Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the majority that is committed to fiscal responsibility. The Democrats' needle is stuck in a groove and it is playing the same song over and over: Tax and spend. Republicans have already passed a budget that cut $100 million from the deficit. Democrats refuse to vote for this budget. In fact, over the last 3 years Democrats have tried to bust the discretionary budget in the appropriations process by over $60 billion in additional spending. Along with the billions more in spending, Democrats also offered amendments totaling almost $400 billion in additional taxes. I guess it is hard to learn a new tune when the old one is playing over and over again in your head. Republicans have recommended the termination of 98 inefficient and duplicative programs which would bring American taxpayers a savings of more than $4.3 billion. Yet the Democrats continue to obstruct while singing the tax-and-spend tune. It is time to change the record. The American people have repeatedly rallied against more taxes and more spending. It is time we listen to their song.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) for organizing this Special Order again and for helping us bring the facts to the people of this country. She used a very nice word, ``myths.'' Some people could use much stronger words about the things that are being said about this Deficit Reduction Act. So I think she is being very kind. We need to set the record straight about what is being said about this bill and about what we are actually doing. The Education and Workforce Committee was given the task to find $18.1 billion in net savings. Of that $18.1 billion, we generated $14.5 billion by making the Federal programs dealing with higher education more efficient and effective. I did serve many years in higher education. I was a community college president, a university administrator, dealt with higher education programs, with financial aid. So I understand these programs a great deal. And let me tell the Members just in summary what we did. We are helping the students and the families of this country tremendously by what we are doing. We are going to continue to increase student financial aid as college enrollment increases. We are going to see financial aid going up through increases in loan limits and reductions in origination fees. That is going to help students and families. We are going to end the practice that allowed some lenders to collect the minimum of 9.5 percent rate of return on some student loans. And yet the Democrats have fought these tooth and nail. They all voted against these measures. They do not want to help make access to higher education better for low- and middle-income students like we do. And that is what this is going to do. It is going to generate savings for taxpayers by eliminating waste and inefficiency, trimming subsidies paid to lenders, and place the aid programs on a stable financial foundation. We are going to put a complete and permanent end to practices that have allowed some lenders to collect the minimum 9.5 percent rate of return on some student loans. That is just simply unfair to the students who are having to borrow money. It will also reduce student loan fees by 75 percent over 5 years. Student loan borrowers today pay up to 4 percent in loan fees and a 3 percent origination fee. We are going to reduce that origination fee to 1 percent. It also is going to expand student loan borrowing by increasing the amounts for first- and second-year college students. This is going to be a tremendous boon to those students. It is also going to protect borrowers' credit by requiring lenders to report to all national credit bureaus to ensure students and graduates will be able to take full advantage of the good credit history they have earned through repayment of their Federal student loans. They cannot do that now, and it is a shame because they cannot build a good credit history. We also, through this bill, improve consumer protection and awareness by eliminating unfair rules that limit options for consolidation borrowers and providing borrowers more information about their loans. We want students to be responsible. We are going to help them be responsible. The Democrats are opposed to that. It is really mind-boggling to understand why they would oppose all these reforms that we are putting in. One would think they would want to help moderate- and low-income people get a higher education, but they keep throwing stumbling blocks up and saying we are reducing money; we are increasing the amount of money. We make it easier for the neediest students to participate in these programs by simplifying eligibility. I know when I conducted programs with financial aid, it took a college degree to fill out the forms. So it was a real problem. We are going to improve that. Taken as a whole, CBO estimates these reforms will save $14.5 billion over 5 years. That is money going into the pockets of the students and the families that we want to help and other taxpayers. Spending is out of control, Mr. Speaker. We cannot afford to keep increasing Federal spending at astronomical and unreasonable rates. Contrary to what our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are purporting, we are not finding these savings on the backs of college students. We are going to help college students. These reforms will strengthen student aid programs and expand student benefits. Everybody needs to support this bill and know that they can go home and say to students trying to get an education, We are helping you with this.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Smiths Aerospace to the Fifth Congressional District of North Carolina. After looking at more than 50 potential sites, the company recently announced it will open a $44 million facility in Ashe County. The new facility is expected to hire 100 employees immediately and employ 305 workers within 5 years. As a major supplier to Boeing and Airbus, Smiths Aerospace will provide equipment for civilian and military aircraft and build many engine components as turbines for jets. The company expects to have the plant running by mid-November and has its first shipments planned for February of next year. I would like to commend Smiths Aerospace for choosing to do business in the Fifth District. Northwest North Carolina has a great deal to offer including friendly people, a hardworking and highly skilled workforce, excellent institutions of higher education, and a beautiful landscape. I wish Smiths Aerospace great success in all its future endeavors.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, a debate is brewing in Congress that will have a significant impact on the future of this Nation. There are two clearly defined sides in this debate. On the one hand are fiscal conservatives such as myself who want to cut government spending and rein in the Federal deficit. On the other hand are folks who believe that more government spending is the answer to all our problems, and these folks will raise your taxes to pay for it. In light of the high cost associated with hurricane relief, our budget's $35 billion savings package is simply not enough. The good news is that Congress now has the rare opportunity to rein in Federal spending by $50 billion and reform decades-old programs that are often duplicative and ineffective. It is disappointing that many of my Democratic colleagues are fighting the Deficit Reduction Act. Even though they complain about the deficit, they would like to increase spending by billions of dollars. These Members have no plan to reduce the deficit. Their only answer is to raise taxes. Mr. Speaker, the last thing we need is more of the old tax-and-spend mentality. The Deficit Reduction Act gives us an opportunity to streamline our government, reform ineffective programs, cut spending, and provide greater accountability. It is time for this important legislation to pass.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of President Bush's well-qualified Supreme Court nominee, Judge Samuel Alito. Judge Alito has extensive experience in the American legal system. During nearly 30 years of public service, he has handled difficult and complex legal issues. He began his distinguished career with 15 years of service at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant to the Solicitor General. Judge Alito has argued 12 Supreme Court cases and argued at least two dozen court of appeals cases. After being unanimously confirmed by the Senate, Judge Alito served on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals for 15 years. He is widely respected for his fairness and even temperament. Judge Alito is committed to the rule of law and understands the proper role of a judge in our society. His record as a Federal judge demonstrates that he strictly interprets the law and does not legislate from the bench or create new policies based on personal opinion. Madam Speaker, Judge Alito has shown a deep commitment to justice and equality, a mastery of the law and strong personal character. I urge the Senate to study his record, hold fair hearings, and give him an up or down vote as soon as possible.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, Chairman Goodlatte and Chairman Sensenbrenner are to be applauded for the excellent, prompt work they have done on this outstanding bill. Fundamentally, this bill is truly one of the most important pieces of legislation that this Congress has or will consider. The Supreme Court's eminent domain decision contradicts the very ideals of liberty and property rights that have for 229 years defined the greatest government on earth. Our forefathers put their lives on the line and took up arms to obtain the liberties and independence we enjoy. They left their wives and families to shed blood so their children would not be subject to British taxation, invasion of privacy and wrongful seizures of property. The Framers of our Constitution clearly defined the rights to speak and worship freely, bear arms and hold personal property when they crafted the greatest form of government the world has ever known. Property rights are a hallmark of what separates America from nations whose citizens live in fear of their own government. In fact, property rights and the opportunity for homeownership are principal reasons that citizens come from other nations desperately to America. However, as a result of the atrocious decision made by the Supreme Court, those exact rights became jeopardized. As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution and protect the rights of our constituents. We also have the responsibility to carefully monitor the actions of the judicial branch. The bipartisan support this bill has both in Congress and in our districts loudly proclaims the widely held opposition to the Supreme Court's un-American eminent domain decision. I am proud to help ensure that such an appalling ruling will not be made again. I hope and pray the newly appointed Supreme Court justices will never rule as irresponsibly as those five justices who supported the eminent domain decision did. We cannot let courts or local governments trample on property rights. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last June, in a 5 to 4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the government may force property owners to sell their property to make way for private economic development when officials deem it beneficial to the public. With that decision, Susette Kelo and 15 of her neighbors lost their fight to hold on to their homes. One neighbor forced to sell her home was born there in 1918 and lived in the house her entire life. The properties Kelo and her neighbors are being forced to abandon will not be a replaced with a needed road or school but with upscale housing and a marina. The sanctity of private property is one that Americans hold dear, and this Supreme Court decision threatens that. This House has appropriately responded by offering the Protection of Homes, Small Businesses, and Private Property Act of 2005 which would protect property by limiting the power of eminent domain. Mr. Speaker, the fifth amendment to the Constitution prohibits the government taking private property except for public use. The protection of our homes, small business, and other private property rights against government seizure is one of the fundamental principles this country was founded upon. If the highest court in the land will not protect this right, it is up to us to do so.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Watauga County, North Carolina, for having the number one Relay for Life program in the country, for a community with a population of 40,000 to 50,000 people. Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. The Watauga County program raised an impressive $333,518 during 2005. This marks the fifth year in a row that they were named the number one team in the United States. This year's Watauga Relay featured 100 individual teams and a total of more than 1,300 people. This surge of support is the most participation ever in county history. Of the 100 teams, 57 reached all- star status by raising a minimum of $150 per member. Mr. Speaker, I commend Watauga Relay Chairs Sharon Trivette and Glenda Hodges, along with the hundreds of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research. I hope to be back here next year to praise them for continuing their winning streak.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the great deal of progress being made on our global war on terror. While there is no quick path to victory, it is absolutely necessary for us to maintain our resolve. Terrorists have long waged war against the United States, well before the September 11 attacks. Americans were bombed in Lebanon in 1983, at the World Trade Center in 1993, at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996, at the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, and on board the USS Cole in 2000. Over the years, these terrorists have attacked and attacked and attacked, thinking they could kill innocent Americans without paying a price. I am proud of President Bush and our troops for standing up to these murderers and showing them we will not sit back and tolerate this behavior. Conditions in the Middle East are improving. Despite the terrorists' plans to disrupt democracy in Iraq, millions of Iraqi people embraced democracy by turning out to vote for a new Constitution. In addition, the Iraqi security forces are taking a much more prominent role in defending their country. Mr. Speaker, I hope that Americans will continue to support our troops. They are doing the right thing because they are making the world a safer place.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, following an historic election, the Iraqi people took another huge step towards democracy with nearly 79 percent approving a new constitution. However, this political milestone was not reached without a cost paid by our American soldiers. As we sadly marked the 2,000th death in Iraq, we must take time to honor the sacrifice our soldiers have made for this country. Our men and women are fighting terrorists in Iraq, so that we do not have to fight them in this country. Now is the time to honor these soldiers and thank their families for the sacrifices they are making to keep our country safe. Unfortunately, there are some out there who have chosen this solemn occasion to score political points. They are using this opportunity to call for withdrawal of our troops from Iraq. Nothing could be more wrong. Bailing out would hand a victory to the terrorists and a defeat to the United States. One group is actually using this occasion to raise funds. Featured on their Web site is a television ad featuring a coffin in the sand. Click on this ad, and you are immediately taken to a contribution page asking for a donation. Mr. Speaker, we need to continue to honor our troops by staying the course in Iraq. Using these sacrifices for political purposes, as many are doing, is wrong.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Armed Services be discharged from further consideration of the Senate bill (S. 37) to extend the special postage stamp for breast cancer research for 2 years, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 37.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Vietnam War hero Captain James R. Jones, who gave his life for his country. This past weekend, I had the pleasure to award the late Captain Jones the Purple Heart for his bravery and courage. Captain Jones was an extraordinary man. Born in Surry County, North Carolina, in 1939 to Buster and Myrtle Jones, Captain Jones received degrees with honor from J.J. Jones High School in Mount Airy, A&T College in Greensboro, and a dentistry degree from Howard University. Upon his graduation in 1964, he was commissioned as a captain under the ROTC program and subsequently entered military service. In 1967, he was assigned to a small dental clinic at an outlying base in Vietnam. Sadly, his care would never be received. The aircraft he was on board crashed soon after takeoff and caught fire. Everyone on board perished. Captain Jones is remembered today for his commitment to his fellow man and his country. Mr. Speaker, Captain James R. Jones is to be commended for his bravery, his fierce determination, and his patriotism. His self- sacrifice should be a testament to us all.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be with you tonight. You have done a great job of leading our conservative group to think about these issues, and to provide the facts and figures that we need. In fact, the little history lesson that you have just given about the cutback on welfare, I think, is a very timely lesson to have, because every time we talk about lowering the rate of increase, we are given all of these gloom and doom stories about what is going to happen. And yet we know very well that Government is not the answer to the problems that we have in this country, the individuals are, and as long as people look to the Government to solve their problems, the problems are going to mushroom instead of go away. These past few weeks have really tested our Nation's emergency response system, our compassion, and Congress's ability to set spending priorities. I think we are doing very well with Operation Offset and other things that we are working on in the Congress. But it is clear, as we go about this process, that Republicans are the Members who make up the party of fiscal responsibility. And that fiscal responsibility has helped grow the economy and bolster jobs. Some of these statistics I know have been given out by other speakers, but I think it bears repeating, that over the last 2 years, our Nation has created millions of jobs. The unemployment level has dropped dramatically, and the economy has grown. If you listen to the mainstream media, you hear nothing but gloom and doom. All of the good news gets drowned out. But we are making tough decisions, and we are cutting back on spending, and that is what is going to be the other factor that is going to really help this economy grow. Earlier this year Republicans passed a budget that cut $100 billion from the deficit. And what did the Democrats do? They refused to vote for the budget. As my colleagues have said, Republicans have recommended 98 programs be terminated for a total savings of more than $4.3 billion. It is my understanding that later this week we will be voting on a bill to permanently deauthorize those programs. So many times a program is not funded, but the authorization is not taken away. We need to do that, too, and we are going to do that. The Republican leadership is going to put domestic discretionary spending on track to be below last year's levels. Now, the gentleman earlier gave a little lesson about the difference between discretionary and mandatory spending. As my colleagues know, I do not even like to use that term, ``mandatory spending.'' And every time that it comes up, I mention that I cannot find that word anywhere in the Constitution. And I want to encourage people to keep reading the Constitution to see if you can find the word ``mandatory spending.'' But we are doing a lot with the Republican leadership to cut the growth of spending, and that is what we have to do. But what have the Democrats done? Over the last 3 years they have attempted to bust the discretionary budget in the appropriations process by more than $60 billion. And the way they would finance this is raising taxes on small businesses. So it is not surprising that at a time when we must be watchful of taxpayer dollars, the Democrats have turned to their old playbook and called up one of their favorites, the old tax and spend. We think it is time for Democrats to come up with a new plan and join us in doing something important about spending. I am relived that they have not had their way with the Federal checkbook, or things would be much worse than they are. In fact, if they had their way with spending, a new report by the House Appropriations Committee shows they would have increased spending by more than $60 billion over the last 3 years. Before our Nation faced the challenges of recent hurricanes, we were on track to produce more, and our government was spending less. Last year we held nonsecurity discretionary spending to a 1 percent growth rate, far blow inflation and the previous 5-year average of 6 percent growth. Last year we held nonsecurity discretionary spending to a 1.4 percent growth rate, less than inflation, and a major reduction from previous years. Democrats, on the other hand, have no plan to reduce the deficit. While they stand here and complain about budget deficits, they propose billions more in new spending. It is really frustrating to hear the two sides of their plan, knowing that there is no way for it to work, and the only way that it would work would be for them to raise taxes. But you never hear them talking about that. I am asking our Democratic colleagues to join us in the effort to restore fiscal sanity to this country. In 1997, the House passed a deficit reduction bill with 153 Democratic votes that saved billions of dollars. What we need now is Democrats to join us in a similar move. But in the meantime, we are looking to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling), those of us on the Republican side, to continue to bring up these issues, and again present the facts and help educate the American public as to what the real facts are, not the shell game that we keep seeing played out on the other side every night, but the real numbers so that they can see what Republicans have accomplished and what more we can do with the effort that we have been putting into it with Operation Offset and really knuckling down to being fiscally responsible.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a very heavy heart today to express the condolences of a grateful Nation and to honor the life of Petty Officer Hospitalman Third Class Christopher Thompson, who passed away on October 21 while serving in Iraq. A native of Wilkes County, North Carolina, Petty Officer Thompson served his country as a naval hospital corpsman. In that role he cared for his wounded comrades and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal during his first tour of duty for aiding four Marines hurt in a bombing. Petty Office Thompson was a loving son and brother. He leaves behind his parents, Larry and Geraldine Thompson; and brothers, David Thompson and Jimmy Epley. May God bless them and comfort them during this very difficult time. We owe this brave sailor and his family a tremendous debt of gratitude for his selfless service and sacrifice. Our Nation could not maintain its freedom and security without heroes like Christopher who make the ultimate sacrifice. Americans, as well as Iraqis, owe their liberty to Christopher and his comrades who came before him. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Petty Officer Christopher Thompson. May God bless him.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a fiscal conservative to set the record straight that Republicans are the party of fiscal discipline. Earlier this year, Republicans passed the budget that cut $100 billion from the deficit. What did Democrats do? They refused to vote for the budget, another act in their play of obstruction. Republicans have recommended 98 programs be terminated for a total savings of more than $4.3 billion. And under Republican leadership, domestic discretionary spending is currently on track to be below last year's levels. What have the Democrats done? Over the last 3 years they have attempted to bust the discretionary budget in the appropriations process by more than $60 billion. They hope to finance this by raising taxes on small businesses. So it is not surprising at a time when we must be watchful of taxpayer dollars the Democrats have turned to their playbook and called up one of their favorites, the old tax and spend. It is time for the Democrats to come up with a new play. In 1997, 51 Democrats had the courage to help Republicans pass the last major entitlement reform bill. I hope they can find that courage again.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, as a fiscal conservative, I rise today in relief that the Democrats have not been able to have their way with the Federal checkbook. In fact, if they would have had their way with spending, a new report by the House Committee on Appropriations released yesterday shows they would have increased spending by more than $60 billion over the past 3 years. Before our Nation faced the challenges of the recent hurricanes, our Nation was on track to produce more and our government was spending less. In fact, last year Congress held nonsecurity discretionary spending to a 1 percent growth rate, far below inflation and the previous 5-year average growth of 6 percent. And last year, Congress held nonsecurity discretionary spending to a 1.4 percent growth rate, less than inflation and a major reduction from previous years. Democrats, on the other hand, have no plan to reduce the deficit. While they complain about budget deficits, they propose billions more in new spending. Their only answer is to raise taxes in order to have more money to spend. That is not good for the family checkbook or the American economy. Madam Speaker, I ask my Democratic colleagues to join me in restoring fiscal sanity. In 1997 the House passed a deficit-reduction bill with 153 Democrat votes that saved billions. They should join us in a similar move now.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Saturday was a historic day for democracy in Iraq and a bad day for terrorists. Millions of Iraqis embraced the democratic process and turned out to vote for a new constitution. We will not know the final results until later this week, but the large turnout of voters and the low level of violence are themselves milestones of progress on Iraq's path to democracy. As Prime Minister Ja'afari said, ``The victory for Iraq is that Iraqis are voting.'' More than 60 percent of registered voters turned out in the Sunni majority Ninewah Province compared to 17 percent in January's election. The higher turnout is an important change and a tribute to our political strategy which includes continued outreach to Sunni leaders. Additionally, this strong Sunni participation is evidence of a desire on their part to reject insurgent violence and place their trust in the democratic process. In addition, we know Saturday's violence did not even come close to the 347 election-day attacks reported in the January election. Mr. Speaker, Saturday's vote took place 3 years to the day following Saddam Hussein's made-up election in which he won 100 percent of the vote. Taking one more step toward democracy, Iraqis now know what a real election is.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate an outstanding teacher from North Carolina's Fifth District, Ms. Kathy Lineberger. Last Thursday, Ms. Lineberger, who teaches at Ward Elementary School in Winston-Salem, was named to USA Today's All-USA Teacher Team. This recognition means that she is one of the top 20 teachers in the United States. As a reward, Ms. Lineberger will receive $2,500 to share with her school. She plans to enrich the lives of her students by using a vast majority of her award to purchase books for her classroom. This is not the first national recognition bestowed to Ms. Lineberger. In 2000, she was named the National CHEM, which stands for Chemistry, Health, Environment, and Me, Teacher of the Year for writing interdisciplinary lessons. She also won the National Science Educator for Public Understanding Award in 1998 and was the Academically Gifted Teacher of the Year for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County in 2002. Mr. Speaker, the people of the Fifth District are fortunate to have many dedicated and talented teachers like Kathy Lineberger teach our children. I congratulate Ms. Lineberger and wish her continued success.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday marks the beginning of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, a time dedicated to honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice while in the line of duty. Over the weekend, thousands of Americans will gather to remember America's bravest heroes and support their families. On this occasion, I rise to honor the life of one such hero, Volunteer Firefighter Harold Dean Chappell of Jonesville, North Carolina. As a member of Arlington Fire and Rescue, Firefighter Chappell centered his life around serving his community and was always willing to help neighbors, friends and strangers. Tragically, in July 2004, Jonesville lost one of its finest citizens as Firefighter Chappell passed away from complications he sustained after responding to a motor vehicle fire. Firefighter Chappell was a wonderful man. He was a public servant his entire life. He was also a loving father and husband. According to his son Larry, ``If you needed something, you could call him, and he would be right there to help you. He will be thought of forever as a well- known family man and one who was known by many. May he rest in peace and watch over us all.'' Mr. Speaker, may we all honor Firefighter Chappell and his family and the hundreds of first responders who watch over us every day.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, these past few weeks have tested our Nation's emergency response system, our compassion, and the Congress' ability to set spending priorities. One thing is clear, Republicans are still the party of fiscal responsibility which has helped grow the economy and bolster jobs. In fact, over the past 2 years, our Nation has created millions of jobs, the unemployment level has dropped dramatically, and our economy has grown. Like families, we make tough decisions. Over the past year, we terminated 98 programs which will save taxpayers over $4.3 billion. But given our new challenges, I am pleased that the House will exercise oversight of disaster expenditures to ensure that the funds are being spent properly by implementing several checks and balances: Sending investigators to the gulf to monitor disaster expenditures, convening dozens of hearings to hear from officials at all levels of government on how funds are utilized, and mandating weekly reports on expenditures, and conducting audits and investigation on disaster assistance. While I hope we will do more to cut spending and provide accountability, we all know that the Democratic plan is simply to spend, spend, and spend some more.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I have enjoyed listening to my colleague from Iowa, and we share a lot of things in common, being able to know our own minds and speak them. I think they are in the face sometimes of running against the flow, but I think that is what the people of our respective States sent us here for, and so I think that that is what we should be doing. I have appreciated the comments that you have made. I heard a little bit from my classmate, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), and his comments that he was making, too, and I think that all of us owe a great debt to the people from our districts who have stepped up and helped in so many ways. I know that the people of the 5th Congressional District of North Carolina, my district, have been extremely generous with their time and money in helping with the hurricane relief. They, and all the other people, have exemplified what a wonderful country we live in and how volunteers do step up when we need them to. Our government can do very, very many great things, and our government does do many great things. We have a lot of fabulous people who work for the Federal Government and the State and local governments, too; but there are things that we are not equipped to do. I, like you and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), have been extremely saddened by the devastation that we have seen inflicted by these hurricanes. They are not the greatest disasters necessarily that have hit our country, but they have certainly been the greatest ones that have come in a long time. I think that what our military and the Federal agencies have done has been positive, but I think that we have to do more at the State level and the local level; and I think we have to urge people to do more through the volunteer organizations, as you talked about. I supported $10 billion in aid that we gave for this relief. I have supported every other bill that has come through except the one big omnibus bill that we had, the $52 billion bill. We have done a lot to provide relief measures, tax relief measures for people, for college students, for workers and worker training programs. But my concern is that we spend the money that we spend here from the Federal level wisely. As a State Senator, I thought we should spend our government's money wisely, but we have to be extremely careful that we do not let our hearts override our heads. If I am spending my own money, it is okay if I let my heart dictate. But if I am spending other people's money, I think I have to make sure that I am voting with my head and not with my heart. One of the concerns that I have is that we have oversight in the money that is being spent on the hurricane relief. We have to have oversight and accountability or else we will waste the precious money that we have. Every dollar wasted is a dollar not going to help some family in need or some agency in need. And I think that it is shameful that members of the minority party have often exploited the suffering and loss of life in this tragedy to score political points. We do not need to be dealing with partisan issues here. We need to work together to help the people of the gulf coast. But we need to do it in the most effective and fiscally responsible way possible. I supported the select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation For and Response to Hurricane Katrina. I think that that is the way we should be operating. We are going to have a full investigation, as the gentleman mentioned, and the report is going to come out on February 15. All the facts have to come out so that we can take steps on the Federal, State and local level to make sure that we do not have a debacle like we had there before. I think it is very important we examine the role of the Federal Government in disaster relief. I am really proud to be a member of the Committee on Government Reform, and I appreciate my colleague from Iowa mentioning the Committee on Government Reform and the potential role it has to play in looking at this. What I hope is that the Committee on Government Reform is going to review many, many government programs and how they operate, and that this will be a catalyst for us to see what we are doing, particularly with rules and regulations as they apply to what is happening in the recovery. But as we do that, it seems to me we should expand the way we look at rules and regulations. Are they doing what we need them to do? Not only what went wrong with Hurricane Katrina, but what can we do to streamline the way we operate? I want measured, common sense solutions to what we have seen as a result of the hurricane, but I want common sense solutions to all of the problems that we face in this country, and I think our citizens are saying that. I know when I am at home, people are saying please do not just throw money at this problem. Let us use this as an opportunity to make things better in the future, not just put a Band-Aid on the issues, but make sure we do not lose the opportunity to find out what went wrong, fix that, and then go even further. And let us reduce the role of the Federal Government, because as my colleague said, in many cases just some good common sense on the part of average citizens can solve a lot of problems and keep us from wasting a lot of money in trying to solve a problem. So I commend the gentleman for having this special order tonight, for bringing this to our colleagues' attention. We need to keep talking about it. We need to keep talking about it in a positive way, not a negative way. We need to say let us look for solutions, let us solve the problems, and let us make the gulf coast a better place to live. Let us make our entire country a better place to live by reducing the role of the Federal Government in our lives.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, September 30, 2005, is a significant day in American higher education. This day marks Dr. David W. Bushman's inauguration as the 13th president of Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Lees-McRae College is an institution of which the entire Nation can be proud. For 105 years, it has prepared young men and women to take their places as productive citizens. Committed to leadership and service, Lees-McRae is an integral part of the larger community, putting into practice its historic motto, ``In the mountains, of the mountains, for the mountains.'' David W. Bushman is an outstanding scholar, educator and administrator. Under his leadership, Lees-McRae College reaffirms its commitment to academic excellence in the liberal arts tradition and to the moral and civic education of its students. As David Bushman assumes the presidency of Lees-McRae College, I extend sincere congratulations to him and to the college. As President Bushman and Lees-McRae College begin this new chapter in their history, they do so with my best wishes for continued success.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very special constituent of mine, Miss Bailey Goforth, a 7-year-old from Alexander County, North Carolina, a bright young lady who is wise far beyond her years. On Saturday, July 16 of this year, Bailey's father, David, became pinned beneath a heavy farm implement while attempting to hook up a bush hog to his tractor. Bailey was the person who discovered him. Rather than panic at the sight of her injured father, she acted in a calm and collected manner. She and her younger sister, Ali, tried to phone their grandparents for help but unfortunately they could not reach them. That is when Bailey sprinted to her family's garage, retrieved a car jack, and followed her father's instructions on how to free him from beneath the bush hog. Her father sustained a broken left leg, but his injuries could have been far worse if his brave young daughter had not come to his rescue. Mr. Speaker, Bailey Goforth is to be commended for her bravery, determination and sound judgment. She is truly an inspiration for us all.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my disappointment about a vote that was taken in this House last week. The House took up very important, long overdue legislation to protect America's children and keep despicable predators off our streets. However, an abominable amendment was offered by a Democrat that had no business being a part of the Children's Safety Act. The noble and monumental Children's Safety Act was tainted by the Conyers amendment that seeks to punish people for their thoughts, specifically if they believe homosexuality is wrong. While considering a great Republican bill that will crack down on pedophiles, rapists and murderers, the self-motivated Democrats instead took the opportunity to further their out of touch agenda. I voted against the Conyers amendment and I am truly saddened that it passed. The Children's Safety Act is so important and will do so much good in our country that I still voted for final passage despite the inclusion of this awful, unrelated amendment. The opportunity to vote to protect American children from monstrous criminals could not be declined simply because there was a blemish on otherwise outstanding legislation.