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Foxx Report
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Much of the economic turmoil that has gripped this nation is the result of the federal government spending beyond its means. In North Carolina, I often hear from constituents who are worried that our ballooning national debt threatens economic stability and jeopardizes the American dream for their families.
This week the House passed the conference report for the fiscal year 2016 budget blueprint. It is the first joint House-Senate budget in six years. This bicameral budget balances within 10 years without raising taxes and contains over $5 trillion in savings, putting our country on a path to pay off the overwhelming mound of debt we face and spurring economic growth and increasing opportunity.
Supporting Military Personnel and Veterans
This week the House approved legislation to fund our nation’s military bases and the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2016. The bill includes funding to house, educate and equip military personnel, provide housing and services to military families and help maintain base infrastructure as well as funding for veterans’ benefits and programs.
The entire nation owes our military personnel and veterans a huge debt of gratitude, and ensuring that debt is properly repaid is one of my top priorities in Congress.
Protecting Religious Freedom
On Thursday the House voted to disapprove of the District of Columbia’s misleadingly-named Reproductive Health Nondiscrimination Act (RHNDA). Cloaked in language purporting to prohibit discrimination and promote tolerance, this law actually targets churches, religious schools and advocacy organizations and tramples their rights to exercise their views on the respect for precious unborn life.
Our country holds as its most fundamental freedom the right to practice freely one’s religion and associate with others who hold the same beliefs. It is unthinkable that we could allow the leadership of our capital city to infringe on that right for the millions of Americans who live or work inside its borders. When we take our oath of office as representatives, we promise to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. That includes the protection of religious freedoms.
Examining Support for Disadvantaged College Students
This week I chaired a hearing of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training to learn about efforts to improve higher education access and completion for low-income and first-generation students. This is a very personal issue for me. As someone who grew up in extreme poverty, I know firsthand what it takes to earn a degree in difficult circumstances as well as what that degree means for one’s opportunity for advancement.
Despite the federal government’s investment in access and completion programs for low-income and first-generation students over the last five decades, graduation rates for the most disadvantaged students have barely budged. We have a responsibility to students, families and taxpayers to ensure all of our investments in higher education deliver the intended results. The subcommittee heard from witnesses about possible reforms to existing federal programs and how efforts at the institutional level can positively affect educational outcomes for disadvantaged students.
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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