EdLabor Journal

The House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today, by a vote of 244-188.  With teaching and other education-related jobs on the chopping block as states slash education budgets, the plan makes bold, strategic investments in education to help stave off teacher layoffs and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, among other things.

“We simply cannot let our education systems collapse as the economy collapses,” Chairman Miller said. “Together, these investments will meet the most urgent challenges we face: creating new jobs that can’t get shipped overseas, mitigating the devastation of state and local budget cuts, and most importantly – making sure that our schoolchildren and students don’t become the victims of this economic crisis. With more job layoffs coming by the day, American workers and families can’t afford to wait for this relief.”

More information on some of these key provisions:

Making College More Affordable »
Creating and Saving Jobs »
Modernizing Our Schools and Colleges »
Investing in 21st Century Education »
Investing in Excellent Teachers »
Providing Health Care Access for Laid-Off, Older, and Tenured Workers »
Estimates of Education Funding School Districts Would Receive Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act »

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act this afternoon. This measure includes critical education investments that will create or save hundreds of thousands of jobs, provide immediate relief to schools and colleges reeling from state budget cutbacks, and give workers the training and support they need to help move our economy forward.

More information on some of these key provisions:

Making College More Affordable »
Creating and Saving Jobs »
Modernizing Our Schools and Colleges »
Investing in 21st Century Education »
Investing in Excellent Teachers »
Providing Health Care Access for Laid-Off, Older, and Tenured Workers »
Estimates of Education Funding School Districts Would Receive Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act »

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

Nearly two-thirds of Americans obtain health coverage either through their employer or their spouses’ employer. As the unemployment and underemployment rates continue to grow, so will the number of uninsured. Even if these workers get another job, they likely face lower pay, fewer benefits and little access to affordable health care.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will assist these workers by providing access to their former employer’s group health plan through enrollment in COBRA coverage beyond the current limit of 18 months. In addition, it will assist recently laid-off workers in receiving affordable COBRA coverage by covering a portion of the monthly premium. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that this package would help 8.2 million people keep health care coverage for themselves and their families.

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

As we work to rebuild our economy and move our country forward, teachers will play a critical role in preparing our students to compete globally. It’s time to treat teachers like the professionals they are by rewarding them for their talent and hard work and providing them with opportunities for professional development and growth. 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help retain and cultivate excellent teachers by saving and creating new jobs and providing teachers with the support they deserve. The legislation will:

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

States now face a $91 billion shortfall in education funding – putting hundreds of thousands of jobs and the promise of a good education in jeopardy. Economists and scientists agree that strategic, targeted investments in education are needed to create jobs, give America’s children the skills they need to compete globally – and to put our economy back on the road to recovery.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides the single largest investment in federal education spending ever to help build the world class education system our economy needs and our children deserve. The plan will:

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

School buildings across the country are literally crumbling. Recent studies estimate that well over a hundred billion dollars is needed to bring schools into good condition, and that 75 percent of schools are in various stages of disrepair. Like other infrastructure projects, modernizing schools will create new, construction jobs while ensuring that students can learn and teachers can teach in safe, healthy, technologically up-to-date, and energy-efficient learning environments.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will put Americans back to work quickly while bringing our schools and colleges into the 21st century. The legislation will:

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

Economists across the board agree that the key to jumpstarting our economy is putting Americans back to work quickly. Earlier this week major U.S. corporations announced another 75,000 in job cuts, adding to the 2.6 million jobs our economy has lost in the last year.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will start rebuilding our economy immediately by creating or saving 3 to 4 million jobs – including hundreds of thousands of jobs in the education sector – and provide workers with the training and skills they need to succeed in green and other emerging industries. In addition to creating jobs in other sectors of our economy, the following education investments will save or boost job growth:

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

A well-trained, college-educated workforce is key to a strong American economy and middle class. The economic crisis, combined with rising tuition prices and declining state support for higher education, threatens to put college out of reach for many students – forcing them to take a semester off or even skip college. Allowing students to be priced out of a college education will only further weaken our workforce and our economy. Economists, the business community, scientists and others agree that making strategic investments in education is a smart move to grow our economy and regain our competitive edge in the 21st century global economy.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help college students and families pay for college by significantly boosting federal student aid. It builds on the groundwork laid by the 110th Congress to make college more affordable and accessible for all qualified students. The legislation will:

The House gave final approval to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act today by a vote of 250-177. The measure will be the first bill sent to President Obama's desk for his signature.  The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act will reverse a Supreme Court ruling that has made it more difficult for Americans to pursue pay discrimination claims.  It clarifies that every paycheck or other compensation resulting from an earlier discriminatory pay decision constitutes a violation of the Civil Rights Act. As long as workers file their charges within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck, their charges would be considered timely. This was the law prior to the Supreme Court’s May 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear.

"The Ledbetter v. Goodyear Supreme Court ruling was a painful step backwards for civil rights in this country. Today, the House will correct this injustice, and send President Obama his first bill to sign into law," Chairman George Miller said today.

Watch Chairman Miller's January 9, 2009 statement about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on the House floor:



















Watch Lilly Ledbetter's 2007 testimony before the Committee:

“What happened to me is not only an insult to my dignity, but it had real consequences for my ability to care for my family. Every paycheck I received, I got less than what I was entitled to under the law.

“The Supreme Court said that this didn’t count as illegal discrimination, but it sure feels like discrimination when you are on the receiving end of that smaller paycheck and trying to support your family with less money than the men are getting for doing the same job.

“And according to the Court, if you don’t figure things out right away, the company can treat you like a second-class citizen for the rest of your career. That isn’t right.” -- Lilly Ledbetter.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is expected to be considered on the House floor today, January 27, for final approval before being sent to President Obama's desk for signature into law.

After the Senate passed the measure on January 22 by a vote of 61-36, Chairman Miller said:

“I applaud the Senate’s swift approval of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Our nation is one step closer to correcting a disastrous Supreme Court decision that allows bad employers to engage in illegal employment discrimination so long as they keep it hidden for 180 days. Illegal employment discrimination in any form is an attack on all working Americans and must be stamped out.

“The 2007 Ledbetter Supreme Court decision has already had a chilling impact on hundreds of discrimination claims. It wasn’t Lilly Ledbetter’s fault that Goodyear decided to pay her less because she was a woman. But a narrowly divided, ideological Supreme Court said that even though her company had engaged in illegal pay discrimination in secret for decades, she would have to live with a smaller pension and Social Security benefit for the rest of her life. This isn’t just or fair by any measure.

“It is well past time to reset the law to where it was before the ruling. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act will do just that. I expect the House will quickly pass the Senate’s version and send it to President Obama for his signature.”