Since 1916, the FECA program has acted as a critical resource for federal employees who have suffered an injury or illness because of a work-related activity. Today, the program covers approximately three million workers and, last year alone, paid out nearly $3 billion in benefits. Despite the significance of the FECA program, it has been nearly 40 years since the law was meaningfully updated. Whe... Read more »
The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), today held a hearing to examine waste, fraud, and abuse in federal child nutrition programs. Members and witnesses discussed ways to strengthen the management and oversight of these programs to ensure they are effectively and efficiently serving those most in need. “The federal government ... Read more »
The House of Representatives today passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (S. 178) by a vote of 420 to 3. The bipartisan legislation will better target sex traffickers and support victims of sexual abuse. Earlier this year, the House advanced a number of proposals championed by the Education and the Workforce Committee that would strengthen protections for youth victims of sex trafficki... Read more »
Last month, the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing to discuss the importance of federal child nutrition programs, many of which need to be reauthorized by Congress later this year. Members engaged in a robust discussion about these programs, and we understand the role healthy food plays in a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development. However, tackling waste, fraud, a... Read more »
On Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, chaired by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), will hold a hearing entitled, “Reforming the Workers’ Compensation Program for Federal Employees.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Enacted in 1916, the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) provides workers’ compensation benefits to... Read more »
On Tuesday, May 19 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, “Addressing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Federal Child Nutrition Programs.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. In Fiscal Year 2015, it is estimated the federal government will invest a... Read more »
Two years ago, Washington was embroiled in a classic self-made crisis. Thanks to the political gimmicks of Washington Democrats, interest rates on most federal student loans were set to double. The president called on Congress to pass a long-term, market-based solution that would get Washington out of the business of arbitrarily setting student loan interest rates. Under the leadership of Educatio... Read more »
I’d like to begin by thanking Dr. Roessel and Mr. Mendoza for participating in this hearing. We are disappointed that Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, declined an invitation to join us this morning. Mr. Washburn would bring an important perspective to this discussion, and it is unfortunate the public and members of the committee will not hear from him today. However, we are p... Read more »
When it comes to K-12 education, Washington bureaucrats have woven a very tangled web of programs, mandates, and pet projects. Under No Child Left Behind, the Department of Education is a vast bureaucracy that: Operates more than 80 programs tied to the nation’s classrooms – the majority of which are ineffective, duplicative, and unnecessary; Dictates how states and school districts gauge school p... Read more »
On Thursday, May 14 at 10:30 a.m., the Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), will hold a hearing entitled, “Examining the Federal Government’s Mismanagement of Native American Schools.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. There are 185 Native American schools serving more than 40,000 students across the country. Thre... Read more »
