[House Report 113-725]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                 Union Calendar No. 556
113th Congress   }                                       {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session      }                                       {      113-725
_______________________________________________________________________

                        REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES

                                 of the

                       COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND

                             THE WORKFORCE

                                for the

                  SECOND SESSION OF THE 113TH CONGRESS

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


January 2, 2015.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed
                                       ______

                U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

49-006                      WASHINGTON : 2014 












                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 C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT, 
HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON,               Virginia
    California                       RUBEEN HINOJOSA, Texas
JOE WILSON, South Carolina           CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina        JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts
TOM PRICE, Georgia                   RUSH HOLT, New Jersey
KENNY MARCHANT, Texas                SUSAN A. DAVIS, California
DUNCAN HUNTER, California            RAUUL M. GRIJALVA, Arizona
DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee              TIMOTHY H. BISHOP, New York
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania         DAVID LOEBSACK, Iowa
TIM WALBERG, Michigan                JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut
MATT SALMON, Arizona                 MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio
BRETT GUTHRIE, Kentucky              JARED POLIS, Colorado
SCOTT DesJARLAIS, Tennessee          GREGORIO SABLAN, N. Mariana 
TODD ROKITA, Indiana                     Islands
LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana               FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida
LOU BARLETTA, Pennsylvania           SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon
JOSEPH J. HECK, Nevada               MARK POCAN, Wisconsin
MIKE KELLY, Pennsylvania             MARK TAKANO, California
SUSAN W. BROOKS, Indiana
RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina
LUKE MESSER, Indiana
BRADLEY BYRNE, Alabama

----------
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 elected 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. On February 14, 2014, Representative 
Robert E. Andrews of New Jersey resigned from the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce. On April 1, 2014, Representative Mark 
Takano of California was elected to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce. On April 8, 2014, Representative Bradley Byrne of Alabama 
was elected to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. On May 29, 
2014, Representative Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania was elected to 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; Gallaudet University; and Howard University and 
Hospital.
  SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

                     TODD ROKITA, Indiana, Chairman
JOHN KLINE, Minnesota                DAVID LOEBSACK, Iowa
THOMAS E. PETRI, Wisconsin             Ranking Member
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina        ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT, 
KENNY MARCHANT, Texas                    Virginia
DUNCAN HUNTER, California            CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York
DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee              SUSAN A. DAVIS, California
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania         RAUUL M. GRIJALVA, Arizona
SUSAN W. BROOKS, Indiana             MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio
BRADLEY BYRNE, Alabama               JARED POLIS, Colorado
                                     GREGORIO SABLAN, N. Mariana 
                                         Islands

----------
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           JOHN TIERNEY, Massachusetts
TOM PRICE, Georgia                     Ranking Member
KENNY MARCHANT, Texas                RUSH HOLT, New Jersey
MATT SALMON, Arizona                 MARK POCAN, Wisconsin
BRETT GUTHRIE, Kentucky              ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT, 
SCOTT DesJARLAIS, Tennessee              Virginia
LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana               RUBEEN HINOJOSA, Texas
LOU BARLETTA, Pennsylvania           DAVID LOEBSACK, Iowa
JOSEPH J. HECK, Nevada               JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut
MIKE KELLY, Pennsylvania             JARED POLIS, Colorado
SUSAN W. BROOKS, Indiana             GREGORIO SABLAN, N. Mariana 
LUKE MESSER, Indiana                     Islands
BRADLEY BYRNE, Alabama               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           RUBEEN HINOJOSA, Texas
HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON,             Ranking Member
    California                       TIMOTHY H. BISHOP, New York
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania         FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida
TIM WALBERG, Michigan                SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon
MATT SALMON, Arizona                 MARK TAKANO, California
BRETT GUTHRIE, Kentucky              CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York
LOU BARLETTA, Pennsylvania           JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts
JOSEPH J. HECK, Nevada               RUSH HOLT, New Jersey
SUSAN W. BROOKS, Indiana             SUSAN A. DAVIS, California
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            RAUUL M. GRIJALVA, Arizona
SCOTT DesJARLAIS, Tennessee          TIMOTHY H. BISHOP, New York
TODD ROKITA, Indiana                 MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio
LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana               MARK POCAN, Wisconsin
RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina       MARK TAKANO, California

----------
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, December 23, 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 hereby 
transmit the Report on the Activities of the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce for the Second Session of the 113th 
Congress. This report summarizes the activities of the 
committee during the Second Session of the 113th Congress with 
respect to its legislative and oversight responsibilities. I 
circulated this report to all members on December 17, 2014, and 
received minority views, which are included in this report.
            Sincerely,
                                                John Kline,
                                                          Chairman.
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                            C O N T E N T S

                                                                   Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................     V
Introduction.....................................................     1
Full Committee...................................................     4
    Hearings.....................................................     4
    Markups......................................................     6
Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary 
  Education--Hearings............................................     7
Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions--Hearings     8
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training--Hearings    10
Subcommittee on Workforce Protections--Hearings..................    11
Legislation Referred to Committee with House Passage.............    13
Legislation Referred to Committee Enacted into Law...............    13
Legislation within Committee Jurisdiction Enacted into Law.......    14
Oversight Plan Summary and Correspondence........................    14
Committee Activity Statistics....................................    18
Minority Views...................................................    19













                                                 Union Calendar No. 556
113th Congress   }                                       {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session      }                                       {      113-725

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



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

                                _______
                                

January 2, 2015.--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 Chairman John Kline (R-MN) in 2014, 
the House Committee on Education and the Workforce continued 
its efforts to improve our education system, support working 
families, and help more Americans pursue a life of prosperity 
and opportunity. Providing individuals the knowledge and skills 
necessary to compete in the workforce and encouraging private-
sector job growth remained at the forefront of the committee's 
agenda.
    Fixing a broken workforce development system has been a 
leading committee priority in the 113th Congress. For example 
in 2013, the committee successfully advanced H.R. 803, 
Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act. The 
legislation reflects key principles necessary to a modern 
workforce training system, such as connecting individuals with 
in-demand jobs, providing strong accountability over the use of 
taxpayer dollars, and streamlining a confusing and cumbersome 
workforce development bureaucracy.
    The committee's work continued in 2014, when after months 
of bipartisan, bicameral discussions, leaders in the House and 
Senate reached agreement in May 2014 on a proposal to 
strengthen the federal workforce development system. The 
resulting legislation, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act, is the first comprehensive job training reform legislation 
to pass Congress in more than 15 years. Signed into law on July 
22, 2014, the bipartisan law is an important legislative 
achievement that will help put Americans back to work. The 
committee is working closely with the administration and key 
lawmakers to ensure the law is appropriately implemented and 
will continue to do so in the new Congress.
    Building on the success surrounding workforce training, the 
committee advanced a number of legislative proposals to 
strengthen higher education. In June, Chairman Kline and Higher 
Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee Chairwoman 
Virginia Foxx (R-NC) released a white paper outlining 
principles to enhance access to postsecondary education, 
including improving federal student aid, empowering students 
and families, and promoting innovation, access, and completion.
    The committee ushered through the House with strong 
bipartisan support three bills that begin turning these 
principles into concrete legislative solutions. For example, 
the House passed the Advancing Competency-Based Education 
Demonstration Project Act of 2014 (H.R. 3136) to foster more 
innovative approaches and improved access to higher education 
and the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act 
(H.R. 4983) to help provide students and families the 
information they need to make smart decisions.
    Following more than a year of Senate inaction, the 
committee considered bipartisan legislation that would allow 
successful charter school models to be replicated nationwide in 
order to support more choice, innovation, and excellence in 
elementary and secondary education. Introduced by Chairman 
Kline and Senior Democratic Member George Miller (D-CA), the 
Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act 
(H.R. 10) passed the House on May 9, 2014, with overwhelming 
bipartisan support.
    The committee also advanced legislation enhancing the 
federal education research structure to help provide states 
better information and data to raise student achievement. 
Introduced by Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary 
Education Subcommittee Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) and Ranking 
Member Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), the Strengthening Education 
through Research Act (H.R. 4366) passed the House in May 2014.
    The committee also bolstered our commitment to protecting 
vulnerable youth, with the House passing several bipartisan 
proposals authored by committee members that will help identify 
and support youth who are victims of sex trafficking. 
Additionally, committee leaders championed legislation to 
improve child care support for low-income families. Signed into 
law on November 19, 2014, a bipartisan, bicameral agreement 
reformed and reauthorized--for the first time in almost 20 
years--the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 
to expand transparency, strengthen health and safety 
protections, and enhance the quality of care.
    As the committee worked to enact bold education reforms and 
champion the safety of our nation's youth, it also advanced 
policies to roll back the job-destroying agenda of the National 
Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In recent years, the NLRB has 
pushed an ambush union election scheme that will stifle 
employer free speech, cripple worker free choice, and 
jeopardize the privacy of workers and their families (ambush 
elections). The board is also creating division amongst workers 
and tying employers up in union red tape by adhering to its 
unprecedented Specialty Healthcare decision.
    Two legislative proposals were introduced in response to 
the NLRB's radical activism. First, the committee passed the 
Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act (H.R. 4320). Introduced by 
Chairman Kline, the bill will ensure all parties--employers, 
workers, and union leaders--have access to a fair union 
election process. During committee consideration, the 
legislation was amended to address the board's Specialty 
Healthcare decision, codifying policies that have served 
workplaces well for decades.
    Second, the committee advanced legislation to protect the 
privacy of working families. The NLRB's ambush election rule 
would provide union leaders a host of employee personal 
information, including home addresses, work schedules, and 
email addresses. Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions 
Subcommittee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN) introduced the Employee 
Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 4321) to empower employees in 
controlling the disclosure of their personal information. 
Committee members firmly believe the privacy of our nation's 
workers should be strengthened, not weakened by an unelected 
labor board.
    Committee leaders also took decisive action to avoid a 
looming pension crisis that would destroy jobs and diminish the 
retirement security of millions of Americans. After more than 
two years of legislative work--including six hearings and 
months of negotiations, Chairman Kline and Senior Democratic 
Member George Miller unveiled a multiemployer pension reform 
agreement that provides trustees new tools to rescue 
multiemployer plans facing insolvency. Included as part of the 
2015 omnibus spending bill, the bipartisan agreement will help 
avert a devastating crisis and protect the best interests of 
workers, employers, retirees, and taxpayers.
    In addition to crafting and advancing commonsense 
legislation, the committee has also promoted its agenda for 
students and working families through aggressive oversight. Too 
often the policies of the Obama administration make it more 
difficult for schools to provide the quality education students 
need and for businesses to create jobs.
    The committee worked to hold the administration accountable 
for policies that: (1) deny students access to the school of 
their choice (gainful employment); (2) give the federal 
government unprecedented control over the nation's classrooms 
(conditional waivers); (3) discard a franchise business model 
that has served employers, workers, and consumers for decades 
(joint employer); and (4) threaten employers with costly audits 
and litigation without any evidence of wrongdoing (enforcement 
actions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).
    In the 114th Congress, the committee will continue to 
challenge the administration whenever its priorities hurt the 
strength and competitiveness of the nation's classrooms and 
workplaces. The committee will also continue looking for 
opportunities to forge bipartisan consensus and advance 
commonsense reforms that will help all Americans pursue 
opportunity and prosperity for their families.

                             FULL COMMITTEE


                                HEARINGS

    In the second session of the 113th Congress, nine full 
committee hearings were held, including two field hearings.

February 5, 2014--``The Foundation for Success: Discussing Early 
        Childhood Education and Care in America''

    The purpose of the hearing was to discuss federal 
investment in early childhood development and explore 
opportunities to better support the nation's youngest citizens.
    Witnesses: Ms. Kay E. Brown, Director for Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security Issues, Government 
Accountability Office, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Grover J. ``Russ'' 
Whitehurst, Senior Fellow & Director of the Brown Center on 
Education Policy, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.; Ms. 
Harriet Dichter, Executive Director, Delaware Office of Early 
Learning, Wilmington, Delaware; and Dr. Elanna S. Yalow, Chief 
Executive Officer, Knowledge Universe Early Learning Programs, 
Portland, Oregon.

March 5, 2014--``Culture of Union Favoritism: The Return of the NLRB's 
        Ambush Election Rule''

    The purpose of the hearing was to examine the February 6, 
2014, proposed ambush election rule, which would considerably 
shorten the time between the filing of the petition and the 
election date as well as substantially limit the opportunity 
for a full evidentiary hearing or National Labor Relations 
Board (NLRB) resolution of contested issues, including 
appropriate bargaining unit, voter eligibility, and election 
misconduct.
    Witnesses: Ms. Doreen S. Davis, Partner, Jones Day, New 
York, New York; Mr. Steve Browne, Vice President of Human 
Resources, LaRosa, Cincinnati, Ohio; Ms. Caren P. Sencer, 
Shareholder, Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld P.C., Alameda, 
California; and Mr. William Messenger, Staff Attorney, National 
Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, Inc., Springfield, 
Virginia.

March 12, 2014--``Raising the Bar: The Role of Charter Schools in K-12 
        Education''

    The purpose of the hearing was to highlight the role 
charter schools play in improving K-12 education and to discuss 
innovative public school choice models from across the country.
    Witnesses: Dr. Deborah McGriff, Chair of the Board, 
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin; Mrs. Lisa Graham Keegan, Chair of the Board, 
National Association of Charter School Authorizers, Peoria, 
Arizona; Mr. David Linzey, Executive Director, Clayton Valley 
Charter High School, Concord, California; Ms. Alyssa Whitehead-
Bust, Chief of Innovation and Reform, Denver Public Schools, 
Denver, Colorado; and Mr. Alan Rosskamm, Chief Executive 
Officer, Breakthrough Schools, Cleveland, Ohio.

March 18, 2014--``Reviving Our Economy: How Career and Technical 
        Education Can Strengthen the Workforce'' (Field Hearing in Las 
        Vegas, Nevada)

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss ways education 
and skills training can strengthen our economy and to talk with 
community leaders about state and local solutions to education 
and workforce needs.
    Witnesses: Ms. Felicia Nemcek, Principal, Southwest Career 
and Technical Academy, Las Vegas, Nevada; Dr. Michael Spangler, 
Dean, School of Advanced & Applied Technologies-College of 
Southern Nevada, North Las Vegas, Nevada; Ms. Kacy Qua, Founder 
and Chief Executive Officer, Qualifyor, Las Vegas, Nevada; Mr. 
Alan Aleman, Student, College of Southern Nevada, North Las 
Vegas, Nevada; Professor Angela Morrison, Visiting Professor, 
William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 
Las Vegas, Nevada; and Mr. Frank R. Woodbeck, Director, Nevada 
Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation, Las Vegas, 
Nevada.

March 20, 2014--``Reviving our Economy: Supporting a 21st Century 
        Workforce'' (Field Hearing in Mesa, Arizona)

    The purpose of the hearing was to explore the role of local 
higher education institutions in fostering job creation and 
growth through innovative partnerships with the business 
community and new modes of teaching delivery.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Rick Heumann, Vice Mayor, City of 
Chandler, Arizona; Ms. Cathleen Barton, Education Manager, 
Intel Corporate Affairs, Southwestern United States, Intel 
Corporation, Chandler, Arizona; Mr. Lee D. Lambert, J.D., 
Chancellor, Pima Community College, Tucson, Arizona; Dr. 
William Pepicello, President, University of Phoenix, Tempe, 
Arizona; Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University, 
Tempe, Arizona; Dr. Ann Weaver Hart, President, The University 
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; Dr. Ernest A. Lara, President, 
Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, Arizona; and Ms. 
Christy Farley, Vice President of Government Affairs and 
Business Partnerships, Northern Arizona University, Phoenix, 
Arizona.

March 26, 2014--``Reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget 
        Proposal for the Department of Labor''

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the president's 
fiscal year 2015 budget request for the U.S. Department of 
Labor.
    Witness: The Honorable Thomas E. Perez, Secretary, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.

April 2, 2014--``Keeping College Within Reach: Meeting the Needs of 
        Contemporary Students''

    The purpose of the hearing was to examine how institutions, 
states, and other entities assist contemporary college students 
in accessing and completing postsecondary education.
    Witnesses: Dr. George A. Pruitt, President, Thomas Edison 
State College, Trenton, New Jersey; Dr. Kevin Gilligan, 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Capella Education 
Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Mr. David Moldoff, Chief 
Executive Officer and Founder, AcademyOne, Inc., West Chester, 
Pennsylvania; Dr. Joann A. Boughman, Senior Vice Chancellor for 
Academic Affairs, University System of Maryland, Adelphi, 
Maryland; Mr. Stan Jones, President, Complete College America, 
Indianapolis, Indiana; and Dr. Brooks A. Keel, President, 
Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia.

April 29, 2014--``Reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget 
        Proposal for the Department of Education''

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the president's 
fiscal year 2015 budget request for the U.S. Department of 
Education.
    Witness: The Honorable Arne Duncan, Secretary, U.S. 
Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

May 8, 2014--``Big Labor on College Campuses: Examining the 
        Consequences of Unionizing Student Athletes''

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the negative 
effects of a recent National Labor Relations Board decision 
allowing the unionization of student athletes.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Ken Starr, President and 
Chancellor, Baylor University, Waco, Texas; Mr. Bradford L. 
Livingston, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Chicago, Illinois; Mr. 
Andy Schwarz, Partner, OSKR LLC, Emeryville, California; Mr. 
Bernard M. Muir, Director of Athletics, Stanford University, 
Stanford, California; and Mr. Patrick C. Eilers, Managing 
Director, Madison Dearborn Partners, Chicago, Illinois.

                                MARKUPS

    In the second session of the 113th Congress, the full 
committee held seven markups and one business meeting. The 
committee filed seven legislative reports. No subcommittee 
markups were held.

April 8, 2014--H.R. 4366, Strengthening Education Through Research Act 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Todd Rokita)

    H.R. 4366 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by voice vote on April 8, 2014. The committee report 
was filed on April 29, 2014 (House Report 113-424).

April 8, 2014--H.R. 10, Success and Opportunity Through Quality Charter 
        Schools Act (Sponsor: Rep. John Kline)

    H.R. 10 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by a vote of 36-3 on April 8, 2014. The committee 
report was filed on April 29, 2014 (House Report 113-423).

April 9, 2014--H.R. 4321, Employee Privacy Protection Act (Sponsor: 
        Rep. David P. Roe)

    H.R. 4321 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by a vote of 21-17 on April 9, 2014. The committee 
report was filed on September 9, 2014 (House Report 113-583).

April 9, 2014--H.R. 4320, Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act 
        (Sponsor: Rep. John Kline)

    H.R. 4320 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by a vote of 21-14 on April 9, 2014. The committee 
report was filed on December 9, 2014 (House Report 113-653).

June 24, 2014--Meeting to assign recently elected Members to 
        subcommittees.

July 10, 2014--H.R. 3136, Advancing Competency-Based Education 
        Demonstration Project Act of 2014 (Sponsor: Rep. Matt Salmon)

    H.R. 3136 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by voice vote on July 10, 2014. The committee report 
was filed on July 17, 2014 (House Report 113-529).

July 10, 2014--H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced 
        Financial Counseling Act (Sponsor: Rep. Brett Guthrie)

    H.R. 4984 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by voice vote on July 10, 2014. The committee report 
was filed on July 17, 2014 (House Report 113-531).

July 10, 2014--H.R. 4983, Strengthening Transparency in Higher 
        Education Act (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx)

    H.R. 4983 was ordered favorably reported to the House, as 
amended, by voice vote on July 10, 2014. The committee report 
was filed on July 17, 2014 (House Report 113-530).

  Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education


                                HEARINGS

    In the second session of the 113th Congress, the 
Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary 
Education held five hearings, including three joint hearings.

February 27, 2014--``Exploring Efforts to Strengthen the Teaching 
        Profession'' (Joint Hearing with the Subcommittee on Higher 
        Education and Workforce Training)

    The purpose of the hearing was to discuss the state of 
teacher preparation nationwide.
    Witnesses: Dr. Deborah A. Gist, Commissioner, Rhode Island 
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Providence, 
Rhode Island; Dr. Marcy Singer-Gabella, Professor of the 
Practice of Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, 
Tennessee; Dr. Heather Peske, Associate Commissioner for 
Educator Quality, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and 
Secondary Education, Malden, Massachusetts; and Ms. Christina 
Hall, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Urban Teacher Center, 
Baltimore, Maryland.

March 25, 2014--``The Foundation for Success: Strengthening the Child 
        Care and Development Block Grant Program''

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the committee's 
priorities for reauthorizing the Child Care and Development 
Block Grant Act and examine opportunities to improve the 
quality of the program's child care services.
    Witnesses: Ms. Paula Koos, Executive Director, Oklahoma 
Child Care Resource & Referral Association, Inc. Oklahoma City, 
Oklahoma; Mrs. Linda Kostantenaco, President, National Child 
Care Association, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Olivia Golden, 
Executive Director, Center for Law and Social Policy, 
Washington, D.C.; and Ms. Gloria Jarmon, Deputy Inspector 
General for Audit Services, Office of the Inspector General, 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.

June 25, 2014--``How Data Mining Threatens Student Privacy'' (Joint 
        Hearing with the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee 
        on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security 
        Technologies)

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the mining and 
retention of student data and the potential privacy and 
security risks this poses to students' personally identifiable 
information.
    Witnesses: Mr. Joel R. Reidenberg, Stanley D. and Nikki 
Waxberg, Chair and Professor of Law, Founding Academic 
Director, Center on Law and Information Policy, Fordham 
University School of Law, New York, New York; Mr. Mark 
MacCarthy, Vice President, Public Policy, Software and 
Information Industry Association, Washington, D.C.; Ms. Joyce 
Popp, Chief Information Officer, Idaho State Department of 
Education, Boise, Idaho; and Mr. Thomas Murray, State and 
District Digital Learning Policy and Advocacy Director, 
Alliance for Excellent Education, Washington, D.C.

July 15, 2014--``Protecting America's Youth: An Update from the 
        National Center for Missing and Exploited Children''

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the ongoing work 
of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to 
protect children and return victims to their families.
    Witness: Mr. John D. Ryan, President and Chief Executive 
Officer, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 
Alexandria, Virginia.

September 10, 2014--``Improving Department of Education Policies and 
        Programs Through Independent Oversight'' (Joint Hearing with 
        the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training)

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss recommendations 
from the Government Accountability Office and the U.S. 
Department of Education Office of Inspector General on ways to 
improve department services and save taxpayer dollars.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Kathleen Tighe, Inspector General, 
U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.; and Ms. 
Jacqueline Nowicki, Acting Director, Education, Workforce and 
Income Security Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office, 
Boston, Massachusetts; accompanied by Ms. Melissa Emrey-Arras, 
Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, U.S. 
Government Accountability Office, Boston, Massachusetts.

        Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions


                                HEARINGS

    In the second session of the 113th Congress, the 
Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held 
four hearings, including one field hearing.

February 26, 2014--``Providing Access to Affordable, Flexible Health 
        Plans through Self-Insurance''

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the benefits of 
self-insurance and discuss concerns about regulating stop-loss 
insurance at the federal level.
    Witnesses: Mr. Michael Ferguson, President and CEO, Self-
Insurance Institute of America (SIIA), Simpsonville, South 
Carolina; Mr. Wes Kelley, Executive Director, Columbia Power 
and Water Systems, Columbia, Tennessee; Ms. Maura Calsyn, 
Director of Health Policy, Center for American Progress, 
Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Robert Melillo, National Vice 
President of Risk Financing Solutions, USI Insurance, 
Glastonbury, Connecticut.

June 24, 2014--``What Should Workers and Employers Expect Next From the 
        National Labor Relations Board?''

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the continued 
oversight of the National Labor Relations Board and its 
commitment to defending the rights of workers and employers.
    Witnesses: Mr. Andrew F. Puzder, CEO, CKE Restaurants, 
Carpinteria, California; Mr. Seth H. Borden, Partner, McKenna 
Long & Aldridge LLP, New York, New York; Mr. James Coppess, 
Associate General Counsel, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. 
G. Roger King, Of Counsel, Jones Day, Columbus, Ohio.

September 4, 2014--``The Effects of the President's Health Care Law on 
        Indiana's Classrooms and Workplaces'' (Field Hearing in 
        Greenfield, Indiana)

    The purpose of this hearing was to learn how the health 
care law is affecting Indiana's schools and workplaces.
    Witnesses: Mr. Mike Shafer, Chief Financial Officer 
Zionsville Community Schools, Zionsville, Indiana; Mr. Tom 
Snyder, President, Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, 
Indiana; Mr. Danny Tanoos, Superintendent, Vigo County School 
Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana; Mr. Tom Forkner, President, 
Anderson Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 519, Anderson, 
Indiana; Mr. Mark DeFabis, President and Chief Executive 
Officer, Integrated Distribution Services, Plainfield, Indiana; 
Mr. Nate LaMar, International Regional Manager, Draper, Inc., 
Spiceland, Indiana; Mr. Dan Wolfe, Owner, Wolfe's Auto Auction, 
Terre Haute, Indiana; and Dr. Robert Stone, Director of 
Palliative Care, IU Health Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington, 
Indiana.

September 9, 2014--``Expanding Joint Employer Status: What Does it Mean 
        for Workers and Job Creators?''

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine efforts by the 
National Labor Relations Board to rewrite how the agency 
determines joint employer status under the National Labor 
Relations Act.
    Witnesses: Mr. Todd Duffield, Shareholder, Ogletree, 
Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC, Atlanta, Georgia; Mr. Clint 
Ehlers, Owner, FASTSIGNS of Lancaster and Willow Grove, 
Lancaster and Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, testifying on behalf 
of the International Franchise Association; Mr. Harris Freeman, 
Professor of Legal Research and Writing, Western New England 
University School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts; Ms. 
Catherine Monson, Chief Executive Officer, FASTSIGNS 
International, Inc., Carrollton, Texas, testifying on behalf of 
the International Franchise Association; Mrs. Jagruti Panwala, 
Owner, Multiple Hotel Franchises, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 
testifying on behalf of the Asian American Hotel Owners 
Association.

        Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training


                                HEARINGS

    In the second session of the 113th Congress, the 
Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training held 
five hearings, including two joint hearings.

January 28, 2014--``Keeping College Within Reach: Sharing Best 
        Practices for Serving Low-Income and First Generation 
        Students''

    The purpose of the hearing was to highlight best practices 
at institutions of higher education for serving low-income and 
first generation students.
    Witnesses: Dr. James Anderson, Chancellor, Fayetteville 
State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina; Mrs. Mary Beth 
Del Balzo, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Executive 
Officer, The College of Westchester, White Plains, New York; 
Mr. Josse Alex Garrido, Graduate Student, University of Texas--
Pan American, Edinburg, Texas; and Rev. Dennis H. 
Holtschneider, President, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois.

February 11, 2014--``Serving Seniors through the Older Americans Act''

    The purpose of the hearing was to examine the programs and 
services provided under the Older Americans Act and discuss 
priorities for reauthorization.
    Witnesses: Ms. Carol V. O'Shaughnessy, Principal Policy 
Analyst, National Health Policy Forum, Washington, D.C.; Mrs. 
Lynn Kellogg, Chief Executive Officer, Region IV Area Agency on 
Aging, St. Joseph, Michigan; Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and 
CEO, National Hispanic Council on Aging, Washington, D.C.; and 
Mrs. Denise Niese, Executive Director, Wood County Committee on 
Aging, Inc., Bowling Green, Ohio.

February 27, 2014--``Exploring Efforts to Strengthen the Teaching 
        Profession'' (Joint Hearing with the Subcommittee on Early 
        Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education)

    The purpose of the hearing was to discuss the state of 
teacher preparation nationwide.
    Witnesses: Dr. Deborah A. Gist, Commissioner, Rhode Island 
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Providence, 
Rhode Island; Dr. Marcy Singer-Gabella, Professor of the 
Practice of Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, 
Tennessee; Dr. Heather Peske, Associate Commissioner for 
Educator Quality, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and 
Secondary Education, Malden, Massachusetts; and Ms. Christina 
Hall, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Urban Teacher Center, 
Baltimore, Maryland.

March 12, 2014--``Examining the Mismanagement of the Student Loan 
        Rehabilitation Process''

    The purpose of the hearing was to examine the U.S. 
Department of Education's ability to oversee the processing of 
rehabilitated loans issued under the Direct Loan program.
    Witnesses: Ms. Melissa Emrey-Arras, Director of Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security Issues, U.S. Government 
Accountability Office, Boston, Massachusetts; The Honorable 
Kathleen Tighe, Inspector General, U.S. Department of 
Education, Washington, D.C.; Mr. James Runcie, Chief Operating 
Officer, Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education, 
Washington, D.C.; and Ms. Peg Julius, Executive Director of 
Enrollment Management, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar 
Rapids, Iowa.

September 10, 2014--``Improving Department of Education Policies and 
        Programs through Independent Oversight'' (Joint Hearing with 
        the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary 
        Education)

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss recommendations 
from the Government Accountability Office and the U.S. 
Department of Education Office of Inspector General on ways to 
improve department services and save taxpayer dollars.
    Witnesses: The Honorable Kathleen Tighe, Inspector General, 
U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.; and Ms. 
Jacqueline Nowicki, Acting Director, Education, Workforce and 
Income Security Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office, 
Boston, Massachusetts, accompanied by Ms. Melissa Emrey-Arras, 
Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, U.S. 
Government Accountability Office, Boston, Massachusetts.

                 Subcommittee on Workforce Protections


                                HEARINGS

    In the second session of the 113th Congress, the 
Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held five hearings, 
including two legislative hearings.

February 4, 2014--``OSHA's Regulatory Agenda: Changing Long-Standing 
        Policies Outside the Public Rulemaking Process''

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss instances in 
which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 
has significantly altered standards outside the formal 
regulatory process.
    Witnesses: Mr. Bradford Hammock, Shareholder, Jackson Lewis 
P.C., Reston, Virginia, testifying on behalf of the U.S. 
Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Scott VanderWal, President, South 
Dakota Farm Bureau, Huron, South Dakota; Ms. Randy Rabinowitz, 
Attorney at Law, Washington, D.C.; and Mr. Maury Baskin, 
Shareholder, Littler Mendelson PC, Washington, D.C., testifying 
on behalf of the National Association of Manufacturers and the 
Associated Builders and Contractors.

March 13, 2014--H.R. 3633, ``Protecting Health Care Providers from 
        Increased Administrative Burdens Act''

    The purpose of this hearing was to provide members an 
opportunity to examine legislation addressing Office of Federal 
Contract Compliance Programs recent attempts to target health 
providers.
    Witnesses: Mr. Thomas Carrato, President, Health Net 
Federal Services, Arlington, Virginia; Mr. David Goldstein, 
Shareholder, Littler Mendelson P.C., Minneapolis, Minnesota; 
Ms. Fatima Goss Graves, Vice President for Education and 
Employment, National Women's Law Center, Washington, D.C.; and 
Mr. Curt Kirschner, Partner, Jones Day, San Francisco, 
California, testifying on behalf of the American Hospital 
Association.

June 10, 2014--``The Regulatory and Enforcement Priorities of the EEOC: 
        Examining the Concerns of Stakeholders''

    The purpose of this hearing was to provide members an 
opportunity to continue oversight of the U.S. Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) enforcement and regulatory 
priorities by examining the concerns of key stakeholders.
    Witnesses: Ms. Lucia Bone, Founder, Sue Weaver C.A.U.S.E., 
Flower Mound, Texas; Ms. Sherrilyn Ifill, President and 
Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, New 
York, New York; Mr. Todd McCracken, President, National Small 
Business Association, Washington, D.C.; and Ms. Camille Olson, 
Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP; Chicago, Illinois.

July 23, 2014--``Improving the Federal Wage and Hour Regulatory 
        Structure''

    The purpose of this hearing was to examine the growth of 
litigation related to the Fair Labor Standards Act and current 
compliance assistance efforts.
    Witnesses: Dr. Andrew Sherrill, Director of Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security, U.S. Government Accountability 
Office, Washington, D.C.; Ms. Nancy McKeague, Senior Vice 
President of Employer and Community Strategies, and Chief Human 
Resources Officer, Michigan Health and Hospital Association, 
Okemos, Michigan, testifying on behalf of the Society for Human 
Resource Management; Ms. Judith Conti, Federal Advocacy 
Coordinator, National Employment Law Project, Washington, D.C.; 
and The Honorable Paul DeCamp, Shareholder, Jackson Lewis P.C., 
Washington, D.C.

September 17, 2014--H.R. 4959, ``EEOC Transparency and Accountability 
        Act,'' H.R. 5422, ``Litigation Oversight Act of 2014,'' and 
        H.R. 5423, ``Certainty in Enforcement Act of 2014''

    The purpose of this hearing was to discuss a number of 
legislative proposals that would bring greater transparency and 
accountability to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 
(EEOC).
    Witnesses: Ms. Lynn A. Clements, Director, Regulatory 
Affairs, Berkshire Associates, Inc., Columbia, Maryland; Mr. 
Eric S. Dreiband, Partner, Jones Day, Washington, D.C.; Mr. 
Michael L. Foreman, Director, Civil Rights Appellate Clinic, 
The Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, 
State College, Pennsylvania; and Mr. William F. Lloyd, General 
Counsel, Deloitte LLP, New York, New York.

          Legislation Referred to Committee With House Passage

H.R. 10, Success and Opportunity Through Quality Charter 
        Schools Act (Sponsor: Rep. John Kline), May 9, 2014.
H.R. 3136, Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration 
        Project Act of 2014 (Sponsor: Rep. Matt Salmon), July 
        23, 2014.
H.R. 3610, Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 2014 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Erik Paulsen), May 20, 2014.
H.R. 3896, Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation 
        Clarification Act of 2014 (Sponsor: Rep. Debbie 
        Wasserman Shultz), July 29, 2014.
H.R. 4275, Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension 
        Flexibility Act (Sponsor: Rep. Susan Brooks), March 24, 
        2014.
H.R. 4366, Strengthening Education Through Research Act 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Todd Rokita), May 8, 2014.
H.R. 4414, Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014 
        (Sponsor: Rep. John Carney, Jr.), April 29, 2014.
H.R. 4983, Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx), July 23, 2014.
H.R. 4984, Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial 
        Counseling Act (Sponsor: Rep. Brett Guthrie), July 24, 
        2014.
H.R. 5021, Highway Trust Fund Expansion  (Sponsor: Rep. Dave 
        Camp), July 15, 2014.
H.R. 5076, Enhancing Services for Runaway and Homeless Victims 
        of Youth Trafficking Act  (Sponsor: Rep. Joseph Heck), 
        July 23, 2014.
H.R. 5081, Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking 
        Act of 2014  (Sponsor: Rep. Karen Bass), July 25, 2014.
H.R. 5111, To Improve the Response to Victims of Child Sex 
        Trafficking (Sponsor: Rep. Joyce Beatty), July 24, 
        2014. (Related House bill--H.R. 3905).
H.R. 5134, To extend the National Advisory Committee on 
        Institutional Quality and Integrity and the Advisory 
        Committee on Student Financial Assistance for one year 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx), July 23, 2014.
H.R. 5771, Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (Sponsor: Rep. 
        Dave Camp), December 3, 2014.
S. 1799, Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 
         (Sponsor: Sen. Christopher Coons), July 28, 2014.

           Legislation Referred to Committee Enacted Into Law

P.L. 113-97, H.R. 4275, Cooperative and Small Employer Charity 
        Pension Flexibility Act (Sponsor: Rep. Susan Brooks), 
        April 7, 2014. (Related House bill: H.R. 2134, 
        Charitable Pension Flexibility Act of 2013 (Sponsor: 
        Rep. Susan Brooks)).
P.L. 113-128, H.R. 803, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act  (Sponsor: Rep. Virginia Foxx), July 22, 2014.
P.L. 113-159, HR. 5021, Highway Trust Fund Expansion  (Sponsor: 
        Rep. Dave Camp), August 8, 2014.
P.L. 113-163, S. 1799, Victims of Child Abuse Act 
        Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Sponsor: Sen. Christopher 
        Coons), August 8, 2014. (Related House bill: H.R. 3706, 
        Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Ted Poe)).
P.L. 113-174, H.R. 5134, To extend the National Advisory 
        Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity and 
        the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance 
        for one year (Sponsor: Rep. Virgina Foxx), September 
        26, 2014
P.L. 113-295, H.R. 5771, Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 
        (Sponsor: Rep. Dave Camp), December 19, 2014.

       Legislation Within Committee Jurisdiction Enacted Into Law

P.L. 113-168, S. 1086, Child Care and Development Block Grant 
        Act of 2014 (Sponsor: Sen. Barbara Mikulski), November 
        26, 2014.
P.L. 113-235, H.R. 83, Consolidated and Further Continuing 
        Appropriations Act, 2015 (Sponsor: Rep. Donna 
        Christensen), December 16, 2014.

               Oversight Plan Summary and Correspondence

    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 in 
the second session of the 113th Congress:

January 7, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, regarding the selection of a fair 
    and balanced panel of rulemaking negotiators representing 
    diverse perspectives on the higher education issues under 
    consideration.
January 8, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, requesting additional information 
    on the implementation of the administration's 8 Keys to 
    Success: Supporting Veterans, Military, and Military 
    Families on Campus.
January 14, 2014--Letter to Assistant Secretary David Michaels, 
    Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting documents and 
    correspondence relating to OSHA's recent practice of using 
    non-regulatory guidance to significantly change regulatory 
    policy.
January 23, 2014--Letter to Assistant Secretary David Michaels, 
    Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting a 30-day extension of the 
    comment period for OSHA's Occupational Exposure to 
    Respirable Crystalline Silica proposed rule.
February 3, 2014--Letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, requesting 
    documentation regarding preferential treatment of Taft-
    Hartley health insurance plans and requirements of the 
    Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
February 5, 2014--Letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. 
    Department of Agriculture, requesting to be kept apprised 
    of the waiver process implementation of nutrition 
    standards.
February 12, 2014--Letter to President Barack Obama, requesting 
    a briefing from the Domestic Policy Council about his plans 
    for additional executive actions regarding the nation's 
    higher education challenges.
February 12, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, and Attorney General Eric Holder, 
    U.S. Department of Justice, regarding guidance from the 
    departments limiting the ability of educators to enforce 
    appropriate discipline policies.
February 25, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. 
    Department of Education, requesting information about the 
    50-state strategy on teacher equity.
March 20, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, expressing concerns about whether the 
    Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' moratorium 
    on the enforcement of affirmative obligations for hospitals 
    and health care providers due to their relationship with 
    TRICARE would sufficiently address the concerns of 
    stakeholders.
March 25, 2014--Letter to Chairman Mark Pearce, National Labor 
    Relations Board (NLRB), requesting a 30-day extension of 
    the comment period for the NLRB's February 6, 2014, 
    representation-case procedures proposed rule.
April 3, 2014--Letter to Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, 
    Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, regarding the 
    guidance released by the Center for Consumer Information 
    and Insurance Oversight on March 26, 2014, to continue 
    processing consumers who qualify for a special enrollment 
    period beyond March 31, 2014.
April 7, 2014--Letter to Chairman Mark Pearce, National Labor 
    Relations Board (NLRB), stating opposition to the NLRB's 
    February 6, 2014, representation-case procedures proposed 
    rule.
April 10, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, expressing concerns that the Wage and 
    Hour Division's June 18, 2013, memorandum increasing health 
    and welfare pay under the Service Contract Act and 
    Executive Order 13658 will negatively impact the services 
    received by servicemembers and their families through 
    military exchanges and morale, welfare, and recreation 
    programs and requesting DOL work with the U.S. Department 
    of Defense to exempt federal contractors who provide 
    services through these programs.
April 25, 2014--Letter to Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, regarding fraud in 
    the Child Care and Development Fund.
May 8, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting a briefing from the Bureau 
    of International Labor Affairs concerning its 
    implementation of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence 
    Protection Act.
May 21, 2014--Letter to Assistant Secretary David Michaels, 
    Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information related to its 
    online training program conducted by third-party trainers.
May 23, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department 
    of Education, requesting clarification of the interest rate 
    benefits available to active-duty military under the 
    Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
May 23, 2014--Letter to Secretary Eric Holder, U.S. Department 
    of Justice, requesting clarification of the interest rate 
    benefits available to active-duty military under the 
    Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
May 27, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department 
    of Education, regarding concerns with several provisions 
    included in the draft gainful employment regulation 
    published on March 25, 2014.
May 30, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting information about changes 
    made to the U.S. Department of Labor's Civil Rights 
    Center's external enforcement programs, which are 
    responsible for enforcing nondiscrimination and equal 
    opportunity laws.
June 26, 2014--Letter to Dr. Mark Emmert, President of the 
    National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), requesting 
    information regarding the steps taken by the NCAA to 
    address issues facing student athletes.
July 7, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting documentation and a 
    briefing to ensure the U.S. Department of Labor is 
    protecting the health and safety of youth working on 
    tobacco farms.
July 8, 2014--Letter to Chairman Mark Pearce, National Labor 
    Relations Board (NLRB), requesting a briefing regarding the 
    NLRB's planned response to the Supreme Court's Noel Canning 
    decision, holding that President Obama's January 2012 
    recess appointments to the NLRB are unconstitutional.
July 10, 2014--Letter to Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, requesting 
    information regarding U.S. Department of Labor's Office of 
    Federal Contract Compliance Program's nondiscrimination 
    enforcement activities.
July 11, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting the department withdraw the 
    Wage and Hour Division's All Agency Memorandum 212 and 
    March 22, 2013, guidance letter, which together expand the 
    application of the Davis Bacon Act to survey technicians.
July 28, 2014--Letter to Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien, U.S. 
    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), requesting 
    a response to the concerns raised by Commissioners Barker 
    and Lipnic regarding EEOC guidance on pregnancy 
    discrimination.
July 31, 2014--Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department 
    of Education, requesting all guidance, procedures, 
    protocols, or training materials provided to staff for 
    assessing compliance with federal laws, regulations, and 
    other requirements.
August 8, 2014--Letter to General Counsel David Lopez, U.S. 
    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), requesting 
    documents regarding the EEOC's enforcement practices and 
    priorities.
August 12, 2014--Letter to Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, requesting a study 
    of the U.S. Department of Education's waiver policies under 
    the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
September 4, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department 
    of Education, and Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, U.S. 
    Department of Health and Human Services, regarding the 
    views on the legislative intent underlying the Workforce 
    Innovation and Opportunity Act.
September 16, 2014--Letter to General Counsel Richard Griffin, 
    National Labor Relations Board, requesting information 
    regarding the joint-employer test under the National Labor 
    Relations Act.
September 29, 2014--Letter to Assistant Secretary Joe Main, 
    Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
    Labor, and Director John Howard, National Institute for 
    Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease 
    Control, requesting information concerning their respective 
    agencies' implementation of the Lowering Miners' Exposure 
    to Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Including Continuous Personal 
    Dust Monitors final rulemaking.
September 30, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, requesting DOL suspend the planned 
    implementation of its final rule entitled ``Application of 
    the Fair Labor Standards Act to Domestic Service'' so that 
    state Medicaid programs can better prepared for 
    implementation.
October 28, 2014--Letter to Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, 
    U.S. Government Accountability Office, requesting answers 
    regarding the GAO review of the changes to school 
    nutrition.
November 14, 2014--Letter to General Counsel Richard Griffin, 
    National Labor Relations Board, requesting a briefing 
    regarding NLRB's August 8, 2014 guidance to personnel 
    concerning steps they should take to identify alleged 
    wrongdoing under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and 
    the Fair Labor Standards Act.
December 3, 2014--Letter to Director Patricia A. Shiu, Office 
    of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Department of 
    Labor, requesting OFCCP allow the public 60 days to provide 
    comments on its rule implementing Executive Order 136772, 
    which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating on 
    the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
December 11, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding the legislative intent 
    underlying the Pay for Performance provisions in the 
    Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
December 16, 2014--Letter to Secretary Thomas E. Perez, U.S. 
    Department of Labor, regarding the legislative intent 
    underlying the at-risk youth and Job Corps provisions in 
    the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

             Committee Activity Statistics--113th Congress

Total Number of Hearings--67
  Total Number of Field Hearings--6
Total Number of Bills and Other Committee Materials Considered 
    in Markup Session--16
Total Number of Filed Legislative Reports--14
Total Number of House Bills Referred--669
Total Number of Bills Referred to the Committee with House 
    Passage--31
Total Number of Bills Referred to the Committee Enacted into 
    Law--11
Total Number of Bills within Committee Jurisdiction Enacted 
    into Law--2
Total Number of Initiated Oversight Correspondence--208

                             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 by leading 
and backing comprehensive legislation. The Strong Start for 
America's Children Act of 2013 (H.R. 3461) would expand 
effective state initiatives aimed at improving school 
readiness.
    In the second half of the 113th Congress, two essential 
components of this proposal were approved by Congress in the FY 
2014 and FY 2015 omnibus appropriations measures, adding $1.5 
billion to state and local investments in quality early 
education.
    However, large percentages of disadvantaged eligible 
children continue to lack access to quality early learning 
programs. Business, school, law enforcement, military, and 
economic leaders have all expressed broad agreement that 
increasing such strategic investments in early childhood 
education are critical to our country's economic growth and 
military readiness. Despite this widespread consensus, the 
Committee took no action on this important policy issue in the 
113th Congress, besides holding a hearing at which Committee 
Republicans focused on complaints about the number of federal 
programs that include early learning funding.
    Despite the inaction on expanding high-quality preschool in 
states, Committee Republicans and Democrats worked in a 
bipartisan manner to comprehensively strengthen child care 
quality and safety by reauthorizing the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant (CCDBG) in the 113th Congress, which 
was signed by President Obama in November. The law, which had 
not been reauthorized in 18 years and had been due for an 
update since 2002, will positively impact millions of children 
and families nationwide.
    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 enacting the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act 
(HHFKA). Democrats continue to support food standards that are 
based on nutrition science, not politics. These programs are 
also part of the Child Nutrition Act, which is due for 
reauthorization next year.
    The Committee should also exercise leadership in supporting 
federal efforts to combat hunger among children in low-income 
families by improving food delivery and nutritionally valuable 
strategies in the Summer Food Service Program; the Child and 
Adult Care Food Program; and the Supplemental Program for 
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). When considering both the 
Child Nutrition Act reauthorization and support for other 
programs serving low-income families, Committee members should 
ensure that programs include nutritious components and not 
permit well-financed industry interests to dictate food 
content.
    Committee Democrats remain concerned about the significant 
cuts made to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
(SNAP) in the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management 
(FAARM) bill enacted last year. These reductions and 
eligibility changes are causing many low-income families and 
children to lose critical nutrition assistance and may impact 
participants of the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. The 
committee should act to examine the effects of these new 
policies on children's health, development, and education, but 
has not done so.
    Child Safety. The safety of our children should be the 
highest priority for this Committee. In 2014, Committee 
Republicans and Committee Democrats collaborated on three 
bipartisan child welfare bills that passed the House to support 
children who are victims of sex trafficking. These bills 
proposed to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 
(CAPTA), the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and the Missing 
Children's Assistance Act. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to 
consider the bills, preferring to wait for the reauthorization 
of these acts. Committee Democrats are optimistic that the 
Committee's sincere bipartisan efforts on child welfare will 
continue into the 114th Congress and the progress made this 
past year on the trafficking bills will be integrated into the 
updates of federal laws.
    HHS completed several reports in 2013 jointly requested by 
Committee Republicans and Committee Democrats on child abuse 
prevention and treatment. Committee Republicans still held no 
hearings on abusive seclusion and restraint practices in 
schools, child abuse in residential programs for teens, further 
prevention of and responses to sexual predators in schools and 
youth athletic programs, and the health risks for student 
athletes posed by concussions. Such hearings are essential for 
a thorough examination of legislative options that could lead 
to stronger protections for vulnerable children.
    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.
    K-12 Education. Funding for K-12 education programs, 
including special education services for students with 
disabilities, remains below pre-sequester levels. Committee 
Democrats will continue to fight for, not only a restoration of 
funding levels, but additional investment.
    Committee Democrats will also once again seek to work on a 
bipartisan basis toward consensus-driven solutions to 
reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). 
Committee Republicans must abandon their highly partisan and 
ideologically driven reauthorization approach and work with 
Committee Democrats to develop a bipartisan ESEA 
reauthorization bill.
    Since 1965, the nation has seen marked progress not only in 
areas of equity and fairness, but also in student achievement. 
Committee Democrats believe that ESEA reauthorization 
legislation should retain the law's critical focus on civil 
rights and equity while modernizing the education system. ESEA 
should set high standards and goals for college and career 
readiness. It should support a modern assessment system; 
maintain accountability for all students; provide states, 
districts, and schools with the flexibility to improve schools 
based on their student, school, and community needs; support a 
professional environment for teachers and school leaders and 
provide them with the information and resources necessary to 
succeed; ensure performance is transparent to parents and 
communities so that they can participate in their schools and 
support their success; and support consolidated funding streams 
for literacy, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
(STEM), a well-rounded education, wrap-around services, and 
increased learning time. Additionally, ESEA reauthorization 
should not set arbitrary caps on funding critical investments 
in education. Nor should the reauthorization abandon a focus on 
ensuring states and localities maintain their fair share of 
funding.
    To support such an effort, we must continue to focus on the 
core education programs, including Title I and Title II of 
ESEA. Additionally, Committee Democrats believe we must fund 
programs in the most efficient ways and provide districts with 
increased flexibility to support the needs of their students. 
Accordingly, Committee Democrats support consolidating funding 
streams around areas of critical need to create more efficient 
programs for schools and districts, with increased flexibility 
in how funds are used while providing accountability to 
taxpayers regarding how funds are spent. This year, Committee 
Democrats remain committed to reauthorizing ESEA, but only in a 
manner that continues to support equity in education to ensure 
that all students have the opportunity to succeed.
    Students with Disabilities. Committee Democrats remain 
committed to meeting the developmental and educational needs of 
children with disabilities to empower each individual to pursue 
opportunities for independent living and full integration into 
society. To meet these needs, Committee Democrats will fight 
for access to high standards and meaningful high school degrees 
for students with disabilities in any effort to reauthorize the 
ESEA. Additionally, Committee Democrats will continue to work 
alongside Committee Republicans to ensure successful 
implementation of Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 to increase alignment and 
quality of services for students with disabilities as they 
transition from K-12 education to postsecondary success. 
Committee Democrats will fight to be sure any reauthorization 
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act continues to 
provide schools with resources and supports so students with 
disabilities are held to high academic and achievement 
standards and gain access to general education curriculum.
    Higher Education. During the recession, states slashed 
higher education funding, causing tuition to increase for 
millions of students and families. As costs have increased, 
more students have relied on student loans in order to pay for 
school. Today almost two-thirds of college graduates must 
borrow to finance their education, and their average loan debt 
is more than $27,000.i High debt levels have 
rippling impacts on our economy and borrowers' lives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \i\The College Board, Trends in Student Aid 2014, available at 
http://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/2014-trends-student-
aid-final-web.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Committee Democrats have fought to protect students' 
ability to obtain an affordable higher education and will 
continue to fight for a robust Pell Grant program for years to 
come. The increasing cost of higher education continues to be a 
chief concern for American families; in the past five years, 
the average tuition and fees at four-year public colleges have 
increased by 17 percent.ii Congressman Tierney 
introduced the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act 
to allow borrowers to refinance federal and private student 
loans at lower rates. House Democrats pressed for its 
consideration, yet Republicans refused to act on this critical 
bill that would help borrowers save thousands of dollars over 
the life of their loans.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \ii\The College Board. Trends in College Pricing 2014, available at 
http://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/2014-trends-college-
pricing-final-web.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Committee Democrats support efforts to help more students 
achieve affordable high-quality degrees, certificates, and 
other credentials needed to compete in today's marketplace. 
Committee Democrats worked with Committee Republicans last 
summer to pass three bipartisan bills on competency-based 
education, financial aid counseling, and data transparency, and 
will continue to work to make sure students have the right 
information needed to make informed choices about the college 
they will attend and the way they finance their education.
    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. Committee Democrats hope that, with the Higher Education 
Act expiring in 2015, reauthorization efforts will be aided by 
this oversight work and the Majority will work with Democrats 
to pursue ways to make college more affordable, control costs, 
and ensure the quality of higher education.
    Economic Security. Even as the economy shows positive signs 
of growth with 57 consecutive months of job growth during which 
the private sector added 10.9 million jobs, many American 
families continue to struggle to make ends meet. Committee 
Democrats were proud to work on the bipartisan reauthorization 
of federal workforce programs. The Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (WIOA) will improve our nation's workforce 
development system and help put Americans back to work. Now 
more than ever, effective education and workforce development 
opportunities are critical to a stronger middle class. WIOA 
will help strengthen a system that prepares workers for the 
21st century workforce, while helping businesses find the 
skilled employees they need to compete and create jobs in 
America.
    Committee Democrats also have pushed for priority 
legislation, such as H.R. 1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 
2013, and H.R. 5159, the Schedules that Work Act, to provide 
basic labor protections for low-wage workers who are working 
hard to provide for their families. Raising the minimum wage 
has broad bipartisan support. Yet Committee Republicans refuse 
to bring the bill before the Committee and the Republican 
leadership refuses to schedule it for a vote. One hundred 
ninety five Democrats joined together to sign a discharge 
petition to bring H.R. 1010 to the Floor. No Republicans joined 
the petition. H.R. 1010 increases the minimum wage from $7.25 
to $10.10 per hour in three steps. The rate will then be 
indexed to inflation each year thereafter. In addition, the 
legislation will increase the required cash wage for tipped 
workers from today's $2.13 per hour until the tip credit 
reaches 70 percent of the regular minimum wage. A federal 
minimum wage of $10.10 has broad public support. Moreover, this 
year four states--Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South 
Dakota--saw ballot measures approved to raise their minimum 
wages. Ten states--Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Vermont, and 
West Virginia--and the District of Columbia enacted legislation 
to increase their state minimum wages. Additionally, the 
minimum wages in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, 
New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington will increase as a 
result of indexing. With 29 states and DC having minimum wages 
above the federal minimum and numerous city and local increases 
taking effect, it is time for the federal government to act. 
While progress has been made in states and localities, workers 
in every state deserve to benefit from an increase in the 
minimum wage.
    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 25 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. In 
addition, increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 will generate 
$35 billion in increased compensation for working families, 
some $22 billion in increased economic activity for business, 
and create 85,000 additional jobs--providing an important boost 
for our economy.
    Committee Democrats will also push for H.R. 5159, the 
Schedules that Work Act, legislation that works to combat 
abusive scheduling practices that create erratic and 
unpredictable work schedules for low wage workers. The 
Schedules That Work Act helps families balance their 
responsibilities at work and at home, while still respecting 
the needs of employers. Employees who work hard for a living 
should have some certainty about their work schedules, so they 
can plan their childcare, caregiving duties, transportation, or 
simply their time to pay bills and manage their household.
    Workers' Rights. Committee Republicans continued their 
attacks on the rights of hard-working Americans with the 
introduction of H.R. 4320, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness 
Act, and H.R. 4321, the Employee Privacy Protection Act, in 
response to proposed reforms to the election representation 
case procedures. The now-final NLRB rule modernizes and 
streamlines the election representation case process to 
eliminate unnecessary delays, reduce frivolous litigation, and 
increase transparency. This rule eliminates the 35-day waiting 
period, and under the new procedures a regional director will 
schedule a pre-election hearing eight days after a hearing 
notice is served. In contrast, H.R. 4320 mandates delay by 
requiring that elections be scheduled at least 35 days after 
the filing of a petition. The bill also requires a 14-day delay 
prior to a hearing, which is twice the minimum mandated by the 
Republican-controlled board in 2002.
    Similarly, H.R. 4321, the Employee Privacy Protection Act, 
would delay NLRB elections by prohibiting the circulation of 
the voter list to unions for at least seven days after a final 
determination by the Board is made regarding the appropriate 
bargaining unit. Under the NLRB rule, this list must be 
circulated within two business day of the regional director's 
approval of an election agreement or direction of an election. 
The bill also limits the contact information that may be 
provided to unions beyond home addresses to either email or 
telephone numbers, as opposed to the Board rule which allows 
unions to receive access to both. The Republican bill 
substantially disadvantages the fair choice of employees by 
allowing employers access to emails, calls, and captive 
audience meetings, while at the same time limiting union's 
access to additional contact through the ``voluntary'' 
selection of the employee. By not allowing unions to contact 
workers, H.R. 4321 prevents the creation of the level playing 
field the National Labor Relations Act is intended to produce 
in a representation election.
    Taken together, these bills undermine the laudable rule 
from the NLRB, which streamlines and updates the representation 
case procedure to ensure workers can exercise their right to 
organize and bargain collectively. Our economy and country are 
stronger when workers can exercise their fundamental rights. 
These bills undermine workers' rights while doing nothing to 
better workers' lives or give them a voice at work.
    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. In the 113th Congress, Committee Republicans held 
no hearings on mine safety and health. Despite repeated 
testimony by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety 
calling 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 have stalled, 
stating instead that they will wait for all of the UBB accident 
investigation reports to be completed before considering 
legislative reforms. Six investigation reports have long been 
completed; the last report was received nearly three years ago. 
A Committee hearing was held in the 112th Congress to review 
these reports, and the Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety 
reiterated the agency's call for legislation. In addition, 
family members of deceased UBB miners met with Republican and 
Democratic leaders of the Committee, asking them to take 
legislative action. Yet no legislative action has been taken. 
Democrats introduced the Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection 
Act of 2013 (H.R. 1373), which includes legislative 
recommendations made by the West Virginia Governor's 
Independent Investigation Panel, MSHA, and the DOL Inspector 
General. On April 9, 2014, four years after the April 5, 2010, 
disaster at UBB, Senior Democratic Member Miller offered H.R. 
1373 as an amendment to the Workforce Democracy and Fairness 
Act (H.R. 4320). It was ruled non-germane, and no vote was 
permitted on the legislation.
    Occupational Safety and Health. In 2013, 4,405 workers were 
killed on the job from traumatic injuries, according to 
preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and at 
least 3.75 million workers incurred occupational injuries or 
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--which took the lives of 15 first responders, 
injured nearly 200, and leveled much of the West, Texas 
community--has raised questions about the shortage of OSHA 
inspectors, questionable regulatory exemptions, and inadequate 
standards. Committee Democrats requested that GAO investigate. 
Its report, Chemical Safety: Actions Needed to Improve Federal 
Oversight of Facilities with Ammonium Nitrate (GAO-14-274), 
identified numerous regulatory gaps that could allow similar 
catastrophic events at facilities across the nation. Following 
the report's release, Committee Democrats issued 
recommendations to the president's Chemical Facility Safety and 
Security Working Group urging action to close loopholes in the 
regulations and policies at the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration (OSHA).
    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 challenged OSHA's ability to disseminate 
information on more protective health standards, urged delay on 
an overdue standard to prevent silicosis, and 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 (H.R. 1648) 
would bring the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 into 
the 21st century. The Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower 
Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 1649) 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 (H.R. 
691) would speed the adoption of regulations needed to prevent 
combustible dust explosions and fires.
    Workers' Compensation Programs. The Committee has worked on 
a bipartisan basis to assess Senate and Administration 
legislative proposals to cut workers' compensation benefits 
under the Federal Employees Compensation Act. The Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) evaluated the impact of these 
proposals on 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.
    Committee Democrats have examined the fairness of claims 
determinations under the Black Lung Benefits Act, which has 
been tilted against claimants by a disparity in medical and 
legal resources between coal miners and well-financed coal 
companies. Investigations into the program revealed that coal 
mine operators and their attorneys have defeated claims by 
hiring doctors at prestigious medical centers who 
systematically failed to diagnose the most advanced forms of 
black lung disease or by withholding medical evidence from 
miners, surviving spouses, and judges that would have proven 
the miners' eligibility for benefits. Further budget cuts have 
reduced the number of administrative law judges (ALJs) and led 
to extensive delays before claims are adjudicated. Committee 
Democrats requested a program review by the DOL Inspector 
General, secured funding for additional ALJs in the Fiscal Year 
2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act 
(H.R. 83), and introduced the Black Lung Benefits Improvement 
Act of 2014 (H.R. 5751), in conjunction with U.S. 
Representative Matt Cartwright, to reform the program so that 
claimants who have meritorious claims will actually receive the 
benefits that they are entitled to under the law.
    Health Care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is resulting in 
real savings, providing greater health care security for 
millions of families, and helping to strengthen the economy. 
Millionsiii of Americans have purchased health 
coverage through the new health insurance marketplaces, many 
with financial assistance through the form of an advanced tax 
credit.iv More Americans are expected to use the 
marketplaces to purchase coverage for the 2015 plan 
year.v In addition, the health law protects American 
families against some of the worst abuses of the health 
insurance industry. The law's rate review and medical loss 
ratio provisions have saved Americans an estimated $2.8 billion 
in rebates and reductions in their premiums in 2012 and 
2013.vi One hundred and five million Americans no 
longer face a lifetime limit on their coverage;vii 
up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no 
longer be discriminated against or denied coverage due to that 
condition;viii and 6.6 million young adults can now 
have coverage through their parents' plan.ix Seniors 
have also seen greater access to coverage and lower costs. More 
than 7.9 million people with Medicare have saved over $9.9 
billion on prescription drugs.x Last year, more than 
37 million also received free preventative 
benefits.xi 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 more than 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 the ACA and taking away millions of 
Americans' opportunity to access health care for the first 
time. Committee Democrats remain committed to working with the 
Administration and consumers to ensure that the ACA is fully 
and properly implemented.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \iii\ASPE Issue Brief, ``Health Insurance Marketplace: Summary 
Enrollment Report for the Initial Annual Open Enrollment Period,'' (May 
2014). Available at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2014/
MarketPlaceEnrollment/Apr2014/ib_2014Apr_enrollment.pdf
    ivibid
    vASPE Issue Brief, ``How Many Individuals Might Have 
Marketplace Coverage after the 2015 Open Enrollment Period?'' (Nov 
2014). Available at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2014/Targets/
ibXXTargets.pdf 
    viU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ``Rate 
Review Annual Report for Calendar Year 2013'' (Sept. 2014). Available 
at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2014/RateReview/
rptXXRateReview.pdf
    viiASPE Issue Brief, ``Under The Affordable Care Act, 
105 Million Americans No Longer Face Lifetime Limits on Health 
Benefits,'' (Mar. 2012).
    viiiU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ``At 
Risk: Pre-Existing Conditions Could Affect 1 in 2 Americans: 129 
Million People Could Be Denied Affordable Coverage Without Health 
Reform,'' available at: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/reports/
preexisting.html
    ixThe Commonwealth Fund, ``Young, Uninsured and in Debt: 
Why Young Adults Lack Health Insurance and How the Affordable Care Act 
Is Helping,'' (June 2012).
    xU.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ``Press 
release: 7.9 million people with Medicare have saved over $9.9 billion 
on prescription drugs,'' (March 2014). Available at: http://
www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2014-Press-
releases-items/2014-03-21.html
    xiCMS.gov ``Beneficiaries Utilizing Free Preventative 
Services by State, YTD 2013'' (Accessed Dec 2014). Available at: http:/
/downloads.cms.gov/files/Beneficiaries-Utilizing-Free-Preventive-
Services-by-State-YTD2013.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pensions and Retirement Security: Retirement security 
remains a critical concern for millions of Americans. Senior 
Democratic Member Miller and Chairman Kline worked on a 
bipartisan basis to tackle the imminent crisis in multi-
employer pension plans. Over one million Americans currently 
have their retirement savings in multiemployer pension plans 
that are expected to collapse in the near future. The failure 
of these plans will put every worker with a multiemployer 
pension at significant risk by bankrupting the Pension Benefit 
Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), which serves as the federal 
backstop charged with protecting these workers' pensions. 
Retirees would have been left with nothing. The Multiemployer 
Pension Reform Act of 2014, included in the Omnibus 
Appropriations Act, will provide the critical flexibility 
necessary to keep pension plans from going under and causing 
workers to lose everything. It was the Democratic Minority's 
advocacy that holds harmless disabled retirees from benefit 
reductions and includes protections for retirees 75 and older. 
In addition, Democrats insisted on a process that includes 
important consumer safeguards to give participants in these 
plans a voice, to protect the most vulnerable retirees, and 
made sure that trustees cannot unilaterally reduce benefits. 
The proposal requires a vote by plan participants of any 
proposed benefit adjustments that take effect. This provision 
includes a fail-safe mechanism for those plans that present a 
systemic risk to the multiemployer pension system. This reform 
trusts the collective bargaining process and gives plan 
trustees and workers the ability to choose whether or not to 
make modifications to their multiemployer pension plan before 
it is too late and they are left with nothing.
    Civil Rights. Committee Democrats remain committed to 
ensuring that workers are protected against discrimination in 
the workplace and have worked to strengthen those protections. 
In contrast, Committee Republicans spent this Congress 
attacking the EEOC and its efforts to enforce those 
protections.
    The Committee has had numerous opportunities to strengthen 
the nation's civil rights laws and bring them into the twenty-
first century. Last fall the Senate overwhelmingly passed the 
Employment Non-Discrimination Act by a vote of 64-32. 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. Committee 
Democrats fully support the President's executive order to 
modernize the equal opportunity employment laws that govern 
federal contractors, although the Committee Majority has 
already sought to challenge the legality of the EO's 
implementation. Committee Democrats will continue to press for 
consideration of legislation and protect against age 
discrimination, pay discrimination, and workplace harassment 
and retaliation. This year Committee Democrats introduced 
legislation to remedy the Supreme Court's decision in Vance v. 
Ball State University by holding employers responsible for 
workplace harassment. Committee Democrats will also continue to 
work with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the 
Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance 
Programs in their efforts to protect the rights of workers and 
strengthen their opportunities in the workforce.
                                   George Miller,
                                     Senior Democratic Member.
                                   Mark Pocan.
                                   Rush Holt.
                                   Frederica S. Wilson.
                                   Marcia L. Fudge.
                                   Suzanne Bonamici.
                                   Joe Courtney.
                                   Carolyn McCarthy.
                                   Jared Polis.
                                   Rauul M. Grijalva.
                                   Gregorio Kilili Sablan.
                                   Rubeen Hinojosa.
                                   Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott.

                                  [all]