macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-10
Speaker: MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

I thank the gentleman from New Mexico. Madam Chair. America is facing security. economic. and environmental challenges that are unparalleled in our history. Our national laboratories have a unique set of assets we can leverage to meet these challenges. Projects financed by LDRD have allowed the National Nuclear Security Agency to rapidly respond to unforeseen national security needs. In 1988. Sandia National Labs. located in my district. made a breakthrough in parallel computing that resulted in the ability to compute extremely complicated numerical simulations to ensure the safety and reliability of our nuclear weapons stockpile without the need for nuclear tests. As a result. we have not tested a nuclear weapon since The benefits of parallel processing supercomputers have also improved the competitiveness of U.S. industries in the global economy. They were used to map the human genome. develop new drugs. and shorten the development time of products by finding mistakes before they end up in prototypes. Parallel processing supercomputers have also greatly increased our understanding of atmospheric changes through global atmospheric circulation simulation. These advancements have helped provide an understanding of the climate that cannot be determined by theory or by other experiments. LDRD investments have been historically important in advancing the state of highperformance computing. Ongoing LDRD investments are enabling nextgeneration computing hardware and software approaches that will eventually lead to much better performance. I am confident that we can work with the chairman and the ranking member to fund LDRD at levels that will maintain our vital national security assets. and I thank them for their willingness to work with us on this issue.
Date: 2013-07-10
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Madam Chair. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their service and for agreeing to work with us on this important issue. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because we are the conscience of the Congress. The majority of the people getting food stamps are not African American.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because it hurts the working poor.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because it takes food from children. and it increases the number of starving children in America.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Referring to your previous ruling. one is allowed to give explanation for ones opposition. and those words are to be counted as part of the unanimous consent.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

In continuing the parliamentary inquiry. is the amount of passion in your voice in opposition to the idea that this bill creates more starving children?
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because it takes food and nutrition from working families.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

The only thing that this House will do when it votes today is defeat starving children. It will again put starving children in the abyss of the uncaring attitude of my friends who for the first time in decades are separating the heart line of the farm billthe nutrition program. the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. the food stamps program. I am glad to stand with the Democratic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus and others to be able to say that hunger is silent. There are no children at that microphone on this floor today. standing over here. telling you that their bellies are protruding because they have not eaten. There is no one on this floor today who goes to a summer program and who did not eat because the breakfast program is tied to the school. and they are out of school. and summer brings about hunger. There is no one who has told you that families have an extra $300 bill in the summertime to feed their children. and for those who do not have it. no one has told you that the lack of protein in a diet leads to the disease and decay of teeth and bone for the very children that we say are the priority of this place. In decades. you have never separated the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programa $20 billion cut. a $3 billion cut. making it $23 billion in cuts. You will never put that on the floor. You will slide it through because all the folks want is a piece of a sound bite at home to say they believe in deficit reduction. I believe in the life of the children. I believe in growing our children. Vote "no...
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New

Mexico changed his vote from "aye" to "no." So the resolution was agreed to. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

On the basis of such an eloquent statement by our ranking member. my inquiry is: At this point. could we not. in essence. table this bill and begin the process of reconstructing the bill. as the ranking member has so eloquently stated. in order to be able to feed Americas children and not continue the starvation that this farm bill will create and promote for years to come?
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Is the bill not flawed. as the ranking member has said. for it has left out what has traditionally been a major component of the farm bill. which is the supplemental nutrition program. which deals with feeding hungry Americans and hungry children?
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Thank you very much. Chairman Peterson. Mr. Speaker. ladies and gentlemen of the House. what we have here is not a farm bill. You tell me how in the world we can have a farm bill and separate food and nutrition out from it. The American people dont get that. When you think of farms and you think of agriculture. do you mean to tell me it isnt about food? Here we have made this critical. terrible mistake of divorcing. of segregating. of separating the most basic essential of farm policy. which is to produce the food and the nutrition for the people of America. This isnt just about food stamps. although we are here because the Republican Party. my friendsand I have many over therehave been hijacked to turn a bipartisan effort to deal with the complexity. the vulgarity. where 38 States in this Nation their primary part of their economy is agriculture. is business. My members on the Agriculture Committee. we have a broad mandate. We should be the most powerful committee up here. We not only deal with food. we not only deal with agriculture. we deal with fuel going our way up to energy independence. We are dealing with the heavy finance of $600 trillion in derivatives. But this makes us look small. To bring a bill and call it a farm bill and it has nothing to do with foodand its so hypocritical. my friends. Youve seen the news reports. The American people have seen the news reports. where we have Members who are accepting millions of dollars in subsidies and will be voting against poor people who need the food to eat.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: SEAN PATRICK MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. I rise. not to speak about the food assistance program. others have done that eloquently. but as one of 90 new Members of Congress. one of 15 freshman on the Agriculture Committee. one of 36 Members. bipartisan Members. who voted this bill out of committee to bring it to the floor. We did so. not because we agreed with everything in it. in fact. many of us disagreed very strongly with things in this bill. We did it because we respected our chairman and our ranking member. who worked across the aisle together for years to get a product that would help the country. that would help our farmers. that would help the people I represent in the Hudson Valley. What we have watched on this floor is the sabotaging and the undoing of careful. bipartisan work. And the result. once again. is paralysis. Five hundred farm groups are supporting the defeat of this bill. Dont tell me its good for farmers. Everyone who cares about food assistance for kids is opposing this bill. Dont tell me its good for food stamps. And your own conservative groups. the most conservative groups. are opposing this bill as a bigspending bill. Dont tell me it saves the taxpayers money. We came here to get results. This Congress can do better. Defeat this bill. bring it back. and lets work together to get a good result.
Date: 2013-07-11
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. a few weeks ago Democrats and Republicans alike unilaterally rejected a bill that would have cut $20.5 billion from our Nations most important antihunger program which touches nearly 1 out of 7 Americans. Today. the Republican Majority in the House of Representatives is considering H.R. 2642. a bill that is even more deeply flawed than before. which opts to leave out programs that will protect those who are most in need entirely. In these tough budgetary times. the Republican majority should not signal to their constituents that helping those most in need is no longer a priority. In addition to leaving behind those who are most in need. the bill being rushed to the floor today is under a closed rule. with an amendment that eliminates the 1949 permanent farm law and replaces it with the language of H.R. 2642. Additionally. this bill makes permanent deep cuts to conservation programs. weakens protections for our forests. wetlands and wildlife and guts regulation of pesticides. Congress first enacted the farm bill in response to the Great Depression in order to foster growth in our Nations economy and to protect those who were most in need. Today. we are still recovering from what some economists call. "the Great Recession." We find ourselves at a crossroads where we must decide how to manage our fiscal priorities while still protecting those who were hardest hit by the recent recession. President Eisenhower once said. "Every gun that is made. every warship launched. every rocket fired. signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed. those who are cold and are not clothed." Mr. Speaker. historically funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. constitutes about 80 percent of the funding in a Farm Bill. I have received letters from the two largest general farm organizations in the country which have voiced opposition to separating nutrition programs from the farm bill. Splitting this bill is a shortsighted strategy which undermines the longstanding bipartisan fashion in which urban and rural members unite to support this package. Mr. Speaker. considering the serious flaws of this bill. I would encourage all of my colleagues. both Democratic and Republican to vote against this unconscionable package.
Date: 2013-07-16
Speaker: EDDIE JOHNSTON (democrat)
Chamber: H

Managing Director. Gas Technology Institute. Des Plaines. IL. DEAR MR. JOHNSTON: As you know. the practice of incorporating voluntary consensus standards allows pipeline operators to use the most current industry technologies. materials. and management practices available on todays market. New or updated standards often further innovation and increase the use of new technologies that improve the safety and operations of pipelines and pipeline facilities. On January 3. 2012. President Obama signed into law the Pipeline Safety. Regulatory Certainty. and Job Creation Act of 2011 (P.L. 112 90) (the Act). Section 24 of the Act states that. effective January 3. 2013. PHMSA may not issue "guidance or a regulation that incorporates by reference any documents or portions thereof unless the documents or portions thereof are made available to the public. free of charge. on an Internet Web site." In support of Section 24 of the Act. we thank the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) for agreeing to electronically post on the Internet all GTI consensus standards that PHMSA incorporates by reference into the federal pipeline safety regulations after January 3. 2013. It has also agreed to post on the Internet any updated. revised. or new GTI consensus standards that PHMSA proposes during rulemaking to incorporate by reference. While GTI has discretion in how they accomplish this objective. it has agreed that. at a minimum. these voluntary consensus standards will be: Electronically posted on an Internet Web site. Available to the public. and Free of charge. GTI has agreed to notify PHMSA immediately if it is no longer able or capable of meeting the above minimum posting requirements. We request that you also notify us if any standards are removed from your electronic archives. if you have such an archives. The voluntary consensus standards developed by GTI play a critical role in safeguarding pipeline safety. and PHMSA is tremendously appreciative of the constructive role GTI is playing in ensuring their continued use in the federal pipeline safety regulations. After you review the terms of this agreement. please sign below and return a copy to PHMSA. If you have questions. please contact Mike Israni at 202 3664571. Sincerely.
Date: 2013-07-16
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 2576. This bill represents a commonsense technical fix to section 24 of the Pipeline Safety. Regulatory Certainty. and Job Creation Act of The changes made by H.R. 2576 will provide the Department of Transportations Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration with the flexibility necessary to find a balanced solution between the use of standards incorporated by reference in its safety regulations and the need to increase transparency and access to those standards. The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 requires federal agencies to use voluntary consensus standards developed by the private sector as part of any federal regulation rather than allow the agencies to create their own government specific standards. This law created a foundation for a publicprivate partnership that has been tremendously beneficial. It has saved the federal government money by drawing on the vast technical expertise of the private sector and by creating "buyin" from the parties who will ultimately be regulatedincreasing compliance and lessening the cost of enforcement. While this partnership is extremely valuable and should not be weakened in anyway. it is also important that the public have access to these standards. especially if they are going make their way into a regulation. I believe there is a middle ground to be found here. In fact. the Administrative Conference of the United States offers a number of recommendations that federal agencies should consider. One such recommendation is that federal agencies should work with standards development organizations to make their copyrighted materials reasonably available to interested parties during the rulemaking process. This could be accomplished by posting a readonly copy of the standard online for a limited period of time. The bottom line is DOT needs to find a path forward so that the safety of the nations pipelines is not eroded and the most uptodate standards are utilized. H.R. 2576 provides DOT with the flexibility to find that path. I urge my colleagues to support HR. 2576.
Date: 2013-07-16
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to have the name of Mr. BISHOP of Utah removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2359.
Date: 2013-07-16
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

As a mother and an American. I am well aware that this Nation is a nation of laws. And our system of justice speaks. and the reason why we are a democracy is because we adhere to that. But Im proud of my constituents and others in Houston. Texas. who saw the need to petition and to be able to join the family of Trayvon Martin in praying to petition their Federal Government. That is America. Mr. Speakerthat all Americans have a right to come and petition their government. Thank you for being peaceful. Thank you for being prayerful. Thank you for being ready to speak in tones seeking justice. but doing it in a way that is respectful of our system. and ready to be able to achieve what your desires are through continuing to pray and be peaceful. In Houston. Texas. that is what occurred. And I want to say thank you for that peace and that respect of the dignity and democracy that America is. and the respect for Trayvon Martins family.
Date: 2013-07-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to oppose the rule and the underlying bill because it takes health care away from Americas children. seniors. and others. Again. getting a sound bite for America.
Date: 2013-07-17
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker and Members. I rise in strong opposition to the further Republican attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act. The administration recently announced that due to logistical issues they were delaying the employer mandate for a year. I do not support this measure. but it is within their authority to do it. However. the decision of the Department of Treasury does not justify delaying the implementation of other portions of the law. Implementing this law is too important for Americas wellbeing and their economic security to delay it. Lowcost. highquality health care is right around the corner. If we delay the individual mandate. the risk pools will be skewed so that the coverage is less affordable for those who choose to purchase it. Delaying the employer mandate will have a higher impact on States like mine that are refusing to expand Medicaid. If an employee makes between 100 percent and 133 percent of the Federal poverty level. they will receive no Medicaid. no subsidies. and now employers wont have to cover them for another year. I am told that this is a small number. but in a district like ours. which has the highest rate of working uninsured in the country. this is a big problem. Up to 260.000 individuals in our district who lack health insurance will have access to quality. affordable care without fear of discrimination or higher rates because of a preexisting condition. Our country has waited too long for real health care reformcoverage that our industrial competitors and partners provide. I oppose both these bills.
Date: 2013-07-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you to the managerDr. MCDERMOTT. I like to call himwho has been a mainstay of good health care in this Congress for a very long time. He is managing as well with the gentleman from Georgia. who has practiced medicine. But we can have a disagreement. The vigorous disagreement that we have. I must say. Mr. Speaker. is with the weight of truth that falls on what we have done on behalf of ObamaCare. the Affordable Care Act. I enjoy sledding. I enjoy the snow. When you get on a sled. it rolls down and youre happy. and you come to a successful end. Weve rolled down. and we keep on rolling because the Affordable Care Act is allowing young people to have insurance. Its reducing the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors. Its allowing a State like Texas. which has the highest number of uninsuredsome 121.000plus in my districtto now have insurance. It allows about 10 community health facilities to be able to begin enrollment this coming September and to be able to outreach to those families. who will now have coverage for them and their children. Let me be very clear. How many times do I have to say. no. you cannot have your way? The Supreme Court has ruled. This is the law of the land. and there is no reason whatsoever to go back on a plan that has allowed the New York insurance rates to go down on health care. There is nothing wrong with the President engaging business. These are large companies that have said we just need to look at it so we can streamline it. Thats to make it better. If they undermine the individual mandate. 13 million Americans will not have insurance. How many times do I have to say "no"? The Affordable Care Act is going well. People are insured and Americans are healthier. Lets keep the Affordable Care Act. Vote "no" on the underlying bills. When will you ever understand that its over? Its over.
Date: 2013-07-17
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2667 and H.R. 2668. two cynical Republican bills that play politics with Americans lives. Instead of spending our time voting on the 38th and 39th Republican attempts to delay. undermine. or repeal the Affordable Care Act. we should be focused on implementing the law of the land and supporting real solutions to getting Americans the health care we all need. The requirement that individuals have health insurance is the foundation of the Affordable Care Acts ability to improve access to quality. affordable health insurance. H.R. 2668 would delay this requirement. threatening access to affordable health insurance for an estimated 129 million Americans with preexisting health conditions. The Affordable Care Act has already begun to improve Americans access to health care. Insurance companies are now required to cover children with preexisting conditions. and in 2014 insurers will be prohibited from discriminating against adults with preexisting conditions as well. An estimated 3.1 million young adults now have health insurance through their parents plans because of the Affordable Care Act. and 6.3 million seniors have saved $6.1 billion on their prescription drugs. The patient protections and health system reforms that will go into effect in 2014 rely on the individual responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act. This provision does not apply to those who cannot access affordable coverage. and it protects all Americans from sharp increases in health insurance premiums in the health insurance marketplaces. H.R. 2667. which would delay the employer health insurance mandate. is unnecessary and detracts from the important work of ensuring that more Americans gain access to affordable. quality health insurance. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 2667 and H.R. 2668 to defend the advances already made under the Affordable Care Act and the benefits yet to come. These bills are not intended to help Americans access affordable health care. They are merely the most recent Republican efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. and it is already helping Americans improve their health. We must come together to implement the law effectively and ensure that more Americans have the opportunity to access affordable health insurance and improve their health.