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October 6, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy lost 33,000 jobs in September, with the unemployment rate at 4.2 percent.
“The devastation from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria have put millions of Americans out of work. As a result, the job loss reported from the Bureau of Labor Statistics during September reflects the tremendous impact of these hurricanes on Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These numbers underscore the urgency to continue to help these communities recover and for Congress to pass a robust recovery package.
October 5, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Representative Mark Takano (CA-41), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, issued the following statement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Department of Justice is reversing a policy that protects transgender workers from discrimination. “Attorney General Sessions’ decision to dismiss the Obama administration’s memo to protect transgender Americans under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is yet another example of the Trump administration’s disturbing pattern of rolling back the civil rights of the most vulnerable Americans. In 1989, the Supreme Court found in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins that gender discrimination based on sex stereotyping is a violation of Title VII.
October 2, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, issued the following statement on last night’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada:
“This morning Americans awoke to news of the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and the survivors of this horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. The frequency of mass shootings are far too common in our country. No one deserves to bear witness to the type of carnage that occurred in Las Vegas last night.
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September 27, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a request from the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for $3M in reprogrammed funds that will go towards the Craney Island Eastward Expansion (CIEE) Project. This approval comes after a strong collaborative effort by Congressmen Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Scott Taylor (VA-02) who had been working with OMB to expedite approval of the request.
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September 20, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after reports stated that Republicans are hoping to rush to a vote on their Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare bill with only a scant budget assessment, before the CBO can outline the full consequences of the bill for working families.
“I’m disappointed that Congressional Republicans and the administration have abandoned bipartisan efforts to bring greater stability to the Marketplaces for 2018. Rather than working collaboratively with Democrats to improve coverage and lower costs for hardworking Americans, Republicans have instead chosen to resurrect their ‘repeal and replace’ plan and continue to inject uncertainty into our health care system.
September 16, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after health insurer Anthem announced they would continue offering insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act throughout Virginia:
"Anthem's decision to stay in the Virginia Marketplace is welcome news for hardworking Virginians across the Commonwealth. I am grateful to Governor McAuliffe for his hard work to ensure that Virginians have coverage options. However, the Trump Administration continues to put access to health insurance at risk for millions of people, including individuals and families across the Commonwealth.
September 16, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, September 19, 2017, Congressman Bobby Scott’s District Office staff will begin holding satellite office hours to assist constituents living Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Franklin, Portsmouth, and Isle of Wight/Smithfield at the following locations:
September 15, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) introduced legislation to invest in and support direct care workers and the people they serve. H.R. 3778, the Direct Creation, Advancement, and Retention of Employment (CARE) Opportunity Act will increase funding to entities that provide training and advancement opportunities for direct care workers.
“Direct care workers provide critical services to our nation’s seniors and individuals with disabilities,” said Ranking Member Scott. “As one of the fastest growing occupational sectors in our nation, we must make meaningful investments to ensure that this field is attractive and provides advancement opportunities for those dedicated to the profession. The Direct CARE Opportunity Act will support innovative strategies to recruit, retain, and support our nation’s direct care workers.”
September 11, 2017
Press Release
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.”
September 5, 2017
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, released the following statement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions confirmed that President Trump is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
“I am deeply disappointed President Trump is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In 2012, we asked undocumented immigrants who were brought here at a young age, through no fault of their own, to step out of the shadows and undergo robust background checks in exchange for work authorization and temporary relief from deportation. We promised them an opportunity to legally contribute to their communities.
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In The News
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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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.
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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.
February 9, 2016
In The News
After months of hype about the historic bipartisan consensus that we must make the American criminal justice system less harsh, President Obama finally signed a justice reform bill into law Monday. There’s only one problem: Instead of making the justice system more fair and less punitive, the new law will make it more vindictive and petty. Specifically, it will require people who have been convicted of sex crimes against minors to carry special passports in which their status as registered sex offenders will be marked with conspicuous identifying marks.
The point of International Megan’s Law,in the words of its House sponsor Chris Smith of New Jersey, is to prevent “sex tourism” by making it harder for people to “hop on planes and go to places for a week or two and abuse little children.” In addition to the passport stamp, this goal is supposed to be achieved through the formation of a new federal unit inside of Immigration and Customs Enforcement called the “Angel Watch Center,” which will inform foreign governments when American sex offenders have made plans to visit their countries.
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