Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Higher Education
Scott Statement on Rollback of Protections for Sexual Assault Survivors
09.07.17 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Secretary Betsy DeVos announced the Department of Education is seeking to replace guidance regarding Title IX's protections against campus-based sexual assaults: "Secretary DeVos' decision to roll back the 2011 Obama guidance on Title IX protections against campus-based sexual assaults is deeply disappointing. The Title IX guidance issued by the Obama Administration has been key to helping colleges and universi… Continue Reading
Democrats Introduce Bold Legislation to Broadly Expand Access to Higher Education
09.07.17 WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Representative Susan Davis (CA-53), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, and Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Anthony Brown (MD-04), introduced the America's College Promise Act of 2017, which would make two years of community college free and provide an affordable pathway to a four-year college degr… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on President Trump Ending DACA
09.05.17 WASHINGTON - Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, released the following statement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions confirmed that President Trump is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. "I am deeply disappointed President Trump is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In 2012, we asked undocumented immigrants who were brought here at a young age, through no fault of their own… Continue Reading
Bonamici Responds to Hiring of For-Profit Official to Lead Enforcement Unit
08.30.17 WASHINGTON, DC [08/30/17] - Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Vice Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, spoke out on behalf of students after the Department of Education announced it hired Julian Schmoke Jr., a former official from DeVry University, to lead the Student Aid Enforcement Unit. The unit is tasked with policing fraud and deceptive practices in higher education. "American students deserve to know that the Department of Education is going to be… Continue Reading
Rep. Takano: Trump Administration is Turning Education Department into an Accomplice in For-Profit Fraud
08.30.17 WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif) released the following statement after the Trump administration tapped Julian Schmoke Jr., a former for-profit college executive, to lead the Education Department's Student Aid Enforcement unit, which is responsible for policing fraudulent and deceptive practices at colleges and universities. Schmoke Jr.'s previous employer, DeVry University, recently reached a $100 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in response to allegations of … Continue Reading
House, Senate Democratic Leaders Push Trump Administration for Answers on Affirmative Action
08.21.17 Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), ranking member of the House Committee on Judiciary, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of Education … Continue Reading
Bonamici to DeVos: Stop Putting Interests of For-Profit Colleges Over Interests of Students
08.18.17 BEAVERTON, OR [08/18/17] - Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Vice Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, spoke out on behalf of students after the Department of Education announced it would further delay requirements that colleges comply with a rule protecting student loan borrowers. The Gainful Employment rule protects students attending career colleges from being burdened by student loan debt that they cannot repay. The Gainful Employment regulation prohibits … Continue Reading
Scott, Conyers Statement on Reports of Trump Administration Plans to Attack Affirmative Action
08.02.17 WASHINGTON - Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03) and John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13), the ranking members of the House Committees on Education and the Workforce and the Judiciary, respectively, issued the following statement after reports surfaced that the Department of Justice plans to attack and undermine affirmative action programs in colleges and universities. "While we cannot comment on the veracity of this alleged memo, we are deeply concerned by news reports that the Department of Justice int… Continue Reading
Murray, DeLauro, Scott Urge Secretary DeVos to Reverse Course and Enforce Student Protections Against High-Debt Career Training Programs
07.27.17 (Washington, D.C.) - Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), ranking member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee and 56 Members of Congress sent a letter today urging Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to reverse the U.S. Department of Edu… Continue Reading
Subcommittee Democrats Push for Stronger Investments in Apprenticeship Programs
07.26.17 WASHINGTON - TODAY, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled, "Expanding Options for Employers and Workers Through Earn-and-Learn Opportunities." There is broad bipartisan support for building a highly skilled workforce through proven models such as registered apprenticeship programs. "Registered apprenticeships have been training students for quality, high-paying jobs for decades," said Subcommittee Ranking Member Susan Davis (CA-53). "These programs… Continue Reading
Scott: Defrauded Students Deserve Their Day In Court
07.25.17 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the floor of the House of Representatives during debate on H.J. Res. 111, which would repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule that bans forced arbitration which protects consumers, many of whom are private student loan borrowers: "Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.J. Res. 111 which will overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule prohibiting forced arbitration clauses in many… Continue Reading
More Than 120 House Democrats Slam Proposed Cuts to Pell Grant Program
07.19.17 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and 121 House Democrats sent a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations expressing extreme disappointment in the proposed cuts to the Pell Grant Program in the FY18 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) funding bill. "This proposed cut imperils the affordability of college for low-income students both now and in the future," the Members wrote. "The Committee on Education and the Workforce is poised to consider a comprehensi… Continue Reading
Bonamici, Harris Call on Education Department to Help Struggling Student Loan Borrowers
07.14.17 WASHINGTON, DC [07/14/17] - Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), and 42 members of Congress urged the Department of Education to strengthen services for people who have defaulted on their student loans. The letter follows a federal court's injunction barring the Department of Education from assigning newly defaulted student loans to private collection agencies, which give borrowers options for curing their default. The lawmakers asked the Secretary of Education to… Continue Reading
Democrats Unveil Legislation to Expand Access to Higher Ed for Students With Disabilities
07.12.17 WASHINGTON - TODAY, Representative Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) joined Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development Ranking Member Susan Davis (CA-53), Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD-05), and Representatives James Langevin (RI-02) and Jared Huffman (CA-02) to introduce the Improving Access to Higher Education Act. This bill would amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) to improve college access and completion for students with disabilities. This legisla… Continue Reading
Members of Congress to Secretary DeVos: Stand Up for Students and Families, Reverse Delay of Protections for Defrauded Students
06.30.17 (Washington, D.C.) –Led by Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Susan Davis (D-CA), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), 48 Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos slamming her recent decision to delay the “borrower defense” rule that would provide defrauded students with debt relief and hold predatory institutions accountable… Continue Reading
House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Career and Technical Education
06.22.17 WASHINGTON - Today, the House of Representatives passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act by voice vote. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen and improve career and technical education (CTE). Thanks to legislative improvements to increase program accountability, including increased federal oversight and monitoring, the bill passed today is an improvement over the bill passed by the House in the 114th Congress. "Each and every student should have ac… Continue Reading
Democrats Unveil Legislation to Boost College Completion
06.20.17 WASHINGTON - TODAY, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, joined Reps. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Grace Meng (NY-06) and other House Democrats in introducing the Remedial Education Improvement Act and the Community College Student Success Act. These two bills will help ensure students complete their higher education … Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Trump Administration’s Apprenticeship Initiative
06.15.17 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order that would eliminate oversight of apprenticeship programs: "Today's executive order from the Trump Administration is further evidence of broad bipartisan support for expanding access to apprenticeship programs. Registered apprenticeship programs offer on-the-job training and skills development that results in a nationally-recognize… Continue Reading
Bonamici Condemns Education Department’s Decision to Reverse Student Loan Borrower Protections
06.15.17 WASHINGTON, DC [06/15/17] - Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Vice Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the Department of Education suspended protections for student loan borrowers: "Secretary DeVos's decision to dismantle protections for students and taxpayers is deeply troubling. The Department of Education's Borrower Defense to Repayment and Gainful Employment regulations were put in place to prevent students from being misled … Continue Reading
Scott, Bonamici, Murray, Warren Urge Secretary DeVos to Protect Students, Reverse Student Loan Decisions
06.12.17 (Washington, D.C.) - Led by Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), over 150 Members of Congress sent a letter today to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos highlighting concerns surrounding the U.S. Department of Education's decision to make changes to the student loan servicing contract procurement process and remove key requirements that were intended to support and protect student loan borrowers and help them repay their … Continue Reading