macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself the balance of my time. "Mr. Speaker. I am pleased that my good friend from Florida. as he was wrapping up his remarks. as always with eloquence. talked about the "yes" votes and the "no" votes. because just 1 month ago. Mr. Speaker. when this House brought forth the bill to fund the Committee on Veterans Affairs. the appropriations bill to fund Veterans Affairs. there was a very interesting "yes" -and "no" vote on this floor. 425 yes and 1 no. So I simply want to put in context what has been said today. If we would be acting with such unfairness on the majority side. if we would be neglecting "the interests of those men and women who we .all hold in such admiration. then why was the vote to fund Veterans Affairs 4251 only 1 month ago? As we have heard from the chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. from the authorizing committee. and the chairman as. well of the Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs. and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations on these issues brought to our attention subsequent to that vote of 4251. they are being addressed. They are being delved into. They will be solved. And we will continue to be proud of our record of support for ourveterans. Now. with regard to what this rule does. the rule we have been discussing today. it brings forth for consideration by this body the foreign aid appropriations bill. over $20 million in foreign aid. A "lot of important programs. humanitarian programs. support for allies and friends. for poor people throughout the world. for the sick and the infirm. It is a good piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker. So at this time. Mr. Speaker. I would request that the underlying legislation. the foreign operations legislation. be supported.. as well as the rule that brings it forth. which is an open rule. The material previously referred to by Mr. HASTINGS of Florida is as follows:
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. by direction of the Committee on Rules. I call up House Resolution 342 and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. for the purpose of debate only. I yield the customary 30minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts . pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution. all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan . the chairman of the subcommittee. who. along with the chairman of the full committee. have done tremendous work in bringing forth these pieces of legislation. including the one on the floor today.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I think this is a very important piece of legislation that deserves our support. And. obviously. the rule bringing forth the underlying legislation in an extremely fair manner. with an open rule. deserves our support. but also the underlying bill. the underlying appropriations bill. It grows. it increases over last year by approximately 6 percent. It provides over $66 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Treasury and HUD. the Judiciary. and Independent Agencies. That is an increase of six percent. Mr. Speaker. Now. we hear from our friends on the other side of the aisle more requests for spending. more and more and more and more. But I think it is important to keep in mind that what we are bringing forth. the bill that we are bringing forth to the floor increases spending. this bill increases spending by 6 percent over the current fiscal year. I think sometimes perspective is proper. So I wanted to mention that as I reiterate my support for the rule bringing forth this legislation as well as the underlying legislation and asking colleagues to support them both. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. a couple of points to put the debate back in the perspective and the cqntext of what we are doing today. We are debating the rule bringing forth the appropriations bill that funds the Department of Transportation. Treasury. Housing Urban Development. the Judiciary. This bill includes over $66 billion. It provides to those Departments being funded an increase of 6 percent over the current fiscal year. anincrease of 6 percent. A number of issues have been brought out. for example. the issue of an amendment that was passed in the Appropriations Committee. The substance of that amendment was debated September 10 of the year 2003 here on the floor of this House on an authorizing bill. and again. this may sound technical to some folks. especially if they are watching on TV. the rules of the House say that appropriations bills should not be vehicles for legislating. in other words. for changing the law. Ratler. they are vehicles to fund. to appropriate the Federal Government. Now. on an authorizing bill. which is expected and called for in the rules of the House. this credit card issue was brought forth and it was debated. Again. September 10. 2003. The amendment by the gentleman from Vermont
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I wished to do when my good friend from Massachusetts had the floor. I wanted to ask him a question. I was trying to understand and I was a little confused. Does the gentleman admit that 3 million jobs have been created in the last 18 months in this economy?
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Maybe the gentleman from Massachusetts could answer. Have 3 million jobs been created in the last 18 months. yes or no?
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H

of. Florida. Reclaiming my time. I think. Mr. Speaker. what I have heard is yes. And I think that what we have seen is remarkable. considering that we had a recession that began toward the end of the year 2000 and that was coupled by the unprecedented attack on in country. including on our economy and on our way of life on September 11. 2001. Despite that unprecedented attack. the policies. yes. under the Presidents leadership that this Congress instituted have permitted and have incentivated the creation of 3 million jobs in the last 18 months. We have a record. almost a record low unemployment rate of 5 percent. And I think that despite the static from which I am trying to learn. understand the answers of my respectful questions. the answer is yes. It is a remarkable achievement. And so to keep in mind and in perspective of what we have seen. Mr. Speaker. job growth. almost a record low unemployment rate. and with regard to what we are doing today. which I think is relevant to remember and -put in context. What we are doingtoday is bringing forth legislation. the appropriations bill on the funding the Treasury Department. Housing and Urban Develop Department. the Department of Transportation. that includes a 6 percent growth. 6 percent growth over and above the legislation for the current fiscal year. I think the gentleman from Michigan
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. five U.S. Supreme Court Justices yesterday strained the credibility of the court. ignored Americas founding principles and denigrated the importance of the Ten Commandments and the JudeoChristian faith in American culture and history. Allowing Texas to display the Ten Commandments on State property but disallowing Kentucky courthouses from doing the same is a poor and flawed interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. This schizophrenia departs from the clear intent of our Founding Fathers. The court must remember that the first amendment says. we should have freedom of religion. not freedom from religion. American government was founded on a belief and a faith in God and in doing what is right and just. I would hope that in future cases the court will interpret the U.S. Constitution with a less jaundiced eye and heed the original intent of our founders
Date: 2005-06-29
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. reclaiming my time. I thank the gentleman. The important part is you could generate $2.4 billion to local government by cleaning these sites up. We need to give HUD an opportunity to do what they do best. and that is local economic development. community development. We need to reform the program. there is no doubt about it. The legislation We have at hand does that. I would encourage support in this area.
Date: 2005-06-29
Speaker: GARY G. MILLER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I agree that a more flexible. widely accessible program needs to be developed. I believe my bill. H.R. 280. achieves that goal. and that is why the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman OXLEY) and I have been fighting very hard and believe that we do need this program. I think we fieed it. Does it need improvement? Yes. I agree. We are going to improve it. and I appreciate the gentlemans help.
Date: 2005-06-29
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Chairman. I raise a point of order against section 808. This provision violates clause 2(b) of House rule XXI. It proposes to change existing law within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Reform and therefore constitutes legislation on an appropriation bill in violation of House rules.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. .I make a point of order that section 945 of H.R. 3058 is in violation of clause 2 of rule XXI. That rule precludes changes in existing law from being report in a general appropriation bill. The section directly amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act. an Act within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Financial Services regarding the use of credit reports. The section beginning on page 222. line 23. through 223. line 20. clearly constitutes legislation on an appropriations bill. I would note further that House Resplution 342. the rule providing for consideration of the bill. did not waive points of order under clause 2 rule XXI against this section. I would urge the Chair to sustain the point of order. I
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. this issue has been debated at length by the House. There was a similar amendment that was debated at length. Itwas rejected by the membership of this House by a significant vote. In this case today on an appropriations bill. legislating this issue. that has been debated and rejected in an appropriate forum. this is not clearly an appropriate forum. I reiterate my point of order.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I make a -point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriation bill and therefore violates clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule states in pertinent part: "An amendment to a general appropriation bill shall not be in order if changing existing. law." The amendment at hand requires a new determination. And so I make the point of order against this amendment. We will have discussion today. Mr. Chairman. on the right of all the people of Cuba to be free and the right for them not to have families divided. They pray every day for freedom. and they work for it. We will have that debate. But not on amendments that violate the rules of this House. I ask for a ruling from the Chair.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume.. Mr. Chairman. some may ask why the Cuban American community overwhelmingly not only supports these measures to limit resources to the terrorist regime. but elects Members. each and every Member. Cuban American Member whether they are Republicans or Democrats. who also agree with the overwhelming majority of the Cuban American community on measures to limit resources to the terrorist regime. Among the reasons for that. obviously. it is because it is a terrorist regime. an antiAmerican terrorist -regime. that oppresses the Cuban people and has done so for 46 years. but also because Cuban Americans know that freedom never comes free. The only country in the world that has the benefit of a law here in the United States that says one reaches soil in the United States and they are treated like a political asylee are Cubans. And with those great privileges. the great privilege of the Cuban Adjustment Act. come responsibilities. If one is from any other country in the world. as the gentleman from New Jersey said. and they are a political asylee. they cannot go back once every 3 years. They cannot go back. period. until the political situation changes in the country they have left. But Cubans not only are treated. and rightfully so. because they are fleeing a Communist tyranny in this hemisphere. as though they were jumping over the Berlin Wall. they are treated as political asylees. but they can go back and visit family every 3 years. whereas from any other country in the world. political asylees cannot. So. at this point. I would say this is a very serious issue. but suffice it to say that it is not by chance that all the Cuban American Members of this .House and the overwhelming majority of the community support all of these measures to limit resources from the terrorist regime. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Florida . the distinguished leader .and Member from the International Relations Committee.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. the reason that President Bush implemented these regs. the reason we have an embargo is because we want the political prisoners freed. because we want political parties legalized. labor unions legalized. the press legalized. and elections scleduled. and we want to retain the leverage of those billions of dollars in travel until the dictatorship releases political prisoners. And you know something. yes. there is pain involved in the Cuban tragedy. But the pain comes from the tragedy of the dictatorship and not because of our policies.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I reserve a point of order on Mr. FLAKES amendments. He has got. I believe. eight of them. and I am not sure if all of them are consistent with the rules of the House. So what I would like to do because I do know that some at least or at least another one is not. I reserve a point of order on Mr. FLAKES amendments.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. again. I was not aware of which of the multiple amendments that the gentleman from Arizona has filed he was going to bring up at thistime. My understanding is that this particular amendment. of the many that he has filed. is in order. So I look forward to the debate.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. My understanding of this. of the many amendments that Mr. FLAKE has filed with regard to matters that would increase currency to the regime. this amendment states that he wants to tie the Presidents hands from issuing any further regulations that could have the effect of changing the current regulation that does permit religious travel to Cuba. So I want it to be clear. there is currently a category in U.S. law that permits travel for religious purposes to Cuba. What the gentleman from Arizona - is saying is. well. I do not know if in the future the President could do something that I disagree with. and so I want to prohibit something the President may do in the future with this amendment. For example. the regime. colleagues. I am sure are aware of the fact. has had about 15 spies arrested in the United States in the last 3 or 4 years. If the administration should find that the religious travel category were being utilized to either train spies or intensify the efforts of Cuban state security against the United States. this amendment would prohibit the President from issuing. in effect. further regulations on that. Religious. travel is legal. That is not being debated at this time. What the gentleman from Arizona is saying is that he wapts to tie the hands of the President in the futurewith regard to one of the six remaining terrorist states in the world. It is wrong. We should not tie the Presidents hands. and so I oppose the amendment. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I rise to claim the time in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman. it is interesting how amendments make themselves to the floor. find. their way to the floor with regard to the Cuban terroristdictatorship. with language of freedom. talking about education. talking about reunification. talking about students. Over 100 prodemocracy activists. leaders in Cuba met last month at great risk to their lives and to their families lives. and they met publicly for the first time in 46 years. They held a convention. Many of them were not permitted to arrive. State security kept them in their homes. threw them in prison. but over 100 did arrive at the convention. They met there and for the first time in 46 years they had elections and they elected leaders of the prodemocracy movement. They issued positions calling for the release of political prisoners and democracy. free elections. And they sent us a letter. Mr. Chairman. signed June 24. the three leaders of the Assembly to Promotes Civil Society. * They asked us in this letter with great respect for the decisions of a sovereign Congress. to reject each and every amendment that was going to be presented this week. either completely or partially eliminating sanctions against the dictatorship. And the dictator. Mr. Chairman. has gone on his state television. obviously. the only channel that belongs to him. and has said. "A severe response" awaits those mercenaries. The omnipotent. totalitarian dictator. Mr. Chairman. until one day. omnipotent. goes on television and says "a severe response" awaits. The Cuban- people know what that means. At any moment these leaders or their families will be thrown in dungeons and subjected to the torture that thousands of political prisonersare subjected to in Cuba each day and hundreds of thousands have been subjected to for 46 years. Now. this letter. should we give it the credence and authority and respect that its courage. its heroism demands? I believe we should. This is a very serious issue. We have a policy to help the Cuban people and not the jailers of the Cuban people. not the oppressors of the Cuban people. Mr. Chairman. how much time is remaining?
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. I have been listening to this debate. and one of the things that was said today is that we should not accept letters from even freedom fighters. heroes who are suffering under Castros oppression. If we should not listen to them. maybe we should listen to what the dictator himself has said about amendments such as this in the past. When an amendment such as this passed a couple years ago. he said. "The House of Representatives voted with determination and courage for amendments that bring glory to that institution. We should always be grateful for that gesture." That is the dictator himself. grateful for amendments like this. Should we be on the side of the Cuban people or should we be taking actions that the dictator himself calls glorious? Li 1145 I think that is something that clearly this body needs to take in consideration.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself the remaining time. I would ask all of colleagues who may be watching this debate to realize this is a very serious issue. that the policy of the United Stateg is a wellthought through policy. It permits travel for educational reasons. humanitarian reasons. family reasons. There are 13 categories of legal travel. Remember. it is terrorist state that has shot down Americans just years ago. that has the head of its air force indicted for murder of American citizen8. shot down over. the straits of Florida. It has the head of its navy indicted for drug trafficking. It is a terrorist state. one of six remaining states. So these are serious issues. We must keep this policy to deny hard currency to the regime while permitting the 13 categories of legal travel.
Date: 2005-06-30
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Chairman. I claim time in opposition. and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. just 2 years ago three young men. three young black Cubans. tried to leave Cuba to come to the United States for a better life. obviously fleeing the oppression of the totalitarian regime. They were captured by the dictatorship and. under orders of the dictator. they were summarily executed. The distinguished gentleman from New York at that time stated.. and I saw his quote in a New York newspaper. La Prenza. "I am shocked." he said. "There is nothing that the Cuban government could tell me that would interest me. It is totally incredible that a government would/justify this type of action. The execution of these people puts an end to any possible discussion there could have been." " Now. that Was 2 years ago. What we have seen in the interim. further repression. further torture of political prisoners. and. just in the last 2 months. more than 500 young men. over 90 percent of them black. have been rounded up by the dictatorship in Cuba and thrown in prison under what is known as preventive. preventive detention. And they are thrown in the most brutal of gulags under the concept of preventive detention. That is what is new since the author stated that he was shocked. Also what is new. what is current. is that there are indictments at this time against the head of the Air Force of the Cuban dictatorship for murder of American citizens. indictments at this time for drug trafficking against the head of the navy of the Cuban dictatorship. that 15 spies of the dictatorship have been sent to prison in the United States in the last year alone for spying against American interests. That is what is new. What would be rewarded. in effect. Mr. Chairman. by the amendment if it were to pass. This is a normalization of relations amendment that would reward the most brutal conduct by the only. dictatorship in the Western Hemisphere. I ask our colleagues to reject it. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.