Today, four Democrats and four Republicans on the Committee on Education and Labor introduced legislation to strengthen federal efforts to prevent and treat child abuse. The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (Stronger CAPTA) is a bold, bipartisan response to combat the rising rates of child maltreatment experienced as the opioid crisis has devastated families and communities across... Read more »
It’s a good time to be an American worker. Job openings and wages are up, unemployment is down, and opportunities are vast. Today at a hearing on the policies and priorities of the Department of Labor (DOL), we got a better look at the American workforce and just how far we as a nation have come. Since the beginning of 2017, the economy has created 5.1 million jobs with 3.2 million created since t... Read more »
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), Republican Leader of the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, joined by Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Republican Leader of the Committee on Education and Labor, today introduced the Association Health Plans Act of 2019, legislation to expand health care options and lower costs for small businesses through asso... Read more »
Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos believes that a great education: shouldn’t be determined by where you live nor by who you know; shouldn’t be determined by family income; and, shouldn’t be an old-school, one-size-fits-all approach. Secretary DeVos believes a great education grants freedom. “This Administration focuses on freedom for teachers. Freedom for parents. And freedom for all s... Read more »
Today, Committee Democrats convened a markup on H.R. 1010, a one-sentence bill that will not lower drug prices, will not protect anyone from surprise medical bills, will not lower premiums, will not cut any out-of-pocket costs, and will not provide any tax relief. All H.R. 1010 will do is eliminate short-term limited duration insurance plans which provide many Americans with insurance options in t... Read more »
Democrats’ bill, H.R. 5, the Equality Act, is named in such a way to imply that the legislation advocates for all people. In fact, this legislation replaced inherent religious liberties with identity politics. “[A]s I look at H.R. 5 and learn more about what’s in the bill, I’m deeply troubled, and I believe most Americans would be deeply troubled, by what’s really there. This bill is following in ... Read more »
In today’s Higher Education and Workforce Investment hearing on accountability, Committee Republicans emphasized that greater accountability is crucial to serving all students. “Today’s postsecondary education system looks a bit like a tangled ball of yarn. From rising tuition and student debt to lagging innovation and low graduation rates, every problem is interconnected,” Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-P... Read more »
Over the past several years, surprise billing has rapidly risen to the top of the list of Americans’ health care concerns, surpassing worries about high premiums, high deductibles, and costly prescription drugs. “Surprise billing, sometimes called balance billing, happens when a patient visits an out-of-network care facility, or even when they are at an in-network facility but are seen by a doctor... Read more »
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Republican Leader of the Committee on Education and Labor, released the following statement upon the announcement of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule to address joint employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): “Since 2015, the confusion and uncertainty created by the Obama administration’s extreme joint employer standard has threatened American jo... Read more »
Apprenticeships and earn-and-learn programs are energizing the workforce. In a hearing this morning, members of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee heard from witnesses about how apprenticeships are equipping Americans with skills they need to land the 7 million jobs available across the country. “We’ve seen a surge of interest in apprenticeships in recent years but this wor... Read more »
