macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

According to figures by the Congressional Budget Office. thus and so. This says. if I readit is plain English-"Social Security Commission Solvency Recommendations." What do we know? What commission has reported back yet? Why is that statement used when the commission has not reported back?
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I proposed to defer the third year of the KempRoth tax scheme that got us into all the trouble anyway.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the KempRoth tax cut. if the third year were deferred. would save $76 billion by 1985. If the tax indexing were deferred. there would be an additional $10 billion saved in 1985. So there are ways to achieve the goal. the overall goal. that the Budget Committee has attempted to reach. and I commend the chairman of that committee for the effort that he has made to come out with a budget package. I am simply saying that it was the KempRoth scheme that got us into this great difficulty. to a considerable measure at least. Last year. some of us predicted huge budget deficits down the road if that tax cut went into effect. We said in the beginning it was not fair. It was not fair to the middle income people. It was not fair to the lower income people of this country. Forty percent of the tax cut went to 5 percent of the taxpayers. And the budget document that the President sent up here to Congress. everyone recognizes. was not credible because it was based on false assumptions. It predicted a $91% billion budget deficit in 1983. an $83 -billion deficit in 1984. and a $72 billion deficit in 1985. When the truth was known. the more likely deficits are $183 billion in fiscal year 1983. $216 billion in fiscal year 1984. and $233 billion in fiscal year 1985. So not only is it ROBERT C. BYRD now who is saying that todayI said it last yearmany others on this side of the aisle said it last year.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Well. the Senator is asking an iffy question. He refers to the years in which the Democrats were in control of Congress. I have often heard that kicked around. but it is conveniently overlooked that the other party has been in control of the White House at least 18 years out of the 30 I have in Congress. I have been on Capitol Hill for 30 years now. and the White House has been in the control of the Republicans for 18 years out of the 30. It is the President who sends up the budget documents. When I came to the House of Representatives. I came in on the Eisenhower landslide. the opposite party. of course. But Mr. Eisenhower was elected for two terms. then Mr. Nixon. and after Mr. Nixon. of course. who was forced to resign. then Mr. Ford. and now Mr. Reagan for 2 years. so that is 18 years our of the last 30. the 30 years I have been serving here. the Chief Executive of this country has been a member of the other party. When we talk about how many years Congress has been under the control of the Democrats. let us not forget the other half. that other equal and coordinate branch of the Government. the executive branch. which has been under the control of the Republicans for 18 out of the 30 years I have served. It is like those buckwheat cakes up in Preston County. no matter how thin they are. there are always two sides. You talk about one side. about the Congress. being in control. but there is the other side. The Executive sends up the budget. We only have one President. He is the leader of the country. and when he tells the elderly community of this country that it is going to be included in the safety net I think the elderly people ought to be able to believe it.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I did not see the entire press conference. I got in on the last 30 seconds of it. I would say.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I would say that is a basic principle of trust. And it is not just the elderly peoplenot just the elderly peoplewho are affected by this Inconsistency to which the distinguished Senator has referred. It is also the young people of the country. After all. they are having a difficult time making ends meet. At some time in the future. they are going to expect to receive what is committed to them. their just due. from the payments that they will have made over the years into the system. And so it is a fundamental problem of trust in the system.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I agree with the Senator. One of the things that has caused the problem with the social security Program has been the increase in unemployment. There are fewer people now who are paying into the system. In addition to that. there are additional people being forced to retire earlier because of the recession than they otherwise had planned to retire. and this produces a drain on the social security trust funds. So these two forces. working together. have conspired to create problems for the social security program that otherwise would not have occurred.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

At no time do I recall. and I began my service in the House. I am proud to say. under President Truman. I served 17 days under. President Truman. I was sworn in on January 3. 1953. and he served until January 20 of that year. But at no time have I seen or heard any President of either party take that position. I do recall the man who is now our President. indicating on more than one occasion. his own belief in a voluntary social security system. I must say that I have been somewhat surprised at the inconsistent statements that have been made regarding the Presidents position on this matter. I am sure that many elderly citizens in this country have been seriously concerned. Of course. one of the administrations actions that sent the greatest shock wave of fear throughout the elderly community was the statement OMB Director David Stockman made last May. that the most devastative bankruptcy in the history would occur about November 3 of this year because the social security system would no longer be able to send out monthly checks. That is the kind of statement that sent fear through the elderly community. I might say that the SOS CoalitionSave Our Securitywhich is composed of approximately 100 organizations. representing between 35 and 40 million peopleunion movement. the aging. the disabled. and so forththe executive committee of the SOS Coalition has just met and endorsed the amendment that has been presented here this afternoon by Mr. MOYNIHAN and myself. I want to say that I am glad to have the support of that coalition.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I promised first I would yield to the Senator from Kansas for a question and then I will yield to the Senator from Louisiana for a question.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Of course. the Senator from Kansas has been relating political statements. It was the President who requested and established the Commission. The President stated that he wanted an independent commission to perform free from political considerations. I would say in answer to the question of massive Federal budget deficits. defer the third year of the RothKemp tax cut.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Yes. I have heard one or two welltodo people in this country say theywould be willing to see a cutback in social security. They apparently did not have any relatives who had to depend on it.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Those on social security are worrying about how they are going to pay for their energy bill. their electric bill.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I have the floor. I first promised to yield to the distinguished Senator from New York and then I shall yield to the distinguished Senator from Louisiana.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

The Senator is a member of the Commission. Mr. President. so I am sure he would not say that if it were not true.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Of course. I am not in a position to be aware of that. Mr. President. but I know the Senator from New York is a member of that Commission. I recognize that he speaks with knowledge and accuracy as a member.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I do not intend to hold the floor for very long. I am very willing to vote on this immediately or. if it is a tabling motion. it is quite agreeable to me. I would like to see a vote one way or th e other. on a tabling motion or up or down on the amendment. I do not insist on an upordown vote. Mr. President. I ask for the yeas and nays on the amendment.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. may I say further to the distinguished Senator from Kansas that I shall keep the floor for a couple of minutes and then I shall yield it. Does he have a question?
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

No. it is Americas most successful and popular domestic program. Mr. President. I yield to the distinguished majority leader without losing my right to the floor for the burpose of his making a unanimousconsent request which has no reference to this particular amendment.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. social security is one of our most enduring institutions. Its core is a compact between the American Government and its citizens. It will do great danger to this country if we allow social security to become a pawn in the budget process. Arbitrary and sudden cuts of the nature contained in the budget document undermine this compact between the Government and its citizens and make the people wonder if the Government will keep its promises. Mr. President. I have one other thing to say. That is with reference to the RothKemp plan. According to the Congressional Budget Office. in 1982 an average family with an Income of $10.000 to $20.000.gets $220 in tax breaks. In the same year. a family with an income of $80.000 gets a tax break of $8.430. These figures clearly demonstrate who benefits from the taxcut scheme. Mr. President. I am going to yield the floor. I thank those who have participated. and I certainly have no desire to keep the distinguished Senator from Kansas from getting the floor any longer. I yield the floor.
Date: 1982-05-06
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. reserving the right to object. and I will not object. this change if for this year only and it is necessitated by the fact that May 15. I believe. falls on a Saturday. Am I correct?
Date: 1982-05-10
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. those calendar orders have been cleared on this side of the aisle. and the minority leader is ready to proceed.
Date: 1982-05-10
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I move to lay that motion on the table. . The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Date: 1982-05-10
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. .
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. it has come to my attention that there are a number of* our Senate Pages who not only perform their duties in an admirable fashion but also excel in their academic pursuits. Several Senate Pages. both Democratic and Republican. have attained grades which place them on the Honor Roll for the most recent marking period. This achievement is particularly commendable in light of the fact that the Pages day is such a long one. Their school day begins at 6:10 a.m.. and after a full morning of classwork they report to their respective Cloak Rooms at approximately 10 a.m.. unless the Senate has convened earlier. which it does from time to time. to begin their days work. Their tasks are many and varied. and they carry out these tasks for the duration of each days session. after which they return home to complete their homework for the next days classes. I congratulate our Pages. both Republicans and Democratsor perhaps I should say both Democratic and Republican. I congratulate them for their diligence. for their hard work. and for the good work they do at all times. They are always good for us. with their enthusiasam. and always so gracious. so courteous. and so understanding. I do not think we can. with words. tell them how much we appreciate the good work they do for us. It may be well if we took note of their fine example. I would urge all Pages to take note of the fine example of those on the Honor Roll and try to make the Honor Roll also. Mr. President. I would like to read into the RECORD the list of those on the Capitol Page Schools Senate Honor Rol! for the third anniversary. They are: IReuven Carlyle. Nancy Dynan. John Gilmer. William Graham. Steven Kaufman. Linda Miller. Timothy Page. Wilson Perry. Kathryn Rappolt. John Shonebaum. Ruth Stern. Keith Stolte. Scott Liberman. and Barbara Weidenbruch.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I will be glad to yield it to the first Senator who has a special order. Otherwise. I yield back the remaining time.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. would it be possible for the minority to have half of the hour? As it is now. Mr. SPECTER has half of the time and Mr. TowpR has half of the time. I think they are probably on both sides.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

The reason I requested that was I assumed a good deal of the debate during the hour would probably be on the social security question.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I should like to address a qu estion to the distinguished majority leader. We have talked somewhat in private. Can he. at the moment. divulge his intention as to whether or not he will move to table my amendment or move to table the underlying Moynihan amendment?
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the vote before us on tabling is simple: Do we want to cut $40 billion. about $1.000 per bffficiary. from social security to address the HothKemp budget crisis? A vote against the MoynihanByrd amendment Is a vote to endorse the $40billion budget clause adopted by the Budget Committee. We hear that social security will not be cutin spite of the Budget Committee language. If we are going to wait for the Commission to report. let us take this assumed $40 billion cut out of the budget. That Is what our amendment says. Wait for the Commission. Reject the $40 billion cut. reject the tabling motion.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I read a UPI wire report by Dean Reynolds. I think this is very related to the subject matter of the vote which has just occurred: Strong bipartisan opposition in both House and Senate to including social security reductions in the 1983 budget embarrassed President Reagan Tuesday and clouded the outlook for a fiscal compromise. The House Republican leadership agreed in a meeting to oppose the Senate Budget Committee alternative budgets section requiring $40 billion in unspecified "savings" in social security over the next three years. And a group of six maverick Senate Republicans also oppose it. One of them. Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania. introduced a Senate resolution that would remove the social security trust fund from the Federal budget altogether. The split within Reagans own party inflicted heavy political damage. leaving in tatters his contention that only irresponsible Democrats oppose his austerity plans. It also left the budget process snarled in a maze of alternative plans from both sides of the aisle. none of which can claim sufficient support for passage. A source who attended the meeting said House Republican leader Bob Michel announced he "would not accept a social secu* rity plug" as part of any budget plan. Assistant House GOP leader Trent Lott of Mississippi echoed Michels sentiment. the source said. and "nobody in the meeting disagreed." Representative William Green. RN.Y.. one of the moderate Republicans called "gypsy moths" who already opposed the cuts Reagan wants in social programs. told reporters the House GOP leadership "does not endorse the Domenici plan"-the alternative budget by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici of New Mexico and embraced by Reagan. "It was made very clear to us today that the House Republican leadership does not support" the plan "and they did not ask us to support it." Green said. . (Later the following occurred:)
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. you perhaps wonder what I. a representative from a flourishing Sun Belt State with a statewide unemployment rate of only 5.9 percent in April. might find to say about the smal! businessmens problems in my district. Let me assure you the difficulties are everywhere. Several counties I represent along the Mexican border have traditionally had higher unemployment rates than the national average. For example. preliminary March unemployment for the two SMSA counties in my district was: 10.6 percent for Cameron County and 14.5 percent for Hidalgo County. Compounding the very major problems caused by the recession. highinterest rates. and increased unemployment. the Mexican Governments devaluation of the peso last February has had a devastating effect on small businesses in my district. Border town retail businesses have been particularly hard hit. suffering a 1040 percent decline in sales with large inventories on hand. In 1976 during a similar peso devaluation. the SBA offered lowcost economic injury loans to tide small businesses through the adjustment period following the devaluation. Last summer the Congress in approving the GrammLatta 1981 Budget Reconciliation Act eliminated the economic injury loan in the package of budget cutbacks. As a result. the small businessman must now seek a direct SBA loan with a 15%-percent Interest rate or a guaranteed loan at market rates or above. Both rates are prohibitive for a business with declining sales. Large corporations are hurting now as well. But the many advantages they often enjoy over small businesses. such as a capital reserve cushion. broadbased management capabilities. and ability to obtain more favorable interest rates. are enabling the big corporations to survive this recession better than the small businesses. the backbone of our economy.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill to provide supplemental authorization in order to stimulate the sales and production of housing.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 3 minutes and 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas . chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2/z minutes to the gentleman from California . a cosponsor ef the legislation. (Mr. Pi TTERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks )
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I was a little disappointed in my colleague from Delaware when he was describing the legislation that stands before us today and was playing with the numbers in talking about a 30year subsidy. He knows full well that the subsidy here is for 5 years. for those who are in the 115 percent median income and above. and 7 yeais for those individuals whose income is 115 percent of the median or below. and at the discretion of the Secretary those terms could be extended out of the funds that have been repaid from the recapture provision. It will indeed provide immediate action and stimulus whereas the multiversions of the other legislation that the gentleman was referring to. that was changed so many times. frankly. it is tough from day to day to know which version would be the one. In addition. 30 days after enactment the Secretary of HUD shall promulgate the regulations. I do not care if he said 120. it is 30 days after. I ask and hope that my colleagues will support this legislation. We need it. We need it now and we need a twothirds vote.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 6294. the bill just passed.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chair. man. I would like to compliment the gentleman from New Jersey and the gentleman from Michigan for the work they have done on this bill. I support it in its entirety. I think it is a good bill. I think it performs a need that we have needed in the judiciary for a great number of years. One need only go to the monetary sums that are used each year for detention of people. We all know that our jails and penitentiaries are overflowing. We know that there are more people in the penitentiaries than there have ever been before. And I am sure that many of those people should be there. I am not for one moment saying that they should not be incarcerated for the crimes that they have committed. I will say that this Pretrial Services Act. as so designated. will allow judges to make a determination as to whether or not a person should be placed in detention or whether or not those people should be allowed ball. pending trial. Now. I believe that those people who the court finds should be in jail pending. bail. should be there. I do not think there is any question about it. But I believe that it can be said without any fear of contradiction that the pretrial detention costsin the 10 demonstration districts have been reduced by more than twothirds. I think that every bit of help that we can give to a Federal district judge in this area is something that we should look upon with great favor. The demonstration districts that have used these services have proven and have shown that it is a workable plan. it is a plan that will save money for the taxpayer. For that reason I wholeheartedly support this legislation.
Date: 1982-05-11
Speaker: PHILLIP BURTON (democrat)
Chamber: H

This amendment. though in my view of little moment. is designed to eliminate any concern expressed by some with reference to the legislative veto. I am unaware of any opposition.