macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. We are very proud of this bill. We were very proud of the rule that brings it forth. Three times as many Democrat or bipartisan amendments have been made in order by the rule that we bring this legislation to the floor with than Republican amendments. three times. In addition. the cities were heard repeatedly. I have a list here. Mr. Speaker. of concern after concern after concern of the cities that were dealt with by the legislation. are dealt with by the legislation. It is good legislation for the consumers. Finally. there is going to be competition in this country for cable television. something the consumers have been demanding for many. many years. Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota . my distinguished friend and colleague.
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. That. Mr. Speaker. after having made his amendment in order. Mr. Speaker. there were a number of misstatements that were just made. and first of all. I want to reiterate that this is an extremely fair rule that we have brought forth the underlying legislation with. There are three times as many Democrat or bipartisan amendments has Republican amendments. including the amendment of the gentleman that just spoke. What I am going to do now is yield 4 minutes to one of the prime authors of this legislation to hopefully clarify a number of the misstatements. the gentleman from Michigan .
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. there are strong antidiscrimination provisions in this legislation. And a prime author of this legislation. who has worked very diligently. precisely on this issue. as well as others. and the gentleman who -I had the privilege of coming to Congress with. a classmate. Mr. RUSH of Illinois. I yield him 4 minutes.
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. the Rules Committee made in order three times as many Democrat or bipartisan amendments as Republican amendments. This is an extremely fair rule. Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio .
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. we are again very proud of the rule that we have brought this legislation forth under. A colleague on my side of the aisle asked me why is it you are making three times as many Democrat or bipartisan amendments in order as Republican amendments. and my rely was we want to be as fair as possible. That is what we are doing today. We are very proud of the process and the rule. We are very proud of the underlying legislation. It is extremely proconsumer and is going to bring relief to consumers. to our constituents throughout the country. It is finally going to bring competition to the cable television process in this country. So it is very important legislation. It has been made possible by hard work and study and perseverance by numerous Members. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I think we have heard a good debate. I think the key. first with regard to the process. the rule. Obviously every piece of legislation is brought forth for consideration by rule that sets the terms of the debate. how many amendments can be made in order. how long they be can be debated. et cetera. As I said before. a colleague of mine on my side of the aisle said. why have we made under this rule three times as many Democrat or bipartisan amendments than Republican amendments? I said. because we want to be fair. It is an important issue. want to make sure that everybody gets A chance. that the key issues. the key issues have a chance to move forward in a fair way. So we are being exceptionally fair. It is an exceptionally important issue. There is finally going to be competition for cable television in this country. I dont know about you. Mr. Speaker. but I have constituents through the years complain about their lack of choice with regard to cable. the fact that rates continue to rise. There is no competition. There is no alternatives for consumers with regard to cable television. Finally. there is going to be. because of this legislation. So it is an important piece of legislation. That is why we wanted to be as fair as possible with regard to the terms of debate. That is why we made three times as many amendments. Democrat or bipartisan amendments in order than Republican amendments. We have still heard complaints. Obviously it is a free country. But Mr. Speaker. we are proud of the rule. proud of the process. of the hard work that has been put into this legislation. starting with Chairman BARTON. Mr. RUSH of Illinois. Mr. UPTON. so many others. Mr. PICKERING. who have worked so hard on this piece of legislation. and we bring it forth in a very fair process with a very fair rule.
Date: 2006-06-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.
Date: 2006-06-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. Ronald Reagan had a wonderful statement. and that was. if you want to live forever become a Goy-. ernment program because they never. ever go away. When the British and Iraq governments established the International Fund for Ireland in 1986. as part of the AngloIrish Accord. Irelands per capita gross domestic product was relatively low. It certainly was a very good program. Since then. Ireland has grown at a pace more rapid even than ours. and is known as the Celtic Tiger. Today. Irelands GDP is on par with the United States. and its unemployment rate is 4.7 percent. Yet we still continue want to appropriate $10 million for the International Fund for Ireland. In a decade of increasing deficits. the United States must stop sending money to programs that are not necessary. Actually. most recently they used some of our money for the Chef Development Program and the construction of a 3.000 foot cafe. and also to help fund the World Toilet Summit. So obviously we have got to stop flushing away some of this money. I have spoken to several individuals who were very. very involved in establishing this fund and feel very. very strongly about the fund. And I have assurances from the Representative from New York along with several others that the funding for this is going to be reduced in further appropriations. I had thought that one of them would be here for a colloquy. And I had told the great Mr. WALSH from New York. as well as others. that I would withdraw this amendment with the assurance that future funding would be reduced and eliminated over the next few years. Mr. Chairman. I ask for unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
Date: 2006-06-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. I certainly thank the gentleman from New York for this opportunity to exchange views. I would encourage him to look into the World Toilet Summit. Americans are tired of money being flushing down the toilet. I am delighted that the program is going to be phased out. and also very happy that the economy of Ireland has improved. There is no better way to have peace than to have prosperity. The fact that general economy of Ireland has improved certainly is a very great benefit to that part of the world. Mr. Chairman. I withdrew this with the information that the program is being phased out in future years. Mr. Chairman. I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
Date: 2006-06-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Again. Mr. Chairman. I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this amendment with the proviso that future amounts for this program will be reduced. It is obviously a great success. and at this point we want to make sure Ronald Reagans prediction wasnt right and that future funding will be reduced.
Date: 2006-06-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the Chair for the opportunity to speak about this amendment on the Foreign Operations appropriations bill before us. Let me remind my colleagues that the Mexican government publishes manuals giving advice to migrants on how to illegally enter and live in the United States without being detected. They are encouraging breaking our laws. Moreover. recently. if we recall. the Mexican government actually threatened to sue the United States if our government acts to strengthen and defend our southern border. Imagine how surprised I was when the committee added another $1 million increase that Mexico will ostensibly use to strengthen its northern border. 0.1145 This increase is over -the budget request in the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement section. My amendment will actually leave the $39 million included in the budget request for narcotics control and law enforcement untouched. Instead. my amendment eliminates that $1 million that the committee recommended to be used to help Mexicos northern border infrastructure. Lets face it. they are not interested in defending and protecting their northern border. which is our southern border. In past years. Mexico actually spent the money appropriated for narcotics control and law enforcement in even a questionable manner. However. sending extra money to the Mexican Government to strengthen their borders is. I believe. as insane as it is unconscionable. Mr. Chairman. I reserv8 the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. a week ago today I was actually on the Mexican border. I was in Texas. in El Paso. The sheriffs along the border. the ones on our side. are the ones doing the interdiction of the drugs. This amount. while it is $1 million. and I guess in Washington everybody says it is only a million. a million here. a million there starts to add up. but I would certainly encourage support for this amendment. If we are going to spend that extra million dollars. I would rather give it to the sheriffs at the border patrol on our side of the border. where I know the money is well spent. and so I ask for the support of my colleagues for this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-09
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. on rollcall Nos. 242 and 243 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present. I would have voted "no."
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak out against the Senates amnesty plan. Their bill is fundamentally unfair as it benefits only those who came to this country by breaking our laws. No illegal alien is left behind by this bill. because it gives aliens instate tuition rates at colleges. Further. the Senate bill would allow 217 million new immigrants to come here over the next 20 years. That is twothirds of our current population. Some of my constituents have been sending me bricks suggesting that they go toward building the wall on our southern border. When constituents have to step in to help send bricks to Congress. obviously they feel very strongly about the immigration issue. Actually. Americans should start sending bricks over to th Senate. and I hope that they do. However. the problem is they probably will not mail them. They will be throwing them at the Senate.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. by direction of the Committee on Rules. I call up House Resolution 862. and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

For the purpose of debate only. I yield the customary 30 minutes to my good friend from Florida . pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution. all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. House Resolution 862 waives clause 6(a) of rule XIII requiring a twothirds vote to consider a rule on the same day it is reported from the Committee on Rules. House Resolution 862 will allow the House to consider the rule for consideration of the Transportation. Treasury. and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2007. The Rules Committee received numerous requests from the authorizing committees to expose portions of the bill that they feel represent legislating on appropriations bills. We are working through those requests now. Later today the Rules Committee will meet to thoroughly -consider these requests and report out a rule. Although we have not passed a final rule on this bill yet. Mr. Speaker. historically appropriations bills have come to the House floor governed by an open rule. I expect that we will continue to do so in order to allow each and every Member of this House the opportunity to submit amendments for consideration. obviously. as long as they comply with the rules of the House. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to support this sameday rule so we can move forward to the rule on this important appropriation bill as soon as the rule is ready. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I would simply note that the Transportation. Treasury. HUD bill passed the full Appropriations Committee by a voice vote on June 6. In other words. without opposition. without noted opposition. and the bill was filed on June 9. It has been available for everyone to see and review for days now. It was also on the schedule since last week. I have no further speakers on this side of the aisle. I would ask my good friend if he has any other speakers.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. by direction of the Committee on- Rules. I call up House Resolution 865 and ask for its immediate consideration. I The Clerk read the resolution. as follows: H. REs. 865 Resolved. That at any time after the adoption of this resolution the Speaker may. pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII. declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation. Treasury. and Housing and Urban Development. the Judiciary. District of Columbia. and independent agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30. 2007. and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall -not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the fiveminute rule. Points of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived except as follows: beginning with "to" on age 5. line 23 through the comma on line 24. beginning with the colon on page 6. line 22 through "year" on line 26. beginning with "for" on page 13. line 1 through "Code" on line 6. beginning with the colon on page 13. line 17 through "expended" on line 25. and sections 120. 127. 129. 206. 530. 707. and 931. Where points of order are waived against part of a paragraph. points of order against language in another part of such paragraph may be made only against such other part and not against the entire paragraph. During consideration of the bill for amendment. the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may accord priority in recognition on the basis of whether the Member offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIH. Amendments so printed shall be considered as read. When the committee rises and reports the bill back to the House with a recommendation that the bill do pass. the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker" I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I simply would reiterate that the legislation we bring to the floor today by this rule appropriates 6 percent more for the Departments of Transportation and Treasury and Housing and Urban Development. and the Judiciary and District of Columbia and other agencies. 6 percent more than last year. And we are proud of the legislation we bring forth. I know that Chairman KNOLLENBERG has worked long and hard. as well as many of our members of the Appropriations Committee on this legislation. to prioritize needs and to bring forth as fair a piece of legislation as possible. With regard to the area of housing. the bill. as I stated before.- includes funding for important programs such as the tenantbased rental assistance. also known as Section 8. and as a matter of fact. the bill includes over $21 billion for the program. an increases of over $800 million from last year. I think Chairman KNOLLENBERG has done a very good job. and he deserves our commendation. as do the other members of the committee. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I simply reiterate that we bring this legislation forth with an open rule. which means that any Member of the House who has an idea for more funding for one program. less funding for another. they can bring forth any amendment as long as they obviously follow the rules of the House. So we are bringing forth this appropriations bill with an open rule. we look forward to debate. We think it is good legislation. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. we have no ffirther speakers on this side of the aisle. and I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. again I am very proud of the work of Chairman KNOLLENBERG and the rest of the Members who have worked hard on this appropriation bill. We think it is a good bill. It is fair. We bring it forward to an open rule. which permits any germane amendment to be introduced. discussed. debated by this House. I look forward to the debate. We are proud of the underlying legislation as well as the rule that we bring it forth with. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. and I move the previous question on the resolution.
Date: 2006-06-13
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I have a modest amendment to ensure HUD can continue to work the redevelopment of brownfield sites to local communities. I would like to commend Chairman KNOLLENBERG. I am on the Financial Services Committee and Transportation Committee. and he has worked very hard and responsibly to fund the Nations housing and transportation needs during this very. very tight budget year. I am pleased that the bill boosts highway spending. supports aviation. addresses Americas critical housing needs. supports national antidrug efforts. This amendment today basically keeps the BEDI program going. which redevelops brownfields through the HUD administration. The estimate is 450.000 vacant sites lay idle throughout this country. They are underused industrial sites as a result of environmental contamination caused by chemical compounds and other hazardous substances. The basic years budget transfers all the funding to EPA. EPA has a completely different objective than HUD does through the BEDI Program. BEDI grants are basically used for economic development. We passed out a bill I offered last year. H.R. 280. that is in the Senate today to restructure the BEDI Program. making a simpler program more usable to local communities. Currently. to get a BEDI grant you have to apply for a section 108 loan. then in repayment you have to guarantee your CDBG funds and pledge those to repay that loan. Some communities dont receive CDBG funds directly. so they could not apply for section 108. And the other communities who can. dont want to readily pledge those CDBG funds because many community organizations and efforts are undertaken with the utilization of these funds. These brownfield sites threaten our groundwater. They cost local communities jobs and revenues. It is estimated if we could clean these 450.000 brownfield sites up. it would generate an additional 550.000 jobs throughout this .country and $2.4 billion in new tax revenues for its cities and towns. The communities I represent and communities throughout this country want this program. The problem they have had is it has been a complex program in the past. I thank Chairman KNOLLENBERG. Last year you accepted an amendment of mine which kept this program going. And the understanding I had was we need to do legislation to modify the program in order to make it more accessible to communities. We have done that. It passed out of this floor on unanimous consent. It is in the Senate currently. And we hope to have that addressed in the Senate and made into law so we can keep this viable program going. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON has been a true partner working with me on this. and I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.
Date: 2006-06-14
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I want to commend him for his hard work on this important legislation. And while I strongly support Chairman KNOLLENBERGS bill. I will be voting in support of *its passage. I am disappointed that this bill does not provide funding for the Office of Personnel Managements initiative to modernize the Federal Governments retirement systems. The current antiquated paper system is in desperate need of modernization. A failure to provide funding to establish a more efficient and effective electronic process for handling these retirement claims. especially after the first three contracts have already been awarded. represents a significant setback for the modernization efforts. While I understand that funds are tight in the current budget climate. unnecessary delays to the modernization of the Federal Governments retirement processing will only end up costing us more in the future. and it will likely lead to additional unnecessary delays and errors in the processing of retirement benefits under the current antiquated system. I would urge the gentleman from Michigan to work with the Government Reform Committee. the Office of Personnel Management. and other interested stakeholders to explore in conference ways that funding for this important initiative might be restored and contracts continue on track.