Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the circumstances surrounding the occupation of a federal building by a militia in eastern Oregon: “According to press accounts, the case of Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond and the lengthy federal prison sentence they received has, in part, motivated a group to aggressively confront the federal government. While I hope that their occupation ceases immediately and ends peacefully, their actions, ironically, highlight the injustice inflicted by mandatory minimum sentencing laws. In 2012, the Hammonds were convicted under federal arson laws, which carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence of incarceration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), a vice chair of the House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, released the following statement on President Obama’s executive actions on gun violence prevention. Congressman Scott and other members of the task force met with the President yesterday afternoon to discuss these proposals and attended the announcement at the White House today. “I commend the President for taking action to help reduce and prevent gun violence in light of the current congressional leadership’s refusal to responsibly address this epidemic. These executive actions will ensure stronger enforcement of current laws, will reduce the number of lives lost to gun violence and will make our communities safer.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) will join other members of the House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for a meeting with the President at the White House to discuss the Administration’s plans to reduce gun violence. Congressman Scott, a vice chair of the House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, issued the following statement ahead of Monday afternoon’s meeting with the President: “Washington has a moral obligation to do something to address our nation’s gun violence epidemic. With the current leadership in Congress paralyzed to even consider bipartisan, evidence-based legislation to curb gun violence and close loopholes in the law, I am interested in learning more about the President’s proposed executive actions to address this issue and offering my own suggestions.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which fully funds the federal government through September 30, 2016, provides a two year implementation delay of the excise tax on high-cost employer sponsored health insurance plans, makes important investments in students and does not hinder the Department of Labor’s ability to enforce rules that protect workers. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 316-113 (Roll Call No.705). “Despite recent gains in our economy, too many working families are still struggling to make ends meet. With today’s vote, the House has taken a significant step forward to help workers, students and families. The investments made in this bill are necessary to ensure our nation’s economic health and competitiveness.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his No vote on the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (Roll Call No. 703): “This tax extenders bill permanently extends enhancements to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), which will help millions of working families stay out of poverty, help them offset the cost of childcare, and help them send their children to college. While I strongly support these and some of the business provisions, I voted against the bill because it is not paid for at this time but ultimately its cost of approximately $622 billion over the next decade will, of course, have to be paid for.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today joined the House of Representatives in passing bipartisan legislation that honors the late Phyllis Galanti’s service to America’s military men and women and their families by naming the outdoor arboretum at Richmond’s McGuire VA Medical Center The Phyllis Galanti Memorial Arboretum. The legislation, sponsored by Sens. Mark R. Warner, Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and John McCain (R-AZ) in the Senate, along with Reps. Dave Brat (R-VA-7), Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) and Sam Johnson (R-TX-3) in the House, now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Representatives Mark Sanford (R-SC) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) joined together in sending a letter signed by 31 members of the House to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). It requested a halt to the permitting and review process for potential seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean. Specifically, the letter asks the BOEM to prepare a new environmental review of proposed testing that takes into account the full extent of the impacts – ranging from economic to ecological – caused by seismic airgun testing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the 85-12 passage of S.1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act – a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace No Child Left Behind: “I commend Senator Alexander, Senator Murray, Chairman Kline and our respective staff for their earnest and diligent work to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace No Child Left Behind. The Every Student Succeeds Act brings our education system into the 21st century and will make a positive difference in the lives of our nation’s students by giving every student an equal chance to succeed.