Press Releases
Currently showing results related to K-12 Education
ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Warns Culture War Distractions Will Undermine Student Privacy
12.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Safeguarding Student Privacy and Parental Rights: A Review of FERPA and PPRA.” “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here. “First and foremost, I want to make abundantly clear that parental engagement is important to student success. “It has been proven that when fam… Continue Reading
Seventy-Five House Members Sound the Alarm on the Negative Impact of ICE Raids on K-12 Students
11.25.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, and 73 House Democrats urged the Department of Education to use all available resources to support schools, students, and states affected by the Trump Administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement actions. Immigration raids at or near schools have been restricted for more … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on ED Offloading Core Responsibilities
11.18.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after the Department of Education (ED) announced it signed six additional interagency agreements. “The Trump Administration cannot close a federal agency without an act of Congress. Nevertheless, the Trump Administration is intent on breaking the law and dismantling the Department of Education (ED). Today’s announcement is part and parcel of the Trump Administr… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on the 2025 Nation’s Report Card
09.09.25 WASHINGTON - House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the National Center for Education Statistics released the 2025 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results for 8th grade science and 12th grade math and reading. “The latest Nation’s Report Card offers a troubling confirmation of what educators, students, and families have long been signaling: our schools were struggling to improve student outco… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at 10th Hearing on Antisemitism
09.09.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Unmasking Union Antisemitism.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome back to all the witnesses, thanks for being here. “Let’s start by saying, no one should be threatened, harassed, or attacked because of who they are, who they worship, or what they stand for. I agree we should do more to combat antisemitism in America. I a… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at ECESE Subcommittee Hearing on Reading and Math in K-12 Schools
09.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Foundations First: Reclaiming Reading and Math through Proven Instruction.” “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today. “Welcome back. I expect that we have all spent the previous month visiting, learning, and connecting with our constituents. And although we may disagree… Continue Reading
Trump Administration to Release Remaining Withheld Education Funding Following Pressure from House Democrats
07.25.25 WASHINGTON - After illegally withholding $7 billion in education funding approved by Congress, officials within the Trump Administration have announced they will release the remaining funds. The restored funding comes after pressure initially led by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and House Democrats. This funding is typically released annually on July 1 and is at least 10 percent of federal K-12 funding in every state. The failure to release the full funding on time disrupted s… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on SCOTUS Greenlighting the Mass Firing of Education Department Employees
07.15.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after the Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s request to temporarily pause an order by a federal judge in Massachusetts that would require the Department of Education to reinstate nearly 1,400 employees. “Once again, this Supreme Court has, without explanation, undermined our Constitution and the separation of powers. As Justice Sotomayor rightly … Continue Reading
House Democrats Demand Trump Administration Release $7 Billion in Illegally Withheld Education Funding
07.11.25 WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) led 150 House Democrats in pressuring the Trump Administration to release almost $7 billion in illegally withheld, Congressionally-appropriated federal funding meant for education related programs such as after school programs, teacher training, and adult education. In a letter released today and co-led by Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce; Representative Suzanne B… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Administration Withholding Nearly $7 Billion in Funding to Schools
07.01.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Trump Administration notified schools it is effectively withholding nearly $7 billion in Congressionally appropriated federal funding. “With less than one day notice to grant recipients or to Congress, the Trump Administration inexplicably and unlawfully announced it is withholding billions of dollars in education funding from schools nationwide, i… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Mahmoud v. Taylor Decision
06.27.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, in which the Court ruled in favor of parents desiring to withdraw their children from public school lessons involving children’s books featuring LGBTQIA+ themes. “One of the many benefits of education is the exposure to new ideas and information that expands students’ worldview and encourages them to learn. Today’s Supreme Court decision sets a da… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Blasts Committee Republicans for Rubberstamping Trump’s Agenda
06.25.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.R. 3453, H.R. 2516, H.R. 4054, H.R. 2528, H.R. 2571, H.R. 2988, and H.R. 3170. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Mr. Chairman, today, we will consider seven bills, six of which I am concerned are at odds with the priorities of America’s students, workers, and families. When I am home in my district, I speak with constituents, and they tell me they want better p… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Screentime in Schools
06.10.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Screentime in Schools.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today. We appreciate your time and your expertise. We all want students to grow up and learn in a safe and healthy environment where they’re protected from harm and equipped with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Delivers Opening Statement at Full Committee Hearing with ED Secretary McMahon
06.04.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott delivered the following remarks at today’s full committee hearing entitled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning. “I want to thank Secretary McMahon for joining us today to discuss the Department’s priorities and the effect this budget will have on students, teachers, and families. “Secretary McMahon, as Secretary of Education, you took an oath to oversee the Dep… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Rips Apart Republicans’ “Big Bad Billionaires Bill”
05.22.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce, spoke in opposition to the “Big Bad Billionaires’ Bill,” which makes extreme cuts to federal education, health, and child nutrition programs, and raises the federal deficit, all to give more tax breaks and handouts to wealthy Americans and corporations. Watch Ranking Member Scott’s remarks on YouTube. “Mr. Speaker, it’s hard to take my colleagues on the other side of the aisle seriously wh… Continue Reading
Up to 18.3 Million Children Could Lose Access to Free School Meals Because of Republican Tax Cuts for the Wealthy
05.20.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Urban Institute released a new report shedding light on how the Republicans’budget reconciliation proposal could cause up to 18.3 million children to lose access to free school mealseither through individual certification or through their school or state’s participation in universal school meal programs. “Republicans’ proposal denies low-income students access to free school meals and the ability to reach their full potential. For some students, the food served at sch… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Charter Schools
05.14.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Early Childhood and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Reimagining Education: How Charter Schools Are Closing Gaps and Opening Doors.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here. “Charter schools, as a reminder, are public schools that receive taxpayer dollars. At their best, they offer the potential for innovation, flexibility, and responsiv… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands ED Answer Questions Regarding Status of Students’ Civil Rights Investigations
05.12.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) of the Committee of Education and Workforce demanded answers from Secretary McMahon of the Department of Education (ED or the Department) regarding recent reports that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)’s recent mass layoffs resulted in pending cases being abandoned without adequate caseworkers. As of January 2025, OCR reported a backlog of over 12,000 cases. Soon thereafter, the Department let go nearly half of OCR’s staff and closed… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on President Trump’s FY 2026 Proposed Budget
05.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after President Trump released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026. “In the first 100 days since Donald Trump has returned to the White House, he has made one thing abundantly clear: he has no plan to improve the lives of students, workers, and families. Instead, he has decimated federal agencies that provide key services, stripped away workers’ rights, … Continue Reading
Top Democrats Condemn Trump Executive Orders Repealing “Disparate Impact” Enforcement and School Discipline Protections
04.25.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), House Committee on the Judiciary released the following statements in response to President Trump’s executive order entitled, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy” and “Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies.” To see how this action is part of President Trump’s agenda to benefit billionaires and corporations at the expense of… Continue Reading