Committee on Education and Workforce

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 outcomes long before the COVID-19 pandemic and are still struggling to fully recover from the academic disruptions of the pandemic. These declines reinforce the urgent need for sustained federal investment in academic recovery and educational equity.

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 22,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.2 percent to 4.3 percent. “Today’s jobs report confirms what millions of working families already know: that today’s economy is not working for them. For the first time since the pandemic, there are more unemployed Americans than available job openings.

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 disabilities.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it would terminate collective bargaining agreements for most VA bargaining-unit employees. “When workers come together to bargain, they earn higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. Unions represent and benefit all workers regardless of whether they are in the bargaining unit or not, and unions protect all employees from retaliation and discrimination, and guard against favoritism by management.

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 portion of its [reduction in force].”

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce released the following statement after President Trump announced the firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics has always served as a nonpartisan, data-driven federal agency that provides key information vital to the United States economy.  President Trump’s firing of Commissioner Erika McEntarfer comes without evidence of any misconduct after BLS reported that the economy showed poor job growth for three consecutive months – a fact with which too many Americans are aware.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) introduced the Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act. The LOAN Act would lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The cost of attending college today is 40 times higher than tuition in 1963.  Student loans often follow borrowers long after college and can prevent them from planning for important life events, such as buying a house or starting a family. The burden falls particularly hard on women and people of color, who take on disproportionally larger amounts of debt and are less likely to be able to pay off the debt throughout the course of their careers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 73,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1 percent to 4.2 percent.  “Working people in this country are struggling to make ends meet.  Despite this, Congressional Republicans pushed through the 'Big, Ugly Law.' A cruel law that rips away food assistance and health care from millions of Americans to give massive tax breaks to the wealthy and big corporations.  What’s worse is that Congressional Republicans applauded cuts to SNAP and Medicaid while families are struggling to put food on the table and afford basic care.