Press Releases
Ranking Member Scott Demands ED Answer Questions Regarding Status of Students’ Civil Rights Investigations
05.12.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) of the Committee of Education and Workforce demanded answers from Secretary McMahon of the Department of Education (ED or the Department) regarding recent reports that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)’s recent mass layoffs resulted in pending cases being abandoned without adequate caseworkers. As of January 2025, OCR reported a backlog of over 12,000 cases. Soon thereafter, the Department let go nearly half of OCR’s staff and closed… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Question Labor Department about Impact of Mass Layoffs on Workers
05.09.25 WASHINGTON - Committee Democrats are demanding answers from Department of Labor (DOL or Department) Secretary Chavez-DeRemer regarding mass layoffs at the Department and the Trump Administration’s continued attacks on working Americans. This letter follows President Trump’s first 100 days in office, during which he stripped federal contract workers of civil rights protections and greenlighted Elon Musk and his associates’ access to sensitive data, including workers’ financial and health data, a… Continue Reading
Education Leaders Urge McMahon to Reject Waiver Requests for K-12 Education Funds That Allow States to Avoid Accountability
05.08.25 WASHINGTON- Today, congressional Democrats urged Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to reject any efforts by states to undermine the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which specifically directs funding to high-poverty schools, English as a Second Language programs, afterschool and summer learning, and more. The letter was sent by Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Delivers Opening Statement at 8th Hearing on Campus Antisemitism
05.07.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks at today’s full committee hearing entitled “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank our witnesses for being with us today. “The month of May marks Jewish American Heritage Month, when we celebrate the generations of Jewish Americans who have made incredible contributions to this country. This month, we reaffirm our commitment … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Reforming Worker Compensation
05.06.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing entitled, “FECA Reform and Oversight: Prioritizing Workers, Protecting Taxpayer Dollar.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, everyone, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. “The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, or FECA, is more than just a compensation statute—it is a solemn promise. A promise that if a federal worker is injured on th… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on President Trump’s FY 2026 Proposed Budget
05.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after President Trump released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026. “In the first 100 days since Donald Trump has returned to the White House, he has made one thing abundantly clear: he has no plan to improve the lives of students, workers, and families. Instead, he has decimated federal agencies that provide key services, stripped away workers’ rights, … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on April Jobs Report
05.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 177,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate remained the same at 4.2 percent. During President Biden’s first 100 days in office, the economy created 1.7 million jobs. In President Trump’s first 100 days in office, he created less than half a million jobs, and the economy shrank at a rate of 0.3 percent. Under President Biden, the… Continue Reading
Reps. Courtney, Walberg Lead Bicameral, Bipartisan Bill to Improve Health Care Access for Federal Workers
05.01.25 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), a senior Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, introduced the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. This bipartisan bill would amend the Federal Employees Compensation Act to allow injured workers to receive treatment for work-related injuries from state-licensed physician assistants (PAs) and nurse… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Blast Republicans for Changing Rules and Refusing to Hold Trump Accountable for Closing Office that Supports Seniors and Americans with Disabilities
04.30.25 WASHINGTON -In case you missed it, yesterday, Committee Democrats showed up for work prepared to debate a measure which would allow Congress to hold the Trump Administration accountable after it proposed eliminating the Administration for Community Living (ACL). ACL supports programs that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently and with dignity like Meals on Wheels. Congressional Republicans decided to bury their heads in the sand and further fuel President Trump’s unchecke… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on ESG in Retirement Plans
04.30.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Investing for the Future: Honoring ERISA’s Promise to Participants.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to thank the witness before the start of the hearing. “Today’s hearing is expected to focus on what’s called environmental, social, and governance - or ESG - factors when making investments in retirement plans covered … Continue Reading
Committee Republicans Bend the Knee, Vote to Slash Education to Pay for Tax Cuts for the Rich
04.29.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Workforce Committee Republicans bent the knee and advanced the unpopular Republican budget plan— which would raise student loan payments for student loan borrowers. The Republican’s budget raises the cost of going to college for students and families by restricting access to federal student aid and affordable student loan repayment plans, and it exposes students and taxpayers to predatory and low-quality institutions by repealing existing student protections. … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Slams Republicans’ Disastrous Plan to Raise Student Loan Payments to Pay for Tax Cuts for the Rich
04.29.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H. Con. Res. 14 Section 2001(b)(3) and H.Res.344. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Mr. Chairman, in this town, there is a saying that if you want to see someone’s values, show me their budget. “Regrettably, the reconciliation plan that has come before us today reveals a betrayal of the promise that President Lyndon B. Johnson made when he signed the Higher Educat… Continue Reading
Ranking Members Scott, Connolly Demand Answers on Trump’s Attacks on Civil Rights Protections for Workers
04.28.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Catherine Eschbach, Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regarding the Trump Administration’s drastic cuts to OFCCP staff. These cuts will leave millions of federal contract workers vulnerable to discrimination in the workpla… Continue Reading
On Workers’ Memorial Day, Reps. Scott, Courtney Lead Bill to Improve Workplace Safety
04.28.25 WASHINGTON - Today, on Workers’ Memorial Day, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce reintroduced the Protecting America’s Workers Act as the Trump Administration dismantles workplace protections. This bill would meaningfully strengthen and modernize the Occupation Safety and Health Act (OSH-Act) for the first time in over 50 years by ensuring employers promptly correct hazardous working … Continue Reading
Top Democrats Condemn Trump Executive Orders Repealing “Disparate Impact” Enforcement and School Discipline Protections
04.25.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), House Committee on the Judiciary released the following statements in response to President Trump’s executive order entitled, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy” and “Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies.” To see how this action is part of President Trump’s agenda to benefit billionaires and corporations at the expense of… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Demand Transparency after Trump Proposes to Eliminate Office that Supports Seniors and Americans with Disabilities
04.24.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Democrats are forcing Committee Republicans to take a stand and hold the Administration accountable after it proposed eliminating the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The Trump Administration has already taken action to eliminate more than 40 percent of the ACL staff, directly affecting federal programs that support aging and disabled populations. The elimination of these positions leaves critical services, such as Meals on Wheels, elder abuse preventi… Continue Reading
House Democrats’ Litigation Task Force Defends Department Of Education In Court
04.24.25 Washington, D.C. — The Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force led 192 House Democrats in filing an amicus brief challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to close the Department of Education in the matter of the State of New York v. Linda McMahon. A case in which 20 states moved to sue the administration for its plans to place fifty percent of the Department’s workforce on administrative leave, effectively shuttering a congressionally authorized agency by way of executive fiat. By invol… Continue Reading
NEW: Government Watchdog Reports College Students Still Struggle to Access Health Coverage
04.17.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) unveiled a new report examining how some students continue to struggle to receive adequate health care coverage, although there has been progress made because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2022, over 19 million students were enrolled in nearly 3,900 colleges around the United States. As the cost of living and the cost of college both continue to skyrocket, many college students cannot access quality health care. Although th… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Following Unprecedented Data Breach, Ranking Member Scott Calls on Government Watchdog to Expand Investigation into DOGE Activities at the NLRB
04.17.25 WASHINGTON - Following concerning reports of Elon Musk’s DOGE gaining unchecked access to sensitive information, possibly including workers’ personal information, and potentially exposing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) data systems to foreign actors, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) sent a letter requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to expand its investigation of DOGE’s obscure activities at the NLRB. “In light o… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Directive to Pull Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Status
04.16.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce released the following statement after reports that the Trump Administration asked the Internal Revenue Service to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status. “With history as our guide, the President cannot weaponize the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against his political enemies. I have not seen any evidence that Harvard has broken the law and is deserving of having their tax-exempt st… Continue Reading