Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC Today's significant House Judiciary Committee vote on H.R. 3245, the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009, will address a twenty year injustice in federal sentencing law. The bill is sponsored by Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott and 32 other members. The bill equalizes the penalties for crack and powder cocaine at the current powder cocaine penalty level. Under current law, those convicted of possessing 5 grams of crack receive the same 5-year mandatory minimum sentence as those convicted of selling 500 grams of powder cocaine; this is referred to as the "100-1 disparity". H.R. 3245 eliminates the disparity.

WASHINGTON, DC Today, Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) received a commitment from Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Acting Chairman Ed Pastor (D-AZ-04) to help restore full funding to the Thomas Jefferson Labs 12 GeV continuous electron beam facility upgrade in Newport News, Virginia. As reported by the House Appropriations Committee, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010, would reduce funding to the Jefferson Lab project $10 million below the Obama Administrations request for Fiscal Year 2010.

WASHINGTON, DC Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 by a vote of 219 to 212 (Roll Call No. 477). Voting in favor of the legislation, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA-03) issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON, DC In reaction to the U.S. Supreme Courts decision this morning regarding Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON, DC House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) introduced President Obamas statutory "pay-as-you-go" legislation in the House today,H.R. 2920. He was joined at a press conference by OMB Director Peter Orszag, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (CA-07), House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (SC-05), Rep. Baron Hill (IN-09), Rep. Peter Welch (VT-AL), Rep. Allen Boyd (FL-02), andRep. Bobby Scott (VA-03) to discuss the importance of passing this legislation.

WASHINGTON, DC Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate amendment to H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act by a vote of 307 to 97 (Roll Call No. 335). The bill was passed first in the House on April, 2, 2009, was subsequently passed in the Senate, and will now go to President Obama to be signed into law.

WASHINGTON, DC This week, the Youth PROMISE Act (H.R. 1064/S. 435), introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Mike Castle (R-DE) and in the United States Senate by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), received its 150th House co-sponsor. In the month since advocates for the bill held a Youth PROMISE Act Advocacy Day on the hill, the bill has picked up 65 co-sponsors, including 11 additional Republican members.

WASHINGTON, DC On Thursday, May 29, 2009, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA-3) was awarded with the 2009 Public Service Award from Society for Prevention Research at their 18th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.