Recognizing Virginia Smith

Floor Speech

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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, throughout the course of our lives, we are both blessed and fortunate to cross paths with and befriend individuals who harbor a profound sense of dedication toward serving others and their communities. To me and countless others, Virginia Smith of Stokes County, North Carolina, is one of those people.

This year, she will retire as the chairwoman of the Stokes County Republican Party, a position she has held since 2003.

To know Virginia is to know someone who lives and breathes the meaning of possessing a servant's heart. From organizing events with her church to her civic involvement within her community, wherever Virginia goes, you know that she is on a mission to serve, and she will not be deterred in that mission.

Truly, she is a community-driven woman. I cannot overstate her rock- ribbed conservatism and how she has always espoused, promoted, and shared both the values and principles upon which our constitutional republic was founded.

The simple truth is that we need more Virginia Smiths in this world.

Her work as chairwoman and as a proud member of the Stokes County community has helped lay a foundation upon which our future leaders, the young men and women of today, can grow and thrive.

Mr. Speaker, as Virginia enters this new and exciting chapter of her life, may she know that she has left an indelible mark upon the lives of so many people, me included. I am confident she will continue to do so.

May God continue to bless her and her family in the days ahead. Reasonable Raising of Debt Ceiling

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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, with $31.4 trillion in national debt, House Republicans are committed to finding a solution that is reasonable, sensible, and responsible regarding raising the debt ceiling.

President Biden would be irresponsible not to negotiate. We must finally address Washington's reckless government spending if we want to put America on a better fiscal path.

After 2 years of reckless deficit spending, the Biden administration is refusing to negotiate with Republicans to protect taxpayers and solve our Nation's debt crisis.

Democrats accelerated spending following the last massive debt limit increase. After passing the largest debt limit increase in American history, it took Democrats only a little over a year to max out the Federal Government's credit card again.

Democrats outspent record-high revenue. Despite record-high revenues from the Republican-passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Federal spending has continued to balloon, increasing by $10 trillion over the last 2 years, a record for a new President.

There is a bipartisan path forward. Instead of refusing to negotiate, Democrats need to join Republicans in crafting a plan that protects taxpayers. All eight major spending reforms since 1985 have been attached to debt ceiling legislation.

We must be, again, as Republicans say, reasonable, sensible, and responsible regarding raising the debt ceiling. We call on President Biden and the Democrats to join us in this effort.

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