COVID-19
January 22, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Biden administration announced a plan to increase benefits under the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program by 15 percent. The program provides additional funding for struggling families with children who cannot access free or reduced-price school meals due to school closures.
January 21, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden announced the administration’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, which includes guidance directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to determine the necessity of an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) and, if needed, to issue such a standard by March 15. Over the last year, Chairman Scott and Committee Democrats have repeatedly requested OSHA establish an ETS to protect workers.
January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Tomorrow, House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11), and Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25) will introduce legislation to shield workers, retirees, employers, and taxpayers from the devastating consequences of the multiemployer pension crisis. The Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act of 2021 (EPPRA) would prevent the imminent collapse of failing multiemployer plans and fully protect the hard-earned retirement benefits of more than one million Americans.
January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Joe Biden asked for the resignation of National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Peter Robb. “It has taken just one day for President Joe Biden to deliver his first major victory for American workers. As General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Peter Robb has consistently neglected his statutory duty to uphold workers’ right to stand together and negotiate for better working conditions.
January 15, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the incoming Biden administration released its proposal for a COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan. “President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 rescue package is a clear sign that the incoming administration understands the urgent need to crush the virus, safely reopen schools, and provide immediate relief to workers and the American people. In response to the loss of lives and livelihoods to COVID-19, this proposal provides the resources our communities need to accelerate the distribution of vaccines and expand capacity for testing and tracing, which are the most urgent steps we must take to end the pandemic.
January 8, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy lost 140,000 jobs in December with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent. “Lost in the news of the violent mob incited by the president was the single deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic and 42 consecutive weeks of record-high unemployment claims. Due to the disastrous leadership of this administration, Americans are struggling to find work, to put food on their table, and to keep themselves and their families safe from the virus. Today’s jobs report is just another example of this administration’s failure, and we will not be able to begin healing until this president is removed.
January 5, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – House and Senate Democratic health care leaders called on the Trump administration to rescind policies in a proposed rule that would allow states to end the use of Healthcare.gov and state exchanges to enroll consumers in coverage. House Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray, (D-WA), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent the letter as families continue to face significant health care and financial challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 28, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives voted to override President Trump’s veto of H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) voted to override President Trump’s veto. “For 60 years, the NDAA has been passed with bipartisan and bicameral support. President Trump’s veto of this legislation was harmful to our national security and showed a disregard for our military personnel and their families,” said Congressman Scott. “The FY 21 NDAA provides a well-deserved three percent pay increase for our servicemembers. It also includes several important provisions that will directly support shipbuilding and ship maintenance in Hampton Roads.
December 22, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC – Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President-elect Biden nominated Dr. Miguel Cardona to lead the Department of Education. “I congratulate Dr. Miguel Cardona on his nomination to be the next Secretary of Education. Dr. Cardona has over two decades of experience serving in America’s public schools— first as an elementary school teacher and then as a school principal, assistant superintendent, and most recently as Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education.
December 22, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, led by Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Committee Democrats wrote in opposition to a Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal to roll back nutrition standards that have significantly improved the nutritional quality of school meals. The proposal resurrects and expands a 2018 rule that was ultimately vacated by a district court. The Members note that under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, it is the responsibility of the Department to ensure that the food children are served in school is nutritious and in close alignment with the evidence-based Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). However, the proposed rule fails to align with the DGAs by drastically altering nutrition standards.