macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2000-05-10
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I find myself on the opposite side of the gentleman from Alaska . and I have tremendous respect for the chairman of the Committee on Resources. This bill sets up a mandatory funding mechanism of 2.8 billion annually. Currently. California and the Federal Government owns over 50 percent of the land. By removing $2.8 billion annually from the budget for 15 years. it is a total of $42 billion. Since the budget resolution adopted by Congress last month allocates all of the surplus to either public debt reduction or tax relief for working families. passage of this bill would require Congress to either dip into the Social Security Trust Fund. cut the amount set aside for reducing the debt. or reducing the amount set aside for tax cuts for working people. The fiscal year 2001 budget resolution provides $50 billion over 5 years for tax reduction or paying down the debt. Instead. CARA will use up $14 billion over that 5year period. No one is talking about the fact that this will likely trigger significant increases in discretionary spending in the form of new bureaucracies and personnel needed to implement the programs created by CARA. This new demand would likely. or inevitably. squeeze out programs such. as discretionary spending on defense and education. How many bureaucracies will come up in the next 15 years to ask for more staff to help them spend $2.8 billion per year. The discretionary spending will also increase for the maintenance of newly acquired lands. According to the ClintonGore administrations own estimates. our national parks and Federal lands have up to $15 billion in necessary maintenance backlogs. We are purchasing land at such a high rate that we cannot even keep up with the maintenance of these lands. How can that be considered good land stewardship? Discretionary spending will also increase if CARA is pasc ed for the purpose of having to compensate local jurisdictions for the loss of economic development. This is money that can be used for saving Social Security. paying down debt. and providing tax cuts for Americans. Furthermore. Federal and State land acquisition negatively impacts local communities by reducing tax revenues for education and crime prevention and other services. Some of my colleagues argue that this bill addresses the issue by securing funds to deal with these impacts. but this money is not guaranteed unless Congress appropriates money for this purpose. More discretionary spending that is directed away from more important issues like health care. research and public safety.
Date: 2000-05-16
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. anyone developing a health plan these days would not think of omitting prescription drugs as a benefit. yet Medicare does. However. despite this lack of coverage in Medicare. fully twothirds of Americas 39 million seniors currently have prescription drug coverage. so any new plan must be voluntary and not force seniors out of their current plans. Seniors deserve the flexibility to determine what type of drug coverage they want and need. A onesizefitsall program will not work. One thing that is crystal clear to me is that seniors should not have to choose between putting food on the table and buying their medicine. A seniors choice should be the plan that best meets their prescription drug needs.
Date: 2000-05-16
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise to call on this House to pass legislation to fix the unsolicited commercial email problem. referred to as "spam." that is harming the Internet. Millions of unsolicited commercial emails. which contain advertisements for pornography. dubious products or getrichquick schemes are clogging up the computers of individuals. business systems and the entire information superhighway. The receiver pays for email advertisements. Junk email is like postagedue marketing. or a telemarketer calling your cell phone. or receiving a bill at the end of the month for all the junk mail you have received. The spain problem is increasing because there is an incentive for shady marketers to send as many advertisements as possible. After all. they do not spend more for sending one million than for sending one. We need to fix this skewed incentive. Mr. Speaker. I want to especially thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico . the gentleman from Texas . the gentleman from Louisiana and the gentleman from Virginia for their dedication and hard work on this issue. Mr. Speaker. I yield back all the unsolicited invasive pornographic email messages that invade your home and that we are forced to pay for.
Date: 2000-05-17
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. seniors deserve prescription drug coverage and Republicans have a plan to provide it for them. Last week. the Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health had a hearing on the Presidents prescription drug plan. As a member of the committee. I was pleased to learn there are several ways where we can agree. But history must not repeat itself. This issue must not be used in this election to scare our seniors. Scare tactics serve no purpose and do not help one senior get the drugs they need. Republicans are ready to roll up our sleeves and give seniors a choice in their Medicare prescription drug coverage. I welcome my Democrat colleagues and the President to join us in this important effort.
Date: 2000-05-18
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. prescription drug coverage is an important issue for American seniors. and Republicans have a plan for those that need coverage to keep it and those who need it to get it. This is in stark contrast to the Presidents plan. Democrats and the President willingly admit their plan will drive employers out of the market. To stop this. the Democrats bribe employers to keep the coverage they already offer. This just does not make sense. Rather than pay employers to do something they are already doing. I suggest we set the funds aside to actually get drug coverage to Americas seniors. The Republican plan accomplishes that task. Medicare beneficiaries deserve choices. not a onesizefitsall program that wastes money. This Congress must take its responsibility seriously and make sure that seniors can get affordable prescription drugs when they need them. Now is the time.
Date: 2000-05-18
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the position on both sides. and I thank the gentleman from Indiana for offering this amendment. As a veteran and former prisoner of war. I support ensuring veterans have access to the best health care our Nation has to offer.. The amendment before us would extend Medicare subvention through 2003 and allow Medicare to pay for military retirees to get the health care they need at veterans hospitals. To suggest that we are abrogating our responsibilities to Americas veterans is just plain wrong. Before we make any program permanent. we ought to make sure that all the health care needs of our veterans are being met. - We have got to do the right things by our veterans. TRICARE is not working. We are committed to this Nations veterans and our promise of lifetime health care. Let us make sure it is right when we do it.
Date: 2000-05-23
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. in 1898 the Federal tax on telephone service. the tax on talking. was first levied as a temporary measure to fund the SpanishAmerican War. That war lasted only a few months. and yet the taxes lasted for over a hundred years. Unfortunately. in 1990 a Democraticcontrolled Congress made it permanent. which just goes to show us one thing about Washington: once there is a tax on the books. it is almost impossible to get rid of it. But this week we are going to achieve the impossible. We are going to get rid of this Federal telephone tax once and for all. This will provide tax relief to the nearly 95 percent of American households who have telephone service. and it will help keep the Internet free from direct taxation. Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders fought valiantly in the SpanishAmerican War. but we have long since cleared the ledger on that victory. It is a hundred years later and way past time to repeal this outdated tax on working Americans.
Date: 2000-06-07
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today we are faced with the largest tax burden since World War II and what many people do not realize is that the Federal Government is really taxing American values. A good example is the death tax. The death tax is one of the most onerous taxes imposed by the Federal Government. It is double and triple taxation on American families hardearned savings. Even worse. the death tax forces grieving sons and daughters to sell family businesses or farms just to pay the tax. It is absolutely outrageous that we allow the Federal Government to do this to families. Enough is enough. It is time to repeal the death tax and end the assault on American values of family. hard work. savings. and entrepreneurship. Let us bury the death tax now. By doing this. we will be giving freedom and a new birth to the next generation of families. farmers. and small business owners.
Date: 2000-06-09
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ran across an article out of the Dallas News this morning. I just have to tell. Members about this. David Langford. who is executive vice president of the Texas Wildlife Association. said. "Since 1851. my family has worked the land in the Texas Hill Country. Through ups and downs of the past 148 years. we have run flour mills. farmed. ranched. and offered hunting and fishing opportunities. "Our land also serves as a habitat for many species of birds .... As a result. my family and I consider ourselves stewards of precious natural resources. "But as is the case for much of the wildlife habitat in this country. the estate tax threatens to tear it apart. The need to pay large estate tax bills often forces families to sell or develop environmentally sensitive land. The estate tax is the No. 1 destroyer of wildlife habitat in this country.... "But for those of us who are stewards of wildlife habitat. the argument goes much deeper than the issue of business and money. Yes. families suffer financially." and his did. "When wildlife habitats disappear. they disappear forever. We arent a bunch of fat cats trying to hoard our assets. We are private citizens trying to preserve an irreplaceable resource for the enjoyment and benefit of generations to come." Mr. Speaker. I think most Americans agree that we need to get rid of this. Americans simply do not believe the IRS ought to operate a toll booth on the road to heaven. Enough is enough. It is time to repeal the taxes on our American values. It is time to bury the death tax. giving a new birth of freedom to the next generation of farmers. ranchers. and small businesses. [From the Dallas Morning News. Nov. 10. 1999]
Date: 2000-06-13
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. the ReadytoLearn television program was created by the Improving Americas School Act of 1994. It was intended to support the first national educational goal of Goals 2000. that by the year 2000 all American children begin ready to learn for school. The ReadytoLearn television program authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with nonprofit entities to develop. produce. and distribute educational instructional television programming and support materials. The target age group is preschool and elementary age children. In the past. it has gone to a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Education and the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. We are transferring money from one Federal agency to another. We are not against funding quality educational television programs. This vote is not a referendum on the validity of spending $16 million on the ReadytoLearn television program. This vote is about prioritizing our limited educational dollars as we go. Meeting the direct needs of our local districts should be our first priority. Labor U.HS also increases the Corporation for Public Broadcastings budget by an additional $15 million. as requested. for a total of $365 million. That does not include the $16 million. Special education has been chronically underfunded. In 1975. Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The ReadytoLearn television program basically supports two shows. Dragon Tales and Between the Lions. Cutting the ReadytoLearn television program does not cut Sesame Street. Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Teletubbies. Barney. Arthur. Theodore Tugboat. Noddy. Zoom. or any of the programs children watch. We need to prioritize our dollars. We need to vote for special education. I ask for support for this amendment.
Date: 2000-06-13
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. I commend the chairman for his work on IDEA. He has done a commendable job. and this is in no way to impugn his efforts in that direction. but we have a limited amount of funds. We have to say when a child spends a little over 4.000 hours in front of a television before they start school. does the Federal Government need to fund an additional $16 million each year for Dragon Tales and Between the Lions when we need to prioritize our funds? The money should go to the classroom. This is reasonable. It is established by offsets. We are not trying to drag monies in that do not exist and we are just saying we have made a promise to fund special education. We have not complied with that promise. We have left local districts underfunded. This is a small amount of money. $16 million. but when we are dealing with monies that are not available it can be a large amount of money. and I ask for support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2000-06-13
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. it is interesting the concept that government must provide quality television. It is the first time I have heard an argument maybe children should come home at night and watch TV instead of do homework. I think dollars belong in the classroom. When we have a shortage of dollars and we have made a commitment and a promise to special education classes that we are going to fund them. and we have yet to do that. to make an argument that we need to provide more television time for children at home rather than an opportunity for them to learn in the school is a different argument. an argument I am unaccustomed to hearing. It is interesting that the House budget in 1997. 1998. 1999 and 2000 allocated zero dollars for this program. It came back from the Senate with a final appropriation bill in 1997. 1998. allocating $7 million. There are a lot of sponsors in this country looking for an oppqrtunity to sponsor good television shows. We argue against tobacco companies for advertising and encouraging young people to smoke. Obviously. advertising works. Sponsors will put their money where it works. If money works in go od television shows for young people. they will sponsor those shows. But when we are dealing with the government having to fund television and when we have special education fundings that should be provided for and we are not providing for them. that is not a very good argument. I think we need to put our money in the classroom. put our money where our mouth is and support this amendment. Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2000-06-13
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I demand a recorded vote. and pending that. I make the point of order that a quorum is not present.
Date: 2000-06-14
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. in 1968. the average senior citizen spent just $64 a year on prescription drugs. Thirty years later. the average senior spends about $848 a year on prescription drugs. In 1968. seniors spent about 2.4 percent of their annual income on prescription drugs. And in 1998. seniors spent a little over 4 percent. That is almost double in just 30 years. Some seniors even have to choose between food and filling their prescriptions. This inevitably leads to higher costs for Medicare. And more importantly. some of these seniors suffer despite the fact that their illness is treatable. H4344 co1 We can work together for a responsible and effective plan to provide prescription drug coverage for all. and it is coverage that will be affordable and available for all seniors.
Date: 2000-06-19
Speaker: TODD HOUCHINS (republican)
Chamber: H

Democratic Counsel. Subcommittee on Benefits. Committee on Veterans Affairs. House of Representatives. Cannon House Office Building. Washington. DC. DEAR MR. HoucitNs: This letter is written to express our complete support of the amendment that Congressman- Filner is proposing to make to H.R. 4635. for the purpose of enhancing educational assistance under chapter 30 of title 38. United States Code. The amendment would change the benefits received under chapter 30 in accordance with the provisions of H.R. 4334 as introduced on We wholeheartedly believe that members of Congress should accept Congressman Filners amendment. Numerous studies and reports. including the one issued by the Commission on Servicemembers and Veterans Transition Assistance on January 14. 1999. speak to the need for the Nation to give immediate and serious attention to the importance of making extraordinary changes in the Montgomery GI Bill. Attached is a sheet that reflects some of the primary reasons for immediate change. The reasons were developed by members of the Partnership for Veterans Education. an informal coalition of 49 nationally based military. veterans and higher education organizations that support H.R. 4334. We stand ready to assist Congressman Filner in helping other members of Congress to realize the importance of this issue and the magnitude of the positive impact that will be realized by the acceptance of the amend-
Date: 2000-06-20
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. by the way. lowering taxes increases the revenue to the Government and. unfortunately. gives us a surplus. which is what has happened since the Republicans have been in for 40 years. The Democrats ran the House and the Democrats ran up the debt by spending your.money like it was their own. The Democrats used deficit spending to fund more and more Washington programs. The debt ballooned and they raised taxes over and over again. Paying down the debt was never on the Democrat agenda. Well. times have changed. In just 5 short years with the Republicans in charge. we have turned a billiondollar deficit into trilliondollar surpluses. Under our plan. we are going to eliminate publicly held debt by 2013 or sooner. that is because we believe debt relief is a top priority. That is why this bill mandates that any increase in the surplus must be used to pay down the debt. This year we believe that will be close to $40 billion. Paying down the debt is going to help all Americans. It will lower mortgage costs and interest rates. More importantly. the American people expect our books to be balanced and our debts to be paid. We have to do it in our own homes. and we must do it in the peoples House. The American people are fed up with 40 years of out- ofcontrol spending by the Democrats. and they want Washington to get its house in order. Those who oppose this bftl or believe it is not necessary are playing games with the American people and their money. Today. we are going to tear up the Democrats bigspending playbook and get serious about our childrens future by eliminating our Nations debt once and for all.
Date: 2000-06-20
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. Buzz Aldrin and I went through flying school together. I just want to make that comment. He is a true American hero. Probably a little known fact about him is his mothers name was Moon. Quite a coincidence. He graduated from West Point with honors. third in his class. but just to show how really smart he is. he ended up in the Air Force. I could not resist that. He is working on a spacecraft system now that would make perpetual orbits between Earth and Mars. I hope Members will join me in honoring these three American heroes. Buzz Aldrin is a true American hero. A perhaps littleknown .fact about Buzz is that -his mothers maiden name was Moon. Quite a coincidence. But Buzz Aldrin was a great patriot long before he ever set foot on the moon! He graduated from West Point with honors in 1951. third in his class. And to show you just how smart he really is. he ended up in the Air Force after West Point. I first met Buzz Aldrin when we were in flying school together in 1951 in Bartow. Florida. And we were sent off to fight in Korea together. Buzz flew 66 combat missions in Korea as part of the 51st fighter interceptor wing. where he shot down 2 MiG15s. Buzz earned his doctorate in astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the manned space rendezvous techniques he devised wereused on all NASA missions. including the first space docking with Russian cosmonauts. Buzz was selected as one of NASAs original astronauts in October of 1963. And on July 20. 1969. the world watched in amazement as Apollo 11 touched down on the moon and Buzz Aldrin became the 2nd man to set foot on another world. I was in solitary confinement in a Vietnam prison with no news from the outside world. But. Buzz Aldrin. paused to remember me that day. He took a POW bracelet with my name on it and an American flag to the moon to remember all the prisoners of war in Vietnam. And we will never forget that. Buzz. You would think that after a man walks on the moon. he could sit down and rest for awhile. But not Buzz Aldrin. Today. having retired from NASA. from the Air Force as a colonel. and from his position as commander of the test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base. he is still working tirelessly to ensure a leading role for America in manned space exploration. He is working on a spacecraft system that would make perpetual orbits between Earth and Mars. Buzz has received numerous awards and medals. including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. the highest honor our country bestows. So. I believe this Congressional Medal of Honor is long overdue for my friend Buzz Aldrin and other Apollo 11 astronautsNeil Armstrong and Michael Collins. I hope you will join me in honoring these three American heroes.
Date: 2000-06-27
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. there are almost half a million pieces of property in the United States that are polluted and useless because people are afraid to buy them to clean them up. We have seen these properties. Many of them are fenced with chainlink or have signs that say "hazardous material. keep out." The problem with that is individuals will not buy these properties. because when they do. they accept the historical problems that go along with that. and they accept the liability with EPA and likely to be sued because of that. We need tochange the law. We need to say that individuals and businesses can buy these properties and clean them up and put them to a useful purpose without being concerned. about EPA taking them to court and suing them because pollution occurred 40 years ago. We have done nothing on this. We need to move forward rapidly with Brownfields legislation and help clean up our communities throughout the United States and help put these properties that are polluted. that are continuing to pollute our environment to a good purpose.