Committee on Education and Workforce
More on Committee on Education and Workforce
January 27, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Obama Administration announced that the President’s Fiscal Year 2017 Budget will invest $12 billion over ten years to reduce child hunger during the summer through a permanent Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) program to provide supplemental food benefits during the summer months for all families with children eligible for free and reduced price school meals. Full committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott and committee and House Democrats have sought to expand innovative feeding programs that help kids stay healthy year-round as well as increase access to school meals.
“The proposal to make permanent and expand the summer EBT program nationwide ensures that an effective option for reducing hunger is available to those in need throughout the country,” said Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03).
January 13, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, introduced H.R. 4376 the Pay Stub Transparency Act – legislation to protect American workers from the rampant problem of wage theft.
“Wage theft is all too common, especially among low-wage workers,” said Ranking Member Bobby Scott. “Given the prevalence of this problem, we must work to ensure that hardworking Americans have the tools necessary to fight back against the injustice of wage theft. This legislation would do just that.”
In 2012, victims of wage theft recovered $933 million in stolen wages through complaints filed with federal, state, or local agencies or through private litigation, according to the Economic Policy Institute. But this staggering figure represents only a fraction of the total amount of stolen wages every year, which is estimated to be as much as $50 billion nationally.
January 11, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3231, the Federal Intern Protection Act.
This bill would amend title 5 of the U.S. Code to extend protections against discrimination and harassment to unpaid interns who work at Federal agencies. The bill would define an intern as someone who performs uncompensated voluntary service in an agency to earn credit awarded by an educational institution or to learn a trade or occupation.
January 7, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Watson Coleman for her leadership on all of these issues, particularly education.
There is a growing bipartisan understanding that in order for our Nation's children, especially those in low-income communities, to fulfill their potential and succeed in college and career, that we must expand access to affordable, high-quality, early learning opportunities.
January 6, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the House is yet to take another vote in 60 seconds to demonstrate its relentless fixation on systematically destroying the Affordable Care Act. More specifically, we must vote on a budget reconciliation package that, if enacted, will take away healthcare access for millions of Americans.
This isn't a new exercise. In addition to the 61 unproductive votes, futile lawsuits have been brought in courts, and meritless attacks have been mounted with the goal of destroying the progress we have made. And we have made progress improving a system that didn't work for American families before the Affordable Care Act.
January 6, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to point out some serious concerns about the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan, which would direct the commission to examine the role that regulations have on wage stagnation and income inequality by examining the negative impact regulations have on wages.
December 18, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which fully funds the federal government through September 30, 2016, provides a two year implementation delay of the excise tax on high-cost employer sponsored health insurance plans, makes important investments in students and does not hinder the Department of Labor’s ability to enforce rules that protect workers. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 316-113 (Roll Call No.705).
“Despite recent gains in our economy, too many working families are still struggling to make ends meet. With today’s vote, the House has taken a significant step forward to help workers, students and families. The investments made in this bill are necessary to ensure our nation’s economic health and competitiveness.
December 9, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the 85-12 passage of S.1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act – a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace No Child Left Behind:
“I commend Senator Alexander, Senator Murray, Chairman Kline and our respective staff for their earnest and diligent work to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace No Child Left Behind. The Every Student Succeeds Act brings our education system into the 21st century and will make a positive difference in the lives of our nation’s students by giving every student an equal chance to succeed.
December 2, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the 359-64 passage of S.1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act – a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace No Child Left Behind:
“Today’s bipartisan vote to reauthorize the ESEA affirms the principles of Brown v. Board of Education, which held that ‘it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education,’ and ‘that such an opportunity is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.’
December 2, 2015
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, as I've stated before, this conference report is not the bill I would have written on my own. It is a product of compromise, but a product that did not require either side to compromise on our core beliefs. A core belief of mine--and a core belief of my caucus--is that Congress deems authority to the executive branch to interpret, implement, and enforce federal law. That is the foundational tenet of administrative law.