macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I rise to support the LaTourettePascrell amendment. and I too recognize the challenges that Mr. ADERHOLT and Mr. PRICE faced in the confines of trying to address some difficult times. But as a Member of the Homeland Security Committee. I believe it is imperative that we look at the reality of the world in which we live. In an article dated April 24. 2011. out of the State of Texas. reads: hundreds of weary firefighters were racing against the clock on Sunday. pushing back massive brush fires that have destroyed nearrecord swatches of Texas countryside. Firefighters were hoping to make as much progress as possible before low humidity and strong winds set the stage for more potential flareups late Monday and Tuesday. Fires were still burning in Texas. Firefighters are still being called upon. Cities and States across America are laying off firefighters. And we are reminded of the needs. if you will. that were addressed on 9/11 when firefighters from the City of New York rushed in to save their fellow New Yorkers and others. and many of them. many of them perished. They are. in fact. first responders. And I believe it is important that we make the sacrifice. we find the adequate offset. and we support this amendment. Im also reminded of a story that many of you may have heard. the sad story. it aired on local television. where firefighters from some locality watched while a man drowned and could not save him. The reasoning was that the particular team that would have had the skills and the equipment to save this drowning man in what has been called the most powerful Nation in the world. was fired. laid off. eliminated. And. therefore. from the shoreline many looked in horror as this particular man drowned. Is this what America has come to? I believe this amendment is extremely important. one. to be able to show appreciation to the firefighters across America who come to the aid of those in need from different States when a crisis or tragedy occurs. I heard someone mention. it might have been Mr. LATOURETTE. but who is it that plucks you out of a burning house or rescues. when they do have the resources or the team. out of a predicament where you are stranded in some crisis. whether it is drowning. whether its a fire. whether it is an emergency health condition or whether or not they are confronting a terrorist act? Firefighters are truly our first responders. In the City of Houston they are considering closing out or shutting down 600plus police officers. And firefighters have the same concerns. So I think it is very important that we own up to our duties. And as I mentioned in a metaphor before. let the American people be winners today. Let the firefighters be present and accounted for. And let us be reminded of their great heroic acts of 9/11. This 10th year anniversary. let us not say thank you in the way that we deny them funding. but let us say thank you in the way that we provide them with the funding that they need. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment.
Date: 2011-06-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise to join with my colleagues of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to ask the President to appoint a Presidential appointee to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. which is law. It is to protect the American people. That nominee so far has been Professor Elizabeth Warren who has acted as an adviser. The CFPB has earned praise from the banking community for working to simplify and improve mortgage foreclosure forms. This consumer protection board will protect the American people from predatory lending. from foreclosures. and from excessive rates on your credit card. But. yet. Republicans in the Senate. in the other body. want to make ridiculous accusations to hold the hostage position and take this individual into a hostage position and to suggest that she could not counsel with a State attorney general to help that State attorney general fight against mortgage foreclosures. When have you forbidden a Federal representative. a Federal representative of the United States Government. from talking to the States to be helpful? What is the purpose of the Federal Government other than to be helpful? It is time to stop the charade and stand with the American people. Get someone working on that consumer board to protect the American people from reckless and unfair mortgage practices.
Date: 2011-06-02
Speaker: SANFORD BISHOP (democrat)
Chamber: H

the ranking member of the subcommittee. raised a concern about the consequence of requiring separate votes on various parts of the bill. We feel that this is a serious issue. and we intend to continue to monitor the process closely as we consider the remaining appropriations bills. I am very pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to my good friend. the distinguished gentleman from Washington . the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.
Date: 2011-06-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. on amendment No. 1 offered by the gentleman from Indiana . I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present. I would have voted
Date: 2011-06-03
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

This could be no more a somber debate than what we are doing here today. and I thank the manager. Mr. McGOVERN. and the gentleman from South Carolina for recognizing. through the leadership of our House. that the American people must be engaged in the constitutional duties that have been set out for the three branches of government. Under the Constitution. the war powers are divided between Congress and the President. and among other relevant grants. Congress has the power to declare war and raise and support armed forces while the President is the Commander in Chief. The congressional duties fall under article 1. section 8. and the Commander in Chief can relate his or her duties to article 2. section 2. It is generally agreed that the Commander in Chief role gives the President power to utilize the armed services to repel attacks against the United States. But there has long been a challenge or controversy over whether he or she is constitutionally authorized to send forces into hostile situations abroad without a declaration of war or congressional authorization. And so here we are today indicating that it is important for the Commander in Chief. no matter how much respect there is. to be able to respond to the call of the Congress. There are now two resolutions that swirl around the violence and horrific acts in Libya. Compounding the problem is a continued violence. an assault on the people of Libya. So for a moment let me focus on General Qadhafi to ask him the question. is he reasoned. and does he recognize that the slaughter of his people must stop? The President of South Africa engaged in peace talks with General Qadhafi. and many of us thought that the white flag would be raised and that there would be an opportunity for resolution. We see that not coming. So my message to General Qadhafi is to stop this senseless and violent war. to allow your people to accumulate the privileges of human dignity. that is to be able to live in peace and hopefully to secure democratic rights for themselves. But at the same time we in the United States cannot stand by and watch as violence proceeds. We must have procedure. We must have process. I believe the Boehner amendment gives at least some tracking as to what you are asking the President for. but I still quarrel with the debate and the question as to whether or not that is enough. I am supporting this rule so that we can move forward to begin to debate this question of the War Powers Resolution. and it is important that the branches of government understand you cannot roll over the Constitution. The Constitution does not allow us to ignore the Supreme Courts decisions on war. It does not allow us. in essence. to ignore the responsibilities of Congress. So I rise today to support this debate and to support the premise that Congress must exercise its authority to declare war.
Date: 2011-06-03
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Speaker. regarding H. Con. Res. 51 and H. Res. 292. both resolutions have imperfections. I strongly support the sentiment behind the Kucinich resolution but do not think it would be responsible to compel action in such a short time period. Regrettably. the Boehner resolution accomplishes little. However. it makes a clear statement that I agree with. which is that American troops should not be on the ground in Libya.
Date: 2011-06-03
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to H. Res. 292. offered by Representative BOEHNER and H. Con. Res. 51. offered by Representative KUCINICH. I strongly oppose putting any U.S. forces on the ground in Libya and voted in support of the amendment offered to the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act by Representative CONYERS which prohibited funds from being used for that purpose. These resolutions are both flawed. I cannot support either of them because they ignore the reasons the U.S. joined NATO operations in Libya and the presidents efforts to keep Congress informed. and each fails to recognize the support role American forces now play since we transferred leadership of the mission to NATO. I disagree with the Boehner Resolutions accusation that the president has failed to provide Congress with a compelling rationale for U.S. military activities in Libya. On March 21. 2011. President Obama wrote to Congress notifying us of his decision to deploy U.S. forces against the Qaddafi Regime in response to a request from the Arab League. In his letter. President Obama stated that his actions were undertaken to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and to address a growing threat to international peace and security. Further. the president fulfilled his pledge to greatly redefine the role of American forces and they now play a noncombat. supporting role comprised of intelligence gathering. logistics. surveillance and search and rescue. Finally. I oppose the Kucinich resolutions call for an immediate withdrawal of forces from Libya. In his speech last month on North Africa. the president said the U.S. joined the NATO operation in Libya because "we saw the prospect of imminent massacre and we heard the Libyan peoples call for help." Not acting in the face of Qaddafis threat to show "no mercy" to his people and to go door to door hunting them like rats would have been an abdication of our moral duty as global citizens and would have sent the wrong message to the tyrants of the world. In his speech on Libya the president said. "To brush aside Americas responsibility as a leaderand more profoundlyour responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are. Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different." Given the conversion of special factors in Libya. I believe the presidents decision has been justified.
Date: 2011-06-03
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I was unable to be present for the votes on June 3. 2011 due to a family obligation. Had I been present I would have voted against H. Con. Res. 51. and in favor of H. Res. 292.
Date: 2011-06-13
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize the Dallas Mavericks on winning the 2011 National Basketball Association Championship. This is the organizations first NBA world championship title. and I congratulate the team owner. Mark Cuban. Coach Rick Carlisle. his staff. and the entire Mavericks organization on this great accomplishment. I also congratulate the teams captain. Dirk Nowitzki. on being named the recipient of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. so much deserved. The Mavericks also display a strong commitment to the Dallas community through its foundation. The Dallas Mavericks Foundation is dedicated to inspiring and motivating our youth to take their education seriously and to strive for healthy bodies and minds. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating each member of the 2011 NBA Championship Dallas Mavericks for their very many victories. but their very first championship. the champions of our community.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. if I mentioned the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. there would be a lot of glazedover eyes. But if I mentioned high gasoline prices and food prices that are going through the roof. the American public would understand that. So let me tell you that our Republican friends. who want a sea of deregulation so that consumers wont be protected. are attacking the body that regulates speculation on gasoline prices and food. What does that mean? It means that every time you go to the grocery store as a working. middle class family. all you can see is the price of food going up. up. up. Yes. we have had storms. and we have had droughts. But the reason is. the speculators are gambling on food prices. They are gambling on gasoline prices. So the hardworking Americans that are working are getting the short end of the stick. Can you imagine. here we go with Republicans again. defeating the consumer. Democrats are ready to fight for jobs. Were ready to get rid of those speculators and fund the Commodity Futures Trading Commission that deals with protecting consumers. Is there no shame? Is there no shame? Protect the consumers and fund the CFTC.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. first. again. I want to congratulate those Dallas Mavericks for winning the NBA championship. and also to rise in opposition to the Republican plan to end Medicare. The Republican budget replaces Medicare with an underfunded voucher system that eliminates the guaranteed Medicare benefit for everyone under the age of In the Dallas and north Texas region. the Republican plan would increase the outofpocket costs of health care coverage by over $6.000 per year for 630.000 individuals under 55. The Republican plan would immediately cut benefits and would require seniors in my congressional district to pay an extra $47 million for prescription drugs over the next decade. I urge my colleagues to protect our seniors and defend them against these reckless attacks on their health care and economic security. and also their peace of mind.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Thank you very much. Mr. McGOVERN. for your leadership on this very important issue. To my colleague. the distinguished Congresswoman who is managing for my friends on the other side of the aisle. there are probably many of us who have lived the American story and began life on the rocky side of the mountain. I rise because I happen to come from a district where my predecessor died on the side of an Ethiopian mountain. Its a far. far place away from Houston. My predecessor was Congressman Mickey Leland. He was so driven by the vastness of hunger. he was so much a soldier of Robert Kennedys message that he didnt allow danger to thwart him from trying to help people who were literally dying. And so he was carrying grain. And he had colleagues who were not on that flight. Tony Hall and Congressman Emerson. And I would say to you that it really gets me in my heart. what were doing today. because my predecessor. a Member of Congress. and were described by many terms. but he felt that hunger was so severe that he helped found the Select Committee on Hunger. We have the Mickey Leland Hunger Center because hunger was prevailing in America and around the world. So you can understand why I stand here today and tell you that its not good enough to feed 85 percent of the hungry children so that 15 percent of them dont get breakfasts and dont get lunches. Thats not something to give you a halo for or to give you an accolade. Because so many of us understand how stretching that peanut butter or stretching that soup or stretching minimal food. so many of us have either heard those stories or experienced it. And in this bill. $2 billion is cut from food stamps. Do you realize that our soldiers and their families. young recruits. are on food stamps? Does anyone know the population that is on food stamps? Now. weve tried to make it better for them. but many of them are on food stamps. To cut the WIC program. youre impacting children who are innocent. And then. of course. Food for Peace is not a throwaway. It is to simply stop the folks who are simply dying in deserts around the world. And $35 million has been cut from trying to increase the number of grocery stores in urban centers and rural areas. to a certain extent. where there are no grocery stores where people can actually get fresh food. Try coming to my district and shopping for groceries in the local. downthestreet 2 by 4 store. where food dates. which I have actually seen for myself. are years old and sitting on the counter where people who only have foot transportation have to go and buy beans that are dated a year before or tuna that is dated a year before.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I tried to buy tuna as a test case. and I had to put it back on the shelf of a little 2 by 4 in neighborhoods where people walk. Be reminded that Calvin Coolidge. a Republican President. followed in the 1920s the same pattern. which is: give to the rich and let the poor die on the vine. He didnt run again because he knew there was a collapse coming. His fellow Republican elected said. Give to the rich. And we had the 1928 collapse. Were talking about where consumers and businesses are not buying or having business. we the government must invest. And I believe. in the name of Mickey Leland. weve got to do a better job of feeding the hungry.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. The Acting Chair . The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

had raised some of the points about the war. I voted for the Kucinich amendment the other day because I do not think we should be in Libya at this time. Im very concerned that thats going to be one of those classic cases of mission creep. that right now were saying no troops on the ground. but after we get through blowing up their buildings. who do you think is going to rebuild it? Its going to be America. So that mission is going to morph into troops on the ground in one form or another. Thats why I thought the Kucinich amendment was appropriate. I want to just conclude. though. that I think the spirit of the gentlemenand theyre very consistent in terms of their fiscal restraint. but. again. the only budget that has passed any body is the Ryan budget. One of the balancing acts of this. if you go too far. you lose votes. if you dont go far enough. you lose votes. The Ryan budget got over the finish line and did not get all the Republicans voting for it. so Im going to have to oppose this amendment. but I want to say to my friends. I appreciate the vigor in which youve offered it and your consistency on things. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2011-06-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Well. outlays have to do with the evenhandedness of spending at the same time. which section you take the monies out and which section you put them in. Again. the point that I want to make to this body is that my focus is on keeping our children in this country from being malnourished and pregnant mothers from not having the access to good healthy food that they need to give birth to a healthy child. And Ive asked the question before. in the instance of speaking for our children and saving our children. a procedural waiver is in order. This is a procedural question. I have actually taken money from a legitimate account. and that is the Agriculture Research Service that my own friend and colleague had said is funded quite well. Now weve added another $2 million to the research program. $902 million. And Im simply asking for a measure of that amount to help provide care and nourishment for our children. I believe it is appropriate to eliminate a procedural. if you will. flaw that only speaks to the timing of spending to be able to provide for the children of America. Thats what agriculture is all about: our farmers. our families who need to eat good food. our undernourished and impoverished communities which are aplenty. As I spoke earlier today. those communities that are experiencing disasters and those mothers who are now pregnant and who need access to good food. we need to be able to not cut off in the State of Texas. in my district. 40.000 or so individuals that will not be able to be part of the WIC program because were talking about a procedural flaw. And so. Madam Chairperson. I am suggesting that this amendment is in order. and Id ask my colleagues to consider a waiver. But Im also asking the Chairwoman to rule in my favor so that the people of America most vulnerable will have access to quality food and a healthy life. The Acting CHAIR. The Chair is prepared to rule on the gentleman from Georgias point of order. To be considered en bloc pursuant to clause 2(f) of rule XXI. an amendment must not propose to increase the levels of budget authority or outlays in the bill. Because the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas proposes a net increase in the level of outlays in the bill. as argued by the chairman of the Subcommittee on Appropriations. it may not avail itself of clause 2(f) to address portions of the bill not yet read. The point of order is sustained. The amendment is not in order. The Clerk will read.
Date: 2011-06-15
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

First of all. let me thank Mr. FARR and Mr. KINGSTON. I had hoped my friend from Georgia could see in his heart that this is a very small microcosm for a very large issue. and that is that food deserts do exist and the families that are impacted. number of families that include those who are members of the United States military from the very youngest child. I have been fiscally responsible. if that is the case. to narrow this very well. and I have no quarrel with individual chains engaging in marketing outreach. But Im talking about hardtoserve areas that include urban and rural areas where there are no food chains to engage in any benevolent assistance. Im also suggesting to you that if you look at the landscape of districts across the Nation. just take for example my district is number 32 in regards to food insecurity. but there are 31 above me. The people have limited access to food. I enjoy the point that Mr. FARR made about Ms. KAPTURS farmers markets. This will infuse energy into the farmers markets. This will create jobs for a limited amount of pilot resources. This is the right thing to do. This is to take a great land like America and say we want everybody to minimally have access to good. healthy. nutritious food. So I would ask for the humanitarian consideration of my friends on the other side of the aisle. I thank the gentleman from California for his instructiveness and the work of the members of this Appropriations Committee. and I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. the Jackson Lee amendment. It fills the gaping hole of the lack of food by providing resources to cure the problem of food deserts.
Date: 2011-06-15
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII. further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will be postponed.