macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-20
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman would yield. I understand your confusion. and I share that. I think it has been so shortsighted that we as a Nation didnt take the steps that we needed to take many years ago in this regard in terms of updating in a significant way the CAFE standard. the corporate average fuel economy standards in this country. When gas prices started going up over the last many months. all of a sudden you saw people running around with their heads cut off. trying to think of quickfix solutions. You had the majority leader of the Senate. Senator FRIST. he floated this idea of a $100 rebate to every American. as if that was somehow going to solve the problem. Quick fixes are not going to solve the problem. We need serious solutions. One of the things that should have been done years and years ago was updating the CAFE standardS. It is interesting to hear Members of Congress who have been here for a long time. I listened to Senator LOTT and others on the other side talking about this. They said. Gee. you know. if we had known what we were going to see today in terms of gas prices. we would have supported an increase in the CAFE standards back then. Well. you know. we dont all have crystal balls. but we have to exercise our best judgment. And the fact of the matter is that is a long overdue measure. And it is not a quick fix because it takes time for the fleet of cars to turn over. You cant just change the corporate average fuel economy standards today and. presto. have a result. It requires some forward thinking. The fact that we didnt do it before was a big mistake. and I think people should hold people accountable for their mistakes. On the other hand. it is better late than never. We need to get moving on that. and we need to get moving on the whole menu of other options that we have been discussing today. There is no silver bullet to this. You need an array of options. You need a number of efforts going on at the same time. But in order to get all of those things going. you need one essential ingredient. and that is some leadership and a commitment to this issue and a commitment to have a new direction and not just rely on the failed policies of the past that continue to get us into the mess we are in.
Date: 2006-07-20
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank .my colleague. Mr. SCHIFF from California. again. for his leadership. And I think we have covered a lot of territory in this hour. I think we will have a continuing conversation here in the Con- gress. and I am sure we will have a continuing conversation throughout the country about this very important issue. And. again.- it goes to the question about whether we take our words seriously in terms of moving the policy of this country forward. And you cant have a situation where you have the President say this is a national priority. on the one hand. and then have a budget that comes down the next day that sends a very. very different message because. if you do that. number one. you lose credibility with the American people. and. number two. you obviously cant achieve your objective if you dont harness some of our national resources to this very important. very important effort. So I want to thank my colleague for his leadership on this issue. And I hope that in the days ahead. this Congress will move from a position of rhetoric on these issues to actually doing something meaningful and taking this country in a new direction when it comes to energy policy. which. as we have discussed tonight. is such an important component of our national security policy as well. So I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue.
Date: 2006-07-24
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. today I was unavoidably detained because my flight was canceled. I missed rollcall vote Nos. 394 through 396. Had I been present. I would have voted: "Yes" on rollcall No. 394. S. 1496-"Electronic Duck Stamp Act if 2005." "yes" on rollcall No. 395. S. 203-"National Heritage Areas Act of 2005." and "yes" on rollcall No. 396. H.R. 5535-"To establish a grant program whereby moneys collected from violations of the corporate average fuel economy program are used to expand infrastructure necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels."
Date: 2006-07-24
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. under rule XXII. clause 7(c). I hereby announce my intention to offer a motion to instruct on H.R. 2830. the pension conference report. The form of the motion is as follows: I move that the managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the Senate amendment to the bill H.R. 2830 be instructed(1) to agree to the provisions contained in subsections (a) through (d) of section 601 of the Senate amendment (relating to prospective application of age discrimination. conversion. and present value assumption rules with respect to cash balance and other hybrid defined benefit plans) and not to agree with the provisions contained in title VII of the bill as passed the House (relating to benefit accrual stahdards). (2) to agree to the provisions contained in section 413 of the Senate amendment (relating to computation of guaranteed benefits of airline pilots required to separate from service prior to attaining age 65). but only with respect to plan terminations occurring after (3) to agree to the provisions contained in section 403 of the Senate amendment (relating to special funding rules for plans maintained by commercial airlines that are amended to cease future benefit accruals). (4) to agree to the provisions contained in section 402 of the Senate amendment (relating to authority to enter alternative funding agreements to prevent plan terminations). and (5) to recede to the provisions contained in the Senate amendment regarding restrictions on funding of nonqualified deferred compensation plans. except that(A) to the maximum extent possible within the scope of the conference. the managers on the part of the House shall insist that the restrictions under the bill as reported from conference regarding executive compensation. including under nonqualified plans. be the same as restrictions under the bill regarding benefits for workers and retirees under qualified pension plans. (B) the managers on the part of the House shall insist that the definition of "covered employee" for purposes of such provisions contained in the Senate amendment include the chief executive officer of the plan sponsor. any other employee of the plan sponsor who is a "covered employee" within the meaning of such term specified in the provisions contained in the Senate amendment (applied by disregarding the chief executive officer). and any other individual who is. with respect to the plan sponsor. an officer or employee within the meaning of section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. and (C) in lieu of the effective date specified in such provisions contained in the Senate amendment. the managers on the part of the House shall insist on the effective date specified in the provisions of the bill as passed the House relating to treatment of nonqualified deferred compensation plans when the employers defined benefit plan is in atrisk status.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speak-. er. today I speak for the least among us. And in speaking for them. I remind us that it is time for us to raise the minimum wage. That is "raise" as in raise. not raze as in raze. because there are people in this country who would raze. who would decimate. not elevate. who would decimate the minimum wage. Mr. Speaker. these people are not among those 37 million who are living in poverty. They are not among the millions who make $5.15 an hour. They are not among those who suffer and languish in poverty with n6 way out. Mr. Speaker. those who make $5.15 an hour work through Christmas. They work through Easter. They work through Thanksgiving. And they make. at the end of the year. $10.712. Mr. Speaker. it is time to raise the minimum wage. I speak for the least. the last. and the lost.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 4472. the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 that will revamp this countrys sex offenders registration system. This bill is named in honor of Adam Walsh. the son of John and Reve Walsh. who was abducted 25 years ago. Through the strength and perseverance of John and Reve. they turned the gut wrenching tragedy of the abduction and killing of their son Adam into a lifelong crusade to protect the children of others. The bill before us today is another weapon inthis countrys arsenal to protect.our children from what seems to be an epidemic of abduction and exploitation. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) estimates that today there are more that 563.000 sex offenders that are "supposed" to be registered in this country. Unfortunately. approximately 100.000 of these offenders are currently unaccounted for and therefore. are under the watchful eye of no one. H.R. 4472 will create a National registry that will provide enhanced information on a uniform basis thereby replacing a patchwork of individual systems administered and maintained by each State. Through this bill. sex offenders will have the same requirements to register throughout the country. Sex offenders will be required to register before they are released from prison to insure that they dont slip through thecracks. Moreover. this bill will impose stiff penalties for failing to register by imposing a felony. While we can never do enough to protect our children. this bill does tighten the weave of the safety net through which many predators have slipped. A uniform national registry of sexuat predators will assist law enforcement. parents. and concerned citizens in their vigilance and awareness of who is lurking on our neighborhood waiting to rob our children of their innocence and. all too often. of their lives. We owe a special debt of gratitude to the bi.partisan group of legislators who steered this bill successfully through Conference. the Walshes. and the National Ctnter for Missing and Exploited Children for making this national registry a reality.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to oppose this bill. the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act. As you may know. I am from Florida. I do not hide that fact and am very proud of it. Occasionally. we get hurricanes in Florida and it is dangerous for us to stay in our homes. When I go to a shelter. I do not want to have to worry that the person next to me has a gun. The shelter is a safe haven. and if that man over there has a gun. I am not safe. The police are there for a reason. If a person has a gun. that is a threat to the public safety. Looting is bad. I do not deny that. However. possessions can be replaced.. Things are just that: things. Your life cannot be replaced. Vote no on this bill today. Let us debate this bill in Committee and hold hearings to hear all sides of the issue before we decide whether we are putting our first responders into greater danger.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Retirement Act of 1974 to provide for Speaker. I rise today in support of the legisla- continued payment of railroad retiretion introduced by my good friend from Illinois. ment annuities by the Department of LANE EVANS. the Treasury. and for other purposes. I have worked for years with the distin- The Clerk read as follows: guished Ranking Member on the Veterans Committee and am sorry to see him leave this H.R. 5074 fine institution. I have been blessed to have Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repdimin- resentatives of the United States of America in known him and this Congress will be Congress assembled. ished without him. SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. However. I am here to speak on legislation This Act may be cited as the "Railroad Reto improve driver awareness when driving tirement Technical Improvement Act of around visually impaired persons. 2006". There are 1.5 million visually impaired SEC. 2. DISBURSEMENT AGENT. Americans. Section 7(b)(4) of the Railroad Retirement The bill requests that every State in the Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C. 231f(b)(4)) is amended so country include information in the driver edu- that subparagraph (A) reads as follows: cation material and driver license application "(A) The Secretary of the Treasury shall manuals. Such information would instruct driv- serve as the disbursing agent for benefits ers of motor vehicles to approach persons payable under this Act. under such rules and with white canes or guide dogs with recogni- regulations as the Secretary may in the Section that such individuals are blind and that retarys discretion prescribe.". extra caution should be exercised. The SPEAKER pro tempore. PursuIt is common sense legislation that will help ant to the rule. the gentleman from save a life. Ohio and the gentleThis legislation was passed by the House of woman from Florida (Ms. CORRINE Representatives in the 108th Congress. but BROWN) each will control 20 minutes. could not come to an agreement with the Sen- The Chair recognizes the gentleman ate before the end of the session. I hope we from Ohio. can agree to this legislation and pass it before GENERAL LEAVE the end of this Congress. Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker. I
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my chairman for his strong leadership on the committee. I am proud that our Railroad Subcommittee has been dedicated to protecting and improving the retirement benefit the hardworking employees who are part of the railroad retirement system. Too often we look at an industry and we forget about the devoted men and women who are working very hard every day to serve their customers. This legislation teaches us a very valuable lesson. particularly as we begin to debate legislation sunsetting Federal agencies. We learn that sometimes government can do be tter and cheaper than the private sector can. I want to repeat that. Sometimes government can do better and cheaper than the private sector can. In 2001. the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act made several changes to the railroad benefit system. including requiring the Railroad Retirement Board to contract with a private firm for distributing Tier II benefits. However. the Railroad Retirement Board quickly learned that an outside company would cost $3 million more than using the U.S. Treasury Department. Since the 2001 legislation was enacted. the Appropriations Committee has provided a waiver for this requirement. but this bill would permanently make the U.S. Treasury Department the distribution agent for Tier 17 railroad retirement benefits and end the need for this yearly benefit. This plan was proposed by the Railroad Retirement Board and the Railroad Retirement Investment Trustees and is supported by both railroad management and labor. I urge my colleagues to support speedy passage of this legislation. H5766 CO:
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to instruct be considered as read and printed in the RECORD.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you so much to my good friend. Mr. DELAHUNT. and I am glad to be here with my three good friends from the 30something Working Group. You know. the answer to the question that is on everybodys mind. which is why do they keep moving us in this direction? Well. if you actually shine a light or a magnifying glass on what is really going on here. then it would be clear that their priorities are all wrong. So instead. what they do is they engage in the politics of distraction. like they did all during last week. If you recall last week. let us take a walk down memory lane here. did we focus on the priorities of the American people. like gas prices and health care and the true direction that we should be going in in the war in Iraq? Were those at the top of the Republican agenda last week?
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

We talked about trying to override. unsuccessfully. a veto on stem cell research. We did that and the Pledge of Allegiance bill. and we .did gay marriage. We engaged in the politics of distraction. because the only way that the Republican leadership here can take the focus off of all the horrendously bad things that they are doing on the priorities of the American people is by focusing on that. I had a social studies text book with me last week. I am not sure if we still have it. but last week I really wanted .to bring a social studies textbook to the -floor because essentially there is no point in using it any more in our public high schools. At the end of the day. the Republican leadership here has thrown out the concept of how a bill becomes a law. That Pledge of Allegiance bill we brought here last week? I sit on the House Judiciary Committee. That bill was defeated in committee. and yet we still saw it on this floor. When we teach high school civics. we teach that a bill has to go through the committee process. it has to garner a majority of the committee members to move on then to either the next committee or to the next point of reference in the legislative process.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Exactly. Let us focus on what the bill itself actually did. which also throws out the whole system of checks and balances and who is responsible for what according to the way the Founding Fathers set it up.That bill actually said. like you said.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you very much. Because the Prime Minister of Iraq is here in Washington. today met with the President. and the whole notion of stubbornness and refusal to acknowledge that they are wrong and refusal to change course is so evident in the decisionmaking that goes on with this administration as far as the direction that we are going in Iraq. June 13. when the President went on that surprise visit to Iraq and praised up and down the Prime Ministers plan for ending the bloody violence in Baghdad. came back and said. The Prime Minister of Iraq has a plan and I am supportive of it. Well. today they finally acknowledged that it is not working and it is not effective and not that. yes. we are going to change course. It is "changing the plan is under consideration." Well. because we have had a shift in focus. in terms of the medias attention. to the crisis in the Middle East as it relates to Hezbollah. its attacks on Israel. it has deflected attention away from the fact that the actual number of deaths and bombings have increased in Iraq in the last month.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

And instead. Mr. RYAN. we are focusing on the Pledge of Allegiance and gay marriage. And what it really comes down to. do you think that the mom whose baby isin Iraq fighting on behalf of our country is worrying about whether one of her children is going to be able to say "under God" in the pledge at school. or is she more worried that her baby over in Iraq is going to come back to her? What do you think is a higher priority for her?
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you. How about this? I mean. let us go beyond just the mom or dad of a young man or woman fighting in Iraq. How about the father of four who leaves for work every day. and do you think he is worrying about whether someone who is gay is going to be able to get married or not. or is my Member of Congress voting to amend the Constitution to deal with that. or do you think that it is more likely that he is pissed that he is having to pay $3.01 a gallon to fill up his tank and it is going to cost him like $55 and he is wondering whether he is going to be able to get to work in the morning? Where on the list of priorities. Mr. DELAHUNT. do you think that is for the Joe and Jane average constituents that we represent?
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

the facts she had she got from third party validators. not what we came up with. to share with Members and the American people. because we dont want members of the rubberstamp Republican majority to go home and say "we didnt quite understand that." or "it was the Democrats." We have to make it abundantly clear that the Republicans are in control.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

There is just no -accountability. There are just words. There is no action to back up the words. You know. if you listen to the Republicans on immigration. as Mr. MEEK referenced. you would think that they were the hardest line. the hardest core. that border security was the highest priority to them. But if you closely examine the facts. you dont have to even closely examine the facts. you just scratch the surface a little bit. Take a look at what the real record of this hard line Republican congressional leadership is when it comes to border security. Lets show the American people who is for immigration reform .and who is just kidding. These are thirdparty validators here. Here is border security by the numbers. We took a look and found that as it relates to the average number of new Border Patrol agents that are added each year. because the Republicans talk a good game about how many Border Patrol agents they want to add. well. under the Clinton administration. from 1993 to 2000. the average number per year added was 642. You take a look how many were added. Border Patrol agents per year. under the Bush administration from 2001 to 2005. it was 411. That is not just a couple. that is not a handful. that is a big difference. 642 minus 411. I am not a mathematician. whatever it is. someone subtract it for me.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

A 231 difference. That is a big difference. Maybe that is an anomaly. Maybe that is just isolated. No. keep going. Lets look at another indicator of who is for border security and who is just kidding. The INS fines for immigration enforcement. making sure that we actually crack down on illegal immigrants: 1999. 417. The actual H5842 co statistic is in 1999 the United States initiated fines against 417 companies. In 2004. it initiated fines against three companies. Who was President in 1999? President Clinton. A Democrat was President. Who was President in 2004? President Bush. We are talking about going after the firms. the businesses. that aggressively hire illegal immigrants. But maybe that was an isolated incident. Maybe it was just those two indicators that were off the charts. different than the policy that the Republicans talk about. Keep going. Lets look at the Bush administrations record on pursuing immigration fraud cases. In 1995. under President Clintons administration. 6.455 immigration fraud cases were prosecuted. In 2003. under President Bush. 1.389 cases were prosecuted. At the end of the day. I think the American people will want to examine the facts. and not just -listen to the words.
Date: 2006-07-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

pointed out the fact that the Republican majority talked about that they are tough on immigration. but at the same time they have been in control double digit years. and now all of a sudden they notice that we have an immigration border protection problem. And folks are burning. Federal jet fuel flying down to the border for photo shots. this. that and the other that we" are doing something about it. Bill Buckley. I dont need to talk about his credentials. because here in this article from Connecticut.