macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2001-05-09
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman from Iowa (Chairman NUSSLE) for this time. and it is a finejob he has done this year. The Members on the Democratic aisle talked about telling the truth. Let us tell the truth. Last year. Republicans proposed a $373 billion tax cut for the American people. and they did not support it. In fact. the President vetoed it. and they upheld his veto. Then they held the budget up till December. Why? Because they wanted to spend more money. and we did. Shamelessly. we did. And that spending increase alone will cost us $572 billion over 10 years. They had no problem. spending $572 billion of the peoples money. but they could not give those same people the $373 billion tax cut. On average. since 1990. the Federal revenues have grown .1 percent each and every year on average. How many of you at home got a 9.1 percent increase in pay every year since 1990? Nobody I know of. My colleagues on that side of the aisle talk about cutting education. The fact is. read the budget. We are spending 11.5 percent more this year on education than we did last year. How many of you at home got an 11.5 percent increase in pay this year? Nobody I know. Every time we set aside funds. the problem is my colleagues do not want to give them back to the people. They want to spend those dollars. We are paying down 100 percent of the debt that we can pay down over 10 years. We can pay no more than is due. We are saying we are going to set aside 100 percent of the Social Security money. We are going to set an additional $300 billion aside to reform Medicare and prescription drugs. yet my colleagues say we are not dealing with the problem. The problem is they want to feed the cow. We tell the cow owner that he deserves more of the revenue from the milk coming from that cow. The problem is we are never going to agree. The facts are very clear.-They are in the record as far as the tax cut last year. They are in the record as far as the tax cut this year. We can afford it. The American people earned these dollars. They deserve to spend their dollars. We talk about it is for the children. Why do we not let the American family keep more of their hardearned money so they -can provide for their children. They know the needs of their children. We do not.
Date: 2001-05-10
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. today we say goodbye to a great lady of Virginia. my friend Jennifer Byler. a community leader and a dedicated wife and mother. Jennifer and her 9yearold daughter Sarah perished in a tragic boating accident on the Chesapeake Bay this past weekend. The sailboat they were traveling in capsized in high winds and Jennifer. her daughter Sarah. and brother and sisterinlaw John and Nan Curtis were left to the seas for nearly 15 hours. John and Nan are recovering and I thank them. especially John. for his valiant efforts to swim to shore with boat in tow. Jennifer Byler was a dedicated member of the Virginia Board of Education. fighting for the best interests of our children and working to improve public education in our area. She will be sorely missed. In this time of tragedy and loss. my prayers are with Jennifers husband Gary. to her children. Georgia Cate. 7. Emma Grace. 6. and Jonathan Levi. 4. and the great Commonwealth of Virginia for our collective loss.
Date: 2001-05-15
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I rise to pay tribute to what I consider a great American lady. a woman who has witnessed firsthand World War I. the Great Depression. World War H. the invention of television. the microwave. and the World Wide Web. On May 29. Gladys Harrington. who is a real friend of mine. a true pillar of the Plano. Texas community. is celebrating her 100th birthday. She has lived an abundant life. She moved to Plano in the early 1900s when 1.500 people lived there. Today. Plano is home to 230.000 plus and growing. She married Fred Harrington in 1919 in Plano. Texas and gave birth to two sons. Joe Harrington and Conner Harrington. Conner Harrington actually ran for Congress against a Democrat icon. Sam Rayburn. who was a friend of mine as well. She is the proud grandma of four children. Connie. Cynthia. Mary Lou. and Freddy. as well as two great grandchildren. Sage and Emily. It is obvious that she has touched the lives of those around her and blessed everyone with her passion for life and zest for service. As a member of the First Christian Church. she taught Sunday school. led the Christian Women Fellowship and served as a deaconess. In addition. they helped found what is now the Gladys Harrington Library in Plano. What started as a oneroom temporary facility has now blossomed into one of the leading libraries in the area. Mr. Speaker. I may not even be standing here today were it not for the hard work and selfless dedication of my dear friend Gladys. I say that because Gladys helped me run my first campaign for Congress in 1991 and every time thereafter. Every Republican knows that one cannot do anything Republican in Texas without Gladys Harrington. She has volunteered countless hours of her time and.dollars to help the party rise to the best that it is today. Think about it. Every Statewide office in Texas is now Republican. The Texan in the White House is even a. Republican. too. and Gladys helped him as well. Gladys helped lay the essential groundwork for the grassroots efforts for this amazing fete. She has mobilized ground troops. attended conventions. paid her dues and then some. In addition to giving her time to the Republican Party. she gives so much to those around her. In fact. she continues to go to a book club and to the Plano Chamber Orchestra. She keeps scrapbooking. detailing the many years behind her and saving room for more to come. I I think America needs more good people like Gladys Harrington. She is a great American in my view. and I am proud to know her. I just want to wish Gladys a happy birthday. Plano would not be the same without Gladys.
Date: 2001-05-16
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Chairman. once again we see the proabortion advocates attempting to override the reinstatement of the Mexico City policy by attempting to paint this policy as antifamily. Yet their objections to this policy have nothing to do with families. This current attempt to repeal President Bushs executive order banning U.S. Government aid for U.S. and foreign contraception groups that perform abortions overseas is another disturbing sign of the proabortion movements contempt for the vast majority of Americans who oppose the spending of their tax dollars on abortions. The Presidents executive order protects the desires of millions of Americans who ethically and morally oppose Federal funding of. abortion. The current misconceptionbeing spread that the Mexico City policy hurts family planning efforts overseas is simply not true. By withholding funds from groups that violate the Mexico City policy. the U.S. does not reduce the amount of foreign family assistance. In fact. the H2192 co Mexico City policy increases family planning. From 1984 to 1993. when* the Mexico City policy was in effect. U.S. family planning spending increased dramatically. This year. funding for U.S. international family planning is budgeted at $425 million. and reimplementation of the Mexico City policy will not reduce this. The only change that will take place under the Mexico City policy is that funding will be provided through representatives who are not in the abortion business. Mr. Chairman. abortion is not needed for family planning. and we must respect the views of millions of Americans who do not want their tax dollars spent overseas to promote abortion. The Mexico City policy continues family planning funding while respecting the views of millions who cherish life and oppose abortion.
Date: 2001-05-16
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. the base bill provides a tax cut to people who pay income taxes. The problem is the Federal Government is collecting too much in income taxes. I think the gentleman from New York knows that. The solution is to let the taxpayers keep more of their income rather than sending it to Washington. Providing money to really lowincome individuals who do not earn enough money to pay income taxes is not a tax cut. It is simply an excuse for those who do not want tax cuts to spend more money. When President Clinton and every Democrat voted to pass the largest tax increase in history. they voted to punish hard work. penalize success and tax the American dream. They believed then and still believe now if you work hard and become successful. the government is entitled to over 40 percent of your income. That is just wrong. Today with this vote. Republicans are saying if you work hard. you get to kee5 more of your money. I honestly believe if you ask any American. they would agree that the government does not deserve to keep more than onethird of a taxpayers hardearfed money. The budget surplus we currently enjoy was created because Americans pay too much in taxes. It is a tax surplus. This substitute does not want to give it back to you. The government did not create the surplus. and I do not think the government deserves to keep it. Every Member should remember this money belongs to the people. If they vote for any substitute. they will deny every American who pays taxes from getting their own money back. Americans want. need. and deserve a tax break. They deserve tax relief because that is what America is all about.
Date: 2001-05-17
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 622. the Hope for Children Act. In the past quarter century. the number of children in foster care has grown much faster than the number of children adopted. Yet. despite the large number of children of adoptable age. the adoption rate is still significantly low. A primary reason for this is the costs of adoption which can require a family to spend. as my colleagues have heard. up to $30.000 to provide a child with a home. The average American family just ddes not have this kind of money. The Hope for Children Act seeks to remedy this problem by increasing the adoption tax credit to $10.000. There are more people who want to adopt than there are children who are eligible for adoption. This essential legislation will allow more children to be adopted by loving families who so desperately want them. These children deserve to be loved and deserve to be wanted. We need to help these families be joined together. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to vote for the Hope for Children Act.
Date: 2001-05-21
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 109. honoring the services and sacrifices of the United States Merchant Marine. At a time when America prepares to honor the men and women who have served their country in the armed forces. it is with great pride that I take this opportunity to recognize the United States Merchant Marine for their contribution to a grateful nation. Madam Speaker. the U.S. Merchant Marine has been critical to our military success dating back to the Revolutionary War. It served as the nations first navy when we defeated the British Navy. helping to secure our independence. During World War II. the merchant marine fleet provided critical logistical support to the armed forces by transporting equipment. supplies. and personnel in support of the war effort. And today. as we face the challenges of an everchanging world. the United States continues to rely on the merchant marine and the vital role it plays to ensure we remain ready to respond to any emergency threatening our national security. � Madam Speaker. as I stand here today. the men and women of the merchant marine continue to prepare for the next time the nation calls. They have been entrusted to continue the legacy of those who have sailed the seas before them. Their role in transporting goods and services is the critical link required to support a global economy. It has been instrumental in securing the prosperity our nation enjoys today. And. at the same time. as the merchant marine makes such tremendous contributions to our nations prosperity. they continue to strengthen their skills and remain ready to flex what President Roosevelt called the "Forth Arm of Defense" in time of crisis. Madam Speaker. as we approach this Memorial Day weekend. it is a privilege for me to honor and thank the men and women of the United States Merchant Marine. Their efforts and dedication have contributed to our nation from the beginning and they continue to be an important element in Americas ability to maintain peace through strength. I urge support for House Concurrent Resolution 109 and encourage a "yes" vote.
Date: 2001-05-21
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Madam Speaker. I rise to support H.R. 1885. a bill which will expand the class of beneficiaries who may apply for adjustment of status under section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act by extending the deadline for classification petition and labor certification filings. H.R. 1885 will allow immigrants to apply for legal residence while remaining in the United States. four months from the date of enactment of this legislation. This extension is consistent with the LegalImmigration Family Equity (LIFE) Acts intention to provide a small windowwhich has been cut short due to administrative problemsto permit aliensto adjust their status. Immigrants may qualify if they have been in the United States since December 21. 2000. I believe this legislation is fair and equitable because it does not encourage illegal immigration or punish those who are presently waiting to enter the United States legally. In addition. H.R. 1885 requires that the family relationship or employment exists by April 30. 2001 to discourage the possibility of false marriages by illegal immigrants. Furthermore. H.R. 1885 will assist only the group of immigrants eligible by the April 30th date. but failed to meet the deadline. This is an important adjustment to the law because Section 245(i) allows prospective family and employment based immigrants to adjust their status to that of permanent resident while remaining in the United States. rather than requiring them to return to their home country to obtain an immigrant visa. I believe that failing to extend the 245(i) provision would burden American families and businesses. effectively splitting families apart and placing business projects on hold for an inordinate and undue amount of time. This is not in Americas best interest. I. therefore. encourage Members from both sides of the aisle to support this fair and equitable adjustment to present immigration law.
Date: 2001-05-22
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. yesterday on rollcall vote 127 I was electronically recorded as voting "yes" on H.R. 1885. I intended to vote "no."
Date: 2001-05-24
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in observance of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday to pay tribute to the men and women of. the U.S. armed services. For the past 226 years. our military forces have repeatedly answered the Nations call to protect the freedom we all cherish today. During our Nations formative years. brave Americans fought to win freedorfi for all. World Wars I and II. Korea. Vietnam and the Persian Gulf saw new generations of dedicated men and women fight to preserve the hardearned freedom for our Nation and our allies abroad. Today Americans around the world enjoy the security that comes from knowing their freedom is protected by those currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Mr. Speaker. it is with great. pride that I stand and recognize the honor.* courage and commitment that has defined the men and women of our Nations Armed Forces and to thank those who sacrificed their lives to ensure that future generations may enjoy the blessings of freedom.
Date: 2001-05-25
Speaker: LINDY L. PAULL (republican)
Chamber: H

Chief of Staff. Joint Committee on Taxation. Washington. DC. DEAR MS. PAULL: Enclosed are the combined comments of the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department on the provisions of the conference agreement on the "Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act." Our comments are based on the description of these provisions contained in a brief summary of the conference agreement prepared by the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation. Due to the short turnaround time. our comments are necessarily provisional. Sincerely. CHARLES 0. Rossor. Enclosure.
Date: 2001-06-06
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to remind our citizens of the sacrifices made by our soldiers on June 6. 1944. DDay. Mr. Speaker. on that day the war in Europe reached a dramatic turning point. The Americans and British invaded France from the air and sea. They brought with them a respect for the law. human rights. and democracy. Only through their. sacrifice was France and later Europe freed from the grips of an evil tyrant. Mr. Speaker. it is a fitting tribute on the eve of DDays 57th anniversary that the President signed The Veterans Opportunities Act of 2001. I was honored to have my language included from H.R. 1015 to retroactively increase the maximum benefit for SGLI coverage. and I am grateful that on this day when so many soldiers gave their lives to secure freedom for Europe. that we were able to help the families of those killed in tragic accidents. Mr. Speaker. this would not have been possible without the critical support of the gentleman from New Jersey
Date: 2001-06-06
Speaker: GARY MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. just by looking around us at our homes. our offices. our roads and our local infrastructure. we can see that construction has an important impact on our lives. Members of Congress and the public need to better understand the tremendous contribution the construction industry makes to our Nations economy. The value of construction put in place in theUnited States for the year 2000 was over $800 billion. about 8.25 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. Because construction is such an important part of our everyday lives and to bring a proconstruction perspective to Congress. I believed it was necessary to start the Building a Better America Caucus. The purpose of the caucus is to educate Members of Congress and staff on buildingrelated issues that impact our districts and our constituents. from affordable housing to airport construction. to increasing access to training in the construction trades. I urge all of my colleagues to support our Nations builders by joining the Building a Better America Caucus.
Date: 2001-06-07
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Madam Speaker. when the gentleman from Florida talks about sometimes it looks like you are just feeling like you are just running errands. that is what we feel some days as Members going back and forth as well. I just wanted to say congratulations and thank you for a job well done over these past few months. I was a page up here from 1963 to 1967. In those days. you could stay more than 1 year. and I stayed for my complete tenure during .high school. The day after 8th grade I started. and the day before I went to college I finished. It paid pretty well in those days. You could live at home. and my family was right across the river in Northern Virginia. But you learn a lot of things. One is to try to bring some balance to a very busy life. and I hope you have learned something about time management with this. This may confront you throughout your life. in college. in your careers. If you can just take away from here that understanding of how important it is to organize and get things done. it is going to put you in great stead as you move through life. I hope you have a great appreciation and love of for this institution. which is what I had when I left. Whether you decide to go into politics or decide to be a refrigerator repairman. it does not make any difference as long as you understand the complexities of government. understand what Members face. what the staffs face and how the system works. it will give you this appreciation. will make you a better citizen. Maybe it will inspire some of you. from what.the gentleman from Florida
Date: 2001-06-07
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. let me say to the gentleman from Kansas. I appreciate his being here today. For Alan and his family and all of his supporters in the South Lakes community and across the country. we join in this tribute today. - 1415
Date: 2001-06-12
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of the recent Supreme .Court ruling allowing the religious youth group. the Good News- Club in Upstate New York. to conduct afterschool meetings with children to pray and read the Bible. The Supreme Court ruled that the Good News Club has every right to enjoy the same privileges as other groups such as the Boy and Girl Scouts that take part in the school districts policy of allowing community use of its buildings after class for social. civic and recreational meetings. Mr. Speaker. as a Member of Congress. a person of faith and a parent. the fact that it takes the highest court in the land to realize that the concept of separation of church and State does not warrant the blatant disregard of the First Amendment disturbs me. The First Amendment requires the freedom of religion. not the freedom from religion. In a time of moral deprivation. we should embrace our young peoples desires to study religion. not discourage them through actions deemed antireligious.
Date: 2001-06-13
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in recognition of a group of students from Virginias First District who recently set international standards in demonstration of their creative problemsolving skills. Earlier this month. representatives from Poquoson High School joined with fellow students from around the globe to compete for international prestige in a contest of ingenuity. In exercising their talents. these Virginia students not only captured a first place world ranking. but also set a world record through their success at the Odyssey of the Minds World Coinpetition. In their rise to confront challenge. Mr. Speaker. these students demonstrated their ability to think critically. to work cooperatively. and to overcome obstacles. Their vigor and success distinguishes our education system in its ability tb cultivate the talents of our youth. In this. it is my desire that these accomplishments of these students be recognized and thus be a testament to the positive role of education in preparing students as emerging leaders.
Date: 2001-06-13
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I am glad he talked about tax relief. because that is what I want to emphasize. too. Thanks to President George W. Bush. for those who paid taxes for the year 2000. the check is in the mail. Taxpayers are likely to receive a $300 check in the mail if they are single. a $500 check if they are a single parent. -and a $600 check if they are married. No one has to even fill out forms. or file anything. They just have to check their mailbox this summer. Depending on the last two digits of an individuals Social Security number. they could have that money in their pocket as early as July 23. Anyone wishing to find out should check www.samjohnson.house.gov. to learn when they will receive their rebate. Mr. Speaker. Americans are overtaxed. They are overtaxed. and they deserve a rebate.