Committee on Education and Labor Press Releases

House Democrats Introduce Legislation to End the High School Dropout Crisis

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:33:35 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Democratic lawmakers announced today they will introduce critical legislation to address the high school dropout crisis, which poses a growing threat to the nation�s economic stability and global competitiveness. Nearly one-third of all high school students do not to graduate every year, costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost revenue.

Nationwide, about 7,000 high school students drop out every day. Only about 70 percent of students now graduate from high school with a regular diploma. There are 2,000 �dropout factories� across the country, which produce more than 50 percent of the nation�s dropouts, and a recent study suggests that in the 50 largest U.S. cities, only 53 percent of students graduate on time. Poor and minority children disproportionately attend these dropout factories, and graduation rates for African American, Hispanic, and Native American students are significantly lower than those of their white peers. In addition, only 56 percent of all students with disabilities earn diplomas each year.

The Graduation for All Act would help end this crisis by providing eligible school districts with competitive grants to help turn around their lowest-performing high schools, often deemed �dropout factories,� as well as struggling, feeder middle schools. In order to be eligible to receive a grant, a district must first identify schools most in need of comprehensive reform, determine a strategy for turning around each school, and form a team of experts and community leaders, called a Graduation Improvement Team, to help carry out these turnaround strategies. Districts receiving grants would be required to implement data systems to help better detect early warning signs of dropout behavior (such as frequent absences or failing a course), use appropriate interventions targeted to student needs and monitor the impact of interventions so that they can be refined as necessary. Research shows identifying and addressing these patterns early on can help keep at-risk students in school.

�We are failing our students, failing our communities and failing our nation if we allow this dropout crisis to continue,� said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. �Ending this epidemic is a civil rights imperative, a moral issue and an economic necessity. This bill says that it is no longer acceptable to let an at-risk student fall through the cracks and empowers schools to make the changes needed to help at-risk students thrive in school, earn a diploma and go on to college or a good job.�

�We must stop the everyday dropout rate of thousands of students from our middle schools and high schools. In particular we must address the problems encountered by so many minority students who are at a higher risk of dropping out of school. �The Graduation for All Act of 2009 builds on �The Graduation Promise Act� which directly addresses our nation�s dropout crisis,� said U.S. Rep. Rub�n Hinojosa (D-TX), Chairman of Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness. �I continue to work with Chairman George Miller and other Members of Congress on the Education and Labor Committee on legislation to address our nation�s dropout problem. The only way for the United States to be a world class contender in the global market is to ensure that all of our children stay in school and graduate not only high school, but college as well. We are working together to make that happen.�

�I am extremely proud to join with my colleagues to introduce the Graduation for All Act. This legislation includes provisions from my legislation, the Fast Track to College Act, which makes important investments in early college high school partnerships and dual enrollment programs,� said U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education. �These programs enable students, especially those underrepresented in postsecondary education, to earn an associate�s degree or up to two years of transferrable college credits at no cost to their families, while still in high school. These programs have a proven track record of reducing dropout rates, keeping students engaged, and providing a seamless transition to college.�

�The dropout rate has reached epic proportions in minority communities,� said U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL). �Only 48% of African American males and 58% of Latino males graduate from high school. The social, economic and human costs are horrific. This bill will meaningfully advance efforts to identify and help individual youth at risk for dropping out early on and we know that early identification and intervention significantly reduces the dropout rate and significantly increases the graduation rate.�

�One of the most important aspects of this legislation is that it provides students in high-need schools with rigorous curricula and the teacher support to master college-ready courses.� said U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA), architect of the nationally acclaimed college access program GEAR UP. �Students will be given information about the college admission process and financial aid opportunities keys to encouraging students to keep their focus on a college education. We have learned through GEAR UP that increasing academic rigor, demystifying the college and financial aid application processes, and focusing on post-secondary education dramatically increases high school graduation rates. This bill builds on that experience and I am proud to have contributed to its development.�

�This bill not only makes a strong financial commitment to ending our nation�s school dropout crisis, it puts the right programs in place to encourage greater college enrollment and improve educational opportunity at many age levels,� said U.S. Rep. Ra�l M. Grijalva (D-AZ). �No cause could be more important than educating American students, and this bill gives timely and needed support to struggling middle schools and high schools around the country to make that goal achievable.�

�I applaud Chairman Miller and my colleagues for moving forward on this vital issue, � said U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA). �This is a significant step forward in our fight to address the drop out dilemma. Recent research has shown that nearly 600,000 students dropped out of the high school class of 2008 in the nation's fifty largest cities and the surrounding areas. We must do more to stem this tide and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to bring support to Iowa and states across America.�

�This legislation will make a strong investment in education, intervention services and resources that are critical to addressing the dropout crisis and turning low performing schools into high achieving schools,� said U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA). �We must address these shortcomings that are persistent in our schools in order compete in today�s global economy with a highly skilled and educated workforce. I am pleased that this is one more step we are taking to improve the quality of education for all our children.�

The legislation also will help prepare students for college and careers by requiring schools to provide them with their financial aid options and other college-related information. This bill includes $150 million for Early College and dual enrollment programs to allow students to earn up to two years of college credit at no cost to the student, which would help decrease the overall cost of college for these students.

For more information on the Graduation for All Act, click here.

Executives Received Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Before Dropping Workers� Pensions, GAO Finds

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:55:42 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Forty executives at ten high-profile corporations that terminated their workers� pensions collected at least $350 million in compensation in the years leading to pension termination, the Government Accountability Office reported today. The investigation was requested by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.

The companies surveyed by the GAO � which the Congressional watchdog agency did not identify � included major airlines, electronics, insurance and steel companies that filed for bankruptcy in the last decade and dumped their pension liabilities onto the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. PBGC provides pension protection for 44 million workers and is responsible for administering benefits for more than a million Americans.

�It is fundamentally wrong that executives were able to line their pockets with millions of dollars from bonuses, stock options and free joyrides on corporate jets, while watching their workers� retirement security slip into peril,� said Miller. �Executive compensation and golden parachutes should be aligned to the fate of workers� retirement plan. This will create an incentive for executives to fix workers� pension plans before they go broke.�

Miller said the he is considering legislation that will freeze executive compensation if the company�s rank-and-file pension plan becomes significantly underfunded.

While rank-and-file employees face freezes or cuts in benefits if their pension plan�s liabilities significantly outstrip assets, there are no laws that link the underfunding of workers� pension plans to an executive�s benefits. GAO found that millions of dollars in executives� retirement and other fringe benefits were protected from bankruptcy while some workers saw a drastic reduction in benefits.

The GAO also found:

At four companies, executives received $49.5 million in retirement, deferred compensation or severance pay. Four executives at one airline alone received $32.6 million in retirement and deferred compensation.
Executives at some companies received salaries in excess of $10 million dollars in the years leading up to bankruptcy.
Some executives received millions of dollars in stock awards, income tax reimbursements, retention bonuses, severance packages, and supplemental executive-only retirement.
Some were provided other benefits such as apartments, personal trips on company airplanes and helicopters, club memberships, legal fee reimbursement, and automobiles.
The families and executives at one insurance firm used the company�s Boeing 727 and Sikorsky helicopter for personal trips to, among other exotic locations, China, Spain, Greece and Hawaii.

To read the full GAO report, click here.

Miller, Hinojosa Join Secretary Duncan in Urging Colleges to Ensure Reliable Federal Student Loan Access

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:12:49 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Rub�n Hinojosa (D-TX) today joined U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan in urging college campuses to take prudent action to ensure that their students continue to have access to stable, low-cost federal college loans, regardless of what happens in the economy. Their letter to college presidents echoes a letter Duncan sent to institutions last month.

Specifically, the lawmakers urged the presidents to prepare to make the Direct Loan program available to their students as an option for the 2010-11 school year. Both the Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs offer federal loans to students at the same terms and conditions and are much less expensive than private loans. However recent economic turmoil has seriously weakened the stability of the FFEL program, putting lenders� participation in the program in doubt. In contrast, the Direct Loan program, which is cheaper for taxpayers, has remained insulated from the economic crisis and continued to operate normally for the campuses and students that use it.

�The recent economic turmoil has adversely affected the stability of one of our nation�s student loan programs,� Miller and Hinojosa wrote. �As you know, Secretary Duncan recently sent a letter urging institutions to be Direct-Loan ready for the 2010-2011 academic year and offering the help of the Department of Education in preparing for such a transition. I agree with the Secretary�s sentiments and I hope that you will seek the assistance and information offered by the Secretary and his staff in making choices about how the students at your institution can access Federal student loans. If we all take prudent action, we can achieve our shared goal of ensuring that every eligible student has access to the dependable student aid needed to pay for college and pursue their dreams.�

Miller, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Hinojosa, the chairman of the panel�s higher education subcommittee, are the authors of legislation, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, to make the federal college loan program reliable for all students by switching all federal lending to the Direct Loan program by July 1, 2010. This move would save $87 billion over ten years, which would then be invested in historic increases in the Pell Grant scholarship and other forms of aid to help students pay for college. The legislation was proposed by President Obama and passed by the House of Representatives in September.

In their letter today, Miller and Hinojosa said that making necessary preparations to also administer Direct Loans on campuses was critical to guarantee students� loan access, regardless of the outcome of the legislation or whatever happens in future economies.

In testimony before the committee last May, Pennsylvania State University, which switched to Direct Loans in March of 2008 to protect its 38,000 students from the credit crunch, reported that the campus did not have to hire extra staff or increase its budget resources during the transition, that Direct Loans offered better loan repayment and loan forgiveness options for students.

A July survey of financial aid officers from institutions that switched to Direct Loans found that 73 percent of those surveyed said the switch was easier than they thought. Eighty-four percent said the Department of Education was helpful in the conversion and 61 percent said administering DL was less burdensome than FFEL. Eighty percent of those surveyed report that they were able to switch programs within four months.

The full text of the letter to college presidents is below.

***

To whom it may concern:

As the head of your institution, Secretary Duncan recently sent you a letter urging institutions of higher education to be Direct Loan-ready for the 2010-2011 academic year and offering the help of the Department of Education in preparing for such a transition. I agree with the Secretary�s sentiments, and I hope that you will seek the assistance and information offered by the Secretary and his staff in making choices about how the students at your institution can access Federal student loans. This step will guarantee that your students will have uninterrupted access to Federal student loans in the coming years. I have attached his letter for your reference.

The recent economic turmoil has adversely affected the stability of one of our nation�s student loan programs. Specifically, as the economy fell into recession, private lenders� continued participation in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program was in doubt. Many lenders did not have the capital needed to continue originating federally-guaranteed student loans, threatening students� access to critical financing needed to pay their tuition and other postsecondary expenses. In response, Congress swiftly enacted a temporary backstop --the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA) -- that provided government financing to private lenders to originate Federal student loans. While ECASLA temporarily ensured students� access to loans, the Act is not a permanent solution to stabilize the FFEL program and expires in July 2010. Despite ECASLA, moreover, private lenders, including some of the nation�s largest, continue to withdraw from the FFEL program. In contrast, the Direct Loan program, which offers students the exact same loans but is cheaper for taxpayers, has remained insulated from the downturn in the economy and has continued to operate normally for those campuses that use it.

Additionally, as you may know, President Obama has proposed, and the U.S. House of Representatives has passed, legislation to make the Federal college loan system reliable for all students by moving to a 100 percent Direct Loan delivery system and investing the associated taxpayer savings in historic investments in Pell Grant and other forms of student aid. I strongly believe that this legislation will ensure that the Federal student loan program works in the best interests of students, schools, and taxpayers, and will offers a permanent solution that guarantees access to Federal student loans regardless of economic conditions.

In light of the above, it is increasingly important that institutions are prepared to also deploy the Direct Loan program for the 2010-2011 academic year. That way, loan access for students will be assured, regardless of the outcome of Congress� deliberations over the President�s proposal, or whatever future economic conditions could occur that might affect FFEL lenders� ability to fund loans without government intervention.

If we all take prudent action, I am confident we can achieve our shared goal of ensuring that every eligible student in this country has access to the dependable student aid they need to pay for college and pursue their dreams.

Sincerely,

George Miller Ruben Hinojosa

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Paid Sick Leave Helps Slow Spread of H1N1 Flu Virus, Witnesses tell House Panel

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:15:02 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Ensuring workers have access to paid sick leave can help slow the spread of highly contagious illnesses like the H1N1 flu virus, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today. By giving workers access to paid sick leave, employees will not be forced to choose between losing pay and infecting co-workers and the public.

�When you�re struggling to make ends meet you�re going to do everything possible to not miss a day�s pay,� said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the committee. �The lack of paid sick leave encourages workers who may have H1N1 to hide their symptoms and come to work sick � risking the health of their co-workers, customers and the public.�

On November 3, Rep. Miller and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, introduced the Emergency Influenza Containment Act (H.R. 3991). The temporary legislation will guarantee up to five paid sick days for a worker sent home or directed to stay home by an employer for a contagious illness, such as the H1N1 flu virus.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that the flu�s spread is very unusual this early in the season. They estimate that 22 million Americans have already become ill in the last six months with H1N1 and 3,900 have died. The CDC issued guidance in August that said, in part, that workers feeling symptoms of the flu should stay home and employers should not penalize them for staying home.

�Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness as well as flu-related hospitalizations and deaths among children and young adults�are higher than expected for this time of the year,� said Assistant Surgeon General Anne Schuchat, who is also the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC. �Some ways to combat the spread of respiratory infections include staying home when you are sick and keeping sick children at home.�

Public health officials say that isolating the virus is important to slow the infection rate of the H1N1 flu virus. They recommend strong measures to ensure that those with the infection stay away from others and that mandatory sick leave policies can be helpful to not only slow the spread, but also to improve businesses� productivity.

�This is particularly a plus for small employers where preventable losses of even a small number of workers can have a devastating effect on the business,� said Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association. �Mandatory sick leave encourages employees to stay out of the workplace when appropriate, protecting the business and I believe hastens the employees return to productive work.�

While public health officials have advised employers to show flexibility in allowing workers to stay home without taking punitive actions, some workers have reported that employers are not providing needed time off.

At least 50 million American workers currently do not have access to paid sick leave, many in lower-wage industries that have direct contact with the public such as food-service, hospitality industry, schools and health care fields.

�Our nation�s failure to provide a minimum standard of paid sick leave is putting our public health at risk. More than two-thirds of flu cases are transmitted in schools and workplaces,� said Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families. �Workers in child care centers and nursing homes, and retail clerks disproportionately lack paid sick days. Because the lack of paid sick days forces employees to work when they are ill, their coworkers and the general public are at risk of contagion.�

Studies also show that businesses stand to lose billions in productivity when workers come in sick. Ness said when sick employees come into work and infect co-workers, they lower productivity by as much as $180 billion a year and have the potential to cripple vital business operations.

For more information on the Emergency Influenza Containment Act, click here.

To read the testimony of the hearing, click here.

Chairman Miller Statement on USDA Food Insecurity Report

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:04:19 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its report on the food security. The report, Household Food Security in the U.S, showed that in 2008, 17 million households in the United States were at times unable to provide food for their families. The number of children who at times went without food in 2008 rose from approximately 700,000 to 1.1 million.

"This report shows us the haunting realities facing far too many Americans who can�t meet their families� basic needs. More than one in five households in this country struggled to put food on their table last year � the highest number in more than a decade. As we work to reauthorize child nutrition laws, we need to keep our focus squarely on ensuring more eligible children are participating and have access to healthy meals through the federal child nutrition programs. These programs serve as a nutrition safety net for millions of children and can have a central role in reducing hunger among children."

To read the full study, click here.

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GAO Finds Incentives to Underreport Workplace Injuries and Illnesses Pervasive

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:11:06 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report today that found that incentives for employers and workers to underreport illness not only adversely impacts the accuracy of data that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) uses to target unsafe workplaces, but also has put pressure on health professionals to change diagnoses or provide insufficient treatments.

The report was requested by U.S. Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Patty Murray (D-WA), and U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).

A third of occupational health professionals surveyed by the GAO said that they were pressured by employers to provide insufficient treatments to workers in order to hide or downplay work-related injuries or illness. More than two-thirds of health professionals observed worker fear for reporting an injury or illness, and 53 percent of practitioners said they were pressured by an employer to downplay an injury or illness so it is doesn�t have to be reported on an official log.

"The widespread underreporting so clearly documented in this report is undermining the health and safety of American workers,� said Sen. Harkin, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. �If we don't know the full extent of the workplace hazards workers face, we cannot fully address these risks. We need to take steps to require employers to provide a full account of on-the-job injuries and to protect workers so they can report workplace incidents without fear of retaliation."

�We cannot allow the lack of accurate information to permit hazardous working conditions to go unaddressed, putting workers� health and lives at risk,� said Rep. Miller, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. �The GAO report underscores the need for OSHA to have all the tools they need to eliminate incentives that result in underreporting injuries.�

Injury and illness records assist OSHA to better allocate its resources, accurately target its inspections and evaluate the success of efforts to improve the health and safety of American workers. Employers may underreport injury and illness rates because lower rates likely lead to fewer inspections, improves their competitiveness when bidding for new contracts, and lowers the employer�s workers� compensation costs. Workers may also be discouraged from reporting injuries or illnesses because of prizes given by employers to groups of workers that report fewer injuries or illnesses.

"This report confirms that when it comes to the documenting of workplace injuries, we can't just take employers at their word. The system, to this point has been all too easy to game,� said Sen. Murray, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety. �Government has the responsibility to be a stronger partner in ensuring that every worker who punches in for their next shift returns home safe and healthy at the end of the day. But to do that, we must have accurate information and that means more input from those on the factory floor and in the workplace. We need to ensure the inclusion and protection of victims and family members throughout the reporting process.�

�GAO�s survey results make clear that there is pressure on workers and health care providers to underreport and under-treat job-related injuries and illnesses,� said Rep. Woolsey. �GAO�s report underscores the need for Congress to enact provisions in the Protecting Americas Workers Act, which would prevent employers from implementing safety incentive programs that discourage accurate recordkeeping and reporting of occupational injuries and illnesses.�

The GAO recommended that OSHA inspectors to interview workers during records audits, update the list of hazardous industries that are scrutinized, and provide employers with better education and training on recordkeeping requirements.

The Protecting Americas Workers Act, introduced by Harkin, Miller, Murray and Woolsey, would give OSHA additional tools to combat underreporting of injuries and illnesses by employers.

For more information on the bill, click here.

To read the GAO report issued today, click here.

Chairman Miller Asks GAO to Expand Investigation into Contaminated Beef in School Meals

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:05:15 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � In light of several recent deadly outbreaks of E. coli that led to a recall of ground beef from major supermarkets, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the risk of contaminated beef from the commercial market entering the school meal programs. This would be part of an investigation GAO launched at Miller�s request last year into the safety of meat served in school cafeterias.

A recently issued GAO report identified standards and procedures to help reduce the risk of school children consuming recalled food purchased as commodities to use in school meals. The report specifically focused on eliminating contaminated food provided to schools through the commodity food program for use in the U.S. Department of Agriculture�s (USDA) school meal programs. In his letter today, Miller asked GAO to also examine what protocols exist to ensure foods, specifically processed meat, that schools purchase on the commercial market, outside of USDA�s commodity program, is safe.

�I write because I remain concerned about the safety of our nation�s food supply and whether there is an undue risk for food contaminated with dangerous pathogens to be unknowingly purchased by schools for use in the school meal programs,� wrote Miller, whose committee has jurisdiction over school nutrition programs. �Recent media reports have drawn our attention yet again to significant recalls of contaminated ground beef that was available in the commercial marketplace. Although there are no reports of schools being implicated in any of the food safety illnesses related to this latest wave of recalls, I am concerned that the systems in place do not adequately minimize schools� risk for procuring and providing contaminated products purchased through commercial channels for use in the school meal programs.�

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that beef contaminated with E. coli, produced at a New York meat processing plant, killed two people and sent 16 others to the hospital. That outbreak led to the recall of over 500,000 pounds of ground beef from retailers, including Trader Joe�s, Price Chopper�s and Giant Foods. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that all ground beef made available to schools through the commodity program be tested for E.coli, ground beef processed and sold to schools on the commercial market is not subject to the same minimum standards. It is currently up to local school districts to decide whether to require ground beef products purchased from the commercial market to undergo similar quality and safety testing as USDA commodity products.

The full text of the letter is below.

Mr. Gene L. Dodaro
Acting Comptroller General
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Dear Mr. Dodaro:

I write because I remain concerned about the safety of our nation�s food supply and whether there is an undue risk for food contaminated with dangerous pathogens to be unknowingly purchased by schools for use in the school meal programs. In light of this concern, I ask that GAO investigate the food safety standards and procedures within the complex partnership of federal, state, and local entities responsible for ensuring the safety of food procured through commercial channels for use in the school meal programs.

In response to a request several fellow lawmakers and I made in the wake of highly publicized food recalls early last year, GAO issued a report in September focused upon food purchased for use in schools through the federal commodities program. While this report provides important information to help ensure the safety of the school meal programs, I am especially concerned about beef purchased on the commercial market and not through the federal commodity program that GAO focused upon in its September report. Recent media reports have drawn our attention yet again to significant recalls of contaminated ground beef that was available in the commercial marketplace. Although there are no reports of schools being implicated in any of the food safety illnesses related to this latest wave of recalls, I am concerned that the systems in place do not adequately minimize schools� risk for procuring and providing contaminated product purchased through commercial channels for use in the school meal programs.

Accordingly, I respectfully request that GAO investigate whether sufficient protocols and standards exist at the federal, state, and local levels to ensure the safety of meat and other food procured by schools through commercial channels. Specifically, I ask that GAO compare the protocols and standards for ensuring the safety of foods made available to schools purchased through the federal commodity program to the protocols and standards for similar foods purchased from the commercial market. I also ask that GAO investigate whether there is any deficiency in the safety and quality of ground beef sold or made available to schools in the commercial marketplace compared to the safety and quality standards demanded by other buyers of the same product in the marketplace.

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Sincerely,

GEORGE MILLER
Chairman
Committee on Education and Labor

Cc: Richard Durbin
Senator

John Kline
Ranking Member, Committee on Education and Labor

Carolyn McCarthy
Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Healthy Families

Rosa DeLauro
Chairwoman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture

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House Makes History on Health Reform

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:15:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � For the first time in America�s history, all Americans will have access to quality, affordable health care under updated health insurance reform legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives today. The legislation will cover 96 percent of Americans by 2015, while reducing the deficit by tens of billions of dollars over the next decade. The House approved the measure by a vote of 220 to 215.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), blends and revises the three versions of reform legislation passed by the House committees of jurisdiction in July. It embodies President Obama�s key goals for health reform. It will slow the growth in out-of-control health costs, and introduce competition into the health care marketplace to keep coverage affordable and insurers honest. Additionally, it will protect people�s choices of doctors and health plans, and assure all have Americans access to quality, stable, affordable health care.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the net cost of expanding coverage at $891 billion, consistent with the $900 billion coverage mark laid out by President Obama in September. The legislation will be fully paid for. CBO estimates the bill reduces the deficit by at least $30 billion over 10 years, not counting the additional deficit reduction generated by the CLASS Act.

�Tonight, for the first time in our nation�s history, the House voted to guarantee every American access to quality, affordable health insurance,� said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. �Our bill embodies President Obama�s goals and reflects what we have heard from the American people. Because of this legislation, never again will Americans have to worry about losing their health care if they lose their job or get sick. For all of the great leaders before us who tried to get this done, and for all of the workers and families who will finally have greater health benefits and financial security because of this bill, tonight we made history.�

�God has been good to our country and this Congress and that means we have a responsibility to extend our power to make certain that every American has access to quality, affordable health care,� said U.S. Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. �We are so proud of this bill because it will cover 96 percent of our nation and ensure that no one will be denied health care because they have a pre-existing condition, or lose their coverage because they lose their job. This is truly an historic effort to improve the health and well-being of our nation, create jobs and grow our economy.�

�Today is a historic moment for the House of Representatives.� said U.S. Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. �It is a significant victory that the House has passed comprehensive health reform legislation for all Americans. This bill will at long last reform the health care system by expanding choices, reducing costs, and providing people with peace of mind about their health insurance.�

�With this historic vote, tens of millions of Americans are closer to getting health insurance. With this historic vote, we stand to reduce our deficit by billions of dollars over the next decade,� said U.S. Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman Emeritus of the Energy and Commerce Committee and lead sponsor of H.R. 3962. �With this historic vote we are closer to bringing relief to American families who are forced to decide whether they will pay the mortgage or their health insurance premium. And with this historic vote, we will help American business compete in the global marketplace. Many legendary members who served in this body before have fought for national health insurance reform, only to never see it happen. It is a great honor to serve with a new generation of members who today took bold action, delivering on our promise of change. Our actions will earn the respect and appreciation of Americans for generations to come.�

�With this historic vote we are one step closer to fulfilling the promise of making the world's best health care system more affordable and accessible to all. This plan significantly limits the costs that have been spiraling out of control for decades, which have threatened the health, well-being and economic stability of our nation,� said U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), the Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee. �Making health care more affordable not only reduces the burden on families and businesses, but also frees up the resources needed to create and sustain countless jobs without adding to our nation's deficit. While there is still much work to do, I value the discussions and debates that I have shared with my constituents and colleagues over these past few months. I am proud and humbled to be part of such historic change that will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans and help put our country back on the course of long prosperity.�

�The Affordability Health Care for America Act will mark history with reforms that will put nearly every American within reach of quality health care at affordable costs,� said U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) the Chairman of Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. �More important than the history books is what it will mean for all Americans. It will stop the insurance industry from denying or cutting off care and it will help prevent illness before it strikes. And it will reduce the amount spent on medical care in the country without adding one dime to the deficit. It will make the best of the health care system and help allow America live up to its promise and its ideals.�

�Today's vote is the most important in my career," said U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee. �I am proud to have helped author this legislation, which will finally guarantee affordable, quality health care to every American. I urge the Senate to act so we can achieve health care reform this year.�
The legislation will ensure affordability for workers and middle-class families, security for seniors with a stronger, more solvent Medicare program, and a healthy fiscal future.

The key components of the Affordable Health Care for America Act include:

Increasing choice and competition. The bill will protect and improve consumers� choices.

If people like their current plans, they will be able to keep them.
Individuals who aren�t currently covered by their employers and small businesses will be able to purchase coverage through a new Health Insurance Exchange where consumers can comparison shop from a menu of affordable, quality health care options that will include private plans, health co-ops, and a new public health insurance option. The public health insurance option will operate on a level playing field with private insurers, spurring additional competition.
This Exchange will create competition based on quality and price that leads to better coverage and care. Patients and doctors will have control over decisions about their health care, instead of insurance companies.

Giving Americans peace of mind. The legislation will ensure that Americans have portable, secure health care coverage � so that they won�t lose care if their employer drops their plan or they lose their job.

Every American who receives coverage through the Exchange will have a plan that includes comprehensive and quality health care benefits.
It will end increases in premiums or denials of care based on pre-existing conditions, race, or gender, and will strictly limit age rating.
The proposal will also eliminate co-pays for preventive care, and cap out-of-pocket expenses to protect every American from bankruptcy.

Improving quality of care for every American. The legislation will ensure that Americans of all ages, from young children to retirees, have access to greater quality of care by focusing on prevention, wellness, and strengthening programs that work.

Guarantees that every child in America will have health care coverage that includes dental, hearing, and vision benefits.
Provides better preventive and wellness care. Every health care plan offered through the Exchange and by employers, after a grace period, will cover preventive care at no cost to the patient.
Increases the health care workforce to ensure that more doctors and nurses are available to provide quality care as more Americans get coverage.
Strengthens Medicare and Medicaid and closes the Medicare Part D �donut hole� so that seniors and low-income Americans receive better quality of care and see lower prescription drug costs and out-of-pocket expenses.

Ensuring shared responsibility. The bill will ensure that individuals, employers, and the federal government share responsibility for a quality and affordable health care system.

Employers can continue offering coverage to workers, and those with payrolls over $500,000 who choose not to offer coverage will contribute a fee of up to eight percent of payroll.
All individuals will generally be required to get coverage, either through their employer or the exchange, or pay a penalty of 2.5 percent of income. Individuals facing difficulties can apply for hardship waivers from the penalty.
The federal government will provide affordability credits, available on a sliding scale for low- and middle-income individuals and families, to make premiums affordable and reduce cost-sharing.

Protecting consumers and reducing waste, fraud, and abuse. The legislation will put the interests of consumers first, protect them from insurer discrimination and mistreatment, and reduce waste, fraud and abuse.

Provides transparency in plans in the Health Exchange so that consumers have clear, complete information, in plain English, to select the plan that best meets their needs.
Establishes consumer advocacy offices as part of the Exchange to protect consumers, answer questions, and assist with any problems related to their plans.
Simplifies paperwork and other administrative burdens. Patients, doctors, nurses, insurance companies, providers, and employers will all benefit from a streamlined, less confusing, more consumer-friendly system.
Increases funding of efforts to reduce waste, fraud and abuse; and creates enhanced oversight of Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Reducing the deficit and ensuring the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation will be entirely paid for � it will not add a dime to the deficit and will actually reduce the deficit over at least the next two decades. It will also put Medicare and Medicaid on the path to a more fiscally sound future, so seniors and low-income Americans can continue to receive quality health care benefits for years to come.

Pays for the entire cost of the legislation though a combination of savings achieved by making Medicare and Medicaid more efficient � without cutting seniors� benefits in any way � and through revenue generated from placing a surcharge on the top 0.3 percent of all households in the U.S.(married couples with adjusted gross income of over $1,000,000) and other revenue measures.
CBO estimates the bill will reduce the deficit by at over $30 billion over ten years, not counting the additional deficit reduction generated by the CLASS Act.
Extends the life of the Medicare trust fund by 5 years.
Estimates also show the bill will slow the rate of growth of the Medicare program from 6.6 percent annually to 5.3 percent annually.

To view a copy of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, click here.

To view the immediate benefits for Americans that kick in under this legislation, click here.

To view a bill summary, detailed fact sheets and more information on what the health insurance reform will mean for Americans, click here.

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Chairman Miller Statement on Historic Health Reform Legislation

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:00:53 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Below are the prepared remarks of U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and a key architect of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, during consideration of the legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives today.

***

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this historic legislation to fix our broken health insurance system and finally bring affordable health coverage to every American.

We are truly on the verge of making history.

Never before has the House or Senate approved a bill to guarantee every American access to affordable health care. Never.

Not that we haven�t tried.

The fight to reform this nation�s health care system has spanned nearly 100 years, across generations and many great leaders, from Teddy Roosevelt to Franklin Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy to President Clinton to my own personal hero, Ted Kennedy.

But time and again these efforts were stymied by special interests.

The need for reform is dire.

Hundreds of thousands of people are losing insurance each month. At least 36 million   Americans have no coverage at all � including nearly 50,000 people who live in my district in Northern California.

Over half of all personal bankruptcies are due to a medical incident. Businesses are chocking on bloated health care costs. Innovation is being stifled. Our competitiveness is undermined.

But this year is different. This time is different. The American people cannot afford to wait any longer, and today we will cast a history-making vote to guarantee all Americans access to quality, affordable health insurance.

We must not fail again.

An unprecedented effort by the House led us to this milestone. Three committees and our diverse Caucus worked together in an extensive and coordinated fashion, with one purpose � to fulfill a decades-old, and yet still urgent, promise.

We engaged the public in one of the most transparent debates of federal legislation in history, including over 2,000 events across the U.S. since July alone.

The result is a bill that reflects what we have heard from workers and families, from small business owners and economists, from seniors and college students, from doctors and nurses.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act will directly meet the needs of Americans and the goals that President Obama set for reform: it lowers costs for families and businesses, protects people�s choice of doctors and health plans, reduces the deficit, and ensures access to quality, affordable health insurance for all Americans.

For the first time in U.S. history, all uninsured Americans will be able to purchase quality, affordable coverage through a new Health Insurance Exchange, where they will be able to choose from a menu of options: a public health insurance option or several private plans.

And for those that already have insurance, our bill will grant them the security of knowing that their coverage will always be there.

Never again will Americans worry about losing their health care if they change or lose their job.

Never again will someone be denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

Never again will a patient have to worry about their insurance company rescinding their policy when they need coverage the most.

Never again will a small business owner have to worry about unpredictable and unaffordable premiums.
Our bill, H.R. 3962, will end the many injustices that workers, families, and businesses face in today�s system. It will finally make health insurance work for consumers � not insurance CEOs.

Let me be specific about what our reforms will mean for the American people:

�   No more co-pays or deductibles for preventative care;
�   No more rate increases because of a pre-existing condition, gender, or occupation;
�   An annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses;
�   Guaranteed affordable dental, hearing and vision care for children;
�   Lower prescription drug costs for seniors;
�   Young people will be able to stay on their parents insurance through their 27th birthday; and
�   A ban on lifetime caps on what insurance companies will pay, so patients will never again be one treatment away from medical bankruptcy.

In my district, the 7th district of California, that means:

�   406,000 residents who receive coverage through their employer will benefit from insurance reforms;
�   Credits in the Exchange will help 123,000 households obtain affordable health insurance; and
�   13,800 small businesses will have access to provide affordable coverage for their employees.

As I mentioned earlier, this legislation meets our commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Every piece of this bill is fully paid for through a combination of revenue raised by placing a surcharge on the wealthiest Americans and savings generated by making Medicare and Medicaid more efficient.

These reforms will strengthen Medicare for seniors and shift our system�s focus from quantity of health procedures to quality of care and producing healthier outcomes for patients.

The Congressional Budget Office reports that our bill will reduce the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next decade and slow the growth of health spending, leading 11 chief health care economists to declare our legislation �vital to the nation�s fiscal and economic future.�

As with previous efforts to reform health care, this bill received an enormous amount of public scrutiny. In the last few months, opponents of health reform have conjured up every falsehood imaginable about this bill in an effort to scare the American people and once again try to stymie reform.

But as I said, I believe that this year is different. Our legislation has been tested in public and the momentum continues to grow in support of the bill.

The American people have seen through the lies and distortions. And they are not fooled by the hoax of an eleventh-hour Republican bill that is nothing more than a cruel rebuke to the needs of families. Their bill would do nothing but maintain the status quo and guarantee insurance profits at the expense of tens of millions of hard working Americans.

The American people understand the true meaning of our bill. They know it will cover 96 percent of the American people. They know that, under our bill, if they lose their job they will continue to have health coverage for their children, spouses and families.
They know that this bill means that if they have cancer, the insurance company can no longer pull the rug out from under them while they�re in the middle of treatment.

They know that this bill will protect them, through any economic cycle.

Nearly fifty years ago, as he was fighting to expand health care benefits, President Kennedy said,

�All of the great revolutionary movements of the Franklin Roosevelt Administration we now take for granted. But I refuse to see us live on the accomplishments of another generation. I refuse to see this country and all of us shrink from the struggles which are our responsibility in our times.�

The struggle for health insurance reform is our responsibility today. This is our moment to revolutionize health care in this country.

We have arrived at this historic moment thanks to the hard work of so many people.

I would like to thank my good friends and colleagues, Chairman Rangel and Chairman Waxman, and our three subcommittee chairs, Representatives Rob Andrews, Frank Pallone and Pete Stark, and especially Dean John Dingell. We could not have had better teammates in this journey.

I would also like to thank the Democratic Leadership, our Speaker, Ms. Nancy Pelosi, the Majority Leader, Mr. Steny Hoyer, our Whip, Mr. James Clyburn, and all the members of leadership for the countless hours they spent working with the committee chairs to arrive at this point today.

And of course we could not have completed the work on this bill without the work of our incredibly talented staff, who worked long nights and weekends for months on end. They are the unsung heroes of this process, and I know all our colleagues join me in thanking them for their extraordinary work.

From my staff I would like to thank Mark Zuckerman, Alex Nock, Danny Weiss, Michele Varnhagen, Megan O�Reilly, Jody Calemine, Tico Almeida, Meredith Regine, James Schroll, Rachel Racusen, Aaron Albright, Amy Peake, Courtney Rochelle, and Mike Kruger.

Finally, I�d like to pay tribute to my mentor and friend, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. Health care was the cause of Ted�s lifetime. Our effort would have been impossible had he not carried the torch of justice and equality for all those years.

I know I am not alone when I say that I sincerely wish Ted Kennedy could be with us today to see his dream of quality, affordable health care for all become a reality.

Mr. Speaker, this is the most important bill I have ever worked on during my many years of service in Congress.

I could not be prouder to have helped to write this bill, to encourage each of my colleagues to support it, and to cast my vote in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

We stand at the doorstep of history.

Let us go in.

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CBO Confirms Republican Health Care Bill Would Maintain the Status Quo

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Fifty-two million people would continue to go uninsured if the House Republican health care legislation was enacted, the Congressional Budget Office said tonight. Overall, CBO estimates that the bill would only reduce the number of uninsured by 3 million and would cover 83 percent of Americans by 2019 � about the same as what would happen under the status quo. In contrast, the House Democratic health insurance reform bill would cover 96 percent of Americans by 2019 and provide an additional 36 million people with access to quality, affordable health care.
�Tonight CBO confirmed that the Republicans� only solution for health reform is to preserve the status quo,� said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. �It will leave 52 million Americans literally out in the cold, does nothing to help low-income and middle-class families afford quality health care, and protects insurance companies� power to deny claims and stand between patients and their doctors.�

�Their bill fundamentally fails to repair our broken health care system. Under this proposal, Americans will continue to lose coverage if they have a pre-existing condition or lose their job, seniors will continue to suffer from the donut hole, and millions of Americans will file medical bankruptcy due to illness. This legislation may be a nice giveaway to insurance companies, but it is not the comprehensive reform American needs to cover the tens of millions of uninsured and reduce the hidden costs all Americans pay to cover them.�

According to CBO�s analysis:

�   Only 3 million people would gain coverage, �roughly in line with the current share�. �By 2019, CBO By 2019, the number of nonelderly people without health insurance would be reduced by about 3 million relative to current law, leaving about 52 million nonelderly residents uninsured. The share of legal nonelderly residents with insurance coverage in 2019 would be about 83 percent, roughly in line with the current share.� [p. 3]

�   Would not lower premiums for most consumers. �And in the large group market, which represents nearly 80 percent of total private premiums, the amendment would lower average insurance premiums in 2016 by zero to 3 percent compared with amounts under current law, according to CBO�s estimates.� [p. 5]

�   Premiums could increase for older consumers. �For example, states that loosened rating rules in the market for individually purchased insurance to allow premiums to vary more on the basis of age would cause premiums for older people to increase and premiums for younger people to decrease.� [p.7]

To view the CBO letter, click here.

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MIT Analysis Confirms That H.R. 3962 Will Deliver Substantial Savings

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, DC � According to a new analysis by MIT Professor and CBO health advisor Dr. Jonathan Gruber, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) will lower premiums and improve coverage for individuals and families purchasing in the non-group market. The MIT study estimates that an individual and a family of four would save from $470 and from $1,260, respectively, in health insurance premiums, even without subsidies. The savings would be even greater for low- and middle- income individuals and families who qualify for affordability credits that can amount to thousands of dollars per year.

�This analysis confirms that the House Democratic health care legislation will lower premiums for individuals and families who purchase insurance in the Exchange,� said Chairman Henry A. Waxman, Chairman Charles B. Rangel, and Chairman George Miller. �The individual health care market is the part of the health care system that is most dysfunctional today. The Affordable Health Care for America Act will reform that market in a way that will reduce premiums.�

The MIT estimates are based on an analysis of the bill and the CBO report released yesterday which found that the premiums in the Exchange would be significantly lower than the premiums in the non-group market. The analysis noted that the savings are in addition to the more generous benefits that individuals and families will receive through the Exchange compared to the non-group market. Dr. Gruber also noted that the lower premiums are �in addition to all the other benefits that this legislation will deliver to those consumers � in particular the guarantee, unavailable in most states, that prices would not be raised or the policy revoked if they became ill.�

House Democrats Introduce H1N1 Flu Emergency Sick-Leave Bill

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:07:24 -0500

WASHNGTON, D.C. � U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, announced emergency temporary legislation today that will guarantee five paid sick days for a worker sent home or directed to stay home by their employer for a contagious illness, such as the H1N1 flu virus. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation the week of November 16.

�Sick workers advised to stay home by their employers shouldn�t have to choose between their livelihood, and their coworkers� or customer�s health,� said Miller. �This will not only protect employees, but it will save employers money by ensuring that sick employees don�t spread infection to co-workers and customers, and will relieve the financial burden on our health system swamped by those suffering from H1N1.�

�To help control the spread of the H1N1 flu virus, workers who are sick should stay at home,� said Woolsey. �This bill will ensure that workers who are directed to stay home by their employers can do so without paying a financial penalty.�

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that a sick worker will infect one in ten co-workers. As a result, the CDC and other public health officials have advised employers to be flexible when dealing with sick employees and to develop leave policies that will not punish workers for being ill.

At least 50 million American workers do not have access to paid sick leave, many in lower-wage jobs that have direct contact with the public such as the food-service and hospitality industry, schools and health care fields. The National Partnership for Women and Families estimates that the economy loses $180 billion in productivity a year when sick employees show up to work, also known as �presenteeism.�

Among other provisions, the Emergency Influenza Containment Act:

Guarantees a sick worker up to five paid sick leave days a year if an employer �directs� or �advises� a sick employee to stay home or go home.
Covers both full-time and part-time workers (on a pro-rated basis) in businesses with 15 or more workers. Employers that already provide at least 5 days� paid sick leave are exempt.
An employer can end paid sick leave at any time by informing the employee that the employer believes they�re well enough to return to work. Employees may continue on unpaid leave under the Family Medical Leave Act or other existing sick leave policies.
Employees who follow their employer�s direction to stay home because of contagious illness cannot be fired, disciplined or made subject to retaliation for following directions.
Takes effect 15 days after being signed into law and sunsets after two years.

Miller: Direct Certification is an Important Tool to Ensure More Eligible Students Receive School Meals

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:13:10 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � More school districts are implementing ways to directly enroll more eligible students for free and reduced priced school meals, according to a new report out today.

The report, Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP): State Implementation Progress, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), examined the effectiveness of states and school districts in helping to eliminate barriers to direct enrollment in the NSLP. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 required school districts to create systems to automatically enroll children for free school meals whose families receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called Food Stamps.

�There are millions of children who rely on school meals as a nutritional safety net and millions more who are eligible but are not receiving their due benefits. This report shows us the important progress schools are making to use direct certification systems to increase children�s access to school meals, but there is more work to be done to continue to improve these systems and provide critical nutrition support to working families and their children,� said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. �The school meal programs ensure that families don�t have to choose between paying their bills and feeding their children. Direct certification helps ease that burden even more.�

�Last month, Congress made important investments to help more schools to directly certify their eligible students, which will be a big step forward toward reducing this hunger risk � and in a fiscally responsible way,� Miller continued. �President Obama, Secretary Vilsack and I know that one of the most important things we can do to help our most vulnerable children succeed is to ensure they have access to healthy, safe, nutritious � and affordable � meals.�

"This report highlights what we heard last month from witnesses before our subcommittee that if we are to ensure all eligible kids have access to these important meal programs, we need to improve our direct certification capabilities," said U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

For more information about the investments in child nutrition, click here.

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CBO Affirms H.R. 3962 Will Control Costs, Lower Premiums

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:15:00 -0500

Washington, D.C. � Today the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released estimates confirming that H.R. 3962 � the Democratic health reform bill � will succeed in controlling costs that will be reflected in individual and family premiums. CBO found that by 2016, premiums will be $5,300 for an individual and $15,000 for a family of four in the Exchange. This is well below the $24,000 family premium expected if Congress fails to act and premiums grow as projected under current law.
�This underscores that this legislation will control health care costs and lower health care premiums for families and individuals relative to today,� said Chairman Henry A. Waxman, Chairman Charles B. Rangel, and Chairman George Miller. �The Affordable Health Care for America Act will make health insurance and health care accessible for millions of low-income and middle-class families who currently lack affordable coverage.�

A Kaiser/HRET survey found that in 2009, premiums for employer-sponsored coverage are $4,824 for individuals and $13,375 for family policies. Current employer insurance is comparable to the coverage individuals and families will be able to expect in the Exchange with the bill�s insurance reforms and consumer protections in place. One recent projection estimated that health insurance premiums in 2016 will be over $8,000 for individuals and over $24,000 for families if health reform is not enacted.

CBO additionally recognizes that the House affordability credits and insurance reforms offer more help to more people than the Senate Finance Committee proposal. These provisions work in tandem to make it more attractive and likely for all people, including older Americans and those with pre-existing conditions, to get insurance instead of remaining uninsured when compared to the Senate Finance Committee proposal. The House legislation insures seven million more individuals, reaching 96 percent of all Americans.

Chairman Miller Statement on the Recovery Act Saving and Creating Education Jobs

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:00:04 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. � U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement after the Department of Education issued a report showing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments in education helped save or create 325,000 jobs.

�It is clear the historic investments in education are already starting to pay off � education budget cuts are being delayed, jobs are being created, and children aren�t losing a year of learning as the economy recovers. In my home state of California, where a budget crisis has meant major cuts across the board, these funds have helped save or create 80,000 education-related jobs. There remains an enormous amount of work ahead, but this report shows we�re on the right track to helping in the short term, while building a highly skilled, competitive workforce for generations to come.�

To read more about the Recovery Act, click here.

To view the report, click here.