Committee on Education and Workforce
More on Committee on Education and Workforce
July 24, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, all 17 Committee on Education and the Workforce Democrats are unveiling the Aim Higher Act, a comprehensive reauthorization of the Higher Education Act that reflects Democrats’ vision for an accessible, affordable higher education system. The bill provides every student an opportunity to earn a debt-free degree that leads to a rewarding career.
“The Aim Higher Act is a serious and comprehensive proposal to give every student the opportunity to earn a debt-free degree or credential,” said Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Committee on Education and the Workforce. “It provides immediate and long-term relief to students and parents struggling with the cost of college, it puts a greater focus on helping students graduate on time with a quality degree that leads to a rewarding career, and it cracks down on predatory for-profit colleges that peddle expensive, low-quality degrees at the expense of students and taxpayers.
July 24, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which will reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical Education program. “At a time when skilled workers are in such high demand, investments in quality education and training programs will provide more hard-working Americans the opportunity for good-paying jobs and financial security. We applaud the Senate for advancing the bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which will fund important and effective job-training, apprenticeship, and technical education programs that will support workers and boost our economy.
July 6, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 213,000 jobs in June, with the unemployment rate at 4 percent. “Today’s jobs report once again shows that – despite consistently low unemployment – wages for American workers are still stagnant. In a fair and functioning economy, the tightening job market would trigger an increase in worker pay as employers compete for talented employees. However, the disappointing annual wage growth of 2.7 percent reflects the reality that there are structural problems in the economy suppressing wages and undermining workers’ access to financial stability.
July 3, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), ranking member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it will rescind Obama-era guidance that provides recommendations to boost diversity on campuses. “The Trump administration’s decision to rescind Obama-era guidance promoting campus diversity contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas that schools have a compelling interest in pursuing a diverse student body. In addition, it disregards extensive research demonstrating the benefits of campus diversity for all students. Today, the Trump administration is once again eroding important civil rights protections without providing a legitimate rationale or legal justification.
June 30, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in response to the Education Department’s delay of a rule that would ensure consumer protections for students enrolled in online college programs, many of which are at for-profit colleges, no matter where the school is physically located. “The Program Integrity and Improvement rule was a response to widespread confusion about state oversight of online programs. The rule made it clear that regardless of where an online education program is physically located, it must earn approval from any state where its students reside. The rule provided clarity for online programs and it reaffirmed that states have the right and the responsibility to maintain strong oversight over academic institutions.
June 29, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education announced a two-year delay of the Equity in IDEA rule. “The Education Department’s decision to delay the Equity in IDEA rule, which addresses disproportionate identification, placement, and disciplinary treatment of students of color with disabilities, is another example of this administration’s continued failure to protect students’ civil rights.
June 27, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Janus v. AFSCME, which found that public-sector unions cannot collect “fair share fees” for the services they are legally required to provide workers. “Today, the Supreme Court’s conservatives once again used dubious legal reasoning to achieve a partisan objective. The Court’s ruling in Janus ignores four decades of precedent and now rigs the rules against teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public-sector workers who are fighting for fair wages and decent working conditions. Using the First Amendment as a weapon, the Court has effectively required unions to provide an array of services to non-union members, while simultaneously prohibiting unions from charging a fee for those services.
June 21, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s proposal to merge the departments of Labor and Education. “The Trump administration’s plan to reorganize the federal government is a hastily concocted proposal that uses the false promise of ‘streamlining’ to cut investments in our future. There is no evidence that merging the Departments of Labor and Education would strengthen the performance of these agencies or produce better outcomes for students and workers.
June 19, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor finalized a rule to rollback health coverage protections by expanding association health plans. "The administration’s rule expanding the use of association health plans is yet another attack on Americans’ access to affordable health care. By allowing the sale of junk plans, the rule will remove younger, healthier individuals from insurance pools, which will drive up the cost of coverage for all other Americans.
June 13, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), and House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), introduced legislation as part of their economic agenda, “A Better Deal.” As the income inequality gap reaches the highest levels since the Great Depression, many middle class families are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve basic economic security. To help address rising inequality and related challenges in obtaining a quality education, safe housing, sustainable work, and a secure retirement, the Democrats’ legislation would strengthen workers’ freedom to join unions and negotiate collectively to win better pay and conditions, stiffen penalties on corporations, protect workers’ right to strike, streamline procedures to secure worker freedoms, and protect the integrity of union elections.