Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, even the White House's best ObamaCare damage control efforts, waivers, delays, penalty deadline, adjustments, and temporary fixes sadly leave the so-called Affordable Care Act's sand foundation untouched. Math undergirding the entire law remains structurally unsound and threatens the broader insurance market in this country. That is a shame for each and every American. As someone who wants to see greater access and affordability in health care, and more options for Americans in the individual insurance market, it is my hope that the country moves toward a competitive, patient-centered system like the one outlined by the House Republican Study Committee in the American Health Care Reform Act. Something as transformative as health care policy should never be forced on the American people on an embarrassingly unstudied and purely partisan basis, the way President Obama chose to proceed with the Affordable Care Act.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, ObamaCare exemplifies perfectly the problem of bureaucratic hubris. Confident that Americans would come to see their mass-produced health care as ``better,'' the ``suits'' in Washington chose to pass a completely partisan law and, regardless of promises, forced unwanted insurance changes on millions of Americans. Many of my constituents object to the characterization of ``better.'' Coverage isn't better if it is not what a family wants or needs. It is not better if its shiny new mandates make health care unaffordable. Holli from St. Clemmons knows this too well. She wrote to say: I am a geriatric care manager. I pay $171 per month. My deductible is $2,500. I went on www.healthcare.gov and was informed I now will get no financial assistance to pay for my plan. If I choose the lowest cost plan, I will be paying $330 per month. My doctor is not listed as a provider, and my drug deductible will be $2,500. I feel I am caught between a rock and a hard place. ``Better,'' for Holli, would be a health care law that doesn't make her insurance preferences illegal.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, discussions about health care often turn into discussions about jobs and the economy. The two are undeniably linked. ObamaCare--its unfunded mandates, broken policy incentives, and tax penalty structure--is exacerbating the crisis of underemployment in this country. My constituent Sandy from Winston-Salem knows this firsthand. She contacted me to share how ObamaCare is impacting adjunct professors in North Carolina community colleges. She said: Our hours have been cut because of the ``Unaffordable Health Care Act.'' This legislation is the worst thing that could have happened to the average American. Her story isn't unique. Stories abound of community colleges working to figure out how they will manage to comply with ObamaCare's costly employer mandate. For some, it means cutting part-time employee hours, which shortchanges both workers and students. Americans care about health care, and they care about jobs. ObamaCare is the wrong solution for both.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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, President Obama and the Democrats who run Washington spent a lot of time telling the American people that if they like their health care plan, they can keep their health care plan. So what would they say to the 4 million Americans who have had their insurance canceled under ObamaCare? What would they say to all the folks who have logged onto our House Republican Web site at gop.gov and told us their stories of lost coverage? Americans need real solutions, not the political fix the President proposed last week. The House passed our Keep Your Health Plan Act with strong bipartisan support. That is a real solution. We call on the Senate to listen to the American people and support it.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce recently recognized the late Charles Church of Valle Crucis as the recipient of the 2013 Tuckwiller Award for Community Development. What a way to honor his legacy, for Charles could not be more deserving. He was a farmer, a teacher, a visionary, and a friend of folks well beyond Watauga. Charles was instrumental in building Watauga's local organic farming community and is known for establishing a broad food network in the Boone area. Charles understood the interdependency of the farm and city. He valued cooperation above competition and possessed the spirit of innovation that has always characterized great North Carolinians. A successful farmer, Charles selflessly mentored both young and experienced growers. His pioneering ideas and dedicated spirit continued to guide many throughout our community. Without his vision, energy, and dedication, organic farming and the entire locally grown food network in Watauga wouldn't be what it is today. The Tuckwiller Award remembers Charles as a kind, generous, and tireless advocate for farmers, and, above all, an honored member of our North Carolina community. And though the community still very much misses his presence and his counsel, the example set by Charles Church--ever the optimist-- continues to inspire. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, with the recent honoring of our Nation's venerable veterans, it is appropriate to mention a group of my constituents who have accepted an ongoing mission to help our military heroes and their families. Started 3 years ago by ex-marine Mike Beasley, the Fallen Heroes Ministry operates out of Sandy Ridge Baptist Church in Hickory, North Carolina. The ministry has spread its influence across the State and even the Nation by honoring families who have experienced the tragic loss of a family member in combat. Through this noble undertaking, members of the Fallen Heroes Ministry have reached out to many families who have experienced the loss of a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan and even to a family in Hickory who lost a son long ago in Vietnam. The Fallen Heroes Ministry serves as a reminder to congregations nationwide to remain engaged in service to America's heroes and their families, since the loss of American soldiers brings real heartbreak to communities back home. The Fallen Heroes Ministry abides by a noble vision: striving to bring together families of our fallen with the support of home communities to foster an environment to help with their collective healing process. Their work is deserving of praise and their calling-- in service to our heroes and our loved ones--shows just a bit of the spirit that sets America apart in the world. Charles Church, a Most Deserving Recipient of the Tuckwiller Award

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the prayers of the American people remain with Filipino people as they struggle to recover in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Haiyan claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and left widespread devastation throughout the Philippine Islands. The gravity of the crisis is heartbreaking. The United States and many international aid organizations have been quick to help our friends in the Philippines. Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief organization headquartered in Boone, North Carolina, is among them. Members of the Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team are on the ground in the Philippines right now, providing medical support and basic survival supplies, such as food and hygiene kits, temporary shelter items, and clean drinking water. As part of the international response team, Samaritan's Purse is living out its mission to provide ``spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.'' Its team members on the ground are also obeying, vividly, the Biblical directive to practice faith by visiting orphans and widows in the midst of their distress. Knowing full well the enormity of the struggle and depth of pain before them, we commit to keep a prayerful vigil for the Samaritan's Purse team in the Philippines, United States aid workers and their international partners, and for the millions whose lives have been changed by the tragedy of Haiyan. A Noble Calling: Hickory's Fallen Heroes Ministry

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, National Industries for the Blind celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and I congratulate NIB on this achievement. The work NIB, its team members, and affiliates do every day in service to blind and visually impaired Americans is deserving of national attention and thanks. NIB teams with 91 associated nonprofit agencies to extend opportunities for economic and personal independence to men and women throughout America who are blind. NIB goes about this goal primarily by connecting visually impaired individuals with good jobs--jobs they can be proud of. In my home State, Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind has worked on behalf of visually impaired North Carolinians since 1936. Last year, under the leadership of executive director David Horton and executive chairman Dan Boucher, Industries for the Blind connected 309 local residents with fulfilling job opportunities at manufacturing facilities in Winston and Asheville. As a visually impaired person myself, I have great appreciation for NIB's commitment to help those with severe sight challenges acquire what Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind describes as the ``confidence and independence to contribute to society and fulfill personal dreams of having a job.'' To the folks at NIB and at local industries throughout the country, congratulations on 75 years of faithful service, and best wishes for many more years to come. Samaritan's Purse and Typhoon Haiyan

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, community spirit is alive and well in North Carolina's Fifth District. The Forbush High School Band Boosters are creatively working toward the goal of replacing decades-old band uniforms and equipment. Booster volunteers have been fund-raising for this project for years because the $30,000 price tag goes well beyond a single year's budget. In their effort, they reached out to Dewey's Bakery in Winston-Salem, and the two have teamed to open a special Dewey's fund-raising store in Yadkinville, North Carolina, much like fund-raising stores operating for other schools in Clemmons and Boone. Mr. and Mrs. Clate and Josie Wingler of Yadkinville graciously donated a storefront, and right now Band Boosters are there, selling wonderful Dewey's products, as they will be until Christmas. The entire Yadkinville store is run by volunteers--band members, parents, grandparents, and community supporters; and more than one-third of the store's profits will go directly to the Forbush High School Band. This level of teamwork, spirit of volunteerism, generosity, and commitment to local communities is a testament to the wonderful people living in the Fifth District. 75th Anniversary: National Industries for the Blind

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Larry Woods, a constituent of mine from Winston-Salem, is accomplishing groundbreaking work in service to local North Carolinians. Under Larry's leadership, the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem is transforming the template for North Carolina's housing programs through a program called PATH, or Projects for Assistance in the Transition from Homelessness. Through PATH, the housing authority works with community groups in service to families and individuals who are proactively seeking to reduce and eventually end their dependence on government support. PATH's community collaborations provide specialized job skills, education, employment preparation, and career placement services to equip families as they turn their dreams into reality. The PATH concept, championed by Larry Woods and his team, has capitalized on community resources, has eliminated duplication and gaps in service, and has reduced service costs. Participants in the PATH program soon will also be able to benefit from access to special ``step-up'' housing at the housing authority's new, modern facilities. In the near future, some individuals working to improve their lives through PATH will be able to move into the Oaks, a new 50-unit development located in Winston-Salem. The Oaks will feature a variety of apartments to fit residents' unique needs and provide a valuable incentive for participants as they move forward in their personal journeys toward self-sufficiency. An open house was recently held at the Oaks, where two completed units were shown to the public, and I would like to congratulate all involved on that accomplishment. Larry and his team's forward-thinking approach to public housing has changed the lives of many North Carolinians. The PATH program is just one component of their efforts to advance their mission of direct service in a fiscally responsible way. Communities throughout our country that are looking to overcome the challenges of homelessness can find new ideas to meet the needs of their citizens by looking to the great example of Winston-Salem's PATH program. The Spirit of Service and Volunteerism: Dewey's Bakery and Forbush High School Band Boosters

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Steven from Salisbury, North Carolina, wrote to tell that the insurance that has served his family well is going to be canceled. In its place, he has been pointed to an ObamaCare alternative. However, it will cost $523 more each month. Steven finds that unbelievable. He writes: In return for this increase, I get coverage I do not need. This one-size-fits-all insurance is paternalistic and restricting the choices of American citizens. Doug, who is also from Salisbury, was told his health insurance plan doesn't pass ObamaCare muster either. A similar government-sanctioned policy will cost him 200 percent more each month. Doug wants to know: Where is the savings President Obama told me I would enjoy? As a single male with a suffering small business and a monthly mortgage, I simply can't afford this. Steven and Doug know better than Washington bureaucrats what coverage will best meet their family and individual needs. They want the freedom to continue making that choice, the freedom to keep the plans they like, for good.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Rodney from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, pays $540 a month for a family health insurance plan that covers his wife, his 16-year-old son, and himself. This plan works well for them and fits within their family budget; but Rodney received the same unwelcomed news that has startled millions of other Americans: the health insurance he likes will be canceled because the ``suits'' in Washington think his preferred plan is lousy. The most similar government-sanctioned ObamaCare plan will cost Rodney's family $1,139 each month--more than their mortgage payment. Understandably, Rodney is sickened by this news. I have worked very hard my entire adult life to take care of my family and provide for all of their needs. How am I supposed to continue to support them . . . with the government forcing me into a situation I cannot afford? Rodney closed his letter by asking me: If you do nothing else, please do everything in your power to make our voices heard. House Republicans are doing that every day for Rodney and for Americans like him.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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, the panic and frustration felt by millions of American families is real. They all heard the promise: If you like the health care you have, you can keep it. And they believed it. But families in my district are experiencing something different: canceled plans, premium hikes, and uncertainty. Mark from Advance, North Carolina, tells me: Both my wife and I are over 60, retired, and self-insured. We received letters notifying us that our health insurance policies are being canceled. The replacement policies cost more than twice as much. If we accept the policies, we will be paying $798.20 per month for insurance. Same goes for John from Advance. He writes: My wife has had her premiums increase from $200 to $600. We have had this plan for 6 years and thought we could keep our insurance. Mark and John were given a promise by President Obama. Telling them to wait 1 year before the promise is broken for good isn't an honest solution.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I thank my colleague for his comments and yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the decisions we make in this body matter to the people in this country. They matter to families. When Obama and the Democrats in Congress, with no Republican votes, chose to radically alter health care--something that impacts every American and compromises one-sixth of the United States economy--the effects extend well beyond committee hearing rooms, courtrooms, and government office suites. The effects are felt in doctors' offices. They are felt in homes across the Fifth District I represent. They are felt by moms and dads who are finding out the health care that they had counted on keeping, insurance they had budgeted for and know they can afford, won't be around next year. Earlier this month, it was estimated that 160,000 North Carolinians received that unwelcome news. My constituent Dawn from Wilkes County is one of them. She wrote to me to tell me exactly how Washington's interference with her health care is affecting her. Let me let Dawn speak for herself. Dear Representative Foxx: Never in my life have I been without health insurance. I am writing to share with you the impact of the Affordable Care Act on my health care options. I work part-time and purchase my own health insurance. In order have an affordable monthly premium and to have the possibility of budgeting for dental and vision care as well as general medical care, I have had a high-deductible health savings account, HSA, for several years. The Affordable Care Act has eliminated my current HSA with BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina. I currently have an annual deductible of $5,000 and a monthly premium of $160.30. The ACA-compliant replacement policy which I have been offered by BlueCross BlueShield will have a $5,500 annual deductible and will cost $478.60 per month. Even with a 10 percent higher deductible, this new plan will cost $318.30 per month more than what I can now afford. That is a 198 percent increase--almost three times what I now pay--for a plan with a higher deductible. Please help me understand how this is affordable care. My husband and I do not have cable or satellite television, high-speed Internet, smartphones, or other optional services which we can cancel in order to pay the astounding increase in my health insurance premium. We do qualify for a partial subsidy to help cover the premium, but that does not change the $5,743.20 annual price for this meager health insurance policy. It merely shifts part of the expense to our children and some other taxpayers. I have spoken with representatives in the health care exchange and www.healthcare.gov and with independent insurance brokers, but they offer little hope. Do I have any option in order to continue to live within my means and afford to pay for my own health care? I am truly bewildered. Sincerely, Dawn. Mr. Speaker, reading Dawn's letter breaks my heart. This is a woman who plans ahead. She budgets carefully. She takes pride in her work and responsibility for herself and for her family. ObamaCare is changing things drastically for her and millions of other Americans like her. With about a month to go before the Affordable Care Act renders her current health insurance illegal, Dawn is left with questions, the last of which I will repeat again: Is it possible to live within my means and afford to pay for my own health care? Americans took the President at his word when he said they would be able to keep the care and doctors they liked. They trusted that a law called the Affordable Care Act would actually make health care more affordable. They believed that the President wouldn't raise taxes on the middle class through this law. Mr. Speaker, the President's broken promises are hurting families like Dawn's, but the higher premiums and the canceled plans are central to ObamaCare. The law will work only if many Americans are compelled to leave their current plans and pay more for government-approved insurance. Now, as the country is becoming better acquainted with this very sad reality, Democrats and Republicans in Washington must recognize that repeal is still the only way to solve all of ObamaCare's problems. The answer to America's health care challenges is not going to be found in 100 percent partisan solutions like the Affordable Care Act. We should work together to enact honest, patient-centered reforms that empower families like Dawn's with choices and custom care options so that she can continue to pay for health care and still live within her means. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from California.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the promises upon which ObamaCare was built are crumbling. Ruthann from Hickory, North Carolina, is a healthy 61-year-old. Last month, she received this letter from her insurance provider: Dear Ruthann, Due to Affordable Care Act regulations, your current . . . medical plan will no longer be offered for 2014 . . . The monthly premium for your new plan will be $738.05. Ruthann is right to be frustrated by this news. Today, she pays $396 each month for a plan with a lower deductible that covers the services she needs. Paying $350 more each month is out of the question for Ruthann and her family. Her next best option under ObamaCare is to pay $510 a month for a higher deductible plan that will force her to pay out of pocket for some of the basic tests and procedures her current insurance provides. Ruthann says: In effect, I am now relegated to a policy that will only be helpful in case of a catastrophic illness resulting in hospitalization. How is that anything resembling ``affordable care?''

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Midge, one of the women I represent from Alexander County, wrote me to say: I am one of the many . . . policy holders whose policy was canceled due to ObamaCare mandates. My policy was great, affordable, and I liked it. The most similar policy Blue Cross can put me on has higher deductibles, higher coinsurance, and coverage that I don't need. For this new coverage, Midge and her husband are going to have to pay 81 percent more. Midge closed off her letter to me with this simple request: Please do all you can to help us be able to keep the plan we like as we were promised by our President. Letters like Midge's are pouring in from across the country to Democrats and Republicans alike. That is because promises aren't partisan issues, and promises matter to the American people. Let's require the President to keep this central ObamaCare promise by passing the Keep Your Health Plan Act.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Don, one of my constituents from Lexington, wrote me a short email this week that everyone should hear. Don writes: My individual health plan cancels January 1. What is being offered by healthcare.gov is triple the cost. I am unemployed and desperately trying to keep health care until I reach 65 late next year. The President said, ``If you like your health care plan, keep it.'' Please do whatever you can to make that a reality and not another empty statement. We hear Don loud and clear, Mr. Speaker. ObamaCare isn't living up to the President's promise. But this week we can change that. The House will vote Friday to give the President a real opportunity to keep his word to the American people through the Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013. For Don and for millions like him, who have been shocked to find the health plans they like will soon be illegal, supporting its passage is the least the President can do.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, in 2009, President Obama made a promise his administration had no intention of keeping: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what. Today's Washington Post bestows upon this moment of rhetorical splendor, and others like it, four Pinocchios for the grievousness and frequency of their erring. It turns out, by design, the Affordable Care Act is diminishing private health insurance plans, particularly in the individual market. The Post concludes: The President's promise apparently came with a very large caveat: ``If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan--if we deem it to be adequate.'' For millions, Washington has deemed their personal health care preferences deficient, and come January they won't have access to the plans they had before. Americans deserve better.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the poem ``Impressions of a Pilot'' opens with the line: ``Flight is freedom in its purest form.'' How perfectly that captures the allure of sky and space for so many who dreamed to conquer that frontier. Freedom and flight are inextricably linked. This past Saturday, many young North Carolinians got to experience that freedom in a brand new way at Davie County Sugar Valley Airport. What a joy it was to be there. A dedicated team of volunteers at the airport hosted ``The Spirit of Aviation: The Next Generation'' to introduce local students to the many career and recreational opportunities available to them through aviation. Children and teens from local counties spent the day exploring aircraft, trying their hand at flight simulators, listening to aviation innovators, and even taking flight themselves in ``young eagle'' flight expeditions. Their faces were alight with excitement as they experimented with the physics of flight and felt the contagious enthusiasm of skilled aviators who, after years, still find freedom in the blue's high tide. The Spirit of Aviation Day at Sugar Valley revealed to young people new career possibilities for their lives, and didn't just stoke the dream of aviation, but presented a step-by-step path students might take to see aviation dreams become a reality. What stands out to me more than anything else is that this day of discovery and imagination was made possible by a community independently committed to encouraging the next generation of aerial pioneers--whether pilots, mechanics, or engineers. Yes, the spirt of volunteerism and community service is alive and well in North Carolina. In fact, it is thriving; and every time I am home visiting nonprofits and meeting the people who make up their various support networks, I am proud of the Tar Heel State. The initiative and benevolent entrepreneurialism displayed by Carolinians contributes new chapters often to the collective record of American service. The accomplishment of volunteers at the Sugar Valley Airport is just one example. In 2010, a group of North Carolinians came together through Winston- Salem's nonprofit Human Service Alliance and bought the Sugar Valley Airport. Their hope was that the airport would facilitate the promotion of aviation, both as a sport and career field ripe with competitive jobs. In 3 short years, with a dedicated team of volunteers supplying 100 percent of the vision, manpower, support, and direction, the airport has come to serve as a hub for flight enthusiasts and learning center for those considering the pursuit of pilot or mechanic work. In any given week, the airport may host Boy Scouts, civil air patrol cadets, experimental aviation enthusiasts, leading women pilots, and aviation ground school students. North Carolinians take great pride in our ``first in flight'' distinction. It was on our Outer Banks that Wilbur and Orville Wright pushed the limits of gravity and completed history's first recorded controlled powered airplane flights. With the commitment of the team at the Sugar Valley Airport, I can confidently say that our State, the home of Kitty Hawk, is intent on being the home of great aviators and pioneering aviation contributions for years to come. Guidance and encouragement from Sugar Valley's seasoned pilots, mechanics, and generous volunteers will continue to open a new world of opportunity to children in North Carolina. In this world above the clouds, our children are free to dream, free to soar, and free to conquer the wild blue yonder and much, much more.