Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call for debate in this Chamber on H. Res. 109, referred to as the Green New Deal. This resolution lays out an agenda that is, frankly, anti-American and goes against everything our Constitution is all about. The resolution states: ``It is the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.'' The main components of this deal include: net-zero greenhouse gas emissions; creating millions of good, high-wage jobs; and upgrading all existing buildings and building new buildings to achieve maximum energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety, affordability, comfort, and durability. All of this is to be accomplished in 10 years' time. Among the things the Federal Government has meddled in beyond the scope of its limited powers, completely overhauling every building and method of transportation in the country would be, by far, its most egregious transgression to date. However, the Green New Deal certainly will require Congress' constitutional authority to levy taxes and borrow money to pay for it. This so-called ``deal'' would come at the cost of trillions to the middle class and spend taxpayers' hard-earned money, as if they don't know best how to use their money and need the government to do it for them. The Green New Deal reflects zero understanding of moral hazard and the government's capacity for waste, suggesting the government assume the risks in the unchartered research and development this socialist experiment would require. The way the resolution's supporters see it, money will simply be put back into the economy and create millions of new jobs. They think nothing of the fact that these actions actually take power away from ``We the people.'' Now, in light of the Senate taking up this resolution for a vote this week, I would like to offer some thoughts as to why it needs deeper thought and debate in the House. America is currently on a sustainable plan with its all-of-the-above energy strategy, including renewable, oil, gas, coal, and nuclear sources. Renewables presently make up 17 percent of U.S. electric power generation, and despite enormous subsidies, are far from capable of serving as exclusive energy sources that are reliant and affordable. Yet, since 2005, use of cheap natural gas has reduced carbon emissions from power generation by 30 percent. Our current approach encourages development of renewable sources and accounts for both environment and monetary costs. This resolution instead throws money exclusively at renewables and entirely eliminates the oil, gas, and coal industries. Secondly, if the goal is to build the middle class and create jobs, why go in completely the opposite direction of what has worked to create over 5 million jobs in the past 2 years? Reducing the Federal footprint with regulatory reform and middle- class tax cuts have caused wages to rise, job growth to soar, and consistently low rates of unemployment. Allowing small businesses to keep more of their money has worked to create jobs and increase wages. We certainly don't need to raise taxes and spend more money to create this effect. Finally, this massive government intervention will push businesses overseas and disrupt the lives of workers, farmers, and students making the most of America's abounding opportunities. Americans cherish freedom, which includes the ability for individuals to determine their own paths without the Government deciding how they will contribute to society. The Socialist ideology behind this resolution is at odds with the American values that have caused our society to flourish and innovate since its founding. I encourage the 90 House Democrats who have cosponsored H. Res. 109 and Speaker Pelosi to engage in serious and open debate on this legislation, or at least publish a new fact sheet they can stand behind so accurate representations of opposing viewpoints can be heard by the American people.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, if this unanimous consent request cannot be entertained, I urge the Speaker and the majority leader to immediately schedule the Born-Alive bill so we can stand up and protect the sanctity of human life and I ask all others to join in in that request.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute Mr. Tom Dorsett of Yadkin County in North Carolina's Fifth District. Mr. Dorsett is about to retire from his very successful business, Dorsett Technologies, which, since 1977, he has grown into the innovative and thriving business it is today. Mr. Dorsett, his wife, Jo, and their excellent employees have built the business from a small heating and air-conditioning supply and service business to one of the most innovative businesses in the area. Today, the company specializes in automation for buildings and municipal water and wastewater systems. Municipalities across the country use Dorsett Technologies' InfoScan software to control systems for energy, security, and water. The company has even supplied the U.S. Army, Air Force, and NASA with its cutting-edge technology. Along the way, the company and the Dorsetts personally have been outstanding philanthropists for virtually every good cause and nonprofit in Yadkin County. Their support ranges from the Yadkin County Arts Council to the Yadkin County Rotary Club, the United Methodist Church, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Yadkin Christian Ministries, and the Yadkin County Community Foundation. Mr. Dorsett is a visionary. Understanding the need to develop young people for the jobs of the future, Mr. Dorsett has led the effort to promote robotics education in the school system, giving and raising money for the program, which has become one of the most popular in the area. The Dorsetts were also lead gift givers for the Yadkin Arts Council, which renovated an area of the downtown into a very successful arts center a few years ago. He is a renaissance man, but he and his family seek no recognition for the positive things that they do; although, recognition is much deserved. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Dorsetts for being such positive role models and for their generous support of the Yadkinville community. We wish them well in their retirement.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise to wish Mrs. Ginny Taylor a happy 100th birthday. It has been a delight getting to know Mrs. Taylor and her family since they began splitting their time between homes in Greensboro and Land Harbor in North Carolina's Fifth District. Mrs. Taylor is a mother of two, grandmother of three, great- grandmother of six, and beloved by all of them. Shortly after moving to North Carolina, her husband, Delmer, started Delta Plating, and she went back to school to learn how to keep books and even helped in the plant and driving trucks for the company. Mrs. Taylor remains an engaged citizen to this day, especially in bridge circles and First Baptist Church, where everyone enjoys her pies. At 100, I hope to be as full of life as Mrs. Taylor, and I wish her a wonderful birthday and many, many more to come.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, during Women's History Month, we honor American women whose exemplary lives have shaped the country we love. In 1945, Private First-Class Elizabeth Johnson of Elkin, North Carolina, answered the call to serve our country, becoming one of 855 women to form the 6888th battalion, the first and only all-female and all-Black battalion in World War II. They were given the task of delivering, in 1 year, a backlog of 1 year's worth of servicemembers' mail waiting to be delivered. But with their strong dedication, in just 6 months, all letters were delivered to servicemembers waiting to hear from loved ones. After a tour of duty in England and France, Ms. Johnson became the first woman to attend Winston-Salem State University on the GI Bill and dedicated over 30 years to teaching in Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I commend and thank Ms. Johnson for her legacy of lifelong service to fellow Americans.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise as leader of the Republicans on the Education and Labor Committee, which had a referral on H.R. 1 that did not even have a hearing, much less a markup on the provisions that fall within our jurisdiction. Mr. Speaker, as you know, a referral means a bill should be debated by a committee of jurisdiction, but that did not happen. It appears that every corner of American life would be touched by this overreaching, politically-motivated bill. Even colleges and universities did not manage to escape its reach. We fully recognize the opportunity colleges and universities can provide for traditional 18- to 24-year-old students to register to vote. That is why we have always been supportive of voter registration efforts on campuses. But mandating voter registration efforts on campus doesn't show good intentions for student engagement. Instead, it reveals the true motive behind this unnecessary tinkering with the Higher Education Act. Colleges and universities have not, do not, and must not ever exist to serve the Federal Government. The provisions in H.R. 1 take institutions of higher learning and put them in the same category as your local DMV. It is bad enough that colleges and universities barely resemble the free marketplace of ideas they once were. This bill turns them into full-fledged government offices, with all of the customer service and freedom of thought for which government offices are known. The reasons to oppose H.R. 1 are many, but we could not allow the provisions that impact educational institutions to go unnoticed as House Democrats clearly hoped. H.R. 1 is one of the most cynical political stunts we have seen and, for that reason, Mr. Speaker, we should oppose it and oppose it with all our might.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak on behalf of my amendment, co-authored by Representative Harley Rouda of California, which seeks to bring badly-needed transparency to sources of compensation for certain individuals staffing the legislative branch. I would like to start by thanking my colleague from California (Mr. Rouda) for working together in this bipartisan fashion. I am always willing to work across the aisle to find common ground, and I am glad to have found a partner in him on this issue. I would be remiss, however, if I did not mention the missed opportunity for doing so on the underlying bill. This underlying legislation ran afoul of the legislative process, having gone through only one markup, despite 10 committee referrals. Democratic leaders also rejected many Republican amendments that I support, amendments that would have terminated Congressional pensions, prohibiting pay for Congressmen when the government shuts down, and other commonsense reforms. If we are serious about strengthening our democracy, we need to start with reforming our own Congress. Luckily, Representative Rouda and I are doing just that through our amendment. Our amendment codifies a Senate rule that requires legislative branch offices to disclose the source of funding for Congressional fellows. While the general public understands the need for strict regulations on campaign contributions, gifts, and other methods of influence, many Americans would be shocked to learn that the influence of personnel is escaping public notice. The Congressional Fellows program is a great contribution to this institution on the whole, as it offers direct exposure and experience in the legislative process to people outside of the Beltway. That exposure is great for our democracy and great for the American public. However, it goes without saying that fellows being paid by industry groups, advocacy groups, or for-profit industries shouldn't be creating any undue advantage by way of their access to this body. In fact, there is an old saying around Congress that personnel equals policy. If that is so evident to Members of Congress, then surely we can understand the potential conflicts of interest that could arise from this influence. It has been reported some Congressional Fellows are working on legislation pertaining to the very interest group they are being paid by to support their work in Congress. The public would rightfully be outraged to learn that even some of the largest social media firms in this country are retaining fellows on Capitol Hill, and yet, the average citizen outside the Beltway has no way of knowing about it. This situation gives a whole new meaning to the term ``social media influencer.'' While House ethics rules currently bar fellowship programs from giving an ``undue advantage to special interests,'' the House of Representatives lacks a reporting requirement to expose conflicts of interest. Our amendment would fill this gap by mandating that legislative offices disclose the rate and source of compensation for Congressional Fellows to their Chamber's respective Ethics Committee. The taxpayers have a right to know about the funding, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, at this time, let me yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rouda), my cosponsor for the amendment.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, could I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, if personnel equals policy, then the general public should have access to knowledge about the influencers in our legislative body. Again, I am glad to have been a partner with Congressman Rouda in this bipartisan initiative. I ask my colleagues to support our amendment to uphold transparency, accountability, and the integrity of our legislative process. And I urge all Members to vote for the amendment. It is a very commonsense amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise to wish Mrs. Ginny Walker a happy 100th birthday. It has been a delight getting to know Mrs. Walker and her family since they began splitting their time between homes in Greensboro and Land Harbor in North Carolina's Fifth District. Mrs. Walker is a mother of two, grandmother of three, great- grandmother of six, and beloved by all of them. Shortly after moving to North Carolina, her husband, Delmer, started Delta Electronic Plating Company, and she went back to school to learn how to keep books and even helped in the plant and driving trucks. Mrs. Walker remains an engaged citizen to this day, especially in bridge circles and First Baptist Church, where everyone enjoys her pies. At 100, I hope to be as full of life as Mrs. Walker, and I wish her a wonderful birthday and many, many more to come.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, we are here tonight to honor our colleague, Walter B. Jones. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Price for the effort he has put in to making this evening a time for us to honor Walter, our esteemed colleague. Madam Speaker, Walter Jones will always be remembered for his dedication to North Carolina's Third District and his steadfast support for all of our Nation's men and women in uniform. I know that many of the speakers will talk much more about that this evening, as will I. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), for his comments. Then, Madam Speaker, we will be recognizing our colleagues from both sides of the aisle, which is extremely appropriate, particularly in the case of Congressman Jones.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Price for his comments. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Amash) for his tribute to our good friend, Walter Jones.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Amash for his comments tonight. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield), another one of our colleagues.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from eastern North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer), my colleague.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), and I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for his comments. And I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) for his extremely eloquent remarks. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho).

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a long-serving Member and another respected Member of this body.

Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his eloquent comments. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko) for his comments.