Media

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his No vote on H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Roll Call No. 216): “The House version of the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act contained many provisions that I strongly support, especially those pertaining to shipbuilding and ship maintenance, as well as the proposed pay increase for our men and women in uniform. “Unfortunately, the bill also includes several troubling provisions that ultimately required me to vote No. As drafted, the bill uses an accounting gimmick that would transfer approximately $18 billion from the Overseas Contingency Operations account to fund base Department of Defense accounts. The Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee has pointed out that this will shortchange our men and women in the field, degrade military readiness, and require Congress to enact a supplemental funding request for U.S. operations in Afghanistan by April 30, 2017. This accounting gimmick also breaks last year’s bipartisan budget agreement, setting up an unnecessary fiscal fight in the months ahead.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Joined by leaders from the civil rights, social justice and faith communities, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Congressman Joe Kennedy III (MA-04) today introduced legislation to amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The Do No Harm Act would clarify that no one can seek religious exemption from laws guaranteeing fundamental civil and legal rights. It comes in response to continued efforts across the country to cite religious belief as grounds to undermine Civil Rights Act protections, limit access to healthcare, and refuse service to minority populations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Committee on the Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) unveiled the findings of a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on actions needed to reduce racial and socioeconomic segregation, and address disparities in K-12 public schools. Ranking Members Scott and Conyers, along with retired Congressman and former Ranking Member George Miller, first requested this report in May 2014. Sixty-two years ago, the Supreme Court struck down lawful school segregation in the Brown v. Board of Education decision, stating that “it is doubtful that any child may reasonable be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education” The decision also affirmed that education was a right that “must be made available to all on equal terms.” GAO gathered data for this report from the Department of Education and confirmed that increasing segregation along the lines of race and poverty continue to be a driver for inequities in education.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released the following statements after the Department of Labor announced its final overtime rule. The new rule would raise the salary threshold to $47,476, expanding overtime eligibility to 4.2 million workers and boosting wages for workers by $12 billion over the next 10 years. The rule will also give overworked Americans back precious time with their families by incentivizing employers to hire additional workers or give part-timers more hours that they want and need. Employers will no longer be able to force low-paid employees to work those extra hours for free. Murray and Scott have been the leading voices in Congress encouraging the Obama Administration to update overtime protections.