WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today issued the following statement after the Senate passed H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. The House will reconvene for a rare August vote this coming Tuesday to approve the legislation and send it to President Obama for his signature. The bill is expected to save approximately 140,000 teacher jobs nationwide.
“I applaud the Senate for passing this emergency legislation that protects not only our teacher jobs but our economic competitiveness. Next week, my colleagues and I in the House will return to Washington to take this important vote -- a vote we’ve taken twice already in the House -- to keep thousands of teachers in their jobs. We need this bill to ensure our teachers remain in the classroom and our students continue to learn. It’s clear our students, our teachers and our country will reap the benefits of our decisive action. This investment will save jobs and help prevent districts from shortening the school year, increasing class sizes and closing libraries in the wake of horrific and damaging budget cuts. While this latest round of funding isn’t enough to avert all layoffs, it is a critical investment in our children and in our future.”
Miller has helped lead the charge in the House to protect teacher jobs. He introduced the Local Jobs for America Act in March to help create and save public and private sector jobs and restore vital services in local communities. The provision in the bill to support education jobs was initially included in the Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010, which passed the House in December 2009.
More information about Miller’s work to save and protect jobs
Miller has helped lead the charge in the House to protect teacher jobs. He introduced the Local Jobs for America Act in March to help create and save public and private sector jobs and restore vital services in local communities. The provision in the bill to support education jobs was initially included in the Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010, which passed the House in December 2009.
More information about Miller’s work to save and protect jobs
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