macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-12-15
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 77 which does approve the final regulations implementing the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998. Almost identical to the legislation we just passed. this bill would extend the regulations to offices that serve both the House and the Senate. These regulations are long overdue. I thank the chairman and his staff for their diligence in moving them forward. I thank the gentleman from American Samoa for bringing this to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support our veterans by passing Senate Concurrent Resolution 77. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2010-12-15
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5493. This bill permits the District of Columbia. the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Guam. American Samoa. the U.S. Virgin Islands. and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to each display one statue here in the U.S. Capitol. Mr. Speaker. the District of Columbia and these territories of the United States are important pieces of the larger mosaic that make up our national identity. and I support their right to honor a noteworthy figure of their communities. Statues are funded by the individual territories. Therefore. this legislation is unusual. its budgetneutral. In the coming years. I look forward to welcoming these statues to the Congress and learning more about the individuals that each such entity chooses to honor. So I would urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2010-12-15
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I thank the gentlelady for those nice comments. I understand the importance of having a statue that reflects the people of the District of Columbia and the territories. I remember the pride that we had. as Californians. when we brought the statue of Ronald Reagan here just about a year and a half ago. That is a great example of someone who was not born in California but someone who rose to great prominence in California and someone who loved our State. So I appreciate very. very much. and I love this spirit of bipartisanship that the city has shown to choose Mr. LEnfant. who. of course. was a historic figure before we had the Democratic or Republican Parties. and Frederick Douglass. a prominent Republican and a great American. So I thank you for that great choice. And I know who Id vote for. but you have a choice of two great Americans representing the District of Columbia. I would urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2010-12-15
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina to make sure this is not just an allCalifornia event.
Date: 2010-12-16
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. I thank the gentleman. Their philosophy and mine is we want the government to reward hard work. savings. investment. and job creation. I simply dont think these things should be punished. and certainly not in the name of fixing everybodys problems everywhere. because at the end of the day. doing that will just create more problems. more uncertainty. and more panic. Finally. Madam Chair. my constituents know that we will never climb out of this ditch as long as we keep moving that ladder. Keeping taxes low has to be our goal. That is the ladder to getting out of that ditch. I urge adoption of the bill.
Date: 2003-01-08
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I would like to commend the gentleman from Ohio for his leadership in bringing this before the House today. I feel like it is like election time again. It is rather interesting. Nobody is arguing reform is not necessary. Reform is necessary. But we are talking about global warming. We are talking about senior citizens. They will be losing Social Security next thing we know if this bill drags on more than 5 more minutes. And leadership. it is amazing. I think about the bills this last year that we voted out of this House that sat on the Democratic leaders desk in the Senate that went nowhere. and yet today we blame leadership on this side of the aisle as the problem for everything that occurred in this Nation. The fact is that 20.000 communities in this Nation are covered by the national flood hazard law. In January alone there will be 400.000 households either seeking insurance or seeking to reinsure their home based on an.existing policy. And if this does not occur today. that will not happen. That is dangerous and I applaud our chairman for making sure that that is going to happen today. but to sit around and complain about. all the ills of society based on what we are trying to resolve and fix today is unreasonable on this floor. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac represent 85 percent of the secondary mortgages that are in this Nation. Dealing with the other lenders that are out there. they are prohibited by law from making a loan or reloaning to a home if people do not have an existing insurance policy. Now. lenders are forced. if people cannot provide a policy. to put a forced policy on a home. Now. I applaud the gentleman for his concern for seniors. but understand if we do not do this. they will pay double or triple the price for insurance than they would pay in the open market if a lender is forced to place that insurance company on a home for a person on a fixed income or anybody who has a mortgage out there. If you do not have an existing loan today and you are trying to get one from Fannie Mae. they have given you until January 15 and they will not place loans after that. unless at that point in time they put a forced insurance loan on your house itself. and that forced policy. again. is two to three times the normal price that you would pay on the market today. We have a problem before us. We have an issue that can be dealt with. I would encourage an "aye" vote in dealing with this issue that should be dealt with and should have been dealt with last year. Nobody is arguing that. I believe reform will occur this year. but for the next 12 months this has to occur to allow the open marketplace to continue as it has in the past.
Date: 2003-01-29
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I was never a football fan until I moved to the Tampa Bay area. I think it was the contagious enthusiasm both from my husband and my grandchildren that converted me to become a Tampa Bay Bucs fan. I rise today to congratulate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their outstanding performance and subsequent victory in Sundays Super Bowl. Tie Super Bowl was the most watched Super Bowl ever in history. I do not know whether it is just because every television set in Florida was tuned in or not. but it was the most viewed Super Bowl in history. The Buccaneers victory of 48 to 21 over the Oakland Raiders came at long last to very. very patient Tampa Bay Bucs fans such as myself and my family. who endured many. many years of sticking with the Bucs even when they werent winning. We knew it was just a matter of time. and that time came this past Sunday. The Buccaneer defense scored three touchdowns from five interceptions. and that was a Super Bowl record. Aside from congratulating the team. I would also like to congratulate John Gruden. the NFLs youngest coach. In his very first year. he took the Tampa Bay Bucs on to victory. We would be remiss if we did not also thank Tony Dungy. the former coach. because he was able to develop that team and develop the team to the point where their defense was so strong. I would certainly congratulate all of the members of the Buccaneer team and as well to the Oakland Raiders. It was a hardfought battle. Somebody had to win. and I am just darn glad that it was the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Date: 2003-02-05
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I thank the majority leader for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker. our thoughts and prayers today here in the Congress of the United States are with the seven heroes of the Columbia and with their families. The space program is emblematic of the American people: daring. selfconfident. brave and determined to do great things. I think the seven heroes of the Columbia would be pleased if we here and now determine and resolve to support the space program with renewed and increased vigor and seriousness. Commander Rick Husband. pilot William McCool. payload commander Michael Anderson. mission specialists David Brown. Laurel Clark and Kalpana Chawla. and the Israeli astronant Ilan Ramon. they gave their lives to improve all of our lives. and we. Mr. Speaker. owe them our full support for the continuation of space exploration.
Date: 2003-02-05
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the seven Columbia astronauts the world lost this past weekend. They truly were the best and the brightest that the three countries. Israel. India. and the United States. the best and brightest that these three countries had to offer. I was at home in my district on Saturday preparing to speak to some Girl Scouts who were earning their badge for voting. and when we learned what happened. we decided not to tell the girls in the audience. This was their day. and it was up to their parents to give them the very sad news. As I was standing there speaking to the Girl Scouts. the entire Columbia crew was on my mind. As I looked out. speaking to the girls and interacting with them. I realized that one of them could be a future astronaut. I could not help but think how many of them. like these seven astronauts. dreamed of space travel as a child. President Bush called the astronauts heroes. NASA administrators called them family members. Many children. including the ones I spoke to. as well as adults. called them role models. Most Americans did not know the astronauts personally until we lost them. but in their loss we as a Nation can recognize the immense dedication by thousands of individuals worldwide to our space program. We can recognize the awe in which the program is held by the rest of the world and the enormous risks and sacrifices that accompany space travel. As we grieve for the Columbia crew. it is important to remember that America is a Nation that has never shied away from new frontiers and exploration. We will continue to be a leader in space exploration. as the Columbia crew would have wanted. We will continue missions and experiments in space. as they. too. would have wanted. And. of course. we will continue to support a robust. cuttingedge space program that is the pride of this country and of the global community. We will continue to remember and honor the seven Columbia crew members who died serving their countries. broadening the worlds knowledge about the vast unknown we call space and doing what they truly loved to do.
Date: 2003-02-05
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. on the morning of Saturday. February 1st. the men and women of Columbia Mission STS107 were on their way home when they were suddenly and tragically taken from us. Today we offer the respect and gratitude of a grateful nation for their service and their sacrifice. Over the last few days our Nation has prayed for the family and friends of the lost and have learned of the lives of seven truly extraordinary individuals. Commander Rick Husband. Pilot William McCool. Payload Commander Michael Anderson. Mission Specialist David Brown. Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla. Mission Specialist Laurel Clark. and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon understood the risk and were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the advancement of humanity. The crew conducted more than 80 scientific experiments In the physical. life. and space sciences during their voyage. The objective of their mission was to help us solve problems here on Earth through experiments such as growing bone and prostate cancer tissue in search of new treatments. testing new techniques of encapsulating anticancer drugs to improve their efficiency. and examining the physics of combustion and fire quenching to gain insights into firesuppression that cannot be obtained on Earth. Their mission is a reminder of the importance of our space program and the benefits that can be achieved through these efforts. Our search for understanding and our basic desire to reach into the darkness just beyond our grasp are both the hallmark and the callIng of our humanity. As we take these moments to grieve for the lives lost and the families and friends left behind. we also stand here today resolved that space exploration and the cause of research and discovery must go on. Perhaps it is testimony to the greatness of our society when sending men and women Into the heavens seemingly becomes commonplaceand perhaps It is regretful that many of us take notice only when a tragedy such as this occurs. Nevertheless. we were reminded on Saturday that all great endeavors involve great risk. We will go on and continue the work these seven astronauts began. They will go down in history as heroes who paid the ultimate price as pioneers in the frontier of space exploration. For their memories and in their names. we rededicate our efforts to unlock the mysteries of the heavens.
Date: 2003-02-05
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I come to the floor today to honor the men and women tragically lost on the space shuttle Columbia. These seven astronauts represent the very principleshonor. bravery and dedicationthat Americans have looked up to since the beginning of space travel. These heroes are the epitome of what every child in modern times aspires to be. Exploring the last undiscovered frontier is one achievement that only few have done. but all have eagerly sought to do. While America will mourn the loss of these brave heroes for years to come. let us never forget the importance of space travel. Like explorers from Columbus to Amelia Earheart. the crew of the space shuttle Columbia reached frontiers that are only a dream to most of us. In doing so. they have provided mankind with a better understanding of a world we have only begun to discover. These young men and women leave behind families that have been equally dedicated to the goals of this crew and the future of space travel. I extend my deepest gratitude to these families for the sacrifices they have made in order to help this crew achieve their dreams of space travel. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the seven members of the space shuttle Columbia crew who have brought the heroic bravery of past explorers to the horizons of future frontiers.
Date: 2003-02-11
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. on December 21. 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 exploded in the skies over Lockerbie. Scotland. killing 270 innocent people. Sadly. the government that sponsored this terrorist act only fifteen years agoLibyahas now been selected to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Unfortunately. the hypocrisy of this reaches far beyond the Pan Am tragedy. Libya continues to stand in consistent violation of international human rights treaties. Its not just that torture and random executions are not condemned by Libya. such gross violations of human rights are heavily practiced and supported by high ranking government officials. Libyansespecially those that freely express their political opinionlive in fear of their own government every day. Torture. abuse and unfair detainments are common practice within the Libyan system of justice. yet Libya has not admitted to a single case of human rights abuses within their country. The preamble of the United Nations Charter appropriately states: "We the peoples of the United Nations determined to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights." As Libya assumes the chair of the U.N.s Commission on Human Rights. it is clear that this faith. has been seriously compromised. It Is appalling that a nation with a clear and consistent record of complete disregard for human rights now stands in this key role in helping combat human rights violations. I believe that the legitimacy of this Commission has been lost and thousands of innocent men and women across the world. who fall victim to harsh and unfair treatment every day. will continue to suffer without hope as long as nalions like Libya lead the fight to protect human rights by chairing this commission. I join my colleagues in supporting H. Con. Res. 27. which condemns the selection of Libya to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Date: 2003-02-11
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I rise to honor a great American and our 40th PresidentRonald Reagan. He is a man who not only inspired a generation. but led a Nation through one of its most challenging eras. His inspiration has carried well beyond his. public years and will influence Americans well beyond our years in Congress. Let us never forget that the very policies we fight for every day on the House floorincreased defense spending. tax relief. homeland security and fiscal disciplinehave the fingerprints of Ronald Reagan all over them. It was his leadership and ingenuity decades ago that serve as the very foundation of our legislative agendas today. Ronald Reagan not only inspired a NationHe inspired the world to follow a path of progress and humanity in a decade plagued with the threat of communist tyranny. Today. we face a similar battlethis time against the threat of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. While Ronald Reagan may not be leading us in this battle. let us follow the path that he blazed over a decade ago. Should we follow the principles of his leadership. the blanket of freedom and democracy over America will only grow stronger. Let me also note that it would not be appropriate to honor President Reagan without honoring the person that has heroically stood by his side with complete dedication and unwavering commitment. Nancy Reagans commitment to her husband. parallels President Reagans commitment to this Nation. Her daily struggle to confront a disease that has taken away the true voice and spirit we continue to rally around is nothing short of heroic and should Inspire this entire Nation. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring President Reagan on his 92 birthday by supporting H.J. Res. 19.
Date: 2003-02-11
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that it be in order at any time without intervention of any point of order to consider in the House H.R. 395. that the bill be considered as read for amendment. that the bill be debatable for 1 hour. equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce: and that the previous question be considered as ordered on the bill to final passage. without intervening motion.
Date: 2003-02-11
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I also stand to support the nomination of Mr. Miguel Estrada. We just heard his incredible qualifications as a lawyer. a person who has lived the American dream. who came to this country as a teenager barely speaking a word of English but through his work. his hard work. his dedication. bettered himself to become a highly respected attorney in society. Mr. Speaker. some of those now objecting to his confirmation have not been able to find one good reason in over a year that this process has taken place. one good reason why Mr. Estrada should not be on the bench. and yet we have heard a number of discussions djour about why Mr. Estrada should not be there. I want to mention some of those. Mr. Speaker. that I think are rather. frankly. amusing if I may say. Some have actually said that Miguel Estrada has never served as a judge before. therefore. he is not qualified to hold this position in this prestigious court. But. Mr. Speaker. five out of the eight judges in that same court where Mr. Estrada has been nominated by this President also never had judicial experience in the past. Why was it okay for them to not have that experience and why is it not okay for this Hispanic brilliant attorney. why does he have to have experience that the other five did not have. Mr. Speaker? I do not know. It begs the question. Mr. Speaker. some people that I admire and care for greatly who were born in the United States of Hispanic origin like I was have actually said publicly that one of the reasons that Mr. Estrada should not be a judge is because he is not Hispanic enough or "he is Hispanic by name only." Some of the people who are saying that. again like I am were born here in the United States and frankly are just not all that fluent in Spanish. and they say that Mr. Estrada. who got here when he was 17 years old. barely speaking English. is not Hispanic enough. is Hispanic by name only? Mr. Speaker. I find that to be frankly offensive. personally offensive. I have no problem that people would object if they find something objectionable in Mr. Estradas record. but they have been able to find nothing. not one iota of evidence. nothing that should disqualify this young brilliant attorney. Mr. Speaker. I support Mr. Estrada because it would be a wonderful thing for the country. It would be a wonderful thing for Hispanics. It would be a wonderful thing for diversity. A vote for Mr. Estrada is a vote for diversity. And. Mr. Speaker. I hope that we can all united support the nomination of this brilliant. young. talented Hispanic. He deserves it. the people of the United States deserve it. and our court system clearly also deserves to have Miguel Estrada.
Date: 2003-02-11
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding to me. I was listening to the gentlemans remarks from my office and decided to come down precisely to ask to join him for just a few minutes because I very much agreed with what he was saying. I heard the gentleman speaking first on the Presidents economic plan to help create jobs in the United States. Eighty percent or more of the jobs in the United States are created by small business. And in my district. when I started to talk about the Presidents plan. what impressed me was the amount of small businessmen who spoke to me and told me that that provision in the Presidents plan to triple the amount that a small business can deduct from its taxes to make equipment purchases. in other words to expand the small business. is something that will immediately not only inure to the benefit of those small businesses but will produce growth in those small businesses. will produce new small businesses and. thus. will produce jobs in this country. The Presidents plan is multifaceted. It will create jobs in many ways. And I think it is incumbent upon us in this Congress to have a vigorous debate but to act quickly and pass that plan. Of course. as the gentleman was saying with regard to the reality of the tyrant in Baghdad. I think the President just a few days ago. when he spoke here before us. made a very convincing case when he reminded the American people and the world that that tyrant in Baghdad has used in .the past weapons of mass destruction. He not only possesses weapons of mass destruction. in the case of chemical weapons. biological weapons. but he has used those weapons against people within his own country.