macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-03-26
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Our Harris County Hospital district is our catchment. But not all counties in the State of Texas have that option to have a hospital district. Even in our area. I have a district that is one of the highest in the country of people who work who dont get insurance through their employer. That is why the Affordable Care Act is important. In our district. we have an estimated 261.000 people who would have the opportunity to get health care through the Affordable Care Act. And we are hoping to sign them up. We started in November. and we have had these workshops literally all over our district. in partnership with lots of different groups. The Affordable Care Act is particularly important in our districts because we have one of the highest rates in the country of people who are uninsured. It is essential people know that the financial assistance is available under the Affordable Care Act that can lower their health care costs. In fact. nearly 6 of the 10 uninsured people will find that they can find health coverage for $100 or less a month. Like I said. this Saturday we are having a forum. This forum is a great opportunity for people to come and actually learn about health care options. because health care insurance is important. After World War II. our country made a decision. The countries we rebuilt in Western Europe had governmentrun insurance. Canada has governmentrun insurance. Our country decided to go with employerbased insurance. And that worked well up until about 10 or 12 years ago. where we started seeing employers drop that coverage. At one time in our country. 80 percent of the people who worked had insurance through their employer. Now it is below 60 percent. and it is getting worse. Although with the Affordable Care Act. we are actually seeing increases. Because even a small business can be eligible for subsidies to cover their employees under the Affordable Care Act. Like I said. as a member the Energy and Commerce Committee. I am proud of us passing something. It is not perfect. but it is a step in the right direction. I would hope that this Congress and maybe a future Congress can say. Okay. lets see what is wrong with the Affordable Care Act. It is just like we had to go back and fix Medicare on a number of occasions. Nobody wants to abolish Medicare. It is one of the greatest pieces of legislation that we have ever passed. I would hope that over the years we would not only build on the Affordable Care Act to make peoplejust like with Medicareknow that they dont have to worry about putting their families in bankruptcy because they have an illness. The Affordable Care Act will help us on the road to protect that. I appreciate your leadership tonight on this. I know I have a colleague from California from my class who is up next. I thank you for your time.
Date: 2014-03-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. let me thank the managers of this legislation. the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. for their leadership and for their commitment. as I acknowledge the other body as well. This morning. a bright announcement came from Mr. Putin that he was drawing Russians to a program of exercise in the name of labor and defense. Someone said it is reminiscent of past history. when other despots drew their Nation together in massive public exercises to show the world that they were not going to be part of the world order. I believe in peace. I believe that we should be engaged. that diplomacy is right. I also dont believe in condemnation of a Nation purely for its ideological disagreement. In this instance. it is important for the United States to make a public stand. As a member of the InterParliamentary Exchange. meeting with Europeans over the years. I know that they are proud of the democracy that they have maintained since the horrors of World War II. Today. the United States. with the passage of this legislation. and ultimately hopefully the signing by the President. will tell the world that the United States stands firmly with its own democratic principles. But the people of Ukraine. those in Kiev and places around. will still have the knowledge that America stands by it economically. with loan guarantees. but it also stands against a despot who has illegally moved into a sovereign Nation. with no provocation. undermining the military base of Ukraine. So I would ask my colleagues to join against a despot and for a people and support the underlying legislation.
Date: 2014-04-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding. and I thank the manager of this legislation. I rise with an appreciation for this legislation and also a concern. I think this legislation would have been important to have been referred and for the waiver not to be exercised to the Homeland Security Committee. I serve as the ranking member on the Border Security and Maritime Security Committee. and it is known that the Coast Guard has a responsibility for defending the Nations maritime borders. It is charged with port waterway and coastal security. With that in mind. it would be appropriate to address those questions of Homeland Security. I notice that this bill limits and reduces the number of commissioned officers. alters the mission of Coast Guard centers. and did not come before our committee. At a hearing on the oil spill in Houston. which has an impact on Americas waterways. particularly around the gulf region and has an impact on security. it was clear that the Coast Guard were the first responders. They were the first responders in terms of the potential rescue. They were the first responders in terms of being the cops of the waterway. to ensure that all of those who needed to use that waterway and the ports were able do so. They were the ones that protected the individuals that were on cruise lines that were left offshore. and they were. of course. taking care of commerce. This is clearly part of the responsibility of Homeland Security. As I indicated. we are very proud of the Coast Guard. I am always reminded of the great service they rendered during Hurricane Katrina. saving over 1.000 persons. I rise today to hope that we will have an opportunity to address the questions dealing with security. As I do so. however. I want to commend Admiral Robert Papp. Jr.. who is a commandant now of the United States Coast Guard. 24th United States Coast Guard Commandant and has served 39 years. Let us salute this great American.
Date: 2014-04-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 92. which authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition. It is altogether fitting and proper that we do this. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is the nations monument to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. Dedicated on October 15. 1991. the Memorial honors federal. state and local law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our nation and its people. Carved on its walls are the names of 19.981 officers who have been killed in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. dating back to the first known death in Enshrined on the Memorial Wall of Honor are the names of 1.653 fallen peace officers from the state of Texas. the most of any state. including 114 members of the Houston Police Department who gave their lives to keep their city safe. I ask unanimous consent to include a list of these fallen heroes from Houston. Texas. Mr. Speaker. today there are more than 900.000 law enforcement personnel serving the people of our country. the highest amount ever. About 12 percent of them are female. These brave men and women risk their lives to keep the peace and keep us safe but they are too often taken by the violence they are working to prevent. Every year. a law enforcement officer is killed somewhere in the United States every 57 hours. and there are also 58.261 assaults against our law officers each year. resulting in 15.658 injuries. Mr. Speaker. as a member of the Law Enforcement Caucus I am proud to represent the people of the 18th Congressional District of Texas in paying tribute to the 321 fallen heroes who will be joining the 19.981 gallant men and women who gave the last full measure of devotion to the communities they took an oath to protect and serve. Mr. Speaker. I ask for a moment of silence in memory of the officers whose names will be added to the National Peace Officers Memorial Wall of Honor.
Date: 2014-04-01
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of the Childrens Hospitals GME Support Reauthorization Act. which reauthorizes the Childrens Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program through 2018. The Childrens Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program provides vital funding to support the training of pediatricians and pediatric specialists in our childrens hospitals. Continued strong support for CHGME is essential to maintain this investment in our childrens health care. Reauthorizing the Childrens Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program represents a commitment to ensuring that children throughout the country have access to the quality care they need. Since its creation in 1999. this program has increased the number of pediatric health care providers. addressed critical shortages in pediatric specialty care. and improved access to necessary care.
Date: 2014-04-01
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of S. 1557. the Childrens Hospital Graduate Medical Education Support Reauthorization Act. Passed in the Senate in November. this legislation is vital to our childrens health care system because it provides freestanding childrens hospitals with federal funding for graduate medical education. In my district. Childrens Medical Center of Dallas trains 230 medical residents each year and is integral in addressing the current physician shortage in Texas. CHGME is vital to the continuation of the training program at Childrens and at pediatric hospitals nationwide. CHGME recipient hospitals make up only one percent of all hospitals and train nearly half of all pediatricians. Hospitals like Childrens provide coordinated care for our nations sickest kids regardless of their familys ability to pay. The CHGME program ensures that pediatricians and pediatric specialists are properly trained to care for these children. covering basic physician visits to complex. lifethreatening cancers. Since 1999. CHGME has helped to address the gap in federal support for pediatric training and specialty pediatric care. The CHGME program is a critical investment in strengthening our healthcare workforce and is essential to maintaining the gains in pediatric care. I urge my colleagues to support the CHGME program and vote in favor of S. 1557. the Childrens Hospital Graduate Medical Education Support Reauthorization Act.
Date: 2014-04-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. they said it couldnt be done. but as of yesterday and early this morning. 7.000.041 individuals here in the United States accessed and enrolled in the Affordable Care Act. Is it working? Do people want health care? Yes. they do. Do they want access to the Affordable Care Act? Yes. they do. These numbers will probably grow when the State exchanges begin to report their various individuals that enrolled under their system. In the State of Texas. going all the way from last week until the lines around Reliant Stadium. to individuals staying until 10 oclock at the Community of Faith Church. which I was at with Bishop James Dixon. to the Harris County Department of Education and 500 or 600 there. yes. we want affordable care and the Affordable Care Act to give health care to all Americans. Now. we need to tell the States that you have left out millions of those who could benefit from the expanded Medicaid. I ask Governor Perry of the State of Texas to stop denying the millions of Texans who would be eligible under the expanded Medicaid to have health insurance. Stop denying them health insurance. This is a celebration. More will come. and it is good to know that the work that was done is benefiting Americans.
Date: 2014-04-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. all across America and around the world. the men and women in the United States military serve us and serve us well. Would you wonder whether or not their families back home would be eligible for an increase in the minimum wage? Their families may be bluecollar workers or workers in the service industries. and here they are. willing to sacrifice their lives. and we here in the United States Congress wont raise the minimum wage to $10.10. What an outrage. Even the possible compromise that is percolating around has the audacity to suggest that $7.25 is okay. that we will raise it just a little bit. But you dont understand the facts: $10.10 is over a 3year period. Then today. on the floor of the House. a brilliant idea. H.R. 2575. I believe is the name. This one wants to eliminate the opportunity of those who are working 30 hours a week to get health care. Across the way. in the Budget hearing. the Republican budget is cutting trillions of dollars in social services and Medicaid. Raise the minimum wage. Take the American people off of social needs. social assistance. Stop the tomfoolery of turning this country backwards.
Date: 2014-04-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the distinguished gentleman from New York for his leadership and years of service and his understanding of this issue. I heard his debate on the floor of the House. which would drive many of us as Members of Congress to come and join you because of the literalness and the straightforwardness of your argument. Frankly. I think that is the challenge we have this afternoon. wondering how many Americans even understand what we are doing because it is a numbers game. I have heard the stories of my colleagues. and I am absolutely empathetic. and I am sympathetic. All of us have young people working. single parents working. husband and wife working. Maybe there are two working in a grocery store. I think the problem with this legislation is that we are giving a pass to businesses who. in actuality. we are providing them with an opportunity to provide enhanced benefits to their hardworking workers. This is a threshold question. The Affordable Care Act defined a fulltime job as 30 hours. So it means that if you have 50 employees that are at 30 hours or above. you provide them with health insurance. But let me remind you. it is the Affordable Care Act. That means that these individuals. if you dont provide them. you have the opportunity to get into a pool or you can find insurance that fits that level of 50 workers. This does not apply if you have one worker. it doesnt apply if you have two workers. It is a threshold. So what my friends are telling me is that. if you can afford 50 workers. you are dead broke. Then you have to take that 50th worker and drive him or her into the ground and leave them crawling out of your business at 291/2 or 28 simply because you dont want to do the right thing. That is why this bill is so baffling. In the Rules Committee. I offered two amendments to try to make it better to indicate that commuting time would be included as part of your 40 hours. or that we should delay this bill until we fully appreciate and understand the overall impact of whether or not it. in fact. undermines hardworking Americans who are in hardworking businesses. We are just passing this bill and have no clue as to whether or not this is going to be something that undermines businesses that have 50 employees. Now. this is the backdrop of what they are doing. I even offered the point.
Date: 2014-04-02
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I couldnt agree with you more. There are pockets of this. I just want to leave with one story. A few years ago. we had this one company who was a lensmaker kind of company. It was somebody who had retail stores. and you would go in and get your eyes checked. They would grind lenses and get glasses for you. Usually. they could do it in one stop. in 2 or 3 hours. et cetera. They said: Lets do this in your area. LORETTA. lets hold a health care fair. We had a lot of different types of people offering services. and they said: For the first 400 people who show up. we will have ophthalmologists theremedical eye doctorsand we will take a look and see what is going on with people. If we need to grind lenses. well grind lenses for them and give them free glasses. Because even if you had a health care plan. most people didnt have vision or dental. so people were not buying glasses. They couldnt afford it. I got there at 7:30 in the morning to this health care fair. It started at 8. There were 600 people in line already. so we gave coupons for these people to be able to walk into one of those retail stores and get the service for free. We kept the first 400. One of the young ladies that worked with me stayed all day with one of the doctors. making sure the patients were coming in and out. giving him the things he needed. et cetera. At the end of the day. the doctor turned to her and said: Do you know that 80 percent of the people that we saw today had diabetes or were about to get diabetes? They didnt even know it because one of the first symptoms for diabetes is blurry vision. so these people were thinking they are getting old and their vision is kind of going. but the reality was they were sick. They didnt know it because they did not have health coverage. and. like I said. that is a disease that you can really get rid of or eliminate in your life if you work at it. These people need that knowledge. These people need that ability to walk into the doctor and to get their blood tested and to see what is going on. so that we can tell them: if you dont change what is going on in your life. you are going to be diabetic. By the way. the plans before. if you had diabetes and you had to have your leg chopped off. for example. we would pay for that. You see what I am saying? We wouldnt be paying to let them know you may be getting diabetes or you have diabetes. we would pay after the fact to chop off their legs. Or. if they went blind. we would have them at home because. now. they couldnt work. So it is going to make Americans healthier. When Americans are healthier. they will be more productive. They will have less sick days. It will be good for industry. So I am really thrilled to have voted for the ACA. I am really thrilled. 4 yearsplus now. and that we are seeing it now. at the ground level. with people signed up for plans. and now. we have just got to make sure they go and use these. so that we can get them healthy.
Date: 2014-04-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you. If I could just make one final point. First of all. I am excited about the embracing by new Members like yourself who came out of State legislatures and knew how difficult it was to provide health insurance for our fellow Texans. But the embrace that you are now offering is one that gives us confidence that it will not be repealed. even though this is the 52nd time that it has been offered to repeal. I just want to leave these facts for you as you continue your debate. This is a values question. This is a fairness question. As you stand on the floor right now. the Budget Committee is meeting. with a budget as its underpinning. the underlying bill. that will give millionaires a $200.000 tax cut. and yet we have a bill here on the floor that wants to take the living substance from under the feet of workers working 30 hours a week. that gives them the stability and the confidence that they have health insurance for companies that are 50 and above. 50 persons and above. That is not a small company. I can tell you. I would ask that employer: Are you going to get rid of Mrs. Smith. who has given you 10 years of hard work. and put her at 29 hours because you dont want to give Mrs. Smith health insurance? I think we are on the right side of the issue on this. The Affordable Care Act has helped seniors. it has helped single parents. it has helped individuals with preexisting disease. and it has helped young people who have surged into buying it. We should continue to embrace it and recognize that it has a value and it is going to turn lives. My message to our Governor. if I can end on this note: Governor Perry. it is time to opt into the expanded Medicaid. which is part of the Affordable Care Act. which will give millions of others in the State of Texas their opportunity to benefit from good health carebeing healthy and being able to work. That is our challenge. and I look forward to working with you on these issues.
Date: 2014-04-04
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. look. the gentleman who just spoke mentioned some important examples. If you are a CEO. you want to know when you buy a piece of equipment or capital what the economic dividend is going to be on that. But I go back to the fact. on page 3. our Republican colleagues are asking for information on economic growth impacts of all sorts of things. but they specifically exclude anything that comes out of the Appropriations Committee. It is not a surprise. because the Congressional Budget Office. in its analysis of the Republican budget. says that during the next couple of years it will actually slow down economic growth. In fact. if you look at their proposal. it calls for deep cuts in important investments. CBO says that will have a negative economic impact over the next couple of years. So it is not surprising that they dont want that information provided as part of this analysis. Mr. Chairman. I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois . a member of the Financial Services Committee.
Date: 2014-04-04
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. I keep hearing our Republican colleagues say they want the "complete picture" and "more information is better than less." We agree. This is why it is so interesting. that they specifically exclude information based on bills that come out of the Appropriations Committee that call for investments in our economy and in areas that can help promote job growth. They say they want more information. but their bill says they want it only in one area and not in another. Again. Mr. Chairman. I guess I am not surprised. given the fact that the budget that the Republicans just voted out of the Budget Committee and expect to be on the floor next week makes dramatic. historic cuts to important investments that this country has made in the past. In fact. it is 40 percent below the lowest investments as a share of the economy we have made since the 1950s. This country has been able to compete and has been an economic powerhouse. in part. because of the great investments we have made as a Nation in important areas like science. research. infrastructure. and education. and yet Republicans want to exclude that in this bill. Again. it is not surprising because the Congressional Budget Office. the very entity that they say they want to provide us this analysis. has said. over the next couple of years. their budget is going to slow down the economy and economic growth. in part. because of the deep cuts they make in this one area of budget that they dont want this information about. Surprise. surprise. Mr. Chairman. I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentlelady from the State of Texas .