Committee on Education and Workforce

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.

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA.-28), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections. Co-leads of the legislation include Representative Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined their colleagues in reintroducing the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child care they need

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 points out, ‘when the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.’