Press Releases
Ranking Member Scott: Proposed Rate Hikes Show that Consumers Are Paying for GOP Attacks on Affordable Care Act
05.08.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after two of Virginia's Marketplace insurers proposed significant premium increases for 2019. The insurers specifically attributed the premium hikes to the Republican repeal of the individual mandate and other initiatives adopted by the Trump administration, such as their plan to weaken the Obamacare Marketplace by loosening restrictions on junk health plans that undermine patient protections. "In response to repeate… Continue Reading
O'Halleran Introduces Resolution to Support Higher Teacher Pay and Education Investment
05.08.18 WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Tom O’Halleran introduced a resolution, cosponsored by more than 100 members of the House of Representatives, to honor teachers on National Teacher Day, support higher teacher pay, and call for increased investments to public schools. “Our teachers and school staff are shaping the next generations of American workers and leaders, and they should have the tools they need to do their job. Unfortunately, as Arizonans have seen over the pa… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Challenge DOL to Combat Opioid Epidemic in its Workers’ Compensation Program
05.08.18 WASHINGTON - Today, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing titled, "The Opioid Epidemic: Implications for the Federal Employees' Compensation Act." Reducing over-prescription of opioids in workers' compensation programs is critical to combatting the opioid epidemic. The Department of Labor (DOL) has a responsibility to prevent opioid abuse through its administration of Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA). Enacted in 1916, FECA provides workers' compensation coverage f… Continue Reading
One Year after House “Trumpcare” Vote, Democratic Health Leaders Call on Speaker Ryan to Allow Vote on Bill to Strengthen Health Care System
05.04.18 WASHINGTON - Today, the three House Democratic leaders of the Committees with jurisdiction over health care, Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) urging him to allow a vote on legislation that would help improve the affordability and accessibility of health care in the United States. The Undoing Sabotage and… Continue Reading
Shea-Porter Statement on One-Year Anniversary of House Vote to Repeal the Affordable Care Act
05.04.18 WASHINGTON, DC- Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) today released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of House Republicans' vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would have taken health care away from 23 million Americans, eliminated the health care rights of millions, and raised health care costs for every American: "One year ago, House Republicans voted to take health care away from 23 million Americans. Their cruel bill threatened the health and economic security… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on April Jobs Report
05.04.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 164,000 jobs in April, with the unemployment rate at 3.9 percent. "The latest jobs report shows that our economy remains relatively stable, but the work is far from over and there are those in Congress working to undermine these economic gains. On average during President Obama's last full year in office, the economy added roughly 195,000 jobs a m… Continue Reading
House Democratic Leaders Unveil A Better Deal: Tools to Succeed in the 21st Century
04.27.18 Alexandria, Virginia - Today, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats held a press conference at Northern Virginia Community College to unveil the newest plank of their bold economic agenda, A Better Deal: Tools to Succeed in the 21st Century, which focuses on Democrats' commitment to investing in America's workers, pioneering future frontiers and modernizing government. "Too many families have been left behind by technological change, and left wondering where they fit in the economy… Continue Reading
Courtney, Baldwin, Scott, Takano, DeLauro Introduce Resolution in Support of Workers' Memorial Day
04.26.18 WASHINGTON- Today, Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-41), and Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) introduced a resolution in support of Workers' Memorial Day to remember the American workers who have been killed or harmed in their workplaces and promote safer work environments. "Each day,… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Fight to Protect Workers’ Rights to Join a Union
04.26.18 WASHINGTON - Today, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing entitled, "Worker-Management Relations: Examining the Need to Modernize Federal Labor Law." Unfortunately for workers, the Majority called today's hearing to propose crippling people's rights to join together and advocate for better wages and working conditions. This is the 37th hearing the Majority has held aimed at undermining workers' rights under National Labor Relation Act. "The National … Continue Reading
GAO Report: Shadowy Industry is Manipulating Student Loan Borrowers, Default Rates
04.26.18 Washington, D.C. - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report - commissioned by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) - revealing how the little-known but increasingly harmful "default management industry" is using misleading information, coercion, and even $25 gift cards to manipulate student loan default rates. In response to the report's findings, Mr. Takano and Ms. DeLauro joined the GAO in calling for improvements to the Cohort Default Rate (CD… Continue Reading
Top Dems Oppose Privatization of Funds that Support Schools and Students
04.24.18 WASHINGTON- Today, all 17 Democratic Members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and all 24 Democratic Members of the Committee on Armed Services, sent a letter to Chairwoman Virginia Foxx and Chairman Mac Thornberry expressing strong opposition to the inclusion H.R. 5199, the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families, or any school voucher or privatization amendment, in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Specifically, members were concerned with how this bill wou… Continue Reading
Congressman Serrano Leads Joint Effort to Help Ensure Students With Disabilities Can Access Public Education
04.20.18 The Bronx - This week, Congressmen José E. Serrano, Jerrold Nadler, and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office requesting the agency to evaluate and issue a report on public schools' compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The three Members are the Ranking Member of the House Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, and Ranking Member of the Education and the Work… Continue Reading
Top Democrats Urge National Labor Relations Board to Protect Workers’ Right to Unionize
04.19.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and nine other Democrats submitted a public comment to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) about their request for information on whether to retain, rescind, or modify the 2014 Election Rule. The Obama-era rule streamlined the NLRB's process for union elections, eliminating unnecessary litigation and … Continue Reading
Republicans Missed Opportunity to Give Teachers a Raise
04.18.18 Teacher pay is falling across the country after factoring in inflation. In addition, teachers are being required to pay more for their health care, now paying nearly $1,300 more in annual premiums than the average for state and local employees. Teachers already make less than comparable workers in other fields-by more than 11 percent - and this gap is widening. These pay disparities result in many areas of the country struggling to recruit and retain teachers. One study showed that over 40 perc… Continue Reading
Scott Receives Champion of Children Award
04.18.18 WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, was presented the Congressional Champion of Children Award from Child Care Aware. Child Care Aware is an organization dedicated to ensuring the child care system supports all children and families. Recently, Congressman Scott worked to ensure the FY18 omnibus appropriations bill included an increase of $2.37 billion in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), including… Continue Reading
Bonamici Statement on Simplifying Student Loan Discharge for Disabled Veterans
04.17.18 WASHINGTON, DC [04/17/18] - Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after the Departments of Education and Veterans Affairs announced a new action to simplify the student loan discharge process for disabled veterans: "Veterans have sacrificed for our country, and we must honor their service. Disabled veterans must not be burdened with student loan debt, and we should be helping them access the loan forgiveness t… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Stand Up to GOP Attacks on Community Service, Volunteers
04.17.18 WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a full committee hearing on the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which administers the AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps programs. Last year, 325,000 Americans serving through AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps invested more than 155 million hours of service to their communities at more than 50,000 locations across the nation. CNCS provides opportunities for individuals to respond to some of the most pressing challenge… Continue Reading
Bicameral Democratic Committee Leaders Urge Administration to Withdraw Harmful Short-Term Insurance Rule
04.13.18 WASHINGTON - House and Senate Democratic Committee health leaders called on the Trump administration to withdraw a proposed rule that would encourage the sale of junk health plans that will undermine consumer protections, sabotage the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces, and expose consumers to great financial risk. The proposed rule, published on February 21, 2018, would extend the allowable duration of short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) plans from three months to up to 12 month… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on the Farm Bill
04.12.18 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after House Republicans released text of their Farm bill. "The Republicans' newly released Farm Bill is the latest attack on the economic security of American families and workers. The proposed changes to SNAP, including punitive work requirements, would put food out of reach for many. Because SNAP is tied to eligibility for other vital federal programs, the proposed changes to SNAP will keep families from accessin… Continue Reading
Rep. McEachin, Ranking Member Scott Hosted Briefing on Protecting Students’ Civil Rights
04.11.18 WASHINGTON – Congressmen A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) and Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, hosted a briefing on Protecting Students’ Civil Rights to amplify the importance of preserving critical civil rights protections for students in light of recent hostile scrutiny from the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans. “Discriminatory discipline practices in our nation’s schools hurt our children, particula… Continue Reading