Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I want to thank my colleague from the Foreign Affairs Committee for his leadership on this work. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong opposition to this legislation that would clear the way for the President's misguided deal with Iran. The United States must continue to stand between Iran and nuclear weapons capability, but instead, the deal legitimizes Iran's nuclear achievements and strengthens its extremist regime. The agreement gradually removes the key barriers that prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capabilities, from growing its economic influence in the Middle East, and from continuing its state funding of terrorist organizations that threaten the security of the country and the well-being of our allies. This deal lifts critical economic sanctions that have limited Iran's scope of influence in the region, removes the arms embargo, and lifts missile program restrictions. For these reasons, I oppose the President's deal and urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the members of Rowan Little League's 12-under softball team. Kaylin Dowling, Allison Ennis, Kary Hales, Caylie Keller, Caitlin Mann, Kali Morton, Taylor Sanborn, Megyn Spicer, Liza Simmerson, Jaden Vaughn, Taylor Walton, Ellie Wilhelm, and Ellen Yang played their hearts out during the Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Oregon, and emerged as world champions. Coach Steve Yang, with assistance from Coaches Eric Dowling and Rob Hales, led the team, who went 5-1 in the tournament and outscored their opponents 43-6 during the winning campaign. After scoring four runs in the first inning of the championship game versus East regional champs, Rhode Island, the team relied on exceptional pitching and outstanding defensive play to win the game. I commend these young athletes and congratulate them on a job well done. North Carolina is incredibly proud of the teamwork, dedication, and perseverance they exhibited on the way to this extraordinary achievement.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I want to thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Culberson) for organizing and conducting this Special Order tonight to honor our law enforcement personnel. I do my best every time I see someone in law enforcement to say thank you. I go out of my way to say thank you. I point out to them, whether they are local, State, or national people in law enforcement, that we owe to them and to our military people the ability that we have to move around this country and do the things that we do every day because of their willingness to serve and to put their lives on the line every single day of their lives. We have seen, unfortunately, in the past few weeks a spate of senseless killings of our wonderful law enforcement people. And I think it is wonderful, again, that my colleagues are here tonight to say thank you. I want to encourage them, also--and I know many do--to say thank you to our law enforcement people every day as they go about protecting us, our families. I want to thank their families, also, for the sacrifices they make. Thank you, Congressman Culberson, for your efforts.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment my two colleagues who have just spoken on the floor. I compliment Mr. Newhouse from the State of Washington for highlighting a very important event in his district involving a significant constituent of his. I particularly would also like to recognize Mr. Westerman from Arkansas for getting H.R. 2647 passed, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015. It is really a coup for a freshman to get such a significant bill passed so early in his or her career. It is a major bill, a significant bill, and I want to compliment him on bringing his expertise in forestry to the House of Representatives. We need people with all kinds of backgrounds here who can help get things that the American people need for us to do on their behalf, and certainly that bill is going to do a lot for American people all across this country. Mr. Speaker, it has been said that no one hears about the plane that landed safely. What that very apt adage suggests is that we are often unaware of good work being done every day, and it isn't until something goes wrong that people take notice. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to just highlight for a few minutes this evening the great work that this Congress has been doing in the past 4\1/2\ years, and particularly during the 114th Congress, which began in January. Under the leadership of House Republicans, we have been doing very good work in tackling the difficult issues facing this Nation. We are advancing solutions that build a healthy economy, empowering every American to pursue his or her future, to reach his or her full potential and achieve a better life. Here, Mr. Speaker, are just a few specifics of what we have been accomplishing. First, the House is more open. That may sound a little strange to people, but it is important that the American people understand that, under the majority leadership of Republicans, we have considered over 200 more amendments than the average over the last 25 years in the House of Representatives. The House is more collaborative. House committees have passed 10.2 percent of bills out of committee compared to a 40-year average of only 6 percent of bills being passed. The House is, overall, more productive. The House passed 193 bills in the first quarter, well above the 40-year average of 127. Of those, 32 have also passed the Senate--more than the 25-year average of 29. The House is more effective. Over the last 30 years, only one other Republican-controlled House had more bills enacted in law to this point, and this Congress is above the 40-year average of 29 bills enacted with 32. The American people want us to come to Washington, use our time well, and work on their behalf to get the things done that they see need to be done. We are working on our main focus, which are jobs and the economy. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow's good-paying jobs will come from the freedom to innovate from the bottom up, with organic growth, not from top-down bureaucracies in Washington, D.C., looking out for themselves and attempting, always, to control the American people. Mr. Speaker, we have passed many bills, as I have said before. One is the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, H.R. 527, which was approved by the House by a vote of 260-163 in February of this year. That is a bipartisan vote, Mr. Speaker. We passed the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, H.R. 50, by a bipartisan vote of 250-173. We passed the Death Tax Repeal Act, H.R. 1105, by a vote of 240-179; this is often called the death tax; it is sometimes called the estate tax, but it hits, Mr. Speaker, not just wealthy people, but average people with huge, unfair taxes. This bill would provide certainty for families and allow small businesses to focus on growing new jobs and is the smart thing to do for our economy. Mr. Speaker, much of the economic turmoil that has gripped this Nation is the result of the Federal Government spending beyond its means. In North Carolina, I hear often from constituents who are worried about our ballooning national debt, which threatens economic stability and jeopardizes the American dream for our families. Irresponsible spending isn't fair to our kids, who must repay the debt, and it is not good for the economy. Unknown to many Americans, the House Republican majority has cut Federal spending 2 years in a row for the first time since the Korean war. We banned earmarks and achieved the most significant spending reductions in modern history. We have protected tax cuts for 99 percent of individuals and families. We passed a balanced budget conference agreement which balances the budget within 10 years, without raising taxes, and achieves more than $5 trillion in savings. It is the first joint 10-year balanced budget resolution since 2001. We have passed the Student Success Act, which replaces No Child Left Behind, by reducing the Federal footprint in education, restoring local control, and empowering parents and education leaders to hold schools accountable for effectively teaching students. It stops the Federal Government from coercing states into adopting Common Core. We expanded and strengthened 529 college savings plans by a vote of 401-20, a very strong bipartisan vote. We have passed an energy policy, the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act. We have passed the LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act. We have passed Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015. Mr. Speaker, we are working on the economy, on bringing down the cost of energy, on providing for national security. We have passed the National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 1735, and are in conference now with the Senate on this bill. We have passed the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act, again, by a very large bipartisan vote, 355-63. We have passed the Protecting Cyber Networks Act by a large bipartisan vote of 307-116. We have passed a bill signed into law by the President in June, the USA Freedom Act, which ends the bulk collection of data at the National Security Agency, prevents government overreach, strengthens protections for Americans' civil liberties, and increases the transparency of certain national security authorities. As my colleague from Arkansas talked about previous to my coming on the floor, we have passed several bills to honor our veterans. They have earned our respect, and they shouldn't have to wait in line for months or years to see a doctor. When our brave servicemembers come home, we have to keep our word to them by modernizing our VA system to deliver the best care in the world, and we have kept our promises to our veterans. Mr. Speaker, we have focused also on the human side of what needs to be done in our society. We have passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. It was signed into law on May 29, 2015. Human trafficking is a major problem in our country, and we are doing all that we can to diminish it and eliminate it. Mr. Speaker, we have passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act with a bipartisan vote, H.R. 36. We expect that bill to be passed in the Senate. We have also passed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. It was approved by the House in January. This bill would permanently free taxpayers from subsidizing abortion or insurance coverage that includes abortion. Mr. Speaker, we care very much for the most vulnerable among us. We are also doing everything we can through our hearings to hold President Obama and the executive branch accountable in conjunction with our constitutional duties. We continue to look for ways to improve what the Department of Veterans Affairs does. We have witnessed the incompetence of the Office of Personnel Management, which allowed its records of Federal employees to be hacked. We have held hearings on the Secret Service scandal. We have done everything we can to stop the EPA from imposing its clean water rule, which is very tough on our farmers in particular, but on people all over this country. We have challenged, again, ObamaCare in court with the U.S. House of Representatives vs. Burwell lawsuit; and we hope for a positive result from that. We are also continuing our investigations into other scandals of this administration, including the situation in Benghazi. Last fall, House investigators learned that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used a private email server located in her home, rather than an official email account, as required by administration policy. She also failed to preserve her official emails for government records as required by the Federal Records Act. Without the diligent work of the Select Committee on Benghazi, this highly questionable email arrangement would have remained secret. Because of a select committee deposition of Sidney Blumenthal, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, the committee was able to demonstrate that, despite former Secretary Clinton's assertions to the contrary, she did not produce all of her official emails to the State Department. The select committee is deposing senior State Department officials, including Clinton's closest aides, and will call former Secretary Clinton as a witness as soon as the State Department produces all of the records owed to the committee. We are continuing our investigation of the IRS and its unlawful targeting of conservatives. Mr. Speaker, this is the people's House, and we Republicans in the majority will continue to do the work of the American people by passing appropriate legislation and by holding this administration accountable for what it should be doing and what it has done that is inappropriate. The Republican-led House, Mr. Speaker, in the past 7 months, has delivered real results that would solve many of the challenges that face our Nation, but there is still more to do to make the outdated models in Washington, D.C., more effective, efficient, and accountable. As we go home to our districts for the August recess, not a vacation, but an opportunity for us to be in our districts, to be with our constituents, to hear from our constituents what their concerns are, we will be gathering more ideas for legislation and come back to Congress in September with a renewed commitment to do the people's business in the people's House. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following: [From the Washington Post, July 23, 2015] (By Charles Krauthammer) Planned Parenthood's reaction to the release of a clandestinely recorded conversation about the sale of fetal body parts was highly revealing. After protesting that it did nothing illegal, it apologized for the ``tone'' of one of its senior directors. Her remarks lacked compassion, admitted Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards. As if Dr. Deborah Nucatola's cold and casual discussion over salad and wine of how the fetal body can be crushed with forceps in a way that leaves valuable organs intact for sale is some kind of personal idiosyncrasy. On the contrary, it's precisely the kind of psychic numbing that occurs when dealing daily with industrial scale destruction of the growing, thriving, recognizably human fetus. This was again demonstrated by the release this week of a second video showing another official sporting that same tone, casual and even jocular, while haggling over the price of an embryonic liver. ``If it's still low, then we can bump it up,'' she joked, ``I want a Lamborghini.'' Abortion critics have long warned that the problem is not only the obvious--what abortion does to the fetus--but also what it does to us. It's the same kind of desensitization that has occurred in the Netherlands with another mass exercise in life termination: assisted suicide. It began as a way to prevent the suffering of the terminally ill. It has now become so widespread and wanton that one-fifth of all Dutch assisted-suicide patients are euthanized without their explicit consent. The Planned Parenthood revelations will have an effect. Perhaps not on government funding, given the Democratic Party's unwavering support and the president wishing it divine guidance. Planned Parenthood might escape legal jeopardy as well, given the loophole in the law banning the sale of fetal parts that permits compensation for expenses (shipping and handling, as it were). But these revelations will have an effect on public perceptions. Just as ultrasound altered feelings about abortion by showing the image, the movement, the vibrant living-ness of the developing infant in utero, so too, I suspect, will these Planned Parenthood revelations, by throwing open the door to the backroom of the clinic where that being is destroyed. It's an ugly scene. The issue is less the sale of body parts than how they are obtained. The nightmare for abortion advocates is a spreading consciousness of how exactly a healthy fetus is turned into a mass of marketable organs, how, in the words of a senior Planned Parenthood official, one might use ``a less crunchy technique''--crush the head, spare the organs--``to get more whole specimens.'' The effect on the public is a two-step change in sensibilities. First, when ultrasound reveals how human the living fetus appears. Next, when people learn, as in these inadvertent admissions, what killing the fetus involves. Remember. The advent of ultrasound has coincided with a remarkable phenomenon: Of all the major social issues, abortion is the only one that has not moved toward increasing liberalization. While the legalization of drugs, the redefinition of marriage and other assertions of individual autonomy have advanced, some with astonishing rapidity, abortion attitudes have remained largely static. The country remains evenly split. What will be the reaction to these Planned Parenthood revelations? Right now, to try to deprive it of taxpayer money. Citizens repelled by its activities should not be made complicit in them. But why not shift the focus from the facilitator to the procedure itself? The House has already passed a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks. That's far more fruitful than trying to ban it entirely because, apart from the obvious constitutional issue, there is no national consensus about the moral status of the early embryo. There's more agreement on the moral status of the later-term fetus. Indeed, about two-thirds of Americans would ban abortion after the first trimester. There is more division about the first trimester because one's views of the early embryo are largely a matter of belief, often religious belief. One's view of the later-term fetus, however, is more a matter of what might be called sympathetic identification--seeing the image of a recognizable human infant and, now, hearing from the experts exactly what it takes to ``terminate'' its existence. The role of democratic politics is to turn such moral sensibilities into law. This is a moment to press relentlessly for a national ban on late-term abortions.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last week, I joined 64 of my House colleagues in cosponsoring legislation that would permanently cut off taxpayer funding for abortion providers. H.R. 3197, the Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act, would prohibit Federal funding to any entity unless it certifies that it will not perform abortions during the period for which funding is provided, and it will not provide any funds to entities that do perform abortions. There are currently restrictions that prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to fund elective abortion directly, but we all understand that money is fungible. It is clear that Federal funds are supporting organizations' entire operations and that those operations include performing elective abortions. This legislation reflects the will of the American people and would prevent taxpayers from being forced to finance thousands of elective abortions. Few things demean the sanctity of human life more than elective abortion, and we, as a Nation and as a Congress, must continue to confront the systematic extermination of an entire generation of the most vulnerable among us. Mr. Speaker, I will enter into the Record a recent article by Charles Krauthammer: ``The Price of Fetal Parts.''

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last week the House passed legislation that would fund the Nation's highway and transit programs through December 18. Transportation and infrastructure are key components of economic development efforts in North Carolina, and this fiscally responsible bill keeps important road and bridge projects going in the short term while discussions continue on a longer term bill. Earlier this year I introduced legislation to help the Federal Government responsibly manage taxpayer money and stretch the limited funds available to the highway trust fund by exempting it from the Davis-Bacon Act's outdated, wasteful labor requirements for Federal-aid highway and public transportation projects. The Davis-Bacon Act was passed in 1931 and requires Federal contractors and subcontractors to pay the local prevailing wage for construction projects on which the Federal Government is a party. For decades, it has been driving up the cost of Federal highway projects by mandating artificially high wages. It is time to get America back on track by spending wisely, not carelessly.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Yadkin Valley Motor Company in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. It is the oldest Ford dealership in the Carolinas and 20th oldest out of about 3,100 Ford dealerships nationwide. A.F. Kilby was the first of four generations of Kilbys to sell Fords at Yadkin Valley. His son, Andrew ``Bud'' Kilby, and grandson, John Kilby, Sr., now own the dealership. At 89 years old, Bud still works at the dealership 6 days a week. John serves as general manager. And his son, John Kilby, Jr., is a salesman and Internet manager. In May, more than 1,500 people turned out for a special car show marking the 100th anniversary. Several hundred vehicles, including a number of antique Fords, participated. Congratulations to the Kilby family and everyone at Yadkin Valley Motor Company on this significant milestone.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Wisconsin for yielding time and leading this Special Order. I rise today to join my colleagues in bringing attention to allegations of serious misconduct by the country's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. There are no words to properly convey my grief and deep disgust at the cavalier way in which Dr. Deborah Nucatola details how she strategically crushes the tiny bodies of innocent, unborn children in order to harvest and sell their organs. Perhaps most disturbing is what Dr. Nucatola doesn't say. While she arbitrarily assigns monetary values to the hearts, lungs, and livers of these children, she recognizes no value in the lives of those being aborted. Mr. Speaker, I recently received a letter from a nurse who has assisted with abortions and witnessed firsthand the horrific nature of what that procedure entails. She told me that most women have no idea that they are subjecting their unborn children to such ghastly methods. Many of our colleagues in this House find it uncomfortable to talk about the issue of abortion, and I agree that it is difficult to consider and discuss these horrific practices, but the heinous nature of the methods used by Planned Parenthood is precisely why we, as a Nation and as a Congress, must confront it. These revelations merit a serious look at the practices of Planned Parenthood, and I support fully the robust oversight and investigations being pursued by the House Judiciary and Energy and Commerce Committees. It is my hope that their investigations will shed much- needed light on the organization's gruesome methods and will lead to important reforms that end these practices and stop the flow of taxpayer resources that support them. Few things demean the sanctity of human life more than elective abortion. One day, I hope that a culture of life will take hold in the United States and that all children will be protected under the law. However, until that day comes, it remains my solemn duty to stand up for life. Regardless of the length of this journey, I will continue to speak for those who cannot.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, this year Valdese Weavers, a creative design studio and state-of-the-art manufacturer located in North Carolina, celebrates its 100th anniversary. The company is the largest decorative jacquard textile mill in North America and a leader in the design and manufacturing of jacquard fabrics for residential and commercial markets. Valdese Weavers began in 1915 as the Waldensian Swiss Embroidery Company, a lace and embroidery manufacturer developed by Italian immigrants. Twenty years later, Harley Shuford purchased the company and changed its name to Valdese Weavers Inc., introducing jacquard woven fabrics to the company's product line. Today its six branded companies--Valdese Weavers, Valdese Weavers Contract, Circa 1801, Home Fabrics, Valdese International Products (VIP) and Dicey Fabrics--develop fabrics from value to high-end price points and cover the residential, contract, hospitality, health care and specialty markets. Congratulations to everyone at Valdese Weavers as you celebrate this significant milestone.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Yadkin Valley Motor Company in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. It is the oldest Ford dealership in the Carolinas and 20th oldest out of about 3,100 Ford dealerships nationwide. A.F. Kilby was the first of four generations of Kilbys to sell Fords at Yadkin Valley. His son, Andrew ``Bud'' Kilby, and grandson, John Kilby Sr., now own the dealership. At 89 years old, Bud still works at the dealership six days a week. John serves as general manager, and his son, John Kilby Jr., is a salesman and Internet manager. In May more than 1,500 people turned out for a special car show marking the 100th anniversary. Several hundred vehicles, including a number of antique Fords, participated. Congratulations to the Kilby family and everyone at Yadkin Valley Motor Company on this significant milestone.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, yesterday a disturbing video surfaced of Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood's senior director of medical services, discussing the sale of fetal organs from aborted babies as she casually eats lunch. The heartless way that Dr. Nucatola describes how Planned Parenthood clinics kill innocent children and then harvest their precious hearts, lungs, and livers to sell is sickening. In 2014 alone, Planned Parenthood was directly responsible for killing over 350,000 unborn babies in their clinics. It is unconscionable and inexcusable that we are giving the hard-earned money of American taxpayers to an organization that callously kills an innocent, unborn child every 90 seconds. At its core, Planned Parenthood supports the systematic extermination of the most vulnerable among us. It is past time to end Federal funding of this organization, which views the life of the unborn as a revenue- generator.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, in 1966, Federal legislation established a new type of employer-sponsored retirement plan known as a SIMPLE IRA. These plans are designed to give small businesses a retirement option for their employees without the administrative burdens of other employer- sponsored retirement plan types. SIMPLE IRAs face a 25 percent early withdrawal penalty during the first 2 years of their existence, compared to 10 percent for other IRAs. In order to prevent accountholders from unknowingly rolling their IRA funds into SIMPLE IRAs and being surprised by an increased early retirement penalty, current law prohibits rolling funds over into a SIMPLE IRA from other retirement accounts. However, SIMPLE IRAs have the same early withdrawal penalty as other IRAs after that initial 2-year period, and consumers and financial planners have struggled with the rollover restrictions as they attempt to consolidate accounts. This week, I will introduce legislation to allow for rollovers into SIMPLE IRA accounts that have met the 2-year threshold. The Joint Committee on Taxation has previously estimated this legislation would have a negligible effect on Federal tax revenues. This bill will simplify retirement planning and ensure a complex Tax Code does not prevent sensible financial planning decisions. Individuals should be able to consolidate their retirement funds in a way that best meets their needs. This legislation is a small but important first step in the long road to ensuring our tax system works for Americans, not against them.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, for the past 2 years, my email inbox, mailbox, and phone lines have been flooded with reports of canceled health insurance plans, soaring premiums, increased deductibles, and exasperated constituents trying to navigate the confusing Washington bureaucracy that is ObamaCare. Members of Congress have to buy their health insurance on the ObamaCare exchanges along with millions of other Americans, and I experienced many of the same frustrations, including the nightmare of navigating a confusing, unfinished Web site. Despite its central promise, the Affordable Care Act has proved to be anything but affordable for many North Carolinians, and the Supreme Court's recent decision in King v. Burwell doesn't change that fact. House Republicans are continuing our efforts to minimize the damage caused by ObamaCare. We have passed legislation that would permanently repeal ObamaCare's 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices, which has hindered innovation as well as restricted growth and job creation in an industry that has improved the quality of life of millions around the world. We have voted to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which was created under the President's healthcare law and gives a panel of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats sweeping authority to slash Medicare payments to providers or eliminate payments for certain treatments and procedures altogether. The House has passed legislation that would change ObamaCare's 30- hour definition of full-time employment and restore the traditional 40- hour workweek. From adjunct professors to hourly workers, I have heard from constituents across North Carolina's Fifth District who have one thing in common: their hours are being reduced. ObamaCare has placed an undue burden on employers and their employees by undermining the 40-hour workweek, which has long been the standard for full-time work. We have voted to make it easier to hire veterans by exempting those who already have health insurance from being counted as full-time employees under the President's healthcare law. No employer should be penalized for hiring a veteran, and no veteran should be unemployed because of ObamaCare. However, the best approach to solving the multitude of problems resulting from ObamaCare is to unite behind a complete repeal of the law and replace it with solutions that lower costs and empower patients to choose the care that is right for them. I recently signed on as a cosponsor of H.R. 2653, the American Health Care Reform Act. This bill would repeal ObamaCare completely and allow a standard deduction for health insurance that treats individually purchased plans and employer-sponsored plans the same, making sure that all Americans receive the same tax benefits for health care. H.R. 2653 would return decisions about healthcare and insurance coverage to patients. It is people, not government, who can best determine the coverage and services that meet their needs. A government takeover of health care is not what Americans asked for and certainly not what we can afford.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues to express a deep concern about the ongoing negotiations with Iran over the country's nuclear capabilities. As many of my colleagues have noted on the floor of this House, preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is critical to securing peace in the region and protecting U.S. interests, including our close ally Israel. It was good to hear Secretary Kerry's recent commitment not ``to shave anywhere at the margins in order to just get an agreement'' and to work for an agreement that will pass scrutiny. However, media reports from the negotiations in Vienna indicate that Iran has tried to renegotiate the previously released framework and continues to demand further concessions from international negotiators. Among the latest demands from Tehran is that all United Nations sanctions against the country, including the ban on the import or export of conventional arms, be lifted as part of any deal. Well, I have a response to that demand: unacceptable. Lifting the arms embargo would serve only to further destabilize the Middle East and accelerate Iran's arming of Shiite militias. The Iranians have also sought to keep hidden Iran's current and previous efforts to gain nuclear weapons capability. How can the international community know with certainty that Iran is complying with an agreement to reduce significantly its enrichment activities if the full extent of these activities is kept secret? It defies logic that such a request should be made and makes far less sense for such a request to be given any serious consideration. Likewise, demands to limit IAEA inspectors to select sites, to install absurd bureaucratic processes to access additional sites, and to prohibit altogether inspections of so-called military sites should be fully rejected. Ultimately, it is critical that any deal prevents Iran from gaining nuclear weapons capabilities and ensures that international inspectors can validate their adherence to an agreement's negotiated terms. If Iran cannot negotiate in good faith, then perhaps it is time to leave the negotiating table altogether.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I thank my colleague from Washington for yielding and for his kind comments. Mr. Speaker, today's debate on education and the Student Success Act is a crucial one for our future. Over the last five decades, the Federal Government's role in education has increased dramatically. The Department of Education currently runs more than 80 K-12 education programs, many of which are duplicative or ineffective. As a school board member in North Carolina, I saw how the vast reporting requirements for these Federal programs tie the hands of State and local school education leaders. My colleagues on the House Education and the Workforce Committee and I have been working on the Student Success Act to make commonsense changes to update Federal law, addressing the concerns raised following No Child Left Behind. Our legislation is centered on four principles: reducing the Federal footprint in education, empowering parents, supporting effective teachers, and restoring local control. H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, will also streamline the Department of Education's bureaucracy by eliminating more than 65 duplicative and ineffective Federal education programs, cutting through the bureaucratic red tape that is stifling innovation in the classroom, granting States and school districts the authority to use Federal education funds as they believe will best meet the unique needs of their students. Additionally, this legislation will take definitive steps to limit the Secretary's authority by prohibiting him or her from coercing States into adopting academic standards like the Common Core. If we would like to reduce the Federal Government's role in education, we must act. In the absence of congressional action, President Obama and his Education Department have taken unprecedented steps to regulate education. Beginning in 2011, the Obama administration began offering States temporary waivers from No Child Left Behind's onerous burden in exchange for granting the Secretary of Education complete discretion to coerce States into enacting the President's preferred education reforms. The Student Success Act provides an important opportunity to stop President Obama's overreach into State and local education debates through his waiver scheme. Mr. Speaker, our children deserve better. It is time to acknowledge more Federal intrusion cannot address the challenges facing schools. That is the promise of the Student Success Act: a reduced Federal role, focused on restoring authority and control to parents, teachers, States, and communities on how our children are educated. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last month, Ingersoll Rand, a global leader in products that enhance energy efficiency, productivity, and operations for its customers, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Mocksville, North Carolina, plant. Opened in 1965, the Mocksville plant began machining rotary components for air compressors. Throughout the years, the workers in Mocksville have manufactured assemblies and components for a number of products within Ingersoll Rand's portfolio. Within the last 6 years, the plant has experienced tremendous growth as select assembly operations for Trane and Thermo King equipment were moved to the plant. During difficult economic times, these jobs have strengthened the local economy. The company's major investment in Davie County is a tribute to the area's skilled workforce, men and women who are dedicated to producing the best products in the world. Congratulations to everyone at Ingersoll Rand in Mocksville as you celebrate this significant milestone.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced a sweeping recall that encourages consumers to replace airbags installed in millions of vehicles on the roads of our nation. The companies that manufacture the parts that go into the vehicles American families use in their daily lives have a responsibility to ensure their products meet the highest possible standards. Americans deserve the confidence of knowing safety features will perform their mission effectively. Government, for its part, also has a responsibility. Its job is to ensure there is accountability in the development and implementation of these mechanisms, and to apply the laws of our country fairly and judiciously in carrying out its mandate. As the recall is implemented, the safety of American drivers and passengers must be our highest priority. We must ensure there is accountability for failures in the system. But we also must ensure that the recall process does not devolve into a scorched-earth campaign that wrecks a vital industry, destroys jobs, and ultimately makes Americans less safe. The loss of any life in conjunction with a product failure is tragic and unacceptable. As a representative of TK Holdings stated in recent testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, ``it is unacceptable to us and incompatible with our safety mission for even one of our products to fail to perform as intended and to put people at risk.'' This is a higher standard than the federal government itself embraced nearly a quarter-century ago, when it mandated that all cars and light trucks sold in the United States be equipped with self-deploying driver-side airbags. The federal airbag mandate was adopted by Congress in 1991 amid concerns by some experts that the airbags themselves could pose a danger to drivers and passengers in certain situations. Our colleagues, who authored the law, were aware of these concerns, but determined that the benefits far outweighed the risks. Over time, their assessment has been proven correct. Thousands of lives have been saved by the presence of airbags as a standard feature in our vehicles. Every life is precious. And the reality is that millions of airbags and other safety products produced by Takata--including those made by the many hard-working Americans employed by the company and its subsidiaries here in the United States--have inflated successfully and worked as intended. Thousands of Americans owe their lives to this success. Correcting the problems identified with some of the airbags produced by Takata starts with recognizing this, and acknowledging the need for prudence in the manner in which the federal government responds to the problems that have been brought tragically to light. We also should recognize that, in thinking about safety, we need to look beyond airbags to the broader question of how to protect drivers on the road and how to encourage them to drive more safely. As NHTSA itself recently recognized, ``[o]nly a small percentage (approximately 2%) of the annual highway fatalities is directly attributable to vehicle factors (some design issues, some owner maintenance issues, some defect issues). Rather, 94 percent of highway fatalities are related to various human factors, including driver actions, such as speeding, distraction, impaired driving, and not wearing a seatbelt.'' No one questions the need for accountability in this case. My concern is with potential unintended effects of going too far in an effort to ensure accountability, as well as potentially getting distracted from the larger issue of how to encourage our constituents to drive more safely and responsibly. In this instance, pushing Takata too hard financially, for example, will not save a single American life. To the contrary, it will make it harder to ensure safe airbags are installed in every vehicle that needs one and potentially put lives at risk. Moreover, doing so could significantly disrupt the auto sector, which depends on the company for airbags, seat belts, and other safety features that are essential for protecting lives. Let me put this in perspective. Takata's Highland Industries, headquartered in Kernersville, North Carolina, in my congressional district, is one of the largest suppliers of fabric for the North American airbag market. My talented, hard- working constituents at Highland Industries take pride in their work, which has played a direct role over the years in saving thousands of American lives. In addition to helping save the lives of individuals in an accident, they produced the fabrics that have safely gotten astronauts into space, including to the moon and back. Indeed, the flag planted on the moon is made of fabric that was produced by these hard- working Americans in my congressional district. Destroying the jobs of my constituents in the name of safety will not make American drivers and passengers safer. It will ultimately make them less safe. We all mourn the American citizens who lost their lives tragically in accidents in which an airbag did not perform as intended. Their legacy should be a better and stronger system of airbag safety in the United States, through the development of even more advanced airbags and other safety features. We owe it to their families to put political agendas and posturing aside and work together to achieve that goal.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, we talk a lot in this Chamber about the negative impacts of overly burdensome rules and regulations handed down by bureaucrats in Washington. Nowhere are the potential negative consequences more evident than the 700-page rule proposed by the Department of Labor. Among other things, it expands the Department's complex pension rules to cover IRAs as well as changes the definition of who is classified as a financial adviser. Ultimately, I believe this rule will restrict access to advice and drive up costs for small businesses. It also illustrates a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats want everyone to end up in the same place with identical outcomes, and Republicans believe in providing individuals with the same level of opportunity. This rule seeks guaranteed outcomes for everyone, but there are inherent risks associated with investing. While I am open to modernizing current rules in order to protect consumers against predatory practices that pose unnecessary risks, I will not support efforts that make it harder for American families to save and plan for retirement.