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Foxx Report for the Week of January 23, 2015
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This week President Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address to Congress, and despite a rejection of his policies at the ballot box, the president proposed more outdated, Washington-centered ideas that simply don’t work.
The nation’s tax code is in desperate need of reform, but I wholeheartedly reject the notion that higher taxes for the employers and workers who drive our economy is the solution. Hardworking Americans pay enough in taxes, and they deserve better than failed class warfare gimmicks.
Making higher education affordable and attainable for America’s students must be a priority, but President Obama’s $60 billion proposal to provide free community college tuition is the wrong approach for the federal government to take. Rather than yet another top-down federal government boondoggle, we need to focus on new ways to promote innovation, access and completion, which starts with the states and individual institutions that are best suited to tailor solutions to their local needs.
The American people want Washington to stop interfering in their lives, and they don’t need more one-size-fits-all federal dictates. Republicans have a vision for the future, but President Obama appears to be mired in the past.
During his remarks, the president expressed a willingness to work with Republicans, and I hope that gesture is sincere. It’s time for President Obama to live up to his rhetoric. House Republicans are eager to work together to increase opportunities for all Americans and empower people, not Washington.
Permanently Ban Taxpayer Funding of Abortion
Yesterday I voted in support of legislation that would permanently prohibit the use of taxpayer funds to pay for elective abortion or abortion coverage.
H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, passed the House by a vote of 242 to 179. It codifies the Hyde amendment, which has been regularly attached to annual appropriations bills for nearly 40 years to prevent federal funding of abortion with limited exceptions.
This common-sense measure restores a longstanding agreement that protects the unborn and prevents taxpayers from being forced to finance thousands of elective abortions. It reflects the will of the American people and is the product of what has historically been a bipartisan, bicameral consensus in Congress.
Since 1973, at least 52 million children’s lives have been tragically taken by abortion in the United States. It is unconscionable that in America where we fight for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we tolerate the systematic extermination of an entire generation of the most vulnerable among us. One day I hope it will be different. I hope life will cease to be valued on a sliding scale. I hope the era of elective abortions, ushered in by an unelected court, will be closed and collectively deemed one of the darkest chapters in American history. But until that day, it remains a solemn duty to stand up for life. Regardless of the length of this journey, I will continue to speak for those who cannot.
Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act
On Wednesday the House passed H.R. 161, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act, which would set time limits for federal consideration of certification and permits for construction of natural gas pipelines.
This legislation recognizes the positive impact that America’s shale revolution has had on energy prices and the potential it holds to lower them even further. We are in the midst of another hard winter, and red-tape reduction is necessary to ensure we have the needed infrastructure to ensure low-cost natural gas is able to reach our coldest states when they need it most, without price shocks or shortages.
What’s Coming Up
Next week the House will take action on legislation to secure our borders. We will also consider legislation to leverage our shale natural gas revolution by advancing trade in liquid natural gas, also known as LNG. Finally, the House will consider a number of bills addressing the tragedy of human trafficking.
Sincerely,
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