macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-06-17
Speaker: NEGRETE MCLEOD (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. upon graduation. many students are faced with repayment of student loans. in addition to seeking employment in a very tough job market. Over 5.4 million Americans have at least one pastdue student loan account which affects their credit and our Nations economy. Last week my colleague. Representative JANICE HAHN. and I introduced H.R. 2349. the Get Relief from Academic Debt Act of 2013. The GRAD Act would extend the grace period of 6 months to 1 year after graduation before the onset of repayment of the Federal student loans. By extending the grace period. graduates have a longer period of opportunity to find a goodpaying job before repayment of these loans begins. I urge the House to consider this legislation for the millions of the Nations graduate students who are struggling to pay back loans.
Date: 2013-06-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I am very pleased today to say that Members have joined me in introducing H. Res. 268. which is observing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day. which is going to be this Wednesday. June 19. I hope that all of those across America will understand the meaning of Juneteenth. which is to express a celebration for the freeing of the slaves. which did not come to the southwestern States. like Texas. until almost 2 years later. That was 1865 after Mr. Speaker. I want to quickly change the topic and indicate that I believe its important to get an understanding of the individual who has allegedly been providing the leaks from the NSA. I have been restrained as to call him anything until the laws determine who he is. but I do believe that we are now tipping the scales of fairness when more and more is coming out in a foreign country. and I do believe something has to be done. I will be introducing legislation on the reduction of privateintel utilization. an explanation of FISA Court opinions and strengthening the FISA Court because I believe that it is extremely important in strengthening the public trust and in strengthening the rights of the American people. We have to do it. and we have to be able to find this gentleman quickly so that the intelligence that will protect Americans will be done.
Date: 2013-06-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. as we celebrate American small businesses during the 50th Annual National Small Business Week. it is important that we recognize minority entrepreneurs and their contributions to local economies all across the country. Small businesses serve as the backbone of Americas economy. and minorityowned enterprises have played a critical role in our Nations economic development. generating an estimated $1 trillion in annual revenue as of 2011. In Texas. there are more than 365.000 minorityowned firms. employing more than 690.000 individuals. Small businesses account for the majority of the employers in the State of Texas. and create a substantial number of local new jobs. Small businesses bring dynamic ideas. and generate innovative services and products. to the marketplace which are necessary for economic prosperity. Mr. Speaker. as we honor small businesses this week. let us all reaffirm our commitment to expand economic opportunities for aspiring business owners all across the country. These enterprises are a key component to a strong economy and a flourishing middle class.
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I rise to pay tribute to a man and a friend of mine who spent most of his adult life being actively engaged in the processes of social advocacy and public policy decisionmaking. and who ultimately became the mayor of Gary. Indiana. and a national progressive political leader. Rudy Clay was born in Alabama. and after the death of his mother was brought to Gary. Indiana. where he was raised by his two aunts. Ms. Lucy Hunter and Ms. Daisy Washington. who started him attending church. which he did for the rest of his life. He graduated from the Gary Roosevelt High School and attended the University of Indiana at Bloomington. married his wife. Ms. Christine Swan. was drafted into the Army. served his time. was honorably discharged. went into the insurance business. worked for Prudential and State Farm insurance companies. and ultimately opened his own company. the Rudolph Clay Insurance Agency. of which he was greatly proud. Rudy. like many people of his era. became actively involved in the civil rights movement of the sixties and seventies. which led him to electoral politics. He was elected to practically everything that one could be elected to in Lake County. Indiana. from precinct committeeman to mayor of Gary. In 1971. Rudy was elected to become the first African American State senator in the State of Indiana. In the Senate. he was the deciding vote that made it possible for an African American to be elected a Lake County commissioner. He was the first African American to be elected county recorder in the State of Indiana. He was county chairman of the Lake County Democratic Party. He served as a Lake County commissioner. He was the chairman of the Gary precinct committeemens organization. and mayor of his beloved city. And he played a key role in the Obama victory in Indiana in 2008. Rudy was a great family man. loved by his neighbors and friends. loved by the members of his church and all of those with whom he came into contact. He was loved by his associates in his lodge. The average person in Gary. Indiana. and any place around it knew Rudy Clay. and loved him for his great work. I convey condolences to his wife. Mrs. Christine Clay. his son. Rudy. Jr.. his brothers and sisters and other members of his family. When one sums up his presence on Earth. they can simply say of Rudy: a job well done. a life well lived. We salute you. Mayor Rudolph "Rudy" Clay. I thank you for being my friend. May your soul rest in peace.
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 1151. a resolution in support of one of our nations closest friends in the AsiaPacific Region. Taiwan. This resolution directs the State Department to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly. The United States. in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review. declared its intention to support Taiwans participation in appropriate international organizations and has consistently reiterated that support. In 2004. this Chamber voted. with my support. legislation in support of Taiwans efforts to gain observer status to the World Health Organization. Those efforts finally succeeded in 2009 when Taiwan was included in the International Health Regulations (IHR). For decades. Taiwan has been a key security. economic. and political partner for the American people. Taiwan has been one of Americas biggest trading partners for many yearsthe 11th largest in 2012purchasing nearly $25 billion worth of American goods that year. Taiwan is also a global leader in information technology. telecommunications. and other knowledgebased industries. Most significantly. Taiwan is becoming a beacon of democracy for the Chinese people after their successful. open elections in 2008 and 2012. It is important for this Chamber to continue its support of the Taiwanese people and enhance Taiwans standing in international bodies. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and vote in support of Americas partner in peace and prosperity. Taiwan.
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

I thank my fellow New Yorker and good friend for yielding and for her outstanding leadership in this body on so many. many issues. particularly in the area of health. My colleagues. once again. we need to ask ourselves where were the women when the Judiciary Committee produced this outrageous assault on womens health and womens reproductive rights? The answer is very clear. On this panel. there is not one female face participating in this crucial issue in their health care. absolutely nowhere. This is a photo of the members of the Judiciary Subcommittee that held a hearing on this legislation before us. and not one Republican on that panel is a woman. The bill that was produced is evidence that women did not participate in this decisionmaking. For example. it was not until the chair of that subcommittee made a comment not worthy of this House that the majority added an insulting and narrow exception for pregnancies resulting from rape. Last November. women came out in droves to say. Keep your laws off our bodies. out of our personal lives. and out from between women and their doctor. This bill that a man sponsored and that an allmale panel has approved jeopardizes the health and wellbeing of women. and only women. it is indifferent to the rights of women. and only women. and it is callous to the concerns of women. and only women. I can promise you that women will long remember this. They will remember it today. they will remember it tomorrow. and they will remember it at the polls when they select their Representatives.
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. I rise to strongly oppose the PainCapable Unborn Child Protection Act. It has been 40 years since Roe v. Wade. and yet women still have to fight for the right to keep decisions about our bodies between us and our doctors. We shouldnt have to worry that our government will try to intercede in our personal health care decisions. This bill is extreme. and its an unprecedented reach into womens livesinto womens personal lives. This is a clear indication that the wellbeing of women in this country is not something Republicans care to protect. It is clear that the Members who approved this bill. the allmale Republican members on the House Judiciary Committee. are not only disinterested in protecting the wellbeing of women but are also disinterested in the professional opinion of the medical community. We have heard a lot of offensive and downright untrue assertions by Republicans throughout the discussion of this bill. including by the previous speaker. These assertions are baseless. completely devoid of medical fact or grounding in consensus among doctors. No evidence has been presented. They just throw statistics out without any citation or reference at all. Just because you say it out loud in the House Chamber doesnt make it true. The Republican men who brought this bill to the floordespite the parade of our women colleagues on the House floor todaydo not represent the voices of women in America. Every time we let their voices get louder than ours. we are inching back to the truly Dark Ageswhere a world of barriers. from physical to legal to financial. stood between women and their constitutional rights. We have worked too hard and come too far to let it all slip away now. As a mother. when I think about what kind of world I want my daughters to live in. its one where their rights are sacred and their value is recognized. and that means having access to comprehensive sex education. affordable contraception. and. yes. safe. legal reproductive services. This bill doesnt work toward creating a better world for future generations of women. It erodes their future by undermining their independence and undercutting their health. I urge a "no" vote on this unconstitutional piece of legislation and extreme reach into the personal health and wellbeing of women.
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. to those who are gathered here today. I have already heard my leader indicate partly why we are here. taking away from the serious work of this place in trying to provide jobs for the thousands and millions of Americans who are unemployed. but I have another question. I want to know why we are on the floor of the House. debating a dangerous and inhumane legislative initiative. I also want to know why there are those who would rise presumptuously and arrogantly to suggest they know my heart. Why is there someone suggesting in this body that I have not experienced pain or do not know pain or do not know the pain of my constituents? The same question can be asked. How do they know what a mother. whose health is in jeopardy. is feeling? Why would they be so presumptuous as to suggest that we could not. or that we are saying to some woman that you cant do with your body as you desire? It is between your God. your doctor and your family. How outrageous this legislation is. It is patently unconstitutional. Griswold says its a violation of the right to privacy. Doe v. Bolton. which was passed on the same day as Roe v. Wade. specifically said that the health of the mother had to be taken into consideration. This violates any kind of adherence to the health of the mother. For us to refer to the heinous. disgusting actions in Pennsylvania suggests that I dont care about it. I am glad that the justice system persecuted and prosecuted this villain and sent that doctor to jail. but I dont want Americas doctors and mothers and people of faith to be sent to the jailhouse because we are so presumptuous and arrogant. Lets be very clear about a young woman by the name of Vikki Stella. a diabetic who discovered months into her pregnancy that the fetus she was carrying suffered from several major anomalies and who had no chance of survival. They wanted to induce labor or perform a Caesarean section. but her physician said she could not survive it. and they had to use another procedure. If they had not used a procedure like an abortion. she would not be able to have children again. Do we want to go back to the time when women were running into back alleys?
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to H.R. 1797. the "PainCapable Unborn Child Protection Act." This bill represents a new line of attack on womens reproductive rights. It would criminalize abortions twenty weeks after fertilization. limiting womens ability to make their own choices about their pregnancies and their lives. I am not proabortion. but I am prochoice. The Constitution guarantees all of us a right to privacy and freedom of religion. A woman must be free to make the difficult decision about the future of her pregnancy in conjunction with her family. religious advisers. and health care professionals. The narrow exceptions to this blanket ban on abortions after twenty weeks are insufficient to guarantee womens health and safety. They do not change the fact that this bill would deny women the care they need. even in emergencies or in the case of unreported sexual assault. H.R. 1797 is a direct challenge to Roe. v. Wade. and would significantly erode womens freedom and right to individual choice. I strongly believe that protecting womens rights and guaranteeing womens safety must be our priority. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1797 and support womens right to choose.
Date: 2013-06-18
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise in strong opposition to the bill. H.R. 1797. At a time of enduring economic troubles we should not bog down the House of Representatives with this type of legislation. I know my Republican colleagues are sincere in their pursuit to end abortions after 20 weeks and probably before 20 weeks too. Weve heard their concerns. but theyre just plain wrong. The decision to have an abortion is a private one. It should be made by the patient. in consultation with her physician. her family. and faith leader. if she chooses. Congress has no place micromanaging the practice of medicine by deciding what medical procedures are appropriate and at what time. We should not be intruding on the privacy and medical decisions of individuals. The right for a woman to make her own medical decisions has been rightfully upheld by our courts. Those of us in this chamber may not believe that abortion is moral or right and we are free to disagree with those who seek abortion. We have already stated numerous times that federal funds may not be used to provide the procedure. But. we must end this pursuit to erode access to types of healthcare we do not like. It will drive women to much less safe alternatives and criminalize doctors who wish to provide a safe environment. We should not go back in time. Instead. it is time for us to really tackle the issues that confront our country: growing our economy. achieving comprehensive immigration reform. and putting our Nation on the track for prosperity for years to come.
Date: 2013-06-19
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I rise to express support for the PittsDavisGoodlatteBlumenauer amendment to the agriculture bill. Our amendment to H.R. 1947. the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013. will not repeal the sugar program. it only seeks to reform it. We have farm programs for wheat. corn. cotton. and many other crops. These programs give direct assistance to farmers and allow market prices to be set by supply and demand. Farmers receive help. but not at the expense of workers and consumers. The sugar program is different. It helps sugar producers by hurting other people. and thats just not right. There are other ways sugar farmers who may need help could receive assistance without embracing an outdated system of strict government controls that cost consumers $3.5 billion per year in higher prices and over 112.000 lost jobs in the sugarusing industries in the last decade. During fiscal year 2011. the wholesale price for U.S.-refined beet sugar averaged 55.8 cents per pound. This is considerably higher than the average recorded cost during the 5year period covered by the 2002 farm bill provisions for FY 2003 through FY 2007. which was 27.6 cents per pound. Last month. the average price for U.S.-refined beet sugar was 26.3 cents per pound. whereas the average worldrefined sugar price was 21.9 cents per pound. Historically. our sugar program keeps our markets higher regardless of demand and/or supply compared to world prices for sugar. The U.S. manufacturers who use sugar as an ingredient to produce processed foods and drinks are having to always pay more domestically than manufacturers overseas. This is the exact reason why candy companies are moving to countries like Canada. Mexico. and other offshore places. We need an industry that is subject to capital market forces without government intrusion. that places quotas on the amount of sugar that can be grown in the United States. and restricts access to foreigngrown sugar. The current sugar program benefits 4.714 sugar farmers in the United States. while threatening the jobs of 600.000 workers in sugarusing industries and. thus. imposing a hidden tax on every American consumer. The PittsDavisGoodlatteBlumenauer amendment would lower the pricesupport loan rate in accordance to historic levels and reduce taxpayers liability for keeping prices high. save taxpayers money. allow more sugar imports. and provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture more flexibility to modify domestic marketing allotments. Making changes to the sugar program will help level the playing field and provide sugarbased manufacturers muchneeded resources to keep people employed and modernize their production facilities. Lets not help the few at the expense of the many. Vote "yes" for the PittsDavisGoodlatteBlumenauer amendment.
Date: 2013-06-19
Speaker: MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

I rise in opposition to the rule and the bill because I am absolutely appalled by the proposed cuts to the SNAP program in the FARRM Bill. Now. I know how important the FARRM Bill is to American ranchers and farmers and to New Mexico ranchers and farmers. I want to vote for the bill. but I cannot support it if these disastrous cuts remain. For the past week. Ive joined dozens of my colleagues in the SNAP challenge. to take a walk in the shoes of the over 442.000 New Mexicanshalf of whom are childrenwho have to eat on less than $4.50 every day. to show just how devastating any cuts to the food program would be. Nearly one in three children in New Mexico is chronically hungry. Its the worst in the Nation. Its unconscionable. and these cuts make it worse. In addition to the SNAP cuts. this bill also cuts funding for nutrition education programs that teach SNAP recipients how to stretch their dollars further and feed their families nutritious food. New Mexicos farmers. ranchers. and consumers need and deserve a farm bill. But this cut. this bill is morally wrong. its cruel. and its recklessharming children. seniors. the disabled. and veterans in the process.
Date: 2013-06-19
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the more than 47 million Americans who rely on nutrition assistance and in strong opposition to the deep. unnecessary. and cruel cuts to these antihunger programs in the FARRM Bill. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is one of our Nations most effective tools for lifting children. seniors. and families out of poverty and helping vulnerable Americans put food on their table each day. SNAP is a lifeline for lowincome and working Americans and their families. Mr. Speaker. I speak in defense of the most basic elements of Americas safety net. that regardless of circumstance. no American should go hungry. These deep and drastic cuts mean that 2 million Americans risk falling through the safety net. Some 210.000 children may go hungry throughout the school day. an additional 850.000 households will have less food on their tables. In my home State. nearly 1 million south Floridians dont know where their next meal will come from. and an astonishing 300.000 of them are children. It is inexcusable for this Congress to try to balance the budget on the backs of hungry children and their families. We know that savings derived from these cuts are shortlived. When Americans are food insecure. they are more likely to be anemic and have vitamin A and protein deficiencies. all of which lead to larger and more costly health issues. which we all pay for. When needy children go off to school on empty stomachs. we dim their horizons and cripple their potential. We are hurting our Nations future through these severe burdens on needy families. This is not the way to find a balanced budget approach. Unfortunately. these cuts define the mindset of too many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. It is shameful for us to tell the American people that when they fall on tough times. theyre on their own. With these cuts. we are limiting their potential. risking their health. and leaving our fellow Americans writhing with hunger. It is immoral. The authors of this bill should be ashamed. I urge my colleagues to oppose the $20 billion in cuts to nutrition programs in this bill. Support the McGovern amendment that would restore this critical funding. and oppose the rule and the FARRM Bill.
Date: 2013-06-19
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 201. line 8. strike the closed quotation mark and the final period. Page 201. after line 8. insert the following: