Press Releases
Scott Statement on the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
07.24.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement commemorating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush on July 26, 1990 - 25 years ago this Sunday. As a member of the Virginia Senate, Ranking Member Scott was involved in the passage of the Virginians with Disabilities Act of 1985. The Virginia law preceded the federal statute, and demonstrated how persons with disabilities could effectively… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the Introduction of the Equality Act
07.23.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement on the introduction of the Equality Act of 2015, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other key laws to ensure that LBGT Americans receive the same legal protections afforded to other Americans. The bill was announced at a press conference today by Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, and Rep. John Lew… Continue Reading
Subcommittee Hearing Examines Proposed Overtime Time Rule
07.23.15 Scott and Committee Democrats voice support for proposed overtime rule that would give workers fair day’s pay for fair day’s work WASHINGTON – Today, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing on “Examining the Costs and Consequences of the Administration’s Overtime Proposal.” The hearing addressed the U.S. Department of Labor’s responsible effort to update and strengthen the federal regulations determining which workers recei… Continue Reading
Fudge, Rokita Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Update Student Privacy Protections
07.22.15 Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) today introduced the Student Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 3157), bipartisan legislation to update student privacy protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. The bill will modernize privacy protections, improve communication between parents and school officials, and hold schools, states, and independent entities accountable for their … Continue Reading
Workers’ Rights Stripped at Indian-run Casinos and Other Tribal Enterprises by Anti-Labor Bill
07.22.15 WASHINGTON - Today the Committee on Education and the Workforce reported H.R. 511, the "Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015," legislation that would strip hundreds of thousands of workers employed at Indian-owned tribal enterprises-such as casinos-of their voice in the workplace and the protections under the National Labor Relations Act. Although tribal casinos employ upwards of 600,000 people, approximately 75 percent of the employees are non-Indians. This legislation would override Nat… Continue Reading
Leading Democratic Lawmakers Throw Support behind Rule to Protect Retirees and Investors
07.22.15 WASHINGTON - Today, a broad and diverse group of House Democrats expressed their strong support for a rule proposed by the Department of Labor (DOL) that seeks to ensure those providing investment advice are actually working in the best interest of retirement savers. In a letter led by Reps. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee and Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Education and Workforce Committee, the lawmakers praised the DOL's efforts, led by … Continue Reading
Over 100 Democrats in House, Senate Send Letter to President Obama in Support of New Overtime Rule
07.20.15 Change will help reduce income inequality, jump start local economies WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama announced last month that the Department of Labor (DOL) intends to raise the salary threshold below which workers must receive overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. Today, nearly 150 Democrats across both chambers of Congress-led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Bobby Scott (VA-03)-sent a letter to the President in strong support of the rule. Ra… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Senate Passage of ‘No Child Left Behind’ Update
07.16.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015, the Senate bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965: "While today's Senate passage of the Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177) moves us one step closer toward our collective goal of fixing No Child Left Behind, the bill remains unworthy of the President's signature. The Every Child Achieves Act fails to require stat… Continue Reading
Scott, Warren, Delauro, Murray, Murphy Introduce Schedules That Work Act to End Unstable Scheduling Practices
07.15.15 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2015 Contacts: Lacey Rose (Warren), 202-224-2292 Sara Lonardo (DeLauro), 202-225-3661 Helen Hare (Murray), 202-224-5398 Kiara Pesante (Scott), 202-226-0853 Laura Maloney (Murphy) 202-228-1056 Legislation Supported by Women, Labor and Civil Rights Groups Would Provide Greater Stability to Hourly and Low-Wage Workers Fact Sheet Washington, DC - Today, United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.),… Continue Reading
Scott to Join Members of Congress, Advocates to Announce Introduction of Schedules that Work Act
07.14.15 Legislation Would Provide Stability to Hourly Workers, Enact Scheduling Practices that Protect Workers' Rights WASHINGTON - Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 15th at 2 p.m., United States Representatives Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), and Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Al Franken (D-Minn.), and women's and labor groups will hold a press conference to mark th… Continue Reading
Scott Expresses Concern over Continued Threats to Preventive Health Benefits for Women
07.10.15 WASHINGTON -Today the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of the Treasury finalized regulations that allow closely held for-profit corporations with religious objections to opt out of providing coverage for some or all contraceptive services to their female employees. These regulations were issued following the 2014 Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., that the owners of closely-held, for-profit corporations cannot be force… Continue Reading
Scott, Baldwin Introduce Bill to Make Higher Education More Accessible and Affordable
07.08.15 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to announce America's College Promise Act of 2015 (ACP). The legislation would make two years of community college free and provide an affordable pathway to a four-year college degree for low-income students. Under the America's Colle… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Passage of Partisan Bill to Reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
07.08.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) issued the following statement on the 218-213 passage of H.R. 5, the bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): "Sixty one years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which established state-funded public education as 'a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.' Recognizing that funding education through local property taxes meant that p… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on June Jobs Report
07.02.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor announced that the economy added 223,000 jobs during the month of June, while the unemployment rate dropped to 5.3 percent: "Today's jobs report shows that our economy is still improving, growing and heading in the right direction. With the sixty-fourth consecutive month of private sector job growth, and the unemployment rate down to 5.3 percent, our nation continues to rec… Continue Reading
New overtime salary floor will mean more workers can earn overtime pay
06.30.15 Rule change will help reduce income inequality WASHINGTON - President Obama announced this morning that the Department of Labor (DOL) intends to raise the salary threshold below which workers must receive overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. The current salary threshold is $23,660, and today’s proposed rule would raise it to $50,440. Following this morning’s announcement, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott expressed his strong support for the increase. “Today’s announc… Continue Reading
Speier, Scott Welcome Release of GAO Report on Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports
06.29.15 WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) made the following statement on the release of the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) report Youth Athletes: Sports Programs' Guidance, Practices, and Policies to Help Prevent and Respond to Sexual Abuse. The House Education and the Workforce Committee is entrusted with oversight and legislative jurisdiction over student safety. "Youth … Continue Reading
Scott, Pallone, Levin: The ACA is Working
06.25.15 Today, the top Democrats from the House Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means committees issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a core tenet of the Affordable Care Act in King v. Burwell. Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) are the lead Democrats on the committees with jurisdiction over … Continue Reading
Scott Statement on the 43rd Anniversary of Title IX
06.23.15 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), issued the following statement on 43rd anniversary of the enactment of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972: "Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, landmark legislation that was enacted to remove barriers to educational opportunities on the basis of one's sex. "The law states: 'No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from particip… Continue Reading
Joint Statement by Co-Sponsors of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Responding to Rep. Walberg’s Pregnant Workers Bill
06.19.15 "No woman should have to choose between a healthy pregnancy and a paycheck… Under the guise of helping women, the Walberg bill simply creates more confusion for employees and exposes employers to additional litigation risk." WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53), and Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11), co-spon… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on 'Fast Track' Vote
06.18.15 WASHINGTON — House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) issued the following statement on stand-alone legislation to grant the President Trade Promotion Authority, commonly known as Fast Track: “As I did last week, I again opposed Trade Promotion Authority because it lacks sufficient safeguards to ensure that labor standards, environmental standards, and consumer protections are respected in partner countries and here at home. I remain conce… Continue Reading