macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-01-13
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of the Regulatory Accountability Act. It is funny to me to stay here and listen to claims that the sky is going to fall if we just bring some common sense into how our Federal agencies promulgate rules. I want to ask. really? Let me show you something. What I have in my hand is the Federal Register. It is not the Federal Register for the year or for a number of months. This is the Federal Register and the rules that have been promulgated just for this first week of January. just a week. See. this first one here is for January 2. It is a little slim. but you know. they had just gotten back in the office. This second one right here. this is for January 6. so I think they are making up for it. This is just for the rest of the week. And believe it or not. that is actually a small stack compared to what happens when the juices really get flowing. Now. here is the challenge with this stack. My challenge is. say I have a small businessand I do. actually. There are several small businesses in Lewis County. for example. It is a small area compared to the State of Washington. and they have got a lot of rural folks who work very hard. whether it is farms or familyowned businesses that they have been passing down. Now. that small business in Centralia. they are responsible to know what is in this and the ones that come every single day after it for the entire year. Mr. Chairman. we are not talking about big corporations with legal departments and government affairs folks who are hired to comb through this. We are talking about momandpop shops. We are talking about 50 people or less. They have to dedicate a whole employee to knowing what is in here or they could be in violation of a Federal rule. I have heard it said that you are 400 times more likely to come into contravention or violation of a Federal rule than a Federal law. So actually. it doesnt just apply to small businesses. It applies to all of us. We better know what is in here. Or. time out: we could just create a little bit of space for some common sense. and that is exactly what this bill does. This bill says. hey. Federal agencies. you just have to take a few extra things into account. like the impacts on the economy. like the impacts on the cost for taxpayers. Do you know we are talking about $1.86 trillion on the U.S. economy every year? That is about $15.000 per every American household. That is real money. Fifteen. grand is a lot of money. That could provide a family of four in Castle Rock with groceries for 62 weeks. Mr. Chairman. we are not trying to bring down this Federal bureaucracy. although some would appreciate it if we did. We are simply trying to bring some common sense into how they operate. Look. the Regulatory Accountability Act delivers the reform that will make lives better for hardworking Americans and. hopefully. it will help them begin to recover a little bit of that $15.000 they are spending on unnecessary regulations. We can do this. Mr. Chairman.
Date: 2015-01-13
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman. I believe this is what people need to understand. The bill is very simple. It leaves intact and supports consumer protections and reasonable environmental impacts. It doesnt jeopardize the health of our kids. Come on. Lets use some common sense. It simply makes it easier for that family of four. It really does try and connect the Federal regulations with real lives of real Americans. and that is why this act is so important. That is why it is bipartisan. Mr. Speaker. This isnt some extreme idea. This is something that brings good government to the people. We are trying to serve the people. not be their masters. and I think this bill does just that.
Date: 2015-01-21
Speaker: RODNEY DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize the thousands of students from across the country who are participating in tomorrows March for Life event. I am praying for safe travels for all the groups from my district. including St. Thomas More High School. St. Louis Parishthe parish I attended Mass at this weekendHoly Trinity in Stonington. Illinois. and the Illinois Life Caravan as they drive through the night and travel almost 800 miles to come to Washington to stand up for what they believe in. Mr. Speaker. I have renewed hope and faith in our Nations young people as I see students from high school to elementary school age showing their commitment to life. I am proud to be prolife. I believe it is my duty and part of my faith to stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves. and I will continue to do so as I serve in this great Congress. In the words of Pope Francis: All life has inestimable value. Even the weakest and most vulnerable. the sick. the old. the unborn. and the poor are masterpieces of Gods creation. made in His own image. destined to live forever and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect. Mr. Speaker. I want to thank all of those who are standing here for life with us.
Date: 2015-01-21
Speaker: RODNEY DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Thank you to my good friend and colleague from Florida. and thank you to my good friend and colleague from Alabama for joining us. Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker. this is a great opportunity to talk about what we heard in this Chamber. just slightly less than 24 hours ago. from this President. who is from my home State of Illinois. We heard a lot of ideas and a lot of talk and a lot of promises. but if it is anything like the State of the Union Addresses that I have had an opportunity to sit on in this Chamber over the last 2 years. we are not going to see a lot of action. There was a lot of talk about the economy. The economy is getting better. Frankly. it cant have gotten much worse when you compare it to a few years ago. Of course. it is going to get better. but the reality is there are still 8.7 million Americans who are out of work. and 7 million Americans are in parttime jobs but are looking for fulltime jobs. The Presidents solution to many of the issues that were brought up was to tax more American familiesto tax American families who have been saving for their childrens college education to pay for a grandiose idea he has yet to give us the details on. The President also talked about helping our heroes: our veterans. This one is personal to me because just a few weeks ago. the day we got sworn in for the 114th Congress. Mr. Speaker. we were able to unanimously pass a bill called the Hire More Heroes Act. which I sponsored. This wasnt an idea that came from Washington. It was an idea that came from Illinois. Brad Lavite. the superintendent of the Madison County. Illinois. Veterans Assistance Commission. came to me during the last Congress and said. Why is it that veterans who are getting their health care through TRICARE and through the Department of Defense count towards the ObamaCare 50employee limit in the employer mandate? I came here. took his idea. and garnered hundreds of cosponsors to put this on the floor of the House. It passed in the last Congress. but it got held up in the Senate. It passed unanimously in this Congress on day one. and that bill should go through the Senate and get to the Presidents desk. If he wants to help veterans get jobs. I hope the President signs that immediately when it hits his desk. hopefully. in no more than a few weeks. These are the types of solutions that are bipartisan solutions that the President told us he wanted to put forth. but he talked to us in a manner that I didnt think was bipartisan at all. Most of his speech talked about what he was going to do. I would have rather heard the President talk about what we are going to do together because. frankly. that is what my constituents in Illinois want us to do. They want us to come here and govern together. That is why I am so glad to be here and be a part of this Special Order with my good friend. Mr. JOLLY. Hopefully. we can begin a good banter about discussing what our thoughts are on where America needs to go to move forward and work with this President but do it in a way that is a lot less confrontational than what we heard last night.
Date: 2015-01-21
Speaker: RODNEY DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

I would like to know how many community colleges the administration contacted to talk about whether or not this was a good idea. The example that I have heard since this idea was put forth was that Tennessee is going to do it. Well. great for Tennessee. because they are probably going to use their lottery funds. from what I have read. to pay for it. Let me give you an example in Illinois. where I live. the Presidents home State. Unless we are going to get a brand new crop of lotto players. if the lotto is going to fund it. then you know what? That money would be robbed from our K through 12 system to create what is tantamount to grades 13 and 14 in our community colleges. which may not have the faculty or may not have the facilities to handle the influxand then to top it off by taxing savings plans that many middle class Americans have been using to be able to send their children to college at a time when the cost to go to any college is rising exponentially much faster than the inflation rate. I dont know if this is a conflict of interest or not because this is just a proposal from the White House. but I have a 529 plan. We have been saving for my three kids to go to college. And to be taxed now. after investing since they were very youngmy daughter is now 17I can tell you from the standpoint as a dad that I can empathize with many families who arent in the financial position that we are able to be in because we are blessed enough to serve our districts in this institution. It is flabbergasting to me to be able to hear the President talk about these great ideas. Frankly. I just dont know how many of us sat in this room last night and believed that it was going to get beyond the idea stage. And I dont know how much effort he is going to put in to try and pass this plan. but I would urge our colleagues to take a good. hard look at this and also never forget the possible impact it is going to have on our 4year institutions. both private and public. I serve nine of those in my district in Illinois. What kind of impact is it going to have on those institutions when you take a good percentage of students that will now go. if his plan is implemented. to the community colleges. which provide a great education? I would love to hear more about what you think and the impact it might have on the community college systems that you are so familiar with. Mr. BYRNE.
Date: 2015-01-21
Speaker: RODNEY DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Thank you to the gentleman for yielding. and you bring up a great point. This isnt just a border security issue because of an immigration issue. This is a border security issue because of a homeland security issue. We have to make our border secure. We are going to have what our vision for border security is in this institution pass now to the Senate. and the President will get his wish. We will put a bill on his desk. It may not be the bill he wants. but my message to the administrationto the White Houseis: come work with us. In my first 2 years here. I just havent seen that happen on a wide variety of issues. It seems like every idea that we come up with in this institution. even some that passed by huge bipartisan majorities. they threaten a veto. Well. that is okay. but that is not conducive to working together to find solutions. and that is what I think we are here for. I think we. on this side. there are many of us who are out here to find solutions to the Nations problems. not to create more problems. and that is exactly the message I hope to send to the American people tonight. that we are willing to work with the President on border security. on education. on a wide variety of issues. but we also have to have some response back. and that is what I think we are lacking.
Date: 2015-01-21
Speaker: RODNEY DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

I am just excited to be able to talk about what happened at the State of the Union last night. our perspective. In closing. it kind of frustrates me that we didnt see real solutions to the exploding cost of higher education. If the solution is what the President laid out. which is going to actually put more of a burden on middle class families by taxing their savings plans that they have been saving forfor sometimes decadesthat is a wrong approach to bringing down the cost of higher education to making Pell grants go further. The President also mentioned another point last night about equal pay. Well. it would have been nice to have the President and the White House actually do that in the White House. where women make an average of 18 percent less than men. so it is not just enough to talk about it here in this Chamber. Do it when you have control over the opportunity to make things happen. That is why I hope it is not just rhetoric on many issues. but I want to see action.
Date: 2015-01-22
Speaker: MIMI WALTERS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Speaker. I rise today on the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Courts decision in Roe v. Wade in support of H.R. 7. the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. This vital bill establishes that no taxpayer funds be used for abortion. including plans that cover abortion under the Presidents health care law. These restrictions will save lives. According to the research by the Guttmacher Institute. policies that cut taxpayer funds towards abortion will actually prevent 25 percent or more of the abortions that would otherwise take place. Furthermore. recent polling has demonstrated that the American public is widely opposed to taxpayer funds for abortion. According to a Marist poll released in January of this year. 68 percent of the respondents opposed taxpayer funds for abortion. A CNN poll from last year shows that 56 percent of respondents oppose public funding for abortion. As a mother of four. I know personally how precious the gift of human life is and how important it is to honor that gift. As legislators. it is both our job and responsibility to protect the innocent lives of the unborn and to serve as a voice for those who do not yet have one. Today. the U.S. House has a historic opportunity to put an end to the use of taxpayer funding for abortion. In drafting the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson so wisely penned: "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions in which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." Madam Speaker. I emphatically agree.
Date: 2015-01-22
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. our Great Nation was founded upon the idea that ALL men are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." And the first right mentioned in our Declaration of Independence is that of Life. We must do all we can to uphold this most fundamental value. Today is the anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade ruling. In response. thousands of people have come to Washington. DC to participate in the annual March for Life so that those who cannot speak for themselves do have a voice. In solidarity. the House is also taking action to uphold our founding principles and protect our unborn by voting to reaffirm that no federal fundingincluding Obamacare subsidiesshall be used to pay for or subsidize abortions. At a time when our national debt is over $18 trillion. to allow any federal funding for abortions would be a breach in the trust that the American public has placed in us to be good stewards of taxpayers dollarsbut more importantly. to protect our unborn. I have consistently cosponsored and voted for legislation that continues the prohibition on federal funding for abortions. and I fully support H.R. 7. I am dedicated to protecting the sanctity of human life. which begins at conception. While todays vote is crucial to protecting the unborn. we cannot rest. Therefore I look forward to joining millions of Americans as we continue the important work of fully protecting our Godgiven right to Life for ALL. including our most innocent.
Date: 2015-01-22
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. on rollcall No. 45. I regrettably missed the vote. but I fully support this crucial legislation to protect the unborn. Had I been present. I would have voted "aye." Stated against:
Date: 2015-01-22
Speaker: TOM PRICE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. pursuant to clause 2(a)(2) of House rule Xl. I am submitting the rules of the Committee on the Budget for the 114th Congress. The rules were adopted earlier today during our Committees organizational meeting.
Date: 2015-01-26
Speaker: MIMI WALTERS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. although slavery was abolished 150 years ago. today. modern slavery still exists in the form of human trafficking. Human trafficking involves the use of force. fraud. or coercion to control other people for the purpose of forced labor or sexual exploitation. According to the FBI. sex trafficking is the fastestgrowing business of organized crime in the world. Approximately 20.9 million victims of human trafficking exist in our world today. and hundreds of thousands of those victims are here in the United States. California is not excluded from this criminal activity. In fact. within my congressional district in Orange County. there have been over 350 cases of human trafficking since 2004. Victims are lured and manipulated by false promises of lucrative jobs. a loving relationship. or new opportunities and are usually between the ages of 12 to 14 when they first become victims of sex trafficking. Mr. Speaker. if there is one thing we can all agree on. it is this: we must put an end to human trafficking and bring those responsible to justice. Through bipartisan efforts. we can work to stop human trafficking both in our communities at home and abroad.
Date: 2015-01-28
Speaker: AUSTIN SCOTT (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to call on my colleagues to join me in stopping the sequesters impact on our military. I want Members to hear what General Martin Dempsey. the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. had to say. He directly advises the President and Congress. and these are his words: The combination of the Budget Control Act and the sequestration mechanism will make it impossible for us to meet our global responsibilities. Again from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs: The readiness hole is still the readiness hole. The global security environment is more dangerous and sequestration is still on the books as the law. Its absolutely crazy for this country. Since the President promised the sequestration would not happen but then he said he would veto changes to it. some Members of this House seem to have accepted that the sequestration must go into effect. National security is an essential part of our job. and with growing threats both domestic and abroad. Members of this House must come together to end the sequester cuts that reduce the capabilities of our armed services. Wethe Members of Congress. the President. and General Dempseyall swore the same oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies. foreign and domestic. We as Members of Congress have a duty to provide a military to protect the American people. These challenges hit close to home for me. As a Georgia Republican on the Armed Services Committee. I am going to continue to fight on behalf of the men and women at Robins and Moody Air Force Bases and the warfighters of this country who protect us.
Date: 2015-02-02
Speaker: RODNEY DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 12. and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. yesterday. President Obama released his budget. Unfortunately. it is right out of the liberals taxandspend playbook. Apparently. the President thinks that since he has already added $7.5 trillion to Americas record $18 trillion debt. what is $8.5 trillion more? As chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee. I am also concerned that President Obama has once again ignored the grim finances of Social Security. and that is a shame because we cannot keep kicking the can down the road. It is just not fair or right to the millions of hardworking Americans who have paid into Social Security. Mr. Speaker. contrary to what Obama likes to say in his speeches. too many Americans are still struggling. The last thing this country needs is more taxes. more spending. and more debt. Americans want. need. and deserve better.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: JODY B. HICE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding time. and I rise in strong support of H.R. 596. the legislation that will repeal ObamaCare. Mr. Speaker. since its passage in 2010. ObamaCare has put us on the path toward a full government takeover of the health care industry. The American people were sold on this by false promises that ObamaCare would lower the costs and increase access to care. The first and most egregious false promise came when the President himself said: If you like your health care plan. youll be able to keep your health care plan. period. No one will take it away. no matter what. In reality. some 5 million Americans have lost their plans since that time and have suffered needlessly. Furthermore. Mr. Speaker. we were promised that premiums would go down. instead. premiums in the individual marketplace have increased by an average of 49 percent across the country. This is one of the main reasons that only 7 percent of Americans believe that ObamaCare will actually reduce the cost of care. ObamaCare has also been a drag on the economy. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that this law will reduce the fulltime workforce by some 2.5 million people. The American Action Forum reported that small business wages have already decreased by $22.6 billion a year. Mr. Speaker. with its $1 trillion in new taxes and $2 trillion in new entitlement spending. we must repeal ObamaCare. and H.R. 596 does exactly that. Additionally. we must replace this law with patientcentered. free market solutions to the problems that exist in our health care system. H.R. 596 takes the important step of directing the committees of jurisdiction to develop legislation that will do just that. I ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 596.
Date: 2015-02-03
Speaker: MIMI WALTERS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. over 4 years ago. ObamaCare was signed into law and sold to the American people on numerous false promises. Americans were promised that premiums for a typical family would go down. The President told Americans. if you like your health care plan. you can keep it. and. if you like your doctor. you can keep your doctor. However. that was not true. and now many Americans are grappling with a very different reality. As a result of ObamaCare. millions of Americans have seen their health care plans canceled. families are finding that they may not get to keep the doctor that they like. and premiums in the individual market are increasing by 41 percent in the average State. Mr. Speaker. the American people deserve better. Instead of putting the Federal Government in the drivers seat of our Nations health care decisions. we need solutions that will protect the doctorpatient relationship. foster economic growth. and empower patients by giving them the choice and control. Today. I am pleased to stand in support of H.R. 596. legislation that would not only repeal ObamaCare. but would instruct the House to come forward with a patientcentered. free market alternative.