Key House Committee on Education and the Workforce Member to Retire

After serving 40 years in Congress, Rep. George Miller (D-CA) has announced he will retire at the end of the year. Miller is currently the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the committee charged with considering all labor- and employment-related bills.  Over the past four decades, Miller has been at the forefront of labor, employment, and benefits policy in Congress. A staunch supporter of labor, Miller has sponsored key legislation, including the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Fair Minimum Wage Age, Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower Protection Act, Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA), and the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act. 

Although Miller’s district is expected to replace him with a fellow Democrat, his retirement is being viewed as a loss for Democratic House members.  According to Miller’s statement on his retirement, he will focus his energy during the remainder of the 113th Congress on: (1) extending long-term unemployment insurance benefits; (2) raising the minimum wage to at least $10.10 per hour by 2016, indexed to inflation, as well as raising the minimum wage for tipped workers; (3) continued implementation of the Affordable Care Act; and (4) enacting comprehensive immigration reform, among other goals. 

Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.