macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker.� I rise today to pay tribute to women by supporting the goals of International Womens Day. As a woman. I recognize and honor all the -women who have fought and struggled for the equality of women. Women from all parts of the world are divided by ethnic. linguistic. cultural. economic and political differences. This day will allow for the differences to be overshadowed by the similarities. This day will enable them to look back to a tradition that represents decades of struggle for equality. justice. peace. and development. International Womens Day recognizes the importance of securing peace and allowing social progress by identifying the rights of women to equal opportunity and freedom. Women are being given the opportunity to participate in the workforce and contribute to international peace and security. this is an extraordinary advancement. As Members of Congress. we need to reaffirm the commitment of ending discrimination and violence against women and girls. We must continue to encourage the President to affirm his commitment to pursue policies to protect human rights and civil liberties. Madam Speaker. the key fact remains: women themselves have the right to live in dignity. Let us rededicate ourselves to making that a reality by honoring International Womens Day. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of International Womens Day.
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of this legislation to name the Department of Education Building in honor of President Lyndon B. Johnson. President Johnson believed that everyone should have the right to a free and adequate education regardless of their gender. race or economic status. President Johnson fought for opportunity and access for all Americans. and I can truly think of no one better person for whom to name the Department of Education building. President Johnsons first job was as a Texas elementary school teacher and principal at a segregated school attended by only MexicanAmericans. He held that experience with him. and continually fought for education and equality for all Americans. President Johnson recognized that education meant opportunity for millions of Americans who would otherwise never be able to achieve the American dream. The strides made for educaional equality and fairness under the Johnson administration were truly remarkable. Under President Johnson. we adopted many landmark education policies including the Early and Secondary Education Act of 1965. the National Endowment for the Arts. the National Endowment for Humanities. and the Higher Education Act of 1965. Perhaps no other President has ever overseen so many pioneering changes to the way that we educate our Nations children. I- fully support Congressman GENE GREENS effort to name the U.S. Department of Education building in honor of President Lyndon B. Johnson. and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this legislation.
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the life of Leo McCarthy. former Lieutenant Governor of California. who passed away last month after a long illness due to a kidney ailment. Born in New Zealand. Leo began his lifetime of public service for his adopted country as a member the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command in the Korean War. His political service began in 1963 when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. and later to the California Assembly. where he had the honor and distinction of serving as speaker from 1974 to 1980. In 1982 he was elected Lieutenant Govemora position he held until 1994. Leos dedication to his community was clear from the diversity of issues on which he worked: from assisting welfare recipients. to increasing breast cancer awareness. to finding ways to stop toxic contamination. He also worked to promote tolerance by establishing the Lieutenant Governors Commission on the Prevention of Hate Violence. After leaving the political field. Leo continued to serve the community by founding the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San Francisco. This Center. where young men and women can learn and be inspired to pursue a life and career of ethical public service. is a fitting legacy for a man whose life was devbted to serving the community. Leo McCarthy is survived by his wife. Jacqueline. their four children and eleven grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Date: 2007-03-06
Speaker: PATRICK J. MURPHY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Penn

sylvania. Thank you. Congressman Ross. I will make sure that when my wife and I retire today we will pray for your brotherinlaw over in the Middle East. He is one of our heroes. and we are proud of his service to the country. I rise today to bring an end to the pattern of systemic neglect from the White House. Last November. American families sent Democrats to Congress to bring about change. There are now 49 new Members in the House of Representatives. Five of those Members are veterans. Of those five. I am proud to say they are all Democrats. I am also proud to say that three of the five are from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Admiral SESTAK. Commander CARNEY. and myself. Change from the neglect our military veterans are currently experiencing. as they try to get the health care they deserve. Americans have seen now the past few days what is going on in Walter Reed. It is our opinion that this is criminal neglect. But when the people voted for change in November. they voted to change from the strategy in Iraq that has American troops refereeing a civil war while too many Iraqis sit on the sidelines. and a change in the way we pay for the war in Iraq. The American taxpayers have spent more than $400 billion in Iraq. If they were to see an invoice. just one invoice. taxpayers would see the widespread waste. fraud. and abuse. And that is why. as Blue Dogs. we stood together with the Iraqi Accountability Act. Fiftyeight Members of Congress agreed to this act. Congressmen ALLEN.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Today. the House will consider the first of three bills reported from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that seek to improve overall water quality of this Nation. The first bill is H.R. 569. the Water Quality Investment Act of 2007. sponsored by a former committee colleague.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to this amendment offered by the gentleman from Georgia . The amendment confuses the issue of authorization of appropriations and actual funding of these programs through the appropriations proQess. This amendment would require that any authorization of appropriations be considered with the corresponding offset. regardless of whether the program ever receives any funding. In the example of the sewer overflows grant program. we are considering today a program that I remind my colleagues has never been funded through the appropriations process. This amendment would require the identification of $1.45 billion over the next 5 years in offsets- regardless of whether appropriations are ever enacted in this program. During the first few days of the legislative session. the new Democratic majority renewed PAYGO rules to require the identification of offsets of any changes in mandatory spending by legislative initiatives. This important provision expired under the Republican control of the House with no attempt to restore these protections to the Federal budgetary process. As the gentleman is well aware. in the first days of the 110th Congress. the Democratic majority reinstituted PAYGO rules that requires the offsets in Federal receipts resulting from legislative proposals. This bill has no effect on direct spending. In its analysis of the bill. the Congressional. Budget Office specifically stated enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts. However. to require offsets for any authorization of appropriations. regardless of its impact on Federal receipts. is beyond the scope of PAYGO and an appropriate limitation of the ability of Congress to address the needs of the Nation. I oppose this amendment. Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I raise a point of order against this amendment. The amendment imposes conditions for receipt of these funds that are unrelated to the underlying bill. Specifically. the amendment requires contractors to participate in the employment eligibility verification pilot program of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. The amendment is not germane to H.R. 569 and violates clause 7 of rule XVI of the Rules of the House.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 569.-
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Thank you. You have mentioned Walter Reed several times and- conditions at other facilities as well. I have information from the Washington Post that I would like to share to substantiate much of what you have just said. and I think that it bears reading because I want to make sure that I quote the Washington Post accurately. This is from February 18. 2007: . "Behind the door of Army Specialist Jeremy Duncans room. part of the wall is torn and hangs in the -air. weighted down by -what the gentlelady called to our attention just a moment ago-"black mold." Black mold weighing the door down to the extent that it is being pulled apart from the wall. "When the wounded combat engineer." it goes on to read. "stands in his shower and looks up. he can see the" bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole." Now. this is hardly what we would expect to find in a hospital.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

If I may. I agree with the gentlelady. What I am saying. I suppose. is the Walter Reed complex. building 18 is a part of the hospital complex.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

The point is that. on the facility that Walter Reed claims as a part of it. building 18. the infamous building 18. we have these substandard conditions. These conditions are conditions that we wpuld hardly expect to find at a facility that is treating wounded persons. patients. persons who. quite frankly. can become ill because of the conditions that they have to exist in while they are recuperating from their war injuries. These are the kinds of conditions I think the Washington Post. and I thank the Washington Post for doing this. but I think that the Washington Post has done our country a great service by calling them to our attention. I would .also mention this. if I may. before I yield back. My heart was really torn when I saw persons giving their testimony at the various hearings that took place. I was very much hurt and had tears literally. well in my eyes when I saw one of the family members testifying about how a relative was treated. And then to hear soldiers talk about what they had to go through. the enormous amount of red tape. before they could be served. These kinds of conditions in the hospital as well as the conditions that are a prelude to entry into the hospital make it very difficult for our soldiers to appreciate the promise that we made to them. the promise to provide for them if they provided for us. If they made it possible for us to be secure. we made a promise to them to provide for them. It was very heartwrenching to see the kinds of conditions. to hear the kinds of conditions. if you will. talked about with reference to our soldiers. I am hopeful that these conditions will change. They have got to change. And they have got to change right away. I know that the gentlelady has other conditions that she would like to talk about. and I have other charts that I will be sharing as well. I will yield to the gentlelady.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

And I would gladly support the gentlewomans legislation. I will tell you. I talked earlier about the shot heard around the world. When it was stated that Walter Reed would be closed. that was the shock heard around the World. I think that that. probably -of all of the closures that were to take place and are to take place. I think that one probably penetrated to the very heart and core of what a military service for veterans is all about.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Absolutely. And the bipartisan support for this is manifesting itself. I have noticed that partisanship. while it still exists. partisanship is not hopefully going to stand in the way of taking care of our veterans. It is my hope that. as we look at these conditions and we recognize What is happening to our veterans as a.result of being in these horrendous conditions. to be quite candid. that we will put aside the partisanship and we will do what we need to do to rebuild. reconstruct Walter Reed. You mentioned the closure of it at an inopportune time. Clearly. �while we are in a war. when our military hospitals and eenters are most needed. we should not. we should not close the crown jewel. That sends a bad signal to people around the world as well when they hear that what is considered to be our top military medical facility is going to close. So I am completely with the lady. I support what she proposes to do. And I would also add this. We are about to spend in Baghdad to construct a facility there. which is beyond the reach of this country in the sense that most Americans will never use it. and we are going to spend millions. untold millions there because we have cost overruns. We just dont know what we are running into as we are doing this. it seems. And it would seem to me that we can direct some of these dollars. make sure these dollars are used pru.dently and judicially. But there can be dollars spent here for our veterans who are returning home who are going to need the best medical attention that the world can provide. And as further evidence. if I may. of what is happening at Walter Reed as the gentlewoman has explained in terms that are quite clear. in the infamous building 18. which is a part of the complex. a part of the complex. I have another quote here from the Washington Post. and this one speaks of life in building 18. It talks about how it is the bleakest homecoming for men and women whose government promised them. and we made a promise to our soldiers. we promised them. we committed to them that: If you go and defend the country. you go to war. put yourself in harms way. if you will put yourself in harms way and defend this country. we will take care of you when you return. And this is from February 18. 2007. According to the Washington Post. this promise of good care in return for their sacrifices. they returned home to the bleakest home coming that the government could have provided given that this promise was made. I am going to yield to another colleague who has joined us. But it also goes on to say that. and this is a quote: "I hate it." said a soldier. who stays in his room all day. "There are cockroaches." This is for our veterans. "Cockroaches. The elevator doesnt work. The garage door doesnt work. Sometimes there is no heat and no water." No heat and no water in a facility for our veterans. I think it is appropriate to get a response from the gentleman from Wisconsin. Mr. STEVE KAGEN. if he would care to add to this discussion.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

And if the gentleman would yield one moment. I might also add that the gentleman is a medical doctor and is imminently qualified to talk about issues of care for our soldiers.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

The gentleman makes an excellent point. Because ultimately people make decisions. and somewhere along the way. conditions that merited attention were not dutifully attended to.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

And I might add also. in terms of covering their backs when they come home. that these medical facilities. not just Walter Reed but others. are experiencing some concerns that we have to talk about as well. which can be a great segue into this Washington Post cbmment from March 5 of 2007. This one reads that "the mold. mice and rot of Walter Reeds Building 18 compose a familiar scenario of many soldiers back from Iraq or Afghanistan. Soldiers and veterans at other facilities report bureaucratic disarray similar to Walter Reeds indifferent. untrained staff. lost paperwork. medical appointments that drop from the computers. and long waits for consultations." Now that kind of treatment is something that cannot continue. The bricks and mortar. we have to deal with. and I believe we can deal with that. But we also have to make sure that the computers work. We have got to make sure that persons hav6 adequate staffing available to them at hospitals so that they can receive the kind of attention that they merit and deserve. This problem is systemic. as the gentlelady explained. and I think that we have to take a systemic approach to dealing with it. If we only focus on Walter Reed. then I think we miss something inhportant. an opportunity to look at the entirety of what we are confronting and to take corrective action- not for one circumstance but for all circumstances that we find ourselves confronting at this time. Lets not let any aspect of this escape. While we are dealing with it. lets deal with it in its entirety. And I would yield to the gentlelady.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

If I could. before you yield to the gentleman. let me just say this. We have had another person to join us. and I think it appropriate that we announce the presence of the subcommittee Chair. on Oversight and Investigations. and I am confident that he will have much that- he is going to share with us. I just want the Members to know that he is with us tonight. and that would be the Honorable Harry Mitchell. who is from the great State of Arizona. And because he is the Chair of the subcommittee. I feel it my duty to yield to him at this time. after which we will continue. Mr. Chairman.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for taking the time to come to the floor. Your leadership is invaluable on this type of concern. We want the country to know that you will be there for our veterans. and we are going to make sure that it is fixed. We have a shortterm solution. but we have to also have a longterm vision. and I greatly appreciate your taking the time. I yield back to the chairman.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for his observations. And I think that we are very fortunate that your State of Wisconsin has sent you here with the vision that you have. And I believe that you are going to be a very valuable Member of this House. The contributions that you have already made have made a difference. and we thank you for your presence. I will now yield again to the gentlewoman because I know that. given she is from the District of Columbia and Walter Reed is in her district. that she has some additional points to make.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Absolutely. And such that they can see it immediately. if not sooner. because you really dont. need a commission to kill roaches. You really dont need a commission to go over and take care of a mold problem. You dont need a commission to repair doors. to make sure that the water runs and that it is hot. You dont need a commission to do the little things that make a big difference in the life of a patient in a hospital. So it would seem to me. and I commend the President for appointing the commission. that while commissions have their role. there are things that can be done immediately that they can see such that they will have confidence that the committee is going to do its work because right now there probably is a failure of confidence in what the commission may ultimately conclude because we live in a world where it is not enough for things to be right. they must also look right. And it doesnt look right to have a commission studying a problem when roaches are running across the floor. So we ought to get in there as quickly as possible and allow the people who can do these little things that make a big difference in a persons. life. give them the opportunity to make some change. immediate change. that the patient can see. I think that this infamous building 18 is one that can receive the kind of attention that these soldiers. these veterans. will appreciate immediately. They shouldnt have to look through walls and see bathtubs above them. They shouldnt have to cope with the conditions of mold that can. in and of itself. become another problem for them. So I am hopeful that we will see some immediate change right away. And I believe that the chairman is still with us. and I would like to have the chair give his response to what we are talking about with reference to immediate change.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I know each speaker will have some closing comments to make. If I may. I will start with the medical doctor. the firstterm Congressperson who has already made a difference by being here and who has shared an infinite amount of intelligence with us. I yield to the gentleman to please give closing comments so we can hear from the other speakers as well.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I yield to the gentlelady from the District of Columbia. .who has been a real fighter for veterans in this Congress.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentlelady for her vision as well. Let me close by saying this to my colleagues and friends: we are not talking about what we call a Third World country when we talk about Walter Reed and the facilities. We are talking about the richest country in the world. a country where we can spend $177 million per day on the war. and that was prior to January of this year. Now we spend over $200 million. not per year. not per month. not per week. but per day on the war. A country where one out of every 110 persons is a millionaire. In this. the richest country in the world. where our soldiers and our veterans have made it possible for us to have these riches. these liberties. I think that we have to provide better services for them before. during. and after any injury that they may receive. So I am honored that we had the time tonight. I want to thank the Speaker for allowing us to have this time tonight.
Date: 2007-03-07
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and inelude extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order earlier tonight.
Date: 2007-03-08
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 700.