Judiciary
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January 26, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, 15 Democratic veterans are calling for a stand down of ICE and CBP interior operations following the second killing by federal agents of an American citizen in Minnesota.
Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Rep. Herb Conaway (D-NJ), Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), Rep. Chris DeLuzio (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Rep. Derek Tran (D-CA) and Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) issued the following statement: “As veterans, we are outraged and horrified by the killing of a second civilian in Minneapolis by federal agents in less than three weeks. Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old American citizen Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at a VA hospital. Video footage and eyewitness accounts of this incident are deeply disturbing and raise serious questions about the use of force.
January 24, 2026
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on news reports that Federal agents have shot and killed an individual in Minneapolis, MN today:
“I am saddened and deeply concerned by reports that a person was shot and killed today in Minneapolis during an encounter with federal law enforcement agents, including ICE, amid the ongoing immigration enforcement operations in the city. I am closely monitoring the situation as details continue to emerge. It is critical that there be a thorough, transparent and independent investigation to establish the facts and ensure accountability.
January 22, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.Con.Res. 68, a War Powers Resolution directing the removal of United States Armed Forces from Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress.
“It is incumbent on Congress to reassert its Article I constitutional war powers as the President has unilaterally attacked Venezuela, captured its president, and used deeply concerning rhetoric toward our NATO allies, including over who should control Greenland.
January 22, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his opposition to H.R. 7147, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026:
“Americans have witnessed deeply troubling abuses of authority by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE agents have arrested and detained American citizens and legal permanent residents, pulling people from their cars, homes and workplaces without warrants or probable cause.
“The appropriate congressional response should be to hold oversight hearings to force administration officials to explain their actions in public until they are held accountable for their behavior. Regrettably, neither the Committees on Homeland Security, Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, nor the Judiciary has held a single hearing on these abuses or the killing of Renee Good, an American citizen, by an ICE agent.
July 19, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a member of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus, issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act: “The U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upended 50 years of legal precedent and rolled back the rights of women all over the country. Justice Thomas released a disturbing concurring opinion where he made it clear that the right to marriage equality should also be reversed by the Court. That is why I co-sponsored and voted for the Respect for Marriage Act which would guarantee protections for same-sex marriage which were granted by the Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.
Issues:Civil RightsJudiciary
July 15, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8296, the Women's Health Protection Act, and H.R. 8297, the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act: “With its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court erased nearly 50 years of legal precedent and fulfilled the Republican Party’s longtime goal of destroying reproductive health freedoms, and now they are engaged in a nationwide campaign to criminalize women’s reproductive health decisions. I voted to defend freedom and women’s right to make decisions about their health care.
June 24, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: “I believe Roe v. Wade was correctly decided nearly 50 years ago. A woman has the right to make her own health care decisions. Today’s Supreme Court decision is fundamentally wrong and a significant setback for individual freedom.”
June 24, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, entered the following statement into the Congressional record for the debate on S. 2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: “Madam Speaker, I rise today to share my concerns regarding the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. While I support the underlying bill and appreciate that several Republican Senators finally came to the table to work with Democrats to address our nation’s gun violence epidemic, I remain troubled by the legislation’s possible expansion of the federal death penalty and the creation of broad new criminal offenses that may disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities.
Issues:CrimeJudiciaryGun Safety
June 22, 2022
WASHINGTON – Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Steve Chabot (OH-01), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX- 18), and Tom Emmer (MN-06) introduced the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act. The legislation would reauthorize for five years the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), a critically important grant program which allows states and localities to develop programming that connects those with mental illness and substance abuse issues with evidence-based and comprehensive treatment within the criminal justice system. Among the reforms in the bill are the centering of suicide prevention as a key goal of the program, increasing access to case management services, bolstering the roles of co-responder and crisis intervention teams, training law enforcement, and continuing strong support of mental health courts.
Issues:Civil RightsCrimeJudiciary
May 25, 2022
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Today, President Biden signed an historic executive order (EO) to advance effective, accountable policing and criminal justice practices that will improve public trust and strengthen public safety as the nation marks the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. “Americans from all walks of life took to the streets after the senseless murder of George Floyd to protest police brutality and demand accountability, transparency, and reform to our justice system,” said Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03). “That is why I was very grateful to see President Biden mark this solemn anniversary of Mr. Floyd’s murder with action. The President’s executive order seeks to improve public trust between communities and law enforcement with enhanced transparency and accountability measures. An important part of achieving this goal is comprehensive data collection of use of force and deaths in custody.
Issues:Civil RightsCrimeJudiciary