Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement: “Today’s attempt at a violent coup at the United States Capitol marks one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. I am reminded of President George Washington’s warning of ‘cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men . . . enabled to subvert the power of the people and usurp for themselves the reins of government.’ Last November, the people of our country spoke loudly and clearly and elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to serve as our next President and Vice President, respectively.

WASHINGTON, DC – House and Senate Democratic health care leaders called on the Trump administration to rescind policies in a proposed rule that would allow states to end the use of Healthcare.gov and state exchanges to enroll consumers in coverage. House Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray, (D-WA), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent the letter as families continue to face significant health care and financial challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives voted to override President Trump’s veto of H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) voted to override President Trump’s veto. “For 60 years, the NDAA has been passed with bipartisan and bicameral support. President Trump’s veto of this legislation was harmful to our national security and showed a disregard for our military personnel and their families,” said Congressman Scott. “The FY 21 NDAA provides a well-deserved three percent pay increase for our servicemembers. It also includes several important provisions that will directly support shipbuilding and ship maintenance in Hampton Roads.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the passing of former Norfolk NAACP branch president and community activist George Banks: “George Banks was affectionately and rightly known as the ‘Mayor of Berkley’ – a part of Norfolk that he helped transform for the better of the city and its citizens who reside there. George devoted his life to service to his community and successfully fought to eliminate the inequity and inequality of our nation’s housing policies.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott issued the following statement on the passing of Hampton, Virginia Sheriff B.J. Roberts: “I was saddened to learn of the passing of Hampton Sheriff B.J. Roberts. Sheriff Roberts served our community for decades in law enforcement, first as a patrolman with the Newport News Police Department, then rising through the ranks of the Hampton University Campus Police to become the University’s Director of Police and Public Safety, and for the last 28 years as Hampton’s sheriff. His 1992 election as sheriff was trailblazing as he became the first African American constitutional officer elected in Hampton’s history.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Committee on Education and Labor, and Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Subcommittee on Appropriations, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) released the following statement after the House voted to repeal Section 426 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). The provision was first included in the Fiscal Year 2021 House Labor-HHS Bill and maintained in the final Omnibus Package. This action follows the elimination of two harmful and similar legacy riders in the Fiscal Year 2019 Labor-HHS Bill. “Segregated schools mean segregated opportunities. More than 66 years after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, we have yet to fulfill the promise of equity in education.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, led by Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Committee Democrats wrote in opposition to a Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal to roll back nutrition standards that have significantly improved the nutritional quality of school meals. The proposal resurrects and expands a 2018 rule that was ultimately vacated by a district court. The Members note that under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, it is the responsibility of the Department to ensure that the food children are served in school is nutritious and in close alignment with the evidence-based Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). However, the proposed rule fails to align with the DGAs by drastically altering nutrition standards.

WASHINGTON, DC – Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President-elect Biden nominated Dr. Miguel Cardona to lead the Department of Education. “I congratulate Dr. Miguel Cardona on his nomination to be the next Secretary of Education. Dr. Cardona has over two decades of experience serving in America’s public schools— first as an elementary school teacher and then as a school principal, assistant superintendent, and most recently as Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education.