macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-09-09
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. And again. I appreciate the comments of the gentlelady from California. However. I would be remiss if I didnt respond a littlb bit to what she said about colloquies and committee reports. We at least ought to enter into the RECORD the Scalia view of things. which is. law is what is in the law. not whats in the committee report or the colloquy. One of the important things he tries to point out is that in some ways it would be unfair to members of the public to pass a law with intentional ambiguity that can only be interpreted by a committee report since the average citizen probably doesnt have access to that. And his commonsense notion is that Members should strive to make laws understandable by the language that they have in them. And it is often misunderstood as to his interpretive analysis of law and the Constitution when he talks about original understanding. What he is basically saying is that when you have a law or constitution that is presented to the people. they can. only be held to the usual and customary understanding of the words as they are in the law. otherwise you basically are fooling the people. Now. if there is a necessary ambiguity. obviously a colloquy or a committee report aids in the interpretation of understanding what it was in terms of tho meaning of the words at that time. But I understand the gentlelady may have a slightly different view of the Constitution than Justice Scalia. as some do. but I thought it important that we try and understand that we. as legislators. ought to strive to put the precise words we Want into the law because too many times on this floor Ive heard people say. dont quibble about those words. well let the courts decide what it is. And having been a trial lawyernot necessarily a plaintiffs lawyer. although I have done that in my time as wellthe difference between one word. two words. or three words. or a clause or a sentence in a statute can make all the difference in the world. And I would just hope that we would be attentive to our responsibilities and disciplined in our actions such that we try and choose the words precisely that carry the meaning that will give the average citizen an understanding of what were doing here.
Date: 2008-09-09
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Reclaiming my time. I would just say I remember an instance about 25 years ago on the floor here dealing with a matter. the Bankruptcy Act. And the late. great chairman of judiciary. Peter Rodino. got up and gave his interpretation of it which was contrary to the interpretation we had. So every time he would get up to give his colloquy I would get up to give ours to make sure that when the judges looked at it they would see there were two contrary positions so they could decide. as they should. under the words we actually used in the statute. And I thank the gentlelady.
Date: 2008-09-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 6630. This bill prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from authorizing any Mexican truck from operating beyond the United StatesMexican border unless specifically authorized by Congress. Many of my constituents and I are greatly concerned over the safety and wisdom of the crossborder trucking pilot program. Currently. this program allows trucks registered in Mexico to operate beyond the border commercial zones in California. Arizona. New Mexico. and Texas. When this program began. the Department of Transportation promised Congress that they would inspect. "every truck every time." However. an Inspector General report revealed earlier this year that the Department of Transportation is not adequately performing critical quality control measures. Crucially. the department has been unable to provide any assurance that Mexican trucks and drivers are being checked at the border as advertised. Quality control checks are not the only problem. Inci eased drug smuggling and human trafficking is a grave concern as well. And different national regulations mean Mexican trucks are less safe. In January of this year. Mr. Speaker. two tractor trailer trucks with Mexican license plates crashed on the MexicoTexas border. Four people died. If the Department of Transportation and any future administration wish to restart the crossborder trucking pilot program. this bill would require them to first seek congressional authorization. Simply put. the security of our Nations borders must be of the utmost concern. Speaking of trucks. Mr. Speaker. I. like all Members of Congress. am hearing from truckers in my district about the very high cost of fuel. They ask why wont the Democrat majority. and in particular why wont Speaker PELOSI allow drilling to lower the cost of their fuel. We need to have an allin energy program. Mr. Speaker. back on the bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 6630 and the termination of the crossborder trucking pilot program.
Date: 2008-09-11
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Madam Speaker. 7 years ago. September 11. 2001. a day that will live in infamy. we suffered as a Nation the greatest attack on our shores since a similar day some six decades previous. That dastardly attack resulted in a unification of this country such as we had not seen before. Similarly. the attack some 7 years ago brought a unity to this Nation that we have been lacking for some period of time. In the ensuing days and years. we have seen remarkable selfless dedication to serve by men and women in uniform in our Armed Forces. and those who are serving us. even to this point. as our first responders. So we have to ask. much as Lincoln asked at his famous address at Gettysburg. recognizing that we cannot consecrate the grounds that were attacked more than they have been consecrated by the sacrifices of our fellow citizens. what can we do to fulfill our obligation? I would just say this. The best way we can maintain our commitment to those who sacrificed and those who have suffered. and still suffer. is to recognize the continuation of the threat against us. the urgency of the matter before us. and the fact that we cannot in any way lag in our responsibility to respond to that threat. Theres a great temptation because we have not been so attacked in the last 7 years to believe it just has happened. But we have been able to forestall attacks because of tremendous sacrifice by many men and women serving on behalf of this Nation. who continue to serve.
Date: 2008-09-11
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. It would be the height of tragedy. Madam Speaker. if we were to fail to back up the commitment by those who have sacrificed thusfar by accepting their sacrifice as something Which is a matteroffact circumstance. No. The only way we can honor their lives and their sacrifice is by ensuring that we maintain vigilance daily. We take an oath to uphold the Constitution. but we take an oath beyond that. We take an oath to uphold the greatness of our fellow citizens. I would hope that we would dedicate ourselves to understand. with all the other things we have to do as Members of Congress. that our first and foremost responsibility is to create the security within which American citizens can exercise their freedoms. And so my plea and my prayer today is that we dont accept the successes of the last 7 years as inevitable. but we understand that they have been hard fought. and that we need to continue that fight. I thank you for the time.
Date: 2008-09-11
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition to H.R. Today. just 7 weeks after the House first considered this bill transferring $8 billion from the general fund to the highway trust fund. here we are. back again. I was one cf.37 Members to Vote against the bill when it was previously considered in the House. The bill simply kicks the can down the road just a little bit more until the highway trust fund is again broke. Delay and bailout. Delay and bailout. This Congress is elected to run the country. yet we delay action. wring our hands. lament that there are few good options available to address the Nations problems. then bail out programs gone broke. Our delay only makes the problem worse. Our delay only leaves us with fewer options once we are forced to act. The bill before us today puts another temporary patch on a highway system that needs funding. Even with this $8 billion infusion of cash. the trust fund is going to go broke again before the next Congress acts to address the underlying problem. When the House initially passed this bill on July 23. the balance of the trust fund stood at $4.2 billion. Now we learn from the Department of Transportation that in the span of just these few weeks. that balance has fallen all the way to $1.4 billion as of the beginning of this month. So today the administration has called upon the Congress to approve this $8 billion transfer and to make it effective immediately. rather than on September 30th. because the trust fund is likely to go broke sooner. The highway funding system is based on fuel taxes that are declining at a time when the price of fuel is rising. Fewer people are driving because the cost of gas is skyrocketing. The majority will not let us debate an energy bill. The majority Democrats will not let America work toward domestic oil and gas. Americans want. need and deserve a clear energy policy that uses American energy sources like oil and gas from offshore. Americans want. need and deserve an energy policy that develops new technologies and brings them to the market. Yet this Congress delays action and prevents debate. If the highway bills that this Congress has passed were not larded up with thousands of earmarks. then spending from the trust fund could be better regulated to match taxes with spending. A little bit of selfcontrol would solve this problem. Unfortunately. the bill that will pass the House today shows no selfcontrol. It is just another bailout. Madam Speaker. I reserve the balance of my tima.
Date: 2008-09-11
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Madam Speaker. I am informed that on our side of the aisle we have already signed up for the customary leadership hour a Member. and two individual Members for onehour Special Orders. as well as a number of Members who intend to request 5minute Special Orders. the subject of which will be the important issue facing the Nation today. energy.
Date: 2008-09-11
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. My parliamentary inquiry is this: If the motion to adjourn. which is the second vote next in order. is adopted. is it my understanding that all business of the House will have to he curtailed. including the customarily accepted Special Orders. including that at the direction of the minority leadership?
Date: 2008-09-11
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. If. then. the motion to adjourn is adopted. does that mean then. again. the lights of this House will be dimmed and the microphones will be shut off?
Date: 2008-09-15
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Indiana for allowing me to participate in this particular bill to help not only our seniors but everyone who is afflicted. the 5 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimers disease or dementia. Of these. neary 3 million. or 60 percent. will become lost from their families or loved ones or caretakers. If not found within 24 hours. up to half will become seriously injured or die. H.R. 6503. the Missing Alzheimers Disease Patient Alert Program. will increase the chance of locating missing persons suffering from this disease within the critical first 24 hours. H.R. 6503 authorizes funds for grants for nonprofit organizations to assist in paying for the costs of establishing and operating programs to protect and locate missing patients with Alzheimers disease. With police departments now being called upon to find missing elderly. these community organizations are critical in assisting law enforcement officials with their searches. Tips from family and people in the community often lead to the whereabouts of any missing person. including the elderly. Each year. thousands more Americans are being diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. The symptoms of these diseases often leave their victims feeling disoriented. lost. and vulnerable. H.R. 6503. the Missing Alzheimers Disease Patient Alert Program. provides support to those local programs working everyday to offer these patients protection and their loved ones some peace of mind. I might add here that just this weekend I found out a dear friend of mine was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers. Hes been a longdistance runner for all of his adult life. and ironically enough. hes still able to go out and find trails and run on them. but it is something that his doctors are concerned about for him that one day will he. too. become one who is perhaps lost as he tries to negotiate his community and his neighborhood. Certainly for folks like my friend and others around the country who are suffering from dementia. early states or later. we have to recognize the value and importance of this bill. I might note this passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously. and I certainly urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. With that. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-09-15
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Penrnsylvania

Mr. Speaker. I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.
Date: 2008-09-16
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. this bill might be called the death penalty for power and energy. Why do I say that? If you look at how we utilize lethal injection in this country. the first injection actually sedates the individual. The second injection paralyzes the heart. thus killing the individual. What we have here is the .first part of it is sedation. Thats the bill today that claims its for energy. But the fact of the matter is. with the litigation explosion we have based on the extremists in the environmental movement. the coconspirators with the Democratic Party on this. theyve basically paralyzed our efforts to get any energy. Every single lease thats been granted over the last 2 years has been sued against. As a matter of fact. there are two lawsuits now that are already in effect with anything that we will lease in the future. So whos kidding whom? . Lets break this conspiracy that exists between the extremists on the environmental side and the Democratic leadership. Lets give us real power. Lets reject this death penalty for power and energy that theyre calling an energy bill. Its a fraud on the American people. We ought to understand that. We need to do better. The American people need to do better. Let me tell you this: If the Democrats have run out of energy. theres plenty of energy on this side of the aisle to do the right thing.
Date: 2008-09-16
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. America is threatened by four securities: Family security which finds itself hurting to pay for gasoline. food and heating costs. job security which sees our jobs going overseas. not only for manufacturing. but where other countries are drilling for oil. we can only sit back and watch. economic security. when we see our trade deficit improving in every area except for energy. when we see OPEC spending so much money to buy our national debt and $700 billion of our money goes overseas every year. and our national security. when we see what other countries do with oil dollars. Iran buying missiles. building nuclear weapons. Venezuela sending terrorists to attack Colombia. the Saudis paying off al Qaeda. and Russians attacking Georgia. threatening Ukraine and Poland. We have to have energy independence. and the means to energy independence is to drill for our oil and use that money to fund vast conservation efforts and innovative fuels so we can get off of oil. We have got oil to do that. and the oil is off of our Outer Continental Shelf and out in Colorado in the shale oil and out in the Arctic shores. and we cant get to it if we put a lock on it and turn the key and throw away the key. We need energy independence. and this is a means towards the end.
Date: 2008-09-16
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. back in the Fifth Congressional District in Florida. I tell people I came from a dysfunctional family. My father was a Democrat. My mother was a Republican. But let me tell you. my father was a Democrat because he thought that the Democrat Party was for the working class. Ladies and gentlemen in this Chamber. the working class are getting stiffed by this bill. Its interesting because since the Democrats took control of both the Houses. gasoline has gone up over $1 a gallon. Now you know what that means? That means that the working class and the middle class are really getting hurt. The bill that we have before us today is not one thats going to produce any kind of energy. Let me tell you why. First of all. lawsuits will stop any drilling. Theres no consolidation or method to consolidate any lawsuits that may be brought by numerous environmental groups. Certainly. we want to protect the environment. but you know what. this bill does not produce one ounce of any kind of petroleum product. Also. I come from a State that could be producing. but theres no revenuesharing. So no legislature or no Governor will ever vote to allow any kind of drilling off their shore.
Date: 2008-09-16
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker. I have been listening to this debate with much interest as I notice the antidrillers on the other side of the aisle straining to prove that their bill actually includes real drilling. So you listen to it. and it appears they are lipsynching their message while the special interests. environmental extremists and lawyers. are actually writing and singing their antienergy lyrics. No. no. no. no. no. thats what we are hearing. It just appears to me that the Democrats have brought us their 290page bill. and they are trying to display it as their newest legislative Grammy winner. What it really is is nothing more than their newest version of Drilli Vanilli.
Date: 2008-09-16
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. the American public wants real solutions to this energy crisis. Unfortunately. what were voting on today is not a real solution. Its a no drill bill. Our countrys security is threatened in four ways. One is family security. With the price of natural gas and food on the increase. families cant afford the next loaf of bread. the next gallon of milk. the next tank of gas or the heating bill for their homes. Two. job security. As we continue to rely on OPEC countries for oil. we are refusing to create jobs here. Consider this: One oil refinery during construction would be 8.000 jobs and then another 1.800 during its use. Oil and natural gas exploration employs nearly 386.000 workers. We could double or triple this number if we drill for more oil. Indirect incomes in other industries resu4ting from this gas activity can support another 4 million jobs. and this bill cuts out our vast coal supplies and the jobs from clean coal energy and coaltoliquid. Three. our economic security is also threatened. As we rely on OPEC countries. other nations in the Mideast get rich off our dollars. Our national debt continues to rise and our dollar falls. OPEC buys our national debt. buys our businesses. and our trade deficit with energy gets worse. Fourth. our national security. Many of these oil producing countries are threatening the United States. Iran uses oil money to fund missiles and nuclear weapons and supplies bombs to attack our troops. Russia invades Georgia. threatens the Ukraine. threatens Poland. and sends bombers to Venezuela. We must drill for our own abundant oil as a means to end our dependence on foreign oil. but this bill cuts off 90 percent of U.S. oil off our coasts. which means we cannot use that energy to help our country. Americans understand: We cannot tax away the independence. We cannot cut off our energy as a way to independence. We can and should use our oil. use our coal. use.our nuclear energy. use our innovation and use conservation to be energy independent. That comprehensive solution is what we have to have. Thats not what we have yet.
Date: 2008-09-16
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

The American people want. need. and deserve a Congress that responds to their needs and acts diligently on their top priority. Sadly. the Democrats in Congress. beholden to their radical leftist interests. have blocked progress and will not let us do the job that the American people sent us to Washington to dofind real energy solutions. Ironically. the only border fence the Democrats seem to care about is the fence they want to put up around the areas where we cant explore for oil. Thats a disgrace. Solving our energy crisis means tapping all of Americas resources for Americas future to create American jobs and American prosperity. Folks are sick and tired of paying around $4 a gallon for gas. Theyre fed up with relying on foreign countries and brutal dictators to supply our energy needs. Americans have had it with a Democrat leadership who told the Congress to take a 5week vacation instead of staying around to do their jobs. The Democrat bill before us today is a sham. Theyre refusing to allow us to tab into our own homegrown energy resources and discouraging investment in future energy supply. Im here to tell you. in Texas. this bill is all hat and no cattle. On October 1. the ban on offshore energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf expires. This bill would put the lid on the OCS with no progress in sight. However. todays bill puts excessive rules and regulations back on the OCS. landing us basically back where we started. Thats not what I call progress. We owe it to the American people to get this one done right. We need to open up the Outer Continental Shelf. We need to allow States to share the revenue of oil exploration. We need to tap Alaskan areas that hold potential for domestic energy resources. not just the parts cherrypicked by the Speaker. We must be open to oil shale. clean coal. nuclear. and renewable energy sources like wind and the sun. We dont need more bureaucracy. we need more innovation. and we need it all. Im urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work together to come up with real energy reform for our children. grandchildren and Americas future.