Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The amendment in the nature of a substitute makes some slight technical corrections, clarifies some of the original bill language, and makes some minor policy additions to further improve the legislation’s overall goal of expanding access to high-performing charter schools. I appreciate the opportunity to introduce the committee’s second piece of legislation to help improv... Read more »
Today, the committee will consider the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act, legislation introduced last week by my colleague and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Mr. Hunter. This legislation is the second in a series of education bills to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. As you know, the committee approv... Read more »
Good morning. I would like to welcome our guests, and thank our witnesses for sharing their thoughts and expertise on workplace safety with the subcommittee. This week’s explosion at a chemical plant in southern Louisiana reminds us the cause of worker safety requires constant vigilance. We are deeply grateful workers were not injured in the accident, and we hope its cause will be quickly determin... Read more »
Good morning, and welcome to the committee’s markup of H.R. 2117. H.R. 2117 was introduced earlier this month by the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, Dr. Foxx, and I commend her for her work on this legislation. This bill marks a continuation of the committee’s efforts to simplify, and target, the federal government’s role in our education system. Since th... Read more »
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The amendment in the nature of a substitute simply adds a short title to the bill, the Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act. We are here today to repeal two burdensome federal regulations that will negatively impact states and institutions of higher education across the country. The credit hour and state authorization regulations would allow the federal gove... Read more »
Roughly 60 million workers participate in an employment-based retirement plan. They, like so many Americans, have felt the impact of the recent recession and continue to experience tough times during this slow economy. As more Americans reach into their retirement savings just to make ends meet, policymakers have a responsibility to examine the difficulties facing workers and retirees and discuss ... Read more »
Thank you, Chairman Roe. On behalf of the people of Evansville, please allow me to extend a warm welcome and offer our sincere appreciation for convening this hearing today. I think you will discover people in Indiana have a profound love for their country and a lot of good ideas on how we can move this nation forward. That is ultimately a goal we all share, and one we remain committed to achievin... Read more »
Good morning everyone. First, allow me to take a moment to thank our witnesses for being with us today. We recognize you all have busy schedules, and we appreciate the opportunity to hear your thoughts and experiences on the very important issue of health care. Second, I would like to thank the people of Evansville, Indiana for their hospitality and for hosting the first field hearing of the Subco... Read more »
Six months ago, under the leadership of Mr. Andrews, this subcommittee examined an independent audit of the Department of Labor’s financial records. It was our first look at the department’s new financial management system, a system implemented at great cost to taxpayers with the understanding it would improve the department’s ability to track the money it spends. At the time, a number of challeng... Read more »
Today we will review the important role charter schools play in the nation’s education system. As you may know, charter schools are public schools created through a contract with state agencies or local school districts. The contract affords the school more flexibility to meet the unique education needs of students, and in exchange for this freedom, charter schools are held accountable to parents ... Read more »
