macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. as I was about to say. I do not think that we should use this Sabbath afternoon In attempting to pass major legislation. I do not think there Is going to be any major legislation passed this afternoon. We have the continuing resolution. and that is the one imperative measure that we should pass and get out of here because that will keep this Government from coming to a haltand it will certainly keep a lot of recipients of checkssocial security. veterans. military. and otherwisefrom being delayed in receiving of their checks. That measure has now been passed by the Senate and. of course. we are going to vote on the cloture motion on the gas bill later today. But as far as I am concerned I say again. while many of us on this side do not think that it is absolutely necessary during this lameduck session. that we pass that gas tax bill. we have cooperated in every way with the ma. Jority. We offered it to the majority on a silver platter 3 days ago: No further amendments on this side and on the Republican side and a vote within 30 minutes. The majority caucused and rejected that offer and now we are having to stay around on Sunday. as a result. and go through all these cloture votes because of a filibuster on the gas tax bill that has not been joined in by anyone on this side. Even though some of us may not vote for the bill and may not support the gas taxand we did offer an amendment that was an alternative to the gas tax that was offered and defeatedwe Democrats have not joined in the filibuster.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

That fillbuster is being carried on by a small minority of the other side. and in the meantime I think we should limit our efforts to the continuing resolution. the cloture that is coming up. and minor bills on which unanimous consent can be given and we pass only noncontroversial bills. Those bills of major controversy we know are not going to pass this afternoon. I do not know why we stay around here and work on those matters when they are obviously not going to pass.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

There is nobody on this side of the aisle that I know of. who does not know we are going to cooperate with the majority leader in getting cloture today. Everybody knows we are going to vote for cloture today. and I promised him. and I am going to be good to my word. and he knows that. and we have talked that among ourselves. and he knows many of us Democrats are going to give him the votes needed on cloture today.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I yield to the Senator for that purpose only and without losing my right to the floor. and I ask the Chair to protect that right.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I promised Mr. DOLE next. I will first yield to him and then I will yieldI do not intend to hold the floorto the Senator from Maryland.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I understand the Senators concern. We have been kept up night after night and into the wee hours in the morning and we have work in our offices that we could be doing if we did not have to all stay on the floor.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Yes. I think that is an item that should be done. That was one of the purposes for our returning postelection. I fully agree and have no objection.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. reserving the right to object. it is within the Members right to ask unanimous consent to proceed to. the consideration of the bill. I think it ought to be cleared with the majority leader. which is usually a right reserved to him. It is not saying that the Senator from Oklahoma does not have that right under the rules. he does. but I would certainly like to continue the comity that has always existed between the Senator from Tennessee
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President.. reserving the right to object. I would like to be sure that we know what amendments we are talking about. because the request is made in such a way that the gas tax bill could be hooked on an amendment for that matter or any other amendment. I. have no objection to the Senators trying to work out some order by which the bill and the amendments that they are interested in are taken up and disposed of. but I want to see that request. or hear it very carefully propounded. to make sure that some other amendments not germane to this matter at all cannot be brought in as amendments with a time limitation and an order for the yeas and nays and the thing is a fait accompli.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. it is with pleasure that I rise in support of H.R. 7102. the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. This measure will replace the unwieldy Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act. known as FLCRA. Apple and peach orchardists in West Virginias eastern panhandle have been frustrated by FLCRA. It imposes unfair burdens on agricultural employers without providing effective safeguards for workers. H.R. 7102 will replace FLCRA with a more reasonable set of standards. including simpler reporting requirements and a clearer definition of the responsibilities of crew leaders. The current law causes employers confusion with its complicated and duplicative provisions. The bill before the Senate provides us with an opportunity to enact a valuable piece of regulatory reform legislation. H.R. 7102 is a consensus bill. It is the product of negotiations carried out over more than a year. Last March. I met with leaders of the West Virginia fruitgrowers and the Labor Department to discuss this legislation. All the parties involved have shown patience and good faith in producing this bill. I commend the distinguished chairman and the ranking members of the labor and human resources committee. Senator HATCH and Senator KENNEDY. for their attention to this matter. I also make a special point of singling out Senator BORENS leading role in the development of these improvements in the law. The bill and amendments that he advocated in 1980 form an Important basis for the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program Act. I ask that I be made a cosponsor of the bill. and I urge its adoption.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I move to lay that motion ?n the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I think this is a good proposal. I think we should explore it just a little bit. First. once the Baker substitute is agreed to and no amendments to the bill are in orderI do not know how many Senators on our side have amendments. I gather very few in number. And the second thing is I am told that the conferees are supposed to go back to meet at 9 p.m. this evening on the continuing resolution. The third question I ask is this: If the continuing resolution comes back. if the conference report on the continuing resolution comes back to the Senate. say. at 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon or 4 p.m.. and we are supposed to vote on the Baker amendment at 6 p.m. or whatever. what is the majority leaders intention? Is it his intention to immediately go to the continuing reso lution?
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I am glad to have that answer. That was one of the things I insisted on in the agreement last hight and heretofore that the majority leader have the right to go immediately to that continuing resolution.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. if the majority leader will yield. we have run a hotline and we find no objection to this request. My suggestion would be that the majority leader put us in at noon tomorrow. We will have icy roads in the morning. We will be here and there be a vote no later than 6 p.m. on the majority leaders substitute. no later than 6 p.m. with the understanding that if the conference report on the continuing resolution comes* in in the midst of that debate the majority leader will. as he has assured us. take up the conference report on the continuing resolution.
Date: 1982-12-19
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

My suggestion was that the Senator go ahead and propound his request. I find no objection on this side. but that he have the Senate come in tomorrow at noon because the House of Representatives is not going to come in until noon. it is my understanding. and that we vote no later than 6 p.m. on the Baker substitute with the understanding that when the conference report comes in. the majority leader. with the authority already given by the order of the Senate. call up that conference report.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I am inclined to take up this measure only if it is bythere is a problem on the nuclear waste matter.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. there is no way that that can be enforced because any Senator who wishes to object can do so. and there are a lot of Senators who are noton the floor.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. further reserving the right to object. will the leader include in his proposal that any amendment to this measure be germane?
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Madam President. I am advised that the distinguished senior Senator from West Virginia . who Is the ranking:member. has no problem with the arrangement here. I shall not pose any objection.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Would the distinguished Senator allow the Chair. or the majority leader. or someone. or me to state what the time control agreement is on this measure so that all Senators would know?
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Yes. Yes. I do agree. I was in high school. I was in the 11th grade in 1933. and so I very well remember that 4.000 banks closed their doors in 1 year. I very well remember that there were 12 or 13 million people walking the streets and the country roads of this country looking for work. They could not find work. During earlier years I sold the Cincinnati Post. saved up $7. put the $7 in a bank at Matoaka. W. Va. The bank went under. and I have not seen my $7 since. So I very well remember a good bit of what happened during the great stock market crash. and predepression days and the Great Depression days when businessmen. bankers. and other people. those who had shares of stocks. were jumping out of windows. or some of the few people in this country who had automobiles in those days who were pulling them into garages and closing the doors and turning on the motors and taking their lives. or pressing cocked pistols to their temples and snuffing out their lives because their whole financial world had come crashing down around them. and their lifes savings had been snuffed out overnight. I can remember the first thing Mr. Roosevelt did. He declared a banking holiday. and in those first 100 days. numerous laws were passed. one of which was that the miners and other working people who had no right to bargain collectively were given a right to bargain collectively regarding their working hours and wages. During that administration came the social security program. and unemployment compensation. many other laws. and a law which provided for insurance on bank deposits so that never again would a little boy sell the Cincinnati Post and see his $7 go down the drain. But the President and a Democratic Congress took action to put people back to work and to give this country hope. I can remember as a young lad. 15 or 16 years of age in the 11th grade. the hope that surged across this latd like a tornado when Roosevelt was elected. It was a feeling of hope that. at last. here was a President and a Congress that were going to act to put people back to work and take people out of the soup kitchens. the veterans selling apples off the street corners. and make it possible to get jobs.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Absolutely. he did. I have never seen a time when there was a President who had more unification on the part of the American people. They were on the verge of revolution. but when Roosevelt was elected there was hope and they came together. The fact that the President was able to accomplish so much in the first 100 days of that Congressand we have heard time and time again my senior colleague speak of programs enacted in those 100 dayswas because that President had a mandate from the people. I think it was one of the moments in the history of this country which cannot be equaled. There was born a new feeling of hope. rather than despair. Order was to take the place of chaos. Faith replaced desperation.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

That is the message that I have heard. That is what I got from my understanding of the media reports.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

And the. stubbornness. if I may say so. on the part of the White House. We went through all this last year. We passed a continuing resolution which. as I recall. the President promised the ma. jority leader of this body would be accepted. So we passed that continuing resolution. What happened? A veto occurred. and that veto caused some agencies to shut down. It cost taxpayers money. But the President had to show his macho. So here we are again. We did not want to come back for a lameduck session. All we needed was to pass a continuing resolution that would have expired on March 1 or March 30 or April 1. or whatever. and we would have avoided this session. but the President wanted the Congress to come back and pass the remaining appropriation bills. I think we have passed four since we have been back. And do not forget that we spent 5 weeks this summer debating a debt limit extension in order that certain Senators could offer amendments prior to the election. amendments which did not deal with jobs necessarily but which dealt with various emotional social issueswhich could be used as campaign ammunition against incumbent candidates. Now here we are. at the last moment. with the threat of a Presidential veto if a jobs provision is in the legislation. I think the conferees did the best they could do. I certainly want to commend them. We are now at a point where we can only vote this conference support up or down. It cannot be amended. and there are no amendments in disagreement.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

That is correct. That is the story the American people ought to hear. and ought to know. Congress passed a jobs provision. It was in the continuing resolution. It passed both Houses. And there then came this threat of a veto by the President. What were the conferees to do? They have done their best. I cannot criticize the conferees. I can only say that the leadership which existed in 1933 at the White House does not exist now. Apparently there is not that same understanding of the plight of the unemployed in this country and the need for giving the unemployed people hope.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Yes. And Government by confrontation is not good for the Nation. Now. the President may have won a victory on this. but it is not a victory for the unemployed.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

That is exactly right. That is precisely correct. The Democrats in this body are an "invisible" force as far a the White House is concerned. They are not considered at all except when the administration wants something. As far as I know. the minority in the other body. which is the Republicans. may not be consideredI do not knowI cannot speak for them at all. But there is going to come a time when this Senate minority is no longer going to be an invisible force because the people out there beyond the beltway. as the Senator referred to them. may be intgrested in the scorecard as far as the Redskins are concerned. as far as the West Virginia University football against Penn State or Pitt. or West Virginia at the Gator Bowlbut they aie not interested in the scorecard on who wins and who loses here in these confrontations. many of which do not have to happen. There does not have to be confrontations. They seem to be set up by the White House in order that they can have a confrontation and declare a victory from time to time. The people outside the beltway and some of them within the beltway are not interested in that kind of scorecard and they are not interested in confrontation. That. is not doing the country any good.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I have one important paragraph which I shall read and then I will yield. Mr. President. the conferees have been forced by the specter of a veto to jettison any effort to include a jobs program. however modest. in this continuing resolution. But unemployment will not go away with the adjournment of this Congress. On the contrary. it will be the first and most pressing issue before the new Congress when it convenes in January. It is a challenge which Senate Democrats stand ready to meet. Again. I compliment the conferees. I intend to vote for the conference report. We can either vote it up or vote it down. I see no point in voting it down because why go through this again and come in with a slimmed down version. The House.of Representatives has already dispensed with their conferees. so we cannot sent it back to conference. There Is no conference which to sent it. The House of Representatives adopted the conference report and they have discharged their conferees. Even if it were possible for us to vote this down and if it were possible to get the votes by some parliamentary procedure to start it all over again. and I have no doubt that that could be done. we would get a slimmed down continuing resolution that still would not contain the jobs provision in it and the President would have won on the scorecard again and the people again would have lost. I say instead of running that risk and instead of running the risk of bringing the Government to a halt and at a cost of millions of dollars to the American people. again we are put In the position of having to vote for a conference report. having to vote it upat least I feel that waythat does not contain the provisions which Congress wanted and in this instance provisions which would have helped the unemployed. which would have given the unemployed hope and which would have given the employed who are wondering when they are going to get their little pink slips also some hope. I for one will vote reluctantly for the conference report.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. will the Senator yield? I think the American people are entitled to know whether the President is or is not going to sign this bill. I think all of this gamesmanship. we ought to forget it. He should say so.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I know that is not what the Senator said. I am saying what I am saying. It is power gamesmanship. If what the Senator from Maryland is saying is accurately reported. that is gamesmanship. and I say the time for that has stopped. The President ought to indicate whether or not he is going to veto this bill.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

He certainly have advisers who can tell him what is In this bill. He does not need 2 days to make that determination. and he ought to say if he is going to veto it. Let the other body prepare a slimmed out version. and if he is not going to veto it. we ought to know.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California . the Senator from Washington are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington would vote "nay". I
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California and the Senator from Washington are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington would vote "lyea."#
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Madam President. a parliamentary inquiry. Are not those amendments at the desk which qualify under the cloture ruleis it not in order to bring them up now without debate and have a vote on them?
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Madam President. will the majority leader ask for 1 minute at least so that Members will know what it is they are voting on?
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. it is my understanding that this is the only amendmentif I am mistaken. I hope someone will correct me. and I know they will. It is my understanding that this is the only amendment on this side that qualifies under the cloture role to be :alled up. and the ony one that would- be called up before the vote on the Baker substitute. I would just hope that the Senator who is calling this up. on the basis of a promise that he made to Senator CRANSTON. who is not here. would be allowed to have a minute to explain what it is all about so we will all know what we are voting on.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California . and the Senator from Washington . are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington . would vote "yea."
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California and the Senator from Washington are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington would vote "yea."0
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California . the Senator from Arkansas . the Senator from Colorado . and the Senator from Washington . are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington . would vote ".yea.".
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California and the Senator from Washington are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington would vote "yea."
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I announce that the Senator from California . and the Senator from Washington are necessarily absent. I further announce that. if present and voting. the Senator from Washington would vote "yea."
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speak* er. Ted Henshaw has been an outstanding Clerk of the House. and all of us are going to miss him. He has brought innovation and automation to the House. and has been an untiring worker in behalf of a more efficient administration of the normal routine of the House. His has not been an easy job. Since the midsixties Congress has grown by leaps and bounds. Our mail has increased some tenfold in just the past 1215 years. and the demands on our time and that of our staff makes the job one that is aroundtheclock. Ted Henshaw has done his best to make the job easier. He is a forwardthinking person and was the right man for the job as the role of Congress expanded so dramatically. When Ted suffered a severe Illness some time back there was not a person in the House establishment who was not saddened and genuinely concerned for his welfare. Like all of us who admire and respect Ted so much. I want to wish for him good health and happiness in retirement. He has provided exemplary service. and I. for one. am grateful for his good advice and many courtesies.e