macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-02-27
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I thank the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 884. the Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act. a long name for a great bill and an idea whose time clearly has come. The world knows that we changed on the morning of September 11. 2001. We found ourselves raw. exposed. attacked on our own soil. and mourning friends and loved ones killed that tragic morning. We learned the true nature of Islamic militants and the extent of their indiscriminate hatred of Americans. But we did not sit by silently. waiting for another attack. We acted. molding our government into a new securityfocused body. willing and able to help prQtect our citizens. And. Mr. Speaker. we partnered with other countries in the global war on terror working to weed out terrorist cells across the globe and stop them before they have a chance to harm anyone else. This bill today builds on our partnership with international allies. directing the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate international research programs and strategic planning coalitions. H.R. 884 enhances these cooperative tools to improve our interactions with great allies like Israel. Canada. Australia. Japan. the United Kingdom. and Singapore. Mr. Speaker. we cannot fight the war on terror alone. We need our international partners to stand with us to stop the murderous terrorist groups wherever they spring up. Todays bill supports and enhances these partnerships. and I am very proud to support it. I urge my colleagues to do the same. I want to commend the chairman of the committee and the ranking member of the committee for their great work on this bill.
Date: 2007-02-27
Speaker: DAVID DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Tennessee

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 884. I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for bringing this important piece of legislation. The development and implementation of technology to combat terrorism is critical. The United States and our allies in the war on terror share a common interest in furthering research and development of homeland securityrelated technology. As such. this legislation directs the Department of Homeland Securitys research and development arm. the Science and Technology Division. to coordinate international cooperative programs with our allies in the war on terror to advance this important homeland security research. This legislation implements a 9/11 Commission recommendation that the United States should engage other Nations in developing a comprehensive coalition strategy against Islamic extremists. H.R. 884 establishes the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office within the Science and Technology Division to promote cooperation between entities of the United States and its allies to engage in cooperative endeavors focused on the research. development and commercialization of highpriority technologies directed at countering acts of terrorism and other high consequence events to address the homeland security needs of Federal. State and local governments. This bill enables the Science and Technology DivisiQn within DHS to coordinate with our allies. By encouraging joint research studies. the sharing of scientific and technological information. the training and exchange of scientists and engineers. as well as the joint use of laboratory equipment and facilities. H.R. 884 further directs DHS to collaborate with their strongest allies that include Israel. the United Kingdom. Canada. Australia. and Singapore in the development of homeland security technologies. This legislation is modeled after a partnership created by Congress in 1977 between the United States and Israel. That was called the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation. also known as the BIRD Foundation. In 29 years. the BIRD Foundation has invested $225 million in 690 cooperative research and development projects mutually beneficial to the United States and to Israel. H.R. 884 will facilitate collaboration with countries which have extensive experience in combating terrorism and will enable us to benefit and tailor their technology solutions to address our needs. Israel is a country that has developed successful models to mitigate security threats. Most notably. Israel has pioneered efforts and behavioral pattern recognition. also known as BPR. The United States has begun adopting BPR at airports and is now training police and security officers to detect people who are behaving in a suspicious manner. It is for these reasons that I support H.R. 884. and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Date: 2007-03-01
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Madam Speaker. I thank my friend from Texas for yielding the time. Madam Speaker. I come to this debate as a strong supporter of the right of collective bargaining. I. in my personal experience not only as a lawyer but someone obviously who has been long interested in issues related to our rule of law including the right of collective bargaining. have witnessed examples of coercion in the workplace and many more examples I have witnessed actually coming from manage" ment than from labor. And I think that that is unacceptable. As a matter of fact. as I told the distinguished author of this legislation when he appeared before the Rules Committee. I think there are important aspects of this legislation. from my vantage point. that are positive. such as increased enforcement with regard to unfair labor practices that I would like to see move forward and actually could very much support because I think that coercion goes at the heart and attacks. attacks our rule of law in a most insidious manner. But I also think that the right to the secret ballot is extraordinarily important. And I know that my good friend
Date: 2007-03-01
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Thank you. I appreciate that. Madam Chair. I rise in strong opposition to the effort to straggle employee free choice. This bill will strip individual workers of their right to vote anonymously when deciding to be involved in a union or not. Taking away this privacy right will subject workers to coercion and abuse. As the former chairman of the EmployeeEmployer Relations Subcommittee. I studied this issue for the last 6 years. And I want to tell you this bill will replace private ballot union elections with the interfere card check system. This means that a union could simply organize if a tiny majority of the workers sign a card. When truth be told. a worker might vote differently if given the option of the sacredly held practice of secret ballot. This would dramatically change the way small businesses operate. run from the outside by a union. and would have a devastating impact on the small business community. Card checks can be conducted so quickly that mom and pop employers rarely have a chance to address employees during an organizing campaign. resulting in a onesided discussion between union and an employee. This vote is a Democrat way of paying back the labor unions for bankrolling their win in November. Over $2 million to the top Democrats. Small business owners are trying to live out the American Dream. which just so happens to be fueling our economy. This bill forces them to do away with the longstanding freedom of voting by secret ballot. We cant let this happen to America.
Date: 2007-03-01
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

they do not belong to a union. unio Madam Chairman. I rise today to express my This trend of retaliatory firing has played a TI disappointment over the ironfist manner in major part in the sharp decline in organized the which the majority brought this measure to the labor. Organized labor went from 30 percent in The floor. I offered a commonsense amendment the 1960s to just 13 percent in 2003and the in the Rules Committee that Democrats during this period. America saw the largest up- wan soundly rejected. My amendment would have ward redistribution of income in its history- ploy prevented labor unions from collecting any according to a- report by Human Rights Watch. to rf membership fees from one of their employees In addition. according to the Bureau of the without verifying that the individual is a citizen Labor Statistics. between 2005 and 2006. the unio or lawful resident permitted to -work in the percentage of national union members fell gani n 12.5 percent to 12 percent. The actual ber of union members decreased by .000 in 2006 to 15.4 million. and there has n a steady rate of decline from 20.1 pert in 1983. adam Chairman. this legislation is necary and drafted to address very specific blems that organized labor faces. Livable les. a decent work environment. and a fair lute process are rights that we should all y. support H.R. 800. and I urge my col.ues to support its passage.
Date: 2007-03-01
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Madam Chairman. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 800. the Employee Free Choice Act. Today we are considering legislation to strip away a fundamental right for American workers: the secret ballot. Secret ballot elections have long protected workers from intimidation. coercion. and retribution. The National Labor Relations Act of 1947 set in statute a system that gave work. ers the option of voting by secret ballot when deciding the question of union organization in their workplace. Why. 50 years later. is there a compelling need to do. away with the secret ballot system? How is it that a worker will only be given a ."free choice" by making his or her preference known to all? This isnt about protecting workers. this is about flagging union membership and declining dues. Unions only represent 12 percent of the workforceonly 7 percent in the private sector. Union bosses know they dont fare as well in secret ballot elections as they do in card check elections. so they want to do away with them. Only two months after they regained the majority. the Democrats are here to do the bidding of their union backers. There is no other reason for this debate today. Consider the following letter sent to Mexican officials in 2001. This letter states: ... the secret ballot is absolutely necessary in order to ensure thatworkers are not intimidated into voting for a union they might not otherwise choose . . we feel that the increased use of the secret ballot in union recognition elections will help bring real democracy to the Mexican workplace. This letter was signed by 16 of my Democraticcolleagues. including the sponsor of todays bill. Perhaps they have had the benefit of reflection. Madam Chairman. this legislation isnt about helping the working man and woman. it isnt about fairness or discrimination. It is about political payback. it is legislative tribute to the union bosses that still control the Democratic Party. I therefore urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker.-I rise in support of this resolution authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for the ceremony honoring the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal. I am pleased that S. Con. Res. 15 is currently under consideration. As we all know. the Tuskegee Airmen were young men who enlisted to become Americas first black military airmen at a time where. sadly in this country. there were many people who argued that black men lacked the necessary skills or ability to be part of an effective military force. Well. the Tuskegee Airmen effectively dispelled that notion that in any way African Americans were secondclass citizens. Mr. Speaker. although the term "hero" is perhaps overused in todays discourse. there is no better description of the Tuskegee Airmen. Not only were they the first black airmen to perform as they did. but they put their lives on the line for all Americans. regardless of color. For that. we are all eternally grateful and eternally in their debt. and it is not only appropriate. but fitting. for us to take this step today. As one in his younger years who had an opportunity to meet some of these Tuskegee Airmen. I can tell you that they carried themselves with a greatr1eal of pride in the contribution they had made to this Nation. and any conversations I had with such airmen. that is what they stressed. their contribution to this Nation. So it is fitting that we take the time. as a thankful Nation. to give them this respect and honor them in this singular way with a Congressional Gold Medal and to have this done here at the center. at the heart of oui democracy. the rotunda of the United States Capitol.
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I hadnt intended to come over and speak on this. but the gentlenian from Tennessees eloquence moved me to also add my support for this resolution. I supported it through the committee process. But to also recognize the contributions of the players. the Josh Gibsons. the Buck ONeals who. because of the bars of segregation at the time. were never allowed to par-. ticipate in what we now know as the Major Leagues. Butthis resolution speaks to the fact that their contributions. that their activities and their records are also an important part of American history and of baseball history. and they should be remembered for their contributions. And that is what this resolution does. In their own ways. they are not only great players. great allstars. great performers. and great athletes. but they also were pioneers. And I am proud to be here to support the gentlemans resolution.
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. with so many distractions in our lives today. it is important to take a step back to acknowledge the central role that families play in the development of our Nations youth. This resolution celebrates those aspects found in a positive family atmosphere which promotes healthy and welladjusted ydung men and women. It is true that the children are our future. and the strength of our country has been and will continue to be built on families providing educational. social. ethical and moral guidance to our children. The devotion of time is one of the most important things we can do to help maintain a positive family environment. And while it may be difficult to find time in our hectic schedules. things as simple as playing with edudational toys. reading together or visiting an ageappropriate museum will stimulate a childs curiosity that will be beneficial throughout their lives. Also. something as easy as slowing down enough to take the time to listen to one another. maybe by having dinner asa family whenever possible is a time tested way to nurture a child through family participation during their formative years. Young people are increasingly exposed to the stress and pressures of our modern society. In order to combat these negative influences. we must take it upon ourselves. as a society. to expose young people to loving and supporting families whenever possible. As an example. doing a community service project as a family is one of the many ways to teach children that to build a community and to thrive as a society. we should all share in assisting one another. . National Children and Families Day provides us an opportunity to recognize our responsibility to create family environments that nurture the next generation and to promote a positive environment for families across America. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 62.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. earlier this afternoon. justice was finally rendered in the guilty verdicts in the kidnapping. assault. rape and murder of Jessica Lunsford. Jessicas family lives in my district. and the Nations sympathy certainly went out to the Lunsford family when Jessica went missing. Todays verdict obviously is one that we hope that if Mr. Couey has a conscience that he will not appealthis decision. However. Americans must realize that John Couey is one of thousands of sexual predators around the Nation. It is very sad. but parents in every neighborhood and community should remain vigilant in protecting their children from strangers. Certainly our hearts and prayers go out to Mark. Archie and Ruth Lunsford. I hope that the guilty verdict today provides some closure for the family and that they feel that justice has been served. We must also remember that Jessica Lunsford was the emphasis behind the Jessica Lunsford Act. which was signed into law.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. I thank my friend from Illinois for yielding. As you said. few things are as important as the health of our families. A lot of times in this Congress we talk about issues of health care accessibility. and a lot of times that becomes a discussion of health insurance. But the bottom line is. for families. they want to know that when their child or they are sick. can they get to see a doctor that they can afford. or
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Well. what happens is. right now. those doctors who are paid are covered under the Federal Torts Claim Act. What happens. if they cant see the patient. it is one of those things that medical care delayed is medical care deiled. What they end up doing is sometimes going to emergency rooms. where the cost is many times over. and hospitals by law have to provide that care. They cannot turn them away. Again. we are taking children and families who should be seeing their physician for primary care. their immunizations. their flus and colds and earaches. and seeing a physician at a health center. and to have legal barriers are something that does not make sense to any family. let alone suburban families.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Yes. indeed. Hospital emergency rooms should be for emergencies and traumas. Those who have flus and other illnesses can be seen by other doctors that dont overburden the emergency room at a very high cost. Those. however. who do not have those illnesses yet. by a checkup with their doctor. adults and children alike. we can reduce costs because they can "get to see the doctor early. or the nurse or the nurse practitioner or the dentist. Our focus should be on providing quality care. accessible care at low cost. Community health centers are a -tremendous asset for our Nation and something that we should all be supporting. It is perhaps the most compassionate thing we can be doing for the underinsured and the uninsured. We will continue the battles in other areas. and we will continue to work to provide all the care that families need. But this is such an important answer that is in communities now and something I think we need to pass now.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

I thank the gentleman for pointing that out. I am not clear whether there are any associations that oppose this part. maybe there are. But I would hope that they would reach out and say. these doctors are covered by some liability insurance. It is a lower cost to them. But the main thing is. lets get th6se families and these children tosee doctors now and get the care that they need.
Date: 2007-03-08
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I thank my friend from California. Mr. Speaker. I hope that our colleagues that may be watching this debate realize what is being debated. That is. that at the beginning of this Congress. as we all know because we voted on it. the Congress. pursuant to the request of the new majority and the Rules of the House. significantly increased the responsibilities of the Ethics Committee. And yesterday. the distinguished chairman of the Ethics Committee and the distinguished ranking member sought to have an amendment made in order in this legislation before us today. which is funding of the committees. to. sufficiently fund the Ethics Committee. especially now that it has new significant additional responsibilities. That amendment was not made in order. So what we are saying is. lets defeat the previous question so that the Ethics Committee. with all of its additional new responsibilities. can be funded because you cant have the newspaper article saying. oh. were increasing all these requirements ethics requirements. that are going to be supervised and executed by the Ethics Committee. and then not fund the Ethics Committee sufficiently. That is what our distinguished friends in the majority are doing. They get the headlines. but then they dont want to fund the Ethics Committee sufficiently so "it can do its job correttly. So what we are saying is. defeat the previous question and lets not support this rule because we need to fund the Ethics Committee sufficiently so it can do its job.
Date: 2007-03-09
Speaker: CHARLES BOUSTANY (republican)
Chamber: H

and RICHARD BAKER of Louisiana. who explained the practical impact of this legislation on their State. and might I add. a State that is in need of a lot of Federal money as a result of Katrina that occurred several years ago. Quite simply. both Mr. BAKER and
Date: 2007-03-09
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

I thank the gentleman for yielding. This weekthe House passed a number of bills which are important to my municipality in the 18th Congressional District in Pennsylvania. This Water Quality Financing Act. which will authorize $20 billion over the next 5 years for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. is an important bill. It offers increased flexibility for local communities to meet their water quality infrastructure goals. We take for granted the quality of our water. but it was not always so. The life expectancy of Americans increased from age 47 in the early 1900s to a life expectancy of 75 by the end of the century. The number one reason was the public .health benefits of clean water and efficient sewer systems. Decades ago. Southwestern Pennsylvanias boroughs and townships built their sewer lines with combined sanitary. and storm water in the same system. What made sense at the time is now an antiquated and overburdened system. Wherever there is significant rain. it leaves untreated sewage flowing into our rivers and streams. recreating a health hazard. The EPA then mandated the communities must fix these problems. but now local communities are strapped with massive costs. In Allegheny County. Pennsylvania. alone repair costs exceed $3 billion. The towns then pass on the cost to homeowners. Many citizens are seniors on fixed incomes who simply cannot afford to fix the mistakes of the past and still pay for their bills today. Without funding. many of my towns just cant make it. For years we have tried to -help by providing annual funding assistance in a piecemeal manner. We need a comprehensive. -plan to. provide a steady stream of funds to fix these problems. meet the standards to clean up our streams. support the public health and not pass on the whole burden of the inherited problem to current homeowners. Afterworking on this problem for years. both sides of the aisle have worked on this problem for years. I am pleased that we have some opportuni7 ties to offer some solutions. the solutions that I recognize are going to require some more crafting with the House and Senate. I commend my. colleagues who are going to work on this to recognize that we all need to work together because we are all concerned about working men and women. We are all concerned about people. without assigning them to any classes. and together we will work to solve these health problems of our water infrastructure in America.