macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1986-08-11
Speaker: MONEY CURVE FOR (democrat)
Chamber: S

CONGRESS Exponential growth is Washington. D.C.s middioe name. In two generations. the Federat Covernment has gone from woiryirg about millions to bilions to trillions. In five ycars. the national debt has doubled. Theres similarly steep growth evident in the money curie for Congress. Campaign contributions are flooding out of the PACs. the political action committees that have sprung up on behalf of every imaginable special interest. Does Congress care? A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator David Boren. Oklahoma Democrat. and cthers offers an opportanity to control that soaring curie. with a Senate vote possible as soon as tomorrow. Its proxisioos ae o reasonable and clear Ihat scnators of both parties should be erabarray..d to -.ick aid eager to vote yes. E~cvi -n a zlu.gish economy. political influeice Is a g.owth industry. Consider the curve line for the total number of PACs. In 1975. there were 600. Now there are 4.100. an amazing sray of interesta A supermarket. chain is represented by tile Piggly Wiggly Southern Good Governmeat Committee. A beer distributors group employs what is informally called the SixIAC. The Michigan blueberry growers have a PAC. So does the Ameritan Horse CotncilL. Conider the curve line for the amounts the PACs shovel into canpaigns. At this point in the 1978 campaign. they had given $11 million. As of J~me 30. the 198586 total was $65 million. Consider the weight of all those PAC dol.ars. In 1978. they comprised 12 percent of total campaign contributions. So far in this campaign. they account for 24 percent. At present. each PAC can give each member $5.000 for each primary and general election. Frequently there are overlaps. Several ?ACs interested in the same outcome can each give $5.000 to a candidate. Theres no limit to the total amount of PAC money any one candidate can collect. Senator Borens bill would reduce the amount of the individual PAC contribution from $5.000 to 83.000. And it would limit the total amount a member could receive from the PACs. House candidates could get only $100.000. The limit for Senate candidates would depend on state population. In view of the PAC*s muscle. these proposals seem modest. The only sure reform is to wean politiciazs from private campaign money completlywith public money. One day. Congress will recognize that need. just as the country has already accepted public funding -or Presidential campaigns. Meanwhile. the Boren bill would work impcrtant charge. Had it been in effect in 1985. calculales Common Cause. the public affairs lobby. PAC contributions to Senate candidates would have been cut in half. A halfempty swamp is healthier than one thats overflowing. The public will soon find out which senators want higher ground and which ones like the muck. slosh and smell.
Date: 1986-08-12
Speaker: MARTY LEVIN (democrat)
Chamber: S

Plainfield. Vermont. DEAR SENATOR LEAHY: You have my unequivocal support of your position. not only as to military aid. but also as to the socalled "humanitarian aid." If a filibuster can put a stop to such dangerous foolishness. more power to you. Under other circumstances. a filibuster might be regarded as an antidemocratic measure. but in this case it is the Administration which is ignoring the sentiments of the people and. therefore. such a measure can be justified. We are both old enough to have seen the United States take steps such as this. which one by one are acceptable to Congress. but serve in aggregate to embroil our country in the affairs of others to the great detriment of all. I cannot see that our intervention in Nicaragua will do anything to improve the lot of its people. but on the contrary will. if not stopped. bring ruin to them and obloquy to the United States. A review of recent United States positions in its external relations makes one wonder which nation is truly the outlaw In todays world. I am afraid that we are in very bad company. If there is anything more that I can do to support your position on this issue. please let me know. Sincerely.
Date: 1986-08-12
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 5013. the Fishing Vessel Safety and Liability Act. The dual problems of escalating insurance rates in the commercial fishing industry and safety aboard fishing vessels are of great concern to thousands of Americans who earn their living in the fishing industry. H.R. 5013 establishes a new system of liability and compensation for crewmembers of commercial fishing industry vessels who suffer an illness. disability or injury. or are killed during the course of their employment. The bill also requires commercial fishing industry vessels to comply with certain safety equipment and operating requirements. I believe this legislation will facilitate the availability and adequacy of affordable insurance for the payment of claims against the owner of the vessel or the employer of the seaman.
Date: 1986-08-13
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. as an original cosponsor I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 373. which calls on the President of the United States to urge the Government of South Africa to indicate its willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations with that countrys black majority. We. in the United States and the rest of the democratic world condemn the abhorrent system of apartheid. We maintain that it is evil. that we are opposed to it and that we will do what we can to bring about a peaceful demise of this system: But there can be no peaceful resolution until members of the South African minority government and representatives of the black majority can sit down at the negotiating table as equals. According to Malcolm Fraser. the former Prime Minister of Australia. who served as cochairman of the British Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group on Southern Africa. in the absence of peaceful negotiation. "the black South Africans will take irreversible decisions to fight for political participation and freedom. * * * they will go for more guns and violence. which will lead to a fullscale guerrilla contest." That is why it is imperative for this Government to use its considerable influence to avert the almost inevitable bloodbath. The Government of South Africa must be made to understand that no meaningful negotiations can tahe place until Nelson Mandela is free. until it recognizes the African National Congress [ANC] as a legitimate representative of the countrys black majority. and until it establishes a framework for talks with the ANC and other representative organizations. The time has come for the United States Government to insist that the South African Government show good faith toward resolving the growing conflict in that country by unconditionally freeing Nelson Mandela and meeting with the legitimate representatives of the people. If South Africa is to emerge from its internal conflicts. intact as a democratic country then its current leaders must begin to operate on basic democratic principles by allowing the legitimate representatives of the people to speak on their behalf. On June 18. 1986. this House passed a bill calling for strong economic sanctions against the South African Government. The administration says that it cannot live with the bill because it would cause more suffering for the black majority in South Africa and could hurt our economic interest. The administration continues to argue that we must remain in South Africa and use our influence to bring about peaceful changes. Well. today we call on the administration to prove to the American people whether constructive engagement can work and to begin by urging in the strongest possible way that the South African Government free Nelson Mandela and begin negotiations with the legitimate representatives of the South African people.
Date: 1986-08-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. and want to echo the words of our colleague from Oregon. and advise our Members that this may well be the last bill that our colleague from North Carolina manages on the floor. The bill will certainly be a tribute to him and to his service on our Agriculture Committee and here in the Congress. I am a little concerned that there has been mention made here about the movement of bills in another committee. I would like to clear the air and advise Members that within the scope of our jurisdiction we have done what we are able to do. This is a good first step. This bill expresses concern from the Agriculture Committee. from I the agriculture community. from those involved and who would benefit I from and profit from the National Forests and the great forest resources of our country. The bill brings in the Secretary of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture through the Forest Service. This is good legislation. We ask for your support. and we will support other Members with other legislation that takes the same thrust. But as a final tribute to our colleague from North Carolina. this bill should be something well worthwhile to be remembered. and serve as a credit to him and his service to our country during his years here.
Date: 1986-08-14
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. yesterday the President of Mexico visited with Members of this Chamber. led by our distinguished Speaker. We had a very constructive visit. I would like to mention to my colleagues and Members of the House that in my opinion at this time what we need to do with Mexico is to be patient. to be understanding. to offer a helping hand without any expectation of return. and not be demanding perfection that is even unachievable for US. I think as good friends and allies. we need to understand the situation. Even offering suggestions may be inopportune. We should help with what they have in their plans and should assist them in every way possible. Today. yesterday and the day before we have been discussing the security of this Nation. ballistic missiles. ABMs. SDI. The thing that we need first is a stable. secure. and free Mexico. before we go about protecting ourselves from others who may not be friendly to us.
Date: 1986-08-15
Speaker: RALPH M. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I call up the conference report on the Senate bill to repeal the Commercial and Apartment Conservation Service. and for. other purposes.
Date: 1986-08-15
Speaker: RALPH M. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as he may use to the chairman of the subcommittee. the gentleman from Massachusetts .
Date: 1986-08-15
Speaker: RALPH M. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the conferees believe that the kind of practices that the gentleman wishes to forbid by prohibiting unauthorized crosssubsidies would be covered under the legislation under unfair methods of competition and complaints filed alleging cross subsidization would be reviewable under the provisions of this act. Indeed. as the statement of managers in the conference report reflects. we believe that a. prohibition on unauthorized cross subsidization is encompassed by the prohibition on unfair. deceptive. or anticompetitive acts.
Date: 1986-09-10
Speaker: DAN MICA (democrat)
Chamber: H

and the gentlewoman from Maine. Ms. OLYMPIA SNOWE. chairman and ranking member. respectively of the Subcommittee on International Operations. The foreign affairs title of the omnibus bill authorizes an additional $48 million above current levels for our antinarcotics efforts overseas. All but $5 million of these funds. however. are authorized subject to an existing or expected Presidential budget request. the additional $5 million will go toward enhancing our drug education efforts overseas through the U.S. information agency and the agency for international development. The foreign affairs title also urges that our overseas narcotics control efforts. where possible. should emphasize regional solutions to the drug problem. especially in Latin America. By providing the wherewithal and training for the major drugproducing countries to address the problem themselves. we will lessen the necessity of committing United States personnelespecially the military. as in the current Bolivian operation. These efforts are in the producing countries Interest every bit as much as in our own. and we owe it to them to help them where we can. There are several management improvements we make in order to better administer our program. such as retaining title to all narcotics control aircraft we provide overseas. and we urge the executive branch to work more diligently to coordinate its efforts so as to use the visa application process to identify and track drug traffickers. We also instruct the Secretary of State to work hard to upgrade our existing extradition treaties with drug.producing countries to cover narcoticsrelated offenses. and urge the adoption of common boarding practices for vessels suspected of drugtrafficking on the high seas. All these provisions were developed by the Committee on Foreign Affairs building on its lengthy past involvement with U.S. international narcotics control efforts. As we are all aware. the problem is insidious. complex. and tough to combat. No one solution can be effective. crop substitution efforts cannot succeed without an equivalent commitment to enforcement. since farmers simply will not grow soybeans or corn in favor of lucrative. though illicit. narcotic drugs. What we are talking about is a very. very difficult effort to address a problem which touches all aspects of modern society. both in the United States and In the drugproducing countries. If we are to succeed. we must be diligent. creative. and dedicated to addressing all sides of the problem. This bill contains all of these elements and deserves our strong support. I would only add that I support the .amendments of the distinguished gentleman from Florida. my good friend.
Date: 1986-09-10
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I tion. the gentleman from California yield 1 minute to the gentleman from is recognized for 2 minMichigan a member of the utes. committee. There was no objection.
Date: 1986-09-10
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield 1 minute to conclude the Banking Committee section to a former educator and a lady who has a great interest in thisproblem. the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. OAKARI.
Date: 1986-09-11
Speaker: DANTE FASCELL (democrat)
Chamber: H

I would suggest that the reason that both of these amendments are effectively before us is because the Department of Defense has used that historical issue as an excuse. often. for not cooperating with private and civilian agencies. As a matter of fact. we need to use our resources to carry out this war against drugs. We ought to send a message to DOD here and now regarding our intent in that regard.
Date: 1986-09-16
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4838. to amend section 408 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to ensure fair treatment of airline employees in airline mergers and similar transactions. This bill. which I. along with a bipartisan group of 34 other members of the Committee on Public Works. cosponsored. is an essential step in keeping with the commitment we made to airline employees when the industry was deregulated. I would like to commend Mr. MINETA. chairman of the Aviation subcommittee for his leadership in this important area. and his commitment to keep the promise that we. as a Congress. had made to the employees of the airline industry. Back in 1978. when we deregulated the airline industry. it was clearly not our. intention that. airline employees should bear an unreasonable amount of the burden that was sure to follow that decision. That is why we included such labor protection provisions [LPP] as we deemed both necessary and fair to ensure that the burdens from deregulation would not unfairly fall on those who could least bear them. However. the administration has once again failed to follow congressional directives. We are therefore faced with no alternative but to pass legislation that would enforce these necessary protections for members of the airline industry. The imposition of labor protection provisions is not a new proposal. The practice was followed by the Civil Aeronautics Board prior to its sunset in 1984. but since then. the Department of Transportation has refused to impose labor protection provisions except in limited cases. However. the fact remains that with each new announcement of a proposed takeover or merger. the fate of airline employees become more tenuous. We are therefore being called upon to ensure that airline employees are granted the labor protection benefits they are rightly entitled to under the law. This bill is the only fair and equitable way to ensure that congressional intent will be followed by the Department of Transportation. Mr. Speaker. I urge the House to support this important legislation.
Date: 1986-09-16
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speakers table the bill to extend until October 13. 1986. the emergency acquisition and net worth guarantee provision of the GarnSt Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982. and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 1986-09-16
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Well. Mr. Speaker. absent this extension and pending the possible adoption of what is known as the regulators bill. this is necessary in the event that we have some banks that have to be merged or acquired under the emergency acquisition powers contained In GarnSt Germain. The emergency acquisition provisions are those that we have been operating under since the adoption of GarnSt Germain to allow the FDIC to work out acquisitions and mergers over State lines using the guidelines within those provisions. In. addition to that. there is also extensive provision of the net worth certificate provisions until we can get the FSLIC recapitalization as welL
Date: 1986-09-16
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Hopefully. Mr. Speaker. we will not be coming back to the House every 30 days. It is our hope. as the gentleman from Ohio began to say a few moments ago. the Banking Committee will be meeting next week. We intend to consider at that time legislation that would supersede this. By having this type of an abbreviated extension. it gives added motivation to act on the other legislation that would supersede.
Date: 1986-09-17
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such. time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. the bill we take up today represents a potential breakthrough and major improvements in the regulation of the pesticides under the Federal Insecticide. Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Let me say at the outset that this is a breakthrough. as I said. because we have not had a major overhaul in basically 5 years. I would like to. rather than to go through the details of the legislation which will be done by the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member of the subcommittee. let me Just extend my sincere appreciation and commendation to the many who have worked to get us to the point where we are today. the chairman of the subcommittee.
Date: 1986-09-17
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Iowa . the chairman of the subcommittee.
Date: 1986-09-18
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to join with my colleagues on the Public Works Committee and my good friends. Mr. NATCHER and Mr. MAZZOu. in paying tribute to GENE SNYOER. It has been a pleasure to have known and worked with GENE. and I am indebted to him for his support on extremely important projects for the U.S. Virgin Islands. in particular the St. Thomas Airport. I. too. share in the respect all of us have for this true Kentucky gentleman. for his skill as a legislator. and for his wit and wisdom in handling the issues. His brilliant wit. which he uses like a rapier to underscore his point and disarm his opposition. has made him one of the mostquoted Members of this body. Some of his best lines have never been published. and I personally will never forget the comment he made 2 years ago after a particularly interesting duel we had on the Virgin Island Jones Act exemption. I am going to miss you. GENE. especially your sense of timing. I dont know what I am going to use for campaign material now. We are all going to miss him. on both sides of the aisle. I salute him and wish him Godspeed and success in achieving those new goals he has set for himself.
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman. we think the gentleman makes a positive contribution to this legislation. and we would have no objection to his amendment on this side.
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. reserving the right to object. we have no objection to the amendment or to the unanimousconsent request made by the gentleman. Mr. Chairman. I withdraw my reservation of objection.
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Chairman. I have only one question to clarify the legislative intent. Is the thrust of the gentlemans amendment directed only at agricultural producers. at pesticide or chemical use in an agricultural endeavor?
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

So when the gentleman says in the text of his amendment not the agricultural producer. that means the initial use. because the beginning language is somewhat broad and does not clearly define. we are speaking of a use solely in an agricultural endeavor?
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I apologize for interrupting the gentleman but he has made such a good case and we think that he has a good and positive amendment which contributes and enHi 7260 September 19. 1986 COIN hances our legislation. we would have no objection to accepting the amendment on this side.
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill. H.R. 2482. the Clerk be authorized to make certain technical and clerical changes. including spelling. section numbers and crossreferences in error. and the Bedell technical amendments printed on page H7069 of the RECORD of September 17. 1986.
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2482. the bill Just passed.
Date: 1986-09-19
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture be permitted to have until midnight. September 20. 1986. to file its report on H.R. 5407.
Date: 1986-09-22
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill to amend the Grain Standards Act of 1916 to establish the policy of providing grain of high quality to both domestic and foreign buyers. to better define the purpose of Official United States Standards for Grain. and to provide for the closer regulation of dockage and foreign material In grain. as amended.
Date: 1986-09-22
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa . chairman of the subcommittee that did tremendous work on this legislation. . (Mr. BEDELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)