macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-12-30
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of this bipartisan legislation to help foster children succeed in school. The Uninterrupted Scholars Act will make a real and immediate difference in the lives of foster children across this country. I want to thank Congresswoman BASS and Senator LANDRIEU for their support of this legislation. the Senate for sending this legislation back to the House. Chairman ROE for managing this on the floor. and Chairman KLINE for agreeing to have this legislation come to the House today. In thanking Congresswoman BASS. I want to recognize her not only as the author of this legislation. but for her leadership both here in Washington and in the State legislature in our State of California when she served there on behalf of these young people to make sure that they would have a better opportunity at success. Foster children are some of the most atrisk students. As a group. they miss more school than their peers. are more likely to drop out. and take longer to finish when they do graduate. Throughout their young lives. they may change care placements multiple times. Each placement means adjusting to a new family and often a new community. new friends. and a new school. Each move can put their educational success in jeopardy. Thats because the caseworkers who advocate for them as they move from one school to another often do so without critical information. Though current law rightly requires foster care caseworkers to include childrens education records in their case plans. another Federal law limits the ability of caseworkers to access those records in a timely manner. Without access to a foster childs school records. caseworkers are limited in their ability to advocate for the childs educational needs. especially as they move from one school to another or from one family to another. Without these records. caseworkers dont have the necessary information to make important and informed decisions about placement. wraparound services. and credit transfers among schools. That means that those vulnerable children do not get the services that they need. This red tape creates unnecessary hurdles for educational successes for many foster children. And if theres one thing foster children dont need in life. its additional hurdles to jump. They have plenty of hurdles confronting them every day as they try to succeed within the system. This legislation before us today makes narrow changes to FERPA to allow foster care caseworkers to do a better job on behalf of these young people. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. and I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2012-12-30
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

With that. I yield 5 minutes to Congresswoman BASS of California. one of the authors of this legislation. and again thank her for her advocacy on behalf of foster children and foster families.
Date: 2012-12-30
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Washington. Congressman MCDERMOTT. a strong supporter of this legislation and an advocate on behalf of foster children.
Date: 2012-12-30
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I want to thank the gentleman from Washington for his leadership. I would like to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas.
Date: 2012-12-30
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. The care and concern for foster children has been a bit of a relay race for myself back in the late seventies and eighties. to Senator Russell Long. to former Congressman Tom Downey. former Majority Leader Tom DeLay. to Senator LANDRIEU. now KAREN BASS from my State of California. and Congressman MCDERMOTT before her. Weve tried to make sure that these young people. with a lot of chaos in their life. far beyond any of their own doing. have a chance to succeed. Clearly. the best chance to succeed is to see that they get a good education and an opportunity to participate in American society and in Americas economy. This act. the Uninterrupted Scholars Act. goes a long way toward helping their advocates make sure that they get the best shot at the best education. So I want to thank all the supporters of this legislation. Congressman ROE and Congressman KLINE. for their support and their willingness to bring it to the floor of the House so we can send it to the President of the United States. Just before I conclude my remarks. Mr. Speaker. I want to take a moment to recognize a cherished member of my staff who will be leaving the committee at the beginning of January. Ruth Friedman began her career with me as a fellow in my personal office more than a decade ago. Because of her hard work and dedication and unparalleled expertise. she rose to become my education policy director on the committee. Ruth holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is one of the foremost experts in early childhood policy. I can tell you that the children of this country benefited every day from her work on the Education Committee. Ruth has spent her career fighting for the most vulnerable children on issues like child welfare. juvenile justice. early learning. child care. child abuse prevention and treatment. She has worked on countless pieces of legislation successfully. including todays bill. and was instrumental is passing the 2007 Head Start Reauthorization Act. I want to thank Ruth for her extraordinary service to me. to the committee. to the Nation. and to the Nations children. Her advice and counsel have been invaluable. and she will be sorely missed. but we know that she has great accomplishments ahead of her. Ruth. I want to wish you. Pete. and Dylan all of the best. Thank you so much for all of your service to our committee on both sides of the aisle. and certainly to this Nations children. With that. Mr. Speaker. I ask my colleagues to support this legislation. thank Congressman ROE for managing this bill on the floor. and I yield back the balance of my time
Date: 2012-12-31
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise today to implore the House GOP leadership to address the looming fiscal cliff. We have only a few hours left. and we owe it to the American people to find a solution. pass legislation. and send it to the President for his signature tonight. There is too much at stake to let this critical situation devolve into the same politics as usual that we have seen throughout this Congress. The consequences of failure or inaction are dire. According to the Congressional Budget Office. going over the cliff would raise the unemployment rate from 7.9 to 9.1 percent in 2013. We would also see devastating cuts to programs that pay for education. food inspection. and air travel safety. nearing $55 billion. Madam Speaker. there is no more time. and the American people are depending on us for a solution to avoid this fiscal cliff.
Date: 2012-12-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise as a cosponsor of H. Res 134. a resolution condemning the Government of Iran for the statesponsored persecution of its Bahai minority and to thank Representatives DOLD. LIPINSKI and SHERMAN for their collaboration on this important measure. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. the Government of Iran has continued to repress Bahais and prevent them from participating in the government and the military. from joining the social pension system or attending public schools and universities unless they concealed their faith. This resolution calls on the President and Secretary of State. in cooperation with the international community. to immediately condemn the Government of Irans violation of the human rights of the Bahai and urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize all available measures. including sanctions on officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations against the Bahai community and other minorities.
Date: 2012-12-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. As a cosponsor of H. Res. 834. I rise to thank Representatives KELLY and DEUTCH for bringing this important resolution to the floor today and to encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the measure. H. Res. 834 urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. According to John Brennan. the deputy national security advisor. Europes failure to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist group makes it more difficult to defend the citizens of the European Union and the United States because Hezbollah is able to openly raise funds in some European countries and because EU countries are unable to prosecute Hezbollah members suspected of plotting terrorist attacks. Hezbollah has been implicated in multiple acts of terrorism over the past 30 years. including the bombings in Lebanon in 1983 of the United States Embassy. the United States Marine barracks. and the French Army barracks. the airline hijackings and the kidnapping of European. American. and other Western hostages in the 1980s and 1990s. Before al Qaedas attack on the U.S. on September 11. 2001. Hezbollah was responsible for killing more Americans in terrorist attacks than any other terrorist group. Today. Hezbollah is training militants in Yemen and Syria and continues to provide financial and material support to the regime of Bashar al Assad. This resolution urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to forbid Hezbollah from using EU territory for the purpose of fundraising. recruitment. financing. training and propaganda and it will help protect European and American lives. I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.
Date: 2013-01-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I join with my earlier colleague in acknowledging the 150th year of the Emancipation Proclamation. What a moving moment last evening at the National Archives when I read the words: Hence forth these slaves are free. I rise with a more optimistic view and a view that says we have the opportunity to do what is right by the American people. But we must also recognize that we have to tell the truth. At the end of the Clinton administration. this Nation had $5 trillion in surplus. But with wasteful tax cuts and spending by our Republican friends. we find ourselves in this deficit. I dont know what my decision will be as we move forward on this issue of the fiscal cliff. but I will say this: we will not tolerate the American people being held hostage over the debt ceiling and these unhelpful cuts that will cut into those who are the most vulnerable. That will not be the pathway that we will take because every economist will tell you that if you invest in your people and build infrastructure. you will grow this country and youll turn this economy and youll be able to get people jobs. Thats the message that will come forth from this day. January 1. when we are here in this Congress. I want the American people to be optimistic because there are Members of Congress that will fight for your growth. your opportunity. your freedom. That is what America is all about.
Date: 2013-01-01
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 6726. a bill that aims to claw back the .5% COLA promised to federal employees when the Continuing Resolution expires in March of this year. While I do not oppose the provision of the bill that freezes the pay for Members of Congress. I cannot support a measure that asks federal employees who have already disproportionately sacrificed so much for deficit reduction to sacrifice even more. This bill is yet another assault on the middleclass Americans who work to ensure that the food we eat and the water we drink are safe. These dedicated public servants protect our airports. care for our injured veterans and guard our borders. And yet. as this bill proves. their service and sacrifices are not valued by many in Congress who. when they look at federal employees can only see their pensions and pay and benefits as a source they can turn to anytime they need extra cash. Federal workers have contributed $60 billion as part of a twoyear pay freeze. they contributed $15 billion more as part of the Payroll Tax Extension. and the Continuing Resolution the government is currently operating under asked them to forgo. until March. the .5% COLA they were promised this year. If this bill passes. the two year pay freeze Federal employees are currently laboring under will be extended for another year. Enough is enough! Members of Congress can afford to go without a pay raise. but Federal employees should not be treated as if they were the federal governments piggybank. I ask my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill so that we stop wasting our time in the dying hours of this Congress and instead focus our attention on the important business of moving the bipartisan package that the Senate passed yesterday to address the Fiscal Cliff.
Date: 2013-01-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Ill add my appreciation to the service of Mr. DREIER as well. And ask the question: Why are we here? I know why Im hereto protect working Americans. the vulnerable and middle class. The reason why were in this position is because at the end of the Clinton administration we had $5 trillion in surplus. and it went out the window with Bush tax cuts and wars that we could not pay for. So I stand here today to say that working class and the vulnerable will have their unemployment insurance and earned income tax and cuts in their taxes that they really need. but we still have work to do. I want to make sure that we restore some very serious cuts that impact on the health care of Americans. We have work to do on the sequestration. Our fight is the same fight that Richard Trumka has with the AFLCIO. Were here to make sure that the working Americans. the most vulnerable. do not pay for the rich getting richer. Were going to fight against Social Security cuts and Medicare cuts and Medicaid cuts. What we have to do today is to make sure that we can go forward. but we should not do it without the understanding that theres some restoration work and theres some fight work in the sequestration. It will not be done on the backs of those who cannot pay. But we will work together as Americans to make things better. That is what I hope we will see as we go forward. I want to thank the Senate for putting that bill forward that now we have to address.
Date: 2013-01-01
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Ladies and gentlemen of the Congress and United States of America. we stand here today and were witnessing something that there has been a great hunger among the American people for. and that is to see. finally. Democrats and Republicans working together for the good of the United States. Were going to have that today. Were going to have a billall may not vote for it. but I think what is important here is that this is a product of a true compromise. with Republicans and with Democrats putting the United States of America foremost. I think we ought to have a tip of the hat to President Barack Obama. I think to Leader MCCONNELL in the Senate. and certainly to our Vice President. JOE BIDEN. and to the leadership of NANCY PELOSI. STENY HOYER. and JIM CLYBURN over on our side. I know that our Republican friends have had a tussle here. but our tip of the hat to you as well. and certainly to my friend. DAVID DREIER. who is in his ending time as chairman of the Rules Committee. Good luck. my friend.
Date: 2013-01-03
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I thank the gentlewoman for this recognition. and I rise in favor of the motion to commit that I will be offering with Mr. CLYBURN and Mr. LEWIS before the House later today so that we can take a small. but very important. step to protect the right of every American to vote. I was appalled on this past election day by widespread reports across the country of voters forced to wait in hourslong lines simply to exercise one of our most fundamental rightsthe right to vote. Even in some States with early voting. voters were forced to choose between waiting for hours or missing work or taking care of their children in order to cast their vote. or giving up their right to vote altogether. At some precincts in Miami. hundreds of voters stood in line for over 4 hours. past the 7 oclock closing time of the polls. even after President Obama had been declared the winner of the election. It offends our basic values that Americans would be denied the right to vote because of a lastminute illness or change in the work schedule. the need to pick up a child from school. or some other unavoidable emergency. meaning that they could not afford to wait in line for several hours simply to exercise that right. The motion to commit in the House will make two important changes. First. it will require in Federal elections that every State provide for at least 15 days early voting. and. two. it would require the State to provide adequate resources. staff. and machines at polling places in Federal elections to ensure that voters are not forced to wait in line for more than an hour. There are numerous changes that need to be made to adequately protect the rights of all Americans to their right to vote. and I support the comprehensive approach to voter protections that has been developed by Mr. LEWIS and Mr. CLYBURN. However. today we have a chance to take a very simple step to make sure that voting is simple for Americans so they can exercise their right. a right that we broadcast to the rest of the world about how we choose our leaders and how we exercise our democracy. But that right and that democracy is now being thwarted by efforts at the local and State levels to make voting more difficult. to prohibit people from voting. We can change all of that in the motion to commit today in this rules package. and I would urge my colleagues to support that. I want to thank Mr. CLYBURN and Mr. LEWIS for their leadership. Im very sorry that Mr. LEWIS is unable to be here today with the untimely death of his wife. Lillian.
Date: 2013-01-03
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cal

that the resolution (H. Res. 5) to a select committee compos jority Leader and the Minorit instructions to report it fort the House with the following a At the end of the resolutioi lowing new sections:
Date: 1987-01-21
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise to let my colleagues know of a new Governor and new spirit in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Gov. Alexander A. Farrelly. who took office 2 weeks ago. brings a new determination and credibility to these three islands of 110.000 people. Farrelly. a native son and graduate of Yale Law School. is an experienced attorney and community leader who was elected by a 2to1 majority. Governor Farrelly is inheriting a government with an accumulated deficit of $80 million and an annual deficit of $40 million. He shows the courage to face It headon. In his state of the territory speech. for starters. he proposed: Reducing government holidays. Cutting subsidies to the water distribution system. Delaying payment of overdue salary increases to government workers. Cutting future retirement benefits for government workers. and Establishing a temporary income tax surcharge. Tough. painful medicine. but a clear signal that his administration means business. He also promised tighter control of the local budget process. and an end to the governments stopgap borrowing. Above all. he is determined to see that all the people of the Virgin Islands share equally not only in the costs but. more importantly. in the benefits of his programs. Governor Farrellys election shows the people of the Virgin Islands are ready to face their problems and correct them. I look forward to working with this Governor and introducing him to my colleagues here in the weeks ahead. Mr. Speaker. I am Including excerpts of Governor Farrellys state of the territory speech In the Extension of Remarks. which I believe deserve the attention of my colleagues.
Date: 1987-01-27
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that It may be in order for the Speaker to declare additional recesses at any time today. subject to the call of the Chair.
Date: 1987-01-27
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 93) to provide for a temporary prohibition of strikes .or lockouts with respect to the Long Island Rail Road labormanagement dispute.
Date: 1987-01-27
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I -may consume. Mr. Speaker. the House is now considering House Joint Resolution 93. This resolution was introduced last week by my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee. the distinguished gentleman from New York . and the distinguished gentleman. from New.Jersey . It. has strong bipartisan support. I want to extend! at this time congratulations to the gentlemen from. New York and New Jersey for their fore-. sight in introducing. this very timely resolution which I. think will be beneficial to all concerned and will rein-. state the much needed transportationin the New YorkNew Jersey area. This legislation has been necessitated by the decision of certain railroad employees last week to strike the Long Island Rail Road. That strike has shut down the Nations busiest commuter line and left approximately 112.000 commuters stranded. As of. this time. unions representing. .over 70 percent of the LIRR employees have settled andothers are close to settlement. This joint. resolutionwould provide an additional 60day negotiating period during which the few unions who have been unable to make progress toward an agreement may do ..so. This additional negotiating period would extend until midMarch. The legislation also provides for the appointment of. a threemember advisory board to be appointed by the National Mediation Board. This advisoiy. board would. report to. Congress no
Date: 1987-01-27
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 3 minutes to the gen- GENERAL LEAVE tleman from New Jersey . Mr. THOMAS A. LUKEN. Mr. a cosponsor of the joint resolution and Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that a member of the committee. all Members may have 5 legislative
Date: 1987-01-27
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. For an additional amount for the "EmerSpeaker. I yield back the balance of gency Food and Shelter Program". my time. $50.000.000. which shall be derived by trans
Date: 1987-01-29
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. a good friend. FOFO SUNIA. the Delegate from American Samoa. is not here today. He is back in his district helping his people who are suffering from the aftereffects of a devastating hurricane that hit the island of Manua. Over 2.000 of our brothers and sisters. American citizens and nationals in American Samoa. have been left homeless. On some of these smaller islands that were hit every single building was knocked down and livestock was killed. It is estimated that in livestock and crops $9 million of damage was done. I want to commend the Department of Interior. in particular Assistant Secretary Montoya. for his response. He took technical assistance money and sent it out there to help in this emergency and FEMA is .also trying to help. But I hope that if this is not enough the Members of Congress will help us to seek additional help for these American citizens and nationals in their time of need.