Virginia Foxx

Virginia Foxx
Born	Virginia Ann Palmieri 29 6, 1943
Birthplace	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businesswoman, educator
Known for	U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 5th congressional district; Chair of the House Rules Committee; Chair of the House Education Committee
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA) University of North Carolina at Greensboro (MA, EdD)
Children	1
Website	[https://foxx.house.gov/ Official site]

Virginia Ann Foxx (née Palmieri; born June 29, 1943) is an American politician, businesswoman, and educator who has served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 5th congressional district since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Foxx has built a long career in public service that spans local government, the North Carolina Senate, and the U.S. Congress, where she has emerged as one of the most prominent conservative voices on education policy and legislative procedure. Since January 2025, she has served as chair of the House Rules Committee in the 119th Congress. Previously, she chaired the House Committee on Education and the Workforce from 2017 to 2019 and again from 2023 to 2025, and served as the committee's ranking member from 2019 to 2023. She also held the position of Secretary of the House Republican Conference from 2013 to 2017. Since January 2025, Foxx has been the dean of North Carolina's congressional delegation, a distinction she previously shared with Patrick McHenry until his retirement from Congress.

Early Life

Virginia Ann Palmieri was born on June 29, 1943, in New York City, New York. Details of her upbringing reflect a trajectory from the urban Northeast to the rural South, where she would eventually build her political career. She relocated to North Carolina, where she pursued higher education and became deeply involved in the civic and educational life of the western part of the state.

Foxx's early experiences shaped a worldview oriented toward self-reliance and fiscal conservatism, themes that would become central to her political identity. She settled in the northwestern region of North Carolina, an area defined by its rural character, Appalachian geography, and traditionally conservative politics. This region would later form the core of the congressional district she has represented for over two decades.

Education

Foxx earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She subsequently pursued graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she obtained both a Master of Arts degree and a Doctor of Education (EdD). Her academic credentials in education informed her later career both as an educator and as a legislator focused extensively on education policy at the federal level.

Career

North Carolina Senate (1995–2005)

Before entering the U.S. Congress, Foxx served in the North Carolina Senate for a decade. She initially represented the 12th district from 1995 to 2003, and following redistricting, she represented the 45th district from 2003 to 2005. During her tenure in the state senate, Foxx established herself as a conservative legislator with a particular focus on education and fiscal policy.

U.S. House of Representatives

Election to Congress

In 2004, Foxx won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, succeeding Richard Burr, who vacated the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. North Carolina's 5th congressional district encompasses much of the rural northwestern portion of the state, including the majority of Greensboro. Foxx has been reelected consistently since her initial victory, winning her sixth term in 2014 and continuing to secure reelection in subsequent cycles, including in 2016 and 2010.

House Republican Conference Leadership

Foxx served as Secretary of the House Republican Conference from January 2013 to January 2017, serving under Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan. In this leadership role, she was responsible for assisting with internal party communications and messaging. She succeeded John Carter in the position and was later succeeded by Jason T. Smith.

Chair and Ranking Member of the Education Committee

Foxx's most prominent committee work has centered on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce (formerly the Committee on Education and Labor). She served as chair of the committee during the 115th Congress (2017–2019), a period in which she oversaw significant legislative activity related to higher education, workforce development, and labor policy.

During her first tenure as chair, Foxx advanced H.R. 1313, the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act, which drew significant attention and controversy. The bill, introduced in the 115th Congress, would have permitted employers to require employees to undergo genetic testing as part of workplace wellness programs, a provision that critics argued undermined genetic privacy protections established by existing law. Scientific American reported that the legislation would have allowed employers to demand workers' genetic test results. Forbes similarly covered the bill, noting the implications for employee privacy.

When Democrats gained control of the House in 2019, Foxx transitioned to the role of ranking member of the committee, serving in that capacity from January 2019 to January 2023 under the chairmanship of Bobby Scott. She returned to the chairmanship in January 2023 when Republicans regained the majority in the 118th Congress, serving until January 2025.

During her second stint as chair, Foxx continued to focus on higher education accountability. In 2025, she co-introduced bipartisan legislation with Representative Josh Gottheimer aimed at holding institutions of higher education accountable for activities related to the BDS movement against Israel. The bill, the Protect Act, was introduced in response to what the sponsors described as a rise in antisemitism on college campuses.

Oversight of Higher Education and Campus Protests

Foxx became a prominent figure in congressional oversight of universities' handling of campus protests, particularly those related to the Israel–Hamas conflict. Her role as chair of the Education Committee placed her at the center of congressional investigations into antisemitism on college campuses, and she used the committee's subpoena power to press university administrators on their responses to protest activities.

In February 2026, a federal lawsuit was filed against Foxx by Khymani James, a suspended member of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) organization. James alleged that Foxx violated his First Amendment rights by using her congressional authority to pressure Columbia University into taking action against him for his pro-Palestinian advocacy. The lawsuit attracted national media coverage, with outlets including NewsNation reporting that James claimed Foxx had "abused her authority" to pressure the university into expelling the student over anti-Israel posts. The Appalachian Online, the student newspaper of Appalachian State University located in Foxx's district, also reported on the lawsuit.

Chair of the House Rules Committee

In January 2025, with the start of the 119th Congress, Foxx assumed the chairmanship of the House Rules Committee, succeeding Michael C. Burgess. The Rules Committee occupies a central position in the legislative process, determining the terms under which legislation is debated and voted upon on the House floor.

Under Foxx's leadership, the Rules Committee has faced criticism from Democrats regarding the use of "closed rules," which restrict or prevent amendments from being offered on the floor. In February 2026, Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) stated during a Rules Committee hearing that House Republicans had broken a record for the most closed rules in a single Congress. In her capacity as chair, Foxx has presided over committee proceedings on major legislation, including opening remarks on H.R. 4626 and H.R. 4758 in February 2026.

Voting Record and Political Alignment

Foxx has maintained a consistently conservative voting record throughout her congressional career. According to FiveThirtyEight's Trump Score, which measures how often a member of Congress votes in line with Donald Trump's position, Foxx has demonstrated a high level of alignment with the Trump administration's policy agenda. She has been a member of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservative members in the House.

Health Care Debate

During the 2009 debate over health care reform, Foxx made public comments that drew media attention. She described the Democratic health care proposal in terms that generated controversy and coverage by regional media outlets.

Matthew Shepard Remarks

In April 2009, during House debate on the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Foxx stated on the House floor that the murder of Matthew Shepard was "a hoax" and that it was not a hate crime. The remarks were made while Shepard's mother, Judy Shepard, was in the House gallery. The comments generated immediate and widespread criticism. The Washington Post reported on the remarks, noting the context of Shepard's mother's presence during the statement. The Los Angeles Times also covered Foxx's comments extensively. The New York Times editorial board addressed the incident, criticizing Foxx's characterization of the Shepard case. The remarks received international coverage as well, including in the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. Foxx subsequently acknowledged that she had used a poor choice of words, though the episode remained a defining moment of public criticism during her career.

2026 Primary Election

As of early 2026, Foxx has faced at least one challenger in the Republican primary for her congressional seat. The Raleigh News & Observer profiled the candidates on the ballot in the 2026 primary election, including a GOP primary challenger who denied that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

Personal Life

Virginia Foxx resides in the 5th congressional district of North Carolina, in the northwestern part of the state. She has one child. Her birth name was Virginia Ann Palmieri; she has used the surname Foxx throughout her political career. Beyond her political career, Foxx has been involved in business and education in North Carolina's northwestern communities.

Foxx has maintained a long-standing connection to the rural and Appalachian communities of her district, and her political persona has been closely associated with the conservative values of that region. She has represented the same geographic area in various capacities — first in the North Carolina Senate and subsequently in the U.S. Congress — for over three decades.

Recognition

In November 2025, the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP) announced that it would honor Foxx with the Frederick Douglass Award at its Freedom and Progress Conference, recognizing her work on education and workforce policy.

Foxx's long tenure in Congress — serving continuously since 2005 — has made her one of the most senior members of the North Carolina congressional delegation. Since January 2025, she has held the title of dean of the delegation, the distinction given to the longest-serving member, a role she previously shared with Representative Patrick McHenry before his retirement.

Her committee leadership positions — chairing both the Education and the Workforce Committee and the Rules Committee — place her among a relatively small number of House members who have chaired multiple standing committees during their congressional careers. The Rules Committee chairmanship, in particular, is one of the most powerful positions in the House, given the committee's role in shaping the terms of floor debate for virtually all major legislation.

Campaign Finance

Foxx's campaign finance filings are publicly available through the Federal Election Commission.