Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Oversight
Government Watchdog Report Finds Employee Benefits Security Administration Grappling with Limited Resources
11.16.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) announced the release of a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which assessed the management of priorities in the face of years of underfunding that has hindered the Department of Labor (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration’s ability to protect the health and retirement benefits of workers and retirees. “Today’s report underscores the consequences of a decade of underfunding that has left the Em… Continue Reading
NEW: As Republicans Refuse to Take Action on Resurgence of Child Labor Violations, Ranking Member Scott Hosts Briefing with Experts
07.14.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) hosted a briefing with experts on the resurgence of child labor violations as well as legislative solutions to address abusive child labor practices. Members and staff heard from Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League and Chair of the Child Labor Coalition, and Margaret Wurth, Senior Researcher with the Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch. Watch an excerpt of the briefing on YouTube. Eighty-five years after… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Introduce New, Bold Legislation to End Abusive Child Labor
06.29.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Alma Adams (NC-12) announced their plans to introduce new legislation—the Protecting Children Act—to finally end child labor in America. The bill provides federal worker protections agencies with the tools and resources they need to deter violations and prevent harm to children from intensive work in dangerous jobs. Recent, high-profile n… Continue Reading
Scott Opening Statement at Hearing with DOL Acting Secretary Su
06.07.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor” with Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Acting Secretary Su, good morning and thank you for being with us. “You’re here with us now and we have had problems getting previous administration officials to the committee but thank you for being with us today. “We have an opportunity to discuss t… Continue Reading
NLRB OIG Opens Investigation into Republican Subpoena Following Concerns Raised from Ranking Member Scott
03.29.23 WASHINGTON - Today, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) confirmed it has opened an investigation into whether the Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Foxx’s (NC-05) subpoena to the NLRB violated the Anti-Deficiency Act or Section 4(a) of the National Labor Relations Act. The investigation follows a letter from Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) to Chairwoman Foxx that raised questions about the subpoena’s legitimacy. “… Continue Reading
Committee Leaders Applaud Biden for Combatting Taxpayer-Funded Religious Discrimination
03.15.23 WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39), Oversight and Accountability Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler (NY-12) applauded the Biden-Harris administration’s proposed rules for nine federal agencies—including the Departments of Education (ED), Agriculture (USDA), Justice (DOJ), Labor (DOL), Veterans Affa… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott: Biden Budget is a Roadmap to a Stronger America
03.10.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024. “The Biden-Harris Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal is a clear roadmap to a stronger America. It calls for transformational investments that would grow our economy and improve the lives of students, workers, and families across the country. “The proposed budget would take significant steps to ensure every student has access to hig… Continue Reading
In the 117th Congress, Committee Democrats Conducted Robust Oversight on Behalf of Students, Workers, Families
12.21.22 WASHINGTON - Today, the House Committee on Education and Labor released a report highlighting the Committee’s oversight work to ensure that the federal government properly implements laws and delivers for the nation’s students, workers, and families. Under the leadership of Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), the Committee conducted rigorous oversight in the 117th Congress through dozens of letters, meetings, and public hearings. ###… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Opening Statement at DOL Oversight Hearing
06.14.22 WASHINGTON - House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Labor,” with U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty J. Walsh. “Today, we are meeting to discuss the Department of Labor’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2023. “Secretary Walsh, thank you for being with us today. We look forward to hearing your vision to help all workers and their families … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Administration for Restoring Relief for Victims of Predatory Colleges
08.24.21 WASHINGTON - Today, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Biden-Harris administration announced that it is replacing the Trump-era formula for determining student debt relief for defrauded borrowers. Multiple independent analyses found that the Trump formula was "nonsensical and harmful to students." "I applaud President Biden and Secretary Cardona for restoring access to debt relief for students who were defrauded… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Calls on Education Department to Hold Executives Personally Liable for the Cost of For-Profit School Closures
08.17.21 WASHINGTON -Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott sent a letter urging the Department of Education to hold the executives of failed for-profit colleges and converted for-profit colleges personally liable for money the institution owes to the federal government. Committee investigations—including a 2020 report on the defunct Dream Center Education Holdings—have found that, when fraudulent for-profit and converted for-profit schools have abruptly closed, college executives have escap… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Administration for Protecting U.S. Workers from Wage Theft
07.29.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Labor Department finalized a rule to rescind the Trump-era Joint Employment Rule that would cost workers more than $1 billion every year if it remained in effect. The Fair Labor Standards Act's broad joint employment standard has long ensured that workers can hold multiple employers accountable for wage theft where the employee establishes that he or she is economically dependent on a joint employer.… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Watchdog Report Showing Trump Administration’s Education Department Improperly Handed $387 Million to Failing For-Profit Schools
06.30.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Education Department's Office of Inspector General confirmed that the former Under Secretary of Education exceeded her authority and wasted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to provide a handout to executives and owners at Dream Center Education Holdings. "This independent watchdog report provides clear evidence that the Trump administration's Education Department took unprecedented and impro… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on ED Investigation into Pasco County Sheriff’s Office
04.21.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement a statement after the Education Department confirmed they have opened up an investigation into the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. "I am encouraged that the Education Department accepted my request to investigate the Pasco County Sheriff's Office disturbing system for labeling students as potential criminals. Evidence shows that schools disproportionately suspend or expel Black and Latino students more freque… Continue Reading
Committee Chairs Condemn Trump Administration’s Attempt to Gut Civil Rights Act by Issuing Unlawful, Last-Minute Rule
01.12.21 WASHINGTON - Today, House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), and House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) expressed serious concerns about the Trump Administration's last-minute attempt to repeal anti-discrimination protections. Specifically, the Office of Management and Budget is pushing a secretive proposal through the rulemaking process without public … Continue Reading
New Documents Show Department of Education Froze Tool to Help Defrauded Student Borrowers
10.27.20 WASHINGTON -Today, Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, released new documents detailing how the Department of Education froze a tool designed to ease the Borrower Defense application process for borrowers who were ripped off by their schools, typically for-profit colleges. "We are deeply troubled that the Department of Education halted a web tool to help simpli… Continue Reading
Democrats Demand Answers After CDC Weakens COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance for Nation’s Largest Meatpacking Plant
09.30.20 WASHINGTON - In a letter to Trump administration health officials, House and Senate Democrats requested information regarding the watering down of Centers for Disease Control recommendations to a South Dakota meatpacking plant that experienced a major COVID-19 outbreak. The letter was sent to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) by Chairman Robert C. "Bobby"… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Subpoenas NLRB Chairman for Documents Regarding Potential Conflicts of Interest
09.15.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) subpoenaed the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Chairman John Ring for internal ethics memos and other documents that could reveal Trump-appointed Board Members participated in major NLRB actions despite being instructed to recuse themselves due to conflicts of interest. The subpoena comes in response to the NLRB's refusal to provide relevant documents after nearly 18 months of lawful oversight requests. In a September 1 letter … Continue Reading
Following Deadly Beirut Explosion, Labor Leaders Call on OSHA to Update Ammonium Nitrate Standard
08.17.20 WASHINGTON – Three members of the House Committee on Education and Labor wrote to Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia today calling on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to update its standards to protect American workers and communities from catastrophic explosions like the recent tragic events in Beirut and in West, Texas in 2013. The Beirut ammonium nitrate explosion has killed over 200 people and the West Fertilizer explosion killed 15, including 12 emergency respond… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Stabenow Urge USDA to Take Action to Provide School Meals to Children in Need
08.14.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its full authority to provide healthy meals to students for the duration of the school year. In the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Congress granted authority to the USDA to provide w… Continue Reading