macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-09
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Madam Chair. I thank the gentleman. I rise in strong support of the Castor amendment to the Homeland Security authorization bill. I have worked long and hard to coordinate the agreement between TSA and Florida on their respective worker ID cards for screening port workers. TSA has been dragging their feet. unwilling to compromise so that Florida does not have to discontinue its own card. It wasnt until Senator Paula Dockery. who shares some of my constituents. reached out to me that the TSA finally began to respond and started negotiations. Senator Dockery is now chairman of the committee that I chaired when I was in the Florida Senate. so I am very familiar with the biometric ID program. That is why she reached out to me. Right now. congressional intervention has made sure that they are talking. There is still only one remaining sticking point. I am cautiously optimistic that we can work this out so Florida can be confident that TSAs Transportation Worker ID card is secure enough for our precious ports. Florida has a great system. and TSA needs to recognize that and know that. if anything. Floridas system is above and beyond what TSA is looking at. This amendment commits TSA to continuing the work my colleagues and I have already accomplished. getting.TSA to sit down and talk to Florida. Most of the issues have been worked out. I am pleased to support this amendment.
Date: 2007-05-10
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Speaker. it has been a few short weeks since the tragedies of Virginia Tech. which we cannot forget. Nor should we forget the fact that there are three suicides each day on college campuses and each year hundreds of thousands of acts of violence. many committed by those who have serious mental illness. But under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. passed into law in 1974. school personnel. administrators. and teachers who have little or no training in mental health are burdened with the task of defining and determining if a student is at risk. These educational personnel are also reluctant to release information for fear of legal action. That is why I have introduced H.R. 2220. the Mental Health Security for Americas Families in Education Act. to break down these barriers to allow our schools to communicate with parents after consultation with a licensed mental health professional. I ask my colleagues to join the Association of American Universities. the American Council on Education. and the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges to help support this bill.
Date: 2007-05-15
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to publicly condemn the recent remarks of Senator HARRY REID. the majority leader of the United States Senate. For the leader of one of the greatest legislative bodies in the world to concede defeat in Iraq is a sad commentary on the state of politics. in our Nation. "Our troops are the finest fighting force this world has ever known. Our generals are among the finest military minds in the world. My faith is with these brave men and women who put their lives on the line each day in battle. and not on the political choices of a Washington. DC politician. The American public does not want our troops to shuffle out of Iraq with our tails between our legs. America wants to achieve victory in the global war for freedom. a battle whose center is in the Middle East and in Iraq. Defeatist comments like "the war is lost" should be condemned by any freedomloving Member of this body.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Madam Speaker. as I stated in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: "On Rollcall vote 340. I was recorded as a yes vte when I intended to cast a no vote." I wish to clarify on the RECORD my miscast vote and my strong support for the National Drug Intelligence Center located in Johnstown. Pennsylvania. right outside of the 18th Congressional Districb. I was pleased to support funding for the NDIC in the Intelligence authorization bills in both the 108th and 109th Congress. I look forward to continuing my work in support of the critical intelligence work of this agency.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: JOANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Madam Chairman. H.R. 1585 clearly focuses on the readiness- of our troops. As a first step to improving the readiness of our forces. the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to include status of the National Guard in the quarterly readiness reports to Congress. Not only will this provide visibility on the status of our guard units to support the Federal mission. but will also provide updates to the Governors and to the Congress on the ability of these units to accomplish their civil support missions. The bill goes on to require the Secretary of Defense to report annually to Congress on the status of prepositioned stocks and to establish a timeline for reconstituting those prepositioned stocks in the event they are downloaded for use by our deployed troops. While these reporting requirements seem small. they will do a great deal to ensure that priority and necessary funding is applied to areas that need it the most. I would also like to highlight that this bill authorizes $250 million to address training shortfalls throughout the services and recommends $165 million above the Presidents budget request for depot maintenance. Properly funding depot maintenance ensures that the equipment our troops need to not only engage in combat operations. but to also train and prepare for deployment. is available and ready for them when they need it. Once again. I would like to state that I am proud of this legislation and I encourage all members to support it for the steps it takes to ensure our troops are ready to meet the needs of our nation.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Madam Chairman. General Walter Boomer. the commander of the Marines in the first gulf war. once said. a soldiers best friend. next to his rifle. is the postman. This amendment. which is a scaled down version of H.R. 1439. the Supply Our Soldiers Act of 2007. sponsored by the gentleman from New York and myself. will help our soldiers. our sailors. our airmen and marines fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan receive letters and packages more regularly from their loved ones. Were not able to be with our heroes fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. but were able to send a little piece of home overseas to them. Whether its mailing the basic essentials or a videotape and a letter. tangible items from loved ones are always appreciated. Holding a son or daughters art project or biting into a homemade cookie reminds them that they support what theSr are doing and the sacrifices they are making for our country. The cost of sending letters and packages overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan can be a burden for a family already making great sacrifices. I think that regular communication between soldiers and their families should not be inhibited by the cost of postage. and some things just cant be emailed. This amendment will help soldiers receive the necessary supplies and words of encouragement from loved ones more frequently. keeping morale raised while in the combat zone. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I rise on behalf of my colleagues ALCEE L. HASTINGS. ILEANA ROSLEHTINEN and MARIO DIAZBALART to introduce an amendment to H.R. 1585. the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. The amendment recommends that the Secretary of the Navy establish and maintain a Navy Senior Reserve Officers Training Corps. ROTC. program at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. Florida. Mr. Chairman. the University of Miami is committed to assisting in the education of the armed services officer corps. The university currently houses Army and Air Force ROTC programs with great success. In fact. the university has recently committed to build a new ROTConly facility should a Navy program be added. This would provide the best environment for college education and officer training for our Armed Forces. The south Florida community is an ideal place for a Navy ROTC program. The proximity to important military installations such as the Key West Naval Air Station and the United States Southern Command only serves to advance the real world training to which senior -reserve officers are exposed during their military education. Mr. Chairman. a Navy ROTC program at the University of Miami will further the Navys continued mission to diversity their officer corps through increased recruitment. retention. and career development in minority -populations. With a 50 percent minority student body. the university is wellsituated to help the Navy achieve its laudable goal. Miami is the "gateway" to the Americas. The diversity of our community and the knowledge of our hemisphere would greatly augment the quality of officer training for our military. Mr. Chairran. for these and other reasons. I am pleased to introduce this amendment with my colleagues and urge all members to support this important Navy ROTC program at the University of Miami.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

I thank the gentleman. Mr. Chairman. I rise today to ask for your help in this colloquy to identify an alternative that will allow the commissary and exchange stores to remain open at the Armys Charles E. Kelly support facility in Oakdale. Pennsylvania. Although this installation will close as a result of the base realignment and closure process. there will remain a strong demand for these stores that are so critical to the vitality and welfare of any military community. In the case of the Kelly support facility. the population of activity duty. reservists and retirees in western Pennsylvania. and the adjacent areas of. Ohio and West Virginia. is estimated to be nearly 70.000. with another 100.000 family members. I would hope that a way can be found to project this critical benefit for these great Americans who have faithfully served our Nation. Mr. Chairman. I yield to the gentleman for a response.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Mr. Chairman. I also want to thank the gentleman for including report language including the development of a new model for a combined commissary and exchange store. I believe a new strategy for combining these stores can be a valuable tool in protecting these benefits.
Date: 2007-05-16
Speaker: TIM MURPHY (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsylvania

Finally. Mr. Chairman. I thank you for your support. I would also like to thank Chairman MURTHA for his help and commitment and my Pittsburgh colleague and friend. MIKE DOYLE. and also Mr. ALTMIRE for help on this project. I am pleased to be working with all of my colleagues on this important issue and look forward to continuing our work together.
Date: 2007-05-17
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. to borrow an old cliche. the more things change. the more they remain the same. The speaker who spoke a little while ago from the Democrats said that the Democrats in just 6 months have achieved what the Republicans did not do in 6 years. Thats true. In 6 months theyve achieved increasing the taxes on the American people. the second largest tax increase in the history of this country. Again. $217 billion in additional taxes. Mr. Speaker. thats going to hit everybody. middle income families. low income earners. families with children. small businesses. Every American who pays Federal taxes is going to get a huge tax increase. Mr. Speaker. the American people do not deserve a $217 billion tax increase to fund more bureaucracy and more bureadcrats in Washington. D.C. If you think that there are not enough bureaucracy. enough bureaucrats in D.C.. vote for this budget. If you think- the American people deserve a tax cut. reject this high spending. highly irresponsible tax raising budget.
Date: 2007-05-17
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. I thank Mr. HENSARLING for withdrawing the amendment. but I think its only fair to place on the RECORD the other side of the argument. To assume theres only seven areas that benefit from this is a wrong assumption. If you look at the current law. Guam. the Virgin Islands. Alaska and Hawaii all benefit from 150 percent of the amount conforming allows in the rest of this country. All we are saying in our highcost area is saying arent we as good as Alaska. Hawaii. Guam. and the Virgin Islands. I have been working on this thing for 3 years. I asked that this be put in the bill. I didnt say lets do it like Alaska. Guam. the Virgin Islands and Hawaii. Lets not make it statewide. Lets go specifically to a region. You could have a situation where Brea. in Orange County. could qualify for $625.000. yet Pomona. within 8 miles. might only need $400.000. But its easy to extract something from a bill that has no impact on you at all. For example. the Dallas region that the gentleman represents. the median home price is $146.400. Yet. you can borrow $417.000 through a GSE. three times the amount of the median. Yet. in Maxine Waters district. which is four times the median. which is no fault of any of ours. it just happens to be $565.000. she can only borrow $418.000. In my part of Orange County. its $695.000. I can only borrow $418.600. So we are saying if it is fair for other parts of the country. why isnt it far for all of the country. Now had the gentleman had introduced an amendment that said. well. we think we should have fairness throughout the country. and lets limit it to the median as my amendment did. in this bill that got enacted in the bill so far. that says you can have it conforming. but it cannot exceed median. Well. the gentleman. I am sure. would have a very difficult time going home and telling his people that now they can only borrow $146.400 from Freddie and Fannie because that is the median we are willing to apply to the rest of our districts. Now the argument was made in the past that while the people in these highcost areas make more money. the median income in Dallas. Texas is $65.500. the median income L.A. County is $61.300. They make $400.000 or more a year in his district. that has a median income. median home price of $146.000. Yet in Maxines and part of my area of L.A. county. people have to pay $565.000 for a median income home. and yet they make $4.000 less. So. yes. in many cases its easy to present something to a body and make a very good statement that you are concerned about the quality of a GSE. But let me state. based on the requirements and the restrictions placed upon the GSEs. these loans are very safe. [ 2330
Date: 2007-05-17
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I rise to offer an amendment to strike the requirement that highcost area loans be securitized. And what we have done in this bill is we have said that. in these highcost areas. to eliminate concerns by many. we are willing to say that the GSE must securitize those loans -in highcost areas. so. therefore. they cannot keep those loans. Those loans have to be transferred to the bond market. And there is no concern nor could there ever be any risk to the GSE. because those loans are not being kept by the GSE. Now. understand clearly that when a loan is made in Alaska. Hawaii. Guam and the Virgin Islands. they are not securitized. and it has not proven to be a risk or a problem so far at all. And if you look at the problems in the real estate market today. they are not in the conforming market at all. they are not .even in the highcost areas that complies with. They are in areas that are not available. such as the jumbo loan market in California and other areas. I am going to withdraw this amendment. but I am making a statement that it is not fair that we try to provide fairness throughout this country. and yet in doing that we are creating a situation that is less fair to those highcost areas than it is to the rest of the Nation. It is only fair that borrowers in .highcost areas should be able to get a loan through a GSE. that that loan be kept by a GSE. thereby reducing the cost to the person getting the loan. And the statement that there is only a statement of $25. in a highcost area this saves a buyer $175 a month in payment or a. loan through a GSE.
Date: 2007-05-17
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

And I think there is more reason to eliminate securitization than there ever was to place it there in the first place. But. irrespective of that. I withdraw my amendment.
Date: 2007-05-21
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida . who I served with in the State legislature.
Date: 2007-05-21
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R..2272. the 21st Century Competitiveness Act. As my dear friend and colleague. the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) just stated. this legislation pretty much packages five bills that have already passed the House with. frankly. an overwhelming majority of the votes. In order to force a conference with the other body. were now again trying to put these together. As was stated here just a few weeks ago by Ranking Member HALL and. frankly. right now by my dear friend Mr. Wu. H.R. 362 and H.R. 363 include many of the provisions from last years competitiveness legislation. as well as additionil recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences Rising Above the Gathering Storm report. again as Mr. Wu just mentioned. This report and the Presidents American Competitiveness Initiative. known as ACI. have emphasized the importance of strengthening science. technology. engineering and mathematics education in the United States to ensure that the Nations workforce can compete globally in hightech. highvalue industries. Its imperative. Mr. Speaker. that we do all we can to stay ahead of the curve and ensure that the next generation of hightech industries and products are developed here in the United States. as Mr. *Wu just said. These provisions are steps in the right direction. Also. as part of the ACI. President Bush targeted investment in physical science research to be doubled over the next 10 years at the National Science Foundation. the National Institute of Standards and Technology. and the Office of Science at the Department of Energy. I want to thank Mr. EHLERS and Mr. GINGREY for their extensive input in developing these bills and my Democratic colleagues for incorporating our priorities into this bipartisan legislation. I would be remiss. Mr. Speaker. if I didnt especially thank the staff. As you know. Mr. Speaker. they do an incredible amount of work. They do so usually behind the scenes. dont get a lot of the credit. Theres a couple here that have done an incredible job. Margaret Caravelli is here to my left and Leslee Gilbert. who is also here. have done an incredible job. and we never thank them enough. So. therefore. I want to do that today here on the floor. Im glad that H.I. 2272 includes Mrs. BIGGERTs High Performance Computing Act. This part of the bill will improve our investment in highperformance computing research. H.R. 2272 authorizes an investment in our future. an investment for continued technological advancement. and an investment to keep the .United States as the leader. frankly. in the global marketplace. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 2272. I thank all those who have worked on it. Its always a privilegeto work with my dear friend. Mr. Wu. E 1700 Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2007-05-21
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I just want to urge the adoption of this good legislation. I thank Mr. Wu for his leadership. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. WU. I would also like to thank my colleague. Mr. MARIO DIAZBALART. for his leadership on the committee and for his good works on these bills. Mr. Speaker. I just want to reiterate to my colleagues that these are five pieces of legislation which have already passed the House of Representatives by massive margins. I urge all of my colleagues to support this unified version of the bill.
Date: 2007-05-22
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. when I was a child and I misbehaved. my mother would give me a stare.that could curdle milk. Believe me. when I saw that stare. I knew how angry she was. Well. after reading the Senate amnesty giveaway plan. I now know how to give that same look. and so do my constituents. Rather than doing what the American people want. securing our borders. the Senate has thrown open the barn doors and given away the farm. Our Nation already faces huge deficits in Medicare. Medicaid and Social Security. Now the Senate and President Bush want to give away to anywhere from 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants the possibility to get welfare benefits. Social Security and Medicare. My constituents back home in Florida work hard each and every day to pay their taxes and to keep America strong. In contrast. the Senate amnesty plan rewards illegal behavior and gives away our constituents hardearned Social Security and Medicare dollars. Listen up. America. The Senate amnesty plan is a tax amnesty bill. This is bad legislation.