03.17.26

Committee Republicans Advance Partisan Bills, Fail to Address American Families’ Rising Costs

WASHINGTON – Today, Committee Republicans advanced several bills out of committee that Democrats warned prioritize partisan messaging and culture-war issues over substantive solutions for students and families.

“This Committee is uniquely positioned to address the cost of living because of the breadth of our jurisdiction,” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03). “However, I am frustrated that this is the fourth markup this year, and yet the majority of the bills we have considered are partisan messaging bills that will do little to alleviate the anxieties of our fellow Americans. ”

H.R. 7894, the Truman Scholarship Clean House Act, would allow President Trump to fire current members of the Truman Foundation’s Board, allow him to handpick replacements, and remake it in his image. This bill risks giving the President too much power and politicizing a respected scholarship program designed to help students pursue careers in public service.

H.R. 7893, the FAFSA Verification Efficiency Act, would require the Department of Education, working with the Social Security Administration, to verify both Social Security numbers and citizenship status for anyone whose information is provided in connection with federal student aid. This bill goes much further than necessary by expanding federal collection of citizenship data to individuals who are not even applying for federal aid. This expansion raises serious concerns about unnecessary data collection and the potential misuse of personal information for immigration enforcement.

H.R. 7661, the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, attempts to impose federal censorship as to what can be taught in states and classrooms across the country. The bill is drafted so broadly that it would even prohibit the teaching of the Virginia state flag or the Obergefell Supreme Court decision.

H.R. 6084, the ERISA Litigation Reform Act, overturns the unanimous Cunningham v. Cornell University Supreme Court decision and imposes additional burdens on workers seeking to enforce their rights in court. This bill also unfairly delays workers’ ability to recover losses by placing a hold on discovery until motions to dismiss have been decided.

Read Ranking Member Scott’s opening statement here.

Read Democratic amendments and letters of opposition to H.R. 7894, 7661, 7890, 7892, 7891, 7893, and 6084 here.

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