In January, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) became chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor. In a Q&A with Community College Journal, Scott discusses the committee’s priorities and community colleges’ role in providing affordable education and contributing to the American workforce.
CCJ: As chair of the Committee on Education and Labor, what are your priorities this session?
Rep. Scott: My top priority is to shift the committee’s focus back to improving the lives of students, workers and their families. This committee has a responsibility to strengthen access to the building blocks of a strong middle class: quality and equity in education, fair wages and decent benefits for workers, and access to affordable health care.
Through legislation, hearings and oversight, we will advance our vision of a country where everyone can succeed.
CCJ: What do you see as the role of community colleges in solving the growing problem of student debt? What is the role of the federal government?