macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

That is a theme. if I can kind of move to a broader set of philosophical differences that separate you and I as Republicans from the other side as Democrats typically. What we see here in Washington as a Republican freshman class. we reflect often about the kinds of things we are hearing back home in our town meetings. we share information about the surveys that we send out to our constituents to get their opinions about issues. and share ideas on how we can be effective as Members of Congress by involving our constituencies in the law making process. in establishing an agenda for our districts and ultimately for the country. This is kind of a typical thing for us as a small group. It is not that typical in Washington in general. I think It really captures what he has done In bringing this bill to us. and the manner in which you have galvanized support for it back home really is remarkable. At least for me. you and our group inspire real confidence in this process and how well it can work if the right people are in charge and empowered to come back here and take the real role of representative democracy in a republican form of government to Washington. Because you are right. Seeing citizens. taxpayers. local leaders coming here to Congress. drafting their own bill. presenting their arguments. and empowering their Congressmen to introduce it and come to the floor here tonight and other days. as you have. to speak about it is an inspiring occasion. And I just want you to know I have been struck that way personally. and wish you very well on moving that legislation forward. Any final thoughts or comments on the bill?
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Also joining us tonight is the Congressman from the State of Florida . and Mr. WELDON is not a member of the freshman class. but we will make him an honorary one tonight. He has 2 years advantage on the rest of us in terms of seniority. But you know. Mr. WELDON. before I yield time to you. I just want to say that we view our role as a freshman class as one of raising a number of issues and providing a number of opportunities and actually exercising a certain amount of leadership in the Congress as a whole. And when we see people who have come here at different times than we have. that are doing great things and moving forward on issues that are important to the whole country. our goal is not to reinvent the wheel. we want to help where we can help and place the greatest amount of effort to move our great country forward and exert the kind of leadership that I think the American people expect of us. And with that. let me turn some time over to you to explain the legislation which you have just introduced today. as I understand it.
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

As my colleague knows. he mentioned at the outset of his comments that there are good HMOs and there are those that seem to be prone on occasion to various abuses and failure to comply with the contractual agreements that they have established for themselves and their clients. With respect to the bill and this grievance process and complaint process. there are good examples out in the free market right now. there are good examples of HMOs that have a good grievance process. This bill moves us toward allowing those kinds of questions and concerns to be aired in a timely manner.
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Well. purchasing these insurance products. being enrolled in an HMO is something that consumers need to spend a lot of time on. because you can make bad choices. The appeal of low premiums often comes at the expense of. as you mentioned. reduced service. Just from a business perspective in managing a cash flow. if you are operating on fewer revenues and fewer dollar and doing so to maintain that competitive edge. frequently that comes at the expense. of from a consumers perspective. of strategies of delay. They see nontreatment of various ailments that they thought might have been covered. You really need to read those policies very. very closely. There Is nothing wrong with buying a cheap policy if that is what you want. if you are willing to deal with the consequences of inadequate care. I do not think your bill prohibits that. but it certainly says that the patients and customers ought to be fully knowledgeable about and fully apprised of what they are purchasing. the exact terms. the exact limitations that may occur. so that they know that the policy that they hold is exactly what they pay for.
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

The gentleman from Floridas expertise as a physician is very valuable to all Members of Congress. and we seek that wisdom and guidance routinely. I appreciate your leadership here tonight. We have got less than 10 minutes left. and I want to change subjects real quick. because another great leader of the Congress is with us tonight. also not a freshman. but an honorary one at the moment. and we will make him so. That is the gentleman from Michigan
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

There really is a need for nationwide study or review or recollection of the concept of federalism in the United States. because I think every single day. we in the Congress. and this is what we fight for as a Republican Party. fight for forcing this institution to come to grips with what is the appropriate role of the Federal Government. There are many functions of government that are appropriate. that are public endeavors that need to be undertaken at one level or another. but that is the key phrase right there.
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

I frequently look to the U.S. Department of Education. for example. Now. all of us in this Congress would agree. the most conservative and most liberal Members alike. that a strong public education system is absolutely essential. and it is central to maintaining the Republic. The second question. though. that begins to divide us is at what level do we best deliver a public education system. Is it Federal. State. or local? The first place we ought to look is the United States Constitution. - I would defy anyone in this Congress to find where it is in this Constitution that the Federal Government has been empowered to manage local school districts. It is not there. We have never been empowered here yet. Just as you said a moment ago. there are Members of Congress who. at election time. cannot resist the opportunity to get on the front page of the local newspaper or cut the ribbon at some institution and spend other peoples money on a function of government that is important but probably is better situated at the State level. as the Constitution suggests.
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Well said. Our Republican vision here as the majority party in Congress is to lower the effective tax rate on the American people from over 40 percent. where it is today. 40 percent of income down to 25 percent at a maximum. It could possibly even go lower than that. But I think as a general goal that we ought to shoot for. this is the target that we have set for ourselves. It is not going to happen overnight. certainly. But as far as establishing a direction and a goal for the American people. it is this side of the aisle. the Republican Party. led in many respects by our freshman class and with the leadership and encouragement of you and other Members of Congress to get us toward a 25 percent overall effective tax rate. That is at Federal. State. and local levels of government. The cost of being a free citizen in America should not be more than onequarter of your annual family income.
Date: 1998-03-25
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

These are great topics that we will pick up at another time. Our hour is about to expire. Mr. Speaker. the freshman class will be back in 1 week.
Date: 1998-03-26
Speaker: SAM JOHNSON (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. 22 million small businesses thrive in America. thanks to the free enterprise system. Today. the bill before us. the Fairness for Small Business and Employees Act. will further guarantee a fair and level playing field for all employees. Many of Americas small businesses are crippled by a tactic known as "salting." Salting has nothing to do with how our food tastes. believe me. But it will raise their blood pressure if they are a small business owner. Salting occurs when a union agent. which is known as a "salt." applies for a job in a nonunion workplace. The agent intentionally conceals his true objective. which is to sabotage the company and drive them out of business because it is nonunion. Now. that is not American. I think my colleagues would agree. But some salts are straightforward and just come right out during the hiring process and interview and they identify themselves as union agents and they demand. if they are not fired. they will then file a grievance against the company. Either way. Mr. Speaker. this is criminal. It is not the American way. Let me give an example of how salting destroyed a company in my home State of Texas. A nonunion electrical company in Dallas. about 30 employees. was hired to work on a school construction project. They advertised the jobs in the newspaper. The local electricians union saw the ad and paid union agents to go and apply for a job. The electrical contractor hired these agents. unaware that they had an ulterior motive. The agents then proceeded to destroy the company. They staged small strikes by leaving the job for 3 or 4 hours. but returning just before they could be replaced. They also sabotaged the electrical work and went on to file close to 50 grievances against the company. eventually driving it out of business. This bill will put a stop to malicious activity like this and protect small businesses in their efforts to hire loyal. hardworking employees. The small businesses will no longer fear the threat of destructive lawsuits filed by union agents. This protection is long. long overdue. We are just asking. please. unions. obey the law. stop terrorizing working men and women. Small businesses are the backbone of this Nation and they deserve honest. hardworking. and dedicated employees. They deserve protection against unscrupulous union practices.
Date: 1998-03-26
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the gentleman. the distinguished chairman. yielding me the time. Those who claim that there is some unfairness in this bill. I would submit. probably have not read the bill or are not knowledgeable about the component parts of the legislation. House Resolution 3246 does not affect in any way the legitimate applicants or employees rights to engage in union organizing efforts. I have heard a lot of these stories about salting from many employers within my district in Colorado and other congressional districts in the State of Colorado. Here is how this works. for those who are unfamiliar: A union organizer with the deliberate. distinct purpose of dragging an employer before the Labor Relations Board walks into an employees place of business and says. "Please hire me. I am a member of a labor union. and I am an organizer and I am here to organize and destroy your place of business." The employer takes the application. considers it among all other applicants. and if that employer decides for a variety of reasons. based on merit. based on qualifications. based on completeness of the application. and on many occasions based on whether the applicant signed the application. the employer may decide to hire someone more qualified. If that occurs. in a salting case. that activity alone almost guarantees and compels a hearing in front of the National Labor Relations Board. a hearing which. If he -wants to vindicate himself and declare his innocence and profess it. costs him attorneys fees. costs him an incredible amount of time. and in the process. drags down his productivity. What the current law does is to perpetuate a gross unfairness where one class of employees can. in fact. prey upon another group of employees in the same trade. and the only distinction between the two is that one has a singular deliberate motivation to drag down the place of employment of the others who are employed in a particular trade or business. If someone has at least half onthejob qualification designation under the bill. why should an employer be obligated to hire them? House Resolution 3246 guarantees small employers a hearing before the National Labor Relations Board. It has been the practice for decades in organizing cases involving singlesite locations. it is the epitome of fairness. in my estimation. with workplace fairness and job security and job opportunity. I think we should not attack those. as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are suggesting here today. attack those who are legitimately endployed. legitimately enjoy their opportunity to work. and are gainfully employed and wish to remain so.
Date: 1998-03-30
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes. to the gentleman from California . (Mr. DooLrrrLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Date: 1998-03-30
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Speaker. I have no further speakers on my side. I would reserve the right to close and reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 1998-03-31
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Speaker. the stirrings of patriotic revolution in this country 222 years ago were energized by the cries of "No taxation without representation." Today it is time for a new call to common sense: "No taxation without comprehension." That is right. Mr. Speaker. a tax code that even the experts cannot figure out is an assault on common sense. an assault on logic and an assault on the American conception of selfgovernment. Formerly loyal British subjects were so offended by the idea of taxation without representation that soon a revolution of American patriots was born. and today more and more ordinary taxpaying Americans are so offended by a system of taxation without comprehension thata taxpayers revolt is emerging now across the land. In simple terms. Mr. Speaker. it makes no sense to have a tax system that makes no sense.. It is time to stop the madness and stand up to our absurd Tax Code. all 3.500 pages of it. Democrats and Republicans unite. No taxation without comprehension.
Date: 1998-03-31
Speaker: LINDA SMITH (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Washington

Mr. Speaker. as public servants. we are commissioned to be guardians of the public trust. but each year the publics trust steadily declines. And why? Because too often Presidents. the new ones. and the new Congresses. go on with practices that are established by the old Congresses that violate that trust. Take. for example. the Social Security Trust Fund. Every year we borrow from that trust fund. and we do not have the money to pay it back. We give that to the next generation. This year. the Presidents proposal not only says we should borrow this year. but for the next 3 years. for a socalled balanced budget. He takes $101 billion out of peoples retirements and spends it on his programs and says. isnt that great? And now he is traveling the world giving out foreign aid to other countries that he has taken out of peoples retirement funds. It is time to restore the trust in America to trust funds and stop this stealing.
Date: 1998-03-31
Speaker: DAN SCHAEFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Chairman. I rise to speak about a subject that is very much on peoples minds these days. That is. the upcoming sale of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for budgetary purposes. This past week there have been articles and editorials in newspapers across the country from places as different as Chicago. New Orleans. Syracuse. and Dallas noting the foolishness of the sale this Congress authorized last fall. For the past three years. Chairman BLILEY and I have stood on this House floor and opposed sales of oil from the Reserve as a means of raising revenues. I opposed these sales first and foremost because of their impact on our energy security. Diminishing the Reserve which we paid such a dear price to create. over $21 million. will increase our vulnerability to those who would hold this nation hostage by withholding critical oil supplies. Second. it has never made any fiscal sense to buy high and sell low. We have spent over $35 in purchasing and maintaining every barrel of oil in the Reserve. When the upcoming oil sale was approved last year I criticized it because it looked like the government was going to lose $10 per barrel sold. Now that oil prices have dropped that oil will be sold at a loss of nearly $20 a barrel and people are starting to wake up to the folly of their actions. As Charles Osgood is his Osgood File noted last week "This is what you call being pennywise and pound foolish. Its what you call being shortsighted. Its what you call being dumb." Finally. I would like to point out that an oil sale of nearly 20 million barrels will be devastating to a domestic oil industry that is already almost decimated by low oil prices. Instead of hurting our industry by adding to an already glutted market. we should be taking advantage of todays low prices to help ourselves by purchasing oil. Mr. Chairman. I dont have an amendment to offer today. but I know that language striking the sale is in the companion bill considered by the other body. I would urge the House to accept such language when we go to conference on these bills. I also hope that we learn from the consequences of our actions and hope that this year we finally end the practice of selling our energy security at bargain basement prices so that we never find ourselves in this situation again. As was stated in the Chicago Tribune editorial this past Sunday. "Selling the oil into a flooded market at what amounts to a halfoff price is just plain nutty."
Date: 1998-04-01
Speaker: LINDA SMITH (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Washington

Mr. Speaker. each day in every rural community and in every bustling community across this Nation. families pull up to the gas tank. fill their tank with gas. and pay 18 cents a gallon to the Federal Government for transportation projects. But. unfortunately. each year Congress has allocated nearly a third less of the money than they have paid for the transportation projects. Many of us stood up against that last year. even in the budget. We would not vote for the general budget. and we would not vote for the transportation budget. because the plan was to take $65 billion out of the money that was to come back to the communities for their safe roads. and we held out. Today We are going to have a vote to put the money back. We are going to have a vote to put the money back into communities for safe roads. Anybody who says they are for families and does not do something about the transportation projects is dooming them to spending hours in their cars instead of being home with their families. The vote today is good. It is about the projects our communities need. about projects they need to keep their families safe and which will allow them to spend time with their families.
Date: 1998-04-01
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Speaker. the intellectual evolution in the typical Americans political life usually takes several years. Now. most people start out relatively liberal. but they eventually see the error of their ways and become more conservative upon realizing that leftwing programs simply do not work. In the famous phrase. they are mugged by reality. But there is one way to speed up the process. It is an event that almost 100 percent will guarantee success. Take a liberal. subject him to an IRS audit and presto. you soon hear some very conservative thoughts coming out of their mouths. All of a sudden. their beloved Federal Government is no longer seen as their friend. All of a sudden. the Federal Government now looks like the last place to look for fairness. All of a sudden. dealing with a massive Federal bureaucracy is not such a wonderful. wholesome experience after all. and all of a sudden. what looks so great in the abstract starts to look silly. illogical. out of touch and quite menacing indeed when reality hits. Mr. Speaker. it is an obvious truth that if liberals were audited by the IRS. the Democrat Party would cease to exist almost overnight.
Date: 1998-04-01
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Mr. Speaker. I first want to compliment the previous speaker. the gentleman from New Jersey . on his thoughts and ideas about health care and the proposals that he has set forward. And we certainly look forward to learning about those proposals and possibly working to provide our opinions and thoughts and perhaps assistance in moving in a very similar direction of caring and compassion for those who are so afflicted. But proposals seem to be few and far between here in Washington with respect to a number of issues that we have been dealing with in recent days and in recent weeks. And we. as the Republican party in Congress. have been fighting very passionately and forcefully about issues and proposals that are designed to help the American taxpayer. to help the American family to unleash our economy and allow for a greater prosperity throughout the country. And with this in mind. let me yield a few moments to my colleague. the gentleman from Arizona .