Press Releases
Chairman Scott Statement on March Jobs Report
04.02.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 916,000 jobs in March with the unemployment rate at 6.0 percent. "Today's job report shows that the American economy is rebounding but still has a long way to go to fully address the impact of COVID-19. With the leadership of President Biden and Congressional Democrats, the American Rescue Plan Act is accelerating the recovery by providing … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: Biden Plan is a Bold Vision for New Jobs, Safer Communities
03.31.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden released his American Jobs Plan. "President Biden's American Jobs Plan outlines a bold vision for creating millions of good-paying jobs and protecting the health and well-being of our children, workers, and communities. "The Biden Plan will get struggling Americans back to work by making unprecedented and long-overdue investments in programs that are proven to help workers develop in-… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Praises Education Department for Expanding Relief for Distressed Student Borrowers
03.30.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Education announced it will pause collections and interest accrual on commercially-held student loans under the Family Federal Education Loan Program (c-FFEL) for borrowers who are in default. "Today, the Biden administration took another step to expand relief for struggling student loan borrowers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While Congress previously paused interest accrual and collecti… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Administration for Protecting Student Borrowers with Total and Permanent Disabilities
03.29.21 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education announced steps to make it easier for eligible student loan borrowers to get their loans forgiven under the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge program. “Today’s announcement is yet another example of how the Biden Administration is using its authority to improve the lives of student loan borrowers and their families. G… 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
Reps. Takano, Adams, Scott and Sen. Brown Urge Secretary Walsh to Restore Overtime Pay Protections for Millions of Workers
03.25.21 WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), sent a letter to Secretary Marty Walsh urging the Department of Labor to take strong action to restore overtime pay protections for millions of workers. In the letter they state, "In 2016, the Obama Administration's DOL finalized a rule (Obama Rule) that would have increased the salary threshold to the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time, salaried workers in the … Continue Reading
On Equal Pay Day, Committee Advanced Bipartisan Legislation to Close Gender Pay Gap, Confront Workplace Discrimination, and Improve Workplace Safety
03.24.21 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and Labor advanced three bipartisan bills to close the gender pay gap, establish clear-cut protections for pregnant workers, and prevent violence against health care and social service workers. "These three bills deliver on our promise to ensure that, as our economy slowly recovers from the pandemic, all Americans will have access to safe workplaces where they can work free from discrimination," said Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03). The … 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
Scott, Murray Act to Undo Unfair, Anti-Worker Rule Favoring Employers in Workplace Discrimination Cases; Restore Fair Process for Workers to Enforce Their Rights
03.23.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Labor, and Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, filed resolutions of disapproval against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) “conciliation” rule. This rule tips the scale in favor of employers within EEOC’s process for settling claims the EEOC has already established have merit, making it … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Administration for “Lifechanging” Announcement on Borrower Defense Claims
03.18.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education announced it would provide full debt relief to roughly 72,000 borrowers that were defrauded by Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute. "Today's announcement means that tens of thousands of defrauded student loan borrowers will finally be granted the debt relief that they are legally entitled to receive. It has been more than four years since the Department of Educat… Continue Reading
Scott, Davis Lead Bipartisan Group of House Members to Introduce Bill Protecting Older Workers from Age Discrimination
03.18.21 WASHINGTON - Today, Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and Rodney Davis (IL-13) led a bipartisan group in introducing the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), a proposal to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers. They were joined by six Republicans and six Democrats, including Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee Chair Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chair … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Urges Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment
03.16.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks in favor of legislation that strengthens federal efforts to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect. The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (Stronger CAPTA) provides greater funding and establishes new tools to combat the rising rates of child maltreatment over the past decade. “Thank you, Madam Speake… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray, Hassan Release GAO Report on Retirement Cybersecurity Which Recommends Department of Labor Issue Guidance
03.15.21 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAOO) looking at the risk cybersecurity threats pose to retirement plans that serve over 100 million people. GAO conducted its investigation in response to an inquiry the Members sent in… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott, Chairwoman Adams Applaud Biden Proposal to Strengthen Protections for Workers
03.11.21 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairwoman Alma Adams (NC-12) released the following statement after the Department of Labor proposed a withdrawal of Trump-era rules that would have given companies broad power to misclassify employees as independent contractors and use subcontractors to evade responsibility for upholding workers’ rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act. "Today,… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott and Takano Celebrate Protections for Student Veterans in American Rescue Plan
03.10.21 WASHINGTON - Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, which protects student veterans and taxpayers from low-quality for-profit colleges by closing the "90/10 loophole." Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott: "This American Rescue Plan takes a major step toward protecting student veteran… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: American Rescue Plan Expands Access to Affordable Health Care
03.10.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, which includes a version of Worker Health Coverage Protection Act that Chairman Scott introduced last year along with robust investments in the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. "The American Rescue Plan will expand access to affordable health care for millions of Americans during this global health pandemic. Because of the disastrous economic fa… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Celebrates Protections for Retirees in American Rescue Plan
03.10.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, which includes important provisions that he helped craft to address the multiemployer pension crisis and protect workers' retirement benefits. "The American Rescue Plan is a historic victory for more than 1 million retirees who have been at risk of losing everything they had worked so hard to save. Because of this relief package, construction wor… Continue Reading
Scott Praises Support for Higher Education in American Rescue Plan
03.10.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the House voted to approve the American Rescue Plan, which provides nearly $40 billion for institutions of higher education. "The COVID-19 pandemic is causing severe financial hardship for institutions of higher education and the students they serve. The American Rescue Plan provides significant relief to help colleges weather the pandemic, including more than $800 million for Virginia institutions alo… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Celebrates K-12 Investments in American Rescue Plan
03.10.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan, which invests nearly $130 billion in K-12 education. "The American Rescue Plan is the most significant investment in K-12 education in generations. This relief package will provide schools the resources they need to comply with CDC guidelines, protect students and staff, and make up for lost time in the classroom. Throughout the past year, school l… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Calls for Passage of the American Rescue Plan Act
03.10.21 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. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act. "Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act. "Passing this rescue plan will give schools the resources they need to comply with CDC guidelines to reopen safely and remain open and give the resources needed to make up for lost time in the classroom. "Passing this resc… Continue Reading