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Foxx Report
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On Monday the House unanimously condemned the atrocities committed by ISIS against Christians, Yezidis and other ethnic and religious minorities and declared them to be war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. ISIS’s actions have included mass murder, beheadings, crucifixions, rape, torture, enslavement and the kidnapping of children, among other violence.
It is past time we call this brutal persecution by its proper name. On Thursday Secretary of State John Kerry, facing a congressionally mandated deadline, determined that ISIS' actions against religious and ethnic minorities do constitute a genocide.
The House also passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the use of unlawful and indiscriminate violence against civilians by the Government of Syria and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the need for investigation and prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The resolution calls on President Obama to immediately promote the establishment of a Syrian war crimes tribunal.
Defending Congress's Article I Powers
On Thursday the House passed a resolution that authorizes Speaker Paul Ryan to file an amicus brief on behalf of the House in the court case Texas v. U.S., which addresses whether the president’s executive actions on immigration violate the Constitution.
The U.S. Constitution establishes three distinct and co-equal branches of the federal government, granting powers to each branch but also limiting those powers through a system of checks and balances. President Obama has taken it upon himself to simply ignore certain statutes, selectively enforce others or bypass the legislative process entirely to create law by executive fiat.
This resolution reaffirms our commitment to protecting the Constitution’s Article I legislative powers on behalf of the American people and on behalf of representative self-government. As House Republicans continue to develop our bold, pro-growth agenda, we will advance ideas to restore the separation of powers and protect our constitutional liberties.
Extending Construction Deadline for Wilkesboro Hydropower Project
On Tuesday the House passed my legislation that authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which the Wilkesboro Hydroelectric Company is required to begin construction of its hydropower project at W. Kerr Scott Dam. The project has required extensive coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and there were delays in the review process for the design plans.
Congress needs to make sure onerous regulatory burdens don’t stand in the way of accessing or advancing all forms of American energy. Wilkesboro Hydroelectric Company has worked to ensure its project meets the requirements outlined by the federal government, and this legislation is consistent with previous congressional action to spur hydropower development at Corps facilities.
Satisfying Energy Needs and Saving the Environment Act
Electricity-generating power plants that primarily use waste coal as a fuel source have extraordinary environmental benefits, but current EPA regulations are not achievable for all facilities. If forced to shut down due to regulatory burdens, the communities they serve will lose the electricity, jobs and environmental cleanup provided by these plants.
On Tuesday the House passed H.R. 3797, the SENSE Act, which provides for targeted modifications under which coal refuse-to-energy plants could comply with EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule. This commonsense solution ensures these innovative facilities can generate affordable, reliable energy and continue their essential environmental remediation work in a responsible manner.
Carolinians in the Capitol
This week I met with a variety of individuals and organizations from North Carolina, including JDRF, local community health centers, Reynolda Manufacturing Solutions, the Society for Neuroscience, the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments, students from Appalachian State University, the McNeill family from Wilkes County and West Jefferson Postmaster Drew Martin.
What’s Coming Up
Next week the House will consider the Standard Merger and Acqisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act, which harmonizes the standards applied to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission when each agency seeks a preliminary injunction to a proposed merger or acquisition. The House will also consider an extension of the authorization for the FAA through July 15 to allow negotiations to continue on a long-term authorization.
Sincerely,
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