macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-11-20
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to offer my support for H.R. 2297. the legislation that the Committee on Veterans Affairs has worked so hard to pass this year. I want to commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman SMITH): the ranking member. the gentleman from Illinois . and the gentleman from South Carolina
Date: 2003-11-20
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. today I rise to express my disappointment and outrage with the recent ruling by the Federal Communications Commission deeming the use of obscene language acceptable on television. Last month. the FCC ruled the use of what has been termed the "F word" in a live interview was not inappropriate. and its use in this case was deemed acceptable. While I understand this FCC ruling addresses a specific instance. I strongly caution my colleagues to the dangerous precedent that this ruling sets. This profane word has long been deemed inappropriate by American society and consequently has not been permitted on broadcast television and radio. and its use factors into movie ratings. However. with this recent FCC ruling. we are opening the door to a whole new world of what is deemed acceptable for television audiences. I ask my colleagues. then. what are our standards? Where do we draw the line? If the use of this expletive is appropriate in this one instance. what is to deter additional uses of it in similar instances. and at what point does it remain inappropriate? Again. I urge my colleagues to tread carefully and be mindful of what this ruling means for the future. We are mending the children of America mixed signals about what is decent behavior when we make exceptions to our standards. and I certainly do not think that we need to further complicate the complex period of childhood and adolescence. Mr. Speaker. I ask then. why do we even have an FCC if they are not going to uphold rules of decency? Why do we even as a society even make laws if they are not going to be followed? Turning a blind eye to this assault on decency will do a great disservice to America and damage the integrity of our airwaves. Mr. Speaker. the American public is currently under siege in their own homes. Every day. the Internet brings unsolicited and inappropriate material into the household through the dissemination of pornography. Our email Accounts are flooded with pornographic spain. making it necessary to utilize various controls and software to protect our children from being exposed to such obscene material. I am encouraged by the Attorney Generals efforts in combatting this problem. specifically the recent increased number of prosecutions for adult obscenity and pornography. Additionally. my colleagues in Congress are actively working on language to curb spain solicitations and to further protect Americans from unsolicited emails. In doing so. we will stop not only those annoying advertisements but also keep indecent images out of sight of our children. It is through such efforts that we are able to take important steps against the onslaught of sexual offenses that so often stem from obscenity and pornography. The common decency of America is being tested. as little by little we are broadening the definition of acceptable and decent behavior. It is imperative that we now pause to carefully examine the decisions being made today that will ultimately impact the accepted standards of tomorrow.
Date: 2003-11-20
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. we have heard tonight the plight of Dr. Oscar E. Biscet Gonzalez and the situation that he finds himself in today. in a dungeon where he is not able to receive light and barely has enough air to breathe. where he has been placed with another person who is a violent person to see if that violent person can do harm to Dr. Biscet. Why is he serving under those conditions? Because he has asked for the one thing that the Castro dictatorship. just 90 miles away from the United States. that that thug fears the most. What Dr. Biscet continues to ask for is freedom. That is it. Freedom to associate. freedom of religion and freedom to speak out and elect ones leaders. and for that. he has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. There are those that apologize for the Castro dictatorship. and they say we have to normalize relationships with the Castro dictatorship and we should treat Castro as if we were dealing with the government of Costa Rica or Paraguay because he is not that bad. He is ailing. He is an older. ailing individual. and. therefore. we should treat him nicely. while he has people like Dr. Biscet and many others rotting in prison because all they want is to be free. As my colleague. the gentleman from Florida said. Where is the outrage? From time to time we see miniseries on those expensive movie networks glorifying Castro. showing him as a great leader. Where is the news coverage of Dr. Biscet and the story of Dr. Biscets suffering? Where are the stories of any of the other political prisoners suffering in Castros prisons? Where are they? Why does the press refuse to cover the plight of these people? Mr. Speaker. despite the fact that the press has total indifference. that still gives excuse after excuse as to .why we need to deal with Castro as if he were a normal human being. not the animal or the murderer that he is. despite all that. we will continue to speak out because the Cuban people deserve to be free and the American people understand more than anybody else how valuable freedom is. which is why the American people have always stood fast and have always supported people like Dr. Biscet. And until the day that Dr. Biscet is free. we will continue to speak. despite those that want to apologize for Castro. and despite those who want to help the regime and go to Cuba to have sexual tourism with little boys and little girls. we will continue to speak up for those that cannot be heard. and they will ultimately win. They will ultimately be heard. and the Cuban people will be free and the American people will feel very proud that they stood by the people of Cuba in their darkest moments by not treating Castro as if he were a normal human being. by keeping the pressure and making sure that the world understands that Castro is what he is: he is a crazy. sick. senile. murdering animal. And until the day he is gone. we will continue to speak for those like Dr. Biscet who cannot speak.
Date: 2003-11-21
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: S
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. this Saturday. November 22. numerous organizations will join together in celebration of National Adoption Day to recognize the many blessings afforded by adoption. In honor of this day. I would like to draw attention to a bill that I introduced this year that seeks to raise awareness of adoption. the Adoption Information Act. H.R. 1229. Essentially. the Adoption Information Act would require all federally funded clinics to provide a detailed pamphlet of adoption referral information to all people seeking family planning services. All too often. women seeking pregnancy counseling do not receive all the inforqmatlon necessary to make an informed decision. Information on what adoption is and referral for adoption services are rarely discussed at all. and when they are that information is often inaccurate and Incomplete. H.R. 1229 aims to ensure that women are empowered with the accurate and complete information they need to make informed decisions. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to support the Adoption Information Act.
Date: 2003-11-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for yielding me this time. This legislation is very important legislation. It will help seniors. all seniors throughout the land. but especially lowincome seniors will benefit. will benefit the most from this law. Americas neediest seniors. individuals with up to $12.900 a year of income. $17.000 per couple. will immediately receive a cash credit of $600 to purchase their medications. And. again. in the year 2006. seniors with incomes of up to $10.300. or $13.250 per couple. will pay only $1 for generic prescriptions and $3 for brandname medicines. Mr. Speak-. er. 13.235 reside in the district that I am honored to represent. I would urge all of my colleagues here this evening to check. The gentleman from Florida has the information and he was so kind to provide it to me. districtbydistrict. how many lowincome seniors will get extraordinary relief by this legislation. Those with incomes of up to $13.900 a year. $17.900 per couple will pay only $2 for generic medications and $5 for brand name medications. Mr. Speaker. 20.715 reside in the district that I am honored to represent. Seniors with incomes up to $15.500 a year. $20.000 per year per couple. will pay only a minimum monthly premium and initial deductible of $50 and then only 15 percent of their prescription drug costs up to $3.600 after which they will pay only $2 for generic drugs. $5 for brand names. Now. all other seniors receive extraordinary help by this legislation. Mr. Speaker. but lowincome seniors more than anyone else. So I urge everyone in this hall. I think we all have an obligation to check the facts with regard to what we are voting on this evening: Concrete important specific help for seniors throughout the country on an issue that. I think. is the most important domestic issue facing this country. And I am proud to have supported this legislation in the Committee on Rules and to urge all of my colleagues to make it law. send it to the President tonight.
Date: 2003-12-08
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speakers table the Senate bill to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to extend the mental health benefits parity provisions for an additional year. and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
Date: 2003-12-08
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am pleased to be here to manage House passage of S. 1929. the Mental Health Parity Reauthorization Act of 2003. As chairman of the Subcommittee on EmployerEmployee Relations with jurisdiction over employerprovided health care. the issue of mental health parity falls within the purview of this subcommittee. In fact. almost 2 years ago. we held the first House hearing on the issue of mental health. In 1996. Congress enacted the Mental Health Parity Act to prevent employers and health insurers from establishing annual and lifetime limits on health insurance coverage for mental health benefits. unless similar limits were also established for medical and surgical health coverage. Today. the House will take an important step to extend mental health parity benefits for another year by passing this bipartisan reauthorization legislation. which will be ready for President Bushs signature once we pass it. Over the past 7 years. the parity law has made significant improvements in mental health coverage. It has done so by striking a good balance. providing important mental health benefits to patients without placing unworkable mandates on employers. The legislation we pass today will preserve current law mental health parity benefits for another year. through December 31. EJ 1715 Mental health parity benefits offered through the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. ERISA. and Public Health Services Act. were set to expire this December 31. In the coming year. my subcommittee will continue to examine the issue of mental health parity. as expanding this law is one of the many substantive changes proposed for our Nations health care system. Before endorsing any changes to current law. the House must carefully study the issue and consequences it may have on our Nations employerprovided health care system. Any changes to the mental health parity law must be made in a balanced manner that dogs not jeopardize workers existing health care benefits or discourage employers from voluntarily providing quality benefits to their employees. Because. as we all know. when employers costs go up. workers often lose coverage. If the expanded mental health parity law is too burdensome and expensive. it is very likely employers will simply stop offering any type of mental health coverage. Health insurance costs rose by 15 percent. the highest increase in a decade. In this environment. it is incumbent upon the Congress to carefully study the impact of new mandates before moving forward. However. reauthorization of the 1996 act is an important step to ensure that patients continue to have access to mental health care if they need it. Because of this. I am pleased to offer my strong support to S. 1929. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.
Date: 2003-12-08
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on and include extraneous material on S. 1929.
Date: 2003-12-08
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the Senate bill to make technical changes to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. and for other purposes. and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
Date: 2003-12-08
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform be permitted to file an investigative report by December 19. 2003.
Date: 2004-01-20
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. it is with a very heavy heart that I rise today to express the condolences of a grateful Nation. I rise today so that this Nation will not forget the service and sacrifice of those fallen heroes who fight to keep us free. I rise today because a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Iraq. and Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver. one of our Nations finest. died in the crash. Aaron Weaver was a husband. a father. a brother. and a son. but he was also a fighter. In Iraq. Aaron was fighting to protect our countrys way of life while fighting for his own life as well. You see. Aaron Weaver was a cancer survivor. He was still being treated when his unit was called to duty in Iraq. Aaron had a choice to stay. but he elected to fight for the country that he loved. Aaron was on the way to have his blood tested for cancer when the Black Hawk he was riding in was shot down. killing all on board. We know well our freedom could not have been won nor our liberty maintained without those willing to make this ultimate sacrifice. But I know these are weak words to the grieving family left behind. I pray the Lord will maintain their memory of Aaron and assuage their pain. Aaron survived the battles in Mogadishu. he fought cancer. and was engaged in a great and noble cause in Iraq. Mr. Speaker. please join me in honoring a true American hero. Last Saturday. I attended services for Aaron. He lived in Citrus County. and his father still resides there. The whole family was there. They are a military family. a very. very devoted military family. and a very close family who all grieved the loss of Aaron. I would like to paraphrase his widows comments. His widow is Nancy Weaver. and she made a comment that Aarons life. the loss of his life. will not be in vain if children in America can live safely. if his children and every other child in America can live without fear of another attack like 911. Mr. Speaker. Aaron Weaver truly was a modern American hero. and we are grateful for his service and the service of all the men and women who are serving our country.
Date: 2004-01-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. by direction of the Committee on Rules. I call up House Resolution 502 and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 2004-01-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. reiterating my support for the underlying legislation as well as the rule. I ask my colleagues to support both. Mr. Speaker. I have no further requests for time. I yield back the balance of my time. and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.
Date: 2004-01-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. the Committee on Rules may meet next week to grant a rule for the consideration of H.R. 3030. Improving the Community Services Block Grant Act of 2003. which may require that amendments be printto their consideration on the floor. The Committee on Education and the Workforce ordered the bill reported on October 1. 2003. and filed its report with the House on October 10. 2003. Members should draft their amendments to the bill as reported by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format. Members are also advised to check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House.
Date: 2004-01-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Reclaiming my time. Mr. Speaker. I would say to the gentleman that the Committee on Rules. as this announcement stated. may meet. I believe may very likely meet on this. and the Committee on Rules will obviously consider any request from any Members with regard to amendments. If the gentleman from Maryland or any other Members have amendments. we will be more than glad to listen to them and will give them all the merited courtesies.
Date: 2004-01-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Once again reclaiming my time. Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman very much for his comments and concerns. and as I stated before. what we are asking at this point. precisely because we will be looking very much forward to amendments. is that if any Members have ideas for such. is to please be ready with them because there may be a requirement that amendments be printed in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD prior to consideration on the floor.
Date: 2004-02-03
Speaker: JEFF MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. it is my honor today to pay tribute to a true American patriot on his 93rd Birthday. President Ronald Reagan. As we in Congress move forth with reviewing the presidents FY 2005 budget. I recall the words of Ronald Reagan when he submitted his presidential budget. He said. "Government has an important role in helping develop a countrys economic foundation. But the critical test is whether government is genuinely working to liberate individuals by creating incentives to work. save. invest. and succeed. We dont have a trilliondollar debt because we havent taxed enough. we have a trilliondollar debt because we spend too much." Mr. Speaker. as we debate on the proper amount of funding for securing our nation. the greatest tribute we can pay to Ronald Reagan is to develop a budget that allows our children and grandchildren to live in a prosperous economy. For the American people. it was his leadership in economic policy that restored hope for the future. Thank you Mr. President for your inspiration and leadership which continues to guide our nation and which will help us to protect our freedoms and liberties In the twentyfirst cntury. May you have a wonderful birthday and God bless.
Date: 2004-02-04
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. as one of the chairmen of the two labor committees here in the House and as a veteran. I am here to denounce an effort by Big Labor to scare our Nations veterans and service men and women into thinking the Department of Labor is out to take away their overtime. The Department of Labor is working on revisions to the regulations governing overtime pay. These regulations would provide 1.3 million more Americans with overtime and help millions of hardworking people in this country. Let me be absolutely clear. the Department of Labors proposed overtime regulations do not apply to the military. and nothing in existing law or the proposed regulations suggest that being a veteran would have any effect on overtime pay. It is a sad day indeed when the men and women of our forces are exploited for political gain. Opponents of these regulations ought to be ashamed.
Date: 2004-02-24
Speaker: BILL FRIST (republican)
Chamber: S

for bringing this up. It is time to debate this. We need to pass something soon to protect the availability of health care. We need to make sure hospitals and doctors are not quitting delivering babies. That hurts us in America and hurts health care in America. I yield the floor.
Date: 2004-02-24
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to express the condolences of a grateful Nation. I rise so that this Nation will never forget the service and sacrifice of those fallen while working to keep us free. I rise today specifically to honor the lif� Qf -�1@0Ulysses Ramlrez. Specialist Ramirest Miarkilled wli his unit was attacked by Iraqi insurgents. Eric was a sheriffs deputy and a National Guardsman who answered the call to duty when his unit was activated last February. He only had 42 days remaining before his planned return to family and friends when his unit was attacked by RPG. cutting short the life of a young father. This past weekend I attended services for Specialist Ramirez and can share with my colleagues that his family is very supportive of our actions in Iraq and that we need to honor the fact that he has a very loving wife. children. and parents. and his parents actually live in my district. We know very well that our freedom could not have been won nor our liberty maintained without those willing to make this ultimate sacrifice. but I know that these are very weak words to the grieving family left behind. I pray that the Lord and that everyone who knew Eric will maintain their memory of Eric and that this will help to assuage their pain. Eric was a loving father. son. and husband. and this country owes its freedom to Eric and those who came before him. So do the citizens of Iraq. Mr. Speaker. please join me in honoring this American hero.
Date: 2004-02-25
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. pursuant to the order of the House of February 24. 2004. I call up the bill to provide new human capital flexibilities with respect to the GAO. and for other purposes. and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
Date: 2004-02-25
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of the bill. H.R. 2751.