macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. it is time for Congress to admit what people with common sense all across America have known for years: mindless austerity just does not work. It doesnt grow the economy. it does not add jobs. and it doesnt unleash anything except misery. The sequester was a bad idea from the start. The country needs to embrace its cando spirit. and Congress has to stop saying: "Sorry. we just cant." The Presidents budget is tailormade to help hardworking middle class families get ahead. It will invest in education. strengthen workers skills. provide tax relief for the middle class. and rebuild our infrastructure. This is exactly what we need to build on the record of the 58 months of job growth we are experiencing and to make sure that everyone shares in the gains of our growing economy.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: BRENDAN F. BOYLE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsyl

vania. Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker. I also want to thank the Republican majority. As a new Member. I havent had the opportunity to speak on this issue on the House floor or vote on it. When I saw that the previous Congress had voted 55 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act. I was a little concerned that I would miss all the fun. So I am very happy that we now have a 56th vote on this issue. and it gives me an opportunity to say what a strong supporter I am of the Affordable Care Act. This has worked. More than 10 million Americans have health insurance today that otherwise would not have it. More than 3 million children have been able to stay on their parents plan who otherwise would not have had health insurance. And another 3 million. on top of that. have extra protections through Stateaffiliated agencies. such as CHIP. that would not have it today if not for the Affordable Care Act. Now. with the rate of the uninsured at its lowest percentage in American history. you would think that with this success that maybe the downside would be that health care costs would have gone through the roof. In fact. quite the opposite has happened. We have just had a year in which health care costs rose by the lowest rate in 50 yearsand this is something that all Americans can celebrate. Democrats and Republicans. So. Mr. Speaker. for the 56th time. this Congress will attempt to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act. It is a mistake. I will join my colleagues in voting against it. I would say sincerely to Members on the other side. if there are those who are willing to look openly at this issue and say. yes. it has largely worked but lets address those areas that could do better. I think you will find those. particularly new Members on this side of the aisle. who are openminded toward that and want to address areas that can be improved. Look at all the times that Medicare has been improved since its initial passage in 1965.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for being astute in reminding us of the vast bipartisan support for the important Affordable Care Act. If I might add. the past Presidential candidate who lost was the same Governor. however. I understand. that supported it and succeeded in his support of it at that time. But I think what is important is to again remind this Nation that we are now on the 56th annual trip to repeal what has been a lifesaver to Americans across the country. Let me simply share these very potent points: People not having health insurance include 20 percent of the underinsured who delay receiving care when signs of illness appear. 15 percent of the underinsured had problems paying medical bills. 10 percent of the underinsured needed prescription drugs but could not afford them. 8 percent were hounded by collection agencies. many of them went into bankruptcy because of health issuesof course we have tried to reform that6 percent did not seek treatment even though they needed it. and. of course. a report by the Congressional Budget Office. The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2015 to 2025 states that the actual cost of the Affordable Care Act is 7 percent lower than first calculated in 2010. Let me tell you the real issues. the story of a lady written up in The Ledger. dated January 8. 2015. who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013. She determined that her insurance at that time would not allow her to have health insurance. Her words are: "I thought I was going to die." Ms. Gray said. In her scramble to try to get drugs. she was left holding the bag. yet she was able to get the Affordable Care Act starting on January 1. 2014. It gave her access to the recommended chemotherapy. Her cancer went into remission in the fall. and she is alive.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

What about the situation of the measles? Why do we have this deadend road again. repetitiously voting against the valuable Affordable Care Act that has saved lives? Does anybody know about Medicare? It goes on and on and on. And many on the other side of the aisle opposed it in I am going to stand on the right side of history and support the Affordable Care Act. Vote against this untimely bill.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my staunch opposition to H.R. 596. legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Yesterday was Groundhog Day. yet it is todays vote that really feels familiar. The House has now attempted to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act for 56 times. It is disappointing that the Republican leadership continues its partisan campaign to undermine the ACA and create barriers for millions of uninsured Americans having access to health insurance. Based on the latest estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. 19 million Americansand 20.000 in our Houston area districtwould lose their health insurance this year if the ACA is repealed. These are people who would be without coverage today if it were not for the ACA. H.R. 596 would take away critical benefits and health care coverage for hardworking families. Not only that. this bill would increase the deficit. repeal reforms that help slow the growth in health care costs. and undo basic protections that provide security for the middle class. It is long past time to stop playing political games on health reform. We need to work to enact reforms that improve and build on the ACA for the good of the American people.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. on rollcall vote No. 59. ordering the previous question. I inadvertently voted "yes." I would like the RECORD to refleet that I would have voted. appropriately and properly. "no."
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. thank you to the gentleman from Maryland . the ranking member. for this opportunity to speak. I rise today also in opposition to H.R. 50. the misleadingly named Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015. which passed out of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on a strictly partisan vote. This bill neither improves nor streamlines the regulatory process. Instead. this illconceived bill is an assault on consumer protections. gives private industry an unfair advantage to weigh in on rules. and erects new. unnecessary barriers in the regulatory process. H.R. 50 would require agencies to provide the private sector with an unfair advantage to influence proposed regulations. The supporters of this bill claim that it creates parity between the private and the public sectors. but that is simply not true. What it really does is provide the private sector with a sneak peek of proposed rules before they are even made public. This bill propels regulated private sector entities to the front of the line while pushing the consumers these laws are designed to protect to the back of the line. It further gums up the regulatory process by allowing opponents to delay or invalidate rules through litigation. The existing Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 prohibits courts from using the law to stay. enjoin. invalidate. or otherwise affect an agency rule. H.R. 50 would fundamentally change that law by eliminating this prohibition. giving regulated industries the ability to abuse this expanded judicial review and tie up rules in courts for years. For example. Wall Street banks could take agencies to court over DoddFrank consumer protection rules that have yet to be finalized. Most Americans. and certainly most of my constituents that I represent. simply do not have the means to hire lawyers to sue Federal agencies if they are dissatisfied with a Federal regulation. but large corporations do. H.R. 50 would give corporations the ability to sue and to stall regulations they view as unfavorable. By unnecessarily layering an additional. burdensome judicial review and giving private industry an unfair advantage. this bill shows that it is not working for the consumers. but it is only working for the chosen few.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: MAXINE WATERS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the time that has been allotted to me. Thank you very much. Mr. CUMMINGS. I rise to oppose H.R. 50. an anticonsumer deregulatory bill that would stop rulemaking by our Nations financial overseers dead in its tracks. In 2008. we witnessed the worst financial crisis since 1929. which halted lending to small businesses. left millions without a home. and pushed countless Americans into personal bankruptcy and ruin. after which my colleagues and I in Congress worked diligently to put in place serious and comprehensive safeguards to prevent another collapse. Nevertheless. today House Republicans are suffering from selective amnesia when they push this legislation to undo financial reform. Indeed. this bill. H.R. 50. places significant administrative hurdles on our regulators. like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain provisions require our regulators. who are tasked with protecting consumers and investors. to conduct onerous. industryfriendly. costbenefit analysis and to submit their rules for review to the Office of Management and Budget. This hurts their ability to act independently and in the best interests of the public. In addition. this bill would arm special interests with a timetested weapon to delay and kill reform. the opportunity to challenge our cashstrapped regulators in court on every rule. But this is the ultimate point of the bill: to make regulating everything from securities. fraud. payday loans. credit cards. insider trading. and derivatives that much harder. Most concerning is that Republicans want to pay for the cost of their new burdens by depriving the one regulator charged with protecting our Nations consumers of tens of millions of dollars. Mr. Chairman. this is just the latest in a neverending effort to unravel the important protections for consumers and taxpayers this Congress put in place following the worst crisis in a generation. With our economy still recovering from the $14 trillion financial crisis. with families in my own district and probably yours still struggling with foreclosure and unsure how they will be able to make ends meet in retirement. we simply cannot undermine fundamental reforms or the agencies enforcing them.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia and Mr. CLYBURN changed their vote from "no" to "aye." So the amendment was rejected. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I do. And if I may say. I rarely think of sides of the aisle when you and I are talking. It doesnt become a significant factor in our lives as we converse and we celebrate our friendship.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I appreciate you sharing that vignette with me because it is very much heartfelt. It is good to have a person to tell the actual story. If you have read it. you will know of what I speak. if you havent. I commend it to youDr. Kings "Letter from a Birmingham Jail."
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

It is one of the greatest pieces of literary history. saving a few holy books. I would say. It is absolutely one of the best stories of what that time was like. Dr. King talks about how he had to explain to his children why they couldnt go to a certain theme park. and how he could see the clouds over their heads as they were saddened by their inability to go to the theme park because of who they were. I ask people to please read that letter because it really parallels what you are saying tonight here on the floor of the House of Representatives. You are rightwe have come a long way from those times. These times are difficult in a different way. however. There is still great work to be done. and you and I can work together to get some of this additional great work done. But notwithstanding all that I have said tonight. I conclude with this: On a bad day. it is still good to live in the USA.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

On a bad day when your spouse wants to leave you. or on a bad day when your puppy wants to bite you. let your puppy bite you and let your spouse leave you. in the United States of America. on a bad day. it is still good to live in the USA.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I was not and probably someone prior to Ned Wade. There were other lawyers who were there long before us.
Date: 2015-02-04
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Well. thank you. I know that your time is of the essence. and you have been very generous with me. Mr. FORTENBERRY. Will the gentleman allow one additional comment? The Honorable TED POE and I have had a friendship for many. many years. He is imminently correct. We were on different sides of the table. literally. in the courtroom. but we never allowed many of the political maneuvers of the time. the political issues of the time. to prevent us from being friends. and we brought that friendship to the Congress of the United States of America. While there is still great work to be doneeven in the courts. there is still great work to be done. There is great work to be done in the area of litigation that still is matriculating through the courts. but we still have to acknowledge that it is a better time to do it now than to do it then. We have greater friendships and greater opportunities. On a bad day. it is still good to live in the USA.
Date: 2015-02-05
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Add. at the end of the bill. the following:
Date: 2015-02-05
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII. further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will be postponed.
Date: 2015-02-05
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. cause I was detained on c RoybalAllard Ruiz Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Sanchez. Linda T. Sanchez. Loretta business yesterday. I inadvertently missed a vote on rollcall No. 62. the amendment offered by Mr. CONNOLLY. Had I been present. I would have voted "aye" on that. Schakowsky LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM Schiff (Mr. HOYER asked and was given Scott (VA) Scott. David permission to address the House for 1 Serrano minute.) Sewell (AL) Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker. I rise for Sherman the purpose of inquiring of the majorSires Slaughter ity leader. the gentleman from CaliSmith (WA) fornia . the schedule Speier for the week to come. and I yield to my Swalwell (CA) friend. Mr. MCCARTHY. Takai Takano Mr. MCCARTHY. I thank the genThompson (CA) tleman for yielding. Thompson (MS) Mr. Speaker. on Monday. no votes Titus are expected in the House. Tonko On Tuesday. the House will meet at Torres Tsongas noon for morninghour and 2 p.m. for Van Hollen legislative business. Votes will be postVargas poned until 6:30 p.m. Veasey On Wednesday and Thursday. the Vela Velazquez House will meet at 10 a.m. for morningVisclosky hour and noon for legislative business. Wasserman On Friday. the House will meet at 9 Schultz Waters. Maxine a.m. for legislative business. Last votes Watson Coleman of the week are expected around noon. Welch Mr. Speaker. the House will consider Wilson (FL) a number of suspensions next week. a Yarmuth complete list of which will be announced by close of business tomorrow. Roe (TN) In addition. the House will consider Young (AK) S. 1. the Senate Keystone bill. After 6 years of waiting. this bipartisan bill. which will create more than 40.000 jobs. r (OTMPd will finally be placed on the Presipore (during dents desk. I do sincerely hope he conates remain- siders his longstanding veto threat and sides with the American people by signing this important jobs bill. d her vote Mr. Speaker. the House will also consider two critical tax packages next ed his vote week that will provide muchneeded certainty for Americans and small businesses. Ss announced H.R. 644. the Fighting Hunger Incentive Act. sponsored by Representative was laid on TOM REED. will make charitable giving tax provisions permanent. This will ION also include provisions authored by Speaker. I was Representatives ERIK PAULSEN. AARON of a serious ill- SCHOCK. and MIKE KELLY. resent. I would Together. this package will make a no. rollcall No. real difference in the lives of AmeriIlcall No. 68- cans by encouraging donations of property for conservation and enhancing deductions for food contributions for those in need. SENATE Finally. Mr. Speaker. the House will nate by Ms. consider H.R. 636. Americas Small announced Business Tax Relief Act. sponsored by d to without Representative PAT TIBERI. with addiresolution of tional provisions authored by Reptitle: resentative DAVE REICHERT. resolution au- This bill is essential to creating statunda of the bility for our Nations best job creceremony to ators. small businesses. by making inold Medal to creased expensing permanent.
Date: 2015-02-10
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. a million jobs were created in the last 3 months. the deficit is down. and the stock market is up. but instead of building on this progress. the Republican Party is again threatening a partial government shutdown. This time. it is the Department of Homeland Security. We dont have many days left. Why? Because the antiimmigrant fringe of the majority party disagrees with the Presidents decision to address our broken immigration system. If they dont get their way. they would stop paying our Border Patrol agents. stop paying our TSA security screeners at airports. stop paying the Coast Guard and Secret Service. The men and women who work to keep us secure would have to worry about how they would feed their families instead of protecting our country. This is dangerous to our security and to our economy. I urge my colleagues to let common sense prevail and pass a clean Department of Homeland Security bill. The American people deserve their security.
Date: 2015-02-10
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 810. the NASA Authorization Act of 2015. NASA is a critical engine of discovery. science. innovation. and inspiration. During the last Congress. our committee leadership and Members from both sides came together to work through a compromise NASA authorization act. It was for a 1year bill. but it provided important policy direction to the agency at a time when we in Congress wanted NASA to build on its progress and keep its focus on the priorities established through successive authorization acts. That bipartisan bill passed the House last year by an overwhelming 4012 margin. The bill. H.R. 810. which is also a 1year reauthorization. takes that same policy language and updates the authorization of appropriations to be consistent with the funding levels enacted in fiscal year 2015. The bill also provides necessary date changes where relevant. While this is not a perfect bill. especially in terms of its short duration and lack of meaningful outyear funding guidance. it includes many important policy provisions that will help guide the future of NASA at a critical time for our space program. H.R. 810 emphasizes NASAs role as a multimission agency with programs in aeronautics. science. exploration. and human spaceflight. It also establishes a clear longterm goal of sending humans to the surface of Mars and directs NASA to prepare a human exploration roadmap of what is needed to get there. The bill also provides policy direction on a host of other priority activities. including space and earth science. aeronautics. space technology. and education. as well as good government directives on curbing cost growth and strengthening program management. among others. Consistent with the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. H.R. 810 directs that safety be the highest priority in the commercial human spaceflight program to transport our astronauts to the international space station. NASA is doing all that it can to make effective progress on its programs thanks to its passionate and dedicated civil servant workforce and extended contractor and academic communities. We want to sustain NASAs progress on critical programs. including the Space Launch System and Orion. by providing consistency and constancy of purpose and direction. This bill enables such stability while providing our committee the time needed to develop a comprehensive multiyear reauthorization of NASA once H.R. 810 is enacted into law. I want to recognize the efforts of the committee leadership. including our chairman. LAMAR SMITH. and most especially our subcommittee chairman. STEVE PALAZZO. and the ranking member. Congresswoman DONNA EDWARDS. for their dedication and willingness to work together with me to achieve this bipartisan bill. H.R. 810. the NASA Authorization Act of 2015. We need a strong NASA with an inspiring agenda for our children and grandchildren. and we need to fund it at a level commensurate with the tasks we have given them to achieve. I urge my colleagues to vote "yes" on H.R. 810. the NASA Authorization Act of