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WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) delivered the following statement, as prepared for delivery, at the Committee's markup to consider nine bills to support students, workers, job creators, retirees, and taxpayers:
The Committee is meeting today to discuss and mark up nine bills. This is the largest markup of the year to date, so, in an effort to save time, I’d like to run through each item on the agenda quickly.
First, we have H.R. 4259, the Think Differently about Education Act of 2023, sponsored by Rep. Molinaro. This bill requires government agencies to notify parents of their right to seek assistance from outside experts when determining the educational plan for their child with disabilities.
We have H.R. 5349, the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, sponsored by Rep. Salazar before us today. This legislation provides additional information to help teachers educate American schoolchildren about the political ideology of communism.
Also, we are marking up H.R. 5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, sponsored by Rep. Green. H.R. 5110 clarifies that the Department of Education cannot prevent K-12 schools from using certain federal funds to support hunting and archery programs.
Next we have a Congressional Review Act resolution sponsored by Rep. McClain that would stop President Biden’s latest free college scheme. Biden’s IDR plan is estimated to cost as much as $559 billion—making it the most expensive regulation in history.
Then, the Committee will consider H.R. 4957, the Department of Labor Succession Act, introduced by Rep. Kiley. This legislation ensures that the tenure of an Acting Secretary of Labor is subject to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. The Biden administration is exploiting ambiguity in the law to keep Julie Su installed as the head of the Department of Labor despite not having the votes to be approved by the Senate. This situation is depriving Congress of its role in providing advice and consent on nominees, and it should never happen again.
Finally, the Committee is marking up four bills to combat ESG investing rules promulgated by the Biden administration.
H.R. 5339, Rep. Allen’s RETIRE Act, ensures that retirees’ savings are invested based on economic factors rather than woke social or political factors.
H.R. 5337, Rep. Houchin’s Retirement Proxy Protection Act, ensures that retirement plan managers act as dutiful and prudent fiduciaries when proxy voting.
H.R. 5338, Rep. Good’s No Discrimination In My Benefits Act, ensures that race and sex are not factors in the selection of service providers for an ERISA plan.
And H.R. 5340, Rep. Bank’s Providing Complete Information To Retirement Investors Act, adds notice requirements for certain defined contribution plans under ERISA with respect to participant-directed investments.
Every bill on the docket today is a clear-cut, commonsense proposal worthy of a yes vote and, with that, I look forward to the markup and yield to the Ranking Member for an opening statement.
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