Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Democrats' approach in H.R. 2639 is wrong for our Nation's schools and students if we hope to achieve greater equality for children nationwide. Not only does this bill push another Democrat- led, top-down, Big Government mandate, but it has also been crafted to mirror a failed Obama administration program. At the Rules Committee yesterday, and also referenced today, Chairman Scott touted the fact that 30 school districts applied under the Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities program created during the Obama administration. For the sake of debate, let's say that half of those school districts had been awarded funding. That is only 15 school districts nationwide that would have received Federal funding under President Obama's program that this bill is modeled after. In contrast to this failed approach, Representative Allen will offer an amendment that would allow school districts to use funds from an existing Federal grant program to accomplish the same goals as the Democrats' bill. About 12,000 school districts receive ESEA block grant funding every year. By supporting Representative Allen's amendment, we can ensure that nearly every school district in the country has the flexibility to tackle this problem using taxpayer funds at the Federal level. This is how legislating for solutions, rather than legislating for headlines, can work. A high-quality education is an indispensable tool, and America's children deserve nothing less than an education that empowers them to reach their greatest potential. This bill doesn't move us in that direction. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, Republicans and Democrats agree that discrimination and State-sanctioned segregation are repugnant, illegal, and blatantly immoral. Action must be taken to achieve greater equality for our Nation's students and in our schools. We continue to strive toward a future where all students, regardless of race or color, have the chance to succeed. Education and hard work are the paths out of poverty for millions, and education provides students with the tools and skills they need to build a successful life. It is disappointing that a bipartisan path forward to address these issues was possible but not attained because of political posturing from Democrats. Apparently, political wins are more important than building upon bipartisan, bicameral legislative solutions that will help our Nation's children prosper. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 2639 so that we can have the opportunity to work on a bipartisan solution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the majority of the amendments are unobjectionable, though none of them address the underlying problems with the bill. However, I highlight two problematic amendments: The amendment offered by Representative Cooper would give school districts priority in this program if those districts had previously submitted an application under an Obama-era predecessor to the program in the underlying bill. This amendment is flawed for two reasons: An application filed 4 years ago, may or may not still be adequate. Automatically giving those districts priority would disadvantage school districts who might have new and better ideas to propose. Submitting an application 4 years ago is not the same as being funded 4 years ago. Applicants that never demonstrated their merit then should start on equal footing with new applicants now. Another amendment concealed within the en bloc is offered by Representative Green of Texas, which forces grantees' hands on a dilemma many are still considering for themselves. The amendment requires that participating school districts that utilize entrance exams and competitive application procedures must replace these processes with other methods. Republicans recognize that many school districts, as well as colleges and universities, are wrestling with the role entrance exams and other competitive application procedures have played in the admissions decisions and should play in the future. Democrats would, apparently, like to short-circuit that debate and make those determinations for school districts themselves. Ironically, entrance exams began as an earnest effort to combat discrimination and prejudice by creating objective criteria that weren't as easily manipulated by admissions personnel who were biased against certain populations. Objective enrollment criteria can decrease the potential for schools--especially highly competitive schools--to be able to justify discrimination against students based on their backgrounds or racial identities. Today, there are legitimate arguments to be made on both sides of the debate for keeping or eliminating this practice. But this amendment would proclaim that the House of Representatives has decided against the use of entrance exams, a conversation this body has never had. These two amendments--one undermining the quality of the application process, and the other unfairly deciding an outcome of an ongoing debate--cause me great concern and I oppose them. Ultimately, though, on balance, this en bloc consideration is worthy of support, even if it doesn't ultimately redeem the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the gentlewoman's amendment.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, while I support the goals of this amendment, I must reluctantly urge my colleagues to oppose it. Hidden within this amendment is potentially a sweeping change to how States evaluate their schools under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The amendment requires States to include progress on reducing racial and economic isolation in evaluating schools as a factor under State's title I State plans. I say this is a potentially sweeping change because the language is unclear. However, I read it as intending to require States to consider racial and economic isolation as a factor in the State-driven accountability systems required under title I. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if such a change to how States evaluate schools is a good or bad idea. But I am sure that such a significant change should be debated as part of a proper reevaluation of title I, not in the context of a standalone competitive grant program. If this is not the gentlewoman's intent with this amendment, then this just highlights the flaws in legislating without bipartisan discussions. Perhaps there are steps we could agree States should take in the context of title I to reduce racial and economic isolation, but let's debate those changes in the proper context. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned in my opening remarks that the underlying bill fails, in part, because it doesn't address the biggest challenge facing low-income families and families of color, namely, the lack of access to high-quality education options that will prepare their children for lifelong success. Unfortunately, this amendment doesn't directly address that problem either, but at least it takes a small step in that direction. As more and more communities embrace charter schools and other public school options, one-stop enrollment processes are one way some communities have made it easier for parents to understand and navigate their options. As charter school enrollment grew in Washington, D.C., to include nearly half of the city's students, the city implemented an open lottery system to provide parents a one-stop portal to apply to multiple schools. The system isn't perfect, but that is mostly because the open lottery system doesn't address the fact that there are an insufficient number of seats in high-performing schools to meet demand. I wish we were here debating solutions to that problem today, Mr. Speaker. But in the absence of a real effort to increase the availability of the high-quality education options, I will settle for an effort to facilitate easier selections of these options where they exist. I applaud the gentleman for bucking the trend in his party of opposing educational freedom for low-income families and families of color, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, 10 years ago, the Bluffs Restaurant, a wonderfully historic establishment on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Fifth District, closed its doors. Today it is reopening thanks to over 500 donors who contributed more than $1 million for repairs. In 1949 the Bluffs was the first restaurant to open on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it served customers for more than 61 years. Generations of families have passed through its doors, and they have returned time and again. For them it is not just about the food, it is also about the countless memories that have been made there. My plan was to attend the reopening event today. Unfortunately, I could not. But I still want to thank owners Shana Whitehead and Bill Heath for reopening and wish them the best in this endeavor.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, during my time in this Chamber I have devoted myself to finding the truth and working toward good governance. That requires gathering the facts and exposing the lies. It is in this light that I rise today to oppose H.R. 8015, the so-called Delivering for America Act. H.R. 8015 aims to solve a made-up crisis by forcing the Postal Service to double down on the very same activities that have caused it to lose money consistently each year since 2006. Then they give the Postal Service another $25 billion to lose with no strings attached. Mr. Speaker, there is no immediate Postal Service crisis. Democrats manufactured this crisis and are using it to create fear and advance their agenda. The Postal Service currently has $14 billion in cash on hand, which is enough to sustain operations through August of 2021. This comes on top of the fact that the Postal Service has not even touched the $10 billion loan that Congress extended to it in the recently passed CARES act. The Postal Service has many long-term problems, but there is no short-term crisis. If Democrats were serious about ensuring the longevity of the Postal Service, we would finally pass bipartisan measures like the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017 that was championed by former Representatives Meadows and Cummings. This bill would enact meaningful reforms, keep mailing costs down, encourage innovation, and not require additional taxpayer bailouts. Our current Postmaster General DeJoy took the job despite being vilified in public. He was unanimously selected by the bipartisan U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors because the board saw tremendous value in his decades of experience managing and growing a successful nationwide logistics company. He certainly had the qualifications to work with Congress and take on the task of postal reform. Mr. Speaker, we need long-term solutions to fix the long-term problems of the Postal Service. H.R. 8015 merely aims to score political points on an issue that does not even exist. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, without question, student success starts in the classroom. For months, kitchen tables have turned into study areas, living rooms have turned into makeshift classrooms, and parents have taken it upon themselves to educate their children. However, as we approach what would be the start of a new school year, new challenges for these families lie on the horizon. Can parents devote more time to their children's education while maintaining their own job responsibilities? Madam Speaker, I cannot stress this point enough: we must safely reopen schools so students do not run the risk of falling further behind. The American people are counting on Congress to act, and we can't wait a second more.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight an issue of great importance to Americans: the ability to choose high-quality and affordable healthcare and increase competition among healthcare providers to drive down costs. Included in this package is my amendment to codify the administration's rule requiring hospitals to post the prices they have negotiated with insurers and their cash discounted prices for about 300 common services. This rule is a step forward towards empowering patients by giving them the information they need to make informed decisions and take control of their healthcare. Pulling back the curtain on hospital charges allows patients to shop around for the best price and will spur competition and innovation among hospitals for these services and, ultimately, result in lower prices for patients. It is a shame that Democrats appear to oppose this commonsense policy which will save money for patients and our healthcare system. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this en bloc amendment.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, due to a death in the family, I was absent from votes on July 24, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 162; NAY on Roll Call No. 163; YEA on Roll Call No. 164; YEA on Roll Call No. 165; and NAY on Roll Call No. 166.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 7027, Democrats' partisan Child Care Is Essential Act, which, based off its troublesome provisions, would be better titled as the no care for children act. Republicans and Democrats agree that there is a critical need that exists in our country today: the need to help childcare providers reopen their businesses safely. Childcare is the cornerstone of the American workforce. If parents do not have a safe place to send their children, they cannot work. If our Nation is going to recover swiftly and successfully from the COVID-19 pandemic, childcare providers must be an integral part of the solution to getting America reopened and back to work. Unfortunately, the bill we are considering today, H.R. 7027, is just another messaging bill for House Democrats, who are more interested in political posturing than enacting meaningful solutions. Before I get into the lowlights of this legislation, I would like to point out that childcare falls under the jurisdiction of the House Education and Labor Committee. However, our committee did not hold a single hearing or a single markup on today's bill. This is becoming a recurring theme in Speaker Pelosi's House of Representatives. The fact that Chairman Scott allowed Speaker Pelosi to make the opening comments on this bill is a further indication that this is Speaker Pelosi's bill. The blatant disregard for congressional precedent and proper way of doing our job is appalling. Too many pieces of legislation are being written behind closed doors in the Speaker's office. This type of backroom horse trading is not how the Nation's deliberative body should operate. On top of this, House Democrats are casting votes and conducting legislative business from the comfort of their own homes or, in some cases, their fishing boat, and bringing partisan messaging bills to the House floor without going through the legislative process, all while collecting a taxpayer-funded paycheck. We have gone from a representative Republic to an autocracy. Members of Congress were elected to represent Americans here in Washington, yet Speaker Pelosi seems set on silencing those voices. This is downright shameful and indicative of Speaker Pelosi's out-of-touch politics-over- progress agenda. Back to the flawed legislation at hand. We all agree that Congress should help childcare providers reopen safely; however, we cannot spend taxpayer dollars recklessly while layering on additional burdens when childcare providers on the ground are already facing burdensome red tape. The Democrats' flawed, one-sided bill appropriates $50 billion, which is higher than the entire annual revenue of the childcare industry and substantially more than Democrats felt was necessary to include in their so-called HEROES Act. We know the Democrats preferred solution for any problem is to throw more taxpayer money at it, but the Bipartisan Policy Center estimated that the industry would need about half of the amount included in H.R. 7027 to recover. Additionally, H.R. 7027 places burdensome requirements on childcare providers, which could lead to providers spending more time and money applying for and reporting on the funds rather than doing what is most important: serving children. Providers already have to figure out how to implement new and necessary health and safety rules, from social distancing and limits on group size to increased cleaning protocols. As if this isn't already weighing heavily on childcare professionals, Democrats now want to enact even more cumbersome requirements for them to deal with. This legislation also tries to dictate from the Federal level how providers run their businesses, which can hamper their ability to reopen safely and stay open. This ill-advised bill also denies support for certain eligible providers, such as churches and public recreation camps who are licensed-exempt, operating legally in a State, and meeting all State and local requirements. H.R. 7027 fails to address the barriers many new providers face, an issue that can increase cost and limit slots for children. Mr. Speaker, the no care for children act will drive up costs substantially, tie many providers' hands unnecessarily, and shift the focus away from serving children and supporting parents returning to work. It is worth repeating that Republicans and Democrats wholeheartedly agree on the overarching goal of this debate we are having today. A lack of childcare options could seriously delay our Nation's economic recovery. That is why it is extremely disappointing that we are spending our time debating another partisan messaging bill from House Democrats rather than focusing on common ground and working in a bipartisan fashion to solve our differences on this issue and deliver for American families. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 7027, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. Mr. Speaker, we need more childcare slots, but rather than opening more doors, H.R. 7027 denies support for certain eligible providers such as churches and public recreation camps who are operating legally, and fails to address the barriers to entry new providers face, an issue that can increase costs and limit slots for children. Given the capacity issue of existing centers, legislative proposals should allow for more slots and reduce the barriers to entry for new providers. This bill does the opposite. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close when the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) is prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Congress should provide childcare centers nationwide with resources that will allow them to recover from the many challenges they have endured over the last few months. Unfortunately, this body has yet again missed an opportunity to come together in a bipartisan manner, solve our differences, and tackle an issue we all agree needs to be addressed. Instead, we have more partisanship, more political posturing, and more one-sided legislation on the House floor absent of any committee consideration. Mr. Speaker, American families and childcare providers across the Nation deserve better than the legislation before us. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on the Democrats' no care for children act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Georgia an additional 15 seconds.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Politico wrote recently, ``A lack of safe and affordable childcare amid the coronavirus pandemic is keeping many working parents from returning to the office as more companies call employees back to their jobs, threatening to extend the economic crisis and erode decades of gains for women in the workplace.'' In fact, the Bipartisan Policy Center found that at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, 60 percent of childcare centers closed, and one- third of the childcare workforce lost their jobs. The topic of today's debate is an issue that both Republicans and Democrats agree must be addressed. Unfortunately, the legislation being pushed by Democrats spends taxpayer dollars recklessly and layers on additional burdensome requirements. That is why my Republican colleagues have introduced the Back to Work Child Care Grants Act of 2020, which is led by Senator Ernst and Senator Alexander in the Senate and Representative Reed in the House. Unlike the Democrat bill we are considering today, the Back to Work Child Care Grants Act will offer childcare providers solutions and resources, not burdensome red tape. The GOP-led initiative would support childcare providers by offering short-term financial assistance, critical resources to reopen and stay open, all while holding providers accountable to State and local health and safety guidelines. Regrettably, the Democrats' childcare bill picks winners and losers by denying help to many providers who are license-exempt and operating legally, such as churches and public recreation camps. The Back to Work Child Care Grants Act of 2020, on the other hand, ensures all providers in need of support have access to funding. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues across the aisle have developed a habit of harping about how Republicans are incorrectly addressing the priorities of the American people during the pandemic. This is a bold claim coming from them, seeing as they are the ones being caught playing political games on multiple occasions. Every day, Democrats echo those same fatigued talking points, and you can't help but wonder if they realize that, in fact, they are the ones who have been wasting time all along. Denial is a powerful thing, Mr. Speaker. At a time when the American people demand leadership and accountability from Congress, Democrats have leaned on their political playbook for answers. At this point, are we really surprised? Let's recap what the Democrats have done to date. They have passed the so-called HEROES Act, a $3 trillion socialist wish list that was crafted behind closed doors without bipartisan collaboration. They have undermined 200 years of precedent by implementing proxy voting. They have held virtual hearings where their Members are not physically present in the Capitol, and even one of their Members decided to phone in his vote to the committee while he was on his boat. Now, juxtapose that with the work we have taken up. Republicans have fought for schools to reopen safely. We have placed a high priority on strengthening our Nation's economic recovery, and we have worked tirelessly to support frontline workers. Let President Trump and the administration be an example as well. Secretary Scalia of the Department of Labor recently came to my district to meet with frontline workers, educators, and members of the private sector to learn about North Carolina's progress. Deputy Secretary Hargan of HHS visited Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem to see the work being done by medical professionals to treat and protect North Carolinians. This week, President Trump traveled to North Carolina to meet with representatives of a biotechnology company that is currently manufacturing a promising coronavirus vaccine. Mr. Speaker, the differences between the Republican approach and the Democrat approach are night and day. I have said this before, and I will say it again: Democrats are choosing posturing over progress. They have ample opportunities to work with us, but they are more interested in creating the newest media sound bite, further inflating the Federal bureaucracy and appeasing their far-left base. This isn't an observation. This is a fact. When you think of progress, you think of frontline workers; you think of private-sector innovation; you think about the millions of children around the country safely returning to school; and you think of businesses reopening their doors to the public. When Republicans think of progress, that is what we envision. Sadly, Democrats have become so entrenched in their own political narrative that they have failed to recognize the true priorities of the American people. Republicans will continue to work on the pressing needs of our Nation without delay. We can only hope that our Democrat colleagues will come to their senses eventually.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

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