The 2013 Farm Bill is certainly imperfect, but with the inclusion of three taxpayer-centric amendments I authored, overall cost savings and long-overdue reforms to ‘Soviet-style’ milk subsidy programs, it is a definite improvement from the untenable status quo. This legislation finally lays the groundwork to repeal the 1949 law that has been the problematic backstop of American agriculture policy for more than sixty years. And farmers as well as taxpayers will benefit from a modernized bill that cuts spending roughly $20 billion dollars. This legislation is just one step in the right direction, not the end of conservative reform efforts to eliminate wasteful crop subsidies and restore integrity to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Read more »
The MBA program is proud to recognize Jianfen Xu (Nancy) for her recent honor placed upon her by Representative Tom Cole (Oklahoma). In a recent trip to Washington D.C., Baltimore, and New York, Nancy’s traveling companion and friend, Joe Bryan, who is an adjunct professor in the English department here at Appalachian, introduced Nancy to Representative Virginia Foxx. Ms. Foxx was already aware of how Nancy and Joe met, a story that deserves an award itself. Read more »
Rep. Foxx said, “These regulations are stifling pioneering institutions at a time when forward-thinking solutions are desperately needed. The Supporting Academic Freedom through Regulatory Relief Act will remove the threat gainful employment, state authorization, and federal credit hour regulations pose to student choice, innovative schools, and an American economy that stands to benefit from responsive higher learning institutions. Republicans and Democrats should toss these bad ideas aside and work together to strengthen higher education for students and taxpayers while maintaining the flexibility and choice that set American colleges and universities apart.” Read more »
“It’s obvious the White House’s apparent choice to lead from behind on this issue isn’t working. Though House Republicans voted more than a month ago to approve a long-term solution to protect student borrowers from an arbitrary doubling of interest rates, Senate Democrats haven’t been able to agree on a solution of their own. The policy differences between the House’s Smarter Solutions for Students Act and the President’s original budget proposal are minor. The President should direct his Senate to build off of those commonalities and not waste the opportunity we have to strengthen America’s student loan system together. Preserving the politics of this annual fight would be a real disservice to students and taxpayers.” Read more »
Chief Justice John Roberts, who authored the court’s opinion on Shelby v. Holder, wrote that ‘Our country has changed, and while any racial discrimination in voting is too much, Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to remedy that problem speaks to current conditions.’ I agree, and that is one reason I did not support the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2006. Read more »
The Keystone XL Pipeline would be capable of transporting more than 800,000 barrels of oil to U.S. refineries each day - nearly half the amount we import daily from the Middle East. But prompt construction of this truly shovel-ready project is needed just as much for the boon to our oil supply as the jobs it would create. 20,000 direct jobs would be added and as many as 100,000 more American jobs could be indirectly supported by Keystone. That is why the Laborers International Union of North America called the pipeline “a lifeline for thousands of desperate working men and women." Read more »
“I want to welcome all who came from out of town as well as the local people,” Foxx said. “Know you are going to get great hospitality while you’re here.” Read more »
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) argued that "the baby responds the same way you and I respond to pain, by recoiling." She went on to claim that the pain of a fetus at 20 weeks is "possibly more intense than that felt by older newborns." Read more »
The afternoon dedication ceremony included former pastors and messages of hope and rededication from many of the churches that have offered support to the congregation. Elected officials, including Fifth District Rep. Virginia Foxx, also marked the occasion. Read more »
