Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) fell at the U.S. Capitol on Friday shortly after the vote to confirm House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as the next House Speaker.
Foxx, who is the chairwoman of the House Education Committee, fell on a staircase on the GOP side of the Capitol shortly after the vote leading to emergency services moving in to assist Foxx.
Foxx is an astounding 81 years old and her fall comes just weeks after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fell on a marble staircase in Luxembourg which led to her needing hip replacement surgery.
Thankfully, Foxx wasn't that badly injured and seems to have escaped the worst outcomes that typically come from elderly people falling.
Foxx's fall, along with Pelosi's, has highlighted a growing issue of arguably ancient individuals refusing to retire and remaining in Congress long past retirement age.
Foxx reportedly fell on her face as she was seen with a bloody nose but was up and walking after the fall and was being guided by medical attendants to the Capitol physician's office.
Foxx quickly assured American that she was fine in a post to X saying, "Thank you to everyone for your prayers – just a few small cuts, and I’m doing just fine. I’m a mountain woman, and we’re tougher than a $2 steak."
While luckily Foxx is doing ok and survived with a few cuts this incident is shining the spotlight on the nation's gerontocracy problem.
Nancy Pelosi's scary fall resulted in her needing hip replacement surgery at a military hospital in Germany.
And just days before that, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who is also in his 80s, fell and sprained his wrist at the Capitol.
Congress has gotten entirely too old and the stairs at the Capitol are going to become the most dangerous place in Washington D.C. which has only amplified calls for term limits for both Representatives and Senators.
Many Americans have demanded term limits for Congress for years but these high-profile accidents could do a lot to strengthen that movement.
Foxx has been in Congress representing North Carolina's fifth congressional district since 2005. For Pelosi, the situation is even worse as she has been in Congress since 1987 meaning she has been in Washington D.C. longer than many Americans have been alive.
Mitch McConnell has been in Congress even longer serving seven terms since 1985 making the strongest case yet for term limits.
Being in Congress was never meant to be a career and yet because of the lack of term limits has led to an epidemic of individuals staying in Congress till they die. These people simply cannot possibly represent constituents above their own interests and something must be done about this situation quickly.
