macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-12-06
Speaker: PETER DEFAZIO (democrat)
Chamber: H

I want to also thank the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. JOE BARTON. and my very good friend and colleague. ranking Democrat. JOHN DINGELL for their excellent work to bring this bill to this point. In September the Energy and Commerce Committee also ordered the bill reported with their amendment. We hive worked with our friends on the Energy and Commerce Committee. as well as the other body. to come up with a bill that they will support also. The bill we are considering here today has been negotiated with the Senate Commerce Committee. and the other body is expected to pass the bill later this week. I have been very impressed with the work of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. which is often called PHMSA. and their administrator. Admiral Tom Barrett. Their response to and oversight of pipeline spills on the North Slope in Alaska this past year have received widespread praise. We were very careful in drafting this bill to avoid disrupting the hard work and remarkable progress that occurred at PHMSA over the past 4 years. Like all legislation. this bill contains compromises. The policies in this bill are the result of compromise and hard work. However. the compromise that we have reached in this bill will not take away from the impact of this bill. This is a good bill. It improves pipeline safety and the role of the administration regulating pipelines. H.R. 5782 extends the pipeline safety program for another 4 years. To the fiscal year of 2010. These programs include operational funds for the Office of Pipeline Safety to carry out its regulatory and enforcement functions. and State pipeline safety grants that cover the cost of State expenses to carry out certified pipeline safety inspect activities. The bill also funds emergency response grants. public education and onecall damage prevention programs and grants to provide technical assistance to local communities on pipeline safety issues. The administration. the States. the pipeline safety advocates and the pipeline industry all support this bill. I strongly support this legislation to protect public safety. and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. on rollcall Nos. 536 and 537. had I been present. I would have ioted "no" on 536 and "yes" on 537.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in opposition to this bill which includes establishing permanent normal trade relations with Vietnam. I have serious concerns about establishing PNTR with Vietnam without mandating essential human rights protections. Despite the fact that the President removed Vietnam from the list of "Countries of Particular Concern. which happened to coincide with his trip to Vietnam. reports from people Inside the country continue to cite ongoing harassment by the government on the basis of religion and political beliefs. In addition to the Government of Vietnams human rights violations against its own people. in August. the Government of Vietnam arrested and held a U.S. citizen. Cong Thanh Doon false charges. Only with the efforts of many U.S. officials was Mr. Do released. The Government of Vietnam arrested and imprisoned Mr. Do. a U.S. citizen. on false charges even when it was trying to convince the U.S. Congress to grant it permanent normal trade relations. What practices will the Government of Vietnam engage in when they are not trying to . convince the U.S. Congress to pass PNTR? I think it would be irresponsible for this Congress to establish permanent normal trade relations with the Government of Vietnam at this time. without including critical human rights protections. There is concern on both sides of the aisle about the continued human rights violations by the Government of Vietnam. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill until critical human rights protections are included.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. today. I am voting in opposition to H.R. 6406. This legislation addresses multiple trade issues which will have an important impact on the rights of workers. I strongly support extending the benefits of the Andean Trade Preferences program. and I would like to vote for its renewal. However. -H.R. 6406 only extends the Andean Trade Preferences program for 6 months and then holds any future extension hostage to the passage of the Colombia and Peru free trade agreements. The model used to draft these free trade agreements has failed to protect workers. and any trade agreement with either nation will require substantial review. Additionally. H.R. 6406 includes an extension of Permanent Normal Trade Relations to Vietnam. Workers in Vietnam are denied basic human and labor rights. including the freedom of association and the right to form independent unions. Vietnam should meet all of the core international labor standards before it receives an extension of Permanent Normal Trade Relations. Sadly. this legislation mixes good ideas with bad ones. For example. we ought to have the opportunity to cast a clear up or down vote on the Andean Trade Preferences. rather than be forced to vote against it because it is tied to flawed trade agreements. This bill was hastily written and given inadequate ti me for debate. While I support trade. we must ensure that our trade policy benefits working families. increases exports. decreases our trade deficit. and guarantees basic labor rights. Because this bill endangers these goals. I cannot support it.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I aplreciate the gentleman from Texass support and want to describe the legislation and tell Members that drowning is the second leading cause of accidental childhood deaths by injury in the United States. It is the number one killer of children under 5 years of age in America. and the number two killer of children under 14 years of age. Mr. Speaker. 335 children across the Nation drowned in swimming pools or spas in 2002. That is 335 lives that were cut very short because we did not act quickly -enough to address this problem. This legislation is named in memory of Secretary of State James A. Bakers granddaughter.- 7yearold Graeme. who drowned in a spa entrapment accident a number of years ago. Graeme and the roughly 300 children that died that year due to drain entrapment would be with us today if this commonsense legislation had been law. The pool and spa safety legislation we are considering will encourage States to pass laws that prevent the tragic and preventable loss of children to accidental drowning. This legislation provides Federal incentives. not mandates. as the gentleman from Texas indicated. for States. and provides layers of protection and puts obstacles in the path of a child when superwision lapses. We all know when it comes to making sure that children dont drown in swimming pools that supervision is paramount. But as any parent can tell you. and I am a parent of three. we all know that supervision does lapse. Every year each of us across the country. each of us in our own districts. hear news reports and read the newspaper about tragic incidents that occur in swimming pools year after year. Mr. Speaker. 65 percent of the drownings that occur in swimming pools occur when a child wanders out the back door of home they are in and drowns in the pool in the backyard. 35 percent of the drownings take place when a child from a neighbors yard comes into the yard a couple of doors down and drowns in the pool. This is a tragedy that can happen in an instant. When it comes to suction drain entrapment accidents. what happens is young children are actually pulled under because the suction from a single drain in a spa is so strong that the strength of several men cannot even pull the child off the drain. Children have been disemboweled. There are children that because we dont have dual drains or spa drain covers. which this bill would incentivize. there are children drowning needlessly. We have to make sure that we put obstacles in the path of children when. through no fault of their own. supervision lapses. I urge Members to vote to protect children from drowning and pass the Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Mr. Speaker. I have no further requests for time. and I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: BILL DELAHUNT (democrat)
Chamber: H

and SAM FARR for their support. Thanks also to Chairman POMBO and his staff for their work on this bill. as well as the work done by Senators STEVENS. INoUYE. and especially my Maine colleague. Senator SNOWE. and their respective staffs. Finally. I do want to thank Emily Knight. my sea grant fellow. for her enthusiasm and hard work on this bill. and Jim Bradley. my legislative director. who oversaw the negotiation so effectively.
Date: 1985-01-24
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Monday next. it adjourn until 11 a.m. on Wednesday next.
Date: 1985-01-30
Speaker: GILLIS LONGS (democrat)
Chamber: H

death comes as a ter- were and fought for them.* rible blow to me. He was a great *Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker. I human being and an outstanding would like to join my colleagues in Member of Congress who possessed paying tribute to GILLIS LONG. who qualities we all hope to have and to has been taken from us and from his pass along to our children and gran*d- family so abruptly by illness. children. I worked closely with GILLIS GILLIS was truly an indispensible during my first few terms in the Member of the House of RepresentaHouse when we passed war on poverty tives. and he will be greatly missed. legislation. He became an Assistant Di- not only be his family and by the Conrector of the Office of Economic Op- gress but also by his constituents and portunityan act that took courage the entire Nation. As chairman of the for one who retained political ambi- Democratic caucus and of the Rules tions and plans. Committees Subcommittee on LegislaIt was a controversial program tive Process. GILLIS was dedicated to toward which many were hostile. improving the way this country is govMany Members of Congress were skep- erned. He was a leader in seeking tical to say the least. while others felt broad reform to improve not only the threatened. It was simply not political- House but also the Democratic Party. ly popular. but GILLIS LONG took on I was under his leadership that the the congressional liaison job. Democratic caucus produced a compreTo this day. my friend Sargent hensive. forwardlooking document esShriver says. "Without GILLIs We tablishing a Democratic outlook on might not have gotten the legislation the Nations economic future. More through. He was crucial." importantly. he single handedly made GILLIs concern for the human con- the caucus a cohesive unit for the first sequences of legislation was recognized time in many years. And his subcomeven then. He proved particularly ef- mittee was constantly looking for ways fective dealing with his southern col- of improving the legislative process. leagues in both the House and the GILLIS was a natural legislative Senate. He managed at critical times leader. He felt so strongly about to get enough Republican votes. too. making the process work that hewas The essential decency of the man able to bring together many geographmade it difficult for anyone to say Ic and political factions to enact key legislation. His mastering of the art of compromise and persuasion made him a great legislator. The services he performed for his party and for his country are unsurpassed. and they will survive long after his untimely death. Mr. Speaker. I am proud to have served with GIuLs over the past 8 years. He is already greatly missed. I know all of my colleagues join me in expressing sympathy to GILLis family.e
Date: 1985-01-30
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in tribute to the life and service of our departed colleague and friend GILLIs LONG who we lost Sunday night. While we mourn the passing of a valued legislative craftsman of historic proportions we gratefully celebrate his lifes work as a faithful. tireless. productive public servant and true representative of those he affectionally served from the Eighth District of Louisiana. GILLs LONGS was an outstanding career. In his years among us he never lost touch with the needs of his constituents yet his vision always extended far beyond his home district and State to encompass the cares and concerns of an entire Nation. His faith in that Nation and his compassionate understanding of Americas fundamental principles served as the inspiration for his passionate and relentless support of the causes he chose to champion. Our colleague was both a pilgrim and a pioneer whose efforts as a Member of the House brightened the lives of millions now living and many yet unborn. We who remain after him today dedicate ourselves to keeping alive his dreams. GILLIS LONG was my friend and my neighbor. On many an agricultural issue we worked together and his help always proved invaluable. I will miss him and while his passing is a great loss.to his legion of friends and admirers. his colleagues here in this body. and to the Nation. his spirity will live on in our hearts and in these Halls.o
Date: 1985-01-31
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. it is with profound sorrow and a deep sense of personal loss that I join my colleagues in paying respect to the late GIuIs LONG who has been taken from us in the very prime of life. G.Is LONG was a hard working and dedicated to the House as anyone. He knew the art of compromise. and he understood the legislative process. He fought for Congress as a truly coequal branch of Government. and he was recognized for this great constitutional service to our Nation. GILus LONG was related to one of Americas great political families. Like the Adams and Kennedy families in Massachusetts. the Tafts in Ohio. and the Byrds in Virginia. the Long family in Louisiana has a proud political tradition. GILIs LONG was part of that tradition. and he enjoyed tremendous support in the Eighth Congressional District. and. indeed. throughout the State of Louisiana. While I often differed with GIus LONG on certain issues. he always agreed to disagree in a manner befitting a gentleman. He was an effective and admired chairman of the Democratic caucus. because he understood that a Member of Congress must vote his conscience and his congressional district. He understood very well that in order for a political party to survive it must be willing to embrace varying points of view and philosophies. He understood the admonition of Winston Churchhill that when the political party system becomes polarized with extremes whether right or left. a democracy will not exist for very long. In addition to his distinguished record as a public servant. GILLIS ESSIONAL RECORD - Extensions of Remarks LONG was also a patriot of the first order. He fought in the infantry in World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He loved his country and he loved his native State of Louisiana. In fact. the geographical configuration of the Eighth District Is really a microcosm of Louisiana with its wonderful people and unique culture. I count it a high privilege to have known and to have served with GIus LONG. We have lost a wonderful friend and the Nation has lost a great leader. To his wife. Mary Catherine. and his children. I extend my deepest sympathy on this sorrowful occasion.e
Date: 1985-02-04
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to submit for printing in the CONGRESSIONAL REcoRD pursuant to the rules of the House a copy of the rules of the Committee on Agriculture which were adopted at the organizational meeting today. The rules were agreed to by a unanimous voice vote. RuLrs oF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. U.S. HousE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Date: 1985-02-06
Speaker: JOHN MELCHER (democrat)
Chamber: S

does have a stubborn streak in him. and farmers and ranchers throughout our land can be thankful he does. Too often. those of us who represent rural America feel overwhelmed by our urban counterparts who dont seem to understand the iniDortance of keeping farmers in business. It takes a stubborn man to keep up the pressure when something is as important as agriculture policy and practice. I know that when debate begins again on new farm legislation. JOHN will be there. hanging tough on the issues that mean most to him and to Americas heartland. One of those issues is soil conservation. I can almost guarantee that he will be there with facts and figures to support his opinion that our soilthe Earth from which we get our foodis too precious to neglect. The NACD has chosen well by naming Senator JOHN MELCHER as its 1985 recipient of their distinguished service award. He joins an equally distinguished roster or past recipients: Senator John Culver of Iowa. Jennings Randolph of West Virginia. and Herman Talmadge of Georgia. Congressmen W.R. Bob Poage of Texas and JAMIE WHITTEN Of Mississippi. Their names loom large on the horizon of this Nations farming sector and will live long in the annals of U.S. agricultural history.e
Date: 1985-02-07
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. let me say at the outset I do not like at all to be placed. in the position that I am today with my party. I am doing this because I think what we are being asked to do today is not right. I have no feeling against either one of these gentlemen. I do not know them. I know that the House Administration Committee will do a fine job In what it is constitutionally appointed to do. My only thought is this. I wish my colleagues to listen to me for just a moment on some dates. This election was held on November 6. Between November 8 and November 21. Mr. McIntyre filed a petition to recount votes in 8 counties. On November 27. Mr. McCloskey filed a suit to enjoin Mr. McIntyre from having a recount on the basis that the House of Representatives had the exclusive right to determine its membership and that the State of Indiana did not have the right to declare an election contest. Also. the second count In that petition was that the secretary of state be ordered to certify him. Mr. McCloskey. as a winner. Now. this was a Federal court case. It was filed in November of 1984. Judge Brooks wrote an opinion on December 7. 1984. Here is what he said. He refused to grant the relief sought by Mr. McCloskey against Mr. McIntyre. He said that he could not find any reading in the statute which gave the right of the Congress to take over the right of a contested election contest in a State. He said it In this opinion. He also stated that he was not going to mandate that the secretary of state certify a winner. Although he did say rightfully so. that the secretary of state had a continuing obligation. He says: In my reading of the Statute. it says that he has a continuing duty to recertify at any time the totals are given to him. I think. he has. a duty to recertify those totals. whatever the outcome may be. Now. no one is questioningcertainly I am notwe are not questioning the right of the House Administration Committee to do what it is constitutionally mandated to do. The only position I am taking here today is that we. in my opinion. do not have the right to arefuse to seat Mr. McIntyre. He has been certified. He has been certified twice by the secretary of state as the winner. I do not know whether he is the winner or whether he is not. That is not the point. We had the same type of situation. Adam Clayton Powell. Many of you are familiar with that case. The Supreme Court of the United States reversed a lower court and a circuit court. which held that we had the right to eliminate or expunge him from the membership in this body. The Supreme Court held we did not have that right and mandated that we put him back. which we did.
Date: 1985-02-07
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. in the case that we have here today. we have language by this judge dealing with this specific point. and I read it. I am reading on page 3 of his opinion: So. they updated that. They mention specificallyTalking about the Federal Contested Election Act. which was passed in 1969That it completely overhauls and modernizes election contest procedures in the House. But nowhere does it refer to any change in the Intent to preempt the States from holding their own recounts. That has been decided. I think the gentleman from Virginia. Mr. Abbitt. It was his testimony. and he is the one who introduced it. said that it is: Pure and simple. they are prescribing a procedural framework for the prosecution. defense. and disposition of contested election cases patterned upon the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Now. listen to this next sentence: One of the other Congressmen says that a question occurs to me as to whether the Committee has dealt with the question of whether or not the certified winner of a general election would be seated pending the outcome of the contest. That is the question we have got here today. Here is what the judge said: I think Mr. Abbitt says. "We did not intend to change any basic rule of law. This is purely and simply a procedural matter
Date: 1985-02-07
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Now. when you go back to the basic rule of law. that is that this Congress has a mandate to seat a person if he has been certified as the winner. It is up to the Administration Com. mittee to make a determination as to whether or not in the future that he is or is not the winner. I would say that if this were reversed. if Mr. McCloskey were in the same shape that Mr. McIntyre is in. he would have the same right to be seated while the House Administration Committee works its will. I certainly think that this gentleman should be seated.
Date: 1985-02-07
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. pursuant to rule XI. clause 2(a). of the Rules of the House of Representatives. I submit for printing in the CoNGRESSIONAL RECORD the rules of the Committee on Banking. Finance and Urban Affairs for the 99th Congress. adopted by the committee on February 7. 1985:
Date: 1985-02-19
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. on February 16 we will commemorate the 67th anniversary of the restoration of an independent Lithuanian State and the 734th anniversary of the founding of that State. I would like to take this opportunity to voice my concern for the people of Lithuania who have been oppressed for almost half a century. We Members of Congress have the distinct honor of speaking for over a million American citizens of Lithuanian heritage. My greatest hope is that our voices will be heard by the Lithuanian people who are the subject of this Soviet repression. The aspirations of these people are synonymous with our own. They strive for the equal rights and the selfdetermination which were set forth in principle VIII of the Helsinki Final Act. Let them be assured that we will continue to strengthen efforts to award them the very principles which we have embraced as realities in our own lifetimes. The Republic of Lithuania has enjoyed only a brief 22 years of independence. Despite its peace treaty and nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union. Lithuania was forcibly Incorporated into the Soviet bloc in 1940. We as the U.S. Government. have refused to recognize that incorporation and continue to maintain diplomatic relations with the former free governments of the Baltic States. The Lithuanian peoples struggle for independence continues to be a prime concern of our Government. On February 16. when we honor these people who are fighting to express their religious and cultural freedoms. we will rededicate ourselves to the promotion of these fundamental freedoms. in Lithuania. in the Baltic States. and in the oppressed nations all over the world. e