Foxx Report

Statement

Most of us understand what it means to balance a budget. Despite $2.1 trillion in new tax increases, President Obama's budget never balances, which is in stark contrast to the budget House Republicans approved this week that balances in less than 10 years without raising taxes while cutting $5.5 trillion in unnecessary spending. The GOP proposal also provides a framework for completely repealing Obamacare and calls on Congress to pass comprehensive tax reform that lowers rates for individuals, families and employers.

In my family, balancing our budget isn't just a priority, it's a requirement. We must view America's budget the same way. Washington owes the American people a responsible budget that reins in wasteful federal overspending and guarantees accountability for the use of taxpayer dollars. House Republicans have approved a budget that not only places our country on a path to pay off the overwhelming mound of debt we face, but will also spur economic growth and increase opportunity.

Permanent "Doc Fix"

This week the House passed bipartisan legislation to help stabilize Medicare and secure seniors' access to their doctors. By transitioning toward a new system focused on quality, value and accountability, this legislation lays the groundwork for future Medicare reforms.

Since 1997, the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula has called for annual reductions in Medicare provider payments. To date, Congress has intervened 17 times to stop these cuts. This practice demonstrates that the SGR has not been a viable mechanism and has continually threatened the ability of doctors to treat Medicare beneficiaries, which is why the formula should be replaced with a reliable payment system.

The legislation passed by the House also includes several conservative priorities, including strengthening Medicare's ability to fight fraud, promoting abstinence education and expanding traditional Hyde protections to ensure that your tax money will not be used to pay for elective abortions at Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps and teaching Health Centers after Obamacare removed those protections.

Hypocrisy at the United Nations

This week I spoke on the House floor about the United Nations (U.N.) and what can only be described as its increasingly outrageous actions on the world stage. Last week the U.N.'s Commission on the Status of Women adopted a resolution that singles out and condemns Israel, a country that has guaranteed women equality in work, education, health and social welfare for more than 60 years, for violating the rights of women.

It is mind-boggling that the commission believes that Israel is the only one of the 193 U.N. member states worthy of condemnation for its record on women's rights. What about Sudan where the legal age of marriage for girls is 10 years old? Or Iran where a woman's testimony is only worth half of a man's in court? Or India where statistics show a rape occurs every 22 minutes? You might be surprised to learn they all sit on the Commission on the Status of Women.

Some of the world's worst violators of women's rights sit on a commission that calls itself "the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women." It's clear from the facts that this single-minded attack is just the latest salvo in the U.N.'s never ending anti-Israel agenda, and I am proud to stand up for our friend and ally.

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,

Virginia Foxx

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