macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-05-11
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I want to commend the 30Something Group for their leadership. ] 2130 I come to the floor to remind all of the seniors that Monday. May 15. is the dropdead date for signing up for Medicare part D. I am very concerned that over 15 million Americans have not signed up. Congressman MEEK. may I ask you a question? Do you know why Monday. May 15. is the dropdead date to sign up?
Date: 2006-05-11
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. Americans are going to be penalized. I have been elected for 25 years. And this is the first time I have ever heard of being penalized until the day you die. I mean. it is ludicrous that we. the House of Representatives passed a bill that was so complicated and confusing. and gave you a time period of less than 5 months to sign up. And then if you do not sign up. you are going to be penalized until death. I know in Florida we have 41 different plans. And it is very confusing. Seniors should hs1ve an opportunity to take their time and to select a plan that best meets their needs. Now. Mr. MEEK. do you know why in the law the Secretary does not have the authority to negotiate the price of drugs? Do you know why Americans pay 50 percent more than people in Canada?
Date: 2006-05-11
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mf. Speaker. you know in Florida. we have over 1 million people who have not signed up. And nationwide it is over 15 million people. Now. I do not understand why the President with an executive order cannot be Presidential and extend the date or do away with the penalties. People should not be* held accountable for a program that is complicated and confusing. I have a cousin that is a Ph.D. graduate from the University of Miami. a principal for 30 years. and had to go to Social Security to get someone to help and assist to make the right decision because it is very. very complicated. Mr. Speaker. I am asking seniors. please sign upbut there is no reason why this program. a program that is so needed. I voted against it because it was bloated. can you imagine. supposedly fiscally resppnsible Republicans coming up with a program that is billions of dollars. costing more than it needs to. and the money is going to the pharmaceutical companies. The money is going to the industry. and not to the people that we need to be serving. It is a shame that in this peoples House that we are not doing the work of the people. Mr. Speaker. I am calling on the Members of this body and I am calling on the President so we can make it retroactive. Let us not punish seniors for our incompetency.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. during these tough economic times when Americans are paying record amounts at the pump. struggling with rising college tuition bills and facing high health care costs. many families are working hard to keep their bank balances positive and their heads above water. These families know well the consequences of going into debt and the importance of living on a payasyougo system. It is a lesson that they should teach House Republicans who have once again proposed a budget resolution that sends us spiraling even further into record debt and proposes no plan for balancing our Nations account. Republicans propose we continue living on credit. money borrowed from nations such as China. to whom we now owe $257 billion. In fact. they have the audacity to propose that we even increase the debt.limit for our Nation for the fifth time since this President took office. Mr. Speaker. this shameful budget proposal is another example of how this Republican Congress failed to do what every American family must do. to live within their means.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. instead of offering a plan to bring us out of debt. the Republican budget actually makes the deficit worse. This is fiscal irresponsibility. and that means that we will continue to borrow billions of dollars from other nations. Today we owe Japan $682 billion. China. $249 billion. the Caribbean nations. $115 billion. Korea. $66 billion. and OPEC. that is right. the oilproducing nations we rely on so heavily to fuel our vehicles. we owe $67 billion. Washington Republicans have ileen so fiscally irresponsible that President Bush has now borrowed more money from other nations than all other 42 predecessors combined. And they are not. done. They plan to borrow more because they stuck another debt limit increase in the budget. Mr. Speaker. this does not sound like a record anyone would be proud of. No wonder that so many Republicans are skittish about supporting it. The Democratic plan balances the budget in 5 years and restores payasyougo that worked so well in the 1990s.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. a tragedy of the highest magnitude exists in Darfur in Sudan. Africa. Mr. Speaker. over 450.000 have died. 2.5 million have been displaced internally. 200.000 have fled to Chad. 3 million. Mr. Speaker. are living on emergency aid. Mr. Speaker. this tragedy exists for two reasons: One. people of ill will. the actions of these people of ill will. and two. the inactions of people of goodwill. Mr. Speaker. it is time for people of goodwill to take a stand and realize that injustice anywhere. as Dr. King put it. is a threat to justice everywhere. And injustice in Sudan in Africa is a threat to justice in America.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. House Republicans have failed millions of American seniors by choosing once again to rubberstamp the harmful policy of the Bush administration. Despite the fact that recent polls show only 55 percent of seniors knew about the May 15 signup deadline for a private prescription drug plan. House Republicans refused to join us in extending the deadline until the end of the year. Now. millions of seniors who have yet to sign up cannot until the end of the year. House Republicans and the Bush administration will also penalize them when they sign up with at least a 7 percent tax on their premium. a tax that they will be forced to pay every month for the rest of their lives. Our seniors are not to blame for this complicated and confusing prescription drug law. It is so confusing that the people who are attempting to answer the seniors questions about the different plans are giving out wrong information more than half of the time. Once again.. the House Republicans have failed American seniors.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: TOM UDALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

trat the pending measure is totally unnecessary and seriously deficientand should not be approved by this body. With that noted. the amendment I am offering is simple and it is straightforward. It would strike from H.R. 4200 its most egregious provisions which ride roughshod over the National Environmental Policy Act. the Endangered Species Act. the National Historic Preservation Act. and the Clean Water Act. " These unwarranted assaults on our Nations premier conservation laws under the guise of enhancing forest management should be an embarrassment to this body. to this House of Representatives. Should this body prove the pending measure. the result would be a weakening of existing law in the form of NEPA. a law that is meant to ensure public participation in actions by the Federal Government. The American public is already in an uproar over this administrations penchant for surveillance of their phone conversations and email transactions. Now we are going to say to American taxpayers that they cannot even participate in proposed Federal actions that directly affect them? What message is this sending? Did George Orwell really have it right when he wrote the book. "1984" back in 1949. in which he penned and I quote. "If you want to picture the future. imagine a boot stamping on a human face. forever." I would note that the sponsor of the pending legislation. the gentleman from Oregon. is very passionate about this matter and I certainly respect that. Yesterday duridg the Rules Committees consideration of this bill he described my amendment as one that would gut the bill. I. on the other hand. firmly believe that Americans cherish the Clean Water Act and do not want its application waived. I also believe that Americans believe they should have a say under the National Environmental Policy Act on major Federal actions impacting their lives. Obviously. the gentleman from Oregon and I have a very different vie of America. And the gulf which divides us on this issue makes for a very clear vote in the House of Representatives today on this amendment. The pending measure also constitutes a direct assault on the ESA. It legislatively directs that an incidental take permit be issued without limitation. no ifs. no ands. no buts about it. regardless of the impacts of the salvaging operation on endangered species. This is not fair play. This is draconian. Finally. my amendment would strike provisions of the pending measure involving compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. I would ask the question: Are we to sacrifice our countrys past. our national heritage. on the altar of something like salvage logging? Let us send the proper message to the people of this Nation today. Regardless of how Members view the remaining part of the pending measure. let us first vote to ensure that the publics right to participate in proposed Federal actions is preserved. and that our countrys fundamental conservation laws will remain in place. I urge adoption of the amendment. Madam Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I was detained in committee on a markup during general debate. and I want to rise in support of the DeFazio amendment and against the underlying legislation. I believe that the rationale for this legislation simply does not exist. There is no evidence that existing authorities are inadequate. The Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management already have many existing authorities for timber salvage. including the Healthy Forest Restoration Act. For situations. involving threats to life and property. the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management can request alternative arrangements with the Council on Environmental Quality. and to date I do not believe that one Forest Service request has been denied. I think the DeFazio amendment is improving the legislation. The sponsors underlying rationale for this. legislation is that there is a dire need for environmental exemptions for timber salvage on Federal lands following a catastrophic event. But theres no evidencethat existing authorities are inadequate. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land* Management already have many existing authorities for timber salvage. including the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003. In 2005. 35 percent of the logging volume on our National Forests came from timber salvageall completed with existing authorities. The Forest Service is quickly completing one of the largest timber salvage projects in history. 676 -million board feet. for those -National Forests on the gulf coast impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. For situations involving threats to life and property. the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management may request alternative arrangements with the Council on Environmental Quality. and to date not one Forest Service request has been denied. If Congress approves H.R. 4200. roads. will be built in inventoried roadless areas. even though the existing road maintenance backlog is large and growing. Ironically. H.R. 4200 will also divert resources from wildfire prevention. Over 11.000 communities around the country are at high risk for wildfire. Theres an urgent need to treat the neighboring forests to reduce the danger. And. there are similar conditions across the Country. But instead of focusing on this elevated threat. H.R. 4200 would emphasize putting limited resources on postfire timber sales. even in areas far from communities. To make things worse. there is a serious chance these salvage operations could actually increase the risk of new fires. The bottom line is that H.R. 4200 is worse than unnecessaryits counterproductive.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to the budget resolution. . . The budget is a reflection of this countrys priorities. According to this budget. however. our priorities are not sound. This budget prioritizes deficits over balanced budgets. and tax cuts over the health and education of the American people. By eliminating 42 education programs. the budget disappoints our children and wastes our opportunity to invest in their future. It hurts lowincomes students shot at the American Dream by wiping out the GEARUP program that prepares them for college. It threatens our future economic competitiveness by eliminating the vocational education programs that help our students gain the skills to compete in a global economy. It abandons health care research by cutting the budgets of 18 out of 19 institutes within the National Institutes of Health. It cuts programs aimed at preventing illness and disease while also slashing programs that train health professionals to treat these diseases. Without doubt. sacrifices must be made to successfully implement the war on terror and equip our troops. But war costs are not even included in this budget. and the cuts on the domestic side are doing nothing to reduce our deficit. In fact. this budget puts us on a path to post a deficit of $348 billion for 2007--one of the largest deficits in our nations history. Mr. Speaker. we have a Democratic substitute before us that reflects Americas true values and would avoid the fiscal trainwreck that were currently facing.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. breaking news: 77 percent of the American people said that the Republicans are leading us in the wrong direction. The CBC once again created a budget that truly meets the needs of the American people. This budget fully funds Leave No Child Behind. restores $70 million in cuts made to Medicare. adds $4.5 billion in benefits and Services for veterans. provides increased funding for public transportation. the Coast Guard. and ports and rail security. closes corporate tax loopholes. and keeps U.S. companies from. sending jobs overseas. all while balancing the budget by 2011 and saving $10.5 billion on national debt interest payments. The CBC budget is the responsible budget that truly meets the needs of the American people. Shame on the Republican leadership for once again pushing a budget to help their country club friends and giving the hardworking American people the shaft. Vote for the CBC budget.
Date: 2006-05-17
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of the Spratt substitute. Once again. the Republicans in the House have proved that there is little compassion in their brand of conservatism. If anything. with this budget they are declaring themselves to be fiscally irresponsible. soft on national security. veteran neglecting. antitax cuts for the middle class. prodrug company. against real reform in rural health care as well as making quality education affordable. I dont know what brand of conservatism you would call that.. but it certainly isnt compassionate. If anything its irrational. irrational conservatism. Because what the GOP proposes to do is wrong for America. Heres a look:
Date: 2006-05-18
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. Members. I want to thank my colleague for yielding me a minute. I support his amendment. Obviously. I think that would be the ideal provision we need to do to eliminate that moratorium. The committee. I think. has struck a compromise on natural gas. although Congressman POE and I know the difficulties of just drilling for one substance over the other. But obviously I support the amendment and I think the committee. though. came up with a compromise. and we will fight that battle later.
Date: 2006-05-18
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I thank the gentleman for yielding. What is it about the marketplace that the Republicans dont understand? You signed a valid lease. although there is some argument about it. But you have a valid lease and now you want to lease the space next door. You leased a couple hundred thousand square feet. and you leased a thousand square feet. and now you want to lease next door. The economy has changed and now the land is available and so the landlord says to you. I think we will do is. we will do a wraparound lease. You want this? This is done all the time. It is done all the time in the business world. Various assets at various prices are combined. and the landlord thinks about extracting what he can at that time when you come to renegotiate. This happens all the time in the real estate field. all the time in the minerals field. All we are saying to the government is. these people have such a huge advantage because of the failure of the cap. we dont think they ought to get any additional leases. They can keep those leases without the caps and not lease. or they can negotiate those caps with the government to be like the rest of the oil companies and they can lease. This is a business transaction. It just happens to be a business transaction on behalf of the people of the United States of America who own these lands. What is it about the marketplace that you think at $70 a barrel you need royalty relief? I think you are confusing this with the idea that the oil companies are somehow royalty and we must bow down to them. At $70 a barrel. the conservative chairman of my committee. the Resources Committee. said nobody deserves royalty relief. The President of the United States says at these prices nobody deserves royalty relief. And here you are on the floor of the House of Representative�. arguing for people who get $70 a barrel. I talked to the CEOs of these companies when this royalty relief came up. and most of them thought it was balderdash. Most of them thought it was about trying to rescue a couple of companies that made some real bad decisions in the gulf shelf when oil was a bad price. Fine. we agreed that under $34 a barrel you can have some royalty relief. Oil today. my friends. maybe you havent been out of the Chamber here. it is $70 a barrel. andthat is why we are asking the marketplace to work on behalf of the taxpayers of the country who are paying $3.50 for gasoline. The gentlemans amendment should be unanimous in this House on behalf of people who are buying gas and commuting to work and are paying that price every day. Why do they now have to pay it through this tax break through this royalty relief?
Date: 2006-05-18
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

You have a loan on your home. You have a second mortgage on your home and you want a new line of credit. It is a valid line of credit and it is a 4 percent loan. What does the bank tell you? We want you to pay it off. and the new rate is 7 percent or 6 percent. People renegotiate these contracts all the time. You just refuse to negotiate them on behalf of the taxpayers. You renegotiate them all of the time on behalf of the oil companies. We do it allof the time. This is what people do when they want to refinance their homes. The banker says. here are the new rules. You can stick with your loan and be happy as you are. but if you want another $50.000 out of your house. here are the points gou have to pay. People understand this. Why dont you let the marketplace work for once and why dont we run the government like a business. like so many of our constituents stand up and tell us to do. We now have an opportunity. We now have an opportunity. and you are refusing to take the opportunity on behalf of the taxpayers.
Date: 2006-05-18
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. let me thank the leaders of this amendment. Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. LEACH. Mr. DINGELL. to protect water quality. This amendment reverses the harmful policy of EPA and the Corps of Engineers that empowers regulators to allow the pollution of waters and destruction of wetlands but eliminates the authority of local regulators to protect waters from such pollution and destruction. Since January. 2003. EPA and the Corps have restricted the ability of their own personnel to implement regulations that have been in use since 1986. These regulations are valid. understood in the regulated community. and are the method we use to protect some 20 percent of the Nations Waters. The Nations ponds. streams. rivers. lakes. and wetlands can be no healthier than the headwaters and runoff that feed them. Since EPA guidance was put in place in 2003. regulators have allowed the pollution and destruction of these critical waters. imperiling the health of the entire aquatic system. This amendment is not about stopping the direct pollution of our great rivers such as the Mississippi or the Trinity River. which flows through my home city of Dallas. It is about protecting the waters that feed into these systems and that serve as the origins of these great rivers. When we fail to protect smaller bodies of water. we lose the flood control. water supply. water filtering. and habitat benefits that these waters provide. Waters that may appear isolated on the surface tend to be interconnected with the ground and surface waters elsewhere. We cannot simply ignore the connections among and the values of all of the Nations waters. I support this bipartisan arpendment and urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting "yes."
Date: 2006-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentlewoman. and I rise in support of the PutnamCapps bipartisan amendment which strikes the Peterson language that would allow for drilling just 3 miles off our shoreline. Members. let us put this in perspective. Imagine yourself on the west steps of the United States Capitol admiring the view of our Nations Capitol. taking in the scenery and enjoying the environment. Now imagine yourself gazing towards the Kennedy Center. and just beyond the Kennedy Ceirter. right there in the middle of the Potomac River. you see a big old oil rig. It is not quite as appealing any more. is it? Now. I know that we are not going to be drilling for gas or oil in the Potomac River. but I paint this scenario for a reason. That distance from the Capitol to just beyond the Kennedy Center is the same distance that Mr. PETERSON is proposing we place natural gas rigs off our Nations beaches. There are drastic and devastating environmental and economic repercussions that come with drilling into the ocean floor so close to our beaches. for my own State of Florida and for the rest of the Nation. For example. the uncontrollable discharges of mud. rock. and minerals that come with piercing a hole into our Earth would be devastating for our nearshore activities. Now. for our colleagues that feel they need to vote for something. anything. to be able to say they are trying to address gas prices. I have a reminder: cars dont run on natural gas. People who are now paying upwards of $50 to fill their gas tanks. this amendment. if we leave it in place. will do nothing to change that. Gas prices will still be astronomically high. And to address the issue of oil rigs off our shoreline put there by Cuba and China. do we want to emulate the actions of nations like Cuba and China? Do we want the Florida straits dotted with oil rigs? I think not. and I think most Americans would also agree. I urge my colleagues to protect the coast of the United States and vote "yes" for the bipartisan PutnamCapps amendment.