[House Report 113-313]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


113th Congress 
 1st Session            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                 Report
                                                                113-313
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                                 Union Calendar No. 231


                        REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES

                                 of the

                      COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND 
                             THE WORKFORCE

                                for the

                  FIRST SESSION OF THE 113TH CONGRESS

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS




January 2, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed


                COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE

                    JOHN KLINE, Minnesota, Chairman
Republicans                          Democrats
John Kline, Minnesota                George Miller, California
  Chairman                             Senior Democratic Member
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin           Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,           Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, 
    California                           Virginia
Joe Wilson, South Carolina           Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina        Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Tom Price, Georgia                   John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Kenny Marchant, Texas                Rush Holt, New Jersey
Duncan Hunter, California            Susan A. Davis, California
David P. Roe, Tennessee              Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania         Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Tim Walberg, Michigan                David Loebsack, Iowa
Matt Salmon, Arizona                 Joe Courtney, Connecticut
Brett Guthrie, Kentucky              Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee          Jared Polis, Colorado
Todd Rokita, Indiana                 Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana 
Larry Bucshon, Indiana                   Islands
Trey Gowdy, South Carolina           Frederica S. Wilson, Florida
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania           Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon
Joseph J. Heck, Nevada               Mark Pocan, Wisconsin
Susan W. Brooks, Indiana
Richard Hudson, North Carolina
Luke Messer, Indiana

----------
On October 15, 2013, Representative John A. Yarmuth of Kentucky 
resigned from the Committee on Education and the Workforce. On October 
29, 2013, Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin was assigned to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce. On December 11, 2013, 
Representative Martha Roby of Alabama resigned from the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce.
Under Rule X, clause (e) of the Rules of House, the jurisdiction of the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce is as follows: education and 
labor generally, food programs for children in schools, labor standards 
and statistics, mediation and arbitration of labor disputes, child 
labor, regulation or prevention of importation of foreign laborers 
under contract, workers' compensation, wages and hours of labor, 
welfare of miners, work incentive programs, convict labor and the entry 
of goods made by convicts into interstate commerce, vocational 
rehabilitation, and Gallaudet University and Howard University and 
Hospital.


  SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

                     Todd Rokita, Indiana, Chairman
John Kline, Minnesota                Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin             Ranking Member
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina        Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, 
Kenny Marchant, Texas                    Virginia
Duncan Hunter, California            Susan A. Davis, California
David P. Roe, Tennessee              Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania         Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio
Susan W. Brooks, Indiana             Jared Polis, Colorado
                                     Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana 
                                         Islands
                                     Mark Pocan, Wisconsin

----------
The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary 
Education has jurisdiction over all matters from early learning through 
the high school level including, but not limited to, elementary and 
secondary education, special education, homeless education, and migrant 
education; overseas dependent schools; career and technical education; 
school safety and alcohol and drug abuse prevention; school lunch and 
child nutrition programs; educational research and improvement 
including the Institute of Education Sciences; environmental education; 
pre-service and in-service teacher professional development including 
Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Title II of 
the Higher Education Act; early care and education programs including 
the Head Start Act and the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act; 
adolescent development and training programs including, but not limited 
to, those providing for the care and treatment of certain at-risk youth 
including the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and the 
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act; and all matters dealing with child 
abuse and domestic violence including the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act and child adoption.


        SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EMPLOYMENT, LABOR, AND PENSIONS

                   David P. Roe, Tennessee, Chairman
Joe Wilson, South Carolina           Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey
Tom Price, Georgia                     Ranking Member
Kenny Marchant, Texas                Rush Holt, New Jersey
Matt Salmon, Arizona                 David Loebsack, Iowa
Brett Guthrie, Kentucky              Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, 
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee              Virginia
Larry Bucshon, Indiana               Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
Trey Gowdy, South Carolina           John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania           Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona
Joseph J. Heck, Nevada               Joe Courtney, Connecticut
Susan W. Brooks, Indiana             Jared Polis, Colorado
Luke Messer, Indiana                 Frederica S. Wilson, Florida
                                     Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon

----------
The Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions has 
jurisdiction over all matters dealing with relationships between 
employers and employees including, but not limited to, the National 
Labor Relations Act, the Labor-Management Relations Act, and the Labor-
Management Reporting and Disclosure Act; the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics; and employment-related health and retirement security 
including pension, health, and other employee benefits and the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).


        SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING

               Virginia Foxx, North Carolina, Chairwoman
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin           Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,             Ranking Member
    California                       John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania         Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Tim Walberg, Michigan                Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon
Matt Salmon, Arizona                 Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Brett Guthrie, Kentucky              Rush Holt, New Jersey
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania           Susan A. Davis, California
Joseph J. Heck, Nevada               David Loebsack, Iowa
Susan W. Brooks, Indiana             Frederica S. Wilson, Florida
Richard Hudson, North Carolina
Luke Messer, Indiana

----------
The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training has 
jurisdiction over education and training beyond the high school level 
including, but not limited to, higher education generally, 
postsecondary student assistance and employment services, and the 
Higher Education Act; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; all 
domestic volunteer programs; all programs related to the arts and 
humanities, museum and library services, and arts and artifacts 
indemnity; postsecondary career and technical education, apprenticeship 
programs, and job training including the Workforce Investment Act, 
vocational rehabilitation, and training programs from immigration 
funding; science and technology programs; adult basic education (family 
literacy); all welfare reform programs including work incentive 
programs and welfare-to-work requirements; poverty programs including 
the Community Services Block Grant Act and the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program (LIHEAP); the Native American Programs Act; the 
Institute of Peace; and all matters dealing with programs and services 
for the elderly including nutrition programs and the Older Americans 
Act.


                 SUBCOMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS

                    Tim Walberg, Michigan, Chairman
John Kline, Minnesota                Joe Courtney, Connecticut
Tom Price, Georgia                     Ranking Member
Duncan Hunter, California            Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee          Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Todd Rokita, Indiana                 Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio
Larry Bucshon, Indiana               Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana 
Richard Hudson, North Carolina           Islands
                                     Mark Pocan, Wisconsin

----------
The Subcommittee on Workforce Protections has jurisdiction over wages 
and hours of workers including, but not limited to, the Davis-Bacon 
Act, the Walsh-Healey Act, the Service Contract Act, and the Fair Labor 
Standards Act; workers' compensation including the Federal Employees' 
Compensation Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, 
and the Black Lung Benefits Act; the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural 
Worker Protection Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; the Worker 
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act; the Employee Polygraph 
Protection Act of 1988; trade and immigration issues as they impact 
employers and workers; workers' safety and health including, but not 
limited to, occupational safety and health, mine safety and health, and 
migrant and agricultural worker safety and health; and all matters 
related to equal employment opportunity and civil rights in employment.


                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

          Committee on Education and the Workforce,
                                  House of Representatives,
                                   Washington, DC, January 2, 2014.
Hon. Karen L. Haas,
Clerk of the House,
The Capitol, Washington, DC.
    Dear Ms. Haas: Pursuant to Rule XI, clause 1, paragraph (d) 
of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, I am hereby 
transmitting the Report on the Activities of the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce for the First Session of the 113th 
Congress. I circulated this report to all members on December 
18, 2013, and received minority views, which are included in 
this report. This report summarizes the activities of the 
committee during the First Session of the 113th Session with 
respect to its legislative and oversight responsibilities.
            Sincerely,
                                                John Kline,
                                                          Chairman.


                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................     V
Introduction.....................................................     1
Full Committee...................................................     3
    Hearings.....................................................     3
    Markups......................................................     6
    Legislation Referred to Committee with House Passage.........     8
    Legislation Referred to Committee Enacted into Law...........     8
  Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary 
  Education--   Hearings.........................................     9
  Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions--
  Hearings.......................................................    10
  Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training--
  Hearings.......................................................    13
  Subcommittee on Workforce Protections--Hearings................    16
Oversight Plan Summary and Correspondence........................    18
Minority Views...................................................    32


                                                 Union Calendar No. 231
113th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    113-313

======================================================================



 
    REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE 
         WORKFORCE FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE 113TH CONGRESS

                                _______
                                

January 2, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Kline, from the Committee on Education and the Workforce, submitted 
                             the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                              INTRODUCTION

    Under the leadership of Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the House 
Committee on Education and the Workforce worked diligently to 
advance legislative initiatives that support workers and 
employers, remove barriers to job growth, and help more 
students access a quality education.
    Throughout the first session of the 113th Congress, the 
committee explored the challenges facing our nation's education 
system and discussed commonsense solutions that will help 
prepare children and young adults for success. In 2013, the 
committee successfully advanced legislation through the House 
of Representatives that would revamp the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act. The Student Success Act (H.R. 5) would 
raise the bar on student achievement by reducing the federal 
footprint in K-12 classrooms, restoring local control, 
encouraging more effective teachers, and empowering parents.
    Additionally, the committee led the charge to strengthen 
federal programs to prevent the abduction and exploitation of 
children through the E. Clay Shaw Jr. Missing Children's 
Assistance Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3092) and the Protecting 
Students from Sexual and Violent Predators Act (H.R. 2083). 
Both pieces of legislation were approved by the House with 
bipartisan support, and H.R. 3092 was signed into law in 
September.
    The committee has also dedicated significant attention to 
examining solutions to issues affecting the nation's higher 
education system. Throughout the year the committee convened a 
series of hearings in preparation for the upcoming 
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. These hearings 
have covered a broad range of topics from strengthening Pell 
Grants and streamlining the federal financial aid system to 
improving postsecondary education innovation and enhancing 
transparency for students. The committee will continue these 
hearings in the second session of the 113th Congress.
    The committee advanced three key legislative initiatives in 
2013 to strengthen higher education in America. The Improving 
Postsecondary Education Data for Students Act (H.R. 1949), 
which passed the House of Representatives in May, would help 
ensure students and their families have the information they 
need to choose the best higher education institution to fit 
their needs. The Supporting Academic Freedom through Regulatory 
Relief Act (H.R. 2637), approved by the committee in July, 
would reduce federal regulations that can stifle the 
development of more creative methods of learning and lead to 
higher costs. And the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (H.R. 
1911; also known as the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, 
as amended by the Senate), signed into law by President Obama 
in August, helps address the issue of rising college costs by 
getting politicians out of the business of setting student loan 
interest rates.
    With more than 11 million Americans out of work, improving 
the nation's job training system remains another top committee 
priority. After holding hearings in both Washington, D.C. and 
member districts throughout the 112th Congress, the committee 
developed legislation to build a robust and responsive job 
training system that would more efficiently serve workers and 
taxpayers. The Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong 
Skills (SKILLS) Act (H.R. 803) would empower employers, rein in 
bureaucracy, and provide America's workers with a more dynamic, 
flexible, and effective network of job training services. The 
House approved the SKILLS Act in March.
    In the coming year, the committee will continue its efforts 
to provide students and workers with the skills necessary to 
succeed in the 21st century workforce through a reauthorization 
of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The 
committee has held two hearings in 2013 to discuss 
opportunities to improve the Perkins Act by streamlining 
federal regulations, encouraging more hands-on training for 
students, and supporting enhanced coordination between schools 
and business leaders.
    Improving workplace flexibility has been an important goal 
for the committee during the first session of the 113th 
Congress. For many Americans, balancing the demands of family 
and the workplace can be difficult, and the committee 
discovered an obstacle in federal law that impedes employers 
who wish to help employees better manage work and family 
responsibilities. To address this problem, the committee 
introduced the Working Families Flexibility Act (H.R. 1406), 
legislation that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 
1938 to allow employers to offer private-sector employees the 
choice of paid time off in lieu of cash wages for overtime 
hours worked. It is pro-family, pro-worker legislation that 
would give workers the flexibility to spend time with family, 
attend teacher conferences, care for aging parents, stay home 
with a newborn, or attend to other family needs that may arise. 
H.R. 1406 was approved by the House of Representatives in May.
    Ensuring employers have the certainty they need to create 
jobs and invest in their businesses is another key component in 
the fight to reduce unemployment and rebuild our economy. 
Unfortunately, actions by the National Labor Relations Board 
continue to wreak havoc on workplaces and threaten employer 
free speech and worker free choice. To prevent further labor-
management instability, the House passed H.R. 1120, the 
Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations 
Act. The committee remains determined to advance initiatives 
that protect the rights of workers and employers and hold the 
labor board accountable for its radical policies that are 
having a chilling effect on the economy.
    Congressional leaders have a responsibility to conduct 
oversight of the federal government, and the House Committee on 
Education and the Workforce takes that responsibility 
seriously. Oversight of policies governing workplace safety, 
union transparency, and retirement security has been a leading 
priority in the 113th Congress, along with oversight of the 
administration's actions affecting students and low-income 
families. The committee's efforts have helped shine light on a 
number of concerns, including damaging consequences of the 
president's health care law and poorly conceived federal 
regulatory actions that harm schools and workplaces. Such 
aggressive oversight will continue in 2014.
    As we continue working to rebuild our economy, it is 
unacceptable to ignore rules or regulations that stand in the 
way of job creation. With the national debt passing historic 
levels, we must demand wise use of taxpayer resources. In the 
second session of the 113th Congress, the House Education and 
the Workforce Committee will not deviate from the pursuit of 
policies that promote economic growth, support a stronger 
workforce, and improve education in America.

                             FULL COMMITTEE


                                HEARINGS

                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

    In the first session of the 113th Congress, 11 full 
committee hearings were held.

February 5, 2013--``Challenges and Opportunities Facing America's 
        Schools and Workplaces'' (Printed Hearing 113-1)

    The purpose of the hearing was to provide a broad 
examination of issues affecting workers, employers, educators 
and students. Witnesses provided various perspectives on the 
stagnant economy's effect on employers' efforts to create jobs, 
regulatory barriers to job creation, policies and strategies 
necessary to boost private sector job creation, and how to 
create an educated and trained workforce that is prepared for a 
21st century economy.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah, 
Salt Lake City, Utah; The Honorable Laura W. Fornash, Secretary 
of Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, 
Virginia; Dr. Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Center on Budget 
and Policy Priorities, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Jay Timmons, 
President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers, 
Washington, D.C.

February 27, 2013--``Protecting Students and Teachers: A Discussion on 
        School Safety'' (Printed Hearing 113-6)

    The purpose of the hearing was to examine how elementary 
and secondary schools prepare for, react to, and recover from 
threats of violence in the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook 
Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
    Witnesses: Mr. Bill Bond, School Safety Specialist, 
National Association of Secondary School Principals, Paducah, 
Kentucky; Mr. Mo Canady, Executive Director, National 
Association of School Resource Officers, Hoover, Alabama; Mr. 
Vincent Pompei, School Counselor, Val Verde Unified School 
District, San Diego, California; Mr. Brett Bontrager, Senior 
Vice President and Group Executive, Stanley Black & Decker, 
Indianapolis, Indiana; Mr. David Osher, Vice President, 
American Institutes for Research, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. 
Frederick Ellis, Director, Office of Safety and Security, 
Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls Church, Virginia.

March 13, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Examining Opportunities 
        to Strengthen Federal Student Loan Programs'' (Printed Hearing 
        113-9)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine ways to 
strengthen federal student loan programs, as well as how moving 
to a market-based or variable interest rate on all loans could 
benefit both students and taxpayers.
    Witnesses: Dr. Deborah J. Lucas, Sloan Distinguished 
Professor of Finance, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts; Mr. Jason Delisle, Director of the 
Federal Education Budget Project, The New America Foundation, 
Washington, D.C.; Mr. Justin Draeger, President and CEO, 
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, 
Washington, D.C.; and Dr. Charmaine Mercer, Vice President of 
Policy, Alliance for Excellent Education, Washington, D.C.

May 7, 2013--``Raising the Bar: Exploring State and Local Efforts to 
        Improve Accountability'' (Printed Hearing 113-17)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the role of the 
federal government in holding public schools accountable for 
student achievement, in preparation for the consideration of 
legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act (ESEA).
    Witnesses: Mr. John White, State Superintendent of 
Education, Louisiana Department of Education, Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana; Dr. Chris Richardson, Superintendent of Schools, 
Northfield Public Schools, Northfield, Minnesota; Mr. Eric S. 
Gordon, Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Metropolitan School 
District, Cleveland, Ohio and Mr. Matthew Given, Chief 
Development Officer, EdisonLearning, Atlanta, Georgia.

May 21, 2013--``Reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2014 Budget 
        Proposal for the U.S. Department of Education'' (Printed 
        Hearing 113-18)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the policies and 
priorities of the Department of Education.
    Witness: The Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary, U.S. 
Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

June 4, 2013--``Reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2014 Budget 
        Proposal for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'' 
        (Printed Hearing 113-20)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the policies and 
priorities of the Department of Health and Human Services.
    Witness: The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary, U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.

July 9, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Improving Higher 
        Education through Innovation'' (Printed Hearing 113-26)

    The purpose of this hearing was to highlight innovation in 
higher education at the state and institutional level as well 
as in the private sector.
    Witnesses: Mr. Scott Jenkins, Director of External 
Relations, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah; 
Dr. Pamela Tate, President and CEO, Council for Adult and 
Experiential Learning, Chicago, Illinois; Dr. Joann A. 
Broughman, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, 
University System of Maryland, Adelphi, Maryland; and Mr. Burck 
Smith, CEO and Founder, StraighterLine, Baltimore, Maryland.

September 10, 2013--``Education Research: Exploring Opportunities to 
        Strengthen the Institute of Education Sciences'' (Printed 
        Hearing 113-30)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the unique role 
of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in supporting 
education research and evaluation; the research needs of states 
and school districts and how IES can be improved to help them 
meet these needs; and what issues need to be addressed through 
reauthorization of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 
(ESRA), which authorizes IES.
    Witnesses: Mr. George A. Scott, Director of Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security Issues, U.S. Government 
Accountability Office, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Bridget Terry 
Long, Xander Professor of Education and Economics, Academic 
Dean, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Chair, National 
Board for Education Sciences, Institute of Education Sciences, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts; Dr. James Kemple, Executive Director, 
Research Alliance for New York City Schools, New York 
University, New York, New York; and Ms. Kathy Christie, Vice 
President, Knowledge/Information Management & Dissemination, 
Education Commission of the States, Denver, Colorado.

November 13, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Simplifying Federal 
        Student Aid'' (Printed Hearing 113-42)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine ways to simplify 
federal student aid programs for students and families.
    Witnesses: Ms. Kristin D. Conklin, Founding Partner, HCM 
Strategists, LLC, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Sandy Baum, Research 
Professor of Education Policy, George Washington University, 
Senior Fellow, Urban Institute, Washington D.C.; Ms. Jennifer 
Mishory, J.D., Deputy Director, Young Invincibles, Washington, 
D.C.; and Mr. Jason Delisle, Director, Federal Education Budget 
Project, New America Foundation, Washington, D.C.

November 14, 2013--``The Effects of the Patient Protection and 
        Affordable Care Act on Schools, Colleges, and Universities'' 
        (Printed Hearing 113-38)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the effects of 
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on elementary, 
secondary, and postsecondary schools, staff, educators, and 
students.
    Witnesses: Mr. Gregory L. Needles, Partner, Morgan, Lewis & 
Bockius, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Mark D. Benigni, Superintendent, 
Meriden Public Schools, Meriden, Connecticut; Ms. Maria Maisto, 
President, New Faculty Majority, Akron, Ohio; and Dr. Thomas 
Jandris, Dean, College of Graduate and Innovative Programs and 
Vice President for Educational Innovation, Concordia University 
of Chicago, River Forest, Illinois.

November 19, 2013--``Preparing Today's Students for Tomorrow's Jobs: 
        Improving the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
        Act'' (Printed Hearing 113-39)

    The purpose of this hearing was to explore key priorities 
for reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act, including strengthening career and technical 
education programs to ensure these programs meet the needs of 
in-demand industries and coursework is better aligned with 
secondary and postsecondary education.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Brenda Dann-Messier, Assistant 
Secretary for Adult and Vocational Education, U.S. Department 
of Education, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Stanley S. Litow, Vice 
President, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, IBM 
Corporation, President, IBM International Foundation, Armonk, 
New York; Dr. Blake Flanders, Vice President of Workforce 
Development, Kansas Board of Regents, Topeka, Kansas; and Dr. 
Bryan Albrecht, President, Gateway Technical College, Kenosha, 
Wisconsin.

                                MARKUPS

                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

    In the first session of the 113th Congress, the full 
committee held eight markups and filed eight legislative 
reports. No subcommittee markups were held.

January 22, 2013--Committee Organizational Meeting to adopt the 
        Committee Rules, Oversight Plan and announce subcommittee 
        assignments.

    The Committee Rules and Oversight Plan were adopted by 
voice vote.

March 6, 2013--H.R. 803, ``Supporting Knowledge and Investing in 
        Lifelong Skills Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx)

    H.R. 803 was ordered favorably reported, as amended, to the 
House by a vote of 23-0 on March 6, 2013. The committee report 
was filed on March 12, 2013 (House Report 113-14, Part I).

March 20, 2013--H.R. 1120, ``The Preventing Greater Uncertainty in 
        Labor-Management Relations Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Phil Roe)

    H.R. 1120 was ordered favorably reported, as amended, to 
the House by a vote of 23-15 on March 20, 2013. The committee 
report was filed on April 9, 2013 (House Report 113-30).

April 17, 2013--H.R. 1406, ``Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013'' 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Martha Roby)

    H.R. 1406 was ordered favorably reported, as amended, to 
the House by a vote of 23-14 on April 17, 2013. The committee 
report was filed on April 30, 2013 (House Report 113-49).

May 16, 2013--H.R. 1911, ``Smarter Solutions for Students Act'' 
        (Sponsor: Rep. John Kline)

    H.R. 1911 was ordered favorably reported, as amended, to 
the House by a vote of 23-13 on May 16, 2013. The committee 
report was filed on May 20, 2013 (House Report 113-82, Part I).

May 16, 2013--H.R. 1949, ``Improving Postsecondary Education Data for 
        Students Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Luke Messer)

    H.R. 1949 was ordered favorably reported to the House by 
voice vote on May 16, 2013. The committee report was filed on 
May 20, 2013 (House Report 113-83).

June 19, 2013--H.R. 5, ``Student Success Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. John 
        Kline)

    H.R. 5 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by a vote of 23-16 on June 19, 2013. The committee 
report was filed on July 11, 2013 (House Report 113-150, Part 
I).

July 24, 2013--H.R. 2637, ``Supporting Academic Freedom through 
        Regulatory Relief Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx)

    H.R. 2637 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by a vote of 22-13 on July 24, 2013. The committee 
report was filed on September 10, 2013 (House Report 113-205).

          LEGISLATION REFERRED TO COMMITTEE WITH HOUSE PASSAGE

H.R. 5, ``Student Success Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. John Kline), July 19, 
        2013.

H.R. 45, ``To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and 
        health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education 
        Reconciliation Act of 2010'' (Sponsor: Rep. Michelle Bachmann), 
        May 16, 2013.

H.R. 803, ``Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act'' 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx), March 15, 2013.

H.R. 890, ``Preserving the Welfare Work Requirement and TANF Extension 
        Act of 2013'' (Sponsor: Rep. Dave Camp), March 13, 2013.

H.R. 1120, ``The Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management 
        Relations Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Phil Roe), April 12, 2013.

H.R. 1406, ``Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013'' (Sponsor: Rep. 
        Martha Roby), May 8, 2013.

H.R. 1911, ``Smarter Solutions for Students Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. John 
        Kline), May 23, 2013.

H.R. 1949, ``Improving Postsecondary Education Data for Students Act'' 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Luke Messer), May 22, 2013.

      

H.R. 2083, ``Protecting Students from Sexual and Violent Predators 
        Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. George Miller), October 22, 2013.

H.R. 2374, ``Retail Investor Protection Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Ann 
        Wagner), Oct 29, 2013.

      

H.R. 2747, ``Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor 
        Employees Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Tim Walberg), September 10, 
        2013.

H.R. 3092, ``E. Clay Shaw, Jr. Missing Children's Assistance 
        Reauthorization Act of 2013'' (Sponsor: Rep. Brett Guthrie), 
        September 17, 2013.

      

H.R. 3102, ``Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013'' 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Frank Lucas), September 19, 2013.

S. 256, ``A bill to amend Public Law 93-435 with respect to Northern 
        Mariana Islands, providing parity with Guam, the Virgin 
        Islands, and American Samoa'' (Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden), 
        September 10, 2013.

      

S. 1348, ``Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act of 2013'' 
        (Sponsor: Sen. Thomas Carper), September 30, 2013.

           LEGISLATION REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ENACTED INTO LAW

P.L. 113-28, H.R. 1911, ``Smarter Solutions for Students Act'' 
        (Sponsor: Rep. John Kline), August 9, 2013.

P.L. 113-34, S. 256, A bill to amend Public Law 93-435 with 
        respect to the Northern Mariana Islands, providing 
        parity with Guam, Virgin Islands and American Samoa 
        (Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden), September 18, 2013.

P.L. 113-38, H.R. 3092, ``E. Clay Shaw, Jr. Missing Children's 
        Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013'' (Sponsor: Rep. 
        Brett Guthrie), September 30, 2013.

P.L. 113-43, S. 1348, ``Congressional Award Program 
        Reauthorization Act of 2013'' (Sponsor: Sen. Thomas R. 
        Carper), October 4, 2013.

P.L. 113-50, H.R. 2747, ``Streamlining Claims Processing for 
        Federal Contractor Employees Act'' (Sponsor: Rep. Tim 
        Walberg), November 21, 2013.

  Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education


                                HEARINGS

                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

February 14, 2013--``Raising the Bar: How Education Innovation Can 
        Improve Student Achievement'' (Printed Hearing 113-4)

    The purpose of this hearing was to highlight the growth of 
digital technology and related innovations in elementary and 
secondary education that are boosting student learning, driving 
education reform, and supporting parent choice.
    Witnesses: Mr. John Bailey, Executive Director, Digital 
Learning Now, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Preston Smith, CEO and 
President, Rocketship Education, Redwood City, California; Ms. 
Holly Sagues, Chief Policy Officer, Florida Virtual School, 
Orlando, Florida; and Mr. Jim Shelton, Assistant Deputy 
Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of 
Education, Washington, D.C.

February 28, 2013--``Raising the Bar: How Are Schools Measuring Teacher 
        Performance?'' (Printed Hearing 113-7)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine teacher quality 
policies and discuss the best way to promote teacher 
effectiveness in the classroom.
    Witnesses: Dr. Steve Cantrell, Chief Research Officer, Bill 
& Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington; Dr. James P. 
McIntyre, Jr., Superintendent, Knox County Schools, Knoxville, 
Tennessee; Dr. Rodney Watson, Chief of Human Resources, Houston 
Independent School District, Houston, Texas; and Mr. Emanuel 
Harper, French Teacher, Herron High School, Indianapolis, 
Indiana.

April 10, 2013--``Raising the Bar: Reviewing STEM Education in 
        America'' (Printed Hearing 113-12)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the state of 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in 
America.
    Witnesses: Mr. George A. Scott, Director for Education, 
Workforce and Income Security Issues, U.S. Government 
Accountability Office, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Ioannis Miaoulis, 
President and Director, Museum of Science, Boston, 
Massachusetts; Dr. Steve Schneider, Senior Program Director, 
WestEd, San Francisco, California; and Mr. Bill Kurtz, Chief 
Executive Officer, Denver School of Science and Technology, 
Denver, Colorado.

June 27, 2013--``School Meal Regulations: Discussing the Costs and 
        Consequences for Schools and Students'' (Printed Hearing 113-
        25)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine regulations 
issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to carry out the 
requirements of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, the last 
reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which passed the 
House of Representatives in December 2010.
    Witnesses: Ms. Kay E. Brown, Director for Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security Issues, U.S. Government 
Accountability Office, Washington, D.C.; Ms. Megan Schaper, 
Director of Food and Nutrition Services, State College Area 
School District, State College, Pennsylvania; Dr. Margo Wootan, 
Director of Nutrition Policy, Center for Science in the Public 
Interest, Washington, D.C. and Ms. Sandra Ford, Director of 
Food and Nutrition Services, Manatee County School District, 
Bradenton, Florida.

September 20, 2013--``Preparing Today's Students for Tomorrow's Jobs: A 
        Discussion on Career and Technical Education and Training 
        Programs'' (Printed Hearing 113-34)

    The purpose of this hearing was to explore how the federal 
government can support innovative state and local career and 
technical education programs that are preparing students for 
the 21st century workforce.
    Witnesses: Mr. Alvin Bargas, President, Pelican Chapter 
Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc., Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana; Dr. Sheila Harrity, Principal, Worcester Technical 
High School, Worcester, Massachusetts; Mr. John Fischer, Deputy 
Commissioner, Transformation and Innovation, Vermont Agency of 
Education, Montpelier, Vermont; and Mr. Frank Britt, Chief 
Executive Officer, Penn Foster Inc., Scranton, Pennsylvania.

        Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions


                                HEARINGS

                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

February 13, 2013--``The Future of the NLRB: What Noel Canning vs. NLRB 
        Means for Workers, Employers and Unions'' (Printed Hearing 113-
        2)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine decisions issued 
by the National Labor Relations Board and discuss the 
implications of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of 
Columbia's Noel Canning v. NLRB decision.
    Witnesses: Mr. Lawrence Z. Lorber, Member of the Firm, 
Proskauer, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Raymond J. LaJeunesse, Jr., 
Vice President & Legal Director, National Right to Work Legal 
Defense Foundation, Inc., Springfield, Virginia; Ms. N. 
Elizabeth Reynolds, Member of the Firm, Allison, Slutsky & 
Kennedy, P.C., Chicago, Illinois; and Mr. G. Roger King, Of 
Counsel, Jones Day, Columbus, Ohio (Testifying on behalf of the 
Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America and the 
Coalition for a Democratic Workplace).

March 5, 2013--``Challenges Facing Multiemployer Pension Plans: 
        Reviewing the Latest Findings by PBGC and GAO'' (Printed 
        Hearing 113-8)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine reports by the 
Government Accountability Office and Pension Benefit Guaranty 
Corporation regarding the challenges facing multiemployer 
pension plans.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Joshua Gotbaum, Director, Pension 
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Charles 
Jeszeck, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, 
U.S. Government Accountability Office, Washington, D.C.; Mr. 
Harold Force, President, Force Construction Co., Inc., 
Columbus, Indiana; and Mr. Anthony M. Perrone, International 
Secretary-Treasurer, United Food and Commercial Workers 
International Union, Washington, D.C.

April 30, 2013--``Healthcare Challenges Facing North Carolina's Workers 
        and Job Creators'' (Printed Hearing 113-16) (Field Hearing)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the consequences 
of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on North 
Carolina employees and employers.
    Witnesses: Mr. Chuck Horne, President, Hornwood Inc., 
Lilesville, North Carolina; Ms. Tina Haynes, Chief Human 
Resource Officer, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Salisbury, 
North Carolina; Mr. Adam Searing, Director, Health Access 
Coalition, Raleigh, North Carolina; Mr. Marshall ``Ken'' 
Conrad, Chairman, Libby Hill Seafood Restaurants, Greensboro, 
North Carolina; Mr. Dave Bass, Vice President, Compensation and 
Associate Wellness, Delhaize America, Concord, North Carolina; 
Mr. Ed Tubel, Founder and CEO, Tricor Inc., Charlotte, North 
Carolina; Dr. Olson Huff, Pediatrician, Asheville, North 
Carolina; and Mr. Bruce Silver, President and CEO, Racing 
Electronics, Concord, North Carolina.

June 12, 2013--``Strengthening the Multiemployer Pension System: What 
        Reforms Should Policymakers Consider?'' (Printed Hearing 113-
        21)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine potential 
solutions to the challenges facing the multiemployer pension 
system, including the potential insolvency of the Pension 
Benefit Guaranty Corporation's multiemployer insurance program.
    Witnesses: Mr. Randy DeFrehn, Executive Director, National 
Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans, Washington, 
D.C.; Mr. Eric Dean, General Secretary, International 
Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing 
Iron Workers, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci, 
Professor, The New School for Social Research, New York, New 
York; and Ms. Michele Murphy, Executive VP of HR and Corporate 
Communications, SUPERVALU Inc.; Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

June 26, 2013--H.R. 2346, ``Secret Ballot Protection Act,'' and H.R. 
        2347, ``Representation Fairness Restoration Act'' (Printed 
        Hearing 113-24)

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss H.R. 2346, the 
Secret Ballot Protection Act, and H.R. 2347, the Representation 
Fairness Restoration Act. H.R. 2346, introduced by Rep. Roe (R-
TN), requires a secret ballot election before a union can be 
certified or decertified under the National Labor Relations 
Act, eliminating union recognition through card check. H.R. 
2347, introduced by Rep. Price (R-GA), would reverse the 
National Labor Relations Board's Specialty Healthcare decision 
and allow for the creation of micro unions. Thus, the bill 
would reinstate the traditional standard for determining the 
appropriate unit of employees who will vote in a union 
election.
    Witnesses: Mr. Jerry M. Hunter, Partner, Bryan Cave, LLP, 
St. Louis, Missouri; Mr. Eric Oppenheim, Chief Operating 
Officer, Republic Foods Inc., Rockville, Maryland; Mr. Fred 
Feinstein, Senior Fellow, University of Maryland, Takoma Park, 
Maryland; Ms. Marlene Felter, Medical Records Coder, Costa 
Mesa, California; and Mr. Glenn M. Taubman, Staff Attorney, 
National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation, 
Inc., Springfield, Virginia.

July 23, 2013--``The Employer Mandate: Examining the Delay and Its 
        Effect on Workplaces'' (Printed Hearing 113-28) (Joint Hearing 
        with the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act's employer mandate, 
specifically with regard to the administration's decision to 
delay enforcement of the employer mandate until 2015, and its 
impact on job growth.
    Witnesses: Ms. Grace-Marie Turner, President, Galen 
Institute, Alexandria, Virginia; Mr. Jamie T. Richardson, Vice 
President, White Castle System, Inc., Columbus, Ohio; Mr. Ron 
Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA, Washington, D.C.; 
and Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President, American Action Forum, 
Washington, D.C.

August 27, 2013--``Health Care Challenges Facing Kentucky's Workers and 
        Job Creators'' (Printed Hearing 113-29) (Field Hearing)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the effects of 
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Kentucky's 
employers and workers. Specifically, witnesses discussed the 
employer mandate, including the administration's decision to 
delay enforcement until 2015, and the law's impact on job 
growth and employment in Kentucky.
    Witnesses: Mr. Tim Kanaly, Owner and President, Gary Force 
Honda, Bowling Green, Kentucky; Mr. Joe Bologna, Owner, Joe 
Bologna's Italian Pizzeria & Restaurant, Lexington, Kentucky; 
Ms. Carrie Banahan, Executive Director, Office of the Kentucky 
Health Benefits Exchange, Frankfort, Kentucky; Mr. John Humkey, 
President and Founder, Employee Benefit Associates, Inc., 
Lexington, Kentucky; Ms. Janey Moores, President and CEO, BJM & 
Associates, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky; Mr. Donnie Meadows, Vice 
President of Human Resources, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., 
Abingdon, Virginia; Ms. Debbie Basham, Southwest Breast Cancer 
Awareness Group, Louisville, Kentucky; and Mr. John McPhearson, 
CEO, Lectrodryer, Richmond, Kentucky.

September 19, 2013--``The Future of Union Organizing'' (Printed Hearing 
        113-33)

    The purpose of this hearing was to review current trends in 
union organizing, including a recent decline in union 
participation and the increased role of worker centers in 
organizing efforts. The hearing also provided members the 
opportunity to examine how federal agencies are pursuing 
policies to make it easier for unions to organize.
    Witnesses: Mr. David R. Burton, General Counsel, National 
Small Business Association, Washington, D.C., Mr. Ronald 
Meisburg, Member of the Firm, Proskauer, Washington, D.C.; Mr. 
Clarence Adams, Field Technician, Cablevision, Brooklyn, New 
York; and Mr. Stefan J. Marculewicz, Shareholder, Littler 
Mendelson, Washington, D.C.

October 29, 2013--``Strengthening the Multiemployer Pension System: How 
        Will Proposed Reforms Affect Employers, Workers, and Retirees'' 
        (Printed Hearing 113-35)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the consequences 
of proposed reforms for contributing employers and 
multiemployer pension plan participants.
    Witnesses: Ms. Carol Duncan, President, General Sheet Metal 
Works, Clackamas, Oregon; Mr. David Certner, Legislative 
Counsel and Legislative Policy Director, AARP Government 
Affairs, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Sean Garvey, President, Building 
and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.; 
and Mr. Thomas C. Nyhan, Executive Director, Central States 
Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund, Rosemont, Illinois.

        Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training


                                HEARINGS

                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

February 26, 2013--``Putting America Back to Work: Reforming the 
        Nation's Workforce Investment System'' (Printed Hearing 113-5)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the Supporting 
Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, 
introduced by Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), which would 
reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
    Witnesses: Mr. Chris Hart, President and CEO, Workforce 
Florida, Inc., Tallahassee, Florida; Dr. Scott Ralls, 
President, North Carolina Community College System, Raleigh, 
North Carolina; Dr. Harry Holzer, Professor of Public Policy, 
Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. 
Todd Gustafson, Executive Director, Michigan Works! Berrien-
Cass-Van Buren, Benton Harbor, Michigan.

April 9, 2013--``Reviving Our Economy: The Role of Higher Education in 
        Job Growth and Development'' (Printed Hearing 113-11)

    The purpose of this hearing was to explore the role of 
higher education institutions in fostering job creation and 
economic growth.
    Witnesses: Mr. Henry Lievens, Commissioner, Monroe County, 
Monroe, Michigan; Ms. Lynette Dowler, Plant Director, Fossil 
Generation, DTE Energy, Detroit, Michigan; Ms. Susan Smith, 
Executive Director, Economic Development Partnership of 
Hillsdale County, Jonesville, Michigan; Mr. Dan Fairbanks, UAW 
International Representative UAW-GM Skill Development and 
Training Department, Detroit, Michigan; Mr. David E. Nixon, 
President, Monroe County Community College, Monroe, Michigan; 
Sister Peg Albert, OP, Ph.D., President, Siena Heights 
University, Adrian, Michigan; Dr. Michelle Shields, Career 
Coach/Workforce Development, Director, Jackson Community 
College, Jackson, Michigan; and Mr. Douglas A. Levy, Director 
of Financial Aid, Macomb Community College, Warren, Michigan.

April 16, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: The Role of Federal 
        Student Aid Programs'' (Printed Hearing 113-14)

    The purpose of this hearing was discuss opportunities to 
simplify and strengthen federal aid programs to help more 
students earn a college degree.
    Witnesses: Mr. Terry W. Hartle, Senior Vice President, 
Division of Government and Public Affairs, American Council on 
Education, Washington, D.C.; Ms. Moriah Miles, State Chair, 
Minnesota State University Student Association, Mankato, 
Minnesota; Ms. Patricia McGuire, President, Trinity Washington 
University, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Dan Madzelan, Former 
Employee (Retired), U.S. Department of Education, University 
Park, Maryland.

April 24, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Enhancing Transparency 
        for Students, Families and Taxpayers'' (Printed Hearing 113-15)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine ways to improve 
the information provided by the federal government to inform 
students and families about their postsecondary education 
options.
    Witnesses: Dr. Donald E. Heller, Dean, College of 
Education, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; 
Mr. Alex Garrido, Student, Keiser University, Miami, Florida; 
Dr. Nicole Farmer Hurd, Founder and Executive Director, 
National College Advising Corps, Carrboro, North Carolina; and 
Mr. Travis Reindl, Program Director, Postsecondary Education, 
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, 
Washington, D.C.

June 13, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Discussing Program 
        Quality through Accreditation'' (Printed Hearing 113-22)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the historical 
role of accreditation and discuss the role of regional and 
national accreditors in measuring institutional quality.
    Witnesses: Dr. Elizabeth H. Sibolski, President, Middle 
States Commission on Higher Education, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania; Dr. Michale McComis, Executive Director, 
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, 
Arlington, Virginia; Ms. Anne D. Neal, President, American 
Council of Trustees and Alumni, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Kevin 
Carey, Director of the Education Policy Program, The New 
America Foundation, Washington, D.C.

September 11, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Supporting Higher 
        Education Opportunities for America's Servicemembers and 
        Veterans'' (Printed Hearing 113-31)

    The purpose of this hearing was to explore the steps 
colleges and universities are taking to support American 
servicemembers and veterans, while also discussing best 
practices that might be utilized by institutions more broadly.
    Witnesses: Mrs. Kimrey W. Rhinehardt, Vice President for 
Federal and Military Affairs, The University of North Carolina, 
Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr., 
President, Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, Florida; Dr. 
Russell S. Kitchner, Vice President for Regulatory and 
Governmental Relations, American Public University System, 
Charles Town, West Virginia; and Dr. Ken Sauer, Senior 
Associate Commissioner for Research and Academic Affairs, 
Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Indianapolis, Indiana.

September 18, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Improving Access 
        and Affordability through Innovative Partnerships'' (Printed 
        Hearing 113-32)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine steps higher 
education institutions are taking to expand access and reduce 
costs by partnering with local employers, other colleges, or 
online course providers.
    Witnesses: Dr. Jeffrey Docking, President, Adrian College, 
Adrian, Michigan; Ms. Paula R. Singer, President and CEO, 
Laureate Global Products and Services, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. 
Rich Baraniuk, Professor, Rice University, Founder, Connexions, 
Houston, Texas; and Dr. Charles Lee Isbell, Jr., Professor and 
Senior Associate Dean, College of Computing, Georgia Institute 
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia.

December 3, 2013--``Keeping College Within Reach: Strengthening Pell 
        Grants for Future Generations'' (Printed Hearing 113-41)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine proposals for 
reforming the Pell Grant program in an effort to better target 
funds to the neediest students and put the program on a 
fiscally responsible and sustainable path.
    Witnesses: Mr. Justin Draeger, President and CEO, National 
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, 
Washington, D.C.; Dr. Jenna Ashley Robinson, Director of 
Outreach, John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, 
Raleigh, North Carolina; Mr. Michael Dannenberg, Director of 
Higher Education and Education Finance Policy, The Education 
Trust, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Richard C. Heath, Director, 
Student Financial Services, Anne Arundel Community College, 
Arnold Maryland.

                 Subcommittee on Workforce Protections


                                HEARINGS

                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

February 14, 2013--``Sequestration: Examining Employers' WARN Act 
        Responsibilities'' (Printed Hearing 113-3)

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the application 
of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act 
to potential sequestration-caused layoffs in light of the 
Office of Management and Budget's guidance stating it would 
indemnify contractors that incurred WARN Act-related costs.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary, 
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Kerry Notestine, Shareholder, 
Littler Mendelson, Houston, Texas; Mr. Thomas Gies, Partner, 
Crowell & Moring LLP, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Ross Eisenbrey, 
Vice President, Economic Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.; 
and Ms. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow, Manhattan 
Institute for Policy Research, Washington, D.C.

March 14, 2013--``Examining the Role of Lower-Skilled Guest Worker 
        Programs in Today's Economy'' (Printed Hearing 113-10)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine whether lower-
skilled, non-agricultural guest worker programs are meeting the 
needs of today's workers and employers.
    Witnesses: Ms. Laura Foote Reiff, Co-Managing Shareholder, 
Greenberg Traurig LLP, Tysons Corner, Virginia, (testifying on 
behalf of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition); Mr. Fred 
Benjamin, Chief Operating Officer, Medicalodges, Inc., 
Coffeyville, Kansas, (testifying on behalf of the American 
Health Care Association); Ms. Mary Bauer, Legal Director, 
Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, Alabama; and Mr. Dan 
Musser, President, Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan.

April 11, 2013--H.R. 1406, ``Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013'' 
        (Printed Hearing 113-13)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine H.R. 1406, the 
Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, introduced by Rep. 
Martha Roby (R-AL), which amends the Fair Labor Standards Act 
of 1938 to allow private-sector employers to offer their 
employees the choice of paid compensatory time in lieu of cash 
wages for working overtime.
    Witnesses: Ms. Juanita Phillips, Director of Human 
Resources, Intuitive Research and Technology Corp., Huntsville, 
Alabama; Ms. Karen DeLoach, Montgomery, Alabama; Ms. Judith 
Lichtman, Senior Advisor, National Partnership for Women and 
Families, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Andy Brantley, President 
and CEO, CUPA-HR, Knoxville, Tennessee.

May 22, 2013--``Examining the Regulatory and Enforcement Actions of the 
        Equal Employment Opportunity Commission'' (Printed Hearing 113-
        19)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the regulatory 
and enforcement actions of the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission, the independent federal agency tasked with 
enforcing laws that protect individuals from employment 
discrimination.
    Witness: The Honorable Jacqueline A. Berrien, Chair, Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, D.C.

June 18, 2013--``Promoting the Accuracy and Accountability of the 
        Davis-Bacon Act'' (Printed Hearing 113-23)

    This purpose of this hearing was to examine the impact of 
the Davis-Bacon Act on construction contractors and to review a 
regulatory proposal expanding Davis-Bacon Act coverage to 
survey crews.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Erica Groshen, Commissioner, 
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Curtis 
Sumner, Executive Director, National Society of Professional 
Surveyors, Frederick, Maryland; Mr. Ross Eisenbrey, Vice 
President, Economic Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. 
Maurice Baskin, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson P.C., 
Washington, D.C.

July 10, 2013--``Examining the Labor Department's Proposed Reforms to 
        the FECA Program'' (Printed Hearing 113-27)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the Department 
of Labor's proposed reforms to the Federal Employees' 
Compensation Act, the workers' compensation program for federal 
employees.
    Witnesses: Dr. Scott Szymendera, Congressional Research 
Service, U.S. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Gary 
Steinberg, Acting Director, Office of Workers' Compensation 
Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.; Mr. 
Andrew Sherrill, Director of Education, Workforce and Income 
Security, U.S. Government Accountability Office, Washington, 
D.C.; and Dr. Seth Seabury, Associate Professor, Department of 
Emergency Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of 
Southern California, Los Angeles, California.

July 23, 2013--``The Employer Mandate: Examining the Delay and Its 
        Effect on Workplaces'' (Printed Hearing 113-28) (Joint Hearing 
        with the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and 
        Pensions)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act's employer mandate, 
specifically with regard to the administration's decision to 
delay enforcement of the employer mandate until 2015, and its 
impact on job growth.
    Witnesses: Ms. Grace-Marie Turner, President, Galen 
Institute, Alexandria, Virginia; Mr. Jamie T. Richardson, Vice 
President, White Castle System, Inc., Columbus, Ohio; Mr. Ron 
Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA, Washington, D.C.; 
and Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President, American Action Forum, 
Washington, D.C.

November 20, 2013--``Redefining Companion Care: Jeopardizing Access to 
        Affordable Care for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities'' 
        (Printed Hearing 113-40)

    This hearing focused on the consequences of the Department 
of Labor's (DOL) final rule pertaining to the minimum wage and 
overtime requirements for companion care services under the 
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.
    Witnesses: Ms. Lucy Andrews, Vice Chair, National 
Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, D.C.; Mr. 
Joseph Bensmihen, President and Chief Executive Officer, United 
Elder Care Services, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida; Ms. Karen Kulp, 
President, Home Care Associates, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 
and Mr. Alexander J. Passantino, Senior Counsel, Seyfarth Shaw 
LLP, Washington, D.C.

December 4, 2013--``Examining Recent Actions by the Office of Federal 
        Contract Compliance Programs'' (Printed Hearing 113-43)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the regulatory 
activities of the Department of Labor's Office of Federal 
Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), the federal agency that 
enforces nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements 
applicable to federal contractors and subcontractors. 
Specifically, this hearing focused on two finalized rules from 
OFCCP regarding contractors' nondiscrimination and affirmative 
action requirements with respect to hiring veterans and 
individuals with disabilities.
    Witnesses: Ms. Patricia Shiu, Director, Office of Federal 
Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Washington, D.C.; Mr. David Fortney, Co-Founder, Fortney & 
Scott, LLC, Washington, D.C., testifying on behalf of H.R. 
Policy Association; Mr. Thomas Shanahan, Vice President and 
General Counsel, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 
North Carolina; Mr. Brian Fitzgerald, Chief Executive Officer, 
Easter Seals New Jersey, East Brunswick, New Jersey; and Mr. 
Curt Kirschner, Partner, Jones Day, San Francisco, California, 
testifying on behalf of the American Hospital Association.

               OVERSIGHT PLAN SUMMARY AND CORRESPONDENCE


                  (LINKS ARE TO THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE)

    On January 22, 2013, the committee adopted an oversight 
plan for the 113th Congress. Oversight is a core function of 
committee operations. As such, the committee works to 
thoroughly monitor and investigate the various agencies, 
departments, and programs within its jurisdiction. The 
committee's oversight plan ensures this work is well-informed 
and Congress meets its responsibility for evaluating the 
effectiveness and administration of federal laws. Diligent 
oversight of federal programs will help promote policies that 
promote economic growth, support a stronger workforce, and 
improve education in America.
    Conducting oversight is an established responsibility of 
the Congress. The power to gather information and investigate 
is essential and inherent to the legislative process. It is 
Congress's obligation to monitor proposed federal rules to 
ensure laws are implemented as Congress intends. Likewise, 
Congress has the power to obtain information and conduct 
investigations to improve agency implementation of existing 
laws and inform the development of any needed legislation. 
Congress also exercises this power when examining situations 
involving waste, fraud, and abuse. In the end, taxpayers 
benefit from a robust examination of current practices.
    The committee's oversight plan for the 113th Congress 
identified several particular issues of interest:
      Implementation of Elementary and Secondary 
Education Programs and Projects
      Access for Students to Postsecondary Education 
Programs
      Implementation of Early Childhood Care and 
Education Programs
      Access to Safe and Secure Learning Environments 
for Children
      Access to Effective Workforce Training Programs 
and Activities
      Administration of Retirement Security Programs
      Administration of Union Democracy
      Implementation of Health Care and Employer-
sponsored Health Benefits Plans
      Administration of Workplace Safety Requirements
    To evaluate the effectiveness and administration of federal 
laws, the committee initiated the following correspondence:

January 22, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, regarding the 
    request for three overdue reports from the department 
    required by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
January 25, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, regarding the 
    Administration for Children and Families' plans to propose 
    a rule to update regulations related to the Child Care and 
    Development Fund.
January 31, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, regarding the 
    administration's plans to address gun violence, including 
    school safety and mental health proposals.
January 31, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, regarding the administration's 
    plans to address gun violence, including school safety and 
    mental health proposals.
January 31, 2013--Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. 
    Department of Justice, regarding the administration's plans 
    to address gun violence, including school safety and mental 
    health proposals.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, asking the department to ensure 
    the implementation of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship 
    Program (OSP) is made available to eligible students.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Dr. LaVera L. Leonard, Ed. D., 
    President, National Job Corps Association, regarding the 
    review of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Deputy Inspector General, Mr. 
    Daniel R. Petrole, Office of Inspector General, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting of program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Roy Adams, President, Adams and 
    Associates, Inc., discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Robert Sabochik, Chief Operating 
    Officer, Alutiiq Professional Services, LLC, discussing the 
    review of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Richard Hobbs, II, CEO/President, 
    Alutiiq, LLC, discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Thony Martino, Project Manager, 
    Applied Technology Systems, discussing the review of the 
    Job Corps program and review of its financial accounting 
    program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Pam Hess, President, Career 
    Opportunities Inc., discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Gregory Burden, President & CEO, 
    Career Systems Development Corporation, discussing the 
    review of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Diane Kelley, Executive Director, 
    Career Services, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, discussing 
    the review of the Job Corps program and review of its 
    financial accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Mary Cohorst, President, Chugach 
    Education Services Inc., discussing the review of the Job 
    Corps program and review of its financial accounting 
    program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Robert Viramontes, President, 
    Chugach Government Services, discussing the review of the 
    Job Corps program and review of its financial accounting 
    program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Scott Davis, President, Chugach 
    World Services, discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Dave Stout, President, Del-Jen, 
    Inc., discussing the review of the Job Corps program and 
    review of its financial accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Mark Douglass, President, Dynamic 
    Educational Systems, Inc., discussing the review of the Job 
    Corps program and review of its financial accounting 
    program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Brian Fox, President, Education and 
    Training Resources, discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to William Hall, President, Horizons 
    Youth Services, discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Scott Marquardt, President, 
    Management and Training Corporation, discussing the review 
    of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Booker Jones, President & CEO, 
    MINACT, Inc, discussing the review of the Job Corps program 
    and review of its financial accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Lisa Odle, President, Odle 
    Management, discussing the review of the Job Corps program 
    and review of its financial accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Rick Myers, Senior Vice President, 
    Job Corps Operations, ResCare, Inc., discussing the review 
    of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Steve Davis, Executive Director, 
    Texas Educational Foundation, discussing the review of the 
    Job Corps program and review of its financial accounting 
    program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Joe Dupuis, Executive Secretary, 
    Tribal Council of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai 
    Tribes of the Flathead Indian Nation, discussing the review 
    of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Antoine Dixon, Director of US 
    Forest Service Job Corps, US Forest Service, discussing the 
    review of the Job Corps program and review of its financial 
    accounting program funds.
February 1, 2013--Letter to Faye Washington, CEO, YWCA of 
    Greater Los Angeles, discussing the review of the Job Corps 
    program and review of its financial accounting program 
    funds.
February 13, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, regarding spending 
    decisions by the Administration for Children and Families 
    detailed in the response to a question for the record 
    submitted following the April 16, 2012 hearing entitled, 
    ``Reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2013 Budget 
    Proposal for the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
    Services.''
March 15, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting a copy of the study 
    required under Section 1513(c) of the Patient Protection 
    and Affordable Care Act, which directed the Department of 
    Labor to undertake a study concerning whether employees' 
    wages are reduced due to tax penalties imposed under the 
    Act.
March 15, 2013--Letter to Chairman Mark G. Pearce, National 
    Labor Relations Board and to Lafe E. Solomon, Acting 
    General Counsel, National Labor Relations Board regarding 
    the effect of sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 
    2011 on the National Labor Relations Board.
March 19, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding employer comments summarized 
    by the Federal Reserve regarding the potential impact of 
    the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on hiring 
    practices.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Chairman Jim Leach, National 
    Endowment for the Humanities, regarding the effects of the 
    sequestration under Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    National Endowment for the Humanities.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, regarding the 
    effect of sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 
    2011 on the Department of Health and Human Services.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Acting Chairwoman Joan Shigekawa, 
    National Endowment for the Arts, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    National Endowment for the Arts.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Acting Administrator, Bob Perciasepe, 
    Environmental Protection Agency, regarding the Budget 
    Control Act of 2011.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Director Susan Hildreth, Institute of 
    Museum and Library Services, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    Institute of Museum and Library Services.
March 21, 2013--Letter to The Honorable Wendy Spencer, Office 
    of the Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for National 
    and Community Service, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    Corporation for National and Community Service.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Secretary Ken Salazar, U.S. 
    Department of the Interior, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    Department of the Interior.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. 
    Department of Justice, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    Department of Justice.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. 
    Department of Agriculture, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    U.S. Department of Agriculture.
March 21, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, regarding the effect of 
    sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the 
    Department of Education.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, regarding issuing of temporary, 
    conditional waivers of requirements under the Elementary 
    and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. John Huppenthal, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Arizona Department of Education, 
    regarding issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of 
    requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Tom Kimbrell, Commissioner of 
    Education, Arkansas Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Robert Hammond, Commissioner of 
    Education, Colorado Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Stefan Pryor, Commissioner of 
    Education, Connecticut Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Mark Murphy, Secretary of 
    Education, Delaware Department of Education, issuing of 
    temporary, conditional waivers of requirements under the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Ms. Hosanna Mahaley Jones, State 
    Superintendent of Education, Office of the State 
    Superintendent of Education, regarding issuing of 
    temporary, conditional waivers of requirements under the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Tony Bennett, Commissioner of 
    Education, Florida Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. John Barge, State Superintendent 
    of Schools, Georgia Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Thomas Luna, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Idaho Department of Education, 
    regarding issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of 
    requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Ms. Glenda Ritz, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Indiana Department of Education, 
    regarding issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of 
    requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Diane DeBacker, Commissioner of 
    Education, Kansas State Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Terry Holliday, Commissioner of 
    Education, Kentucky Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. John White, State Superintendent, 
    Louisiana Department of Education, regarding issuing of 
    temporary, conditional waivers of requirements under the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Lillian Lowery, Superintendent of 
    Schools, Maryland Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of 
    Education, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and 
    Secondary Education, regarding issuing of temporary, 
    conditional waivers of requirements under the Elementary 
    and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Mike Flanagan, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Michigan Department of Education, 
    regarding issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of 
    requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Brenda Cassellius, Commissioner, 
    Minnesota Department of Education, regarding issuing of 
    temporary, conditional waivers of requirements under the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Lynn House, Interim State 
    Superintendent, Mississippi Department of Education, 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Chris L. Nicastro, Commissioner 
    of Education, Missouri Department of Elementary and 
    Secondary Education, regarding issuing of temporary, 
    conditional waivers of requirements under the Elementary 
    and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Ms. Rorie Fitzpatrick, Interim State 
    Superintendent of Public Instruction, Nevada Department of 
    Education, regarding issuing of temporary, conditional 
    waivers of requirements under the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Christopher Serf, Commissioner of 
    Education, New Jersey Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Ms. Hanna Skandera, Secretary of 
    Education, New Mexico Public Education Department, 
    regarding issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of 
    requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. John B. King, Jr., Commissioner 
    of Education, New York Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. June Atkinson, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, North Carolina Department of Public 
    Instruction, regarding issuing of temporary, conditional 
    waivers of requirements under the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Richard Ross, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Ohio Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Janet Barresi, State 
    Superintendent of Public Instruction, Oklahoma State 
    Department of Education, regarding issuing of temporary, 
    conditional waivers of requirements under the Elementary 
    and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Rudy Crew, Chief Education 
    Officer, Oregon Education Investment Board, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Deborah Gist, Commissioner of 
    Education, Rhode Island Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Mitchell M. ``Mick'' Zais, State 
    Superintendent of Education, South Carolina Department of 
    Education, regarding issuing of temporary, conditional 
    waivers of requirements under the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Melody Schopp, Secretary of 
    Education, South Dakota Department of Education & Cultural 
    Affairs, regarding issuing of temporary, conditional 
    waivers of requirements under the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Kevin Huffman, Commissioner of 
    Education, Tennessee Department of Education, regarding 
    issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of requirements 
    under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Patricia Wright, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Virginia Department of Education, 
    regarding issuing of temporary, conditional waivers of 
    requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Mr. Randy Dorn, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Washington State Department Office of 
    Superintendent Public Instruction, regarding issuing of 
    temporary, conditional waivers of requirements under the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Dr. Tony Evers, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Public 
    Instruction, regarding issuing of temporary, conditional 
    waivers of requirements under the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding concerns with temporary, 
    conditional waivers of requirements under the Elementary 
    and Secondary Education Act.
April 19, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting a copy of the study 
    required under Section 1513(c) of the Patient Protection 
    and Affordable Care Act, which directed the Department of 
    Labor to undertake a study concerning whether employees' 
    wages are reduced due to tax penalties imposed under the 
    Act
May 14, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth D. Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting documents and 
    communications related to agency actions involving 
    allegations of embezzlement from the International Union of 
    Operating Engineers Local 501.
May 14, 2013--Letter to Deputy Inspector General Daniel R. 
    Petrole, U.S. Department of Labor, documentation and 
    communications related to agency action involving 
    allegations of embezzlement from the International Union of 
    Operating Engineers Local 501.
May 14, 2013--Letter to Ms. Kathryn Ruemmler, Counsel to the 
    President, The White House, requesting information related 
    to the nomination of Richard Griffin to the National Labor 
    Relations Board.
May 24, 2013--Letter to Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Office 
    of Management and Budget, requesting information related to 
    the Spring 2013 Unified Regulatory Agenda.
May 29, 2013- Letter to Acting Secretary Seth Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding the Department of Labor's 
    Office of Labor-Management Standards' proposed changes to 
    the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act 
    ``advice'' exception.
May 30, 2013--Letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department 
    of Agriculture, expressing concern regarding the Department 
    of Agriculture's proposed new regulations regarding 
    competitive foods.
June 5, 2013- Letter to Assistant Secretary David Michaels, 
    Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information regarding the 
    Occupational Safety and Health Administration's work to 
    create a new federal regulatory program, entitled the 
    ``Injury and Illness Prevention Program.''
June 6, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services; Secretary Jacob J. 
    Lew, U.S. Department of the Treasury; and Acting Secretary 
    Seth D. Harris, U.S. Department of Labor, requesting 
    clarification of the administration's regulatory and 
    enforcement efforts related to stop loss insurance.
June 13, 2013--Letter to Assistant Secretary David Michaels, 
    PhD, MPH, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 
    U.S. Department of Labor, requesting information regarding 
    the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's letter 
    of interpretation allowing Compliance Safety and Health 
    Officers to be accompanied by third parties.
June 18, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department 
    of Education, requesting information on the department's 
    submission to the Office of Management and Budget for 
    publication in the Spring 2013 Unified Regulatory Agenda.
June 18, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, requesting 
    information on the department's submission to the Office of 
    Management and Budget for publication in the Spring 2013 
    Unified Regulatory Agenda.
June 18, 2013--Letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department 
    of Agriculture, requesting information on the department's 
    submission to the Office of Management and Budget for 
    publication in the Spring 2013 Unified Regulatory Agenda.
June 18, 2013--Letter to Acting Secretary Seth D. Harris, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information on the 
    department's submission to the Office of Management and 
    Budget for publication in the Spring 2013 Unified 
    Regulatory Agenda.
July 11, 2013--Letter to Acting Deputy Administrator Mary Beth 
    Maxwell, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor, 
    concerning the Wage and Hour Division's March 22, 2013 
    guidance letter related to the applicability of the Davis-
    Bacon Act to survey technicians.
July 23, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding an official determination as 
    to the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act filing 
    requirements of worker centers and all related documents 
    and communications.
August 1, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, regarding a proposal to expand the 
    scope of the National Student Loan Data System.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Thomas Bice, Superintendent of 
    Education, Alabama Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Mike Hanley, Commissioner of 
    Education, Alaska Department of Education and Early 
    Development, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. John Huppenthal, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Arizona Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Tom W. Kimbrell, Commissioner of 
    Education, Arkansas Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Tom Torlakson, State 
    Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Department 
    of Education, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Robert Hammond, Commissioner of 
    Education, Colorado Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Stefan Pryor, Commissioner of 
    Education, Connecticut Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Emily Durso, Interim State 
    Superintendent, District of Columbia Office of the State 
    Superintendent of Education, requesting information on the 
    state's statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Mark Murphy, Secretary of 
    Education, Delaware Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Pam Stewart, Interim Commissioner 
    of Education, Florida Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. John D. Barge, State 
    Superintendent of Schools, Georgia Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Kathryn Matayoshi, Superintendent 
    of Education, Hawaii State Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Thomas Luna, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Idaho Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Christopher A. Koch, 
    Superintendent of Education, Illinois State Department of 
    Education, requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Glenda Ritz, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, Indiana Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Duane Magee, Interim Director, 
    Iowa Department of Education, requesting information on the 
    state's statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Diane M. DeBacker, Commissioner 
    of Education, Kansas State Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the State's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Terry Holiday, Commissioner of 
    Education, Kentucky Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. John White, State Superintendent, 
    Louisiana Department of Education, requesting information 
    on the state's statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Stephen Bowen, Commissioner, 
    Maine Department of Education, requesting information on 
    the state's statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Lillian M. Lowery, State 
    Superintendent of Schools, Maryland Department of 
    Education, requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Mitchell D. Chester, Commissioner 
    of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts 
    Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Michael P. Flanagan, State 
    Superintendent, Michigan Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Brenda Cassellius, Commissioner, 
    Minnesota Department of Education, requesting information 
    on the state's statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Lynn J. House, Interim State 
    Superintendent, Mississippi Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Chris L. Nicastro, Commissioner 
    of Education, Missouri Department of Elementary and 
    Secondary Education, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Denise Juneau, Superintendent, 
    Montana Office of Public Instruction, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Scott Swisher, Deputy 
    Commissioner, Nebraska Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Rorie Fitzpatrick, Interim State 
    Superintendent of Public Instruction, Nevada Department of 
    Education, requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Virginia M. Barry, Commissioner 
    of Education, New Hampshire Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Christopher D. Cerf, Commissioner 
    of Education, New Jersey Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Hanna Skandera, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, New Mexico Public Education Department, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. John B. King Jr., Commissioner of 
    Education, New York Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. June Atkinson, Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, North Carolina Department of Public 
    Instruction, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Ms. Kirsten Baesler, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, North Dakota Department of Public 
    Instruction, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Richard A. Ross, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Ohio Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Janet C. Barresi, State 
    Superintendent of Public Instruction, Oklahoma State 
    Department of Education, requesting information on the 
    state's statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Rob Saxton, Deputy Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Oregon Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. William Harner, Acting Secretary 
    of Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Deborah A. Gist, Commissioner of 
    Education, Rhode Island Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Mick Zais, State Superintendent 
    of Education, South Carolina Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Melody Schopp, Secretary of 
    Education, South Dakota Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Kevin Huffman, Commissioner of 
    Education, Tennessee Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Michael L. Williams, Commissioner 
    of Education, Texas Education Agency, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Martell Menlove, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Utah State Office of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Armando Vilaseca, Secretary of 
    Education, Vermont Agency of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Patricia Wright, Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Virginia Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Randy Dorn, State School 
    Superintendent, Washington Office of Superintendent of 
    Public Instruction, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. James B. Phares, Superintendent 
    of Schools, West Virginia Department of Education, 
    requesting information on the state's statewide 
    longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Dr. Tony Evers, State Superintendent 
    of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Public 
    Instruction, requesting information on the state's 
    statewide longitudinal data system.
August 9, 2013--Letter to Mr. Richard Crandall, Education 
    Director, Wyoming Department of Education, requesting 
    information on the state's statewide longitudinal data 
    system.
September 12, 2013--Letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. 
    Department of Agriculture, seeking more information 
    regarding the department's processes for providing notice 
    and communicating with stakeholders about its regulatory 
    proposals.
September 12, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, seeking more 
    information regarding the department's processes for 
    providing notice and communicating with stakeholders about 
    its regulatory proposals.
September 12, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, seeking more information regarding the 
    department's processes for providing notice and 
    communicating with stakeholders about its regulatory 
    proposals.
September 12, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, seeking more information regarding 
    the department's processes for providing notice and 
    communicating with stakeholders about its regulatory 
    proposals.
September 17, 2013--Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, 
    U.S. Department of Justice, regarding the motion the U.S. 
    Department of Justice filed in the U.S. District Court for 
    the Eastern District of Louisiana to prevent the state from 
    offering private school choice opportunities to children in 
    school districts with existing desegregation orders.
September 18, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, and Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell, 
    Office of Management and Budget, requesting clarification 
    regarding the Obama administration's regulatory efforts 
    related to the Taft Hartley health insurance plans and the 
    Patient Protection and Affordable care Act.
September 19, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information on the 
    department's rulemaking concerning hiring and employment 
    policies of federal contractors affecting veterans and 
    individuals with disabilities.
September 19, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information concerning the 
    department's consideration of filing requirements for 
    worker centers under the Labor-Management Reporting and 
    Disclosure Act.
October 22, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, seeking more information regarding 
    the administration's development implementation of the ``8 
    Keys to Success: Supporting Veterans, Military, and 
    Military Families on Campus.''
October 22, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, requesting documents regarding the 
    department's program oversight and monitoring activities 
    relating to the Higher Education Act of 1965.
October 23, 2013--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, seeking recommendations on how 
    Congress might streamline processing of interest rate 
    benefits for active duty servicemembers relating to the 
    Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
October 31, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information on the 
    department's final rule making changes to the minimum wage 
    and overtime exemption for companionship services under the 
    Fair Labor Standards Act.
November 1, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, requesting 
    information regarding worker centers that were awarded 
    grants under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care 
    Act.
November 21, 2013--Letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, requesting 
    information regarding a study of agency regulatory 
    processes.
December 3, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding allegations that the Census 
    Bureau provided inaccurate data for use in employment 
    situation reports and requesting the Bureau of Labor 
    Statistic's protocols for receiving, reviewing, and 
    processing survey data provided by the Census Bureau.
December 3, 2013--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, requesting 
    information on the department's regulatory efforts related 
    to Taft Hartley health insurance plans and the Patient 
    Protection and Affordable Care Act.
December 3, 2013--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information on the 
    department's regulatory efforts related to Taft-Hartley 
    health insurance plans and the Patient Protection and 
    Affordable Care Act.
December 4, 2013--Letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, requesting an 
    updated report regarding fraud and abuse within the Special 
    Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and 
    Children.
December 6, 2013--Letter to Director Patricia Shui, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance 
    Programs, requesting information on the department's 
    rulemaking concerning hiring and employment policies of 
    federal contractors affecting veterans and individuals with 
    disabilities.
December 17, 2013--Letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, regarding paperwork 
    burdens under the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
    Act and the utilization of paperwork reduction provisions 
    in the 2004 reauthorization.

                             MINORITY VIEWS

    Early Childhood. Research is clear on both the short- and 
long-term positive outcomes of quality preschool programs, 
including reduction of achievement gaps in elementary and 
secondary education and significant returns on investment. 
Committee Democrats have shown their commitment to improving 
access to high-quality early learning opportunities and hope 
Committee Republicans take meaningful action on this issue 
during the second session of the 113th Congress. Business, 
school, law enforcement, military, and economic leaders have 
expressed broad consensus that additional strategic investments 
in early childhood education are essential to our country's 
economic growth and military readiness. Despite this widespread 
consensus, the Committee has taken no action on this important 
policy issue so far this Congress.
    Child Nutrition. The Committee plays a critical role in the 
fight against hunger and the childhood obesity epidemic. In the 
111th Congress, Committee Democrats led efforts to address 
these issues through the enactment of the Healthy, Hunger-Free 
Kids Act (HHFKA). Democrats continue to believe that food 
standards are based on nutrition science, not politics.
    Additionally, Committee Democrats have raised grave 
concerns regarding provisions in the Federal Agriculture Reform 
and Risk Management (FARRM) Act that change Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility requirements. 
As a result of these changes, benefits for millions of people, 
close to half low-income children, would be eliminated. The 
changes would also impact participants of the Free and Reduced 
Lunch Program, which provides needed food and nutrients to 
children so they can academically compete with their peers. 
These FARRM bill provisions could cause 280,000 low-income 
children to lose access to free school lunches. The Committee 
should act to examine the effects of these policies on 
children's health, development, and education but has not done 
so. The Committee should also exercise leadership and oppose 
efforts to infuse politics into what should be science-based 
nutrition decisions in the Special Supplemental Program for 
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) package.
    Child Safety. The safety of our children should be of the 
highest priority for this Committee. Committee Republicans and 
Committee Democrats worked in a bipartisan manner to pass two 
child welfare bills in the House in 2013. One of these bills 
reauthorized the Missing Children's Assistance Act, which was 
signed into law by President Obama in September, and the other 
was the Protecting Students from Sexual and Violent Predators 
Act, which the House passed in October.
    Despite the June 2013 completion of several HHS reports 
jointly requested by Committee Republicans and Committee 
Democrats on child abuse prevention and treatment, Committee 
Republicans have held no hearings on abusive seclusion and 
restraint practices in schools, child abuse in residential 
programs for teens, further prevention of sexual predators in 
schools and youth athletic programs, and the health risks for 
student athletes posed by concussions. Additionally, Committee 
Democrats reintroduced legislation this session to protect 
student athletes from concussions. Sports-related youth 
concussions are a growing concern, with recent research 
estimating 1.6-3.8 million injuries occurring each year. The 
Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act would, for the 
first time, set minimum safety standards for concussion 
management in public schools across the country with plans that 
educate students, parents and school personnel about how to 
recognize and respond to concussions.
    Committee Democrats remain committed to ensuring a safe 
learning environment for every student. Increased access to 
school-base mental health services and enactment of common-
sense gun violence prevention measures continue to be 
Democratic priorities to increase student and community safety.
    K-12 Education. This Congress Republicans passed a flawed, 
partisan bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act (ESEA) that would do damage to students and 
schools. Despite our history of bipartisanship on K-12 
education policy, Committee Republicans chose a highly partisan 
and ideologically-driven ESEA reauthorization approach that, if 
it became law, would lock in funding cuts and take the country 
back decades in education. When the Majority opted for 
partisanship over consensus-driven solutions, they ensured the 
bill would not be signed by the President who has called for a 
bipartisan approach. This leaves the country with an outdated 
law instead of an updated education system we know our schools, 
communities, families and nation desperately need. The Obama 
Administration's waiver process has given states some needed 
flexibility and driven some reforms among the states. But that 
patchwork of policies is no substitute for a full ESEA 
reauthorization. Committee Democrats hope that in the second 
session of the 113th Congress, Committee Republicans change 
course and seek out a bipartisan reauthorization of ESEA to 
modernize the elementary and secondary education system in our 
nation.
    Students with Disabilities. Committee Democrats are 
committed to meeting the developmental and educational needs of 
all children with disabilities to empower each individual to 
pursue opportunities for post-secondary education, competitive 
employment, independent living and full integration into 
society. To meet these needs, Committee Democrats have 
continued to fight for repeal of sequestration and reinvestment 
in supports to ensure students with disabilities have access to 
general education curriculum and challenging academic standards 
and assessments through the Individuals with Disabilities Act 
(IDEA). Committee Democrats firmly believe that high 
expectations for all students, regardless of disability, are 
imperative to improved outcomes for students with disabilities. 
Democratic Members voiced unanimous opposition to the 
Majority's efforts, through reauthorization of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act, to lower standards and assessment 
quality for students with disabilities. Committee Democrats 
continue to monitor progress of the Federal Partners in 
Transition comprised of the U.S. Departments of Education, 
Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Social Security 
Administration, to minimize obstacles to accessing federal 
supports for successful transitions to competitive employment 
and independent living for persons with disabilities.
    Higher Education. College continues to be an important 
pathway to the middle-class, but state budget cuts and stagnant 
family finances have made college even more expensive. 
Throughout this Congress, Committee Democrats fought to protect 
and expand hard working students' ability to access a high 
quality and affordable higher education. Meanwhile, the 
Republican-passed budget threatened low and middle-income 
students' access to college financial aid. Fortunately, those 
cuts to vital programs such as Pell grants have been 
successfully avoided.
    Committee Democrats were pleased to join our Republican 
colleagues in advancing the Improving Postsecondary Education 
Data for Students Act (H.R. 1949) which will help students with 
better information when enrolling in college. However, against 
the Department of Education Inspector General's advice, 
Committee Republicans marked-up the Supporting Academic Freedom 
through Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 2637) which would limit the 
Department's ability to regulate against waste, fraud and abuse 
in the student aid program. In fighting student loan debt, 
Committee Democrats were successful in stopping several 
misguided and predatory provisions of the Republican-passed 
student loan bill that would have increased interest rates and 
student loan debt for millions of students in the final 
compromise of the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act.
    With respect to oversight of higher education and student 
aid programs, Committee Democrats have sought to both protect 
students and safeguard taxpayer funds, continuing investigative 
work on the quality of servicing provided by federal student 
loan servicers, the problems of predatory marketing practices 
and hidden fees in on-campus debit cards contracted by some 
institutions to disburse federal student aid, and issues 
confronting private student borrowers attempting to repay their 
debt. We hope that, with the Higher Education Act expiring next 
year, reauthorization efforts will be aided by this oversight 
work and that the Committee will work together to address the 
issues of college affordability, costs and quality.
    Jobs. Even as the country sees promising signs of a strong 
economic recovery, the unemployment rate remains at 7 percent 
with more than 11 million still unemployed and those who do 
have jobs facing stagnate wages. While Committee Democrats 
focused on job creation opportunities and strategies to 
strengthen the middle class with legislation such as the 
Community College to Career Fund, the Pathways Back to Work 
Act, the Workforce Investment Act of 2013, and the Fair Minimum 
Wage Act; Committee Republicans failed to take up any 
meaningful job creation initiative either through hearings or 
legislative markups.
    Workers' Rights. During the first session of Congress, the 
Republican Majority launched another attack on the rights of 
hard working Americans with the introduction of H.R. 2346, the 
Secret Ballot Protection Act, and H.R. 2347, the Representation 
Fairness Restoration Act. H.R. 2346 seeks to completely 
eliminate the ability of employers and unions to work out 
voluntary, majority sign-up agreements designed to allow 
workers to freely choose whether to organize without 
interference and mandate easily-manipulated NLRB elections. The 
bill has no public support, punishes business/labor 
partnerships and has zero chance of ever becoming law.
    H.R 2347 allows employers to gerrymander bargaining units 
in order to prevent or sway the outcome of union elections, 
frustrating workers' efforts to associate freely and exercise 
their rights under the NLRA. This unprecedented, undemocratic 
shift gives employers, instead of employees, the dominant voice 
in determining the composition of bargaining units. Republicans 
contend that this change is necessary because without it, the 
recent NLRB decision in Specialty Healthcare will lead to the 
proliferation of ``micro-unions.'' However, Democrats released 
NLRB data during a hearing on the bill that reveals that since 
the Specialty decision, the median size of election units has 
actually increased, completely discrediting any rational 
argument or justification for the legislation.
    Wages and Hours. Committee Republicans have refused to take 
action to provide hard-working low wage workers across the 
nation an increase in the minimum wage. Not only have they 
blocked action, but all Republicans voted in the House against 
a motion by Democrats earlier this year to increase the minimum 
wage. H.R. 1010 increases the minimum wage in three steps, from 
$7.25 to $10.10 per hour. The rate will then be indexed to 
inflation each year thereafter. In addition, the legislation 
will increase the required cash wage for tipped workers in 
annual 85 cent increases, from today's $2.13 per hour until the 
tip credit reaches 70 percent of the regular minimum wage. A 
minimum wage of $10.10 has broad public support. The demand for 
fair pay is evident in the cities and towns across America 
where we have seen courageous efforts by thousands of employees 
at Walmart and other low-wage retail and fast food 
establishments to speak out, putting their jobs on the line to 
advocate for a decent wage that can support their families. 
Just in the past couple of months, more than a half-dozen 
national polls have shown strong, sustained public support for 
increasing the minimum wage. This support cuts across all 
political affiliations and regions of the country. Increasing 
the minimum wage is about fairness, about boosting the economy, 
and about ending a practice that allows companies to exploit 
workers through low wages. A $10.10 minimum wage would give a 
raise to some 28 million workers nationwide, two-thirds of whom 
are women. The vast majority of these workers are adults (88 
percent), and the additional household income would benefit 
some 14 million children. An increase in the minimum wage would 
be good for the economy. A $10.10 increase will generate a 
total of $51 billion in increased compensation for working 
families, some $32 billion in increased economic activity for 
business, and create 140,000 additional jobs--providing an 
important boost for our economy.
    Instead of taking critical action on issues ranging from 
wage theft to worker misclassification to the need for a 
minimum wage increase, providing for paid sick days, or 
meaningful workplace flexibility, Committee Republicans revived 
a sixteen year old proposal to eliminate overtime pay for 
millions of the nation's hard working families, and allow comp 
time in lieu of pay only when it is convenient for the 
employer. The bill was strongly opposed by a broad coalition of 
women and family and worker advocacy organizations.
    Mine Safety and Health. Committee Democrats have repeatedly 
pressed for bipartisan efforts to reform mine safety laws, but 
those efforts have been consistently rebuffed by Committee 
Republicans. Despite repeated testimony before this Committee 
by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety asking for 
reform legislation that would give MSHA additional tools to 
protect miners in light of the 2010 Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine 
disaster, Committee Republicans maintained they would wait for 
all of the UBB accident investigation reports to be completed 
before considering legislative reforms. Key reports have been 
in hand for more than two years, and yet there has been no 
legislative action. Family members of deceased UBB miners met 
with Republican and Democratic leaders of the Committee, asking 
them to take legislative action. Still, no action has been 
taken. Democrats introduced the Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety 
Protection Act of 2013, which includes legislative 
recommendations made by the West Virginia Governor's 
Independent Panel, MSHA and the DOL Inspector General. It is 
available for markup.
    Occupational Safety and Health. In 2012, 4,383 workers were 
killed on the job from traumatic injuries, according to 
preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and there 
were at least 3.7 million occupational injuries/illnesses. 
Disabling injuries cost the economy between $159 and $318 
billion in both direct and indirect costs. The April 17, 2013 
ammonium nitrate explosion at the West Chemical fertilizer 
plant in West, Texas, which took the lives of 14 first 
responders and residents, injured over 200 and leveled much of 
the community, has raised questions about the shortage of OSHA 
inspectors, questionable regulatory exemptions and inadequate 
standards. Committee Democrats are concerned that such an 
explosion may be possible at similar facilities across the 
nation, and requested that the Government Accountability Office 
(GAO) evaluate the regulatory gaps that need to be filled.
    For many years, health care and social service workers have 
faced a significant risk of job-related violence. Workplace 
violence ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical 
assaults, rape, and even homicide. Almost 60 percent of all 
reported workplace assaults happen in hospitals, clinics, and 
other health care settings, according to the Veterans 
Administration. Committee Democrats have asked the GAO to 
assess whether enforceable OSHA standards are needed so that 
health care facilities take necessary steps to better protect 
health care workers.
    Rather than enacting pro-worker safety laws that would 
require employers to promptly abate safety violations, expand 
coverage for state and local government workers, provide for 
modern whistleblower protections or speed the adoption of 
standards to prevent combustible dust explosions, Committee 
Republicans have urged delays on long overdue OSHA standards to 
prevent silicosis, and have opposed efforts to require 
employers to find and fix hazards as part of an injury and 
illness prevention program. In the 113th Congress, the Majority 
has taken no legislative action to improve workplace safety and 
health.
    Democrats believe our nation's job safety laws must be 
strengthened. The Protecting America's Workers Act would bring 
the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 into the 21st 
century. The Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower 
Protection Act would implement a key recommendation from the 
National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and 
Offshore Drilling. The Worker Protections Against Combustible 
Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2013 would speed the adoption 
of regulations needed to prevent combustible dust explosions 
and fires. Unfortunately, the Committee has held not a single 
hearing on workplace safety and health so far in the 113th 
Congress.
    Workers' Compensation Programs. The Committee has worked on 
a bipartisan basis to assess proposals that would cut workers' 
compensation benefits under the Federal Employees Compensation 
Act following the release of GAO reports which evaluated the 
impact of such proposals to federal and postal workers injured 
or killed in the line of duty. Committee Democrats have worked 
to ensure that federal and postal workers are not made 
economically worse off from injuries incurred in the line of 
duty than if they had not been injured in the first place, 
while ensuring taxpayers' interests are fairly protected 
through necessary program integrity measures.
    Health Care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is resulting in 
real savings and greater health care security for millions of 
families and has helped strengthen the economy. Beginning next 
month, millions of Americans will have access to quality 
affordable health care for the first time. However, since the 
ACA was signed into law it has been under an unprecedented 
assault by the Majority, who have held dozens of hearings to 
criticize the law and brought nearly 50 votes to repeal it to 
the House floor. Instead of trying to work with Democrats to 
make improvements to the law where necessary, the Majority has 
been singularly focused on destroying it and taking away the 
opportunity of millions of Americans to have access to health 
care for the first time. The need for the ACA was highlighted 
at the Committee's field hearing in Kentucky where Debbie 
Basham testified that while she had beaten breast cancer 17 
years ago, she still could not find a health insurance company 
to sell her a policy. She testified ``[b]ut because of the 
Affordable Care Act, that will never again prevent me or the 
millions of women like me across our country from getting the 
coverage and care we need . . . [f]amilies will no longer lose 
out on all the opportunities our nation offers simply because 
they get sick.'' Committee Democrats remain committed to 
working with the Administration and consumers as the law is 
fully implemented and will continue to fight any attempt to 
repeal the law and the protections it affords millions of 
Americans.
    Retirement Security. Retirement security remains a critical 
concern for millions of Americans. The Committee held several 
hearings during this period related to retirement issues, 
primarily related to multiemployer pension plan issues. 
Democrats urge the Committee to work collaboratively to put 
forth legislation to strengthen and expand employer based 
retirement plans, ensure adequate funding for such plans, and 
improve the effectiveness of federal programs that guarantee 
delivery of promised retirement benefits. Committee Democrats 
support strong protections for workers' retirement funds and 
urge the Committee to take additional steps to expand workers' 
access to adequate retirement income.
    Civil Rights. Despite the real opportunities this Committee 
has to bring this nation's civil rights laws into the 21st 
century, the Majority has failed to act. The Committee could 
immediately act on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) 
to ensure that no worker can be discriminated against based on 
his/her sexual orientation or gender identity. In November, the 
Senate overwhelmingly passed ENDA by a vote of 64-32. More than 
five months ago Representatives Miller and Polis sent a letter 
to Chairman Kline requesting the Committee simply hold a 
hearing on ENDA but have received no response. Committee 
Democrats will continue to fight for consideration of this bill 
until it receives a vote on the floor and becomes law. 
Committee Democrats also remain committed to strengthening 
other areas of the nation's civil rights laws and pressing for 
consideration of legislation to protect against age 
discrimination, pay discrimination and workplace harassment and 
retaliation. Committee Democrats will also continue to work 
with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the 
Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance 
Programs (OFCCP) in their efforts to protect the rights of 
workers and strengthen their opportunities in the workforce.

                                   George Miller,
                                     Senior Democratic Member.
                                   Robert E. Andrews.
                                   Susan A. Davis.
                                   Robert C. Scott.
                                   Marcia L. Fudge.
                                   Timothy H. Bishop.
                                   Rush Holt.
                                   Frederica S. Wilson.
                                   John F. Tierney.
                                   Ruben Hinojosa.
                                   Raul M. Grijalva.
                                   Mark Pocan.
                                   Carolyn McCarthy.
                                   Jared Polis.
                                   Joe Courtney.
                                   David Loebsack.
                                   Suzanne Bonamici.
                                   Gregoria Kilili Sablan.

                                  
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