Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back in the classroom.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the radical, partisan, and utterly shameful PRO Act. This unnecessary bill is an assault on American workers, employers, and the economy. Democrats are pushing this sweeping legislation without holding a single committee hearing or markup. Is this the new standard for the people's House? It silences the minority and their constituents by denying a thorough examination of yet another extreme and damaging Democrat legislative scheme. It is disgraceful. The pro-union bosses' act that Democrats have disingenuously titled the PRO Act is a left-wing wish list of union boss priorities, which undermines the rights of workers by forcing them to pay into a union system, whether or not they want to be represented by a union. Many workers would not choose to funnel billions of their hard-earned dollars to left-wing groups like Planned Parenthood, the Clinton Foundation, the Progressive Democrats of America. This misguided bill also stunts economic recovery by hitting employers over the head with an estimated $47 billion in new annual costs. But it is not just employers who will pay the price. This bill will reclassify gig economy workers as employees, costing tens of thousands of workers their jobs and eliminating the flexibility so many rely on to care for their family members; a priority even more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. The appalling list of bad policy provisions in this bill goes on, and we will hear more about them during this debate. The bottom line is this, the PRO Act is a sorry excuse for legislation, and the partisan process under which it is being considered is equally embarrassing. I urge all Members to reject the PRO Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the Democrats continue to look backward, 100 years backward. Just before COVID hit, we had the greatest economy in our country ever, the lowest unemployment for women, minorities, everyone, without the PRO Act. No procapitalist can support this bill. This is part of a socialist agenda. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Fitzgerald).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Cawthorn).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger.)

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, we know that hyperbole is the strong suit of Democrats, but how anyone can say that giving freedom to workers to join or not join a union is trampling the rights of workers takes hyperbole to new heights. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains on each side?

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Steel).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

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

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I am using my inside voice. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

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

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

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert Meek Jr. who has served as my District Director since 2016. To put it simply, Bob is a man of both conviction and courage. No matter the duty, he executes it with poise, a strong dedication to service, and with an abiding gratitude for those he works alongside. As a retired Colonel of the U.S. Army Reserve, as the son of a Second Lieutenant who served as a B-25 Mitchell bomber copilot in World War II, and father of 3 military sons, Bob has dedicated his life not only to being an advocate for military families, but also serving as a strong voice for servicemembers both past and present. From traveling thousands of miles across North Carolina's Fifth District with me to meeting with countless scores of proud North Carolinians who are proud to live there, Bob has always acted with a servant's heart, one of his many features that everyone admires. I speak for both myself and the staff when I say working alongside Bob has been an honor. As he enters this new phase of his life, may God continue to bless him, his family, and the lives of everyone he will continue to serve.