macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1982-09-21
Speaker: EN SPECTER (republican)
Chamber: S

U.S. Senatorfrom Pennsylvania. WASHINGTON. March 2. 1982. That is the end of the Itter to the editor. The current proceedings in the U.S. Senate. as there extensive speeches have procceded. have drawn relatively little media attentionvirtually the same kind of attention as it has drawn from the rcpresentation of Senators on the floor of the Senate as the clock shows 5:58 this afternoon. Aside from the diadnguished Senator from Mississippi (Mr. CoctmAN). who presides over the Senrite. ard the speakerSenator WALLOP has just walked in. That. is not an uncommon situation because of the press of business on some other fronts. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is in session receiving a briefing on Lebanon. a meeting that I would have liked to attend. The Judiciary Committee has just finished an afternoon session. But as typified by the presence of the absence of U.S. Senators. so. too. there is Pn absence of public focus on the issue of taking jurisdiction from the Federal courts. That is not surprising. because few people understand the importance of the U.S. Constitution. The reason that few people understand the importance of the U.S. Constitution is the very existence to the U.S. Constitution. If we were to live in a society where the Constitution were not present. with Its protection of freedom of speech. freedom of religion. freedom of the press. habeas corpus. and equal protetion and due process of the law. then there would be an immediate public understanding of the Importance of the Constitution. When I had occasion recently to travel to the Soviet Union. I was struck with the fact that I was on territory where there was no American Constitution: where. if taken into custody by police offlcials. there was no right of habeas corpus. there was no effective right to assistance of counsel. There were no procedures which would guarantee a speedy hearing or a speedy trial. Instead. anyone taken into custody would languish in jail ithout any opportunity to establish his innocence or to compel the State to prove his guilt beyond a reaonable doubt.
Date: 1982-09-23
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.
Date: 1982-09-24
Speaker: ROBERT W. DANIEL (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the Agency for International Development has recently awarded a grant for $9.85 million to encourage the production of peanuts in lesser developed countries. At a time when American agrieulture is devastated by high interest rates. depressed prices. and sluggish export markets. this grant adds insult to the injury already done to the American farmer. The administration and certain of my colleagues tell American farmers that they must learn to survive in the ."free" market. and to make up domestic deficits through increased exports. This position is undermined by the fact that the Federal Government uses ineffective agricultural embargoes in the place of legitimate foreign policy. by the fact that other nations subsidize their exports heavily. and by the fact that the weak world economy makes export growth unlikely for the next several crop years. As American farmers fight to break even under these economic hardships. they are told that their Government lacks the resources to help maintain market stability for domestically produced commodities. What must they think when that same Government has the resources to squander almost $10 million to develop foreign competition for American exports? I am glad to say that I voted against both the authorization and appropriations legislation under which this grant was made. and that I will continue to oppose legislation aimed at solving the problems of other nations so long as Americas rural economy remains depressed. so long as America is inadequately defended. and so long as Government continues to run staggerIng yearly deficits. In the future. I urgeAID to consider the domestic consequences of its actions.
Date: 1982-09-24
Speaker: O ARN (republican)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. on behalf of the majority. I am willing to accept the amendment. It does just call for a study. and I certainly have no objection to the items that the Senator wishes to be considered.
Date: 1982-09-28
Speaker: JOHN RHODES (republican)
Chamber: H

life represents those values to which many aspire. and few realize. His life and his thoughts hold so much from which we can all learn and benefit. However. JOHN and his lovely wife. Betty. choose to spend their retirement though. I wish them a rich and fulfilling future. I consider myself fortunate to have served with JOHN RHODES and to be able to call him my friend. for through him I have known a truly great American.*
Date: 1982-09-28
Speaker: JOHN J. RHODES (republican)
Chamber: H

I am proud to join my colleagues in paying tribute to this fine and compassionate legislator. Throughout his 30 years of service in Congress. JOHN has been recognized by his colleagues and constituents as hard working and determined. His years here have been marked by achievement and distinction. as he served as minority leader. chairman of the House Republican policy committee. and chairman of the Republican National Convention. JOHN is an effective and dedicated legislator and his tenure in Congress will be remembered by his dogged pursuit of what is right and reasonable in Government. JOHN RHODES is a true public servant in every sense of the word and I feel privileged to have known him and worked with him.*
Date: 1982-10-01
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to the motion. It is my intent if the motion is defeated. to introduce an amendment that preserves the existing section 158. which would. I gather. be redesignated as 157 and would otherwise strike the section 159 which is to be redesignated 158.
Date: 1982-10-01
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I will not take more than 60 seconds of the busy time of the House. Mr. Speaker. it is simply a desire to expedite the business this evening. I think this is a noncontroversial amendment that I have proposed. It deals with striking a sense of the Senate resolution. which I think is extraneous and does not deal with the sense of the Congress. Since there seems to be no great controversy involved. I will not occupy any further time. Mr. Speaker. I move the previous question on the motion. The previous question was ordered.
Date: 1982-11-30
Speaker: RICHARD S. SCHWEIKER (republican)
Chamber: S

Secretary of Health and Human Services. Washington. D.C. DEAR SECRETARY SCIIWEIKER: I have received a copy of the Department of Health and Human Services "Social Security Award Certificate" dated August 6. 1982. This office representedin his proceedings before your agency. When---was denied disability insurance benefits upon reconsideration. the "explanation" attached to that. decision in March of 1982 indicated that he maintained a stable weight. Indeed. when I visited Mr.--home to discuss his claim in May of 1982. it appeared that he would have the opportunity to lose very little weight since he indicated to me he weighed only 73 pounds. I note that the award certificate indicates that "Since your condition may improve. we have scheduled a review for June. 1983." I regret that your organization will not have the opportunity to cor..*it this review. since--died from his illness prior to the issuance of a favorable decision by an administrative law judge. No further improvement is expected in Mr.--condition. although I do believe he has now satisfied his burden of proof in proving disability. Sincerely.
Date: 1982-11-30
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. as ranking minority member on the subcommittee that has responsibility for oversight over the Internal Revenue Service. I must stress the importance of public confidence in the integrity of officials who are responsible for collection of the Nations taxes. That public confidence has certainly not been enhanced by the revelations of collusive litigation which was used by the IRS to cause usurpation of congressional legislative power by the Federal courts. My office has carefully reviewed these extremely serious allegations of IRS involvement in the sweetheart suits of Green against Miller and Wright against Miller. We have found overwhelming evidence that the IRS deliberately sought to lose its case in Green against Miller. and has so seriously damaged its case with sweetheart arguments in Wright against Regan. that a nationwide court order adversely affecting the Nations taxexempt schools and churches appears likely within a year. The facts are indisputable. Secret meeting. abuse of religious schools.
Date: 1982-11-30
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker. I. too. would like to comment on what has been observed in terms of PAUL FINDLEYs dedication to his job. I do not think many people fully appreciate the workload that was involved in carrying two major committee assignments. as he did on Foreign Affairs and Agriculture. While Foreign Affairs was less my area of expertise or Interest than domestic issues. I nevertheless felt that PAUL FINDLEYS was a voice that should be heard in the debates that transpired in the international arena on this floor. I. too. sometimes had my disagreements with PAUL. but. as I noted earlier. disagreements never got disagreeable with PAUL FINDLEY. In the area of agriculture. I confess to being a babe in the woods when it came to PAUL FINDLEYs expertise and understanding. most especially of 1111nois agriculture and Illinois agricultural interests. because PAUL always had a thoroughgoig understanding and defense of all of the positions he took. I know he provided leadership to me. as well as to many others. when it came to issues which touched us so dearly back home in Illinois. So I. too. want to again thank the gentleman for the opportunity to comment on the loss of a very capable and outstanding colleague. but we will lose his friendship never.
Date: 1982-11-30
Speaker: DANIEL B. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. it is always a sad occasion to bid farewell to friends. But it is amplified when your friends have been trusted colleagues with whom you have worked side by side for years. With the convening of the 98th Congress. we will welcome many new faces. Our newcomers. however. face a strong challenge in the legacy of achievement left by those whom we honor today. The people of Illinois and the Nation have been extraordinarily well served by Representatives EDWARD
Date: 1982-12-06
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the requisite number of words. and I rise in support of the amendment. I think. Mr. Chairman. that there is a legitimate expression of concern in this bill for the derelict status of our highways. but on the other hand. I think we have to recognize that at a time when we are already suffering from confiscatory taxation and when we are suffering from unprecedentedly high budgets as well as budget deficits. that we have to be duly concerned about the impact of any of our actions on the overtaxed taxpayer/user. in. this case. and as a result. it seems to me that the amendment introduced by the gentleman from Texas Is totally supportable by these criteria. A HUD study in 1976 indicated that DavisBacon adds to Federal construction projects anywhere from 5 to 15 percent. and if we take a 10percent figure. which splits the difference between these HUD estimates. then we are talking about somewhere between $5 and $6 billion that could be saved to the taxpayer and put to constructive use in other ways if we waived the requirement for the application of DavisBacon in this instance. In addition to that. there have been other studies indicating that DavisBacon has had a negative effect on employment. most especially on minority employment. As a result. if we are concerned about having a peripheral fringe benefit of this legislation resulting in expanded employment. then again I think it dictates waiving the DavisBacon application and giving many. most especially the minorities who are being hurt at this time worse than anyone else in the economy. the opportunity for job opportunities that otherwise most assuredly till be denied by DavisBacon. So. Mr. Chairman. I would urge our colleagues to support the amendment introduced by the gentleman from Texas. It is supportable upon all economic as well as humanitarian grounds.
Date: 1982-12-07
Speaker: BENJAMIN GILMAN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: New York

take over the reins as chairman of this task force that Mr. SoAnz has so graciously given to mea heavy responsibility. even though I am of a different party. and even of a different political ideology generally. I would like to yield to my good friend. Mr. BENJAMIN GILMAN. as we go over most of our frustrations and the first little lights that we were able to set fire to on this issue.
Date: 1982-12-14
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I would like to indicate my support for the amendment and to join in the remarks made by my distinguished colleague. the gentleman from Texas. I have fought from its very inception the limitation on outside earned income. That is a decision. it seems to me. for our constituents to make. I happen to have eight children. To me it is more important to try to increase my income. I am willing to invest a whale of a lot of time and energy to do that. and I think any Member of this body has a perfect right to do it. To suggest that in any way there is some sort of conflict of interest in doing that. it seems to me is absurd. My brother. the gentleman from southern Illinois. was a practicing dentist before coming to this body. and I challenge anyone to show me a single vote we have made on this floor that would constitute a conflict of interest If he continued to draw earned income from the practice of dentistry. I lectured professionally before getting to this body. and that. it seems to me. is one of the legitimate ways in which I can augment my income. If it means the diversion of too much time from my duties In this body or if there is a concern over the magnitude of outside earned income. that is a decision for my constituents to make. The worker indeed is worth his salt. But I submit to you that the way to address this problem is: First. by eliminating that restriction on outside earned income. and second. lifting that stupid $3.000 deduction for expenses that goes back to 1952 and treating us the way you treat any businessman in this country. This would resolve any of these economic problems without necessitating a pay increase.
Date: 1982-12-14
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman. I think this project may have had some good arguments behind it at the time of its inception when we were talking about a $700 million total cost. The cost overrun since that time. coupled with the delays that have attended Increasing Government and bureaucratic bungling in the process. have pyramided those estimated costs to completion to about $8.5 billion. according to GAO. If we were to shut the project down right now. with closedown costs estimated by the Science and Technology Committee. it is a $1.5 billion expenditure. I submit to the Members that if the private sector were to look at some kind of a project of this nature. they would have long since made the decision they are not going to throw good money after bad. Further. when we are talking about energy for our Nation. we do not have to be nay sayers. I would hope that my good colleague. the gentleman from Iowa. would join with me. with the support of many others in this body. to deregulate natural gas. ERDA estimated back in 1975 that we have an estimated potential supply of 2.000 years. and that is a better substitute and we will not have to depend upon the taxpayer to fund it.
Date: 1982-12-16
Speaker: PHILIP M. CRANE (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker. let me preface my remarks by stating that Mrs. Gorsuch. in my opinion. is a fine woman. the best Administrator of EPA since the creation of that Agency. and a courageous and faithful supporter of the administration. Having said that. I regretfully announce that I must support the resolution. The President. as Commander in Chief. has a legitimate rightupon occasionto invoke the right of executive privilege. But that right must be confined to those areas where the President enjoys a unique reoponsibility as Commander in Chief. The Environmental Protection Agency does not fall under that umbrella. The House of Representatives. the peoples body. has the responsibility to originate all policy for our National Government. This derives from our control of the purse strings. the power to originate all taxing and spending bills. In order to make enlightened decisions in the best interest of the people of this country. we must have access to all the information we can get. Withholding that information impairs our capability to perform this function. I am aware that some colleagues on my side of the aisle will view this resolution in a partisan context. For them I would ask. if Jimmy Carter were the President involved in this dispute and if Ralph Nader were the Director of EPA. how would you then vote? One must rise above the emotion of partisanship and look at the principle that is involved. This decision was not personally an easy or pleasant one. As I said initially. it is one I make with sadness. but it is one that needs to be made nonetheless.
Date: 1982-12-18
Speaker: EDWARD J. DERWINSKI (republican)
Chamber: H

Member of Congress. Congress of the United States. House of Representatives. Washington. D.C. DEAR MR. DERWINsKI: I am glad to know from your letter of 16th November. 1962 that you have taken over as Special Assistant to the Secretary of State. George Shultz. I pray for your success in the new assignment. Whenever you feel like coming. you are most welcome to visit this country and I am sure friends like you holding key positions will further the mutual interests of our two great countries. With best wishes. Yours sincerely.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: PETER JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H

Administrator. Bonneville Power Administration. Portland. Oreg. DEAR PETER: As you are aware from our conversation in my office and other visits I have had with you and members of your staff regarding the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) matter and involvement of Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) in the disaster which it has become. I am greatly concerned about the adverse consequences on the small power distributors and consumers of the Northwest of the plant terminations which your Agency had a large part in ordering. So that I might get a clearer perspective on the events and forces which operated to produce the unfortunate current situation. I ask you to provide me with background information on the decisions which led to the situation as it now exists. Please reconstruct for me a chronology of the decisions to build and then to terminate those plants which are now certain not to be built. In addition. will you please provide me with the dates on which final determinations were made to issue bonds against the project and specify as to each issue. the asset against which that issue was to be made. In this way. it may be possible for me to fully understand the relationship between the construction decisions and the financial forces which were part of the decision making process. I understand the magnitude of the problem you have inherited and am grateful for your offer of cooperation in getting to the facts and solutions necessary to properly deal with it. Sincerely.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROGER E. BIRK (republican)
Chamber: H

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Merrill Lynch & Co.. Inc.. New York. N.Y. DEAR MR. BIRK: The name of your firm has been provided to me as onq of the underwriters of a series of bond issues on the WPPSS project in the Pacific Northwest. You may be aware that I have asked for a Congressional investigation of the entities involved in WPPSS and their parts in the economic calamity which it represents to the people of the Northwest. Among the many reasons for conducting a thorough investigation of the factors which led to the disruption of the WPPSS project is the Intimate involvement of the underwriting community in the terms of contracts. the cost of credit and the distribution of liability on such a disastrous affair. Members of the group which has underwritten the WPPSS bonds have informed us that the current ownership of the bonds in question is in a very few entities. principal among which are the underwriters who procured the issuance of the bonds. I would appreciate your cooperation in determing. who owns the WPPSS bonds and accordingly ask you to advise me which of the enclosed list of bonds your firm holds and in what amounts. As you are no doubt aware. members of your financial community have raised the concern that investigation of the facts surrounding the issuance of the WPPSS bonds will undermine the confidence of the investment community. However. that confidence has already been dealt a devastating blow and I believe that your assistance to the Congress in acquiring the necessary information can expedite a solution to the current problems and also make a recurrance of the WPPSS matter less likely. On the other hand. resistance to the uncovering of the facts can. rightly or wrongly. leave the impression that the underwriters have something to hide and that further loss of investor confidence will be more a result of the actions of those who created and used WPPSS than of those who are seeking to know how and why it happened in order to expedite a solution. There is reason to believe that. with the cooperation of all the interested parties. the damage done by the WPPSS failure can be contained and distributed among those responsible in some reasonably just proportion. The Slicarson suggestion was a step in this direction and I currently have more comprehensive proposals for a cooperative effort before BPA and Cabinet officials. I am sure that you are aware that dates are fast approaching. beyond which negotiated arrangements will be much more difficult. if not impossible. I therefore urge your prompt consideration and response to the request outlined in paragraph two. Sincerely.
Date: 1999-02-02
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. it is a great honor for me to be here as an elected representative of Californias 41st Congressional District. Here. in the greatest representative body in the world. Members of the 106th Congress have a great deal of responsibility to the American people. It is my intention to work in a bipartisan manner on some of the key issues facing us today. I will work to reduce government waste. bureaucracy. and red tape. I will work towards reducing the tax burden on the American people. For the senior citizens of my district. I promise to focus on saving Social Security. I will work to reform managed health care. As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I will work with members of the Califoria delegation to maintain Ontario International Airport and reduce traffic congestion on our regions interstate highways. As a member of the House Committee on Science. I pledge to work towards maintaining our space program as well as ensuring that our country leads the world in technological innovation. Finally. I wish to thank my family. friends. and the people of the 41st Congressional District for their guidance and their support. To the people of my district. I pledge to you that I will work for your interest and will continue to earn your support.