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June 22, 2017
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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Hampton Jazz Festival on its 50th Anniversary.
The idea for a jazz festival emerged after a visit between friends--the President of Hampton Institute Jerome Holland and jazz entrepreneur and promoter George Wein, who was noted for his festivals in Newport, Rhode Island, New York, California, and New Orleans.
This first festival was in 1968 when Hampton Institute--present day Hampton University--celebrated its 100th birthday with a musical night filled with jazz. This celebration took place on Hampton's campus at Armstrong Field. Artists that performed at the original festival included Dizzy Gillespie, Ramsay Lewis, Herbie Mann Quintet, Nina Simone and her Trio, Muddy Waters and his Blues Band, and many more.
June 22, 2017
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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which will reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical Education program. H.R. 2353 builds on the House's bipartisan efforts in the last Congress, when this Chamber passed CTE reauthorization by a vote of 405-5.
The research is clear: The United States workforce is suffering a skills gap. According to Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the United States will require at least some postsecondary education or skills acquisition. Yet, if the current trend holds, by 2020, our Nation will have more than 5 million fewer skilled workers than necessary to fill the high-skilled jobs which will be available. In Virginia alone, that is 30,000 open jobs; 17,000 are in the area of cybersecurity, and those jobs have salaries starting at $88,000.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, June 15, 2017, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) received the 2017 Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award from the Congressional Hunger Center during their annual awards ceremony. The organization works to advance the issues of domestic and global hunger for U.S. policymakers.
“I am honored to receive the 2017 Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award from the Congressional Hunger Center,” said Rep. Scott. “Although we have made great strides toward addressing hunger both here at home and abroad, our work is not yet done. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, it is estimated that over 790 million people worldwide, are suffering from chronic hunger.
Issues:EducationHealth Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) received the National Visibility Award from the Secular Coalition of America in recognition of his leadership in protecting the First Amendment, religious liberty, and separation of church and state.
“I am honored to receive the National Visibility Award from the Secular Coalition of America,” said Rep. Scott. “As a defender of the Constitution’s First Amendment and an Episcopalian, I can attest to the power of working with people of many faiths and secularists who understand how reason, critical thinking, and empathy has helped our nation face its adversities and achieve great things.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the shooting at a congressional baseball practice earlier this morning. Congressman Scott was not at the practice. “I was shocked and saddened to learn of this morning’s shooting at a Congressional baseball practice. My thoughts and prayers are with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, my colleagues, their staff, their families, and the United States Capitol Police Officers who responded heroically to stop the shooter. I will continue to monitor developments of this horrific incident closely.”
Issues:Gun Safety
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his No vote on S. 1094, the V.A. Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act:
“I strongly support accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs and believe Congress must do more to ensure that our veterans receive the best care possible. “I strongly support accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs and believe Congress must do more to ensure that our veterans receive the best care possible. Unfortunately, similar to the many attempts before it, the V.A. Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act unfairly penalizes V.A. employees in a misguided attempt to reform the V.A.
Issues:Veterans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott issued the following statement to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Loving v. Virginia:
“In 1959, Mildred and Richard Loving were charged with violating Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage. This injustice launched a courageous legal challenge that culminated in the Supreme Court ruling on this day, 50 years ago, that the United States would no longer allow race-based restrictions on the right to marry. The Loving Court unanimously stated that marriage is one of the ‘basic civil rights of man,’ confirming that America is a place of equality and freedom.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his No vote on H.R. 10, the so-called Financial CHOICE Act of 2017, which dismantles key provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that were enacted to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis: “I voted against the Financial CHOICE Act because it single-handedly rolls back key consumer protections and financial regulations established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Without these protections, the risky and often predatory behavior of certain banks and other financial institutions a decade ago, that led to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, will again go largely unchecked by the federal government.
Issues:Economy and Jobs
June 8, 2017
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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the ``Wrong'' CHOICE Act. In addition to what else is wrong with the bill, there are two significant problems with it impacting the jurisdiction of the Education and the Workforce Committee, where I serve as the ranking Democratic member.
First, the bill essentially eliminates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Bureau has played a crucial role in making sure student loan borrowers are treated fairly and receive the protections that they deserve. It has shut down fraudulent student loan debt relief scams, resolved countless consumer complaints, and secured hundreds of millions of dollars in loan forgiveness for borrowers tricked into taking out costly private loans.
June 7, 2017
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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 33, designating the George C. Marshall Museum and George C. Marshall Research Library in Lexington, Virginia, as the National George C. Marshall Museum and Library. I appreciate my good friend, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), for sponsoring the resolution and note that the entire Virginia delegation has signed on as original cosponsors.