Virginia Foxx

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This article is about the member of Congress. For the silent film actress, see Virginia Fox.
Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx official photo.jpg
Ranking Member of the House Education and Labor Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byBobby Scott (Education and the Workforce)
Chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee
In office
January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byJohn Kline
Succeeded byBobby Scott (Education and Labor)
Secretary of the House Republican Conference
In office
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017
LeaderJohn Boehner
Paul Ryan
Preceded byJohn Carter
Succeeded byJason T. Smith
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 5th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2005
Preceded byRichard Burr
Member of the North Carolina Senate
In office
January 1, 1995 – January 1, 2005
Preceded byAlexander Paul Sands III
Fred Folger Jr.
Succeeded byJohn Garwood
Constituency12th District (1995-2003)
45th District (2003-2005)
Personal details
Born
Virginia Ann Palmieri

(1943-06-29) June 29, 1943 (age 80)
The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Thomas Foxx
​
(m. 1963)​
Children1
EducationUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
University of North Carolina at Greensboro (MA, EdD)
Signature
WebsiteHouse website

Virginia Ann Foxx (née Palmieri;[1][2] June 29, 1943) is an American educator, businesswoman, and politician serving as the U.S. representative from North Carolina's 5th congressional district since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Foxx served as Secretary of the House Republican Conference from 2013 to 2017.[3] She has been the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and Labor since 2019, and served as the committee's chair from 2017 to 2019. Foxx's district encompasses much of the northwestern portion of the state and the Gastonia area.

Early life, education and career

Foxx was born in The Bronx, New York, to Dollie (née Garrison) and Nunzio John Palmieri. She was reared in a rural area of Avery County, North Carolina. Foxx grew up in a poor family and first lived in a home with running water and electricity at age 14.[4]

While attending Crossnore High School in Crossnore, North Carolina, Foxx worked as a janitor at the school and was the first in her family to graduate from high school.[5] She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in 1968 and later earned both a Master of Arts in college teaching (1972) and an Ed.D (1985) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.[2][6] Foxx and her husband owned and operated a nursery and landscaping business.[6]

Foxx worked as a research assistant and then an English instructor at Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute and Appalachian State University before moving into university administration. From 1987 until her 1994 entry into politics, she was president of Mayland Community College. Under North Carolina Governor James G. Martin, Foxx served as Deputy Secretary for Management.[6] From 1994 to 2004, she served in the North Carolina Senate.[7]

United States House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political campaigns

Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx talking with constituents in Yadkinville, NC

Foxx was first elected to the U.S. House in 2004, defeating Jim Harrell, Jr. with 59% of the vote.[11]

Foxx was briefly targeted for defeat in the 2006 elections, but the Democrats' top choice, Winston-Salem mayor Allen Joines, decided not to run. Joines later said he lacked the stomach for the kind of race he felt it would take to defeat Foxx.[12] Her 2006 opponent was Roger Sharpe, whom she defeated.

Roy Carter of Ashe County was Foxx's opponent in the 2008 election; she won by a substantial margin.

In 2010, Foxx was reelected with about 65% of the vote.[13]

In 2014, Foxx was reelected with about 60% of the vote, defeating software developer Josh Brannon.[14]

In 2016, Foxx was reelected with about 59% of the vote, again over Brannon.[15]

In 2018, Foxx was reelected with 57% of the vote, defeating DD Adams, a council member for the North Ward of Winston-Salem.[16]

In the 2020 general election, Foxx won over 66% of the vote, defeating Democrat David Brown.[17]

In 2022, Foxx is seeking reelection in the newly drawn 5th district, which favors Republicans. She will have primary opposition, but has a significant advantage in both fundraising and name identification.[18] Foxx was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in 2021.[19]

Tenure

Foxx during the 110th Congress

Hurricane Katrina

In September 2005, Foxx was one of 11 members of Congress to vote against[20] the $51 billion aid package to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Heroes Earned Retirement Opportunities (HERO) Act

The first bill Foxx sponsored that was signed into law was the HERO Act, signed by President George W. Bush on Memorial Day 2006. It allows U.S. troops to increase their retirement savings by investing a portion of their combat pay into Individual Retirement Accounts.

Electronic Pay Stub Act

The second bill Foxx sponsored that was signed into law is the Electronic Pay Stub Act, which gives federal employees the choice of receiving their pay stubs electronically. This legislation was projected to save taxpayers millions of dollars. Studies have shown that it costs 10 times more to purchase and distribute paper stubs than it does to distribute electronic stubs.[21] This bill was signed into law in October 2008.[22]

Troubled Asset Relief Program

Shortly after Congress approved the Troubled Asset Relief Program, Foxx identified a provision in the law that allowed her to force consideration of a measure to deny the second, $350 billion, tranche of the TARP bailout. On November 19, 2008, she introduced H.J.Res. 101, which met all the parliamentary requirements for consideration once the president requested the second tranche.[citation needed]

In the next (111th) Congress, Foxx reintroduced the measure as H.J.Res. 3, and shortly before leaving office, Bush requested the second tranche, thereby activating the trigger allowing her to commandeer the House floor, although she was not a member of the majority party. Her measure passed the House 270–155; the act was never addressed in the Senate.[23]

In a 2007 interview, Foxx said, "We have the best economy we have had in 50 years."[24]

Opposition to LGBT rights

In April 2009, Foxx expressed opposition to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, claiming that Matthew Shepard's murder was not a hate crime. While debating the act in the House, she called the murder a "very unfortunate incident" but claimed "we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn't because he was gay." She ultimately called that allegation "a hoax that continues to be used as an excuse for passing hate crimes bills."[25] Some media outlets, including the New York Times,[26] Washington Post,[27] and Huffington Post,[28] criticized her statements, as did Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz.[29] Democratic sources claimed that Matthew Shepard's mother was present during Foxx's statements.[29]

Foxx later retracted her comments, suggesting her use of the word "hoax" was in bad taste.[30] She suggested that Shepard's murder was a tragedy and that his killers had received appropriate justice.[30]

In 2010, Foxx voted against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act.[31]

In 2015, Foxx condemned the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the constitution.[32]

In 2019, Foxx strongly opposed the Equality Act, a bill that would expand the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and urged Congress members to vote against it.[33]

Health care debate

When commenting on the House version of the reform bill that funds counseling for end-of-life issues, Foxx said, "Republicans have a better solution that won't put the government in charge of people's health care" and "[The plan] is pro-life because it will not put seniors in a position of being put to death by their government."[34] She later said, "we have more to fear from the potential of the Affordable Health Care for America Act passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country."[35][36]

Turkish American Caucus

Foxx has been a member of the Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans since 2005. Her former son-in-law, Mustafa Özdemir, is a Turkish businessman.[37][38]

Opposition to birthright citizenship

In January 2013, Foxx co-sponsored legislation that would stop children born in the United States to undocumented parents from gaining citizenship.[39]

Trump impeachment

On December 18, 2019, Foxx voted against both articles of impeachment (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress) of President Donald Trump.

House security

In May 2021, Foxx became the fifth Republican representative to be fined for evading metal detectors put in place outside the chamber after the January 2021 storming of the Capitol. Foxx ran through the magnetometer, setting it off, and ignored officers attempting to prevent her entering the House floor.[40][41][42]

COVID-19 pandemic

Foxx, along with all other Senate and House Republicans, voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.[43]

Political positions

Abortion

Foxx opposes abortion. She voted for a bill to repeal a rule requiring state and local governments to distribute federal funds to qualified health centers, even if they perform abortions.[44] In 2014 Foxx was asked whether there were any conditions under which she considered abortion acceptable. She replied that, even in the case of rape, incest, or the health of the mother, no exception should be made to justify abortion.[45]

Legislation

  • Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (H.R. 803; 113th Congress) – Foxx introduced the bill on February 25, 2013.[46] The bill would consolidate job training programs under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) into a single funding stream.[47] It would also amend the Wagner-Peyser Act, reauthorize adult-education programs, and reauthorize programs under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.[47]
  • Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act (H.R. 4983; 113th Congress) – Foxx introduced this bill on June 26, 2014.[48] The bill would reserve $1 million from funding for the United States Department of Education to replace the current College Navigator website with a new site and change the type of information that the site would provide.[49] The bill also would amend the requirements for the department's net-price calculator, which provides details on the costs of post-secondary education.[49]
  • Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act (H.R. 1313; 115th Congress) – Foxx introduced this bill on March 2, 2017.[50] The bill would eliminate the genetic privacy protections of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–233); allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars; and let employers see that genetic and other health information.[51][52]
  • H.R. 150: Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency Act of 2019 (GREAT Act) -- introduced by Foxx on January 3, 2019.[53] Pertains to open data.

Texas v. Pennsylvania

In December 2020, Foxx was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump.[54]

2021 Electoral College vote certification

On January 6, 2021, Foxx was one of 147 Republican lawmakers who objected to the certification of electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election.[55]

Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement Act (MORE) conflict of interest

In December 2020, Foxx voted against the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement Act (MORE).[56] According to financial disclosure reports, she made at least six investments in Altria, one of the world's largest tobacco companies and a leader in the burgeoning U.S. cannabis industry, since September 2020.[57] In all, records show she has purchased somewhere between $79,000 and $210,000 in Altria stock.[58]

See also

References

  1. ^ "First-term women members of the 109th Congress" (PDF). Government Printing Office. August 1, 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-10-19. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  2. ^ a b Foxx, Virginia Ann Archived 2013-02-03 at the Wayback Machine. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  3. ^ Sherman, Jake. "House committee chairs all men" Archived 2012-11-30 at the Wayback Machine Politico. (Published 27 Nov 2012) <www.politico.com> Retrieved 28 Nov 2012.
  4. ^ "Virginia Foxx". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  5. ^ "Celebrities, Notable Public Figures Reveal Their Most Memorable Teachers". National Education Association. Archived from the original on 2012-04-24.
  6. ^ a b c "About Virginia Foxx". VirginiaFoxx.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  7. ^ "Biography". Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  8. ^ "Committees | Congresswoman Virginia Foxx". foxx.house.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  9. ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Statistics of the Presidential & Congressional Election of November 2, 2004" (PDF). United States House of Representatives. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 January 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  12. ^ WSJ Local News. 2007-09-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165317/http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_ColumnistArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128769268868&path=!localnews&s=1037645509099. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2018-10-23. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ "House Results Map". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  14. ^ "TWC News Politics". Archived from the original on 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
  15. ^ "New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
  16. ^ "NY Times Elections". Archived from the original on 2018-11-06. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
  17. ^ "North Carolina Election Results: Fifth Congressional District". New York Times. 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  18. ^ Larson, David (5 March 2022). "Few competitive races, more safe incumbents as NC's congressional filing closes". The Carolina Journal. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  19. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Endorses Virginia Foxx for Re-Election in 2022". High Country Press. 4 June 2021. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  20. ^ McMurray, Jeffrey (September 22, 2005). "Representatives stand by their votes against hurricane aid". Rome News-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  21. ^ Hicks, Adam. "Foxx-Authored Bill Passes in Congress" Archived 2009-05-05 at the Wayback Machine. GoBlueRidge.net. July 31, 2008.
  22. ^ "Foxx's Legislation Signed into Law". Goblueridge.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  23. ^ Sec. 115 of Pub.L. 110–343 (text) (PDF)
  24. ^ "Congresswoman Virginia Foxx to Young Turks". Turk of America Magazine. Turkish Coalition of America. August 8, 2007. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  25. ^ Mary Ann, Akers (2009-04-29). "Virginia Foxx: Matthew Shepard's Murder Not a Hate Crime". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  26. ^ "Matthew Shepard Act". The New York Times. May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on 2012-06-17. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  27. ^ Akers, Mary Ann (April 29, 2009). "The Sleuth – Virginia Foxx: Matthew Shepard's Murder Not a Hate Crime". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on 2012-06-12. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  28. ^ Ryan, Grim (2009-05-30). "Virginia Foxx: Story of Matthew Shepard's Murder A "Hoax"". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  29. ^ a b Thrush, Glenn (April 29, 2009). "Matthew Shepard killed in non-bias "robbery," Foxx says". Politico. Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  30. ^ a b Malcolm, Andrew (April 30, 2009). "Rep. Virginia Foxx retracts word 'hoax' in Matthew Shepard murder". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  31. ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 317". Archived from the original on 2010-12-03. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  32. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Archived from the original on 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
  33. ^ "House Debate on the Equality Act". C-SPAN. May 17, 2019. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  34. ^ Tucker, Chad (July 30, 2009). "Virginia Foxx Uses Strong Words to Oppose Health Care Reform Bill". MyFox8.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
  35. ^ "Rep. Foxx: Health Care Bill A Greater Threat Than Any Terrorist In The World". Youtube.com. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
  36. ^ O'Brien, Michael (November 2, 2009). "Foxx: Health bill a greater threat than any terrorist". thehill.com. Archived from the original on 2009-11-06. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
  37. ^ http://www.turkishcoalition.org/young_turks%20_080807.html[permanent dead link]
  38. ^ Taniş, Tolga (6 January 2011). "Ermeni tasarısı iki yıl yok". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  39. ^ Foley, Elise (January 4, 2013). "Steve King Introduces Bill To Stop 'Anchor Babies'". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  40. ^ Solender, Andrew. "Rep. Virginia Foxx Is Latest Republican Fined $5,000 For Evading Metal Detector: 'Good Thing No One Stopped Me'". Forbes. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  41. ^ McFall, Caitlin (2021-05-18). "Rep. Virginia Foxx becomes 5th House member fined for failing to pass through metal detectors". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2021-06-06. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  42. ^ Zilbermints, Regina (2021-05-18). "Fourth House GOP lawmaker issued $5,000 metal detector fine". TheHill. Archived from the original on 2021-06-06. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  43. ^ Hulse, Carl (March 6, 2021). "After Stimulus Victory in Senate, Reality Sinks in: Bipartisanship Is Dead". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  44. ^ Bycoffe, Aaron (2017-01-30). "Tracking Virginia Foxx In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Archived from the original on 2017-08-05. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  45. ^ WXII 12 News (2014-10-15), Virginia Foxx talks immigration, abortion, debt limit, archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2017-08-04
  46. ^ "H.R. 803 – All Actions". United States Congress. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  47. ^ a b "CBO – H.R. 803". Congressional Budget Office. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  48. ^ "H.R. 4983 – All Actions". United States Congress. 2014-07-24. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  49. ^ a b "H.R. 4983 – CBO". Congressional Budget Office. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  50. ^ "H.R. 1313 – Text". United States Congress. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  51. ^ Willingham, Emily (March 10, 2017). "The GOP Wants To Let Your Boss Poke Around In Your Genome". forbes.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  52. ^ Begley, Sharon (March 10, 2017). "House Republicans Would Let Employers Demand Workers' Genetic Test Results". scientificamerican.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-11. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
  53. ^ "Congress: Bills: Government Operations and Politics". GovTrack. Archived from the original on June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  54. ^ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  55. ^ Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  56. ^ Porter, Jane (2021-09-10). "Report: U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx Opposes Marijuana Legalization But Invests in Cannabis Stock". INDY Week. Archived from the original on 2022-06-23. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  57. ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". disclosures-clerk.house.gov. Archived from the original on 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  58. ^ "Meet the anti-legalization GOP Congresswoman cashing in on marijuana stocks". Salon. 2021-05-29. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2021-09-19.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Virginia Foxx.
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North Carolina Senate
Preceded by
Alexander Paul Sands III
Fred Folger Jr.
 Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 12th district
1995-2003
Served alongside: Don East, Phil Berger 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Constituency established
 Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 45th district
2003-2005 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 5th congressional district
2005–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Chair of the House Education Committee
2017–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ranking Member of the House Education Committee
2019–present 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Secretary of House Republican Conference
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
74th 		Succeeded by
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