macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

If the gentleman will yield further. for the last 4 years. every year we have had. to go through this dance. and predominantly the Democrats have had to fight to increase these budgets. But this year. I guess after the election and after the President and his party have flimflammed the American people. the gloves are off. They do not care.
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. the sad thing is that the gentleman is talking about thepeoples House. and the peoples House. under this administration. more so than even when the Republicans took over. but under this administration has been run like a dictatorship. It is very. very sad. and I am glad that the gentleman from Ohio pointed out what it is that veterans can do. I know the organizations are talking to their members because they are talking to me. But they need to contact their Member of Congress and let them know. as Senator and former Governor Chiles used to say. "This dog wont hunt."
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I think this is bigger than CHRIS SMITH in thatit is the House of Representatives that we can" change in 2 years. we can change the direction of this.country. And it goes back to elections. I have to say it. I mean. what happens in an election controls everything we do. from the time you are born to the time you die and everything inbetween. This veterans budget. I have to say if it had been Senator KERRY. we never would have received a budget like this. or if it hadbeen any of the Democratic candidates and. really. if it had been any of the other Republican candidates. This administration is totally insensitive to the needs of the veterans and the people. They talk a great talk. but they do not walk the walk. They only care about the 1 percent of the people that contribute to their campaign. and if you are not writing checks to the Republican campaign. then just forget it. But the veterahs can turn this around. I know that they can mobilize. I know what they can do. I have seen it happen in Florida. Once before they cut major health care assistance in Florida. and the veterans and organizations and groups got together. They called their Congress people and. let me tell my colleague. not only did they put the money back. they do not even know how it got out. So I know they can do it.
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. it is a contract. It is a contract. When those young men and women in their prime go and fight for us and serve for us. we owe them. They should not be fighting for the guarantee that we promised them. basic health care. and yet. these copayments and these fees. they cannot afford it. They live on a fixed income. H516 Co
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

But. sir. if the gentleman will yield. how many have been wounded? How many have been disabled? They are going to come back. and then they are not in the military system. they are in the VA system. How will the VA system handle them when they are proposing to cut out thousands of nurses? Now. I know the gentleman has the same problem that I have when they come to us about how long they have to wait in order to get assistance. and we have to.intervene. For basic assistance. they are put on a waiting list. and they wait for weeks and months. Yet we are going to have all of these veterans. thousands coming back. The gentleman mentioned the number that have been killed. but what about those who have been wounded. coming into a system that we are cutting to the bone. It is a failure. There is a Constitution and there is a separation of power. We have a duty as Members of the Congress. of the peoples House. to deal with this budget.
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I just want to thank the gentleman again for having this special order tonight and pointing out what the veterans can do to turn this around. We in this House cannot do it. We can point it out. We can have town hall meetings in the districts. We will do that. We can talk to the groups and organizations. But I do know that the veterans have the power to influence this body and the other body and the White House. If nothing else. they can put a circle around that White House and let them know that Humpty Dumpty must fall.
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I would say that if we did a poll. one of those CNN polls or one of those polls that we do every day. and ask. Do you want the 1 percent tax cut done away with to completely fund the veterans program. I bet we would get 75 or 80 percent saying. Let us fund the veteran program. Without a doubt. the American people want to pay their debt. and we owe these veterans. It is not welfare. It is paying for people that have stood up for you in their prime. and now they need us. And what are we doing? We are giving tax breaks to people that contribute to our campaign. And that really bothers me because when you talk to the veterans. you know that they are vulnerable. they are sick. and they need the assistance. Many of the people that you pass right here in D.C. on the street. homeless. are veterans that the system has failed. Onethird of the homeless people are veterans.
Date: 2005-02-09
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

In conclusion. our work is cut out for us. We know what we have to do to educate the American people. to turn this horrible proposal for these veterans around. I think one of the scriptures that I particularly like is. To whom God has given much. much is expected. God has been good to America. It is important that America is good to the people that have stood up for us throughout the years. This budget is unacceptable. I remember talking once to the veterans groups and I said. this administration. the Bush administration. talks a great talk. but they do not walk the walk. And this was the Paralyzed Veterans and they said. They do not roll the roll either. And that is truth. But the key is. we together. Democrats and Republicans. and particularly the veterans organizations can turn this around. We really need a dedicated source of funding. We should not have to deal with this every single year. Mr. Speaker. the following is an article entitled "Veterans Angered By Officials Comments." [From the TribuneHerald. Feb. 7. 2005]
Date: 2005-02-10
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. yesterday we and the American public found out that the Bush administration once again has not been telling us the truth about the cost of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. -It now appears it is going to cost over a trillion dollars. When they debated it on the floor of Congress. they said it was going to cost $300 billion. and at the same time. of course. the administration and the Republican leadership kept the people from coming forward with the real information that they thought it was going to cost $600 billion. Now it is over a trillion dollars. Where is the Republican outrage? Where is the Republican commitment to balance budgets and fiscal responsibility? No. they have instead chosen to lower their voices. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that those Members with independent voices in the Republican Caucus lost their kositions. Those who had independent voices on the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the Committee on Veterans Affairs lost their chairmanship and their positions. The gentleman from New Jersey
Date: 2005-02-10
Speaker: HARRY REID (democrat)
Chamber: S

for working on a process. We just heard him speaking on the floor against the bill. In spite of that personal feeling toward this bill. he has worked in a real leadership mannerworking with us to deal with the bill in a timely and expeditious manner on the floor. The American people expect and deserve a government that works and leaders who work together. I think they have seen it play out very well on this bill. They did elect us to govern toward meaningful solutions. The bill. I believe. demonstrates we are accomplishing just that. We are meeting the challenge and we are moving America forward. I look forward to quick passage of the bill in the House and being able to send it to the Presidents desk. Mr. President. we will vote very shortly. So that Members can plan on their schedules. this upcoming vote on final passage of the class action fairness bill will be the last vote of the evening. Following this vote. we will have a few Members making statements. We will remain in session for a short period today. The Senate will not be in session tomorrow and we will reconvene on Monday. On Monday. the plans are to begin debate on the nomination of Michael Chertoff to be Secretary of Homeland Security. At closing today. we will reach an agreement that will provide for debate on the Chertoff nomination during Mondays session. with a vote to occur on that nomination on Tuesday. Therefore. I am prepared to announce we will not have any votes on Monday. I will have more to say about the precise timing of the debate and vote later today when we wrap up our business. Once again. I thank all Members for their cooperation and assistance throughout the debate on the class action bill. I believe we are ready for final passage. Mr. President. I ask for the yeas and nays on the bill.
Date: 2005-02-15
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. on behalf of the constituents of the Third Congressional District of Florida. I am honored to share my thoughts with you about this amazing lady. Upon her -passing. lets pause to reflect upon her life and times. and how she has influenced our world today. During her hard fought rise to the halls of Congress and her permanent place in the history of our Nation. she was on time to fight for truth. justice. humanity. and the rights of the havenots. she was where she needed to be to raise the consciousness of a nation. and shed light on the plight of others. She led a battle that was personal. one that was rooted deep in the soul of the oppressed. the forgotten and the disenfranchised. Hers was a fight to make this Nation live up to its promiseliberty and equality for all. This great battle was more than just politicsit was a fight to garner the hopes of the few and infuse them with the dreams of the many. This was the struggle for the humanity of human kind. the reminder that the prize was always in view. yet denied by those who sought to keep their dreams squandered. As a founding Member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Shirley Chisholm was a driving force behind the Caucus mission to serve as the Conscience of the Congress. and the fight to include women. children. and people of color in the public policy debate that so deeply affects their own lives. It is from her example and spirit that we continue to fight for the ideals that she held so close. Shirley Chisholm joins the ranks of countless other civil rights leaders to whom we owe our strength. Today. we bless and honor her by keeping her struggle. and our struggle. alive. I will miss her dearly. and both she and her family will always remain in my thoughts and prayers.
Date: 2005-02-16
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. one of the most interesting things about the Presidents plan to privatize Social Security is that for those individuals who decide to take out a private account. not only will that lead to benefit cuts into the future. very substantial benefit cuts for the recipients. up to 40 percent. but those who decide to take out the private accounts will find out at the time of their retirement that unless their accounts have earned inflation plus 3 percent. that_ they will be taxed up to 70 percent or higher of their benefits that they risked and put into that private account. It is rather interesting that kepublicans who so often make "no tax" pledges will subject those retirees to the highest level of taxation of anybody else in the country. Most people pay 20. 15. 20. 25 percent of their income. but those retirees on that benefit. on those accounts. the government will take back up to 70 percent of that unless they achieve some remarkable rate of return that is beyond the historical rates of return guaranteed by the marketplace. Mr. Speaker. it is a rather interesting proposal that that is where they would decide to levy taxes. on those retirees who open those private accounts. to increase savings in this country.
Date: 2005-02-17
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to S. 5. The sponsors of this bill call it the Class Action Fairness Act. but nothing about this bill is fair. especially for the victims of corporate wrongdoing. This bill erects a nearly insurmountable barrier for everyday Americans. who have been hurt or wronged. to have their day in court. Thanks to the socalled Class Action Fairness Act. people who have had their civil rights trampled on will no longer be able to bring their claims to State court. It does not matter if the laws of their home State provide better civil rights protections or that it may be more convenient for the victims of discrimination to seek justice in a court where they live. With S. 5 they must go to Federal court. The same burden is put on the backs of hourly wage workers who sue for back pay that they are owed. These folks are struggling to put food on their familys table. and they almost certainly cannot afford the high cost of multistate litigation. With S. 5 they. too. must bring their claims to a Federal court that may not even be in their State just so that they can get the back pay that they do. I ask all the proponents of this bill. is that their idea of fairness? Let us be real. S. 5 is not about reducing venue shopping. It is not about the mythical scourge of predatory plaintiffs lawyers. and it is not about the fabricated economic drain of excessive jury awards. What this bill really is about is doing a favor for unscrupulous. negligent corporations by making it harder for their victims to sue them. It is protecting big businesses who are guilty of wrongdoing from liability. I am a lawyer and I acknowledge that there are some members of my. profession who file frivolous suits. But if the lawyers are the ones that they claim are ruining this legal system. why are the sponsors of this bill making it harder for the victims? This bill makes about as much sense as locking the door of a hospital in order to lower health care costs. KickIng people out of the system does not solve the problem. and that is exactly what S. 5 does. It penalizes the victims of wrongdoing without doing anything to improve our legal. system. and it shields bad actors from having to face the consequences of their action. Where is the personal responsibility? That is why I oppose this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to vote "no" on the final passage and to vote "yes" on the Conyers substitute.
Date: 2005-02-17
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. on Thursday. February 17. 2005. I was unavoidably detained due to a prior obligation. Had I been present and voting. I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 39. "yes" (H. Res. 91).
Date: 2005-02-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. reserving the right to object. however. I do not intend to object. I yield to the gentleman from Alaska for an explanation of the resolution.
Date: 2005-02-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Further reserving the right to object. Mr. Speaker. i would like to talk a little bit about the legislation that we are considering. The construction of the AlaskaCanada Highway from bawson Creek. Canada to Fairbanks. Alaska in 1942 was heralded as one of Americas greatest public works projects of the 20th century. The emergency war measure. made necessary by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. was authorized by. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on February 11. 1942. The construction of the 1.522 mile long road through rugged unmapped wilderness and extreme temperatures ranging between 80 degrees below and 90 degrees above zero was completed in an astonishing 8 months and 12 days. Upon completion. the road was the only overland route that strategically linked Alaska and the lower 48 States and facilitated the construction of airstrips for refueling planes and vital supply routes during World War II. Critical to the construction of the AlaskaCanada Highway were the men of the 93rd. 95th. and 97th regiments. in addition to the 388th battalion of the Army Corps of Engineers. Segregated by race and seldom recognized. members of the Black Corps of Engineers comprised over onethird of the total troop strength in this project. In spite of severe racially discriminatory policies and detestable living and social conditions. the soldiers of the Black Corps of Engineers performed notably and unselfishly on this project. Regretfully. since 1942: their contributions toward this countrys Western defense during World -War II and subsequent integration of the military have been excluded from many of the footnotes of history. but this being the last day we can make presentations during Black History Month. I. am delighted and thankful that the gentleman from Alaska knew about them and is cosponsoring this resolution. It is with great pride and honor that I. with the cosponsorship of the gentleman from Alaska and the. gentleman from Minnesota . urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this group of soldiers whose works have existed in the shadows of the Nations history since 1942. the Armys Black Corps of Engineers. and the Congressional Black Caucus joins me in supporting this. Let me thank again the gentleman from Alaska . Mr. Speaker. I withdraw my reservation of objection.
Date: 2005-03-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to rise in support of this resolution. H. Co.. Res. 45 recognizes that music education gfounded in rigorous instruction is an important component of a wellrounded academic curriculum. and should be available to every student in every school. The serious study of music has been demonstrated to complement other areas of academic study. while also providing students with a substantive background in the arts that will serve them throughout their lives. This resolution is going to pass todayprobably by a near unanimous vote. While all of us who support music education are gratified by that outpouring of congressional support. I must point out that it is insufficient unless backed up by a willingness to help schools offer quality music education pro. grams. Unfortunately. music education is facing severe cuts in thousands of school districtE throughout the Nation. including in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District in my congressional district. Fourth graders in that District may lose their music programs because of budget cuts necessitated in large part because this Congress has failed to follow through on its promises to fund public education adequately. These classes are the foundation for the districts celebrated middle and high school band programs. and eliminating music education would be a loss to those students. Yet the district is struggling to find money for teacher salaries. Since we passed the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. both the Bush Administration and the Congress. which is under the control of the Presidents party. have reneged on the resources our schools urgently need to iinplement the laudable goals of that lawbetter accountability. better achievement. better instruction. With the Presidents latest budget. we are some $40 billion below the funding level we promised teachers. principals. students and parents when we passed the law. Some may use that underfunding as an excuse to call for a weakening in the laws goal of making sure that every child attends a quality school. is taught by a skilled teacher. and attains educational achievement at grade level. I believe that this nation is strong enough. and wealthy enough. that we can fund both the basic education requirements contained in No Child Left Behind. and classes in the music. arts. drama. social and emotional learning and other topics critical to a childs intellectual and social development. What this Congress has lacked. and cbntinues to lack. isthe will. Congress is happy to declare its support for a broad range of goals. but it too often fails to follow through and deliver to those who are depending on us. So I congratulate the authors of this resolution for reminding us that there is more to education than reading and writing. as critical as they are. and that other areas of instruction can actually enhance student performance in these other core subjects. I will look for similar support from the House when we offer amendments to increase the shamefully low education budgets that are placing our schools and teachers under unnecessary and unfair pressure.
Date: 2005-03-01
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding to me. It is a pleasure to be here with my 30something colleagues once again. I did have townhall meetings in south Florida last week. I had three townhall meetings. and more than 500 people attended those meetings. Other than two. two out of those 500 hundred. every single person left with the feeling that they were completely opposed to the Presidents privatization plan. They understood first and foremost that it is incredibly disturbing that the privatization proposal he has put forward does not even solve the problem. We. I think. have tried to stress as Democrats that we are not saying there is no problem. that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. But. for example. and one of the examples I used in my meetings. was that the earliest that we have a problem where we are taking in less than we are paying out is in 2042. and many of the studies show that it really could last until 2052. Our generation. when I talk to my friends at home and ask them whether they think Social Security is going to be there. they do not think it will. Let me just throw out an example. I am 38 years old. In 2042. I will be 75. I will be 85 in 2052. So that shows you that Social Security will be there for our generation. What we need to do is we need to make some changes to Social Security. shore it up. help preserve the safety net. but we need to take the time to do it right. We do not -need to perform the radical surgery the President is proposing. and that was the overwhelming message I got from my constituents. Mr. Speaker. I yield back to the gentleman from Florida.