macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-02
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I will be asking for a "no" vote on the previous question so that we can amend the rule and allow the House to consider a change to the rules of the House to restore accountability and enforceability to the earmark rule. Under the current rule. so long as the chairman or the sponsor of a bill. joint resolution. conference report. or managers amendment includes either a list of earmarks contained in a bill or a report. or a statement that there are no earmarks. no point of order lies against the bill. This is the same as the rule in the last Congress. However. under the rule as it functioned under the Republican majority in the 109th Congress. even if the point of -order was not available on the bill. it was always available on the rule as a "question of consideration." Because the Democratic Rules Committee specifically exempts earmarks from the waiver of all points of order. they deprive Members of the ability to riaise the question of earmarks on the rule. This amendment will restore the accountability and enforceability of the earmark rule to where it was at the end of the 109th Congress to provide Members with an opportunity to bring the question of earmarks before the House for a vote. Last year the distinguished new Speaker said that if she were to become Speaker of the House. she would require all earmarks to be publicly disclosed and would "put it in writing." However. as we have seen. this Congress. the majority have not fulfilled their promise. Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment and extraneous materials immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
Date: 2008-04-02
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.
Date: 2008-04-02
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express to the House the fear and uncertainty felt by the American people. For over a month. America has been vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Not only has the majority refused to call a vote on bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. they will not even let us debate this very crucial matter. I have heard from hundreds of constituents regarding this matter. and they want the Senate bill. They are fearful and angry that Congress cannot accomplish one of its principal tasks. and that is protecting the security of this great Nation. Just recently. there were reports that the majority said we were too busy to add FISA to the schedule of bills. Is Congress too busy to protect the citizens of this country? We are too busy to monitor the activity of terrorists who have launched attacks on innocent civilians. and are likely to do it again? There are few things more important than protecting our Nation from terrorist activity.
Date: 2008-04-02
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. as Members of Congress. we are entrusted with the responsibility of keeping this Nations economy strong by enacting policies which keep U.S. companies competitive in the global marketplace. to also support job growth at home. and ensure that the Federal Government operates effectively and efficiently. Today. Mr. Speaker. the 9.000 U.S. companies who export industrial and consumer goods to our fourth largest trading partner in Latin America face tariffs of up to 35 percent in their exports while most Colombian products imported to the U.S. enter tariff free. tax free. On February 27. just 5 weeks ago. the House agreed unanimously to extend existing unilateral trade preferences to Colombia and other Andean countries. In May 2007. House leadership publicly committed to passing a full bilateral trade agreement with Colombia. thereby allowing equal access to U.S. businesses in Colombia. The Colombian government supports lowering these tariffs on U.S. goods. and many Members of Congress have shown time and time again that they support lowering barriers to" trade with free nations. Yet the answer so far has been total inaction by the leadership. Inaction on the part of this Congress has levied an unnecessary burden and an uncalled for tax upon American companies. including 8.000 small- and mediumsized businesses. many of which operate in southern Florida. Furthermore. it has been reported in the press that files recovered from a computer belonging to Raul Reyes. a leader within the terrorist rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces. FARC. link the terrorist organization to the Venezuelan leadership in Caracas. In light of this news. Mr. Speaker. recent threats also made by the reckless and irresponsible leader. Hugo Chavez. and the ongoing attacks by the FARC. the United States needs to be supportive of the Colombian government. which stands up to antidemocratic and antiAmerican forces in the region. It is time for the House leadership to follow through on their promises. Enactment of the U.S.-Colombia trade promotion agreement would show our strong support for this democracy while strengthening our own economy by creating greatest access for U.S. companies and creating more jobs in our communities here in the United States. It would be negligent. irresponsible and unthinkable for this House to not immediately pass a free trade agreement with our closest ally in an otherwise volatile region. Passage of this agreement will benefit businesses in our communities. create jobs for our constituents. and help strengthen our alliance with that democratically elected government and the people of Colombia. I call upon the House leadership to bring this agreement to the floor for a vote so we can show the world community that the United States stands with its allies.
Date: 2008-04-09
Speaker: BONO MACK (republican)
Chamber: H

I thank the ranking member for his generosity in yielding me this time. I rise today as a coChair of the NLCS Caucus and supporter of H.R. 2016. This system. which is managed by the executive branch. deserves the oversight of Congress that comes with the passage -of this legislation. One unit of the NLCS. the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. is within my congressional District. This monument is instructive to todays debate. The unit was created by Congress in 2000 and was the direct result of the desire to have the public get involved in the creation of a large Federal land designation. The result is an impressive example of Federal lands that are to this day managed in their own unique manner. The intention of this bill is to continue the management and specific uses that are allowed on Federal lands across the country. the same approach taken at this monument ever since the creation of the NLCS in 2000. With bipartisan backing and the endorsement of the administration. again. the endorsement of the administration. it is my hope that we can agree to move this bill forward. Again. I thank my ranking member very much for his generosity and his time.
Date: 2008-04-10
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. on November 1. the Nations employment verification system. EVerify. is going to expire. EVerify is a broken employment verification system that has helped grow the number of illegal immigrants in America to over 12 million. We have got to find new solutions. Our bill. H.R. 5515. the New Employment Verification Act or NEVA. would replace the current paperbased errorprone 19 process upon which Verify is based with an el6ctrc verification system. H.R. 5515 we use the existing new hire registry porting process already used by ove: percent of U.S. employers. This will create a national employm verification system for new hires th reliable and efficient. With EVerify scheduled to ex] this year. now is the time for the C gress to create a new way to move: ward that prevents- unauthorized ployment. I urge my colleagues to sponsor H.R. 5515.
Date: 2008-04-10
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. just the State I am honored to represent alone. Florida. exports are expected to jump by over $160 million. and 1.700 jobs are to be created in the first year alone if the agreement with Colombia is ratified. That is just the State that I am honored to represent alone. At this point. Mr. Speaker. I would like to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois .
Date: 2008-04-10
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

We have no further speakers. Mr. Speaker. and I appreciated the debate. Obviously. the legislation is of importance. the subject is of importance. We do need to preserve. protect that great treasure that our beaches are. but there are a number of issues that do need to be discussed that are not being discussed. Unfortunately. one issue that should not be discussed is going to be discussed today which is to single out and discriminate against Colombia. our best friend in this hemisphere." in a shocking way. ultimately an unfortunate way. We have no further speakers on this legislation. and I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-04-14
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I rise to voice my support for combat veterans from the Lone Star State. You have heard a lot of stories from TED POE. As a 29year Air Force veteran and Texas native. I think its great that Humble. Texas. will have a post office dedicated to those selfless men and women in the Armed Forces. and I commend my friend. TED POE. for spearheading this effort. You know. many war heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan call the Lone Star State home. He mentioned one of them. but as an example. you may know the name Marcus Luttrell. He was a Petty Officer First Class born in Huntsville. Texas. a former Navy SEAL. awarded the Navy Cross and wrote the New York Times bestselling book "Lone Survivor." The book details his remarkable story of surviving one of the wars deadliest battles for U.S. Special Forces. I had the honor of meeting him last week. and hes a remarkable individual. TED mentioned Monica Lin Brown. the 19yearold medic from Texas who became the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second woman since World War Ii to receive the Silver Star. the Nations third highest medal for valor. Army Specialist Monica Lin Brown saved the lives of fellow soldiers after a roadside bomb tore through a convoy of Humvees last spring in Afghanistan. After the explosion which wounded five soldiers in her unit. Brown ran through insurgent gunfire and used her body to shield wounded comrades as mortars fell less than 100 yards away. While today I have only mentioned Iraq and Afghanistan. I could go on for hours. as TED POE did. highlighting noticeable Texans who have gone above and beyond their service to this great Nation. I want to thank Mr. POE and Humble. Texas. for recognizing those men and women who proudly wear the uniform for the United States of America. They help keep America the land of the free and the home of the brave. I salute all of our veterans. God bless you and may God continue to bless our great Nation. I salute all of you in this Chamber for your support for our veterans.
Date: 2008-04-15
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to tell you something about my district. I go home every single weekend because I take the word "representative" very seriously. I go home and speak with people living and working in my district because they are the ones who -ent me to Washington to express their ideas and their concerns. Two common themes come up from the people in northeast Tennessee: hope and change. We hear a lot about those words today. They hope that sometime in the future they wont have to spend over $50 to fill up their pickup truck. They want change. a change that will take them from dependence on foreign oil to clean. safe. and available American energy. Energy is the foundation and lifeblood of the American economy creating the conditions to help us support goodpaying jobs here in the United States and allow our industrial base to compete with the rest of the world. We all know that the middleclass families are feeling significant pain at the punip. But the American family isnt the only place where the strain of spiking fuel prices can be felt. According to recent news reports. local schQols. law enforcement agencies. and other community services are paying the price for a record highfuel cost. Unfortunately. Democrats in the House. who are now in charge. have been consistent in offering socalled energy legislation that weakens our ability to compete with emerging titans such as China. India. and Russia. In the United States today. we are 63 percent dependent on foreign sources of energy. 63 percent. And that percentage is growing every year. Gasoline prices have increased more than $1 per gallon since the majority party. under Speaker PELOSI. took control of the House last year. increasing from a nationwide average of $2.33 per gallon on the first day of the 110th Congress to now $3.34 a gallon. When Speaker PELOSI took office and had a plan to fix the energy cost. oil was selling for $56 a barrel. Now. its selling for $113 a barrel. People are looking for hope and change. Figures from the Energy Information Administration indicate the U.S. reliance on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. commonly known as OPEC. grew from 50.9 percent of our total crude imports in 2006 to 57.6 percent in 2007. Not only has the majority party failed to end our reliance on Middle Eastern oil for our essential energy needs. theyve actually.helped grow our dependence to historic and dangerous levels. We need to make sure that were not dependent on our energy needs from people that hate us and hate our freedoms all because of their refusal to allow responsible energy production here at home. We cannot tax and regulate our way out of an energy crisis. The American people want an energy policy thats comprehensive and addresses our needs for wind. water. solar. safe nuclear. clean coal technology and. most importantly. the use of American oil. The American middle class deserves better. They deserve an energy policy that is dependent on American energy. not foreign energy.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (republican)
Chamber: S

ABC News. DEAR GEORGE: On April 10. 2008. I wrote to Senator John McCain. Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama seeking their positions on a prospective motion to discharge from the Senate Judiciary Committee the pending nominationsof Mr. Peter Keisler to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Judge Robert Conrad of North Carolina to the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. and Mr. Steve Matthews of South Carolina to the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. With this letter. I am enclosing copies of those letters. I suggest you may find this subject a matter for questioning Senator Clinton and Senator Obama during tomorrows debate in Philadelphia. Sincerely.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. American taxpayers ought not be footing the bill for sanctuary cities to serve as safe havens for illegal immigrants. especially hardened criminals. Sanctuary cities do not allow money or resources to be used to enforce Federal immigration laws. Police or other employeescannot inquire about immigration status. An example is San Francisco as a sanctuary city. I support the CLEAR Act authored by MARSHA BLACKBURN. The act would empower local law enforcement agencies in the fight against illegal immigration. Under her bill. sanctuary cities would lose Federal crime funding unless local governments rescind the policies that prohibit local law enforcement from working with the Department of Homeland Security. Illegal immigrants know they are safe from deportation. If these cities refuse to enforce the law. especially when it comes to criminals. it ought to cost them. This is a first step. and I urge the House to move forward with this legislation. Americans deserve our full support.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Madam Speaker. yesterday was a day commonly known as "Tax Day." a day that millions of Americans headed down to their local post office to send their hardearned money to the Federal Government. Its not to be confused with Tax Freedom Day.-which the Tax Freedom Foundation has defined the day on which the average American has finally earned enough to pay this years tax obligations to the Federal. State and local governments. which unfortunately will not arrive this year until next week. April 23. In recognition of those two important days on every taxpayers calendar. today I willbe asking my colleagues to vote "no" on the previous question to this rule. If the previous question is defeated. I will amend the rule to make it in order for the House to consider H.R. 2734. a bill offered by my friend the gentleman from Michigan . That legislation would repeal the sunset date of the 2001 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Rteconciliation Act and make the tax reductions enacted by that law permanent. Ill say it again. It means that we will make the tax cuts permanent to make certain that all American taxpayers will not have to pay an increase in taxes. So I will provide Members the opportunity to make those tax cuts permanent and to make certain that our Tax Code encourages economic growth and job creation. It also repeals the termination date for provisions of the 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. reducing income tax rates on dividends and capital gains. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax deduction for State and local sales taxes. which is particularly important in States such as Florida that Im honored to represent. It also includes a tax deduction for tuition and related expenses. the increased expensing allowance for small business assets and related provisions. and the tax credit for increasing research activities. In summary. Madam Speaker. what it will do is to maintain. in a time of economic uncertainty. the ability for the Nations economy to continue to create jobs and compete globally. On the other hand. if Members are for tax increases. if they want taxpayers to pay more in taxes. then they will simply vote with the majority. Finally. it expresses the sense of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Ways and Means that they should report legislation on or before the end of the year to simplify the Federal income tax system. Madam Speaker. I can think of no more fitting action for Congress during the week between Tax Day and Tax Freedom Day to provide this kind of certainty to the American taxpayer. By voting "no" on the previous question. Members will not be voting to kill or delay the underlying student loan legislation. They will simply be voting to provide tax relief to Americans. I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote "no" on the previous question on behalf of taxpayers who wish to continue economic growth. Madam Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. for over 20 years. creditor nations have been passingbilateral agreements to forgive debt in poor and developing countries. Since 1991. the United States has waived roughly $23.9 billion in debt. Now the House of Representatives is considering further debt relief for 23. possibly 24. nations under H.R. 2634. After two decades of making loans with taxpayer dollars to countries that clearly are unable to pay it- back. were asking Americans to do it again. The U.S. national deficit is $9.4 trillion. and were asking hardworking. taxpaying Americans. our children and grandchildren. to waive an additional $6.1 billion in loan assistance weve provided to developing countries. This is simply illogical. which is why I offered my amendment to this bill in Rules on Monday. The amendment would prohibit the waiving of any debt owed to the United States if the United States carries a federal deficit. Of course. the majority decided to shortchange the debate and to make my amendment not in order. I feel for these poor. developing couiitries. and their people. But we have some real crises- here in the United States with 223.000. homes in foreclosure in February. the unemployment rate at 4.8 percent. and more than 46.6 million Americans without health care insurance. I know my constituents can think of a million things to do with $6.1 billion in debt cancellation for foreign nations. With this type of logic. its no wonder Americans consider to question the mental stability of their Members of Congress. Until the United States is in the black and no longer has a federal deficit. I urge Members to protect American taxpayer dollars. I urge Members to vote against this restrictive rule and oppose this illconceived bill.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Madam Speaker. this motion to recommit is frankly very simple. All it basically says is that countries that have business relationships with Iran are not eligible to be considered under this debt relief program. Let me repeat that. This motion to recommit is frankly very. very simple. It just states the following. that countries that have a business relationship with Iran are not eligible to be considered under this debt relief program. . Now. the underlying bill in front of us today has a very noble goal. Madam Speaker. It is to work comprehensively to ensure that poor countries that have heavy international debt are able to relieve these. debts through certain responsible actions. But the question is. should we separate these goals. these noble goals. from our broader foreign policy interests? The Iranian regime. we all know. has a very active program to acquire weapons .of mass destruction. and therefore. it makes it one of the most dangerous regimes in the entire world. In addition. Madam Speaker. as we heard just recently. just last week from General Petraeus. we are increasingly concerned by the Iranian terrorist regimes efforts on behalf of terrorist elements in Iraq and elsewhere. The lives of our troops are at stake. and any country that assists Iran economically should not benefit from the bill in front of us today. Our country. obviously the United States. does not have diplomatic or financial ties to Iran. and I dont think its unreasonable to expect that countries that choose to participate in our debt relief program should shatter whatever economic ties they currently have with that terrorist regime. And if they dont have them now. if they dont have those ties now. they clearly should not develop them s long as they want or expect debt relief from us through this program. Lets send the right message today. Madam Speaker. Americans are very generous and responsible in regard to the treatment of countries that owe us great debt. But we are also extremely concerned with the very dangerous actors abroad. around this world. So thats why. Madam Speaker. I respectfully ask to pass this motion to recommit today and-.make sure that our friends abroad appreciate how seriously we take this matter. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Again. your bill. as you know. specifically deals with countries that owe the United States right now. Youre talking about a hypothetical. whether one country in the future.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. And I will try to see if I can make this answer understood. In the first place. obviously no country would benefit more from not having a nuclear Iran.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. If the gentleman will yield again. and I will try to answer it again. Your bill does not deal with Iraq. It does not affect Iraq. If you dont like the answer. thats one thing. but thats what the answer is.