Press Releases
Currently showing results related to The Affordable Care Act
Committee Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Reverse Firings
10.27.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce led Committee Democrats in urging Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director, Russell Vought, to reinstate thousands of unlawfully terminated employees at the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). These civil servants and the rest of the country, who depend on the critical programs at ED and HHS, discovered these firings would occur through a … Continue Reading
Democratic Committee Leaders Introduce Legislation to Protect Free Vaccines for Americans
09.18.25 WASHINGTON - Bicameral Democratic Health Committee leaders introduced legislation today that would protect free vaccine coverage for Americans. The Protecting Free Vaccines Act would require private health insurance companies, Medicaid, and Medicare to continue covering recommended vaccines free of cost-sharing for Americans. The legislation was introduced in the House by Education and Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pa… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Releases New Report on Trump Administration’s Attacks on Disability Community
08.27.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released a new report entitled “Living Independently, Participating Fully: Defending Against the Trump Administration's Attacks on People with Disabilities.” The report outlines how the Trump Administration’s proposed elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), deep Medicaid cuts, and rollback of equity protections threaten the independence and well-being of people wi… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands Response on Request for Oversight Hearing on HHS Layoffs and Proposed Reorganization
08.20.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, once again called on Chairman Tim Walberg, House Committee on Education and Workforce, to immediately hold an oversight hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS or the Department) layoffs and the Department’s proposed reorganization. This request follows a series of layoffs at HHS, including employees from vital programs that support older adults and people with disabilit… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands Answers from HHS Secretary After Firing 10,000 Public Servants
08.05.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Education and Workforce Committee, demanded answers from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the Department) fired thousands of full-time employees and threatened the future of vital programs that keep Americans safe and healthy. These mass layoffs follow a July 8 Supreme Court decision which the Department asserts allows it to “move forward with a p… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Committee Leaders to Insurers: Protect Vaccine Coverage
07.17.25 WASHINGTON — Today, top Democrats on House and Senate health committees wrote to America’s largest health insurers and associations, raising serious concerns following Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s unprecedented attacks on access to vaccines, including undermining the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The letters were signed by House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), House Energy and Commerce … Continue Reading
Scott Votes Against GOP’s Big, Ugly Bill. Again.
07.03.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after voting against the Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill. “Once again, Republicans rushed to jam their Big, Ugly Bill through Congress. Their bill will have serious consequences for America’s working families. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make colle… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Kennedy v. Braidwood Management
06.27.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, in which plaintiffs sought to weaken a provision in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires private health plans to cover preventive care services at no cost. “Access to preventive care saves lives. By detecting health problems early on, preventive care helps us address serious diseases—such as colon cancer and high cholesterol—bef… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Bipartisan Bill to Improve Health Care Access for Federal Workers Advances in the House
06.27.25 WASHINGTON - This week, the House Committee on Education and Workforce advanced (36-0) Rep. Courtney (D-CT), a senior member of the Committee, and Rep. Tim Walberg’s (R-MI), Committee Chairman, bill to improve health care access for injured federal workers. The bipartisan Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act (H.R. 3170) would amend the Federal Employees Compensation Act to allow injured workers to receive treatment for work-related injuries from state-licens… Continue Reading
Health Leaders Introduce Bill to Improve Disability Insurance for Workers Impacted by Mental Health or Substance Use Disorders
06.05.25 WASHINGTON - Today, Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) and Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) introduced the Workers’ Disability Benefits Parity Act, a bill establishing behavioral health parity for disability insurance. This legislation ensures that workers whose disability is caused by a mental health condition or substance use disorder are not subject to discriminatory barriers imposed by their insurer or employee be… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Decision to Abandon Mental Health Care for Americans
05.15.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced its plan to abandon mental health parity enforcement. “Nearly 30 years after the enactment of the bipartisan Mental Health Parity Act, insurance companies and health plans still fail to provide meaningful coverage of behavioral health care. Rigorous enforcement of this landmark law is more important now than ever befo… Continue Reading
Scott, Boyle Demand Answers about How Tax Cuts for the Rich will Limit Access to School Meals and Nutrition Programs
05.15.25 WASHINGTON- Committee Leaders are raising alarm over the Republicans’ drastic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid included in the budget reconciliation which will negatively impact children’s access to school meal programs and threaten food security for millions of families that rely on summer grocery benefits and other health and nutrition services. Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Memb… Continue Reading
Reps. Courtney, Walberg Lead Bicameral, Bipartisan Bill to Improve Health Care Access for Federal Workers
05.01.25 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), a senior Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, introduced the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. This bipartisan bill would amend the Federal Employees Compensation Act to allow injured workers to receive treatment for work-related injuries from state-licensed physician assistants (PAs) and nurse… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Blast Republicans for Changing Rules and Refusing to Hold Trump Accountable for Closing Office that Supports Seniors and Americans with Disabilities
04.30.25 WASHINGTON -In case you missed it, yesterday, Committee Democrats showed up for work prepared to debate a measure which would allow Congress to hold the Trump Administration accountable after it proposed eliminating the Administration for Community Living (ACL). ACL supports programs that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently and with dignity like Meals on Wheels. Congressional Republicans decided to bury their heads in the sand and further fuel President Trump’s unchecke… Continue Reading
NEW: Government Watchdog Reports College Students Still Struggle to Access Health Coverage
04.17.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) unveiled a new report examining how some students continue to struggle to receive adequate health care coverage, although there has been progress made because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2022, over 19 million students were enrolled in nearly 3,900 colleges around the United States. As the cost of living and the cost of college both continue to skyrocket, many college students cannot access quality health care. Although th… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands RFK Jr. to Reinstate Staff who Set Federal Poverty Guidelines
04.16.25 WASHINGTON - Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) expressed grave concern to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., following the Trump Administration’s decision to eliminate the entire staff of the team within the Office of the Assistance Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) who set federal poverty guidelines. Poverty guidelines help to establish eligibility criteria for a wide-ranging number of federal prog… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Employer-Sponsored Health Care
04.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “A Healthy Workforce: Expanding Access and Affordability in Employer-Sponsored Health Care.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for having this hearing. “As you know, as soon as we both knew we were going to have these assignments again, I reached out and we had a wonderful conversation. As two former small busi… Continue Reading
Reps. Courtney, Houchin Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Costs
03.11.25 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Erin Houchin (R-IN) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to shine a light on the opaque prescription drug pricing system to ensure patients get a fair deal. In 2023, the House passed their bill (320-71) as part of the Lower Cost, More Transparency Act. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the middlemen between pharmacies, drugmakers, and health insurers who negotiate the price Americans pay for prescription drugs. Currently, PBMs are not c… Continue Reading
House Democratic Health Leaders Ask Comptroller General to Monitor Implementation of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation
02.05.25 WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) wrote to the Comptroller General today requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) actively monitor the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to ensure the Trump Administration upholds its legal obligation to deliver lower prescription drug prices for Ame… Continue Reading
NEW REPORT: Pandemic-era COBRA Subsidies Provided Critical Health Coverage Amidst Historic Job Losses
01.13.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report detailing how the swift implementation of pandemic-era COBRA subsidies by the Biden-Harris Administration offered crucial relief to workers and their families. The report reveals that these subsidies slashed health insurance premiums by $1.2 billion, providing a lifeline to workers across more than 30,000 businesses in industries such as manufacturing, health care, construction, entertainment, and retail. Four … Continue Reading