Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Worker Safety and Health
Scott Announces Support for Inflation Reduction Act
08.10.22 NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, issued the following statement announcing his support for the Inflation Reduction Act: “The Inflation Reduction Act delivers key components of President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ agenda to invest in jobs and the economy while lowering costs for working families. This legislation will lower the cost of health care, prescription drugs, and energy for millions of American families.… Continue Reading
Committee Passes Bills to Protect Workers from Heat Stress, Address and Prevent Child Hunger
07.27.22 WASHINGTON - Today, the Education and Labor Committee advanced two bills—the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2022 (H.R. 2193) and Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act (H.R. 8450)—to protect workers from heat stress on the job and address and prevent child hunger. The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2022 would direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to establish an enforceable standard that protects workers in jobs at risk f… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Opening Remarks at Mark Up of Bills to Protect Workers from Heat Stress, Address and Prevent Child Hunger
07.27.22 WASHINGTON - House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Committee Markup of H.R. 2193, the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2022, and H.R. 8450, the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act. "Today, the Committee is marking up legislation to protect workers from heat-related illness and death, and help address and prevent child hunger. "The first bill, the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness … Continue Reading
4 Hours of GOP Complaining, 0 Credible GOP Plans to Lower Costs for Workers and Their Families
06.14.22 Today's Committee Hearing with Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Democrats showed up for work and highlighted how the Biden-Harris administration and House Democrats are helping workers and their families succeed in the modern economy. Meanwhile, Committee Republicans spent the majority of their time criticizing the Biden-Harris administration yet offered zero credible plans to help lower costs for workers and their families. What's more, Republicans have voted no on several Committee proposals t… Continue Reading
Scott, Adams Introduce Bill to Protect Future Benefits, Health Care for Miners with Black Lung Disease
01.20.22 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chairwoman Alma Adams (NC-12), introduced the Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund Solvency Act of 2022 (H.R. 6462). This legislation would extend the black lung excise tax rate, which expired at the end of last year, to fund future benefits and health care for miners suffering from black lung disease. Without revenue from the tax, the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund i… Continue Reading
Committee Leaders to Biden Administration: Preserve Safety Protections for Health Care Workers
01.17.22 WASHINGTON – In a letter to President Biden and Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairwoman Alma Adams (NC-12) urged the Administration to reverse its plans to remove an emergency workplace safety standard that protects health care workers from COVID-19. The Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) – which was issued by the Biden Administration in June 2021 – requires health care fac… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: SCOTUS Decision Undermines OSHA’s Authority to Protect Workers Against COVID-19
01.13.22 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled to reject the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 vaccine or test requirement for employers with 100 or more employees. “While I am relieved that the Supreme Court upheld the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) rule protecting health care workers and patients, today’s decision is a significant setback i… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Effort to Save American Lives, Keep Businesses Open
11.04.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an emergency workplace safety standard requiring employers with 100 or more employees to ensure all their workers are vaccinated or produce a negative test on a weekly basis. "The Biden Administration's emergency workplace safety standard is a turning point in the fight against COVID-19. As more than 1,200 Americans continue to die every d… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Effort to Protect Workers and Families from Extreme Heat
09.20.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden announced an Administration-wide effort to protect workers and families from extreme heat. The effort includes the start of a new Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) rulemaking process to develop a workplace heat standard. "I applaud the Biden Administration for launching this critical effort to protect workers and their families from extreme heat. Excessive heat is one … Continue Reading
Rep. Scott and Colleagues Urge OSHA to Adopt Federal Heat Standards
08.06.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) joined Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), and Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12) in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urging them to adopt federal heat standards for workers. The Congressmembers submitted a letter to Labor Secretary Walsh outlining the dangers extreme heat poses to blue-collar workers in various indus… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Emergency Temporary Standard
06.10.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after Department of Labor issued an Emergency Temporary Standard and additional guidance to protect workers from COVID-19. “The Emergency Temporary Standard issued today is a step in the right direction to protect health care workers from COVID-19. The ETS provides many nurses, doctors, and frontline workers in health care settings with enforceable workplace safety standards that address the severe risks of … Continue Reading
Scott, Mrvan Introduce Bill to Secure Support for Longshore and Harbor Workers Who Contract COVID-19
05.12.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01) introduced legislation to secure critical support for maritime workers who contract COVID-19. The Longshore and Harbor Workers' COVID-19 Compensation Act of 2021 (H.R. 3114) makes longshore and harbor workers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 eligible for workers' compensation by establishing a "conclusive presumption" that they contracted the virus at work. Hundreds of longs… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Praises Proposals in American Families Plan to Expand Paid Leave
04.30.21 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Biden released his American Families Plan, which invests in providing workers with paid leave protections. “Paid leave protections are critical for ensuring that workers do not have to choose between their paychecks, their health, and the health of those around them. Yet, during the worst public health crisis in recent history, the United States … Continue Reading
On 50th Anniversary of OSHA and Workers Memorial Day, Chairman Scott Introduces the Protecting America’s Workers Act
04.28.21 WASHINGTON – Today, on the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and Workers Memorial Day, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, joined Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) and Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, in re-introducing the Protecting America’s Workers Act, a bill that would mea… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Workers Memorial Day
04.28.21 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement to honor Workers Memorial Day. “Each year, Workers Memorial Day calls on us to remember the workers who have been killed or injured on the job. This year’s remembrance comes amid the worst worker safety crisis in OSHA’s 50-year history. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of people have suffered from workplace COVID-19 infections and thousands have … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Calls for Passage of Bill to Prevent Workplace Violence
04.16.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 1195, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. “I rise in support of H.R. 1195 – the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. “Over the past year, we have voiced exceptional praise for health care and so… Continue Reading
House, Senate Democrats Introduce Heat Stress Legislation to Protect Farm Workers
03.26.21 WASHINGTON — Today, at the start of National Farmworkers Week (March 25-31), Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) joined Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03) and Alma Adams (NC-12) to introduce legislation to ensure the safety and health of workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia who died in 2004 after picking grapes for ten hours straight in 105-de… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Opening Statement at Markup for Legislation to Keep Workers Safe and Protect Workers Against Discrimination
03.24.21 WASHINGTON – Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup for H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 1065, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and H.R. 1195, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. “Today, the Committee is marking up three bills that take important steps to keep workers safe and ensure basic fairne… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Reintroduce Bill to Curb Rising Rates of Violence Against Health Care and Social Service Workers Amid COVID-19
02.22.21 WASHINGTON – Today, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) joined Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the Committee, in reintroducing legislation to the 117thCongress that would curb the rising rates of workplace violence facing health care and social service employees, such as nurses, emergency responders, medical assistants, physicians, and social workers. The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health C… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Introduce Bill to Strengthen Workplace Safety Enforcement
02.18.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chair Alma Adams (NC-12), Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Mark Takano (CA-41), and Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) introduced legislation to strengthen the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) enforcement of workplace safety laws. The Accurate Workplace Injury and Illness Record Restoration Act would restore… Continue Reading