bobby-scott education labor minimum-wage virginia for-profit teacher-unions
related: _Bobby Scott Master Profile Virginia Foxx SEIU CTA - California Teachers Association
The Education Committee Ranking Member
Bobby Scott serves as ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee — the Democratic counterpart to Virginia Foxx. Scott represents Virginia’s 3rd District (Hampton Roads, Richmond) and has served in Congress since 1993. Scott chaired the committee (2019-2023) and is the longest-serving Democratic member.
Scott’s donor profile contrasts sharply with Foxx’s: where Foxx receives $81,800+ from for-profit colleges, Scott’s top donors are labor unions (SEIU, AFSCME, NEA, AFT) and education employee organizations. The committee’s bipartisan structure pits for-profit education donors (Republican side) against teacher union donors (Democratic side) — with student interests caught between the two funding constituencies.
The Raise the Wage Act
Scott’s signature legislative effort — the Raise the Wage Act, proposing a $15/hour federal minimum wage — has been introduced in every Congress since 2017 and has never received a floor vote despite majority public support. The legislation exemplifies the structural power of the low-wage industry lobby: restaurant, retail, and hospitality PACs fund enough members of both parties to prevent floor consideration of minimum wage increases.
Money
Scott’s $15 minimum wage has 60%+ public support in every poll. It has never received a floor vote. The National Restaurant Association, US Chamber of Commerce, and International Franchise Association spend approximately $100 million annually on lobbying that includes minimum wage opposition. The gap between public support and legislative action is the lobbying spend.
Sources
- Congress.gov: Bobby Scott member profile (Tier 1)
- OpenSecrets: Bobby Scott campaign finance summary (Tier 1)
- Ballotpedia: Bobby Scott (Tier 3)
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