macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-12-13
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the Iran Threat Reduction Act. though I do have concerns about new language added to the bill in the Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is my hope that this language will be corrected before this bill advances. The passage last year of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions. Accountability. and Divestment Act (CISADA) was a key step in the effort to prevent Iran from gaining the ability to develop a nuclear weapon and it is important that we continue to apply pressure to the Iranian regime. It is clear that if President Ahmadinejad and his regime were allowed to access a nuclear weapon. Iran would pose a significant threat to global stability and security and a threat to the security of the State of Israel. This bill is an appropriate next step as we work to increase pressure on Iran to end its nuclear program and end its open hostility toward Israel and the United States. By authorizing new sanctions against Iran and by imposing sanctions against additional activities. this bill successfully expands on the precedent set by CISADA and sends the right message to Iran and to the international community. However. as I said. changes were made to this bill during the committee process that raise questions about whether or not the bill inappropriately limits the ability of any American President and his or her entire Administration to conduct diplomacy with Iran. This new language could end up jeopardizing American security by preventing our diplomats from resolving minor issues before they become more serious disputes. The Obama Administration. for example. has done an excellent job to this point in addressing the threat of a nuclear Iran. Just last month. the Administration imposed additional sanctions on Iran. including labeling Iran as a "primary moneylaundering concern." The Administration should also be commended for ensuring the success of sanctions by securing the cooperation of the international community in imposing serious sanctions that had not even been considered by many of our allies until President Obamas pressure led them to toughen their stance against Iran. It makes no sense to tie the Administrations hands now. particularly given the successful efforts by President Obama to toughen the international communitys stand against Iran. The lead Democratic sponsor of this bill and the senior Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee. my good friend Mr. BERMAN. has made clear that he does not believe that this bill should limit the Presidents ability to conduct diplomacy as he sees fit. and I agree with that assessment. Like Mr. BERMAN. I believe that this issue must be clarified in conference to ensure that this bill does not inadvertently exacerbate problems that it is intended to fix. I believe that it is imperative that we continue working constructively with our allies to strengthen sanctions against Iran and so I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to ensure going forward that it is implemented in a productive way.
Date: 2011-12-13
Speaker: ZOE LOFGREN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. the extraneous material is a letter Im sending to Wells Fargo Bank about Mrs. Darlene Bowland. a 68yearold mother fighting cancer and Wells Fargo Bank. Darlene lived in a modest home in San Jose for 41 years until she was evicted a week before Thanksgiving. At the time. Darlene was too weak from chemotherapy to pack up her own boxes. We appealed to the bank. They knew about her cancer and her chemotherapy. but they didnt care. She owned her home free and clear at one time but was a victim of a pay loan. a way to confuse her and basically steal her home. Mr. Speaker. Wells Fargo earned record profits last quarter. and in 2010 the CEO. John Stumpf. earned more than $17 million in compensation. This Christmas. Mrs. Bowland will be couch surfing with chemotherapy. while Mr. Stumpf will be enjoying his $17 million salary and her home in San Jose stays vacant. Merry Christmas from Wells Fargo.
Date: 2011-12-14
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. during this season of giving. when our Nation should be reflecting on the needs of our friends and neighbors who are out of work struggling to provide for their loved ones. this Chamber yesterday voted to cut unemployment benefits for 1 million of our fellow Americans. The House majoritys bill would eliminate several tiers of benefits created under the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. which has provided up to 99 weeks of support for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. If this legislation becomes law. the maximum potential unemployment benefit will fall by 40 weeks. This legislation would also allow States. many of which are struggling to balance their budgets. to reduce the average weekly amount available to beneficiaries. With over 8 percent unemployment. Im strongly opposed to any reduction in emergency unemployment insurance. I am a proud supporter. though. of moving the XL pipeline project forward and supported it in separate legislation. The XL pipeline makes both energy and economic sense for our country. and I hope the administration will find a way to allow the construction to commence in some States while still revisiting the route in Nebraska. I urge my colleagues to stand in support of the over 13 million Americans looking for work this holiday season and pass a clean extension of the unemployment insurance program.
Date: 2011-12-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. in the calamity of news reports proliferating across America regarding the epidemic proportions of child sexual abuse. I introduce Zero Tolerance For Child Sexual Abuse. H.R. 3650. I ask my colleagues to join me for a national statement of abhorring and standing against the abuse of our children. On a much happier topic. I thank our leader for her comments on our returning troops. and I look forward to introducing a resolution thanking and congratulating our returning troops. having one day or two days in which our Members will join me in wearing a yellow ribbon and. as well. commemorating the return of our wonderful troops and thanking their families from wherever they have come for this holiday season. What greater gift than the men and women who have served on the front lines to honor us by their presence here in the holiday season. Our message should be "no silent State. no silent neighborhood. no silent community" in reference to honoring them as they come home.
Date: 2011-12-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I thank the ranking member. and I thank the members of this committee. This is a very tough decision. But in the midst of welcoming home many of our troops. I believe it is important to look at aspects of this legislation that have been corrected and aspects that have been enhanced. Let me thank the members of the committee for the enhancement of the small business technology and the efforts on research and development. Let me thank them for the response on sexual assault and harassment policies that have been improved. as well as the improvement of the military pay for our military families and soldiers. and the enhanced resources that have been put in to help our soldiers return to the workplace. But I am concerned. And as I have reviewed this. let me specifically yield to the gentleman from Washington. the ranking member. and ask a question on detention. about which I think so many are concerned. It is my understanding. along with present law. that this has been vetted. the language of detention and the response to civilians. American civilians and legal aliens have been vetted to be in sync with the Constitution. due process. and the right to habeas corpus if individuals are detained.
Date: 2011-12-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

And I believe also that Congress has the privilege to be notified if someone is detained and has the ability to both intervene or interact with the executive. the President. on the particularly unique circumstances of a U.S. citizen being detained as a person that may be involved in terrorist acts. I thank the gentleman and would argue the point that this is a difficult call but that this bill has value because it improves the law on the question of detention and compliance with the Constitution. It also improves the lives of our soldiers and families. I support the legislation.
Date: 2011-12-14
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1540. the Defense Authorization Agreement for FY 2012. I strongly oppose the conference language which amends section 1097b(a) of title 10 of United States Code which exempts important and hardfought civil rights protections that were enacted to advance the goals of ensuring equal opportunity and promoting diversity in the workplace. There is no principled reason for creation of this grave precedent exempting this class of subcontractors from the workplace discrimination laws applicable to all other companies that enjoy the privilege of doing business with the federal government. Subcontractors that do follow the law deserve a level playing field. instead of a Congressional exemption for their competitors. If this provision becomes law. many of those TRICARE network providers that are federal subcontractors unlike other federal subcontractors will be exempt from systemic evaluations of contractors employment practices. Additionally. their employees will lose the assurance that there is a federal agency independently monitoring their employers compliance with nondiscrimination and affirmative action law. Being a federal contractor or subcontractor is a privilege and with that privilege comes a responsibility to comply with the law and make equal opportunity a reality for everyone. This is unfortunate as I am very pleased that this legislation contains a comprehensive reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research. SBIR. program and the Small Business Technology Transfer. STTR. program. We have worked tirelessly over the last few months on a bipartisan. bicameral basis in an attempt to strike a deal on this reauthorization and I am pleased that these efforts have finally paid off. We all recognize the important role that small businesses play in fueling technological innovation and creating jobs in the United States. That being the case. we should be doing what we can to foster a vibrant small business community and give our small businesses the tools that they need to succeed.
Date: 2011-12-15
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Members. thank you. and to my colleagues again. let me acknowledge the wearing of the yellow ribbon in a bipartisan way to say thank you to our troops. But I do want to thank as well. again. the Young Scholars Academy and Dr. Anella Coleman. who were so kind to make these ribbons and to learn about our appreciation for the work of our troops coming home from Iraq. Over 100.000 have come home in the last 14 months. and Im asking our Members to go home and yellowribbon your offices and your community. and have signs on your marquee that say. Welcome home to the troops. a job well done. We never want our troops to come home from any battlefield. called to serve their Nation. to a silent America. And again. as weve supported or promoted better conditions for family and troops. we were able yesterday to give them a 1.9 percent increase in salary. Now. as we go home for the holiday season. doing our work. let us say thank you to our troops. Thank you. Members. for wearing a yellow ribbon today.
Date: 2011-12-16
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. we just finished debating and reviewing. although the time was very short. the language that would fund this Nation. That is our duty. Im concerned. however. that some of the cuts impacted our seniors. our young people. and our environment. We must do better. and I certainly disagree with cutting again the appropriations for this Nation impacting our veterans and their families another 2 percent. I voted against it. and I believe that we must ensure that if America is hit by a disaster. we pay for it. We have to fight this fight again. However. Mr. Speaker. as our soldiers return. I thank Members who are wearing the yellow ribbon. but I ask you to go home and yellow ribbon your district offices. Ask your cities and hamlets and States to put yellow ribbons out to welcome the troops who are coming home and say a job well done. It ended yesterday with the casing of the colors in Iraq. It is our obligation and duty to not let one soldier come home to a silent America and a silent community.
Date: 2011-12-19
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Securitys Subcommittee on Transportation Security. I am pleased that we are on the floor today to consider the Senate amendment to H.R. 1801. Approval of this measure today will. for the first time this Congress. result in transportation security legislation reaching the Presidents desk. In this budgetary climate. we must ensure that the Transportation Security Administration is maximizing its resources and adequately integrating efficient screening process across its checkpoint security programs. This legislation strives to do that by ensuring that an expedited screening program is established for members of the Armed Forces. which includes over 20.000 men and women in the Houston metro area. These men and women sacrifice their time and family life to defend our liberty. Affording them the opportunity to be respectfully screened in an expedited manner will ensure that we continue to honor their service and what their commitment means to the American public. H.R. 1801 represents commonsense legislation with bipartisan support. The Senate amendment ensures that there is a strong collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Transportation Security Administration. Furthermore. H.R. 1801 establishes parameters for expedited screening process for members of the Armed Services without compromising security. I am happy that I was able to work with Mr. ROGERS and other members of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Full Committee on Homeland Security on this bill. However. I hope that we do not stop here. This legislation represents only a small slice of the legislative action we must act on to adequately address transportation security. Transportation security threats are evolving and more work must be done. I look forward to continuing our work on the Committee on Homeland Security and producing additional bipartisan measures that strive to enhance our Nations transportation security efforts. With that Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
Date: 2011-12-19
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I thank the gentleman and the Speaker and the chairman for their kindness and recognition for 2 minutes today. Coming in from Houston. I had the privilege of being with Reservists that visited one of my hospitals that serves military families and. of course. the soldiers and veterans. They serve them on the issue of posttraumatic stress disorder. I say that because it was a feeling of warmth and family. first acknowledging. as I wear this yellow ribbon. of those who have come home and those who have done their duty. I believe that the acknowledgment of Sir Winston Churchill is an appropriate action for this Congress. but really on behalf of the American people. And I read quickly this quote in brief of his words: "Sure I am that this day. now. we are the masters of our fate. that the task which has been set us is not above our strength." Although this was in the context of World War II. I plead with my colleagues who are all arriving back by train. bus. airplane. and car. that this is a time that is within our strength to not. in any way. yield to the tasks and not accomplish on behalf of the American people. We are masters of our fate. We have before us the Senate conference on the payroll tax and employment extension. Vote on it. Vote together in a bipartisan manner. Realize that there are differences. but that we have another day. as was devised by the Senate. by February. to be able to debate this issue. The American people thought this was settled.
Date: 2011-12-19
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

People who are hungry for payroll tax relief. $1.000. people who are looking for the unemployment extension. those who are getting $1.000. those who would be beneficiaries of the 400.000 jobs. and those who will be beneficiaries of the unemployment extension that will help them pay their mortgage or help them pay their rent or food or the necessities of life. putting those monies into the economy. the American people thought we were finished. thought we had compromised. thought we had risen to our higher angels. And so. if our soldiers and those who are returning can do their job. Im pleading. in a bipartisan manner. let us vote for the Senate bill. Let us move this forward. and let us realize that we are the masters of our fate.
Date: 2011-12-20
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. it is so unfortunate that today we find ourselves continuing to argue over whether or not an extension of the middle class tax cut should take place now as opposed to continuing to try to load the bill up with poison pills. cutting off peoples unemployment insurance. and getting into an argument with the Senate. The proposal after a year of deliberations that the Republicans came up with was rejected in the Senate on a bipartisan basis. Another bill was passed overwhelmingly to give us a 2month extension so that we can continue to try to work out a longterm solution to a middle class tax cut without accepting poison pills. But now what we see is the Republicans choose to turn down that compromise that brought the Senate together. that can bring this House together. to refuse to let us have a vote on that measure because they know there will be bipartisan support for that measure in this House. We can come together and. in this holiday season. give American middle class families the security that they will have a continuation of the tax cut on January 1. but thats not what the Republicans are going to do. Theyre going to throw families and our economy into chaos for the sake of trying to make political points.
Date: 2011-12-20
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. unfortunately with the procedure that the Republicans are using today. we miss an opportunity for the House and the Senate. Republicans and Democrats. to come together around an extension of the middle class tax cut for the next 2 months. Its unfortunate that its for 2 months. but the Republicans in this House sent to the Senate a very extreme bill for 1 year by slashing peoples unemployment benefits. ruining those families ability to survive this period of economic downturn. And the Senate rejected that on a bipartisan basis. The Senate was then encouraged by the Speaker of the House to negotiate a deal. HARRY REID and MCCONNELL negotiated a deal. and the Speaker of the House said he thought it was a good deal. In fact. he used the word "victory." Then when the suggestion was why didnt we vote last week. it was. well maybe when it came back from the Senate we could do it on some sort of unanimous consent procedure. Then there were rumbles in the House that there were going to be Republicans in the Republican caucus that wanted to join the 39 Republicans in the Senate that voted for this procedure. And all of a sudden what we see is the emergence of the Tea Party Republicans slapping down that idea. slapping down the idea that thered be independent judgments made in the Republican caucus. and they pulled it to a grinding halt. We will not be allowed to vote on that bipartisan agreement. We will not be allowed to vote on an agreement that brought the Republicans and the Democrats together in the Senate. We will not be able to vote on a bipartisan agreement that has the opportunity to bring Democrats and Republicans together in the House. Thats because the Tea Party insists upon this radical agenda where theyre going to throw millions of people off of unemployment insurance whove lost their job through no fault of their own. and thats how theyll pay for the middle class tax cut. by injuring middle class families whove been thrown into economic chaos because of the economic downturn caused by their friends on Wall Street and the scandals that theyve perpetrated on the American people. Lets bring people together. Lets pass the Senate bill. and lets get on with taking care of the problems of this Nation.
Date: 2011-12-20
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. we are here basically because the Joker has taken control of the Congress. Everyone knows that this is a procedural calamity that will not work. The House bill was dead on arrival in the other body because it raised the premiums of Medicare on seniors. Let me tell you what were doing today. The Washington Republicans are taking a highrisk gamble. This is gambling. This is throwing the dice. DEAN HELLER. a Senator. said. It is important that we extend the short term to get to the long term on payroll tax. RICHARD LUGAR said. We must do what is best for the American people. My voice may be a little raspy. but I am watching the trees and the lights in peoples homes. As we go through the house. you can see those lights brightly shining. and then you get closer to that tree. and you see them beginning to pop and burn as the Christmas tree burns. And then those who have lights in their homes. candles. you see them burning to the very end. It is extinguished. Theyre putting the American people in darkness. Thats what this joke is doing. not even allowing us to be able to have an upordown vote on the Senate bill that gives us 2 months to help out seniors. to have their doctors. and to be able to have the Medicare reimbursement for our doctors fixed. I submit into the RECORD the Rules Committee agenda. which showed at 7:05 p.m. on Monday night that the House would vote on the Senate compromise to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance extension. At 9:15 p.m. the Tea Party Republicans said noand the American people now have lost their holiday season. Millions will now suffer.