Though the economic recovery began four year ago, countless Americans continue to face serious challenges. Roughly 12 million are searching for work. Families have recouped less than half of their household wealth lost during the recession. The economy continues to move along at an anemic pace. And the national debt will soon reach a historic $17 trillion. Congress has a responsibility to examine ... Read more »
By Rep. John Kline (R-MN) Last summer, debate about student loans reached a fever pitch thanks to a scheduled increase in the interest rate for subsidized Stafford loans made to undergraduate students. The president began touring college campuses, calling on Congress to prevent the increase that his own party set in motion in 2007. As I said at the time, no one wanted to see interest rates double... Read more »
On Tuesday, June 4 at 10:00 a.m., the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), will hold a hearing entitled, "Reviewing the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Proposal for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services." The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. In his Fiscal Year 2014 budget proposal, President... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s student loan event at the White House: It’s time for the president to stop politicizing the student loan issue. The president and House Republicans agree on the need for a long-term, market-based plan that will take politicians out of the business of arbitrarily se... Read more »
President Obama's 2014 budget calls on Congress to prevent a doubling of interest rates on student loans and make the rates "more market-based." Last week House Republicans and four Democrats voted to prevent the rates from doubling and make the rates more market-based. Naturally, Mr. Obama is sitting down with the leaders of both parties in a good-faith effort to iron out their remaining differe... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN) issued the following joint statement after renewing their request for the Department of Labor to abandon its proposed changes to the longstanding “advice exemption” under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act: Workers h... Read more »
Across the country, the American people are still struggling in the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression. At a time when nearly 12 million are searching for work, the Republican-led House continues to champion a positive agenda that will help spur economic growth and job creation. Republicans recognize that too often misguided government policies make it more difficult for business... Read more »
Tomorrow President Obama will hold an event at the White House to “call on Congress to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1st.” But wait a minute – the House has already taken action, approving legislation that mirrors the president’s own proposal to shift interest rates to a long-term, market-based solution. That’s right – the Smarter Solutions for Students Act is based on ... Read more »
Dear Acting Secretary Harris: In 2011, the committee submitted a comment opposing the Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards' (OLMS) proposed changes to the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) "advice" exception. The committee continues to be concerned about the proposed definition of "advice" under the LMRDA, and its resulting regulatory burdens and negative... Read more »
Dear Secretary Vilsack: As the school year comes to an end, states, school districts, parents, students, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Congress have now had a fully year to examine the effects of the updated meal pattern standards on the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. After closely monitoring the implementation of the new requirements, we remain concerned about the over... Read more »
