Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for leading this Special Order tonight. Madam Speaker, the Biden administration's unprecedented OSHA vaccine mandate is a massive power grab. This national diktat was recently found likely to be unlawful by the Fifth Circuit and it stretches the power of the Federal Government beyond recognition. Requiring employers to be the vaccine and testing police and telling them who they can and cannot employ is a bridge too far. Further, this mandate will crush businesses with exorbitant costs while exacerbating the worker shortage. Why would the Biden administration make this crisis worse? It is clear that the Biden administration is using this pandemic as an excuse to inflate the power of the Federal Government as far as possible. That is what we must resist. To get our economy back on track, we don't need more crippling mandates and regulations, we need to support workers and job creators.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Lee McMillan, of Ashe County, who will be celebrating his 90th birthday this Saturday. I have been blessed to know Lee for many years, and I know that he has helped build the foundation that the North Carolina Republican Party stands upon today. His 23 years of service to the United States Navy, after his graduation from the Naval Academy, and his tireless work in promoting conservative values on the local and State level are nothing short of admirable. Lee is also the proud owner of Shatley Springs Inn and Restaurant located in the high country, a local landmark that has received national recognition since 1958. To me, Lee is a perfect representation of the best that Ashe County and western North Carolina have to offer. Thank you, Lee, and happy birthday.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, as if things could not get any worse under this administration, we found out last week that inflation is now at a 30-year high. This comes as Americans are worried about the cost of Thanksgiving dinner, the cost of putting gas in their cars, and even the cost of heating their homes for the winter. Under this administration, inflation has metastasized at an alarming rate across the country. Every small town in America feels the strain of inflation. Every American family feels it. Every hardworking taxpayer feels it. Yet, this administration is too blinded by its own ignorance to figure out what is happening. Madam Speaker, it is clear that the so-called Build Back Better agenda was just a lie this entire time.

Ms. FOXX

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

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, what is happening at the National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, is so rotten it stinks. Under Democrat leadership, the NLRB has a history of bias and overreach. President Biden fired the Senate-confirmed general counsel on his first day in office, and now the Biden board is dodging ethics rules. NLRB Democrats are refusing to follow conflict of interest standards that were weaponized by Democrats during the Trump administration. This is blatant hypocrisy and threatens the integrity of the board. How can NLRB members Gwynne Wilcox and David Prouty be conscientious arbiters on the very policies they fought against as union employees? And how can we expect board members with close ties to union activists to be unbiased when it comes to big labor cases? Is there anything NLRB Democrats won't do to advance the interests of big labor at the expense of American workers? It is a shame what it is doing.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, this Thanksgiving will be the most expensive on record, and Americans have the Biden administration to thank. Put yourself in the shoes of hardworking families across America. Every morning they wake up and leave for work. The moment their feet touch the ground outside, inflation is already reaching for their wallets. They turn on their cars and head to the gas station where inflation is ready and waiting for them. At the grocery store, inflation is lurking within the aisles. It is a sobering reality for so many working families, and people are rightfully angry. I share their anger. Mr. Speaker, consider what these working families are thinking as Thanksgiving approaches. Will they be able to afford President Biden's turkey tax on Thanksgiving dinner? Will they even be able to get themselves to the grocery store in time before the shelves are empty? Will they even be able to get to the grocery store at all because of rising gas prices? Consider this: Thanksgiving dinner this year is estimated to cost 4 to 5 percent more for American families, and that is assuming they will be able to put food on the table. Just this morning I did an interview with a local radio station in the Fifth District. The host remarked to me that under the Biden administration we are going to have to get used to empty shelves and rising prices. I take great issue with where the direction of this country is headed under this administration. Americans have been told to ``lower their expectations'' and to get used to doing with less. No, we won't. This is America, and we do not settle for less. We are better than meeting meager expectations, lowering the bar, and expecting less. That is just not who we are as a country, and it certainly is not who we are as a people. Let's not forget that this administration touted an alleged savings of 16 cents for family barbecues over the Independence Day weekend earlier this year. Nobody took that claim seriously then, and it certainly does not hold up now. From President Biden's turkey tax to rising gas prices, empty store shelves to rising costs of heating homes during the winter, everyone is feeling the squeeze of inflation. This is not a high-class problem by any stretch of the imagination. Since President Biden took office, we have watched every month as inflation has ravaged the country. What is this administration thinking? Is it so blind to the fact that families and hardworking Americans are struggling to make ends meet? Mr. Speaker, the holiday season is on the horizon and Americans are more concerned than ever. With Thanksgiving dinner and everyday commodities becoming out of reach now, Christmas dinner will cost Americans an arm and a leg. This is downright shameful.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, if I laid over 1,500 pages of text in front of you right now, would you be able to tell me quickly what is on every single page? If the answer is no, that is not surprising. Yet, that is exactly what happened last week when the majority decided to drop the text of the massive socialist tax and spending package at a moment's notice. Does this sound familiar? It is what happened when House Democrats passed ObamaCare, and nobody had the time to read its text either, although Republicans made an earnest effort to read every page. It is the same irresponsible tactic of passing a bill to find out what is lurking beneath its pages. Madam Speaker, this process is making a mockery of the people's House, and it is downright shameful. It is time to stop it.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, the American people are wondering: What is the Biden administration thinking? Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice is negotiating a settlement that would give $450,000 per person to illegal immigrants. For a parent and child, the payout increases to $900,000. To put this in context, if a servicemember is killed in action, their next of kin receives an insurance payment of $400,000. What this means is that the Biden administration will pay illegal immigrants more than the families of America's fallen heroes. That fact alone is repulsive. These people broke the law by illegally entering our country, and now they are about to receive a payout from the government. That is the kind of welfare mentality that is corrupting this country and will do nothing but encourage more illegals to try to enter our country. Shame on President Biden and his administration. Recognizing Military Family Appreciation Month

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, behind every man and woman in uniform are family members who exhibit great resilience while their loved ones serve this great country. No matter their backgrounds or where life's journey has taken them, these families are all connected by service and their collective love for America. Madam Speaker, November is Military Family Appreciation Month, a solemn time when we recognize the innumerable military families from all corners of America. We recognize their support for their loved ones in uniform and the sacrifices that they continue to make every day. I salute particularly those from the Fifth District of North Carolina and thank them for their service. The simple truth is that every American owes them and their loved ones both at home and abroad a profound debt of gratitude. May we never forget that. Where is the Accountability

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, Americans are seething over the price of gas every time they visit the pump. Yesterday the national average for a gallon of gas reached $3.39. That is more than a $1.24 jump since last year. Americans have not seen gas prices this high since the Obama-Biden administration. Do we see a pattern here? Not to mention that in some parts of the country, the price for regular gas is over $7.50 a gallon. Madam Speaker, this is yet another crisis that President Biden can tack on to his growing list. Since his first day in office, President Biden's actions, and especially his policies, have brought America a first-class ticket to economic ruin.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, it is sobering to know that American exceptionalism is only a few degrees away from extinction. It should never be that way. One of the greatest threats we face as a Nation is the creation of a welfare state and, subsequently, the mentality that is bred by one. It seems that many have forgotten the simple principle that Americans have always abided by: Here, we work to earn our keep. Over the course of the last 9 months, that principle has become lost. It is evident that America is no longer slouching toward socialism; we are standing on its doorstep. We are much better than this as a country. The welfare-without-work expansions that are being proposed by the majority are dangerous. One of those expansions is the child tax credit that bears no work requirements for recipients. Twenty-five years ago, Republicans and Democrats came together to reform America's welfare system. It was a bipartisan effort through and through. But if you fast-forward to today, the majority has ignored the spirit of that agreement in favor of their own distorted agenda. Simply put, the majority has turned the child tax credit into a cash- for-kids handout. Remember, the recipients of this handout are not required to work to receive it. Just last week, President Biden admitted during a CNN townhall that he opposes a work requirement. Keep in mind that members of the President's own party, such as Senator Manchin, are advocating for a work requirement. The University of Chicago recently published a study showing how expanding the child tax credit disincentivizes work. In fact, it would lead to an exodus of 1.5 million workers from the workforce. America simply can't afford that. When you consider the loss of 1.5 million workers and the abysmal jobs reports that have come out this year, it is clear that something is wrong. The labor force participation rate plummeted last month to 61.6 percent. The last time the labor force participation rate was 61.6 percent was in April of 1976. There are roughly 3 months left in 2021, and at this pace America is on track to fall right off the cliff and onto the rocks below. That is the cost of government dependency. That is the cost of providing a steady stream of other taxpayer checks that pay more to sit at home than to work. Pitting Main Street businesses against government-led benefits won't build the economy back. It won't get Americans back to work, and it certainly won't steer our great country to brighter and better days. American exceptionalism is not built by welfare or sitting at home collecting a check. It is built by everyday people who show up at work and get the job done. If that fundamental principle is lost, then America will be lost as well. There is no denying that America is standing on socialism's doorstep. Look at the state our country is in because of the majority's failed policies and what could come down the line. Government dependency robs this great country and its citizens of unparalleled opportunity. The majority has steered us in that direction, and the American people should be downright fearful.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, the Federal Government needs to stop sticking its noses in places it does not belong. For the past 9 months, the size and scope of the Federal Government have expanded like a balloon being inflated with helium. Look no further than a provision in the Democrats' budget reconciliation package that allows the IRS to monitor the bank accounts of every American. If you made a deposit or withdrawal of more than $600 cumulatively, the IRS would be the first to know. That is $28 a day. Madam Speaker, the American people are fearful of more government control, and I share their fear. America should never find itself standing at socialism's door, and this dangerous provision puts us one step closer to doing so.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2119, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, estimated that one-third of all men and women are victims of domestic violence at some point in their life. In 2018, approximately 40 percent of female homicides in North Carolina were related to intimate partner violence. The 2020 statistics aren't any better. COVID-19 and President Biden's failed economic policies have dealt our Nation government-mandated restrictions and economic challenges. It appears those negative outcomes have snowballed to exacerbate an even worse fallout. Evidence suggests that in this pandemic environment, stress due to work, school, substance abuse, and financial struggles have added to more violence in the home. Especially hard-hit appear to be rural areas where job opportunities can be hard to find. Recent statistics show that domestic violence-related homicides have increased in my home State of North Carolina. Domestic violence in any form is an evil that demands a strong response. That is why, in 1984, Congress enacted the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, FVPSA, which authorizes programs to support victims of domestic violence and their dependents. These programs include grants to support domestic violence shelters and services and a national domestic violence hotline. Additionally, FVPSA funds the CDC's DELTA program, which provides funding to State domestic violence coalitions to develop, test, and coordinate local prevention and education programs. Since FVPSA's enactment, Congress has worked in a bipartisan manner to reauthorize the bill. Sadly, Democrats are now using it as a vehicle to push left- wing priorities. This is disappointing. Committee Republicans wanted to support a bipartisan bill. I strongly believe that FVPSA's history of bipartisanship must be continued. However, the Democrat bill before us puts special interest groups ahead of victims of domestic violence. H.R. 2119 paves the way for taxpayer-supported abortions. Forcing the public to pay for abortions is morally repugnant and should not be allowed to stand in this bill or any bill. Previous reauthorizations of the law included a prohibition preventing reimbursement for healthcare services, but this bill drops that prohibition. The bill also tramples the rights of faith-based providers by forcing organizations to abandon their sincerely held religious beliefs or give up helping victims through these programs, meaning that fewer victims will be able to access vital services and care. Faith-based providers who offer critical care to survivors of domestic violence should not be obstructed from operating. Additionally, this bill lacks commonsense accountability that is needed after years of Congress ignoring this program. We need to know what is going on with the program and the Republican substitute would ensure we have that information. FVPSA is not an instrument for partisan policies, or it should not be, especially those that threaten religious liberties. That is why Republicans offered an amendment that includes a carefully focused set of reforms that act in the best interest of victims of family violence and the people who serve them. Specifically, it improves current law, ensuring that funds are focused on life-saving supportive services. Democrats opposed it in committee, and I am guessing they will oppose it on the floor. Republicans recognize the importance of supporting survivors of domestic violence. We must understand that dealing with this issue is best done at the local level and government cannot always provide the answers. Local civic groups and faith-based providers are best positioned to provide aid and deliver it effectively. Congress should support best practices and protect the providers closest to the victims seeking help. Pushing faith-based providers out of this important work--as the Democrat-led bill could do--does nothing to help continue the delivery of locally-driven support services for victims of domestic violence. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2119, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), who is the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee.

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

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, currently the Secretary of HHS has unimpeded authority to create resource centers under FVPSA that are meant to provide victims of domestic violence with help. Unfortunately, the number of resource centers has grown in recent years without the public's knowledge. A brief look at the websites of these organizations reveals that a number of these centers are using taxpayer money to promote a progressive ideology on gender and sexuality instead of simply supporting victims of domestic violence. Taxpayers deserve to know the mission and purpose of these resource centers and whether they are effective. The Republican substitute requires the Secretary to provide notice to Congress before creating additional resource centers. Additionally, it requires the Government Accountability Office to issue a report on the effectiveness of these resource centers and provide recommendations for improvements on how they can do a better job delivering services to victims. Madam Speaker, money is scarce and getting scarcer, and we need to know that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, victims of domestic violence should not lose important faith-based assistance simply because bureaucrats in Washington don't share the same beliefs. Our freedom of religion is the number one freedom outlined in the Bill of Rights, and yet our friends often on the other side of the aisle seem to forget that and want to trample on that right. Faith-based providers have helped victims of domestic violence for years, and they should not be forced to abandon their mission because progressives want to use taxpayer resources to promote a progressive ideology on gender and sexuality. As we learned from our witness at a hearing on this program, sometimes victims need to hear from faith leaders to feel really safe and able to get help. We should not jeopardize that lifeline. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the Democrats' bill strikes a current law provision that requires certain grant recipients to provide a non-Federal match for the taxpayer dollars they receive under FVPSA. Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleagues who have indicated that funding for domestic violence is not a Federal responsibility. It is a State and local responsibility. The 10th Amendment of the Constitution said if their responsibilities were not outlined in the Constitution for the Federal Government to do, then those responsibilities were left to the States and to the people themselves. However, I am a realist. The Federal Government stepped into this space, in a bipartisan manner, many, many years ago. So, taxpayers paying taxes at the Federal level have been supporting these programs for a long time. However, it is appropriate that there be a local match for this to show that local people have an interest in these programs and believe they should be supported. Furthermore, Democrats are refusing to acknowledge that we are nearly $30 trillion in debt and going up in debt quickly, going down the tubes quickly. Their radical taxing and spending spree is intended to create the largest Federal Government expansion since the New Deal. Frankly, many of them brag about this, which is unbelievable to me. But Republicans are committed to ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and effectively. That is why the Republican substitute amendment and my amendment ensure the important non-Federal match provision under FVPSA remains in place. We need some local skin in the game. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, this bill contains a number of provisions that are well-known poison pills for Republicans. Democrats can't claim this is a bipartisan bill when it takes far-left positions on multiple social issues that are unrelated to FVPSA's purposes. This bill was rejected on a party-line basis at a committee markup. Democrats ignored the long history of bipartisan reauthorizations and included poison pills and not moving forward. The Senate was able to leave politics at the door, and there is no reason for the House not to do the same. Madam Speaker, the majority of Americans oppose using their hard- earned money to pay for abortions. A Marist Poll conducted earlier this year showed that as many as 58 percent oppose using tax dollars to fund abortions. We have repeatedly seen Democrats attack the lifesaving Hyde amendment. This, along with the removal of a longstanding prohibition on using FVPSA funding to reimburse for healthcare services, would risk forcing taxpayers to fund abortions under this program. FVPSA dollars are meant to offer hope and healing to victims of domestic violence, not bring harm to innocent lives. Madam Speaker, victims of domestic violence deserve access to the expertise and resources necessary to aid them in their time of crisis, free from political interference. The Democrats' partisan proposal could harm the unborn and obstruct high-quality providers from offering services to domestic violence victims. As I said before, FVPSA should not be an instrument for partisan policies, especially those that threaten religious liberties. Committee Republicans want to continue FVPSA's history of bipartisanship, yet Democrats have upended the previously bipartisan balance between prevention services and support for victims and children at the behest of special interest groups. This is shameful. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2119, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, while many of the amendments offered today by my Democrat colleagues do not make the bill any worse, they fail to correct the significant flaws of the underlying bill. Several amendments offered by Republican Members would have improved the bill, but Democrats blocked those amendments from being debated. Two of those I would like to highlight quickly are: An amendment offered by Congresswoman Mary Miller to ensure FVPSA dollars cannot be used for abortion services or abortion referrals and an amendment offered by Congresswoman Spartz to ensure taxpayers know the mission and purpose of the resource centers authorized under FVPSA. These amendments are needed to address concerning changes the Democrats make that open the door for taxpayer funding of abortion under FVPSA and also double down on attempts to advance a radical gender ideology through FVPSA's resource centers. The Democrats missed an opportunity to change course, work in a bipartisan fashion, and send the Senate a bill we know could become law. But they have decided to pursue partisan policy over protecting victims. Thankfully, this bill is not heading to the President's desk, and I look forward to working on making further needed improvements so victims can access the help they need from those they trust. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.