Press Releases
Labor Leaders Demand Oversight Hearing on the Abrupt Firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner
08.06.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), requested Chair Tim Walberg (MI-05), House Committee on Education and Workforce, hold an oversight hearing regarding President Trump’s abrupt firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. President Trump fired Commissioner McEntarfer on August 1… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands Answers from HHS Secretary After Firing 10,000 Public Servants
08.05.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Education and Workforce Committee, demanded answers from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the Department) fired thousands of full-time employees and threatened the future of vital programs that keep Americans safe and healthy. These mass layoffs follow a July 8 Supreme Court decision which the Department asserts allows it to “move forward with a p… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Trump Firing Head of Bureau of Labor Statistics
08.01.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce released the following statement after President Trump announced the firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics has always served as a nonpartisan, data-driven federal agency that provides key information vital to the United States economy. President Trump’s firing of Commissioner Erika McEntarfer comes without evidence of any mi… 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 July Jobs Report
08.01.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 73,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1 percent to 4.2 percent. “Working people in this country are struggling to make ends meet. Despite this, Congressional Republicans pushed through the 'Big, Ugly Law.' A cruel law that rips away food assistance and health c… Continue Reading
Trump Administration to Release Remaining Withheld Education Funding Following Pressure from House Democrats
07.25.25 WASHINGTON - After illegally withholding $7 billion in education funding approved by Congress, officials within the Trump Administration have announced they will release the remaining funds. The restored funding comes after pressure initially led by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and House Democrats. This funding is typically released annually on July 1 and is at least 10 percent of federal K-12 funding in every state. The failure to release the full funding on time di… Continue Reading
Bipartisan, Bicameral Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bill to End Subminimum Wages for Workers with Disabilities
07.24.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX-17), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), andSenator Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act.This is a bipartisan, bicameral proposal, which would phase out the use of subminimum wages for workers with disabilities and help transition them into fully integrated, competitive employment. Under Section 1… Continue Reading
Committee Republicans Vote for Bills that Harm Workers and Undermine Protections for College Athletes
07.23.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans voted to advance four bills that would undermine worker protections, make child labor violations easier, and ban college athletes from receiving their fair share of the wealth they create. “After passing the ‘One Big, Ugly Law’ which sacrifices the health coverage of over 10 million Americans to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, Committee Republicans are now seeking to advance a number of bills which will make it harder for Americans to make en… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott’s Opening Statement on Committee Republicans’ Proposals to Undermine American Workers
07.23.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.R. 1319, H.R. 1320, H.R. 4366, H.R. 4312, and H.R. 4307. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Mr. Chairman, today, we will consider five bills, four of which I am concerned conflict with the priorities of America’s workers. Now, after passing the ‘One Big, Ugly Law’ which sacrifices the health coverage of over 10 millio… 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
HELP Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing Defending Workers’ Health and Retirement Benefits
07.22.25 WASHINGTON - Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s HELP Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Restoring Trust: Enhancing Transparency and Oversight at EBSA.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman- and thank you to all the witnesses for being here. I also want to welcome one of the witnesses, Mr. Banducci, for coming back to the Committee. I know he served for many years on the Republican Committee sta… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Committee Leaders to Insurers: Protect Vaccine Coverage
07.17.25 WASHINGTON — Today, top Democrats on House and Senate health committees wrote to America’s largest health insurers and associations, raising serious concerns following Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s unprecedented attacks on access to vaccines, including undermining the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The letters were signed by House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), House Energy and Commerce … Continue Reading
What They’re Saying About Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury and Fatality Prevention Act
07.16.25 WASHINGTON - As temperatures around the world hit record highs, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, along with a bipartisan, bicameral group of members, introduced legislation to ensure the safety and health of workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. Here is what leading advocates and experts are saying about the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act: UFW President Teresa Romero: “Ev… Continue Reading
Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat
07.16.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA.-28), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections. Co-leads of the legislation include Representative Alm… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on the Future of Workplace Safety
07.16.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at a Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Safe Workplaces, Stronger Partnerships: The Future of OSHA Compliance Assistance.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. “Over the last six months, the Trump Administration has embarked on an aggressive assault on worker protections. And just in the past two weeks, Trump’s Department of Labor has released fi… Continue Reading
House & Senate Education Leaders Statement on Trump Admin Illegally Moving Department of Education Programs to DOL as Part of Its Efforts to Dismantle the Department
07.16.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce; Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee; Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee; Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); and Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on L… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Reintroduce Child Care for Working Families Act
07.15.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined their colleagues in reintroducing the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child care they need. “Our econom… 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