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WASHINGTON, DC – Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) today requested the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to expand a previously requested investigation into the potentially illegal submission of fake comments to federal regulatory agencies. The four Democratic committee leaders made their request in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray. It follows a June request from Pallone that the DOJ and FBI investigate whether fake comments submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as part of the net neutrality public comment period violated federal law.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), ranking member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-05), vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), vice ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Alexander Acosta requesting the DOL hold public hearings on its proposed rule to allow employers to pocket tips of workers who are paid at least the minimum wage.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting for the three-week Continuing Resolution (CR) to end the Trump government shutdown: "While I have often said CRs are a bad way to govern, it became increasingly clear that President Trump and Congressional Republicans were willing to never reopen the government. That’s even worse than governing by CRs. Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. We now have three weeks to come together to pass a year-long budget to avoid another shutdown. It is incumbent on Republicans to work constructively with Democrats on a long-term agreement that actually funds the federal government and the military for the remainder of fiscal year 2018 and fully addresses sequestration, health care, disaster relief, the opioid epidemic, and guarantees protections for DREAMers.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting against the House Republicans’ latest short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government: “Today’s vote was the fourth Continuing Resolution (CR) in as many months. CRs are an abdication of Congress’ constitutional responsibility to ensure that our federal government efficiently and effectively serves the American people. CRs hamstring federal agencies and freeze their ability to award new grants and puts a hold on the Department of Defense’ ability to sign new contracts for shipbuilding, ship maintenance, and other critical national security priorities. Additionally, due to operating under continued uncertainty as a result of CRs, federal agencies waste billions of dollars planning on divergent budget scenarios, including preparing for a government shutdown."

WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement on its decision to create a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in the Office for Civil Rights: “Today, the Trump administration announced its decision to create a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in the Office for Civil Rights. This announcement must be examined as part of the administration's broader pattern of promoting discrimination. There is no indication that patients’ access to appropriate health care will not be jeopardized. The administration has already issued a rule to allow virtually any employer or institution of higher education to deny preventive health services for women, and continues to take steps to open the door for discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community, those in interracial relationships, and minority religious groups."

WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and 153 House Democrats sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the administration to invest in the critical infrastructure that affects every city and town in the nation – our public schools. Too many of the more than 50 million students and six million staff who learn and work in our public schools spend their days in facilities that fail to make the grade. “To address this crisis, the federal government should partner with states and territories to ensure that public schools in every community are safe, healthy, and modern – particularly in low-income and rural school districts where the need is often most profound."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Representatives Donald McEachin, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, and Bobby Scott sent a letter to the Trump Administration requesting that Virginia be exempted from its offshore drilling proposal, citing local concerns over the risks to tourism, the watermen’s industry, and the country’s Naval operations.

WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after a meeting with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to discuss priority issues for House Democrats. Today’s meeting was the first meeting between the Ranking Member and the Secretary. “My discussion with Secretary DeVos today reaffirmed for me that we share a common goal – to ensure all students are supported to achieve their full potential. Secretary DeVos and I will not always agree on the best ways to achieve that goal. But I am confident there are areas, like expanding access to quality career and technical education including apprenticeships, where we can work together."