Press Releases
Joint Statement from Tri-Caucus Chairs on Trump’s Termination of Grants for Minority-Serving Institutions
09.11.25 WASHINGTON - The Chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus—Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09)—released the following joint statement today in response to reports that the Trump administration is terminating grants for hundreds of colleges and universities that serve large minority student populations. These M… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Administration Cutting $350 Million in Funding for Minority Serving Institutions
09.10.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education announced it will not disburse any Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Title III or V discretionary funds in FY2025. “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 intergenerational poverty and systemic… Continue Reading
ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Demands Committee Subpoena Stephen Miller
09.10.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “From Playground to Classroom: The Spread of Antisemitism in K-12 Schools.” “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses. “We can all agree that schools are responsible for creating safe learning environments for students, teachers, and faculty free from discrimination, harassment, and violence. Th… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on the 2025 Nation’s Report Card
09.09.25 WASHINGTON - House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the National Center for Education Statistics released the 2025 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results for 8th grade science and 12th grade math and reading. “The latest Nation’s Report Card offers a troubling confirmation of what educators, students, and families have long been signaling: our schools were struggling to improve student outco… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at 10th Hearing on Antisemitism
09.09.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Unmasking Union Antisemitism.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome back to all the witnesses, thanks for being here. “Let’s start by saying, no one should be threatened, harassed, or attacked because of who they are, who they worship, or what they stand for. I agree we should do more to combat antisemitism in America. I a… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on August Jobs Report
09.05.25 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 22,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.2 percent to 4.3 percent. “Today’s jobs report confirms what millions of working families already know: that today’s economy is not working for them. For the first time since the pandemic, there are more unemployed Americans… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Challenge Labor Department Agenda Dismantling Workers’ Rights
09.03.25 WASHINGTON - House labor leaders sent a series of letters to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department) Secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, calling on the Department to honor its promise to uphold workers’ civil rights and guarantee workers fair pay, benefits, and a safe working environment. The letters were sent by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05), House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. Th… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at ECESE Subcommittee Hearing on Reading and Math in K-12 Schools
09.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Foundations First: Reclaiming Reading and Math through Proven Instruction.” “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today. “Welcome back. I expect that we have all spent the previous month visiting, learning, and connecting with our constituents. And although we may disagree… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Releases New Report on Trump Administration’s Attacks on Disability Community
08.27.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released a new report entitled “Living Independently, Participating Fully: Defending Against the Trump Administration's Attacks on People with Disabilities.” The report outlines how the Trump Administration’s proposed elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), deep Medicaid cuts, and rollback of equity protections threaten the independence and well-being of people wi… Continue Reading
House Democrats Sound the Alarm on the Impact of the ‘Big, Ugly Law’ On Student Borrowers
08.26.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce led 53 of his colleagues in a letter to the Department of Education (ED or the Department) urging the Department to account for the harm Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Law’, passed earlier this year will have on students as the Department begins carrying out the law’s changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965. These changes will increase monthly payments and delay forgiveness for Americans struggli… Continue Reading
Scott, Bonamici Scrutinize Harms and Cost of Proposed USDA Reorganization
08.22.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), House Committee on Education and Workforce, raised concerns to Department of Agriculture Secretary (USDA) Brooke Rollins regarding the agency’s abrupt announcement to reorganize USDA. This follows harmful agency relocations under the first Trump Administration. This latest push occur… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands Response on Request for Oversight Hearing on HHS Layoffs and Proposed Reorganization
08.20.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, once again called on Chairman Tim Walberg, House Committee on Education and Workforce, to immediately hold an oversight hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS or the Department) layoffs and the Department’s proposed reorganization. This request follows a series of layoffs at HHS, including employees from vital programs that support older adults and people with disabilit… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott, Workforce Community Defend Importance of Job Corps on Virginia’s Local Economy
08.12.25 WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, delivered the following remarks at a workforce community forum on the impact of the Trump Administration’s decision to close all Job Corps Centers on Virginia’s local economy. The Trump Administration is set to close the Blue Ridge Job Corps Center in Marion, Virginia, and the Old Dominion Job Corps Center in Monroe, Virginia. View photos from the event here. “Good evening, eve… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Latest Trump Administration Attack on Veterans
08.07.25 WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it would terminate collective bargaining agreements for most VA bargaining-unit employees. “When workers come together to bargain, they earn higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. Unions represent and benefit all workers regardless of whether they are in the bargaining u… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Demand Oversight Hearing on the Abrupt Firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner
08.06.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), requested Chair Tim Walberg (MI-05), House Committee on Education and Workforce, hold an oversight hearing regarding President Trump’s abrupt firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. President Trump fired Commissioner McEntarfer on August 1… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands Answers from HHS Secretary After Firing 10,000 Public Servants
08.05.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Education and Workforce Committee, demanded answers from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the Department) fired thousands of full-time employees and threatened the future of vital programs that keep Americans safe and healthy. These mass layoffs follow a July 8 Supreme Court decision which the Department asserts allows it to “move forward with a p… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Trump Firing Head of Bureau of Labor Statistics
08.01.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce released the following statement after President Trump announced the firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics has always served as a nonpartisan, data-driven federal agency that provides key information vital to the United States economy. President Trump’s firing of Commissioner Erika McEntarfer comes without evidence of any mi… Continue Reading
Congressional Harvard Alumni Caution Oversight Over Any Capitulation to the Trump Administration
08.01.25 WASHINGTON — Today, fourteen members of the House and Senate sent a letter to Harvard President, Dr. Alan M. Garber, cautioning that any settlement made with the Trump administration may warrant rigorous Congressional oversight and inquiry. Last week, Columbia University announced a $221 million settlement agreement with the Trump administration. Recent reports suggest that the parties have negotiated that Harvard make a potential $500 million payoff to resolve allegations against Harvard’s p… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Introduces Bill to Lower Cost of College
08.01.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) introduced the Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act. The LOAN Act would lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The cost of attending college today is 40 times higher than tuition in 1963. Student loans often follow borrowers long after college and can prevent them from planning for important life events, such as buying a house or start… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on July Jobs Report
08.01.25 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 73,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1 percent to 4.2 percent. “Working people in this country are struggling to make ends meet. Despite this, Congressional Republicans pushed through the 'Big, Ugly Law.' A cruel law that rips away food assistance and health c… Continue Reading