macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1991-07-23
Speaker: RITA ROSE (democrat)
Chamber: S

1100 Central Trust Tower. Cincinnati. OH DEAR RITA: Enclosed is a copy of my correspondence with Matthew Trask. who was South Dakotas contestant in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee competition on May 29th. He failed to accurately spell the word "mesoseismal" in the third round. Matt was naturally disappointed. however. he was also very curious about the meaning of the word. We researched the word and could not find it in several dictionaries. It was also very difficultto find a precise definition of the word. I am somewhat surprised about the Spelling Bees selection of words that cannot be found in standard large dictionaries and other sources. I would appreciate any clarification you might be able to provide for me on the Spelling Bees word selection procedures. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely.
Date: 1991-07-24
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I associate myself with all of the mention that is going to be made today about the $50 million and getting the research for cancer. Also. I would like to advise my colleagues that the Chaplain. guest chaplain. today did a lot of yeoman work in helping farmworkers during the disaster in California. and we still have a disaster throughout the Nation. I would like to inform my colleagues that yesterday we considered a bill on suspension trying to give some assistance. The vote will be today after the business is concluded. and I would hope that the Members would help us in the Committee on Agriculture and help all those who are in need. It is only the authorization. regretfully. The money is yet to come down the line. but I would urge your support of this legislation when it comes later this afternoon.
Date: 1991-07-30
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I would like to take a moment to share with my colleagues my thoughts as to how important I feel it is to make a commitment to provide the support necessary to adequately research the health problems which are of primary concern to the women of this country. Breast and ovarian cancers are what I am specifically talking about today. We have all heard the statisticsthat some 44.000 American women die each year from breast cancer. that some 12.000 American women die each year from ovarian cancer. These numbers are unacceptable because to me one death is one too many. That is why I do not feel the question is whether or not we can afford to conduct better research and to provide better health care. Research is an investment in health and inaction is not an option. We must start today. We must ensure that women receive adequate health care. It is something to which we must be wholeheartedly and zealously committed. I am. and I know that. by supporting research. we can save lives.
Date: 1991-07-30
Speaker: DP LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill entitled. "Food. Agriculture. Conservation. and Trade Act Amendments of 1991." as amended-
Date: 1991-07-30
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill Just considered. H.R.
Date: 1991-07-30
Speaker: BARBARA BRYANT (democrat)
Chamber: S

Director. Bureau of the Census. Suitlan. MD. DEAR DR. BRYANT. As you know. The United States Conference of Mayors. representing Mayors of American cities with populatlon exceeding 30.000. have long advocated a statistical correction of the 1990 census. We believe that recent evidence of an historically high undercount necessitates that the most accurate count possible be made of the populations of American cities. We strongly disagree with Secretary Mosbachers decision not to readjust the 1990 census. Without a readjustment. American cities are adversely Impacted into the next century. Current budgetary constraints and the prospect for continued budgetary austerity on the part of the federal government combined with the reduction in federal dollars to American cities during the decade of the 1980s. have placed enormous hardships on our cities. While federal funds decline. urban needs increase and. as this census shows. cities are losing substantial revenues due to the flight of taxpaying citizens to the suburbs. Thus. a statistical correction becomes the best way to ensure fair federal funding and political representation. On behalf of the nations cities. we thank you for your position that a census readjustment can. and should be made. Your position adds to our determination to continue to seek a readjustment to the 1990 census. Once again. we thank you for your professionalism and look forward to working with you as we prepare for the Year 2000 census. Sincerely. RAYMOND L. FLY"ng. President. Mayor of Boston.
Date: 1991-08-02
Speaker: M ITCHELL (democrat)
Chamber: S

Am I correct Mr. President. in my understanding then that the Senate has now completed action on the emergency unemployment compensation bill?
Date: 1991-09-17
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture may have until 5 p.m.. Friday. September 20. 1991. to file the reports on H.R. 3298. entitled the "Farm Credit Banks and Associations Safety and Soundness Act of 1991." and H.R. 3300. entitled the "Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Safety and Soundness Improvement Act of 1991."
Date: 1991-09-17
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker I ask unanimous consent that the bill. H.R. 1182. a bill to authorize and direct the exchange of lands in Colorado. originally referred to the Committee on Agriculture be rereferred to the Committees on Agriculture and Interior and Insular Affairs.
Date: 1991-09-26
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. last week. two insular areas associated with the- United StatesMicronesia and the Marshall Islandswere admitted as members of the United Nations. This international recognition is a milestone in their political development which should be a source of pride to us as well as to them. After taking them during World War II. the United States became fully responsible for these Pacific islands under a trusteeship agreement with the U.N. Security Council. The goal was to develop the islands into a selfgoverning status. Micronesia and the Marshall Islands became selfgoverning in all matters that do not affect international security under a law enacted in 1986. If approved and modified a compact of free association and sought to fulfill lingering trusteeship obligations. The Security Council acted on the termination of the trusteeship for them last December. The new relationship is unique for our Nation. It secures important military rights for the United States and it requires us to provide substantial assistance. including some domestic programs. and special access. I intend for the Insular and International Affairs Subcommittee. which I am privileged to chair. to continue to work to make the relationship mutually beneficial and live up to the promises of the Compact Act and related laws. I also congratulate the peoples of Micronesia and the Marshall Islandsespecially. Presidents Bailey Olter and Amata Kabua and Ambassadors Jesse Marehalau and Wilfred Kendall. respectivelyon their islands achievements as sovereign states.
Date: 1991-09-26
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for that recognition. and I rise today to join my colleagues. the gentleman from North Carolina. in enthusiastic support for H.R. 1426. a bill to provide recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of Cheraw Indians of North Carolina. Our colleague. the gentleman from North Carolina has worked long and hard on this legislation. and I am pleased to be one of the bills cosponsors. I was pleased to vote to have this bill reported out of the Interior Committee. We have heard some very eloquent arguments against this bill on the other side. but the fact is that the Lumbee Indians have been recognized by the State of North Carolina since And they have been seeking Federal recognition not since last year or last month. but since 1888. They have been seeking this recognition longer than any of us in this body have been alive. I would urge that my colleagues resist any amendment to this legislation and pass this legislation as it is presented to the House today. I want to take a moment to commend the chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee for the strong leadership he has displayed on this issue. and for the manner in which he has handled this bill. making it possible for this matter to come before the entire body. I ask the Members to support the bill. H.R. 1426.
Date: 1991-10-02
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speakers table the bill to amend the Commodity Exchange Act to improve the regulation of futures and options traded under rules and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. to establish registration standards for all exchange floor traders. to restrict practices which may lead to the abuse of outside customers of the marketplace. to reinforce development of exchange audit trails to better enable the detection and prevention of such practices. to establish higher standards for service on governing boards and disciplinary committees of selfregulatory organizations. to enhance the international regulation of futures trading. to regularize the process of authorizing appropriations for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. and for other purposes. with a Senate amendment thereto. disagree to the Senate amendment. and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.
Date: 1991-10-08
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2698. a bill making appropriations for Agriculture. Rural Development. and related agencies for fiscal year 1992. This legislation will provide more than $52 billion for these programs that axe so Important to assure that Americans continue to have access to an abundant. high quality. safe supply of food at reasonable prices. The environmental programs funded in the bill will protect the Nations soil and water resources. I am particularly pleased that the conference agreement provides $40.4 million to fund the Wetlands Reserve Program. although I believe that the benefits of the program should be extended to eligible participants regardless of where they live. as is required by law. Attempts to limit the program to pilot projects in a limited number of States are contrary to law and would limit the soil and water conservation benefits that the program might otherwise provide. I am also pleased that the conference agreement provides $6.75 million for the Water Quality Incentives Program established in the 1990 farm bill. Finally. I am pleased that the other body did not include language in the bill. nor was language included in the conference agreement. that would interfere with the establishment within the Department of Agriculture of the Rural Development Administration [RDA]. as required by sections 2301 through 2303 of the Food. Agriculture. Conservation. and Trade Act of 1990. Language in section 738 of HA. 2698. as originally reported by the Committee on Appropriations. that would have prohibited the use of funds for the establishment of the RDA was stricken by the full House of Representatives. The intent of Congress in this regard remains clearthe Department of Agriculture should move ahead to establish the RDA. as they are required to do by law. I also commend the committee for their work on WIC. This is a good program. This is a program that I would like to see my tax dollars go to. Also I commend the chairman and distinguished Members for their efforts to do something with the disaster relief. Unfortunately. it did not come to pass but It was not through any lack of effort from the distinguished chairman and members of this committee. Finally. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to support the conference report.
Date: 1991-10-21
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 3576. introduced by the distinguished chairman of the House Committee on Banking. Finance. and Urban Affairs. HENRY GONZALEZ. and which I have cosponsored. as well as my distinguished colleague BOB TRAXLER of Michigan. I thank the distinguished chairman for introducing this bill and bringing it to the floor for action today. This bill corrects an oversight in the CranstonGonzalez Affordable Housing Act of 1990. which omitted the U.S. territories from participation in the HOME Program. I would point out that the needs which project HOME is designed to meet very much exist in the territories and in my own district. the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lack of adequate and affordable housing is the No. 1 social problem in the Virgin Islands. There is a severe housing shortage and many of the existing units are substandard and severely overcrowded. Project HOME will help us to solve this problem. Again. I thank the distinguished chairman for taking the necessary steps to correct this oversight so that the U.S. territories can participate in this new HUD program as they do with virtually every other HUD program.
Date: 1991-10-23
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise to engage the distinguished chairman in a colloquy. Mr. Chairman. section 140 of H.R. 2950 authorizes highpriority corridor projects on the National Highway System. One of the corridors identified in this section is located in a corridor partly in my district along U.S. Route 59. Another corridor located in the State of Texas that deserves consideration as a high priority corridor is U.S. Route 281 from San Antonio to Brownsville. TX. Is it your understanding that the U.S. 281 corridor from San Antonio to Brownsville. TX. is a corridor that is worthy of further consideration as a highpriority corridor project.
Date: 1991-10-24
Speaker: OE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. this conference agreement is a good compromise on issues concerning the seven insular areas which receive assistance through the Interior Department. It preserves the House bills most important elements. As chairman of the authorizing subcommittee. I want to commend the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee. our distinguished colleague SIDNEY YATES. for these successes in the conference and urge the .House to agree to these provisions. I also want to note the cooperation of the ranking minority member. RALPH REGULA. and the work of Kathy Johnson of the staff.
Date: 1991-10-31
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. H.R. 6 was sequentially referred to the Committee on Agriculture for consideration of matters within our Jurisdiction under rule X. As far as it is relevant to this bIll. the committees jurisdiction is over extensions of agricultural credit. rural economic development. and agriculture generally. Mr. Speaker. it became clear very early -that this bill. as reported by the Banking Committee. held ominous consequences for rural America. We recognize that the Banking Committee has the greatest expertise over the general aspects of banking policy. But the House has specifically and deliberately charged the Committee on Agriculture with jurisdiction over agricultural credit and over rural developmeritand we take our responsibility seriously. Mr. Speaker. many of my colleagues will oppose H.R. 6 on Its merits because they believe that it is not good bank regulatory policy. In the Committee on Agriculture. we recognized and documented the great concerns that many experts on rural developmerit had regarding the failure of the bill to reflect the interrelationship between banking policy and the particular needs and structure of the rural economy. Mr. Speaker. I have the greatest respect for the members of the Committee on Rules and for its chairman and I am grateful for the fact that they acted to help resolve some of the technical concerns in the Banking Committees bill that were in our jurisdiction. I will oppose the bill H.R. 6 for many reasons. but also because two amendments adopted by the Committee on Agriculture intended to mitigate what we believe are glaring problems with the bill were not made in order. Mr. Speaker. I am saddened that the Rules Committeein recommending this rulehas completely ignored the expertise of the Committee on Agriculture in the area of rural economic development. One amendment in particular represents a modest step to ensure that the new powers granted by the bill to allow big banks to open interstate branches dont suck capital out of rural economies. The Agriculture Committees amendment modifies regulatory review of interstate branch provisions of the Banking Committees bill to require that regulators scrutinize the community lending activities of an interstate branch upon a finding that local deposits are not being loaned locally. The other amendment of the Committee on Agriculture not made in order relates to the clarification of passthrough of deposit insurance for funds of futures market customers. Mr. Speaker. our committee has jurisdiction over the regulation of futures markets and adopted our amendment out of concern that the Banking Committees provisions could have unlntended consequences on futures markets. Yet the Rules Committee has prevented the House from even clarifying this matter. Mr. Speaker. I am very concerned that the Rules Committee has not even allowed the House the opportunity to consider our modest amendments. Something is wrong here. The banking bill Is obviously being considered in some kind of vacuum and the concerns. interests. and needs for rural America are specifically being laid aside.
Date: 1991-10-31
Speaker: HOWARD WEAVER (democrat)
Chamber: S

Editor. Anchorage Daily News. Anchorage. AK. DEAR MR. WEAVER: Your paper has recently run articles regarding the FY 92 budget and timber sale preparation levels for the Tongass National Forest. Its apparent that there Is a misunderstanding of the relationship of sale preparation to actual timber harvest. Sale preparation is a lengthy process. normally three years or more depending on the complexity of the sales. appeals. and litigation. Tax dollars allocated in the FY 92 budget will be invested in sales that will not be harvested until future fiscal years. Only very rarely is it possible to prepare a sale that can be ready for harvest in the same year. Much has been made of the 450 million board feet per year. Some allege that to have a sale prep level of that quantity is failure to observe the recently enacted Tongass Timber Reform Act (TTRA). That simply is not true! Congress recognized that this was a decadal quantity which they stated in ANILCA as 4.5 billion board feet per decade. In any given year more or less than 450 million board feet could be offered so long as the total harvest for the decade did not exceed 4.5 billion board feet. The amount of timber harvested during the decade is the controlling factor. not the amount of timber prepared for sale in any particular year. Under the current Tongass plan. 4.5 billion board feet per decade was determined to be sustainable in perpetuity from the 10% of the Tongass that is available for timber harvest. TTRA further reduced the amount of land available for timber harvest and prescribed other measures so that the amount of harvest that can be sustained is less than the 4.5 billion board feet per decade. The precise level is being determined. The best management of the timber sale process is possible when there is enough timber prepared in advance so that sales offerings in any particular year can be adjusted to reflect the current situation. Indeed. to fulfill Congressional direction in TTRA to seek to meet market demand requires that enough timber sales be prepared in advance to provide this flexibility. Two to three times the average annual harvest is desirable. Currently. less than one year average annual harvest is available. Finally. Contrary to your reports. the timber program on the Tongass is a moneymaker for the American public. Its true that during the downturn of the timber markets in the middle 1980s. which has been described by some as the worst in 50 years. expenditures for timber sales exceed receipts. In FY 90. the timber program returned $2 for every $1 spent. The returns would have been even greater if purchasers of timber from the National Forests in Alaska were allowed to sell logs for processng elsewhere rather than being required to process them in Alaska to provide jobs for Alaskans. Sincerely.
Date: 1991-11-05
Speaker: JAMIE WHITTEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Mississippi

on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his service to the Nation in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a neighbor to Chairman WHrrTEN.. I hear voices from across the river explaining that the people of Mississippi have continued to reelect Mr. WHITTEN because he is responsive to their needs and fully shares their dreams and aspirations for the State of Mississippi. I might also add that his service here is a testament to the political wisdom of the people of Mississippi. They know and understand that through seniority the voices of a poor. small State can be heard in Washington and. that through the continuing service of their representatives in Washington. that that small State can effectively compete with the power and wealth of the large populous States of our Nation. As a colleague in the House of Representatives and a Member of this body. I want to thank Mr. WHITTEN for his service to our Nation. He has contributed more to the future and wellbeing of the Nations farmers. as well as residents of small towns and rural areas. than any other Member of the House of Representatives.
Date: 1991-11-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. as we gather today to pay tribute to the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on the occasion of his golden jubilee. I would like to take this opportunity to join with my fellow colleagues in saying congratulations to JAMIE WHITTEN. There is no question this is quite an accomplishment and that yours is a record of which to be extremely proud. For five decades you have served in this body with distinction and pride. You have always been a legislator of integrity and style. Your work on fiscal and economic issues has been crucial to our Nation. Your service has been incomparable. You deserve the respect and admiration of all of us for the outstanding job you have done and the contributions you have made to this body. It has always been a privilege to serve alongside you. and I have to say that in my mind there is no question that youve certainly set the standard in terms of dedication to high performance for the rest of us to strive to follow. On this occasion let me say you are indeed one of the great Congressmen of your generation and one of the great Americans of all times. I salute you and wish you all the best in Committee. the longest serving subcommittee the future. chairman in history. JAMIE has truly earned his
Date: 1991-11-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill to enhance the financial safety and soundness of the banks and associations of the Farm Credit System. as amended.
Date: 1991-11-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma . the chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation. Credit and Rural Development of the Committee on Agriculture. who has done diligent work in finalizing this bill. Mr. Speaker. I might add this bill has the approval of not only the Treasury but the OMB also.
Date: 1991-11-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I just want to verify. I thank my distinguished colleague. the gentleman from Arizona for yielding. Mr. Speaker. the gentleman was reading a statement for the gentleman from Ohio .