macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-11-06
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. its unfortunate we have to be here today to override the presidents veto of H.R. 1495 (WRDA). a bill which has such overwhelming. support in our districts across the country. Now is not the time for inaction on our nations infrastructure and environment. The previous three Congresses have failed to do so. and because of that. much needed flood control projects in Houston. Texas have been delayed. WRDA includes language for the Halls Bayou Federal Flood Control Project in Houston which will allow the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) to start work on this project in the near future. Historic flooding along Halls Bayou has been severe and frequent in some neighborhoods. During Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001. Halls Bayou was hit very hard. with more than 8.000 homes flooding within the watershed. No project can keep all homes from flooding but a project can help reduce the risk of flooding for a significant number of families. reducing the need for federal assistance. property damage. and loss of life. The purpose of section 5157 of this legislation which pertains to Halls Bayou is to allow the HCFCD to conduct the General Reevaluation Review (GRR) and any subsequent federal interest project on Halls Bayou. The Corps is limited in its staff. resources. and time with the many projects in the Galveston District and the Southwest Division. Local project sponsors with the necessary expertise. like Harris County. can provide efficiency by becoming more involved. Halls Bayou. a major tributary of Greens Bayou. was authorized in WRDA 1990 as part of the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Project. The original Halls Bayou authorization assumed the Greens Bayou project in place. which is now finishing a GRR. Results indicate that the work on Greens Bayou downstream of Halls Bayou will not have federal work although it will have significant local projects. Therefore. a GRR is now needed for Halls Bayou as well. While conducting the GRR to find a possible federal interest. Harris County can begin project implementation in order to reduce future flood damage as soon as possible. Adding Halls Bayou to Section 211 (f) allows Harris County to be reimbursed if the project is later approved by the Secretary. I want to thank the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Chairman OBEY.. and my good friend from Texas. Subcommittee Chairwoman EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. for including this and other meritorious projects for Harris County. I support this bill and the balance that it strikes between the need to improve water resources for human purposes and to preserve our water uses for the environment and future generations. The projects in this bill are much needed. and I hope the Senate will also soon vote to override the Presidents veto so these projects can become law.
Date: 2007-11-06
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speakers table the bill to reauthorize the Head Start Act. to improve program quality. to expand access. and for other purposes. with a Senate amendment thereto. disagree to the Senate amendment. and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.
Date: 2007-11-06
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Just quickly. I yield myself. 30 seconds to say that. as I said. this bill has been a long time coming to where we think we can get it to the Presidents desk. I certainly want to thank the staffs on both sides of the aisle for all of their expertise. experience. and knowledge about this program. And weve been working together to get to this point in the conference committee. I would urge passage of the motion to instruct. I reserve my time.
Date: 2007-11-06
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. on Tuesday. November 6. 2007. I could not be present for rollcall votes 1047 and 1048 due to a previous commitment to district related business. Had I been present. I would have cast the following votes: "yea" on rollcall vote 1047 and "yea" on rollcall vote 1048.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

_ fornia. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to thank our Nations veterans and their families for their dedication. their service and their sacrifice. As we approach Veterans Day. I commend the Democratic leadership for working with our Senate colleagues to pass a Veterans appropriations bill last night. This bill is the largest increase in veterans funding ever. $3.7 billion over what the President asked. This bill will provide our veterans with desperately needed health care services. including funds specifically allocated to treat the rising number of veterans with traumatic brain injury and PTSD. To date. we have lost more than 4.000 troops and 30.000 troops have been wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. We must do everything we can to take care of our servicemembers when they come hnmer~o. heir families and their comriiimifes. and we will bring them home. -But until that day. this Congress will do everything we can to take care of our veterans and their families.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Chairman. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey . the Chair of the subcommittee that did a marvelous job in handling this legislation.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

May I just say. Madam Chairman. its a rather interesting set of remarks. except it has nothing to do with the underlying legislation that is before us today. I yield for the purpose of unanimous consent to the gentlewoman from New York.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Chairman. I yield myself 1 minute. Madam Chairman. I appreciate the frustration of my colleagues on the other side the aisle. They really dont like this bill. They dont believe that we should be outlawing discrimination against gay and lesbian individuals. What they are upset about is that most of the handles that they thought they could grab on to to destroy the consensus for this bill are gone. Why are they gone? Because we went through a markup. We listened to our colleagues on the other side. and we made adjustments.. We had a religious exemption in that many of the religious organizations strongly supported. We listened to the debate. We went back to them and suggested that a straight exemption from title VII would be preferable for all of those involved. So we have continued to listen as that process has gone through. And. yes. we have a bill here now that is far more acceptable to far more Members of the Congress of the United States because it does what it says it is going to do. Madam Chairman. I yield 11/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Chairman. at the outset. Id like to note that I did not vote for this bill in Committee. not because I dont support its goalsI d6but because I strongly believe that we could have done better by protecting more people from discrimination. That is why I am proud to support the amendment by my colleague from Wisconsin. that will add a prohibition against gender identity discrimination. This amendment is needed because protecting transgender people is the right thing to do. Were talking about a small group of people. but a group that faces tremendous discrimination and that deserves to be. protected from workplace discrimination just as much as anybody else. Now that this bill is out of committee and on the floor. let me be clear. I will vote for it because it extends a basic right to millions of Americans. And that right is the right to go to work and earn a living. Thats all. just the right to support themselves and their families. It is a right that is so basic that Im -appalled that some in this Chamber actually oppose this bill. What is so problematic about protecting Americans from losing their jobs. not due to job performance. but due to bigotry? Americans believe that if you work hard and do your job. you should be rewarded. And Americans believe that this basic principle should apply across the board. Poll after poll reveal that an overwhelming majority of Americans agree someone shouldnt lose a job or be denied a promotion simply for being gay or lesbian. Americans also believe that it is already illegal to do so. Unfortunately. in many states. it isnt. Thats why this bill is so important. The passage of this bill is just one part of an overall effort to improve the lives of working Americans. So far this year. the New Direction Congress has already worked to increase the opportunities available to working Americans and their families. We have increased the minimum wage. We have made college more affordable by increasing Pell Grants and reducing interest rates on student loans. We have investigated the Administrations failure to protect workers on the job. and begun efforts to ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration do their jobs: keep workers safe so they can go home to their families after a days work free of injury and disease. It is wrong to deny someone a job. a raise. or a promotion because of his or her real or perceived sexual orientation. And it is past time for Congress to say so. Ending employment discrimination against gay. lesbian. and bisexual people by enacting ENDA is such a common sense solution. and so consistent with the American principles of freedom. justice. and equality that its amazing to me that in 2007. we still havent passed this bill. Lets work together to make the "American Dream" a reality for millions of Americans. Lets vote for the Baldwin amendment and pass this bill.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chairman. I rise today in support of H.R. 3685. the Employment NonDiscrimination Act of 2007. Currently American workers are not entitled to protection from discrimination in the work place based upon their sexual orientation. As a result. it is legal to fire or refuse to hire someone simply because they are gay or lesbian. That is simply wrong! This country has a rich history of battling discrimination. Over the years Congress has banned employment discrimination on the basis of race. color. religion. sex. national origin. disability and age. However. 6ur work is not done. we must continue to fight against injustice and extend basic workplace protection. to gays and lesbians. The American people do not support workplace intolerance. AGallup poll in May of this year found that 89 percent of *the American people support equal treatment for gays and lesbians regarding employment opportunities. The sexual orientation of an employee should not factor into the determination of ones competence to perform a particular job. American values are rooted in fairness and opportunities for all. in basic recognition that employment. free of discrimination. is a basic civil right. a human right that must be extended without regard to ones sexual orientation. My own State of Maryland. in 2001. enacted a law prohibiting employment discrimination on the. basis of sexual orientation. I was proud then to have worked on its- passage through the State legislature. I am proud today to stand before the House and help pass this bill through Congress. Legislation tor promote fairness in employment for gays and lesbians at the national level is long overdue. It is time to take action and extend equality to all Americans.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Chairman. I yield myself 41/2 minutes. Madam Chairman. I rise in support of an amendment to this ENDA legislation that I and Mr. STUPAK have written to ensure that this law will protect religious liberties of religious corporations. societies. associations. and in particular. religious schools. including those religious schools that are not affiliated with any particular church or denomination. Our amendment would make it clear that the ENDA exemp-. tion matches the religious exemption found in title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under my amendment. a religious corporation. association. or school would be categorically exempt from ENDA. In addition. our amendment also clarifies -that the references to the term "married" refer to the Federal definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. as enacted in the 1996 Federal law referred to as the Defense of Marriage Act. With respect to the religious exemption. this issue has been the cause of a lot of confusion in the past weeks. The religious exemption that was part of the ENDA bill that passed out of the Education and Labor Committee on October 18 was exceptionally broad. however. several nondenominational religious schools raised concerns that they might not be covered under the ENDA exemption. � For example. the president of Wheaton College in Naperville. Illinois. sent a letter to Representative TIM WALBERG in advance of the Education and Labor Committees markup on ENDA. Mr. WALBERG then shared that letter with the entire committee. and our Republican colleagues argued that Wheaton College. which. is clearly a religious school despite the fact that it is not controlled by or affiliated with any specific church. may not be covered by the ENDA exemption. That argument was incorreQt. Wheaton. along with other religious schools and organizations such as the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. asked that we "ensure that the act categorically exempts religious organizations as in section 702(a) of title VII." and we have done precisely what Wheaton College and the Council for Christian Colleges has asked us to do. Under this amendment. if a religious organization. including a religious school. is exempt under either section 702(a) or the arguably broader section 703(e)(2). then that organization or school is exempt from ENDA. period.
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Chair and members of the Committee. I first want to correct some of the mistaken assumptions that I think
Date: 2007-11-07
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Messrs. NEAL of Massachusetts. CLEAVER. WALZ of Minnesota. UDALL of Colorado and GENE GREEN of Texas changed their vote from "no" to "aye." So the amendment was agreed to. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. the CHAIRMAN. There being no further amendments. under the rule. the Committee rises. Accordingly. the Committee rose. and the Speaker pro tempore having -assumed the chair. Mrs. TAUSCHER. Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. reported that that Committee. having had under consideration the bill to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. pursuant to House Resolution 793. she reported the bill back to the House with sundry amendments adopt. ed by the Committee of the Whole.
Date: 2007-11-08
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition to the Peru Free Trade Agreement. While I applaud the efforts to improve worker rights in the Peru FTA. the protections in the agreement fall short of addressing the concerns of workers that have been adversely affected by the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement. the Central American Free Trade Agreement. and other recent FTAs. The absence of clear. enforceable labor standards as detailed by the International Labor Organization. ILO. in the Peru FTA make this an agreement I cannot support. These include prohibitions of child labor and guaranteeing the. right of workers in Peru to form independent labor unions. The Peru FTA and the passage of Trade Adjustment Assistance. TAA. last week does not represent the kind of comprehensive policy that workers need to ensure that our globalization policies not only benefit multinational corporations. but workers as well. I am not opposed to free trade agreements as long as they are fair trade agreements that benefit and protect workers in both countries. however. I have long opposed free trade agreements with countries with significantly lower standards of living. and fewer labor protections than we have here in the U.S. I am proud to represent one of the most bluecollar districts in the country. The workers in our district benefit from the labor laws on the books in the U.S. and while our labor laws could certainly be strengthened. they ensure that our bluecollar workers receive a living wage and make up a thriving middle class in this country. I have no doubts whatsoever about the skills and productivity of American workers. but the significant differences in the standard of living puts the American worker--and American productsat a competitive disadvantage. one that this country should not allow to be exploited through a free trade agreement. U.S. trade policy over the last decade has resulted in the loss of millions of jobs and has led to 5 consecutive years with record setting trade deficits. I am concerned this trade agreement does not go far enough to address the issues that caused these problems. and I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing H.R. 3688.
Date: 2007-11-08
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I was unavoidably delayed and missed the vote on H. Res. 806. the Rule providing for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3222. making appropriations for the Department of Defense for fiscal year ending September 30. 2008. and for other purposes (rolicall 1063). Had I been present I would have voted "aye" on rollcall 1063.
Date: 2007-11-08
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of the Homeowners Defense Act of 2007. Over the past few years. most Americans have witnessed devastating images of natural catastrophes strike our fellow citizens. from wildfires in California. tornadoes in the Midwest. to the hurricanes hitting the Gulf States in Florida. and wondered if they might be next. Even as the recovery begins after these disasters. for many. a new nightmare of rising insurance rates and dropped policy coverage begins. However. thanks to the sponsor of the Homeowners Defense Act of 2007. Congressmen RON. KLEIN and TIM MAHONEY. many homeowners across America will be spared a similar nightmare. This bipartisan bill. and it is good to see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle from Florida here as well. this bipartisan bill provides a critical tool that will help provide a fair and equitable solution to this crisis. I cannot think of an issue that is more important to the economic survival of the homeowners of my State of Florida than dealing with the homeowners insurance crisis. Thank you. Congressmen KLEIN and MAHONEY. and thank you to Chairman BARNEY FRANK for bringing this bill to the floor today. It has been a -long time in coming. I urge Members to support it.
Date: 2007-11-08
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. as a Member from Florida. I rise in strong support of the Homeowners Defense Act. H.R. 3355. The terribly high cost for homeowners paying property insurance in my State of Florida. as well as for those on the Gulf Coast. and as we saw just recently. in California. has become a growing concern for homeowners. We saw what happened after hurricane Katrina and Rita and the four hurricanes that hit my district in Florida back in 2004. These hurricanes. and other recent natural disasters. have led the insurance companies to limit their exposure to such disasters by outright pulling out. or reducing their risk. And this back peddling on their obligations on the part of the insurance industry has resulted in homeowner insurance rates rising by 100 percent to over 600 percent in higherrisk areas. This is entirely unacceptable. How can homeowners possibly afford this? This is just outrageous. We need to take action and step in. Just last week we saw the insurance companies out in California saying they will not provide insurance to hundreds of thousands of people that lost their homes in the terrible wildfires that hit the coast. all the way from LA to the Mexican border. This is why people buy insurance: to protect themselves. How is it then that after disaster after disaster can we just sit back and allow these companies to pull out of the market. Rising insurance rates are affecting homeowners across the country. not just in Florida. Clearly. the insurance market is not working. and it is time to put through a plan to stabilize the market and lower insurance rates for consumers.
Date: 2007-11-09
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. this bill provides tax relief to more than 24 million American families and corrects a huge inequity where many people have been forced to pay taxes on phantom income. income they never earned. Today. we gather to fix two big problems left behind by the Republican Congress under President Bush. One is a huge middleclass tax increase that they left hanging over the heads of the American people. a tsunami. that if we dont act today. will crash down on 124 million American taxpayers. The Republican Congress under President Bush could have addressed this problem. They chose not to. It just was not a priority for them. They instead spent their time providing tax increases that went to the very wealthiest Americans and left the rest of the country holding the bag of $9 trillion debt. a debt that costs the American taxpayer $3.300 each year to pay the service on that debt. the debt that they ran up. Mr. Speaker. today we can pass tax relief in a fiscally responsible manner. Lets get it done.
Date: 2007-11-09
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. this bill provides tax relief for more than 24 million middleincome families. It also corrects a huge inequity where many people were forced to pay taxes on phantom income--income they never had. Today. we must fix two big messes the Republican leadership left behind when they were voted out last November. One is the huge middle class tax increase the Republicans left hanging over millions of unsuspecting Americans. This Republican tax tsunami will crash down on top of 24 million Americans if we dont take action today. The Republicans could have stopped this middle class tax hit on their watch. Instead. for 6 years with President Bush. they spent their time and energy. giving tax cuts to the very wealthiest Americans. On their watch. the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans got more than half the Bush tax cuts. That was their priority. and they left the rest of the American taxpayers holding the bag of a mushrooming national debta $9 trillion debt that costs every taxpayer $3.300 per year. That is the debt tax American taxpayers are paying to service the debt President Bush and the Republicans have run up on our national credit card. Today. Republicans are proposing to increase the debt taxto make Americans pay more in the end. Once again. they are willing to require our children to pay more debt tax in order to protect special shelters for about 50.000 of the wealthiest Americans. Lets provide middle class Americans with tax relief in a fiscally responsible way. Lets pass this bill.