George Miller

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I'd like now to recognize Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I now yield to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I would like to now to yield to the Democratic leader, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr). I want to, also, as Congresswoman Eshoo and Congressman Farr acknowledged, that there's others in our delegation from the other side of the aisle who will also be leaving after this session of Congress: Brian Bilbray, Mary Bono Mack, David Dreier, Elton Gallegly, Wally Herger, Jerry Lewis, and Dan Lungren. I've been here long enough that I've fought with all of them, I've legislated with all of them, and we've had accomplishments together. I think Jerry Lewis and I had the longest floor debate in the modern Congress over the creation of the desert national parks, the Mojave Desert national parks. When we were all done, we immediately turned around. He was opposed to it, I was for it, but he immediately turned around and made sure that the public had access to it, that there would be improvements, visitor centers. And that's the way legislation goes. I think very often the public doesn't understand, but Members of Congress do, that this isn't just a working relationship. Over time you get to know one another's families, you know their children's successes, their children's desires, their illnesses and the troubles that befall families, because we're like all other American families. It happens here. People don't think of that when they think of the Congress. And you build relationships, friendships and dependencies on one another's expertise to help guide us through all of the issues that we will confront in a congressional year. Congressman Stark and I entered public life together by running against one another back in 1969, man against machine. You figure it out: I don't know who was the man and who was the machine, but I knew then who it was, this very popular banker and this law school dropout, but other than that I was doing well. But it's a long span and a lot of friendships, and it's about family and our ability to talk with one another. I would like, at this moment, to yield to Congressman Stark for any remarks that he might have.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Thank you very much. I know, as we all know in this life, Members leave the Congress, they don't leave public policy, they don't leave public life, and I expect we will be hearing from them as they leave the Congress in their future endeavors. I know that Mr. Bilbray still wants to clean up the salt in the Salton Sea, and I know that Dan Lungren probably still wants to take down Hetch Hetchy. I'll be glad to join him on both efforts on that one, and I know Wally Herger still brings the concerns about the watersheds of the great northern parts of our State. So this relationship goes on, their advocacy goes on, and that's true on both sides of the aisle. Ms. Woolsey, if you would like to say anything.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Thank you so much. Thank you for your service. Mr. Speaker, that brings to a conclusion our delegation's honoring those Members who are leaving. I would just say, and this is not news to Members of the House, but on a bipartisan basis, this is a very, very spirited and rambunctious delegation on both sides of the aisle, and a lot of seniority is leaving the Congress with this delegation, a lot of expertise. But I'm very proud to have served with all of them and for their contributions and the sacrifices they made in public office on behalf of public policy that they strongly believe in and became advocates for. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. I want to recognize Mr. Berman who is here and thank him again for his service.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make my colleagues aware of a letter I was recently presented from Members- elect from California who are concerned about the impact of impending budget decisions on infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families in California and throughout the Nation. I commend our colleagues for this letter and I share their concerns. The letter, signed by 11 Representatives-elect from California, led by Rep.-elect Julia Brownley with the support of First 5 LA highlights the impact of sequestration on children in California and urges Congress to ``protect the youngest among us.'' I join the Members-Elect in urging Congress to champion the needs of our most vulnerable population--our children--as we consider the pending decisions regarding the budget. The full text of letter is copied below. Signers include Representatives-elect Julia Brownley (CA-26), Scott Peters (CA-52), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Raul Ruiz (CA-36), Mark Takano (CA-41), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Ami Bera (CA-07), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), Gloria Negrete McLeod (CA-35), Juan Vargas (CA-51), and Eric Swalwell (CA-15). Congress of the United States, Washington, DC, November 28, 2012. U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate. Dear Colleague: In January, we will take office in the 113th Congress, Joining many of you to work together to address the pressing issues facing our constituents and the nation. Today we write, in advance, to share our concern about the impact of sequestration and other budget decisions in the days ahead on infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families in California and throughout the nation. According to the a report issued by Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations, allowing the automatic scheduled cuts to take effect the day before we enter into office would mean that 120,000 young children and their mothers in California will lose vital nutrition benefits through the WIC program and more than 11,900 Infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the state would be without Head Start services proven to alter their life trajectory and increase the chance that they will complete college, get a good job and become productive, contributing citizens. Further, in California alone, 5,100 low-income children would lose access to child care services which their parents rely on to help them work to support their families. Today, children under the age of 5 represent 12 percent of our national population, but 100 percent of our future. Cuts to programs that serve this critical population are shortsighted and will result in larger costs down the line. We stand ready to work with you as colleagues next year to tackle the challenges which face our nation--challenges which know no partisan bounds. For now, know that, as your constituents, we stand behind you with the interests of the youngest among us in mind as you deliberate the fate of our fiscal house and a burgeoning problem which should not be left to address tomorrow. Collegially, Incoming First Term Members-Elect in the California Delegation--Julia Brownley, Scott Peters, Alan Lowenthal, Raul Ruiz, Mark Takano, Jared Huffman, Ami Bera, Tony Cardenas, Gloria Negrete McLeod, Juan Vargas, Eric Swalwell.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. William Shinn as he retires after 45 years in public service to the people of Contra Costa County and the City of Concord. Bill Shinn has been known throughout the community as a man of integrity, and he has served with uncommon selflessness; we are all beneficiaries of his efforts. Following his graduation from Mt. Diablo High School in 1959, Bill entered the United States Navy and served our country with distinction. Upon his release, he returned to Concord and joined the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department as a Deputy Sheriff. He quickly worked his way up the ranks to Captain, managing the County Detention System and security for Superior Court judges and courthouses. During this time, Bill earned an Associate of Arts from Diablo Valley College, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Sacramento State University, and a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University. In addition, Bill is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. After 29 years serving the people of Contra Costa County in law enforcement, Bill retired his badge to continue engaging in community work. In 2004, Bill was elected to the Concord City Council, beginning his third ``career'' in public service. He served on the County-wide Committee on Ending Homelessness and chaired the city's Redevelopment Agency, the East Bay Regional Communications System, the County Parole Commission and the Concord Human Relations Commission. Bill was re- elected to City Council in 2008 and continued work on issues important to his constituents. Bill also served as Vice Mayor as well as Mayor of the City of Concord. As dedicated as Bill is to community service, he is equally devoted to his wonderful family. He and his wife, Gale, raised two daughters and now enjoy the company of their four grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I invite this chamber to join me in honoring Councilman William Shinn for his life-long service to our nation, our county and our community; and to join his family, friends and colleagues in congratulating him on a highly successful career. We wish Bill the very best as he begins a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Congressman Mike Thompson, to recognize the many accomplishments of Solano County Supervisor Barbara Kondylis as she retires after twenty years of distinguished service on the Solano County Board of Supervisors. Barbara as born in Seymour, Indiana, and raised in Port Jefferson on Long Island, NY. In 1969, Barbara moved to Vallejo with her husband Gabriel. Barbara completed her education in the Bay Area, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from California State University, Hayward. Barbara won a Vallejo City Council seat in 1979 and served for nine years. She then turned her attention to the Solano County Board of Supervisors, winning the seat in 1992. Barbara was motivated to run because she was concerned about government process and land use decisions that threatened Solano County's environment, as well as the plight of women and children, particularly issues of family violence, poverty, and family planning. Barbara has accomplished much on behalf of Solano County's children and families. She established the Office and Family Violence Prevention, the Family Justice Center, and Baby Coach, an innovative program to ensure good outcomes for high risk mothers and their babies. Barbara also successfully promoted AB 2010, which passed the California Legislature, allowing Solano County to charge Vital Records Fees, increasing revenue $80,000 a year directed to reduce family violence. She helped implement Court Appointed Special Advocates who have helped hundreds of children going through dependency court. Barbara also proposed and initiated ``Smile in Style'' which provided dental screenings and other services to thousands of elementary school children, allowing many to get emergency dental care. During her long career, Barbara has served on many local and regional boards including the Solano County Water Authority, City-County Coordinating Committee, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, Mare Island Re-Use Committee, Health and Social Services Sub-Committee, Tri City-County JPA for Agriculture Lands and Open Space Preservation, Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District Board, Vallejo Justice Committee, California State Association of Counties Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Solano County Children and Families First Commission, Baby First Solano, Association of Bay Area Government Board, Delta Protection Commission, and California State Association of Counties Condition of Children Taskforce. Mr. Speaker, we invite this chamber to join us in honoring Supervisor Barbara Kondylis for her tireless and dedicated service to the people of Solano County. We also join her family, colleagues, and friends in congratulating her on a successful and fulfilling career as an elected official and wish her the very best in her future endeavors.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I along with Mr. Garamendi and Mr. Mike Thompson of California invite our colleagues to join us in honoring the County of Solano, California, for its 2012 designation by America's Promise Alliance as one of the ``100 Best Communities for Young People.'' Selected from 320 applicants across all 50 States in a competitive process, Solano County is the only California community to receive this designation six consecutive times. Over 75 local partners contributed to this most recent application, including community and faith-based organizations, city and county agencies, educational institutions, businesses and service groups serving children, as well as many young individuals. This application exhibits the outstanding collaboration that has brought repeated recognition to Solano County. Programs involved include the YIPPEE Foundation's Teen Mentoring and Job-Training programs, Lawrence Hall of Science Inventor's Lab, Solano Transportation Authority's ``Safe Routes to School,'' Solano County Court's Teen Interns, Dixon Teen Center, Benicia Library's Teen Librarian, Vacaville Youth Roundtable, Rio Vista Care/Family Resource Center, each of which resulted in strong support for Solano County's children and youth. Furthermore, Solano's school districts and community leaders continue to actively work to raise graduation rates with innovative approaches to tutoring, mentoring, recreation and health activities, as well as volunteer opportunities for youth. Young people in Solano County have worked hard to achieve academic and personal excellence, and the community has provided them an opportunity to do so. Programs including the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets at Armijo, Jesse Bethel, and Vanden High Schools, the Eagle Scout program, and Solano County 4-H deserve recognition for facilitating thousands of hours of community service. We also recognize our students' determination to reach the regional and statewide Academic Decathlons as well as the effort put forth by each of the volunteers participating in tutoring and mentoring programs at the Matt Garcia Center, The Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs. Mr. Speaker, we ask our colleagues to join with us in recognizing the Solano County Department of Child Support Services, which served as the lead agency for the 2012 application and extend our sincere congratulations to each of the organizations, agencies and individuals involved who have worked tirelessly on behalf of Solano's children and youth.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing and congratulating Mike Biddle, President and Founder of MBA Polymers, a plastics recycler, upon being awarded the 2012 Gothenburg Award for Sustainable Development. In receiving this prestigious award, which is considered the equivalent of a Nobel Prize for the Environment, Mr. Biddle joins a distinguished list of past recipients, including UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Vice President Al Gore, and the former Prime Minister of Norway and Director General of the World Health Organization, Gro Harlem Brundtland. The United Nations estimates nearly 85 billion pounds of electronics waste is discarded around the world every year. Yet due to the difficulties involved in separating and sorting through the different types of plastics, only a small fraction of these plastics are recycled, while the rest is tossed in landfills, burned, or shipped to third world countries for environmentally toxic and often dangerous extraction methods. A self-described ``garbage man,'' Mike Biddle set up a lab in his garage in Pittsburg, California nearly twenty years ago to begin experimenting with ways to sort and recycle complex plastics in an attempt to turn these landfills into what he calls ``above ground mines.'' Since then, Mr. Biddle has developed and patented a 30-step plastics recycling system that includes magnetically extracting metals, shredding plastics, sorting them by polymer type, and producing graded pellets to be reused. What is truly remarkable is that this process uses less than ten percent of the energy required to make plastic from oil while carrying little of the risk to the environment. Mr. Biddle should be commended; his story illustrates the sort of progress that can be made towards an economically and environmentally responsible solution to plastics waste around the world. However, his story is also illustrative of a greater problem here in the United States. While MBA Polymers remains headquartered in Richmond, California, the company's main processing facilities operate in China, Austria, and the United Kingdom, where their respective governments have implemented forward thinking electronics-waste recycling regulations that ensure a steady stream of complex plastics and materials for MBA Polymers to utilize. While the United States produces more electronics and plastics waste per capita than any other country in the world, rather than take advantage of this resource, U.S. brokers ship nearly ninety-five percent of the plastics waste that is collected here overseas. In short, we are literally shipping jobs overseas because of our failure to implement a competing plastics recycling program in the U.S. As we are paying to ship plastics to third-world countries with little labor protection and no environmental controls, many countries in Europe and Asia are reaping the benefits of reusing and recycling their waste products. Furthermore, in doing so, we are adding to our dependency on foreign oil by needlessly consuming petrochemicals to make plastics, while simultaneously adding to the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at a time when all nations should be focused on reducing their carbon footprint. The United States cannot afford to continue to watch from the sidelines while foreign countries become more energy efficient, more economically competitive, and enhance their energy and natural resource security--all while creating good, sustainable jobs. A national policy of plastics and waste recycling in the U.S. is desperately needed. In doing so, we could create tens of thousands of new skilled green jobs, we could save a materials manufacturing base and millions of barrels of oil per year, and we could do it while better protecting our environment. It is our responsibility to ensure that more entrepreneurs like Mike Biddle aren't forced to take their business to international competitors. Rather, it's time to bring these good, green jobs back to the U.S. with a broad policy to encourage recycling and green product development here at home. Again, I applaud Mr. Biddle and his team at MBA Polymers for winning this important award, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to help create an environment in which Mr. Biddle's successes can be realized here at home.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois, Judy, and Todd from Pennsylvania. Thank you so much for your service in the Congress. I've known you as members of the Education and Labor Committee, and I can't thank you enough. I've known you when I was in the minority, I knew you when I was chairman, I've known you when I was ranking minority member. But you've always been willing to discuss the issues with us. You've always been willing to make suggestions. We haven't always agreed. We've agreed a lot on these issues of child nutrition and school reform and out-of-home children and where do they go to find the schooling and the support systems they need to be successful in our education systems. And I just can't tell you how much I appreciate your service. Thank you. I thank you for that. And Todd reminds us--I'm listening to you talk about your family. Somebody once said, there's no great way to do this job with a family because the family sort of is the shock absorber for our schedules and everything else. But you obviously have done it pretty darn well. I just want to thank you for your service to the Congress, to the country, and to obviously the people that you've represented so terribly well. Thank you.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, on November 15, 2012, I was unavoidably detained and missed roll Nos. 605, 606, and 607. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on roll Nos. 605 and 606 and ``yea'' on Roll No. 607. On November 16, 2012, I was unavoidably detained and missed Roll No. 608. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' to approve H.R. 6156.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleague Congressman John Garamendi to recognize and congratulate Saint Mary's College of Moraga, California, upon its 150th year of academic excellence in the San Francisco Bay Area. Saint Mary's College was founded in 1863 in San Francisco as a liberal arts institution reflecting the life and work of the founder of the Christian Brothers, John Baptist de La Salle. The College was founded to serve some of California's earliest denizens, many of whom were immigrants with few resources and the first in their families to attend college. In 1928, after establishing a brief presence in Oakland, the college moved to its current location in Moraga, California. Saint Mary's is a Lasallian Catholic College with a strong history of service to our country. In the 1940s, Saint Mary's joined the war effort in becoming the West Coast naval aviation training center. Lieutenant Gerald R. Ford of Michigan, who would later become President of the United States, was stationed at Saint Mary's for three years as he trained young pilots for duty in the Pacific Theatre. After the Second World War, Saint Mary's welcomed returning veterans studying on the G.I. Bill and continues to support our Veterans today through the Yellow Ribbon program. St. Mary's rightfully boasts of a faculty composed of scholars at the top of their field with a devotion to teaching students to be engaged global citizens. Nearly 45,000 alumni have earned degrees at Saint Mary's, leading to every imaginable career path. The Graduate Business programs have produced scores of corporate leaders in businesses around the world, while the School of Education has produced world-class teachers who are in turn educating millions of students around the globe. Saint Mary's is also proud of its extracurricular programs. The athletic department has brought national and international attention to Northern California through athletic excellence in basketball, baseball, softball, crew, soccer, golf, and rugby. Furthermore, world- renowned artists, authors, scholars, musicians and political leaders share their unique talents not only with the student community, but with all of Northern California. I invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing Saint Mary's College of Moraga, the faculty, staff, alumni and students as they celebrate 150 years of extraordinary success as an educational leader in the State of California.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues Congressman John Garamendi, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congressman Jerry McNerney, and Congressman Pete Stark to recognize Dr. Pat Stroh, the Director of the Family and Children's Services Program in Contra Costa County and congratulate her on her well-earned retirement. Dr. Stroh earned her Master's Degree from Ball State University and her Doctorate in Education Early Childhood Focus from Walden University. Prior to coming to Contra Costa County in 1998, she served as Director of Head Start in Lexington, Kentucky and directed a U.S. Army Child Development Program in Europe. Over the years, Dr. Stroh's outstanding work in public service has demonstrated her strong commitment to the children and families of Contra Costa County. Under her leadership, Contra Costa's Head Start Child Development Program's enrollment more than doubled and expanded from a part-day, part-year schedule to close to a full-day, full-year program. In addition, during very difficult economic times, Dr. Stroh was also able to more than double the program budget. Dr. Stroh's interest and influence extends well beyond our county's borders. As a member of the Board of the National Head Start Association as well as the California Head Start Association, she has worked diligently to enhance and expand the collaborative efforts of these organizations. Pat has also served as Validator and Mentor with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. As a result, the United States Congress was quick to recognize Dr. Stroh as the 2008 California Head Start Association Administrator of the Year for Invaluable Service to the Community. Our community and Dr. Stroh's colleagues have honored her numerous times, recognizing her passion for children and her ability to develop programs that improve their chance of success in the world. As we well recognize, the success of our children bodes well for the success of our families and our entire community. Today, we invite our colleagues to join us in honoring Dr. Pat Stroh once again for her dedicated service to the families and children of Contra Costa County. We are pleased to join her family, colleagues and friends in congratulating her on a long and highly successful career and wish her a happy and healthy retirement.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman John Garamendi; to recognize and congratulate Rocio de Mateo Smith upon her retirement as Executive Director from the Developmental Disabilities Area Board 5. Born and raised in Mexico City, Rocio de Mateo Smith attended Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, where she received a B.A. in Mathematics. In the United States, she received a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Hayward and an M.S.W. from the University of California, Berkeley. For the past 30 years, Rocio de Mateo Smith has worked in the field of developmental disabilities with a special emphasis in services to immigrant communities. In her role as Executive Director of Area Board 5 on Developmental Disabilities, Rocio advocated for the service rights of people with developmental disabilities of all ages, both at the individual and systemic levels. Prior to this position, she was the Developmental Disabilities Coordinator for Alameda County Health Care Services Agency and, before that, was the Executive Director of Agency for Infant Development, a Fremont-based program for infants with disabilities and their families. Rocio is a true champion when it comes to advocating for people with developmental disabilities and her knowledge with regard to resources in the community is unmatched. She has served and impacted countless individuals and families in the Bay Area, representing them and guiding them toward appropriate services. For all her efforts, Rocio is not only highly regarded, but has been recognized and honored extensively as an outstanding woman and as a true advocate for persons with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in commending Rocio de Mateo Smith for her committed and diligent service to the community. I am pleased to join her family, friends, and colleagues in congratulating Rocio on an outstanding career and wish her the very best as she begins a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes. The House meets today to spend time debating a resolution that is on a purely fabricated problem. Rather than focusing on the real problems facing American families, we are, instead, focusing on a resolution of disapproval--a resolution that does not create a single job. In July, the administration announced a waiver process under the welfare law that would allow Governors to use innovative approaches to move more welfare recipients into employment. Immediately, Washington Republicans claimed the waiver would gut the welfare reform; but fact checker after fact checker has publicly discredited attempts to characterize the waiver as going soft on work requirements, and we are still waiting for the majority to show us exactly where the administration's waiver proposal eliminates the work requirement. Even the Republican staff director of the Ways and Means Committee subcommittee at the time of the 1996 welfare reform law says that these claims are false. In fact, the administration has even clarified the rules, writing that no State will get a waiver unless it shows an increase in employment of 20 percent. Actually, the Republican position here is fairly consistent. They haven't done anything here to create new jobs. They're against welfare recipients getting jobs, and they're against Governors increasing employment opportunities by 20 percent. So I guess we now know, in these last waning days of session, that the Republican Party here is against all jobs. No matter who is standing in line for the jobs, they're against those jobs even though the Republican Governors have petitioned for the right to change the welfare law so they can put more people to work. The administration says you can do that if you put 20 percent more people to work. Imagine putting 20 percent more people to work on the welfare rolls of California or New Jersey or Texas, but the Republicans say no. The Republican Governors and Democratic Governors asked for this authority in 2002, 2003, and 2005, and the House passed a much broader waiver authority in trying to give the Governors, if you will, State flexibility. That's what they were asking for, but now all of a sudden, in this political year, their candidate is running a little behind, so we see this as an effort to try to attack the President of the United States for doing exactly what the Republican Governors and what the Republicans in Congress have done and have voted on and passed. As President Clinton says, it takes brass to denounce something that you, yourself, have already supported. The hypocrisy doesn't stop there, but you've got to have a lot of hypocrisy when you're defending a candidate who believes in everything and stands for nothing. Just weeks before the administration announced its waiver process, the Republican Workforce Investment bill was reported out of my committee. The mantra of the Republicans all through that bill and all through the consideration over the last couple years has been ``State flexibility.'' Well, they accomplished it in this bill. It provides so much State flexibility that the State with an approved unified workforce training plan can, at the State's discretion, eliminate all work requirements from TANF. It passed out of the Education and the Workforce Committee on a partisan vote, with all Republicans supporting that effort to let Governors eliminate all work requirements. So this debate is a little bit behind the times and is probably not dealing with the serious problem, which is the reauthorization of the Republican Workforce Incentive Act. What a difference a few weeks and a convention make, and here we are using the valuable time of this House before we go to adjournment to carry out a political prank--a manufactured problem, a fabricated problem--based upon fabricated facts. Yet still we don't see ourselves dealing with the questions of middle class tax cuts, and we don't see ourselves dealing with jobs bills that we've been asking for time and again while this Congress has been in session. It's a sad way to end this session of the Congress of the United States without providing the access to those jobs that this Congress could have been providing throughout this entire year to strengthen the economy. Then again, as the Senate leader has said, they don't want to work with this President. They want him to fail. And for him to fail, that means the American people can't have jobs. That's the goal here. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer). (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is all interesting, except the fact is there's nothing in what the Secretary of Health and Human Services has proposed that's inconsistent with the Republican position over the years, with the Bush administration position over the years, with the Clinton administration position over the years and the Obama administration position over the years, and that is that when they passed historic welfare reform there would be an authority in there so, as the Governors lived with this over time, they could make adjustments. And that's why we keep reciting to the various instances when Governors have asked for this--29 Governors of both parties, a couple of Republican Governors recently--asking for this authority, because they thought they had a better way to put it to work. It's rather interesting today that one of the questions is whether or not we would extend the education time so people can get the proper credentials, the proper training for a job. Many people have been unemployed now for a couple of years from a job that may not be coming back and the skills they have need to either be updated or they have to learn new skills to get the job that's available in their locality or maybe a ways down the road. It's also interesting that the Business Roundtable is in Washington this week talking about this exact problem: How do we develop those new skills because of the skills mismatch that exists in this country today for hundreds of thousands of jobs that are available, but apparently the skills are not there? Now, I wonder if that skills training so that that person can get a job in a good industry and a good job, what if that takes 13 months as opposed to 12 months or what if it takes 8 months instead of 6 months? Why don't we live with the Governors having the flexibility if they believe that's the economic plan for their arrangement? We see consortiums now, because of the Higher Ed Act, coming together--community colleges, State universities, manufacturing consortiums, employer consortiums--developing the programs to develop the skills for the American workforce. And some of that is inconsistent with the requirements under this law, and that's why Governors who want to move to the future came and asked for that relief. And that waiver authority exists in the Social Security Act. That waiver authority is explicitly for this purpose. But in the name of politics, we're going to deny those States that are struggling, those Governors that are struggling, with the ability to do this. And under the rules, as the memorandum has suggested, they would have to show a very substantial increase in moving people from welfare to work. Supposedly, that's the goal of everybody who's a Member of this body, but politics is has overwhelmed that. If you had these concerns, we could have fixed it and moved on with getting people off of welfare to work. But we will leave here with some kind of political statement, a hollow political victory that means nothing except that those people will still be waiting to get off of welfare and go to work. The Governors will still be waiting to implement the program to get them off of welfare and go to work. And the Congress will go home. In the face of the desperate need of these people to acquire these skills to improve their talents, to provide for these families, to feed their kids, to educate them, to provide for health care, the Congress will go home. It won't give the Governors this authority because it'll look bad for their Presidential candidate. They won't give the Governors this authority because they can score a point here. Those Governors weren't trying to score a point. They were trying to score some jobs. They were trying to score some jobs for their citizens. But political games are going to win out here because the clock is running out on this Congress. So we could have helped those Governors. You could have tweaked this so you could have said you change from what President Obama wanted, and we could have gone on and people could have had opportunity in America. You keep saying you're for it, you just don't get around to providing it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this partisan bill. It's unfortunate. Maintaining this country's advantage in science and technology is an important issue, and it should not be a partisan issue. Democrats have long supported efforts to increase STEM careers in this country and to address the question of STEM visas. We all recognize how important these careers are to the future economic strength of this country. We could be working together in a bipartisan way to address these issues in a fair and thoughtful manner, but this bill does not do that. Instead of working together, the majority has chosen a partisan route. This route puts American workers' wages at risk at a time when they can ill afford it. It allows a dangerous race to the bottom that will drive wages down for American workers. It allows employers to pay visa holders less than the actual wages paid to similarly situated workers at those employers. A U.S. worker and a visa holder could be working right next to one another, doing the same work, and the foreign worker is cheaper. We know what this will mean for U.S. workers' pay and job opportunities. Depressing families' wages is not what our country needs. That's why I joined with Congresswoman Lofgren on legislation that would require a visa holder to be paid at least the actual wage being paid to a U.S. worker with similar experience. I also have deep concerns that this partisan bill is also a payoff for predatory for-profit education institutions. The Republican bill includes language that specifically allows for-profit institutions to participate in this program. Why is that? Tech and other high-skilled employers have not been pushing to get more foreign graduates from for- profit schools. This provision would allow these institutions to find new, potentially lucrative revenue streams for their shareholders without regard to the actual needs of the American labor market. Mr. Speaker, the American people have made it clear that they are fed up with the powerful special interests gaming the system to increase their bottom line. They are fed up with partisan exercises meant to gain political advantage during an election cycle. It is no surprise that for 2 years this Congress had an opportunity to have a full and open debate on this very important issue but that the Republicans have chosen partisanship, obstruction, and polarization over moving this country forward. That's why we see this bill at the last minute, and that's why we see this bill requiring a two-thirds vote.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Chair, I rise today to oppose this bill because it's a mere political message--not a solution for the Nation's coal mining communities. Simply put: Jobs are being lost in the coalfields because natural gas is cheaper. Adopting this bill will do nothing to change those market forces. Likewise, this bill has nothing to do with protecting coal miners or ensuring they return home safely after their shift. It's been more than two years since 29 miners died in the Upper Big Branch mine. And for more than two years, families who lost a loved one in the mine have demanded congressional action. They want to ensure that the system does not let unscrupulous mine owners cover up unsafe conditions. All they want is to be sure that no other family will have to go through what they did. Well, more than two years and four investigative reports later, this Congress still has not acted. I've met plenty of miners in my day. They're smart enough to see through this stunt. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and turn our attention to job creation and job safety.