Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on President Obama’s veto of the conference report to H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016: “While I support a strong national defense and our men and women in uniform, I believe the President was right in vetoing this year’s National Defense Authorization Act and I will vote to sustain his veto. “The bill in its current form shields the Department of Defense from sequestration by moving billions of Defense Department funding into the Overseas Contingency Operations Account, which is exempted from sequestration. Democrats and Republicans all agree that sequestration is bad policy and must be addressed, but using accounting gimmicks to protect only the Defense side of the budget ledger, while still allowing sequestration to arbitrarily cut education, transportation, health care and every other vital function of government is irresponsible and irrational.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that he will be stepping down from his post in December. “Just this morning, I joined Secretary Duncan at an area elementary school to announce a $237 million federal investment in high quality, early learning for three and four-year-olds in 18 states. This work is at the heart of why Arne has made an outstanding public servant and Education Secretary – his focus on evidence-based solutions to our country’s most pressing education challenges. As secretary, Arne has prioritized K-12 education, pushed for a renewed ESEA that is worthy of the President’s signature, found new ways to make college more affordable and campuses safer, advocated for more fair and balanced school discipline policies, and has focused on ways to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. I’ve been happy to count him as a partner in this work, as I introduced the Youth P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Act and the Youth Justice Act earlier this year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on passage of H.R. 719, the Continuing Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which will fund the federal government through December 11, 2015: “While today’s vote avoids another government shutdown, we will be at the brink of another shutdown in December if House Republicans continue to push a partisan agenda. The last time Republicans shutdown the government, it cost the U.S. economy $24 billion and had significant negative impacts on the Commonwealth. Tens of thousands of federal employees throughout Virginia and in my district were furloughed. Our nation’s credit rating was put at risk, and critical investments in education, transportation, defense and medical research were unnecessarily delayed.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after Speaker John Boehner announced that he is resigning from Congress at the end of October: “I commend Speaker Boehner for his leadership and service to our country. During his chairmanship of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Speaker Boehner proved that by coming together in a bipartisan way, we can find solutions to the nation’s most pressing issues. I’m hopeful that the Speaker’s announcement today and the resulting dynamics within the Majority do not impede the Committee’s ability to continue his legacy.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, along with U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott, Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, Gerry Connolly, Robert Hurt, Dave Brat, and Don Beyer released the following statement on the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that makes clear Fort Pickett, Virginia is the best location for a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC). “After years of study, the Department of State and the General Services Administration determined in 2011 that Fort Pickett was the best site for security training for American embassy personnel and began to plan the facility

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Workplace Action for a Growing Economy (WAGE) Act, legislation to strengthen protections for workers who want to raise wages and improve workplace conditions. The WAGE Act would amend the National Labor Relations Act to help ensure workers are able to have a voice in the workplace and would crack down on employers who break the law when workers exercise their basic right to collective action. In a press conference announcing the legislation, Scott and Murray were joined by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Ross Eisenbrey, Vice President of the Economic Policy Institute.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Members of Congress, led by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the Pell Grant Restoration Act of 2015. Scott and Boxer were joined by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Representatives Maxine Waters (CA-43) and Janice Hahn (CA-44). With Corinthian Colleges, Inc. filing for bankruptcy amid widespread charges of fraud, this Act is more crucial than ever for protecting and supporting our nation’s students. Currently, the Higher Education Act does not reset the clock on a student’s eligibility for Pell Grants, and students may not have enough Pell Grant eligibility left to complete a program at another school. The Pell Restoration Act will restore Pell Grant eligibility for students who attended an institution of higher education that closed due to certain violations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) made the following statement on President Obama’s plan for an earlier, easier process for students to assess their eligibility for federal financial aid. Ranking Member Scott joined President Obama and Secretary Duncan in Iowa for the announcement today: “The President’s announced changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will significantly improve access to an affordable college education for many students and families. Starting October 1, 2016, students will have the opportunity to fill out their FAFSA forms three months earlier and include income tax information from two years prior. Through these reforms, more students will be able to qualify for federal financial aid and receive an earlier, more accurate picture of what they can afford. This is a good step forward for students and their families as they plan their college careers.”