Health Reforms To Become Law

After more than a year’s worth of work on President Obama’s health reform legislation and nearly 100 years talking about and trying to enact significant heath reform, Congress has finally approved landmark health insurance reform.

The reforms will benefit every American, all businesses, and the nation’s economy.

Opponents tried to stop us every step of the way.  The Republicans, Tea Parties, and the insurance companies.  But in teh end, Congress made history for all Americas.

 George Miller was there every step fo the way for this bill and said it was one of his proudest achievements as a member of Congress.

Local Colleges Support Miller Student Loan Bill

Vallejo Times Herald, Saturday, March 20, 2010:  A federal student loan proposal that would funnel billions into financial aid, student loans and community college programs is earning high marks from local college officials. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act goes before the House this weekend as part of the federal health care bill.  Read the whole article …

Health Care Vote This Sunday

Momentum is building for a historic vote this Sunday in the House of Representatives to pass health insurance reform.  We’re not there yet but we are building closer and closer to a successful vote.  Get all the health care details on George Miller’s committee website.  After the House passes the bill, the Senate will take it up next week.  Make sure you and your friends and family have expressed your views to your member of Congress and your senators.

Students vs. Banks?

George Miller’s major overhaul of the federal student loan program is nearing a vote — no thanks to major banks and Sallie Mae who are ferociously lobbying against it.  The reforms, that will save money for taxpayers and students and create jobs in the U.S., will be tied to the health reform bill in Congress.  See Miller’s op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Vrginia).  And stay tuned as Congress votes on health care and student loans later this week.

Students Potest Tution Hikes — MSNBC

Thursday evening, March 4, 2010:  On MSNBC, George Miller, chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, applauds students in California and across the country for protesting huge tuition hikes at colleges and universities.  George is working to lower college costs and the cost of student loans.  About 3 minutes into this clip on MSNBC he tells the students that when they are done protesting the fee hikes on campus they should call the U.S. Senate to protest the Big Banks’ full scale assault on the House Democrats’ bill to transfer to the student $87 billion in federal subsidies now going to the Banks. Watch it here.

California Water Wars — Miller Op-Ed

San Francisco Chronicle, February 26, 2010

Feinstein Amendment is a Water Grab

By Rep. George Miller

Beware of the latest attempt at an old-fashioned water grab - the last gasp of an outdated approach to California’s complex water problems.

Faced with a changing climate and an increasing number of competing demands on our water, most Californians now recognize that we cannot unilaterally change allocations of our scarce freshwater resources for one group or another without knowing first what the science says about the effects on the rest of the state.

But the Westlands Water District of Fresno is old school. It crafted a backroom plan with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-San Francisco, and Rep. Jim Costa, D-Hanford (Kings County), and Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Atwater (Merced County), to accelerate water withdrawals from the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem to guarantee themselves an increased water supply.

Read the whole thing here.

Health Care — NY Times Blogs on Miller at Summit

New York Times Blog Post during President Obama’s all-day Health Care Summit Thursday, February 25, 2010.

12:25 pm, — Representative George Miller, Democrat of California, is explaining how private insurance companies deny coverage, particularly by citing pre-existing medical conditions.

And Mr. Miller offered himself up as Exhibit A, noting that he has two artificial hips, arthritis and a kidney stone. If he had to shop for insurance on the individual market, Mr. Miller said, “I’m dead.”

Mr. Miller is also pointing out the limitations of high-risk insurance pools, one of the core components of the Republicans’ step-by-step alternative approach, noting that anyone who enters a high-risk pools, which tend to provide expensive coverage, has little or no chance of obtaining any other type of coverage.

Mr. Miller’s points were all solid, and no Republican expressed any objection to anything he said.

But Mr. Miller can also rest easy about his own coverage. He’s not up for re-election until November, meaning his coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is good at least through the end of his year.

And in May, he will turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare.

Obama signs National Service bill

2009 — Legislation written by Reps. George Miller and Carolyn McCarthy and Sens. Ted Kennedy and Orin Hatch to expand National Service opportunities was signed into law today by President Obama. According to one national newspaper, the Christian Science Monitor (April 21, 2009), the legislation is a good example of Congress acting quickly and in a bi-partisan manner on an important issue. “Melody Barnes, director of the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, noted to reporters that the legislation made its way through Congress in speedy fashion. The president called for the legislation in his address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 24, and Rep. George Miller (D) of California, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, introduced legislation on March 8. By the last day in March, both houses of Congress had passed the final version of the bill. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah was a key Republican in the bipartisan effort.”