macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I am looking over the rule that was passed late last night. and my reading of the rule indicates that that there was a change in the standing rules of the House. Mr. Speaker. I would like some parliamentary clarification on that provision. If you look at the resolution in section 4. it says. "Any motion pursuant to clause 4 of rule XXII relating to H.R. 5021"-that is the transportationrelated bill-"may be offered only by the Majority Leader or his designee." Now. I am looking at the standing rules of the House. Mr. Speaker. and the standing rules of the House provide that "when the stage of disagreement has been reached on a bill or resolution with House or Senate amendments. a motion to dispose of any amendment shall be privileged." My question is: Doesnt "privileged" mean available to any Member of the House?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Well. Mr. Speaker. my understanding of a parliamentary inquiry was where the Speaker was supposed to clarify questions of the rules and the parliamentary order. I am simply asking whether or not. in previous rulings by this House and by the Parliamentarian. "privileged" has been interpreted to mean something that is available to any Member of the House. not just to the majority leader or the designee of the majority leader?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the Chair does not want to interpret this parliamentary inquiry at this time. at what point would it be in order to ask the Parliamentarian and the Chair to interpret the rules of the House?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Is it not the rule. passed out of the committee. that is pending? That is the parliamentary inquiry. Is that what is pending before the House. the rule?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

But. Mr. Speaker. isnt the matter pending before the House the rule that the designated chairmanacting chairmanof the Rules Committee just spoke about?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

That is correct. Mr. Speaker. And I am reading one of the provisions of that resolution. specifically section 4 of that rule. which is before the House which changes the rules of the House to say that a motion may only be made by the majority leader or his designee. as opposed to the privileged motion required under the underlying rule. Is that correct?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Look. yesterday. we were on the floor of the House. Mr. Speaker. and our Republican colleagues passed a measure to sue the President of the United States. waste millions of dollars of taxpayers money to sue the President of the United States. and the claim was the President has exceeded his authority. That is a specious claim. but what is incredible is the very next day our Republican colleagues are here suspending democracy in the House. changing the standing rules of the House to take away from any Member of the House the opportunity to offer a motion with respect to the transportation bill. which is what the standing rules of the House provide. and they want to say no. we are going to take that right away from a Member. and we are going to give it exclusively to the Republican leader or the Republican leaders designee. Do you know. Mr. Speaker. the last time we saw this happen? On the government shutdown. Our Republican colleagues used the same measure to refuse to take up the Senate bill. which would have ended the government shutdown. They didnt want to end it. so they kept it going. That cost the American taxpayer $24 billion in damage to the economy. Lets not play games with the rule. that this rule allows every Member their rights. The Speaker is not the king. and we should make sure that every Member has an opportunity.
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. I enter into the RECORD the story of a young Honduran girl who resisted being robbed for $5. was clubbed over the head. dragged out by two men who cut a hole in her throat and left her in a ravine. [From the New York Times. July 11. 2014]
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. again. if there is discretion that can be shared. that was directly from the article that I asked to be entered into the RECORD. On many occasions I have been on this floor and been part of many debates in the 5 years I have been honored to serve with the Congress and have used the exact same approach and have never been charged. Is there any discretion that the Speaker can give us direction on?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. with that being said to debate. even though the same practices are used by Members. rulings can change by the Chair on this particular issue?
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. for clarification. that is exactly what I did. which is I read a statement from the article. I am confused. Mr. Speaker. I am just maybe a junior Member from a small farm in New Mexico. but it seems that if I am reading from the article directly. that I dont appear to be violating any rules to be charged time.
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. this was not an embellishment. This was a direct quote from the article. It appears to me that my understanding of an embellishment are my own words being added.
Date: 2014-07-31
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. last week. we were part of a conversation and debate around strengthening antihuman trafficking laws. We all came to this floor. and Democrats and Republicans found a way to talk to one another and talk to the American public about what we should do to protect these children that are in harms way. not just fleeing street violence. but being brutally murdered and raped. Mr. Speaker. This week. what my Republican colleagues are doing is coming out of a conference and weakening antihuman trafficking laws. Mr. Speaker. at this point. all I can say is God help this Congress if it is now our policy to weaken human trafficking laws. It is a sad. sad day. Mr. Speaker. and I certainly hope that my colleagues take a chance to look at this and look into their hearts and pray on that and come to the floor and do the right thing.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 15. a bipartisan. comprehensive immigration reform bill to properly address the humanitarian crisis at the border.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 15. a bipartisan. comprehensive immigration reform bill to properly address the humanitarian crisis at the border.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. Dr. King reminds us that the truest measure of the person is not where you stand in times of comfort and convenience. but where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy. In these times of challenge and controversy. I stand with those children at the border and I stand for due process. I dont stand for a fasttrack adjudication that mimics due process and makes a mockery of justice. I stand with the DREAMers. They have been given hope by our President. I will not vote for a bill that will destroy hope for those DREAMers. We must keep their hope alive. I stand for due process. I stand with the DREAMers. and I stand for hope. I stand with the President.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. I will answer my friends question that was just asked as he was speaking. What is happening on the floor is Republicans are trying to weaken human trafficking laws. That is what is happening. Over the last few days. my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have jumped through linguistic and logical hoops to say that the most humane way to deal with these children is to deport them quickly without due process to discourage other children from making the dangerous journey. There is no question that the journey is dangerous. Children are killed. robbed. raped. and maimed along the way. but the children know the risks. They are not ignorant to those risks. Why? Because back in Honduras. El Salvador. and Guatemala. children are being raped. killed. and robbed every day. It is a fact. Read the news. Deporting children without process to these conditions or locking them into their home countries and preventing them from fleeing to find safety is not humane. It would be. as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said. like sending them back into a burning building. We can do better than this.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. a man once said: I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and who have lived here. even though sometime back they may have entered illegally. Mr. Speaker. those words were from the great bastion of Republican thinking: President Ronald Reagan. Oh. how his party has changed. In fact. Mr. Speaker. if Ronald Reagan were in office today. he would probably have a primary challenge for being too "liberal" thinking. Mr. Speaker. the House today is bringing up their only immigrationrelated bill. and it has just one message: deport. deport. deport. Deport children seeking refuge from extreme violence. Deport a mother away from her children. Deport a young person who has pledged allegiance only to one flag. and that is our flag. Mr. Speaker. it looks like the bill the Republicans will want to bring is a security only. no to DREAMers supplemental. It does not address our broken immigration system. Have we lost the core message of our country? What happened to. "Give me your tired. your poor. your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"? What happened to that America? I am sure Ronald Reagan knows. but his party does not.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the course of the debate is about to end. There is representation that there is an underlying bill to this martial law. The Democrats have already made a commitment to stay and finish the job. My inquiry is. the underlying bills principles are based upon protecting children and fully funding the Presidents mark on the emergency supplemental to deal with this crisis and emergency. Those are simple parliamentary inquiries as the underlying premise of the billtwo points: protecting the children and providing the full resources for helping the children. That is not giving us the contents of the bill. It is the premise of the bill for Members to be able to intelligently come to floor to assess the need to vote for the martial law. I. again. state the parliamentary inquiry.
Date: 2014-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. my parliamentary inquiry as to the bill that is on the floor. is this not the bill dealing with deferred action for juveniles or young people who have been in this country for 5 years. graduated from high school. going to college or working. and in actuality is not dealing with the unaccompanied children? But more importantly. is it not true that this bill is destined for a veto. will not be passed in the Senate. and in essence. we are here passing a bill that has no future?
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. let me indicate that as our Members come back from the work recessand I think it is important to establish that although 1 or 2 vacation days may have been taken and Members got a chance to see their families. they were workingand I am going to take the optimistic approach and say that the American people want to see us working over the next couple of days. I believe we can collectively. with the President. address the terrorist threat of ISIS. Those of us who had a chance to be in the Middle East know how serious an impact that it has on the homeland. but I also believe that we can put on the floor of the House a comprehensive immigration bill. raise the minimum wage. provide for pay equity. and provide for the education of our children by bringing down the high interest rates for higher education. Madam Speaker. it should be the rule of this House and the rule of the other body to work on behalf of the American people. Yes. we were working in our districts. Now. we need to come and work on behalf of them and to ensure that the national security of our homeland is protected. to be reminded of those lives that were lost as we approach 9111. and to raise the minimum wage. and to save lives by passing comprehensive immigration reform. As a Member from the border State of Texas. I know we can do this.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York . the author of this legislation.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 3957. a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 21810 Merrick Boulevard in Springfield Gardens. New York. as the Cynthia Jenkins Post Office Building. Cynthia Jenkins worked as a librarian. community activist. and civil rights advocate after moving to Queens from Louisville. Kentucky. In 1969. while working for the Queens public library system. Cynthia cofounded the Black Librarians Caucus. to address racial inequalities in the public library system. as well as an educational action program. the Social Concerns Committee of Springfield Gardens. Inc. In 1982. Cynthia became the first African American woman elected to public office in southern Queens. winning a seat in the New York State Assembly. For the next 12 years. she worked tirelessly on behalf of her constituents. focusing particularly on educational issues. Cynthia passed away on October 31. 2001. at the age of 77. She continues to be remembered for her dedicated public service and for always fighting for the principles she believed in. Mr. Speaker. we should pass this bill to honor the life and public service of State Assemblywoman Cynthia Jenkins. I thank Representative MEEKS for introducing this bill. I urge its passage. and I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. at this time. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas . the author of this legislation.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I had the good fortune to know former Representative Mickey Leland. and I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 78. a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4110 Alameda Road in Houston. Texas. as the George Thomas "Mickey" Leland Post Office Building. Born in Lubbock. Texas in 1944. Mickey Leland earned a degree in pharmacy from Texas Southern University in 1970. He quickly became a local civil rights leader. organizing the Black Citizen Action Team in protests against police brutality while using his medical background to found a doortodoor outreach campaign to educate lowincome individuals about their medical care options. In 1972. Mickey continued his health advocacy work in the Texas State House of Representatives. passing legislation to provide better access to affordable medications and HMOs. In 1979. Mickey Leland was elected to Congress as the Representative for Texas 18th District. After serving as the freshman majority whip. Representative Leland later served twice as atlarge majority whip. chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 1985 to 1987. and was reelected five times. As a Member of Congress. Representative Leland advocated for an increase in hiring quotas for women and minorities in the telecommunications industry. and focused much of his attention on alleviating hunger across the globe. particularly in Africa. During the 98th Congress. Representative Lelands efforts led to the creation of the Temporary Select Committee on Hunger. which studied the effects of domestic and international hunger and poverty. Tragically. Representative Lelands career was cut short on a trip to Africa during the 1989 congressional recess. While checking on the progress of establishing a refugee camp in Addis Ababa. Representative Leland and three of his congressional aides lost their lives when their plane crashed over a mountainous region of Ethiopia. Mr. Speaker. we should pass this bill to honor Mickey Lelands life and career as a tireless advocate for underserved and minority populations. both at home and abroad. I urge passage of H.R. 78. and I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 78. Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 4110 Alameda Road in Houston. Texas. as the "George Thomas Mickey Leland Post Office Building." I had the pleasure of serving with Congressman Leland and even taking my first oath for public office together. along with Congressman Lelands successor. Congressman Craig Washington. Congressman Leland. my friend and mentor. made a lasting impact on Congress that has helped bring focus to aid parts of the world that suffered from extreme hunger and poverty. Congressman Leland was a transformative leader not only in our home state of Texas. but throughout the world. Congressman Leland was elected to Congress in 1978 to represent the 18th Congressional District of Texas. filling the seat vacated by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan when she retired. He was a progressive leader that twice chaired the Congressional Black Caucus. Congressman Leland helped to form the House Select Committee on World Hunger in 1984 which generated awareness within Congress regarding national and international hunger and prompted a bipartisan effort to find solutions to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Congressman Leland made a lasting impact that can be felt today through the Congressional Hunger Center. Former Democratic Congressman Tony Hall. a close friend of Congressman Leland and former chair of the House Select Committee on Hunger. joined Republican Representative Bill Emerson to form the bipartisan Congressional Hunger Center in 1993. Soon after its formation. the Congressional Hunger Center established the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program to serve as a living legacy to Congressman Leland and his worldchanging work to end hunger. The Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program trains emerging leaders during a twoyear period to eradicate hunger worldwide. Congressman Lelands legacy continues to thrive in Congress. I urge my colleagues to support Congresswoman SHEILA JACKSON LEEs legislation to designate the U.S. Post Office in Houston. Texas as the Mickey Leland Post Office building as a tribute to my dear friend and former colleague.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I dont think there is any greater service that one can give than to give the gift of their life fighting for their country. Therefore. I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 5030. a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13500 Southwest 250 Street in Princeton. Florida. as the Corporal Christian A. Guzman Rivera Post Office Building. A native of Homestead. Florida. Christian Guzman Rivera graduated from Homestead Senior Highs ROTC program in 2006. With dreams of becoming a Marine firefighter. Christian graduated from the MiamiDade Fire Academy. and in 2007. was assigned as a battalion engineer in Okinawa. Japan. Tragically. on August 6. 2009. after having just received a promotion to corporal. Christian Guzman Rivera was killed while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. Although he never got the chance to fight fires as he had hoped. Corporal Rivera was named an honorary member of the MiamiDade Fire Rescue Department. and he still remains a role model to his younger siblings. Mr. Speaker. we should pass this bill. H.R. 5030. to recognize Corporal Christian Guzman Riveras honor. courage. and sacrifice. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-09-08
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to discuss the implications of the crime committed against the late Michael Brown on August 9th. 2014 and the subsequent riots in Ferguson. It has been 59 years since the murder and kidnapping of Emmett Till. and in 2014. the cycle of mistreatment continues. What happened in Ferguson. Missouri was a tragedy. It is yet another reminder underlining the mistreatment of communities of color in the United States. The pain and discontent we all feel toward the Ferguson Police Department is valid. but we cannot express our anger without taking a formal stance against the militarization of law enforcement. As Members of Congress who represent communities of color. the purpose of todays special order is to highlight community policing and lessons learned from Ferguson. Although. economic and social parity remain a constant issue in our communities. our focus now shifts to improper policing and blatant violations of civil rights. We are all citizens of this great nation. but we are also citizens of communities in crisis. As a United States Congresswoman for over 20 years. I have fought to procure racial equity here in the United States. Though headway has been made. all of this work falls by the wayside when travesties like those seen in Ferguson continue to occur. Mr. Speaker. this is much more than a question of racial equality. It is a question of "what can be done today to safeguard human rights and the protection of human life in the future." In the 1960s. the world watched in horror as civil rights demonstrators in Selma. Alabama faced local police officers armed with fire hoses and attack dogs. In 2014. the citizens of Ferguson faced local police officers armed with automatic weapons. sniper assault weapons and armored tanks provided by the Department of Defense. It is unconscionable that the local police could use military tactics and armaments against citizens exercising their right to peaceably assemble. The Department of Justice has had the legal authority to investigate whether a law enforcement organization is engaging in a "pattern of practice" in civil rights violations. since 1994. However. despite dozens of allegations filed against law enforcement in the city of Ferguson. nothing has been done to address the use of excessive police force. As a result. heinous crimes like those seen in the cases of Michael Brown have become our reality. For this reason. as we stand united against the crimes committed in Ferguson. we must also focus our efforts on ensuring that local police departments are not authorized to wage war against communities of color. We must put an end to the federal grants that encourage local police forces to create war zones within our communities. The lesson learned from Ferguson is clear. We must stand against the militarization of law enforcement and improper community policing.