macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-07-22
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Let me just reiterate. this came to my attention as chairman of the House Administration Committee when we received a letter from the Democratic side of the aisle as part of the transition team recommending that we discontinue this part of the greening initiative process. Greening the Capitol process. that is. this one did not work. It was a Democrat who told us we ought to get rid of it. So once I heard that. I also heard complaints from both Democratic and Republican Members of the House and their staffs that the recyclable utensils we had didnt workdidnt workand they asked for something that did work. And so we cancelled the program. This idea about Styrofoam being a real health hazard. Linda Birnbaum. who is the toxicologist who heads the government agency that declared styrene a likely cancer risk. said this: Let me put your mind at ease right away about Styrofoam. In finished products. certainly styrene is not an issue. The gentleman has said. and the other gentleman from Vermont said. that we ought to follow McDonalds. They no longer have this product. Well. yesterday my staff went out and got this product from McDonalds. which is Styrofoam. and got this product from McDonalds. which is Styrofoam. and got this product from McDonalds. which is Styrofoam. So I dont know where they get this information. Lastly. they should understand that polystyrene is approved as safe for use in food service by the FDA. Anything that contains food product that comes into contact with individuals must be approved by the FDA. This is approved by the FDA. Also. this week we are receiving bids back from our request for proposal on trying to get a waste energy recycling program to get rid of the waste that we have here on the Hill. This is to turn it into energy by way of heat energy and capture any of the offensive byproducts that may be produced. This is what we are doing. Look. you can have good science and you can have bad science. You can have smart science and you can have dumb science. You can have science or you can have no science. Now. Im not sure which of the latter categories this proposal falls into. but its not science. Science suggests that this is something that ought to be appropriate. There are any number of producers of polystyrene in Members districts around this country. There are 2.100 users of it. This amounts to billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. tens of thousands of jobs. 8.000 just in California alone. So once again. we are using bad science to scare people. And whats the impact? Its going to cost more money. I approved of this program because it saves a half a million dollars in a single yearhalf a million dollars. It will save energy. and we will have literally no residue when we move from waste to energy production. Its a win/win/win situation. By the way. members of our staffs have thanked me for doing this. They now have utensils that actually are usable.
Date: 2011-07-28
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. what is incredible. what is outrageous. what is unprecedented is the amount of debt that we are incurring on a daily basis and have been doing for some time. Those who are being held hostage are our children and our grandchildren and their futures. The question we have is whether or not we are going to reach a balanced approach. What do I say a balanced approach would be? A balanced approach is when we are once again creating jobs in this economy. What those on the other side have led us to believe is that the answer to our problems is to follow the European experience over the last 30 to 40 years. and that is to rely more on government. higher taxes. with the net result of a shrinking private economy and fewer jobs. What is unprecedented is that we are now in the longest period of continuous unemployment that weve seen since the Great Depression. What is unprecedented is that if you call this a recovery. it is the most jobless recovery in the history of modernday United States. What it is. is very much like what weve seen in Europe over the last 30 years. So the question before us is do we follow the European experience with greater reliance on government. greater balance. which translated means "taxes." when we know that not a single economist of any repute would tell us that the answer to our jobless situation is to tax those who create the jobs? Thats why this is such an important vote for us today. That is. we will show that the way to the future is the American way. the way weve done it in the past: reliance on the private sector. allowing the ingenuity. the creativity. the risktaking. the courage of the American people to bring us back to prosperity. Those on the other side. the gentlewoman from New York just suggested that the way to do that is through the expansion of government programs. Thats not the essence of how we create jobs. We are in an unprecedented period of time. that is true. Mr. Speaker. We must act in an unprecedented way. and that is to follow the Boehner plan.
Date: 2011-07-30
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. the reason we came here. this caucus is here. the new freshmen are here. is because the American people said. Enough. They said. Youre spending too much of our money. And thats what this conversation is about today. The President stood on the floor across the Rotunda a couple of years ago and said. Its a failure of leadership to raise the debt ceiling. Well. guess what? I came here never expecting to raise the debt ceiling. but Ive now compromised. Ive twice voted to raise the debt ceiling to cover spending from a failed stimulus. from a health care bill that ends Medicare as we know it. I voted twice for solutions. And thats compromise for me. When I ran for this seat. I told the people that I serve. Im not extreme. I am mad. Im mad that Washington. D.C.. thinks you are their piggy bank. Thats what this debate is about. We end it today.
Date: 2011-07-30
Speaker: MONIQUE JONES (republican)
Chamber: S

Raceland. LA. SENATOR LANDRIEU. I am writing with my concern regarding the debt ceiling issue. I am appalled at the current GOP tactics. their inability to compromise and their absolute refusal to put the good of the nation. the economy and the average middle class American before some rigid political ideology. Louisiana may be a red state. but the Tea party does not speak for all of us! Increasingly. I am frustrated and dismayed that there is no ability to grasp even common sense ideas debt reduction works by increasing revenue and cutting spending. for example or their apparent amnesia and the fact that it was previous administrations that put wars on the credit card! Why werent they shouting over fiscal responsibility back then? I have contacted my Congressman expressing my lack of support for Cap. Cut and Balance. I am equally not impressed with the Reid plan. I SUPPORT tax increases. closing corporate tax loopholes and . . . please ... please . . . can Hedge Fund Managers pay their fair share? Ill be frank. my husband and I are small business owners. registered Independents and completely middle class. Our income was decimated by the oil spill. and last year we paid a lot more taxes than GE did. Not fair! Please Senator. do what is right for the middle class. Get some revenues. Protect Medicare. I understand that we need to cut spending. but not on the backs of the middle class. How about letting the Bush tax cuts expire for starters? The President and the democrats have compromised. but the GOP reminds me of playground bully. Shaking down the other kids for their lunch money. I am appalled that they would rather run the country into the ground than compromise! This moderate Independent is angry. The President asked that we give you guys a shout out to let you know what we think. I support the Democrats. I will do so in upcoming elections as well. The GOP has proved themselves incapable of actual governance. Sincerely.
Date: 2011-08-01
Speaker: BONO MACK (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill to provide the Consumer Product Safety Commission with greater authority and discretion in enforcing the consumer product safety laws. and for other purposes.
Date: 2011-08-01
Speaker: BONO MACK (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material on the bill.
Date: 2011-08-01
Speaker: BONO MACK (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I also just want to echo the sentiments of both my colleagues who just spoke about the importance of this bill and thank them for their cooperation and the hard work that they put into this over the weekend. Again. I would like to thank the staffs of both the minority and the majority side. I have no further requests for time. and I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2011-09-15
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Last year. illegal immigrants bilked $4.2 billion from U.S. taxpayers due to a loophole with the refundable child tax credit. According to a new report. this rampant abuse has cost American taxpayers billions. Thats just wrong. Its time to close this loophole. Thats why Ive reintroduced the commonsense legislation. H.R. 1956. that stops the child tax credit sham. The bill requires tax filers to provide their Social Security number to receive that benefit. With the dire need to cut government spending. I hope this simple fix gets a serious look as a way to stamp out waste. fraud. and abuse. If you want to stop illegal immigrants from duping taxpayers for billions of dollars every year by fraudulently claiming this credit. call the White House at 2024561414. Tell them to pass this bill right now. Tell them that H.R. 1956 should be a top priority.
Date: 2011-09-21
Speaker: AUSTIN SCOTT (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to urge President Obama to take a strong stance against the Palestinian Authoritys efforts to seek unilateral recognition for statehood from the United Nations. Mr. Speaker. Israel is our ally. an ally that has proven. time and again. a devotion to freedom. democracy. peace. and economic stability. Indeed. Mr. Speaker. Israel is our greatest ally in the turbulent Middle East. and we need to support their efforts to resolve their issues with the Palestinians. The President must show that America is resolute in support of Israel and that he is determined that we find real solutions for peace in the Middle East. Mr. Speaker. solutions between Israel and the Palestinians will come through goodfaith negotiations and cooperation. Solutions and peace come through both sides sitting at the table with equal determination to reach an agreement. I hope that the President realizes all of this. and that he will show Americas support for Israel and be a strong voice for peace reached through negotiations and partnership. The President should make clear to the Palestinian Authority that the way to a bright and stable future for the Palestinian people will be through talking to Israel. not unilaterally seeking statehood through the U.N. I urge all of my colleagues in this House and the Members of the Senate to join me in this call.
Date: 2011-09-21
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Several years ago. my wife and I. accompanied by a number of other Members and their spouses. were privileged to be in the State of Israel at the time the Israeli Government made a very difficult decision to turn over Gaza to the Palestinian Authority. It was a very controversial decision. The question was: Would this gesture of goodwill be reciprocated by the other side? Unfortunately. of course. it was not. As in other gestures by the Israeli Government. the response has been: Give us more and we will not commit to the existence of Israel. but you have to commit to the existence of a Palestinian state. Let there be no mistake. It is a bipartisan support on the floor of the House for the State of Israel at this time of great need for them when they face all sorts of problems in the United Nations and elsewhere. Let us be clear. We will not be divided on this. Republicans. Democrats. conservatives. and liberals here in the House of Representatives and the United States Senate support Israel in their effort to remain free and to not be forced into positions that are totally unfair.
Date: 2011-10-04
Speaker: AUSTIN SCOTT (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. Americans are hurting. and theres nothing more important right now for every Member of Congress than fostering job growth for the American people. House Republicans have been focused on this since day one. We passed more than a dozen projobs bills that are currently awaiting a vote in the Senate. Additionally. we also passed a budget this year. something the Senate hasnt done in 888 days888 days. Mr. Speaker. America must lead the world out of this global recession. And I. for one. believe that if we can just get a couple of things right in Washington. well see our economy turn around and therefore the world economy turn around. In the House. we believe in helping small businesses. we believe in free trade. and we believe in shrinking bureaucracy. Measures supporting these causes have already passed the Housewith bipartisan support. I might add. Mr. Speakeronly to stall in the Democraticcontrolled Senate. Mr. Speaker. House Democrats and Republicans have found common ground on many measures to build more confidence for job creators. We invite the Senate to join our efforts. Mr. Speaker. Americans cant wait. Its time for the Senate to join the House in taking action to help restore our economy.
Date: 2011-10-06
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

The President wants Congress to pass his $447 billion jobs plan. It really ought to be called Son of Stimulus. yet more spending and higher taxes. as the Presidents jobs plan proposes. wont get our economy moving in the right direction. Its just the same act. different day. It is time for our taxandspenderinchief to stop pushing these failed policies and to start listening to the American people. With unemployment above 9 percent. we need to get Americans back to work by stopping outofcontrol spending. by reforming our Tax Code. and by putting an end to the senseless jobkilling regulations of this administration. Jobs are there. One example: Lets just drill for oil and gas. We simply cannot tax. spend. and borrow our way to prosperity.
Date: 2011-10-06
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Washington is recognized for 5 minutes.
Date: 2011-10-14
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the Prestonwood Pregnancy Center in Dallas. Texas. for being an outstanding and vital resource in its community. Our Nation was founded upon the belief that all men. regardless of status. are entitled to the most precious of rights: the right to life. The Prestonwood Center has worked to protect the lives of the unborn for the last 20 years. acting as a resource for more than 48.000 clients. many of whom have chosen life simply because they had someone to talk to who cared. The center provides guidance. education. and medical services to women and families in north Texas and maintains a highly trained and knowledgeable staff dedicated to protecting the sanctity of human life. I applaud the Prestonwood Centers commitment to life and to serving its community. God bless you. God bless America. I salute you.
Date: 2011-10-27
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. this week the President adopted a new campaign slogan. "We Cant Wait." in efforts to get his $447 billion jobs bill passed by Congress even after the Senate has rejected it already. two or three times. The President continues to promote his moreofthesame failed policies like higher taxes and increased spending. and we cant wait for the President to get behind policies that will help the American people. Families and small business across the country continue to struggle in this economy. and thats why Republicans have passed bill after bill to get our economy moving in the right direction. Today. the House will vote on repealing the IRS 3 percent withholding rule in order to reduce uncertainty for our businesses and allow job creators to do what they do best. create jobs. I urge the President and my colleagues in the Senate to follow our lead. get our economy moving forward. Americans want. need. and deserve no less.
Date: 2011-11-01
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. The gentleman who brought that case to the Supreme Court has a case pending in Federal Court right now on the issue of "In God We Trust." and there is a Federal action out of the District Court in Wisconsin right now attempting to get us to take out the words "In God We Trust" in the CVC. Those are still active lawsuits.
Date: 2011-11-03
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Messrs. CANSECO. BURTON of Indiana. LANDRY. Mrs. LUMMIS. and Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS changed their vote from "aye" to no." So the amendment was rejected. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. Stated for:
Date: 2011-11-03
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

With that point. were not saying lets erase or eviscerate environment protections. absolutely not. We want to protect our quality of life and pass it on to the next generation. Were simply asking. as with our Democratic colleagues. for some common sense to be used. Take into account. when youre going through the matrix of these environmental regulations. what the impact is on the economy. Its a very reasonable. very commonsense way to approach it.
Date: 2011-11-03
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Absolutely. And heres an important point. We as Republicans understand that the Federal Government has responsibilities and duties: security. our Nations infrastructure. There are certain things were responsible for. Were not against those things. We just think they need to be done in a smart and efficient fashion. When you look at the last time the stimulus. giant amounts of money were spent before this most recent round of stimulus spending under the Obama economy. the last time we got things out of it like the Hoover Dam. We got something for it. Out of the stimulus spending. which was sold primarily as a jobs bill because it was going to create transportation infrastructure. less than 7 percent of that $800 billion stimulus bill actually went to transportation and infrastructure. So its not that Republicans dont support making sure those things take place. Were here to require some accountability. Were not going to throw money at it and hope that that works. We recognize theres something broken here in Washington. We have now passed well over 15 bills to get jobs growing to fix that thing thats broken. And we just need some help from folks on the other side of the rotunda.
Date: 2011-11-03
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Absolutely. I think. for those controlling this time. its important to recognize. if you want more details about these jobs. the forgotten 15. jobs.gop.gov is a good place to go. If you want pick up the phone and call your Senators. theres the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act. theres the EPA regulation bill. and there are several more bills that the other side needs to hear from the folks from home on.
Date: 2011-11-04
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I. too. rise to honor. celebrate. and remember our courageous men and women in uniform whove served in the United States Armed Forces. Next Friday. our Nation as a whole will observe Veterans Day. a day which should serve as a reminder to every American that our Armed Forces. both past and present. are made up of individuals of great courage. character. and honor. As a 29year Air Force veteran and a former prisoner of war for nearly 7 years. I know firsthand that freedom is not free. We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have worn the uniform and their families. I urge all Americans to use this Veterans Day as an opportunity to personally thank a veteran. Its because of their sacrifices that we remain the land of the free and the home of the brave. I think an inscription on the wall at the POW camp when we left says it all: Freedom has a taste to those who fight and almost die that the protected will never know. I salute our veterans. God bless America.
Date: 2011-11-16
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I strongly support the Second Amendment. For that reason. I signed on to the amicus briefs in the Heller case and in the McDonald v. City of Chicago case. upholding the right to bear arms as an individual and constitutional right. I believe that. At the same time. as the former attorney general of California. I continue to have a deep and abiding commitment to preserving States rights in the manner that the Founders envisioned the notion of federalism. Under the 10th Amendment. it is obvious that the Constitution allocates what are known generally as police powers to the States to protect public safety and health. Thats why I object to some of our legislation to expand the Federal role in tort law and in marriage law. because its not just those things you necessarily agree with. but its tougher when its those things you may disagree with that are left to the States. Some people have talked about licenses here. You dont have a right to take your license to practice medicine or law to the next State. We have not required that. We allow States to do that. Here is the other thing. My State is one of the most liberal. We have too liberal a law with respect to concealed weapons. but the only way the liberal State legislature in California will respond to this is by following Illinois. because its the only way they can get a limit. as they see it. on these sorts of things. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Date: 2011-11-16
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. My suggestion is. those who are concerned about it in my State might have to worry about this because our legislature will now be tempted to get rid of all concealedweapons permits because. unfortunately. under this legislation. thats the only thing they can do to police the eligibility of those who get concealedweapons permits. So this does cut both ways. and at least I think we ought to understand that States rights is a legitimate argument here on this floor.