Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Worker Safety and Health
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
Bipartisan Group Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Protections for Pregnant Workers
02.16.21 WASHINGTON - Today, a bipartisan group of representatives announced the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - which establishes a pregnant worker's clear-cut right to reasonable workplace accommodations, provided they do not impose an undue burden on their employer. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was reintroduced by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), John Katko (R-NY), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Jamie Herrera-Beutler (R-WA), and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA). "I first introduced the Pregnant Wor… Continue Reading
Top Democrats Introduce Bill to Protect Workers’ Right to Organize and Make our Economy Work for Everyone
02.04.21 WASHINGTON - Today, House and Senate Democrats introduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, comprehensive labor legislation to protect workers' right to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. The House bill was introduced by House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Congressman Brendan… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on President Biden’s Announcement of National Strategy to Fight the Pandemic, Protect Workers from COVID-19
01.21.21 WASHINGTON - Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden announced the administration's National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, which includes guidance directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to determine the necessity of an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) and, if needed, to issue such a standard by March 15. Over the last year, Chairman Scott and Comm… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott to GSA: Delayed Support for Biden Transition Team Will Have “Devastating Consequences”
11.23.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) sent a letter to the General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Emily Murphy urging the GSA to grant the Biden-Harris Transition Team access to critical information, services, and resources. "Our country is facing an unprecedented global pandemic that is killing 2,000 Americans per day, and any further delay in an effective government response will have devastating consequences," wrote Chairman … Continue Reading
Labor Leaders to OSHA: Changing Reporting Requirements for COVID-19 Workplace Illness Hurts Workers and Hinders Ability to Control Pandemic
10.14.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chair Alma Adams (NC-12) wrote to the heads of the Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) questioning a recent OSHA policy change that will result in sharply reduced reporting of COVID-related workplace hospitalizations and fatalities and undermine efforts to protect the safety of workers. OSHA requires workplace fatali… 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
Scott, Pallone to Trump Health Officials: Take Immediate Action to Support a National Testing Strategy to Protect Workers from COVID-19
10.06.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Scalia and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Azar demanding increased protections for our nation's frontline workers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. In the letter, the Chairs express deep concern that low-wage, essential workers lack the health protections n… Continue Reading
Democrats Demand Answers After CDC Weakens COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance for Nation’s Largest Meatpacking Plant
09.30.20 WASHINGTON - In a letter to Trump administration health officials, House and Senate Democrats requested information regarding 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 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) by Chairman Robert C. "Bobby"… Continue Reading