North Carolina’s Rep. Virginia Foxx appointed to lead powerful House committee
Rep. Virginia Foxx has been named chairwoman of one of the most powerful committees in Congress.
On Tuesday morning, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he chose Foxx to lead the House Committee on Rules. This makes her the only woman leading a House committee in the 119th Congress.
“For two decades, Dr. Foxx has been a stalwart in the House and a leader in multiple policy areas,” Johnson said in a news release. “Her drive and personality have established her as among the most universally respected members of our Republican Conference. Dr. Foxx is an example of how Members should serve, and our Conference will benefit greatly with her at the helm of the influential Rules Committee.”
Foxx now oversees the committee that nearly every bill goes to before it reaches the House chamber. There, the committee members are responsible for setting the rules of debate for when the bill is considered on the floor. It’s known to have late nights and lively discussions.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected as Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee – and I thank Speaker Johnson for placing his trust and faith in me to lead this esteemed committee,” Foxx said on social media.
Foxx is a staunch supporter of both Johnson and President-elect Donald Trump. She is known as the Republican who shouted “shut up” at a reporter who had asked about the speaker’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, on the night Johnson was first selected to be House speaker after his predecessor was ousted from the role.
In her social media post, Foxx vowed to carry out Trump’s agenda.
“On November 5th, the American people gave President Trump and Congressional Republicans a mandate to turn our Republic around and move towards a brighter and more prosperous future,” Foxx said. “Our Republican majority in the People’s House will achieve that end, and we will deliver upon President Trump’s agenda with diligence and expediency. I look forward to contributing to this great American turnaround – let’s get to work.”
Foxx also served as a teller who recorded each member’s vote for House speaker at the start of this session. Moments later, she would fall down a marble staircase at the Capitol, causing injuries to her leg, face and arm.
Foxx, 81, just finished serving three terms in top leadership roles on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. She served as chairwoman from 2019-2021 and again during the last session of Congress. She was ranking member in between, when Democrats controlled the House. To serve in the last session she applied and was granted a waiver since Republicans have a six-year term limit for their top spots on committees.
Foxx began her congressional career in 2005. She represents North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District which includes Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, Caldwell, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes and part of Guilford County.
This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 10:57 AM with the headline "North Carolina’s Rep. Virginia Foxx appointed to lead powerful House committee."
