Media

From the Education and Labor Committee:

Advisory: Subcommittee on Workplace Protections to Hold Hearing on OSHA Standards Tuesday

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections of the Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the unwillingness of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue important health and safety standards on Tuesday, April 24, at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will explore the Bush Administration's failure to issue OSHA standards, the human cost of this failure, and any legislative and administrative solutions.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Workplace Protections,

"Have OSHA Standards Kept up with Workplace Hazards?"

On behalf of all Members of Congress, today I express my deepest condolences to the family of Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, especially her husband, her five children, and her five grandchildren.

Since learning of her illness, her many friends in Congress have expressed their love and respect for her.

Today is Earth Day, giving our country an opportunity to focus on the key challenges facing us in preserving our planet. House Democrats belive that, by focusing on rapidly expanding the production of clean, alternative energy and reducing our use of oil, our country can both reduce global warming and make America more energy independent.

In addition to launching the Green Capitol Initiative for the entire U.S.

"Last Friday, Pelosi shook everyone's hands and posed for pictures with each one of the 300 guests, but it didn't cost anyone a dime."

The House has passed the Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act, by a vote of 269-134.

Passage came after defeat of a Republican motion to recommit with instructions. As background, the C-Span Congressional Glossary provides the following definition:

A motion to recommit returns a bill to committee, in effect killing it. However, a motion to recommit with instructions is a last opportunity to amend the bill.

The instructions to the committee direct changes to the text of the bill. If adopted, the chairman of the named committee immediately stands and reports the change back to the House. The next step is the House vote on final passage of the bill.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James Clyburn, Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, Caucus Vice Chairman John Larson, and Assistant to the Speaker Xavier Becerra sent a letter to President Bush today to call his attention to crucial facts regarding the funding of the troops in Iraq and the debate on a timetable for withdrawal.

Below is the text of the letter:

April 20, 2007

The President

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

From the Education and Labor Committee:

Corruption in Reading First Program Shows Need for Additional Safeguards in the Law

During Hearing, Inspector General Confirms that Referral Has Been Made to Justice in Wake of Scandal

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An investigative hearing by the House Education and Labor Committee today showed that mismanagement and conflicts of interests were pervasive in the federal Reading First program, and demonstrated the need for Congress to enact safeguards against such conflicts.