Defense & National Security
More on Defense & National Security
May 23, 2018
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
As the Representative of Hampton Roads, Virginia, I support the significant increase in Navy shipbuilding in the NDAA. But while we consider national defense, we must also consider school construction.
Yesterday, U.S. banks reported $56 billion in first quarter profits. At the same time, our teachers are being forced to go on strike for a living wage and adequate funding for our public schools. But when the majority pushed its tax bill through Congress, it was the banks, not teachers and not the schools, that received the biggest benefit.
H.R. 2475, the Rebuild America's Schools Act, would be a step forward in correcting our priorities by investing desperately needed funding into our public school infrastructure. This $100 billion proposal, which is barely 5 percent of what was spent on the tax cut for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, would go towards repairing crumbling public school buildings to ensure that every student has access to safe, healthy, and high-quality learning facilities.
April 16, 2018
Washington, D.C. - Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director, Dr. Jeff Pon, responded last week to a bipartisan letter sent by Representatives Scott Taylor (VA-02), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Walter Jones (NC-03), and G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) about the delay in establishing Virginia Beach-Norfolk (VA-NC CSA) as a new locality pay area. President Trump's Pay Agent, which consists of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of OPM, and the Secretary of Labor, is responsible for administering the locality pay program based on recommendations from the Federal Salary Council. Since 2015, the Council has been recommending to the Pay Agent that Virginia Beach-Norfolk be established as a separate locality pay area, which will assist with recruitment and retention efforts for the approximate 30,500 civilian federal employees who reside and work in this region.
April 14, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President Trump, in conjunction with France and the United Kingdom, launched airstrikes against the Syrian regime, following a brutal chemical weapons attack on civilians in Douma: “I am deeply disturbed by the Assad regime’s continued use of chemical weapons against innocent Syrian civilians. This and the many other crimes against humanity committed by the Assad regime, which are in violation of international law, must be addressed by the entire international community.
March 7, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Scott Taylor, joined by Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Walter Jones (NC-03), and G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), sent a bipartisan letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), urging them to establish the Virginia Beach-Norfolk (VA-NC CSA) locality pay area by January 2019. Since 2015, the Federal Salary Council has recommended to the President's Pay Agent that Virginia Beach-Norfolk be established as a separate locality pay area. However, despite receiving approval from the Pay Agent, OPM has yet to act on the recommendation, leaving this issue unresolved for the approximate 30,500 federal employees who live and work in this locality area.
February 9, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Today the entire Virginia delegation joined together to send a letter to President Trump, urging the administration not to consider relocating a nuclear powered aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia to NAVSTA Mayport, Florida. This is in response to a letter sent by the Florida delegation last week requesting the move. “As members of the Virginia Congressional delegation, we are writing to urge you to craft a Fiscal Year 2019 Presidential Budget based on a clearly articulated National Security Strategy, a National Defense Strategy, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars – not on narrow interests disconnected from these priorities. At a time when our military continues to rebuild and restore readiness, critical taxpayer dollars should only be used to make our Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps more lethal and more capable,” the delegation wrote.
Issues:Defense & National Security
December 20, 2017
WASHINGTON D.C. – Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Bradley Byrne (R-AL), and Joe Courtney (D-CT), were joined by 127 Representatives in sending a letter to Department of Defense Secretary James Mattis supporting a block buy of two Ford-class aircraft carriers in FY2019. “Dual procurement allows our Navy to have the capabilities it needs to protect and defend this nation’s national security. A dual buy would provide predictability and sustainability to the shipbuilding industry. A more reliable procurement process will bring great benefits to the Navy’s shipbuilding programs, and save taxpayers’ money,” Rep. Scott said.
November 14, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2810 – National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018:
“I am very pleased to see the passage of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for 2018. I want to especially thank Representatives Robert Wittman (R-VA) and Joe Courtney (D-CT), the leaders of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, for their tireless work to include provisions for shipbuilding and ship maintenance in the Hampton Roads area which I proudly represent.
Issues:Defense & National Security
October 19, 2017
Mike Gooding, WVEC
NORFOLK, VA. (WVEC)-- Members of the Hampton Roads Congressional delegation are offering mixed views on how budget matters may play out in Washington in the weeks ahead. The government is currently operating under what's called a "Continuing Resolution." It expires on December 8, a little over 7 weeks away.
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd District) was blunt.
"The problem is, we're not having a serious discussion," he said. "We start off with a trillion dollar tax cut and suggest it doesn't have to be paid for. Of course it has to be paid for. You either have to raise somebody else's taxes or reduce spending."
September 11, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in remembrance of the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks:
“September 11th has defined a generation of Americans and has proven that the American spirit will never be extinguished. On this solemn anniversary, we honor and remember the nearly 3,000 people of all backgrounds who lost their lives in these terrible attacks and the courage of the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 that prevented even more bloodshed. We will never forget the heroism of the first responders who ran into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon to try to save as many lives as possible. Today, we pay tribute to the Americans who did not cower in fear but instead stood united.”
August 22, 2017
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on President Trump’s address to the nation last night on his strategy in Afghanistan:
“For almost 16 years, the United States has been engaged in armed conflict in Afghanistan. No American wants Afghanistan to again be a safe haven for radicalism and terrorism. Unfortunately, the President made no mention of specific troop increases or a strategy for ultimate victory or withdrawal. The President also failed to articulate a clear vision on how he intends to get regional actors more involved. Without an outline for any specific strategy for victory or withdrawal, the President only appears to be committing our nation to an open-ended conflict for the foreseeable future.