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Mike Barnicle: What about the fact that unemployment benefits pumped into the economy are an immediate benefit to the economy. Immediate.
John Shadegg: No, they're not.
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Mike Barnicle: Let's go back to what you said about unemployment checks. Unemployment checks, people don't spend that money?
John Shadegg: No. they will spend as little as they can because they'll hold on to it as long as they can. In reality, they don't create jobs.
- “Households receiving unemployment benefits tend to spend the additional benefits quickly, making this option both timely and cost-effective in spurring economic activity and employment.” -- CBO Director Douglas W. Elmendorf, statement for the Joint Economic Committee, February 23, 2010.
- “No form of the fiscal stimulus has proved more effective during the past two years than emergency UI benefits, providing a bang for the buck of 1.61—that is, for every $1 in UI benefits, GDP one year later is increased by an estimated $1.61.” -- Chief Economist of Moody’s Analytics Mark Zandi, testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, April 14, 2010.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
"Unions, liberal advocacy groups and many congressional Democrats are expected to defend the new healthcare law and the new financial oversight system, created in the wake of the worst recession in more than half a century. They also are expected to defend efforts to expand worker safety rules.(emphasis added)
"'The chamber's new campaign is disappointing and may threaten the health and safety of hardworking Americans if successful,' said Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee."
“Congress and the Obama administration must work together to address the significant problems GAO raised in order to protect retirees and the nation’s taxpayers,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. “With millions of families’ retirement security dependent on these plans, it is vital that federal agencies have timely information to assess the health of multiemployer plans.”
These systems have undergone numerous changes in the past decade as many states have begun strictly limiting workers’ compensation benefits – changes that may be stressing the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Additionally, the American Medical Association’s (AMA) guide to assessing injured workers has undergone significant changes in its latest edition, which has made consequential changes to injured workers’ evaluation procedure.
These systems have undergone numerous changes in the past decade as many states have begun strictly limiting workers’ compensation benefits – changes that may be stressing the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Additionally, the American Medical Association’s (AMA) guide to assessing injured workers has undergone significant changes in its latest edition, which has made consequential changes to injured workers’ evaluation procedure.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Developments in State Workers’ Compensation Systems”
WHO:
Emily Spieler, dean, Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, Mass.
John Burton, professor emeritus, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University; professor emeritus, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, Princeton, N.J.
Christopher Godfrey, Iowa Workers Compensation Commissioner, Des Moines, Iowa
Dr. John Nimlos, occupational medicine consultant, Shoreline, Wash.
Additional Witnesses TBA
WHEN (UPDATED, 11/16):
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
8:45 a.m. ET
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
"[The GOP has] to understand that when they repeal health care, that senior citizens will pay more for prescription drugs, young people will lose their health care coverage, and once again, we'll have pre-existing conditions that keep women and children and others from getting access to health care when they need it. And they're also going to have the problem that this health care bill, signed by President Obama, saves $100 billion in the first ten years and a trillion dollars in the second ten years. So they're going to have to pay for those changes when they go back to their so-called common sense ideas. The fact of the matter is this health care bill works."Watch Rep. Miller's interview:
“Not since the explosive years of the civil rights movement and the hard-fought debut of government-supported health care for the elderly and poor have so many big things -- love them or hate them -- been done so quickly.
“Gridlock? It may feel that way. But that's not the story of the 111th Congress -- not the story history will remember.”
The AP specifically referenced many of Chairman Miller’s achievements when listing important legislation Congressional Democrats have passed, including “a giant step toward universal [health care] coverage”, “an economic stimulus package… to avoid a full-blown depression”, “making college loans more affordable” and “making it easier for women to challenge pay discrimination.”
Chairman Miller pledged in 2008 to keep the Education and Labor Committee focused on rebuilding and strengthening the middle class during the 111th Congress.
In response to the new Department of Labor rule, Chairman Miller stated:
“I am pleased that the Department of Labor has taken another step to expose hidden fees contained in America’s 401(k) plans. While families are making difficult choices to put something away for their retirement, it is essential that they know how fees may be eating away at their savings and potentially delaying their retirement plans.”
Chairman Miller has fought for 401 (k) fee disclosure for years. Miller authored the 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act in 2009, and pushed for fee disclosure provisions to be included in similar Senate legislation.
USA Today underscored the importance of the new rule:
“Until now, even if workers were given abundant retirement plan investment information they did not always receive it in a user-friendly format. The new rule for 401(k)-type retirement plans will provide workers with tools to easily match up one investment option with another.”
“I am pleased that the Department of Labor has taken another step to expose hidden fees contained in America’s 401(k) plans. While families are making difficult choices to put something away for their retirement, it is essential that they know how fees may be eating away at their savings and potentially delaying their retirement plans.
“Americans are understandably anxious about their retirement savings. This requirement is intended to provide accountholders with the critical information to make informed choices for their retirement future. I will continue work with the department on additional efforts to ensure fee disclosure through regulation and continue to push for my legislation that would codify these consumer protections into law for all 401(k)-style plans.”
There is currently no requirement for Wall Street to disclose how much in fees it takes out of Americans’ 401(k)-style accounts. With more than 50 million Americans relying on these plans to finance their retirements, hidden fees can make a big difference in families’ retirement security. According to the Department of Labor, a one-percentage point difference in fees would reduce overall retirement income by 28 percent over a lifetime of saving. Morningstar recently found that low fees were the number one predictor of good investment performance.
The 401(k) fee disclosure provisions were part of legislation approved by the House of Representatives in May.
“After years of careful study and delays, I applaud Assistant Secretary Joe Main and Secretary Solis’ effort to seriously address the scourge of black lung disease among our nation’s coal miners. The large number of miners still getting sick every year proves that current protections are woefully out of date. When fully phased in over the next two years, these new standards will not only save lives and provide for better monitoring technology of coal dust, but they will reduce the cost of federal disability program for black lung because fewer miners will be contracting this debilitating disease.”
After the final minimum wage adjustment in the Fair Minimum Wage Act increased hourly wages from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour in July 2009, the non-partisan Economic Policy Institute wrote that the increase was expected to significantly boost consumer spending across the country.
Today, Chairman Miller is standing up for the minimum wage as some Republican congressional candidates threaten the law. The Huffington Post reported:
“Rep. George Miller (D-Cali.), who led the effort in Congress to raise the minimum wage in 2007, is taking issue with Republican candidates' recent statements that the federal policy should be rolled back and hasn't helped improve the economic position of the country.
“‘Well, it [their statements] sort of shows two things," Miller told The Huffington Post on Tuesday. ‘One, how clearly they're captive of the billionaire boys club, and two, how disconnected they are from working people in this country, who are trying to get [ahead for] for their families.’
“Alaska Senate candidate Joe Miller attracted national attention on Monday for saying that the federal minimum wage should be abolished. ‘That is not within the scope of the powers that are given to the federal government,’ he told ABC News. Late last week, Connecticut Senate candidate Linda McMahon was quoted as saying, in vague terms, that she'd be open to the idea of adjusting the federal minimum wage laws. West Virginia Senate candidate John Raese, who has long advocated that it be abolished, also said the federal law ‘hasn't worked’.”
Miller continued:
"When a national debate is over giving tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires, and these people think that it's people working at the minimum wage that's holding people back, it's an outrage."
“In the weeks after the worst U.S. coal-mining accident in 40 years, federal safety inspectors showed up repeatedly at a mine that snakes under the West Virginia hills: Loveridge No. 22.
“On July 26, an inspector cited the mine for concerns that walls might crumble. He noted that this made 87 citations for problems with the roof or walls over two years.
“Three days later, a chunk of rock 16 feet long and 41/2 feet high broke away from the mine's wall, according to a federal accident report. Miner Jessie Adkins, 39, was caught beneath it.
“He died before he got to a hospital.
“Adkins is one of nine men who have died inside U.S. coal mines in the six months since the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia, in which 29 men were killed on April 5. This string of accidents has revealed key shortfalls in a push by the Obama administration to improve mine safety.”
Chairman Miller introduced the Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Act in May to address this “black hole”. The law would strengthen the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) pattern of violations tool. The Washington Post discussed MSHA’s inability to use this enforcement program effectively:
“…federal regulators still have trouble using their power to temporarily shut down mines that have a ‘pattern of violations.’ That provision in the law has not been used successfully in 32 years.
“Last week, the Mine Safety and Health Administration announced new criteria that could simplify that process. Bills introduced in Congress would expand whistle-blower protections for miners, give the MSHA subpoena power and provide federal regulators with more authority to close unsafe mines. Legislation has stalled on the Senate side.”
The Post also referenced the large backlog of mine safety appeals, an issue that the Education and Labor Committee discussed in February:
“Trying to explain why repeated federal citations didn't prevent fatalities, safety experts pointed to the same problems that surfaced after the Upper Big Branch blast. The backlog of appeals cases has grown - clogged by the new citations - meaning that companies can delay payments for years.
“At Consol, for instance, the company has contested 31 percent of the safety citations issued to its mines since January. That's more than 1,000 citations, with fines totaling $2.6 million, which won't be paid until the cases are resolved.”
The House approved legislation to reduce the backlog of over 17,000 cases involving mine operator appeals of safety and health violation in July. The Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Act awaits Senate action.
"These state-based exchanges, a key foundation of the new healthcare law, are to become the central Internet-based marketplace for consumers who do not get health benefits at work.Also yesterday, California Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a law creating a new exchange for that state. The Mercury News reported:
"By 2019, about 24 million Americans are expected to shop for coverage on the exchanges, choosing among health plans offering a variety of benefits that meet basic government standards."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made California the first state to create an insurance exchange under new federal health care reform as he ended the bill signing period Thursday by also approving bills addressing topics ranging from kindergarten to foster care."
...
"The state's landmark health care legislation sets up an oversight board for an insurance exchange that will let consumers comparison-shop for coverage. Other bills in the package bar insurers from denying coverage to children because of a pre-existing condition and let young adults stay on their parents' health care plans until they turn 26."
Chairman Miller applauded Gov. Schwarzenegger's action.
“'California families and small businesses are being crushed by health costs and dwindling benefits,' said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. 'The health exchange law signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger will ensure that insurance companies compete in an open and transparent marketplace, putting consumers in the driver’s seat, thereby driving down costs and making coverage more predictable.'"
This news is distressing in the wake of numerous fatal mine tragedies, including the explosion at West Virginia’s Upper Big Branch Mine in April. In response to the report, Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, announced new screening criteria for the pattern of violations enforcement program, but acknowledged that a legislative response is needed to keep miners safe:
“‘Since the passage of the Mine Act more than 30 years ago, not one mining operation has ever been placed on a pattern of violations,’ said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. ‘We have known for some time that the current system is broken and needs to be fixed. This new screening process improves upon the old one, which cast too broad a net and did not distinguish mines with the highest levels of elevated enforcement. This new system will let MSHA focus its attention on those mines that are putting miners at greatest risk.’
“‘MSHA's changes to the POV program cannot fix shortcomings that require legislation or changes to the existing regulations,’ Main added. ‘This is a stop-gap measure until reform can occur. We are aggressively pursuing both regulatory and legislative reforms, but in the mean time this new policy improves our ability to identify problem mines. Our goal with each of these reform efforts is to identify mines with a pattern of dangerous conditions and encourage them to improve their safety records. If a mine fails to do so, it will be placed into POV status.’”
Chairman Miller introduced the Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Act in July to combat MSHA’s shortcomings and ensure that serial violators of health and safety rules are punished. In addition to strengthening POV authority, the legislation would empower workers to speak up about safety concerns. During a field hearing with family members of miners who lost their lives in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, Chairman Miller promised that he would work to ensure miners are safe on the job:
“I made a pledge to the families of Sago, Aracoma Alma, Darby and Crandall Canyon that we would do everything in our power to uncover the cause of those tragedies, to hold responsible parties accountable, and to prevent other miners from suffering a similar fate.
“I extend this same promise to all the families of Upper Big Branch. Your families paid the ultimate price for a job our nation depends on.”
“These critics seem to believe that any oversight of the insurance industry is too much, and that consumers would be better off in a system where they have few rights or protections.”
…
“The Affordable Care Act is bringing some basic fairness to our health insurance market. So when I learned that a handful of insurers around the country are blaming their significant rate increases on the new law—even though the facts show that the impact of the law on premiums is small, just 1% to 2% declining over time—I let them know that we'd be closely reviewing their rate hikes.
It’s understandable that some insurance companies and their allies don't welcome this change. They've made large profits from the status quo. And it's not surprising—though still disappointing—that House Republicans have recently pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act and get rid of these new consumer protections.
“If critics really want to go back to the days when insurance companies ran wild with no accountability, they should have the courage to say so openly instead of hiding behind distracting attacks. In the meantime, we're going to keep standing up for American families and small business owners who deserve a system that works for them.”
More information on the Affordable Care Act
“He highlighted some new reforms that take effect at the six-month mark Thursday, including new coverage for preventive care and young adults being able to stay on their parents' health care plans until age 26.
“‘I thank you from the bottom of my heart,’ one woman present, Norma Byrne of Vineland, N.J., told the president, explaining she was benefiting from the law's provisions that are closing the prescription drug coverage gap in Medicare.”
Today, the White House unveiled a new health reform website – whitehouse.gov/healthreform that features the stories of people across the nation who will benefit from the Affordable Care Act.
Individuals featured on the site include Jennifer from North Dakota whose 9 year-old daughter Allison has Mucopolysaccharidosis type I, a rare genetic disorder. Allison’s prescription drug costs were rapidly approaching Jennifer’s plan’s lifetime limit – leaving her unsure about how she could continue to pay for her daughter’s life-saving medication. Caps on lifetime benefits are banned under the Affordable Care Act.
Affordable Care Act Celebrated by Americans Who Have Struggled to Maintain Coverage: News of the Day
“Violet can still see the doctor. Violet can still be in the hospital for two weeks if she needs to for them to stop her seizures. Violet is going to be ok because of this.”
The Contra Costa Times profiled Gino Romiti, who suffers from fibromyalgia, a condition that causes chronic pain:
“For 23-year-old Gino Romiti, Thursday will be a day to celebrate.
“Six months after passage of the federal health reform law, major provisions will kick in that supporters say will make it easier for Americans to get and keep health insurance, including young people like Romiti.
“Romiti has taken a semester off school and is working at a clothing store in Walnut Creek that does not provide health insurance. He has been on his father's policy, but would have soon lost that coverage because he is not a student.
“That will change beginning Thursday, however, when he and other young people can remain on their parents' policies up to age 26.”
View CBS San Francisco’s full report below, which includes footage of Chairman Miller’s recent press conference on the Affordable Care Act.
On September 23, 2010, six months after the Affordable Care Act became law, critical new consumer protections in the Patient's Bill of Rights begin to take effect.:
For Plan Years Beginning On or After September 23, 2010, Privately-Insured Consumers Will Have The Following Protections:
Your health coverage cannot be arbitrarily canceled if you become sick.
Up until now, insurance companies had been able to retroactively cancel your policy when you became sick, if you or your employer had made an unintentional mistake on your paperwork.Your child cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.
Under the new law, health plans are now prohibited from rescinding coverage except in cases involving fraud or an intentional misrepresentation of facts. Due to pressure from Democrats in Congress and the Obama Administration, insurers agreed to begin implementing this protection early, this spring; so rescissions are now a thing of the past. This protection applies to all health plans.
"Approximately 10,700 people’s coverage, whose coverage is dropped each year because they get sick or make a technical mistake on their application, will be protected under the new law." (White House)
Each year, thousands of children who were either born with or develop a costly medical condition are denied coverage by insurers. Research has shown that, compared to those with insurance, children who are uninsured are less likely to get critical preventive care including immunizations and well-baby checkups. That leaves them twice as likely to miss school and at much greater risk of hospitalization for avoidable conditions.
The new law prohibits insurance plans both from denying coverage and limiting benefits for children based on a pre-existing condition. This protection applies to all health plans, except “grandfathered” plans in the individual market. These protections will be extended to Americans of all ages starting in 2014.
"Up to 72,000 uninsured children are expected to gain coverage by banning insurers from refusing them coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Coverage for up to 90,000 children will no longer exclude benefits because of a pre-existing condition." (White House)
Young adults up to age 26 can stay on their parent's health plan.
Young people are the most likely to be uninsured – with currently one in three young people having no health coverage. One reason is that young people are less likely to be offered coverage through their jobs.
Under the new law, insurance companies are required to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents’ insurance plan, at the parent’s choice. This provision applies to all health plans. (For employer plans, only those young people not eligible for their own employer coverage receive the benefit, until 2014.) Learn more about the young adults insurance policy.
"Up to 2.4 million young adults, up to 1.8 million who are uninsured and nearly 600,000 who purchase coverage in the individual market, could gain coverage through their parents." (White House)
Prohibition of lifetime limits.
Millions of Americans who suffer from costly medical conditions are in danger of having their health insurance coverage vanish when the costs of their treatment hit lifetime limits. These limits can cause the loss of coverage at the very moment when patients need it most. Over 100 million Americans have coverage that imposes such lifetime limits. The new law prohibits the use of lifetime limits in all health plans.
"Up to 20,400 people who typically hit their lifetime limits on the dollar amount that can be spent on coverage, along with the nearly 102 million enrollees who have policies with lifetime limits, will no longer have to worry about hitting their benefits caps." (White House)
Annual limits will be phased out over three years.
Even more aggressive than lifetime limits are annual dollar limits on what an insurance company will pay for health care. Annual limits are less common than lifetime limits – but 19% of individual market plans and 14% of small employer plans currently use them.
The new law phases out the use of annual limits over the next three years. For plan years beginning on September 23, 2010, the minimum level for the annual limit will be set at $750,000. This minimum is raised to $1.25 million in a year and $2 million in two years. In 2014, all annual limits are prohibited. The protection applies to all plans, except “grandfathered” plans in the individual market.
"By 2013, up to 3,500 people will gain coverage as a result of the ban on annual limits that insurers impose on nearly 18 million people today." (White House)
Beginning September 23, 2010, Consumers Purchasing NEW Plans Will Have the Following Additional Protections:
You have the right to key preventive services without a deductible or co-payments.
Today, too many Americans do not get the high-quality preventive care they need to stay healthy, avoid or delay the onset of disease, and lead productive lives. Nationally, Americans use preventive services at about half the recommended rate.
Under the new law, insurance companies must cover recommended preventive services, including mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, and pre-natal and new baby care, without charging deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance. Learn more about preventive care benefits.
"Up to 88 million people will have access to preventive care with no out of pocket costs." (White House)
Right to both an internal and external appeal.
Today, if your health plan tells you it won’t cover a treatment your doctor recommends, or it refuses to pay the bill for your child’s last trip to the emergency room, you may not know where to turn. Most plans have a process that lets you appeal the decision within the plan through an “internal appeal” – but there’s no guarantee that the process will be swift and objective. Moreover, if you lose your internal appeal, you may not be able to ask for an “external appeal” to an independent reviewer.
The new law guarantees the right to an “internal appeal.” Also, insurance companies will be prohibited from denying coverage for needed care without a chance to appeal to an independent third party. Learn more about appealing health plan decisions.
"Up to 88 million people will benefit from the new appeals process provisions by 2013." (White House)
Right to choose your own doctor.
Being able to choose and keep your doctor is highly valued by Americans. Yet, insurance companies don’t always make it easy to see the provider you choose. One survey found that three-fourths of the OB-GYNs reported that patients needed to return to their primary care physicians for permission to get follow-up care.
The new law: 1) guarantees you get to choose your primary care doctor; 2) allows you to choose a pediatrician as your child’s primary care doctor; and 3) gives women the right to see an OB-GYN without having to obtain a referral first.
"Up to 88 million people will benefit from the provision that protects primary care provider choice by 2013." (White House)
You have the right to access to out-of-network emergency room care at in-network cost-sharing rates.
Many insurers charge unreasonably high cost-sharing for emergency care by an out-of-network provider. This can mean financial hardship if you get sick or injured when you are away from home.
The new law makes emergency services more accessible to consumers. Health plans will not be able to charge higher cost-sharing for emergency services that are obtained out of a plan’s network.
"Up to 88 million people will benefit from this provision." (White House)
Read more about the Act and find out what other changes are coming up.
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced steps it is taking to keep the Medicare program safe and secure. The Hill explained these new measures:
“Healthcare providers would be subject to new screening measures based on their level of risk to federal health programs, under new proposed regulations released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The fraud, waste and abuse prevention measures were called for in the new healthcare reform law.
“The screening measures include database and licensure checks, unscheduled or unannounced site visits, even criminal background checks and fingerprinting for the highest-risk providers and suppliers to Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The proposed rule, which will be open for comment for 60 days, also establishes the criteria for six-month enrollment moratoriums to combat fraud and on payment suspensions during pending fraud investigations.”
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“Improper payments cost federal health programs about $55 billion a year. The White House piggy-backed off the announcement to make the case that defunding healthcare reform, as some Republicans in Congress are advocating, would increase fraud.”
The White House applauded HHS’s work and reminded us all that these are among the reform provisions that congressional Republicans threaten to repeal:
“But if some opponents of health reform in Congress get their way, these common sense rules will be stopped dead in their tracks.
“Opponents are threatening to defund the Affordable Care Act, which would effectively handicap implementation and enforcement of these new rules that would help crack down on criminals and protect seniors.
“This is just one example of the consequences of defunding the Affordable Care Act and one of the many reasons why we can’t afford to roll back the new law. If opponents of reform get their way, new anti-fraud policies aren’t the only provisions that will be prevented from moving forward.”
“The reasons for the rise to 50.7 million, or 16.7%, from 46.3 million uninsured, or 15.4%, were many: workers losing their jobs in the recession, companies dropping employee health insurance benefits, families going without coverage to cut costs. Driving much of the increase, however, was the rising cost of medical care; a Kaiser Family Foundation report shows workers now pay 47% more than they did in 2005 for family health coverage, while employers pay 20% more.”
This report is a sobering reminder of why Democrats in Congress fought for the Affordable Care Act: the law will cover 32 million uninsured Americans while reducing the deficit and ensure that loss of employment no longer means the loss of health care coverage.
A lifetime limit on coverage is a cap on how much an insurer will pay for any one policy. When medical bills exceed this cap, which is often the case when a person is diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness, insurers can stick the patient with the rest of the bill. Over 90% of individual health insurance policies have lifetime benefit limits, but such practices will be prohibited under the health reform law. A recent NPR piece explained this important change:
“Among the new provisions of the health law that take effect later this month is a ban on something most people don't even know they have — a lifetime limit on benefits covered by their health insurance.
“Starting late next week, new health plans or plans that are renewed, won't be able to cap the dollar amount of benefits they cover. No more yearly caps either, though those limits will be phased out over three years, disappearing entirely in 2014.
“The change apply even to health plans that don't have to abide by some new rules because they were ‘grandfathered’ under the health law.”
…
“Until now, many people with expensive chronic conditions simply considered it their lot in life to have to change jobs every couple of years in order to maintain coverage.
“Take Edward Burke, of Palm Harbor, Florida. Burke, who has hemophilia, and has ‘capped out,’ as those with chronic conditions call it, twice in the past seven years. ‘I would have capped out four or five times,’ he says, but for the fact that the industry he works in, home health care, had been going through a series of mergers and acquisitions. So every time his company was bought and changed names, he was lucky enough to start with new health insurance — and a new lifetime limit.
“Burke estimates he spends about $900,000 per year on factor VIII, which replaces a clotting factor he lacks. That makes chewing through a lifetime limit of even several million dollars a matter of when, not if.”
As the ban on lifetime limits goes into effect for health plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010, people like Edward Burke will not have to struggle to maintain coverage any longer.
The Department of Labor’s Whistleblower Protection Program, administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is responsible for investigating whistleblower complaints under 19 different statutes, including occupational safety and health, civilian and defense nuclear facilities, trucking, pipelines, railroads, consumer product safety, securities, health care and six environmental protection laws.
“For many years, Ric and Jill Lathrop held their breath when the annual open enrollment period for their health insurance plan rolled around. Their two boys, now 12 and 14, have severe hemophilia, and each needs twice-weekly injections of a blood clotting replacement factor that costs roughly $250,000 per person per year. The couple lived in fear that their health plan would put a lifetime limit on their benefits.
“In 2005, that's what happened. The Oshkosh, Wis., hospital where Ric Lathrop worked as an MRI technician instituted a $2 million lifetime cap on benefits for the entire family. Rather than wait for their benefits to run out, the Lathrop family relocated to Illinois, where Ric Lathrop got a job at a hospital in Peoria; along with the job came insurance without lifetime limits.
“If that coverage had changed, the Lathrops might have had to move again . . . and maybe again. But the federal health-care overhaul makes further wandering unnecessary. Starting Sept. 23, the new law requires that when health plans renew their coverage for the coming year, they eliminate lifetime limits on coverage.
"It gives us a lot of reassurance to know our kids can have more freedom," says Jill Lathrop.”
Other provisions going into effect for all new plans and plan years beginning after Sept. 23 include:
- Requiring plans to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents’ insurance policy.
- Banning all health plans from dropping people from coverage when they get sick.
- Providing immediate access to insurance for Americans who are uninsured because of a pre‐existing condition. —This program is already in effect.
Age Discrimination Should Be Addressed by Congress, According to the New York Times: News of the Day
"Fifteen months ago, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority mowed past statutory language, Congressional intent and decades of precedent to make it much harder for older workers to prove age discrimination.
"... Fortunately, the court’s mangling of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 need not stand. Legislation introduced last fall by Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and Representative George Miller of California, both Democrats, would reverse the ruling, once again making the standard for proving age discrimination equivalent to the standard for proving discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion and national origin.
"...So far, the measure has attracted no Republican co-sponsors. But standing in the way of fair treatment of older workers is bad policy and bad politics, especially at a moment of soaring unemployment and rising age discrimination claims." [emphasis added]
The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act will ensure that all Americans regardless of age will be able to seek justice when they are wronged on the job. On June 18, 2009, in ‘Gross v. FBL Financial,’ the Supreme Court rewrote our civil rights laws and made it harder for workers facing age discrimination to enforce their rights. Jack Gross worked for an insurance company for 12 years, rising to a management position. In 2003, Gross was demoted with lower pay and claimed that the demotion was because of age discrimination. A jury agreed that the company unlawfully demoted him because of his age. However, the verdict was overturned by an appeals court and in a 5 to 4 U.S. Supreme Court decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas. The decision not only overturned Gross’ jury trial, but also made it much more difficult for workers to hold employers accountable for their illegal actions.
Iowa’s Waterloo Courier reported:
“Iowa school districts will split a pot of $96.5 million in federal funding intended to save or create education jobs.
“Districts will receive monthly payments throughout the 2010-11 fiscal year starting in September or October based on enrollment. In Northeast Iowa, that means a total of $2.35 million for Waterloo Community Schools, $885,245 for Cedar Falls Schools, $386,161 for Waverly-Shell Rock, $300,669 for Independence and $134,235 for Hudson.”
The Salt Lake Tribune has similar good news to share, “The Alpine district already has added more teachers and the Provo district is paying for full-day kindergarten.”
The Austin Daily Herald of Austin, Minn. also reported that many local school teachers are able to keep their jobs due to the Congress’ action:
“More Austin Public School teachers will keep their jobs thanks to an estimated $1 million dollars in federal aid from the Education Jobs Fund.”
…
“The incoming aid helps ease the district’s projected $1 to 1.5 million deficit for next year, acting as an insurance against possible job cuts in the immediate future.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius conveyed the importance of the program:
“In these tough economic times, it is difficult for employers to keep up with skyrocketing health care costs for employees and retirees. Many Americans who retire before they are eligible for Medicare see their life savings disappear because of medical bills and exorbitant rates in the individual health insurance market… The Affordable Care Act’s Early Retiree Reinsurance Program will make it a little easier for employers to provide high-quality health benefits to their retirees as we work to put in place market reforms to lower costs for all.”
According to the Associated Press, “As medical costs soared in the last 20 years, employers have dramatically scaled back retiree health coverage. The share of large companies providing the benefit dropped from 66 percent in 1988 to 29 percent last year.”
The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program will help maintain promised coverage of early retirees who are over 55, but not yet Medicare eligible, providing an important bridge to help control costs until health reform comes into full effect in 2014. Organizations eligible for the program will receive partial reimbursements for health care costs that rise between $15,000 and $90,000 for each individual in the plan. The reimbursements may be used to reduce premiums or hold down rising costs for employers.
The eligible employers represent a cross-section of the American economy – from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, local governments, union health plans, nonprofits and educational institutions from every state and the District of Columbia. HHS says that more applications to participate in the program are pending and new applications will be accepted.
“With days to go before classes begin, the Broward County School Board gave the OK Tuesday for its superintendent to start recalling nearly 100 laid-off teachers and other teachers whose work has been curtailed.
“Broward schools will receive about $54 million to rehire teachers and other employees, thanks to a new federal stimulus package with $10 billion earmarked for education jobs.”
Chairman Miller has been a lead congressional advocate for emergency aid to stop teacher layoffs, saying on many occasions, “We can’t allow a child’s education to become a casualty of what is happening in our economy.”
Miller proposed a $23 billion dollar emergency “Education Jobs Fund” in late 2009 and authored the Local Jobs for America Act, which would help save local communities from devastating public sector layoffs.
“Investing is scary these days. Is it safe to go back in the stock market? Is the bond market the place to be? With so much uncertainty, how can investors know where to put their money?"
Choosing between investment options can be a daunting task, especially when considering the 401(k) investments that finance the majority of American workers’ retirements. Chairman Miller introduced legislation earlier this year to require Wall Street to disclose how much money in fees it takes from Americans’ 401(k) plans, as there is currently no law requiring such disclosure. The vast majority of account holders do not know how much Wall Street middle men are taking from their retirement accounts in fees – nearly 1/3 of their total value in some cases.
The New York Times editorial board explained this problem and endorsed Miller’s legislation to protect investors:
“Unfortunately, fee disclosure is still lacking for investments made through 401(k) retirement plans. The Department of Labor, which oversees the plans, is finalizing a rule that will require more disclosure by plan providers, like mutual funds, to employers. It also plans to issue further rules to ensure disclosure to employees.
“Those are moves in the right direction, though investor protections would be even more secure if enacted into law. A bill that would require fees to be clearly disclosed on investors’ statements passed the House recently as part of a larger jobs bill. But as so often happens these days, the provision was stripped in the Senate. Representative George Miller, Democrat of California and sponsor of the measure, has pointed out that it does not mandate how much providers can charge and would cost taxpayers nothing. What it would do is alert both employers and employees to the often substantial amounts that fees siphon from workers’ accounts and, in that way, give them the information they need to shop and bargain for the best deal.
“When lawmakers return from summer break, they should bring the measure up again for a vote, and pass it without further delay.”
If you support Chairman Miller’s work on 401(k) fee disclosure, please feel free to join our Facebook page.
The News-Leader of Springfield, Mo. reported:
“The bill would send Missouri $292 million for Medicaid and $189.7 million to help cash-strapped schools rehire staff or prevent future layoffs. The education funding will save 3,000 jobs statewide and more than 1,200 in the 4th, 7th and 8th congressional districts. The Medicaid funding would help states meet other budget needs, such as keeping thousands of police officers, nurses and other public workers employed.”
Montana’s Great Falls Tribune passed on similar news:
“Montana will receive $38 million in Medicaid funding and $30.7 million to avoid layoffs, mostly of K-12 teachers, from the bill. The U.S. Education Department estimates that the money will save about 700 teachers' jobs in Montana.”
California’s Coachella Valley will also benefit greatly, according to The Desert Sun:
“Valley schools may be able to rehire teachers and shrink the size of classes when school starts now that a $26 billion jobs bill has become law.
“‘I guess there is such a thing as Christmas in August,’ said Ricardo Medina, superintendent of Coachella Valley Unified School District.”
Chairman Miller appeared on MSNBC yesterday morning to voice his passionate support for the legislation and discuss why job creation is vital to the economic recovery:
“What we’re talking about is creating jobs for teachers, for firemen, for police, for nurses – the people that hold our public spaces together in this country. And we should not have our children lose a year’s education because the Republicans refuse to create jobs.
“And you know what they call teachers and firemen and nurses and policemen with jobs? You know what small businesses call them? They call them customers.”
“With this vote today, we’re taking decisive action to prevent our children from becoming victims of this economy by ensuring more teachers remain in the classroom. This legislation won’t save every job but it will certainly provide much-needed relief and a critical lifeline to schools,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.
This morning Chairman Miller appeared on MSNBC to explain why the House is returning from its 6-week district work period to vote on this important piece of legislation.
Chairman Miller also wrote a letter to the editor about the importance of saving teacher jobs.
After the Senate passed the measure last week, Chairman Miller said:
“I applaud the Senate for passing this emergency legislation that protects not only our teacher jobs but our economic competitiveness. Next week, my colleagues and I in the House will return to Washington to take this important vote -- a vote we’ve taken twice already in the House -- to keep thousands of teachers in their jobs. We need this bill to ensure our teachers remain in the classroom and our students continue to learn. It’s clear our students, our teachers and our country will reap the benefits of our decisive action. This investment will save jobs and help prevent districts from shortening the school year, increasing class sizes and closing libraries in the wake of horrific and damaging budget cuts. While this latest round of funding isn’t enough to avert all layoffs, it is a critical investment in our children and in our future.”
“Rep. George Miller, a Contra Costa County Democrat who chairs a House committee that deals with pensions, wants to clarify the ever-growing world of employee-directed savings plans, especially as companies dump traditional fixed-payment pensions. He favors requiring plain-English disclosure of pension choices and a list of fees printed on periodic statements. Good as these ideas are, they were shot down in the Senate after passing the House. Score one for the power of mutual funds, which oppose the reforms.
“The Labor Department changes are still a major improvement. But they aren't bolted into legal statute the way a Congress-passed law would be, and the fee disclosures won't take effect until next summer. Miller should try again.
“The 401(k) approach is built on individuals making the best choices for their retirement. But this idea works best only if investors have all the facts. Washington needs to provide rules to help workers make the right decision.”
Important 401(k) fee disclosure provisions were part of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), legislation that the House of Representatives approved and sent to the Senate on May 28, 2010. After fee disclosure provisions were eliminated during Senate deliberations, Chairman Miller sent pies (yes, pies) to each member of the Senate Finance Committee. Each pie was missing a large slice – nearly 1/3 of the pie – to represent fees Wall Street regularly takes from American families.
Last month, the Labor Department created interim rules that require greater 401(k) fee disclosure. While Chairman Miller was pleased with the Department’s efforts, he pledged once again to “continue to fight for my legislation that would codify these consumer protections into law for all 401(k)-style plans.”
“A small but growing band of U.S. manufacturers — including giants such as General Electric (GE), NCR (NCR) and Caterpillar (CAT)— are turning the seemingly inexorable offshoring movement on its head, bringing some production to the U.S. from far-flung locations such as China. Others that were buying components overseas are switching to U.S. suppliers.
“Ford Motor said Wednesday that it's bringing nearly 2,000 jobs to its U.S. plants by 2012 from suppliers, including those in Japan, Mexico and India.”
Democrats in Congress recently unveiled their new “Make it in America” initiative to build on this trend and create new jobs here in the U.S. Just today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the U.S. added 36,000 manufacturing jobs during July 2010. Next week, the House will vote on a bill to close tax loopholes that encourage big corporations to ship American jobs overseas.
On Thursday, President Obama visited a Chicago Ford plant, praising the company’s commitment to selling American cars overseas. During a speech to Ford employees he stated:
“… Ford has also committed to selling more of the cars you build around the world, including the Explorer that you manufacture right here -- we’re going to sell it in up to 90 countries.”
During his visit, the President also announced “a new $250 million Export-Import Bank loan guarantee for Ford” from the Department of Energy that will allow the company to continue creating American manufacturing jobs. CNN reported on the positive impact to the Chicago plant:
“The company recently announced that the Chicago plant is adding 1,200 new jobs. The positions were made possible by the new Department of Energy loans aimed at helping companies retool their plants to make more fuel-efficient vehicles.”
"The millions of dollars in fines levied pale in comparison to the value of the six lives lost and numerous other lives disrupted…However, the fines and penalties reflect the gravity and severity of the deadly conditions created by the companies managing the work at the site. No operation and no deadline is worth cutting common sense safety procedures. Workers should not sacrifice their lives for their livelihoods.”
The Workforce Protections Subcommittee of House Education and Labor Committee convened a hearing in Middletown, Conn. with Middletown officials, safety experts, and family members of those who were lost. The panel determined that the explosion “could have been prevented if there were clear national safety protections”.
The Hartford Courant reported today on the unsafe conditions leading up to the explosion that were uncovered by OSHA – the plant owners pressured construction employees to work at a breakneck pace due to considerable financial incentives:
“O&G Industries of Torrington stood to gain a $19 million incentive if it finished construction early on the Kleen Energy plant in Middletown, federal officials said as they issued $16 million in fines to O&G and other firms for the Feb. 7 explosion at the plant that killed six workers and injured several dozen.”
…
“The Courant has reported that workers were logging 84-hour weeks at the plant in the days and weeks leading up to the natural gas explosion, and the owners were pressing for a May/June opening – five months before regulators expected the plant to be ready.”
Chairman George Miller and Rep. Lynn Woolsey, chairwoman of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, also responded to OSHA’s report, stating:
“The Kleen Energy explosion is just another example of the tragic results of putting production, in this case completing construction, ahead of safety. OSHA’s significant proposed fine for safety violations resulting in the deaths of six workers should be a wakeup call for those who callously disregard accepted safety practices in order to meet deadlines.”
Continue reading for the answer.
- Guatemala
- Dominican Republic
- Colombia
- Nicaragua
“…the House approved a separate bill to extend whistleblower protections to oil and gas workers who report hazardous conditions or other problems. The whistleblower bill will be added to the oil spill legislation when it is sent to the Senate.”
The Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on whistleblower protections for offshore workers in June. After hearing testimony from MMS, OSHA, and the U.S. Coast Guard, Chairman Miller stated:
“In light of the current tragedy in Gulf, I hope we can answer whether there is a better way to oversee and protect the health and safety of oil rig workers… The Deepwater disaster clearly demonstrates that the status quo is not good enough. We must do better.”
The approval of the Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower Protection Act on Friday was a victory for offshore workers and showed that Education and Labor Democrats are deeply committed to “doing better” on behalf of oil rig workers. During an emotional speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Chairman Miller defended the importance of whistleblower protections:
“Imagine a worker going to work and saying ‘get my affairs in order and let’s check my will.’ That’s what people do when they go to war and they shouldn’t have to do it when they go to work.”
Currently there is no federal law that protects oil and gas workers if they are retaliated against after they blow the whistle on workplace health and safety violations on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Workers on oil rigs like the Deepwater Horizon risk losing their jobs if they report dangerous workplace conditions. The workers performing clean-up activities on the Outer Continental Shelf similarly have no protections against employer retaliation for raising health and safety concerns.
H.R. 5851 extends whistleblower protections to employees of employers working on the Outer Continental Shelf performing oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, or oil spill cleanup.
- Ken Abbot, former project control supervisor, BP Atlantis deepwater oil rig, fired in 2009
“Safety is only convenient for them when they need it. You know, you're pressured and pushed to do things. And if you say, hey, you know, everybody has the right to call time out for safety. But you do it you're going to get fired.”
- Daniel Barron, BP Deepwater Horizon explosion survivor
Currently there is no federal law that protects oil and gas workers if they are retaliated against after they blow the whistle on workplace health and safety violations on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Workers on oil rigs like the Deepwater Horizon risk losing their jobs if they report dangerous workplace conditions. The workers performing clean-up activities on the Outer Continental Shelf similarly have no protections against employer retaliation for raising health and safety concerns.
Workers must be protected when they raise concerns about unsafe working conditions, and they must have the right to stop working if they fear they could be injured or killed. Workers themselves are in the best position to discover safety hazards. You can’t have inspectors at all facilities at all times. These workers are enforcement agencies’ eyes and ears when it comes to safety compliance.
Deepwater Horizon workers had safety concerns prior to the explosion. Jason Anderson, who died when the rig exploded, told both his wife and father that working conditions were not safe on the Deepwater Horizon. According to his widow Shelley’s testimony before the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation committee, Jason was reluctant to talk about these concerns while on the rig and told her: “I can’t talk about it now. The walls are too thin.” This fear was so strong that Jason reportedly talked to Shelley about his will and getting his affairs in order not long before the explosion.
H.R. 5851 extends whistleblower protections to employees of employers working on the Outer Continental Shelf performing oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, or oil spill cleanup.
The bill is modeled after other modern whistleblower statutes and would:
- Prohibit an employer from discharging or otherwise discriminating against an employee who reports to the employer, or a federal or state government official that he or she reasonably believes the employer is violating the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).
- Protect covered employees who report injuries or unsafe conditions related to the offshore work, refuse to work based on a good faith belief that the offshore work could cause injury or impairment or a spill, or refuse to perform work in a manner that they believe violates the OCSLA.
- Establish a process for an employee to appeal an employer’s retaliation by filing a complaint with the Secretary of Labor, and allowing a jury trial if the Secretary fails to act in a timely manner.
- Make an aggrieved employee eligible for reinstatement, back pay and compensatory and consequential damages, and, where appropriate, exemplary damages.
- Require employers to post a notice that explains employee rights and remedies under this Act and provide training to the employees of these rights.
“After weeks of obstruction by Senate Republicans, more than 2.5 million Americans struggling to find work will now be able to breathe a small sigh of relief. Unemployment benefits are a proven way to boost our economy while delivering a much-needed lifeline for Americans looking for work. While nothing replaces a good-paying job, providing basic support for families out of work through no fault of their own is the decent and right thing to do.”
More information on Democratic efforts to create jobs
The Offshore Worker Whistleblower Protection Act (H.R. 5749):
- Provides whistleblower and anti-retaliation protections to workers on the Outer Continental Shelf.
- Protects worker safety by improving federal agency coordination.
“Too many families have suffered a tragic loss because of callous mine operators, ineffective protections and outdated laws. It is time to provide effective protections so that every worker can return home safely at the end of their shift. Congress has an obligation to make sure that is the case,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the committee. “This legislation addresses serious gaps in the law and makes comprehensive, common-sense reforms to strengthen our nation’s safety laws.”
The Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success Act (SECTORS), H.R. 1855, will help address local skills shortages by bringing employers in key industries together with education, labor, workforce, and other groups to identify and provide training tailored to meet the sector needs of that region’s economy. Introduced by U.S. Reps. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Todd Platts (R-PA), the bill will help promote ‘sector strategies’, which drive industry growth and competitiveness by aligning training and education with actual local employers’ needs.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 20, 2010, the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee of the Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on “Creating Greater Accounting Transparency for Pensioners”. The subcommittee will explore the increasingly common practice of investing private sector pension funds in hedge funds and private equity funds, and assess if these pension plans receive adequate, transparent accounting information from these funds. The federal government does not specifically limit or monitor private sector pension investment in hedge funds or private equity.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Creating Greater Accounting Transparency for Pensioners”
WHO:
Barbara Bovbjerg, U.S. Government Accountability Office, Washington, D.C.
Robert Chambers, McGuireWoods LLP, Charlotte, N.C.
Matthew D. Hutcheson, Professional Independent Fiduciary, Eagle, Idaho
Jack Marco, Chairman, Marco Consulting Group, Chicago, Ill.
WHEN:
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
10:00 a.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
Wednesday, July 21: Full Committee Markup of Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663)
Full Committee Markup
10:00 AM, July 21, 2010
2175 Rayburn House Office Buidling
Washington, DC
On Wednesday, July 21, the Education and Labor Committee will consider legislation to reform our nation’s mine health and safety laws. The Miner Safety and Health Act (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with troubling safety records improve safety and empower all workers to speak up about safety concerns.
Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch explosion in April killed 29 miners and highlighted serious flaws in existing laws including the difficulty of the Mine Safety and Health Administration to bring tougher sanctions against the country’s most dangerous mines.
Supporters of H.R 5663 include:
- American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
- American Industrial Hygiene Association
- Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center
- BlueGreen Alliance
- Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
- Change to Win
- Interstate Mining Compact Commission (second letter)
- National Consumers League
- State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, AFL-CIO
- The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
- UAW
- United Mine Workers of America
- United Steelworkers
- United Support & Memorial For Workplace Fatalities
“The Senate GOP’s continued obstruction shows once again that they are willing to play politics with the livelihoods of millions of Americans out of work and in desperate need of help. While Democrats are working to dig this country out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Republicans continue to play petty political games by refusing to allow a vote on a critical extension of unemployment benefits and funding for summer jobs. Unemployment benefits are a proven way to boost our economy while delivering a much-needed lifeline for Americans looking for work in this tough economy. It's time for Senate Republicans to stop denying this critical assistance to American workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own.”
More information on Democratic efforts to create jobs
“I am pleased that the Department of Labor has taken this important step to ensure that employers have information on the fees and conflicts of interest contained in the 401(k) plans they sponsor. With families making the difficult decision to put something away for their retirement, it is vital that these plans work for the benefit of plan participants, not Wall Street’s bottom line. Americans are understandably anxious about their retirement savings, and this rule is intended to provide employers with the critical information needed so that workers can get a good deal. That is why I will continue to support the department’s efforts on fee disclosure through regulation and continue to fight for my legislation that would codify these consumer protections into law for all 401(k)-style plans.”
Q: How many times did MSHA cite Massey's Upper Big Branch Mine for serious violations in 2009?
Continue reading for the answer.
- 57 times
- 326 times
- 515 times
- 100,000 times
The Miner Safety and Health Act (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with troubling safety records improve safety and empower workers to speak up about safety concerns. Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch explosion in April killed 29 miners and highlighted serious flaws in existing laws including the difficulty of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to bring tougher sanctions against the country’s most dangerous mines.
The Education and Labor Committee has held 23 hearings on mine safety and OSHA over the past three and a half years-- including a field hearing in Beckley, W.V. following the Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy. During that hearing on May 24th 2010, Chairman Miller addressed grieving family members:
“This committee has heard from too many families over the years who have suffered a great loss, as you have. I made a promise to them and I cannot forget that promise.
“I made a pledge to the families of Sago, Aracoma Alma, Darby and Crandall Canyon that we would do everything in our power to uncover the cause of those tragedies, to hold responsible parties accountable, and to prevent other miners from suffering a similar fate.”
Over the weekend, The Courier-Journal of Louisville, W.V. discussed the importance of the legislation and Chairman Miller’s commitment to mine safety:
“On Tuesday the House Education and Labor Committee will hear testimony from key industry players, including the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, the United Mine Workers union, the National Mining Association and various mine safety experts.
“The committee chairman, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and 17 other House Democrats introduced legislation July 1 aimed at toughening safety enforcement.
“The bill would overhaul the system under which mines with persistently poor safety records are monitored and made to follow the law; increase maximum civil and criminal penalties for safety violations; require payment of penalties in a timely manner; give MSHA the power to close mines and subpoena documents and testimony; and protect miners who report safety violations.”
In April, 29 miners were killed at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia, the worst coal mine disaster in America in 40 years. In the last decade, more than 600 miners have died while working in our nation’s mines.
On Wednesday, July 14, the House Education and Labor Committee will consider bipartisan legislation to expand access and improve the nutritional quality of meals in schools and child care. The committee examined H.R. 5504, the “Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act” earlier this month.
The legislation would help set American children on a path of healthy eating and healthy living at a time when approximately 22 percent of the nation’s children lack access to quality food and one in three children are overweight or obese. Today, over 32 million children rely on federal child nutrition programs.
H.R. 5504 would dramatically expand access for millions of children to healthy meals year-round in schools, child care, and community based settings, and for the first time, establish nutrition standards for foods sold outside of the cafeteria.
In April, 29 miners were killed at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia, the worst coal mine disaster in America in 40 years. In the last decade, more than 600 miners have died while working in our nation’s mines.
WHAT:
Hearing on “H.R. 5663, the Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010”.
WHO:
PANEL I:
Joe Main, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.
Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.
Patricia Smith, Solicitor of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.
PANEL II:
Larry Grayson, professor of mine engineering, Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
Lynn Rhinehart, general counsel, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.
Cecil Roberts, president, United Mine Workers of America, Triangle, Va.
Jonathan Snare, partner, Morgan Lewis, testifying on behalf of the Coalition for Workplace Safety, a group of associations and employers, Washington, D.C.
Stanley “Goose” Stewart, coal miner, Chickasaw Village, W.Va.
Bruce Watzman, senior vice president, regulatory affairs, National Mining Association, Washington, D.C.
WHEN:
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
3:00 p.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
Below is a statement from Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, author of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act:
“Secretary Duncan has taken an important step forward today for America’s workers and the future of this country. By getting this money out the door quickly, he’s accomplished the critical tasks of both helping to save jobs and retrain and retain workers while also ensuring our student loan programs are operating in the best interest of students and families working hard to pay for college.”
Read the Department’s full release.
More information about investments in students and families.
Despite progress over the last several decades, mining remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. On April 5, 2010, a massive explosion ripped through Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, killing 29 miners and injuring others. Tools the Mine Safety and Health Administration could use to hold bad mine operators like Massey accountable were rendered ineffective because of indiscriminate mine operator appeals of violations and weak laws. The following reforms will bring our nation’s mine health and safety laws up to date, give MSHA the ability to effectively protect miners’ lives, hold mine operators accountable for putting their workers in unnecessary danger, and expand protections to all other workers by strengthening OSHA. (H.R. 5663 as reported by Committee; Section-by-section summary)
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663), as amended and passed by the Committee on July 21, 2010, will:
- Make Mines with Serious and Repeated Violations Safe – Criteria for ‘pattern of violations’ sanctions would be revamped for underground coal mines and other ‘gassy’ mines to ensure that operators which chronically and repeatedly violate mine safety standards or have high accident rates improve safety dramatically.
- Ensure Irresponsible Operators Are Held Accountable – Maximum criminal penalties would be increased for underground coal mines, and a sanction is established for mine operators who knowingly tamper with or disable safety equipment that could kill miners. Operators would be required to pay penalties in a timely manner.
- Give MSHA Better Enforcement Tools – MSHA would be given the authority to subpoena documents and testimony. The agency could seek a court order to close a mine when there is a continuing threat to the health and safety of miners. MSHA could require more training of miners in unsafe mines. MSHA will require contractors, in addition to operators, to report accidents and injuries and hours of work at each mine, and those filing reports would be held responsible for the accuracy of reports.
- Protect Miners Who Speak Out on Unsafe Conditions – Protections for workers who speak out about unsafe conditions in underground coal and other gassy mines would be strengthened and would guarantee that miners wouldn’t lose pay for safety-related closures. In addition, miners would receive protections allowing them to speak freely during investigations.
- Modernize Safety Requirements in Coal Mines – Increased rock dusting would be required to prevent coal dust explosions. Pre-shift reviews of hazards and violations in the mine must be communicated to incoming miners to ensure that they are not caught unaware. Protocols for continuous atmospheric monitoring for methane and carbon monoxide will be developed by NIOSH and adopted by MSHA through regulations.
- Increase MSHA’s Accountability – The legislative outline provides for an independent investigation of the most serious accidents, which includes an assessment of whether there are gaps in MSHA’s oversight or regulation. It asks GAO to assess whether there are problems with timeliness of mine plan reviews.
- Guarantee Basic Protections in All Other Workplaces Under OSHA – To ensure that all workplaces have basic protections, whistleblower protections would be strengthened, criminal and civil penalties would be increased, and hazard abatement would be sped up. In addition, victims of accidents and their family members would be provided greater rights during investigations and enforcement actions. OSHA would be allowed to assert concurrent enforcement jurisdiction in states with OSHA state plans, if the state is failing to maintain protections for workers that is at least as effective as federal OSHA.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America’s Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would promote worker health and safety in all workplaces.
Problem: Workplace whistleblower protections are the oldest and least protective of all of the whistleblower laws.
Solution: The bill will put workplace health and safety whistleblower protections on a par with other more modern whistleblower laws found in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, the Federal Railroad Safety Act and most recently in the Frank-Dodd financial services bill. It improves whistleblower protection by ensuring a claimant’s right to an adjudicative hearing and extends statutes of limitations from 30 to 180 days.
Problem: OSHA’s criminal penalties are the same since the law was passed in 1970 and civil penalties have only been adjusted once in four decades.
Solution: Increase civil penalties to keep up with inflation and establishes higher penalties when workers are killed due to the violation. It would also make criminal violations a felony instead of a misdemeanor.
Problem: Unlike nearly every other federal penalty, fines for violating workplace health and safety are not indexed to inflation, thereby reducing their effectiveness over time.
Solution: Beginning January 1, 2015, OSHA must adjust civil penalties for inflation at least once every four years.
Problem: Unlike mine safety rules, violations cited by OSHA are not required to be fixed until after appeals are exhausted.
Solution: The bill would require employers to fix serious hazards during the contest period, instead of waiting until employer’s appeal is exhausted, which can take years. Employers would have the right to petition for a stay of an OSHA abatement order, if they can demonstrate likelihood of success on overturning the citation upon appeal and worker health and safety will not be adversely affected.
Problem: Corporate officials are not held accountable for the decisions they make that put workers’ lives at risk.
Solution: Corporate directors and officers would be liable for criminal violations that caused or significantly contributed to the cause death or serious injury.
Problem: Families of victims are shut out of the investigation process
Solution: Families of victims have the right to be heard in the investigative and enforcement process, and requires OSHA to establish family liaisons in every regional office.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America’s Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would increase MSHA’s accountability.
Problem: MSHA’s investigations into mine tragedies are not independent.
Solution: The Secretary of Health and Human Services would appoint a five member independent investigative panel to investigate mine accidents with three or more deaths, chaired by a staff member from NIOSH’s Office of Mine Safety and Health Research. The investigation would identify all factors that caused or contributed to the accident, assess whether actions or inactions by MSHA, state regulators, operators or others contributed to accident; and review MSHA’s investigation report.
Problem: Some states do not establish adequate minimum requirements for certifications and do not reach to superintendents.
Solution: The legislation would allow MSHA to certify, recertify, and decertify mine foremen, superintendants and others if equivalent certifications were not established under state law. The bill would allow MSHA to charge a fee for certification. A grant program would be established to improve state mine certification programs.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America’s Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would update mine safety standards to prevent explosions.
Problem: Combustible coal dust limits are based on scientific studies nearly a century old and could allow coal dust explosions to readily propagate.
Solution: The bill would require the use of greater amounts of rock dusting, which holds down the levels of combustible coal dust. The bill mandates new monitoring technology to provide real time rock dust measurements.
The bill would also require the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to advise MSHA on the feasibility of using continuous atmospheric monitoring systems to detect explosive levels of methane in underground coal mines.
Problem: Miners starting a new shift do not know what hazards may be present in their working area from the previous shift.
Solution: The bill would require pre-shift communications to incoming miners on hazards and other problems in the mine.
Problem: Additional health and safety training is needed to protect miners and ensure they know their rights.
Solution: The bill would allow MSHA to prescribe additional training beyond current law where a history of non-compliance or accidents indicates a need for additional training. MSHA would also be allowed to include a one-hour refresher training on worker rights and obligations in addition to the eight hours already required by law.
Problem: Even though some mine operators employ more contractors than employees at mine sites, MSHA does not have data on contractor injury rates for each mine, and is too often blind to whether a mine has excessive injuries or illnesses.
Solution: Contractors would be responsible for reporting injuries, illnesses and hours worked at each mine site. Reports to MSHA have to be signed by a responsible individual who holds a certification, which can be revoked for knowingly submitting a false report.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America’s Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would ensure miners’ right to blow the whistle on unsafe conditions.
Problem: Many miners are forced to work in unsafe conditions because they fear that they will lose their job if they speak out.
Solution: The legislation would give miners the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions.
Problem: Mine operators lack sufficient deterrents for retaliating against miners for blowing the whistle on dangerous working conditions.
Solution: The bill would grant miners the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions and would extend the statute of limitations for filing a whistleblower complaint from 60 to 180 days. Miners would be able to seek punitive damages in addition to back pay and reinstatement.
The bill would establish civil penalties for whistleblower violations of $10,000 minimum and $100,000 maximum for first whistleblower violation, and $20,000 minimum and $200,000 maximum for repeated violations in a three-year window.
Criminal sanctions would be establish for those who knowingly retaliate with the intent to adversely impact directly or indirectly the employment or livelihood of those who provide information on health and safety conditions to MSHA or law enforcement officers.
Problem: Mine management or their lawyers often demand attendance when MSHA interviews miners during enforcement matters or investigations, which increase fears of intimidation.
Solution: Miners would have the right to meet with MSHA confidentially. The bill would also prevent mine operator attorneys from also representing individual miners unless the miners knowingly and voluntarily waived the conflict of interest.
Problem: Some miners fear loss of income for reporting dangerous conditions to safety officials because MSHA may temporarily close a mine and cause a loss of pay.
Solution: Workers will get full pay after the first two shifts when a mine is temporarily closed by MSHA because of safety problems, and full pay thereafter to a maximum of 60 days. Current law only provides 7 days pay after first two shifts. MSHA can also issue a mine closure order if a mine operator does not pay miners by the next pay period after the mine reopens. Mine operators would be provided a hearing and judgment within 30 days on any order that closes a mine and triggers payments to miners..
Problem: Even with improved whistleblower protections, at-will employment in inherently dangerous workplaces like underground coal mines leaves miners subject to fear and intimidation when it comes to speaking out on workplace safety. Under current law, employers are free to fire miners for no reason whatsoever, if they are not covered by a labor agreement.
Solution: The bill would provide underground coal miners working at mines “on pattern status” with protections from dismissal for three years, unless the employer has just cause based on reasonable job-related grounds or for other legitimate business reasons.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America’s Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would give MSHA better enforcement tools.
Problem: MSHA’s ability to shut down an unsafe mine is limited.
Solution: The legislation clarifies MSHA has the ability to close a mine that is considered a serial violator through a court injunction.
Problem: MSHA lacks subpoena power for investigations and inspections. Under current law, MSHA can only issue a subpoena in context of witnesses for a public hearing.
Solution: The legislation grants MSHA the ability to subpoena in conjunction with the agency’s investigations and inspections.
Problem: Miners are concerned MSHA does not inspect mines during weekend or night-owl operations.
Solution: The legislation would require that inspections occur on all shifts and days of the week. If inspection times are unpredictable, operators will be motivated to work more safely across all shifts.
Problem: ome mines alert workers underground of an impending inspection in order to cover up safety problems and direct inspectors away from problem areas. Currently, it is only a misdemeanor to give advance warning of a mine inspection, even though such a “tip off” interferes with MSHA’s ability to detect violations.
Solution: Any person who knowingly provide advance notice of an inspection with the intent to impede, interfere or adversely affect the results of an inspection, could face a felony count, with a maximum five years in prison and a maximum penalty to $250,000 per individual and $500,000 per organization.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America’s Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would hold irresponsible mine operators accountable.
Problem: It is only a misdemeanor for underground mine operators to knowingly violate health and safety standards where they knowingly subject miners to a significant risk of serious bodily injury or death.
Solution: Criminal violations for knowing violations of safety standards that expose a miner to a significant risk of serious bodily injury or death in the first instance would be a felony for operators of underground coal mines (and other gassy underground mines)– with punishment of up to five years in jail for a first offense and a maximum of $1 million fine, or both, and ten years for the second offense or $2 million or both. Knowingly tampering with or disabling a safety device which exposes miners to a significant risk of serious bodily injury or death is also punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years and or a $ 2 million fine, or both.Problem: More than $27 million in fines are currently unpaid.
Solution: Mines that are more than 180 days in arrears on paying fines, or failing to live up to a payment plan, would face a mine-wide withdrawal order until payments are made.
THE ROBERT C. BYRD MINER SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT: Making Work Safer for America's Miners
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would make mines with serious and repeated violations safe for miners.
Problem: Mine owners with repeated and significant safety problems that endanger workers have been able to escape tougher ‘pattern of violation’ sanctions.
Solution: Criteria for ‘pattern of violations’ sanctions would be revamped to ensure that dangerous underground coal mine operations fix chronic problems.Problem: A backlog of mine operator contests of health and safety violations are clogging up the system, which delays MSHA’s ability to hold our nation’s most dangerous mine operators accountable.
MSHA would have authority to close down an underground coal mine or a “gassy” underground mine once a ‘pattern of violations’ status is triggered. In order to reopen, underground mine operators have to comply with a remediation plan that can include additional training, added staffing, and an effective safety management program, and be subject to double the number of mine inspections and additional reporting requirements.
Mines would pay a fee to cover the cost of these added inspections and face doubled civil penalties for any violations if underground mines do not significantly improve compliance in 180 days. Underground mine operators subject to a ‘pattern of violation’ status would have the right to an expedited hearing from the Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.
MSHA would also put mines’ compliance history and the criteria for pattern status on the agency’s website.
Solution: The legislation will impose prejudgment interest on penalties that are sustained. It would also require the Review Commission to use MSHA’s penalty formulas, instead of vague statutory criteria. By making the system more predictable, there is less incentive to try to game the system by clogging the system and appealing cases regardless of their merit.
The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with troubling safety records improve safety, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns and give the Department of Labor the tools it needs to ensure that all workers go home safely at the end of the day.
"As I have often said, slowing the rate of health care cost growth is the single most important action we can take to reduce our long-term fiscal shortfall. The report confirms that the enactment and successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act is a key step toward a healthier fiscal future:
- First, CBO reiterates that the Affordable Care Act will reduce the deficit by more than $100 billion in the current decade and more than $1 trillion in the decade after that — which represents the most deficit reduction enacted since the 1990s.
- Second, the report demonstrates the importance of successfully implementing the Affordable Care Act. The report includes a scenario in which a number of the Affordable Care Act’s cost-saving measures are curtailed by Congress at the end of this decade and, not surprisingly, not implementing the Act results in significantly higher deficits. Historically, Congress has generally stood by its enacted health care savings — which is also what statutory Pay-As-You-Go requires and our fiscal trajectory demands. Nonetheless, in showing the results of this backward step, the report highlights why the Affordable Care Act is such an important step forward."
The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration today released a partial list of mines removed from the potential pattern of violation list by the agency because of resource constraints. MSHA omitted two mines in the list because the agency is currently inspecting those mines.
Last week, the Department of Labor Inspector General’s office reported to Chairman Miller that several mines with serious safety problems were removed by MSHA. U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) asked the Inspector General in April to investigate MSHA’s procedures after MSHA disclosed that a computer error excluded the Upper Big Branch Mine from being notified that the mine may be under a so-called ‘pattern of violations’ (POV) sanctions. Mines identified as having a ‘pattern of violations’ are considered serial violators of health and safety protections.
Complete list of mines identified by OIG as not on PPOV status due to resource limits (updated July 1, 2010):
- Sentinel Mine, International Coal Group Inc (ICG), Wolf Run Mining Company
- No. 1 Mine (Now Bronzite III), Wolford Jeffrey (CONSOL Energy Inc), Jacob Mining LLC (Consol of Kentucky Inc)
- Justice #1, Massey Energy Co., Independence Coal Co.
- Black Castle Mining Co., Massey Energy Co., Elk Run Coal Co.
- Coalburg No. 2 Mine, Richard H. Abraham, Rio Group, Inc.
- Copley Trace Surface Mine, James H. Booth, Argus Energy WV, LLC
- Pond Creek Mine No. 1, Robert Helton, KWV Operations LLC
- Deep Mine No. 8, James H. Booth, Argus Energy WV, LLC
- Mine No. 6 (Now Laurel Fork Mine), Dick J. Plaster (CONSOL Energy Inc), Harvest-Time Coal Inc (Consolidation Coal Company )
Leading members of the House and Senate released an outline of legislative concepts to address the serious concerns raised. These reforms would give operators incentives to comply with the law, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns, and ensure that MSHA has the tools it needs to hold unsafe mines accountable to improve their safety. (Read a discussion draft of this legislation)
Making Mines with Serious and Repeated Violations Safe
- Criteria for ‘pattern of violations’ sanctions would be revamped to ensure that the nation’s most dangerous mine operations improve safety dramatically.
Ensuring Irresponsible Operators are Held Accountable
- Maximum criminal and civil penalties would be increased and operators would be required to pay penalties in a timely manner.
Giving MSHA Better Enforcement Tools
- MSHA would be given the authority to subpoena documents and testimony. The agency could seek a court order to close a mine when there is a continuing threat to the health and safety of miners. MSHA could require more training of miners in unsafe mines. Increased rock dusting would be required to prevent coal dust explosions.
Protecting Miners Who Speak out on Unsafe Conditions
- Miners would be granted the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions. Protections for workers who speak out about unsafe conditions would be strengthened, and miners would not lose pay for safety-related closures. In addition, miners would receive protections so they can speak freely during investigations.
Increasing MSHA’s Accountability
- The legislative outline provides for an independent investigation of the most serious accidents. It would require that mine personnel are well-qualified, and ensure that inspections are comprehensive and well-targeted. Requires pre-shift reviews of mine conditions and communication to ensure that appropriate safety information is transmitted.
- To ensure that all workplaces have basic protections, whistleblower protections would be strengthened, criminal and civil penalties would be increased, and hazard abatement would be sped up. In addition, victims of accidents and their family members would be provided greater rights during investigations and enforcement actions.
Read more about the Committee's work to protect miners
“As unbelievable as this sounds, there is no law, regulation or standard or code, either in Connecticut or on the federal level, that directly regulates the ‘gas blow’ procedure in natural gas power plants,” said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), member of the House Education and Labor Committee. “If we are going to send workers into harm’s way, we need to ensure that they are safe and healthy at work and return to their families each day.”
Process safety management standards are used to prevent or contain a catastrophic release of hazardous materials in high-risk operations present in the chemical and petroleum industries. OSHA has had a process safety management regulation since 1992.
U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) asked the Inspector General in April to investigate MSHA’s procedures after MSHA disclosed that a computer error excluded the Upper Big Branch Mine from being notified that the mine may be under a so-called ‘pattern of violations’ (POV) sanctions. Mines identified as having a ‘pattern of violations’ are considered serial violators of health and safety protections.
While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration oversees workplace health and safety within three miles of the U.S. coastline, the United States Coast Guard has the authority to issue worker safety regulations for mobile offshore drilling units the Deepwater Horizon beyond the three mile zone. In addition, the Bureau of Ocean Energy (BOE), formerly known as the Mineral Management Service, covers safety for drilling equipment and industrial systems on drilling rigs.
Q1: What percentage of Americans will be insured under the new health insurance reform law?
Q2: How much can a one-percentage point difference in 401(k) fees reduce overall retirement income over a lifetime of saving?
Q3: What's the percent of Committee Members up for re-election in 2010?
Q4: How much has age discrimination increased?
Continue reading for the answer.
Questions have been raised about who is ultimately responsible for worker health and safety in light of the Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 workers and exposed cleanup workers to toxic chemicals. Representatives from government health and safety agencies, and industry officials are expected to testify.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Worker Health and Safety from the Oil Rig to the Shoreline”
WHO:
Rear Admiral Kevin Cook, Director of Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, D.C.
Dr. John Howard, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.
Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.
Mr. Doug Slitor, Acting Chief of the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs, Offshore Energy and Minerals Management, Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Herndon, Va.
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
10:00 a.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
“Every day, hardworking families make the difficult decision to set aside their earnings to provide for their retirement,” said Miller. “The Senate should side with middle class Americans who want to know the facts about fees and charges that threaten their retirement savings.”
Important 401(k) fee disclosure provisions were part of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), legislation that the House of Representatives approved and sent to the Senate on May 28. Last week, Sen. Max Baucus proposed changes to the legislation that included the elimination of the requirement that 401(k)-type plans disclose all fees that participants pay.
TO WATCH AN ARCHIVED WEBCAST OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THIS ISSUE, CLICK HERE.
Created with flickrSLiDR.
Important 401(k) fee disclosure provisions were part of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), legislation that the House of Representatives approved and sent to the Senate on May 28. Last week, Sen. Max Baucus introduced proposed changes to the legislation that included the elimination of the requirement that 401(k)-type plans disclose all fees that participants pay.
At a press conference that just concluded, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, asked that Senate put the fee disclosure requirements back into H.R. 4213.
“The Senate should side with middle class Americans who want to know the facts about fees and charges that threaten their retirement savings, and restore these critical provisions,” Miller said.
Miller was joined at the press conference by: U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), chairman of the Health, Employment Labor and Pensions Subcommittee; Karen Friedman, policy director, Pension Rights Center; Cristina Martin-Firvida, director of economic issues, AARP; and Christian E. Weller, senior fellow, Center for American Progress, and associate professor of public policy, University of Massachusetts Boston. Watch everyone's statements on our YouTube page.
The 401(k) fee disclosure provisions were part of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), important legislation that the House of Representatives approved and sent to the Senate on May 28. Last week, Sen. Max Baucus introduced proposed changes to the legislation that included the elimination of the requirement that 401(k)-type plans disclose all fees that participants pay.
Miller called the elimination of important reforms to expose hidden 401(k) fees “unacceptable” and vowed to fight to include the reforms.
There is no requirement for Wall Street to tell accountholders how much they take out of Americans’ 401(k)-style accounts. With more than 50 million Americans relying on these plans to finance their retirements, hidden fees can make a big difference in families’ retirement security.
WHAT:
Press Conference on 401(k) fee disclosure provisions in H.R. 4213 with 23 pies to be delivered to Senate Finance Committee Members
WHO:
U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman, House Education and Labor Committee
U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), chairman, Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee
Karen Friedman, policy director, Pension Rights Center
Cristina Martin-Firvida, director of economic issues, AARP
Christian E. Weller, senior fellow, Center for American Progress, and associate professor of public policy, University of Massachusetts Boston
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
1:00 p.m. EDT
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This press conference will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
On Wednesday, June 16, Chairman Miller will urge the Senate to put the 401(k) fee disclosure provision back into H.R. 4213 by delivering pies to each Finance Committee Senator with a slice missing representing the fees Wall Street takes from accountholders.
The 401(k) fee disclosure provisions were part of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), important legislation that the House of Representatives approved and sent to the Senate on May 28. Last week, Sen. Max Baucus introduced proposed changes to the legislation that included the elimination of the requirement that 401(k)-type plans disclose all fees that participants pay.
On Thursday, June 17, 2010, the Committee will hold a hearing to examine recent reports from the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education looking at how higher education accrediting agencies review institutions’ policies on credit hours and program length.
Shortly after the explosion, Connecticut U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, and John Larson requested that the committee hold a hearing into the tragedy. Rep. Courtney is a member of the Education and Labor Committee.
WHAT:
Hearing on, “Examining the Tragic Explosion at the Kleen Energy Power Plant in Middletown, Connecticut”
WHO:
Witnesses TBA
WHEN:
Monday, June 28, 2010
10:00 a.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
Middletown City Hall
City Council Chambers
245 deKoven Drive
Middletown, Conn.
“It is beyond time that Americans have basic, clear and timely information on the costs and choices contained in their 401(k) plans,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. “Guaranteeing complete and simple disclosure of fees will help give Americans a fighting chance to strengthen their retirement and increase our nation’s future economic security.”
The 2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act would provide $48 million to reverse the growing backlog of mine safety enforcement cases. This includes $7 million to allow the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission to hire 12 additional administrative law judges to adjudicate appeals more quickly, and $37.4 million to prosecute appeals. It will ensure that there are sufficient resources for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration to meet 100% of its legally mandated mine inspection requirements, despite added demands on inspectors to help support a tripling of the disposition of contested cases.
In February, the committee found that a flood of mine owner appeals is undermining efforts to protect miners by delaying tougher sanctions. A dangerous mine cannot face tougher penalties or increased scrutiny by MSHA unless citations are fully adjudicated. Because of this backlog of appeals, cases now take several months or years to be resolved.
According to data provided by the Review Commission, if current trends and funding for the agency remain the same, the backlog would dramatically increase to 47,000 cases by 2020.
In April, the committee released an internal MSHA list of 48 mines that have escaped potential tougher sanctions because of unresolved appeals filed by mine operators. The list includes the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia where 29 miners lost their lives in an explosion on April 5.
“BP has a history of cost cutting. They have a history of workers dying on the job. They have a history of failing to maintain their equipment that has led to environmental disasters. What we’re seeing in the Gulf of Mexico and along the coast today is just the latest example of BP playing Russian roulette with the lives of their workers, our precious environment, and local economies -- all in the name of increasing profit at what is already one of the most profitable corporations in the world."Read the full press release and text of Rep. Miller's statement at a Natural Resources Committee hearing.
The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), a measure that would help the nation continue along the path of economic recovery and job growth.
A year and a half ago, this country was suffering from a recession created by years of extreme economic and fiscal policies under the previous administration. Nearly 800,000 jobs a month were being lost when President Obama was sworn into office.
Thanks to the Recovery Act, we are now seeing positive job gains. Job losses have turned to jobs gains of 290,000 in April 2010—the largest gain in four years and a 1 million job swing from the end of the Bush administration. This marks the fourth month of job growth with 573,000 American jobs added since December—84% in private sector.
We are finally headed in the right direction, but still have more work to do. This legislation builds on this positive growth by continuing crucial help for families still dealing with the aftermath of the recession and financial scandals.
Among other things, the bill: assists unemployed workers, funds summer jobs, provides pension relief, and gives the more than 50 million workers who depend on 401(k) type plans clear and complete information on the fees they pay.
Read opening statements and listen to audio
A majority of American workers rely on 401(k)-style plans to finance their retirements. Most account holders report that they do not know how much Wall Street middle men are taking from their retirement accounts. Just a 1-percentage-point in excessive fees can reduce a worker’s 401(k) account balance by as much as 20 percent or more over a career.
Workers should have the right to know how much Wall Street intermediaries siphon off from their savings. Provisions included in H.R. 4213 regarding fee disclosure were based on the 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act, which was authored by Chairman Miller and approved by the Education and Labor Committee last year. Specifically, these provisions:
“Our nation’s budding economic recovery can ill afford another round of significant layoffs,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), lead sponsor of the Local Jobs for America Act (H.R. 4812) and chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. “This analysis confirms that keeping Americans working is more beneficial to our economy than handing them a pink slip.”
For more information on the committee’s work to protect the health and safety of America’s miners, click here.
WHAT:
Hearing on “The Upper Big Branch Mine Tragedy: Testimony of Family Members”
WHO:
Witnesses TBA
WHEN:
Monday, May 24, 2010
9:00 a.m. EDT
WHERE (updated on May 14):
Room C
Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center
200 Armory Drive
Beckley, WV
The American Association of School Administrators recently estimated that budget cuts will leave 275,000 educators out of work in the 2010-11 school year. In addition, Dr. Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute estimates that for every 100,000 education jobs lost, 30,000 jobs will be lost in other sectors because of the lost spending by schools and the laid-off educators. A loss of 275,000 education jobs would translate into more than 82,000 job cuts in other industries.
Committee Chairman Miller: “Teacher layoffs threaten our economic recovery and long-term stability at every level. Our teachers can’t afford to lose their jobs, our children can’t afford to lose a year of learning, and our nation can’t afford to stall the progress we’ve made to get our economy back on track.”
Watch Chairman Miller speak about investing in education jobs through the Local Jobs for America Act at a press event:
Local Jobs for America Act can help
The Local Jobs for America Act, introduced earlier this year, would invest $75 billion directly in local communities to save and create jobs in both the public and private sectors and restore vital services that families rely on. The bill also includes an additional $24 billion investment to support 250,000 education-related jobs, including teachers, janitors, cafeteria workers, guidance counselors and principals.
In related news: yesterday, on National Teacher Day, the Committee held a hearing to examine how to best support teachers and leaders in schools. Studies show that teachers are the single most important factor in affecting student achievement.
On June 18, 2009, in ‘Gross v. FBL Financial,’ the Supreme Court rewrote our civil rights laws and made it harder for workers facing age discrimination to enforce their rights. Jack Gross worked for an insurance company for 12 years, rising to a management position. In 2003, Gross was demoted with lower pay and claimed that the demotion was because of age discrimination. A jury agreed that the company unlawfully demoted him because of his age. However, the verdict was overturned by an appeals court and in a 5 to 4 U.S. Supreme Court decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas. The decision not only overturned Gross’ jury trial, but also made it much more difficult for workers to hold employers accountable for their illegal actions.
- The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act will ensure that all Americans regardless of age will be able to seek justice when they are wronged on the job. The bill will overturn the Supreme Court’s decision and ensure that workers with a legitimate claim will have their day in court. It would make the standard for proving age discrimination the same as those alleging race, national origin or religious discrimination.
- The conservative Supreme Court once again tipped the balance of justice in favor of the corporations and the powerful and against ordinary Americans. The court changed longstanding law that will make older workers have a much higher burden of proof than those alleging race, national origin or religious discrimination.
- It will be much more difficult to hold employers accountable for their illegal activity. Victims of age discrimination will now have to read their boss’ mind and prove that their boss would not have made the same decision absent consideration of age.
- Prior law was fair and worked. Workplace discrimination laws exist to ensure that all people, of all ages and backgrounds, who work hard and play by the rules have the means to seek justice when they are treated unfairly on the job.
- These protections are especially important for our older workers, who are facing an uphill battle holding onto jobs in this economy. According to the EEOC, discrimination based on age has increased by 30 percent in 2008 alone.
- Once a job is lost, it’s often much more difficult for older workers to land a new job that may require different skills sets, pay cuts, or new educational degrees. Only 61 percent of workers age 55-64 who lost their jobs in 2005-07 had been re-employed as of January 2008, compared to 75 percent of those 25 to 54.
Protections against age discrimination are especially important to workers who may be facing layoffs in an uncertain economic climate. The court’s ruling specifically means that victims of age discrimination face a higher legal burden of proof than those alleging race, sex, national origin or religious discrimination.
WHAT:
Hearing on “H.R. 3721, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act”
WHO:
Gail E. Aldrich, Member, AARP Board of Directors
Eric Dreiband, Partner, Jones Day Law Firm, Former General Counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Michael Foreman, Clinical Professor and Director of the Civil Rights Appellate Clinic, Penn State University, Dickinson School of Law, University Park, PA
Jack Gross, Plaintiff in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Des Moines, IA
WHEN:
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
10:30 a.m. ET
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
"Hi Deb and Sara. I'm still OK at 2:40 pm. I don't know what is going on here and outside. We don't hear any attempts at drilling or rescue. The section is full of smoke and fumes so we can't escape. We are all still alive at this time."
George Hamner Jr. wrote these words to his family while trapped, along with 12 other miners, after an explosion in their coal mine. Soon after, Hamner and 11 of his coworkers died at the Sago Mine in West Virginia. That was more than four years ago.
Unfortunately, the workers who go into our nation's mines each day, who produce the coal that heats our homes and lights our offices, still face the same hazards that have already led to far too many tragic deaths. In large part, this is because of an industry that has staunchly opposed reforms and has lobbied hard to stymie any real efforts to hold companies accountable for the safety of their workers.
On Sunday, our nation paused to commemorate the 29 fallen miners of the Upper Big Branch mine. Like George Hamner, these 29 miners lived in West Virginia. And like George Hamner, they died from an explosion that probably could have been prevented.
Today is the 21st anniversary of Workers Memorial Day, which honors the workers who lose their lives, become injured or develop an illness on the job each year.
Although Upper Big Branch was the worst U.S. mining accident since 1970, it was only one of three horrific workplace catastrophes during April alone. Last week, 11 workers died in an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And three days before the blast at Upper Big Branch, seven workers perished in an explosion at the Tesoro oil refinery near Seattle, Washington.
These explosions are a reminder that, although we have made some strides in workplace safety, unacceptable risks still remain for our workers. The AFL-CIO reports that in the United States in 2008, 5,214 workers were killed on the job -- an average of 14 workers every day. We have to do better.
The causes of these recent explosions are under investigation. But clear and common traits exist in each of them: a pattern of serious safety violations and a corporate culture that valued production over workers' safety.
Take the Upper Big Branch mine12. Two months ago, my committee -- the House Education and Labor Committee -- learned the methods mine operators use to game the system and skirt some of the tougher sanctions implemented after the Sago explosion. While some companies have prioritized safety, others have responded by indiscriminately challenging nearly every violation.
By flooding the system with unwarranted appeals, these companies have been able to avoid stiffer accountability. The consequences of these delays can be deadly.
In August, the Mine Safety and Health Administration identified 48 mines that were able to escape tougher scrutiny because of these unresolved appeals. Upper Big Branch was one of them.
So was the nearby Pocahontas Mine, where a miner was killed last week.
Loopholes in our safety laws aren't exclusive to mining. Sadly, penalties for companies that violate health and safety laws are woefully outdated. Multimillion-dollar corporations often face little more than a slap on the wrist for potentially fatal violations.
Without effective enforcement, it's easy for bad actors to become repeat offenders. And without adequate whistle-blower protections, workers who want to report hazards often live in fear of retribution.
According to The New York Times, one Upper Big Branch foreman recalled, "I have had guys come to me and cry" because they were too afraid to report concerns about high methane levels in the mine. Workers shouldn't have to choose between losing their lives and losing their jobs.
These tragedies call for immediate reforms that will make all workplaces safer.
First, we must start to clear the backlog of mine safety appeals. There are more than 16,700 backlogged cases before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission -- and only 14 judges to handle them. Simple math tells us this isn't a workable equation; at least double that number of judges is needed to significantly reduce this backlog. Congress should immediately allocate funding to hire them.
Second, existing proposals should serve as a starting point for comprehensive workplace safety improvements. In 2008, I was the author of legislation that would have strengthened mine disaster prevention efforts, improved emergency responses and reduced long-term health risks to miners. The S-MINER Act passed the House but died in the Senate under a veto threat. We don't know whether it would have prevented the Upper Big Branch tragedy, but it certainly could have helped.
Finally, Congress should pass the Protecting America's Workers Act, which would modernize safety protections for workers across all industries through stronger penalties, whistle-blower protections and meaningful accountability when employers break the law.
Four years ago, I made a promise to George Hamner's widow, Debbie, and the many other families who lost a loved one that year in the Sago, Darby and Aracoma Alma mine tragedies. I told them we would do everything we could to heed the lessons of those disasters and keep other miners safe.
On this Workers Memorial Day, it's time to live up to this promise for all the families of workers who have lost their lives on the job and all working men and women across our country. We can't afford to let another year -- or four -- pass us by.
Among other provisions, the Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067) and proposed changes to legislation, would update workplace whistleblower protections by mirroring other modern whistleblower statutes, such as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The bill would also ensure that victims and their families are kept informed about investigations of fatalities and incidents involving serious injuries or illnesses.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Protecting America’s Workers Act: Ensuring a Voice for Whistleblowers and Families of Victims”
WHO:
Jordan Barab, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Washington, D.C.
Lloyd B. Chinn, partner, Proskauer Rose LLP, New York, New York
Tonya Ford, niece of Robert Fitch, a worker killed at an Archer Daniels Midland plant, Lincoln, Nebraska
Neal Jorgensen, whistleblower formerly employed at Plastic Industries, Preston, Idaho
Dr. Celeste Montforton, assistant research professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Dennis J. Morikawa, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lynn Rhinehart, general counsel, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.
WHEN:
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
10:00 a.m. ET
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
Read the full discussion draft »
TITLE II
Whistleblower Protections under Title II
The proposed changes align the OSHA whistleblower provisions with other modern whistleblower laws, such as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Whistleblowers would have access to the federal courts, if the Department of Labor’s Administrative Law Judges or the Administrative Review Board fails to comply with time deadlines.
In addition, the proposed changes would provide that whistleblower rights are not waivable through employment agreements or collective bargaining agreements, and that an individual’s right to bring a claim under OSHA’s whistleblower provisions do not preclude claims under other state or federal laws.
NOTE: These are estimates only based on available and current data and may not reflect exact allocations.
Achieving a healthy work-life balance is a real challenge for many American families. On Tuesday, March 23, the Workforce Protections Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and Labor will examine the Work-Life Balance Award Act of 2010 (H.R. 4855). The legislation, authored by subcommittee chairwoman Rep. Lynn Woolsey and committee chairman Rep. George Miller, recognizes on an annual basis exemplary employers that provide their employees the ability to achieve a work-life balance through the creation of a Work-Life Balance Award within the Department of Labor.
A bipartisan advisory board representing both private and public employees, labor and family advocates will develop the award’s criteria. The Board will be appointed by the Secretary of Labor based on recommendations by Congressional leaders. Any employer, public or private, of any size may apply for the award. For more information on H.R. 4855, click here.
WHAT:
Hearing on “H.R. 4855, Work-Life Balance Award Act”
WHO (updated):
Carol Evans, president, Working Mother Media, New York, N.Y.
China Miner Gorman, chief global member engagement officer, Society for Human Resource Management, Alexandria, VA
Portia Wu, vice-president, National Partnership for Women, Washington, D.C.
Additional Witnesses TBA
WHEN (updated):
Thursday, April 22, 2010
10:00 a.m. EST
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
9to5 National Association of Working Women
Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.
Adrian Dominican Sisters
African American Ministers in Action
Alaska Center for Public Policy
Alaska Works Partnerships
Alexandria Economic Opportunity Commission
Alivio Medical Center
Alliance for Children and Families
Alliance for Disabled in Action
Alliance to Develop Power, Massachusetts
America's Promise Alliance
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Community Partnership
American Federation of Government Employees
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Federation of Teachers
American Friends Service Committee
American Rights at Work
American's Friends Service Committee
Americans for Democratic Action, Inc
Americans for Financial Reform
AMOS (A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy)
AMOS Project
ARC Group Homes, Inc.
Arc of Hilo
ARISE Chicago
Arizona Advocacy Network
Arkansas Interfaith Alliance
Arkansas Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice
Ashley Swearengin, Mayor, City of Fresno, CA
Asian American Justice Center
Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
Augustinians, Province of St. Thomas of Villanova
Bailey House
Big Island Resource Conservation & Development Council, Inc.
Board of Mahoning County Commissioners
Brooklyn AIDS Task Force
Calexico Community Action Council, Inc.
California Church IMPACT
California Partnership
California Resources and Training
Calumet Project
Campaign for America's Future
Campaign for Community Change
Casa de Esperanza
Casa de Maryland
Casa Freehold
Casa Guanajuato Quad Cities
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio
Catholic Charities of New York
Catholic Charities USA
Center for American Progress Action Fund
Center for Community Change
Center for Law and Social Policy
Center for Working Life
Center Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice
Change to Win
Chicago Jobs Council
Chicago Political Economy Group
Chicago Workers' Collaborative
Chicago's Coalition for the Homeless
Chicano Federation of San Diego County
Children's Alliance
Children's Network of Solano County
Choanoke Area Development Association of NC, Inc.
Church Women United
Cincinnati Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice
Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center
CitiWide Harm Reduction
Citizen Action/Illinois
Citizen Action of New York
Citizen Action of Wisconsin
City of Concord, CA
City of Easton, PA
City of Sacramento
City of Walnut Creek, CA
Claire Heureuse Community Center, Inc.
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Coalition for Welfare Rights of NYC
Coalition of Labor Union Women
Coalition on Human Needs
Collaborative Center for Justice
Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, a project of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy
Colorado Progressive Action
Colorado Progressive Coalition
Comite de Padres Unidos (San Francisco, CA)
Committee of Interns and Residents
Common Cause NY
Communications Workers of America District 1
Community Action Partnership
Community Concepts, Inc.
Community HousingWorks
Community Organizations in Action
Community Voices Heard
Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
Connecticut Association for Human Services
Connecticut Citizen Action Group
Connecticut Puerto Rican Forum
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the YWCA (El Paso Del Norte, TX)
Contact Center
Corps Network
Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT/AFL-CIO
Creative Learning Center
CWA Local 1081
DC Employment Justice Center
Delaware Opportunities, Inc.
Demos
Dignity Housing
Direct Action Welfare Group, Inc
Direct Care Alliance
Dominican Sisters
Dress for Success Hudson County
Drum Major Institute for Public Policy
Eastmont Community Center
Economic Opportunity Institute
Economic Policy Institute
El Centro, Inc.
El Comite de Longmont
Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services
Employee Rights Advocacy Institute For Law and Policy
Enterprise Community Partners
Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc.
First Focus Campaign for Children
Florida Consumer Action Network
Food Research and Action Center
Franciscan Action Network
Frente Común Latinos del Norte de Portland
Gadea Ministries, Inc.
Georgia Chapter African American Lutheran Association
Georgia Rural Urban Summit
Good Work
Got Green
Granite State Organizing Project
Grass Roots Organizing
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Green for All
Gulf Area Training Enterprises, LLC
Half in Ten
Harvest America Corporation
Head Start of Prince William County Schools
Health Professionals and Allied Employees, AFT/AFL-CIO
Healthy South Chicago
Hispanic Coalition
HoLa
HOPES CAP, Inc.
Housing and Education Alliance
Houston Area Urban League
Houston READ Commission
Howard Area Employment Resource Center
Human Services Coalition of Oregon
Hunger Action Network of NYS
Idaho Community Action Network
Idaho State AFL-CIO
Illinois Latino Resource Institute
Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Imperial Valley College
Insight Center for Community Economic Development
Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA)
Instituto del Progreso Latino
Intercommunity Housing Association
Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice of San Diego County
Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice
Interfaith Worker Justice
Interfaith Worker Justice of East Tennessee
Interfaith Worker Justice Committee of Colorado
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Iowa Citizen Action Network
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Islamic Society of North America
Japanese American Citizens League
Jesuit Social Research Institute, Loyola University New Orleans
JEVS Human Services
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Jobs for America Now Coalition
Jobs for Youth Chicago
Jobs with Justice
Kentucky Equal Justice Center
Keystone Progress
La Casa de Esperanza, Inc.
La Fe Policy Research and Education Center
La Fuerza Unida, Inc.
La Plaza
La Union/UCL, Inc.
Larry Gilbert, Mayor, Lewiston, ME
Latin American Coalition
Latino Community Foundation (San Francisco, CA)
Latino Community Network
Latinos and Supporters Advocating for Justice and Advancement
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
League of California Cities, Los Angeles County Division
Legion of Mary
LifeWorks NW
Local Economic and Employment Development Council
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Lower East Side Family Union
Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center
MAAC Project
Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative
Main Street Alliance
Maine Center for Economic Policy
Maine Children's Alliance
Maine People's Alliance
Maine Women's Lobby
Marie Lopez Rogers, Mayor, Avondale, AZ
Massachusetts Communities Action Network
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
Miami Coalition for the Homeless
Michigan Citizen Action
Michigan League for Human Services
Middle Passage II
Milton Child Care Center
Minnesota Citizens for Tax Justice
Minot Area Homeless Coalition
Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition
MomsRising
Mon Valley Unemployed Committee
Ms. Foundation for Women
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Association for State Community Services Programs
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association of Counties
National Association of County & City Health Officials
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of La Raza
National Council of Negro Women
National Council of Women's Organizations
National Council on Aging
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce
National Immigrant Solidarity Network
National Jobs for All Coalition
National League of Cities
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Network of Sector Partners
National Organization for Women
National Partnership for Women and Families
National Priorities Project
National Skills Coalition
National Urban League
National WIC Association
National Women's Law Center
NDPeople.org
Nebraska Appleseed
NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
New Economics for Women
New Hampshire Citizens Alliance for Action
NH AFL-CIO
NH American Friends Service Committee
NH Working Families Win
New Jersey Association on Correction
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey Peace Action
New Jersey Tenants Organization
New Jersey's Working Families
New Labor
New Mexico Voices for Children
NY State Stimulus Alliance
NYC AIDS Housing Network
NC Justice Center
Nicetown CDC
North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition
North Dallas Chapter of the National Organization for Women
Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope
Northwest Federation of Community Organizations
Nutrition and Health Associates
Ocean State Action
Ohio Empowerment Coalition
Open Door Ministry
Oregon Action
Organization of the NorthEast
Ounce of Prevention Fund
Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute
Parent Voices of Sonoma County
Parenting Life Skills Center
PathStone
Pathways PA
Pax Christi (New York)
Pax Christi Northeast Florida
PennAction
People For the American Way
Perceptions for People with Disabilities Positive Health Project, Inc.
Peruvians in Action!
Policy Matters Ohio
PolicyLink
Pro Action of Steuben and Yates, Inc.
Programa de Apoyo y Enlace Comunitario (PAEC)
Progressive Future
Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada
Progressive Maryland
Progressive States Network
ProgressOhio
Project Community, Inc.
Promesa Systems, Inc.
Proyecto Cultural
Public Justice Center
Racine Dominican Justice Outreach Office
Restaurant Opportunities Center of Chicago
Restaurant Opportunities Center of Detroit
Restaurant Opportunities Center Los Angeles
Restaurant Opportunities Center of Maine
Restaurant Opportunities Center of Miami
Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York
Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
Restaurant Opportunities Center of Washington, DC
RESULTS
Rio Hondo College
SAG Talent Unions
St. Ambrose of Woodbury Social Justice Committee
St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church
St. Joseph Parish
Saint Joseph Valley Project of Northern Indiana
St. Monica Catholic Church of Indianapolis
St. Pius Youth
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
School Sisters of St. Francis
SER Jobs for Progress, Inc.
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley
Senior Community Outreach Services
Service Employees International Union
Simon Publications
Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Justice Team
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province
Sisters of the Presentation
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
South Carolina Fair Share
South Florida AFL-CIO
South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice
South Jersey Gray Panthers
Southern Echo, Inc.
Southwest Housing
Southwest Organizing Project in Albuquerque
Spanish Speaking Citizens' Foundation
Stopping Woman Abuse Now
Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice
Syracuse United Neighbors
Tejano Center for Community Concerns
Tennessee Alliance for Progress
Tennessee Citizen Action
The Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPA)
The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute For Law and Policy
The Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice
The Opportunity Agenda
The United States Conference of Mayors
Tobacco Valley Food Pantry
Toledo Area Jobs with Justice Coalition and Interfaith Worker Justice
Tradeswomen Now and Tomorrow
U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce
United Action Connecticut
United Action for Idaho
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Food and Commercial Workers
United for a Fair Economy
United Neighborhood Centers of America
United Passaic Organization
United Progress, Inc.
United States Conference of Mayors
United States Student Association
United Steelworkers
United Way of Beaver County
Urban League of Hudson County
Ursulines of Tildonk for Justice and Peace
USAction
V Dove-Coleman Foundation
Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corp.
Victoria Foundation
Virginia Organizing Project
Voces de la Frontera
Voices of Community Advocates and Leaders
Washington Community Action Network
West Virginia Citizen Action Group
Western North Carolina Worker's Center
Wider Opportunities for Women
Women at Work
Women Employed
Women of Reform Judaism
Women's Law Project
Women's Research and Education Institute
Woodstock Institute
Workers Interfaith Network
Workers' Rights Center in Madison, Wisconsin
Working America
Working Families Win
Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless City
YouthBuild USA
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
YWCA NorthEastern NY
On Monday, April 5th, an explosion rocked the Upper Big Branch coal mine in Montcoal, West Virginia, killing 29 miners and injuring others. This was the worst mine disaster in the United States in almost four decades.
For over two centuries, millions of West Virginians’ livelihoods have depended on extracting the state’s rich coal deposits. Coal has left an indelible mark on communities throughout West Virginia and Appalachia. For many of these communities, the mine may be the only way to earn a decent living. These miners are proud. Coal is in their blood, it is their tradition, and it is their career. But, we also know that underground mining is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and community who lost loved ones in yesterday’s mine tragedy and with those who still have loved ones trapped in the mine. We grieve the loss of the 25 brave men who descended into the mine yesterday only to perish in this tragic accident.
“Over the past few years, we have met too many family members who have suffered the tragic loss of loved ones in a mine disaster. On behalf of the committee, we promised them that we would do everything we could to learn the cause of these tragedies and to keep miners safe. Today, we extend this same promise to the families and community dealing with a devastating loss.
“Working with the Department of Labor and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, we intend to look into this tragedy and convene hearings at the appropriate time. However, the only job that matters right now is the job of reaching trapped miners while limiting, as much as possible, the risk to those brave rescuers.”
In February, the committee held a hearing on mine operators appealing mine safety citations at an alarming rate. For more information on the committee’s efforts on mine safety, click here.
The Charleston Gazette tells the story:
The accident occurred at about 3 p.m. at Massey Energy subsidiary Performance Coal Co.'s Upper Big Branch Mine-South.
Stricklin said at a briefing just after 2 a.m. Tuesday that 25 miners were killed in the explosion.
The explosion is the deadliest mine disaster in the United States since 1984, when 27 people were killed at a Utah mine.
Stricklin said the explosion is believed to have occurred near shift change as a crew was exiting the operation in a mantrip, an underground mine vehicle.
The Gazette reports that the mine's safety record was worse than the national average:
The Upper Big Branch Mine-South employs about 200 workers and last year produced about 1.2 million tons of coal, according to company disclosures filed with MSHA.
In seven of the last 10 years, the mine has recorded a non-fatal injury rate worse than the national average for similar operations, according to MSHA statistics.
Between 2008 and last year, safety violations at the operation more than doubled and fines issued by MSHA tripled, according to agency records.
The Committee on Education and Labor has been working to improve mine safety, most recently investigating whether a growing backlog of contested mine safety cases have impacted MSHA's ability to protect miners' safety and prevent future tragedies.
“These con artists are stealing from the American taxpayer and putting Medicare’s future in danger,” said Rep. Miller, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. “Health insurance reform passed today will take a big step to ensure these billions of dollars go to improve the health of our seniors and not into the pockets of criminals.”
Below is a copy of U.S. Rep. George Miller’s (D-CA) remarks, as prepared for delivery, during floor debate on the health insurance and student loan reform legislation. Miller is the House author of both pieces of reform.
Madame Speaker, I rise in support of this truly historic legislation that addresses two of America’s greatest troubles – the crushing costs and high obstacles of obtaining both quality health care and a college education.
Our nation and its economy have suffered from our longstanding failure to make health care and college accessible and affordable to all of the American people.
Americans have waited a long time for health insurance reform – nearly 100 years.
Today, Congress and President Obama will deliver on a central promise, on a dream deferred, on a crucial demand.
Visit the White House's health reform page for updated health care news, stories from people across the country who are benefiting from the new law, and more information about the law.
How Will Health Insurance Reform Affect You?
Benefits Going Into Effect on September 23, 2010 »
Immediate Benefits »
Guaranteed Benefits »
Estimated Savings for Families Who Are Now on the Individual Market »
Health Reform Q&A »
Insurance Market Reforms That Protect Consumers »
Preventing Disease and Improving the Public's Health »
District-by-District Impact »
Health Insurance Reform: A Guide for Seniors »
America's Women Have the Most to Gain »
What's In It for Young Americans? »
8 Great Ways Student Aid and Health Reform Works for You »
Small Business Guide »
Helping Small Businesses »
Employers and Health Reform »
Rural America »
Provisions of the Affordable Care Act at a Glance:
Timeline for Implementation »
Making Coverage Affordable »
Paying for Health Insurance Reform »
Health Insurance Exchange »
Strengthening the Nation's Health Workforce »
Strengthening Medicare »
Medicare Part D »
Curbing Taxpayer Subsidies for Private Insurers in Medicare »
Maintaining and Improving Medicaid »
Shared Responsibility »
Summary of Revenue Provisions »
Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse »
Addressing Health and Health Care Disparities »
Innovative Delivery System Reform »
Cost Containment »
Why Health Insurance Reform?
The Cost of Inaction »
Health Care by the Numbers »
Supporters:
SUPPORTERS OF HEALTH REFORM LEGISLATION »
Bill Text:
Reconciliation Bill Text »
Manager's Amendment »
Text of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590 (Senate health bill) »
CBO Score:
Four Key Points You Need To Know About the NEW (3.20.10) CBO Score »
Full NEW CBO Score (3.20.10) »
Summary Documents:
Summary of Manager's Amendment to H.R. 4872 »
Summary of the bill »
Fact Sheet »
Section by Section of the Reconciliation Bill »
Reconciliation Bill Makes Key Improvements To Senate-passed Bill »
Regular Procedure to Pass Health Insurance Reform »
Open, Transparent Health Reform Debate »
The Work-Life Balance Award Act (H.R. 4855), introduced in March 2010, establishes an annual Work-Life Balance Award at the Department of Labor to be given out annually by the Secretary of Labor to employers with exemplary work-life workforce policies. These policies are defined as workplace practices “designed to enable employees to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance.” Any public or private employer of any size is eligible for the award, as long as they are in compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws.
Criteria for the award will be developed by a bipartisan advisory board consisting of representatives from the public, state and local government, industry and industry organizations, not-for-profit employers, labor, and advocates for children and families.
There will also be three hearings this week on the Protecting America's Workers Act, the administration's ESEA reauthorization blueprint, and addressing the needs of diverse students.
The Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067), introduced by U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D- CA), chair of the subcommittee, will strengthen and modernize the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the law that ensures the health and safety of American workers.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Protecting America’s Workers Act: Modernizing OSHA Penalties”
WHO:
Panel 1
John Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupation Safety and Health Administration, Washington, D.C.
Panel 2
Eric Frumin, health and safety coordinator, Change to Win, New York, N.Y.
Jonathan Snare, partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
10:00 a.m. EST
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
The Local Jobs for America Act, authored by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), will save and create jobs quickly in both the public and private sectors and help restore vital services that families and local communities rely on. The financial collapse is forcing states and municipalities to cut jobs that are critically important to local communities – teachers, police, firefighters, childcare workers, and others.
$52.5 billion directly to communities with at least 50,000 residents – Mayors, County Officials and Governors would submit a statement to the need for the specific positions to the Department of Labor. The department would then distribute funding to communities based on the Community Development Block Grant formula.
Half of the funding will go to positions that would be eliminated due to ongoing budget shortfalls. Up to 25 percent of the funding can go to non-profit community organizations that provide services not customarily provided by local government employees. The remaining 25 percent may be used for creation of new jobs in local government.
$22.5 billion directly to governors to distribute to communities with fewer than 50,000 residents – Job creation funding will sent to towns, counties, or private non-profits outside of those communities eligible for the funding above. Local governments will apply to the governor for the funding.
Like support to larger communities, half of the funding may be spent on retention of positions slated for elimination, up to 25 percent of the funding can go to non-profit community organizations that provide services not customarily provided by local government employees. The remaining 25 percent may be used for creation of new jobs in local government. The governor must fairly distribute the funding among congressional districts, in proportion to each district’s rural population.
Funds may only be used for compensation of full-time, full-year positions. “Full-year” defined to include school year positions. Local governments may expand existing services or restore services cut in the past five years. Positions are federally funded for two years.
Jobs are regular government or local community organization jobs. These jobs will be in pre-existing job titles, covered by union contracts, etc. Mayors and County Officials are not required to continue funding these positions once federal funding expires. Priority will be given to hire workers laid off from city positions, current unemployment insurance recipients and the long-term unemployed whose benefits have been exhausted.
$23 billion to help states support an estimated 300,000 education jobs; $1.18 billion to put 5,500 law enforcement officers on the beat; and $500 million to hire and retain fire fighters
These funds will be allocated by states to school districts and public institutions of higher education to retain or create jobs to provide educational services and to modernize, renovate, and repair public education facilities. Funding will be distributed the state fiscal stabilization fund formula as passed in the Recovery Act. States would then distribute funding to school districts based on each state’s education funding formula.
$500 million for approximately 50,000 additional on-the-job training positions slots to help private business expand employment
These funds will enable workers to acquire core job skills and important work experience for private employers. Individuals will be able to earn a salary and learn a new job through the Workforce Investment Act. Participants will gain core job skills and experience through training and close supervision by their employer.
Our nation is going through one of the most difficult economic times in its history. We must do everything to help create jobs for those who are struggling to support their families. At the same time, the recession is forcing states and municipalities to cut jobs that are critically important – teachers, police, firefighters, childcare workers, and others. The Local Jobs for America Act will provide our economy a shot in the arm by putting a million people to work by restoring these services in local communities. (More than 300 organizations support the Local Jobs for America Act.)
The Local Jobs for America Act will create and save a million public and private jobs in local communities this year.
Support will be targeted directly to states and municipalities with the greatest number of people out of work to restore important local services. (Estimated funding and estimated jobs created and saved »)
The Local Jobs for America Act will help ensure that local communities can still operate essential services.
Because of the recession, many local communities have cut back on education, public safety, childcare, health care, and transportation. As a result, families who rely on these services are suffering the cost of these cutbacks.
This bill will help prevent state and local tax increases.
By supporting the services local communities deem most necessary, the bill will help local governments avoid having to choose between eliminating services and raising taxes.
Creating local jobs will stimulate local businesses and create more jobs in the local economy.
By increasing employment in local communities, families will be able to start spending again at their neighborhood businesses and favorite restaurants. This will help spur additional jobs for local small businesses.
The Local Jobs for America Act will fund salaries for private sector on-the-job training to help local businesses put people back to work.
Specifically, the Local Jobs for America Act invests:
- $75 billion over two years to local communities to hire vital staff
- Funding for 50,000 on-the-job private-sector training positions
The bill also includes provisions already approved by the House:
- $23 billion this year to help states support 300,000 education jobs
- $1.18 billion to put 5,500 law enforcement officers on the beat
- $500 million to retain, rehire, and hire firefighters
“Republicans had over a decade to improve health care. And what did they give us? One of the worst pieces of legislation to ever pass Congress—a bailout for the drug companies that increased the deficit and left millions of seniors trapped in a doughnut hole paying more than ever for their prescriptions. Enough is enough. It is time for an up or down vote on health care reform that lowers costs and premiums, reduces the number of uninsured, and requires insurance companies to play by the rules.”
More House Democrats speak out about Congressional Republican failure to act on health insurance reform
The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2009 would provide basic labor protections for state and local public safety workers. Identical legislation passed the House of Representatives in 2007 on a bipartisan vote of 314 to 97.
WHAT:
HELP Subcommittee Hearing on “H.R. 413, Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2009”
WHO:
Chuck Canterbury, national president, Fraternal Order of Police
Ellis Hankins, executive director, North Carolina League of Municipalities, Raleigh, N.C.
Mayor David S. Smith, Lancaster, Ohio
Doug Stafford, vice president, National Right to Work Committee, Arlington, Virginia
Douglas L. Steele, partner, Woodley & McGillivary, Washington, D.C.
Jim Tate, firefighter and president, Fort Worth Professional Firefighters, Fort Worth, Texas
Marshall Thielen, police officer and president of the Fairfax Coalition of Police and Vice President of Region 10, International Union of Police Associations, Fairfax, Virginia
WHEN:
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
10:30 a.m. ET
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website.
Democrats are committed to providing health security to America’s families by guaranteeing everyone access to affordable, quality health insurance.
No one should be forced into bankruptcy because of an illness. Unfortunately, millions of Americans live in fear of just that while they are forced to go without health insurance because they don’t have access to affordable coverage either through their workplace or because of pre-existing conditions or age which make coverage unaffordable. Millions more have coverage that fails to meet their needs when they need care.
The President's Proposal Expands Coverage.
The plan provides coverage for 95% of all Americans – expanding health insurance coverage to over 31 million more Americans. It:
- Provides financial credits to make premiums and cost sharing more affordable for those who today simply cannot afford coverage and care.
- Expands Medicaid to cover those with the lowest income.
- Eliminates job lock and support a more mobile economy and entrepreneurship by ensuring continuous access to comprehensive, affordable coverage regardless of where you work or live, and regardless of your age and health status.
- Enacts real insurance reforms that will allow more people access to insurance and force insurance companies to compete on cost and quality rather than their current strategy of cherry picking only the healthy and young.
- Establishes shared responsibility among individuals, employers and the government so that all contribute to and benefit from a new system that guarantees quality, affordable coverage for all.
The President's Proposal Provides Options that Meet Individual Needs.
- Creates a new health insurance marketplace, called an Exchange, that will allow consumers to choose a health insurance plan that best meets their needs. Ensures everyone has a place to access health care, including when they lose a job, as they age, or get sick.
- Requires insurers to cover essential benefits, including prevention and well child care, so that people know insurance will cover the items and services they need.
- Protects and improves Medicare by filling fill the Republican Medicare prescription drug donut hole, so that seniors will no longer be forced to pay the full cost of their medications during the current coverage gap. And it makes additional improvements to Medicare to encourage the efficient delivery of high quality, well-coordinated care, eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, and extend Medicare solvency by more than nine years.
These expansions in coverage benefit everyone. Today, every family that has insurance is paying an extra $1,000 in premiums to cover the costs of the uninsured. Covering everyone is not only the right thing to do, it is an economic imperative to help lower all of our premiums.
Democratic health reform proposals will not add to the deficit – not one dime – now or in the future. In fact, the health reform plans passed by each chamber and proposed by the President actually reduce the deficit over the next 10 years and in the following decade.
The American people want reform – and they expect Congress to make hard choices to honestly pay for that reform and not just borrow the money. We’ve done that by:
- Focusing spending on the highest needs;
- Ensuring that the reforms contain substantial proposals to reform care delivery and winnow fat from the system, while expanding access and care coordination; that includes payments to reward high quality care in Medicare, while improving benefits;
- Limiting growth in health spending; and
- Identifying appropriate revenues to finance the remaining costs.
More significantly, CBO notes that, after 2020 – when we need deficit reduction the most – health reform as envisioned by the President will reduce the deficit even further.
- In the decade after 2019, CBO projects that health reform reduces the deficit by as much as one-half of one percent of the national economy.
- That means deficit reduction of up to one trillion dollars or more.
President Obama's proposal includes health insurance market reforms that will bring immediate benefits to millions of Americans, including those who currently have coverage.
Access to Affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions
- The President's proposal will provide $5 billion in immediate federal support for a new program to provide affordable coverage to uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions. This provision is effective 90 days after enactment, and coverage under this program will continue until new Exchanges are operational in 2014.
Access to Quality Care for Vulnerable Populations
- The President's proposal makes an immediate and substantial investment in Community Health Centers to provide the funding needed to expand access to health care in communities where it is needed most. This $11 billion investment begins in 2010 and extends for five years.
No Pre-existing Coverage Exclusions for Children
- The President's proposal eliminates pre-existing condition exclusions for all Americans beginning in 2014, when the Exchanges are operational. Recognizing the special vulnerability of children, the plan prohibits health insurers from excluding coverage of pre-existing conditions for children, effective six months after enactment and applying to all new plans.
Re-insurance for Retiree Health Benefit Plans
- The President's proposal will create immediate access to re-insurance for employer health plans providing coverage for early retirees, effective 90 days after enactment. This re-insurance will help protect coverage while reducing premiums for employers and retirees.
Closing the Coverage Gap in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit
- The President's proposal begins to fill the “donut hole” by giving seniors a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010.
Small Business Tax Credits
- The President's proposal will offer tax credits to small businesses beginning in 2010 to make employee coverage more affordable.
- Tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums will be immediately available to firms that choose to offer coverage; later, when Exchanges are operational, tax credits will be up to 50 percent of premiums. The full credit will be available to firms with 10 or fewer employees with average annual wages of $25,000, while firms with up to 25 or fewer employees and average annual wages of up to $50,000 will also be eligible for the credit.
Ensuring Value for Premium Payments
- The President's proposal will establish standards for insurance overhead and require public disclosure to ensure that enrollees get value for their premium dollars. The Managers’ Amendment tightened these standards, requiring plans in the individual and small group market to spend 80 percent of premium dollars on clinical services and quality activities, and 85 percent for plans in the large group market. Health insurance plans that do not meet these thresholds will provide rebates to their policyholders. This provision takes effect in 2011 and applies to all plans, including grandfathered plans, with the exception of self-insured plans.
Patient Protections
- The President's proposal protects patients’ choice of doctors by allowing plan members to pick any participating primary care provider, prohibiting insurers from requiring prior authorization before and woman sees an ob-gyn, and ensuring access to emergency care. This provision takes effect six months after enactment and applies to all new plans.
Extension of Dependent Coverage for Young Adults
- The President's proposal will require insurers to permit children to stay on family policies until age 26. This provision takes effect six months after enactment and applies to all plans for young adults who are not offered qualified coverage elsewhere.
Free Prevention Benefits
- The President's proposal will require coverage of prevention and wellness benefits and exempt these benefits from deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements in public and private insurance coverage. This provision takes effect six months after enactment and applies to all new plans and all plans in 2018.
- Beginning on January 1, 2011, Medicare beneficiaries will receive a free, annual wellness visit and will have all cost-sharing waived for prevention services.
No Lifetime Limits on Coverage
- The President's proposal will prohibit insurers from imposing lifetime limits on benefits. This provision takes effect six months after enactment and applies to all plans.
Restricted Annual Limits on Coverage
- The President's proposal will tightly restrict insurance companies’ use of annual limits to ensure access to needed care, effective six months after enactment for all new health plans. These tight restrictions will be defined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. When the Exchanges are operational, the use of annual limits will be banned for all plans in 2014.
Protection from Rescissions of Existing Coverage
- The President's proposal will stop insurers from rescinding insurance when claims are filed, except in cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact. This provision takes effect six months after enactment and applies to all plans.
Prohibits Discrimination Based on Salary
- The President's proposal will prohibit group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees. This provision takes effect six months after enactment and applies to all group health plans in 2014.
Public Access to Comparable Information on Insurance Options
- The President's proposal will enable creation of a new website to provide information on and facilitate informed consumer choice of insurance options.
Health Insurance Consumer Information
- The President's proposal will provide assistance to States in establishing offices of health insurance consumer assistance or health insurance ombudsman programs to assist individuals with the filing of complaints and appeals, enrollment in a health plan, and, eventually, to assist consumers with resolving problems with tax credit eligibility. This provision is effective beginning with fiscal year 2010.
President Obama's proposal includes health insurance market reforms that will bring immediate benefits to millions of Americans, including those who currently have coverage.
(Read more about each of these immediate benefits.)
- Access to Affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions
- Access to Quality Care for Vulnerable Populations
- No Pre-existing Coverage Exclusions for Children
- Re-insurance for Retiree Health Benefit Plans
- Closing the Coverage Gap in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit
- Small Business Tax Credits
- Ensuring Value for Premium Payments
- Patient Protections
- Extension of Dependent Coverage for Young Adults
- Free Prevention Benefits
- No Lifetime Limits on Coverage
- Restricted Annual Limits on Coverage
- Protection from Rescissions of Existing Coverage
- Prohibits Discrimination Based on Salary
- Public Access to Comparable Information on Insurance Options
- Health Insurance Consumer Information
President's Proposal Reforms America's Broken Insurance System
- Beginning in 2014, annual limits and restrictions on pre-existing conditions and other decision-making based on health status would be banned. Meaningful health reform absolutely requires that pre-existing condition exclusions be outlawed – Americans should be able to get coverage regardless of their health conditions.
- Lifetime caps on benefits would be banned immediately.
- Young adults could stay on their parent’s insurance until age 26.
- Limitations are placed on insurers rating based on age and illness.
- Insurers must cover lifesaving preventative benefits and eliminate the cost sharing when accessing these benefits.
- Administrative simplification requirements significantly reduce the red tape, and thereby reduce cost.
- Appeals standards are created to protect consumers.
- HHS and the states would immediately begin to review and if necessary disapprove insurance company premium increases.
- In 2014, Health Insurance Exchanges are created that provide the opportunity for people to comparison shop for coverage that meets their needs. The Exchanges can negotiate with insurers to protect consumers and ensure that they get the most value for their dollars. Plans in these exchanges will be required to cover an essential benefits package and meet consumer protection requirements.
Why Insurance Reforms Are Needed
Insurance Companies Fail to Cover Millions of Americans
- 56 million Americans who currently have insurance are subject to pre-existing condition restrictions that limit their insurance coverage because of their health history
- Almost 13 million individuals were denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions in the previous three years
- More than 1/3 of individuals seeking insurance are denied, charged higher premiums or offered limited coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
- Almost any condition can be considered a pre-existing condition – Blue Shield of CA considers adoption, AIDS, anemia, arthritis, back sprain, breast implants, cleft palate, infertility treatments, kidney stones, pregnancy, sleep apnea, ulcers, and varicose veins as possible pre-existing conditions.
- Young adults are the largest group of the uninsured in the U.S – more than one in four Americans (13 million) between the ages of 18-26 are uninsured, representing 30 percent of the uninsured.
- More than half of Americans in employer-sponsored coverage (approximately 90 million) are subject to an annual or lifetime limit. As a result of meeting a lifetime limit cap, approximately 20,000 to 25,000 people with employer-sponsored plans were effectively uncovered and de facto uninsured in 2009.
Insurance Company Premiums and Profits are Sky-Rocketing
- The combined profits for the top five insurance companies -- UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Humana Inc., and Cigna Corp. -- hit new highs in 2009 – $12.2 billion in 2009, an increase of $4.4 billion or 56 percent from 2008, with Cigna Corp. reporting a profit increase of 346 percent. Yet 2.7 million Americans lost their private health insurance in 2009, with four of the five companies showing losses in private enrollment.
- Profits for the ten largest insurance companies increased 250 percent between 2000 and 2009, ten times faster than inflation.
- Anthem Blue Cross of California recently tried to increase individual market premiums by up to 39 percent. Anthem of Connecticut is requesting an increase of 24 percent and Anthem of Maine has requested 23 percent premium increases. In addition, Blue Cross of Michigan has requested a premium increase of up to 56 percent and Blue Cross of Oregon has requested a 20 percent premium increase.
Ever-rising health costs put a strain on all American families. The President’s proposal takes enormous strides to contain costs.
The President's proposal takes on the private insurers and stop company abuses. Starting this year it would:
- Require insurers to disclose and justify their premium increases
- Require them to actually pay out more of your premium dollar in health benefits instead of using those funds for administration, executive compensation and profits
- And when reform is fully implemented, insurers whose rates have gone up too much can be limited from participating in the new coverage arrangements.
The President's proposal strengthens Medicare and extends the program’s solvency by more than nine years by:
- Attacking fraud, abuse and waste in an unprecedented fashion
- Simplifying the bewildering array of insurance paperwork that patients, doctors and nurses have to deal with
- Developing innovative payment systems that will “bend the curve” by rewarding the efficient delivery of high quality, well coordinated, care.
- And at the same time – improving – not cutting – benefits – in particular, filling the “donut hole” in Medicare drug benefits and ensuring continued access to the doctors that seniors know and trust.
Finally, the President's proposal would help make care more affordable by:
- Providing subsidies for premiums and cost sharing for those who can least afford coverage
- Requiring insurers to limit annual and lifetime expenses for those who need care the most
- Setting up exchanges where plans have to compete for business on price and quality, rather than simply cherry picking healthy people in order to turn a profit.
The purpose of today's meeting was to have an open exchange about the best ideas for reforming our health care system, and to do it in a way that lets the American people observe and have confidence in the process. At the end of the day, the American people expect us to move forward. And we will.
The urgency of reform couldn’t be more clear: just this month, a major health insurer informed customers in California that they could see their premiums rise by as much as 39 percent this year.
The President’s proposal, designed to bridge the difference between the House and the Senate bills and informed by discussions with the House and Senate, puts American families and small business owners in control of their own health care and begins to give them the health care security they’ve been losing over the past 16 years.
- It makes insurance more affordable by providing one of the largest tax cuts for health care in history – reducing premium costs and helping over 31 million Americans afford health care.
- It sets up a new competitive health insurance market -- giving millions of Americans the exact same insurance choices that members of Congress have.
- It brings greater accountability by laying out commonsense rules of the road to keep premiums down and prevent insurance industry abuses and denial of care.
- It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
- It reduces the deficit by $100 billion over the next ten years by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.
- It eliminates several “special deals” including the arrangement made for Nebraska;
- It includes a series of measures proposed by Republicans to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse;
- It includes a new provision to prevent arbitrary rate hikes like the recent 39 percent increase in California.
First Discussion Topic: Cost Containment
Second Discussion Topic: Insurance Reform
Third Discussion Topic: Deficit Reduction
Fourth Discussion Topic: Expanding Coverage
One of the most unforgettable and heartbreaking moments of my Congressional career occurred at an Education and Labor Committee hearing on mine safety in October of 2007. During that hearing, a young boy whose father had perished in the Crandall Canyon mine disaster came up to me and asked me if I could attend one of his soccer games because his “Daddy was in heaven and couldn’t go.” As our Committee reexamines mine safety today, we must commit ourselves to doing everything in our power to not let this happen to another family.
Today our committee will be examining ways to reduce the growing backlog of approximately 16,000 mine safety enforcement cases currently pending before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC). FMSHRC is a small, independent agency which provides administrative review of contested citations, penalties, and worker retaliation cases arising under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act). In 2006, FMSHRC’s backlog was only 2,100 cases, but with increased penalties mandated by amendments to the 2006 Mine Act, a number of mine owners and operators are contesting most if not all of their violations.
But not everyone knows what it has done for them or their communities. The Education and Labor Committee has put together a 30-second video to emphasize the benefits of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
This morning, Think Progress reported that 111 Congressional Republicans, including 90 House GOPers, are taking credit for and/or seeking American Recovery and Reinvestment Act benefits for their home districts after voting against ARRA one year ago.
One thing is clear, after a disastrous eight years and a near economic collapse, House Republicans and Democrats agree that There’s an Act for That.
STATE | FUNDS AWARDED | RECIPIENT-REPORTED JOBS | EDUCATION JOBS |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama | $2,879,946,703 | 13,871 | 5,866 |
Alaska | $1,599,388,595 | 1,596 | 268 |
Arizona | $3,392,939,821 | 6,811 | 2,849 |
Arkansas | $1,584,748,636 | 2,829 | 655 |
California | $21,650,138,095 | 71,015 | 49,982 |
Colorado | $3,229,978,450 | 9,407 | 3,900 |
Connecticut | $1,851,708,850 | 7,048 | 3,975 |
Delaware | $720,689,064 | 1,523 | 705 |
District of Columbia | $3,044,036,584 | 3,719 | 661 |
Florida | $9,094,185,017 | 34,966 | 24,055 |
Georgia | $4,861,526,252 | 24,103 | 14,397 |
Hawaii | $1,007,797,512 | 3,014 | 2,083 |
Idaho | $1,858,250,061 | 6,160 | 4,057 |
Illinois | $7,805,527,172 | 11,375 | 2,602 |
Indiana | $4,153,669,041 | 15,278 | 12,046 |
Iowa | $2,059,557,824 | 9,096 | 6,203 |
Kansas | $1,565,844,902 | 6,561 | 3,883 |
Kentucky | $2,511,040,050 | 10,677 | 7,381 |
Louisiana | $2,515,219,042 | 11,322 | 7,023 |
Maine | $889,318,291 | 2,182 | 336 |
Maryland | $4,680,473,252 | 6,759 | 1,467 |
Massachusetts | $4,713,047,794 | 9,261 | 3,215 |
Michigan | $7,319,327,513 | 20,140 | 9,313 |
Minnesota | $2,978,457,783 | 12,291 | 6,952 |
Mississippi | $2,071,100,200 | 3,412 | 602 |
Missouri | $3,390,575,173 | 16,074 | 11,462 |
Montana | $1,162,870,408 | 4,121 | 1,579 |
Nebraska | $1,079,872,241 | 3,849 | 1,703 |
Nevada | $1,427,100,987 | 3,149 | 2,005 |
New Hampshire | $824,716,551 | 1,295 | 261 |
New Jersey | $4,582,612,624 | 21,512 | 15,907 |
New Mexico | $2,223,479,041 | 4,582 | 2,373 |
New York | $12,373,720,643 | 43,061 | 30,157 |
North Carolina | $5,437,207,212 | 26,119 | 19,039 |
North Dakota | $885,135,966 | 2,698 | 1,613 |
Ohio | $6,445,027,536 | 24,705 | 11,881 |
Oklahoma | $2,329,598,907 | 7,999 | 4,903 |
Oregon | $2,241,634,383 | 9,657 | 5,623 |
Pennsylvania | $6,816,672,122 | 12,238 | 2,661 |
Rhode Island | $794,028,907 | 1,345 | 194 |
South Carolina | $5,765,646,903 | 11,024 | 4,947 |
South Dakota | $950,346,898 | 3,244 | 602 |
Tennessee | $5,941,032,774 | 10,259 | 3,749 |
Texas | $12,423,955,147 | 28,460 | 18,577 |
Utah | $1,761,439,655 | 4,740 | 1,955 |
Vermont | $624,753,124 | 1,624 | 294 |
Virginia | $4,319,924,264 | 9,877 | 5,079 |
Washington | $7,867,066,655 | 14,413 | 5,464 |
West Virginia | $1,480,743,335 | 2,195 | 641 |
Wisconsin | $2,948,665,736 | 10,316 | 4,338 |
Wyoming | $562,557,420 | 851 | 18 |
TERRITORY | FUNDS AWARDED | RECIPIENT-REPORTED JOBS | EDUCATION JOBS |
Northern Mariana Islands | $84,398,311 | 138 | 55 |
Puerto Rico | $2,340,754,806 | 14,506 | |
TOTAL | $199,662,327,231 | 599,108 |
Note: “Funds Awarded” includes federal contract, grant, and loan awards for individual states and territories, as reported by prime recipients for the period February 17-December 31, 2009. “Recipient-Reported Jobs”covers the period October 1-December 31, 2009.
Source: recovery.gov
“Education Jobs” are reported from the Department of Education for the period October 1-December 31, 2009, and include jobs such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors. Source: Department of Education
There is a rapidly growing number of mine safety enforcement cases currently pending before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), a small independent agency which provides administrative trial and appellate review of contested citations, penalties, and worker retaliation cases. As the result of stepped-up enforcement and tougher penalties after a spate of mine tragedies in 2005 and 2006, mine owners tripled the number of violations they appeal and are now litigating 67 percent of all penalties. The backlog of cases FMSHRC must review has jumped from 2,100 in 2006 to approximately 16,000 today.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Reducing the Growing Backlog of Contested Mine Safety Cases”
WHO:
Mary Lu Jordan, Chairman, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
Joe Main, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Mine Safety and Health Administration
Cecil Roberts, President, United Mine Workers of America
Bruce Watzman, Vice President for Safety, Health and Human Resources, National Mining Association
WHEN:
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
10:00 a.m. EST
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Training Workers for Better Jobs
- $3.92 billion is requested for Training and Employment Services, an increase of $96 million.
- $261 million to establish two new innovation funds: a Workforce Innovation Fund in the Adult and Dislocated Worker programs and a new Youth Innovation Fund in the Youth program. The Workforce Innovation Fund and the Youth Innovation Fund will foster competition in the creation and evaluation of innovative means of providing improved job training and placement services to a larger population of workers at a low marginal cost;
- $85 million for green jobs training;
- $40 million for transitional jobs programs.
Protecting Workers on the Job
- $25 million for a joint effort with the Treasury Department to eliminate incentives in the law for employers to misclassify their employees as independent contractors, and enhances both agencies’ ability to penalize employers who do misclassify.
- $67 million to ensure worker protection agencies have the resources to handle health and safety, wages, and working conditions of the nation’s workforce.
- $50 million to establish a State Paid Leave Fund to provide competitive grants to help states cover the start up costs for paid-leave programs.
Improving Access to Retirement Security
- The budget proposes a system to expand access to pensions to those who currently do not have access.
- Includes a proposal to modify the existing Saver’s Credit by providing a 50 percent match up to $1,000 in the form of a fully refundable credit.
He said: (links added)
There seems to be little to endear citizens to their legislature or to the president trying to influence it. It's too bad, because even with the wrench thrown in by Republican Scott Brown's election in Massachusetts, this Democratic Congress is on a path to become one of the most productive since the Great Society 89th Congress in 1965-66, and Obama already has the most legislative success of any modern president -- and that includes Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson. The deep dysfunction of our politics may have produced public disdain, but it has also delivered record accomplishment.
The productivity began with the stimulus package, which was far more than an injection of $787 billion in government spending to jump-start the ailing economy. More than one-third of it -- $288 billion -- came in the form of tax cuts, making it one of the largest tax cuts in history, with sizable credits for energy conservation and renewable-energy production as well as home-buying and college tuition. The stimulus also promised $19 billion for the critical policy arena of health-information technology, and more than $1 billion to advance research on the effectiveness of health-care treatments.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan has leveraged some of the stimulus money to encourage wide-ranging reform in school districts across the country.
The Education and Labor Committee was vital to the accomplishments of this Congress. In addition to the successes outlined above, the Committee has passed the 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. Early in the 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, two Committee priorities.
Unfortunately, the economic crisis is not yet over -- there is still more work to be done. The Education and Labor Committee is proud of our accomplishments so far in the 111th Congress, and look forward to continuing the fight for America's middle class in 2010.
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act reverses a Supreme Court ruling that made it more difficult for Americans to pursue pay discrimination claims. On May 29, 2007, in its 5-4 Ledbetter v. Goodyear decision, the Supreme Court severely restricted the rights of employees to challenge unlawful pay discrimination. Under the Ledbetter ruling, if an employee did not file a claim within 180 days of her employer's decision to pay her less, she was barred forever from challenging the discriminatory paychecks that followed. Under the law before the Supreme Court decision, every discriminatory paycheck was a new violation that restarted the clock for filing a claim. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restored that rule.
UPDATED: Watch Chairman Miller and Lilly Ledbetter have a conversation - One Year On.
Created with flickrSLiDR.
Read more about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Watch a compilation video of moments leading up to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act becoming law
Watch Lilly Ledbetter's testimony in a Committee hearing
Watch Chairman Miller's statement about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on the House floor
Watch a video of the press conference Chairman Miller held after passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
WHAT:
Hearing with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis on “Strengthening the Economy and Improving the Lives of American Workers”
WHO:
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
10:00 a.m. EST
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his first State of the Union address tonight, President Barack Obama discussed his administration’s efforts to rescue the economy and laid out a strong framework for rebuilding America’s middle class. President Obama also called on Congress to pass key pieces of legislation under the House Education and Labor Committee’s jurisdiction, including the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and comprehensive health insurance reform. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement on the President’s remarks:
“These proposals are welcome news for the millions of families whose retirement and college savings were devastated by the financial crisis. The painful financial insecurity facing middle class families is not new – the previous administration seriously eroded progress workers and families had fought for decades to achieve – but it has become much, much worse in this economy. We cannot rebuild a strong economy without rebuilding a strong middle class, which is why for the last several years the Education and Labor Committee has been laser-focused on recovering and growing our middle class. These proposals to make repaying student loans more affordable, to encourage employers and employees to do their part to strengthen workers’ retirement savings, and to help protect those savings from Wall Street middle men are an important step toward this goal. I look forward to working with the Obama administration and Congress on these and other initiatives that will rightly put the interests of Main Street and hardworking Americans first.”
- Protections Against Insurance Company Discrimination And Losing Coverage When You Get Sick. People who have been denied coverage because of a pre‐existing condition will finally have access to affordable coverage. Insurers will no longer be able to drop your coverage when you get sick and are in the middle of treatment.
- Insurance Security If You Lose Your Job. Never again will you lose access to insurance if you get laid off or switch jobs.
- Relief For Small Businesses And Employers, Jobs For Americans. Small businesses and employers getting crushed by soaring health care costs will see lower costs, allowing them to create as many as 4 million more jobs over the next decade.
- No Annual Or Lifetime Limits On Coverage. Never again will you be subject to annual or lifetime limits on what insurance companies will pay, protecting millions of Americans from the threat of medical bankruptcy.
- Free Preventive Care. Insurers will be required to offer free preventive care, lowering your out‐of‐pocket expenses and helping ensure that diseases or conditions can be caught early on.
- Independent Consumer Advocates And Sunshine On Rate Increases. For the first time, consumers will have independent advocates dedicated to upholding consumer protections, answering their questions, and helping with any problems related to their plans. Insurance companies will be required to disclose their rates to consumers – discouraging them from runaway rate increases.
- Lower Drug Costs For Seniors, Lower Premiums For Early Retirees. Seniors who fall into the Medicare Part D donut hole will see lower prescription drug costs as immediate steps are taken to close the donut hole. Employers who cover their early retirees will receive temporary funds to help offset the cost of expensive claims for retirees’ health benefits – lowering premiums and protecting coverage for early retirees.
- Better Access And Stronger Protections For Women. Prohibits insurers from charging women more than men for health insurance or discriminating on the basis of domestic violence as a pre‐existing condition. Required maternity services as part of the essential benefits package in the exchange.
- Extended Coverage For Young Adults. Young adults will now be able to stay on their parents’ insurance much longer, through their 26th or 27th birthday.
- At Least 30 Million More Americans Will Finally Have Health Insurance. Health reform will finally guarantee access to quality, affordable health insurance for 30‐35 million Americans who don’t have coverage today, also eliminating the annual hidden tax of $1,100 that American families pay to cover the cost of the uninsured. While the official health insurance exchanges are being created, a temporary insurance pool will be available for individuals with pre‐existing conditions or chronic illnesses.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), and George Miller (D-CA), the chairmen of the three committees with jurisdiction over health policy in the U.S. House of Representatives, issued the following statement today on a new report released by the Center for American Progress showing that the health reform legislation pending in Congress will significantly lower health care costs for businesses, add as many as 4 million jobs over the next decade, and increase workers’ wages.
Never before have we as a nation been this close to ensuring that every American has access to quality and affordable health insurance coverage. The House and the Senate have each produced legislation that will:
- Ensure that 30 to 35 million Americans will have health insurance coverage.
- Prevent insurance companies from discriminating or charging more because of a preexisting condition.
- Prevent insurance companies from dropping coverage during life-saving treatment.
- Ensure that laid-off workers won't lose insurance.
- Eliminate annual or lifetime caps on coverage.
Watch Chairman Miller discuss health reform on the Ed Show (MSNBC) on January 5:
Read more about the impact of health reform:
- News of the Day: If health care bill passes, some changes would start fast
- News of the Day: Sick, without a safety net
A Top 10 List for Children, Students, Workers and Families
The 111th Congress inherited the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the legacy of eight years of failed Bush economic policies. Over the past year, House Democrats have led an unprecedented effort to prevent a devastating recession from turning into a depression and revive our economy.
The House Education and Labor Committee has been at the center of this effort by working to address the direct concerns of the working Americans feeling the deep pain of this crisis and help rebuild our nation’s middle class. While much more needs to be done, below is an overview of the top ten areas the Committee made progress on in 2009 to improve the lives of children, students, workers and families.
Learn more about the Jobs for Main Street Act and how it will create additional jobs for construction workers, teachers, police officers, firefighters and others, and extend critical assistance for the unemployed and people who have lost health insurance.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation today to create urgently needed new jobs for construction workers, teachers, police officers, firefighters and others, and to extend critical assistance for the unemployed and those who have lost health insurance. The Jobs for Main Street Act is the most recent step in Congress’ year-long effort to rescue the economy and stem the crippling impacts of the worst recession in generations.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement on yesterday’s introduction of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and other members of Congress.
“Yesterday’s introduction of comprehensive reform by Rep. Gutierrez represents a positive step forward in the debate to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. I am especially pleased that the bill includes the Indentured Servitude Abolition Act, legislation I introduced that would end widely documented abuses of foreign guest workers and hold unscrupulous labor recruiters responsible for the promises they make. I commend Rep. Gutierrez and other members for introducing this bill on a topic of great importance to our nation.”
For more information on the Indentured Servitude Abolition Act, click here.
In addition, the legislation also provides critical safety net funds to extend COBRA premium assistance for people who have lost their health insurance as a result of job loss, as well as unemployment benefits and provide other aid for Americans looking for work. It also gives assistance to states to pay for Medicaid and for extending the child tax credit.
Fact sheet on the Jobs for Main Street Act »
Bill text »
Chairman Miller: It yields to the concerns that we have echoed in our Caucus every week as Members come back from their local communities. Yes, we have a few positive indicators — hopefully they will continue — on unemployment, but we hear in the private analyst community and among many people concerned about unemployment in this country — economists and others — that that could be overwhelmed if we do not do something to support local government. That we could have a wave of unemployment created by the cuts that they may face because of the fact that they are close to $300 billion underwater in their budgets.
And this bill makes an effort — I think a good effort — in making sure that we can assure the health and safety of our communities and the education of our children. We’re watching as every year now as we get the reports from across the country — from thousands and thousands of schools districts and hundreds of thousands of schools — the gains that young people in America are making in terms of the proficiency in reading and mathematics and elsewhere. We cannot afford to lose that because of unemployment in the school districts. We cannot afford to lose that because of the downturn in the economy. Most business leaders will tell you that it’s in this kind of atmosphere where you want to make your investment for the future. We need to continue the investments that we have been making in the education of America’s young children by making sure that we do not lose hundreds of thousands of teachers across the American landscape and then children are put in an environment where they cannot continue to make those kinds of gains.
So this legislation on public service jobs addresses the need — as you heard from our leaders — of the health and safety of our community, the education of young people, and also to provide opportunities in this coming summer for young people who have graduated in many cases from school, are looking for jobs and haven’t been able to find them, but to give them that opportunity to receive training and job opportunities. I think the mix of this legislation, with the emphasis on infrastructure, jobs, and public service jobs is what we need in our states, in our localities, in our economy, at this time. And looking forward to a good vote in our Caucus on behalf of Jobs for Main Street bill.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the House passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes critical investments in education, worker training, job creation, and other priorities that will help the U.S. economy move toward recovery. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement:
Washington, DC—Today the House of Representatives passed legislation originally authored by Congressman Tim Bishop (NY-1) to ensure that flight crews are treated fairly and are able to qualify for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature.
Bloomberg reported on the findings:
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the $787 billion stimulus package approved in February lowered the nation’s unemployment rate by between 0.3 and 0.9 percentage points.Additionally, the report also reinforces that the estimates only capture jobs created by direct spending – they do not measure the “spillover effect” of jobs created or saved indirectly due to higher incomes or increased demand for goods and services.
That’s a boost for the administration, which faced renewed questions last month over how many jobs the stimulus has produced after the Government Accountability Office said it found “significant” problems with the White House’s tally. The administration has estimated the stimulus created or saved 640,329 jobs through October.
The report by the CBO, released yesterday, “leaves no doubt that the economy would be in much worse shape if the recovery act had not been implemented,” said House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, a California Democrat. “As the Obama administration and Congress continue to explore additional strategies to create jobs and build a foundation for long-term economic growth, it is critical to acknowledge the progress that has already been made.”
...
The CBO said the White House’s 640,329 jobs figure underestimated the number created or saved because it only includes reports from entities receiving federal grants, contracts or loans through the stimulus package. That doesn’t include jobs created indirectly through tax cuts or the effect of expanded unemployment benefits that were part of the legislation. Those benefits “probably had substantial effects on purchases of goods and services and thus on employment,” the CBO said.
This will not be the final report because "the recipients’ reports reflect only about one quarter of the total dollar amount of spending increases or tax reductions that resulted through September 2009 from ARRA’s policies.” [emphasis added]
Chairman George Miller, a key architect of the education investments in ARRA, said, “This report leaves no doubt that the economy would be in much worse shape if the Recovery Act had not been implemented: up to 1.6 million fewer Americans would have jobs, unemployment would be higher, and GDP would be lower. As the Obama administration and Congress continue to explore additional strategies to create jobs and build a foundation for long-term economic growth, it is critical to acknowledge the progress that has already been made as a result of these policies – and that our economy was rescued from the brink of what could have been an even more devastating catastrophe. This snapshot offers encouraging signs – but is also a reminder that we still have a long road ahead to continue growing jobs, reviving our economy, and helping every worker and family feeling the very deep pain of this crisis.”
WHAT:
Hearing on “Examining the Delphi Bankruptcy’s Impact on Workers and Retirees”
WHO:
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
U.S. Rep. Christopher Lee (R-NY)
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)
U.S. Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH)
Charles Cunningham, former Delphi worker
Bruce Gump, former Delphi worker
Norman Stein, professor, University of Alabama School of Law; and senior consultant, Pension Rights Center
WHEN:
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
10:30 a.m, EST
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Note: This hearing will be webcast live from the Education and Labor Committee website. Access the webcast when the hearing begins at 10:00 am EDT »
The National Journal said:
Visit the House Education and Labor Committee and you get a sleek Web site with a legislative calendar, embedded videos, a blog, recent markups and RSS feeds.The Education and Labor website scored 19 out of 20 and was accompanied with this: "Modern layout, colors and style; RSS feeds; social media engagement; multimedia/multiplatform info; social bookmarking; staff directory; and it goes on and on. Really nice site that sets a good standard."
...
The panelists graded committee Web sites for design and content on an ascending scale of 1-10. Sites were ranked based on the average combined scores, out of a possible 20 points.
House committee sites fared better in our review, scoring an average of 12.7 total points, compared to 11.8 total points for Senate sites. The top-rated sites featured legislative calendars, effective use of YouTube and social media, FAQ pages, up-to-date committee news and crisp, clean homepage designs.
See the entire story for the complete listing of all Congressional committees.
November 17: Hearing on how employer paid sick leave policies can help slow the spread of contagious diseases, like the H1N1 flu virus.
November 19: Hearing to review current federal literacy initiatives and explore ways to improve the reading comprehension skills of all children from birth through high school.
Note: The previously-scheduled Committee vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act has been postponed.
“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.
WASHINGTON, 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, today released a statement on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s announcement of a record $87 million proposed fine against BP Products North America for its failure to correct serious health and safety standards at the company’s Texas City, Texas refinery – the location of a 2005 explosion that killed 15 and injured 180 and has killed four more since.
“Today’s report answers every critic out there asking ‘where are the jobs?’ While this data only gives a partial picture of the hundreds of thousands of jobs that have been directly created or saved, it does show Recovery dollars are getting workers back on the job and our economy growing again. Although we still have a long way to go, which includes additional measures to spur job growth and provide displaced workers with benefits, education and job training, today’s report and yesterday’s GDP numbers are proof that we are moving in the right direction.”
The data released today accounts for only 18 percent of Recovery Act funds, and only reflects direct jobs created by those investments. It does not account for indirect jobs created by these funds, or jobs that could be created in the near future by these investments.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, today applauded the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s issuance of an advance notice of rulemaking to prevent combustible dust explosions like the one that occurred at the Imperial Sugar refinery in February 2008 that killed 14 workers and injured dozens.
“While this was just the first step in our greater efforts to spur job growth and get our economy on the road to recovery, this early data shows exciting signs that our education investments are working to save and create jobs and ensure that the quality of education our students receive isn’t compromised in this economy. Whether it’s 30 teaching jobs saved in Macon, Georgia, 60 layoffs prevented in Akron, Ohio, or 1,100 jobs saved in Las Vegas, it is clear President Obama’s recovery plan is helping our economy avert disaster and keeping educators in our schools when our children need them the most.”
To view the preliminary estimates released yesterday, click here.
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The unemployment rate for 16 to 19-year-olds hit 25.9% in September, the highest rate recorded since at least 1948 (the earliest data the Labor Department supplies).
Lately, their plight hasn’t been falling on deaf ears. The House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing earlier this week to address low unemployment among young people.
“Indeed, because of the horrible economy, younger workers are now competing with more experienced workers for positions traditionally [in] the domain of the young and less experienced,” Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat and the committee chairman, said according to prepared remarks. “Until the economy as a whole turns around, younger workers will continue to be hit the hardest.”
While there are big concerns about unemployment and underemployment for young Americans, there is a silver lining.
At least things don’t appear to be getting worse for the 20-somethings lately. The unemployment rate for 20 to 24-year-olds dropped to a still-high 14.9% in September. It’s the second month the group’s unemployment rate decreased.We encourage you to read the entire blog post, as well as view the testimony from the hearing, visit the hearing page and view the pictures.
“The recession has only made a bad situation worse for younger workers. Even in periods of economic stability, fewer young people do not make the transition to the workforce. They face challenges completing high school and obtaining the skills they need to succeed,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the committee. “For these young people, alternative education and job training models provide a critical link to the workplace.”
While the recession has disproportionately impacted young adults, the employment rate among 16 to 24 year-olds has steadily declined by nearly 20 percent over the past decade to its lowest level since World War II. The consequences of reduced work opportunities among young Americans results in fewer long-term employment prospects, less earnings and a decrease in productivity.
The hearing page has a complete list of all witnesses, testimony, statements, videos, photos and an archived webcast.
“I congratulate Senator Harkin for becoming the next chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Tom is a longtime friend and I can attest to his strong commitment to improve our nation’s schools, workplaces, and the quality of life for all working families. Although Senator Harkin has some very large shoes to fill, I believe that he is the right person to help continue Senator Kennedy’s agenda. I look forward to working with Chairman Harkin to grow a vibrant economy by rebuilding and strengthening our nation’s middle class.”
My Labor Hero is recently departed Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
Throughout his career, he fought for the most basic of American values – the protection the most vulnerable in our society and a fair deal for all our working men and women. With Senator Kennedy’s death, we have a moment to reflect on these values and why he felt strongly about ensuring that every American worker is treated with dignity and respect.
Over the past 35 years, I have had the opportunity to work with him; to have him as a mentor and count him as friend. Our work together has been immensely valuable to me. I cannot express how important Senator Kennedy’s commitment, his courage, and leadership was in fighting for the most important causes of our time.
In the Senate, he led the fight to raise the minimum wage, extend unemployment insurance, protect workers’ pensions, pass the Family Medical Leave Act, improve workers safety, ensure equal pay for equal work, and making access to affordable health care a basic right for all Americans.
The fight is not yet complete on some of these priorities. But, Senator Kennedy will continue to be an inspiration for all of us who must now pick up his cause and continue to endeavor to improve the lives of all working Americans.
On Labor Day, we pay tribute to the men and women who have formed the backbone of our nation’s economy. We honor those who have fought to strengthen and expand the rights of all employees to ensure they receive fair compensation and are assured of strong workplace safety laws. They are as recognizable as Samuel Gompers, the first and longest-serving president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), and as anonymous as the millions who every day go to work to provide for their families and contribute to our nation’s prosperity.
On this Labor Day, my Labor Hero is Mary Norton, who represented Central New Jersey in Congress from 1925 to 1950 and served as Chair of the House Committee on Labor from 1937 to 1946. As the first woman to represent an eastern state in the House of Representatives, Ms. Norton helped enact the groundbreaking Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 – which established the 40-hour work week, outlawed child labor, and established the first federal minimum wage – and fought for equal pay for women. Last year I had the honor of joining Chairman Miller and others in unveiling the portrait of Ms. Norton in Committee. Her tireless advocacy serves as inspiration for me as we continue the struggle for fair wages and equal pay for equal work.
When I think of my heroes who have fought for labor rights, there is no question: Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez are a source of personal inspiration for me and organizing power for the movement to this very day.
Dolores and Cesar inspired me to get involved in organizing at the community level. They showed that with solidarity, organization, and vision, even the most oppressed and marginalized sectors of society can change their circumstances for the better. They did this with a philosophy of non-violence, of commitment to struggle, of truly Christian concern for others.
Dolores, in particular, stayed engaged, and is engaged to this day, while having raised twelve children, and pursues a schedule that even they would find exhausting. And yet she only seems to get stronger as the years go by.
“Labor Day is a time to reflect on the achievements of the American worker and our nation’s commitment to helping all families pursue the American Dream. However, Labor Day 2009 comes at a difficult time for most Americans. Since the recession began nearly two years ago, seven million people have lost their jobs and millions more are working fewer hours, at lower wages with disappearing benefits. Even those with a good job are worried that they may be next on the chopping block.
Patsy Takemoto Mink is not just my Labor Hero; she is a personal hero of mine. Patsy was an inspiration to me as she was to many working people throughout the country. She came by her commitment to labor honestly. Patsy’s four grandparents emigrated from Japan in the late 1800’s to work as contract laborers in Maui’s sugar plantations. Patsy saw firsthand why workers need protection, and why they need to band together to get it.
It was that firsthand knowledge that made Patsy work so hard—tirelessly and from the heart—to make sure that those who work hard for a day’s pay are treated fairly. She wouldn’t sit still and watch people be mistreated. Congressman George Miller, the Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, put it best when he said of Patsy, “whether on the environment, or education or labor issues, Patsy was a moral filter for the Congress.”
Another reason Patsy inspires me so greatly is because she wasn’t just passionate (although she certainly was), but she was really smart. She put all of the pieces together to make sure that workers were protected. She fought against hiring and pay discrimination, and she also worked to make sure that when people were out of work they were still protected. She fought for a welfare system that truly helped people receive the training and child care services they need to move back into the workplace.
Patsy was the whole package, and it is my honor to represent the district she used to serve in Congress.
In his 1977 farewell speech to the Minnesota AFL-CIO, just months before his passing, Hubert Humphrey reflected on the optimism and determination required to achieve social change: “Too many people in politics today are afraid…Well, I knew they wouldn’t go for civil rights in 1948, I knew they wouldn’t go for Medicare in 1949, I knew they wouldn’t go for the Peace Corps in 1958…but ultimately, they did. If you are going to be in politics, you have to be a soldier in the battlefield.”
Humphrey’s commitment to public service, civil rights, and the American labor movement inspired Congressman Phil Hare to join the fight for better pay, benefits, and conditions for America’s workers.
Congressman Hare’s appreciation and admiration of Hubert Humphrey stem from his lifetime of achievements that have benefited ordinary Americans. From his early days as mayor of Minneapolis to his service as U.S. Senator and Vice President, Humphrey fought to end racism, which became the cornerstone of his legacy. His impassioned speech at the 1948 Democratic Convention made his convictions about racial equality in America known, and brought the issue to the forefront of the Presidential election despite criticism from Southern Democrats who were displeased with his Civil Rights platform.
Humphrey’s instrumental work on the Humphrey-Hawkins Act helped to better define America’s economic goals and stressed the importance of full employment, citing the value of a hard day’s work to society and the economy. Included in the Humphrey-Hawkins Act was a provision prohibiting discrimination against workers based on gender, race, religion, age, or national origin. Hare is now fighting to extend the same protections to those discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation
Congressman Hare’s own roots as a factory worker for 13 years in Illinois give him a special appreciation for the efforts Humphrey made on behalf of the American worker. Humphrey’s integrity, passion and conviction to protect the rights of all Americans have made a lasting impression on Congressman Phil Hare who wishes to recognize Hubert Humphrey as his Labor Hero on this Labor Day.
We encourage you to share your Labor Hero in the comments here or on Twitter with the hashtag #LaborHero.
Who is your Labor Hero and why?
Employers throttled back on layoffs in July, cutting just 247,000 jobs, the fewest in a year, and the unemployment rate dipped to 9.4 percent, its first decline in 15 months.Although the unemployment number is still too high, it is headed in the right direction. This improvement is validation that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is working.
Specifically, the Committee is pleased to see the efforts in key areas are working.
- Modernizing our schools and universities – creating green jobs
- Investing in early education
- Helping states prevent teacher layoffs and other critical public sector jobs
- Training workers for 21st century jobs
- Creating service and volunteer opportunities to rebuild America
“With this bill, this Congress has taken another step to help our economy down the road to recovery and lay the foundation for a competitive future. It makes good on many of the promises President Obama has put forth to provide our students with a good education, to restore protections for workers, to get more jobless Americans back to work in industries that are growing, and to give every American who wants to serve in their communities the opportunity to do so.
Almost four and a half million workers in 31 states will see a bigger paycheck when the federal minimum wage increases from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour. This is the final of three increases to be implemented under a law enacted by the Democratic Congress in 2007.
This law provided the first minimum wage increase in a decade for our lowest-paid workers and their families. The buying power of the minimum wage had fallen to a 51-year low, and families were struggling with rising housing costs, unpredictable energy bills, and skyrocketing health care premiums.
We have seen where the low road of low wages and rising inequality leads – to an unbalanced, unhealthy, and unsustainable economy.
Today’s pay raise comes as even more Americans are struggling to make ends meet and provide for their families.
- Three-quarters of those who will benefit from this wage increase are 20 years old or older.
- More than half are families with yearly incomes of less than $35,000.
- Over sixty percent of them are women, and over 400,000 of them are single parents with kids under 18. And over two million children will benefit from this boost in their parents’ wages.
Unlike tax cuts for the wealthy, a higher minimum wage increases consumer spending on local businesses, which is good for everyone. In fact, a recent study by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago found that every dollar increase in the minimum wage leads to an $800 increase in spending per quarter by families with minimum wage workers.
The Economic Policy Institute estimated that this increased purchasing power will boost consumer spending by more than $5.5 billion over the next 12 months. This increase will provide millions of families with about $120 in extra monthly income to help pay their grocery bills or fill up their cars.
Especially in this economy, Congress will continue to look at solutions that will help all Americans build a better life for themselves and their families.
- AARP
- AFL-CIO
- American Academy of Nursing
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Physicians
- American College of Surgeons
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
- American Medical Association
- American Nurses Association
- American Osteopathic Association
- American Psychiatric Association
- American Public Health Association
- Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
- Communications Workers of America
- Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
- Consumers Union
- Doctors for America
- Families USA
- Healthcare for America Now
- International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
- International Association of Fire Fighters
- Main Street Alliance
- National Association of Community Health Centers
- National Breast Cancer Coalition
- National Coalition on Health Care
- National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
- National Medical Association
- National Women’s Law Center
- SEIU
- United American Nurses
- United Auto Workers
- United Steelworkers
- YMCA
The Chairmen of the three Committees with jurisdiction over health policy in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced comprehensive health care reform legislation on July 14 that will reduce out-of-control costs, encourage competition among insurance plans to improve choices for patients, and expand access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. (CBO confirms the bill is deficit-neutral over the 10-year budget window, and even produces a $6 billion surplus.)
The America’s Affordable Health Choices Act is consistent with President Obama’s overall goals of building on what works within the current health care system by strengthening employer-provided care, while fixing what is broken. The bill will ensure that 97 percent of Americans will be covered by a health care plan that is both affordable and offers quality, standard benefits by 2019.
The House Committees on Education and Labor, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce have been working together in an unprecedented way as one committee to develop the proposal for health care reform. (The Education and Labor Committee passed H.R. 3200 on July 17, 2009; the Ways and Means Committee passed H.R. 3200 on July 17, 2009; the Energy and Commerce Committee pass H.R. 3200 on July 31, 2009.)
The key principles of legislation include, among other things:
- Increasing choice and competition.
- Giving Americans peace of mind.
- Improving quality of care for every American.
- Ensuring shared responsibility.
- Protecting consumers and reducing waste, fraud and abuse.
America's Affordable Health Choices Act: Summary »
America's Affordable Health Choices Act: Section by Section »
America's Affordable Health Choices Act: As Reported »
What's In the Health Care Reform Bill for You? »
Myth vs. Facts »
The Health Insurance Exchange »
Public Health Insurance Option »
Shared Responsibility »
Guaranteed Benefits »
Making Coverage Affordable »
Consumer Protections and Insurance Market Reforms »
Employers and Health Reform »
Provisions that Benefit Small Businesses »Strengthening the Nation's Health Workforce »
Delivery System Reform »
Protecting Program Integrity by Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse »
Strengthening Medicare »
Improving the Medicare Part D Drug Program »
Maintaining and Improving Medicaid »
Preventing Disease and Improving the Public's Health »
Controlling Health Care Costs »
Paying for Health Care Reform »
Health Care by the Numbers »
Education and Labor Chairman George Miller's Statement »
White House Statement on the House Discussion Draft for Health Care Reform »
‘Play or pay’ policy as a part of health care reform would require that employers either provide health insurance to their workers or pay a penalty as a percentage of their payroll in order to assist low- or moderate-income families to obtain quality and affordable health care.
Under the House Tri-Committee discussion draft proposal, employers who choose not to provide basic health insurance to workers would have to pay an 8 percent penalty based on their overall payroll. Those workers would then be able to choose a plan that best meets their needs from a menu of insurance options in the national health care exchange, which would include both private plans and a public health insurance option.
The EPI also found that past studies that claim significant job losses as a result of ‘play-or-pay’ were based on proposals not on the table today in either the House or the Senate.
View the EPI analysis of ‘play-or-pay’.
“Passage will represent a monumental step forward in our effort to build a vibrant and green economy based on clean energy, less foreign oil, and a reduction in greenhouse gases,” said Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the Education and Labor Committee and one of the co-authors of the energy bill. “Californians have led the nation in breaking our dependence on fossil fuels and have always known that the future belongs to clean energy technology jobs. It is long past time for us to stop sending our national treasure to pay for foreign oil. This bill gives us the opportunity to follow California’s lead and move America in a new energy direction.
These hidden fees can greatly reduce workers’ retirement account balances. In fact, just a 1-percentage-point in excessive fees can reduce a worker’s 401(k) account balance by as much as 20 percent or more over a career. Especially during these difficult economic times, workers need simple and complete information in order to make better educated decisions about their retirement plans.
Workers also deserve investment advice regarding their employer-sponsored retirement plan that is independent and free from any conflicts of interest. Protections against providing conflicted investment advice were watered down by the Pension Protection Act and a midnight proposal rushed through by the Bush administration’s Department of Labor. These actions opened the door for financial services companies to provide advice to employees where they had a direct or indirect financial interest.
The 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act (H.R. 2989), passed by the Committee on June 24, 2009, would, among other things, address hidden fees and restore workers' protections against conflicted investment advice. H.R. 2989 would:
The 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2989) is new legislation that combines provisions from the recently approved fee disclosure and investment advice bills (H.R. 1984 and H.R. 1988). The bill also includes modest adjustments to pension funding rules in order to ensure plans can weather the economic crisis without being forced to choose between cutting jobs or freezing plans.
WHAT:
Mark-up of H.R. 2989 “The 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act of 2009”
WHO:
The House Education and Labor Committee
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
10:30 a.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Today marks a historic moment in America’s urgent quest to fix our broken health insurance system.
For the past six months, our three committees -- the committees that have jurisdiction over health care in the House -- have worked together in an unprecedented manner to develop and present a health care reform discussion draft to Congress and the American people that embodies President Obama’s call for fundamental change in our health care system.
President Obama asked us to draft a reform bill that will control costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality and affordable health coverage for all Americans.
I believe that our draft lives up to those essential principles. Our discussion draft reflects months of hard work and the views of many of our colleagues.
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On June 19, the chairmen of the three committees with jurisdiction over health policy in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled their discussion draft for health care reform. The draft would reduce out-of-control costs, improve choices and competition for consumers and expand access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. It would also guarantee that almost every American is covered by a health care plan that is both affordable and offers quality, standard benefits by 2019. More from the press conference »
Consistent with President Obama’s goals, the draft builds on what works in the current health care system by strengthening employer-provided care, while fixing what is broken with it. The draft would cover more Americans than any other proposal released to date.
WHAT:
Hearing on “The House Tri-Committee Draft Proposal for Health Care Reform”
WHO:
Panel I:
Dr. Christina Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisers, Washington, DC
Panel II:
John Arensmeyer, Chief Executive Officer, Small Business Majority, Sausalito, CA
Dr. Jacob Hacker, Professor and Co-Director of the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic, and Family Security, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Ron Pollack, Founding Executive Director, FamiliesUSA, Washington, DC
Gerald Shea, Assistant to the President, AFL-CIO, Washington, DC
Fran Visco, President, National Breast Cancer Coalition, Washington, DC
Additional Witnesses TBA
Panel III:
Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, Murdock Head Professor of Medicine and Health Policy, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Karen Pollitz, Research Professor and Project Director of the Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
William Vaughn, Senior Health Policy Analyst, Consumers Union, Washington, DC
Celia Wcislo, Assistant Division Director, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Boston, MA
ReShonda Young, Small Business Owner, Alpha Express, Inc. on behalf of the Main Street Alliance, Waterloo, IA
Additional Witnesses TBA
WHEN:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
12:00 p.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
The Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee will be voting on H.R. 1988 tomorrow.
WHAT:
Mark-up of H.R. 1984, “The 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act” and H.R. 1988, “The Conflicted Investment Advice Prohibition Act of 2009”
WHO:
The House Education and Labor Committee
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
10:30 a.m. EDT
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
The FIRST Act, H.R. 2339, provides grants to the states to implement and improve their paid family leave programs. Healthy Families Act, H.R. 2460, mandates that businesses with 15 or more employees provide up to 7 days of paid sick days to their employees.
The witnesses were testifying before the committee at a hearing examining how the current H1N1 flu outbreak has challenged schools, childcare centers, colleges, and workplaces.
WHAT:
Hearing on “Ensuring Preparedness Against the Flu Virus at School and Work"
WHO:
Jordan Barab, Acting Assistant Secretary, Occupational Safety and
Health Administration, Washington, DC
Ann Brockhaus, Occupational Safety and Health Consultant, ORC Worldwide, Washington, DC
Jack O'Connell, Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department of Education, Sacramento, CA
Miguel Garcia, Registered Nurse and member, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Los Angeles, CA
Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Department of Education, Washington, DC
Dr. Anne Schuchat, Deputy Director for Science and Program (Interim), Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA
WHEN:
Thursday, May 7, 2009
10:00 a.m. ET
Please check the Committee schedule for potential updates »
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
What is the H1N1 Flu?
General information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the H1N1 flu (commonly mis-referred to as "swine flu"), including what the H1N1 flu is, how it spreads and how to take care of people sick with it »
School Preparedness
Checklists and other tools to help schools, child care providers, colleges and universities to delay or reduce the spread of the flu virus »
Workplace Preparedness
Checklists and other guidance for businesses and employers to protect employees' health and safety while limiting negative impacts to the economy and society »
More information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration »
Family Preparedness
Advice and strategies to delay or reduce the spread of the flu virus »
Your Rights in the Workplace
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires public agencies, all public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees to provide an eligible employee with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year for reasons, including caring for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition, and taking medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition.
More about FMLA »
“I know many of us are worried about the impact of the H1N1 flu on our families and our community, especially our school community. Obviously, our first concern is that we keep our children and our families as safe as possible. But we also need to deal with this in a timely manner so we can get kids back into the classroom.
U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, hailed the budget as a roadmap for rebuilding the nation’s middle class and paving the way for long-term economic growth.
Key measures, many of which the Education and Labor Committee helped enact, have already started improving the quality of life for working families, including:
Today we celebrate Workers Memorial Day, a day to remember those who have been killed or injured on the job. It is also the 39th anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, legislation that has improved the safety of workers on the job. It is with that in mind that the Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to bring to light the dangers that Americans still face every day that they go to work and to reevaluate the effectiveness of the OSH Act in ensuring worker safety and employer compliance.
The Committee heard some truly staggering statistics about both the number of fatalities and injuries that occur in the workplace and about the weak penalties that employers receive.
On this Equal Pay Day 2009, we must commit to achieving equal pay for all Americans. Today, April 28, marks the point in 2009 when the average woman's wages will finally catch up with the wages paid to the average man in 2008.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law. Progress has been slow during the forty-six years since passage of the Act. After four decades, Americans continue to be unfairly compensated for the work they perform every day of their lives.
The Enhanced Enforcement Program identifies high risk employers by their past behavior and targets them for additional scrutiny. However, the U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General’s Office issued a report on April 1 that found the Bush administration did not properly enforce worker health and safety laws used to oversee employers with history of safety violations. It shows that over the last five years, since the program was established, the EEP has failed to effectively deter employers from putting workers’ lives at risk.
To read the Inspector General’s report, click here.
Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 with the goal of assuring safe and healthful working conditions to all American workers. Nearly 40 years later, while workplace health and safety has improved, many workers remain at risk of death, injury or illness while on the job.
Proposed Changes to the Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067) »
As we celebrate Earth Day for the 39th year – by volunteering in our local areas through our own individual efforts and raising awareness globally – we must all do our part. This year represents a great opportunity for all of us to ensure a cleaner, safer and greener environment. We can and we must achieve these ends. A major component of shifting our economy from one that pollutes, relies on carbon based fuels and approaches problem solving from an antiquated angle is no longer acceptable. We must all go beyond the traditional “Think Globally, Act Locally” mantra to curb our environmental impacts. We can act personally by lowering our thermostats, using compact fluorescent bulbs and weatherizing our homes. We can act locally by creating no idle zones, making our cities and towns more pedestrian friendly and driving energy efficient vehicles. We can act regionally by building on mass transit, supporting high speed rail initiatives and thinking more strategically. We can act nationally by passing a cap and trade bill, supporting improved efficiency measures and catalyzing a green energy work force.
Here in Congress we have taken the first steps towards greening our workforce through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Fact: H.R. 1984 would require clear and simple fee disclosure so that workers can make sound investment decisions for themselves. The biggest problem currently facing workers with 401(k) plans is that there is too little disclosure of fees, not too much. Plan participants should be presented with the facts and then be allowed to make their own decisions.
Myth: Fees on 401(k)s are already adequately disclosed.
Fact: There is no one place that 401(k) plan participants can go to find out about the fees they are paying. Information that is available is difficult to find and difficult to read. As a result, a 2007 survey by the AARP found that roughly 80 percent of plan participants were not aware how much in fees were taken out of their 401(k)s.
These hidden fees can greatly reduce workers’ retirement account balances. In fact, just a 1-percentage-point in excessive fees can reduce a worker’s 401(k) account balance by as much as 20 percent or more over a career. Especially during these difficult economic times, workers need simple and complete information in order to make better educated decisions about their retirement plans.
Workers should have the right to know how much Wall Street middle men siphon off from their savings. The 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act (H.R. 1984) will provide workers with clear and complete information about the fees they are paying to help them make the best investment decisions for their future retirement security. (Click here to view the bill text) Specifically, H.R. 1984:
WHAT:
Hearing on, “Ways to Reduce the Cost of Health Insurance for Employers, Employees and their Families”
WHO:
Karen Davenport, director of health policy, Center for American Progress
David Himmelstein, associate professor of medicine, Harvard University
Michael Langan, principal, Towers Perrin
William Oemichen, president and CEO, Cooperative Network, Madison, Wisc.
Ron Pollack, executive director, FamiliesUSA
Janet Trautwein, executive vice president and CEO, National Association of Health Underwriters
William Vaughan, senior health policy analyst, Consumers Union
WHEN:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
10:30 a.m., EDT
WHERE:
House Education and Labor Committee Hearing Room
2175 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
The 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act of 2009 will help workers shop around for the best retirement options by requiring simple fee disclosure on the investment options contained in their employer’s 401(k) plan. Current law does not require all fees workers pay to be disclosed; and even for information that is available, it can be difficult for workers to find and evaluate.
The bill is expected to be introduced today by Rep. George Miller, chairman of the full committee, and Rep. Rob Andrews, chairman of the subcommittee.
Hidden 401(k) fees were the subject of Sunday’s 60 Minutes and featured an interview with Rep. Miller. To watch the segment, click here.
Watch the video and read the transcript.
Matt Lauer: With 1.4 million associate employees that earn an average wage of $10.83 an hour, Wal-Mart now faces a threat to its corporate model. There's proposed legislation on Capitol Hill that would make it easier for unions to organize employees, the Employee Free Choice Act, doing away with secret ballots. Unions say it will make it easier for American workers to earn a fair salary. Others, like the guy who runs Home Depot, the co-founder, says it's going to cripple American business. What's the truth?Mr. Lauer is incorrect to say that the Employee Free Choice Act would get get rid of the secret ballot for workers. Contrary to misleading statements being pushed by opponents of the bill, the Employee Free Choice Act does not eliminate the secret ballot election process. That process, also known as a National Labor Relations Board election would still be available under the Employee Free Choice Act. The bill simply enables workers to also form a union through majority sign-up if a majority prefers that method to the NLRB election process. Under current law, workers may only use the majority sign-up process if their employer agrees. The Employee Free Choice Act allows workers, not corporate executives, to make that decision.
Mike Duke: Well, of course, we are opposed to that. We have a unique relationship with our associates. Of all of our managers across America, 3 out of 4 started with the company as an hourly associate. 95% of our associates across America have health care insurance in some fashion. It's really one of those bills that would be damaging to the American economy long-term.
Asking the CEO of Wal-Mart about the Employee Free Choice Act is like asking the fox about the hen house. To read Human Rights Watch's 2007 report on "Wal-Mart's Violation of US Workers’ Right to Freedom of Association" please click here. (pdf)
“Those most vulnerable to wage theft are likely bearing the brunt of our nation’s economic crisis,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, who requested the investigation. “We owe it to all hard working Americans to ensure that we correct the incompetence of the Bush administration and ensure families are not being cheated out of their wages by unscrupulous employers. This was a massive failure. Former Secretary Chao was absent without leave.”
The Committee held a hearing last July that identified failures by the Bush administration to properly protect workers from the problem of “wage theft” by adopting weak enforcement strategies and reducing funding and staffing levels of the Wage and Hour Division. This agency is responsible for investigating complaints of wage, hour, and child labor violations. For more information on July’s hearing, click here.
In the last days of the Bush administration, the Department of Labor proposed to allow financial services firms to offer potentially conflicted investment advice on workers’ retirement accounts. For more information on this proposal, click here.
The Obama administration has slowed the consideration of this midnight rule.
Thompson Electric is proof that unions are good for workers and good for business. Our positive, long-term partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is one of the main reasons that I, as an entrepreneur and business owner, support passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. More workers across the United States should be given a free and fair chance to form a union, just like our employees.Mr. Thompson makes a fine argument that businesses and communities benefit with higher paid and higher skilled workers and, thus, the Employee Free Choice Act is needed to reform current law. We encourage you to read the entire op-ed.
Our union workers receive the most cutting-edge job training available, and it pays off through lower injury rates, increased productivity and a strengthened ability to serve the people of Ohio. The union difference is not only impressive, but a valuable commodity in our line of work.
“The current crisis has shown us the dangers of an economy that leaves working families behind. The people who work in our factories, build our roads, and care for our children are the backbone of this great nation. The Employee Free Choice Act will give these hardworking men and women a greater voice in the decisions that affect their families and their futures. It’s a critical step toward putting our economy back on track, and I hope that we can act quickly to send it to the President’s desk," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.About the Employee Free Choice Act »
“Just as the National Labor Relations Act, the 40 hour week and the minimum wage helped to pull us out of the Great Depression and into a period of unprecedented prosperity, so too will the Employee Free Choice Act help reinvigorate our economy,” said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “Today is one of those defining moments in history as we introduce legislation that puts power back into the hands of the people who are truly the backbone of this economy.”
“Americans’ wages have been stagnating or falling for the past decade. For far too long, we have seen corporate CEOs take care of themselves and shareholders at the expense of workers,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “If we want a fair and sustainable recovery from this economic crisis, we must give workers the ability to stand up for themselves and once again share in the prosperity they help to create.”
Strengthening America's Middle Class by Helping Workers Bargain for a Better Life »
Myth vs. Fact »
Worker After Worker Explains Why EFCA Is So Important »
Worker Rights Under Attack »
About the Employee Free Choice Act »
Strengthening America's Middle Class by Helping Workers Bargain for a Better Life »
Myth vs. Fact »
Worker After Worker Explains Why EFCA Is So Important »
Worker Rights Under Attack »
Michelle Andrews wrote:
Anxious readers who had lost their jobs wanted to know how they could apply for the subsidy, which will cover 65 percent of laid-off workers' COBRA health insurance premiums if they choose to continue their health insurance under their former employer's plan. The reason for their concern is no mystery: The federal law known as COBRA that permits them to extend their health insurance also requires them to pay 100 percent of the premium, plus an administrative fee of 2 percent. For people trying to get by on an unemployment insurance check of around $325 a week, shelling out $1,000 or more a month for health insurance is often not feasible. Even a helping hand of 65 percent doesn't make COBRA cheap, but for some the subsidy will at least make coverage affordable.If you have questions about the COBRA subsidy make sure to visit our FAQ, the article and the Department of Labor's COBRA website.
The economic stimulus package signed into law last month seeks to address the high costs by subsidizing COBRA premiums for unemployed workers. Under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, laid-off workers can continue their former employer's health coverage for up to 18 months, but only if they pay the entire premium, plus a 2% administrative fee. Average COBRA premiums exceed $400 a month for individuals, and more than $1,000 a month for families.Read the rest of the article for additional important information about eligibility and COBRA expiry.
The stimulus package will subsidize 65% of COBRA premiums for employees who were laid off between Sept. 1 and the end of this year. If you delayed signing up for COBRA coverage when you lost your job, you have 60 days to re-enroll after you receive a notice from your employer.
“I congratulate Hilda Solis for her Senate confirmation as our nation’s next Secretary of Labor. With this confirmation, the Department of Labor will finally have a leader who is an advocate for all hard working Americans and someone who understands their everyday struggles. I look forward to working with Secretary Solis in order to move the country forward on our nation’s top priorities: expanding health care, ensuring fair and equal pay, improving worker safety, strengthening retirement security and rebuilding our middle class.
“The current economic crisis has exposed deep flaws in our nation’s retirement system,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the committee. “For too many Americans, 401(k) plans have become little more than a high stakes crap shoot. If you didn’t take your retirement savings out of the market before the crash, you are likely to take years to recoup your losses, if at all.”
The first hearing will examine how the current economic crisis has highlighted existing weaknesses in the 401(k) retirement savings system. As a result of economic conditions, older workers are putting off retirement plans, retirees are thinking about going back to work, current workers are reducing 401(k) contributions, and more are borrowing from their retirement savings to pay for basic necessities.
More about the impact of the new law can be found in these White House fact sheets:
Overview on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act »
Impact of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Working Families »
Employment Numbers by State »
Education Fact Sheet »
Health Care Fact Sheet »
Also, visit Recovery.gov to see how money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be spent.
America’s workers are in dire straits -- 3.6 million jobs have been lost since December 2007, with 598,000 jobs shed last month alone and unemployment surging to 7.6 percent.
Worse, we have failed to provide our workers with the education and skills that would help them weather the storm. According to the National Commission on Adult Literacy, 80 to 90 million U.S. adults, roughly half of the nation’s workforce, currently lack the basic education and communication skills required for jobs that pay family sustaining wages.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes $4 billion for job training to help prepare laid-off, adult, and younger workers for work in emerging industries, is a critical first step toward getting America back to work.
However, our Workforce Investment Act (WIA), which authorizes our job training, adult education, and vocational rehabilitative services programs, is also long overdue for an upgrade. The current authorization expired in 2003, and the law has not been reauthorized since 1998 – when the economy was stronger and we were adding jobs rather than shedding them.
On Wednesday, January 7 at 10:00 am, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held a forum on the economic outlook and the components of an economic recovery plan to spur job creation and create long-term growth. Steering and Policy Committee co-chairs Congressman George Miller (CA-7) and Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) chaired the forum, which featured a panel of economists and experts in infrastructure investments. The chairs of the House Science and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Budget, Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees also participated.
The forum on the state of the economy and the need for a comprehensive jobs and economic recovery package took place on Wednesday 7 January 2009 at 10:00 AM in Washington, DC in the Ways and Means Committee Hearing Room (1100 Longworth House Office Building).
During his campaign, President-Elect Obama promised to fix our broken global trading system by insisting on strong, enforceable labor and environmental standards in future trade agreements. He pledged to re-negotiate the deeply flawed North American Free Trade Agreement, hold off consideration of the proposed trade agreement with Colombia until its government shows real progress in addressing and prosecuting the horrific assassinations of labor leaders and union members in its country, and strengthen assistance for U.S. workers who lose their jobs due to trade. These promises are an enormous step in the right direction, and I hope that the President-Elect and Mr. Kirk will deliver on them.
Our committee looks forward to working with Mr. Kirk and the Obama administration to modernize NAFTA and CAFTA, and to negotiate future trade agreements that will help rebuild and strengthen our economy, restore our competitive edge, and uphold our belief that all workers on this planet deserve basic human rights and labor protections.
Miller has been a leading voice in calling for the Colombian government to do more to effectively address the horrific assassinations of its country’s labor leaders and union members before the U.S. moves forward with its proposed trade agreement with Colombia. Currently, the country’s impunity rate for such murders remains well above 90 percent, and even many convicted killers remain at large. For more information on his efforts, click here.
Congresswoman Solis will take the helm of the Department of Labor during a very trying time for our nation and our workers. Our nation’s growing economic uncertainty demands a Labor Secretary who understands the everyday struggles Americans are facing.
The task of rebuilding the Department of Labor after years of neglect will be particularly daunting. As a colleague and former member of the Education and Labor Committee, I am confident that Hilda Solis is the right person to lead this effort to ensure that the Labor Department fights for working people.
I look forward to working with her and the Obama administration to move the country forward on expanding health care, ensuring fair and equal pay, improving worker safety, strengthening retirement security and rebuilding our middle class.
“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."
“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."
In light of today’s devastating economic news that new jobless claims rose to their highest level in more than 16 years, the Senate did the right thing for millions of out-of-work Americans. Unemployment benefits for more than a million Americans are set to expire by the end of the year. This extension will provide much-needed help for these families who still have to put food on the table, pay their home and heating bills, and look for a job.
With our nation’s financial wounds deepening by the day, we can’t allow the rug to get pulled out from under workers looking for a new job. Extending unemployment benefits is a no-brainer – it’s one of the most effective things we can do to help workers and stimulate our economy. With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time for the President to give workers and families a helping hand by immediately signing this bill.
It is an honor and a privilege to continue to chair the Education and Labor Committee in the next Congress, and I thank my colleagues for their support.
If anything, this historic election reminded us that Americans from all regions, backgrounds and political stripes are united in our shared hopes and aspirations: A quality, affordable education for our children; a good-paying job with decent benefits; and a secure retirement after a lifetime of hard work. In a nation as great as ours, these dreams can – and must – be achieved.
I look forward to working with all members of this committee, the next Congress, and the new administration on a Main Street recovery plan that will revitalize our economy, and toward our larger goal of rebuilding and strengthening America’s middle class. Like President-Elect Obama, I’m confident we can reach this goal by working in a bipartisan way that transcends the politics of the past, and by making sure that our government is open, accountable and engages the public. Moving forward, our committee will also build on our efforts to use innovative strategies to make sure that the voices of Americans around the country are heard here in Washington.
I also know that no one is more excited about the opportunities before us than Senator Ted Kennedy. No one has fought harder for our children, workers and families than Ted, and no one could ask for a better partner in these challenging times. I am thrilled that he has returned to the Senate, and look forward to continuing to work closely with him on the important tasks that lie ahead.
More information on Chairman Miller's priorities for the committee in the 111th Congress »
Several labor measures have been signed into law or passed through the House recently, thanks to the Committee's hard work.