Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Franklin Hobson for 60 years of service in the Fall Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Yadkin County. Franklin was a young man of 21 when he became a charter member of the fire department in 1957. Since that time, he has been a dedicated leader in both the department and his community, including service as the Yadkin County fire marshal. Still active in the Fall Creek Volunteer Fire Department today, he will celebrate his 82nd birthday on September 27. It is volunteers like Franklin Hobson who help our Nation thrive. Through the generous example he has set, Franklin inspires others to think about ways they can give to their local community. I thank Franklin for all of the good that he does for his community and for being a great example for all of us. Recognizing Fall Creek Volunteer Fire Department's 60th Anniversary

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Fall Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Yadkin County. The first meeting of these dedicated citizens was held on June 13, 1957, at Fall Creek Elementary School as 12 local men worked to establish the fire department. Its charter calls for 60 members, and its membership ranks have remained nearly full for 60 years. A pillar of the community, members have been awarded North Carolina's Order of the Long Leaf Pine on three occasions. Helping others is one of the most honorable activities anyone can engage in, and this kind of selfless dedication to one's community is critical to the well-being of our country. I thank the members of the Fall Creek Volunteer Fire Department for the selflessness and bravery they demonstrate as firefighters. America needs more courageous individuals like them to give of their time and talents to keep our communities safe.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Dillon Baldridge, who was killed in action on June 10, 2017, from wounds sustained in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster. His prior awards and decorations included the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with three oak clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Expert Infantry Badge. Last week, hundreds of North Carolina residents gathered in Ashe County to pay tribute to Sergeant Baldridge as he was laid to rest. We should all take time to pause, reflect, and honor the sacrifices of those like this young man from Youngsville, North Carolina, who have given their lives in the pursuit of a more prosperous and free America. May we endeavor to live worthy of their legacy and guard vigilantly the history and stories of our fallen.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, as our economy continues to recover and evolve, it is critical that job seekers have the resources needed to gain the skills they need to compete for in-demand jobs. That was the aim of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that we passed in 2014, and my amendment encourages State agencies to coordinate with their workforce boards to continue these efforts. My amendment also would improve the information participating States submit about their demonstration projects, providing important data for decisionmakers in the future. I thank my colleagues for their consideration and ask for their support of this amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, this amendment to H.R. 2842, Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act, would make two changes to the bill. The first part of the amendment would encourage the demonstration projects created under this bill to direct beneficiaries toward jobs in an in-demand industry sector or occupation, as identified by workforce boards in their States and local communities. Today, in this country, there are approximately 6 million jobs that remain unfilled because they require technical skills and knowledge related specifically to an industry or occupation. If we want to help participants move from government assistance and hold a job, then we must set them on a path toward jobs and industries that are currently, and will remain, competitive in the evolving 21st century economy. The second part of my amendment would include in the reports from States that establish these demonstration projects information about their efforts to ensure nondisplacement of workers and to address grievance claims. Congress' future decisions related to similar programs will be enhanced by having access to this information and data reported from the States. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Thompson, for his leadership on this issue. As he said, I have been a strong supporter of this for a long, long time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. Mr. Speaker, when many Americans think of higher education, they think of a traditional college or university on a sprawling green campus. They think of students leaving colleges and universities with their degree in hand, ready for a career and set for life. While many Americans choose this path, there is a misconception that this is the only pathway to success. For many hardworking Americans, the pathway to success does not require a baccalaureate degree. In fact, skills-focused education has helped countless Americans gain the specialized knowledge and skills they need to enter the workforce and build fulfilling lives. So many men and women have found success through workforce development programs, however, we have come to a critical juncture with the future of these programs, and our educational institutions have not caught up. As a result, American businesses, large and small, are having a hard time finding enough workers with the skills and talent they need. Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which unanimously passed the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, provides critical reforms to our Nation's education programs and prepares students to compete in our competitive global economy. Mr. Speaker, all education is truly career education, and we must give our students every opportunity to attain the skills they need to succeed. When students, parents, employers, and, yes, lawmakers understand that, we will be on the right track to closing the skills gap that exists in our country. I want to thank my colleagues, especially Representative Thompson, for his leadership on this issue. As the co-chair of the CTE Caucus, he has spent years championing this issue. I also want to thank Ranking Member Scott and Representative Krishnamoorthi, as well as all committee members, for the bipartisan work that is reflected in this bill. Expanding opportunity through CTE is vital to closing the Nation's skills gap, ending the cycle of poverty, and creating a better tomorrow for hardworking Americans. I urge all Members to support H.R. 2353.

Ms. FOXX. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for sharing her perspective, and I look forward to working to address her concerns as we move forward in the legislative process.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, it is good news that the jobless rate has dropped to 4.3 percent, the lowest level in more than a decade. However, we still face tough challenges in building an economy that supplies employers with the talent needed to be competitive and in educating workers with the skills needed for success in today's economy. Because our economy increasingly requires a more skilled workforce, the next generation of workers needs education beyond the traditional high school degree to find good-paying jobs that enable them to move up the career ladder and firmly into the middle class. To solve these challenges, we need a strong demand-driven workforce development system that aligns education with the needs of employers. That is why the Committee on Education and the Workforce, which I am proud to chair, recently advanced, with unanimous support, legislation that will strengthen skills-focused education and help equip more students with the skills they need to achieve success. However, the real solutions lie outside of Washington. That is why I am pleased the private sector is leading the way so that workers in industries have the skills to compete and prosper in the global economy. I want to commend companies like JPMorgan Chase, Toyota, IBM, Boeing, and so many others for their commitment to creating public-private partnerships aimed at closing our skills gap and helping America's employers and workers succeed. Recently, I had the opportunity to join a roundtable discussion with workforce development experts from a wide array of nonprofits, educational institutions, and workforce development leaders. They are working with employers to build sustainable and robust pipelines of talent to fill growing needs in critical sectors, such as healthcare and technology. Communities across the country are looking to power their businesses with talent from their local communities, and they are doing this by developing partnerships that focus on employer engagement strategies, creating or expanding career pathways, reducing barriers to employment, and more effectively connecting students and graduates to jobs. Helping people gain the skills they need to compete in the workforce is also a powerful approach to expanding access to opportunity and promoting economic mobility, because even as the economy improves, there are still vulnerable people at risk of being left behind. Without the right skills and meaningful postsecondary credentials, these young people face entering the workforce without very bright prospects or, worse, unemployed and out of school. We also need to create more opportunities for workers to obtain good- paying jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a college degree. This can help reduce unemployment by aligning education programs with the skills employers need. As an example, JPMorgan Chase's New Skills for Youth initiative is helping expand high-quality education programs that begin in high school and end with postsecondary credentials and lead to long-term careers. Young people can gain the skills needed to enter high-paying occupations in growing fields, such as robotics, medical science, and coding, to build a promising future. Failing to prepare young people with the right skills and education for these jobs is a missed opportunity for them personally, for our country, and our economy. By working together on educational initiatives like New Skills for Youth, employers, nonprofits, and educational institutions can drive economic growth, promote greater mobility in communities throughout the country, and help more Americans achieve a lifetime of success.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Michigan (Mr. Upton). I rise in support of H.R. 951, a bill I authored to extend the license authorizing the Wilkesboro Hydroelectric Company's construction of its hydropower project at W. Kerr Scott Dam. The project has required exhaustive coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and there have been delays in the review process for the design plans. As the Wilkesboro Hydroelectric Company takes steps to comply with statutory mandates and requirements by Federal regulators, the shot clock for action on breaking ground dwindles. As has often happened with these projects, delays in the review process and coordination efforts precluded the start of construction. I ask my colleagues to support a new authorization for this project, along with the other projects the House is considering today. Furthermore, I applaud Representative McMorris Rodgers and the House Energy and Commerce Committee for working on comprehensive reform legislation to address the statutory framework and FERC processes pertaining to these projects. I am a proud supporter of our Nation's renewable energy resources. Congress should optimize the use of our Nation's clean, renewable hydropower potential by bringing regulatory and permitting certainty to the process. Given North Carolina's growth and demand for electricity, my State needs Congress to explore every opportunity to meet our energy demands, provide for job growth, and sustain our environment. As chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I will work tirelessly with the other committees in the House and the Trump administration to achieve this. I thank Chairman Walden, Majority Leader McCarthy, and former Chairman Upton for bringing this important legislation to the floor.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Guthrie, for his great work on handling this bill today and on the bill itself. No child should live in fear, Mr. Speaker, and yet every year hundreds of thousands of children across the country are abducted, abused, or exploited. The safety of America's children has long been a national priority. That is why I stand here today in strong support of H.R. 1808, the Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act. In 1984, Congress passed the Missing Children's Assistance Act and established a grant to enhance our country's efforts to find missing children and prevent child exploitation. For more than 30 years, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, also known as NCMEC, has used the grant to coordinate a national response to crises and crimes affecting America's most vulnerable children. Through unique public-private partnerships, NCMEC works with families, law enforcement, schools, community leaders, and nonprofits in its efforts to find children who are missing and protect youth who are victims of sexual exploitation. The reforms in the Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act will ensure the vital work of recovering and supporting vulnerable youth is able to continue, reuniting more families with their loved ones and helping victims receive the support they desperately need. This is a bill that delivers the reforms needed to save lives. I am also proud to say it is a bill with strong bipartisan support. At the opening of NCMEC, former President Ronald Reagan said: ``No single sector of our Nation can solve the problem of missing and exploited children alone. But by working together, pooling our resources, and building on our strengths, we can accomplish great things.'' ``Together we can turn the tide on these hateful crimes. . . .'' Together we can turn the tide. The work our colleagues, Representatives Guthrie and Courtney, have done to get this important bill to the House floor demonstrates the type of collaboration President Reagan spoke of on that day at the opening of the NCMEC. And the Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act isn't the only bill we have been able to reach across the aisle on and deliver reforms that will help vulnerable youth. Working together, we are also advancing positive bipartisan solutions in H.R. 1809, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2017. This bill aims at assisting a different kind of vulnerable youth, ensuring kids who find themselves in the juvenile justice system have an opportunity to turn their lives around and achieve success. Every child deserves an opportunity to make a change for the better, if that child has made a mistake. By working together to develop the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2017, my colleagues, Representatives Lewis and Scott, have put forward a bill that will help ensure at-risk youth are afforded an opportunity to do just that. Both of these bills renew the commitment we have made to help and protect our Nation's most vulnerable children. All of these reforms will make a real difference in the lives of countless children, young adults, parents, and families across the country. I am proud of the bipartisan work we have been able to accomplish.

Ms. FOXX. I want to thank Representative Scott, as well as Representatives Lewis, Guthrie, and Courtney for their leadership on these issues. I urge our fellow colleagues to support the Improving Support for Missing and Exploited Children Act.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor William ``Doc'' Long of Oak Ridge, North Carolina. Doc is a veteran who served under the command of General Patton in World War II. For his service, the United States awarded him two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the Combat Infantry Badge. Doc has worked tirelessly to help his fellow citizens understand the meaning of freedom and to ensure the sacrifices made on behalf of our Nation are not forgotten. In 2014, the Carolina Field of Honor opened at Triad Park in Kernersville, North Carolina, to honor all who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. As one of its biggest supporters, Doc personally sponsored two of its military service monuments: the U.S. Army Monument and the U.S. Navy Monument. On Saturday, May 27, family and friends will gather to celebrate this remarkable man's 93rd birthday. North Carolina is fortunate to call Doc one of its own.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the mutual relationship between the United States and Taiwan--enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 and reinforced by the Six Assurances of 1982--has endured, due to our shared beliefs in democratic government, freedom of expression, the rule of law, and a market economy. It is my hope that this relationship will continue to deepen and strengthen in all areas. I hope the Trump administration will move expeditiously with a military sales package that will help to guarantee Taiwan's security and freedom for the future. The people of Taiwan have great friends in the people of the United States. I know many of my colleagues will join me in expressing our shared desire to work together with our friends on the old and new challenges that Taiwan faces. Mr. Speaker, I wish President Tsai and the people of Taiwan all the best on their first anniversary of her administration.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. How much time, Mr. Speaker, do I have?

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 299, I call up the bill (H.R. 1180) to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1180.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today I rise in strong support of H.R. 1180, the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, this bill is about freedom, flexibility, and fairness. The freedom for workers to choose what is best for themselves and their families, more flexibility for men and women to balance work, life, and family, and greater fairness in how Federal policies treat workers and families. Under the legislation, private sector workers who are eligible for overtime pay would be able to choose between cash wages or paid time off. This simple choice will help improve the lives of many hardworking Americans. This option has long been available to government workers. More than 30 years ago, Republicans and Democrats came together to amend an outdated Federal law and provide public sector employees more workplace flexibility. That is why comp time is a popular benefit enjoyed today by police officers, firefighters, and other State and local government employees. But the Federal Government still denies many private sector workers the same opportunity. This double standard simply isn't fair. It is time to level the playing field for those in the private sector. Despite what we will hear from the other side of the aisle today, all we are doing is empowering workers with a choice. For some workers, more money in the bank may be the best choice for them. Nothing--I repeat, nothing--in this bill will take away that right. But other workers, if given the choice, would seize the opportunity to turn their overtime hours into paid time off. There are single parents who need more flexibility to spend time with their children; students who are struggling to juggle college and a full-time job; and a growing number of individuals need more time to care for an aging relative. Time is precious, yet Democrats in Congress think the Federal Government should decide how people use it. They think they know what is best for workers and their families. In the name of protecting workers, our colleagues and their so-called progressive allies have denied workers this choice for years. They continue to ignore the bill's strong protections, including several that are more robust than what is available in the public sector. The bill preserves the 40-hour workweek, and comp time would accrue at the same time-and-a-half rate as cash wages. The legislation also requires a written comp time agreement between each individual worker and his or her employer, or between a worker's union and employer. Additionally, workers can cash out their comp time at any time and for any reason. Employers who force their employees into a comp time arrangement would face costly penalties, and the Department of Labor would have full authority to crack down on bad actors. Mr. Speaker, by providing more freedom and flexibility, we can improve the quality of life of many Americans. We have an opportunity to make a positive difference in people's lives simply by getting the Federal Government out of the way and allowing individuals to choose what is best for themselves and their families. I want to thank Representative Roby for championing this effort, and I urge all Members to vote in favor of freedom, flexibility, and fairness for the American people by supporting H.R. 1180. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Mrs. Roby), the author of the legislation.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to take the gentleman's time to explain where in the bill. It is section 4, and we will give you the text of it. Give us a second.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe), the chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, as well as a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).