Bobby Scott

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, do I have the right to close?

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I am ready to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say a final word about these junk plans. The problem with them is that you allow them to screen for preexisting conditions and have lower benefits. That might be a good idea for the person buying the plan, but what happens is under the Affordable Care Act everybody pays an average. If you let healthy people buy these junk plans, everybody else's premium will go up. This sabotage has been estimated with this and the other sabotage, thousands of dollars more for everybody else left behind. So I rise today in support of the bill, which will improve access to quality health coverage, protect the Affordable Care Act and cut prescription drugs cost. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of Representatives Danny Davis, Gregory Meeks, David Scott, Emanuel Cleaver, Al Green, Steven Horsford and myself, to recognize and honor the life and legacy of Robert Harold Ogle--a founding member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and a trailblazer in the United States Congress. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated was established on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The founding members of Alpha Phi Alpha are affectionately known as the Seven Jewels. These men were pioneers in their respective fields and their accomplishments were monumental considering the racial attitudes of our nation in 1906. Jewel Henry Arthur Callis became a practicing physician and a Professor of Medicine at Howard University. He was also the only member of the ``Cornell Seven'' to become General President of the fraternity. Jewel Charles Henry Chapman was a leader in higher education and became a Professor of Agriculture at what is now Florida A&M University. Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones became the first Executive Secretary of the National Urban League. Jewel George Biddle Kelley was the first African American engineer registered in the state of New York. Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray pursued a career in education and taught in public schools in Washington, D.C. Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy was the first architect registered in New York and the first African American to pass the military commissioning exam, becoming a First Lieutenant in the 15th Infantry of the New York State National Guard. As members of Alpha Phi Alpha gather on Capitol Hill this week for Alpha Days on the Hill, it is only fitting to recognize the life and legacy of Jewel Robert Harold Ogle, who was the first known African American to have served as a professional Senate committee staffer. Jewel Ogle was born in Washington, D.C. in 1886. He was educated at the historic M Street School, one of the nation's first public high schools for African American youth. After graduating from the M Street School, Jewel Ogle studied at Cornell University where he earned a degree in agriculture with an emphasis on business administration. Senate records show that Jewel Ogle was originally hired in 1919 as a ``laborer'' for the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Senator Francis E. Warren of Wyoming. His title was changed to ``messenger'' for the committee in 1921, and he was finally named an ``additional clerk'' in 1930. It is important that we honor Jewel Ogle, who a century ago, paved the way for African American congressional staffers today. He established and exemplified the ideals of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in leadership, scholarship, and service. At his funeral service, Jewel Nathaniel Allison recognized Jewel Ogle for ``his unabated enthusiasm and his fighting spirit.'' As members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity visit the United States Capitol this week for Alpha Days on the Hill with a commitment to ``Advocacy and Action,'' Jewel Ogle's ``fighting spirit'' goes with them, as well as with each of the Members of Congress who are proud members of this fraternity. Madam Speaker, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has been at the forefront of advocacy for our communities and in uplifting the downtrodden for 113 years. The tremendous work and accomplishments of this fraternity and its members would not have been possible without the Seven Jewels. And here on Capitol Hill, the legacy of Jewel Robert Harold Ogle lives on today in each of the African American congressional staffers who serve behind the scenes of this august institution. I thank Jewel Ogle for being a true trailblazer for these remarkable men and women who followed in his footsteps.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, too often, we forget what our healthcare system was like before we passed the Affordable Care Act. Before the ACA, healthcare costs were skyrocketing; insurers could deny people coverage if they had a preexisting condition; policies did not have to provide essential benefits; and people were losing their insurance at alarming rates. Before the Affordable Care Act, insurers could place annual and lifetime caps on insurance coverage. Today, the Affordable Care Act ensures that 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions can have access to the healthcare peace of mind and financial security that comes with quality, affordable health coverage. Now, we have heard a lot about what we can do to make things better. We have heard about a bill that just protects those with preexisting conditions. The problem with that, Mr. Speaker, is, if you allow people to wait until they get sick before they buy insurance, they will wait until they get sick before they buy insurance. Those buying insurance are, on average, sicker, and the costs tend to go up. Fewer people can afford it. The healthy people drop out, and the costs go up. There is a name for this cycle. It is called the death spiral. Every time they try to protect those with preexisting conditions without the supports of the Affordable Care Act, there is a death spiral out of control. In Washington State, for 3 years, they tried that. In the 3 years, nobody could buy insurance. New York was in the death spiral when we passed the Affordable Care Act. When we passed the Affordable Care Act, the costs for individual insurance dropped more than 50 percent. So we know we just can't protect those with preexisting conditions without the supports and tax credits available under the Affordable Care Act. But we do know what a replacement plan looks like. The Republicans voted on such a thing. It was actually evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office, finding that, if the bill passed, about 20-some million fewer people would have insurance. They talk about costs. Under their plan, the costs would go up 20 percent the first year. Insurance policies would not have to cover essential benefits, as they do now, and those with preexisting conditions would lose many of their protections. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and support people with preexisting conditions so that they can have access to the care they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for her decades of leadership fighting for working women. In 1963, the Equal Pay Act codified the right to ``equal pay for equal work regardless of sex.'' In fact, the Equal Pay Act was enacted 1 year prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that, for the first time, provided for the enforcement of antidiscrimination laws. Over the past 55 years, the Equal Pay Act, in combination with title VII of the Civil Rights Act, has produced substantial progress toward addressing inequities for women in the workplace. Yet, loopholes and insufficient enforcement have allowed gender-based wage discrimination to persist. Today, women earn, on average, 80 cents on the dollar compared to White men in similar jobs. The wage gap is even worse for women of color. It exists in every sector, regardless of education, experience, occupation, industry, or job title. Drawn out over a lifetime, the persistent wage gap could cost a woman anywhere from $400,000 to $2 million. For many, this is the difference between financial stability and poverty. In fact, we know that achieving pay equity would actually cut the poverty rate for working women more than 50 percent. That is why we are considering this historic legislation today. After decades of failing to address persistent wage inequity, the Paycheck Fairness Act is our opportunity to strengthen the Equal Pay Act, bolster the rights of working women, lift families out of poverty, and, finally, align our remedies for gender discrimination with other established antidiscrimination laws by eliminating caps on damages when employers act with malice or reckless indifference, consistent with the laws governing discrimination based on race or national origin, treating attorney fees consistent with title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and restricting an employer's inquiry and reliance on a prospective employee's previous salary. This is consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, and similar restrictions regarding an applicant's marital or pregnancy status. As chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, I urge my colleagues to join me in casting a vote for final passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act and making equal pay for equal work a reality for working women across this country. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the sponsor of the bill.

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

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

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

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

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), the chair of the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I would like to inquire how much time I have left.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Chair, I just want to make a couple of closing comments. We have heard speaker after speaker complain that, if this bill passes, lawyers will get paid. Most lawyers, in fact, only get paid when they have a winning case; so if they want lawyers to stop getting paid, they could do this if we would stop discriminating. The only way to enforce the laws against discrimination is to hire a lawyer and go to court, and that is when lawyers get paid. Stop the discrimination; stop the lawyers from getting paid. There is also a suggestion that we ought to limit the amount of money that can be paid to lawyers. The fact is that no group supporting women support that limitation because the limitation sometimes can be so low that you can't hire a lawyer. It is only supported by groups supporting those representing people accused of discrimination. It is also one-sided. There is no proposal to limit the amount of money that the guilty can pay their lawyers. A comment was made about unlimited damages. The damages, in fact, in this bill are the same as you can get under race and religious discrimination, and the purpose of the bill is to conform the process for gender discrimination to the process for other forms of discrimination like race and religion. The EEOC data, as my colleague from Virginia pointed out, is available, and if you do not report this data, you could have gross disparities. You could pay all the men one thing and all the women less, and until that is reported, nobody might notice. Madam Chair, there are pay gaps. Discrimination still exists, and this legislation is one step in closing that pay gap. We need to pass the legislation. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Chair, I include in the Record a letter from the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers in support of this legislation. International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, AFL-CIO & CLC, Washington, DC, March 26, 2019. Dear Representative, On behalf of the 90,000 members represented by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), we are writing in support of H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act. Sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, this legislation will amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of gender-based discrimination in the payment of wages. With a floor vote scheduled this week, IFPTE urges you to vote for H.R. 7. Today, women earn 80 cents to every one dollar earned by their male counterparts. It is even worse for African- American women, who earn only 61 cents on the dollar compared to white non-Hispanic men, while Hispanic and Latina women earn only 53 cents on the dollar compared to white non-Hispanic men. While these glaring differences should be unacceptable in any day and age, the impact is even greater today with poverty rates among women recently reaching their highest peak in nearly two decades. The problem of unequal pay for equal work spans every sector and all educational levels. According to a 2017 Department of Professional Employees (DPE, AFL-CIO) fact sheet, Professional Women: A Gendered Look at Inequality in the U.S. Workforce, women with a bachelor's degree or higher earned $1,230 in median weekly wages in 2015, while men with a comparable education earned $1,420. The DPE fact sheet also looked at wage disparities per occupational category and found that, without exception, women's wages lag far behind men. Despite comprising 55 percent of workers in professional and related occupations, women in those professions earn 28 percent less than men. The Paycheck Fairness Act is aimed at closing the pay discrimination gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act of 1963. This legislation will: Clarify acceptable reasons for differences in pay to ensure that a wage gap is legitimate and truly a result of factors other than gender; Allow for reasonable comparisons between employees to determine fair wages; Prohibit employer retaliation against workers who inquire about employee wages in general, or disclose their own wage; Provide women with the option to proceed in an opt-out class action lawsuit and allow women to receive punitive and compensatory damages for pay discrimination; Increase training for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) staff to better identify and handle wage disputes; Require EEOC to develop regulations directing employers to collect wage data; Require the Department of Labor to reinstate activities that promote equal pay (i.e. educational programs, technical assistance to employers, promoting research about pay disparities between men and women); and, Establish salary negotiation skills training for women and girls. The Paycheck Fairness Act is a long overdue bill to help close the pay gap suffered by women workers. IFPTE urges you to support H.R. 7. Sincerely, Paul Shearon, President. Matthew Biggs, Secretary-Treasurer/Legislative Director.