Press Releases
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
Labor Leaders Demand Coal Operators Pay Their Fair Share
12.01.25 WASHINGTON — Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), House Committee on Education and Workforce and Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (D-MN), House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, urged the Department of Labor (DOL) to enforce the Black Lung Self-Insurance Rule, which requires coal operators to contribute their fair share to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund (BLDTF). Under federal law, coal mine operators are required to provide cash assistance and medical care for miners they employ w… Continue Reading
Seventy-Five House Members Sound the Alarm on the Negative Impact of ICE Raids on K-12 Students
11.25.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, and 73 House Democrats urged the Department of Education to use all available resources to support schools, students, and states affected by the Trump Administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement actions. Immigration raids at or near schools have been restricted for more … Continue Reading
House Democratic Health Leaders Blast the Trump Administration’s Latest Scheme to Gut Health Care
11.24.25 WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) blasted the Trump Administration for another unworkable attempt to undermine the nation’s health care system and hike costs on millions of people: “The White House’s new scheme to gut the expanded ACA premium tax credits is nothing more than the greatest hits of Re… Continue Reading
Committee Republicans Pass Labor Bills That Harm Workers
11.20.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans advanced three labor bills that would further burden employees and their ability to earn fair wages. “The consistent theme across these bills appears to be one message, and that is: ‘How do we, as Congress, further tip the scales in favor of corporations to harm workers and their ability to earn a decent wage?,’” said Ranking Member Scott. “These bills are particularly egregious, given this morning’s announcement that the economy continues to slow, and … Continue Reading
House Democratic Health Leaders Introduce Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Prices for Americans
11.20.25 WASHINGTON - Today, House Democratic health committee leaders introduced updated legislation to lower prescription drug prices for American families, close loopholes in President Trump’s “Big Ugly Law,” and rein in pharmaceutical price gouging ahead of the November 30th deadline for the Trump Administration to announce the latest round of negotiated prescription drug prices for seniors. The Administration has yet to make any announcements. The updated Lowering Drug Costs for American Families A… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott’s Opening Remarks at Markup of Labor Bills That Harm Workers
11.20.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.R. 2870, H.R. 2312, and H.R. 2299. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Today, we are here to mark up three labor bills. The consistent theme across these bills appears to be one message, and that is: ‘How do we, as Congress, further tip the scales in favor of corporations to harm workers and their ability to earn a decent wage?’ “These bills are particularly egreg… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Welcomes Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva to the Committee
11.20.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks welcoming Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07) to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “It’s my pleasure to welcome Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. It was an honor to work alongside her father, Raúl Grijalva, who was a longtime and senior member of this Committee and a champion for his constituents. He fiercely… Continue Reading
ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Speaks Out Against Efforts to Undermine Career and Technical Education
11.19.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, "From Classroom to Career: Strengthening Skills Pathways Through CTE." “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses. I know we have both been looking forward to this hearing. “Mr. Chairman, I appreciate this hearing today where we can talk about the importance of career and technical education, which histori… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on E-Verify
11.19.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at a Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing entitled, “E-Verify: Ensuring Lawful Employment in America.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for your testimony today. “Welcome back, everyone. I hope my colleagues across the aisle are rested from their eight-week-long paid vacation. Over the last two months, I have been speaking with my constituents, and I have heard firsthand how t… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on ED Offloading Core Responsibilities
11.18.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after the Department of Education (ED) announced it signed six additional interagency agreements. “The Trump Administration cannot close a federal agency without an act of Congress. Nevertheless, the Trump Administration is intent on breaking the law and dismantling the Department of Education (ED). Today’s announcement is part and parcel of the Trump Administr… Continue Reading