macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-20
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the requisite number of words. I am pleased to join with my colleagues Mr. INSLEE and Mr. JONES in offering this amendment. and the issue here is really straightforward: Are we going to require the Department of Defense to comply with guidelines established by this House and this Congress. or are we going to allow them. one more time. to ignore the will of Congress and roll over us here in the House of Representatives? Here is the sitdation. Back in 2004. this House passed the defense authorization provision that allowed the Defense Department to go out and set up a new personnel system. but we did it with certain guidelines. We wanted to provide the Department of Defense with greater flexibility. but we also wanted to ensure fairness to the employees. Here is what happened. The DOD took the flexibility part. and they ignored the portions requiring fairness to employees. They ignored the provision that required. for example. an independent entity to arbitrate certain disputes between management and labor. They ignored the provisions that said you have to have a merit system protection board that has an independent judgment. instead of allowing the Defense Department to essentially overrule the decisions. at least on a preliminary basis. of an independent merit system protection board. So they made a number of changes to the congressional intent. As my colleague Mr. INSLEE said. you do not have to take our word for it. Just listen to what a Federal judge said. and that is Judge Emmet Sullivan. He is the first person in the District of Columbia to have been appointed by three United States Presidents to three judicial positions. and he ruled in favor of the employees who brought a case and challenged the administrations decision on this. He said it was "thq antithesis of fairness" the way DOD had set up its system and determined that it was outside the scope of what the Congress had mandated. Now. they have ruled. That ruling came down in February. We have had a Federal judge. therefore. stick up for the Congress. The question is. are we going to stick up for ourselves? Did we mean what we said back there? A Federal judge has looked at the law and said. clearly. the DOD provisions are outside the scope of what we intended. Anyone who takes a fair look at what this Congress said to the administration and to the guidelines that we had in setting up the system would reach the same conclusion. Let us not once more roll over. A Federal judge has done the right thing. They said the administration should not roll over the will of Congress. Let us not allow them to do it. Let us make sure that we do not spend taxpayer money on a system that a Federaljudge has said is outside the scope of what Congress intended. So I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Date: 2006-06-20
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I would say to those who are going to speak to be aware of that so others get a chance to speak. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland .
Date: 2006-06-20
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I want to thank all of my colleagues for joining me in this Special Order to try to bring to the attention of this Nation the unwillingness of the Republican Congress to raise the minimum wage for these workers that my colleagues have described. We are talking about the dignity of millions of workers. We are talking about millions of workers who must rely. on the Congress of the United States to give them a raise. and this Congress has refused to do so and has refused to do so for the past 9 years. These are people who work very hard. They get up and go to work every day. just like we tell them we want them to do. We dont want them to get on public assistance. We want them to take responsibility. and they do. They work at some of the most difficult jobs in the Nation. and they do it every day. and at the end of the year they simply end up poor. They end up poor not because they are not tough people. not because they are not diligent. not because they are competent. they end up poor because they simply do not get paid eiough. and this Congress is unwilling to lend a hand to them. When we refuse to pay these workers. we refuse them the dignity of that work and the recognition that we all understand. This country could not survive without their effort. They cook our food. They take care of our families and clean our offices. They do so many things for us without asking the question. and we come to expect it. It is just that way when we show up in the morning. it is just that way when we go home because of their hard work. I dare say most Members of Congress couldnt toil at these jobs for a day. a week. or a month. And yet these people do it all year long. And they are now working for a wage that has its lowest value in 50 years. That is what we tell them that they are worth. that they are not entitled to that increase. And yet. do we see in just one weeks time the Congress voted to give itself a COLA. turned around and we thought vote to raise the minimum wage in the LaborHHS bill after 9 years. finally voting to raise the wage. . But the Republican leadership interceded. When the amendment was offered today. this Republican Congress changed their vote and voted against the minimum wage.. And the majority leader. Mr. BOEHNER of the Republican Party. is quoted as saying he is against it. It is not going to happen. It is not coming to the floor and he hasnt voted for minimum wage in 25 years of his public service. a boast of pride. I think it is a boast of shame. It is a shame this Congress doesnt understand its obligation to these workers who are in such desperate need. These are people who are trying to hold their family together. Again we ask them to take care of their children to keep them safe. to provide for the care for these children. Do you know how difficult it is to put a family together on $10.000 a year? At a time. as
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. one of my favorite scriptures is. "Let the work I have done speak for me." Mr. Speaker. what a difference a week makes. Last week seven House Republicans joined Democrats in supporting an increase in the minimum wage. Yesterday. when the measure came up in another appropriation bill. they certainly changed their minds and joined the rest of the Republicans in ignoring the needs of 7 inillion hardworking minimumwage workers. which begs the question: What exactly happened over the last 7 days to make those seven Republicans change their minds? They certainly didnt spend any time with minimumwage workers. otherwise. theywould have heard how the workers can barely make ends meet. considering that those who work have to work an entire 8hour shift just to fill up their gas tank. if they are lucky enough to have a car. In the wealthiest country in the world. this is not acceptable. Mr. Speaker. House Democrats want to expand economic opportunities for 7 million Americans. Let the work we do make a difference for the working men and women in this country.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. over the past 5 years. average. hardworking Americans have been ignored by the Republicans in Washington. While House Republicans have been showering their corporate interest friends with tons of tax breaks. they have refused for 9 years. for 9 years. to bring to the floor a vote to increase the minimum wage. It is time that this Congress gave 7 million people across the United Statds a raise. Last week the Democrats were successful in adding a minimum wage to the labor appropriation bill. and it was supposed to be on the floor this week. but the House leadership refuses to bring it up. They want to bring it up after the elections. Why would that be? They are afraid if they vote against it. which they need to vote against the minimum wage. the rest of you Americans wont vote for them. So they are going to wait until after the election. The American people should know that House Democrats are not running away from this issue. In fact. increasing the minimum wage is one of our top priorities.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. we have two speakers. and I am glad to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York . a colleague from the same class of mine.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. .Speaker. again. I know I do not have the right to close. but I jfist encourage passage of this bill and recognize the 100 years. not that it is perfect. but we are still working on it. particularly in our committee. and encourage passage of the resolution. Mr. Speaker. I yield back my time.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield 3 minutes to our colleague on the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Congressman ENGEL of New York.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California . our colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield 3 minutes to another member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. a good member. Congresswoman SCHAKOWSKY.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself the balance of the time. Mr. Speaker. I would like to close by thanking both our chairman and ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. BARTON and Mr. DINGELL. as well as the chair and ranking member of our health subcommittee. Chairman DEAL and Ranking Member Mr. BROWN. who we just heard from. the committee staff and their hard work on the bill. There are many of us on the committee with strongly held views about health centers. Some want higher authorization levels. while others sought certain changes in the statute. In the end we came together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that our differences didnt overshadow our shared support for this important program. And that it has made a tremendous difference in many lives of our constituents. The bill before us today is truly an example of compromise within our committee. and I would like to thank my colleagues for putting together the good of the health center program above all else when it comes to this bill.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. on a lighter note. it has been said that there is no "I" in "teamwork." Indeed. a successful team beats with one heart. So. I rise today to congratulate the entire Miami Heat organization. Micky Arison. head coach Pat Riley. the Heat players and the entire Miami community for beating with one heart and winning the 2006 National Basketball Association championship. The Heat became only the third team in NBA history to win the final series after being down two to nothing. For four games in a row. they were too hot to handle. I know that I speak for Heat fans throughout south Florida and across the country when I say that the Heat could not have made us more proud last night. The entire Heat organization overcame a great deal of individual and collective adversity throughout the season. Yet despite doubters. they proved to have the hearts of champions. The Heat victory was a true tapestry. comprised of the youthful talent of Finals Most Valuable Player Dwayne Wade and the veteran leadership of Alonzo Mourning. Shaquille ONeal and Gary Payton. This team truly is 15 strong. Congratulations to the Heat fans in south Florida. who have patiently waited 18 years for a championship parade on Biscayne Boulevard. There are no fans more deserving. a
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. My good friend Mr. MEEK really illustrates the point that we have been trying to drive home for all the time that I have been here now. and for several years before my arrival with the beginnings of the 30something Working Group. and that is that with the illustration that you just had up there. that literally we have racked up as much debt under this President than all the Presidents combined. all 42 before this President. That really is illustrative of the point we have been making. that America is truly going in the wrong direction. and that in order to right the ship. to start us on the path that Americans want us to be going down. we need to make sure that we elect Democrats in the fall that will no longer support the rubberstamping that goes on in this institution on the other side of the aisle.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. my question is for the congressman. I have a question. I was in my office and I got a notice across my desk that perhaps tomorrow we may be debating the estate tax for millionaires. And my question is that we cant get the minimum wage up that affects close to 7 million -Americans that are working every day that cant make ends meet. but yet we are talking about an estate tax that is going to only affect about 6.700. the top 1 percent in the entire country. But my question is how are we going to pay for it? We are in a war that we are paying $450 billion for. and we are spending about $600 billion a month. So how are we going to pay for this?
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Congressman. how long have you been here in Congress? Over what. 30 years? How long have you been a Member of Congress?
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: . Florida

Twentythree years. And in that time period I know you have seen always checks and balances. whether it is the House. the Senate. or the administration. The problem that we are experiencing now is that we have every branch of government controlled by Republicans. whether it is the House. the Senate. or thle administration. And so therefore there is no restraint. That is why 77 percent of the American people say that Congress is out of step with them.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

I want to thank the leadership that we have here that come and discuss these issues. And it seems that the major problem that we have in this country is that we do not have any checks or balances. The House. the Senate. and the administration are all controlled by Republicans. So if you dont have any checks and balances. we will have zero balance in the bank account.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to join you all this evening. Rubber Stamp Republicans: There is a very good reason why 77 percent of the American public does not believe that the United States Congress represents their interests. Instead of debating a fair minimum wage bill. tomorrow we will be debating the Repeal of the Estate Tax for millionaires! Instead of dealing with high gas prices. Republicans want to talk about gay marriage. Instead of providing the services that the veterans need when they retum from Iraq. the Republicans want to talk about flag burning. Just last week. seven House Republicans joined Democrats in supporting an increase in the minimum wage. but yesterday. when the measure came up in the CJS appropriations bill. they suddenly changed their minds. joining the rest of the Republicans in ignoring the needs of seven million hard working minimum wage workers. So while ignoring the needs of hardworking lowincome workers. House Republicans once again will vote to reward those who least need help! Just as they rewarded Halliburton. they continue to award big oil companies huge tax breaks at the expense of hard working Americans paying over $3 per gallon! The White House is collecting our phone records and tapping our phones. yet has no interest in investigating the abuse and fraud by Halliburton in Iraq. It is high time our country needs a change in direction! We need new energy policies. Iraq policy. higher education policy. health care policy. transportation. national security. and the list goes on and on and on! And this needs to be done in a fiscally sound way. not in a way that puts our children into more debt than theyre piled in already.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you so much. Mr. SPRATT and Ms. BROWN. We are so glad to have you here with the 30Something Working Group.
Date: 2006-06-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

We will adopt you as a member. And we would like to remind the Members. Mr. Speaker. that all of the charts and documents that we have talked about tonight are on our Web site. housedemocrats.gov/30something.
Date: 2006-06-22
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I thank the ranking member. and with what is going on here today. I know soon that you will be Chair. because this is really a very sad day in the House of Representatives. the peoples House. Once again. we are doing like what has happened in this House over and over again. practicing what I call reverse Robin Hood. When I was coming up. my favorite program was Robin Hood. Well. what this House. under the Republican - leadership. constantly practices is reverse Robin Hood. What does that mean? Well. it means robbing from the poor and working people to give tax breaks to the rich. Today. instead of debating a fair minimumwage bill. we are debating a near repeal of the estate tax bill for millionaires. This is a bill that benefits only 6 to 7.000 very. very wealthy people. This does not help the poor or the majority of working Americans at all. This reverse Robin Hood policy which gives tax breaks to the very wealthy robs from the rest of us and leaves us with very little money to provide services like educational loans. health care. homeland security. transportation. our Nations veterans. our seniors. our children. the poor. This is the reason why 77 percent of the American public does not believe that the United States Congress represents their interests. And this reverse Robin Hood bill is a perfect example of why. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote "no" on the rule and send this horrible bill back to the drawing board.
Date: 2006-06-22
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is fitting that we are talking about the line item veto when we are doing the estate tax. President Clinton left you guys an estate of $5 trillion. and like irresponsible relatives. you went off and blew it. And now you are saying to the country. like so often serial killers leave notes for the police. as the Son of Sam did. saying. "Help me before I kill again." you are saying. "Help me before I spend again." You control all the mechanisms of spending. You control the House. You control the Senate. You control the Presidency. And you need help before you spend again. What is this. Comedy Central? What is it you are doing here? "Help me. I cant stop spending. Give me a line item veto. and maybe the President will veto 1 million here or 10 million there or 5 million there." We have an $8 trillion debt. You inherited a $5 trillion surplus. The money you are going to give to the richest families later today in this country. the richest 7.000 families. you are going to borrow from Social Security.
Date: 2006-06-22
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to this legislation. which has been billed as a compromise proposal to legislation this chamber has passed to permanently repeal the estate tax. Instead of offering true compromise. this legislation simply muddies the water and would deal a devastating blow to our national debt. Make no mistake about it. I do not want to see the children of family farmers or small business owners have to pay dearly for the success of their hardworking parents. Democrats and Republicans alike want American families to be able to preserve their legacies and pass down their farms and small businesses to their heirs. A true compromise would balance the goal of protecting these estates andkeeping our countrys fiscal house in order. This bill is no such compromise. This bill would exempt the first $10 million of a couples estate from the estate taxan increase from the current $4 million exemption. For estates valued below $25 million. the bill would impose the capital gains ratecurrently 15 percentand would tax values above $25 million at double the capital gains rate. Americans should not be fooled by the complexity of this tax structure. because the result is still the same. This bill is a benefit to the wealthiest Americans nd will give estates valued at more than $20 million a $5.6 million tax cut. on average. Unfortunately. tax cuts are not free. And this legislation would have all American taxpayers pay the $762 billion tenyear pricetag that will result from lost revenue and interest on our national debt. Estate tax reform is not a new issue for Congress. For years now. Ive supported a sensible compromise that would protect families who have put their blood. sweat and tears into their businesses. Specifically. this proposal would exempt the first $7 million of a couples estatean exemption level that would shield 99.7 percent of all Americans from the estate tax. Faced with a federal budget swimming in a sea of red ink. we should be making the fiscal compromises necessary to shore up Medicare and Social Security and ensure the continued solvency of federal programs that the most vulnerable Americans depend on for their own shot at the American Dream. Americans shouldnt fall for our majoritys latest attempt to give millions to the Americans least in need. while leaving those most in need high and dry.