macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman. let me say this is a great Nation we belong to. and not all of our history is as It is presented in Warner Brothers Technicolor musicals. In fact. some of our history is pretty tough. pretty shameful. But a great. great nation can correct those things. and that is what this Congress decided to do. The Vice President served in this House. I have great admiration for him. but he does not at this time serve on the Education Committee. This is a determination of the Education Committee who looked at this question and through the leadership of the gentlewoman from Hawaii . the Education Committee feels strongly that this is a worthy program. a noble program from a great nation to a great people. the Hawaiian native people. What does this program do? The native Hawaiian program sets up a language immersion project. native Hawaiian familybased education centers. native Hawaiian higher education demonstration program. native Hawaiian gifted and talented program. and native Hawaiian special education program. What is the amount of money that we are talking about here? Are we going to balance the budget with it? It is less than $15 million. less than $15 million to right a terrible wrong that we were a part of. So I commend the gentlewoman from Hawaii. I commend the gentleman from Michigan. chairman of the subcommittee. and the gentleman from Michigan . chairman of the full committee. for supporting this legislation. and I urge the defeat of the amendment.
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I thank him for his generosity. The fact is that this program is not a $10 million program. It is onehalf of that. Fliers were passed around by those who axe trying to defeat this program. This flier that is dated March 2. 1994. says at the top. "Get the correct information on H.R. 6." And on this flier it says that this program they are trying to knock out to help the neediest of the needy in our Nation is a $10 million program. If we are going to get the facts straight we should know that it is not a $10 million program. it is a $5 million program. The gentleman said that the territories are treated the same as all the other States. The territories are not treated the same as the States. The territories get a setaside of 1 percent. and In many cases we have to compete against each other. Our students have to compete for one scholarship against the students from the other territories. This program is needed by the Americans in the U.S. territories. This is an obligation of his great Nation of ours. These are Americans we are talking about here. and let me say that it does not make me feel good or proud to report to the Members on the figures out in the territories. Let me say that both the Republican and Democratic administrations have funded the territorial teacher assistance program. and this Congress supported it. But that is not this program. The territorial education improvement program that the term referred to does not reauthorize either of the old programs referred to. What it does is. it addresses a serious need in the territories. The National Education Goal Report shows that in Guam only 7 percent of the students scored at or above the proficient achievement level in math. In the Virgin Islands. the figure is 1 percent. Do the Members think this is something frivolous that the Committee on Education and Labor is doing here? This is a serious committee. It has worked hard on this issue. It knows that this has merit and. therefore. voted to support it. Let us look at the figures. In Ohio. it is 22 percent. in Alabama. it is 12 percent. Let us look at Arkansas. These are the most needy of the States. There it is 13 percent versus 1 percent in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only two public junior high schools in the Virgin Islands score average in reading skills. That is not above average. but average. And only 16 percent of the students at the high school level in the Virgin Islands read at their grade level. So what we are fighting for today is help for American citizens that need help. Would the Members vote for more money for jails? Yes. they would vote for more money for jails. but when we vote for more money for education. we do not have to put more money in for jails because people would be able to get good jobs and live good lives in this great country of ours. So. Mr. Chairman. I urge my colleagues to vote "no" on this amendment.
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman. there are a lot- of statements that are made on this floor that are misinforming the Members of this House. The gentleman made reference to a sum of money a little while ago under title I. and he inferred that money was going to go to the territories. The reality is. my colleagues. that that money is shared by the territories with native American programs and that under that program. the native American gets 62 percent of the funds that the gentleman referred to. So this is a small program vitally needed for Americans. This is not additional money. There are poor people in every district. But those people are treated as States are treated. The territories are not treated as States. They get less than States. much less than States. This is a program that is designed to help to raise the standard of education. which is shameful. By your own tests. it is shameful. We want these young people to have a chance at the American dream. We want them to be able to get decent jobs. Mr. Chairman. I yield to the chairman of the subcommittee.
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Reclaiming my time. Mr. Chairman. I did not refer to anyone as "mean." I said that it was a meanspirited act. I stand by those words.
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. yes. we pay taxes at the very same rate. It is called the mirror theory. We pay identical taxes that the gentleman pays here on the mainland. the mirror theory.
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

I pay just as much. the same rate. as the gentleman does. I am a resident of the Virgin Islands.
Date: 1994-03-09
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Let me say to the gentleman from California that at this point we spend over onequarter of our total budget for education in the Virgin Islands. The largest single percentage goes toward education. but it is not enough. Now as for the tax money. these are territories. This is a constitutional question. and a question that has been decided by this House. If the gentleman gives the Representatives from the territories a vote in this House. if we had the power to vote for our Commander in Chief when we go and fight and die for our country. then it would be different. However. this Nation has decided that when we do not allow its citizens to vote for the President. to vote for the Commander in Chief. when we do not allow our citizens to have a real. meaningful role in this House. they will not pay taxes. they will pay at the same rate. but the taxes stay in the territory. It is not much. It is not enough to run the territory. but that is where it stays. However. we need more help. That is what this is about. This is not a program that the President has opposed. This is a new program. and a needed program for all of the territories. $5 million used to be for the Virgin Islands alone. It was a different program. This is a $5 million program for all the territories.
Date: 1994-03-10
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. as we prepare to debate the budget resolution for fiscal year 1995 we should remember the debate that took place I year ago. when our Republican colleagues predicted that the sky would fall if President Clintons budget passed. The plan passed. the sky did. not fall. and our sky is clear and our economy is growing. Since the Clinton economic plan was implemented. the growth rate for our economy has risen to &5 percent and inflation has remained in check. Over 2 million Jobs have been created in the first 13 months of the Clinton administration. At that same time we have cut our deficit projections by 40 percent and enacted the largest budget deficit reduction plan in history. We need to recognize that the Clinton plan is working and the Republicans refuse to recognize this. By slinging mud at the President and the First Lady over their investment history. the Republicans have shown that they are willing to do anything to sidetrack this Congress and our administration. If we allow that to happen we will be doing our Nation a great disservice. Despite their efforts we will move ahead and pass health care reform. welfare reform and a comprehensive crime control measure. They can either choose to be part of the solution to these problems or spend their time chasing shadows. The Whitewater case is being investigated but it should not delay health care. education or other substantial issues. We need to get back to our jobs and off our soapboxes. We should not let the supporters of stalemate. the proponents of gridlock. and forces of darkness win by diversion.
Date: 1994-03-11
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to join in support of the passage of Senate Joint Resolution 163. to proclaim March 20. 1994 as National Agriculture Day. National Agriculture Day has been observed annually for the past 21 years. It is quite simply a day set aside for -our Nation to cornmemorate the many and Important contributions of American agriculture to our Nations economy and our individual lives. How important Is American agriculture today? American agricutture is the economic foundation of not only rural America. but urban America. It is the source of the food that all of us rely on each and every day for sustenance and the fiber that clothes our bodies. American agriculture is the starting point for our Nalions enormous food and fiber sector which accounts for 16 percent of Our Nations GNP and 23 million jobs. American agric.uture is the steward of the ions share of our Nations privately held soil and water resources. a responsibility that our Nations farmers and rands take very seriously because sustainable use of resources is absolutely necessary to their future. American agricuure is the words most efficent and diverse producer of food. enabling American consumers to be the bestfed people in the history of the world for the least amount of disposable Income. and through its exports contributing to a more favorable balance of trade for our Nation. Mr. Speaker. the designation of March 20 as National Agriculture Day wiat least in a smal way--increase the pubrics awareness of the role of American agriculture. our Nations rgest Industry. This resolution allows our Nation to coliectively say thank you to all the men and women involved in American agriculture. I appreciate the support and cooperation of the Committee on Post Office and Ci Service and Chairman Clay in bringing up the resolution. and the gentleman from Maryland for managing the bill today. I also want to say thank you to all of my colleagues here in the House who joined as cosponsors of House Joint Resolution 317. making It possible for us to consider the Senate companion today. Finally. I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Debbie Smith of the House Agriculture Committee staff who was instrumental. in shepherding ths resolution through the necessary legislative process. Mr. Speaker. I urge adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 163.
Date: 1994-03-11
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. the State of Texas suffered a great loss over the weekend with the passing of Dr. John B. Coleman. a great friend and mentor to scores of Democratic politicians. As Democrats throughout Texas all know. Dr. Coleman was more than a great physician and successful entrepreneur. He was the kind of friend. community servant. and philanthropist that made Texas extremely proud to call him a native son. On behalf of. my colleagues from Texas. I am deeply honored to share with this body the memory of a man who contributed so very. much to Democratic politics. and principles. His quiet leadership. and his..political activism without regard for personal gain. will ensure that his memory will live forever in the minds and hearts of every freedom loving Texan. Dr. Coleman was a man of great conscience. whose legacy will long be felt even beyond: the borders of Texas. Dr. Coleman lived daily what he preached. His relentless support of black American and other minority candidates. and his devotion to the minority community. while choosing to stay out of the limelight ofpolitics. will leave a void that will be difficult to fill. My Democratic colleagues would remind me that Dr. Colemans support was not limited to black American politicians. Ask any of the previous mayors of the city of Houston. or the governor of Texas. He constantly sought out candidates whose moral fiber comported with his own strict standards. whether they were black American or not. In short. he put his money where his mouth was. When Dr. Coleman finished medical school and returned to his native"Houston in 1962. most hospitals would not allow him to practice. Nor could he eat at the local diners. or play golf with other doctors at the local country clubs. A man of impressive patience and enduring character. he thereafter devoted his life to chipping away at the prohibitions against black patronage of hotels. theaters. and other businesses. Dr. Coleman epitomized independence and selfsufficiency. and encouraged other black Americans to practice the same. His blackowned radio station has been one. of the most -influential voices of the black community. In education. Dr. Coleman was an impassioned and devoted leader. He was one of the first black Americans to be appointed by a Texas Governor to the board of -regents of the prestigious Texas A&M University. He also served with pride on board of regents of Texas Southern University. and chairman of the board of the United Negro College Fund. For black Americans everywhere. John B. Coleman leaves behind a legacy of pride and inspiration. " For the State of Texas. Dr. Coleman was the embodiment of good politics. and good citizenship. As a number of Texas legislators have said. "he didnt look at the outcome- of a political race for himself. but what was good for the community." I sincerely believe that .the State of Texas is a better place to live because of the lifelong community efforts of Dr. John B. Coleman.
Date: 1994-03-16
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speakers table the Senate bill to amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to modify the requirements relating to monthly reporting and staggered issuance of coupons for households residing on Indian reservations. to ensure adequate access to retail food stores by food atamp households. and to maintain the integrity of the food stamp program. and for other purposes. and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 1994-03-16
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (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. and include therein extraneous material. on S. 1926. the Senate bill just passed.
Date: 1994-03-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I stand before this body in praise of a great Texas woman. known around the Nation as the mother of the equal rights amendment. Over the past 50 years. Hermine Tobolowsky has devoted much of her life to Improving the legal. social. and economic fate of women in Texas. by lobbying the former nearly allmale State legislature to repeal laws which as recently as 1972. discriminated against women in ways that are simply unimaginable for most of us. Before 1971. Texas had the dubious distinction of holding the Nations record for laws discriminating against married women. For example. women were prohibited from buying stocks. even with their own money. without the written consent of their husbands. women were prohibited from filing lawsuits without including their husbandsof course. the reverse was not the case. and women were not eligible for overtime pay because Texas had a State law which prohibited women from working for more than 9 hours a day at an hourly wage. Because of the unwielding campaigns waged by this great Texan. Texas ratified the equal rights amendment In 1972. As my colleagues can attest. the equal rights amendment struggle spanned two decades. and though it may have been defeated by the law. it remains alive in the spirits of many. Its theme was "Oh. thank heaven for amendment 7." My fondest saying of Hermine Tobolowsky is. "You can delay justice. but you cannot deny it." Today. Hermine remains committed to the principle that women must use their enormous economic power to wage the battle for equality for all women. Thus. to this day. she refuses to travel to any of the 15 States that failed to ratify the equal rights amendment. even though it means she must forego one of the greatest pleasures--playing the slot machines in Nevada. and betting on horse races in Louisiana. As we prepare to celebrate National Womens History Week. I consider few individuals more deserving of being honored by this body than Hermine Tobolowsky. known to all as the mother of the equal rights amendment. In 1971. the Texas State Legislature ratified the Federal equal rights amendment. a feat that was due in great part to the tireless efforts of Hermine Tobolowsky. In November 1972. the voters approved the amendment at the polls. Before that time. Texas had the dubious distinction of holding the Nations record for laws discriminating against women. especially married women. I say today. in honor of Hermine Tobolowsky. thank you. We cannot celebrate this month without thinking of the name Hermine Tobolowsky.
Date: 1994-03-17
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. if I might. I would ask the gentleman one question: There have been many amendments introduced including one by myself. But what I would like to ask the gentleman. regardless of what bills. what amendments have been introduced. this is the last train leaving the station? Is that correct?
Date: 1994-03-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. when you examine each category of spending within our budgetfrom educational programs. to health care. to crime prevention. and even national defensethere are convincing arguments against implementing a proposal as dangerous as the balanced budget amendment. The balanced budget amendment would likely cause severe cutbacks in some of the very programs which represent sound public investments. It will put at severe risk programs such as Head Start. a promising education program for our future generations. Besides not talking about the investment programs which would be cut under the balanced budget amendment. the proponents of this amendment also are not talking about the population which would be most impacted by its passage. It will not be the wealthy and the powerful that suffermost of their Government subsidies come through tax breaks. Those who suffer most will be the low and middleincome families. who receive the majority of their benefits from spending programs. Mr. Speaker. I recommend to my colleagues. as insightful reading the analysis of the balanced budget amendment by Wendell Belew. an attorney here in Washington. As this report points out. the balanced budget amendment would imperil the health care reform efforts that are now being formulated. By demanding that savings from Medicare and Medicaid programs be used to pay off the deficit rather than fund health care reform. the balanced budget amendment would cause the likely scenario that health care reform may never get off the ground. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to vote against the balanced budget amendment. Lets continue the responsible budget measures that Congress enacted last year.
Date: 1994-03-17
Speaker: DR LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Commlittee on Agriculture be discharged from further consideration of the Senate bill to extend certain compliance dates for pesticide safety training and labeling requirements. and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
Date: 1994-03-17
Speaker: DR LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues. this is a bit of carefully crafted legislation that pertains to the farm worker safety regulations which were due to become effective in April of 1994. This carefully crafted compromise allows that those areas that can be put into effect now should be put into effect to protect farm workers in the field. should be allowed to go on at this time. and in areas where they need training or working between the State departments of agriculture and EPA. they be allowed to have the extended time. It does not change any basic safety regulations at this point. Mr. Speaker. the amendment we offer to the bill. S. 1913. represents a carefully crafted compromise on the implementation of certain farmworker safety regulations due to go into effect in April 1994. This bipartisan amendment has been developed following meetings with the principal parties involved in this issue. Those organizations were the Farmworker Justice Fund. the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. The substitute has also been reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency and it is my understanding EPA has no objection to its passage. Let me make it clear that this legislation does not in any way weaken existing legal. health safeguards for farmworkers. What it does is provide additional time for EPA to resolve certain regulatory issues that have been raised by the states and agricultural producers. I also want to provide some clarification to certain provisions in the bill. It is the Committee on Agricultures view that the provision requiring agricultural employers to provide "clean" personal protective equipment to agricultural workers in paragraph 2(D) of the bill may be met by providing new equipment or by following the normal practice within the industry for cleaning personal protective equipment. Normal practices for cleaning equipment include cleaning according to manufacturers instructions or pesticide product labeling instructions before each day of reuse. In the absence of any such instructions. normal practices include washing the equipment in detergent and hot water. In addition. it is the Committees intention that the term "planting" in the definition of "hand labor in paragraph 4 of the bill only includes planting by hand. It does not include planting using machinery because in this circumstance the agricultural worker does not make direct contact with treated soils. Mr. Speaker. it is my sincere hope that this legislation marks the final legislative involvement in the longoverdue implementation of farmworker protection regulations. It is my view as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee that this measure should provide adequate time to resolve all legitimate concems about the drafting of these regulations.
Date: 1994-03-17
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr.. Speaker. I- ask unanimous consent that the amendment in the nature of a substitute be considered as read and printed in the RECORD.