macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. for the purpose E 1445 This includes funds for Members representational allowances. leadership. and committee offices. These funds will help our Members fulfill their duties to legislate. represent their constituencies. and oversee the executive branch. These funds are very important in that they provide for that possibility. which is constitutionally mandated. Mr. Speaker. oversight of the executive branch. The Constitution grants Congress broad powers that include the oversight power. This includes getting to know what the executive branch is doing. how programs are being administered. by whom and at what cost. and whether officials are obeying the law and complying with legislative intent. For the Capitol Police. the bill appropriates over $239 million. Also included is an Inspector General for the Capitol Police to help them. with their financial management. The bill also includes an important piece of legislation. H.R.. 841. the Continuity in Representation Act of 2005. As we all know. on September 11. 2001. Flight 93 was headed toward Washington. D.C. If it were not for the truly eroic acts of the passengers on that flight. we could have been facing a situation where Congress would not have been able to function. We have to do everything possible. Mr. Speaker. to prevent this from being a possibility even in the future. H.R. 841 would accelerate elections in case of a terrorist attack on the House of Representatives. in case such a terrorist attack left the House with over 100 vacancies. It provides for the expedited special election of new Members to fill seats left vacant in extraordinary circumstances. The House of Representatives lassed this bill earlier this year by an overwhelming bipartisan margin of 32968. In the 108th Congress. the House passed a similar bill. H.R. 2844. by a vote of 30697. However. each time the Senate has failed to consider this vital piece of legislation. I think it is time that we have legislation that can handle such a horrible possibility and does not leave our constitutional duty to legislate and oversee in limbo. Mr. Speaker. H.R. 2985 was introduced by Chairman LEWIS and reported out of the Appropriations Committee on June 20 by voice vote. It is a good bill. essential to our continued ability to legislate. to our power of oversight. and to the continuity of our government. I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee for their leadership on this important issue. as well as the subcommittee. I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. This is an eminently fair rule. With regard to the issue of the continuity of government. twice before legislation has been brought to the floor on that issue. and there has been an extensive debate. So we certainly feel that the House has had a sufficient and very fair opportunity to consider this issue. In addition. as I stated before. the legislation we are bringing to the floor today includes H.R. 841. the Continuity in Representation Act of 2005. that is very specific on this issue. One of the great leaders in the House on the issue of making certain that even in a time. God forbid. of great crisis again in the Nation and specifically in the Congress. the Congress can function. is the chairman of the Committee on Rules. Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from California . chairman of the Committee on Rules.
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. We are bringing forth a very important appropriations bill today. with an issue that has received a tremendous amount of discussion and study and debate and actually has been voted on twice in overwhelming fashions by this House favorably. The last time. in the 108th Congress. the measure on the continuity of government. specifically of this House. which is included in the underlying legislation. had passed with 329 favorable votes and only 68 negative votes. Mr. Speaker. 122 of our friends on the other side of the aisle voted for this piece of legislation. By the way. the rule. Mr. Speaker. by which we bring forth this legislation. also is permitting. as an amendment. a motion to strike that legislation by the distinguished gentleman from Washington . His alternative was debated previously in this Congress and received 63 votes. and we are. as I say. we are permitting him. under this rule. to strike. if he has the provision on the continuity of the House. So we are bringing this legislation forth in a very fair way. In addition to the very important legislation which is included that has to do with. as we have heard debate about today. that has to do with continuity of this House in case of an emergency. the underlying legislation also provides for the funding of the legislative branch of government. and it does so in an efficient and effective way. and in a way which I think deserves the support of the entire membership of this House. So. Mr. Speaker. I ask for the support of our colleagues for the rule and the underlying legislation being brought forth by the rule. The material previously referred to by Ms. MATSUI is as follows:
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. my amendment is very simple. It strikes the language from the bill that prevents the Capitol Police from continuing the horse mounted unit. and it strikes language that requires the current horsemounted unit to be transferred to the Park Police. This small yet valuable unit is irreplaceable in protecting the Capitol grounds against potential threats. The benefits of mounted patrols are recognized. worldwide by law enforcement communities. Transferring the horse mounted unit to the Park Police is inadequate to meet the security needs of the Capitol complex. In the past. the Park Polices horse mounted unit has been unavailable when requested by the Capitol Police. Additionally. with the Capitol Polices mounted unit dismantled. in the event the Park Police were able to respond. all of that manure that they were talking about. there would be no one to clean it. no mechanism in place. The mounted unit is an important component of the Capitol Polices force to protect the Capitol grounds. I and Chief Gainer believe that the mounted unit is an inexpensive and effective resource in guarding the Capitol against potential threats. as well as an important part of improving community relations. It is my understanding that the cost of maintaining this unit for fiscal year 2006 is somewhere around $155.000 to $160.000. Currently five horses are used by five mounted officers and two sergeants. The mounted unit provides greater mobility. increased visibility and an ability to view a larger area from a greater distance as compared to other officers. Additionally the work of one mounted officer is akin to the work of 10 officers on foot. In these dangerous times with constant and changing threats against the United States Capitol Complex. the Capitol Police deserve all of the tools that they deem necessary at their disposal. The mounted unit has proven very successful over the last 6 months. It has assisted with three arrests..worked 33 demonstrations. issued more than 200 notices of infraction. responded to assists in 9 reports of suspicious packages. responded to 16 calls for crowd control assistance. and responded to 28 calls for assistance in traffic accident incidents. Mr. Chairman. I sincerely hope the Capitol Polices mounted unit can continue. as it provides an invaluable and unmatched service at protecting our Capitol grounds. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virgiffia

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman. I heard my colleague from Virginia say the cost is now up to three quarters of a million dollars. I do not think we are getting rid of the police officers. I think we are just moving the five horses. Their salaries. I think. would be fungible. So I do not think you can count that. As far as being somejhing we do not need because the Park Police are already out there with their horses. let me state that the Capitol grounds are statutorily defined. and because of that the Park Police do not have jurisdictions over the Capitol grounds. it is my understanding. This program has only been in existence and operational since May of 2004. The GAO study. as the chairman stated. said that it is hard for them to quantify the benefits of the horse patrol because the performance measures are evolving. he failed to say the rest of it. and that data is still being collected on these measures. So we are trying to get rid of something that we have not even given a chance to see if it works. We are talking about $155.000. I am quoting from the GAO results that they gave when they appeared before the Committee on Appropriations. The horses right now are housed. I beard my colleague from Virginia say earlier. that they were housed 20 miles away. That is correct. they are. And he says that they have to be under stress whenever they are in traffic. Well. I am a horsewoman. I have seven horses of my own. Let me tell you. it does not cost me $155.000 for seven horses. We have five horses here. and it certainly does not cost threequarters of a million dollars. and we do not have to provide health benefits and retirement and the like to the horses. I think we are cutting short a program that we have not given a chance. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. I think it is a good cause. I think the horses do a great job. It is great PR for us. I see folks going up and talking to our Capitol Police Officers. Yes. the police officers do have the bicycles. but I would venture to say the guys on the bicycles are not sitting up as higli as the guys and gals on top of the horses. So if there is a problem. they cannot see over the cars. they cannot see through the crowds. I am pretty passionate about this whole situation. Yes. I am. I just do not think we have given this program the time it needs to really be evaluated. and I go back to what the GAO study says. that it is still evolving. I will remind Members in the GAO study they do not recommend eliminating the mounted horse patrol. That is critical. They do not recommend eliminating it. Give it time. Let us let them have their day. Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I rise tonight to speak about the challenges women face to a safe and secure retirement. Without changes to the Social Security program. this Congress will continue to uphold outdated policies and .programs that actually punish working women. divorced women. and widows. Every Member of Congress. regardless of which side of the aisle they are on. have seen the statistics that Social Security will be bankrupt in 2041. and that if changes are not made. all Americans will have guaranteed benefit cuts of more than 25 percent. That is right. if no changes are made. guaranteed benefits will be cut by 25 percent. However. what the media and political pundits have not touched on is the effect Social Security reform will have on women in particular. To begin with. Mr. Speaker. I would like to stress three important facts about American women and their retirement years. First. women are more likely to live in poverty during their retirement years than are men. Second. women are also comparatively more likely to rely on Social Security for the majority of their retirement income. Third. Social Securitys future cash shortfalls pose a heightened and disproportionate threat to womens retirement security.. Social Security is a plan that actually was designed in a much different time. in a different era. and with a different set of American demographics in m ind. . I � I In 2005. women are stuck with a Social Security program that is inherently flawed and biased against their needs and concerns for the future. In 1935. when the program was first enacted. the greatgrandnothers of todays young working women were faced with different choices and different futures. Few women actually went to college. Even fewer went to medical school or law school. Most American women. like most of our moms and grandmothers. stayed at home. raised children and had their husbands go to the traditional 9to5 job. Obviously. that no longer is the case. In 1935. when Social Security was created. women were not in a position to advocate for their interests in Congress. At that time. only seven women were serving in the U.S. House and just one in the U.S. Senate. Amazingly to todays generation of women leaders. American women had only had the right to vote for 15 years. Today times have changed and changed for the better. Today we have 69 women Members of the House and 14 women Senators. Unlike in 1935. women as a group have the opportunity to affect the terms of debate over the future of Social Security. over the future of our retirement security. When we discuss any reform of the Social Security system. we must keep these facts in mind to guarantee that American women have their unique concerns addressed by this Congress. Now. Mr. Speaker. I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois .
Date: 2005-06-22
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the fact that the gentlewoman brought up the fact that a Realtor with an assistant is not only paying the full 12.4 percent. but also paying half of any clerical assistants or any Realtor assistants he or she may have. We often forget the small business person. and I appreciate the gentlewoman bringing that up. Now joining us. we have the gentlewoman from the great State of Tennessee .
Date: 2005-06-23
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. today we are talking about deficits. debt and tight spending. We are talking about tight veterans budgets and funding our troops. But the other side of the aisle will not let us even cut from the most obvious sources. I would like to let them know. and the other Members. let them know what PBS does not want you to know. Big Bird is a billionaire. What they do not want you to know is that the marketing rights for Sesame Street and Barney total $1.3 billion. Merchandise from PBS can be found in every toy store across America. and yet that money does not appear on the Corporation for Public Broadcastings balance sheet. Americans should be shocked. This is the height of absurdity. a massive corporation shielding its profits so that it can continue to feed at the Federal trough. Where is the Democratic outrage at this? If this were a Fortune 500 company. we would be hearing breathless condemnations from the other side. But there is actually more. The average household income of a listener of NPR is approximately $75.000. Guess what? This means the taxpayers are being soaked so that the affluent people can get their news commercialfree. This debate shows that many people have truly met a government program they could not cut. Mr. Speaker. Big Bird is strong enough to fly on his own. If we cannot get this billionaire off the public trough. than I ask how can we ever hope to cut spending.
Date: 2005-06-23
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. I could not agree with you more. And that exactly should be the message. that those who want to support public broadcasting should do it through their personal checkbook.
Date: 2005-06-23
Speaker: J ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

changed their vote from "no" to "aye." So the amendment was agreed to. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. Stated for:
Date: 2005-06-23
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to express condolences of a grateful Nation. I rise to honor the life of Army Specialist Stanley. also kn6wn as Stosh. Lapinski. Specialist Lapinski was a recent victim of a terrorist roadside bomb. During his last conversation before he was killed. Sergeant Lapinski told his parents not to worry about him and he would be fine. While Stosh did not make it home from Iraq. I am honored to join the Lapinski family for his burial at Arlington National Cemetery next week. A grateful Nation has brought him honie to the honors and accolades he well deserves. Nothing I could say today would heal the wounds of the Lapinski family. After speaking to them. however. I can tell you that they want their sons sacrifice to be remembered for the good and honorable actions he was doing in Iraq. His service showed the true American spirit. While the Lapinskis lost their son. they know that he died preserving and fighting for democracy: Mr. Speaker. I ask all Americans to join me in honoring a true American hero.
Date: 2005-06-24
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Chairman. unfortunately. in the UC agreement that we have before us. the wrong amendment is listed. It actually amends title I. so. therefore. it should be out of order. It was supposed to be on the Reading is Fundamental program. which is much more appropriate to this title. and I have asked the chairman if he would engage in a colloquy. My amendment. which could not be introduced because of the error. specified that $25.296.000 in the School Improvements program be dedicated specifically to the Reading is Fundamental program. I seek assurances from the chairman that this program will receive adequate funding when the final numbers are decided in the conference with the Senate. It is very well documented. Mr. Chairman. that a great number of children and adults struggle with reading. Thirtyseven percent of American fourth graders read below the basic level on the National Assessment of Education Progress Reading Test. Additionally. 55 percent of all fourth graders eligible for free or reduced lunch score below what is called the "Basic." This sad state of affairs is perpetuated as 40 million adults in the U.S. cannot even read a simple childs story. The Reading is Fundamental program is a timetested program that has combated illiteracy since 1966. Reading is Fundamental is a family literacy organization that helps children discover the joy of reading. It provides new books to children in many communities. and last year alone. Reading is Fundamental provided 17 million new. free books to close to 5 million kids across the country. It engages children and their parents to utilize all aspects of a childs environment: the school. the home. the community. all to reinforce literacy. I would like to learn more from the chairman about his views on this program and if he will assist in making sure that funding is appropriated.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Madam Speaker. by direction of the Comnittee on Rules. I call up House Resolution 341 and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Madam Speaker. for the purpose of debate only. I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida . 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 myself such time as I may consume. With regard to some of the many. many points that were made.by my distinguished friend. and I am certainly not going to address them all at this point. but I would like to make two points with regard to this foreign aid bill which we are bringing to the floor today with an open rule. We are providing over $20 billion in foreign aid in this bill. That is an increase of $73 million over last year. We are fulfilling our obligations and being quite compassionate as we do so. Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California . the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules.
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. we are very proud of our support for veterans. A few weeks ago. as a matter of fact. on May 25. this House of Representatives brought to the floor. considered and passed by a vote of 425 to 1 the appropriations bill for the next fiscal year on military quality of life. The legislation included over $28 billion for the Veterans Health Administration. including $21 billion for medical services. Medical services were funded $1.6 billion above the current fiscal year. Over the last 2 years. funding for the veterans medical care has increased by 18 percent. We are very proud of our support for veterans. And I wouldI like to say. Mr. Speaker. that I know of no two Members of this House who feel and have more concern for the rights of veterans than the chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. the gentleman from Indiana . as well as the chairman. the gentleman from New York of the appropriations subcommittee that funds veterans affairs. So this matter brought to our attention now of a shortfall is of extreme concern to them. And as we speak. Mr. Speaker. a hearing is taking place to fully investigate the causes and the issues of this shortfall. a hearing is taking place by the appropriations subcommittee dealing with this issue. Military Quality of Life Appropriations Subcommittee. called for by the chairman. the gentleman from New York
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York . the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life of the Committee on.Appropriations.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. We will get to- the bottom of this problem. We will solve it. and we have heard from the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the veterans issue to that effect. We will hear as well shortly from the chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. and when I say we are going to get to the bottom of this and solve it. it is coming from the history of the House of Representatives that in the last 2 years alone has increased funding for -veterans medical care by 18 percent. We are very proud of our record. and we are going to continue to have a record to be proud of. So having said that. I would simply like to remind any colleagues who may be following this debate that with this rule what we are doing is bringing to the floor the foreign aid bill. the foreign operations appropriations bill. which includes about $22 billion. the foreign aid bill. includes about $22 billion. and it is almost $100 million over the amounts that we appropriated for the current fiscal year. That is what we are bringing to the floor again. Mr. Speaker. with this rule. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2005-06-28
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: more

science with regard to hew we Florida. Mr. Speaker. I yield 6 minutes predict these budgets. to the distinguished gentleman from My colleagues say. Steve. what are Indiana . the chairman of you talking about? This is extremely the Committee on Veterans Affairs. important. and we are going to con-