Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Higher Education
Scott, Hinojosa Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Affirmative Action Case
06.23.16 WASHINGTON - Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training Ranking Member Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court's 4-3 decision upholding the constitutionality of affirmative action initiatives in the case Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (Fisher II), No. 14-981 (U.S. June 23, 2016). "Today the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed affirmative action as a … Continue Reading
Committee Advances Bipartisan Bills to Help More Americans Pursue Higher Education
06.22.16 WASHINGTON - The House Committee on Education and the Workforce today approved a number of bipartisan bills that will help strengthen higher education for students, parents, and taxpayers. The legislative proposals-all approved by voice vote-include measures to empower students and families to make informed decisions, simplify and improve the financial aid process, and enhance existing support and accountability for institutions serving minority students. "I am pleased that Members of the Commi… Continue Reading
Scott, Waters Commend Education Department for Proposed Steps to Improve Borrower Defense Process for Students
06.13.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Rep. Maxine Waters, Ranking Member on the House Committee on Financial Services, issued the following joint statement in response to the Department of Education's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on borrower defense policies and procedures. "We are pleased to see that in crafting their proposed rule on borrower defense, the Department of Education followed many recommendations we have made over the … Continue Reading
Scott, Hinojosa, Congressional Tri-Caucus Statement on Cuts to Pell Grants
06.07.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), and the Congressional Tri-Caucus-which is comprised of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)- released the following statements regarding cuts to the Pell Grant program in the 2017 Senate Labor, H… Continue Reading
Scott, Hinojosa Urge Appropriations Subcommittees to Protect Pell Grants for Students
06.02.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and Ranking Member Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) sent a letter to Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) expressing concern with proposals that would weaken the Pell Grant program in the FY 2017 LHHS bill, and supporting an increase in the maximum Pell Grant award. Committee Democrats believe that students should have access to a higher education that… Continue Reading
Congressional Democrats urge Secretary King to provide full relief to defrauded student borrowers
04.29.16 WASHINGTON - Today, 13 House Democrats and 30 Senate Democrats wrote to Secretary of Education Dr. John King urging him to create strong protections and a streamlined path to debt relief for student loan borrowers in the Department’s forthcoming “borrower defense” rule. The House and the Senate letters reinforce the need to ban mandatory arbitration—which limits students’ legal rights—in school enrollment agreements, and to eliminate the federal student loan debt of any student who is the victim… Continue Reading
Ranking Members Scott and Waters: Student Borrowers Deserve Immediate Debt Relief after Attending Schools Engaged In Deceptive & Predatory Practices
03.09.16 Democratic Leaders on Education and Financial Services Committees Press for Relief to Groups of Students Who Have Been Victims of Predatory Practices Washington - Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) and House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) sent a letter to President Obama urging his Administration to enhance protections for student borrowers as the Department of Education proposes new rules regarding a bo… Continue Reading
ADVISORY: Scott, Hinojosa to Host Forum on Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
03.02.16 WASHINGTON - March 2, 2016, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, will host a forum on the long overdue reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Individuals with higher levels of education are less likely to be unemployed, receive public assistance, work in unskilled jobs with little upward mobility, an… Continue Reading
Scott Applauds President Obama’s Nomination of John King for U.S. Secretary of Education
02.11.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Obama announced his intent to nominate Dr. John B. King, Jr. to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education. King currently serves as Acting Secretary of Education. "I am very pleased that the President has nominated Dr. King to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education. Dr. King has spent his career dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for historically underserved students. As a tea… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on President Obama’s 2017 Budget Proposal
02.09.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement today in response to President Barack Obama's proposed budget for fiscal year 2017: "President Obama's FY 2017 budget makes the necessary investments that will continue our economic recovery by ensuring all of America's students, families and workers share in the gains we have made over the last seven years. "Building on the success of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the President's budget includ… Continue Reading
Scott, Hinojosa, Courtney Applaud Senate Democrats’ “In the Red” Campaign
01.21.16 WASHINGTON -Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), and Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-03) issued the following statement after Senate Democrats unveiled their “In the Red” campaign, which focuses on improving access and affordability to higher education: “Over the past twenty years, growth in college costs has outpaced inflation by roughly two percent each year, making higher education out of reach and unaffordable for many students. We know that individuals… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on FY16 Omnibus
12.18.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which fully funds the federal government through September 30, 2016, provides a two year implementation delay of the excise tax on high-cost employer sponsored health insurance plans, makes important investments in students and does not hinder the Department of Labor's ability to enforce rules that protect workers. The… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Senate Agreement to Extend Federal Perkins Loan Program
12.17.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the Senate's amendment to H.R. 3594, the Federal Perkins Loan Program Extension Act of 2015, a bill that would extend the Federal Perkins Loan program for two years: "At a critical time when many are questioning the affordability of a college education, the Senate's amendment makes accessing financial aid funds more expensive for some students. By requiring new students to exhaust both their subsidized… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the Higher Education Act
11.06.15 WASHINGTON - Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, issued the following statement today celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Higher Education Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 8, 1965: "Fifty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Higher Education Act (HEA) into law. HEA was a key component of the 'Great Society', and its goal was and is to provide a pathway to the midd… Continue Reading
Scott, Hinojosa Lead Democrats in Filing Fisher II Brief
11.03.15 85 Members of Congress signed onto brief in support of the University of Texas at Austin’s affirmative action program WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) - along with Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) - led a group of Democratic lawmakers in filing an amicus brief in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, No. 14-981 (Fisher II) U.S. Supreme Court case examining whether state educators can consider race and ethnicity among the many factors in admissions to institutions of highe… Continue Reading
Leading Democrats Commend Department of Education on Rule Protecting Students, Taxpayers from Abusive Financial Practices
10.28.15 WASHINGTON - Following the release of a new Department of Education rule, Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) joined Committee on Financial Services Ranking Member Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) in expressing their support for critical protections that would put an end to financial companies steering college students to abusive, predatory financial products. In 2009, President Obama signed the CARD Act into law, banning the m… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Appointment of Ivory Toldson as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs
09.25.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced that Dr. Ivory Toldson, an associate professor at Howard University, will be the permanent Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Toldson had been serving as the interim Executive Director since late July, after the death of Dr. George Cooper: "For the progress of society and our democracy, it is e… Continue Reading
Members of Congress Introduce Bill to Restore Pell Eligibility for Students
09.16.15 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 16, 2015 Contacts: Scott: Kiara Pesante, 202-226-0853 Boxer: Peter True, 202-224-8120 Durbin: Christina Mulka, 202-228-5643 Warren: Lacey J. Rose, 202-224-4543 Waters: Twaun Samuel, 202-225-2201 Hahn: Michael Levin, 202-225-8220 Hirono: Marvin Buenconsejo, 202-224-9813 Murphy: Laura Maloney, 202-228-1056 Members of Congress Introduce Bill to Restore Pell Eligibility for Students WASHINGTON - Today, Members of… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Celebrates the 125th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act of 1890
08.31.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement commemorating the anniversary of the Second Morrill Act which created what are now known as Historically Black Land-Grant Colleges and Universities (1890 land-grant institutions): "On August 30, 1890, passage of the Second Morrill Act led to the creation of Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions of Higher Education. The 1890 land-grant institutions are a network of historically black colleges and universi… Continue Reading
Bipartisan Ideas to Strengthen Higher Education
07.24.15 As summer comes to a close and college-goers begin preparing for the fall semester, students and families face tough challenges fulfilling the dream of a higher education that will prepare them to succeed in the workforce: College costs continue to rise. Over the past decade, the average costs at four-year public and private nonprofit institutions increased by 42 percent and 24 percent, respectively. National student loan debt has eclipsed the $1 trillion mark. The average borrower ac… Continue Reading