Deepest Condolences to Families of West Virginia Mine Victims

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Wednesday April 14, 2010 · 12:21 PM PDT

2010/04/14 · 12:21

(Below is Chairman Miller's prepared floor statement on the House resolution on the Upper Big Branch Mine Explosion (H.Res. 1236).)

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.

Chairman George Miller

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Friday March 26, 2010 · 9:25 AM PDT

2010/03/26 · 09:25

Last night was a very historic moment. It brought to completion 15 months of work this Congress and years of work before that to ensure quality, affordable health care and to make college more affordable for all Americans.

Below are are my prepared remarks, but as you can see in the video, I got a little passionate and didn't always stay on script.

Chairman George Miller

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Sunday March 21, 2010 · 6:02 PM PDT

2010/03/21 · 18:02

(This is a slightly different kind of diary post. Below are 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. Since he is still on the House Floor tonight, he will not respond to comments.)

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.

Chairman George Miller

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Thursday March 11, 2010 · 10:25 AM PST

2010/03/11 · 10:25

(These are the prepared remarks of Education and Committee Chairman George Miller from today's press conference on the urgent need to include student loan reform as part of the reconciliation.)

Senate Democrats have a very simple choice to make in the next few weeks.

This choice speaks to the true character of our country and of our Congress.

It speaks to what America’s priorities will be for the next generation.

It speaks to fiscal responsibility and fairness.

Here’s the choice. We can continue a student loan program that the Congressional Budget office has documented will waste tens of billions of dollars over the next 10 years on a titanic boondoggle in excess subsidies to some of the nation’s rich and most powerful banks.

Or we can do what President Obama suggested in his budget, and what the Congress voted last year to do in its budget resolution. We can reform the student loan program by taking these wasteful subsides to banks, and redeem the savings for millions of families and students who want a shot at attending college, go to a community college, and attend a school that is crumbling around them.

It is that simple.

Chairman George Miller

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Wednesday February 17, 2010 · 10:39 AM PST

2010/02/17 · 10:39

One year ago, our nation was headed toward an economic collapse, shedding an average of 600,000 jobs a month. State and local budget cutbacks were putting teachers’ jobs – and our students’ education – in peril. Our economy was in need of emergency triage that would immediately begin to save and create jobs and lay the foundation for longer-term economic growth. One year after its enactment, it is clear that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is meeting these core goals.

Chairman George Miller

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Thursday February 04, 2010 · 9:12 AM PST

2010/02/04 · 09:12

Today, the Committee on Education and Labor considered the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and I introduced this bill in December for a simple reason: all children should be safe and protected at school.

Last year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office told our Committee about a shocking wave of abusive restraint and seclusion in our nation's classrooms. They told us that hundreds of students in this country have been victims of this abuse. In many cases these victims were our smallest and most vulnerable children: children as young as four and five, and many students with disabilities. And in some instances, children died.

We learned that while restraint and seclusion should be considered emergency tactics used as a last resort, far more often these techniques are abused under the guise of discipline or to force compliance. Last year, in California, districts reported more than 14,300 cases of seclusion, restraint and other "emergency" interventions.

With no federal laws on the books restricting restraint and seclusion in schools, state laws read like the Wild West. Many states have no regulations whatsoever.

Chairman George Miller

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Friday January 22, 2010 · 12:55 PM PST

2010/01/22 · 12:55

A lot of things may have changed in light of the Massachusetts special election upset Tuesday, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the health insurance crisis in America. We must address this crisis.

Health care costs are unsustainable; they’re still crushing families, small businesses and large companies. When people lose their jobs they lose their health insurance. People with jobs and who want coverage but find out they have a pre-existing condition still can’t get coverage. Businesses large and small come before Congress every day and tell us how they’re going to have to drop coverage for their employees or go out of business.

All of these problems remain, and so does our need to address them.

Chairman George Miller

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Friday July 24, 2009 · 6:50 AM PDT

2009/07/24 · 06:50

I am proud to announce that millions of Americans will receive a much-needed pay raise today.

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.

Chairman George Miller

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Wednesday July 15, 2009 · 2:45 PM PDT

2009/07/15 · 14:45

Republicans and right wing commentators who oppose health care reform hope to turn our effort at lowering costs and expanding access into a debate about whether or not to tax small businesses. In opposing our reform they would instead continue the hidden health care tax on all Americans that exceeds the surcharge on the highest income taxpayers that is included in the House bill.

Before you adopt their rhetoric, remember that nearly half of the cost of the House Democrats’ health plan would be paid by tight cost controls and forcing down the expense of the health care system. That’s a top priority. And as for who will pay higher taxes and who won’t under our plan, here are the cold facts.

Only the highest earning 1.2 percent of American households will pay a surcharge for health care reform. That leaves 98.8 percent of American households who will not pay any surcharge at all.

Chairman George Miller

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Wednesday July 01, 2009 · 7:08 AM PDT

2009/07/01 · 07:08

Today new benefits go into effect that will make monthly student loan payments more manageable and affordable for millions of students and borrowers struggling to stay afloat in this tough economic climate.

These benefits were enacted as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, a law I sponsored in 2007 that made historic investments to help more Americans earn a college degree. With the economy against this year’s college graduates, this relief couldn’t come at a better time.

Chairman George Miller

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Friday June 19, 2009 · 11:56 AM PDT

2009/06/19 · 11:56

Below are the prepared remarks of Chairman George Miller at a press conference with the chairs of the other committees with health policy jurisdiction at the U.S. House of Representatives to unveil the Tri-Committee Discussion Draft for Health Care Reform.

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.

Chairman George Miller

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Tuesday January 13, 2009 · 7:54 AM PST

2009/01/13 · 07:54

Arne Duncan is an incredibly smart choice for Education Secretary. He is the right person, in the right position, at the right time. His leadership and commitment to improving our nation’s schools, along with his experience and proven track record of success as the Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools, make him particularly qualified for this important job.

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GOP Pushing Hidden Health Care Tax on All Americans, Not Reform

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