macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-07
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Madam Speaker. last night. I offered an amendment to the Rules Committee and it was turned down. It was not even allowed to be brought up today. and it will not be brought up on this bill. And what is this amendment that the majority feared so much. that they wont even have it discussed on the floor of the House? It would have simply increased the property tax deduction for homeowners. Now. look. all of us in Florida have received calls. letters. faxes from constituents asking for relief from their property taxes. Now we all know that ad valorem taxes are not a Federal issue. We dont control property taxes. but theres something that we can do right now to help the American l)eople and that is increasing this deduction for property taxes. We can do that right now.. Is it that crazy? Well. no. On April 10 of 2008. 84 Senators from both sides of the aisle voted to do just this. to increase the deduction. to help people to be able to afford their mortgages. It would benefit everybody. It would benefit the economy. in particular all Americans who are struggling to pay their mortgages. You see. Madam Speaker. there is no good reason to not allow this commonsense amendment to be discussed. to be debated on the floor of the House. Theres no good reason to not allow other commonsense amendments to be discussed. Why are people so scared. so afraid of just debating ideas on the floor of the House? Again. for that reason. Madam Speaker. I obviously will have to object to this rule.
Date: 2008-05-08
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I thank him for clarifying the true potential cost of this bill. Mr. Speaker. today we have to face the fact that many Americans *are in a very tough financial position. If I have learned anything over the past year. it is how intricate our financial and economic markets are woven. As members of the Financial Services Committee. we have been presented and have debated dozens of proposals and ideas to combat this housing crisis before us. Many of them were sound. good ideas worth pursuing. In the months leading up to today. going around my district I came to several conclusions but one is that Congress cannot accept the status quo. I have been patient. I believe in the market working itself out. but that just doesnt seem to be happening. At a time when our dollar is devalued. not only is the price of petroleum products. the gas everyone fills up with over $1.70 more than it was a year ago. we also have very high food prices. People are finding it hard to make those payments. And the beauty of this. it has to be a homeowner who is being helped out. not a speculator. not a flipper. While Chairman FRANKS proposal isnt perfect. I do think it is one that Members should take a very close look at and compare it to what is happening in their districts. It is a voluntary. participatory program. No one is forced to play. This is not the silver bullet. by any means. Homeowners. lenders and investors will make sacrifices under this. But Im also concerned about hearing from constituents who try to work with their lenders. but their lenders wont call them back. Im tired of driving through the Fifth Congressional District and seeing many houses vacant because of foreclosure. No one wins when a house in the neighborhood is foreclosed. absolutely no one. because it brings down the value of those properties. No. Mr. Chairman. we cannot stick with the status quo. Thats sticking our policymaking heads in the sand. By providing lenders an incentive to write down mortgages. modernizing FHA. improving GSE oversight and including tax incentives. I believe we can help Americans get back into the market and help the housing market to survive. The bill isnt perfect. and certainly. neither was the process that this bill comes to the floor. And Im sure that Chairman FRANK agrees that the process is murky. at best. But I do believe that what we have before us will provide relief to Americans. and I urge Members to support it.
Date: 2008-05-13
Speaker: ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

for introducing this important legislation. The human rights situation in North Korea remains one of the bleakest on the planet. As we speak. millions of North Koreans live in desperate conditions. Political.- economic and religious freedoms are nonexistent. Many are starving and undernourished and live in fear of arbitrary arrests where they know they may be tortured or executed. The North Korean government knows that access to information outside the country is a threat to the regimes control. So it maintains an absolute grip over all legal media. using it to manipulate the population into believing that life is no better anywhere else. Those who manage to leave the country face further danger. denial of rights and threats to their lives. China stubbornly refuses to categorize North Koreans who flee horrific living conditions and persecution as refugees. instead labeling them economic migrants. This disingenuous. semantic trick relieves Beijing of its obligation to assist the North Koreans who escape into China in accordance with international conventions on refugees to which Beijing is a signatory. North Koreans are routinely arrested and abused by the Chinese authorities and sent back to North Korea where they are considered traitors. Upon return. they are arrested. likely tortured. and sometimes killed. Earlier this year. Pyongyang reminded the world how it treats those who desperately seek a better life by leaving North Korea when it executed 13 women and 2 men at the Chinese border. In response to the incident. a local North Korean official is reported to have said plainly. "We shot them to send a warning to people." The suffering people of North Korea need assistance. and in 2004. Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan support the North Korea Human Rights Act in an effort to focus U.S. attention on their plight. The Act provided new resources to assist North Korean refugees. support democracy and human rights programs. and improve access to information through radio broadcasts and other activities. It also required the President to appoint a special envoy on North Korean human rights. H.R. 5834. which were considering today. reauthorizes this vitally important legislation. The current bill extends the North Korean Human Rights Act through fiscal year 2012. doubles the original funding authorization for human rights and democracy programs. and enhances the role of the special envoy by making it an ambassadorial rank and requiring it be a fulltime position. Im proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation. which I strongly support and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-05-14
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker. Im glad were talking about the budget. but I will tell you the budget I want to talk about right now is the budget of the American family and small businesses and the middle class across Amerida. I was just in Elizabethton. Tennessee. over the weekend back at Whitsons Barber Shop. and I can tell you the issue that is on peoples minds right now is not more taxes and more spending. its the need for a true energy policy in America. An energy policy that actually uses American energy. We need a policy that will stop .taxing and spending. We need an energy policy that will break our dependence on foreign oil. Right now were buying our energy from people that hate us. hate our freedoms. and. quite frankly. hate our religion. We need to go back to the drawing board and have an energy plan that uses American energy. Im talking about clean coal technology. Im talking about drilling off the Outer Continental Shelf. Im talking about drilling in ANWR. Im talking about wind technology. Im talking about building safe nuclear plants. Those are the things that will bring down the cost at the pumps. We have moms and dads right now that are worried about how theyre going to get their children to school in the mornings. Theyre worried about how theyre going to put food on their kitchen table. Thats the budget that the American people are concerned about. The American people are looking for solutions. They are not looking for big government. inside the beltway in Washington. The American people are looking for solutions to make sure that we keep government as small as possible. and theyre looking to make sure that we pass an energy policy that actually uses American energy. Its time for no more excuses. Its time for us to pass an energy bill that will give some relief to the American family. Its basic economics. I talk to schools all across my district when I go home. and its basic economics. You can talk to any high school student. They will understand supply and demand. If you have a lot of a supply and a little bit of demand. the cost will go down. and. conversely. if you have a lot of demand for a limited supply. cost will go up. Right now we have a demand for a lot of energy. a lot of oil. And right now were dependent on the Middle East. on Venezuela. on Russia. .other countries. and were actually begging the Middle East to increase their energy production. And we have policies here in Washington that wont allow us to use our own American natural resources in energy. The American people want solutions. They want solutions now. And they dont want it in taxing and spending. Its time for no more excuses. We need an energy plan that uses American energy..
Date: 2008-05-14
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I wish to clarify my vote on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for the Conference Report on S. Con. Res. 70. the Budget Resolution. I have always strongly supported the current ban and worked to protect Floridas beaches by helping to enact Public Law 109432. With the energy needs our Nation is facing. other States may decide to explore for more energy sources and I support their right to drill off of their coasts if that is what they choose to do.
Date: 2008-05-14
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. I also thank the gentlewoman from California for her thoughts and input on this bill. which Im pleased to be a cosponsor today. Appropriately. National Womens Health Week began this Monday. May 12. the day after Mothers Day. and this past Monday was National Womens Checkup Day. To this end. we encourage all women to discuss with their doctor the importance of regular checkups. self exams. We also should note that the government has a Web site on this. its www.womenshealth.gov/whw. There they recommend several tests that women should get on a regular basis. Also like to mention. as were focusing on womens health. as my colleague. my friend from California stated. this is also of interest and importance to men. Whether youre fathers or spouses or relatives. its important to also be supportive of womens health and be supportive of exams they may need to have. As we focus on this. I want to mention a few other conditions that impact women and the importance of Federal research funding. Fibromyalgia. for example. is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches. pains and stiffness. soft tissue tenderness. general fatigue and sleep disturbances. Depression is another very important condition to highlight. Women. during and after pregnancy. for example. are at much greater risk to develop depression. and folks who have a chronic illness are at risk to develop depression. Oftentimes. we neglect these important symptoms and aspects of health care when meeting with a physician. It is very important to review any concerns that anyone has. that women have when they have their annual exams. such as sleep problems. changes in appetite. mood changes. persistent sadness and other things. These are treatable conditions and not ones to shun in bringing up and discussing openly and honestly with their physician. We have other things to comment on this. but at this point I will reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-05-14
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. I now yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Tennessee . a leader and advocate on womens health issues.
Date: 2008-05-14
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Seeing as we have no more speakers. were willing to close at this point and again draw attention and thank Mr. HINCHEY for his support on this resolution. I ask all Members to be supportive of it. With that. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-05-15
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Madam Speaker. I rise today to recognize the Greater Latrobe Ice Cats who were crowned Pennsylvania Ice Hockey State Champions on Saturday. March This is the first championship won by the Ice Cats in their 28year history and only the second time in school history that a team has won a state championship. The Ice Cats defeated the Conestoga Pioneers at Memorial Arena in Johnstown. Head Coach Ron Makoski. who led the team to victory. reminded the players that. win or lose. playing in a State championship would be something that each of the players would remember for the rest of their lives. I have no doubt that each of these players will remember this experience with great pride. So congratulations to the Ice Cats. the players. the coaches and parents for capturing the Pennsylvania Cup Class AA Clrampionship. I know the school and community join me in best wishes to the team for their tremendous victory and distinguished season.
Date: 2008-05-15
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition to the rule. I am the lead Republican on the post9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act. Congress needs to increase benefits for those fighting in our military to cover the true cost of a college education. and that is what that bill does. Despite my obvious support for this provision in the supplemental. I am saddened because I cannot vote for its passage as part of amendment 3 today. I cannot because the Democrats have chosen to include an egregious tax on small businesses in amendment 3. While claiming this tax is for Americans veterans. in reality the majority of it is paying for their penchant to - send foreign aid money to governments. many ofwhom do not support the United States of America. However. when the fortunes of this Nations veterans are at stake. the majority always seems to play games. There is no need for this tax. and certainly it is not welcomed at a time when our economy is struggling. But unfortunately. the taxandspend folks are here at it again. and this is part of the largest tax increase in history.
Date: 2008-05-15
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. the Democratic wizard behind the curtain was revealed today. Pulling open the curtain. they brought forward their proposal as to dealing with our troops. After being kept out of consideration of that which was being brought to the floor. Republicans decided to leave the Democrats to their own devices. Left to their own devices. what do we have? No money for our troops. a cutandrun policy. and extraneous funding being put on the bill. Thats the Demo. cratic approach to our war and fighting thosewho would kill us in places overseas. No funds for the troops. a cutandrun policy. and extraneous funding placed on it. The wizard has been seen.
Date: 2008-05-19
Speaker: BONO MACK (republican)
Chamber: H

I thank my dear colleague in the neighboring district from California for yielding me time. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4841. the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Settlement Act. This legislation is the product of decades of litigation and negotiations relating to the water rights of the Soboba Tribe. The courts ruled on the legitimacy of their rights and were able to determine that serious damages were suffered by the Tribe from the diversion of their waterresources. In the years following that decision. the Tribe. local water districts. cities and other stakeholders spent years at the table working out a solution that was in the best interests of the entire region. Bobby Salgado. the Chairman of the Tribe. tells the story well of how his tribal members saw their lives changed when their water resources drastically decreased. Chairman Salgado testified to the House Natural Resources Committee about how he and others would take gym class first thing in the morning during school just so that they could take showers that day. All of the partners to this agreement recognize Southern Californias water needs are serious and are best addressed through approaches that are mindful of supply needs and new water use practices. This legislation embodies the linchpin for a comprehensive basinwide water management plan in the Jacinto River Valley. Finally. I would like to thank Chairman RAHALL. Ranking Member YOUNG. Chairwoman NAPOLITANO and Ranking Member MCMORRIS RODGERS. along with their staffs. for helping quickly bring this legislation to the floor. I would like to also thank Chris Foster from my staff for his hard work on this bill. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan legislation. H.R. 4841.
Date: 2008-05-19
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

Madam Speaker. Im here tonight to speak a little bit about energy process. Unfortunately. some folks here in the Congress seem to think that we can tax our pickup trucks and our cars from empty to full. Just recently. a congressman proposed a 50cent tax increase on gasoline. You heard me cor- rect. an extra 50 cents added to each gallon. Someone actually proposed that here in the House of Representatives. I would say that 99 percent of my constituents dont want another 50 centsin taxes added to their gasoline prices. That 50cent tax increase would put gas at around $4.12 cents per gallon. If you would like to effectively cripple the families and small businesses across the United States and back in my First District of Tennessee. a 50cent tax increase would do just that. Madam Speaker. that just doesnt make any sense to me. What we need is some east Tennessee commonsense. alotig with another lesson from the 8th grade civics class and economic classes. When demand is high. supply is low. then energy prices will be outrageous. Thats exactly what we see today. How do you bring down energy prices? Eighth grade economics: create a bigger supply. How do you create a bigger supply of energy? No more excuses. First. we need to stop making excuses. We need an energy policy that allows us to use American energy. We need to drill for oil in ANWR and off the Outer Continental Shelf. We need to use fuel sources in Colorado and North Dakota. just to name a few. We need to use our abundant coal supply through the use of clean coal technology. We need to create safe nuclear power plants and we need to build new refineries. No more excuses. And we need to expand our green energy initiatives like switchgrass. wind power. solar power and hydroelectric power. We dont need an energy piece. we need an energy policy. You cant take one part of an energy policy and call it a policy. Im all for green energy. but green energy will only get you to about 6 percent of our energy needs in America. That only leaves 94 percent. We need an energy policy. Right now. there is a limited supply of oil being imported into the United States by countries who hate us and hate our freedoms. Were at the mercy of these countries. My family. your family. small businesses across America and the families in the First District of Tennessee are all at the mercy of countries who hate us and hate our freedoms. A sound energy policy that explores new green initiatives. while investing in American energy sources. is what we need and we need it now. Not another tax increase. not another regulation. not another restriction that some people believe would help fill up our pickup trucks and our automobiles. We need a commonsense energy policy. No more excuses.
Date: 2008-05-20
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker. I rise in favor -of this bill. H.R. 3819. the Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act. This bill. introduced by my colleague. Representative SPACE. closes a loophole that saddles Americas hospitals with unnecessary costs. Mr. Speaker. Americas veterans answered the call of duty and fought gallantly for our freedoms. And everyone is thankful for that. However. it is up to the government of the United States to care for our vets. not private hospitals. This bill ensures that the private hospitals providing a bed for a vet while they await care at a VA hospital are reimbursed for that care. Like Mr. SPACE. Ive been contacted. Previously. he was contacted by a constituent. Ive been contacted by constituents and actually intervened in getting the VA to pay for the hospital care. Once this becomes law. neither I nor other Members will have to be in the bill collection business because the VA clearly should be paying for this without having to have a Congressperson call. asking them to look into it. As a cosponsor of this important bill. Im looking forward to voting in favor of it. and I urge my- colleagues to do the very same.
Date: 2008-05-21
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. the phones in my office have been ringing off the hook. Constituents are hopping mad about the skyrocketing price of gasoline. In Dallas in just the last month. the price for a gallon of gas has jumped 30 cents. And thats in Texas. where we drill and explore on land and along the coast. Its about time for the Congress to take action. In fact. its past time. Twothirds of the oil we use comes from foreign countries. We have oil and gas in the United States. but we have to be willing to move forward with exploration. Congress should allow explo-. ration in Alaska. along the eastern seaboard. the west coast. and allow more refineries to be built. The answer to rising gas prices is right here in America. We have the technology. We have the resources. The time is now. Democrats in Congress need to step aside and let the ingenuity of Americans solve this problem today.
Date: 2008-05-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. and I yield. myself such time as I may consume.
Date: 2008-05-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. it is my privilege to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. Mr. LEWIs of California.
Date: 2008-05-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

By voting "no" on the previous question. Members can take a stand against high fuel prices and our -reliance on foreign energy sources. I ask for a "no" vote on the previous question. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-05-22
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H

of Pennsylvania. Well. last week the House and Senate adopted a policy that admits that supply does matter. We voted to stop putting 70.000 barrels of oil each day in the Strategic .Petroleum Reserve. less than onetenth of 1 percent of the worlds consumption of oil. Then Iran announced it was going to slow down production. In the meantime. the U.S. has massive supplies of oil that were saying "no" to. and Congress continues to say were not going to drill. Well. "no" is not an energy policy. Begging the Saudis for oil is not an energy policy. Just yelling in cathartic sessions at oil executives is not an energy 15olicy. Americas families know. Americas truckers know. lets drill for our own oil. Lets use Americas own resources. Lets lower the price of gasoline and make this affordable.