Miller initiatives aim to strengthen middle class

[B]WASHINGTON, D.C.[/B]—U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman-designate of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, held a Capitol Hill news conference yesterday to announce that the Committee’s focus in 2007 will be on strengthening America’s middle class.

“Middle class Americans are increasingly squeezed between declining paychecks and rising bills for basic items like housing, healthcare, college tuition, and energy,” said Miller. “And millions of Americans still do not have a real opportunity to join the middle class in the first place. More than 5 million Americans have joined the ranks of the poor since 2001.”

To work towards strengthening the middle class, Miller said the committee will address these key concerns next year:
* High quality public schools.
* Affordable colleges.
* competitive workforce.
* Fairness in the workplace.
* Retirement security.
* Accountability and responsibility.

The House Democratic Caucus designated Miller as the chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee last week. (PR)