macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-04-27
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank my friend from Massachusetts. Just a few weeks ago on this very floor. our Republican colleagues voted for the Republican budget that called for a doubling of interest rates on student loans on 7 million American students. and they voted against the Democratic alternative budget. which would have prevented that increase in student loan interest rates. So whats happened over the last couple weeks? Well. President Obama has gone to the country. He has gone to students and hes told the story about what the Republican budget would do. and so we are here today. But make no mistake. Mr. Speaker. our Republican colleagues havent changed their minds about this. theyve changed their tactics. If they really wanted to prevent student loans from increasing. they wouldnt seek to cover the costs by cutting funds for cervical cancer screening. by cutting funds for breast cancer screening. by cutting other womens health care measures. They wouldnt push a measure the President has already said he would veto. Mr. Speaker. we have a proposal. Lets cover the cost by getting rid of the subsidies for Big Oil companies. Thats the real slush fund around here. The big taxpayer subsidies go for that purpose. Lets get the job done. and lets not play political games. Unfortunately. what were seeing here. Mr. Speaker. is an effort to seek political cover. Lets get the job done for real.
Date: 2012-04-27
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak in opposition to H.R. 4628. This bill forces an unnecessary and immoral choice between students education and the health care of women. children. and seniors. Since January. President Obama and the Democratic Members of Congress have urged Republicans to address the pending increase in student loan interest rates. Over the last month. many Republicans have stated that they had no qualms about the additional borrowing costs. In fact. they spoke loudly with their votes in support of the Ryan Budget just last month. which would double student loan interest rates. Republicans are not working in good faith to help students and their families. but are rather using this situation to continue their efforts to defund programs that provide critical illness prevention and wellness screening. Cutting the Prevention and Public Health Fund will have a disproportionate impact on Americas women and children. Defunding this program means stripping away vital funding for cancer detection. childhood immunizations. and screening newborns for birth defects. The GOP repeal of the Prevention and Public Health Fund is opposed by nearly 800 organizations. including the American Lung Association. American Heart Association. American Academy of Pediatrics. and Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. In 2007. Democrats in Congress provided relief to students from high interest rates on needbased loans. We passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act that lowered interest rates on subsidized Stafford Loans each year until they reached a low of 3.4 percent this past year. Since then. 15 million students have benefitted from lower rates. Unfortunately. without Republican action in the House and action in the Senate. those rates are set to double on July 1st from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. The doubling of loan rates will hit students at a time when they can least afford it. In the current weak economy. young Americans have the highest unemployment rate of any other group. Twothirds of the Class of 2010 graduated with an average of student loan debt of $25.000. Congress should not be building more hurdles for young people to get the education and the skills needed to succeed. We should be facilitating the ability of students to pursue higher education and training. Every year Congress does not act. it will cost a student borrower $1.000 in additional repayment costs. and failure to act now will add $6.3 billion to students debt burden in one year alone. Mr. Speaker. it is stop playing politics with Americans students and the health care of women. children. and seniors. I urge the passage legislation maintaining the current student loan rate that does not undermine the access to health care that would affect millions of Americans.
Date: 2012-04-27
Speaker: ZOE LOFGREN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to this bill. I firmly believe that we need to make college more affordable. We should not double interest rates after we worked so hard to keep them down while the Democrats controlled Congress. However. by funding the interest rate extension with cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund. the Republicans are expanding a war on students into a war on women and a war on health. As my colleague from California. Lois CAPPS noted. this fund supports critical womens health screenings600.000 screenings will be cut with the repeal of this fund. This is essential to womens health. Moreover. the fund targets widespread chronic diseases like diabetes. stroke. and heart disease. The fund ensures that our children have access to necessary vaccines. and supports programs to prevent birth defects and screen for autism. Students and their families do not need to be asked to choose between preventive health and affordable schooling. I call on the Republicans who set the agenda to get serious and work on solving this problem in a sensible. bipartisan way.
Date: 2012-04-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to ask my colleagues to move as quickly as possible to pass the Violence Against Women Act. legislation that I was happy to be an early supporter of in the early stages of my honor of serving in this House. I remember as a young member of the House Judiciary Committee standing alongside of Chairman Henry Hyde. a Republican. as we stood in the Senate to push for the passage of the Violence Against Women Act. Over the years. we have seen the saving of womens lives. Now it is important that we not stall and take the Senate act which. in fact. has broadened its coverage of Native American women. immigrant women. and women of different lifestyles because it includes everyone. Do we have to wait. while in Texas on a holiday. where a man goes in and kills his wife and children? Violence. Or the man who is charged with killing Jennifer Hudsons family. looking for his exwife. Violence that must stop. Pass the Violence Against Women Act now. Take the Senate bill that was bipartisan and save the lives of women and men who are subject to violence in their lives. America. you can do better.
Date: 2012-05-07
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (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 the subject of this Special Order.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Allow me to say happy Teachers Day to every teacher and also to say that it is an honor and privilege to offer a resolution recognizing National Nurses Week. which is May 6 through 12. This years theme is "Nurses: Caring. Leading. Advocating." Since 1994. National Nurses Week has served as an opportunity to recognize nurses for their hard work. patience. and service. as well as for their contributions to improving our Nations health care system. Throughout my career as a registered nurse. Ive had no greater privilege than to provide health care to those who have courageously served our country. As a former chief psychiatric nurse at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Dallas. I know firsthand the importance of providing quality care to those coming home from war. Through Joining Forces. which is a health care and treatment program for military personnel that was recently launched by the Obama administration. more than 500 nursing schools and 150 nursing organizations will work together to "meet the unique health care needs of servicemen and -women. veterans. and their families." Nurses provide an invaluable service on a daily basis in settings such as hospitals. clinics. schools. workplaces. correctional facilities. and through their service in the military and during natural disasters. With over 3 million strong. nurses comprise the largest sector of the health care workforce. and year after year. nurses are voted the most trusted of all professionals. For the 12th time in 13 years. in a Gallup survey. nursing ranked first for honesty and ethical standards in 2011. While our country shifts toward a nationwide focus on prevention and promotion. I believe it is the nurses who should stand at the forefront of this reformation. Mr. Speaker. nurses save lives. provide critical care. and advocate on behalf of their patients 52 weeks a year. They deserve more than 1 week of recognition for their tireless work within health care. I want to thank my many congressional colleagues who cosponsor this bill in honoring nurses. My colleagues Congresswoman Lois CAPPS and Congresswoman CAROLYN MCCARTHY are also nurses. They have worked with me to promote this resolution. and they are champions of the nursing profession. This week. remember to thank nurses for the admirable and selfless contributions they make to our community.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I rise in recognition of National Teacher Appreciation Day. Let us honor all of our teachers for their passion and dedication to educating Americas future. Today. I would like to recognize Mrs. Pam Krey. a resident of the district that I represent. who has dedicated her life to education. Before launching her Anaheim Union High School District career as an administrator for 25 years. she taught at all levels in the Anaheim City School District. Mrs. Krey has said: The single most important thing we can do for our students is to create a place for high levels of learning that is safe. caring. and focused on developing the academic and social skills that can take them to whatever their goals and dreams may be. In addition to serving as principal. Mrs. Krey also served the community of Anaheim in Orange County. Shes an active member of the Anaheim Police Chiefs Advisory Board. the Cops 4 Kids Board. and Youth Leadership of America. She has received numerous awards throughout the years. including Teacher of the Year. Special Education Friend of Education. the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from the Orange County Department of Education. and Disneys Community Services Award. Mrs. Krey will be retiring at the end of this academic year as principal from the very school she attended as a teenager. I encourage everyone to thank their teachers today.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in opposition to this rule. This rule provides for the consideration of the CommerceJustice appropriations. but it adds some extraneous matters. things like martial law for reconciliation. If we are going to consider other matters in this rule. we ought to be allowed. as the gentleman from Florida said. to be able to consider the question of the doubling of the interest rates of student loans. The House Democrats. months ago. asked for this action to be taken so that interest rates would not double on students this July 1. doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Calls for bipartisanship were met with silence. silence. silence. and silence for months. All of a sudden. the Republicans in Congress started to understand this issue when President Obama took it to the parents and to the students of this country and explained to them what was at stake. Then. 2 weeks ago. the Republicans surprised us with a bill on the floor when they said they all now agree with it. Even though they had voted against it 2 weeks earlier. they agreed that there shouldnt be a doubling of the student loan rates. But what did they decide to do? In deciding on not doubling the student loan rates. they gave the House a choice in which they would take it out on womens health. denying women early screenings for breast cancer. for cervical cancer. denying newborn infants early screenings for birth defects. Thats how they decided they would pay for it. We tried to offer a Democratic alternative. the legislation of Mr. TIERNEY of Massachusetts. which would have taken away the unjustified. unfair tax breaks to the largest oil companies in the country at a time of record profits and use some of that money to pay for making sure that the interest rates dont double. but the Republicans wouldnt allow us to offer that. Today. what were trying to do is to defeat the previous question so that we will be able to offer the Democratic substitute. which would keep the interest rates from doubling. We would pay for it by taking away the unfair tax cuts to the largest oil companies and not do what the Republicans did. which is to say you can have your student loan subsidy. but youre going to have to take it out of the hides of newborn infants. of childrens immunizations. and of the preventative care and early screenings for women with cervical and breast cancer.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

We know that that decision. that early screening. is a matter of life and death for those women. but that was of no matter to the Republicans. Now we see today a recent poll out that suggested over half of the country supports the student loans not doubling. paying for it in the manner in which the Democrats did. as opposed to 30 percent of the country that think the Republicans are on the right track in going after womens health. childrens health and childrens immunizations. So I would hope that we will defeat the previous question. that Mr. HASTINGS will be allowed to move to consider the legislation by Mr. TIERNEY. and that we can put this issue to rest so that families and students now sitting around trying to figure out how theyre going to pay for the college educations of their children who have just been accepted to college or who are continuing in college can do that with the peace of mind of knowing that the interest rates wont double on July
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Chairman. I move to strike the requisite number of words. The Acting CHAIR (Ms. Foxx). The gentlewoman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I rise to support the Second Chance amendment of the gentleman from Illinois and thank him for his long work and the work that he has done with many of us in this Congress on this issue. This has been a long journey. I think. if I recollect. it was 7 years in the making. I will say to Congressman DAVIS. before the bill itself was actually passed. I want to focus on two points: One. I understand the account of which this money is coming from. and I would make the argument that we have seen a sufficient decrease in the number of undocumented aliens coming across the border. and weve seen a greater handling of the individuals. And frankly. the question is whether these funds should be used in what is a strictly Federal issue. which is the control of immigration in this Nation. So I would make the argument that this is an appropriate utilization of these funds. these extra funds that would add to Second Chance because. one. it brings it to the Presidents mark. viewing this through the administrations eyes but really through the Department of Justices eyes that the Second Chance legislation works. It does work. And I will tell you why it is enormously important. When I see those individuals who have had an experience in the criminal justice system. one of the things they ask about is. Can we go to work? Second Chance prepares these individuals for work. It helps them be responsible contributors to the workforce. It helps. if you will. shepherd them or give them a roadmap into the workforce. It provides the lifeline to staying out of trouble. Everyone that you come across says to anyone that will hear them. We want to work. Again. Second Chance creates the opportunity for them to work. And also. I think it assists the enforcement guidance on employers use of arrest and conviction records when making employment decisions. Again. we understand that people who run afoul of the law must. in essence. pay the price. But when they seek to rehabilitate themselves. the Second Chance legislation has been a lifeline. I. myself. have had to discuss issues of discrimination against people who have rehabilitated themselves. One case comes to mind. A gentleman who was supporting his family had been out of trouble and had finished with his particular issue for 17 years. He was still getting the response that they could not hire him because of an arrest and conviction record. The Second Chance steps in in a positive manner. gives these people the opportunity for just thatthe second chance. The additional funding. I believe. would be the right direction to take. make us equal with the Presidents mark. still be fair to the account in which it comes from. allow that account to be preserved. but in fact gives the $10 million to help save and rehabilitate many more lives that really can make America better. I support Mr. DAVIS amendment and the funding for the Second Chance program. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you. Madam Chair. I rise to ask for my colleagues support for an amendment to protect our most vulnerable constituentsour children. This bipartisan amendment is a simple one. It says that child victims of sexual predators should not be forced to fight for funding scraps if deep cuts to the Department of Justice occur. This amendment fences off $30 million within the Department of Justices Juvenile Justice Missing and Exploited Children Programs account for Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces. It ensures that even in this time of painful budget cuts. we will protect the most precious and most vulnerable among us. Over the last decade. child pornography trafficking has exploded into a multibilliondollar global industry. The majority of both demand and supply is based in the United States and. sadly. most often involves parents or adults that the victim knows and trusts. Tragically. the demand for images of young children being sexually exploited. raped. and even tortured can only be supplied through the continued sexual abuse of more children. Literally every image of child pornography is a crime scene photo. Several years ago. law enforcement informed Congress that it could identify hundreds of thousands of individuals perpetrating child exploitation offenses online. but admitted and acknowledged that it was investigating fewer than 2 percent of these known individuals because of a lack of resources that left them outnumbered and overwhelmed. The vast majority of these identifiable sexual predators remained at large and their young victims beyond rescue. Congress and the President responded by passing and signing into law the PROTECT our Children Act. which provides desperately needed resources for the vital Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces. These task forces are teams of local. State. and Federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors that lift the digital fingerprints. rescue the children. and hold perpetrators accountable.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee. I can appreciate the frustration that many times we feel as Members of Congress on actions by the Federal Government. but there are two points that Id like to make: One. immigration has been defined as an issue under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. No matter what Attorney General is in place and what position they take. they take it as a representative of the executive. but also of the people of the United States of America. To highlight Attorney General Eric Holder for fulfilling the responsibilities of an AG. which is to defend against laws that are discriminatory under Federal law. to maintain the integrity of the Federal responsibility of certain lawswhich happens to be immigrationwould be. I believe. a highlighting or a targeting of a member of the Presidents Cabinetand I agree with my ranking member. Mr. FATTAHOf any administration for doing their duty. So I would just say that I am empathetic to all of our frustrations when we deal with attempting to represent our constituencies. Attorney General Holder. in his pursuit of lawsuits. is representing the American people. but also representing the administration and pursuing justice accordingly under the law. I would hope that we would be able to recognize the frustration. but to reject the underlying amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Chairman WOLF. I appreciate the work of this committee. and its a committee that attracts the Judiciary Committee. And I have been a supporter of the work of the ATF for many years. As I looked at the numbers. the ATF has $1.153.345.000. Their work is important. But were only asking for $34 million because the backlog. as I indicated. has really not been assessed. I appreciate the $125 million. It is my understanding that were below the mark. I appreciate that. But the point I want to make is that there are backlogs that have not been documented across America. It is far exceeding the $125 million. I just simply ask to be allowed to take $34 million out of the $1 billion of ATF. I certainly support work that they do. but the backlog has been going on and on and on since the Bush administration. Weve never been able to solve the backlog on these rape kits.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Well. if the gentleman would just yield for a moment so I could respond. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman from Virginia has expired.
Date: 2012-05-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

In the spirit of how important this is and to reinforce the fact that there are rape kits that are unaccounted for because there is not any data keptso I dont think we have met the numbers. But I am willing to work with the chairman and the ranking member to determine how we can move in our next steps. I will tell you and I do acknowledge that were doing the work. but we dont have enough money to do all the work that we need to bring justice to women across this Nation. I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment and will work with the chairman and ranking member.