macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-16
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker. before I close. I want to spend a few minutes on another important topic as well. Today. President Obama nominated Chief Justice Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy that has been left on the Supreme Court by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. Judge Garland has more Federal judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in history. His work on the D.C. circuit court. an appointment to which he was confirmed with strong bipartisan support. has earned praise from Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. He is qualified. He is competent. He is not the ultraliberal that many of my conservative colleagues feared. Yet. following up on his promise that the Senate would consider absolutely no one that President Obama put forward. Majority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL said today: "It is a presidents constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court justice. and it is the Senates constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent." I beg to differ. I think it is the Presidents constitutional responsibility. not just a prerogative. to fill the bench of the Supreme Court. Withholding consent. something that is typically done when a candidate is underqualified or inappropriate. is far different than just ignoring the process altogether. This is a political decision made about the only body that shouldnt be exposed to such things. It goes beyond just a filibuster or commentary from a few outliers. And if Republicans follow through with their plan. it would constitute the longest vacancy with no vote on a nominee ever. There is no precedent for this. There have been appointments. nominations. and. above all. hearings during Presidential election years. It is flat out ridiculous to refuse a man as qualified as Judge Garland even hearings. This is a dereliction of duty that surpasses the sadly runofthemill inability of the majority to get anything done. from funding the government until the eleventh hour to passing a budget. to actually governing. Mr. Speaker. I would be remiss if I came to the floor without taking the time to say this: The Senate must change course and consider Judge Garland on his merits. He has earned bipartisan support before. and he deserves it again. I need to remind this body and the Senate that the President of the United States was elected for a second term and that term includes four full years. Mr. Speaker. I conclude my Special Order hour. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-03-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me thank the gentlewoman from New York for her courtesies. Mr. Speaker. it is important to take note. in light of the previous debate and comments that were made. that this is a House divided. This amicus brief more than likely will be supported by a number of Members. but it will not be supported by the entirety of the House. So whether or not it is a majority. which is the other party. it is not going to be the voice of the entirety of the House. As far as I am concerned. and as the Constitution has made clear. that responsibility that the President has exercised is a constitutional authority. So I oppose the resolution because it is nothing more than our Republican majoritys latest partisan attacks on the President and a diversionary tactic to avoid addressing some of the more important issues such as the broken immigration system. Just a few years ago. the Senate Republicans and Democrats came together to produce and pass a very thorough assessment of the immigration system. and they actually passed laws. the intent of the Nation. represented by Senators. and that came to the House and never saw the light of day to be able to be voted on. But yet the Homeland Security Committee. in an extensive series of hearings and then. of course. legislation. then wrote legislation that passed by voice vote in a bipartisan manner to protect the border. everything that the Republican side is asking for. But lying at the heart of the plaintiffs misguided and wholly partisan complaint is a specious claim that President Obama lacked the constitutional authority and statutory authority to take executive action. This frivolous and partisan lawsuit seeks to have DACA and DAPA declared to be invalid and to permanently enjoin the Obama administration from implementing those salutary policies. Let me briefly speak about these actions by the President. They are reasonable. The reason they are reasonable is because. in addition to establishing the Presidents obligation to execute the law. the Supreme Court has consistently interpreted the Take Care Clause as ensuring Presidential control over those who execute and enforce the laws and the authority to decide how best to enforce the laws. Arizona v. United States. Bowsher v. Synar. Buckley v. Valeo. Printz v. United States. Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Let me also say to you that this is a Texas case that they are submitting the amicus on. These are Texas DREAMers. Many of us have worked with them. They are in our institutions of higher learning. They are going to be contributing to society. This is what this amicus brief is. to turn them back and to turn their families.
Date: 2016-03-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for his courtesy. And to my fellow Texan who is managing on the other side. the chairman of the Rules Committee. it is a moment in history that we are speaking of. and it is powerful to follow my fellow Texan on the moment in history that we have. Earlier today. I said that as my friends on the other side were debating about the will of the House. I indicated that it is a divided House. and that is not the will of the American people. It is evidenced in the rules. So to go and suggest that any brief that would wish to overcome. if you will. the Presidents constitutional authority is bogus. it is not true. If this was a consensus. the brief would be prepared. and all Members would sign onto the brief. That is not the case. As I come from Texas. let me say that much of what is being done is out of fear. You dont understand it. You dont understand DREAMers. We do in Texas. We have a State law that allows our DREAMers to go to college. and they are making good. I see them in my office. And I know their parents. of whom we are speaking about. because some of their parents children are. obviously. children who are citizens and who are able then at a point in time to be able to be under the DACA and the DAPA. So let me reinforce the fact that the President has acted under executive orders that squarely fall under the Take Care Clause. as ensuring Presidential control over those who execute and enforce the laws. You can rely on Arizona v. United States. Bowsher v. Synar. Buckley v. Valeo. Printz v. United States. and Free Enterprise Fund v. PCAOB. The enforcement agencies. including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. properly may exercise their discretion to devise and implement policies specific to laws they are charged with enforcing. the population they serve. and the problems they face so that they can prioritize our Nations resources.
Date: 2016-03-17
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I wish to express my support for the Presidents executive actions on immigration to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the creation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program. Soon. the Supreme Court will consider U.S. v. Texas. the case concerning President Obamas executive actions on immigration to extend temporary relief from deportation for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. when they were children and eligible parents of American citizens or legal permanent residents. These crucial programs have been halted as this litigation continues and our families. our businesses. and our economy hang in the balance. Today. the House Republicans brought a polarizing resolution to the floor authorizing the Speaker to file an antiimmigrant amicus brief with the Supreme Court opposing these executive actions. I am disappointed that House Republicans are attempting to block the Presidents executive actions on immigration from taking effect. The President acted to keep hardworking immigrant families together and to ensure that DREAMERS can continue to live in the only country theyve ever known. As cochair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force. Im hopeful that the Supreme Court will recognize the legality and importance of President Obamas executive actions for our immigrant families. We compromise our nations family values when we tear apart families and instill fear and mistrust among communities. With so much at stake. we cant rely on the courts to correct this injustice. America deserves a fair and just immigration system. and our hardworking immigrant families have waited long enough. Its time for Congress to do its job and pass comprehensive immigration reform immediately..
Date: 2016-03-17
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 639. a misguided resolution forced on all Members of the House of Representatives in an attempt to block President Obamas execution action on immigration. This is yet another partisan effort by House Republicans to tear families apart and separate children from their parents. This amicus brief that Speaker RYAN will file on behalf of the entire House of Representatives not only goes against wellestablished Constitutional precedents but also against our economic interest. The Congressional Budget Office and numerous other researchers have found that immigration raises average wages for U.S. born workers and grows our economy by billions of dollars. In my State of California alone. the Presidents Executive action will generate 130.000 jobs and lift 40.000 Californian children out of poverty. The actions taken by the President on the subject of immigration are within authority of the executive branch. I am proud to join 186 of my House colleagues in support of the Presidents immigration executive actions.
Date: 2016-03-17
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong opposition to this resolution. H. Res. 639 is an unprecedented measure by the House Majority to make its opposition to deferred action the official policy of the United States House of Representatives. A resolution offering the full House to file an amicus has never been done before. Last week. I proudly joined 222 congressional colleagues in sending a amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of immigrant communities and deferred action. House Republicans are welcome to do the very same. However. to send a brief in the name of the full House and the American people is unprecedented and unwarranted. DAPA. Deferred Action for Parental Accountability. and expanded DACA. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. created by the Presidents 2014 Executive Order. would give over 5 million immigrants living in our country todayincluding an estimated 182.000 immigrants living in Harris County. Texasthe opportunity to no longer live in fear and a shot at the American Dream. The Presidents Executive Order that created DAPA and expands DACA is entirely within the Department of Homeland Securitys legal authority to grant or deny applications for deferred action. Congress has explicitly passed laws delegating broad immigration enforcement authority to the Executive Branch. There is a strong historical precedent for DAPA: During the administrations of President Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. deferred action was granted to hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the 1980s and early 1990s. All of this would be completely unnecessary. Mr. Speaker. if the House Majority had stood with the American people in the last Congress and passed comprehensive immigration reform. Instead. we will be voting on an unprecedented resolution that has little. if anything. to do with fixing our nations broken immigration system and everything to do with the political season. I sincerely hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. many of whom I have worked with for years and consider good friends. will not allow the Peoples House. or their party. to adopt the antiimmigrant views of Donald Trump. Mr. Trumps demagoguery and fearmongering against immigrants who came to this country for a better lifejust like our forefathers and foremothers before usmust not be allowed to become the sanctioned policy of Congress. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand with me and vote against this needless and unprecedented resolution.
Date: 2016-03-21
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1670. "National POW/ MIA Remembrance Act of 2015" which directs the Architect of the Capitol to place in the United States Capitol a chair honoring American Prisoners of War/Missing in Action. I support this legislation sponsored by Congressman STEPHEN LYNCH of Massachusetts. because all soldiers should be commemorated for their heroic efforts. This important bill directs the Architect of the Capitol to enter into an agreement to obtain a chair featuring the logo of the National League of POW/MIA Families. and place it in the U.S. Capitol in a suitable permanent location within two years after enactment of this Act. The Architect of the Capitol may enter into an agreement with any taxexempt. charitable organization to solicit private donations to carry out this Act. and accept resulting donations of funds. property. and services. An astonishing 83.000 American service personnel are still missing in actionfrom previous warsand 142.233 Americans have been Prisoners of War (POW). Thankfully. revolutionary new communications. information management and surveillance technologies. the total dominance of the air dimension. better training. and the nature of the adversary and geography has halted the increase of POWs and soldiers missing in action. It is our duty as Americans to remember those who have bravely fought for our beloved country. Having this chair at our Nations capital will serve as a continuous reminder that our freedom was fought for. This bipartisan bill stands as a testament that our soldiers should be honored for their efforts in protecting our freedom and rights as Americans. Our nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of this country but for those who never reunite with their families it is our duty as citizens to keep their memory alive. I urge all Members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 1670.
Date: 2016-03-21
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of S. 192. the "Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2015." which amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA). to require the Director of the Office of LongTerm Care Ombudsman Programs to collect and analyze best practices to prevent and respond to elder abuse. neglect. and exploitation in longterm care facilities. and to publish a report to document best practices to achieve these goals. S. 192 also requires the administration to provide information and technical assistance to State and local agencies on aging as well as service providers. S. 192 also mandates the development of a consumerfriendly tool to assist older individuals and their families in choosing home and communitybased services. with a particular focus on ways for consumers to assess how providers protect the health. safety. welfare. and rights of older individuals. S. 192 directs the administration to ensure that programs authorized under the OAA include training in the prevention of abuse. neglect. and exploitation and provision of services that address elder justice and exploitation of older individuals. S. 192 also reauthorizes appropriations for specified supportive services. congregate nutrition services. home delivered nutrition services. disease prevention. health promotion services. and family caregiver support. Mr. Speaker. S. 192 will increase public awareness of elder abuse. neglect. and exploitation. and remove barriers to education. prevention. investigation. and treatment of elder abuse. neglect. and exploitation. Mr. Speaker. it has been noted often that the moral test of government is how it treats those in the dawn of life. our children. those in the shadows of life. the sick and infirm. and those in the twilight of life. the elderly. I urge my colleagues to support S. 192 because it makes a significant contribution to meeting our obligations to our senior citizens who have done so much to make our country great.
Date: 2016-03-21
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of S. 2393. the "Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Service Members Act of 2015." which amends the "Honoring Americas Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012" by extending through December 31. 2017. the provisions that protect service members from actions to foreclose on a mortgage for one year after their service. S. 2393 prohibits the sale. foreclosure. or seizure of a service members mortgaged property without a court order or a waiver from the service member. In 1940. Congress passed the "Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act" (SSCRA) to provide protections and rights to individuals based on their service in the U.S. armed forces. In 2003. Congress passed the "Service Members Civil Relief Act." which was modernized and reauthorized the protections and rights previously available to service members under SSCRA. The Service Members Civil Relief Act protects service members in the event that their military service impedes their ability to meet financial obligations incurred before entry into active military service. In 2012. the "Honoring Americas Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012" amended the SCRA to extend the timeframe from nine months to one year in which service members are protected from the sale. foreclosure. or seizure of mortgaged property and any actions filed against them for an inability to comply with the terms of the mortgaged obligation. The "Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Services Members Act of 2014." which passed the House by voice vote. extended this provision through December 31. 2015. Mr. Speaker. our service members keep us safe from all manner of threats around the globe. so the least we can do is to keep them and their families safe from foreclosure as they transition back to civilian life. I urge my colleges to support this bill.
Date: 2016-03-21
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I missed the following vote: H.R. 4314Counterterrorism/Screening and Assistance Act of 2016. as amended. Had I been present. I would havevoted "yes" on this bill.
Date: 2016-03-22
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. Republicans often claim that they can manage the economy better than Democrats. but the facts show something very different entirely. Research by economists Alan Blinder and Mark Watson finds that. by virtually every measure of economic growth and economic health. including GDP growth and job creation. the economy has performed better under Democratic Presidents than Republican Presidents. Alan Blinder and Professor Watson put it simply: "The U.S. economy performs much better when a Democrat is President than when a Republican is." The Democratic staff on the Joint Economic Committee updated and expanded on their analysis and found that. on average. since World War II: real GDP has grown about 1.6 times faster under Democrats than Republicans. and private sector job growth has grown nearly 2.5 times faster under Democrats. This chart tells a story. The Democratic line is blue. and the red is Republican. It shows clearly that job growth was higher and better under Democratic Presidents.
Date: 2016-03-22
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4742 the "Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act." As a Senior Member on the House Committee on Homeland Security who sits on the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity. Infrastructure Protection. and Security Technologies. I know well of the need to encourage and train women to thrive in the Science. Technology. Engineering. and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Promoting diversity in the STEM professions is more than just an idea. it requires an understanding that there is a need to have a process that will ensure the inclusion of all minorities and women in all areas of American life. Studies have found that women make up almost 50 percent of the workforce. Studies note that 23 percent of STEM workers are women. however. women make up 48 percent of workers in all occupations. Only 26 percent of women who do attain degrees in STEM fields work in STEM jobs. According to the most recent available data women are less likely to focus on the STEM disciplines in undergraduate and graduate studies. In 1991. women received 29.6 percent of computer science B.A.s. compared to just 18.2 percent in 2010. Jobs in computer systems design and related services. a field dependent upon highlevel math and problemsolving skills. are projected to grow 45 percent between 2008 and There are approximately 6 million women and minority owned businesses in the United States. representing a significant aspect of our economy. My home city of Houston. Texas. the energy capital of the world. knows the importance of professionals in the STEM industries. It has been reported that the highestpaying STEM occupations are petroleum engineers with an annual salary of $147.520. architectural and engineering managers with an annual salary of $138.720. natural sciences managers with an annual salary of $136.450. computer and information systems managers with an annual salary of $136.280. and physicists with a reported annual salary of 117.300. There is an increasing demand for individuals with STEM degrees to extend their focus beyond the laboratory so they can be leaders in discovery and commercialization. Women deserve a fair shot in the STEM programs in this nation. In addition. I believe that work needs to be done to modernize key contracting developmental programs designed to increase opportunities for women. minorities and lowincome individuals who pursue STEM degrees and STEM job training. I support programs at the National Science Foundation that have worked to reduce the current barriers and ensure women have the support they need in the STEM fields. Mr. Speaker. we should encourage women to pursue degrees and careers in the STEM fields so we can continue to compete in the global economy.