Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Higher Education
Scott Statement on the Trump Administration Politicizing Public Service Loan Forgiveness
10.30.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Department of Education released a final rule restricting access to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). “Public service loan forgiveness was created as a bipartisan effort to make higher education more affordable and attract talented individuals to serve our communities, including law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, and nurses. “Now, the T… Continue Reading
In Letter to Education Secretary McMahon, Courtney & Adams Blast Changes to Politicize Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
09.17.25 WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12), Ranking Member of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, led a letter with 48 of their colleagues to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon expressing their strong disapproval to the Department of Education’s proposal to restrict eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) beyond what … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on HBCU Funding Announcement
09.16.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Department of Education announced it is cutting millions of dollars intended for minority-serving institutions, teacher preparation, magnet schools and other education programs to pay for a one-time allocation of $495 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities. "Historically Black Colleges and Univer… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Adams Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on College Cost Transparency
09.16.25 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, “No More Surprises: Reforming College Pricing for Students and Families.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and certainly I want to congratulate the gentleman and thank him for his work as well. Thank you to our witnesses today for being here. “I want to first acknowledge the horrific events that occurred last we… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Administration Cutting $350 Million in Funding for Minority Serving Institutions
09.10.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education announced it will not disburse any Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Title III or V discretionary funds in FY2025. “A college degree remains the surest path to financial stability. This is particularly true for low-income students and students of color whose educational and workforce opportunities have historically been limited by intergenerational poverty and systemic… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at 10th Hearing on Antisemitism
09.09.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Unmasking Union Antisemitism.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome back to all the witnesses, thanks for being here. “Let’s start by saying, no one should be threatened, harassed, or attacked because of who they are, who they worship, or what they stand for. I agree we should do more to combat antisemitism in America. I a… Continue Reading
House Democrats Sound the Alarm on the Impact of the ‘Big, Ugly Law’ On Student Borrowers
08.26.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce led 53 of his colleagues in a letter to the Department of Education (ED or the Department) urging the Department to account for the harm Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Law’, passed earlier this year will have on students as the Department begins carrying out the law’s changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965. These changes will increase monthly payments and delay forgiveness for Americans struggli… Continue Reading
Congressional Harvard Alumni Caution Oversight Over Any Capitulation to the Trump Administration
08.01.25 WASHINGTON — Today, fourteen members of the House and Senate sent a letter to Harvard President, Dr. Alan M. Garber, cautioning that any settlement made with the Trump administration may warrant rigorous Congressional oversight and inquiry. Last week, Columbia University announced a $221 million settlement agreement with the Trump administration. Recent reports suggest that the parties have negotiated that Harvard make a potential $500 million payoff to resolve allegations against Harvard’s p… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Introduces Bill to Lower Cost of College
08.01.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) introduced the Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act. The LOAN Act would lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The cost of attending college today is 40 times higher than tuition in 1963. Student loans often follow borrowers long after college and can prevent them from planning for important life events, such as buying a house or start… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on DOJ and ED Investigations into George Mason University
07.22.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division andEducation Department's Office for Civil Rights opened investigations into George Mason University to determine whether it is engaged in discriminatory employment practices based on race and sex. Additionally, the Justice Department announced an investigation into whether the University has denied equal t… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on SCOTUS Greenlighting the Mass Firing of Education Department Employees
07.15.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after the Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s request to temporarily pause an order by a federal judge in Massachusetts that would require the Department of Education to reinstate nearly 1,400 employees. “Once again, this Supreme Court has, without explanation, undermined our Constitution and the separation of powers. As Justice Sotomayor rightly … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Opening Statement at Hearing on Antisemitism
07.15.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott delivered the following remarks at today’s full committee hearing entitled “Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology.” “Thank you, our witnesses, for being with us today. “Let me begin by acknowledging the seriousness of today’s hearing topic. Combating antisemitism, like all forms of hatred and bigotry, must be a moral and civic priority. But I would be remiss if I did not point out that this … Continue Reading
Scott Votes Against GOP’s Big, Ugly Bill. Again.
07.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after voting against the Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill. “Once again, Republicans rushed to jam their Big, Ugly Bill through Congress. Their bill will have serious consequences for America’s working families. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make colle… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on UVA President Resignation
06.27.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after James E. Ryan, the President of the University of Virginia resigned. “The University of Virginia (UVa) has consistently been recognized as one of the nation’s premier public universities because of its commitment to academic excellence. However, today’s decision of UVa President James E. Ryan to resign because of the Trump Administration’s Department of… Continue Reading
Committee Republicans Rubberstamp Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda by Voting for Bills that Undermine Protections for Students, Workers, and Their Families
06.25.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans advanced three education bills, two health care bills, and one labor bill that would limit students’ access to high-quality education, undermine the Affordable Care Act, and prevent workers from investing their retirement savings as they see fit. “When I am home in my district, I speak with constituents, and they tell me they want better public education for their children, access to affordable, quality health care, and the ability to work and retire wi… Continue Reading
NEW: Government Watchdog Agency Releases Report on Negative Economic Effects of State Abortion Bans
06.23.25 WASHINGTON - Ahead of the three-year anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report examining how restrictions on abortion and reproductive care can have negative economic effects for women. This report was requested by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Since the… 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
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
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
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