Press Releases
Ranking Member Scott Opening Statement at Hearing with ED Secretary Cardona
05.16.23 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 Education” with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Thank you, Dr. Foxx. Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that tomorrow is the 69thanniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. In the decision, the Chief Justice wrote: ‘In the field of public education,… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Ranking Member Scott Hosted a Briefing on the Implications of “Students for Fair Admissions, Inc.” SCOTUS Case
05.15.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and the Workforce, hosted a briefing with experts on the implications of the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. Last fall, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments challenging the longstanding precedent that colleges and universities may consider race as one of many factors in their admissions process. The decisions the Court will issue sometime over the next t… Continue Reading
Republicans Vote to Deny Relief for 43 Million Student Loan Borrowers
05.10.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans advanced H.J.Res. 45, which would deny student debt relief for 43 million student loan borrowers debt relief, including more than two million of their own constituents. The resolution could also create chaos for student loan borrowers by potentially forcing them to repay the last four months’ worth of student loan payments. This would trigger a wave of delinquencies and defaults for our most vulnerable borrowers. “Instead of addressing the many challeng… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Opening Statement at Markup of Resolution to Eliminate President Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan
05.10.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.J.Res. 45, a Congressional Review Act Resolution of Disapproval that would eliminate President Biden’s student debt relief plan. “Thank you, Dr. Foxx, and good morning. “There are many challenges we have in higher education that demand our attention. For example, students and families face a student debt crisis thanks to the rising cost to attend college a… Continue Reading
Ranking Members Scott, Bonamici Praise Biden Push to Expand Free Access to School Meals
05.09.23 WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) wrote to the Department of Agriculture in support of its proposal to expand children’s access to free school meals by strengthening the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). “We commend the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or the Department) for its efforts to ensure that students in hi… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on April Jobs Report
05.05.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 253,000 jobs in April, as the unemployment rate ticked down from 3.5 percent to 3.4 percent. Since taking office, President Biden has created 12.7 million jobs. “Our economy remains historically strong under President Biden. The unemployment rate is still near record low levels, our job market is continuing to grow, and workers are se… Continue Reading
What They’re Saying: Child Care for Working Families Act Will Tackle Crisis Head-On & Make Affordable Child Care a Reality for Millions
04.28.23 WASHINGTON - On Thursday, Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, reintroduced their Child Care for Working Families Act—comprehensive legislation to tackle the child care crisis and ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child care they need. The legislation—led by Representatives Scott, Wild, and 43 addition… Continue Reading
On Workers Memorial Day, Rep. Courtney, Ranking Member Scott Lead Legislation to Improve Workplace Safety
04.28.23 WASHINGTON - To honor Workers Memorial Day, Rep. Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, introduced the Protecting America’s Workers Act. This bill would meaningfully strengthen and modernize the Occupation Safety and Health Act for the first time in over 50 years by ensuring employers promptly correct hazardous working conditions, protect whistleb… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Reintroduce Child Care for Working Families Act to Tackle Child Care Crisis and Get Families the Child Care & Pre-K They Need
04.27.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, reintroduced their Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to tackle the child care crisis and ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child care they need. Representative Wild (D-PA-07) joined Representative Scott in leading rei… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Apprenticeships
04.25.23 WASHINGTON - Today, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), along with a group of bipartisan Members, announced the introduction of the National Apprenticeship Act of 2023. The bill would create nearly one million new Registered Apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years by investing more than $3.8 billion over five years. These resources will help scale up… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Ranking Member Scott Leads Opposition to Politics Over Participation Act
04.20.23 WASHINGTON - House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during yesterday’s floor debate on H.R. 735, the Politics Over Participation Act. View Ranking Member Scott’s floor remarks on YouTube. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Mr. Chairman, this bill is a mean-spirited attack on transgender women and girls’ participation in sports. “It essentially requires women and girls to ‘prove their gender.’ In Kansas, where a sim… Continue Reading
What People Are *Actually* Saying About H.R. 734, the “Politics Over Participation Act”
04.19.23 WASHINGTON - Today, the House of Representatives will consider extreme Republican legislation that bans transgender women and girls in school sports and makes school sports less fair and less safe for all students. Athletes, advocates, and experts agree that politicians in Washington should be addressing the most pressing issues facing students and parents—not targeting transgender student athletes and endangering women and girls in school athletics. Here is what they are saying about Republican… Continue Reading
Civil Rights Leaders Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Protections, Restore Intent of Federal Religious Freedom Law
04.19.23 WASHINGTON - Today, House and Senate civil rights leaders reintroduced the Do No Harm Act, to address the increasing use of religious freedom to undermine civil rights protections. The bill restores the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to its original purpose, which is to protect religious exercise while ensuring religious freedom is not used to erode civil rights protections. The legislation is sponsored by House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby”… Continue Reading
Rep. Courtney Leads Bipartisan Lawmakers in Curbing Violence Against Health Care and Social Service Workers
04.18.23 WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) a senior member of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Committee, re-introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to curb the rising rates of workplace violence facing health care and social service workers, including nurses, emergency responders, medical assistants, physicians, and social workers. Health care and social service w… Continue Reading
McBath, Moore, Fitzpatrick, Kim Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Survivors of Domestic Violence
04.13.23 Duluth, GA — Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-07) has reintroduced the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act (FVPSA). The bill will reauthorize and expand funding for programs focused on supporting survivors and preventing family and domestic violence. These programs are the only federal funding sources under the Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to providing domestic violence prevention services. The legislation is co-led by Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI-04… Continue Reading
Democratic Committee Leaders Write to Health Insurers Regarding Coverage of Preventive Care
04.13.23 WASHINGTON - House and Senate Democratic Health Committee leaders wrote to 12 of the nation’s largest health insurers and trade associations representing employer-sponsored health plans today requesting information regarding how they plan to respond to the Northern District of Texas’s decision in Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra striking down the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement that most health plans and issuers cover preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Ta… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on March Jobs Report
04.07.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 236,000 jobs in March as the unemployment rate fell slightly from 3.6 percent to 3.5 percent. Since taking office, President Biden has created 12.6 million jobs. “In January 2021, at the beginning of President Biden’s term, the unemployment rate was 6.2 percent. And now, according to today’s jobs report, the unemployment rate is ap… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Applauds Biden Administration for Prioritizing Safety and Fairness in School Sports
04.06.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education released a proposed rule to update Title IX regulations regarding participation in school athletics programs. Specifically, the proposed rule would prohibit schools and athletics programs from adopting or applying one-size-fits-all policies that categorically ban transgender students from participating in school sports activities consistent with their gender identity. “… Continue Reading
Committee Leaders Praise Biden Push to Improve Access to Reproductive Health Care
04.04.23 WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), and Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (MA-01) submitted comments to the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL), and the Treasury in support of the proposed rules to ensure access to no-cost coverage for contraceptive services under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). “With acce… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Condemns Right-Wing Judge’s Ruling to Restrict Access to Preventive Health Care
03.30.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after a District Court judge ruled to weaken a provision in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires private health insurance plans to cover preventive care services, including cancer screenings, PrEP for HIV prevention, and behavioral health screenings, at no cost. “Access to preventive care saves lives. By detecting health problems early on, preventive care helps us address serious diseases—such as… Continue Reading