Press Releases
Chairman Scott: Statement on Trump Apprenticeship Plan
06.24.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration's release of its Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) proposal. "Registered Apprenticeship programs are proven to prepare workers for good-paying, middle-class jobs. The administration's proposal to establish a new unregistered apprenticeship program - which lacks sufficient accountability for meeting quality standards or ensuring the success of apprentices - diverts va… Continue Reading
Committee Postpones Hearing on Administration’s Proposed Closures and Privatization of the Civilian Conservation Centers in the Job Corps Program, Seeks More Information from Key Officials
06.24.19 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and Labor announced it was postponing a scheduled hearing to examine the Trump administration's proposed changes to the Job Corps program. The decision was made following the administration's announcement that it would no longer move forward with a plan to close or transfer 25 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, and after administration officials made additional assurances to the Committee that there would be no coming changes to the USDA and D… Continue Reading
Eleven House Committee Chairs Blast Trump Administration’s Plan to Redefine Poverty That Threatens Assistance for Low-Income Families & Communities
06.21.19 WASHINGTON - Today, 11 House Committee chairs sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney in opposition to the Trump administration's proposal to redefine the poverty threshold-a move that would drastically shrink eligibility for public programs such as Medicaid, housing assistance, and free school meals. The Members note that, contrary to congressional intent and four decades of consistent policy, the administration is considering switching to a slower-growin… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Ask Government Watchdog to Look at Fallout of Trump Administration’s Decision to Abandon Investor Protection Rule Following Fifth Circuit Order One Year Ago
06.21.19 Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, wrote to Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General, Gene Dodaro, asking GAO to examine the fallout from the Department of Labor's (DOL) decision not to defend its fiduciary standard after a court decision struck it down-despite the fact that several previous rulings ha… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Passage of Labor-HHS-Education Funding Package
06.19.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement following passage of the H.R. 2740, an FY 2020 appropriations minibus that includes four appropriations bills, including legislation funding the Departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, and related agencies. The bill passed with only Democratic votes. "Today, House Democrats demonstrated our commitment to improving the lives of students, workers and families across the country. This funding package inclu… Continue Reading
Scott & Beyer Statement on Recent Restraint and Seclusion GAO Report
06.18.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08) issued the following statement after the release of a recent GAO Report, entitled "K-12 Education: Education Should Take Immediate Action to Address Inaccuracies in Federal Restraint and Seclusion Data." "The GAO's report makes clear that school districts across the country are not accurately reporting the use of restraint or seclusion - disciplinary practices that jeopardize student and staff health and safety. In fact, the… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Shameful Minimum Wage Milestone
06.17.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement commemorating a shameful milestone for American workers. As of Sunday, June 16, this is the longest period of time without an increase in the federal minimum wage since it was created in 1938. "We are now experiencing the longest period of time without an increase in the federal minimum wage since it was created in 1938. For low-wage workers, this milestone is not merely symbolic. While workers earning the federal minimum… Continue Reading
Rep. Takano and Chairman Scott, Sens. Brown and Murray Introduce Legislation to Expand Overtime Pay for Millions of Workers
06.11.19 WASHINGTON -Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) and Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Committee on Education and Labor, and Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Committee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions introduced legislation to make millions of American workers newly eligible for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours a week, providing economic security to millions of working families. The Restoring Overtime Pay Act would increase the overtime sa… Continue Reading
Committee Advances Three Bills to Support Workers and Retirees
06.11.19 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and Labor advanced three bills that would improve the quality of life for workers and retirees: The Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, H.R. 397, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), H.R. 1230, and the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, H.R. 1309. "The three bills under consideration this morning reflects our commitment to ensuring that all Americans have access to … Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on May Jobs Report
06.07.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 75,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate held at 3.6 percent. "Today's jobs report suggests that American workers are being put at risk by the president's erratic economic policies. The report also shows that workers' wages are still not keeping pace with the rising cost of living. Congress must take action to ensure that all Americans can enjoy the … Continue Reading
Congresswomen Adams and Underwood Introduce the CARE for Families Act
06.05.19 WASHINGTON- Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12), and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), founders and co-chairs of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, introduced the Community Access to Resources and Education (CARE) for Families Act with Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03). The CARE for Families Act will address maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-05), a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, expressed strong support for the… Continue Reading
Davis and Scott Statements on the Importance of Federal Investments in Child Care
05.29.19 WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Ways and Means is Committee Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) released the following statements regarding a newly-released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by the two Members that demonstrates how investments in quality child care through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) improve the availability and quality of child care across the… Continue Reading
Scott, DeLauro Statement on Trump Administration’s Closing of Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers
05.24.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Committee on Education and Labor Committee, and Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, today released the following statement on the Department of Labor's (DOL) and Department of Agriculture's (USDA) decision to stop operating 9 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC). "We are disappointed by the Trump administration's rushed decision to turn its back on the y… Continue Reading
Scott, Pallone, and Neal Blast Trump Administration’s Discriminatory Proposal to Eliminate Patient Protections
05.24.19 WASHINGTON- Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following joint statement today on the Trump Administration's proposed rule to further undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by attempting to reverse anti-discrimination provisions of the law that protect women and transgender Americans' rights: "This inhumane proposal is yet another attempt by the Trump Admi… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott to Secretary Acosta: The Department of Labor’s Proposed Overtime Rule Leaves Millions of Workers Behind
05.22.19 WASHINGTON - Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, wrote a letter to Department of Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta urging the Department to abandon its proposal to rescind Obama-era overtime regulations. Under the Department's proposal, nearly 8.2 million workers-including 4.2 million women and 3 million people of color-would be left behind. The Chairman expressed concern regarding the Department's flawed methodology that influenced t… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Speaks on House Floor in Support of Bipartisan Bill to Prevent and Treat Child Abuse and Neglect
05.20.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during the floor debate for the H.R. 2480 - Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (Stronger CAPTA). "Thank you, M/ Speaker. And thank you to Dr. Schrier and Mr. Comer for your leadership on this important issue. "I rise Today in support of the bipartisan Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, or Stronger CAPTA. "Congress has a vital role in helping states protect children from the physica… Continue Reading
VIDEO RELEASE: House Democrats Commemorate the 65th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
05.17.19 WASHINGTON - Today, on the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott joined House Democrats in reflecting on Congress' responsibility to fulfill the promise of Brown by achieving equity in education. "The legacy of systemic inequality and racial segregation continues to deny millions of children the opportunity to reach their full potential," said Chairman Scott (VA-03). "Instead of… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Stands with Democratic Colleagues to Protect Patients with Pre-Existing Conditions
05.16.19 WASHINGTON - Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during the floor debate for the H.R. 987 - Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act. "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise today in support of this bill to improve access to quality health coverage, protect the Affordable Care Act, and cut prescription drug costs for consumers. "Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the administration has consistently undermined … Continue Reading
On Eve of Brown v Board’s 65th Anniversary, Committee Advances Two Bills to Promote School Diversity, Protect Students’ Civil Rights
05.16.19 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and Labor approved two bills to promote school diversity and protect students' civil rights: Strength in Diversity Act of 2019 (H.R. 2639) and Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act (H.R. 2574). "The legacy of systemic inequality and racial segregation continues to deny millions of children the opportunity to reach their full potential. Instead of confronting this injustice, the federal government has continually retreated from its role in promoting … Continue Reading
Nadler, Scott, Murray Introduce Bill to End Forced Arbitration in the Workplace, To Allow Workers to Band Together to Enforce Their Legal Rights
05.15.19 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, U.S. Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee introduced the Restoring Justice for Workers Act, legislation to end forced arbitration clauses and protect workers' ability to pursue work-related claims in court… Continue Reading