WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, today released the following statement on the death of former Senator Claiborne Pell. Senator Pell created the Pell Grant scholarship and established the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
WASHINGTON, DC -- President Bush signed bipartisan legislation today to temporarily suspend a tax penalty for seniors who do not take a minimum withdrawal from their depleted retirement accounts in 2009, such as 401(k)s.
The Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act (H.R. 7327), introduced by U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), and Jim McCrery (R-LA), suspends an Internal Revenue Service requirement for one year that account holders of 401(k)-style plans must withdraw a minimum amount of money every year after they reach 70 ½ years old. This suspension would be available to everyone regardless of their retirement account balances.
WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today praised President-Elect Barack Obama’s selection of U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis as the next Secretary of Labor.
“Congresswoman Hilda Solis is a very strong champion of working families and will be an outstanding Secretary of Labor. Her record in the California legislature as a leader on labor issues and her excellent work in Congress on behalf our of nation’s working men and women will restore the Department of Labor as an advocate for hard working Americans."
WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today on President-Elect Obama’s selection of Ron Kirk for U.S. Trade Representative.
“I congratulate Ron Kirk on his selection as the next U.S. Trade Representative. Earlier this year, he spoke of the importance of ‘responsible trade.’ At this pivotal time for our nation’s economy, our competitiveness, and for the larger global community, I hope that he will champion the kind of responsible trade policies that give all workers a real shot at good jobs and put us on the path towards a more prosperous, green and sustainable future."
WASHINGTON, DC -- Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chairwoman of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections and Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL), a Subcommittee member and a leading advocate of workplace safety, today released the following statements in response to the settlement reached between the U.S. Department of Labor and Cintas Inc. regarding the company’s repeat workplace safety violations, including one which lead to the death of a worker in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“While I am thankful that OSHA has finally reached an agreement to force Cintas to fix hazards that have resulted in repeated safety violations, I am deeply disturbed that the settlement does not specifically hold Cintas responsible and does not go far enough to prevent future accidents,” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey.
WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today praised President-Elect Barack Obama’s selection of Arne Duncan, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, as the next Secretary of Education.
“This morning’s announcement of Arne Duncan as our next Secretary of Education is very exciting news for school reform, students and parents across America. Mr. Duncan is an experienced and accomplished leader who is open to the new, bold and innovative ideas needed to truly improve our schools."
WASHINGTON, DC -- In another harsh blow to workers, yesterday evening the Bush administration issued a new regulation that will lower wages and gut labor protections for agricultural guest workers – changes that will drive down the wages and working conditions for all workers. Today, Democratic lawmakers condemned this latest move and vowed to work with President-Elect Obama to undo a slew of damaging rules the Bush administration is trying to rush through in its final days.
“After eight years of disastrous policies that have steamrolled workers and our economy, this President has done enough harm,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “At a time when too many Americans are seeing their jobs and wages slip away, it’s despicable that this is how the Bush administration is spending its final days. I hope the new administration will work with us to quickly overturn this and other last-minute rules that open the door to more abuse in the guest worker programs and threaten the livelihoods of all workers in this country.”
WASHINGTON, DC -- Legislation that would help protect guest workers from fraud, abuse and exploitation at the hands of foreign labor recruiters and U.S. employers cleared Congress yesterday, as part of a larger bipartisan measure to combat human trafficking.
The provisions were championed by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and U.S. Reps. Howard Berman (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and are expected to be signed by the President.
WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation today that would temporarily suspend a tax penalty for seniors who do not take a minimum withdrawal from their depleted retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s.
The Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act (H.R. 7327), suspends for one year an Internal Revenue Service requirement that account holders of 401(k)-style plans must withdraw a minimum amount of money every year after they reach 70 ½ years old. This suspension would be available to everyone regardless of their retirement account balances.
WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Rush Holt (D-NJ) issued the following statement today on a new report that shows that while American students are making some strides in math achievement, students in other countries still outrank U.S. students in overall math and science performance. The study, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS),compares achievement among 4th and 8th grade students in math and science. The lawmakers said the report was the latest proof that the U.S. must re-double its commitment to improving math and science education, in part by drawing effective, qualified teachers to these subject areas.
