Press Releases
Scott Statement on New Chair of Education & Workforce Committee
12.02.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) issued the following statement after Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) was selected by the Republican conference to serve as the Chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the 115th Congress: "I congratulate Congresswoman Foxx on her selection to serve as the new Chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. I look forward to working with her to find common ground on policies that will expand educational opportunities for al… Continue Reading
Scott Floor Statement on Support for Final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
12.02.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017. Ranking Member Scott was appointed to the conference committee in July and successfully advocated for the removal of several harmful workplace provisions that were eliminated from the final bill text. "Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. "I have the honor of rep… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on November 2016 Jobs Report
12.02.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added a total of 178,000 jobs in November, with the unemployment rate at 4.6 percent. "The November jobs report shows that our economy added 178,000 jobs, and continues to move forward from the worst economic crisis in a generation. There is no doubt we have made great strides the last eight years, but our commitment to creating a more balanced and fai… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Nomination of Chairman Tom Price for HHS Secretary
11.29.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) released the following statement after it was reported that Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price will be nominated for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services: "I congratulate my colleague Tom Price on his nomination to serve as our nation's next Secretary of Health and Human Services. This position has been, and must continue to be, one that enhances and protects the health of all Americans, especially the most vulnerable among us. "As Chairm… Continue Reading
Scott, Bonamici Lead Efforts to Protect Student Loan Borrowers, Reduce Default Rates
11.28.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and other Committee Democrats sent a letter to the Department of Education urging it to protect struggling student loan borrowers from defaulting on their debt by improving access to income-driven repayment plans. The letter encourages the Department to simplify the transition from loan rehabilitation to affordable repayment plans … Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Statement on Education Department’s Final Rule to Enhance Equity, Excellence in Schools
11.28.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Education's final regulation on the accountability provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). "While we are disappointed that this final rule doesn't go as far as we would have hoped, we co… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Nomination of Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary
11.23.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump selected Betsy DeVos as his nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Education. "I congratulate Betsy DeVos on her nomination to lead the Department of Education. I hope to work with her to ensure all students have access to safe, diverse, high-quality public schools. The Department has a legacy of protecting and promoting the civil rights of students, and I will work diligently to … Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Latest Attempt to Deny Workers Their Hard-Earned Pay
11.23.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after a federal judge in Texas placed an emergency injunction on the Department of Labor's overtime rule. "Yesterday, a federal district court in Texas granted a preliminary injunction preventing the Department of Labor's overtime rule from going into effect nationwide on December 1. The overtime rule would raise the salary threshold under which most workers are automatically eligible for time-and-a-half pay when t… Continue Reading
SCOTUS: Led by Rep. Scott & Sen. Murray,118 Lawmakers File Bicameral Amicus Brief to Safeguard Rights of Students With Disabilities to Receive Meaningful Public Education
11.21.16 (Washington, D.C) - Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a bicameral group of 118 current and former Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case of Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. Currently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States, this case focuses on what Congress i… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on October Jobs Report – 2016
11.04.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added a total of 161,000 jobs in October, with the unemployment rate falling to 4.9 percent. "The October jobs report shows that our economy added 161,000 jobs. The longest streak of total job growth on record continued and U.S. businesses have now added 15.5 million jobs since early 2010. Just last week, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that… Continue Reading
More Than 100 House Democrats Push to Protect Pell Grant Funding
11.02.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and 123 other House Democrats sent a letter to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations urging them to protect Pell Grant funding levels in the Fiscal Year 2017 omnibus. "Due to lower-than-expected program costs, the Pell Grant program has amassed a surplus of more than $7.8 billion," the Members wrote. "The surplus rescissions of $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion in the Senate and House FY 2017 Appropriations bills, respectively, thr… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Record Setting High School Graduation Rate
10.17.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the White House announced the high school graduation rate was at a record new high of 83.2 percent during the 2014-2015 school year: "Today's announcement is excellent news. I am particularly encouraged by the improvement among students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities, and what this means for closing achievement gaps. Although this is the highest rate on record, our information-base… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on September Jobs Report - 2016
10.07.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 156,000 jobs during the month of September with the unemployment rate at 5 percent: “While we have experienced great economic gains over the last seven years, today’s jobs report shows that our work here in Congress is far from over. There are families and individuals struggling to find work, and those who are working still lack basic workplace sup… Continue Reading
Scott, Cummings Express Concerns about the Skyrocketing Costs of Compounded Drugs
10.05.16 WASHINGTON - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Congressman Elijah Cummings (MD-07), Ranking Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and Committee on Oversight and Government Reform respectively, sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expressing concerns about the skyrocketing costs of compounded drugs in the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act program and commenting on the proposed authorization form that the U.S. Department of Labor plans to require … Continue Reading
Davis, Scott, 10 Committee Members Introduce Bill to Strengthen Teacher Recruitment and Retention
10.04.16 WASHINGTON - Last week, Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53) introduced H.R. 6236, the Innovations to Recruit and Retain Excellent Teachers Act, legislation that will empower school districts to develop targeted recruitment and retention strategies ensuring that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status, are taught by an excellent, well-supported, and diverse teacher workforce. The bill is co-sponsored by Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and 10 other members of the Committee on Education and … Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Final EEOC Rule on Collecting Pay Data
09.29.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued the final revisions on the collection of aggregate pay and hour data through its Employer Information Report (EEO-1) form. This revision will level the playing field for working people by providing clarity for the EEOC to analyze pay data and better allocate resources to enforce Title VII and the Equal Pay Act. "Discrimination remains a persiste… Continue Reading
Scott, DeLauro Statement on Paid Sick Leave for Workers on Federal Contracts
09.29.16 WASHINGTON - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health And Human Services, and Education respectively, issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor released the final rule to provide paid sick leave for workers on federal contracts. The new rule will provide additional paid sick leave to an estimated 1.15 million people working o… Continue Reading
Scott, Nadler and 68 Members of Congress Applaud NLRB’s Columbia University Decision
09.26.16 WASHINGTON - Following a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision, regarding Columbia University, which restored the right of research assistants (RAs) and teaching assistants (TAs) to form unions and collectively bargain, 69 members of Congress, led by Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), issued a statement urging private universities and colleges to ensure that TAs and RAs can fully and freely exercise these statutory rights, without interference, delay,… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on House Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Improve & Strengthen Juvenile Justice System
09.22.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the House passed (382-29) H.R. 5963, Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act of 2016, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA): "I commend my colleagues for the bipartisan work done in support of our nation's youth. The bipartisan bill we passed today includes necessary improvements to federal policy firmly grounded in facts, proving … Continue Reading
ESSA: Murray, Scott Call on Education Dept. to “Provide Clarity and Direction” For How States, Schools Districts Can Best Use Funds to Address Teacher Shortages
09.22.16 Several states have reported significant teacher shortages-with shortages "disproportionately felt in special education, math and science, and in bilingual and English-language education," as highlighted last week in the Washington Post: LINK Murray and Scott worked to include funding in Title II of our nation's new K-12 law, the Every Student Succeed Act, for "teacher preparation, development, and retention activities" The Education Dept. is planning to issue guidance on Title II of the law… Continue Reading