Bobby Scott

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Was the gentlewoman's request to introduce a statement recognized?

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano), the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal), who is a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield the gentlewoman from Minnesota an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida, (Mr. Frost).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the Democratic whip.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio-Cortez).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), the ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield the gentleman from Maryland an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds. Mr. Chairman, on Page 8 of the bill, it says that parents have ``the right to know if a school employee or contractor acts to: ``Change a minor child's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name; or ``Allow a child to change the child's sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms; ``The right to know if a school employee or contractor acts to treat, advise, or address the cyberbullying of a student; ``Treat, advise, or address the bullying. . . . `' This says, ``a child.'' It doesn't say their own child. It says a child, so I am not sure what the answer was. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Craig).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time remains on each side?

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. McClellan), the newest Member of the House.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Virginia.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds. I include in the Record a statement from Equity-Minded Education, Civil Rights, and Immigration Advocates on H.R. 5 that concludes that we urge Congress to focus on real and meaningful efforts to truly support our students, parents, and teachers, and to stop using parents as a decoy to launch political attacks on our schools. [Mar. 7, 2023] Joint Statement From Equity-Minded Education, Civil Rights, and Immigration Advocates on H.R. 5 As equity-minded education, civil rights, and immigration organizations, we work to ensure that our nation's students are learning, feel safe and respected at school, and have the supports they and their families need to succeed. As such, we are deeply concerned about the Parents Bill of Rights Act (H.R. 5) recently introduced in the House of Representatives. This legislation, like similar bills in a growing number of states that ban books or censor curriculum and textbooks, is divisive and designed to politicize our schools rather than provide what parents really want: a great education for their children. In addition to enabling book bans and curriculum censorship, the bill is redundant and out of sync with what parents want. Provisions in the bill that allow a parent to demand inspections of schools and school budgets are designed to disrupt teachers' ability to teach students, and hinder school administrators' ability to run safe and welcoming schools. The bill also inserts the federal government to help determine the frequency of parent-teacher conferences-- something nearly all school districts across the country establish through locally determined policies. Moreover, recent polling indicates that the top priorities for parents are not these wedge issues; rather they want to keep their children safe from violence at schools, ensure adequate mental health supports for them, and help in their learning recovery. Federal law should--and already does--require that parents receive information on what their kids are learning, how they are achieving, and on the qualifications of their child's teachers. We support and encourage a broader view of the rights of parents and students: the right to have access to fully- resourced schools, prepared and qualified teachers, safe and welcoming places for students to learn, and the supports to make sure all students can thrive. The ability of the U.S. education system to provide these essential requirements should be the primary focus of Congress. We have supported bipartisan efforts over the years to help achieve these goals, including the funding of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to provide schools with the resources to safely reopen and to help students get back on track after the disruption and loss caused by the pandemic, and additional resources for mental health needs through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. We urge this Congress to focus on real and meaningful efforts to truly support our students, parents, and teachers--and to stop using parents as a decoy to launch political attacks on our schools. All4Ed Center for American Progress Education Reform Now National Center for Learning Disabilities National Parents Union Schoolhouse Connection The Education Trust UnidosUS National Urban League

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record a statement from Third Way, which concludes: ``Protecting the ability of parents to make the best decisions for their children is a fundamental American value. This proposal is a serious distraction from what our students really need right now: to be learning in an academically challenging and safe environment that engages families and teachers in true partnership to support students.'' Washington.--Third Way released the following statement from Lanae Erickson, Senior Vice President for Social Policy, Education, and Politics: ``This week, the House majority will bring H.R. 5 to the floor under the guise of increasing parental engagement in schools--but its substance would do nothing to advance that goal. Instead, this bill would censor parents, undermine student mental health, ban books from school libraries, redirect resources and personnel away from meeting families' real needs, and ultimately function as a gag order on teaching and learning across the country. ``We should be empowering school boards and Parent Teacher Associations to make informed decisions when it comes to their students' education. This bill would invite Congress to dictate the schedule of parent-teacher conferences and control course instruction in every one of the nearly 100,000 public schools from coast to coast. We should be supporting the well-being of students by increasing access to mental health professionals. This legislation would limit families' access to crucial mental health services in an era when we know they are needed more than ever. We should be investing in the safety of our students by keeping firearms out of classrooms. This bill would focus only on reporting violence once students have already been hurt or killed. ``Protecting the ability of parents to make the best decisions for their children is a fundamental American value. This proposal is a serious distraction from what our students really need right now: to be learning in an academically challenging and safe environment that engages families and teachers in true partnership to support students.''

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Landsman).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I include in the Record a list of groups that either oppose or express concerns about H.R. 5, over 225 different organizations. List of Groups That Either Oppose or Have Expressed Concerns About H.R. 5 AASA, The School Superintendents Association; All4Ed; American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American Library Association (ALA); A Way Home America; AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education); Act To Change Advocacy Institute; Advocates for Youth; American Association of University Women; American Atheists; American Civil Liberties Union; American Humanist Association; American School Counselor Association; Apiary for Practical Support; Arab American Institute (AAI); Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC); Athlete Ally; Autistic Self Advocacy Network; A Woman's Choice of Charlotte; A Woman's Choice of Greensboro. A Woman's Choice of Jacksonville; A Woman's Choice of Raleigh; Acadiana Queer Collective; Aces NYC; Action Together New Jersey; African American Office of Gay Concerns; AIDS Foundation Chicago; Alliance for Quality Education; Arkansas Black Gay Men's Forum; Avow Texas; Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Campaign for Our Shared Future; Bans Off Miami; Black Californians United for Early Care and Education; Care in Action; Catholics for Choice; Center for American Progress; Center for Applied Transgender Studies; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR). Center Link: The Community of LGBT Centers; Collective Power for Reproductive Justice; Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund; Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF); Cato Institute; Center for American Progress (CAP); Campus Pride; Carolina for All; Central Florida Jobs with Justice; Chicago Abortion Fund; Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights; Cobalt; Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund; Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC); Democrats for Education Reform Massachusetts; Democrats for Education Reform New York; Detroit Disability Power; DFER Colorado; Disability Law Center; Donald Patton. Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance; Education Reform Now; Education Trust; EducateUS: SIECUS In Action; Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC); Education Reform Now; Empowering Pacific Islander Communities; End Rape On Campus; Equal Rights Advocates; Equality Federation; Equity Forward Evaluation, Data Integration, and Technical Assistance (EDIT) Program; Education Reform Now; Education Reform Now CT; Education Reform Now Texas; Equality California March; Equality Illinois; Equality South Dakota; Equality Virginia; EqualityMaine; Family Equality. Feminist Campus; Fenway Institute; First Focus Campaign for Children; FORGE, Inc.; First Focus Campaign for Children; Faces of Fallen Fathers; FL National Organization for Women; Florida Council of Churches; Florida Health Justice Project; Forever Caring Evonne; Girls Inc.; GLAAD; GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD); GLSEN; Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights; Gender Justice; GLSEN New Mexico; Greater Milwaukee Urban League; Greater Orlando National Organization for Women; Hindu American Foundation. Hispanic Federation; Houston Area Urban League; Human Rights Campaign; Human Rights First; If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice; Impact Fund; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda; Indivisible; interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth; Interfaith Alliance; Illinois Families for Public Schools; Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization; Indivisible DuPage Indivisible Georgia Coalition; Indivisible Miami; Japanese American Citizens League; Juvenile Law Center; Jane's Due Process; JASMYN, Inc.; KIPP Public Schools; Lafayette Citizens Against Censorship. Latino Memphis; Learning Rights Law Center; Los Angeles LGBT Center; Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship; Louisiana Coalition for Reproductive Freedom; Louisiana Progress; Louisiana Trans Advocates; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; Lambda Legal; LatinoJustice PRLDEF; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Lawyers for Good Government; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); Matthew Shepard Foundation; MomsRising; Movement Advancement Project; Maine Parent Federation; Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition; Mazzoni Center; Memphis Urban League. Michigan Alliance for Special Education; Michigan Education Justice Coalition; Missouri Health Care for All; NARAL Pro- Choice America; National Association of School Psychologists (NASP); National Black Justice Coalition; National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCSD); National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment (National PLACE); National Center for Transgender Equality; National Center for Youth Law; National Council of Asian Pacific Americans; National Disability Rights Network (NDRN); National Domestic Workers Alliance; National Education Association (NEA); National Employment Law Project; National Hispanic Media Coalition; National LGBT Cancer Network; National Organization for Women; National Parents Union. National Urban League; National Women's Law Center; New American Leaders Action Fund; New Generation Equity Oregonizers; NASD; National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis; NJ Community Schools Coalition; North Carolina Justice Center; OutFront Minnesota; OutNebraska; People For the American Way; PFLAG National; Physicians for Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Plume Health Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK); Public Citizen; Public Justice; Parent Education Organizing Council; Paterson Alliance; Paterson Education Foundation. PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education); Pride Action Tank; Pro Choice Missouri; Pro-Choice North Carolina; Progress Florida; Queer Northshore; Red Wine & Blue; Reproductive Rights Coalition; Rad Family, a project of North Jersey Pride; Reproductive Freedom Acadiana; Save Our Schools NJ; SHERo Mississippi; Silver State Equality-Nevada; Solid Foundation Youth Outreach; Southern Echo Inc.; St. Tammany Library Alliance; School Board Partners; Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA); SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change; Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). SPAN Parent Advocacy Network; SPLC Action Fund; Stand for Children; Schoolhouse Connection; Software & Information Industry Association (SSIA); Tahirih Justice Center; The Advocates for Human Rights; The Arc of the United States; The Council of the Great City Schools; The Education Trust; The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; The Personal Stories Project; The Sikh Coalition; The Workers Circle; TransAthlete; True Colors United; Trust Women; Third Way; The Ezekiel Project; The Parents' Place of MD. The Urban League of Philadelphia; The Womxn Project; Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh; Urban League of Middle Tennessee; UnidosUS; Unitarian Universalist Association; United State of Women (USOW); URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity; VoteProChoice; Voto Latino; Virginia Coalition of Latino Organization; Wayfinder Foundation; We Testify; Whole Woman's Health; Whole Woman's Health Alliance; Woodhull Freedom Foundation; YWCA

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), a former teacher of the year.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I want to get back to something that was said a little earlier because it is a little disturbing the way this legislation, a notice of rights--that people have a right to information about their child, their child, their child. You have a right to notice before a person speaks to their child at a class, school assembly, or any other school-sponsored event. If you have a field trip, I guess you have a right to notice before anybody at the museum can speak to your child. But under subsection L, it says you have: ``the right to know if a school employee or contractor acts to change a minor child's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name. . . .'' That means any child--if any teacher addresses any child, everybody has a right to notice if they change their minor child's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name. I think that is concerning. I don't know what is meant by that, but that is the way it reads. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.