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December 7, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 155,000 jobs in November. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7 percent.
“Today’s jobs report reveals the economic state of workers and middle-class families remains fragile despite a prolonged period of low unemployment. Wages have remained largely stagnant – particularly for low-wage earners – and too many workers are forced to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. What’s worse, the Majority’s major legislative accomplishment from the 115th Congress was a massive tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits corporations and the wealthy.
December 6, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) statement on today’s announcement that the Education Corporation of America (ECA) will close all of its more than 75 campuses, affecting roughly 20,000 students. ECA is accredited by ACICS and makes up about half of ACICS accredited schools. ECA’s abrupt closure calls into question the Department’s recent decision to reinstate ACICS as a recognized accreditor.
“We have repeatedly warned about the risks low-quality, for-profit education companies and irresponsible accreditors pose to students and taxpayers across the country. Today’s announcement is another painful reminder of those risks. Just as with ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges, Education Corporation of America’s (ECA) abrupt closing will leave thousands of students with non-transferrable credits, crippling debt, and few of the job opportunities they were promised.
November 28, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ways & Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that 2.4 million Americans have selected health insurance plans through state and federal marketplaces, a drop from this point in 2017: “While there are still two weeks remaining in open enrollment, these lagging numbers show that Republicans’ sabotage of our nation’s health care system is working. The Trump administration has starved the program intended to help families get covered by refusing to make congressionally-required investments in outreach and enrollment.
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November 16, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Democratic leaders on health care committees in the House and Senate today called on the Trump administration to cease their continued attacks on affordable, comprehensive health care for Americans, following a proposed change to the interpretation of Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act that would further open the door to junk insurance plans and undermine health care for people with pre-existing conditions. “We write to express our serious concerns that the Administration’s new guidance on Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act is inconsistent with congressional intent, will raise costs for consumers, and will undermine protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions,” the Members wrote.
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Scott: Title IX Proposal Would Be “Damaging Setback” for Efforts to Prevent Campus Sexual Misconduct
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to the Education Department’s proposed rule, released today, which revises standards for schools’ responsibility under the Title IX to respond to campus sexual assault and harassment. “The Title IX proposal released today would be a damaging setback for our efforts to prevent campus sexual harassment and assault. The bottom line is that by allowing schools to use this new process and evidentiary standard, this rule would make it harder for survivors of sexual misconduct to achieve justice. Institutions must secure due process for the accused, while achieving dignity and providing the support services survivors deserve.
November 14, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act to protect students from the dangers of seclusion and restraint at school. The legislation would make it illegal for any school receiving taxpayer dollars to seclude children.
November 13, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott sent the following letter to his Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives announcing his support for Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve as Speaker in the 116th Congress:Dear Democratic Colleague:
Later this month, our Caucus will nominate our candidate for Speaker for the 116thCongress. In these uncertain times, there is no one more qualified to lead our Caucus and the House of Representatives than Nancy Pelosi.
Leader Pelosi has a proven track record of accomplishment for our Caucus and the American people.
November 7, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) sent the following letter to his Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives: “Last night was a tremendous victory for House Democrats and the American people. As we prepare our new majority for the 116th Congress, I am writing to seek your support to serve as Chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. I am proud to have served as the Committee’s Ranking Member for the past four years, and I look forward to working with you to advance our goals as we enter the Majority.”
November 2, 2018
Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed an executive order to bolster Virginia’s resilience to sea level rise and natural hazards: “With neighborhoods and streets already underwater in the Hampton Roads area, Governor Northam knows that making Virginia more resilient to flooding is of the utmost importance. Creating a broad resiliency plan for the Commonwealth and a coordinated effort with localities is an important step to managing sea level rise and reducing future flooding risks.
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October 22, 2018
Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring outlined a new proposal to reform Virginia’s cash bail system: “I commend Attorney General Mark Herring for applying a common sense approach to bail reform. Many defendants cannot afford to post cash bail, creating a justice system where individuals are incarcerated simply because they are poor. Unfortunately, too many of these individuals end up losing their jobs, and eventually their homes, because they are locked up awaiting trial. Some defendants are eventually sentenced to no jail time at all or to a sentence that could have been served on weekends, allowing them to preserve their jobs and homes. The economic instability inflicted on these individuals with our current bail system too often leads to unnecessary recidivism.
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In The News
August 22, 2018
In The News
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WVEC) — Investing in summer jobs for young people was the topic of conversation at a roundtable Tuesday morning in Newport News. Congressman Bobby Scott hosted the discussion which focused on the city’s Summer Training and Enrichment Program, STEP. He said investing in young people makes a difference, and the federal government must do its part. Scott was in Newport News to discuss how the community can support young people through a summer jobs program like STEP.
July 24, 2018
In The News
“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 Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (Va.), the ranking Democrat on the House 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.”
February 13, 2018
In The News
PORTSMOUTH, VA - Rep. Bobby Scott had little good to say Monday night about the tax overhaul bill recently approved by Congress. Speaking to about 200 people in a forum in I.C. Norcom High School’s auditorium, the Newport News Democrat spelled out the details of the changes in tax rates and deductions, noting that most of tax reductions go to the wealthiest Americans.
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October 19, 2017
In The News
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."
August 18, 2017
In The News
NORFOLK, Va. — At a recent town hall here in Virginia’s second most populous city, Rep. Robert C. Scott patiently took questions from more than two dozen residents waiting in line. The queue stretched to the very back of a high school auditorium with some standing for the entire portion of the two-hour public meeting. Absent was the rancor that has dominated town halls across the country this year — mostly those held by congressional Republicans facing angry crowds, upset over changes the GOP wants to make to the 2010 health care law and expressing steadfast opposition to Donald Trump’s presidency.
August 6, 2017
In The News
WHEN TERRY McAULIFFE became the governor of Virginia, he inherited leadership of a state that had fallen behind in responding to the effects of global climate change and realizing the economy opportunities presented by the new energy economy.
From the beginning of his term, McAuliffe and his team committed themselves to making the commonwealth more resilient and promoting clean-energy technologies that cut carbon emissions and create new jobs.
In fact, McAuliffe and our congressional delegation secured a $120.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund innovative resilience projects in Norfolk. Earlier this year, U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and I introduced the Building Up Infrastructure and Limiting Disasters through Resilience (BUILD Resilience) Act, which is modeled after the National Disaster Resilience Competition that provided the HUD grant.
April 16, 2017
In The News
This weekend, our nation marks the 10th anniversary of the horrific mass shooting that occurred at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. That tragedy claimed the lives of 32 people and left 17 others wounded. The effects still resonate, in our commonwealth and the nation. As we take time to remember, mourn and celebrate the lives of the students and faculty members who died, members of Congress must come together to address the epidemic of gun violence so as to make sure tragedies such as the one at Virginia Tech and so many others never happen again.
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March 13, 2017
In The News
U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott met with Peninsula health care providers Monday and said they voiced concerns over losing Medicaid funding under a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Last week, the GOP-led Congress released a copy of a bill to replace the ACA called the American Health Care Act. Provisions in the bill call for eliminating the individual mandate and penalties for not having insurance, and using refundable tax credits to help participants pay for care. It also calls for changes to how Medicaid payments for care for low-income, elderly and uninsured people are paid.
Scott held two meetings in Hampton Roads Monday, one at Chesapeake Regional HealthCare in Chesapeake and one at Southeastern Virginia Health System's Physicians Community Health Center in Newport News. The meetings were closed to the media, but in a phone interview after the meetings, Scott said they were productive and gave him good insight to take back to Washington.
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January 7, 2017
In The News
FOR DECADES, the nation’s leaders were at a stalemate, unable to enact real reform, even though we knew that our health care system was not working for too many Americans.
Before reform, millions lost their health insurance every year. Often, individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, were unable to afford insurance, if they could obtain it at all.
The critically ill hit the lifetime limit of what their insurance policy would cover, forcing them to pay out of pocket for the rest of their care. Families were declaring bankruptcy because of unpaid medical bills. Young adults were getting kicked off their parents’ insurance when they graduated college.
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November 15, 2016
In The News
U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Newport News, has championed the ACA. In a statement, Scott said when Republicans talk about repealing the law, people have to remember how broken the American health care system was before the ACA, with millions of people losing health care coverage, those with pre-existing conditions unable to get coverage, and people going bankrupt trying to pay high medical bills.
"The Affordable Care Act solved many of these issues. Americans can no longer be denied access to health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Young adults can now stay on their parents' health insurance until their 26th birthday. The Medicare trust fund is solvent well into the next decade," Scott said.
Scott acknowledged that the ACA hasn't fixed all problems with the health care system, but urges Republicans to build on what's in place, not tear it down.
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