macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the conference committee agreement on the supplemental appropriations bill. H.R. 6863. permits funding of additional unemployment compensation supplemental benefits for those workers who have exhausted. their rights to any extended unemployment compensation under the FederalState Extended Compensation Act of 1977. I introduced legislation. S. 2542. to provide for an extended unemployment benefits program. and I testified before the Senate Finance Committee in support of extending these benefits. The Senate agreed to an amendment to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act to urge the Senate conferees on the tax bill to include in their conference report. language creating a supplemental unemployment benefits program for those who have exhausted all other such benefits for which they are eligible and to insure that those States which have triggered off the extended benefits program will be reinstated. Unemployment is at an alltime high since World War II. -In July. 9.8 per. cent of the work force was unemployed. this translates to approximately 10.8 million people looking for work. I have heard from many West Virginians who are now unemployed and have exhausted their benefits under the existing extended compensation program. These people have worked continuously through their adult working years and are struggling to raise families. Unemployment is not a respecter of age or backgroundit has affected the young married man just getting started. the middleaged worker with growing children. as well as the man who has a few short years for retirement. These people have worked hard and in the American tra. dition have contributed to Americas productivity. These unemployed work. ers are now finding themselves. because they are unable to find employ. ment. in a position of having to sell or lose everything they have worked to achieve over the years. They are not unemployed because they are afraid of hard work or because they do not want to workthey are unemployed because of the recession and because they cannot find other jobs. They are not asking for a handout. they are looking for work. In the depressed labor market. we are finding more and more instances of people looking for work and being turned away. This is what is happening in West VirginiaI am sure that every Senator here whose State is experiencing high rates of unemployment will have a similar story to tell. Through no fault of their own. many American workers are without a job and have no immediate chance of finding another. The funding provided in the supple. mental* appropriations bill will help these individuals during this time of recession. This is not a new approach. It has been done before in periods of recessionin 1971 and in 1974. Unemploymeit rates are even higher now than then. Mr. President. clearly we must provide these benefits now. To do less would not be in the best interest of the country or its workers.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. it is with a sense of relief that we all welcome the agreement in Lebanon leading to the withdrawal of the PLO from Beirut. This has been a most welcome development. It is also a time to pay special tribute to Philip Habib. whose patient and skillful negotiations made this all possible. Called out of retirement from the Foreign Service by President Reagan last year to defuse an earlier crisis in Lebanon. Phil Habib has rendered yeoman service on behalf of his country. The negotiations were among the most difficult and complex ever undertaken by a diplomat. But Phil Habib persevered. What is particularly impressive about Ambassador Habibs efforts is the fact that he retired from the Foreign Service after suffering a serious heart attack. Yet. even though there were physical risks facing him. he still refused to give up. This Is just the first step in returning Lebanon to the Lebanese. But it is an important first step. Both Phil Habib. and President Reagan who gave his special negotiator his full backing. deserve our gratitude and appreciation for accomplishing this impressive diplomatic breakthrough. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the editorial in todays New York Times commending the efforts of Phil Habib be printed in the REcoRD. [From the New York Times. Aug. 20. 19821
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Presi- Pennsy dent. I am pleased that forward fund- be eife ing in the amount of $210.572.000 for rious bi title V of the Older Americans Act is have a included in the supplemental appro- of agin priations bill for fiscal year 1982. The older Senate expressed its support of the about h senior jobs program under title V by serving passing Senate Resolution 340. a reso- real we lution which I introduced. to express funded the sense of the Senate that no action moneys be taken to terminate or otherwise In ad weaken title V and by twice including it is a forward funding in the urgent supple- glect t mental appropriations bills. which opport were later vetoed by the President. rity. h I want to thank the distinguished filimen Senator from Oregon. Mr. HATFIELD. every s for his support of forward funding of indicat title V. the ol THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICES EMPLOY* form 0 MENT PROGRAM TITLE V OF THE OLDER AMERI- fits Of CANS ACT tion 0
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. this supplemental appropriations bill. H.R. 6863. contains language in chapter V which would require that the administration proceed with flood control work in the Williamson. W. Va.. area and certain neighboring locations as specified by Congress in the statement of the managers accompanying the conference report on the fiscal year 1982 Energy and Water Development Appropriation Act. The managers clearly indicated that $7.5 million is to be made available for flood control projects authorized by section 202 which is the basis for the Tug Fork flood control project. During the spring of 1982. I had serious concerns regarding the Department of the Armys willingness to follow congressional intent with respect to the Tug Fork flood control project. I met with Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. William R. Gianelli. in my office on February 18. 1982. to discuss these concerns. and. I have had a continuing dialog with Mr. Gianelli since that time: In early July. Mr. Gianelli indicated a willingness to proceed with certain flood control measures in the Williamson area beginning with the fiscal year 1984 budget request to Congress. However. the Congress has already directed in the fiscal year 1982 Energy and Water Development Appropriation Act legislative history that this work proceed immediately. In order to insure that the Corps of Engineers proceeds immediately as intended by Congress. I had language included in this. supplemental appropriations bill requiring that the congressional intent as expressed last November. be followed explicitly.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I do not mean to be the leadoff speaker on this measure. The managers have that right. I will be very brief when I do speak. I will take less than 2 minutes. At this time I ask for the yeas and nays on the adoption of the conference report.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. earlier this summer the Senate voted to pass legislation to deregulate the bus transportation industry. I voted against that legislation because I thought that it was not in the best interests of the thousands of citizens who live in small rural communities in my State of West Virginia. For many of these people. especially the elderly. bus transportation is the only way to get from one place to another. Because of the information and advice that I received from the head of the West Virginia Public Service Commission. I opposed bus deregulation by speaking against the bill at the time and voting against it. I continue to be concerned that this legislation. if passed. would mean that bus transportation service to rural communities would be reduced or eliminated. and the quality of life for those people would be diminished. I have seen little to no evidence to suggest that my original concerns were unfounded. In fact. a recent Wall Street Journal article has given weight to my convictions on this issue. The article discusses the experience of some States that have already taken the initiative to deregulate the bus industry. It is reported that In Florida. where deregulation was put into effect 2 years ago. "numerous tiny Florida towns * * * have lost bus service entirely through deregulation." Mr. President. I think many of my colleagues will find this article of interest. especially since we are considering the bus regulatory reform conference report. I ask unanimous consent that the article be inserted In the RECORD.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the West Virginia Public Service Commission has just Informed me that it is still opposed to the bus deregulation measure. I am ready to vote and I realize there were only 10 votes cast against the bill on Senate passage. including my own vote. and that a vote on this conference report will be overwhelmingly in favor of its adoption. but I wish to register my opposition to the measure again because of the adverse effect it could have on rural communities in West Virginia.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. perhaps we should have a brief quorum call to advise our colleagues that a rollcall vote is imminent. I will put in a brief quorum call to alert them to that fact. I will try to call it off in 5 minutes. Mr. President. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I thank the Senator from Oregon. Mr. President. for the edification of Members on both sides of the aisle. I ask the distinguished majority leader what he may see as the program for the remainder of the day. whether there will be any rollcall votes and if he can at this moment indicate what the situation may be when the Senate returns on September 8.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. will the majority leader be amenable to attempting to get consent that the Senate in voting on the cloture motion on Thursday. September 9 would vote at a certain hour. hopefully an hour. let us say. 2 p.m. in the afternoon or later. because I wish to have a caucus on that day? Since we will not be in on Tuesday. I wish to have a caucus on Thursday.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

There Is considerable magic about the hour of 2 p.m.. according to a Senator who Is sitting not very far from where I now stand. He prefers It at 2 p.m. inasmuch as he has to be in other places outside the city after 2 p.m.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I hope the Senator sitting not very far from where I now stand will express his appreciation to the distinguished Senator from Arizona. and I am sure he will.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. may I ask the distinguished maJority leader. Is there any word from the White House as to whether or not the veto of the supplemental might occur? We have heard rumors that there might be a veto.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. if the majority leader will further indulge me. may I ask does the majority leader intend to adopt a pro forma resolution or If he can tell us how does he intend to adjourn so as to preclude a pocket veto of the measure should the President do so?
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

If the President should veto the supplemental while the Senate is out what would be the plans of the President to call us back or what would be the plans of the majority leader?
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. If the Senator will yield further. as I heard the majority leader a few moments ago. failure of passage of this measure would create some problems. If the President were to veto the measure those same problems would be created. I personally would like to express the hope that if the President vetoes this measure that the adjournment resolution will allow the leader to call us back. if necessary. so that the Senate will be here In the event a veto should take place. I am concerned about the Senate being out if the President is going to veto the measure. and I think he should let us know now. I personally feel he should let us know now. whether he is going to veto the bill. The majority leader is in no position to extract that from the President. but I think the President should let the Congress know before we go out on this break what his intentions are. else Congress could be blamed for being away at a time when a veto occurred on a measure which. from what I understood the majority leader correctly to say. could create some problems if it is not enacted before the break.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I would hope so and I hope. may I say with much respect to the majority leader. if we cannot get that answer out of the White House if we are going to pass this measure. I hope the adjournment resolution will be so amended so that the leadership will be in position to act if necessary to keep these problems from occurring and the Congress to be criticized for being out and unable to act.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. unless a Senator who has the floor yields for the purpose of calling a quorum. another Senator cannot suggest the absence of a quorum. I have noted recently that this has happened too many times. Someone suggested the absence of a quorum yesterday when the majority leader had the floor and made a unanimousconsent request. The majority leader did not lose the floor by virtue of his making the unanimousconsent request. but another Senator just said. "I suggest the absence of a quorum." That cannot be done unless the Senator who has the floor yields for that purpose I hope that Senators would be more cognizant of their rights and I also hope that the Chair would protect Senators in that regard. I have no criticism of the Chair in this instance or of the Parliamentarian. It is just something that is sort of automatic when a Senator suggests the absence of a quorum. that the Chair will say. "The clerk will call the roll." But I say again and again. that the Senator holding the floor. in this instance. Mr. HATFIELD. must yield for that purpose. Yesterday. the majority leader had the floor and put a unanimousconsent request. yet a Senator suggested the absence of a quorum and the quorum was called without the majority leader being asked if he yielded for that purpose. I hope that we all would be more cognizant of the rules.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

In this Instance. no harm was done. But it could be to great disadvantage of a Senator who had the floor if such a practice is allowed to continue.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I hope that promise will be kept. I ask unanimous consent that I may be added as cosponsor to this amendment.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. changes enacted in the administrations budgetcutting bill last year eliminated social security . student benefits for eligible young people who had not enrolled in a postsecondary educational institution by May of this year. The pending amendment would extend the cutoff deadline for 4 additional months. to October 1982. This is an action the Congress should have taken before Mays cutoff. All of us here can recall the tragaic stories reported in the press last spring. as high school seniors missed their own graduations to enroll in college in order to recieve benefits. All of us here can remember the confusion that ensued when two of the six social security regional offices sent out benefit brochures by mistake. clearly telling students that their benefits would continue in full. The Levin amendment is a compromise. Under its terms. student benefits would still be reduced by 25 precent. and phased out according to the provisions of last years budgetcutting bill. However. the amendment would aid 250.000 to 300.000 high school graduated seniors in pursuing a higher education. Most of these young people are from lower income families. Last year. 71 percent of the young people aided under the program were from families with annual incomes below $15.000. 53 percent from families with yearly incomes below $8.000. While funding for other Federal educational programs has been cut back. we must remember our commitment to our Nations deceased workers and to our soldiers who never came back from Vietnam. We cannot unfairly desert their children. The Levin amendment includes provisions to offset the amendments cost to the social security system. I commend the Senator from Michigan for the many hours of work devoted to developing this legislation.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

So the maJority leader does not believe a veto of this measure would put the Congress is a position where it could be criticized for being out for the length of time which is set forth in the adjournment resolution.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I have one further question. I know that many Senators on the majority side of the aisle walked the plank on the Caribbean Basin provisions that are in this bill. The President very much supported those provisions. I suppose the question answers itself. Those same Caribbean Basin provisions in this piece of legislation for which the President fought and which he supported and for which many Senators on the majority leaders side of the aisleas a matter of fact. most of themvoted. are in this legislation. are they not?
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I thank the majority leader for his usual courtesy and indulgence. I have no objection to the request.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I move that the motion to reconsider be postponed until tomorrow. Mr. President. I move to lay the motion on the table.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. on behalf of Mr. BuRDIcK. I send an amendment in the nature of a substitute to the desk and ask for its Immediate consideration.
Date: 1982-08-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Yes. they have. Mr. President. Under great pressure. I reluctantly agreed to clear them on this side. but I found great difficulty in withstanding the pressure upon me. especially the pressure that came from the Senator from South Carolina .
Date: 1982-09-08
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I rise to extend my deep sympathies to the family of ADAM BENJAMIN. and to the people of Indiana he served so well. His early and tragic death takes from us a quiet leader. a man with an absolute commitment to public service. His was a style that never sought the limelight. never sought personal gain. that focused on the hard. substantive. behind the scenes work so fundamentally necessary to the functioning of our democracy. His honesty and integ. * rity were known to all. When ADAM BENJAMIN gave you his word. or his commitment to assist you in any way. you could put the matter out of your mind. For his honesty. his commitment to hard work. and for his ideals he will be greatly missed. Again. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife and children.
Date: 1982-09-08
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I thank the majority leader for his kind remarks. He is always courteous. gracious. affable. congenial. amicable. and all the pleasant adjectives that are in Websters dictionary. Mr. President. does the distinguished Senator from Wisconsin need any time yielded to him?
Date: 1982-09-08
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask the gentleman If this amendment would permit land owned by a State or municipality on which hazardous waste was deposited by an entity other than that State or municipality. to qualify for a 90percent share of cleanup costs under the Superfund program?
Date: 1982-09-08
Speaker: SAM B. HALL (democrat)
Chamber: H

Would it also specify that if the States or municipalities owned and operated these Superfund sites. they would qualify for a payment of only 50 percent of their costs?
Date: 1982-09-09
Speaker: PHILLIP BURTON (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. President Reagans veto of an appropriations bill overwhelmingly passed by Congress is an outrageous. hypocritical act. This bill proposes spending an amount $3.2 billion less than the budget supported by Reagan and appropriates $1.5 billion less than his appropriations request. The Presidents veto has unnecessarily precipitated yet another crisis in the Government. In his own words: "Delay in adoption of. this bill poses serious problems." The President states that one of his objections to the bill is the amount proposed for defense. He says this beSepteniber 9. 1982 cause Congress. in its wisdom. cut $2.1 billion from his excessive request for Pentagon spending. including a $30.7 million reduction in the Pentagons nuclear weapons program. Another problem the President has with the bill is the funding of various domestic programs. Mr. Speaker. I strongly endorse the Appropriations Committees proposed $211 million for community service employment for the elderly poor. I applaud the $148 million for college grants for disadvantaged students. I commend the committee for proposing $26.5 million for handicapped education $217 million for student financial assistance. and $10 million for aid to colleges with large numbers of minority students. President Reagan Is opposing a bill which includes $500.000 for the Center for Disease Controls preventive health services program to continue efforts to discover the cause and cure for Kaposis sarcoma. This funding is critical for the fight against a pernicious and often fatal disease. People in San Francisco and the Nation are appalled that Mr. Reagans veto will halt this vital program. The people of San Francisco and other major American cities must wonder why Mr. Reagan opposes $37 million for urgently needed urban mass transportation. Those people concerned for our Nations environment must wonder why he opposes $13.3 million to fund efforts to return land ravaged by strip mining to a useful and esthetic state. Mr. Speaker. I will vote to override this veto and I urge all my colleagues to uphold the right of Congress to set Federal spending priorities.
Date: 1982-09-09
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move that the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill to provide lending limits for fiscal years 1983. 1984. and 1985 for programs under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
Date: 1982-09-09
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee . chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation. Credit and Rural Development.
Date: 1982-09-09
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

In the oversight hearings. during the hearings before the committee. it was never made explicitly clear by the Assistant Secretary or by the members of the Agriculture Department whether they had indeed issued orders or what orders they had issued or what restrictions they had or had not placed. I think that should be made clear.
Date: 1982-09-09
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute be considered as read. printed in the RECORD. and open to amendment at any point.