Press Releases
Scott Statement on Secretary Arne Duncan’s Announcement
10.02.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that he will be stepping down from his post in December: "Just this morning, I joined Secretary Duncan at an area elementary school to announce a $237 million federal investment in high quality, early learning for three and four-year-olds in 18 states. This work is at the heart of why Arne has made an outstanding public servant and Education Secret… Continue Reading
Scott asks Committee to shift focus to important, bipartisan legislation
09.30.15 Remarks come after Committee vote on partisan reconciliation proposal that defunds Planned Parenthood and guts the Affordable Care Act WASHINGTON - Following today's markup in the Education and the Workforce Committee of a reconciliation proposal that will gut the Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) made the following statement: "I am deeply disappointed that the Committee saw fit to report this proposal today. The sole aim of t… Continue Reading
Reps. Cartwright, Scott, Senator Casey Introduce Sweeping Reforms to Black Lung Benefits Program
09.29.15 Legislation aims to prevent coal companies from unfairly denying benefits to deserving miners and families WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (PA-17), Bobby Scott (VA-03) and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (PA) today proposed sweeping reforms to the federal program that provides benefits to coal miners suffering from black lung disease. Federal law requires that coal companies compensate disabled miners who contract black lung, which is caused by inhaling coal dust ov… Continue Reading
Republicans’ Joint-Employer Legislation Scored by Labor Law Experts as “Harmful”
09.29.15 Democrats promise fight to block legislation that would undermine workers’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act WASHINGTON – Today, the HELP Subcommittee held a legislative hearing on H.R. 3459, the Protecting Local Business Opportunity Act—a bill that would overturn the recent National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) decision regarding the definition of a “joint-employer”. Democratic Members of the HELP Subcommittee and witnesses with expertise in la… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Appointment of Ivory Toldson as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs
09.25.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced that Dr. Ivory Toldson, an associate professor at Howard University, will be the permanent Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Toldson had been serving as the interim Executive Director since late July, after the death of Dr. George Cooper: "For the progress of society and our democracy, it is e… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Speaker Boehner’s Announcement
09.25.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Speaker John Boehner announced that he is resigning from Congress at the end of October: "I commend Speaker Boehner for his leadership and service to our country. During his chairmanship of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Speaker Boehner proved that by coming together in a bipartisan way, we can find solutions to the nation's most pressing issues. I'm hopeful that the Speaker's anno… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Introduce WAGE Act to Strengthen Protections for Workers
09.16.15 Legislation would help ensure workers can advocate for higher wages and improve workplace conditions without unlawful interference from employers WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Workplace Action for a Growing Economy (WAGE) Act, legislation to strengthen protections for workers who want to raise wages and improve workplace conditions. The WAGE Act would amend the National Labor Relations Act to help ensure wor… Continue Reading
Members of Congress Introduce Bill to Restore Pell Eligibility for Students
09.16.15 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 16, 2015 Contacts: Scott: Kiara Pesante, 202-226-0853 Boxer: Peter True, 202-224-8120 Durbin: Christina Mulka, 202-228-5643 Warren: Lacey J. Rose, 202-224-4543 Waters: Twaun Samuel, 202-225-2201 Hahn: Michael Levin, 202-225-8220 Hirono: Marvin Buenconsejo, 202-224-9813 Murphy: Laura Maloney, 202-228-1056 Members of Congress Introduce Bill to Restore Pell Eligibility for Students WASHINGTON - Today, Members of… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on August Jobs Report
09.04.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement today after the release of the monthly jobs report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS announced that during the month of August, 173,000 jobs were added to the economy, while the unemployment rate dropped from 5.3 percent to 5.1 percent: "The jobs report released today shows that our economy continues to recover from the worst financial crisis in a generation - the economy added 173,000 jobs… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on John Kline’s Retirement
09.03.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott made the following statement after Chairman John Kline (R-MN) announced he will retire at the end of the 114th Congress: "It has been my pleasure working with Chairman Kline over the years, and his leadership has helped the committee forge bipartisan agreements on a number of critical issues. While he is still here, our committee has a lot of challenging work to get done. I look forward to working with the Chairman on ESEA, reauthorizati… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Celebrates the 125th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act of 1890
08.31.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement commemorating the anniversary of the Second Morrill Act which created what are now known as Historically Black Land-Grant Colleges and Universities (1890 land-grant institutions): "On August 30, 1890, passage of the Second Morrill Act led to the creation of Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions of Higher Education. The 1890 land-grant institutions are a network of historically black colleges and universi… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on NLRB Decision in Browning-Ferris Industries
08.27.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) praised today's 3-2 decision by the National Labor Relations Board in Browning-Ferris Industries, which returned to the traditional test for determining whether two or more entities are joint employers under the National Labor Relations Act. "Today's NLRB decision will help ensure that the National Labor Relations Act continues to protect the rights of employees to bargain with their employers - whether those employers individually… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on D.C. Circuit Court Home Health Workers Decision
08.21.15 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) praised the unanimous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in Home Care Association of America v. Weil, in support of the U.S. Department of Labor's rule to cover home healthcare workers under minimum wage and overtime protections. This decision will extend these protections to nearly two million workers. "Today's decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals will benefit home healthcare workers and attract… Continue Reading
Murray, DeLauro, Scott Urge President Obama to Expand Access to Paid Sick Days through Executive Order
08.10.15 Executive Order could guarantee access to paid sick days to 28 million federal contractors WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who has introduced the Healthy Families Act in every Congress since 2004 and whose home state of Connecticut was the first in the nation to ensure service workers had access to paid sick days, and Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), … Continue Reading
Murray, Scott Applaud New Worker Protections Limiting Harmful Beryllium Exposure
08.06.15 WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), the ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, praised a new standard to reduce workplace exposure to beryllium, a mineral that has been linked to lung disease and, in some cases, been fatal. In addition to limiting beryllium exposure, the proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupati… Continue Reading
House, Senate Education Leaders Discuss Efforts to Replace No Child Left Behind
07.30.15 Agree to recommend House Chairman John Kline to chair the conference committee to reconcile House- and Senate-passed bills WASHINGTON - House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), House Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Senate Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today met to discuss proceeding with a conference committee to resolve differences in the House- and Se… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, Urges Medicaid Expansion
07.30.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the 50th Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid: "On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law and made access to affordable, quality health care a fundamental American value. Medicare and Medicaid have helped millions of Americans - particularly seniors, people with disabilities, and low income families - live with economic security and dignity. The Affordable… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015
07.29.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement today after Representative Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, introduced the Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015. The bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to accurately classify their workers and provide employees with notice of that classification: "Workers who are misclassified as independent contractors are denied the wages they… Continue Reading
Democrats Emphasize the Need for Robust Funding of Health and Human Services Programs
07.28.15 WASHINGTON - Today the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing entitled, "Reviewing the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services." Committee Democrats focused on efforts to expand health care coverage, improve education, and enhance economic security for American families. "Budgeting requires tough choices and a responsible budget should be a reflection of priorities," said Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA). "I am pleased that the Pres… Continue Reading
Bipartisan Ideas to Strengthen Higher Education
07.24.15 As summer comes to a close and college-goers begin preparing for the fall semester, students and families face tough challenges fulfilling the dream of a higher education that will prepare them to succeed in the workforce: College costs continue to rise. Over the past decade, the average costs at four-year public and private nonprofit institutions increased by 42 percent and 24 percent, respectively. National student loan debt has eclipsed the $1 trillion mark. The average borrower ac… Continue Reading