Press Releases 2018
March 5, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement after the Department of Education announced their final list of priorities last Friday March 2, 2018. “As with many recent actions by the Department, I am deeply disappointed with Friday’s announcement. I am disappointed by the Secretary’s failure to heed the advice of many commenters, including Members of Congress, who urged her to abandon school privatization proposals and focus on making sure every public school succeeds. I am disappointed that the words espoused in the final priorities –‘ to support the needs of students with disabilities and improve school climate’ – do not align with recent actions taken by the Department to remove protections for students of color with disabilities and undermine the efficacy of the Office of Civil Rights.
February 27, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 1865, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017: “While I support the underlying goal of prosecuting those who facilitate sex trafficking online to the fullest extent of the law, I am opposed to how this bill accomplishes that goal. There are laws already on the books that have been successfully used by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to send executives of websites that promote prostitution to federal prison. Further, the bill will apply not only to online advertisers of sex trafficking, which Congress already criminalized in 2015 when we passed the SAVE Act (see 18 U.S.C. 1591), and punishes conduct that is much less serious than what is ordinarily viewed as 'sex trafficking.'
February 27, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for a two year delay of the Equity in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) rule, which addresses disproportionate identification, placement, and disciplinary treatment of students of color in special education. When Congress last reauthorized the IDEA in 2004, it sought to correct disparate treatment of students of color with disabilities by requiring states, for the first time, to identify school districts with, and direct federal resources to address, gross inequities.
February 23, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after being appointed by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans (Joint Select Committee). Ranking Member Scott is one of only 16 Members of Congress to be appointed to it. Established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, the Joint Select Committee is responsible for putting forward solutions to Congress before the year’s end to significantly improve the solvency of multiemployer pension plans and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
February 22, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) announced the beginning of the 25th Annual Third Congressional District High School Art Competition. The competition is open to all high school students (grades 9-12) residing in the Third Congressional District of Virginia. Entries are due by 5:00 PM, April 27, 2018. An Artistic Discovery is a nationwide program coordinated by Members of the United States House of Representatives to recognize the artistic talents of our youth. The nationwide competition involves more than 50,000 talented high school students. In the past, over 200 Members of Congress have participated in the program.
Issues:Education
February 15, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, released the following statement on the shooting yesterday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida: “Once again our hearts go out to families and a community devastated by the epidemic of gun violence. While sending thoughts and prayers is important, they are useless without meaningful action. Yesterday was the 18th school shooting and 29th mass shooting in 2018 alone. When is enough finally enough? We cannot accept these atrocities as inevitable. While the parents and loved ones of the victims try to bear the unbearable, Congress cannot sit idly by. We have the power to take action and I urge my colleagues to bring commonsense legislation to the floor.”
Issues:Gun Safety
February 15, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017. The legislation attacks the civil rights of Americans with disabilities. “Passage of H.R. 620 is the latest attack on the rights of individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a bipartisan civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and ensures access to places of employment and schools, as well as public buildings and services. H.R. 620 undermines the goals of the ADA to create a more inclusive society and provide equal participation for all members of the community."
February 12, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the White House released an outline of its Fiscal Year 2019 budget priorities. “The administration’s budget proposal does not prioritize America’s students and workers. President Trump’s budget hurts students by eliminating vital early childhood and K-12 education programs to divert $1 billion to private school vouchers; slashing federal grant aid to make college more expensive; and, continuing to woefully underfund special education. Additionally, a separate infrastructure proposal by this administration would siphon funds from the Pell grant program to fund short term workforce training initiatives which also lacks a dedicated federal funding stream."
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
February 9, 2018
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting for the bipartisan budget deal:
“This two-year budget deal ends the constant uncertainty and dysfunction that is created by short term continuing resolutions. The deal secures billions of dollars in additional investments in programs that are vital to communities all across the country. The agreement fully funds the military, community health centers, and extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program for the next ten years, and it includes robust funding to fight the opioid epidemic and provide relief to areas devastated by hurricanes and wildfires. It will fund additional research at the National Institutes of Health, help provide better care to our veterans, and enhance access to child care and quality higher education.
Issues:Federal Budget