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June 13, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), and House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), introduced legislation as part of their economic agenda, “A Better Deal.” As the income inequality gap reaches the highest levels since the Great Depression, many middle class families are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve basic economic security. To help address rising inequality and related challenges in obtaining a quality education, safe housing, sustainable work, and a secure retirement, the Democrats’ legislation would strengthen workers’ freedom to join unions and negotiate collectively to win better pay and conditions, stiffen penalties on corporations, protect workers’ right to strike, streamline procedures to secure worker freedoms, and protect the integrity of union elections.
June 8, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice told a federal court that it will not defend the key patient protections in Affordable Care Act. The brief, filed yesterday in Texas v United States, breaks with the Department’s longstanding tradition of defending laws enacted by Congress regardless of whether it supports the underlying policies. “The Justice Department’s refusal to defend the Affordable Care Act in federal court is a stunning attack on the rule of law, the stability of our health care system, and Americans’ access to affordable health care.
June 7, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting for H.R. 3249 the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018, which would establish a grant program that is supposed to curb gang activity: “Once again, we were asked to vote on a crime bill that was not subject to a hearing. We have no input from experts as to the value and effectiveness of this grant program. In the absence of expert advice in developing this bill, I supported it because it authorizes evidence-based and data-driven intervention and prevention initiatives. These programs are essential to reducing violent crime and include juvenile justice programs, drug and mental health treatment, and violence-reduction programs.
June 4, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court handed down a ruling in the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission: “The Supreme Court’s narrow ruling did not address the core question of whether or not the couple was discriminated against based on sexual orientation. By avoiding the heart of the matter, the Court is allowing a dangerous level of uncertainty to continue to persist. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed to protect people from illegal discrimination from businesses that open their doors to the public.
Issues:
June 4, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03), Committee on Education and the Workforce and Ranking Member Richard Neal (MA-01), Committee on Ways and Means issued the following statements after the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report titled, “Black Lung Benefits Program: Options for Improving Trust Fund Finances.” The Members requested the report to investigate the solvency of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund given the impending sunset of the coal tax rate at the end of this year, which would reduce the rate by 55 percent.
June 1, 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 223,000 jobs in May, with the unemployment rate at 3.8 percent. “The latest jobs report shows that while the employment numbers remain stable, workers are still not getting a fair return on their work. Despite a tightening job market, wage growth remains stubbornly sluggish. Today’s report shows that while unemployment dropped to 3.8 percent, wages grew by a disappointing annual rate of 2.7 percent in May. This imbalance strongly suggests there are structural problems in the economy that disadvantage American workers.
May 30, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act: “I am very pleased to see Republicans and Democrats come together to finally expand Medicaid. The Medicaid expansion means 400,000 Virginians will now no longer have to live without the security of health insurance. Additionally, the expansion simply makes good economic sense, as research has shown that Virginians with insurance have been paying more for coverage because of the lack of expansion. By expanding Medicaid, the budget will also bring over 3 billion federal dollars back to the Commonwealth. This expansion is years overdue, and I am thrilled that Virginia Republicans finally stopped playing politics with people’s health care.”
Issues:
May 28, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement in honor of Memorial Day: “On Memorial Day, we honor all of the courageous people who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, and we rededicate ourselves to promoting peace in an uncertain world so that their sacrifice will not have been made in vain. As we all gather to formally kick off summer, let us also take time to remember the fallen men and women who made the ‘last full measure of devotion’ in order to protect the freedoms we hold so dear.”
May 22, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) submitted the following statement into the Congressional Record regarding his position on H.R. 5682 the FIRST STEP Act: “Mr. Speaker, first I would like to acknowledge the gentleman from Georgia, Representative Doug Collins, and the gentlemen from New York, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, for their hard work and dedication in improving this bill over the last several weeks. Historically, the United States of America has been plagued with serious, fundamental problems within our criminal justice system. For far too long, policymakers have chosen to play politics and disapprove of common-sense policy that is specifically geared towards reducing crime by instead enacting so-called ‘tough on crime’ slogans and soundbites, such as ‘three strikes and you’re out,’ ‘mandatory minimum sentencing,’ and even rhymes such as, ‘you do the adult crime, you do the adult time.’
May 21, 2018
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court issued its 5-4 decision in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis. “The National Labor Relations Act guarantees workers the right to collectively stand together to improve their wages and working conditions. However, today the Supreme Court ignored the plain text of the law and held that employers may force workers into signing arbitration agreements that waive the right to pursue work-related claims together. By undermining the right of workers to collectively seek recourse for wage theft, discrimination, and other workplace violations, the Court’s conservative bloc has rolled back a key provision of the National Labor Relations Act.
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In The News
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.
Issues:
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.
Issues:
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.
Issues:
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.
Issues:
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.
Issues:
September 4, 2016
In The News
IN THE 1964 LANDMARK decision Wesberry v. Sanders, the U.S. Supreme Court stated that “[n]o right is more precious in a free country than that of having a voice in the election of those who make the laws under which, as good citizens, we must live. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.”
Sadly, many state and local governments responded to this assessment by continuing their sordid history of blocking access to the ballot box. To ensure that American citizens were not stripped of this precious constitutional right, Congress passed and President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Issues:
March 11, 2016
In The News
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – School nutrition was the topic of discussion at a Norfolk elementary school Friday morning.
Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) talked to students at Richard Bowling Elementary School on East Princess Anne Road.
Representative Scott is a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which is tasked with making sure all children have an equal shot at success.