Committee on Education and Workforce

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced guidance to weaken protections for health care workers and emergency responders caring for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. “I recognize that individual facilities may face shortages of certain types of personal protective equipment, including N95 respirators, but there is no evidence that surgical masks are adequate to prevent exposure of frontline health care workers to the virus that causes COVID19.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor issued a final rule on Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs). “Registered Apprenticeship programs have a proven record of providing workers in-demand skills and a pathway to the middle class. According to the Department of Labor, there is now a 94 percent placement rate for workers who complete a Registered Apprenticeship, with an average starting salary of $70,000 a year.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Rep. Donna Shalala (FL-27) were joined by 19 House Democrats in introducing legislation to protect the safety of health care workers caring for patients with the coronavirus. The COVID-19 Worker Protection Act of 2020 (H.R. 6139) would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard to ensure health care facilities implement comprehensive infectious disease exposure control plans to keep front line health care workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chair Alma Adams (NC-12) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Azar raising strong opposition to plans by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to weaken protections for health care workers and emergency responders caring for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 273,000 jobs in February with the unemployment rate at 3.5 percent. “Today’s job report does little to ease serious concerns about the state of the American economy as we enter a period of significant uncertainty.

WASHINGTON, DC – Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chair Alma Adams (NC-12) called on Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Eugene Scalia to take immediate action to protect U.S. workers against COVID-19. In a letter to the Department, the Committee leaders asked Secretary Scalia to direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard in response to the emerging COVID-19 epidemic.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement to honor Public Schools Week. “Strong public schools are the foundation of success for young people across the country. But in many American communities, students, teachers, and parents continue to suffer the consequences of our failure to prioritize funding for public education. “On average, K-12 school facilities are nearly 45 years old and are being underfunded by $46 billion each year, with high-poverty and majority Black and Brown schools feeling the greatest strain.

WASHINGTON, DC – Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) sent four letters to the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (ED), Labor (DOL), and Justice (DOJ) expressing strong opposition to the administration’s sweeping set of proposed rules that would allow religious discrimination against employees and students in federally funded programs and violate the religious liberty rights of individuals accessing federally sponsored social service programs.