Media

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act – the interim funding package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The interim funding legislation passed by the House today will provide urgent relief to vulnerable small businesses and their workers. Thanks to the efforts of Democratic leadership, this funding package sets aside $60 billion for small lenders, such as community-based banks and credit unions, so that small businesses without banking relationships can still access much-needed relief funds. The proposal also now includes $75 billion for struggling hospitals and an additional $25 billion to bolster testing capacity, which remains one of the biggest barriers to economic recovery. While these provisions help meet some important and immediate needs, this interim package is woefully inadequate compared to the scale of this crisis.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairwoman Alma Adams (NC-12), and Congresswoman Donna Shalala (FL-27) introduced legislation to protect U.S. workers from COVID-19 in response to disturbing, widespread reports of unsafe workplaces leading to preventable illnesses and deaths. The COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard that establishes a legal obligation for all workplaces to implement infectious disease exposure control plans to keep workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, applauded the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) announcement that Virginia’s community college system will receive $3.3 million in grant funding to support workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed on March 27. It provides states a total of $345 million in Dislocated Worker Grants to workers develop new skills and connect with hiring employers.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, and Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA), Ben Cline (R-VA), Elaine Luria (D-VA), Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy James Guerts expressing strong support for the shipbuilding and ship maintenance industrial base.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, applauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) announcement that Virginia will receive over $70 million in emergency child care funding as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed on March 27, 2020.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA –Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, applauded that Virginia will receive nearly $67 million in emergency education funding as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed on March 27. The funding comes from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, which allocates nearly $3 billion for governors to use at their discretion to support their state’s K-12 and higher education needs related to COVID-19.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott issued the following statement after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a new enforcement directive for health care facilities in response to COVID-19. “Over the past few months, we have seen the tragic consequences of the Department of Labor’s failure to take urgent action to protect frontline health care workers and other essential employees.