Press Releases
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing Defending Workers Right to Organize
06.11.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Restoring Balance: Ensuring Fairness and Transparency at the NLRB.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the witnesses here today for having this open debate of ideas. I want to mention that unions are more popular than they have ever been in American history, 71 percent, according to well-known, nonpartisan, vette… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Screentime in Schools
06.10.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Screentime in Schools.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today. We appreciate your time and your expertise. We all want students to grow up and learn in a safe and healthy environment where they’re protected from harm and equipped with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on May Jobs Report
06.06.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 139,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate remained the same at 4.2 percent. "Since returning to office, the Trump Administration has jeopardized jobs, endangered the rights and protections of workers, and undermined the financial security of retirees. “Instead of focusing on kitchen table issues— like the cost of housing, the… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Delivers Opening Statement at Full Committee Hearing with DOL Secretary Chavez-DeRemer
06.05.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks at today’s full committee hearing entitled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Madam Secretary, it is always good to see a former colleague welcome back to the committee you served on. It was good to talk to you early this week, and I understand you’ve been in touch with every member of the committee, Democrat and Republican, and that obvious… Continue Reading
Health Leaders Introduce Bill to Improve Disability Insurance for Workers Impacted by Mental Health or Substance Use Disorders
06.05.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) and Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) introduced the Workers’ Disability Benefits Parity Act, a bill establishing behavioral health parity for disability insurance. This legislation ensures that workers whose disability is caused by a mental health condition or substance use disorder are not subject to discriminatory barriers imposed by their insurer or employee be… Continue Reading
Congressional Democrats Demand ED Stop Stonewalling Inspector General
06.04.25 WASHINGTON - Following serious concerns raised by the Department of Education (ED) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Congressional Democrats are demanding ED stop stonewalling the OIG and allow the OIG access to information they are legally entitled to regarding the Administration’s effort to dismantle ED. The letter was sent by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Educat… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Delivers Opening Statement at Full Committee Hearing with ED Secretary McMahon
06.04.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott delivered the following remarks at today’s full committee hearing entitled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning. “I want to thank Secretary McMahon for joining us today to discuss the Department’s priorities and the effect this budget will have on students, teachers, and families. “Secretary McMahon, as Secretary of Education, you took an oath to oversee the Dep… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Demand Transparency on ERISA Advisory Council
06.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, demanding answers regarding the removal of documents and records produced by the expert ERISA Advisory Council. The letter also inquiries about the Administration’s intentions concerning the future of the Council, emphas… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Effectively Closing All Job Corps Centers
05.29.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Trump Administration ordered the effective closure of all Job Corps centers across the United States. “Once again, the Trump Administration is harming those most in need. The Department of Labor sent notices to all 99 Job Corps centers with which it directly contracts, stating they are going to ‘pause’ operations. Let’s be clear: these are not p… Continue Reading
Ranking Members Scott, DeLauro Demand Answers After DOL Cancelled Women’s Apprenticeship Programs Grants
05.29.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) of the House Committee on Education and Workforce and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) of the House Appropriations Committee sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer demanding answers after DOL canceled dozens of Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grants. These grants were specifically appropriated by Congress and are vital to increasing the number of female apprentices in … Continue Reading
House Democrats Reintroduce Legislation to Fulfill Promise of Brown
05.23.25 WASHINGTON - Over 70 years after the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), House Committee on the Judiciary and Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) reintroduced two key pieces of legislation aimed at advancing educational equity and addressing modern challenges to school integration and civil rights enforcement. The Strength in Dive… Continue Reading
House Democrats’ Litigation Task Force Applauds Successful Effort to Defend Education Department
05.22.25 WASHINGTION - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse (CO-02), Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), House Committee on Judiciary, and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), House Committee on Appropriations issued the following statement after a federal judge blocked the Trump Administration from dismantling the Department of Education. The Court also ordered the immediate rehiring of unlawfully terminat… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Rips Apart Republicans’ “Big Bad Billionaires Bill”
05.22.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce, spoke in opposition to the “Big Bad Billionaires’ Bill,” which makes extreme cuts to federal education, health, and child nutrition programs, and raises the federal deficit, all to give more tax breaks and handouts to wealthy Americans and corporations. Watch Ranking Member Scott’s remarks on YouTube. “Mr. Speaker, it’s hard to take my colleagues on the other side of the aisle seriously wh… Continue Reading
What They’re Actually Saying About Republicans’ “Big Ugly Budget Bill”
05.21.25 WASHINGTON - House Republicans’ “Big Ugly Budget Bill will make college less affordable for students, raise student loan payments for current borrowers, and expose students to predatory, for-profit institutions— all to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and corporations. Here is what advocates, experts, and scholars are actually saying about how this bill will impact them: AFL-CIO: “These and other harmful cuts swamp the few new investments in the bill. The bill makes higher education less affo… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Adams Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing Attacking Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Programs
05.21.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Alma Adams (NC-12) delivered the following opening statement at Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Restoring Excellence: The Case Against DEI.”? “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I want to first of all thank our witnesses for being here today. “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts are essential to ensuring that our education system reflects the richness of our society and provides every student with … Continue Reading
Vice Ranking Member Casar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Worker Misclassification
05.20.25 WASHINGTON - Vice Ranking Member Greg Casar (TX-35) delivered the following opening statement at a Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Empowering the Modern Worker.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. “The nation’s labor laws establish basic worker protections, like a decent wage, reasonable hours, a safe workplace, the right to organize, and the right to collectively bargain, the right to overtime. “But ever since workers won thes… Continue Reading
Up to 18.3 Million Children Could Lose Access to Free School Meals Because of Republican Tax Cuts for the Wealthy
05.20.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Urban Institute released a new report shedding light on how the Republicans’budget reconciliation proposal could cause up to 18.3 million children to lose access to free school mealseither through individual certification or through their school or state’s participation in universal school meal programs. “Republicans’ proposal denies low-income students access to free school meals and the ability to reach their full potential. For some students, the food served at sch… Continue Reading
Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Reintroduced to Protect Older Workers from Age Discrimination
05.20.25 WASHINGTON - Today, a bipartisan and bicameral group of Members reintroduced the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), a proposal to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers. In the House, the bill is led by Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI-06), Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Representativ… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Ranking Member Scott Hosts Second Forum with Civil Rights Leaders on How to Fight the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Americans
05.16.25 WASHINGTON - This week, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) hosted a forum with civil rights leaders to discuss how they are fighting the Trump Administration’s systematic attacks on students, workers, and families. This follows weeks of reckless and illegal activity by the Trump Administration to strip students, workers, and families of their basic civil rights. Click here to watch the forum on YouTube. “Thank you for being here, and thank you for your dedication to the fight i… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Decision to Abandon Mental Health Care for Americans
05.15.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced its plan to abandon mental health parity enforcement. “Nearly 30 years after the enactment of the bipartisan Mental Health Parity Act, insurance companies and health plans still fail to provide meaningful coverage of behavioral health care. Rigorous enforcement of this landmark law is more important now than ever befo… Continue Reading