United States House of Representatives
01/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/21/2026 13:02
Foxx Opening Remarks on H.R. 6945, H.R. 6359, and H.J. Res. 140
As prepared for delivery:
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time. Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider three separate measures: H.R. 6359, H.R. 6945, and H.J. Res. 140.
H.R. 6945, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, legislation authored by Representative Fischbach, would codify states' ability to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to support pregnancy resource centers.
TANF is a block grant program. States should be permitted to use these funds in the way that they see fit. For many years, there was agreement that pregnancy centers were eligible entities.
However, the Biden Administration attempted to implement a slew of rules that would have blocked states from making use of these funds for various life-affirming resources for mothers, families, and children.
These resources must be protected, and passing this legislation would take an important step towards doing just that.
H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act, would require colleges and universities to inform pregnant students of their rights and of the resources available on campus to ensure no woman feels forced to choose between motherhood and pursuing her education.
Pursuing knowledge and having children-these are two virtues that carry immense social value and should be celebrated. I say should because, as is more often the case, modern society holds them in conflict with one another.
Pregnant students should not be faced with the dilemma that their academic and future success must be sacrificed to an unplanned pregnancy. Data shows carrying a child to term does not have to hinder one's educational journey.
With more people entering college at every station of life, it is critical that we pass the Pregnant Students' Rights Act.
Finally, we'll turn to H.J. Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act resolution providing for congressional disapproval of a Bureau of Land Management rule relating to withdrawal of certain federal lands in Minnesota.
In January 2023, the Department of the Interior, at the direction of former President Joe Biden and former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, issued a Public Land Order that instituted a 20-year mineral withdrawal covering 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest in Northern Minnesota.
This mineral withdrawal banned mining and other responsible resource extraction in a strategically significant area of the Duluth Complex, which is the largest untapped copper-nickel deposit in the world.
Under the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act the Department of the Interior is required to notify Congress of public land orders impacting an excess of 5,000 acres.
While the Biden Administration failed to properly transmit its Public Land Order to Congress in January of 2023, the Trump Administration did just that and as such, it is eligible for Congressional review under the CRA.
As always, I look forward to the spirited discussions that we'll have here today on these pieces of legislation.
With that, I now yield to the Ranking Member, Mr. McGovern, for any comments he wishes to make.
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time. Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider three separate measures: H.R. 6359, H.R. 6945, and H.J. Res. 140.
H.R. 6945, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, legislation authored by Representative Fischbach, would codify states' ability to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to support pregnancy resource centers.
TANF is a block grant program. States should be permitted to use these funds in the way that they see fit. For many years, there was agreement that pregnancy centers were eligible entities.
However, the Biden Administration attempted to implement a slew of rules that would have blocked states from making use of these funds for various life-affirming resources for mothers, families, and children.
These resources must be protected, and passing this legislation would take an important step towards doing just that.
H.R. 6359, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act, would require colleges and universities to inform pregnant students of their rights and of the resources available on campus to ensure no woman feels forced to choose between motherhood and pursuing her education.
Pursuing knowledge and having children-these are two virtues that carry immense social value and should be celebrated. I say should because, as is more often the case, modern society holds them in conflict with one another.
Pregnant students should not be faced with the dilemma that their academic and future success must be sacrificed to an unplanned pregnancy. Data shows carrying a child to term does not have to hinder one's educational journey.
With more people entering college at every station of life, it is critical that we pass the Pregnant Students' Rights Act.
Finally, we'll turn to H.J. Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act resolution providing for congressional disapproval of a Bureau of Land Management rule relating to withdrawal of certain federal lands in Minnesota.
In January 2023, the Department of the Interior, at the direction of former President Joe Biden and former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, issued a Public Land Order that instituted a 20-year mineral withdrawal covering 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest in Northern Minnesota.
This mineral withdrawal banned mining and other responsible resource extraction in a strategically significant area of the Duluth Complex, which is the largest untapped copper-nickel deposit in the world.
Under the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act the Department of the Interior is required to notify Congress of public land orders impacting an excess of 5,000 acres.
While the Biden Administration failed to properly transmit its Public Land Order to Congress in January of 2023, the Trump Administration did just that and as such, it is eligible for Congressional review under the CRA.
As always, I look forward to the spirited discussions that we'll have here today on these pieces of legislation.
With that, I now yield to the Ranking Member, Mr. McGovern, for any comments he wishes to make.
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