Republicans on the House Education and Labor Committee are calling for an immediate hearing to examine the nation’s high unemployment rate, the continued revelations of faulty reporting related to the Democrats’ $787 billion ‘stimulus’ package, and how the Administration plans to address these concerns. In a letter sent today to the panel’s Chairman, Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Education and Labor ... Read more »
Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, today criticized the U.S. Department of Labor’s decision to roll back vital investment advice opportunities for workers. The Department formally rescinded regulations that would have given workers access to individualized investment advice to help manage their 401(k) plans – a benefit that would prove espec... Read more »
It’s starting to sink in. A major supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act admitted Wednesday that serious bipartisan opposition to the bill has made its passage on Capitol Hill unlikely this year – and maybe the next. The Las Vegas Sun, which also reported on Nevada’s attempts to block EFCA, has the details here: “John Wilhelm, president of Unite Here, the international hotel and casino workers ... Read more »
The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a new report today highlighting weaknesses in the U.S. Department of Education’s oversight capabilities, resulting in limited controls to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in the agency’s grant programs. This report comes in response to a request made by Republicans on the House Education and Labor Committee after troubling information em... Read more »
Good Morning. I would like to thank Chairman Kildee for holding today's hearing. I am pleased the Committee is examining current federal literacy initiatives and ways to improve the reading comprehension skills of all children from birth through high school. Today, 14 percent of Americans over the age of 16 - about 30 million people - have trouble with basic reading and writing skills and cannot r... Read more »
Representative John Kline (R-MN), Ranking Member on the House Education and Labor Committee, and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, announced today they are introducing bipartisan legislation to extend the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act (ECASLA). This effort, like the original legislation, would maintain stability... Read more »
It seems many Nevadans do not want to gamble with their privacy at the workplace under the Employee Free Choice Act. The Las Vegas Sun reported Tuesday that efforts are under way in the Silver State to amend its constitution to require the secret ballot for union elections – something that’s set aside under EFCA. The Sun shines a light on the subject here: “An initiative petition has been filed to... Read more »
Citing concerns that the role of scientific evidence may be diminished in vital workplace safety decisions, Rep. John Kline (R-MN) today urged Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate to hold a public hearing on the nomination of Professor David Michaels to serve as Assistant Secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration before advancing him to a vote by the full Senate for the post... Read more »
President Obama is looking for a few good ideas. Specifically, he’s looking for suggestions about jobs during a forum on economic growth planned for next month. The Washington Post has the details here: “With the nation's unemployment rate at its highest level in 26 years, President Obama plans to bring together CEOs, small business owners and financial experts to sound out ideas for continuing to... Read more »
Our topic today is a timely one, with employers, workers, and their families facing the uncertainty of a widespread influenza outbreak with wide ranging effects. Unfortunately, the uncertainty I mentioned is pervasive. Even the scope of the outbreak is unknown. The Washington Post reported on Friday that “total H1N1 cases in the United States range from 14 million to 34 million, and total deaths r... Read more »
