Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Higher Education
Miller: Republican Proposal is a Bait and Switch to Tax Students
05.09.13 WASHINGTON- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after the Republican majority on the committee released legislation that would tax students working towards obtaining a college credential. "My concern is how this bill affects students and their families. The fact is, the Republican plan is a nearly $4 billion tax on students and their parents or grandparents. It's a nearly $4 billion tax on p… Continue Reading
Committee Leaders Call for Feedback on Higher Education Act Reauthorization
04.25.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee today called upon students, parents, college leaders, and higher education stakeholders to share their views on policies and amendments that should be included in the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. “Congress will soon be set to rewrite the nation’s higher education policy,” said senior Democratic Member George Miller (D-Calif.). “It is my hope that the results of this process will help ensure th… Continue Reading
Students and Families Need Clear, Practical Information about College Costs and Financial Aid, Witnesses tell House Education Subcommittee
04.24.13 WASHINGTON - Students and families do not have easy access to clear, consistent, and timely information about college costs and financial aid options in order to help them effectively plan for college, witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training today. Witnesses said that requiring up-front college cost and financial aid information that uses plain language will help students and parents plan effectively when deciding which college to attend. "We must do a b… Continue Reading
Urgent Congressional Action is needed to Stop Student Loan Interest Rates from Doubling, Witnesses Tell Education Panel
04.16.13 WASHINGTON - Witnesses told a House Education subcommittee today that urgent congressional action is needed to stop student loan interest rates from doubling. Testimony also emphasized that continued federal investment in financial aid programs is key to enriching individual economic success, building a strong state economy, and developing a competitive workforce. "Landmark investments in federal higher education programs have improved the lives of low-income and middle income students and wor… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on New CFPB Rule to Supervise Nonbank Student Loan Servicers
03.15.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced today proposed regulations to oversee nonbank student loan servicers. Under the new proposed rule, CFPB will be able to view the complete cycle of private student loan debt, from origination through servicing to debt collection and credit reporting. At a time when total student loan debt… Continue Reading
Students Need More, Not Less, Affordability in Federal Loan Programs, Witnesses Tell House Education Panel
03.13.13 WASHINGTON - While college tuition continues to increase at rates well above inflation, students and families need continued access to affordable federal student loans, witnesses told the House Education and Workforce Committee today. "A college degree plays a critical role in most American Dreams," said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). "Unfortunately, we know all too well that the rising cost of higher education is pushing those American Dreams a little further out of reach for too many fam… Continue Reading
Rep. Miller Supports Bill to Restore Fairness in Private Student Lending
02.07.13 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, announced his support for legislation introduced yesterday to restore fairness in student loan lending. The Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2013 would treat privately-issued student loans the same as other types of consumer debt in bankruptcy. "Not all loan debt is created equal. Private student loans have rightly been described as the 'wild w… Continue Reading
Miller: Students Should Have More Access to Fee-Free ATMs on Campus
01.31.13 WASHINGTON - As students head back to school and start to receive their student aid disbursements, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce, highlighted the need for students to be more informed about the fees they may encounter on their school issued debit cards on a conference call with reporters today. Miller also underscored the need for financial institutions to be more transparent marketing their services to students and provide stud… Continue Reading
Miller, Durbin Applaud CFPB’s Efforts to Protect Students from Risky Campus Financial Products
01.31.13 WASHINGTON- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Assistant Senate Majority Leader, released the following joint statement today after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it is launching an inquiry into the impact of campus financial products marketed to students by colleges to determine whether these arrangements are in the best interest of students. Campus f… Continue Reading
Miller: Students May Incur Unnecessary Fees to Access Financial Aid
01.22.13 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller, the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today asked Higher One Holdings, Inc. for further information on its debit card and ATM-placement practices nationwide after research indicated that students with Higher One debit cards may have difficulty accessing their financial aid free of fees due to limited ATM locations. Federal rules require that, in cases where a school opens a bank account for a student, the student must have … Continue Reading
Miller Requests Cooperation from Private Student Loan Lenders in Addressing Challenges Faced by Borrowers
11.29.12 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today wrote letters to private student loan lenders including Sallie Mae, Inc., Wells Fargo, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and Citi Bank, seeking information on their lending practices and their "cooperation in addressing increasing difficulties confronting private student loan customers who struggle to find work and repay their student loans." A recently is… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Annual College Board Trends Survey
10.24.12 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today issued the following statement after the College Board released its annual "Trends in Higher Education Series" highlighting trends in both student aid (for the 2011-2012 school year) and college pricing (for the 2012-2013 school year). During the 2012- 2013 academic year, students at public four-year colleges and universities saw an increase of 4.8 percent in tuition a… Continue Reading
Private Student Loan Borrowers Face Roadblocks to Repayment, New CFPB Report Finds
10.16.12 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 a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) found that private student loan borrowers face many roadblocks, runarounds and dead-ends to repayment. Since March 2012, the CFPB has received approximately 2,900 complaints on private student loans. The report found that some borrowers may be struggling to pay back th… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Department of Labor Grants to Community Colleges to Expand Education and Job Training
09.20.12 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Labor awarded nearly $500 million to community colleges across the country. As part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) initiative, these grants support job training and workforce development opportunities in fields such as manufacturing, science, transportation and te… Continue Reading
Miller Statement on Government Investigation of Fraud in Distance Learning Education
09.20.12 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California and the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education announced that 21 individuals have recently been indicted for participating in federal student aid fraud schemes at 15 schools throughout California. "I thank the Department of Education's Office of the Inspector General a… Continue Reading
Reps. Tierney and Miller Introduce Bill to Protect Student, Taxpayer Investment in Higher Education
09.13.12 WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives John Tierney (D-Mass.) and George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, will introduce legislation today that would ensure the tuition dollars students and taxpayers invest in higher education at for-profit institutions are spent on educating students, not marketing or advertising. The College Student Rebate Act would safeguard student and taxpayer investment in for-profit institutions of higher education by … Continue Reading
Miller Statement on New Private Student Lending Report
07.20.12 WASHINGTON - Rep. George Miller (D - Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after a new joint report from the U.S. Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) found that students were another group of consumers who were adversely affected by the boom and bust of the subprime lending financial crisis. The report found that risky lending practices and loose underwriting has resulted in… Continue Reading
Miller, Hinojosa Introduce Legislation to Help College Students Seeking to Transfer Between Schools
07.18.12 WASHINGTON - Last night, U.S. Reps. George Miller (D - Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Rubén Hinojosa (D -Texas), the senior Democrat on the Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee, introduced legislation aimed at removing the "friction of transfer" within a state's public system of higher education, including for community college students seeking to move on to four-year institutions. The legislation, the Transferring Cred… Continue Reading
Miller asks GAO to Investigate the Weaknesses in Child Abuse Reporting Laws and Policies in Wake of Penn State and Other Abuse Scandals at Schools
07.18.12 WASHINGTON - While continuing to press for committee action in wake of sex abuse scandals at The Pennsylvania State University and other educational institutions, Rep. George Miller (D - Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate whether existing laws and policies adequately prevent abuse of children in schools or on school campuses. “The child sexual abuse scandal at The Pennsylv… Continue Reading
Miller Requests Chairman Kline to Investigate Child Abuse Reporting Laws After Release of Penn State Sexual Abuse Investigative Report
07.12.12 WASHINGTON - In light of the Special Investigative Counsel report released today on the child sexual abuse scandal at The Pennsylvania State University, Rep. George Miller (D - Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, sent a third letter to Chairman John Kline (R - Minn.), requesting the committee begin a significant investigation into whether federal laws adequately protect children from physical and sexual abuse. "Our Committee has a duty to act. We sh… Continue Reading