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Foxx Report
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On Tuesday, March 22, the world was reminded once again that freedom has its foes when Islamic State militants killed more than 30 people and injured hundreds more in coordinated terrorist attacks in Brussels. The United States of America stands with the people of Brussels, and we pray for the victims of this horrendous act of terror.
Congress will continue to explore ways in which we can defeat Islamic State, but we need more from our commander-in-chief about what can be done —with our military, our intelligence-gathering and our international partners. We are facing a new era of violence and terrorism where danger exists both abroad and on American soil. We must do all that we can to eliminate this extremist threat.
Rules Committee Leading on Open Government
This week the House Rules Committee, on which I serve as vice chair, made the text of the House Rules and Manual available in XML format on the Government Printing Office (GPO) GitHub account. Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a machine-readable format, and this step will allow for greater functionality in indexing, referencing and analysis of legislative data. It’s just one more example of how House Republicans are creating a more transparent and accountable government. The Rules Committee plans to continue implementing XML formatting to documents posted on its website throughout the year.
Supporting the Legal Challenge to the HHS Mandate
On Wednesday the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in another legal challenge to the HHS mandate. Although there is a very narrow religious exemption in the regulation, the federal government has consistently refused to extend it beyond houses of worship – that means nearly all faith-based charities, schools, universities, hospitals and other institutions are not exempt because they serve and/or employ people of other faiths.
But neither religious belief nor practice ends at the threshold of a house of worship. The people who serve in these ministries have dedicated their lives to living out their religious convictions and they – not the government – are the best guide for what violates those principles.
These non-profits are being forced into an untenable position. Either they violate their religious beliefs or they pay massive, crippling fines for defying the mandate. The government cannot justify trampling religious freedom when alternatives to accomplish its goal already exist. The protection of religious belief and practice is enshrined in our Constitution’s First Amendment, and the federal government’s undue burden on these entities must be stopped.
Enhancing the Fairness and Predictability of Merger Reviews
When a company wishes to merge with or purchase another company, it must notify two antitrust enforcement agencies of the proposed transaction. The differing procedures applied by the agencies can have a substantive impact on the merger review process, and it is unfair that American businesses face different standards based merely on chance.
This week the House passed legislation that 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. H.R. 2745, the Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2015, is a good government bill that enhances the fairness and predictability of merger reviews of American businesses by the federal government.
Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, which honors and celebrates the struggles and achievements of American women throughout the history of the United States. Since 1917, when Republican Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman to serve in Congress, 313 women have served as U.S. Representatives, Senators or Delegates.
Women are a stronger presence than ever before on Capitol Hill. We have rich and varied perspectives and a commitment to good ideas and teamwork. The women of the 114th Congress are shaping our nation, and it’s an opportunity and responsibility that we take seriously.
While Women’s History Month celebrates the incredible accomplishments of women throughout America’s history, the most lasting tribute we can pay is our efforts to improve this nation for the next generation of women. Rather than simply being discouraged by the many problems facing our country and our world, I’ve learned to be an agent of change focused on the problems that can be solved and the people who can be helped.
5th District Congressional Art Competition
Do you know any talented high school artists living in North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District? Don’t forget to encourage them to submit entries for the 2016 Congressional Art Competition, which is a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize talented young artists and promote the valuable role meaningful art plays in our society.
As in years past, the online community will decide this year’s winner. Following the submission deadline, a photo of each student’s artwork will be posted on my Facebook page. The piece that receives the highest number of “likes” will win, and the artist will have the opportunity to travel to the U.S. Capitol for the installation of his or her work. Two runners-up also will be selected, and their artwork will be on display in one of my district offices. Online voting will begin on Wednesday, April 20, at noon and will end on Tuesday, May 3, at noon.
The deadline for entries is Friday, April 15, at 5 p.m. Visit my website to view guidelines for entering the competition.
What’s Coming Up
Next week the House will hold a district work week. I look forward to traveling around North Carolina’s 5th District and hearing from you.
Sincerely,
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