Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Civil Rights in Employment
Scott, Cummings Applaud Final Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Rule
08.24.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Members Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Elijah Cummings (MD-07) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council today announced final regulations and guidance implementing the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order. “We commend the Department of Labor and the Obama Administration’s diligent and deliberative process in developing the final Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule. This rule will ensure that hardworking … Continue Reading
Hoyer, Scott Hold Forum on the Working Families Agenda
06.27.16 BOWIE, MD - Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) hosted a Working Families Field Forum with Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03) as a special guest. Local elected leaders, policy experts, and workers joined Congressmen Hoyer and Scott in a discussion on House Democrats' Working Families Agenda, which includes policy solutions to raise the federal minimum wage, ensure pay equity, and provide paid leave for all workers. "I was pleased to join Rep. … Continue Reading
Scott, Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Older Workers
06.24.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, was joined by Representative David Young (R-IA) to introduce bipartisan legislation to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers and other persons discriminated against in the workplace. The Protecting Older Workers against Discrimination Act is a companion to the Senate bill of the same name that was introduced last October. Today, Americans are working mor… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Report Confirming Lack of Racial and Gender Diversity in the Tech Industry
05.20.16 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) released its "Diversity in High Tech" report. The EEOC conducted this study at the request of Ranking Member Scott. "I am pleased that the EEOC conducted this analysis on race and gender representation in the high tech sector nationally, with a special focus on Silicon Valley. I requested this report from the … Continue Reading
Scott, Kennedy Introduce Amendment to Religious Freedom Restoration Act
05.18.16 WASHINGTON - Joined by leaders from the civil rights, social justice and faith communities, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Congressman Joe Kennedy III (MA-04) today introduced legislation to amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The Do No Harm Act would clarify that no one can seek religious exemption from laws guaranteeing fundamental civil and legal rights. It comes in response to continued efforts across the … Continue Reading
Scott, Wilson Statement on EEOC’s Final Wellness Rule
05.16.16 WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) issued the following statement on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) final regulations clarifying the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) to workplace wellness programs: “We commend the EEOC’s … Continue Reading
Scott Commends Obama Administration on New Federal Ban-the-Box Proposed Rule
04.29.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published a proposed ban-the-box rule titled "Recruitment, Selection, and Placement (General) and Suitability." The proposed rule that would prohibit federal agencies from asking questions about criminal and credit history to applicants for tens of thousands of jobs in the competitive service, as well as the career senior executive service, until a conditional… Continue Reading
Scott, Smith, Cummings Oppose NDAA Amendment to Reward Pervasive Violators of Employment, Non-Discrimination, and Safety Laws with New Government Contracts
04.26.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Members Bobby Scott (VA-03), Adam Smith (WA-09), and Elijah Cummings (MD-07) of, respectively, the House Armed Services Committee, the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform issued the following statements today after learning about forthcoming efforts to ban implementation of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order via an amendment in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Defense Authorization Act. The Fair Pay… Continue Reading
Scott, Cummings, 50 House Members Urge President to Make Federal Government “Model Employer” With Fair Chance Hiring Policies
04.20.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) led 50 House Members in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to take steps to solidify fair chance hiring policies in the federal government. Fair chance hiring helps level the playing field for those reentering society after incarceration and can include “banning the box,” or prohibiting questions about criminal histories early in the hiring process. “As we move toward National Reentry Week (A… Continue Reading
Reps. Scott, Conyers, Nadler and Cohen Ask DOJ to Have 2007 OLC RFRA Opinion Reconsidered
02.23.16 For Immediate Release: February 23, 2016 Contact: Kiara Pesante (Scott) 202-226-0853 Stephanie Báez (Conyers) 202-225-6906 Daniel Schwarz (Nadler) 202-225-5635 Michael Eisenstatt (Cohen) 202-225-3265 WASHINGTON - Yesterday, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and th… Continue Reading
Scott, Warren, Colleagues Call for EEOC Action to Protect Employees’ Family Health Information
02.11.16 Members ask for changes to ensure employer-sponsored wellness programs fully comply with the GINA Full text of the letter is available here WASHINGTON - Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce; United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.); and six colleagues sent a bicameral letter to the U.S. E… Continue Reading
Scott to Participate in Working Families Agenda Roundtable in Los Angeles
02.04.16 Will tour worker center, be joined by U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, State Sen. Connie Leyva LOS ANGELES - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, will participate in a Working Families Agenda roundtable discussion at the Los Angeles Black Worker Center tomorrow with workers, local elected officials, labor leaders, policy experts and family advocates to examine how recent policy changes in California can be a model for the rest of the coun… Continue Reading
Cummings, Issa, Scott Build Bipartisan Momentum for Fair Chance Act
11.05.15 WASHINGTON—Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Darrell Issa (R-CA) hosted a bipartisan briefing on fair chance hiring policies, including the Fair Chance Act, legislation they introduced to require the federal government and its contractors to wait to ask about the criminal histories of job applicants until they receive conditional offers of employment. Cummings and Issa were joined by Reps. Bobby Scott, Ranking Member… Continue Reading
Chu, Scott Introduce Bill to Protect Immigrant Workers
11.05.15 WASHINGTON - Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27) and Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, introduced the Protecting Our Workers from Exploitation and Retaliation (POWER) Act. This legislation will provide U Visa eligibility for immigrant workers who report unsafe or unfair labor practices. The bill will also strengthen labor agencies’ investigative powers and allow a stay of removal and work authorization for workers who file a workplace claim. These … Continue Reading
House Democrats Introduce Working Families Resolution
10.29.15 WASHINGTON - In honor of hardworking families across the nation, today, 108 House Democrats introduced H. Res. 506, the Working Families Resolution. This resolution calls on Congress to take up the responsible policy solutions working families need to make a better life for themselves and their families. Earlier this week, in commemoration of National Work and Family Month, Members came together for a Working Families Day of Action to highlight the many ways Congress can continue to support our … Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
07.24.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement commemorating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush on July 26, 1990 - 25 years ago this Sunday. As a member of the Virginia Senate, Ranking Member Scott was involved in the passage of the Virginians with Disabilities Act of 1985. The Virginia law preceded the federal statute, and demonstrated how persons with disabilities could effectively… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the Introduction of the Equality Act
07.23.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement on the introduction of the Equality Act of 2015, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other key laws to ensure that LBGT Americans receive the same legal protections afforded to other Americans. The bill was announced at a press conference today by Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, and Rep. John Lew… Continue Reading
Scott Expresses Concern over Continued Threats to Preventive Health Benefits for Women
07.10.15 WASHINGTON -Today the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of the Treasury finalized regulations that allow closely held for-profit corporations with religious objections to opt out of providing coverage for some or all contraceptive services to their female employees. These regulations were issued following the 2014 Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., that the owners of closely-held, for-profit corporations cannot be force… Continue Reading
Joint Statement by Co-Sponsors of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Responding to Rep. Walberg’s Pregnant Workers Bill
06.19.15 "No woman should have to choose between a healthy pregnancy and a paycheck… Under the guise of helping women, the Walberg bill simply creates more confusion for employees and exposes employers to additional litigation risk." WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53), and Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11), co-spon… Continue Reading
Scott Joins Colleagues in House, Senate to Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Pregnant Workers from Discrimination
06.04.15 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), joined Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Susan Davis (D-CA) and Marcia Fudge (D-OH), along with U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Dean Heller (R-NV), to unveil new legislation that would protect pregnant workers from workplace discrimination. "Women continue to face unnecessary obstacles in the workplace- whether it is the lack of suitable paid … Continue Reading