In the Spotlight
- Today the minimum wage rises to $6.55. This is the second of three increases scheduled by the Fair Minimum Wage Act.
Stronger Math and Science Education Key to Boosting U.S. Competitiveness
Improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and science in U.S. schools is vital to maintaining America’s global leadership, witnesses told the Committee in a July 22 hearing. The panel of experts, which included business leaders, a teacher, and the first American woman to travel in space, recommended expanding partnerships between the business and education communities that focus on bolstering STEM education, and increasing training and support programs for teachers. The witnesses also urged lawmakers to fully fund the America COMPETES Act. More »
Witnesses Tell Committee That High Standards and Outstanding Teachers Will Close the Achievement Gap
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Setting high standards, ensuring that all children have access to outstanding teachers, holding educators accountable for their schools’ progress, and restructuring chronically struggling schools are vital to creating a world-class public education system, mayors and superintendents of major U.S. cities told the Committee. More »
Labor Department Not Effectively Fighting Wage Theft
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), testified at a hearing on July 15 that findings from two separate investigations indicate that the U.S. Department of Labor is failing to effectively enforce the nation’s wage and hour laws. The two investigations found that the Wage and Hour Division of the Labor Department -– the agency responsible for investigating complaints of wage, hour, and child labor violations -– is failing to fully investigate and properly address violations of the law. More »
Soaring Food Prices Make It Harder for Schools and Child Nutrition Programs to Provide Healthy Meals
According to preliminary results of a new survey unveiled by the School Nutrition Association at a July 9 Committee hearing, to help cope with higher food costs in the coming year, 75 percent of school nutrition directors plan to increase school meal prices for students and 62 percent plan to reduce staff. Several witnesses urged Congress to increase the federal reimbursement rate and boost federal support for the nation’s child nutrition programs during the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which expires in 2009. More »
Chairman Miller Continues Fight for Mine Safety
Louisville Courier-Journal editorial: "Rep. Miller, who chairs the U.S. House committee that oversees federal efforts to keep mines safe, dismisses as inadequate the new regulations intended to strengthen seals that are supposed to close off dangerous inactive work areas. The U.S Mine Safety and Health Administration is ignoring a congressional directive to issue rules that will do something about 14,000 existing seals, Mr. Miller insists..." Read the rest of the Courier-Journal's editorial »
Committee Passes Measure to Improve Pre-School Programs
On June 26, the Committee passed the Providing Resources Early for Kids Act, by a vote of 31-11, to improve the quality of state pre-school programs, which collectively serve over 1 million young children. More »
House Passes the "Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act"
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The House passed the bipartisan Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008 on Jun 25 by a vote of 318-103. The bill would stop child abuse in teen residential programs, including therapeutic boarding schools, wilderness camps, boot camps, and behavior modification facilities. More »
House Passes Measure to Restore Protections for Individuals with Disabilities
On June 25, the House passed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 by a vote of 402-17 to protect individuals with disabilities who may be subject to discrimination as a result of the weakening of the Americans with Disabilities Act. More »
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(During Hearings)
