.27.13 Washington, DC - Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate today expressed deep concern over financial arrangements between colleges and banks that could steer financially-strapped students into fee-laden debit cards that increase the costs of college. In letters sent to some of the nation's largest banks, the legislators ask bank executives to explain the scope of any such arrangements, how much money the deals pay to colleges, and how much in fees are charged to students. Policymakers que… Continue Reading
Congress Should Incentivize High Quality, Low-Cost Innovative Partnerships that Benefit Students, Witnesses Tell House Education Panel
09.18.13 WASHINGTON, DC - As colleges outsource more functions such as classroom materials, housing, and financial aid disbursement to the private sector, they must ensure that such partnerships operate for the benefit of students, making college more accessible and affordable, not less, witnesses told the House Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee. “I strongly support innovative partnerships that work to make high quality higher education more affordable and accessible for all students… Continue Reading
Congress Must do More to Help Service Members Transition Back into Civilian Life, Witnesses Tell Education Subcommittee
09.11.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - With more than 2 million service members returning from combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, Congress and colleges must do more to help them transition back into civilian life, witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training today. “Congress must have federal regulations in place to protect veterans and service members from unscrupulous companies, institutions, and lenders attempting to cash in on their GI benefits,” said Rep. Rubén Hinojo… Continue Reading
Students & Taxpayers Will Be Better Protected Under Ed Department’s Efforts, Says Inspector General
09.10.13 WASHINGTON - Recent higher education proposals and other efforts by the U.S. Department of Education, including a “gainful employment” regulation currently under negotiation, would help better protect students and taxpayers from waste and fraud, according to an analysis by the agency’s independent inspector general released today. This analysis is contrary to a House GOP-authored bill, H.R. 2637, that would block these efforts to strengthen the integrity of federal student-aid programs. “We bel… Continue Reading
Miller: Promising Proposals from President Obama to Rein in College Costs
08.22.13 Washington, DC - Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement on President Obama's proposals to address access, innovation and affordability in post-secondary education. "President Obama is offering a bold effort to rein in skyrocketing college costs. As Congress works to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, his important ideas must be drivers in our conversations to push America's higher education system in… Continue Reading
President Obama Signs Legislation to Save Students Billions in Lower Interest on Student Loans
08.08.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after President Obama signed into law the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act. Passed in the House by a vote of 392 to 31, the legislation reverses the July 1 doubling of interest rates for more than 7.4 million students and provides students and parents $25 billion in student debt relief through lower interest payments over the next seve… Continue Reading
House Passes Bipartisan Student Loan Legislation Saving Borrowers Billions
07.31.13 WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives today approved bipartisan legislation that would reverse the July 1 student loan interest rate hike. By a vote of 392 to 31, the House passed the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, bipartisan legislation that the Senate approved last week, which provides students and parents $25 billion in student debt relief through lower interest payments over the next several years compared to current law. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signatur… Continue Reading
Republicans Pass Bill that Exposes Students and Taxpayers to Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Higher Education
07.24.13 WASHINGTON - With a vote of 22-13, Republicans on the Education and the Workforce committee today approved legislation that would repeal critical protections for students and parents while at the same time stymieing the administration from being able to root out waste, fraud and abuse in our federal student aid programs. "By halting critical rules on accountability and integrity in the student aid system this bill makes college more expensive, leaves taxpayer investments at risk, and hurts the … Continue Reading
Miller Urges Immediate House Passage of Senate Student Loan Bill
07.24.13 WASHINGTON - In a letter sent to Speaker John Boehner today, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) urged immediate consideration and passage of the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, the bipartisan Senate legislation that would reverse the July 1 student loan interest rate hike. "Mr. Speaker, the House passed a bill that was detrimental to students and families. The Senate has passed a bill that helps students and families afford college as they climb out of a deep recession," wrote Rep. Mill… Continue Reading