macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1989-06-13
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 1426. the Drug Abuse Treatment Technical Correction. Act of 1989. I congratulate the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Mr. DINGELL. and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. Mr. WAXMAN. for their work on this bill. I hope my colleagues will strongly support this bill. H.R. 1426 is a very important bill for the territories and the States. The bill corrects some technical oversights that affect the block grant distribution formula in which funds are distributed to the territories and States for use in the treatment of drug abuse and IV drug abusers. This bill makes the necessary corrections to the antidrug abuse bill to ensure that the terdiodes and States receive their proper distribution. This bill is critical to the territories and States in their fight against the drug crisis. Mr. Speaker. this bill is additionally important to the U.S. Virgin Islands and our sister territory Guam because the technical oversight it corrects would result in a substantial change in our funding. The funding provision for the U.S. Virgin Islands as it now stands would result in a decrease of approximately $800.000. Originally. the antidrug abuse bill intended funding for the Virgin Islands was to increase in fiscal year 1989 from $1.1 to $1.2 million. But. because of this technical error. it was reduced to only $400.000. Mr. Speaker. it is unfortunate that this bill has not yet been enacted into law. These funds are desperately needed by our territories and States. I hope that my colleagues will go to conference on H.R. 1426 with a renewed sense of urgency and enact this extremely Important bill. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this bill and hope that it can again move expeditiously through the House and Senate and finally be sent to the President for his signature.
Date: 1989-06-13
Speaker: JOHN DINGELL (democrat)
Chamber: H

and others who have been committed for so long In the fight against acid rain. Members like the gentleman from California.
Date: 1989-06-13
Speaker: HEN Y WAYMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

20 of us in that room. and one by one the President called upon us. Republican. Democrat. Senator. Member of thie House. He said lie was in the final stages of revic% I.. make a determination on the direction In which the Nation should procced In the fight to have clean air for all Aiaricans. But lie did something very important. Before he ca.t In concrete his proposals. lie wanted to hear from the peoples representatives. We did not sing all from the same hymnal. we did not all have the same proposed solution. Some wanted strong tegulation in celt.in areas and others were fighting vigorously against strong regulations. The PresiJent litened. Then he went off to Camp David for the weekend and he put the finishing touches on this clean air package. Yesterdy we were all privileged to see that package unveiled. Mr. Speaker. there is a new breeze blowing. and that new breeze has clean air. thanks to the leadership of President George Bush.
Date: 1989-06-14
Speaker: LAWRENCE H. THOMPSON (democrat)
Chamber: S

Assistant Comptroller General. Human Resources Division. U.S. General Accounting Office. Washington. DC. DEAR Ma. THOMPSON: This responds to your request that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veview and comment on the General Accounting Office (GAO) April 7. 1989. draft report "VA Health Care: Allegations Concerning VAs Patient Mortality Study." An October 1988 Washington Post article contained allegations that VA altered the design of Its patient mortality study to obtain results more favorable to VA. GAO reviewed the allegations and found no evidence that the Chief Medical Director or any VA official acted inappropriately. Enclosed are the comments of John A. Oronvall. M.D.. Chief Medical Director. on the GAO report. Sincerely yours.
Date: 1989-06-15
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. if there were no limits in the bill on the percentage of assets which are to be invested in junk bonds. this amendment might make sense. The proposed amendment. by seeking to totally outlaw highyield bond investments by all thrifts. regardless of capital. track record. or amount owned. is far more extreme and restrictive than anything proposed by the Bush administration. the Senate. or the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. This total prohibition is especially unjustified in light of a recent GAO report finding that highyield bonds have been among the most profitable investments for thrifts through the 1980s and did not contribute in any way to the current crisis. And the big losers would not be the high flyers that caused the crisis. but many of the very profitable. wellcapitalized thrifts being counted on to finance the bailout. It Is also unnecessary. The Federal Home Loan Bank Board bars insolvent S&Ls from buying highyield bonds and requires undercapitalized thrifts to get explicit permission to do so. and the House bill gives the regulators unfettered authority to bar any investment by thrifts that threatens the Insurance fund. finally. the bill will force S&Ls buying highyield bonds to raise more of their own money than S&Ls investing In mortgages. a tough check on abusive highyield bond Investing. The amendment would require the 149 thrifts that own a total of about $13 billion In high.yield bonds9 percent of the marketto divest these securities within 2 years. A forced dumping on the highyield bond market of so many bonds could result in massive price decreases for all other holders of highyield bonds. and huge losses for those thrifts being forced to liquidate. S&Ls. through their purchase of highyield bonds. are providing critical growth capital for hundreds of Americas fastest growing companies. By wiping out 9 percent of the market. the Dorgan amendment will raise the cost of capital for many of the companies leading Americas competitive resurgence. It is true. as sponsors note. that national banks cannot Invest in highyield bonds. But they do make far riskier junk loans to less developed countries. also. this bills goal Is to preserve a distinct S&L industry. not make all thrifts the same as banks. as long as S&Ls must put 60 percentor moreof their assets Into frequently unprofitable home mortgages. they must be able to diversify Into areas such as highyield bonds to generate the profits required to subsidize this mortgage lending obligation.
Date: 1989-06-20
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. Chairman PEPPER was what I call a statesmanpure and simple. no question about. that. He embodied every principle of greathess. and his life was lived in a way that earn~d him many friends and lifelong admirers. \ In every move he made. In every word he spoke. one could not fail to see the elements of statesmanship which mark a great person. CLAUDE PEPPER endeared us alL When he spoke to us it was with passion and commitment. When he acted it was with determination. Every thing he did was done with fairness. civility. and generosity. It is not difficult to know when a great man has passed away from us. His shadow is a long trail to the setting Sun under which the world gathers to remember the good works and friendship left behindan infinite number of memories that even time cannot take from us.
Date: 1989-06-21
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the distinguished colleague. chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman. the en bloc amendment that the distinguished chairman will introduce. has an amendment that has been agreed to by the committee. I appreciate the chairman and ranking member and other members agreeing. What this amendment would do is it would exclude the provision for export promotion by the Department of Agriculture from the definition of "United States assistance" in the drug enforcement part of the legislation. The reason for this is that these export promotion programs provide benefits for U.S. producers and exporters of domestic agricultural commodities and products in order to make our commodities competitive in the world market. It is not assistance to the country. It is not assistance to anybody that would enhance the position of a foreign country. but. rather. It will enhance the position of the producers in the United States. Mr. Chairman. we appreciate the cooperation of the committee and its distinguished chairman.
Date: 1989-06-22
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the Government of the United States should not provide assistance to governments of countries which engage in a policy of murdering. injuring. or jailing citizens who speak out or peacefully demonstrate in favor of democracy. TheGovernment of the Peoples Republic of China is persisting in such a policy of the violent repression of these inalienable human rights. Agencies of the Department of the Interior are currenly assisting the Peoples Republic with a number of projects. Because of this. other leaders of the Interoi and Insular Affairs Committee and I are calling on the Secretary to direct that no further assistance be provided by the Department for these or other projects until the Peoples Republic respects the right of its people to express their aspirations for freedom. The marginal advantages to the United States of providing this assistance are far outweighted by the disadvantages of cynically and hypocritically assisting a goverinent which acts in a manner so reprehensible to the principles to which our Nation is dedicated.
Date: 1989-06-22
Speaker: TERRY COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Acting Deputy Administrator. Health Care Financing Administration. Department of Health and Human Services. Washington. DC. DEAa MR. COLEMAN: I am writing In regard to the proposed rules issued by the Health Care Financing Administration on denial of Medicare payment of substandard care. I am concerned about one aspect of the new procedures which revives a past problem with HCFA procedures. I am referring to the proposed notice to beneficiaries regarding denial of benefit coverage. HCFA Is required to implement congressional dictates regarding Medicare coverage. It is often a complicated. controversial process. and I do not envy your task. However. the process sometimes exhibits zeal over common sense. For instance. IJCFA did have a previous letter which was sent to participants when services were denied. The tone of the letter indicated that the services were inappropriate and unnecessary. There was much objection to the letterit was understandable and correct. Physicians were labeled as incompetent whenever Medicare coverage of services was denied. In my own State of Wyoming. I received case after case where payment was denied. But. it was denied because the physician was attempting to provide appropriate and necessary care. The problem was the services did not fit HCFA guidelines. and was denied. One example Is the situation where a physician made too many patient visits according to HCFA guidelines. But the additional visits resulted from medical emergencies on the part of the patient. The physician would have been guilty of malpractice if he has not made the visits. but Medicare declared the services to be unnecessarn since they did not fit the guidelines. That i.. not only medically wrong. but leaves the doctor open to potential legal challenge. I am afraid that the letter you are now proposing on substandard care will compound this problem. If coverage of services is denied because the physician had to provide additional services not covered by the guidelines. it appears that this letter. which implies that the care was substandard. will be sent to the patient. It will create mistrust and generate malpractice suits. This is inappropriate. At the very least. any communication from HCFA or its intermediaries to a patient should distinguish between situations where the care Is substandard and where the care Is necessary. appropriate. but not covered by HCFA guidelines. There is a major difference here. and it must be clearly distinguished in any official communication to patients. I appreciate your attention to my comments. and look forward to your response. Sincerely.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the name of the gentleman from Nevada be stricken as a cosponsor of House Joint Resolution 166.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to our colleague. the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Budget. and a member of our committee. the gentleman from California .
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Kansas . chairman of the Subcommittee on Wheat. Soybeans. and Feed Grains.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman will yield. yes. that language on page 26 accurately states what was intended under the 1988 act. and is intended under this bill. that is the proper Interpretation of these respective sections to the effect that commodities that cannot be sold in normal channels of trade are not to be treated as part of the quantity of harvrted cornmodities. If it is not marketable It is not production. It was not intended to relate to the quality of the production.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Missouri . chairman of the Subcommittee on Forests. Family Farms and Energy of our full committee.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

The Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include therein extraneous material on H.R. 2467. the bill Just passed.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the Joint resolution (H.J. Res. 175) to authorize entry in to force of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Government of Palau. and for other purposes. as amended.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Joint Resolution 175. the Joint resolution now under consideration.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina . one of the most valuable members of the subcommittee. and a gentleman who has worked with me for over 2 years on the Palau issue. and traveled with us to Palau.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York [Mr. SoLARzI the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs who has worked so hard on this issue and is so knowledgeable in this area. and one of the leaders.
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. reaching this compromise required the dedication and cooperation of a number of Members. As one who has dedicated a tremendous amount of effort to the cause of meeting the needs of Palau. I appreciate the involvement of Members who have helped make this compromise possible. In particular. I would like to recognize the contributions of the distinguished chairmen of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. Mo UDALL. and the Foreign Affairs Committee. DANTE FASCELL. and the ranking Democrat on the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. GEORGE MILLER. in addition to the gentleman from California. BOB LAGOMARSINO. I would also like to recognize the efforts of the chairman and ranking Republican of the Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee. STEVEN SOLARZ and JIM LEACH. the ranking Republicans of the Interior and Insular Affairs and Foreign Affairs Committees. DON YOUNG and BILL BROOMFIELD. and other Members such as DouG BERiu-
Date: 1989-06-27
Speaker: JAMIE CLARKE (democrat)
Chamber: H

BEN BLAZ. JOHN LEwIs. and BARBARA VUCANOVICH. Of course. the support of other cosponsors of this legislation is very much appreciated including: DANNY AKAKA. Douo BARNARD. CHARLES BEN-
Date: 1989-06-29
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Cormnttee on Agriculture. H.R. 987. A bill to amend the Alrska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. to designate certain lands in the Tongass National Forest as wilderness. and for other purposes. with an amendment (Rept. 10184. Pt. 2). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Date: 1989-07-11
Speaker: GEORGE FALK (democrat)
Chamber: S

New York. NY. DEAR GEORGE: You are aware. I know. of the great efforts and achievements we have had in beautifying and developing Jerusa. lem. In these efforts we were fortunate to have the partnership of our friends from all over the world. You are prominent among these friends. The Israel Center which you created in memory of your late parents has become an important cultural and social cornerstone of Jerusalem. Indeed. the attention you and your family have paid to making the Israel Center a beautiful institution. truly a compliment to modern Orthodox Jewry. brings me to my next point. The Israel Center is located in a unique building of special architectural design. situated at one of Jerusalems main intersections. As it is highly visible. our municipal department of environmental planning is recommeding that the stone facade of the building be cleaned. that the balconies. win. dows and doors of the Israel Center. facing Strauss and Haneviim Streets be fixed and painted a distinctive. Mediterranean color. and that suitable plants be added. meshing with the railing and windows. This will. of course. not only beautify this busy street corner. but also make the Israel Center much more attractive and visually prominent. We would like to approach you for help with this undertaking. With kind personal regards and all good wishes. I look forward to seeing you both in Jerusalem sometime soon. Yours.
Date: 1989-07-12
Speaker: THOMAS LANTOS (democrat)
Chamber: H

a native son of Budapest. who has been recognized as perhaps not only one of this bodys most articulate spokesmen. but a true champion of freedom and a lover of Hungary. The gentleman from California has been of great service to this country and to freedom as he has sought to work on a cooperative basis day after day. personally with the leadership of that country. and then to convince the President of the United States that in his first trip abroad to a nonallied country to visit Hungary and to express our solidarity with that great nation. I commend the gentleman from California on this great accomplishment that was completed today with the leader of the free world speaking before the leadership of the nation of Hungary.
Date: 1989-07-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I offer the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Agriculture and printed in the bill.
Date: 1989-07-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment in the nature of a substitute be considered as read and printed in the REcoRD.
Date: 1989-07-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman and my colleagues. the substitute has been discussed at length. Both bills have been discussed. You have heard the Issue being discussed. I again caution you. but I would just dump all the figures out and go on the merits of what is in the legislation. Our legislation hasdisregarding the figures our legislation says you do not abridge contracts. you mandate the Forest Service to continue the process. One has been renegotiated. another Is almost to be finalized. You preserve to the extent that we can humanly possible that great forest. you harvest from its bounty in order that you can conserve the human element because the human element without any jobs. without any sustainment. would not survive in that environment. So you need to have jobs In that area. ti 3703 I might mention that. yes. they came to our committee and said. at the subcommittee where the people from Alaska came. from both sides of the issue. where they came and those who worked there and spoke to us out in the hall and spoke to us during the subcommittee meeting said it was their livelihood. they did not want to leave. So it is not that you are giving tax dollars to some timber baron as has been mentioned. That is not the issue here. The issue here is do we protect that vast forest? The Agriculture version does. Do we protect the word and the integrity of the United States? The Agriculture Committee version does. Do we protect the human element compatible with the needs of the human element but respecting the preservation of that great forest? The Agriculture Committee version does. I would hope that my colleagues would support our version. With all due respect and with love. admiration. and respect to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee. this has not been a fight. it has not been a fight because whichever way it goes we would have made some progress in the endeavor that all of us agree on. the preservation. to the extent we can. We do not look at it as a fight. There is a difference of opinion. and so shall it be on many more issues that we might have before us. It is only that we feel that we have a version compatible with all the needs in the area. the human element. the economIc viability. and the preservation of that great forest. I think we can do that. and I would urge your support for the Agriculture Committee version.
Date: 1989-07-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for his contribution. Mr. Chairman. I urge all of our colleagues. if you want a winwinwin situation. support the Agriculture version.
Date: 1989-07-14
Speaker: PAM EVANS (democrat)
Chamber: S

Eveready Classic Brand Battery. St. Louts. MO. DEAR Ms. EVANS: On behalf of the citizens of Chicago and the Chicago Fire Departments Public Education Unit. I would like to thank the Eveready Classic Brand Battery Company for your sponsorship of the 1988 Change Your Clock. Change Your Battery campaign we held in Chicago. Through your donation of batteries. we were able to canvass two areas of the city. one area with a high concentration of senior citizens. and one area where we experienced a great number of fire related deaths. These canvasses also allowed us to Install donated smoke detectors in homes where we found either no smoke detectors. or smoke detectors which were Inoperable even after battery replacement. Should the Eveready Classic Brand Battery Company wish to sponsor this public service once again in our conununity. we would be glad to assist you in doing so. If you have any questions. please feel free to contact me at (312) 7441699. Sincerely.
Date: 1989-07-14
Speaker: PAM EVANS (democrat)
Chamber: S

Eveready Battery Co.. St. Louis. MO. DEAR Ms. EVANS: On behalf of the Miami Fire Department and the residents of the City of Miami. I would like to thank your company for the outstanding contribution you have made to fire safety through the "Change Your Clock. Change Your Battery" Campaign. We were so pleased to be able to participate in this life saving effort which has helped us in raising the awareness level of our citizens. The valuable news media coverage of the activities surrounding this campaign served us well by getting the message to thousands within the community. What a natural tie in to the fall time change ritual. This Is the type of program which will continue to serve as a reminder to do a simple task known to save lives. It is our hope to continue our involvement with this program in the future. Again.thank you for your efforts to help us in the fire service to save lives and property through public education. Yours for a fire safe tomorrow. Chief C.H. DUKE. Director. Fire. Rescue. and Inspection Services.* By Mr. PELL (for himself. Mr. SIMON. Mr. LEviN. Mr. PRES-