The Committee on Education and Labor is committed to addressing all issues that impact the education of America's children, even when those issues go beyond the classroom.
Key Legislation:Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008 »
On September 26, the House of Representatives approved final bipartisan legislation to strengthen protections and support for America’s runaway and homeless children. The measure, the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act (S.2982), builds on legislation authored by Rep. John Yarmuth, which the House overwhelmingly passed on June 9, 2008. It now heads to the President’s desk for his signature.
This hearing examined whether the Department of Labor is doing enough to enforce U.S. child labor laws and will explore the impact of child labor on families.
The Committee held a hearing to examine allegations of child abuse and deceptive marketing at residential programs for teens, including boot camps, wilderness camps, therapeutic boarding schools, and behavior modification facilities. The hearing also examined legislation to prevent child abuse in these programs by establishing standards for the programs.
The committee heard about the results of undercover work from the Government Accountability Office and from individuals who attended residential programs when they were teenagers.
The Committee held a hearing to examine how to improve nutrition and food safety in the nation’s schools. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered the largest recall of meat in the nation’s history after investigations revealed that meat from non-ambulatory (or "downer") cows at a California slaughterhouse had been allowed to enter the food supply. More than a third of the tainted meat had gone to federal nutrition programs, including to schools.
* 2 Members voting present