macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1995-08-02
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 714. the Illinois Land Conservation Act. H.R. 714 is nearly identical to H.R. 4946 that was introduced in the 103d Congress by Congressman Sangmeister. H.R. 4946 was passed by unanimous consent in the House after being discharged by the Agriculture Committee at the very end of the ses.sion. The Senate took no action on the bill before adjournment. H.R. 714. introduced by Congressman WELLER. establishes the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie by initially transferring approximately 16.000 acres currently held by the Department of the Army to the Department of Agriculture. Another 3.000 acres will be transferred when the Department of the Army completes an environmental cleanup on the site. Provision is made for the continued responsibility of cleanup of hazardous wastes by the Department of the Army. The bill also provides for the transfer of approximately 910 acres to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the establishment of a National Cemetery on the site to be administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Additionally the bill provides for transfer to the county of approximately 425 acres to be operated as a landfill and approximately 3.000 acres to the State of Illinois to be used for economic development. The U.S. Forest Service is supportive of the legislation before us today. Mr. Speaker. an amendment that will be offered to modify the language regarding special use permits is supported by the U.S. Forest Service. I ask that a letter from U.S. Forest Service Chief Jack Ward Thomas. acknowledging the new languages consistency with current U.S. Forest Service management practices. be included in the RECORD.
Date: 1995-08-02
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 701. a bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey lands to the city of Rolla. MO. H.R. 701 is nearly identical to H.R. 3426 that was introduced in the 103d Congress by Congressman EMERSON. H.R. 3426 was passed by unanimous consent in the House after being discharged by the Agriculture Committee at the very end of the session. The Senate took no action on the bill before adjournment. H.R. 701 authorizes the city of Rolla to pay fair market value for the lands described by the bill. The city may pay for the land in full within 6 months of conveyance or. at the option of the city. pay for land in annual payments over 20 years with no interest. If the 20year option is taken. the payments must be put in a Sisk Act Fund where they will be available. subject to appropriation. until expended by the Secretary. The bill also releases the U.S. Forest Service from liability due to hazardous wastes found on the property that were not identified prior to conveyance and requires the preservation of historic resource on the property.
Date: 1995-08-02
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 1874. a bill to modify the boundaries of the Talladega National Forest. This bill is a commonsense attempt to streamline and make more costefficient the management of our national forests by transferring two small tracts of adjacent Bureau of Land Management [BLM] land to the Talladega National Forest in Alabama. I commend our colleague.
Date: 1995-08-03
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. the American people are gradually learning the truth about the Republican Medicare program. As the Wall Street Journal reported 3 days ago. raising Medicare premiums and copayments on seniors is becoming a likely possibility. Republicans are finding that forcing seniors into HMOs may not provide the shortterm cost savings they were hoping for. but the Democrats knew all along that the health care reform and Medicare reform should not be treated as a shortterm budget exercise. As you will recall. Madam Speaker. the Republicans only started talking about Medicare after their Contract With America rhetoric forced them to. by accident. Then they discovered the impending crisis in medical care. which President Clinton talked about all last year. Madam Speaker. cutting $270 billion is not the way to save Medicare. It is becoming obvious to seniors that including $270 billion in cuts to their benefits and $245 billion in tax cuts in the same budget bill is poor public policy and really a raw deal. This Republican majority Congress wants to balance our budget on the backs of seniors. and today they are cutting programs for our youth. This Congress wants to cut our oldest and youngest. forsake our elders and cut our future. To paraphrase my friend from Ohio. "Beam ine up." There is no common sense here in Congress.
Date: 1995-08-03
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. kinds of things that I would hope my Chairman. I thank the gentleman from colleagues would focus on. Maryland for yielding me this time. I Yes. I think in some places we have serve on the Committee on Economic probably gone a little too far. Let us and Educational Opportunities and am work together and bring it back in proud to serve there. line. Let us work at it. instead of just Like my colleague from Texa .- him- -firing rockets at each other a!] day self. I remember where ! com. )_:rn. ong.
Date: 1995-08-03
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I thank my colleague for yielding me the 1 mindtes. Mr. Chairman. the value of a college education is unquestioned in our society yet the Republican majority has decided that a college education should only be granted to those with enough cash to pay up front. By reducing the funding available to the Federal student loan program. 5 million undergraduate students will see increased costs for their college education. Again. the Republicans are asking a generation of Americans who did not run up our debt to pay the cost of reducing the deficit. The message is simple. If your parents are wealthy. you can expect the finest education anywhere in the world. However. if you are from a working class family you can expect to work harder. make less. and have no hope of a college education unless you can manage to work fulltime while you go to school just to pay the interest on your college debt. This is the most profound attack on the American dream in over 20 years. By eliminating the opportunity of a college education. the Republicans are sentencing millions of young Americans to the McJob market: low pay. no benefits. no potential for growth. In essence. the cuts in higher education equal an attack on the standard of living for every American. A less educated society demands less in the terms of salary and cheap labor results in megaprofit. We are no longer in the era of sending jobs overseas for cheap labor. the Republicans are attempting to grow their own cheap labor right here in the United States by ensuring that the children of the welloff get educated and the children off the middle class and working class become the cheap labor force of the future.
Date: 1995-08-04
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I support many of the improvements to telecommunications law which are contained in H.R. 1555. and I have worked long and hard to ensure open competition in the telecommunications marketplace. Nevertheless. I found it necessary to oppose H.R. 1555 on final passage. My rationale for opposing the bill stems primarily from my concern for small minority businesses in the industry. Often. a complete deregulation results in the larger. more wellestablished companies consuming those small businesses that- have created a niche for themselves in an industry. H.R. 1555. in its current form. offers little protection for small minority businesses in the telecommunications industry. Minority ownership of telecommunications companies. most notably radio and television station ownership. is threatened by the bill. and out of respect for the minority media industry. I opposed the bill. Mr. Chairman. I hope that as we proceed to conference with the Senate on this legislation. we can focus more closely on the needs of minorities in the ownership of media organizations. Finally. I wish to stress that my vote today was not an objection to the inexorable progress of technology in the telecommunications industry. I realize that this progress is coming. and will be a part of our society in the future. I welcome this new technology. and hope that all Americans can be included in the promise this progress holds.
Date: 1995-09-05
Speaker: CLAIBORNE PELL (democrat)
Chamber: S

addressed the people of the State that he has served so nobly and so well to announce his decision not to seek further election opportunity to represent the people of Rhode Island. And then just a few moments ago. he talked to this institution and its representatives and to the people of the country about his sense of the meaning of the institution of the U.S. Senate and about how he has been honored to serve the people of Rhode Island for these past years in advancing not just their causes but the causes of our Nation. It is a powerful example. Mr. President. All of us should take just a few moments to reflect on the career of this extraordinary Senator and his life of public service in a world where very often the idea of serving the public is dismissed or disdained or ridiculed or condemned. We marvel at this extraordinary man and the totality of his lifetime. his service in wartime in the Coast Guard. his years in the Foreign Service with great distinction. which have been commented on so well by our friend and colleague from New York and others. and his extraordinary service in the U.S. Senate. As one who has shared- his party label. I would be quick to join with those on the other side of the aisle who always found CLAIBORNE PELL was committed to advancing the causes of the people he represented in Rhode Island and all Americans. and did it in a way that brought us together and achieved the greatest support. Mr. President. today we honor the people of his State as well. the people of Rhode Island. because for these many years. they have sent this extraordinary man to the U.S. Senate. His service is a powerful reflection of their values. of the causes which they hold dear. of the high ideals by which they are motivated and what this institution is really about. We honor the people of Rhode Island for the man they have selected to serve them so well in the U.S. Senate. I join with others who commend Senator PELL for his extraordinary contributions and his innovations in so many different areas of public policy. I think if I asked the Senator right now on this important day if he had in his pocket a small notebook that would indicate the number of days that the children of America spend in school versus the number of days that the children of Japan spend in school versus the number of days that the people of Germany spend in school. he would have it. I take note now. as I am looking over at my very good. valued. and dear friend. that I think he has just pulled that notebook out of his pocket. Does the Senator care to respond so that we can put into the RECORD one more time just what those figures are? I think it is. useful information. and there is nobody who displays it with such commitment as the Senator from Rhode Island.
Date: 1995-09-07
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today I rise in strong support of continuing the B2 program. The B2 bomber protects our sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters. the women and men of the military looking out for this Nation. When we send our people to battle. we want to send them with the best equipment we have available and we want to send them in as small a number as possible to save lives. This is what the B2 will do. The B2 can replace many of the fighter planes in a very stealth way. It will cost more per individual plane. but when we compare the fact that it can replace 70 some planes on each mission. it is worth it. It is cost effective. Mr. Speaker. at least seven former Secretaries of Defense have noted the B2 bomber is the most costeffective means of rapidly projecting force over great distances. "
Date: 1995-09-07
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. next Monday I will visit anelementary school. Franklin Elementary School which is in my district in Houston. This is a school which demonstrates the need for a Federal role In education. The schools in my district are not wealthy. They rely on Federal education dollars to supplement the State and local funding that they receive. Because of the funding problems that are all too common around the country. not just In Texas. the State and local money just is not enough to provide these children the education. the facilities. and resources these children deserve. And yet. these kids. their parents. and their teachers kept plugging away. In 1994. the percentage of the students passing a State exam was 35 to 59 percent. In 1995. the percentage rose to 75 to 89 percent. How did this happen? With a dedicated principal. hardworking teachers. involved parents. and extra work on Saturdays. the students did it. This is an Innercity school that receives chapter I funds. This is a school in which 98 percent of the students receive subsidized breakfast or lunch. In response to their commitment and success. the majority is cutting their funding. And I would like to say: "Welcome back. kids. Along with the seniors. you are on the majoritys hit list."
Date: 1995-09-07
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

It is rather rare that I come to speak on any issue from this well. but listening to this debate. Mr. Chairman. I cannot sit idly by and allbw us one more time to start to plan something and tear it down in order to start again. We cannot sacrifice the defense of our Nation. We simply must do things in a way that they must be done in this day. Back when Desert Storm came about. 1.200 planes were sent. If we had the B2. we could have only sent 32. We would have saved lives. This investment saves dollars because it is the most costeffective measure of defending our shores the way we have the military organized this day. The other thing. we cannot continue to ask companies to organize to produce and then change and tear down that capability. Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to the DellumsKasich amendment and in support of the B2.
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I just heard the earlier speaker talk about the quiche and chardonnay crowd. Mr. Chairman. and my colleague from California. I represent the beer and barbecue crowd. and they are concerned about their pensions. I want to get this straight because I have heard today about how they are concerned about the pensions of those working folks. These are the same folks that are cutting job training. they want to abolish the minimum wage. they want to cut education funding. and now they are going to encourage pension plans to invest overseas so they will transfer those jobs overseas. is that correct?
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Lord help us. I hope they do not get to privatize the space program. they will be building it in Taiwan.
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. let me address some of the concerns that the gentlewoman from New York has raised and the other side has raised. Mr. Chairman. they talk about the amendment. but let me read it for the Members of the House who may not be on the floor who are watching this. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as prohibiting the investment by an employee benefit plan. within the meaning of paragraph 3 of the ERISA. in domestic investments as distinguished for foreign investments. I do not understandwhy they are so worked up in opposing it. unless that is their concern. Granted. they are stretching to pass this bill. They are stretching to say that people invested foreign because of the 1990 tax bill. I did not read their lips in 1990. and I hope I did not this year. But by stretching to oppose this amendment. by using that. all we are saying is that when 3iou are comparing apples to apples. let us do it domestically. That is all this amendment asks for. Mr. Chairman. my colleagues can come up with any other interpretation. Frankly. I do not understand why they are opposing the amendment. but I appreciate the support of the gentlewoman from New York [Ms.
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. we. talked about the concern about investing overseas and the opposition to the amendment. I have a hard time figuring out why they will not just accept it. But granted. investment overseas would cause. in this amendment. if we do not take this amendment. it may increase it. Let me talk about. in the National Journal in June of this year. they talked about the challenge to pension fund trustees. and let me just quote. "The congressional Republicans. by turning ETIs into an ideological issue. are casting a chill over pension fund investments that could strengthen the homegrown economies of the States. cities and towns the pensieners grew up in and. indeed. that they continue to depend on for their broader. longterm security".
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

We are not changing that by this amendment. I am concerned the whole bill may cause pension fund managers to say. "We do not want to invest in riskier investment in innercity Cleveland or innercity Houston. but we can invest in innercity Lebanon. Maybe we ought to build housing in Lebanon. not innercity Houston. because we can get a greater return over there." I do not want to scare those pension fund managers off from U.S. investments by this bill. I am concerned by seeing some of the letters that raise concerns about this bill. Again. the article was in the National Journal saying just what the gentlemans argument was. We have workers here who pay into a pension. We do not want any mandates on ETIs. and I would be up here like a lot of Members opposing it if they said. "No. we want you to put it back into the innercity investments that are shaky." If those investments pay a decent rate of return for their risk. then why should they not?
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I thank my colleague. the gentleman from California. not only for his leadership on this bill. but also for yielding to me. and again for the benefit of the Members. let me again read the amendment for the Members who have not had a chance to look at it: "Nothing in this act shall be construed as prohibiting the investment by employee benefit plans within the meaning of paragraph 3 of section 3 ofthe ERISA in domestic investments as distinguished from foreign investments." Let me also go to read the infamous. I guess. 94.1 interpretive bulletin: The fiduciary standards applicable to ETIs are no different than the applicable to plan investments generally. "Therefore. if the above requirements are met. the selection of the ETI or the engaging in an investment course of action intended to result in the selection of an ETI will not violate it." We are talking about the same investment standards. and again. for the people. who are trying to pass this bill. Mr. Chairman. to say that they are not encouraging overseas investments. again. why should they not accept the amendment if they are more concerned about investing again in Lebanon. PA. than in Lebanon. the country?
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

To my colleague from Hawaii. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. The issue just came up. and I am glad it was brought up. concerning the amount of investment in our country as compared to the amount of outflow in investment. I share the concern. The United States is the greatest country in the world to invest in. and that is why people will come here. But why should we discourage our own investment managers or pension managers to go overseas? We might want to consider. it was announced today or yesterday. the investment in the Rockefeller Center by some foreign nationals who are now deciding it was not such a great investment. but I agree. we have a great investment climate here. Why should we not have American workers creating their own American jobs instead of encouraging. by not adopting this amendment. what may be happening in this bill? Again. I urge an "aye" vote on the Green amendment.
Date: 1995-09-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

It reminds us why we are actually -here working for the students that are actually working. As we talk this evening. they are working to make sure they do better. They are the ones going to be standing on this floor 10 to 15 years from now.
Date: 1995-09-13
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. it is refreshing to hear the Republican majority quote the Washington Post. I am more concerned about the Houston Chronicle than I am the Washington Post. Republican Medicare cuts in growth $270 billion to pay for a $245 billion tax cut over the same 7 years. The new Republican majority will double the monthly premium for Medicare recipients and eliminate their choice of doctors under their plan. It is a secret plan. because we do not know about it. It has been secret for the 8 months we have been here. almost 9. They want to cram that plan down our throats this coming week. Mr. Speaker. let us have at least 30 days of public hearings. Let us listen to what our constituents want us to hear about their plan and let us make sure that we do not take away from seniors their choice of doctors and providers. because I know that is what that secret Republican plan will do.
Date: 1995-09-13
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of the Collins amendment that would open competition for small business. and I think it is appropriate that our chairman of the Committee on Small Business is also supporting it. The Collins amendment retains the current practice allowing all business to compete for government procurement contracts under full and open competition. The bill would restrict competition by allowing agency employees. those socalled terrible bureaucrats. to limit the companies allowed to compete. The Collins amendment was previously adopted in this House on the DOD Authorization Act on June 14 allowing for consideration of procurement reform. and the Collins amendment was supported by a great many different groups. including the Small Business Working Group. the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. the Small Business Administration. and of course the chair of the Committee on Small Business. the gentlewoman from Kansas . There are also other groups. the Latin American Management Association. the National Association of Minority Businesses. it is very important that they have an ability to compete for Government contracts on equal footing if they can do the job. I think that is what this whole effort is about. to bring more competition to help to lower the cost to the taxpayers in this bill. That is why I voted for the bill coming out of committee. and I hope we can improve it a great deal tonight with the Collins amendment.