Committee on Education and Workforce
More on Committee on Education and Workforce
July 25, 2017
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition of H.J. Res. 111, which will overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule, prohibiting forced arbitration for many consumer contracts, including student loan contracts.
Banks and large corporations often take advantage of ordinary Americans by burying forced arbitration clauses and boiler plate fine print in standard contracts.
When corporations force consumers to secretly arbitrate with handpicked firms, which rely on those same corporations for repeat business, the system is rigged.
Take, for example, Matthew, who enrolled in a for-profit aviation school that closed before Matthew could finish his degree. At the recommendation of the school, he had taken out $56,000 in private student loans.
July 20, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office released a new score of the Republicans’ bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA):
“Yet again, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has released another report on Republicans’ ongoing attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act – each report just as devastating than the last. Today, the CBO found that the Senate’s latest Trumpcare bill would leave 22 million fewer Americans without insurance. While there have been many versions of the legislation, here is the common theme – each insures fewer people, offers less coverage, and raises the cost of health insurance.
July 18, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced plans to vote on a repeal of the Affordable Care Act without a replacement:
“After multiple unsuccessful attempts at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Republicans are promising to dismantle the progress of the last seven years by repealing the ACA—with no alternative. When Republicans say ‘repeal and replace,’ the only thing you can be sure of is the repeal part. As I said earlier this year, if they had a viable replacement, the American people would have seen it sometime in the past seven years.
July 14, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Senate released their latest version of Trumpcare.
“Over the past few weeks, Senate Republicans have continued to scramble to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with Trumpcare. During this time, they have done nothing to fix the underlying damage that Trumpcare will cause – the erosion of protections for Americans with pre-existing medical conditions and a crippling age tax on seniors. While a Congressional Budget Office assessment is necessary to determine the full impact of the legislation, the new version only tinkers around the edges and does nothing to actually improve health coverage and affordability for American families.
July 14, 2017
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
The amendment shifts workers who repair super yachts and large, luxury watercraft out of coverage under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and into coverage under State workers' compensation programs.
But it doesn't just amend the longshoremen act. Rather, it creates a problem with the Coast Guard law. The Coast Guard opposed an identical amendment last year because it creates widespread damage to Coast Guard regulatory and enforcement authorities, implicates U.S. treaty obligations, and could affect the collection of tonnage taxes on foreign flagged vessels.
July 13, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the support of leaders from the civil rights, social justice and faith communities, Congressman Joe Kennedy III (MA-04) and Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, today reintroduced legislation to amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The Do No Harm Act would clarify that no one can seek religious exemption from laws guaranteeing fundamental civil and legal rights. It comes in response to continued efforts across the country to cite religious belief as grounds to undermine Civil Rights Act protections, limit access to healthcare, and refuse service to minority populations.
July 7, 2017
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added a total of 222,000 jobs in June, with the unemployment rate at 4.3 percent.
“Today’s jobs report is encouraging and shows that the economic gains that were made in the aftermath of the Great Recession remain strong. While President Trump complained about similar economic data during last year’s campaign, I am pleased that he has now accepted that the efforts of his predecessor were successful.
“With that said, I am concerned that Congressional Republicans continue to push an agenda that will undermine the gains made since the 2008 recession. Just last week, for example, the Majority advanced three anti-union bills that would sabotage workers’ ability to organize and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions.
On Monday, July 10, 2017, Congressman Bobby Scott held a health care town hall at King's Fork Middle School in Suffolk, Virginia.
June 27, 2017
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) for proposing this amendment.
The Rebuild America's Schools Act would help ensure that each of our Nation's 50 million public school students, taught by 3 million teachers, will have access to safe, healthy, and high-quality learning facilities and internet access sufficient for digital learning in the classroom.
This bold proposal would create nearly 2 million jobs, improve student learning, and revitalize under-resourced communities.
The Rebuild America's Schools Act is a win for students, families, workers, and the economy; and any responsible infrastructure proposal put forth by Congress should include a bold investment in our Nation's public schools.
June 26, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office released an initial analysis of the Senate’s version of Trumpcare.
“Analysis from the Congressional Budget Office again confirms that the Republicans’ efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will be devastating for millions of Americans. The Senate Republicans’ changes to Trumpcare makes a markedly bad bill no better. Instead of 23 million Americans losing their insurance, as projected in the House-passed bill, 22 million Americans will lose their insurance under the Senate version.