Press Releases 2019
July 23, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Following the announcement of a proposed rule this morning from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would eliminate broad-based categorical eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the Chairmen of the House Committees on Education and Labor, Ways and Means, and Agriculture issued statements on the potential of the rule to keep millions of Americans from the temporary food assistance they need. “Despite clear evidence that nutrition is critical to a child’s health and development, the administration’s proposed rule would jeopardize access to free school meals for more than 500,000 low-income children.”
July 23, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, sent a letter to Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos expressing deep concern over the Department’s role in the abrupt closure of Dream Center Education Holdings—a recently defunct, for-profit higher education company.
The letter details newly obtained documents suggesting that the Department of Education enabled Dream Center to mislead students regarding the accreditation status of two Dream Center-owned schools. The documents also reveal that despite knowledge of Dream Center’s false claims of accreditation, the Department did not immediately require the for-profit company to take corrective action. Instead, the Department supported efforts to retroactively accredit the institutions in question by rewriting Department policy.
July 18, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the House voted to pass the Raise the Wage Act, which gradually raises the minimum wage to $15 by 2025. “Today, House Democrats took a major step toward raising wages for up to 33 million American workers. After more than 10 years with no increase in the federal minimum wage – the longest stretch in history – the minimum wage is now a poverty wage everywhere in America.
July 12, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2500, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, including two amendments offered by Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03). “This NDAA provides funding for a strong, smart national defense strategy, including an important bipartisan amendment to prohibit federal funds from being used for any military force against Iran without congressional authorization."
Issues:Defense & National Security
July 12, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta resigned. “Given the serious questions about his handling of the Epstein case and his failure to take responsibility for his conduct, Mr. Acosta was no longer entitled to public confidence. Accordingly, he made the appropriate decision to step down. However, Mr. Acosta’s resignation does not absolve the Justice Department of its obligation to release a full review of the Epstein case, which I requested along with other Members more than six months ago.
July 10, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, released the following statement after the Ways and Means Committee advanced H.R. 397, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act (Butch Lewis Act). “The multiemployer pension system faces an urgent crisis that is threatening the retirement security of over one million Americans. If Congress fails to act, retirees will see catastrophic reductions in their hard-earned pensions.
July 9, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on this afternoon’s oral arguments in the Texas v. United States case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. “Today, Republican attorneys general and the Trump administration are once again asking a court to strip access to affordable health care for millions of Americans.
July 8, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office released its report on the impact of gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 over five years.
“The Congressional Budget Office’s report comes to a clear conclusion: The benefits of the Raise the Wage Act for America’s workers far outweigh any potential costs. According to CBO’s estimates, the Raise the Wage Act would give up to 27 million workers a raise, lift 1.3 million Americans out of poverty, and boost economic growth by putting money in the pockets of workers who will spend that money in the economy.
Scott to Tour Community on the Frontlines of Flooding with the Chair of the Climate Crisis Committee
July 6, 2019
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – On Tuesday morning, Congressman Bobby Scott will host Congresswoman Kathy Castor, the Chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, for a tour of the City Line and Paula Maria Village apartments, a residential community along the Newport News and Hampton border that has dealt with repetitive flooding from Newmarket Creek.
July 5, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 224,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate was 3.7 percent. “Today’s report is further evidence that the overall strength of the American economy is not trickling down to millions of American workers. Even though working-class and middle-class workers are better educated and more productive than ever, their wages have not kept up with the rising costs of housing, child care, college, and other key pillars of long-term financial security.