Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Bean for his leadership on the Education and the Workforce Committee and also his leadership in leading this Special Order tonight. It is a very important issue to the people of the United States, and I am very proud of him for taking the leadership and putting this Special Order together. Mr. Speaker, we are engaged in a new era of warfare with our foreign adversaries who are vying for influence and control not only over America but especially over America's postsecondary education system. Losing on this 21st century battleground has serious consequences for free thought, economic competitiveness, and national security. Foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party have used power and monetary influence to infiltrate colleges and universities to grow their sphere of influence in American society. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake: When we talk about China and its exertion of force and its exertion of power, we are not talking about the Chinese people. We are talking about the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP. So let us be clear on that tonight so that nobody mistakes who we see as the enemy. It is the Chinese Communist Party. At face value, foreign contributions coming into universities might seem harmless, but the reality is foreign money often comes with strings attached. We know with the CCP, there are always strings attached. Every dollar that institutions accept from undisclosed foreign entities that do not share our Nation's values sends them deeper into a dangerous entanglement that undermines our Republic. For years, this influence scheme has been going on, yet neither the Chinese Communist Party nor institutions of higher education have faced repercussions for their actions. Indeed, during the Trump administration, it discovered $6.5 billion in previously unreported foreign money to universities from adversarial countries. For the first time, real progress was being made to hold institutions accountable for undisclosed contributions. But mysteriously, when the Biden administration came into office, all progress toward discovering these contributions stopped. The Department of Education is shirking its duty to enforce the law and has abandoned robust scrutiny of undisclosed foreign gifts and contracts that violate section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Mr. Speaker, we have known since 1965 that the potential for damage done to our institutions through foreign contributions was possible. Section 117 is the single most important enforcement tool at the Biden administration's disposal to protect against the threats posed by our foreign adversaries attempting to steal research and buy off students and faculty on our Nation's campuses. Republicans have sent multiple letters to Secretary Cardona demanding answers about this foreign money. Yet, this administration continues its pattern of stonewalling Congress with limited and woefully insufficient responses. This is a part of Congress' oversight responsibility, Mr. Speaker, and is not being done on a whim. It is unacceptable that the Biden administration has exercised minimal effort to expose the lack of integrity happening at so-called ``elite'' institutions. The possible consequences of the department's limited engagement are dire. Section 117 is effective only if it is enforced. That is why congressional oversight is necessary to hold the Department of Education accountable to enforce the law. We must fight money and coercion beginning with accountability and transparency. Without accountability and transparency, the Chinese Communist Party could win this new-age battle because America has been fighting with one hand tied behind its back. Mr. Speaker, I say: No more. My Republican colleagues and I will not stop until we see rigorous enforcement of section 117 that hold the universities responsible and hold the Chinese Communist Party responsible for what it may be trying to do.

Ms. FOXX

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

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the American Flood Coalition for 5 years of driving proactive solutions to combat flooding. During this time, the American Flood Coalition has brought together political, military, business, and local civic leaders to build resilience against stronger storms and more frequent flooding. In North Carolina's Fifth District, recent tropical storms have brought inches of rain in only a matter of hours, triggering destructive floods and landslides. These storms can leave behind millions of dollars in damages that burden communities for years. The American Flood Coalition works across all levels of government, supporting process improvements and projects that directly protect against such impacts while lifting the experiences and needs of members to drive transformational adaptation policy at the Federal level. Congratulations, American Flood Coalition, on 5 years of protecting our Nation's residents, economy, and military installations from flooding.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean), chair of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee.

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

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I rise today to recognize the profound importance of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, and what it means for families across the country. Over the past several years, parents witnessed the consequences of lessons taught in classrooms firsthand. Math scores declined by the largest margin ever, and reading scores plummeted to the lowest levels in over three decades. These results are devastating. Teachers' unions and education bureaucrats worked to push progressive politics in classrooms while keeping parents in the dark. The Parents Bill of Rights Act aims to end that and shine a light on what is happening in schools. This bill will reaffirm a parent's right to review course curriculum, meet with the child's teacher, and be heard at school board meetings without fear of reprisal. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle seem convinced Republicans are using this bill to punish teachers or push an extreme rightwing agenda. This is false. Our education system is spiraling out of control as parents are pushed further outside the classroom. This bill will restore the role of parents in schools and provide new mechanisms to promote parent- teacher partnerships. When parents are involved in their child's education, students thrive. That is the guiding principle of this bill. With the Parents Bill of Rights Act, Republicans will help parents steer the education of their children back onto the correct path where they can learn the skills they need for a lifetime of success. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Louisiana (Ms. Letlow).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), the chair of the Agriculture Committee.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, here is the truth about this bill. This bill will not ban any books. I repeat: This bill will not ban any books. What is dangerous right now is when people misrepresent what is in legislation before us. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens), my distinguished colleague, the chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler) for purposes of a colloquy.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller), who is the vice chair of the Education and Workforce Committee.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mills).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from New York for his questions. Mr. Chair, I can confirm that the bill does not require a teacher to disclose any of the information that the gentleman described. The bill does not address a student's identity or statements but is solely focused on notifying parents about actions taken by school personnel to act on a gender transition, such as changing pronouns or switching locker rooms. I would add, despite the claims from my friends on the other side of the aisle, even The New York Times acknowledged that this is not a partisan issue, writing in January that, ``Parents of all political persuasions have found themselves unsettled by what schools know and don't reveal.'' Our bill enshrines commonsense transparency for parents of children to reflect these concerns but it does not force any teacher to reveal private conversations or any information about sexual orientation. The legislation is also clear that education is largely the responsibility of the States and any State or local school district would work with the Department to ensure their compliance with these provisions without violating student privacy. I yield to the gentleman.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen). Mr. Chair, there is no question that over the past several years, we have seen parents being denied the right to make decisions about their children's education. I don't quite understand the argument from the other side. The reason I stand before this body today is not because I happen to be in Washington; it is because I am representing parents in my district who want to know what their children are being taught and what they are required to read. In fact, parents across this country, certain groups, have gone so far as to label the parents ``domestic terrorists'' just because they wanted a say in their children's education. That is what we are talking about today is giving control back to the parents of our children. This is not the way our education system was created, and it is not the way it is supposed to work. Allowing families to have a say in their children's education should not be a controversial subject. I don't get it. Parents have a right to know what is being taught to their children, to give consent for medical evaluations, and to be heard. My goodness, it is in the top 10: Honor thy father and thy mother. Unfortunately, we have seen Washington Democrats and outside groups push to radically reshape our education system by injecting divisive concepts and curriculum into our schools and classrooms regardless of whether families approve. House Republicans are working to fulfill our commitment to America by building a future that is built on freedom, for crying out loud, a future where parents' rights are protected and families are given a seat at the table. I am calling on all my colleagues to join us in support of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

Ms. FOXX. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, it has been a pleasure to work on the Parents Bill of Rights Act. While working on this bill, I have heard from parents' groups who offered their support. I would like to mention what just a few of them said. The Independent Women's Voice wrote: ``The Parents Bill of Rights Act acknowledges parents' fundamental right to make decisions for their children.'' ``Parents do not simply turn children over to government schools with the assumption that the school will make every decision without parental input. As parents, we have a right to direct the upbringing, care, and education of our children.'' The Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee said: ``Americans have been awakened to the troubling fact that public schools are failing our children. The lack of educational standards combined with the radical ideologies being taught in the classroom have led more and more parents to question the public education system. . . . This act reasserts the proper role of parents in their children's education.'' Finally, Parents Defending Education Action said: ``There is an intentional and universal lack of transparency and accountability among school districts. Concerning incidents are major and widespread. . . . The Parents Bill of Rights Act, introduced by Congresswoman Julia Letlow, addresses the primary issues parents have vocalized over the last 2 years: academics, free speech, safety, fairness, and transparency. We hope Congress will be receptive to the Parents Bill of Rights Act and vindicate parents who have spoken up and yearn for such legislation.'' After hearing statements like this, it should be clear that this bill gives parents what they want. Polling shows that overwhelming majorities of parents want more control over what their children are taught. According to survey results, 72 percent of Americans support curriculum transparency. Additionally, 67 percent believe that parents should be able to opt their children out of curriculum they believe is inappropriate or harmful. Nearly 8 in 10 parents polled nationally want to have influence over what is taught in K-12 classrooms. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Chair, I yield myself 15 seconds. Madam Chair, I am going to say again and again and again and again, this bill does not do anything to ban books. My understanding is that the book ``To Kill a Mockingbird'' was banned by a liberal school board in California, so don't blame us for what liberals do. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Williams).