Dear Secretary Perez: On August 21, 2015, we were joined by 20 of our colleagues in requesting an additional 60 days of public comment on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (the Department) proposal to update the overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In a letter dated August 31, 2015, Wage and Hour Administrator David Weil denied this request, stating the initial 60-day comment per... Read more »
The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), today held an oversight hearing on the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Members learned what state and local leaders expect from the new law and discussed opportunities to ensure control over K-12 education is restored to states and school districts. “The passage of... Read more »
After years of flawed policies and federal intrusions into the nation’s classrooms, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act based on the principle that responsibility of K-12 education must be returned to state and local leaders. The new law repeals onerous federal requirements and ensures important decisions affecting education – like standards, accountability, and school improvement – are... Read more »
Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, today released the following statement in response to the president’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request: The American people aren’t interested in continuing the same failed policies that have fostered an anemic economy, stagnant wages, and a lack of full-time jobs. Yet that’s precisely what the president’s budget... Read more »
On Wednesday, February 10 at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), will hold a hearing entitled, “Next Steps for K-12 Education: Implementing the Promise to Restore State and Local Control.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. In December 2015, Congress passed and the pres... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor released unemployment data for January 2016: The American people know there is a lot of potential for the economy to do better. Stagnant wages, higher health care costs, and a lack of full-time jobs are still very real challenges facing many middle-class families. The... Read more »
With the bipartisan, bicameral passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Congress successfully came together to improve an outdated and inefficient job training system—providing more Americans with the tools necessary to succeed in a 21st century workforce. The law puts the best interest of working families, employers and taxpayers first by: Streamlining a confusing maze of p... Read more »
Life changing – that’s how Denisha Merriweather described the impact of school choice on her life. Denisha shared her personal story yesterday at a hearing where members discussed the many ways school choice helps students escape underperforming schools and access a quality education. Because Denisha took advantage of the school choice options available in her state, she is the first person in her... Read more »
Denisha Merriweather, graduate student at the University of South Florida, testifies before members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce The House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), today held a hearing on the role school choice plays in empowering parents and expanding educational opportunity for children. Members learned how states and ... Read more »
This committee’s work to improve K-12 education has always been guided by the belief that every child – regardless of where they come from or how much money their parents make – should receive an excellent education. Unfortunately, some schools are failing to provide students that opportunity. Too many of our nation’s students are entering high school without the critical skills they need to compl... Read more »
