Press Releases
Currently showing results related to The Committee's Response to COVID-19
House Democrats to Introduce Legislation to Protect Retirees’ Pensions Amid COVID-19 Crisis
01.20.21 WASHINGTON - Tomorrow, House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11), and Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25) will introduce legislation to shield workers, retirees, employers, and taxpayers from the devastating consequences of the multiemployer pension crisis. The Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act (EEPRA) of 2021 (H.R. 423) would prevent the imminent collapse of failing multiemployer plans and… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on White House’s Inadequate Proposal for COVID-19 Relief
10.11.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement regarding the White House's latest coronavirus relief offer. "The erratic behavior coming from the White House this week is a perfect example of why it has been so difficult to negotiate relief for the American people. The Trump administration fundamentally does not grasp the urgency or scale of this crisis. And the latest proposal - which falls woefully short of providing meaningful relief for students, wo… Continue Reading
Senate and House Democrats Demand Answers from Secretary Scalia on Labor Department’s Involvement in Weakening COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance For Nation’s Largest Meatpacking Plant
10.07.20 WASHINGTON -In a letter to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Eugene Scalia, Senate and House Democrats requested information regarding his Department's involvement in the watering down of Centers for Disease Control recommendations to a South Dakota meatpacking plant that experienced a major COVID-19 outbreak. The letter was sent by House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chair Alma Adams (NC-12), Senate Employment… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on President Trump Ending Coronavirus Relief Negotiations
10.06.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott released the following statement after President Trump announced he is walking away from negotiations on any further coronavirus relief until after the 2020 election. "President Trump's unwillingness to continue negotiations to provide much needed relief to the American people is just another example of this administration needlessly playing politics with the lives of students, workers, and families. "Over the last several months, the COVI… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Passage of Heroes Act 2.0
10.01.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott released the following statement after the House voted to pass an updated version of the Heroes Act. "House Democrats first passed the Heroes Act over four months ago because we have the responsibility to help our constituents recover from this global health emergency. Since then, the need has only grown. "State and local governments are still facing massive budget shortfalls, and without federal support, these shortfalls will slash public … Continue Reading
House Democrats Release Updated Version of The Heroes Act
09.28.20 WASHINGTON - House Democrats today released an updated version of The Heroes Act, addressing needs that have developed since the House passed an earlier iteration and reflecting negotiations between Democrats and Republicans. The $2.2 trillion legislation protects lives, livelihoods and the life of our democracy. To address needs that have arisen since the House first acted, the updated legislation includes: Strong support for small businesses, by improving the Paycheck Protection Program t… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Education Department Finally Agreeing to Comply with the CARES Act
09.25.20 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education said it would not appeal three federal court rulings that found its formula for distributing CARES Act emergency education aid violated the law. “For more than four months, the Department of Education ignored the clear text of CARES Act in an attempt to unlawfully divert funding away from low-income students in … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Key Child Nutrition Provisions in Continuing Resolution
09.22.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to the final text of the Continuing Resolution, which extended and expanded key child nutrition measures. "The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered several parallel crises for communities and industries across this country, but few are as urgent as the current child hunger crisis. Despite the two substantial COVID-19 relief packages that Congress passed in the early weeks of the pandemic, as many as 17… Continue Reading
Pelosi Statement on Amicus Brief in District Court Case Protecting Education Funding for Students
09.10.20 WASHINGTON- Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement after the House of Representatives filed an amicus brief in the case of Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. v. Betsy DeVos, opposing the Department of Education's illegal attempt to divert CARES Act money from public schools to private schools: "Across the country, families have great angst about the health and well-being of their children, as students are going back to school and the coronavirus continues to rage. In the sprin… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: Assessments and Funding Are Needed to Address Achievement Gaps
09.03.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Education Department Secretary Betsy DeVos sent a letter to states regarding their obligation to administer statewide assessments of students' academic progress for the 2020-2021 school year. "I appreciate the Education Department's decision to preserve the responsibility of all schools to conduct statewide assessments of students' progress during the 2020-21 school year, as the law requires. There… Continue Reading
Scott, Norton Demand Support for Local Schools to Keep Kids Safe and Learning
09.03.20 WASHINGTON - Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large) hosted a press call for regional reporters today demanding the Senate act to support local schools and provide the resources they need to keep students safe and protect against potentially devastating cuts to state education budgets. The House passed funding to support local schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic more than 100 days ago. But the Republican Senate Leader Mit… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: PPP Reports Show Disturbing Imbalance Between Private and Public School Emergency Funding
09.01.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement following a pair of reports produced that found private schools received billions of dollars through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the CARES Act. A report by Covid Stimulus Watch found that private schools received as much as $4.5 billion under PPP, and a separate report by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budgetprojected that roughly $6 billion went to private and charter schools. "These… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds USDA’s Reversal on School Meal Waivers
08.31.20 WASHINGTON -Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s decision to extend waivers allowing states and schools the flexibility to more easily operate emergency summer meal programs until December 31, 2020. The announcement came days after USDA told Congress that it did not have the authority or money to extend the waivers. "After a summer in which as many as 17 million children went hungry, the federal govern… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Stabenow Denounce USDA Inaction to Provide School Meals to Children
08.26.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Labor, Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision and take action to provide healthy meals to students for the duration of the school year. "The Department's refusal to extend all school meal waivers is inconsistent and baffling during this national crisis, especially consi… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Federal Court Blocking DeVos’ Equitable Services Rule
08.22.20 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after a federal court blocked an interim final rule issued by the Department of Education that redirects COVID-19 relief funding from high-poverty public schools toward services for students in private schools, regardless of their wealth. “Last night, a federal judge affirmed the position of many Democrats and Republicans in finding that the Education Department is violating both the l… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: USDA Refusal to Extend Waivers Will Increase Child Hunger
08.20.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in response to a letter from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue stating that the Department will not extend waivers that allowed states and schools to more seamlessly operate emergency summer meal programs. The waivers - which expire at the end of August - allow schools to locate food service sites in more accessible locations and serve all children, regardless of paperwork. "… Continue Reading
Scott, Finkenauer, Coons, Murray, Bicameral Group of Colleagues Urge HHS, CDC To Offer COVID-19 Guidance to Child Care Providers
08.17.20 WASHINGTON - House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.), and Representative Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa), Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), along with led 87 of their colleagues on a letter to the Office of Child Care at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requesting more detailed public health guidance to support the child care sector during and fo… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Stabenow Urge USDA to Take Action to Provide School Meals to Children in Need
08.14.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its full authority to provide healthy meals to students for the duration of the school year. In the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Congress granted authority to the USDA to provide w… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: Independent Watchdog Report Reveals Administration Is Improperly Denying Workers Paid Leave During Pandemic
08.11.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to a report from the Department of Labor's Inspector General that found the Department's implementation of the paid leave provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act needlessly excluded too many workers. The report also finds the Department has not developed a clear plan to enforce paid leave protections. "The Department of Labor Inspector General's report confirms that the Trump adm… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Joins Democrats in Urging House, Senate Leadership to Exclude Corporate Immunity in COVID-19 Relief Package
08.06.20 WASHINGTON - In a letter to House and Senate leadership, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) joined more than 30 Members, led by Reps. Donald McEachin (VA-04) and Matt Cartwright (PA-08), in calling for the exclusion of the sweeping corporate immunity provisions proposed by the Senate Republicans in the forthcoming COVID-19 relief package. In the letter, Members oppose proposals to establish broad liability shields for businesses that fail to protect workers an… Continue Reading