george miller for congress blog

Join the Debate Sept. 8

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:33:58 -0400

Join me for a live debate on September 8th in Vacaville between me and my opponent in the November election. A Tea Party Republican is running against me who plans to take America back to the failed policies of George W. Bush that rewarded Wall Street and big insurance companies and wrecked the economy. My challenger, Rick Tubbs, would extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich, cut spending on critical community services, and eliminate regulations that hold corporations accountable, protect workers’ lives and safeguard consumers. We can’t go back to that. We must keep moving America forward. Here are the details for the debate:

Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Time: 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Location: Travis Credit Union Auditorium, 1 Travis Way, Vacaville

Please let me know if you can attend the debate, and let me know if you want to order a T-Shirt, a bumper sticker or a lawn sign. Email: dave@georgemillerforcongress.com.

Thank you for your support!

Congressman George Miller in Richmond, CA yesterday vows to...

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:33:00 -0400

Congressman George Miller in Richmond, CA yesterday vows to protect Social Security from GOP privatization plans. Read the article here.

Make It In America - Washington Post

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:46:00 -0400

New Democratic strategy for creating jobs focuses on a boost in manufacturing

By Lori Montgomery and Brady Dennis

The Washington Post, 8/4/10

President Obama and congressional Democrats — out of options for another quick shot of stimulus spending to revive the sluggish economy — are shifting toward a longer-term strategy that promises to tackle persistently high unemployment by engineering a renaissance in American manufacturing.

That approach, heralded by Obama last week in Detroit and sketched out in a memo to House Democrats as they headed home for the August break, is still evolving and so far focuses primarily on raising taxes on multinational corporations that Democrats accuse of shipping jobs overseas.

The strategy also repackages policies long pursued by the White House — such as investing in clean energy, roads, bridges and broadband service — with more than two dozen legislative proposals aimed at developing a plan for promoting domestic manufacturing.Read more…

GOP Blocking Small Business Jobs - Again!

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:44:19 -0400

They did what?

In yet another sign the Republicans will do anything to see Obama fail even if it means Americans will suffer for it, Republicans in the Senate are blocking a small business jobs bill that business groups and Democrats are trying to pass. Republicans in the Senate have opposed job creation down the line — opposed jobs for teachers, jobs for police, jobs for construction workers, and now job creation through small business. Democrats will keep fighting for jobs, but as long as Republicans use their 41 seats in the Senate to run the filibuster, hard-working Americans will pay the price.

Miller's Child Nutrition Bill Advances

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:06:00 -0400

House bill would make school lunches healthier

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

Associated Press Writer

July 15, 2010

WASHINGTON—House Democrats are moving forward on first lady Michelle Obama’s vision for healthier school lunches, propelling legislation that calls for tougher standards governing food in school and more meals for hungry children.

A bill approved by the House Education and Labor Committee Thursday would allow the Agriculture Department to create new standards for all food in schools, including vending machine items. The legislation would spend about $8 billion more over 10 years on nutrition programs…

…California Rep. George Miller, the Democratic chairman of the committee, said improving school lunches now will help reduce health care costs in the long term.

“The cost of childhood obesity to the health of our children and our economy is staggering,” he said. “We have to get rid of the junk food, get rid of the endless sugar and empty calories in our schools.”

Read the whole story…

Miller Wins BP Amendment

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:23:00 -0400

House committee passes ban on future BP leases

By Timothy Gardner and Tom Doggett

Reuters

July 14, 2010

WASHINGTON- BP Plc’s safety record would bar the company from getting new U.S. offshore oil and gas exploration leases for up to seven years under bill language passed on Wednesday by a U.S. House committee.

The Committee on Natural Resources voted to pass an amendment by Representative George Miller, a California Democrat, that would prevent BP and other companies from getting new leases from the Department of the Interior unless they pass safety and environmental requirements.

The amendment did not mention BP specifically, but it would not allow any company to get leases that had more than 10 fatalities at drilling and production facilities or refineries that resulted from violations of federal or state health and environment laws within the last seven years.

“The Miller amendment would prohibit BP or any other company with an egregious worker and environmental safety record from new offshore oil and gas drilling,” Miller’s office said in an email after the vote.

The measure was added to a sweeping bill that the committee expected to clear on Thursday morning, but which would have to pass both the full House and Senate before reaching President Barack Obama’s desk.

BP pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from the 2005 blast at its refinery in Texas City, Texas, that killed 15 workers and injured 180.

The Justice Department is interviewing witnesses in its criminal and civil investigations into the April 20 explosion of the rig that damaged BP’s well that is gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico and harming multibillion dollar fishing and tourism industries across five states.

George in Vacaville for Boys and Girls Club

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 22:50:56 -0400

On July 7, George attended the Boys and Girls Club barbecue and celebration in Vacaville. From the Vacaville Reporter…

“The most coveted award of the afternoon was bestowed upon the Youth of the Year, 16-year-old Mur-Ray Colbert. Mur-Ray was honored not only for overcoming obstacles in her life to achieve academic success but also for her work with youth at each of the neighborhood sites. Rep. George Miller, D-Solano personally acknowledged Mur-Ray and presented her with a plaque.”

See the whole story.

At Home With Health Care and Student Loan Victory

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:10:00 -0400

George Miller was in his district last week talking with constituents and the news media about the great victory on health care and student loans and other pressing local matters. Read about it here:

The Vacaville Reporter

Contra Costa Times

We Did It!

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:30:00 -0400

“For every American who has fought with health insurance companies, and for every American who has struggled without health care coverage at all, we have changed the landscape in America. We have, together, for the first time in our history guaranteed access to affordable quality care for all Americans. We could not have done it without the leadership of President Obama and Speaker Pelosi, nor without people like you who have supported us along the way. Thank you.”

— Congressman George Miller, March 23, 2010, who was at the White House today for the signing ceremony for the health care bill.

Read about early benefits of the bill.

NYT - Key Moment in Health Reform Battle

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:30:00 -0400

March 22, 2010, 12:22 am

A Turning Point in the Health Care Fight

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN

Lots of Democrats can point to lots of different moments when they think the health care bill was brought back from the brink of collapse. But for a number of senior House Democrats, the crucial turning point was a meeting the night of March 9 in the offices of Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It was supposed to be a strategy session with Senate Democratic leaders about the budget reconciliation procedure that Democrats were planning to use to make final changes to the health care bill and push them through the Senate on a simple majority vote.

Instead, the session focused entirely on the question of whether to include another of President Obama’s top legislative priorities — a sweeping overhaul of federal student loan programs — in the reconciliation package. The budget resolution approved by Congress last spring provided for completing both major health care legislation and major education legislation through reconciliation, which adjusts federal policy to meet specific goals for reducing the deficit.

A trio of House leaders — Representatives James E. Clyburn, the Democratic whip; George Miller, the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee; and Xavier Becerra of California, the vice chairman of the Democratic caucus — argued strenuously in favor of including the education proposal.

Read the whole thing.

Health Reforms To Become Law

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:19:22 -0400

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

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:30:00 -0400

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 …

Join George Miller and Lilly Ledbetter for a special event on...

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:30:00 -0400

Join George Miller and Lilly Ledbetter for a special event on Saturday, May 1, 2010, in Pleasant Hill, CA. RSVP Here.

Health Care Vote This Sunday

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:29:00 -0400

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?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:18:00 -0400

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

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:45:00 -0500

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

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:14:00 -0500

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

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:13:00 -0500

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.

West County Health Center — Rep. Miller announces this...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0500

West County Health Center — Rep. Miller announces this past February a $12 million federal grant to construct the new West County Health Center in San Pablo. The money come from the big stimulus bill Congress and Obama passed last year to save and create jobs and invest in the economy.

Obama signs National Service bill

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:15:00 -0400

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.”