macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Frankly. that was one of the saddest days that I have experienced in this process. because. you know. there is so much rhetoric thats thrown around here. We hear the rhetoric. that. oh. no. these are tax cuts on the wealthy. Then you and others came up with a specific amendment to say. no. no. lets just talk about the issue. Lets take rhetoric off -the table for a second. Lets not be partisan. Lets just look at the issue. Lets see if there is something that we can agree on. Those amendments were brought to the committee. Those amendments were. as you just mentioned. the per child tax credit. and then we kept hearing. but those are tax cuts on the wealthy. I remember the argument and the discussion. again. not only the wealthy get married. Tax cuts. remember the 10 percent bracket.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Individuals that are the working poor that now earn so little that they dont pay Federal income tax. and they should not. are now going to be required to start paying Federal income taxes. But they say those are tax cuts on the wealthy. Its nbt the wealthy. When you cut to the chase. you get the most smoke and mirrors. and we were able to bring these individual amendments to the committee. The sad part. the reason I say that was really sad. is because those amendments are defeated on a partisan vote. on a partisan vote. amendmefits to keep the taxes low. If you have children. amendments to make sure that people who are working poor. that have a hard time paying for gasoline and paying for groceries and dont pay Federal income tax. because they are so poor right now. still dont have to pay them. They voted against those amendments. There is a reason why people are skeptical and people dont believe what comes out of Washington. Frankly. they have a very good reason to have that attitude.
Date: 2008-04-16
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. This is just not that complicated. The question is: Is government here to help serve the people? Or are the people here on this planet and in this country to help fund government exclusively? And that is the battle. We hear that time and time again when we try to reduce taxes on working people. working families. they say you -are going to hurt government if you dont allow us to increase taxes. Hurt government? Excuse me. since when is the role of the government just to milk people as much as it possibly can. Again. there is a reason why the rankings of this Congress are the lowest they have ever been. I guess.some think nobody is watching. and. therefore. we can say we support tax cuts and even sometimes file legislation. and then vote against amendments on the budget to lower taxes. the per child tax credit. the death penalty and the marriage penalty so you dont have to pay more just because you are martied. Even the death tax. Quoting the gentleman from Florida
Date: 2008-04-17
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H

of Florida (at the request of Mr. BOEHNER) for today through April 24 on account of a family medical emergency.
Date: 2008-04-22
Speaker: DON YOUNG (republican)
Chamber: H

for his assistance and willingness to work with us on this as well. and todays acting ranking member. Mr. JIMMY DUNCAN. for his help on this legislation. I have no further requests for time. and Ill reserve. pending any further requests that the ranking member has.
Date: 2008-04-22
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

I hear a lot about hope and change. Really. the hope that people are looking for. is just the hope that they can fill up their gas tank. the hope they can buy a gallon of milk. the hope they can buy a loaf of bread. the hope they doht have to spend all their money to take care of government. the hope that the government will let them go out and have that life. liberty. and pursuit of happiness that you were talking about earlier vith our good friend. Mr. SALI from Idaho. That is the hope that the Americans are looking for. and the change they are looking for is just to get back to some common sense principles that worked over 200 years very well. The Founding Fathers knew exactly - what America needs. I look around this beautiful room and I look behind you and it actually says: In God We Trust. That is the type of change we need in America. We need to get back to some of those bedrock principles where we allow people to go out and pursue happiness. You know. one of my favorite quotes is from Henry Ford. Henry Ford once said: If you think you can or you think you cant. youre right. The American people think they can. But they think they cant if they see government continue to get bigger and go bigger and bigger. We talk about taxing and spending. The reality is you spend. then you tax. So it should really say spending and taxing. So we have got to keep the spending low. regulations low. taxes low. and the American people will go out and succeed. Theres no better leople anywhere in the world than right here in America. We have a great work ethic. we have great values. we have great morals. and we can take care of our families if we will just allow families to take care of families. I would like to see if you have any comments.
Date: 2008-04-22
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

I wanted to thank you for your leadership in introducing the Tax Increase Prevention Act. That is exactly the type of leadership we need. You are a great leader in your State. You are a great leader here on the floor of Congress and in America. Thank you for the opportunity to be a sponsor of this legislation. Together we will make some changes. God bless you.
Date: 2008-04-22
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

Thank. you. Mr. WALBERG. Thank you for your leadership. I would like to thank Mrs. BACHMANN for your interest in this. your hard work here in Congress. I really appreciate your leadership in this and understanding that you cant tax and spend and regulate yourself into prosperity. The American people understand it. It is a simple principle. We need to start thinking outside the Beltway. not inside the Beltway.. And if we do those things with lower taxes. lower spending. we will actually start to produce energy in America again. start to use American oil and American coal. safe nuclear. those things to bring down the energy costs. If we bring those taxes. those regulations down. then the American people will go out there and have those jobs. The best economic stimulus package in America is a good paycheck. And thank you for your leadership.
Date: 2008-04-23
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues today to support H.R. 5613. the Medicaid Safety Net Act. Theres a lot of misinformation about what this bill does. Here are the facts. When CMS put forth regulations to cut Medicaid service to save money.
Date: 2008-04-23
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

I would like to thank my friend from Texas for recognizing me. I would like to thank my colleague down on the floor. who is just taking the chart down now. His chart actually makes a very good point. the price of oil has doubled in the last year. I hope they use that chart often. The issue thats facing the American people right now is our dependence on foreign oil and our gas prices. Energy is the foundation and the lifeblood of the American economy. creating the conditions that help us support goodpaying jobs here in the United States and allowing our industrial base to compete with the rest of the world. We all know that middle class families. such as those that I represent in northeast Tennessee. are feeling significant pain at the pump. But the American family isnt the only place where the strains of.spiking fuel prices can be felt. According to the recent news reports. local schools. law enforcement agencies and other community services are paying the price of these recordhigh oil prices. Unfortunately. Democrats in the House have been consistent in offering socalled energy legislation that weakens our ability to compete with emerging titans such as China. India and Russia. In the United States today. were 63 percent dependent on foreign sources of oil. and that percentage is growing ever year. Gasoline prices have increased more than $1 per gallon since the majority took control of the House last year. as the last chart indicated. increasing from a nationwide average of $2.33 per gallon on the first day of the 110th Congress to now well over $3.50 per gallon. Not only has the majority party failed to end our reliance on Middle Eastern oil for essential energy. they have actually helped grow our independence to historic- and dangerous new levels all because of their refusal to allow for responsible energy production here at home. We need to use American energy. What we need is no more excuses. We need an energy policy that allows for the use of American energy now. We need to drill for oil in ANWR and off the Outer Continental Shelf. We need to use our abundant coal supplies through clean coal technology. We need to create safe nuclear power plants. We need to build new refineries. And we need to expand green energy. yes. green energy initiatives. like switch grass. wind power. solar power. hydroelectric power. We cannot tax and regulate ourselves into prosperity. and thats exactly the energy policies that have come out of this Congress. You cannot tax and regulate yourself into prosperity. We have to have an energy policy that actually has energy. The American middle class deserves better. They deserve an energy policy that is dependent on American energy. not foreign energy. Therefore. I recommend a "no" vote on the rule on the floor today so we can continue to talk about what is important to the American people. lowering the cost of energy.
Date: 2008-04-24
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman from Mississippi. and before we begin our debate on the Coast Guard Authorization Act for 2008. I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purposes of a colloquy with Mr.
Date: 2008-04-24
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Reclaiming my time. Petty Officer Bruckenthal is survived by his wife Patricia and their daughter Harper. We all join in thanking them for their sacrifice. Petty Officer Bruckenthal represented the very best of the U.S. Coast Guard and what it has to offer. With that. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2008-04-24
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all. let me thank Chairman THOMPSON for his and his staffs hard work in reporting a bill from our Committee on Homeland Security in September that I believe was the result of solid bipartisan compromise. and for Chairman THOMPSONS continued cooperation over the past several months as the committee worked to bring this bill to the floor. Obviously. we have heard from those of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee many of the good things in this bill. I must say. however. I am disappointed that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee largely ignored the committee on Homeland Securitys improvements. particularly to those provisions relating to LNG security. While our committees approach was reasonable and riskbased. as we have attempted to approach all of our problems with respect to homeland security. that is with a riskbased approach. the language adopted by the other committee. I fear. abandons the riskbased approach and assumes a cookie cutter. onesizefits all approach. My friend from Ohio has an amendment that would clarify that State and local resources can be considered when identifying resources available to provide the newly mandated security patrols. and I would hope that his amendment would be adopted. I am also very concerned about two entire titles that were added to the bill after they were considered by four committees of jurisdiction. A new title X shifts 80 percent of the Coast Guards Administrative Law Judge resources and several of the Coast Guards ALJ authorities to the National Transportation Safety Board. This is being proposed as over 1 million TWIC cards are being issued to our rail. truck. and port workers. These are those biometric cards that we have spent so much time developing and hoping that it would finally get in place. The effect of this provision. I fear. could leave only two ALJs. that is Administrative Law Judges. to hear any appeals to TWIC denials. That has been one of the great concerns we have had. If we have this TWIC system set up. how can people appeal if they have been denied their TWIC cards. This would dramatically slow the appeals process. to the detriment of port security and our Nations port workers. who are relying on a timely adjudication of a TWIC for their livelihood. As a recent letter from TSA opposing this proposal states. "ALJs at the Coast Guard have built up expertise in transportation security matters. and I fear this provision will negatively impact not only TWIC. but other programs as well. including hazardous materials endorsement. and may result in even higher fees for these workers."
Date: 2008-04-24
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Well. the effect of the provision is to take 80 percent of the resources that are currently allocated to the ALJ. Administrative Law Judge program. and that in effect would make it very. very difficult for them to continue. since they have a total of seven ALJs. and if you take 80 percent of the funding. I believe that would leave us with about 20 percent. I would like to include a copy of this letter from TSA in the RECORD.
Date: 2008-04-24
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Chairman. I submit for the RECORD two more letters. one from the Commandant of the Coast Guard and one from four retired admirals of the Coast Guard. Mr. Chairman. let me just repeat some language contained in the Director of TSAs letter to Congressman KING. the ranking member of Homeland Security. about the concern I have again about this ALJ question. "In the absence of sufficient ALJ legal and administrative resources at the Coast Guard. TSA does not regard the NTSB ALJs as a good alternative. Coast Guard ALJs have substantial expertise in fair adjudication of security programs. NTSB ALJs do not have the expertise in transportation security matters." What I have been trying to point out. is my concern about the TWIC program. that all of us on a bipartisan basis here in the House and the Senate have tried to get up and running. I am afraid that while I appreciate the gentleman from Minnesotas clarification of his intent to do something in the future. I am concerned about the expertise being removed at a time when we need it.
Date: 2008-04-24
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I thank the gentlehan for yielding. Madam Chairman. this is an impor-. tant amendment. This is an attempt by us to get our criminal laws to catch up with the technology used by the bad guys. essentially. If you were to look at one of these .in the open sea. you would find out how difficult it is to spot them actually. even from the air. Theyare a very effective means by which they can deliver illegal drugs to this country. which they have done. The Coast Guard has done a remarkable job in fighting this. But this law will give us the ability to prosecute cases that are. we are incapable of prosecuting at the present time. It will also alleviate the danger that is posed to our members of the Coast Guard in their attempt to retrieve the contraband that is thrown overboard when the perpetrators of these kinds of activities find that they are being chased by the Coast Guard. In this case. it will be illegal to be utilizing these kind of vessels for this type of purpose. but you will not have to prove the contraband actually is there. This is an effective means by which we are giving an additional tool to our Coast Guard men and women around the world. and also to our prosecutors. to ensure that we deal with the continuing problem of drug trade. " But. in addition to that. as the gentleman from Texas mentioned. this could be used for delivering weapons of mass destruction to our shores. For that reason. if no other. I would hope we would get a unanimous vote in support of this amendment.
Date: 2008-04-29
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

changed their vote from "no" to "aye." So (twothirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Date: 2008-04-30
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. recently I met with a number of independent truckers in my district who said that many of their businesses cannot survive the current cost of diesel fuel. And many of my constituents have also said they cannot continue to pay these rising prices of gasoline. the rising prices of food. What much of this comes down to is: Congress has to end its embargo on American oil. To say we cannot drill in the gulf coast. the Atlantic coast. the H2866 Pacific coast. in the Colorado area with the shale oil. or Alaska. has reached a point where OPEC has continued to grab us by the throat and continues to fund both sides of the war on terror. Americans understand that whoever controls the supply can demand whatever price they want. And now with gasoline being over 70 percent of the cost of oil. isnt it time that America took control of its own economy and began to use its own resources in an environmentally responsible way? Lets end the embargo on American oil. Lets take back control of our economy. Lets take action on this.
Date: 2008-04-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. again. I would like to thank Mr. MCGOVERN for the time. Back in April of 2006. as I just said. over 2 years ago. the now distinguished Speaker. Ms. PELOSI. issued the following statement. "With skyrocketing gas prices. it is clear that the American people can no longer afford the Republican rubberstamp Congress and its failure to stand up to Republican big oil and- gas company cronies. Americans this week are paying $2.91 a gallon on average for regular gasoline. 33 cents higher than last month and double the price than when President Bush first came into office." Mr. Speaker. most Americans would be happy if they were paying $2.91 for a gallon of gasoline. In the same press release. the distinguished Speaker went on to say. "Democrats have a commonsense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices." Well. while I hear they have a plan. I havent seen the mystery plan. Mr. Speaker. Instead. while we wait for the majority to act. the cost of fuel continues to rise with the average cost of a gallon of gasoline now being over $3.60. hitting consumers at the pump every time they go to fill up their cars. reinforcing the fact that the majority has yet to confront the high price of gasoline. Today. Investors Business Daily in an editorial said that this Congress is "possibly the most irresponsible in modern history. This is especially true when it comes to Americas dysfunctional energy policy." Mr. Speaker. I insert into the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD that editorial from Investors Business Daily. [From Investors Business Daily. Apr. 30. 2008]
Date: 2008-04-30
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

Thank you. Mr. SHMxus. foryour leadership tonight. and thank you for your interest in this issue. Its interesting. looking at your charts tonight. I notice some of your charts actually have numbers that have to change. If you look at those. thats almost like I see when I go back home to east Tennessee every weekend. I see on the pumps at the gas stations. they have to change. also. And its changing because we see the gas prices continuing day after day-
Date: 2008-04-30
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

Just to follow that same logic. think of the local volunteer fire department or the local ambulance service taking money from health care or the local police depirtment taking money from corrections. You can see this through all branches of the economy. It really is affecting people in a very negative way.
Date: 2008-05-01
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Madam Speaker. on Saturday. March 15. the Jeannette High School basketball team from my district won the States Class AA championship. The Jeannette Jayhawks became the second high school in all of Pennsylvania history to reach the achievement of winning both the state basketball and state football championships. Led by players Terrelle Pryor. Shaw Sunder. and Jordan Hall. and Coach Jim Nesser. the Jayhawks won a game that will go down as one of the best in PIAA history and cap a remarkable season in which the team went 254. This is a great accomplishment for a small school district in southwestern Pennsylvania which has excelled in the classroom. McKee Elementary was named a Blue Ribbon school. and all the districts schools received the Keystone Achievement Recognition this year. with the school district getting the bronze medal. Congratulations to the entire Jeannette school district and to the entire Jeannette community.
Date: 2008-05-01
Speaker: JUDY BIGGERT (republican)
Chamber: H

and ANNA ESHOO for their tireless work on this bill over the last 13 years. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 493.
Date: 2008-05-06
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida changed her vote from "nay" to "yea." So the motion to adjourn was rejected. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Date: 2008-05-07
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to this rule. H.R. 5818. quite frankly. is a bailout bill. and it is not even a bailout bill to homeowners. its a bailout bill to lending institutions. While I appreciate the merits of the bill and what the sponsor was trying to accomplish. it is what it is. If were going to provide a bailout. Congress should ensure that at least we are bailing out lending institutions that lent to Americans. not illegal aliens. Yesterday I offered an amendment in rules to do that. an amendment that actually had some teeth. Instead. the Rules Committee decided to allow a similar amendment but one that lacked the teeth that mine had. My amendment prohibited States from using any of the funds to purchase homes that were owned by illegal aliens. If States used the funds under this bill to provide affordable housing to its residents. my amendment prohibited them from providing that housing to illegal aliens. However. my amendment required documentation. which only included a Social Security card with a photo ID or a REAL ID identification. That would be the proof of the pudding. If Congress wants to use taxpayers dollars to bail out lenders. lets make sure its only benefiting the people who pay taxes and live here legally. I am saddened that once again the majority wants to pass legislation that will accomplish nothing but provide political cover. I just checked with my office to see if we have heard from one municipality. W11ile I respect the gentlepian from Massachusetts. we have not heard from one mayor. not one city council member. not one county commissioner and. as of the last time I checked. we still had not heard from one State official. For this reason I am goingto vote against the rule and encourage other Members to do so.