Challenges surrounding the administration of the Davis-Bacon Act have long plagued the Department of Labor. In August of 2009, Chairman Kline requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a new examination of the implementation of the Davis-Bacon Act. As Bloomberg highlights in the following article, the GAO report found “inadequate and sometimes inaccurate data has been used to set... Read more »
On January 26, 2011, House Speaker John Boehner introduced the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act (H.R. 471). The legislation would reauthorize a successful and popular program that provides low-income D.C. families with a scholarship to remove their children from failing public schools and enroll them in the private school of their choice. The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program... Read more »
In February, the national unemployment rate dropped below 9 percent for the first time in nearly two years. While any sign of improvement in our economy is welcome news, there are still more than 13 million Americans out of work. Here in Pennsylvania, nearly 523,000 workers remain jobless. We have a long way to go if we are to overcome the devastation of the recent recession. Although our economic... Read more »
It’s been said that Washington, D.C., is 10 square miles surrounded by reality. Too often, policymakers in our nation’s capital get caught up in the rhetoric and lose sight of the fact that ours is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And right now, what the people want is jobs. Americans are dealing with tough times. Unemployment remains about 9 percent and millions are ... Read more »
During a visit to Kenmore Middle School on March 14th, President Obama declared Congress should complete its efforts to overhaul 'No Child Left Behind' before the next school year begins in August. Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, issued the following statement: “The president's remarks affirm the importance of fixing the nation’s broken educa... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at USA Today on January 20, 2011. Second, this effort allows us to take steps to truly deal with cost. Whatever else may be said of it, the new law has clearly failed to address the ever-rising cost of care and coverage. In many cases, the law is actually responsible, at least in part, for the increases. Many employers are facing higher costs, individuals a... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online in The Washington Examiner. At first glance, it may be difficult to understand the pairing of education and workplace issues in a single congressional committee. What does a third grade classroom have in common with a construction site? How do school lunches relate to small businesses? As unlikely a duo as these issues may seem, they are actually quite clos... Read more »
Rep. John Kline: Education is a jobs issue According to the so-called experts, the Great Recession that began during the winter of 2007 ended in June of 2009. This should be welcome news, but many Americans find it hard to believe. More than 14.8 million workers are still unemployed, and 27 states recently reported an increase in unemployment. Earlier this month, the Department of Labor issued an... Read more »
The following op-ed was published in The Hill on September 29, 2010. According to the so-called experts, the Great Recession that began during the winter of 2007 ended in June of 2009. This should be welcome news, but many Americans find it hard to believe. More than 14.8 million workers are still unemployed, and 27 states recently reported an increase in unemployment. Earlier this month, the Depa... Read more »
Congress may not have been in session these last several weeks, but plenty has been happening in Washington and around the nation. Below is a brief recap of notable education and labor news – what you might have missed and what is worth watching in the waning days of the congressional session. Common Standards Pave Way for National Tests For months, advocates for local control of education have wa... Read more »
