Press Releases
House and Senate Immigration Leaders Rebuke Trump DHS Proposal That Would Punish Immigrant Families for Lawfully Accessing Health Care and Food Assistance
12.22.25 WASHINGTON - House and Senate immigration leaders submitted a formal regulatory comment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) opposing the Trump Administration’s proposed “Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility” rule, warning that the proposal unlawfully rewrites longstanding immigration law and would deter immigrant families from accessing basic health, nutrition, and housing assistance they are legally entitled to receive. The proposed rule would circumvent Congress to alter the meani… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Education Department Ending Funding for Minority Serving Institutions
12.19.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel’s (OLC) issued an opinion on the constitutionality of the Department of Education’s Minority Serving Institution Program. “A college degree remains the surest path to financial stability. This is particularly true for low-income students and students of color whose educational and workforce opportunities have historically been limited by interge… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Demand Answers on Trump’s Shady Drug Deals
12.18.25 WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), demanded transparency from major pharmaceutical companies on their announcements with the Trump Administration on the cost of certain medications, including anti-obesity medications. Democrats delivered on l… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Slams Lousy GOP Health Care Plan
12.17.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce, spoke in opposition to H.R. 6703, the “Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act,” which fails to protect consumers against stop loss and includes recycled provisions that recklessly expand association health plans. This bill will make it harder for many workers and families to find affordable, high-quality health insurance. Watch Ranking Member Scott’s remarks on YouTube. “Mr. Speake… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Unions
12.17.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Ensuring Union Leaders Represent Members, Not Agendas.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I want to thank the witnesses for being here today. “Let me begin with a simple truth from my perspective: you cannot be pro-worker and anti-union. Workers build unions so they can have a voice strong enough to be heard. You cannot lif… Continue Reading
Scott, McGarvey Introduce Legislation to Improve Black Lung Benefits Program
12.16.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Representative Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), reintroduced the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act, legislation that would help miners who have suffered from black lung disease access the workers’ compensation and benefits they are entitled to receive under the federal Black Lung Benefits Program. This legislation significantly reduces barriers, such as complex claims processes and l… Continue Reading
ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Sounds the Alarm on Student Safety at Hearing Regarding Youth Sports
12.16.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Benched: The Crisis in American Youth Sports and Its Cost to Our Future.” “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses. I also look forward to this hearing today. “Whether it’s tee-ball, track and field, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, football, swimming, hockey, figure skating, or anything I left ou… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Issues Statement on Long-Delayed Jobs Report
12.16.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added only 64,000 jobs in November after losing 105,000 jobs in October, and the unemployment rate increased from 4.4 percent in September to 4.6 percent in November. “During former President Biden’s first ten months in office, the economy created 6.3 million jobs. In President Trump’s first ten … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott’s Statement on Republicans’ Latest Health Care Proposal
12.12.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement following the release of House Republicans’ latest health care proposal. “House Republicans’ idea of a ‘new’ health care proposal to lower costs essentially consists of a handful of decades-old proposals that have proven not to work. Specifically, the Republican proposal would expand access to risky Association Health Plans that don’t have to cover essential… Continue Reading
House and Senate Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Students from Dangerous Seclusion and Restraint Practices
12.12.25 WASHINGTON - House and Senate education leaders reintroduced the bipartisan Keeping All Students Safe Act to protect students from dangerous seclusion and restraint practices in school. In the House, the bill is sponsored by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08), and Representative Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ-08). And in the Senate, it is sponsored by Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ranking Member Bernie … Continue Reading
Committee Advances Education Bills Intended to Improve Transparency and Access
12.11.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee passed a series of bills that aim improve access and transparency in higher education. “We are all aware of the polls that show that many believe that college is not worth the cost. The solution should not be to ignore that fact. We should make college more affordable rather than have students cut their education short because they cannot afford the cost.” said Ranking Member Scott. “Bills that explain the cost do not reduce the cost, anymore than — as a farmer… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott’s Opening Remarks at Markup of Education Bills that Increase Transparency
12.11.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.R. 6392, 6472, 6498, and 6502. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Today, we are here to mark up four education bills intended to increase transparency and access to higher education. “The first bill under consideration is the Home School Graduation Recognition Act, which essentially restates and clarifies the current law allowing home-schooled students to be elig… Continue Reading
House Labor Leaders Introduce Bill to Protect Workers and Level the Playing Field
12.10.25 WASHINGTON - Today, House labor leaders will introduce the Labor Enforcement to Securely (LET’S) Protect Workers Act, H.R. 6597. The LET’S Protect Workers Act is a transformative bill that will protect America’s workers and crack down on dishonest employers and corporations by raising penalties for violations of workers’ rights and protections. The bill introduction is accompanied by a damning report entitled, “A Slap on the Wrist: How it Pays for Dishonest Employers to Take Advantage of Worker… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Adams Opening Remarks at HEWD Subcommittee Hearing on Learning and Employment Records
12.10.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, delivered the following opening statement at today’s subcommittee hearing entitled, “Building A Talent Marketplace: How LERs Empower Workers and Expand Opportunity.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for joining us today. “Right now, many of my constituents are facing the reality that the economy is not working for them. Costs are rising and opportunities are disap… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Revitalizing American Boxing
12.04.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at a Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing entitled, “In Their Corner: Creating More Opportunities for American Boxers.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for your testimony today. “When Republicans first notified us of today’s hearing, I was immediately excited. I have long been a fan of professional boxing and mixed martial arts, and I was hopeful that we could have a bi… Continue Reading
ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Warns Culture War Distractions Will Undermine Student Privacy
12.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Safeguarding Student Privacy and Parental Rights: A Review of FERPA and PPRA.” “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here. “First and foremost, I want to make abundantly clear that parental engagement is important to student success. “It has been proven that when fam… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Adams Remarks on the Growing Student Debt Crisis
12.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, delivered the following opening statement at today’s subcommittee hearing entitled, “Public Funds, Private Politics: Examining Bias in the Truman Scholarship Program.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. “Let me start with a number that says a lot about the crisis we’re facing: “The cost of attending college today is 40 times higher than it was… Continue Reading
Labor Caucus Opposes Trump Administration’s Farmworker Wage Cuts
12.02.25 WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member, Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05), along with Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Mark Pocan (WI-02), and Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) led over 20 House … Continue Reading
ICYMI: HELP Subcommittee Ranking Member DeSaulnier Hosts Health Care Event on Expiring ACA Premium Tax Cuts
12.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), brought together health experts, small business owners, and Marketplace enrollees to highlight the critical importance of extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, which help ensure working families can access quality, affordable health coverage. The discussion panel featured Justin Giovannelli of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, … Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing Defending Retirees’ Hard-Earned Pensions
12.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Pension Predators: Stopping Class Action Abuse Against Workers’ Retirement.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. “Workers deserve to earn a decent wage, provide for themselves and their families, and retire with dignity. That’s the American way, when we do it right. But right n… Continue Reading