Virginia Foxx: “While the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of today's measures, the Committee on Rules is not…”

“While the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of today's measures, the Committee on Rules is not aware of any violation of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. This is a dilatory tactic. These measures will protect our farmers, ranchers, and business community from a massive Federal overreach being perpetrated by the EPA, approve our FY16 budget that puts us on a path to rein in reckless spending, reform entitlement programs, and protect the religious rights of D.C. employers. As a mother, a woman, and an individual of prayer, I am very glad that we are here today defending life and our Constitution, consistent with our congressional prerogatives. Mr. Speaker, our colleagues across the aisle act shocked that we are debating this issue. But what is truly shocking is that we need to be here today at all, discussing whether to grant employers in the District of Columbia the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, but we are. I would further like to point out to our colleagues across the aisle some of the words of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted.'' {time} 1245 Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about discrimination against people here.…”