Committee on Education and Workforce

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Scott applauded the Biden-Harris administration after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed rule to update regulations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that ensure access to health and human services programs.

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 187,000 jobs in August as the unemployment rate rose from 3.5 percent to 3.8 percent.  Notably, this rise in the unemployment rate was driven by an increase in labor force participation rather than a decline in employment.

WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Labor released a proposed rule that would raise the salary threshold for salaried workers to automatically qualify for overtime compensation.  According to the Department of Labor, the proposed rule would guarantee overtime pay for most salaried workers earning less than about $55,000 per year, extending overtime protections for 3.6 million Americans.

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 187,000 jobs in July, as the unemployment rate ticked down from 3.6 percent to 3.5 percent. This is higher than the 182,000 jobs created each month, on average, under the Trump administration prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since taking office, President Biden has created 13.4 million jobs, which is more jobs created in 30 months than any previous President has created in a single, 48-month term.

WASHINGTON – Today, House Democratic Health Committee leaders introduced new legislation to further lower prescription drug prices for American families and rein in pharmaceutical price gouging. The bill was introduced by Education and the 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).

WASHINGTON – Today, as temperatures around the world hit record highs, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, along with Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), and Alma Adams (NC-12), introduced legislation to ensure the safety and health of workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. Senators Sherrod Brown (OH) and Alex Padilla (CA) introduced identical companion legislation in the Senate. 

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Biden-Harris administration released a new rule to strengthen mental and physical health parity requirements.  “Access to high-quality mental health care and substance use disorder treatment are essential to our overall health and well-being. Mental illnesses are closely linked to physical health problems, such as diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, while, conversely, chronic physical illnesses can increase the risk of mental illnesses. 

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2023. The Raise the Wage Act would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2028 and give roughly 28 million Americans a long-overdue raise. “No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty. The Raise the Wage Act will increase the pay and standard of living for nearly 28 million workers across this country. Raising the minimum wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy. When we put money in the pockets of American workers, they will spend that money in their communities,” said Scott.