macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-09-15
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I could not agree with the chairman more. This amendment provides us with an interesting twist on the norm. Usually. when we talk about Federal employees health benefits. we hear arguments that other people deserve the benefits that Federal employees enjoy. Is it that you do not want the employees to enjoy the benefits that we are trying to get for the general public? In todays debate. the landscape is different. I am astounded that the gentleman from Virginia is keeping something that the public enjoys out of the Federal system. He is telling us that HSAs are good enough for the American public. but not good enough for Federal employees. I do not buy that. Let us take a look at the facts. HSAs put consumers back in the drivers seat. And Federal employees deserve that choice as well. A highdeductible plan means lower premiums. and lower premiums mean more cash to put away in an account to save for medical expenses as they arise. And contrary to critics claims that HSAs are untested. HSAs have seen astonishing success since their enactment in the Medicare bill. Tens of thousands of people have opened accounts. A host of insurers are offering plans. including Aetna. Cigna. and Assurant. HSAs have reduced the number of uninsured Americans. are working forpeople and their families from all backgrounds and ages. And. quite frankly. they belong in the Federal employee health benefit plan. I think that we need to make all America equal. and. therefore. we should reject this amendment.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I rise today to oppose the amendment by the Representative from Vermont. The gentleman from Ohio (Chairman BOEHNER) and I are working on legislation to reform the pension system. and this illtimed amendment will undermine our efforts. I ask my colleagues to refrain from using the appropriations process to undermine our comprehensive reform efforts in the committee of jurisdiction. The various sponsors of this amendment have had a problem with the conversion of the IBM pension plan 5 years ago. Despite the fact that IBM gave its employees everything they were asking for. the sponsors of this amendment now want to continue pushing this issue past its logical conclusion. They now want to enshrine in law a flawed court case. The court case essentially found that the time value of money is age discriminatory. An example might explain this crazy logic. Let us say a 25yearold and a 52yearold were hired on the same day to do the same job at the same pay. Their company would make an equal contribution to each employees pension account. The Cooper case found that the equal pension contribution is age discriminatory. Why? Because the 52 year old has less time to accumulate interest before retiring. Yes. the logic of the case is that interest or the time value of money is age discriminatory. It is flawed logic. and it has been found to be flawed in every other court that has reviewed this issue. Thousands of cash balance pension plans cover millions of Americans. To the extent- that the flawed logic of this amendment is given any support in Congress. it will undermine pension plans. Given the growing reluctance of businesses to sponsor traditional defined benefit pension plans. this amendment is just one more reason for companies to walk away from this type of pension and our constituents who need them. We need to oppose this flawed amendment.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. this debate is about freedom. Participants in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program are armed with the ability to leave any given plan at the end of the year if they arent satisfied with the care. customer service or cost of their coverage. And that choice is what creates the incentive for health plans to offer good plans.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas . the distinguished majority leader.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Perhaps the distinguished gentleman who spoke previously needs to get a little bit more informed on the constituents that we represent. They do care about human rights and they do care about liberty and they do care about politics. the politics of freedom. the politics of human rights. the politics of political prisons. They do care.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Well. that is. I believe. uncalled for. but ultimately. what I want to make clear is that our constituents. the constituents represented in an overwhelming majority by the gentleman from Florida . the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. RosLEHTINEN). and the gentleman from New Jersey . and myself do care about their relatives. about human rights. about the three goals of U.S. policy with regard to an island nation that has been oppressed for 45 years. the liberation of all of the political prisoners who are languishing in the gulag. their liberation of all of them without exception. Free speech. the right of free speech. labor unions and the press and political parties and the scheduling of free elections. the unshackling of the chains of the family members is of concern and care to our constituents. and that is why they. being aware that this is a comprehensive. multifaceted policy. not only are supportive of the policy but elect us who are supportive of the policy and who have to be accountable for the policy. not only every 2 years at the polls. but every day at the grocery store and the laundry and the gas station. because it is not a question. as the gentleman from Florida
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. it is amazing how history repeats itself. I was not here during the whole South Africa debates. but I heard them. During those South Africa debates. we had those who said we should do business as usual with South Africa to help the blacks in South Africa. that we should be able to do all sorts of business. and by the way. we did business with South Africa. business as usual. forever. Did it help the oppressed people under apartheid? No. And. Mr. Chairman. when those oppressed people had an opportunity to vote. finally. after many. many years. they did not support those that wanted to do business as usual. that talked about doing business as usual. They supported those that led the efforts to sanction the apartheid regime in South Africa. Many people on this floor. some who are still here. voted for sanctions against South Africa and yet vote to lift sanction against Cuba using the same argument. I saw just a month ago people on this floor who are against sanctioning the antiAmerican terrorist regime 90 miles away from the United States vote and speak for sanctions against China. It is interesting how this double standard is so prevalent. Again. history repeats itself. Those who said we should do business as usual in South Africa to help the oppressed were wrong. and when the oppressed people had an opportunity to speak. they showed how wrong they were. Dr. Biscet and others will have an opportunity to speak. and I think there will be a lot of red faces of those that say they are doing it to help the oppressed people. We do not help the oppressed people by helping to finance the oppressor.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman. with a great sense of responsibility. I say that political prisoners in Cuba have asked that their support for President Bushs policy be made known. I know that the wrath. the brutality of the tyrant falls upon with all severity heroes such as that. but I think I have an obligation to say that Felix Navarro Rodriguez of Guantanamo asked that his support for this policy and its reduction. which has been admitted already by the regime to be substantial. of dollars to the coffers of the terrorists state be noted. Mr. Chairman. the Cuban people have never stopped fighting for freedom during these 45 years. and Cuba will be free. And men and women like Felix Navarro Rodriguez and Oscar Elias Biscet and Jorge Luis Garcia Perez and Rafael Ibarra and Francisco Chaviano. those are the people who will be respected for generations to come because they. in those dungeons. stood up for the freedom of the Cuban people. They support these measures. We owe it to the Cuban people to sanction the regime and support President Bushs policy. Reject the Davis amendment. I ask my colleagues with all due respect.
Date: 2004-09-21
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise to commend the gentleman from Ohio of the Committee on Financial Services for his leadership in addressing the unscrupulous tactics of life insurance salesmen at our military bases. During a recent Committee on Financial Services hearing. we learned that greedy insurance companies are selling enlisted men as young as 19 years of age expensive life insurance policies which actually pay out less than $30.000. These young men and women are forced to attend "financial courses" held by these salesmen who are usually former military men. men that these young men and women look up to. Young GIs. who are being taught to trust their commanding officers. are deceptively told they are enrolling in .savings accounts and are given papers that they are not permitted enough time to look over. They are ordered to sign here without question. Protecting those who protect us certainly is a bipartisan priority. and I look forward to working with the gentleman from Ohio and the other members of this committee on this very important issue.
Date: 2004-09-22
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. Americans celebrate the 10year anniversary of Republican majority in this House of Representatives. Let us remember that it was President Reagans emphasis on security that provided the legacy that we now use as the starting point for the Grand Old Party. If Congress does not see to it that every American is safe. does anything else matter? Republicans answered this question by strengthening our military. equipping our troops. confronting terrorists on their turf and taking care of our veterans when they return home. From the fall of the Iron Curtain and the demise of communism to the liberation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Republicans have driven policy that has transformed unsafe nations while protecting our own. Republicans recognize that we do not need to seek a permission slip to defend our Nation and that nothing is more important than a safe. secure America.
Date: 2004-09-22
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. this week we will vote on keeping "one Nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge is under attack. and activists are using wayward judges to chip away at this timehonored tradition. Our national motto is "In God We Trust." In Texas the people have already spoken. Starting last year. all school districts require students to recite the Pledge to the United States and Texas flags daily. The bill we have on the floor today is essential to ensuring that the will of the people of Texas is not circumvented by some unelected judge in another State. For the sake of our countrys morale and heritage. we must keep "under God" in the Pledge. I will just close with God bless America.
Date: 2004-09-22
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. this is another "reward Castro" amendment. Reward the firing squads. reward the imprisonment of the opponents. That is what this amendment is all about. It is already legal to travel. There are 13 legal categories of travel. One of them is for educational purposes. You have to get a license. You get a license. You go. and you do your travel for educational reasons. So this amendment simply wants to eliminate all of the regulations. I would say. it is not going to survive the process. We know that. So "what is it? The goal of this amendment is to provide another symbolic victory for the dictatorship. to reward the oppression. These amendments continue to find themselves on the floor. The reality of the matter is that the facts are pretty clear. As I said before. there are 13 legal categories. One of them is educational travel. I would simply ask my colleagues to remember those people in the gulag today. those people suffering the full force. the brute force of the repression of that futile totalitarian tyranny. When they receive these messages at the hands of their jailers of these symbolic amendments. victories that are presented and sometimes passed in the Congress of the United States. how it must make you feel when you are imprisoned. Nevertheless. they continue to resist. They continue to embody the dignity of the Cuban nation. in the totalitarian gulag. They contnue. because they are the embodiment of the best of the Cuban nation. the future of Cuba. There are so many men and women in the gulag who deserve such extraordinary respect. So I would ask my colleagues not to send more messages to them. that the Congress of the United States passes amendments to provide moments of pleasure for the tyrant. Because that is all it is. That is what these amendments that unfortunately continue to make themselves here. they rdach the floor. that is what these amendments are.
Date: 2004-09-22
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. I just want to again clarify that. right now. you can go to Cuba for educational purposes. you just have to get a license. So the only reason for this amendment is to symbolically tell the Castro antiAmerican dictatorship. terrorist dictatorship. that we like you. That is all this amendment does. Students can go. to Cuba if they get a license. So despite the fact that the Castro regime continues to imprison and despite the fact that the Castro regime has murdered Americans. murdered American citizens. has American blood on his hands. this amendment would just like to give him a nice pat on the back and say. even though Americans can go with a permit. with a license to get education. go for educational purposes to Cuba. we want to give you a gift. Mr. Castro. Despite the fact that you murder Americans. we want to give you a gift. and here is a little token gift. Because. again. it is not going to happen. It is not going to pass the process. but we just want to show that we support that antiAmerican dictator who has American blood on his hands. It is a very sad statement. Again. fortunately. none of these issues ever happen. But. again. that is all this amendment is. It is to show that antiAmerican dictator. that terrorist 90 miles away. that this amendment supports. still supports that dictatorship. That is all this does. Mr. Chairman.
Date: 2004-09-22
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I think we have made our points. We oppose the amendment strongly. Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2004-09-23
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the Working Families Tax Relief Act. When President Bush signs it into law. we will have accomplished another round of tax cutsthis one worth $146 billionwith more than $130 billion directed to families. Hard working American families will be able to spend or save this money based on their priorities rather than the U.S. Government spending it. This new law will keep thousands of families from falling into the Alternative Minimum Tax system. The AMT exemption will remain at $58.000 for married couples for 1 more year. This modest AMT relief is scored at a whopping $23 billion to extend for just 1 more year. This huge revenue effect. for just a 1year "hold harmless." is a good indication of the looming problem of the AMT. In 2008. the AMT is going to begin collecting more than the underlying income tax system. This means that in 2008 it will be cheaper for Congress to repeal the entire Tax Code than it will be to repeal the AMT. We will either achieve fundamental tax reform during the 109th Congress or it will be done to us when AMT imposes its version of the "flat tax reform" at 28 percent on millions of American families. I look forward to this debate on fundamental tax reform. I am also pleased that we are able to take care of one additional piece of legislative "housekeeping" by extending some very important expiring provisions. In particular. I am glad that we are providing a seamless extension of the research and experiment tax credit and the tax rules regarding Archer Medical Saving Accounts. It is important for American competitiveness. and particularly for my hightech home State of Texas. that the research and experiment credit is extended. Foreign governments give generous outright subsidies to businesses for locating these highvaluedadded jobs in their countries. We need to provide this modest tax break to businesses for them to remain competitive in global markets and to encourage them to keep these jobs here in America. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
Date: 2004-09-28
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. this past weekend. once again. Floridians were tested. This is the year that I decided to buy waterfront property. so I. too. was there. I. too. learned the fear of the very harsh winds that came. the wonder if everything was secured properly. only to wake up yesterday morning to find water in my first floor once again. What happens is neighbors come together. They help each other. and Floridians are resilient. They will again be rebuilding. rebuilding better. safer structures. But because we love our State and we love. certainly. the Sunshine State. and I predict that. come January or February. when the snow is high up here. that even us Floridians will look back upon this as.just a time of test. Whether it was Charley. Frances. Ivan or. this past weekend. Jeanne. we saw communities come together. We saw people helping each other. We might have lost our power. We might have lost some of our possessions and certainly our pride because we never could relate to what it meant to be homeless. but there are so many people who are now homeless as a result of this storm. [] 1945 The simple things such as taking a nice warm shower. these amenities obviously were missing. The Red Cross as well as the Salvation Army moved in some shower units so that while people were waiting for the power to come back on. at least they could take a shower. They provided water. ice. food. and certainly comfort. Many of the churches also opened their doors to provide hot meals to people. Floridians will survive this storm this past weekend as we survived the ones in the past. Neighbors are helping neighbors. Certainly the sheriffs offices are to be commended. We have heroes out there. everyday people in the communities who are stepping forward to help individuals whose property may have been damaged by these storms. We need to remember these yery brave people. whether they are firefighters. whether they are the road deputies. or whether they are the neighbor next door who comes forth with a chain saw and is willing to help somebody who has had a tree fall on their property. Floridians are a hearty group and certainly we need to commend them. And I want to thank the gentleman from Florida for introducing this resolution.
Date: 2004-09-28
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
Date: 2004-09-28
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr.. Speaker. I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 4657. a bill to improve the administration of Federal pension benefit payments for District of Columbia teachers. police officers. and firefighters. This simple reform will streamline the pension process for these individuals and the Federal Government. H.R. 4657 will transfer pension benefit assets that are currently held in two Federal trust funds to a single. newly created trust fund. The bill also extends to retired judges the same rights of review of benefit denials. These rights include the same review standards for benefits that currently apply to retirees in the D.C. Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement Plan. Mr. Speaker. the bottom line is the Treasury Department presently uses unnecessary resources to maintain two pension funds when only one is needed. H.R. 4657 corrects this. This bill is budget neutral. and I support the passage and am pleased to.be joined tonight by the distinguished gentlewoman from the District of Columbia
Date: 2004-09-28
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 11110 Sunset Hills Road in Reston. Virginia. as the "Martha Pennino Post Office Building".
Date: 2004-09-28
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5133.
Date: 2004-09-28
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. again. I had the pleasure of serving on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors with Martha Pennino for 12 years. I want to say I am very grateful for the opportunity to have known her and to have worked with her on so many projects. She was a classy lady. and I am going to miss her. Mr. Speaker. I urge passage of H.R.