macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-06
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I oppose H.R. 933. which appropriates money for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. and funds the rest of the government until the end of the Fiscal Year 2013. This bill maintains the across the board sequestration cuts that took effect last Friday. Democratic Members of Congress have repeatedly called for a common sense. bipartisan solution to avoid the sequester. and have been met by nothing but inaction by our colleagues in the majority. These indiscriminate cuts will seriously jeopardize the economic stability of this country. While our economy is still recovering from the worst recession since the Great Depression. sequestration will have the effect of slowing the recovery and costing 750.000 jobs. While the worst consequences of the sequester have not yet been realized. the wheels have now been set in motion. We are on a course that will have real impacts for millions of Americans. Furlough notices are going out to thousands of federal employees and contractors. and many services will begin to slow. Programs and services that millions of Americans rely on like Head Start. nutrition programs like WIC. and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be crippled by these cuts in funding. The critical support that our communities depend uponthe law enforcement officers who protect us. the air traffic controllers who keep our skies safe. FDA food inspectors. and the CDCs funding for disease preventionall of it is being slashed. Mr. Speaker. in short the Republicans are putting the ability of our government to function at risk. and they are jeopardizing the safety and security of millions of families across this country.
Date: 2013-03-06
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. today presents our last chance this month to deal with the harmful effects of sequestration. and yet the bill on the floor does nothing to address this critical issue. This week. for the fourth time. House Republicans blocked my amendment to replace sequestration. even as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office warns that these arbitrary cuts will cost the economy 750.000 jobs and lower economic growth by nearly onethird. By failing to address sequestration. this bill underfunds education. scientific research. and consumer protections. Moreover. while I appreciate that todays bill makes necessary adjustments to defense and veterans programs. I regret that it fails to make similar provisions for every other federal agency. By failing to adjust agency budgets outside of defense. this bill continues spending on old policies while failing to fund important priorities like implementation of the Affordable Care Act and enforcement of DoddFrank protections against abuse in the financial sector. This bill also continues to unfairly penalize our federal workforce. extending their pay freeze through the end of the year. I support my colleague GERRY CONNOLLYs bill to freeze Congressional pay. but our federal employees have already paid more than their fair share. sacrificing more than $100 billion in pay and benefits to reduce our Nations deficit. Privatesector wages rose by an average of 1.4 percent in 2011 and 1.7 percent in 2012. but federal pay has been frozen since 2010. Denying a 0.5 percent costofliving increase for the federal workers who secure our airports. patrol our borders. conduct research in national labs. care for our veterans. and inspect our Nations food supply will only jeopardize our ability to recruit and retain the best and the brightest. We stand ready to work with our Republican colleagues to end sequestration and responsibly fund our national priorities. Instead. the Republican Leadership. driven by their most extreme members. continues to move from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. ignoring our most pressing needsjobs and the economy. We can and must do better for the American people. It is my hope that we can work with our colleagues in the Senate to craft balanced. responsible legislation that avoids a government shutdown. ends sequestration. and properly funds our Nations priorities.
Date: 2013-03-12
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 1035. a bill "To require a study of voluntary communitybased flood insurance option and how such options could be incorporated into the national flood insurance program. and for other purposes." More specifically. this bill directs FEMA to study options. methods. and strategies for making voluntary communitybased flood insurance policies available through the National Flood Insurance Program. Moreover. this study would include a strategy to implement options that would encourage communities to undertake flood mitigation activities. Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States. 90 percent of all presidentialdeclared U.S. natural disasters involve flooding. Flooding occurs in all 50 states and chronically impacts many communities. including my constituents in the 18th district of Texas. In Houston. there are a number of areas which are frequently flooded from excessive rainwater in bayous. These areas include the Buffalo Bayou. the Greens Bayou. and the Halls Bayou. These areas. and others across this nation. could greatly benefit greatly from this study. In 1968. the U.S. Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program. NFIP. to address the nations flood hazard exposure and challenges inherent in financing and managing flood risks in the private sector. The program has played a central role in U.S. flood risk management policy. that is. the prevention and recovery from flooding disasters. Under the NFIP. the federal government (1) identifies areas of flood risk. (2) encourages communities to implement measures to mitigate against the risk of flood loss. and (3) provides financial assistance. through contracts of insurance. to help individuals and small businesses recover rapidly from flood disasters. Until 1986. the NFIP was financially selfsupporting from policy premium revenue and fees that covered all expenses and claim payments. However. because of its belowmarket insurance rates and catastrophic hurricanerelated floods in recent years. the NFIP has accrued a substantial debt that as of September 30. 2011. stands at $17.75 billion. Under current law. the funds borrowed from the U.S. Treasury must be repaid with interest. Because the NFIP cannot charge riskbased premiums for all of its policies. hold loss reserve funds to offset unusually catastrophic losses. or purchase reinsurance. the program faces a constant risk of financial insolvency.
Date: 2013-03-12
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. its my intent to bring the Houses attention to several important issues. First of all. I would like to join in a mutual effort with Mr. POE to address the devastation of the people in Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty. Those are Iranian refugees who have been attacked and who have been mistreated. and we must fight for them and ensure their safety. I also want to comment on the introduction of a new budget by the House and to say that we have to come together and not be conflicting with programs or initiatives that will not happen. and to have a budget based upon the elimination of the Affordable Care Act. it simply will not happen. We must come together. Finally. America is ready for comprehensive immigration reform. In a meeting I held yesterday in Houston with over 90 to 100 persons. if you heard the story of a father who was told to leave his children behind and to leave the country. you would know this is not about immigration. Its about families. Its about humanitarianism. Its about bringing America and Americans together. We have a few things to do in this country and a few things to do in this Congress. Lets get on with it and do it in the right way.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. the House Republican budget unveiled yesterday by Chairman PAUL RYAN is a repeat of the same Tea Party principles that have already been rejected by the American people. House Republicans are once again determined to place the burden of deficit reduction on the backs of middle class families. while the wealthiest Americans get yet another tax break. After wasting valuable time last Congress voting more than 30 times to repeal health care reform rather than focus on jobs and the economy. the Republican budget again calls for its repeal. In addition. their budget ends Medicare as we know it. and surprise. surprise. turns it into a voucher program that reduces benefits and leaves seniors paying higher outofpocket costs. While this budget blueprint is still lacking specific details. it is clear that in order to meet the spending targets it outlines. House Republicans would slash investments in key areas that are essential to economic growth and job creation. Education. job training. science. and research will all be on the chopping block in order to reduce the deficit. with little regard for the jobs that would be lost and the impact it would have on our Nations competitiveness. The Republican budget factors in the sequestrations arbitrary cuts over the next decade. something else that is being rejected by the American people. For New Mexico. this can mean more cuts to education targeted at lowincome and special needs children. painful cuts to tribal communities that jeopardize our responsibilities to Indian country with our trust responsibilities. and cuts that impact funding for Los Alamos National Lab and the small businesses that contract with it. including cuts to important funding for environmental cleanup at LANL. Regardless of the Republican rhetoric. the math just doesnt add up without steep cuts that will take their toll on New Mexico. threatening services that support the most vulnerable and investments that lay the foundation for a brighter future. Our country needs a balanced path forward that focuses on growing the economy and providing opportunities for the middle class families. Sadly. the Republican budget fails to meet this goal.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise to voice my frustration and disappointment with the Postal Services decision to close the Irvington Station Post Office that serves ZIP Code 77022 in Houston. Texas. on April 30. This post office is highly valued in our district and has served residents of the Northside area in Houston for 50 years. The Postal Service announced that the Irvington office would be demolished. despite the fact that the agency has failed to ensure that local residents will still have access to essential mail services. The Irvington offices lease is expiring. and instead of finding a new location nearby or moving retail operations into the Northline Commons area as a compromise. the Postal Service has chosen to close the office. I contacted and met with postal officials without success. Moving forward with the closure is irresponsible and undermines the integrity of the agency. The people living in and around the 77022 ZIP Code will not have the same access to postal services as everyone else. I understand the Postal Services budget constraints and support reforming the agency. However. maintaining a presence in the area makes smart business sense for the Postal Service and fulfills a need in this revitalized community. The post office is losing customers and friends in this effort.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. on April 6. the city of Orange. California. will celebrate its 125th anniversary. As the third oldest city in Orange County. the city of Orange is a big city but with a small town feel. Orange is home to notable attractions like the Plaza at Orange. the Outlets at Orange. the UCI Medical Center. the Childrens Hospital of Orange County. and my alma mater. Chapman University. This milestone will be celebrated in Old Towne Orange. and it will commemorate the families. the residents. and the businesses that have made the city what it is today. Congratulations to the city and residents of Orange on this incredible occasion. I am proud to represent the city of Orange and the 46th Congressional District of California. Happy 125th anniversary. city of Orange.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

has. on four different occasions. tried to avoid sequester with a very balanced approach. and it would save 750.000 jobs. If theres anything thats urgent in this Chamber. it should be to preserve and protect the 750.000 jobs that will be lost because of these sequester cuts. I would finally say that the United States Senate. far from a perfect branch of government in my opinion. but nonetheless. the Senate Majority Leader had an alternative to sequester that got 51 votes. Thats a majority. But. unfortunately. under the Senate rules and with Republican insistence that they needed 60 votes. it didnt make it. But 51 Senators voted for an alternative. So there are alternatives out there. and the notion that we should kind of sit back. lay back. and maybe something will emerge miraculously to deal with this issue I dont think is the proper role of the House of Representatives. We ought to be deliberating and debating and finding ways to protect those 750.000 jobs. We talk about welfare to work here. And again. the irony is were trying to prevent the administration from being able to have the flexibility to be able to work with States who want to get better results. to get more people off of welfare to work. But when you talk about getting people to work. we ought to also be talking about preserving the 750.000 jobs that will be lost because of our inaction on sequester. Mr. Speaker. at this point Id like to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas . the ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Maryland

had an alternative that four times hes brought to the Rules Committee. Four times the leadership here has said. no. you cant bring it to the floor. you cant debate it. you cant deliberate on it. And my friends on the other side of the aisle in this Congress have offered zero. Theyre totally content to let the sequester go into play750.000 jobs at stake. I think thats what we should be doing here. Mr. Speaker. As I yield back the balance of my time. I would urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to suspend politics for just a little while so we can get a few major things done. We can do the politics next year when its campaign time. but nows the time to achieve results. We can come together on a lot of these issues. I hope that that happens. but if this is any indication of how were going to proceed. it makes me less hopeful. With that. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. rarely have I been a fan of the concept that one size fits all. Therefore. I find it necessary to not be in favor of this legislation. However. I am strongly in favor of TANF. TANF is a greatly needed program. It provides temporary assistance to needy families. and we need to try to make those programs as effective as we possibly can. TANF is designed to help people who may have become parents too soon. Their jobs may have gone out of business. They may have dropped out of school. dont have much in the way of formal education and training. and may even have a prison record. In order to provide the most effective help. their State may need the flexibility to design and implement the best program they possibly can. They may even have clients who have three or four children and no husband or no wife. They may need babysitting help and cannot find it. They may need a waiver. I agree with the administrations position. and if a State determines that they can do a better job with the waiver. and Health and Human Services agrees. then they ought to be able to get one. Ive been told. and I believe. that if you give a man or woman a fish. they can eat for a day. but you teach them how to fish effectively. and they can eat for a lifetime. I disapprove of this restriction on this bill.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I rise in opposition to H.R. 890Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013. This bill prohibits the Secretary of HHS from using longstanding authority to issue waivers that allow states to conduct demonstration projects under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It also reauthorizes the TANF program through December 31. 2013. In Texas over 68.000 families receive TANF benefits. TANF is a block grant program to help move recipients into work and turn welfare into a program of temporary assistance. In order to receive the maximum TANF benefit. families must be in compliance with work requirements and no one may remain on TANF for more than 60 months. Federal TANF law requires states to penalize families that fail to meet these requirements. In response to a request from a bipartisan group of governors for more flexibility. the Obama Administration said the federal government would consider waiving existing work participation requirements for states that were experimenting with "new. more effective ways" of helping welfare applicants find work. "particularly helping parents successfully prepare for. find. and retain employment." The Administration hasnt gotten rid of the work requirement or laid out a new theory of what it ought to include. It has given states the ability to seek executive branch approval for new methods. This legislation is not needed. for no state has requested a waiver. This is the second time this bill has been introduced. as a solution to a problem that doesnt exist. The House should focus on extending TANF benefits to needy families in the country.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I must express my profound surprise by the Republican effort to undermine state flexibility to strengthen work outcomes for people who receive TANF. In contrast to prior Republican support for such TANF waivers. in contrast to longstanding Republican advocacy for greater state flexibility. and in contrast to the reality that the TANF waivers would actually accelerate job placements and dramatically improve work outcomes. the current Republican rhetoric jettisons past support for state flexibility to improve TANF outcomes and disingenuously charges the Administration with gutting welfare reform. It is in states best interests to improve the work outcomes of their citizens. which is why Republican and Democratic governors have asked for the type of flexibility provided by the Administrations waiver. Under current rules. a state can meet its work requirement even if no recipient finds a job. In contrast. approved demonstration waivers explicitly would focus on improving employment outcomes. Under current rules. states spend very little of their TANF funds on work activities and substantial resources monitoring participation in activities. In contrast. approved demonstration waivers would help states make more effective and efficient use of limited resources. Under current rules. people are discouraged from getting a high school diploma or GED. even though theyre more likely to find good jobs with such education. In contrast. approved demonstration waivers would allow states to focus on building a better skilled workforce. Under current rules. people working in subsidized jobs dont count toward the states work rate. In contrast. Illinois boasted one of the most successful subsidized employment programs in the nation while using TANF Emergency Funds. The program directly placed almost 30.000 unemployed and underemployed adults in jobs that paid approximately $10 per hour. putting almost $9 million dollars into the pockets of hard working Illinoisans and into the economy. Almost 5000 employers in Illinois benefited. Why Republicans would oppose innovative programs to help the unemployed get solid jobs is simply puzzling. Rather than advancing political theatre. the Republicans should be working with Democrats to replace the acrosstheboard spending cuts. strengthen the middle class. create jobs. expand our economy. and responsibly bring down the deficit. It is these proactive steps at governing that my constituents seek.
Date: 2013-03-13
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 890. the Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Act of 2013. This legislation would overturn the Administrations proposal to allow states greater flexibility to help more Americans move from welfare to good jobs. Several states have requested this flexibility. including some states with Republican governors and legislatures. This is a politically disingenuous bill which only prevents Congress from devoting our time to finding actual solutions to lowering our unemployment rate. As a condition of receiving federal TANF funding. states are required to document the number of hours that welfare recipients spend in paid jobs. voluntary work. or other activities directly related to finding employment. Many states have argued that the current laws requirements are onerous and counterproductive to helping welfare recipients find work to lift their families out of poverty. In response to state feedback. the Administration proposed a program to allow states to use alternate. outcomebased measures for job placement. rather than relying solely on numerical work participation standards. This waiver would give states the flexibility needed to improve the effectiveness of TANF programs by focusing on the outcomes that matter to our families. The Administrations waiver program has strict requirements to hold states accountable for making measurable progress in job placement. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 890. which would hinder states autonomy and flexibility in finding solutions that work for their residents. Instead of wasting time on partisan proposals. we must work across the aisle to find real solutions for working families in my Dallas district and across the country.