Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

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

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, it appears that the Biden administration is going to do everything it possibly can to destroy our economy and hurt working-class people. Headline in today's Washington Times: ``Biden piles up red tape after Trump's trims: Long arm of regulation reaches businesses for vague objectives.'' ``President Biden accelerated the regulatory state on his first day in office by ordering agencies to consider aspirational but vaguely defined goals and benefits when imposing new rules on businesses large and small. ``The order greenlighting regulations even when the benefits `are difficult or impossible to quantify' sent shudders down the spines of CEOs. They fear business growth will be smothered in pursuit of vague objectives such as `human dignity' and `the interests of future generations.' `` `It is the most aggressive thing I have ever seen by an administration,' said Doug Holtz-Eakin. `It is one thing to put out a bunch of regulations, but this changes the way regulation is done. It allows you to jam through any regulation you want regardless of the impact [on] the private sector.' '' We know we are having historic increased inflation and historic debt levels and now regulations. It is a disaster coming.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, in 1994, Jan Karon, an author from North Carolina, released a novel titled ``At Home in Mitford.'' That novel was the first of 14 she wrote in a series that depicted a small town located in western North Carolina. To be clear, the town of Mitford is purely fictional, but, in fact, it was based off a town in North Carolina's Fifth District where Jan Karon grew up and drew inspiration from, the town of Hudson. In early October, it was my privilege and honor, along with hundreds of people from 31 different States, to be in Hudson for the dedication ceremony of the new Mitford Museum. The mission of this museum is to share the small-town values, through artifacts and archives, that relate to western North Carolina and Jan Karon's novels with those who visit. One of the museum's objectives is to also to enrich both reading and writing appreciation and enhancing the literary skills in youth and adults. Those important endeavors are worthy of praise. Jan Karon, along with many of us, grew up learning and appreciating the small-town values which have helped make our country great. By sharing them with her readers, she helps preserve the continuity of those values so that generations both present and future will carry them forward. We all long for America to return to those simple values and not stray off course. Think about what some of those values are. They are comradery, service, sense of community, putting in a hard day's work, and family. If you were to take the time and travel across North Carolina's Fifth District, you would find salt-of-the-earth people who live and breathe those values. Those values are alive and well in every small business, supermarket, church, community, and neighborhood in the Fifth District and across the entire country. You see, small-town values are not a euphemism for exclusivity or division. They are values that transcend boundaries such as socioeconomic status, political affiliation, and geography. Mr. Speaker, I consider myself blessed to have been raised in a small town and to have learned those values at a young age. Throughout my life, I have carried them with me. It is even more of a blessing that I have been entrusted to serve small towns like Hudson and so many others that are the lifeblood of western North Carolina. I encourage everyone to visit the town of Hudson and see exactly what I mean. Take some time to learn about the values that small towns across this country are built on and how, over time, they have made such an impact upon everyday people. The undeniable truth is that small-town values will forever be America's values. September Jobs Report

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, as a former educator, it is clear to me that the Biden administration needs some serious math tutoring. The September jobs report resembles an incomplete assignment that a student turned in at the very last minute. Out of 500,000 projected jobs, only 194,000 were added. Five million jobs are still unrecovered in America, and labor participation has slumped to 61.6 percent. It is the worst jobs report of the year, and there are roughly 3 months left to go. That report rightfully deserves an F, and it tacks on another chapter of this administration making promises it cannot meet. Yet again, the so-called Build Back Better agenda falls flat on its face and the numbers do not lie.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Democrats are politicizing the Justice Department and embarking on a witch hunt, this time to go after parents. Parents across the country are bravely taking a stand to protect their children against overly restrictive COVID-19 mandates and identity politics indoctrination. In response, the Biden administration is weaponizing law enforcement agencies to intimidate them into silence. Some parents have crossed the line. Harassing and threatening school officials is unacceptable. But there is no evidence that parents pose a widespread threat to school administrators. Yet, the National School Boards Association is asking the Biden administration to treat these parents like domestic terrorists. Attorney General Merrick Garland's outrageous memo, giving credence to these accusations, shows the Biden administration cares more about appeasing special interests than Americans concerned about their children. This attack on the First Amendment cannot continue. Parents must be allowed to stand up for their kids.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, the pro-abortion lobby cheered last week as House Democrats rushed through H.R. 3755, the abortion on demand until birth act. Throughout the course of the debate last Friday, I listened as my colleagues across the aisle took to their bully pulpit and sang the praises of the abortion industry in America. The talking points that afternoon were so distorted from reality that it was as if members of the abortion lobby were the ones that wrote them. Some Members claimed that passing this bill was a duty that must be fulfilled to restore the rights of women. Others claimed it was a duty that upheld the oath they took to defend the Constitution. Madam Speaker, no matter the justification that was given, the American people can see that this is yet another elaborate smokescreen coming from the majority. But what really shook me to my core was how abortion was being normalized in those moments. Women's health was being used as a euphemism for abortion, as if the health of the baby that is destroyed is inconsequential, not to mention that half of the babies that are aborted are female. You cannot claim that this issue is one of ``women's health'' when that is the case. The same sentiment applies to the phrase ``reproductive freedom'' that was thrown around multiple times. Explain to me how the process of destroying an innocent baby resembles freedom for the baby. It is outrageous to link abortion and the concept of freedom together. These are the kinds of deliberate spin tactics that attempt to hide the horrors of abortion from the American people. No set of elaborate talking points from pro-abortion advocates can truly mask the societal ill that is abortion. Unfortunately, that only skims the surface of how abortion is being advertised. The left's narrative on abortions has evolved to the point where this immoral procedure is now associated with pride. Abortion is not prideful. It is not a form of empowerment. Abortion is robbing a human being of God's most precious gift: life. While the left's narrative grows only more devious, the voices of those who survived abortions, or whose parents chose life, continue to be silenced. The stories of these men and women are invaluable, and they deserve to be heard by everyone. That is the truth of the matter. Madam Speaker, Republicans fundamentally understand that life begins at conception and ends at natural death. We believe that life is a precious and sanctified gift that God has bestowed upon us. I am proud to stand alongside so many constituents of North Carolina's Fifth Congressional District, as well as my Republican colleagues in the people's House, in fighting to protect life. The unborn deserve nothing less than unwavering advocates who stand for them. I will always serve as a strong voice for the unborn, and I do not plan on stopping anytime soon.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California for yielding. I want to thank especially the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin, for his support on this bill as well as my other colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bipartisan bill, which will enhance the domestic prosecution of perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Though we often think of these atrocities as being tried at international tribunals, there are many domestic statutes as well that criminalize genocide and war crimes. It is important that we can apply domestic law in the prosecution of these criminals, and this bill allows the State Department's War Crimes Rewards Program to offer rewards for the arrest or conviction of perpetrators of these atrocities. Earlier this month, we witnessed our domestic justice system prosecuting war crimes and acts of terrorism. One of the now infamous associates of Jihadi John just pled guilty to all eight counts against him in a U.S. district court. He played a leading role in the ISIS plan to kidnap, hold for ransom, and ultimately behead four American hostages. Domestic prosecution can bring swift justice and allows nations to hold perpetrators more directly accountable to those that they have wronged, such as the victims' families. With passage of the War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act, we can see even more perpetrators of atrocities against Americans brought to justice. During just the last 20 years, we have witnessed three declared genocides: Darfur in 2004, ISIS in 2016, and the Xinjiang province in 2021. We want those who commit these atrocities and heinous crimes to feel the weight of the law pressing in on them and feel that America is hunting for them. We want them never to feel safe, never find rest, and we know we will not rest until they are brought to justice. This bill will help make America safer and bring perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide to justice. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, yesterday, I was unable to make the vote on the amendment to H.R. 4350 offered by Mr. Langevin. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 286.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3755, the so-called Women's Health Protection Act. This should be called the destruction of unborn babies at any stage of development act. The principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are America's foundation. Without question, life is the fundamental component to both liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The American people understand the importance of protecting life. An AP Poll shows that 54 percent of Americans believe abortions should be illegal in the third trimester. Another 26 percent believe it should be illegal in most cases in the third trimester. What is more, 65 percent of Americans believe abortion without restriction should be illegal during the second trimester as well. But this latest Democrat scheme would go against the wishes of the American people and make abortion on demand for any reason legal until the time of birth. It is clear to see that the so-called Women's Health Protection Act is not about protecting the lives of unborn female babies. It is about handing the anti-unborn baby industry a victory it has sought for many years. I oppose H.R. 3755, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. We are a country that up until now has valued life, and the majority of Americans still value life, especially the lives of unborn children.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the American people are outraged, and they have every right to be. I am outraged with them. All they have seen thus far in this administration is the buck being passed and both a President and his administration that refuse to uphold the basic tenets of leadership. This administration has ruined, mishandled, and dissembled every issue it has touched. Americans are fearful that the country that they love and respect is being run into the ground at an alarming speed. Americans deserve answers, and our allies across the world deserve them as well. Mr. Speaker, Americans feel betrayed. They feel that they have been betrayed by their own government. That feeling of betrayal was extremely palpable when Americans were stranded in Afghanistan because of an arbitrary deadline from the Taliban that this administration caved to. In the following days, there were no answers, only speculation as to how many Americans were still left in Afghanistan who wanted to leave. Even now, as this administration grapples with how to respond to the Taliban's takeover, you would be hard-pressed to find real answers. In a so-called classified briefing yesterday, Members got no concrete answers. It was a pitiful--I am saying ``pitiful''--display of willful ignorance and incompetence. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the past 8 months of the Biden administration, that incompetence is everywhere: the fall of Afghanistan, our open borders, skyrocketing inflation, reckless spending, record levels of unemployment and unfilled jobs, growing national security threats. Refusing to respect the rule of law may be the worst, Mr. Speaker. These are just a few of the crises that have grown exponentially as the days go by. Mr. Speaker, there is a common thread that you find in each of these circumstances, and it is that acceptance of the situation and accountability are virtually nonexistent. Mr. Speaker, it is downright shameful that America has been taken down this rocky and unsettling path, and I fear we may never be able to fully recover. President Biden and his administration cannot simply sweep every new crisis under the rug and move on, but based on what has happened thus far, I suspect we will see more of the same. The American people deserve better than abdicated leadership and a consistent failure to uphold our values.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, there is no issue small enough to escape Washington liberals' pernicious grasp. For one, anonymous bureaucrats demand disgustingly low levels of salt and fat in school lunches even though dieticians acknowledge these ingredients are part of a well- balanced diet. House Democrats have also passed a bill that would skim the top off workers' paychecks to line the pockets of union bosses, even though those workers are not even union members. And most recently, Congressional Democrats are pushing a $3.5 trillion socialist wish list, which the New York Times said ``would touch virtually every American's life, from conception to aged infirmity.'' While these micromanagers are busy finding new ways to interfere in your personal decisions, dangerous totalitarian nations like China, Russia, and Iran threaten individual liberties and global prosperity. Democrats ought to turn their attention to these existential concerns instead of seeking to impose their agenda on free Americans. Now is the Time for Answers

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, Israel's Iron Dome has saved countless lives from barrages of missiles launched by Hamas. One would think that the majority would understand this fact and recognize the Iron Dome's significance. However, after caving to the demands of several of their own fringe members yesterday, it is clear they don't have a clue. Israel has always been a longstanding ally to the United States, and now is not the time to turn our back on Israel. Madam Speaker, without question, House Republicans are proud to stand with Israel and the Jewish community. Our alliance with them is a testament to our shared values, and it should not be forsaken under any circumstance. Washington Liberals' Pernicious Grasp

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, the American people deserve to know about the failures that led up to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. This is an issue that cannot be swept under the rug and forgotten. Unfortunately, this administration has already decided to move on and look the other way. Thirteen patriots lost their lives just a few short weeks ago, and countless Americans who wanted to leave were left behind. The whole world watched this crisis grow, and America's strengths and leadership were called into question by our closest allies. This crisis should have never unfolded the way it did. Now is the time for answers, Madam Speaker. The American people demand them and the world expects them. Real Cost of Inflation

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, American families are feeling the immense strain that has been caused by President Biden's economic crisis. From the gas pumps to the grocery store, prices for even the most basic commodities are skyrocketing to obscene levels. The cost of gasoline is up almost 43 percent. The cost of beef is up almost 12 percent. The cost of propane is up almost 23 percent. Even the prices of used cars are up almost 45 percent. Madam Speaker, increased spending by the Federal Government is not a remedy to solve this crisis, nor is a $3.5 trillion spending bill that will cripple the American economy even further. Congress must get its fiscal house in order.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, every day the American people wake up to more concerning news at the southern border, and they are beyond outraged. Thousands of illegal immigrants continue to overwhelm ports of entry, the flood of illicit narcotics continues to skyrocket, and yet, this administration refuses to act. Over 1.2 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at the southern border since February of this year, and in August, President Biden released close to 44,000 illegal immigrants into the U.S. Madam Speaker, this is yet another failure that President Biden can add to his growing list. If this administration does not act with a sense of urgency, America's communities are in danger. It is time for action.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania. This amendment would require private lenders automatically to discharge loans for borrowers who die or become totally and permanently disabled. As you can clearly see, this amendment, like so many others we are debating, has no relation to our Nation's defense. In addition to being irrelevant to the bill we are considering, the language is also completely unnecessary. Private lenders, as my colleague has already said, already discharge loans for borrowers and their families who find themselves in these horrible circumstances. They do this not because they are required by the government to do so, but because it is the right thing to do. All this amendment would do is waste valuable time to create a government mandate for a feature already commonplace in the industry. This amendment is yet another example of Democrats finding ways for the Federal Government to take over every aspect of our lives and destroy as much as possible of the private sector. I urge my colleagues to object to the inclusion of this unneeded policy.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, any attack against the sanctity of human life tears the moral fabric of this great country. H.R. 3755, the abortion on demand until birth act, is yet another scheme levied against the most vulnerable group in this country, the unborn. This legislation would impose abortion on demand for any reason until birth. What's more, it would override past and future pro-life laws at both the State and Federal levels. Madam Speaker, the unborn deserve a voice in the people's House who stands for them, and I am proud to be one of the many in this body who do so. Let us never forget that life is a precious gift from God, and that gift should never be squandered under any circumstances.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, President Biden has barely been in office for 8 months, and he has already done irreparable damage to the United States' standing within the international community, not to mention our national security. Rather than enacting a calculated and comprehensive plan to protect and evacuate the remaining Americans stuck in Afghanistan, he continues to point fingers and push falsehoods that have been refuted by his own administration. President Biden is destroying this great country's credibility on the world stage with this inept planning, failed executions, and inability to calibrate in this crisis. After listening to administration top officials, it is clear that there was never a plan to evacuate Americans safely from Afghanistan. Any explanations of efforts that are underway are insufficient. The arbitrary deadline to leave by August 31 is ridiculous. The evacuation will be complete only when every American has exited Afghanistan.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, this funding bill insults the intelligence of every American. Democrats think they can trick the American people into supporting far-left initiatives if they propose enough special interest spending funded by hardworking U.S. taxpayers. But we are not so easily duped. This bloated behemoth of a bill fritters away our children's future on duplicative, unnecessary, and unconstitutional programs. The legislation emboldens overzealous Federal bureaucrats to hound businesses struggling to recover from the pandemic with excessive Department of Labor enforcement actions. Tucked away in the legislation's fine print is a scheme to rig union elections and undermine the rights of workers. The funding package also strips resources from public school students, eliminates educational options for vulnerable children, gives taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants, and limits opportunities for our brave veterans. As senior Republican leader of the Education and Labor Committee, I reject this radical bill.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, my amendment defends religious organizations under attack from the radical left. Democrat politicians' distrust of religious entities does not entitle them to ban them unconstitutionally from participating in Federal programs and contracts. President Biden and other Democrat politicians continue to target faith-based entities despite repeated rebuke from the U.S. Supreme Court. Democrats' unfounded fear of religious Federal contractors is, in fact, a form of discrimination. Religious organizations that contract with the Federal Government must still abide by nondiscrimination laws. We must protect the valuable Department of Labor regulation that provides certainty and predictability for Federal contractors and upholds the rights of all Americans. Religious freedom is a nonnegotiable right. My amendment upholds the Constitution and supports the right of religious organizations to do business with the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on Foxx amendment 16.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, recently, I received an impassioned letter from Elizabeth Bradley of Bessemer City, North Carolina, about the American ideal. In her letter she writes, ``The American ideal is the revolutionary thought that it is not by government, nor wealth, nor any human intervention that people have rights, but by the divine power of God.'' Ms. Bradley is exactly right, Madam Speaker. The American ideal has withstood the test of time because of those who put their faith in God's plan rather than their own. Madam Speaker, let us never forget that we are one nation under God, and the freedoms we proudly espouse are a gift that He has bestowed upon us. The American Ideal My name is Elizabeth Bradley, and I am 18 years old. Recently the President challenged anyone to define America, claiming that it could not be done. I felt lead to write this short essay, not only defining what is truly American and outlining the most basic steps towards restoring us to our former glory. I encourage the reader to share the ideas presented in this essay at any and every opportunity, and I thank the reader in advance for taking the time to read them. It comes upon my conscience this day, July 2, 2021, to make note of the American Ideal, which is the very thing that has been the cornerstone of my upbringing and second only in my very identity to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am inclined to write this not only for myself but for the multitude like me who are filled with anguish at the state of the nation in which we live. I struggled in my younger years with the idea that my country is so divided against itself. I have many times over feared the self-division or conquering of the U.S. by a foreign power. But it occurs to me now that America is not and never, in concept or reality, has been a particular plot of land. The United States as we call it is only the land in which the American Ideal has been allowed to flourish. And while it will be a dismal day when the current government and land are inevitably overrun, America is not a thing that can truly be destroyed. America is an idea, a rather great one, in which people are by Providence allowed to protect and fight for their God given rights. The American ideal is the revolutionary thought that it is not by government, nor wealth, nor any human intervention that people have rights, but by the divine power of God. And it is for this very reason that we have been uniquely and divinely blessed thus far in our pursuits as a nation. It is my firm belief that it was no man, but God Himself who turned the tide of the American revolution. Through a myriad of miracles, lives improbably saved, and weather, God lead an army of untrained and largely uneducated patriots to the most unlikely victory in all of human history. God's plan for America was vested in the very foundation of its ideals and laws. The American ideal acknowledges the fact that ``All men are created equal'' and that ``They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights''. The American ideal puts the liberty and responsibility of preserving life, enjoying liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on the people of a nation. In turn the government respects those rights and protects them. It is made clear in the American Ideal that these certain rights; among them being free speech, freedom of religion, freedom to keep and bear arms, privacy from government intervention and the right to a fair trial and fair treatment throughout any judicial proceedings, among others; are not capable of being given or taken away at the hands of any man but given by God alone in His mercies and through the provision of death of Jesus Christ. The American Ideal is one, and governmentally the only one, that is constructed in a way that can glorify God. It is for this reason that God has supported this great American experiment. It is my unfavorable duty at this point to note that the governmental body of these United States has long strayed from this ideal and its purpose. Through centuries of corruption and societal changes, some of which were necessary and some of which were orchestrated by the enemy to divide our people, American society has forgotten its foundation in Providence. The government, which is now lead by a people who are led by partisan politics, is a shell of what it used to and rightly should be. The leaders of this nation have taken to voting only for what they believe will get them re- elected. Worse than that, some leaders in this nation have decided to vote in accordance with whatever will oppose God's Truth and the Providential American Ideal. The enemy has not only taken hold in the government but in all aspects of the American life. Business, entertainment, and even many churches have fallen short of God's plan for this nation. Wealthy and vicious people now monopolize almost all forms of communication and consumers allow themselves to be silenced. Churches no longer speak Gods Truth, but pander to a modern audience that insists upon the acceptance and glorification of sin. The doctrines of free speech and religion have been distorted and abused in a way that benefits those who are against the common people. The poor are intentionally kept down for the political gain of those who oppress them most. And the enemy, with his many minions in this world are attempting to erase God's name from the societal conscience of Americans. The hope that we may all hold to is in this verse ``If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land.'' 2 Chronicles 7:14. We the people, who believe in the American Ideal by nature are God's people. We must take heed, not only of the hope held in this verse but also of the effort that we must put in to achieve this goal. We must humble ourselves. We must not be blinded by our pride, in ourselves, our party affiliation, or in our own ideas. Conversely, we must humble ourselves and ask only what God would have us do, think, say, or vote. We must seek God's plan for us and our nation through prayer, and we must be vigilant in this effort. We must pray for forgiveness for our collective sins, and we must turn from those things which we hold dear that we know are not morally right. We must turn both from personal sin and do all we can to hinder our national sins. If we are to hold onto the nation that we love, and properly protect the American Ideal we must, as a people, place our faith in the sole Almighty God of Israel and America. While it appalls and amazes me that there are those that do not hold this nation and this Ideal the way I do, I often feel that there are a precious few that see the American Ideal the way I do. In recent times many of those who claim the title of patriot are unwilling to give up even the smallest convenience to divest power from those who seek to oppress us. Our forefathers, and in fact many influential women of the American Revolution began their revolution by giving up their dearest luxuries. It may not seem so dear a cost to us now to give up the drinking of tea, but what if Amazon Prime was put in that place? How many are truly willing to give up something, never mind everything to make the American Ideal once again thrive? And, while there is much explosive drivel strewn across the internet about patriotism, I challenge the reader to find a single person who is both unwilling to stop buying from Google and willing to give their very life for the cause. Nevertheless, this is written not to discourage the truly American people but to bring them hope. The essence of America is within the hearts and minds of those who know and believe the American Ideal. The belief in God given freedoms, personal liberty and the responsibilities therein, and the truth that any man can become successful when the proper work is put in; that is the American Ideal. And this Ideal can not be lost, it can not be altered, and it can not be destroyed. No matter how hard the enemy tries, he can not destroy what God has created and blessed. The battle is won against the Washington oligarchy, against the immoral CEOs, against those who seek to silence us, against the bitter hatred among brothers, against the sex culture, against drug culture, against Satan himself. It is done. Therefore, I urge the reader to get on your knees tonight and pray over this nation. Pray with confidence in the One you are speaking to. Pray for the leaders of our churches, schools, and government. Pray over what roll God has for you in the next chapter of this American experiment, put on the armor of Christ and stand prepared for the coming battle.--Elizabeth S. Bradley

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, recently, I received an impassioned letter from Elizabeth Bradley, a young woman from Bessemer City, North Carolina, about the American ideal. In her letter, she writes: ``The American ideal is the revolutionary thought that it is not by government, nor wealth, nor any human intervention that people have rights, but by the divine power of God.'' Ms. Bradley is exactly right, Madam Speaker. The American ideal has withstood the test of time because of those who put their faith in God's plan rather than their own. Madam Speaker, let us never forget that we are one Nation under God, and the freedoms we proudly espouse are a gift that He has bestowed upon us.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, on June 29, 2021, during debate on H.R. 3005, To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol which are accessible to the public, to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol, and for other purposes, one of my colleagues in the majority argued that she held no responsibility for delays in approving North Carolina's request to replace the Charles Aycock statue, due to the Joint Committee on the Library (JCL) only formally organizing on June 23 for the 117th Congress. However, this argument left out important context about the series of events related to the JCL this year. As my colleague knows, Democrats have controlled both the House and the Senate since January and at any time could have passed their respective resolutions appointing members to the JCL, allowing it to organize. But it took until April 16 and May 26 for the House and Senate to pass their respective resolutions. Even with those delays, the committee could still have been organized at any point after May 26. Yet it still took nearly a month, until June 23, for the committee to formally organize. Throughout this entire Congress, the Democrats have been in the driver seat of the JCL, despite my colleague's representation otherwise. It is clear that Democrats have needlessly delayed the work of the JCL. Therefore, as I said in my remarks, if Democrats were truly concerned about the presence of offensive statues in the U.S. Capitol, they might start by being quicker to act on the business of the Joint Committee on the Library.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, Republicans and Democrats agree that racism, in any shape or form, is repugnant and must be denounced. I do intend to vote for this bill, as I did last summer, when Congress considered a similar measure. It is interesting, however, that our colleagues across the aisle have only recently deemed the cause of removing statues worthy of immediate action. When you look at the facts, it is even more puzzling. Since 1870, statues have been present in the United States Capitol, and Democrats retained a majority in the House 40 times since then. They have had ample opportunities to remove these statues that Members of their own party are responsible for placing in the Capitol in the first place, but have done nothing. Again, the timing here is rather peculiar. After retaining the majority 40 times, one would think that if this were truly a pressing issue, they would have acted sooner. For many years, I have advocated that North Carolina's statues of Charles Aycock and Zebulon Vance be removed based on their ties to the Confederacy. I have suggested that two statues of people that all North Carolinians and all Americans can be proud of be put in their place. I am proud that the first Republican majority in North Carolina's Legislature in 140 years voted in 2015 to replace the Aycock statue with a statue of Reverend Billy Graham. Yet this request has been awaiting action by the Democrat-chaired Joint Committee on the Library for months. If they were truly concerned about removing these statues, they might be quicker to act on the requests to replace some of the very same statues. I will look past the times the North Carolina Democrat Party used Governor Aycock's name in fundraising materials and the meetings they held in buildings that sported his name. Maybe today's vote is to compensate for the decades of inaction under a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives. We will let the American people decide. Republicans are always open for a spirited debate on this issue, and I am confident that we can find common ground. While I plan to support this legislation and recognize its underlying intent, this is an issue that is way past its due date.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, recently, two high school members of the Shelby American Legion Post 82 were selected as participants for the Boys Nation program in Washington. This is the first time that the Shelby American Legion Post 82 has ever had two candidates selected to participate in this prestigious educational program. Robert Stockham of Pinnacle Classical Academy and Zachary Morrow of Burns High School will spend 1 week in Washington learning about the structure and function of the Federal Government. This opportunity, through The American Legion, is important, and I am confident these two young men will make the most of this experience. Congratulations to both Zachary and Robert on this significant accomplishment.