macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the distinguished gentleman for his kindness. Mr. Chairman. the reason we had to reassess the Army Corps of Engineers and have a regulatory scheme is that we lost almost 1.000plus individuals in Hurricane Katrina. It wasnt the hurricane that had come through. it was the dam that broke. I know it well because I walked those streets of the Ninth Ward. and I saw the babies shoes and the clothing hanging on closets and the whole area that was literally destroyed and that killed 1.000 people. Its the regulatory structure of what kind of oversight was given. what regulatory structure the Army Corps was working under. what oversight they gave. what the regulation period was in which they had to review these kinds of structures around America. Then people wanted us to get in and get something accomplished. So I am just perplexed that there is no evidence whatsoever that this will create jobs. and it does not answer. by any means. how this government can work better. I started to say to the gentleman from Tennessee that we all love this countrywe pledge allegiance to the flag in our schools and in this bodyand I wish my friends on the other side of the aisle would find some other way that we could work together. They talk about Obama administration regulations. My friends. they have been submitting this over and over again. These regulations have been carried forward from the Bush administration. This is not from the Obama administration. Let me close by saying that I want clean air. that I want clean water. that I want our babies to be safe in their cribs and playpens. I am appalled that they put this legislation on the floor as something new when this is as old as Methuselah and. I might say. has limited value. As we would say in Texas. its something that would be very doubtful. Ill leave it at that because we usually talk Texan in Texas. and Im not there now. What I will tell you is that we have ways of explaining how things are not relevant. This is not relevant. and it does not equate to a State legislature at all. This is for the United States of America. You cannot put the REINS Act in place and talk about jobs. I simply ask that we defeat this bill and pass these amendments that have been offered by Democrats. who want to make sure that we address the question of the American people. I leave this podium by saying to the gentleman from Tennessee: Is it ludicrous to place as a responsibility of the Congress a 70day window for two Houses to pass a resolution when we did not and were not able to pass a student loan effort for months and months. which. by the way. was made better by Senate Democrats? Is it reasonable?
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Congress adopted the current system over a hundred years ago because it recognized the necessity of assigning the job of crafting appropriate regulations to the scientific. economic. legal. and other experts in agencies. The REINS Act is an extreme departure from current procedures designed only to stymie the development of regulations with which the industry does not want to comply. The current system of administrative agencies of the federal government began more than 100 years ago. and developed through the 20th century. It was codified in its present form in the Administrative Procedures Act. The REINS Act guts this precedent. and replaces it with insurmountable hurdles. Congress already has the power to stop regulations if extreme circumstances dictate under the Congressional Review Act. The REINS Act requires agencies to submit new final rules to Congress for review. delaying the effective date of those rules to permit Congress to block them. and establishes a fasttrack process for legislation proposed to overrule a regulation. The bill would make it virtually impossible for an approval resolution to pass because it does not entirely prohibit a filibuster. Since the bill does not clearly prohibit a filibuster in the Senate. more specifically it does not prohibit a filibuster on a motion to take up a matter. it would empower a few. or even one Senator. to block regulations. The legislation gives Congress a short 70day window to approve a regulation. and if either chamber fails to do so during that time period. the regulation is deemed to have been rejected. and Congress is barred from subsequently voting to approve the regulation or one "substantially similar" to it for the remainder of that Congress. The 70day requirement will make it next to impossible for any regulations to be approved. Resolutions approving regulations would first have to be cleared by committees. The vast majority of bills introduced in Congress die in committee. and there is no reason to believe that new regulations wouldnt suffer the same fate. Claims about socalled "jobkilling" regulations are a fabrication. a reiteration of the same doomsday rhetoric that has been used to oppose virtually every major step forward for health and safety. In actuality. the REINS Act is about giving representatives of industry more opportunities to kill regulations they find inconvenient. posing a great detriment to public safety and health. The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired. Pursuant to the rule. the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 5minute rule. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary. printed in the bill. as modified by the amendment printed in part A of House Report 113187. shall be considered read. The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as follows: H.R. 367 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Who has the right to close? The Acting CHAIR. The right to close will not be established until the time in opposition is claimed.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Is it the proponent or the author of the amendment? The Acting CHAIR. Under clause 3(c) of rule XVII. a manager in opposition would have the right to close.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 20. line 10. insert after "means any rule" the following: "(other than a special rule)". Page 21. line 2. insert before the period at the end the following: ". and includes any special rule". Page 22. after line 8. insert the following: "(6) The term special rule means any rule that is promulgated by the Department of Homeland Security.". The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 322. the gentlewoman from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. let me thank my colleagues. Whenever they engage in debate. I know they have a serious commitment to the process of this House and this Nation. But I rise today to offer an amendment. and I hope that it addresses the chairmans offer of legislative collegiality. If this is such an important effort. then I believe that the amendments that have been offered by my colleagues. and the one that I introduce as we speak. are ones that makes this bill reasonable. My amendment would except from the bills congressional approval requirement any rule promulgated by the Department of Homeland Security organized and established in the backdrop of the heinous and tragic terrorist act of 9111. In fact. I cant imagine this legislation being effective in the midst of tragedy and devastation. I dont think my friend understands that theres nothing in the REINS Act that prevents a filibuster. A filibuster means that we will never get a resolution voted on by the two Housesneverbecause it does not negate a filibuster. So in the midst of a crisis. where people are in need of relief by the Department of Homeland Security. such as the Department of Homeland Security having to act quickly to establish new or emergency regulations in the protection of critical infrastructure. here it comes. the dastardly REINS Act. I think we would be better off right now to be debating H.R. 900 to eliminate the sequestration to bring jobs back to America. But I hope that this amendment will be considered. because I cant imagine the very Department that was established to put its foot in the gap now is going to be hindered by the REINS Act. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. how much time do I have remaining? The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Texas has 3 minutes remaining.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you. To the contrary. to my good friend from Virginia. the bill does not entirely prohibit a filibuster. In fact. a filibuster can be used on the procedural motion to bring the bill up. and in the Senate they can never bring this up. So let me remind my friends: Galveston. 6.000 people dead and climbing. 1900. Hurricane Katrina. one of the 10 worst. killing 1.836 in 2005. 1980. a heat wave in the southern and central States killing 1.700. Chicago heat wave in 1995. Disasters that need the relief that the American people deserve. This tells us what we will be facing while a filibuster is going on in the Senate. This is a map only of this year. Already disasters in Washington State with mud slides. Oklahoma with tornados. Arizona with wildfires. Miami with mud slides. Then they want to block Homeland Security from developing regulations for infrastructure. they want to stop what is going on with Hurricane Sandy and the repair that is needed and the infrastructure with something called the REINS Act. which. as I said earlier. goes around and around and around. I hope my colleagues will support this amendment. and I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I am glad the gentleman pointed us out to pages 12 to 14. because he indicated a number of procedural hula hoops that we have to jump through. Each of those procedural hula hoops will be subject to a filibuster. But this is what the American people go through: Here is a tornado or an earthquake. here is Hurricane Sandy. There are a variety of issues that it results in. Here is a wildfire. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Tennessee.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII. further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will be postponed.
Date: 2013-08-01
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman from Tennessee. Mr. Chairman. I beg to differ with my good friend who has offered this amendment. which is even more extreme. I proceeded to read the sections that my good chairman referred me to on how expeditious this process would be in the United States Senate. Its unworkable. How does anyone think that the Senate is going to pass this bill? Theyve never passed it because what it says is that youre going to kick the resolution out of committee. that youre going to discharge it. and then youre going to move it beyond all of their rules. Youre literally abolishing the Senates rules that they have not redone themselves. They never got an agreement on ending a filibuster. so I have no idea as to issues of security and safety as it relates to homeland security or of the issues dealing with fuel and greenhouse gases. which have decidedly impacted positively the American people as it relates to emissions. Now were going from $100 million to $50 million. which. I hate to say. in a country of this size means that we are going to multiply the number of resolutions on this body that has really been slow in the passing of any legislation. Then we are going to move to the Senate. and we are going to tell the Senate committees. If you dont act in 15 days. were discharging this. Then we will expect the Senate to pass this bill. which is the only way that its going to get to the Presidents desk. I might also say to my good friend from Tennessee. over and over again. we keep talking about what President Obamas administration has done. If this is about President Obama. thats one thing. If this is about creating jobs. the President has offered the American Jobs Act. and we have introduced a bill that has been calculated to have helped create jobs and stop the bleeding of the economy. I am glad my good friend talked about the success of the Dow. That translates into jobs if we get rid of the sequester. There is a bill that will get rid of it. H.R. 900. offered by Mr. CONYERS. which many of us have cosponsored. Where is the debate on the floor of the House of that? I would simply say that we are now going from the extreme to the very extreme. and youre going to see a pounding of regulations. Moms and dads and childrenfamiliesmunicipalities. places need clean air. clean water. They need better emissions to the extent that it helps with clean air. They need safety. They need security. Now we are going to pile it up with those that may cost $50 million. How absurd is that in terms of the legislative schedule of this place and the legislative schedule of the United States Senate? Now. Im not saying anyone is going to shuck off any workwe welcome thatbut you have the regular order of legislation. Then every time an amendment comes upnow $50 millionthen youre going to say that this must kick in. I ask my colleagues to reject this amendment because it simply will not work.
Date: 2013-08-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the American people want us to work together. You can poll any one of them that is coming through these halls as tourists. as Americans. and I know they want us to work together. I think it is important that we announce to the American people that we will immediately get rid of sequester and stop the laying off of valuable Defense Department workers and Health and Human Services workers. people who help generate the economy because of the work that they do in places beyond the beltway. government workers who are servants of the people. We need to get rid of sequester and begin to fund those child care seats that have been lost. those Meals on Wheels. and Medicare resources for our seniors. We need to stop playing around with the budget. We need to insist that the bills of the American people be paid through raising the debt ceiling. and not in an angry manner. but recognizing our responsibilities. We know that the NSA has been looked at. I stand here as someone who will stand on behalf of the civil liberties and civil rights of Americans. I have introduced an intelligence bill to review the enormous number of contractors that are being used to give top secret credibility and. as well. to do our outsourcing of our work. I have introduced a bill dealing with the FISA Court. to release the FISA Court opinions. because I believe it is important for the American people to know and be protected in their civil liberties. Finally. ObamaCare is one that I am proud to be supporting because it helps small businesses. It helps those who dont have care. and it provides for young people to have health coverage. ObamaCare serves the American people.
Date: 2013-09-09
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. in the midst of serious discussions on Americas next step forward on issues involving Syria. I rise simply to talk about local issues and issues impacting many Americans. One of them has to do with foster care and the situation of foster care in my own State. one dealing with children whove aged out in the city of Houston. and there are no facilities for them to be able to utilize. except for a few. like Little Audreys. which is under siege. and which were trying to draw the attention of the community to. to be able to help those children or young people that have no place to go. and then to provide more counselors for foster care children so they have a lifeline while theyre in the foster care system. Finally. some good news: I want to salute the Zion Ministries. the church that I joined yesterday. where they received their marker of historic preservation in the Fourth Ward. Freedmens Town area. In our local communities. good things are happening and challenges are happening. and I hope that. as we look at these hard decisions. well be able to work with our communities as well on some of the important issues they face.
Date: 2013-09-09
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I was unavoidably detained in a classified security briefing on Syria and missed H.R. 2052. the Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2013. as amended. Had I been present. I would have voted "aye." On H.R. 2844. the Federal Communications Commission Consolidation Reporting Act. I would have voted "aye." and on the Journal vote. I would have voted "aye."
Date: 2013-09-10
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. I would like to commend the Obama administration for its willingness to consider a new alternative proposal for dealing with Syria. The proposal is to hand over alland I stress allof Syrias chemical weapons under the oversight of the international community and to safely and verifiably destroy them. This could actually remove those weapons from the battlefield and peacefully prevent the further use of them against the people of Syria or her neighbors. This idea has gained support from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. as well as Russia and France. Mr. Speaker. this proposal needs to be vigorously pursued. The Syrian regimes attack against its own people using poisonous gas is morally reprehensible. If this plan is successful. it could produce an outcome that everyone desires: preventing the Assad regime from using chemical weapons.
Date: 2013-09-10
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all. Mr. Speaker. I want to just say I join many people across this Nation and around the world who are prayerful and who are hopeful that this breakthroughthis window of opportunity that we have dealing with the Syrian situationworks. Now. Mr. Speaker. I cant tell you what a great joy this is for me. I have worked on this bill for the past 6 years. We have been dealing with many areas to fix our financial system to make it work. We have a very complex and complicated financial system. There is no industry that has the challenges that are being faced today as the insurance industry. And the economy. its demands are rapidly changing because of advances in technology. mobility. the narrowing and making the world much smaller. Essentially. what we have here is a long overdue fix to help these small business owners. because thats what our insurance agents are. H.R. 1155. the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act. or what we affectionately call NARAB. as my distinguished colleague from Texas
Date: 2013-09-10
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

If the gentleman has no more speakers. I will close and then yield back the balance of my time. I just want to say what a distinguished pleasure it has been to work with the gentleman from Texas. my good friend on both the Financial Services Committee and the Ag Committee. We do a lot of great work together. It is a great pleasure. I commend this bill to the full House of Representatives and hope we have a unanimous vote. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2013-09-10
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of S. 256. This legislation includes provisions adjusting the minimum wage schedule for the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands in a way that I think is appropriate and fair for both workers and businesses there. Current law requires CNMI to increase its minimum wage 50 cents a year until it reaches the Mainlands federal minimum wage level of $7.25. Current law also requires the GAO to regularly report to Congress on economic conditions in Commonwealth over the course of these minimum wage adjustments. These GAO reports are intended to give the public information so that. based on sound economic analysis. Congress can adjust the minimum wage schedule for the territories if warranted. The next GAO report is due in April of 2014. Since 2007 the Commonwealths minimum wage has increased from $3.05 an hour to $5.55 an hour. an 82% increase in the past 5 years. This has brought new purchasing power and a higher standard of living for many workers than they could have negotiated on their own. This bill would skip an increase in the minimum wage in CNMI for 2013 and 2015. while still requiring increases in 2014. 2016 and subsequent years. This approach was recommended by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber stated in a May 8th letter that given the fragile economy in CNMI "spreading the wage jumps over a twoyear period seems prudent." This legislation is also recommended by Congressman SABLAN. a tireless advocate for workers and for improving the Commonwealths economy. Because CNMIs wages had been depressed for so long. it is a long march of nearly a decade to more than double their minimum wage. In a territory like CNMI. we have recognized that we would need to be flexible with the wage rate schedule over that time frame. as conditions warranted. Todays bill reflects that need for flexibility. It allows us to review the next GAO economic analysis for CNMI before another wage increase takes effect. Because of CNMIs unique economic circumstances and relatively undiversified economy. it is appropriate for Congress to adjust the minimum wage schedule in response to changing economic conditions. while keeping our longterm commitment to reaching parity with the federal minimum wage. I urge my colleagues to support S. 256.
Date: 2013-09-10
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. just last week. the beginning of the school year. in Houston. Texas. we experienced an enormous tragedy in the loss of a young man due to school violence inside one of Houstons Harris County high schools. I rise today to extend sympathy to the family of Joshua Broussard and his friends. teachers. parents. and administrators. for it is an unspeakable act to have an incident that causes children to fear the very place where they should be safe and secure. I and all of our elected officials and law enforcement have already offered their commitment and time to work with the young people to restore their faith in the sanctity and security of schools. but. more importantly. to speak to the issue of bullying. to speak to the issue of violence. and to work with the parents to be able to say that violence in Americas schools must end. We must also end it in terms of knives and guns. Children must feel loved. And so to Spring ISD. we look forward to coming to your school district and standing with the children to ensure that they know that there are those in the United States Congress like my good friend. Mr. HOYER. and others that have stood against school violence and will stand together to ensure that our children can learn and are safe.