Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Higher Education
Chairman Scott Praises Proposals in American Families Plan to Lower the Cost of College
04.28.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Biden released his American Families Plan. The proposal calls for key investments to strengthen Pell Grants, lower the cost of tuition at community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions, and take other steps to expand access to quality higher education. "For too long, the rising cost of college-fueled by chron… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott, Rep. Levin, Chair Murray, Sen. Baldwin Reintroduce Legislation to Provide Two Free Years of Community College
04.27.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Chair of the House Education & Labor Committee, Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) reintroduced legislation to make the skills and credentials necessary for success in today’s economy attainable for all Americans, regardless of socio-economic status. The America̵… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Opening Statement at Hearing to Examine For-Profit College Conversions to Non-Profit Institutions
04.20.21 WASHINGTON - Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today's full committee hearing, entitled "For-Profit College Conversions: Examining Ways to Improve Accountability and Prevent Fraud." "Today, we are gathered to discuss the need for stronger oversight to protect students and taxpayers from those for-profit colleges that transition to non-profit institutions to trick students and regulators. "Over the last four year… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott: Biden Budget Makes Long-Term Commitment to Our Nation’s Students
04.09.21 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to the release of President Biden’s “skinny budget,” which calls for a $20 billion increase for Title I education funding, a more than 200 percent increase compared to the current fiscal year. “Inequity has always been a defining characteristic of America’s education system, and the wide funding gaps that exist between scho… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Applauds Comprehensive Review of DeVos Title IX Rule
04.06.21 WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Education announced it is conducting a comprehensive review of the Title IX rule established under the Trump Administration. “Providing students an environment where they are safe and free from discrimination is the most basic responsibility of schools and institutions. It is the foundation that gives all students the opportunity to learn and grow… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott, Rep. Adams Celebrate Major Victory for HBCUs
04.02.21 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and HBCU Caucus Founder and Co-Chair Alma Adams released the following statement after the Department of Education announced the discharge of $1.6 billion in capital finance debt for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This action was made possible by Congress through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), which was signed into law in December 2020. "Historically Black Colleges and Universiti… 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
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
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
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 Urges Yes Vote on FY21 Budget Resolution
02.03.21 WASHINGTON – Today, Chairman Scott delivered the following remarks during floor debate on H.Con.Res. 11, a budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2021. “Thank, Mr. Speaker. The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to inflict widespread harm across our communities. In addition to the thousands of people who are dying every day from this virus, millions of workers remain unemployed, students are falling further behind, and an unprecedented number of American familie… Continue Reading
Education Leaders Celebrate Higher Education Agreement in FY21 Omnibus
12.20.20 WASHINGTON - Today, following the release of the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Omnibus bill text, Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment Chair Susan Davis (CA-53), and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chair Alma Adams (NC-12) celebrated the major Democratic priorities for higher education included in the spending bill. The bill expands the Pell Grant program, which will result in hundreds of thousands of students becoming newly eligi… Continue Reading
Chairs Maloney and Scott Issue Statement After Department of Education Suspends Tool to Help Defrauded Student Borrowers
11.23.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement after the Department of Education suspended a new web tool designed to simplify the Borrower Defense application process for individuals who were ripped off by their schools: "We are troubled that the Department of Education removed a new web tool from its website that was desi… Continue Reading
New Documents Show Department of Education Froze Tool to Help Defrauded Student Borrowers
10.27.20 WASHINGTON -Today, Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, released new documents detailing how the Department of Education froze a tool designed to ease the Borrower Defense application process for borrowers who were ripped off by their schools, typically for-profit colleges. "We are deeply troubled that the Department of Education halted a web tool to help simpli… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Asks Department of Education Watchdog to Investigate Department Role in Dream Center Misconduct
08.10.20 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) sent a letter to the Department of Education Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting an investigation into the Department's role in the misconduct of Dream Center Education Holdings, a for-profit higher education company that actively defrauded students and taxpayers. The request follows a report released by the Committee on Education and Labor, which indicates that Under Secretary Diane Auer Jones -… Continue Reading
Chairman Scott Statement on Student Loan Executive Order
08.08.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to the President Trump's executive order that freezes federal student loan payments and interest until December 31, 2020. "President Trump's executive order does nothing to address the crisis facing our education system. It does nothing to help state and local governments avoid deep cuts to public education, which could be as high as $300 billion over the next two years. It does nothing to help s… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats to DeVos: Stop Unlawfully Withholding Emergency Aid from Students
08.04.20 WASHINGTON - In a letter to Secretary DeVos, 19 Committee Democrats expressed strong opposition to the Education Department's repeated efforts to implement unauthorized restrictions on students' access to higher education emergency aid provided under the CARES Act. The CARES Act provided more than $14 billion in emergency aid to institutions of higher education and required half of that funding to be used for emergency grants to students. Despite the law including no restrictions on student e… 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
Chairman Scott Urges Colleagues to Stand with Defrauded Students By Overriding Presidential Veto of H.J. Res. 76
06.26.20 WASHINGTON - Chairman Scott delivered the following remarks during the floor debate to override President Trump's veto of H.J. Res. 76, a Congressional Review Act resolution to reverse Secretary Betsy DeVos' 2019 Borrower Defense rule. "I rise today in support of overriding President Trump's veto of House Joint Resolution 76, a bipartisan Congressional Review Act resolution that would stop the Education Department's harmful Borrower Defense rule from going into effect. "I first want to recogn… Continue Reading
Committee Report Details Secretary DeVos’ Efforts to Delay and Deny Debt Relief for Defrauded Student Borrowers
06.25.20 WASHINGTON - A report released today by the Committee on Education and Labor details the Department of Education's efforts to delay and deny debt relief for student borrowers who were defrauded by predatory institutions. The report captures nearly two years of congressional oversight and provides a comprehensive look into how Secretary Betsy DeVos prevented hundreds of thousands of defrauded borrowers from receiving the relief they deserved. The Committee released the report, entitled "Delayed… Continue Reading