macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Let me thank my good friend from Colorado. and I will agree with you that this underlying bill is not a bill about billionaires and millionaires. I am delighted to rise now and support H.R. 4783. which has been amended by the Senate. And I will tell you that this bill is not an entitlement. It is a bill that was earned by the sweat and tears and the loss of land and the death of many who stood for the empowerment on the basis of the ownership of land that would generate a legacy for those who happened to be Native Americans and. as well. justice for those who happened to be African Americans. Im delighted that we have come to a conclusion on the Cobell settlement and the Pigford settlementone dealing with the trust lands of Native Americans. and the other dealing with the inequities in the Department of Agriculture dealing with black farmers. This is the work of the Agriculture Committee. and its the work of the Judiciary Committee. the Department of Justice. and President Obamas administration. How many of you have stood alongside of farmers who have had tears in their eyes because the only thing they wanted to do is to till the soil and to produce for the American people? This has happened across America. The name of Shirley Sherrod. who attempted in her new appointment to make sure that all farmers were included as related to the resources of the Department of Agriculture. How many of you have heard of stories where one farmer would get a small pittance of a loan and another farmer would not just because of the color of their skin. and it would result in a bankruptcy. a loss of land? America is a place of equality. And so to the Apache Tribe. the Crow Tribe. the Taos Pueblo Tribe dealing with water rights. legitimate issues addressing native lands have now been resolved. This is not a handout. The courts determined that the Native Americans prevailed. and they determined over 2 or 3 years ago that the black farmers prevailed as well. There was an inequity in addressing the question of treatment under the Department of Agriculture. So who are we as a Nation? We are proud Americans who have been able to produce our own food. That has been one of the elements of our greatness. These farmers simply wanted to do what was right by America. and they were not allowed to do so. And with respect to Native American lands and the trust of dealing with. specifically. water rights. these were lands owned and designated historically by law. but they were not treated right and we have now addressed that question. This legislation is paid for. So I support the rule and the underlying bill. But I dont want my colleagues to rise mistakenly to the floor and suggest that we are handing out dollars. that we are not paying for dollars. that we are not being fiscally responsible. We are. And I ask my colleagues to support this. Justice finally has arrived. and it is time for us to accept the call to justice and provide for those who simply want to provide for the American people in their own way. Thank you for this settlement for black farmers and Native Americans.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise enthusiastically to support the PigfordCobell settlement. and ask that we continue to seek justice for those who have been denied it.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this legislation that will make amends to thousands of African American famers and Native Americans. and bring a longdelayed close to the serious cases of discrimination and mismanagement committed by the Federal government. The Claims Resolution Act provides funding to implement the settlements of both the Pigford and Cobell class action lawsuits in a budget neutral manner. The Pigford case involved past discrimination committed against black farmers by the Department of Agriculture while in the Cobell case. the Department of the Interior mismanaged Native American trust funds. With this legislation. it is time to provide long overdue justice and uphold the Federal governments responsibility of the settlements. Mr. Speaker. we are one step closer to providing African American farmers and Native Americans compensation for the past failures of the Federal government. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and support this legislation so that it can be sent to the Presidents desk for his signature.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of H.R. 4783. the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. When I first entered the Congress in 1993 this issue was at the top of my legislative agenda. Throughout my tenure in Congress. I have been committed to bring justice to black farmers who were discriminated against by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fairness has long been overdue for black farmers who were blatantly denied access to lowinterest loans and farm subsidies by the government. As a longstanding advocate of this issue. I am particularly pleased to see this bill up for consideration today. Mr. Speaker. it has been over a decade now we have been fighting for integrity and righteousness for black farmers who were unfairly discriminated against by the United States government in what is otherwise known as the "Pigford case". Resolving cases of discrimination and injustice should be a top priority for this country. As Dr. Martin Luther King famously said. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." The evidence of discrimination in Pigford is clear and reminds us to remain vigilant against acts of racism which have unduly hurt so many hardworking families. When black farmers did receive loans. they were often at a rate higher than those offered to white farmers. Equipment grants and subsidies often came too late and without explanation. as farming is an extremely time sensitive endeavor. Aside from justice. this money also will be going to some of the poorest counties in this country who are the most in need. Although this payment is not enough to save all of the black farmers now in jeopardy of losing their family land. it will help some survive and at least be partially compensated for the discrimination they faced. The 2007 Census of Agriculture reveals in my state of Texas. there are 6.124 Black principal farm operators. the largest number in any state. Mr. Speaker. my community will stand ready for justice for these unconscionable actions of discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation not only to bring justice to those who faced years of unwarranted discrimination. but to provide for those who work tirelessly everyday to provide much needed goods for this country.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. earlier today. I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote No. 585. on H. Res. 1585. Had I been present. I would have proudly voted "yea" in support of this important resolution honoring the men and women serving at Travis Air Force Base.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H. Res. 1638. a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National GEAR UP Day. Since 1998. the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) have been serving thousands of atrisk students in entering into and succeeding in postsecondary education.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise as an original sponsor of H. Con. Res. 323. a bipartisan resolution conceived with the purpose of ensuring that all Holocaust survivors in the United States are able to live with dignity. comfort. and security in their remaining years. During the Holocaust. an estimated 6.000.000 Jews and other targeted groups were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. Approximately 96.000 Holocaust survivors were admitted to the United States immediately after the war. Another 100.000 Holocaust survivors were admitted after 1952. Today. approximately 127.000 Holocaust survivors live in the United States. The majority of Holocaust survivors are at least 65 years old and approximately twothirds of them are elderly women. Many of them face the risk of isolation and financial insecurity. Holocaust survivors are 5 times more likely to be living below the poverty line than other older people living in the United States. They are more reliant on social service programs and most of them live alone. Living alone puts these survivors at increased risk of institutionalization. While institutionalized settings are beneficial for some older people. institutionalization has a disproportionate adverse effect on Holocaust survivors by reintroducing sights. sounds. and routines that are reminiscent of their experiences during the Holocaust. This bill encourages the Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. in conjunction with the Administration on Aging. to provide Holocaust survivors with needed social services through existing programs. The bill also urges the Administration to expeditiously develop and implement programs that ensure Holocaust survivors are able to live their remaining years in place in their communities. Mr. Speaker. the United States is a nation that values freedom. liberty. and justice. As such. we are morally obligated to acknowledge the plight and encourage the dignity of our citizens. such as survivors of the Holocaust. who have suffered and who are in need. I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I am an original cosponsor of the House companion to the bill we are considering today. I appreciate the leadership shown by Congresswoman ESHOO. who introduced the CALM Act and moved it through our committee and saw it passed by voice vote on the floor late last year. I am pleased we have the opportunity to consider these measures once again. because I believe it is important to set some boundaries for reasonable practices for television advertisements. Perhaps only during the Super Bowl do Americans actually look forward to television commercials. The rest of the time. most of us are mildly inconvenienced but understand that this short time spent watching ads allows for the programming we enjoy. What has become increasingly prevalent and extremely disruptive is the distinctly higher volume of sound of these commercials compared with the volume of the programming. There is a significant difference and it interferes with the viewers ability to enjoy the experience. This bill will effectively end this discrepancy in volume. I believe that this is reasonable regulation and preserves the viewers ability to control their own electronic devices without wildly fluctuating sound. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

who all worked to bring this important measure to the floor. As many of you know. the four of us joined together this May to form the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Homelessness. As part of that effort. we aim to raise awareness about the importance of preventing and ending homelessness in our country through efforts such as the resolution before us today. I would strongly encourage any Member who hasnt already done so to consider joining this important new caucus. Following our initial launch. we held a successful briefing in October to discuss ending veterans homelessness. During the 112th Congress. we hope to hold similar forums to facilitate exchanges among interested stakeholders to raise national attention and discuss solutions to the challenges facing homeless families. veterans. and especially children and youth. Today. with this concurrent resolution. we bring to the attention of our colleagues one of the most tragic realities that too often goes unnoticed among homeless Americans. the loss of life. Each year. the National Coalition for the Homeless organizes memorial events on the first day of winter to recognize those Americans who have passed away. Last year. over 150 cities held events to honor those homeless children and adults who died. many without any family. friends or loved ones being given a chance to bear witness to their final moments or to mourn their loss. While homeless individuals too often die in anonymity. their lives each held meaning. purpose and value. This resolution is an opportunity to recognize that fact and reflect on the lives that have been lost. This winter in the Chicago area. church officials and members. homeless providers. volunteers. government officials. and others will gather on National Homeless Persons Memorial Day. In my home district. DuPage Public Action to Deliver Shelter. or DuPage PADS. will host an event to recognize the lives of six homeless people in DuPage County who passed away in 2010. In the City of Chicago. where an estimated 25 homeless people have passed away this year. the Ignatian Spirituality Project will sponsor a memorial service at St. Patricks Church. Whether in public or in prayer. I encourage my colleagues in Congress as well as Americans across our great country to take a moment during this holiday season to remember our homeless neighbors who have passed on. I also encourage every American to join together at local events this winter as we continue our national campaign to prevent and end homelessness. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
Date: 2010-11-30
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I stand before you in support of H.R. 5953. "to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to display in each facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs a Women Veterans Bill of Rights." I would like to begin by thanking my colleague. Representative FILNER for introducing H.R. 5953 in the House. I urge my colleagues to also support this noble resolution as it reaffirms the importance of gender equality within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill recognizes the absolute importance of equity between men and women veterans. as they have both equally sacrificed for our great Nation. As patriotic Americans. in return. we must honor and respect these heroes. Womens contribution to our armed forces has a long tradition. which began during World War II. This contribution included not only the women who courageously served in our Armed Forces at a time in our Nations history where women did not possess the rights we have today. but also the six million women who manned the manufacturing plants which produced munitions and material during World War II while the men who traditionally performed this work were off fighting the war. Today. there are 1.8 million women veterans throughout the United States. that still deserve the same acknowledgement of rights that other veterans have received. This is an important resolution which recognizes the Women Veterans Bill of Rights within each facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This resolution upholds a strong standard of respect and dignity for equality within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our commitment to veterans is to both men and women veterans who have courageously dedicated their lives to serve their Nation. The Women Veterans Bill of Rights enumerates a number of noncontroversial. necessary rights for female veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The Bill of Rights includes the right to be treated with dignity. the rights to primary health care. and the right to treatment by those clinicians with training and experience in womens health issues among others. This is an important bill that advocates the equal treatment of women veterans. It encourages the fair treatment of anyone that has served this country by defending the United States. and establishes that no one should be treated any differently based on their gender. This bill is truly American and represents an undivided Nation that respects both men and women equally and fairly. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5953 and support the rights of women veterans throughout the United States.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. middleincome families are the backbone of our economy. and that is why we should not wait any longer to vote on extending tax cuts for middleincome families. Extension of these taxes have been held hostage by the discussion of whether to extend the rates for the wealthiest Americans. Ninetyeight percent of Americans face a tax increase January 1. For the typical middleincome American family. that would be the loss of $2.000 a year. The Republican demands would mean that those making more than a million dollars a year would receive an average of $100.000 annually. and the middleincome would be saddled with the $700 billion in new debt to pay for the multimilliondollar tax cut for billionaires. The billionaires lifestyles will not change. and no significant jobs will be created. If they were going to be. they would be now. I am committed to continuing tax cuts for middleincome families on incomes up to $250.000. Mr. Speaker. I favor jobs. Tax cuts for the rich will change nothing. but it will increase the deficit.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. pursuant to House Resolution 1742. I call up the bill to reauthorize child nutrition programs. and for other purposes. and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. today I rise for our Nations children. for the poorest children in our country who are hungry and malnourished. I rise because children need our help. Child nutrition is not a political issue. Its not a partisan issue. Its a question of whats a moral thing to do for our children. Its about being on the right side of history and ensuring a healthy and productive future for our country. Our children will make and determine our future. and that is what is at stake. In a country as great as ours. no child should go hungry. but. in fact. millions of children do go hungry at various times throughout the year and very often throughout the day. And the fact of the matter is we cannot afford to let that continue. At the same time we are in the middle of this crisis of food insecurity. its called. better known as hunger. We also face the public problem of obesity. And what we understand and what we know is that our schools. through the school nutrition programs and other programs that serve nutritional meals to children. are an opportunity to educate them about eating better. eating healthier. This legislation addresses those concerns because it provides the resources necessary so that we can improve the meal selection for our children in the various feeding programs. Its very important for us because it also provides for increased transparency of the program. for increased efficiency of the program. for increased simplicity of the program both for parents who are enrolling their children. for school districts who are enrolling and accountable for those children and for those meals. Those combinations of accountability and transparency for healthier meals should be a goal and is the goal. in fact. of this Congress and of this Nation. It also provides accountability within the legislation. and it also provides the means by which we can assure that we will have healthy foods during the school day for the children and in other educational settings and care settings for these children so that we can also address the problems of childhood obesity. We have had hearings in our committee where we have had experts from various scientific organizations and health organizations. that we now have very young children presenting with adult diseases and illnesses. We spend some $140. $150 billion on the excess costs of obesity. much of which starts with children. with their diet. Thats what this legislation is really about. is making sure that we can. in fact. provide for a healthier schoolage population. a smarter schoolage population about the foods that they choose. a better meal program for them. and increased simplicity and transparency and accountability for those who administer the program. With that. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself 30 seconds. First of all. its very clear in this legislation that it does not require school districts to raise any meal prices. In fact. in the best sense of local control. it lets school districts decide and determine how they will ensure that theres adequate revenue to support the paid meal program. We should not have the Federal taxpayers underwriting the support of meals for those who can afford it as is required by the law. This bill passed unanimously from the United States Senate. It passed unanimously because they knew that it is paid for. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California . a member of the committee.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam Speaker. I yield myself 1 minute. The suggestion has been made by speakers on the other side that somehow this really isnt about a child nutrition bill. that somehow this isnt about child nutrition and the wellbeing of our schoolchildren. The fact of the matter is thats what this bill is all about. and thats what this bill is directed to do. Thats why it has received the support of the American Dental Association. the American Diabetes Association. the American Dietetic Association. the American Public Health Association. and the American School Health Association. These are the people who are intimately involved with the health of Americas young children. These are the people who are with them in school settings. They see what happens when children dont have proper nutrition throughout the day. and they see the impact it has on their ability to learn. on their ability to focus. and on their ability to participate in class. Thats why this legislation is so important. Thats why it has such broad support in the entire nutritional community. in the health care community. in the religious community. in the farm community. and in our urban communities. because they understand the importance of this to the wellbeing of these children and to the budget of our Nation when we have spent over $147 billion dealing with obesity and diabetes in our society. and we know that it starts. much of it. with a bad diet. Madam Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California. Ms. BARBARA LEE. the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I yield 212 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut. ROSA DELAURO and thank her publicly for all of her work on this legislation and on behalf of our children.
Date: 2010-12-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Madam 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 S. 3307.