http://www.newkerala.com/newsdaily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=85043
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C. gives
out an "Ant Award" in her office every year. It's in reference to the
tune "High Hopes," the song about an ant who moves a rubber tree
plant.
It's become the motto of the freshman congresswoman, who said she traces her
conservative ideology to the self-reliance she learned growing up in poverty in
the North Carolina
mountains.
"I lived in a house with no water, no electricity, big holes in the
wall," she said. "When I was 14, we found a better place for $1,100.
We had to add the bathroom."
Foxx, 61, represents the state's 5th District, a largely rural region that
stretches from the suburbs of Winston-Salem to
the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Tennessee
border. Her home is Banner Elk, a town with a population of 811 nestled in the
mountains of Avery
County.
She's the first person from outside Winston-Salem
to represent the district, but she said her background will help with her first
priority of being close to her constituents.
Foxx owns a local landscaping business with her husband, but she worked odd
jobs when she was younger. She said she spent two years in high school as a
janitor for $10 a month, and also worked on a farm and as a motel maid.
"Nobody gave us anything," Foxx said. "We've worked hard for
what we've got.I've been working since I was 12, so I just don't know any other
way to operate."
Foxx said she didn't consider going to college until her last year of high
school when a teacher encouraged her to apply. In college she said she took the
maximum 21 credits per semester so she could afford it, but had to drop out
after a year when money ran out.
She made it back and earned an English degree, and since then she's received a
doctorate in education, worked as a college professor and administrator and
become a politician, serving 12 years on the school board and five terms in the
state senate. She said she did it all without the help of the government, and
this contributed to her belief that government should be a last resort and that
social services are best to come from churches.
"I believe in hard work," she said. "I believe in doing all you
can for yourself without having the government look after you."
She also had to work for her seat in Washington.
Her primary race last summer was among the costliest in the country as eight
candidates vied for the Republican nomination for the job left vacant by
freshman Sen.Richard Burr. A runoff and general election later, Foxx secured
the heavily Republican district.
With the summer's battle with fellow party members behind her, Foxx looks
forward to working with them on Capitol Hill, and is not afraid to voice her
ideology.
"I'm a very conservative person, so I'm looking to sponsor bills that help
us with fostering an agenda that will cut spending and uphold our
principles," she said.
She took a hard line for immigration control in her campaign and opposes
amnesty for illegal immigrants. In her first month in office she put her name
on a piece of legislation concerning the issue when she co-sponsored the Real
ID Act, a bill introduced by Rep.F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.,, that denies
illegal immigrants driver's license. She said the bill, which passed the House
Feb. 10, will improve border security.
Foxx is also in line with her party concerning the major issues of Social
Security reform and Iraq.
She supports allowing people to put some Social Security money into individual
accounts and said critics were jumping to conclusions about such proposals
before more formal plans are made.
"The big issue is that people stop using the term 'private'
accounts," she said, reflecting the word battle in which supporters say
'personalization' where opponents say 'privatization.' "The truth has to
be told that Social Security is going broke and the president is trying to fix
that."
As for Iraq, she's not
looking for any change of course and linked U.S. involvement there to the fight
against terrorism.
"It's better to have the war there than here," she said. "I'll
support pulling out the troops when the job is done."
Foxx balked at the notion of bipartisanship, saying she would support the
Democrats, but that haven't come up with any good ideas. Instead she looks to
stick with her own party, and be happy with what she has now after once having
so little.
"Every day I wake up in a warm house, I have a working automobile,"
she said. "I feel like I'm ahead of the game."
