House Workforce Committee's Chair Not Seeking Re-election
Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., would have lost the chairmanship of the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee at the end of 2016 because of Republicans' committee chairmanship term limits.
U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., who chairs the House Education and the Workforce Committee -- the OSHA oversight committee in the U.S. House of Representatives -- announced Sept. 3 that he is retiring at the end of the current 114th Congress rather than run for re-election. Kline has represented Minnesota's 2nd District since first being elected to Congress in 2002.
His statement referred to his desire to see a No Child Left Behind education reform bill enacted into law: "Strengthening our nation's classrooms and workplaces has been at the forefront of the committee's agenda since I was first selected to serve as chairman, and it will continue to be my leading priority in the months ahead. Whether it's replacing No Child Left Behind, holding the Obama administration accountable for its harmful policies, or strengthening higher education, there is a lot of work to do over the next 16 months. I remain humbled by the opportunity to lead the committee, and I intend to finish strong and to continue delivering commonsense reforms America's students, parents, workers, and employers deserve."
A 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps, he also serves on the House Armed Services Committee.