Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, our colleague from Oregon has just given us another example of how out of touch our colleagues across the aisle are. If he thinks that public radio is balanced and unbiased and our taking away that funding will have serious consequences, he is obviously not in touch with the American people. Republicans are in touch with the American people. That's why we're making this proposal. I live in a rural area, and I understand that. Again, you're blaming the victim. You're blaming the voters. Please, don't blame the voters. That's not what they're looking for. I now would like to yield 1 minute to my colleague from Kansas (Ms. Jenkins).

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. You know, before we took our recess to be at home for the elections, every bill that was brought here was about jobs. That didn't work, obviously, because our unemployment rate is still very high. Now, are we to believe that all the bills are going to be about national security? I hope that Osama bin Laden has been put on notice: This is going to improve our national security, and he'd better watch out. Madam Speaker, the underlying bill here spends $30 million to create additional opportunities for Federal employees to work at home. The American people are suffering because of our unemployment rate. Because of the failed policies of this Congress and this administration, the American people are learning to do more with less. Why can't Federal employees learn to do that? They are soon going to have to do that. This is a travesty, to come here with our economy in the situation that it's in and say, We're going to appropriate $30 million more in order for Federal employees to stay at home. H.R. 1722 requires each Federal agency to create a teleworking managing officer, even though some agencies may not be big enough to warrant such a position. So, again, the Democrats' answer to the 9.6 percent unemployment rate that has persisted for almost 2 years and the $1.3 trillion deficit is to create more Federal jobs and require that some of those Federal Government workers be allowed to work from home. Give me a break. The nearly 4 million Americans--3.811 million--who have lost their jobs since President Obama took office and over 6 million who have lost their jobs since Nancy Pelosi became Speaker in January 2007 continue to ask where are the jobs that they were promised. The Congress is pushing this initiative to make it easier for Federal employees, who already have it much better than the rest of the country, to avoid the office. So why is this bill so popular with the ruling liberal Democrats? Perhaps it has something to do with their longstanding subservience to labor unions. According to the latest figures available on OpenSecrets.org, big labor donated $49,710,561, or 93 percent of its total campaign contributions, to Democrats and $3,444,042, or 6 percent, to Republicans in the last election cycle. Surely money like that isn't going to be wasted pushing legislation good for private sector employees. It's true that a majority of American union members now work for the government, as 52 percent of all union members now work for the government, representing a sharp increase from the 49 percent in 2008. A full 37.4 percent of government employees belonged to unions in 2009, up 0.6 percentage points from 2008. These changes in union membership are certainly not surprising, as unionized companies do poorly in the marketplace and lose jobs relative to their nonunion competitors. Government employees, however, face no competition as the government never goes out of business. The recession has left union bosses looking for new membership targets, and where better to look than in government, which they see as having the deepest of all pockets and a host of sympathetic liberal Democrat politicians eager to please their political base. In fact, according to the Heritage Foundation, when accounting for wages and benefits, the total average annual compensation for a private-sector worker is $60,078, as compared to $111,015 for the average Federal worker, representing an astonishing 85 percent compensation differential. A March 26, 2010, Wall Street Journal editorial entitled ``The Government Pay Boom'' reveals that: ``Nearly this entire benefits gap is accounted for by unionized public employees. Nonunion public employees are paid roughly what private workers receive. ``The union response is that government workers deserve all this because they're more educated and highly skilled. That may account for some of the pay differential, but not the blowout benefits. The unions also neglect one of the greatest perks of government employment: job security. Short of shooting up a Post Office, government workers rarely get fired or laid off.'' The Republican Study Committee released a policy brief recently indicating that the number of Federal employees making over $100,000 has increased by almost 15 percent since 2007. Currently, there are more people in the Federal Government making in excess of $100,000 than those making $40,000. Since the recession began in 2007, public worker pay has risen 7.8 percent. While private-sector wages remain stagnant, the 2010 pay increase for Federal civilian employees was 2 percent. In 2009, the average Federal employee received a pay increase of 3.9 percent, and an average pay increase of 3.5 percent in 2008. The average Federal salary, including benefits, is set to grow from $72,800 in 2008 to $75,419 in 2010. In 2007, when the Democrats took over the Congress, the Department of Transportation had only one employee making over $170,000. At the end of last year it had 1,690 employees making that amount. The Federal pay premium exists across all job categories, white collar, blue collar, management, professional, technical, and low skill. Again, the public is asking, where are the jobs? Why aren't the Democrats who are in charge of the Congress doing something about private-sector jobs instead of focusing on creating more perks for Federal employees? Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I just point out to my colleague from Oregon that telework already exists. Federal employees can do it already. What this bill does is allocate $30 million and create more bureaucracy. We're not stopping telework. We're not creating telework. We're expanding it and spending more money. Madam Speaker, with that, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Ms. FOXX. I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank my colleague from New York for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it still make a sound? After their thorough drubbing on Election Day, it makes sense for the Democrats to revisit this metaphysical question. Despite the abundance of evidence and warnings from pollsters, from authorities across the political spectrum and from the American people, the liberals maintain their losses were due to miscommunication and voter ignorance, all resulting from the sour economy and nothing more. They refuse to acknowledge the reality that voters rejected the liberals' government takeover of health care and the process that accompanied its passage. They refuse to recognize that their endless bailouts of megabanks, automobile manufacturers and unions could have possibly led to the historical election results. Stubbornly clinging to their failed prescription of bigger government and ever-increasing taxes, the liberals continue to defend the stimulus and their extravagant spending as cornerstones of their futile efforts at healing the economy. So perhaps the question should now become: If American voters roundly reject the failed liberal agenda, will any Democrats notice? By continuing to spend hard-earned taxpayer money in an irresponsible fashion, it appears obvious that the answer is ``no.'' Republicans have been listening to the American people and warning the ruling liberal Democrats of the consequences of their Big Government overreach. However, those who think of themselves as liberal elites in Washington seem to have been the only ones in the country to have missed the writing on the wall and the message of November 2. The ruling Democrat regime ignored the clear evidence of voter discontent, and they continue their march lockstep with a liberal agenda which would embarrass many European states. Their minions blindly followed further expanding government with nearly every bill they passed. Then, on November 2, the voters showed their feelings by removing the gavel from the grip of San Francisco liberal Nancy Pelosi. The liberals' response to an election of such historic proportions: Blame voter ignorance and the marginalized minority congressional Republicans. Voters rejected unconscionable spending and deficit increases. They rejected a government takeover of health care. They rejected the Federal ownership of any industry deemed too incompetent to fail, but they also rejected the heavy handed, autocratic rule of congressional liberals. If we accept as truth liberal claims that unemployment is the exclusive issue of concern to all voters, one must wonder what the liberals plan to do about the stalled economy now that the voters have forced them to refocus. The answer to reducing the unemployment rate: Pass flawed legislation that makes it easier for Federal employees to stay at home and get paid for work. There it is, folks. The liberal Democrat elites have found the solution that has evaded them for so long. It is not to keep tax rates for small businesses from rising. It is not to look at ways to cut spending so that more capital is available to the private sector. It is not pushing for improved trade agreements that will increase exports and help restore our balance of trade. It is not to shrink the size and number of Federal regulations that are slowing job creation in the private sector. No. Madam Speaker and ladies and gentlemen, they bring us an opportunity to reinvigorate America's strength by spending $30 million more to make it easier for Federal employees to work from home. On September 30, 2010, the Senate passed H.R. 1722 with an amendment--adopted by unanimous consent--stripping out almost all of the provisions added to the bill by the House under a successful motion to recommit offered by Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Issa. The bipartisan House MTR provisions that were stripped out by the Senate are provisions which would: require each agency to certify that the telework program will save money before authorizing any employees to telework; prohibit employees from engaging in any union or collective bargaining activities while teleworking; require employees of the executive office of the President to carbon copy their official email accounts on any official business communications that are made on personal email and social media accounts; make employees ineligible for telework if they have fraudulently applied for and received low-income home energy assistance payments for which they are ineligible or have seriously delinquent tax debts. The removal of these provisions by the Senate will raise the cost of this legislation and will provide a teleworking benefit to individuals who clearly should not be entrusted with increased latitude and autonomy. Absent these provisions, telework becomes another perk for Federal workers whose salaries and other compensation already surpass those of their private sector counterparts. The American people have grown tired of waiting for real solutions to their problems. Fortunately, help is on the way. In January, this House will set a new course towards protecting individual liberties and shrinking the unending expansion of the suffocating Federal bureaucracy. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule and ``no'' on the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the citizens of Turkey and Turkish Americans on the 87th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. This is one of the most important dates in Turkey's history. And it is equally meaningful to the United States as it formed the cornerstone which enabled Turkey to become a strategic partner and close NATO ally. After the 600 year old Ottoman Empire disintegrated, Mustafa Kemal, also known as the George Washington of Turkey, led a three year war of independence. This culminated with the newly founded parliament formally abolishing the Sultanate, on November 1, 1922, thus ending 723 years of Ottoman rule. The Treaty of Lausanne of July 24, 1923, led to the international recognition of the sovereignty of the newly established ``Republic of Turkey'' as the successor state of the Ottoman Empire. Following considerable debate and discussion, the Turkish Parliament proclaimed the Republic on the evening of October 29, 1923. Fifteen minutes after the Parliamentary proclamation, Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk), was elected President of the Republic. This historic decision was marked by a 101 gun salute. The significance of the event was also noted by Ataturk, who stated that, ``the proclamation of the Republic was enthusiastically received by the nation. This enthusiasm was manifested everywhere by brilliant demonstrations.'' Turkey's economy has grown at an impressive rate, and the country is now a member of the G-20, a European Union candidate, and an active and important player in various international organizations. Turkey and the U.S. have been close friends, partners and allies for many decades. However, the Turkish-American relationship goes beyond a simple bilateral friendship. Rather it has become a strategic partnership based on shared values, interests and ideals. U.S.-Turkish cooperation extends across a wide range of issues, including combating terrorism, promoting economic trade and energy security, fostering peace and stability in Afghanistan and Iraq, and advancing principles of democracy and freedom throughout the globe. I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Turkish Americans and the Turkish public on this important occasion.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, politicians like to talk about cutting deficits. President Obama and his fellow Democrats seem to think tax increases are the only way to lower the deficit. Earlier this year, the President released a budget that called for $1.8 trillion in tax increases. In fact, since President Obama took office, Democrats have raised taxes by over $670 billion and have used nearly all of it to increase the size of government, not reduce the size of deficits. During the same 22 months, the Federal Government has spent $6.1 trillion. But now Democrats are about to hand the American taxpayers the largest tax increase in our Nation's history. And House Republicans are determined to stop it. Congress should permanently extend the tax relief for all taxpayers. Higher taxes are not the way to lower deficits. Washington must cut spending.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, today I rise in solemn remembrance of the life of a fallen hero, Staff Sergeant Adam L. Dickmyer who grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Staff Sergeant Dickmyer was killed while serving his country in Afghanistan on October 28 when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device near Kandahar. Staff Sergeant Dickmyer was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. From 2003 until 2009, he served at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. Only 15 percent of those who try out for the honored, precision assignment are chosen, and some consider it the most prestigious duty of the military. Staff Sergeant Dickmyer led the changing of the guards, a ceremony he performed every half-hour with precision. The soldiers carry out their duties 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, no matter the conditions. He was deployed to Afghanistan in June after volunteering to go. Staff Sergeant Dickmyer graduated from Carver High School where he participated in the award-winning ROTC drill team. This selfless American patriot, who paid the heaviest price for his country, will be remembered forever as a young man who was a leader and loved by many. His tragic death in the line of duty is an irreplaceable loss for his family and friends, his community, and his country. Today we mourn with those who mourn, and we pay tribute to and honor this soldier and his inspiring life which was cut short while he was serving his country. His country owes him an immeasurable debt of gratitude for his service and his great sacrifice on the battlefield. May God's peace be with Staff Sergeant Dickmyer's family, friends, and all those who continue to mourn his death and remember his life.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I have serious concerns regarding H. Res. 1631 which was considered on the House Floor on Tuesday, September 28. While the resolution proports to raise awareness regarding the smuggling of Cypriot religious and cultural artifacts, it only addresses cases related to Northern Cyprus and ignores the fact that it is a problem on both sides of the island, and should be addressed by both sides in addition to the international community. H. Res. 1631 overlooks the destruction of over 100 mosques, shrines, mausoleums and other valuable Ottoman and other cultural treasures in the 103 towns and villages which the Turkish Cypriots were forced to abandon in the southern part of the island. There is also no mention of the vast sums spent by Turkish Cypriots to restore 15 Orthodox Churches over the last three years--each of which has been completed. In order to address this problem, Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders established a Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage in May 2008 in conjunction with talks to settle the Cyprus issue. This Committee was given an important mandate for the protection of the rich cultural heritage of the island. It aims at preserving secular and religious cultural heritage monuments, which is an integral part of the ongoing process of improving relations between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. Had Greek Cypriots accepted the UN peace plan in the simultaneous referenda in April 2004, these issues would have been well on the way to being resolved, rather than discussed in third country legislatures. Despite the rejection of the so called Annan Plan in 2004, direct negotiations between the two leaders on the island have continued in pursuit of a comprehensive solution to the conflict. As the party that has supported the UN peace plan along with the international community in 2004, the Turkish Cypriots continue to demonstrate their commitment to a comprehensive settlement based on the political equality of the two sides. Both sides need the support and encouragement of the United States and other members of the international community in order to bridge their differences and reach a mutually agreed upon settlement. The Congress should engage in activities that aim to bring the two sides together, not inflame passions. That is why I believe it was ill advised for the Congress to adopt this resolution.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, we must stop these job-killing tax increases. House Republicans have been listening to the American people. Unemployment near 10 percent is one of their chief concerns. So why are Democrats allowing both Chambers to adjourn without stopping this massive $3.9 trillion tax increase that will hurt small businesses and kill more jobs? Our friends across the aisle can adjourn the House this week and walk away from their responsibility to govern, or Speaker Pelosi could allow a full and open debate on tax increases before this House is adjourned. We want an up-or-down vote now. We can't allow the American people and small businesses to continue to face this uncertainty. We were elected to serve the people in our districts, not to put our personal political gain ahead of our constituents' welfare. Let's vote before we adjourn to extend tax cuts for all Americans. No family and no job-creating small business owner should face a tax increase on January 1.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, it's my understanding that this bill is being brought to the floor in a rush without there even being any hearings in the committee.

Ms. FOXX. Well, I think, again, we're seeing that the House Democrats are proving not only that they've run out of ideas but they've run out of the will to govern. They won't make a budget. They won't deal with these impending tax hikes that we're going to have. I heard you say on the floor a few minutes ago that 40 percent of the reservists are coming back without jobs, and all our friends across the aisle seem to want to do is to get home so they can campaign for their own job instead of doing something to remove the uncertainty that's keeping small businesses from hiring new employees, many of them veterans, many of them reservists coming back. We must do something about these tax hikes that are looming and provide some certainty for small businesses, and I hope you agree with that.

Ms. FOXX. Will the gentleman yield?

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, our colleagues across the aisle are stuck on failure, the bailouts, one after the other. Last week, the bill that was passed here, the $30 billion, is another bailout of banks. It is a failure. Everything that our friends across the aisle-- mostly recommended by the President, have failed. Our unemployment rate, which was never supposed to go above 8 percent, based on the stimulus, is at almost 10 percent. Your ways of doing this are to keep the American people under the control of the government. Tax credits make them beholden. That is not the way to do it. No tax increases is the way to do it.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague from California's yielding the time. We are requiring flags to be made in the United States because our colleagues say they are concerned about jobs. Well, House Republicans are also very much concerned about jobs in this country, and we have been listening to the American people. Unemployment near 10 percent is one of the chief concerns of the people in this country, so they want to know why Democrats are allowing both chambers to adjourn this week without stopping this massive $3.9 trillion tax increase that will hurt small businesses and kill more jobs. Our friends across the aisle can adjourn the House this week and walk away from their responsibility to govern, or Speaker Pelosi could allow full and open debate on tax increases before this House is adjourned. We want an up-or-down vote now. We can't allow the American people and small businesses to face this uncertainty. We were elected to serve the people in our districts, not to put our personal political gain ahead of our constituents' welfare. Certainly, we want to make efforts to keep jobs in America, such as through bills like this one, but especially by giving certainty to businesses. Let's vote before we adjourn to extend tax cuts for all Americans. No family and no job-creating small business owner should face a tax increase on January 1.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I thank my colleague from California for yielding. Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I think that General Marshall was a great man and deserves recognition. In fact, he received a great deal of recognition during his lifetime. He received the Nobel Prize. However, this Congress has shown an unfortunate propensity for bringing up bills that are not exactly high priorities in the minds of the American people. Yet our colleagues across the aisle, Mr. Speaker, are not even trying to deal with legislation that the American people do want and are clamoring for. The failed trillion-dollar stimulus, the government takeover of health care, and billions of dollars in bailouts were all pushed through by Democrats in charge; but when it comes to making a budget or to staving off the largest tax increase in American history, these Democrats are sitting on their hands. It would be a travesty for this body to adjourn this week and to leave a $3.9 trillion tax increase looming over the heads of American families and small businesses. Mr. Speaker, we stand here today with more than 30 Members of your own party who are making a simple request: let us have a full and open debate before you impose those job-killing tax hikes on the American people. Give us an up-or-down vote, and let the will of the American people have its way. Let's stop frittering away our time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, October 10th marks the 99th anniversary of the Republic of China, ROC. From its first days in mainland China, the ROC has always been a world economic leader. Taiwan's rapid industrialization after the Second World War and Chinese Civil War has long since provided a fertile market for many U.S. companies. Following World War II, Taiwan suffered horrific hyperinflation. The ROC government thus created a new currency zone for Taiwan, as well as a vital price stabilization program. Future U.S. economic assistance resulted in full price stabilization as early as 1952. Taiwan's ROC government then went about installing an import-substitution policy, helping local companies produce for themselves much of what they had until then imported. Agriculture made up 35 percent of Taiwan's economy in 1952. That figure is roughly only 2 percent today. Taiwan has sustained much of its economic growth in modern times, and can now be thought of as nothing less than a fully developed economy. Real gross domestic product growth has averaged roughly 8 percent over the last 30 years. In fact, 2001, a year of nearly universal worldwide recession, was the first year since 1947 that Taiwan experienced negative economic growth. Taiwan enjoys perennial trade surpluses, as well as the world's third highest foreign currency reserves. Dominated by many small and medium- sized businesses, Taiwan's entrepreneurial spirit and lack of undue government interference in the economy also helped shield the island from the worst of the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. Taiwan today is also a major offshore investor in nearby Asian markets, namely mainland China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Republic of China on Taiwan on its many economic achievements during its rich 99- year history, many of which have also benefited U.S. investors, customers and exporters.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, today I want to pay tribute to the USA Science and Engineering Festival and the North Carolina Science Festival. The goal of these nonprofit, private sector-driven festivals is simple: present science to America's youth in a way that is hands- on, interactive, and inspiring. From the Carolina coast to the mountains, scores of events will take place in the coming weeks to celebrate science. Winston-Salem's SciWorks, one of America's leading science museums, will also host several Festival events. Nationwide, organizers expect as many as 1 million people to participate in the Festivals' activities, a remarkable achievement. These events are opening the doors of science labs and bringing science into the hands of America's youth. As a mother, grandmother, and former educator, I am well aware that inspiring greatness and encouraging education in science among our Nation's children is an important effort. I applaud the USA Science and Engineering Festival and the North Carolina Science Festival for working to achieve these goals and ensure America continues to be the world leader in innovation and scientific discovery. Madam Speaker, I had the privilege this past weekend to speak with a group of committed and inspiring pro-life activists in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This group is spearheading the local 40 Days for Life campaign in Winston-Salem, which brings pro-life citizens together in a 40-day prayer vigil and community outreach effort to stand up for the lives of the unborn. This week marks the beginning of the fall 40-day vigil in Winston-Salem, the fifth such campaign the group has led in the area, and one of hundreds happening in cities across the Nation. In the short time that this 40 Days for Life group has been standing up for the rights of unborn children, at least 14 babies' lives have been saved. In my ledger, that makes this pro-life effort an incredible success. By involving more than 25 local churches and scores of pro- life participants, 40 Days for Life is making a broad impact for the pro-life cause in the community. But this is only part of the story. Nationwide, the 40 Days for Life movement is growing stronger with each passing year. To date, 11,500 churches and 350,000 individuals have gotten involved in the hundreds of local campaigns, and the lives of 2,811 babies have been spared from abortion thanks to the courageous and selfless efforts of these pro- life groups. Madam Speaker, this is a committed group of people who are dedicated to the rights of the unborn. I am proud to support those in North Carolina who participate in this important event and who would spend 40 days in fasting and prayer on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished ranking member of the Rules Committee, Mr. Dreier. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for yielding time. But, Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I have to rise today in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. Even though we have all had the opportunity to meet with our constituents in our districts over the past 6 weeks, it's clear that the ruling Democratic elite still do not seem to get it. My constituents in North Carolina want the Federal Government to stop spending, but this bill authorizes an additional $5 billion for two new government-funded energy efficiency loan programs. Mr. Speaker, the so-called stimulus in 2009 included over 8 billion in taxpayer dollars that were supposedly meant for energy efficiency in homes. At the time, the ruling Democrats boasted that it authorized $4.7 billion for the Department of Energy to issue grants for a home weatherization program. However, though it was touted as another shovel-ready program, the Department of Energy has used less than 10 percent of those funds in the program's first year; just over 30,000 homes were weatherized instead of the hundreds of thousands promised. If the Department of Energy can't implement the $4.7 billion program in the stimulus, why should we authorize another $5 billion loan program? We have not seen any evidence of these programs working or being implemented correctly. Mr. Speaker, apparently the $8 billion in stimulus spending was not enough. The Democrats are now asking that we borrow another $5 billion from foreign countries and our grandchildren. The fact is we cannot afford, nor do we need, these new government programs, especially at a time when we have an unprecedented deficit and return on this spending is questionable at best. Furthermore, this bill was not vetted by both the committees to which it was referred. And it's remarkable that our colleagues continue to bring ideas that have been rejected back to the floor. The Rules Committee Democrats have issued the self-executing rule to arbitrarily force inclusion of the Home Star Energy Efficiency Loan program into the bill even though 346 Members, including 178 Democrats, already voted against it this past May. They are using blunt force to push their agenda through, ignoring the will of the American people by increasing the program's authorization level from its original $324 million to a whopping $42.5 billion. Again, Mr. Speaker, I'm disappointed that after having 6 weeks at home to listen to their constituents--not just Democrat constituents, not just Republican constituents, not just Independent or unaffiliated, but folks from all areas of political persuasion. Their constituents don't want them to spend more of their hard-earned money on frivolous government programs. Instead, they want us to cut spending, lower their taxes, and enable businesses to prosper so they can get back to work. The goals of these two government programs, new programs, could be achieved by existing programs such as the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program, which controlled approximately $33.77 million for loans in fiscal 2010. Why two new programs are being created to do something an existing program can already achieve is beyond me. Finally, I object to this rule because it is, once again, a structured rule. The ruling Democrat elites have chosen to block at least nine amendments from being offered on the floor today and instead have arbitrarily chosen to allow only four, which are the only amendments they will permit us to debate. Once again, Mr. Speaker, after promising the most open and honest Congress in history, Speaker Pelosi has gone back on her word and against the will of the American people. When will our colleagues across the aisle learn that this House belongs to the people, not to them? I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I am going to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so I can amend the rule to allow all Members of Congress the opportunity to vote on a cost-saving measure. Recently, Republican Whip Eric Cantor launched YouCut, which gives people an opportunity to vote for Federal spending they'd like to see Congress cut. Americans have cast their votes, and this week the American people want Congress to save nearly $1 billion by requiring collection of unpaid taxes from Federal employees. In 2008, the Internal Revenue Service reported that over 90,000 Federal employees were delinquent on their Federal income taxes, owing a total of $1 billion in unpaid taxes. This includes 1,151 employees who owe $7 million at the Department of Treasury which oversees the IRS. H.R. 4735, of which I am a cosponsor, would prevent persons who have seriously delinquent tax debts from being eligible for Federal employment. By requiring at a minimum that the IRS work with Federal agencies to withhold a portion of each employee's paycheck who is determined to have a ``seriously delinquent tax debt,'' we can ensure that Federal employees are paying their fair share of taxes. Failure to pay required taxes should result in disciplinary actions designed to ensure that the taxpayers are made whole. In addition to collecting back taxes already due, this reform will ensure future unpaid taxes are also collected. Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the amendment to which our colleagues spoke earlier and extraneous material be placed in the Record prior to the vote on the previous question.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. With all due respect to my colleague across the aisle, we do not put politics above people. My colleagues and I were out in our districts all during the August recess, and we listened to our constituents. We know what our constituents want. They want a different direction for this country than our friends across the aisle have been taking us, along with this administration. It wasn't the Republicans that drove this country into the ditch. It was the Democrats through their spend, spend, spend program, debt, debt, debt program. The American people have awakened. They know what's going on, and they don't like it. We're going to do everything we can to stop this irresponsible behavior on the part of our colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Our colleagues have talked about every bill they've brought up here in the last 18 months as being a jobs bill. But what they've done is spend, spend, spend and claiming they're creating jobs, but they have failed time after time. The results are clear. The Democrat elites have run out of ideas about how to get the economy moving in the right direction. The American people can't afford more of the ruling Democrats' failed policies. They want new ideas for getting our economy back on track--not the same warmed-over stimulus and bailout policies that have failed to do anything but create new taxes, record deficits, and high unemployment. Month after month Americans have been asking, ``Where are the jobs?'' The Democrats have been in total control of this country for almost 2 years, and what has President Obama offered? Nothing new but promising between now and November he will, quote, remind the American people that policies he has put in place have, quote, moved us in the right direction. Well, good luck, Mr. President, on selling the American people that you've taken us from 5 percent unemployment to 10 percent unemployment and you want to keep going in the same direction. Those who are unemployed aren't going to agree, and those who worry about being unemployed aren't going to agree with the President. The American people do not need more empty rhetoric and politically driven spin from the White House. They need real solutions. The only jobs this administration has created have been Federal Government jobs, adding to the overwhelming layers of bureaucracy that already exist at the Federal level. From February of 2009 to June 2010, 405,000 Federal Government jobs have been created. Since the so-called ``stimulus,'' American taxpayers have spent $44.9 billion on these new government worker salaries--and yet we continue to see record high unemployment in the private sector. All this administration and the liberal elite ruling Democrats want to do is grow government and grow bureaucracy, and this is evidenced by their backward policies. As they try to sell their ``Recovery Summer,'' we know that more Americans are concerned about the state of the economic health. An August 24, 2010, Reuters' IPSO poll showed that the economy is a core concern for Americans, with almost three-quarters--72 percent--of Americans very concerned about jobs. It showed 62 percent of Americans now think the country is on the wrong track. It is clear that though President Obama believes he's sailing the ship in the right direction, the American people overwhelmingly disagree. Even though the results are in and it's clear the American people don't want these policies, our friends across the aisle keep trying to shove expensive, wasteful pieces of legislation down the taxpayers' throat. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better than this. Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the reason Republicans vote against these programs is because we pay attention to what happens. Government programs don't work. It's real simple. Our colleagues across the aisle simply haven't learned that. Again, we go back to the stimulus. We were promised unemployment would not go up past 8 percent. It is almost 10 percent. Our economy is in the ditch. We are in terrible, terrible shape in this country, all because of the spending by our colleagues across the aisle and because of the belief that the government is our savior. It is not our savior. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor).