Press Releases
Bonamici Statement on New Report Establishing That School Discipline Practices Disproportionately Effect Students of Color
04.06.18 WASHINGTON, DC [04/06/18] - Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education Committee, issued the following statement in response to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that confirms that students of color are disproportionately harmed by school discipline policies. "Fifty years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Government Accountability Office's alarming report on widespread bias in school discipline shows that we still have more wo… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on 8th Anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine Explosion
04.05.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the eighth anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion, which took the lives of 29 coal miners. "Since the Upper Big Branch Mine (UBB) explosion that took the lives of 29 coal miners eight years ago, all five independent investigation reports by state and federal agencies agree that the mine operator violated multiple safety standards. Key safety controls, such as water sprays, were disabled which enabled … Continue Reading
Scott, Nadler Release New GAO Report that Proves Students of Color Suffer Harsher Discipline for Lesser Offenses
04.04.18 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), ranking member of the House Committee on the Judiciary released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report entitled, "Discipline Disparities for Black Students, Boys, and Students with Disabilities." The ranking members requested that the GAO investigate disparities in discipline policies and practices applied to students of color,… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on the Eighth Anniversary of SAFRA
03.30.18 "The higher education reforms and investments made in SAFRA were historic in size and scope. As working families struggled to recover from the Great Recession, SAFRA brought relief to millions of students and parents. Notably, SAFRA made higher education more accessible and affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant award and indexing it to inflation; establishing the direct lending program that stopped using billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize corporate lenders; and strengthening inv… Continue Reading
Scott, Pallone Urge HHS Secretary Azar to Protect, Not Undermine, Civil Rights in Health Care
03.28.18 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent a public comment letter urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to withdraw a harmful proposed rule that would allow hospitals, doctors, and other individuals and institutions to deny care to patients based on religious beliefs. The Members raised concerns that the HHS's Office for Civil Rights' proposed rule would ultimately allow fo… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the Passing of Civil Rights Activist Linda Brown
03.27.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the passing of Linda Brown, who, as a young child, was at the center of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended legal segregation in public education: "The courage and conviction of a nine-year-old girl named Linda Brown and her family serve as a powerful marker in our nation's long march toward educational equity. The 1954 landmark Supreme Court case that bears her name etched a powerfu… Continue Reading
Top Health Democrats’ Statement on Anniversary of Affordable Care Act
03.23.18 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA)-the top Democrats on committees with jurisdiction over the Affordable Care Act (ACA)-today released the following joint statement to highlight the eighth anniversary of the law: "Today marks the eighth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, legislation that ended decades of insurance companies price gougi… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on NLRB Inspector General’s Report on Member William Emanuel’s Conflict of Interest
03.22.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the National Labor Relations Board Office of Inspector General's Report of Investigation involving Member William Emanuel's violation of his ethics pledge: "The Inspector General's investigation confirms that Member William Emanuel violated his ethics pledge by participating in a case where he had a conflict of interest. In doing so, Member Emanuel has undermined the public's confidence in the Board's ability to p… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the Omnibus Bill
03.22.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after he voted in favor of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2018. "While this spending bill is about funding the government, it also a statement of values. When Congress prioritizes federal investments, the country makes progress. As a whole, I see this as a win for students. I support the increased investments in education from birth through college and rejection of misguided cuts proposed by the Trump administrati… Continue Reading
Top Democrats Call on DOL to Pull the Harmful Tip Rule
03.21.18 WASHINGTON - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-05), Labor Liaison of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), vice ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, issued the fol… Continue Reading
STEAM Day of Action Highlights Bipartisanship, HBCUs & Diversity in the Workforce
03.20.18 Washington, D.C.-Today, the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus and the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) Caucus hosted the first HBCU STEAM Day of Action on Capitol Hill. This unique event brought HBCU presidents and administrators from thirty-four schools and industry leaders to Capitol Hill to meet with key Members of Congress and senior staff from both parties and in both chambers. The meetings allowed the coalition to advocate f… Continue Reading
Top Dems Hold Forum on Comprehensive Approach to Prevent School Shootings
03.20.18 WASHINGTON - TODAY, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Committee Democrats, and Democratic leadership hosted a forum entitled, "Preventing School Shootings: A Comprehensive Approach." "In the wake of Columbine, the knee-jerk reaction was to put more police in schools, invest in security infrastructure such as metal detectors, and turn our schools into fortresses. The research, on such policies, is clear: that more guns and schools bu… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Oppose DOL’s Harmful Rule on Association Health Plans
03.20.18 WASHINGTON - Today, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing entitled, "Expanding Affordable Health Care Options: Examining the Department of Labor's Proposed Rule on Association Health Plans." On January 5, 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a proposed rule on association health plans, which puts comprehensive and affordable health care coverage for small businesses and their employees at risk. "The Department of Labor's (DOL) proposed rule o… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Oppose GOP’s Health Proposal
03.19.18 WASHINGTON - Today, the three House Democratic leaders of the Committees with jurisdiction over health care, Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) released a joint statement denouncing the Republicans' partisan proposal regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace: "The Republicans' partisan health care package will not undo the years of intentiona… Continue Reading
Scott, Waters, Kildee and Ellison Statement on Appeals Court Decision to Vacate Fiduciary Rule
03.19.18 WASHINGTON - In response to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit's ruling to vacate the U.S. Department of Labor's fiduciary rule, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce; Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services; Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI), Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services; and Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) issued the following stat… Continue Reading
Scott Urges DeVos to Uphold and Protect Students’ Civil Rights
03.19.18 WASHINGTON - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos requesting the Department of Education (ED) maintain a 2014 School Discipline Guidance Package. The guidance, developed jointly with the Department of Education and the Department of Justice (DOJ), was issued to remind schools of their legal obligations to administer school discipline without discriminating on the base of race, color, or na… Continue Reading
Democrats Oppose Harmful Work Requirements that Take Away Benefits
03.15.18 WASHINGTON - TODAY, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing entitled, "Strengthening Access and Accountability to Work in Welfare Programs." Low-wage workers often rely on federal programs, such as SNAP, TANF and Medicaid, to help meet their basic needs and maintain employment. "Research shows that most low-income people on these programs are already working," said Ranking Member Susan Davis, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. "The … Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the Passage of HR 4909
03.14.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the passage of H.R. 4909, the "STOP School Violence Act of 2018" [407-10]. Democrats will continue the conversation on school safety next week at our forum entitled, 'Preventing School Shootings: A Comprehensive Approach.' "Today's vote is a positive first step, but more must be done. "I am pleased that H.R. 4909 rejects President Trump and Secretary DeVos' misguided proposal to arm teachers by prohibiting p… Continue Reading
Scott Remarks at First Meeting of Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans
03.14.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following remarks at the first official meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans to formally organize and approve its rules. "Thank you, Chairman Hatch and Chairman Brown. "This Committee is charged with tackling a complex and urgent problem, preventing the foreseeable collapse of the multiemployer pension fund. "Hard-working Americans earned their pensions in demanding industries such as constr… Continue Reading
Shea-Porter Backs New Legislation to Reverse Trump Administration’s Health Care Sabotage
03.13.18 WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) today announced her support for the Undo Sabotage and Expand Affordability of Health Insurance Act of 2018, new legislation that would lower health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs for consumers. It would reverse the Trump administration's continued sabotage of US healthcare markets. The Trump administration's sabotage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is projected to cause 6.4 million more Americans to go uninsured. Furthermore, the … Continue Reading