Press Releases
Reps. Cartwright, McKinley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Mine Workers from COVID-19 Health Risks
07.22.20 Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) and David McKinley (R-WV-01) announced that they have introduced the COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act to implement safety guidelines for mine workers facing unique health risks due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Miners already have tough jobs as it is. But now, working in close quarters puts them at risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading it to their loved ones," Cartwright said. "In Northeastern Pennsylvania, we know… Continue Reading
House Education Leaders Describe How Congress Can Help Schools Reopen Safely
07.21.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) held a press call with Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Congresswoman Donna Shalala (FL-27), and Dr. Nyree Washington, an educator from Miami Coral Reef Senior High School to discuss what must be included in the next COVID-19 response package to help schools reopen safely. The call highlighted the need for significant and immediate federal investment in education to ensure schools can follow the safely guidelines established by th… Continue Reading
National Health Organizations, Child Advocates Call on Congress to Provide At Least $200 Billion to Help Schools Reopen Safely
07.21.20 Yesterday, national health organizations and child advocates - led by the American Academy of Pediatrics - wrote to House and Senate leadership calling on Congress to pass at least $200 billion in K-12 education funding. Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy: On behalf of the undersigned organizations representing public health, medical providers, and advocates for children and families committed to advancing the health and well-being of children… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on White House Blocking CDC from Testifying on School Reopening
07.17.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Trump administration blocked the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention from testifying at a public hearing about safely reopening schools. "School reopening plans must be guided by the advice of public health experts. For that reason, we asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to testify in a public hearing to provide greater clarity on the steps we can take to help schools … Continue Reading
Committee Holds Virtual Member Briefing on How the Trump Administration is Failing Retirement Savers
07.16.20 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee held a virtual briefing to examine how recent Department of Labor's actions have weaken retirement protections for workers. The briefing, entitled "Failing Retirement Savers: Examining Three Recent Labor Department Actions," focused on how the Trump administration has taken steps that will erode retirement security for future retirees by exposing them to bad advice and greater risk while undermining accountability for unethical retirement advisors. "In this … Continue Reading
House Chairs Question Secretary DeVos’s Delay Distributing COVID-19 Relief for Puerto Rico
07.16.20 WASHINGTON - In a letter to Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva (AZ-03) demanded an explanation for why the Department has delayed distributing emergency educational relief for Puerto Rico. Congress designated $400 million in the CARES Act to help Puerto Rico address immediate educational needs, and the Department has only disbursed $7 million, citing past pro… Continue Reading
Congressional Education Leaders to DeVos: Stop Robbing Vulnerable Students of Emergency Aid
07.15.20 WASHINGTON - In a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, congressional education leaders expressed deep concern about the Department's interim final rule to prevent millions of students from getting the emergency relief Congress provided under the CARES Act. The letter was sent by Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), House Committee on Education and Labor, Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Health, and Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Virginia OSHA Approving Strong Worker Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic
07.15.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after Virginia became the first state in the country to approve an Emergency Temporary OSHA standard protecting the workers against exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. "I'm very pleased that the Commonwealth of Virginia has approved an Emergency OSHA standard to protect workers against COVID-19, and I applaud the Governor for his leadership on this issue. In the absence of any serious attempt from t… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Remarks at Press Event Marking Two Months Since House Passage of The Heroes Act
07.15.20 WASHINGTON - Joined by Speaker Pelosi and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during a press event highlighting the urgent need for the Senate to pass the Heroes Act, a COVID-19 pandemic emergency relief package passed by the House on May 15. "Thank you, Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Neal, for your leadership in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic. "Let us be clear. All of us want to reopen schools for full-tim… Continue Reading
Castro, Scott, Others Urge Department of Labor to Reverse Work Visa Ban
07.14.20 WASHINGTON-Today, in response to the Trump administration's June executive proclamation suspending all work visas during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), Chair of the Education and Labor Commit… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Invites CDC Director to Testify After WH Pressures it to Change School Guidelines
07.09.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) invitedCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield, MD, or his designee, to testify before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday, July 23. Chairman Scott specifically asks Director Redfield to discuss the immediate needs of K-12 public schools as many districts examine the possibility of reopening in the fall. The invitation follo… Continue Reading
GAO Report: Education Department Decision to Scrap Obama-Era School Discipline Guidance in Response to Mass Shootings is Unfounded
07.09.20 WASHINGTON - A new report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that a majority of fatalities are a result of school-targeted shootings, which are more prevalent in wealthier, low-minority areas. The report, requested by Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby Scott and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, is the first government-mandated collection of data on school shootings. The report findings undermine the Trump administration's reas… Continue Reading
House Health Leaders Condemn Final Rule to Erode Anti-Discrimination Protections Under the ACA
07.09.20 WASHINGTON - The chairs of the House committees with jurisdiction over health care condemned the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for finalizing a rule that weakens protections under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, people with limited English proficiency, immigrants, people of color, people with disabilities, and patients from other marginalized communities and urged HHS Secretary Alex Azar to immediately rescind it. The letter was signed by House Edu… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Trump v. Pennsylvania
07.09.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. Pennsylvania that, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, employers can claim a religious or moral objection to deny workers health insurance coverage for contraceptive care. "The passage of the Affordable Care Act a decade ago was a major milestone in our effort to ensure all Americans have access to safe and affordable contraceptive care. Unfortunately, the Su… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on SCOTUS Decision in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru
07.08.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel that religious employers can exempt some of their employees from civil rights laws on the basis of religious freedom. This is particularly relevant given the Court's recent decision in Espinoza, which would allow taxpayer money to flow to private, religious schools. "Today's Supreme Court decision cre… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Trump Administration’s Push for Schools to Prematurely Reopen
07.08.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Trump urged schools to reopen and threatened to withhold federal funding for those that do not resume normal operations in the fall. "Given the exacerbated educational inequities and abrupt shift to remote learning caused by the pandemic, it is understandable why students, educators, and communities are both hoping schools will resume normal operations this fall and have some hesitation. "Even before the … Continue Reading
Chairwoman Davis Opening Statement at Hearing Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education
07.07.20 WASHINGTON - Chairwoman Susan Davis (CA-53) delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing entitled, "A Major Test: Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Future of Higher Education." "Today, we are examining how the COVID-19 pandemic is straining our higher education system and discussing what Congress must do to support students and institutions through this difficult time. "Across the country, the rush to suspend on-campus activities and switch to online learning has exacer… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Press Trump Administration for Extended Comment Period on Weakened Retiree Protection
07.02.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), House Education and Labor Committee and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia calling for the Department of Labor to extend the comment period for its recent proposal to replace an Obama-era retirement protection-which Scalia fought in court to strike down prior to being nominated to lead the Department-with a weaker version which would let fin… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on June Jobs Report
07.02.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 4.8 million jobs in June with the unemployment rate at 11.1 percent. "While the overall jobs numbers in today's report are promising, unemployment remains above the rates during the Great Recession as workers and families face the devastating impacts of the pandemic. In fact, as of mid-June, more than 1 in 5 American workers were either receiving unempl… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Celebrates Passage of the Moving Forward Act
07.01.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, which includes the Reopen and Rebuild America's School Act. "We all want to reopen our schools as soon as possible. But we cannot take this step when the Centers for Disease Control guidance requires functioning ventilation systems to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "The Reopen and Rebuild America's School Act provisions in the infrastructure package offe… Continue Reading