Results tagged “bill” from EdLabor Journal

Currently there is no federal law that protects oil and gas workers if they are retaliated against after they blow the whistle on workplace health and safety violations on the Outer Continental Shelf.
 
Workers on oil rigs like the Deepwater Horizon risk losing their jobs if they report dangerous workplace conditions.  The workers performing clean-up activities on the Outer Continental Shelf similarly have no protections against employer retaliation for raising health and safety concerns. 

Workers must be protected when they raise concerns about unsafe working conditions, and they must have the right to stop working if they fear they could be injured or killed. Workers themselves are in the best position to discover safety hazards.  You can’t have inspectors at all facilities at all times.  These workers are enforcement agencies’ eyes and ears when it comes to safety compliance.

Deepwater Horizon workers had safety concerns prior to the explosion. Jason Anderson, who died when the rig exploded, told both his wife and father that working conditions were not safe on the Deepwater Horizon.  According to his widow Shelley’s testimony before the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation committee, Jason was reluctant to talk about these concerns while on the rig and told her: “I can’t talk about it now.  The walls are too thin.”  This fear was so strong that Jason reportedly talked to Shelley about his will and getting his affairs in order not long before the explosion. 

H.R. 5851 extends whistleblower protections to employees of employers working on the Outer Continental Shelf performing oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, or oil spill cleanup.

The bill is modeled after other modern whistleblower statutes and would:

• Prohibit an employer from discharging or otherwise discriminating against an employee who reports to the employer, or a federal or state government official that he or she reasonably believes the employer is violating the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).
• Protect covered employees who report injuries or unsafe conditions related to the offshore work, refuse to work based on a good faith belief that the offshore work could cause injury or impairment or a spill, or refuse to perform work in a manner that they believe violates the OCSLA.
• Establish a process for an employee to appeal an employer’s retaliation by filing a complaint with the Secretary of Labor, and allowing a jury trial if the Secretary fails to act in a timely manner.  
• Make an aggrieved employee eligible for reinstatement, back pay and compensatory and consequential damages, and, where appropriate, exemplary damages.  
• Require employers to post a notice that explains employee rights and remedies under this Act and provide training to the employees of these rights. 
  

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded, killing 11 workers, injuring 17 others, and creating one of the largest oil spills in history.  Chairman Miller has introduced legislation to make sure we better protect the health and safety of workers both on and off shore. 

The Offshore Worker Whistleblower Protection Act (H.R. 5749):

• Provides whistleblower and anti-retaliation protections to workers on the Outer Continental Shelf.
• Protects worker safety by improving federal agency coordination.
  

Making Work Safer for America’s Miners

Despite progress over the last several decades, mining remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S.  On April 5, 2010, a massive explosion ripped through Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, killing 29 miners and injuring others. Tools the Mine Safety and Health Administration could use to hold bad mine operators like Massey accountable were rendered ineffective because of indiscriminate mine operator appeals of violations and weak laws. The following reforms will bring our nation’s mine health and safety laws up to date, give MSHA the ability to effectively protect miners’ lives, hold mine operators accountable for putting their workers in unnecessary danger, and expand protections to all other workers by strengthening OSHA. (H.R. 5663 as reported by Committee; Section-by-section summary)

The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663), as amended and passed by the Committee on July 21, 2010, will:

• Make Mines with Serious and Repeated Violations Safe – Criteria for ‘pattern of violations’ sanctions would be revamped for underground coal mines and other ‘gassy’ mines to ensure that operators which chronically and repeatedly violate mine safety standards or have high accident rates improve safety dramatically.
   
• Ensure Irresponsible Operators Are Held Accountable – Maximum criminal penalties would be increased for underground coal mines, and a sanction is established for mine operators who knowingly tamper with or disable safety equipment that could kill miners. Operators would be required to pay penalties in a timely manner.
   
• Give MSHA Better Enforcement Tools – MSHA would be given the authority to subpoena documents and testimony. The agency could seek a court order to close a mine when there is a continuing threat to the health and safety of miners. MSHA could require more training of miners in unsafe mines. MSHA will require contractors, in addition to operators, to report accidents and injuries and hours of work at each mine, and those filing reports would be held responsible for the accuracy of reports.
   
• Protect Miners Who Speak Out on Unsafe Conditions – Protections for workers who speak out about unsafe conditions in underground coal and other gassy mines would be strengthened and would guarantee that miners wouldn’t lose pay for safety-related closures. In addition, miners would receive protections allowing them to speak freely during investigations.
   
• Modernize Safety Requirements in Coal Mines – Increased rock dusting would be required to prevent coal dust explosions. Pre-shift reviews of hazards and violations in the mine must be communicated to incoming miners to ensure that they are not caught unaware.  Protocols for continuous atmospheric monitoring for methane and carbon monoxide will be developed by NIOSH and adopted by MSHA through regulations.
   
• Increase MSHA’s Accountability – The legislative outline provides for an independent investigation of the most serious accidents, which includes an assessment of whether there are gaps in MSHA’s oversight or regulation. It asks GAO to assess whether there are problems with timeliness of mine plan reviews.
   
• Guarantee Basic Protections in All Other Workplaces Under OSHA – To ensure that all workplaces have basic protections, whistleblower protections would be strengthened, criminal and civil penalties would be increased, and hazard abatement would be sped up. In addition, victims of accidents and their family members would be provided greater rights during investigations and enforcement actions. OSHA would be allowed to assert concurrent enforcement jurisdiction in states with OSHA state plans, if the state is failing  to maintain protections for workers that is at least as effective as federal OSHA.
  

Supporters of the Miner Safety and Health Act »

Despite progress over the last several decades, mining remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. On April 5, 2010, a massive explosion ripped through Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, killing 29 miners and injuring others. This disaster has prompted a public outcry about this and other mines’ safety records and the systemic barriers that prevented recurring safety problems from being addressed.

Leading members of the House and Senate released an outline of legislative concepts to address the serious concerns raised. These reforms would give operators incentives to comply with the law, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns, and ensure that MSHA has the tools it needs to hold unsafe mines accountable to improve their safety. (Read a discussion draft of this legislation)  

Making Mines with Serious and Repeated Violations Safe

• Criteria for ‘pattern of violations’ sanctions would be revamped to ensure that the nation’s most dangerous mine operations improve safety dramatically.

Ensuring Irresponsible Operators are Held Accountable

• Maximum criminal and civil penalties would be increased and operators would be required to pay penalties in a timely manner.  

Giving MSHA Better Enforcement Tools

• MSHA would be given the authority to subpoena documents and testimony. The agency could seek a court order to close a mine when there is a continuing threat to the health and safety of miners. MSHA could require more training of miners in unsafe mines. Increased rock dusting would be required to prevent coal dust explosions.  

Protecting Miners Who Speak out on Unsafe Conditions

• Miners would be granted the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions. Protections for workers who speak out about unsafe conditions would be strengthened, and miners would not lose pay for safety-related closures. In addition, miners would receive protections so they can speak freely during investigations.  

Increasing MSHA’s Accountability

• The legislative outline provides for an independent investigation of the most serious accidents.  It would require that mine personnel are well-qualified, and ensure that inspections are comprehensive and well-targeted. Requires pre-shift reviews of mine conditions and communication to ensure that appropriate safety information is transmitted.  

Guaranteeing Basic Protections in All Other Workplaces

• To ensure that all  workplaces have basic protections, whistleblower protections would be strengthened, criminal and civil penalties would be increased, and hazard abatement would be sped up. In addition, victims of accidents and their family members would be provided greater rights during investigations and enforcement actions.

Read more about the Committee's work to protect miners

Improving Meal Quality, Expanding Access and Filling Nutritional Gaps

For millions of families, the meals their children receive at school or in child care are their only chance at a healthy meal all day. In 2008, more than 16 million children lived in homes without access to enough nutritious food. America’s children should not have to go hungry – they should have access to healthy foods year round that will help them thrive physically and academically.

We expect children to come to school prepared to learn but hunger and poor nutrition can present major barriers to their success in the classroom. And, since hunger does not take a summer vacation, providing children with year round access to healthier, nutritious foods means children won’t go hungry just because school is out.

The Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504) will dramatically improve children’s access to nutritious meals, enhance the quality of meals children eat both in and out of school and in child care settings, implement new school food safety guidelines and, for the first time, establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools. (Original bill text)

This new legislation, which was amended and passed by the Committee on July 14, 2010, will answer President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to reduce childhood hunger and support school and community efforts to reduce childhood obesity. (Supporters of H.R. 5504)

Specifically, these new investments in child nutrition will:

Update: The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act was passed by the House of Representatives on May 28, 2010.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213), a measure that would help the nation continue along the path of economic recovery and job growth.

A year and a half ago, this country was suffering from a recession created by years of extreme economic and fiscal policies under the previous administration.  Nearly 800,000 jobs a month were being lost when President Obama was sworn into office. 

Thanks to the Recovery Act, we are now seeing positive job gains.  Job losses have turned to jobs gains of 290,000 in April 2010—the largest gain in four years and a 1 million job swing from the end of the Bush administration. This marks the fourth month of job growth with 573,000 American jobs added since December—84% in private sector.

We are finally headed in the right direction, but still have more work to do.  This legislation builds on this positive growth by continuing crucial help for families still dealing with the aftermath of the recession and financial scandals.

Among other things, the bill: assists unemployed workers, funds summer jobs, provides pension relief, and gives the more than 50 million workers who depend on 401(k) type plans clear and complete information on the fees they pay. 

Protecting Americans’ Retirement Security

A majority of American workers rely on 401(k)-style plans to finance their retirements. Most account holders report that they do not know how much Wall Street middle men are taking from their retirement accounts.  Just a 1-percentage-point in excessive fees can reduce a worker’s 401(k) account balance by as much as 20 percent or more over a career.

Workers should have the right to know how much Wall Street intermediaries siphon off from their savings. Provisions included in H.R. 4213 regarding fee disclosure were based on the 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act, which was authored by Chairman Miller and approved by the Education and Labor Committee last year.  Specifically, these provisions:

Ensuring Fair Treatment in the Workplace

On June 18, 2009, in ‘Gross v. FBL Financial,’ the Supreme Court rewrote our civil rights laws and made it harder for workers facing age discrimination to enforce their rights. Jack Gross worked for an insurance company for 12 years, rising to a management position. In 2003, Gross was demoted with lower pay and claimed that the demotion was because of age discrimination. A jury agreed that the company unlawfully demoted him because of his age. However, the verdict was overturned by an appeals court and in a 5 to 4 U.S. Supreme Court decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas. The decision not only overturned Gross’ jury trial, but also made it much more difficult for workers to hold employers accountable for their illegal actions.  

• The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act will ensure that all Americans regardless of age will be able to seek justice when they are wronged on the job.  The bill will overturn the Supreme Court’s decision and ensure that workers with a legitimate claim will have their day in court. It would make the standard for proving age discrimination the same as those alleging race, national origin or religious discrimination.

• The conservative Supreme Court once again tipped the balance of justice in favor of the corporations and the powerful and against ordinary Americans. The court changed longstanding law that will make older workers have a much higher burden of proof than those alleging race, national origin or religious discrimination.

• It will be much more difficult to hold employers accountable for their illegal activity. Victims of age discrimination will now have to read their boss’ mind and prove that their boss would not have made the same decision absent consideration of age.   

• Prior law was fair and worked. Workplace discrimination laws exist to ensure that all people, of all ages and backgrounds, who work hard and play by the rules have the means to seek justice when they are treated unfairly on the job.

• These protections are especially important for our older workers, who are facing an uphill battle holding onto jobs in this economy. According to the EEOC, discrimination based on age has increased by 30 percent in 2008 alone.

• Once a job is lost, it’s often much more difficult for older workers to land a new job that may require different skills sets, pay cuts, or new educational degrees. Only 61 percent of workers age 55-64 who lost their jobs in 2005-07 had been re-employed as of January 2008, compared to 75 percent of those 25 to 54.

For the first time in America’s history, all Americans will have access to quality, affordable health care under a final package of health insurance reforms signed into law on March 23, 2010 and March 30, 2010. The law will protect Americans from the worst insurance industry practices, offer the uninsured and small businesses the opportunity to obtain affordable health care plans, cover 32 million uninsured Americans, all while reducing the deficit by $143 billion over the next decade and more than a trillion dollars over 20 years.

Visit the White House's health reform page for updated health care news, stories from people across the country who are benefiting from the new law, and more information about the law.


How Will Health Insurance Reform Affect You?

Benefits Going Into Effect on September 23, 2010 »
Immediate Benefits »
Guaranteed Benefits »
Estimated Savings for Families Who Are Now on the Individual Market »
Health Reform Q&A »
Insurance Market Reforms That Protect Consumers »
Preventing Disease and Improving the Public's Health »
District-by-District Impact »

Health Insurance Reform: A Guide for Seniors »
America's Women Have the Most to Gain »
What's In It for Young Americans? »
8 Great Ways Student Aid and Health Reform Works for You »
Small Business Guide »
Helping Small Businesses »
Employers and Health Reform »
Rural America »

Provisions of the Affordable Care Act at a Glance:

Timeline for Implementation »
Making Coverage Affordable »
Paying for Health Insurance Reform »
Health Insurance Exchange »
Strengthening the Nation's Health Workforce »
Strengthening Medicare »
Medicare Part D »
Curbing Taxpayer Subsidies for Private Insurers in Medicare »
Maintaining and Improving Medicaid »
Shared Responsibility »
Summary of Revenue Provisions »
Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse »
Addressing Health and Health Care Disparities »
Innovative Delivery System Reform »
Cost Containment »

Why Health Insurance Reform?

The Cost of Inaction »
Health Care by the Numbers »

Supporters:

SUPPORTERS OF HEALTH REFORM LEGISLATION »

Bill Text:

Reconciliation Bill Text »
Manager's Amendment »
Text of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590 (Senate health bill) »

CBO Score:

Four Key Points You Need To Know About the NEW (3.20.10) CBO Score »
Full NEW CBO Score (3.20.10) »

Summary Documents:

Summary of Manager's Amendment to H.R. 4872 »
Summary of the bill »
Fact Sheet »
Section by Section of the Reconciliation Bill »
Reconciliation Bill Makes Key Improvements To Senate-passed Bill »
Regular Procedure to Pass Health Insurance Reform »
Open, Transparent Health Reform Debate »

(Note: Updated on June 15, 2010)

The Work-Life Balance Award Act (H.R. 4855), introduced in March 2010, establishes an annual Work-Life Balance Award at the Department of Labor to be given out annually by the Secretary of Labor to employers with exemplary work-life workforce policies.  These policies are defined as workplace practices “designed to enable employees to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance.”  Any public or private employer of any size is eligible for the award, as long as they are in compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws.

Criteria for the award will be developed by a bipartisan advisory board consisting of representatives from the public, state and local government, industry and industry organizations, not-for-profit employers, labor, and advocates for children and families. 

Helping Local Communities Create and Save A Million Public and Private Jobs

Our nation is going through one of the most difficult economic times in its history.  We must do everything to help create jobs for those who are strug­gling to support their families.  At the same time, the recession is forcing states and municipalities to cut jobs that are critically important – teachers, police, firefighters, childcare workers, and others. The Local Jobs for Amer­ica Act will provide our economy a shot in the arm by putting a million people to work by restoring these services in local communities. (More than 300 organizations support the Local Jobs for America Act.)
 
The Local Jobs for America Act will create and save a million public and private jobs in local communities this year. 
 

Support will be targeted directly to states and municipalities with the greatest number of people out of work to restore important local services. (Estimated funding and estimated jobs created and saved »)

 
The Local Jobs for America Act will help ensure that local com­munities can still operate essential services.
 

Because of the recession, many local communities have cut back on education, public safety, childcare, health care, and transporta­tion. As a result, families who rely on these services are suffering the cost of these cutbacks.

 
This bill will help prevent state and local tax increases. 
 

By supporting the services local communities deem most necessary, the bill will help local governments avoid having to choose between eliminat­ing services and raising taxes.

 
Creating local jobs will stimulate local businesses and create more jobs in the local economy.
 

By increasing employment in local communities, families will be able to start spending again at their neighborhood businesses and favorite restaurants. This will help spur additional jobs for local small businesses.

 
The Local Jobs for America Act will fund salaries for private sector on-the-job training to help local businesses put people back to work.
 
Specifically, the Local Jobs for America Act invests:

• $75 billion over two years to local communities to hire vital staff
• Funding for 50,000 on-the-job private-sector training positions
  

The bill also includes provisions already approved by the House:

• $23 billion this year to help states support 300,000 education jobs
• $1.18 billion to put 5,500 law enforcement officers on the beat
• $500 million to retain, rehire, and hire firefighters
  

H.R. 4330, the All Students Achieving through Reform (All-STAR) Act, introduced by Education and Labor Committee Member Rep. Jared Polis, would help close our nation’s achievement gap in education by expanding and replicating successful, high-quality public charter schools serving at-risk students.

The Jobs for Main Street Act, passed by the House on December 16, 2009, will create or save jobs here at home with targeted investments ($75 billion) for highways and transit, school renovation, hiring teachers, police, and firefighters, small business, job training and affordable housing – key drivers of economic growth that have the most bang for the buck. These investments are fully paid for by redirecting TARP funds from Wall Street to Main Street. The bill text is now available on the Rules Committee web site»

In addition, the legislation also provides critical safety net funds to extend COBRA premium assistance for people who have lost their health insurance as a result of job loss, as well as unemployment benefits and provide other aid for Americans looking for work.  It also gives assistance to states to pay for Medicaid and for extending the child tax credit.

Fact sheet on the Jobs for Main Street Act »
Bill text »

Myth vs. Facts
Supporters of H.R. 4247
Definitions of terms used in H.R. 4247

Every child should be safe and protected while in school. But a recent investigation by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found hundreds of allegations that children have been abused, and some even died, as a result of misuses of restraint and seclusion in public and private schools, often at the hands of untrained staff. Many of these interventions were used disproportionately on some of our most vulnerable students -- children with disabilities. Unlike in hospitals and other facilities that receive federal funding, there are no federal laws that address how and when restraint or seclusion can be used in schools. State regulations and oversight vary greatly and have often failed to protect children. It is also impossible to determine the full extent to which these interventions are used because there is currently no consistent reporting of data.  

H.R. 4247, the Keeping All Students Safe Act (formerly the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in the Schools Act) is the first national effort to address this problem and ensure the safety of everyone involved – both students and school staff. (Bill text ») Specifically the legislation would:

Strengthening Our Schools, Our Community and Our Future Competitiveness

The high school dropout crisis poses one of the greatest threats to our nation’s economic growth and competitiveness. Each day 7,000 U.S. students drop out of high school. More than half of all students who drop out are from the so-called “dropout factories” – the 2,000 high schools with dropout rates above 40 percent. Many of these students come from a struggling middle school. President Obama has challenged Congress and the American people to take action by asking every American to commit to at least one year of higher education or training. This will require addressing our nation’s dropout crisis and dramatically improving graduation rates.

The Graduation for All Act (H.R. 4122) will make a down-payment on our future competitiveness by helping our lowest-performing middle and high schools improve student achievement, increase graduation rates, and promote college enrollment. Specifically, the legislation would:

For the first time in U.S. history, all Americans would have access to quality, affordable health care under updated health insurance reform legislation passed by the House on November 7, 2009, by a vote of 220-215.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act [H.R. 3962], which blends and updates the three versions of previous bills passed by the House committees of jurisdiction in July, embodies President Obama’s key goals for health reform. It will slow the growth in out-of-control costs, introduce competition into the health care marketplace to keep coverage affordable and insurers honest, protect people’s choices of doctors and health plans, and assure all Americans access to quality, stable, affordable health care.

The key components of the Affordable health Care for America Act include:

Increasing choice and competition. The bill will protect and improve consumers’ choices.

• If people like their current plans, they will be able to keep them.
• For individuals who aren’t currently covered by their employer, and some small businesses, the proposal will establish a new Health Insurance Exchange where consumers can comparison shop from a menu of affordable, quality health care options that will include private plans, health co-ops, and a new public health insurance option. The public health insurance option will play on a level playing field with private insurers, spurring additional competition.
• This Exchange will create competition based on quality and price that leads to better coverage and care. Patients and doctors will have control over decisions about their health care, instead of insurance companies.

Giving Americans peace of mind. The legislation will ensure that Americans have portable, secure health care coverage – so that they won’t lose care if their employer drops their plan or they lose their job.

• Every American who receives coverage through the Exchange will have a plan that includes standardized, comprehensive and quality health care benefits.
• It will end increases in premiums or denials of care based on pre-existing conditions, race, or gender, and strictly limit age rating.
• The proposal will also eliminate co-pays for preventive care, and cap out-of-pocket expensesto protects every American from bankruptcy.

Improving quality of care for every American. The legislation will ensure that Americans of all ages, from young children to retirees have access to greater quality of care by focusing on prevention, wellness, and strengthening programs that work.

• Guarantees that every child in America will have health care coverage that includes dental, hearing and vision benefits.
• Provides better preventive and wellness care. Every health care plan offered through the exchange and by employers after a grace period will cover preventive care at no cost to the patient.
• Increases the health care workforce to ensure that more doctors and nurses are available to provide quality care as more Americans get coverage.
• Strengthens Medicare and Medicaid and closes the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ so that seniors and low-income Americans receive better quality of care and see lower prescription drug costs and out-of-pocket expenses.

Ensuring shared responsibility. The bill will ensure that individuals, employers, and the federal government share responsibility for a quality and affordable health care system.

• Employers can continue offering coverage to workers, and those who choose not to offer coverage contribute a fee of eight percent of payroll.
• All individuals will generally be required to get coverage, either through their employer or the exchange, or pay a penalty of 2.5 percent of income, subject to a hardship exemption.
• The federal government will provide affordability credits, available on a sliding scale for low- and middle-income individuals and families to make premiums affordable and reduce cost-sharing.

Protecting consumers and reducing waste, fraud, and abuse. The legislation will put the interests of consumers first, protect them from problems in getting and keeping health care coverage, and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse.

• Provides transparency in plans in the Health Exchange so that consumers have the clear, complete information, in plain English, needed to select the plan that best meets their needs.
• Establishes consumer advocacy offices as part of the Exchange in order to protect consumers, answer questions, and assist with any problems related to their plans.
• Simplifies paperwork and other administrative burdens. Patients, doctors, nurses, insurance companies, providers, and employers will all encounter a streamlined, less confusing, more consumer friendly system.
• Increases funding of efforts to reduce waste, fraud and abuse; creates enhanced oversight of Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Reducing the deficit and ensuring the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation will be entirely paid for – it will not add a dime to the deficit. It will also put Medicare and Medicaid on the path to a more fiscally sound future, so seniors and low-income Americans can continue to receive the quality health care benefits for years to come.

• Pays for the entire cost of the legislation though a combination of savings achieved by making Medicare and Medicaid more efficient – without cutting seniors’ benefits in any way – and  revenue generated from placing a surcharge the top 0.3 percent of all households in the U.S.(married couples with adjusted gross income of over $1,000,000) and other tax measures.
• The Congressional Budget estimates the bill will reduce the deficit by at least $100 billion over ten years.
• Estimates also show the bill will slow the rate of growth of the Medicare program from 6.6 percent annually to 5.3 percent annually.

(This post was updated on March 18, 2010 to reflect final changes made to SAFRA.)

Education Reconciliation: The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act
A Landmark Investment in America’s Economic Future

Now more than ever, Americans need affordable, quality education opportunities to help make our economy strong and competitive again. President Obama has identified an opportunity to make historic investments in our economic future by making college dramatically more affordable – at no cost to taxpayers. (See how SAFRA will benefit students living in each congressional district.)

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which was included in the health care reconciliation bill that passed on March 21, 2010 by a vote of 220-211 and signed into law on March 30, 2010, embraces the president’s challenge. It will help us reach his goal of producing the most college graduates by 2020 by making the single largest investment in federal student aid ever. Specifically, these provisions will:

The Chairmen of the three Committees with jurisdiction over health policy in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced comprehensive health care reform legislation on July 14 that will reduce out-of-control costs, encourage competition among insurance plans to improve choices for patients, and expand access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. (CBO confirms the bill is deficit-neutral over the 10-year budget window, and even produces a $6 billion surplus.)

The America’s Affordable Health Choices Act is consistent with President Obama’s overall goals of building on what works within the current health care system by strengthening employer-provided care, while fixing what is broken. The bill will ensure that 97 percent of Americans will be covered by a health care plan that is both affordable and offers quality, standard benefits by 2019.

The House Committees on Education and Labor, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce have been working together in an unprecedented way as one committee to develop the proposal for health care reform. (The Education and Labor Committee passed H.R. 3200 on July 17, 2009; the Ways and Means Committee passed H.R. 3200 on July 17, 2009; the Energy and Commerce Committee pass H.R. 3200 on July 31, 2009.)

The key principles of legislation include, among other things:

• Increasing choice and competition.
• Giving Americans peace of mind. 
• Improving quality of care for every American.
• Ensuring shared responsibility.
• Protecting consumers and reducing waste, fraud and abuse.

America's Affordable Health Choices Act: Complete Bill Text (HR 3200) »
America's Affordable Health Choices Act: Summary »
America's Affordable Health Choices Act: Section by Section »
America's Affordable Health Choices Act: As Reported »

What's In the Health Care Reform Bill for You? »

Cómo Te Benefica La Reforma Del Seguro Médico »

Myth vs. Facts »
The Health Insurance Exchange »
Public Health Insurance Option »
Shared Responsibility »
Guaranteed Benefits »

Making Coverage Affordable »
Consumer Protections and Insurance Market Reforms »
Employers and Health Reform »

Provisions that Benefit Small Businesses »

Strengthening the Nation's Health Workforce »
Delivery System Reform »

Protecting Program Integrity by Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse »
Strengthening Medicare »
Improving the Medicare Part D Drug Program »
Maintaining and Improving Medicaid »
Preventing Disease and Improving the Public's Health »

Controlling Health Care Costs »
Paying for Health Care Reform »
Health Care by the Numbers »


Education and Labor Chairman George Miller's Statement »
White House Statement on the House Discussion Draft for Health Care Reform »

A majority of American workers rely on 401(k)-style plans to finance their retirements. According to an AARP survey, the vast majority of account holders report that they do not know how much Wall Street middle men are taking from their retirement accounts.

These hidden fees can greatly reduce workers’ retirement account balances. In fact, just a 1-percentage-point in excessive fees can reduce a worker’s 401(k) account balance by as much as 20 percent or more over a career. Especially during these difficult economic times, workers need simple and complete information in order to make better educated decisions about their retirement plans. 

Workers also deserve investment advice regarding their employer-sponsored retirement plan that is independent and free from any conflicts of interest.  Protections against providing conflicted investment advice were watered down by the Pension Protection Act and a midnight proposal rushed through by the Bush administration’s Department of Labor. These actions opened the door for financial services companies to provide advice to employees where they had a direct or indirect financial interest.

The 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act (H.R. 2989), passed by the Committee on June 24, 2009, would, among other things, address hidden fees and restore workers' protections against conflicted investment advice.  H.R. 2989 would:

The Conflicted Investment Advice Prohibition Act of 2009 (H.R. 1988) would restore federal safeguards that ensured that investment advice provided to workers on their employer-sponsored retirement plan be independent and free from any conflicts of interest. Unfortunately, these protections were watered down with the approval of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and former Bush administration Department of Labor midnight proposed regulations. These actions opened the door for financial services companies to provide advice to employees where they had a direct or indirect financial interest. The Conflicted Investment Advice Prohibition Act will restore workers’ protections by laying out clear rules to ensure that workers who receive investment advice at work be based on interests of the account holder’s needs, not Wall Street’s pockets.

The Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee will be voting on H.R. 1988 tomorrow.