macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I have already introduced a bill earlier this week which will be referred to the Finance Committee. which lays out the program I have in mind. That program is targeted on those. States where need is great. as in the Senators State of Mississippi. the need is great. My States need is great. It lays out a temporary program which would automatically expire when unemployment comes down. Mr. President. my legislation is not the last word on that subject. Every piece of legislation can be improved. The committee would work Its will. I am open to suggestions. I am not here to attach my bill that I introduced earlier this week to this budget resolution. All I want to do is make sure that the budget resolution we have now before us will accommodate the situation which would then be up to the FInance Committee to fashion. If my colleague from Mississippi Is disturbed about the details of the program. let me say we have time to debate those details and fashion the best possible legislation at the appropriate time. but we have to provide for the funding now. Otherwise. that committee. when it does take action on this compelling matter. would have to take the amount out of other income assistance programs. It could be social security. as I say. I hope that the distinguished Senator from Mississippi could support my amendment. Mr. President. this Is a listing of the States that will be rimediately eligible under my emergency unemployment compensation legislation effective on May 1. 1982. They are: Alabama. Alaska. Arkansas. California. Delaware. Idaho. Illinois. Indiana. Iowa. Maine. Maryland. Massachusetts. Michigan. Minnesota. Mississippi. Missouri. Montana. Nevada. New Jersey. North Carolina. Ohio. Oregon. Pennsylvania. Rhode Island. South Carolina. Tennessee. Utah. Vermont. Washington. West Virginia. Wisconsin. Puerto Rico. Virgin Islands. Other States that the Congressional Budget Office projects will become available during the expected life of the program will be: Hawaii. Kentucky. Louisiana. New York. North Dakota. District of Columbia. Mr. President. I yield the floor.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. will the distinguished Senator withhold his motion for a moment? The distinguished Senator from Ten* nessee wishes to speak.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I move to reconsider the vote by which the motion to lay on the table was ageed to.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I am sorry that this discussion has deteriorated into this business of "shedding crocodile tears" over tabling motions and accusations. and recriminations. and all that. The Senator may search the RECORD all he wishes. but I can remember that whenever a motion to table was made on this side of the aisle every Republican. almost without exception. voted against that motion to table. That is not true in our case. We have here six Republicans who voted "no" on this motion to table and we also had a number of Democrats who voted "aye" on the motion to table. Now. the socalled crocodile tears are not being shed because this Senators amendment was tabled. I have been in the Senate 24 years. I have been on Capitol Hill for 30 years. and I have been in politics for 36 years. I long ago learned that you win some and you lose some. So this Senator is not shedding any crocodile tears. I say to my friend from Wyoming. because the amendment was tabled. The "crocodile tears" should be shed for those people in the Senators State and in my State and in other States who have exhausted. or soon will exhaust. their unemployment compensation benefits and who will have to make serious choices as to whether or not they are going to buy food. or whether or not they are going to let the rent go. or whether or not they are going to pay their mortgages on their automobiles or their homes. The bell tolls for them. Now. a number of times the distinguished Senator from Kansas. if I might have his attention. the distinguished Senator from Kansas a number of times has talked about "political rhetoric" and "November election amendments." and all that business. I do not think that that promotes comity on both sides of the aisle. After all. we are all politicians. The Senator from Kansas is a politician. There are times when I could get up. very easily. if I wished to. and say that his actions or his statements are pure political rhetoric or I could say that they are political flimflam. I wish that we would get away from the business of tossing accusations at every Senator who tries to offer an amendment in good faith. You know. we did not do that when I first came to this body 24 years ago.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I thank the Senator. May I just say that I would hope we can get away from this political rhetoric that denounces every amendment offered from this side of the aisle as a "getyourselfelected amendment" or a "Novemberelection amendment." I do not think that will encourage bipartisanship. The Senator talks about the $1 billion added by my amendment. What about the increase in the deficit by $56 billion in one stroke when the Senators party met in a closed session here on Tuesday. almost all day long. and modified the budget resolution? They increased the deficit $56 billion in one stroke. I do not think they should criticize my proposal which totals a little over $1 billion to help people in this country who wish more of us would shed "crooodile tears" over their plight. We are going to hear more and more from them. The only thing I am saying is this. and I will say it once more: If Senators. in good conscience. want to vote to table an amendlument like this. that is fine. but Senators just march inand they have not heard the debateand if it is a Democratic amendment which has been offered they just peremptorily voted it down or table it. I do not care if you want to move to table my amendment. that is all right. but at least I would like them to hear the debate. I have no right to presume that I can read the heart and mind of anybody on that side or anybody on this side. But I just cannot believe that the vote that was recorded on this past rolicall and on some of the other rollcalls which have been had on amendments offered by Democrats truly reflects the true feelings of all Republican Senators who cast their votes against good amendments that were offered from this side of the aisle. That is all I have to say. I just think If we are going to work together we need to have a little better feeling than is being generated by Senators who refer to amendments on this side as being politically motivated. that they are "November amendments." they are "getyourselfelected amendments." That does not do anybody any good and it does not reflect well upon the Senate. Nor do the American people want to hear It. They deserve better.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I would say that my memory is about as good as anybody elses in the Senate. I do not. say it is better. But it is easy to stand up and say "We are giving the same treatment that we got." I could say a lot of things. if I wanted to. about the problems we had in those days. too. with the then minority on that side of the aLisle. But I am not going to do that. I am simply saying that we ought to at least decide these matters on the merits. It is the right of any Senator to move to table. I do not question the right of the Senator from Kansas to move to table. I am simply saying that time after time after time. this year and last year. we have seen this happen. And time after time we have seen the majority walk in lockstep against good and meritorious Democratic amendments. I can show to the Senator more than 100 votes in this Senate last year in which over twothirds of the Republicans voted precisely the same way. So I have a little memory also. I simply plead that we start according a little bit of sincerity to the conscientious purpose of Senators on amendments offered from this side of the aisle. I yield the floor.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I have tried to speak with a very tempered voice. a very tempered tone. The point is that I think my amendment was an amendment that deserved voting up or down on the merits. The question is whether the Committee on Finance will report a supplemental unemployment benefits bill and If they do. where do they expect to find the funding for. it.. It must come from budget function 600. All my amendment was attempting to do is provide that funding. because without that in the budget.. the choice is simple: either they cannot or It comes out of some other Income assistance program such as social securily.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President I take the floor at this time to state that it is obvious that we cannot finish the work on this bill by 2 oclock today or by 3 oclock or by 4 oclock. It will probably be 8 or 9 oclock or later. But in any event. I think we ought to finish acting on this resolution today. Democratic Senators had planned for a conference at Coolfont in Berkeley County. W. Va. But we want to put the business of the Senate ahead of party interests. We have met. Mr. BOREN. whom I designated as chairman of the group that would work out the arrangements for the Coolfont conference. is here on the floor. We have had several Members of his group and other Senators who were planning to go to that conference. We were all in agreement that the American people expect us to complete action on this budget resolution and that we. ourselves. want to see action completed on the budget resolution. We put our Nations interests first. and we are here to say that that conference will be postponed to another date. not canceled. It will simply be postponed to another date when we will not be faced with the extenuating circumstances that confront this Senate at this time.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I thank the Senator for the good work that he has done in this regard. Even last night we were still hopeful that there might be a possibility that we could complete action on this measure by 2 oclock today. We have speakers scheduled to address the conference. Senators have made plans for the conference. They were going to take their wives. and so our decision comes at no small Inconvenience to Senators and speakers and members of the press who were invited. We now see that it is absolutely clear that it will take a good bit of time yet to complete action on this measure. and I think we should announce our plan to defer the Coolfont conference until a future date.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I thank the Senator. Mr. President. I should like 2 more minutes yielded to me. and I ask unanimous consent that this time be charged on the time of the resolution. because we are speaking out of order.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I thank the Senator. Mr. President. I thank the Senator from Wyoming for permitting me to speak at this time.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I am in his place. plMr. DOMENICI. That the next amendment to be called up will be the JohnstonNunnExon amendment. We have no time agreement on that. Actually. we are entitled to the next amendment on this side. I am willing to proceed with that amendment if we can get a time agreement. It will have to be pretty brief because there are three or four additional amendments that we have to call up within that short period of time.
Date: 1982-05-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Presldent. I know that themajority leader is trying to be fair. He is trying to make an arrangement whereby each of the Senators who have remaining amendments can call their amendments up and get a little time for debate. I have heard it said that there will be an objection to any extension. May I say if that is going to be the attitude. any objection. then there will be ways found to extend the debate on this measure. There will be ways found to extend the time on this budget. I think we will save time by allowing just a few minutes extra for those Senators who have waited. who thought they would have a few minutes left. I would hope we would not have this objection to any extension of time whatsoever.
Date: 1982-05-24
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. in the current round of budget discussions there has been much concern that partisanship was dominating the Senate debates. For this reason it is important to point out clear instances where Republicans and Democrats can unite behind democratic proposals to spur the longpromised economic recovery. This cooperation has never been more in evidence thats in the case of a resolution sponsored by three of my distinguished Democratic colleagues. The distinguished Senators from New York. Michigan. and Tennessee. Messrs. MOYNIHAN. RIEGLE. and SASSER have sponsored a resolution calling for a more reasonable monetary policy as a necessary condition for stronp economic recovery. The resolution says that "It is the sense of the Congress that. if Congress acts to restore fiscal responsibility and reduces projected budget deficits in a substantial and permanent way. then the Federal Reserve Open Market C .ittee shall reevaluate its monetai. targets in order to assure that they are fully complimentary to a new and more restrictive fiscal policy." Democrats have argued. throughout the year. that only synchronized and prudent fiscal and monetary policies will lead to strong sustained recovery. In fact. the need for a more responsible monetary policy was included in a letter Senate Democrats unanimously agreed to send to the President. I am very glad to welcome Republicans to the responsible monetary policy fold. My good friend. and most respected colleague. the senior Senator from New Mexico. Mr. DOMENICI. accepted this resolution as an amendment to the Senates budget "without objection." according to a story al.pearing in Fridays New York Times. I ask unanimous consent to include an article by Leonard Silk. the economic columnist for the New York Times. The article clearly spells out the flaws with tig)t money and loose fiscal policies. and discusses the resolution Senators MOYNIHAN. RIEGLE. and SASSER put forward.
Date: 1982-05-24
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. on behalf of Mr. CRANSTON. I ask unanimous consent to correct the permanent RECORD of Friday. May 21. On page S5882. the announcement of position on the rollcall vote on final passage of Senate Congressional Resolution 92. the Senate budget resolution. shows that. if present and voting. the Senator from Montana. Mr. MELCHER. would vote "yea." The RECORD should show that. if present and voting. Senator MELCHER would have voted "nay."
Date: 1982-05-24
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to Jay on the table was agreed to. I
Date: 1982-05-25
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I listened with cdre and interest and appreciation to the prayer of the distinguished visiting chaplain this morning. His prayer was not an improvement on the Lords Prayer. but it was certainly a novel rewording of it and very appropriate. I congratulate him on an excellent prayer.
Date: 1982-05-25
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

At the close of morning business. a bill which has been introduced and has had its first reading will automatically have its second reading. If objection to further proceedings thereon is made. that bill will go on the calendar. Will the majority leader allow us to have that done now so that Senator CHILES will not have to stay on the floor?
Date: 1982-05-25
Speaker: PHILLIP BURTON (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. San Franciscos noted columnist Kevin Starr recently visited Fort Mason. part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. His thoughtful and sensitive prose captures the unique chemistry of Fort Mason. a center for a variety c! arts and recreational activities for the community. I am pleased to present Kevin Starrs article to my colleagues. many of whom played essential roles in passage of legislation creating the "amenities of Fort Mason."
Date: 1982-05-26
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I send to the desk an amendment on behalf of Mr. GLENN and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 1982-05-26
Speaker: WILLIAM J. COYNE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise in strong opposition to the proposal to veto the Federal Trade Commission rule on used cars. I also rise to speak on how the high cost of politics corrupts the process. It is worth noting at the outset that the Federal Trade Commission did not come out of left field with this rule. which is striking in its essential clarity and fairness: dealers must tell prospective buyers about mechanical defects they may be aware of. This rule comes at the urging of Congress. and is the result of several years of investigations and hearings. This Is a reasonable. consumeroriented rule. The action taken by. the FTC is in keeping with the notion that Federal agencies work in the interest of consumers as well as business when they make their rules. Where does the opposition to this rule originate? Certainly not from used car buyers. nor from State law enforcement officers. As one might expect. the opposition is coming from the autodealers themselves. most vociferously from their industry lobby group. the National Automobile Dealers Association. Their complaints about the rule. which have shifted as the political climate in the country has shifted. should of course be heard. but only when balanced by the arguments of consumers in favor of honesty in used car dealings. In the business of congressional lobbying. however. some are clearly more equal than others. It is clear to any observer that the arguments of the autodealers industry have been given greater weight by Congress than those of consumers. The great equalizer is moneyespecially as It relates to campaign contributions. Let us consider the monetary role of the National Automobile Dealers Association in helping to decide the issue at hand. As newsman Bill Moyers noted recently in the excellent CBS television series. "Political Action CommitteesThe Highest Bidders". Contributions from the car dealers political action committees increased over 7.000 percent in Just six years to over $1 million in the 1980 elections. making it the nations fourth largest PAC. A contribution. of course. does not buy a vote. It does nearly guarantee access. In many instances. It assures a hearing that those individuals and causes less wellendowed are denied. As Bill Moyers noted in his series. "The high cost of politics corrupts the process." If the National Automobile Dealers Association is able to work its will on the Congress. as seems likely. that notion will be reinforced in the minds of a public which grows more distrustful by the day of Congress as an Institution. To counter this mistrust. I think we must act to limit the power of political action committees. We will be considering this prospect on the House Administration Task Force on Elections. a task force on which I am happy to serve. As we hold hearings on campaign financing in coming weeks. I think it would be well worth our time to use the FTC/National Automobile Dealers Association showdown as an example of what we seek to change in our elections system.
Date: 1982-05-26
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I would like to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from Virginia. I have listened very closely to what he has had to say. I believe the gentleman speaks with more clarity than any man in this body dealing with the subject with which he is most familiar.
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I have been in discussions with the majority leader in respect to the request which he will shortly propound. I have had a meeting of Democrats this morning to explain as best I could the request and ramifications thereof. As I have explained. in the event the request is objected toand I have not yet agreed to it myselfbut if the request is objected to and the Senate invokes cloture. there are numerous committee amendments in this bill that can fully by virtue of the one or more rules that would then apply under cloture. If the unanimousconsent request is agreed to. those amendments would automatically be adopted en bloc and would be considered as original text subject to further amendment. Let us just take one such amendment. The amendment on page 5. "Corporation for Public Broadcating. Public Broadcasting Fund." If Senators will look at that amendmentif I may have the attention of the Chair--
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

In the event the consent agreement is not entered into and cloture is invoked. would not the amendment No. 7. I believe it is. beginning on line 22 of page 5. entitled "Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Public Broadcasting Fund." would not that amendment fall under cloture?
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

In other words. the Chair would rule it out of order by virtue of a precedent which I set some years ago when I was majority leader. and. Incidentally. which I set at a time an amendment by Mr. AnMSTRONG was then pending.
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

So that would fall. So if the agreement is entered into. that amendment. in addition to several other amendments in this bill. would be automatically adopted. They would not be subject to further points of order. but they would be open to amendment because they would be considered as original text for the puirpose of further amendment. am I correct?
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

So. in sum. may I say that if the agreement. is not entered into. about half of this bill will just automatically fall if cloture is invoked. Now. Senators who are interested in the committee amendments and would like to see them adopted would be. naturally. I think. disposed to agree with this unanimousconsent request. The only problem that I have with the request. and which Members are already aware of. is that one involving the Lugar amendment. It would require a motion to suspend the rules. which. in turn. requires twothirds of those Senatcs who are present and voting to sustain that motion to suspend the rules. And under the agreement. if that motion to suspend the rules is not adopted. no appeal from said ruling would lie if the consent request as presently formulated should be entered. So that would be the end of the Lugar amendment on this bill. I junit wanted to call that to the attenticn of my colleagues. as well as what I had said theretofore. so that they will know fully what they are doing. if they object to the request or if. on the other hand. by no objection the request is granted and the Senate invokes cloture. they will know what the risks are.
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I said if the consent agreement is entered into. all of the committee amendments in this bill. including the ones in which I am particularly interestedfor one. the Corporation for Public Broadcastingwould be Ipso facto adopted. The language of each would be subject then to further amendment. If this consent agreement is not agreed to and we do invoke cloture. that amendment will fall. in addition to several other amendments. But if the consent agreement is agreed to. Mr. LUGAR will have lo come in with his amendment by way of suspending the rules. which requires a twothirds vote. But even if we do not agree to the request and go by way of cloture.
Date: 1982-05-27
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

But if the consent agreement is entered into. the problems involving public broadcasting and several other committee amendments in the bill are automatically obliterated.