macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: MAXINE WATERS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. H.R. 4538 is a bill intended to better aid our law enforcement agencies. State and Federal regulators. and agencies assisting seniors to quickly respond to and prevent financial abuse of elders. Currently. financial institutions such as banks. credit unions. and financial advisers are required to report suspicious activity. including cases of suspected abuse of our Nations seniors. Nevertheless. industry has raised concerns that they are prevented from doing so out of fear that they might later be sued. Even though our regulators have taken considerable steps to allay such concerns. it seems that congressional action may be necessary to ensure that financial institutions take actions to stop elders from being swindled in their vulnerable years. Like Ms. SINEMA. I also want to ensure that when any employee at a financial institution sees something suspicious. she immediately says something to the appropriate authorities and regulators. Indeed. I recently introduced legislation with a similar objective of ensuring the continued flow of critically important reporting of suspicious activity as it relates to terrorism. money laundering. and other serious illicit activities. Although it is not explicitly specified in the legislation before us today. the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should also use its existing authority to set standards for this training. and is authorized to ensure that the training is being conducted. H.R. 4538 is a good first step. but should not be the end of our efforts to rein in elder abuse. For example. State regulators are going further and mandating that financial firms make such reports to authorities instead of making the reports voluntary. The States and FINRA. the regulator of brokerdealers. also want to authorize financial advisers to put holds on financial transactions before a swindler can run off with the retirement savings of our Nations grandparents. Finally. I would like to acknowledge the numerous changes Ms. SINEMA has incorporated to improve the bill. These edits ensure that the bill covers all financial institutions and will enhance reporting of suspected elder abuse. However. more changes are still needed before the bill can be enacted. including language suggested by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. and other advocates. I hope that the Senates sponsors will work with the administration and others to ensure their suggested changes are incorporated into the bill before it is enacted into law. However. today. Mr. Speaker. I support H.R. 4538. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: MAXINE WATERS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Arizona . the sponsor of this legislation.
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: BRENDAN F. BOYLE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsyl

vania. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4875. the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016. The bill. as we just heard. was introduced in the House by my colleague and friend. Representative PATRICK MEEHAN. and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation. Yesterday in my district. in Philadelphia. like all of the districts around the country. we were proudly celebrating the 240th birthday of the United States. On July 4. 2026. we will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our country. H.R. 4875 would establish a commission to plan. develop. and coordinate the commemoration of this important anniversary across the country. The commissions events would highlight locations of historical significance. including key cities such as Boston. Charleston. New York. and of course the Nations birthplace of Philadelphia. my hometown. The commission would also emphasize the roles of individuals who have made significant impacts on American history. Under this legislation. the Department of the Interior would be required to study and report on actions to further the preservation of historic sites and develop fitting commemoration exhibits. Other Federal agencies would coordinate the development of scholarly works on. and artistic expressions of. American history. culture. and political thought. and the Secretary of State would facilitate the participation of foreign countries in the celebration. Mr. Speaker. we should pass this bill to begin the planning of this special event only a decade away. I urge Members to support this resolution. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: BRENDAN F. BOYLE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsyl

vania. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I would be happy to speak on this resolution. but we are very privileged to have its author right here with us. So I will yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia .
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. let me thank the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding. I thank the manager for his leadership. the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. And let me also thank the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. the original sponsor of this bill. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I cannot think of a more important statement and act on the vast expanse of African American history. The 400 Years of AfricanAmerican History Commission Act. as has been offered by Mr. SCOTT. is giving one of the most authoritative and widely needed reviews of African American history. It is extensive. it is detailed. and it is distinct. Specifically. I come from the region called Texas and the Gulf States. In particular. as relates to the Emancipation Proclamation. we commemorate something called Juneteenth. That means that in 1863. we did not get the word that President Lincoln had freed the slaves. It came in 1865 when General Granger landed on the shores of Galveston. So we have this phenomenon called Juneteenth. It may not be an idea or a commemoration that is known all over. And then. of course. the early stages of slavery. The vast differences in the regions on how slaves were held. the many places where African Americans participated in war and peace that may not be known. the science and scientific research that we have evidenced beyond the likes of Dr. George Washington Carver or the debate between W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington on the pathways of African Americans. Certainly. we are well aware of the civil rights movement. Many believe they know their current history. but there are so many different nuances. And I imagine the commission of this particular legislation. this commission would go even far more deeply into African American history. So let me say that this is a very important legislative initiative. I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: BRENDAN F. BOYLE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Pennsyl

vania. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank my colleagues for bearing with me while I am a little hoarse in doing this duty here tonight. I had a little bit too much screaming at our 4th of July festivities and parades in Philadelphia and Montgomery County yesterday. Mr. Speaker. I really admireand I am not sure if it was done intentionally this waythe wisdom of the chairman and those who scheduled these two resolutions coming in tandem because I think they are both important. and I am enthusiastic about both of them. It is impossible to tell the story of the United States of America without the enormous contributions and resilience shown by those who are the descendants of slaves who were brought here to our shores against their will. I am. like many of us. the descendant of immigrants who came here willingly. Though they came here with nothing. at least they came here willingly. And of course that does not represent the entire American experience. So I think that this is an important resolution. I commend my colleague from Virginia as well as Senators TIM KAINE and MARK WARNER for their championing of it. I am proud to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-07-05
Speaker: ELIOT ENGEL (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

I would urge Members to support this bill and get it to the Presidents desk without further delay. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. 1 week ago. in my district. we gathered with survivors of gun violence and supporters of gun reform to hold our own sitin. in Carl Schurz Park. protesting the fact that this Congress has not acted on sensible gun violence reform. No more moments of silence. We want action on the floor to protect our people. We heard from many victims like Kim Russell. Her life was spared. but her friend was murdered when robbers broke into their home. She lives in fear that the attacker will get his hands on another gun and kill other people. We need to answer to Kim and to the families of the 49 gunned down in Orlando and to the thousands of other victims of gun violence and the hundreds of other victims that are outside today on the steps of the Capitol urging us to vote. urging us to act. Have a vote. If you want to vote against it. fine. but lets have a vote on two sensible bills: no fly. no buy. and comprehensive background checks. Lets protect our people. Lets act on sensible gun protection.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: TED LIEU (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I rise to respectfully request that my constituents and your constituents receive the dignity of having their Member of Congress cast a vote on gun safety legislation. specifically. on background checks and making sure that terrorists dont buy guns. I served on Active Duty in the U.S. Military. I am still in the Reserves. I fired guns. I have taken them apart. cleaned them. and put them back together. I have two marksmanship awards from the United States Air Force. and I know how lethal these weapons are. which is why we need gun safety legislation. Every day. 297 people are shot. That means that in the next 5 minutes. someone else will be shot. Who will that be? Will it be a child? Will it be someone that you know?
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 2646. legislation to improve our mental health system. This bill is a positive step forward. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their work to improve access. prevention. and treatment for those with mental and behavioral conditions. We worked extensively and collaboratively to craft the legislation. I want to particularly thank Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman UPTON. Ranking Member PALLONE. Representatives KENNEDY. MATSUI. LOEBSACK. TONKO. and DEGETTE for their contributions. and Congressman TIM MURPHY for elevating the conversation about mental health. H.R. 2646 includes new grant programs that expand access to critical mental health services. such as community crisis response systems and adult suicide prevention. It provides new tools to improve compliance with mental health parity. HIPAA training programs for patients and providers to better understand their protections and rights. and a peer professional workforce development grant. I am pleased that this legislation extends the Federal Tort Claims Act to help professional volunteers at community health centers. It also affords the full range of Early and Periodic Screening. Diagnostic. and Treatment services to Medicaid children who receive care in Institutes of Mental Diseases. While not comprehensive and lacking key resources. todays vote marks a significant step forward to strengthening our Nations mental health system. Again. I want to thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee and their staffs. and I urge Members to vote in favor of this legislation.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 2646. the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. As the original Democratic cosponsor of this piece of legislation and the one that preceded it. I am proud to see it come to the floor today. H.R. 2646 is a demonstration of more than 3 years of collaboration between not only myself and Congressman TIM MURPHY. but the many other Members and organizations that came to the table to offer feedback. suggestions. and. at times. criticism. At no time did Congressman MURPHY turn anyones input down. The end result is a bill that remains focused on enabling the most severely and mentally ill to access the treatment they desperately deserve. while allowing their families and caregivers to help them along the way. This piece of legislation contains several necessary provisions. including the establishment of an Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder. easing our Nations chronic shortage of psychiatric beds. requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to clarify confusing HIPAA rules surrounding mental health patients. and increasing grant programs with results proven to help individuals with serious mental health illness gain access to treatment like Assisted Outpatient Treatment and Assertive Community Treatment. As two of the few mental health providers serving in Congressanother over here to my left. Dr. MCDERMOTT. a psychiatristCongressman MURPHY and I have always been focused on the needs of the severely mentally ill. Many that we read about daily in our many cities across the Nation end up in jail or prison. [ 1415 While the homeless and prison population are particularly vulnerable to mental illness. these are the individuals that get the least amount of attention and access to mental health services. Through our work. we have a deep understanding of patient need. and this need is not being met.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Unfortunately. we have found that many of our fellow Members lack the understanding of patients in crisis. making this process more difficult. I am hopeful. however. that this bill will be a framework to help us move the needle forward on mental health treatment in America. I would like to thank Congressman MURPHY for his steadfast commitment to mental health. I would also like to thank the chairman. FRED UPTON. and our ranking member. Mr. PALLONE. for their hard work on this measure. While we still have a long ways to go. this is certainly a step forward.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: DANNY K. DAVIS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Illinois

Mr. Speaker. I would much rather be discussing a bill that would get automatic and semiautomatic weapons out of our lives. Nevertheless. I strongly oppose H.R. 1270. This bill gives advantage to the most secure in our country at the expense of the vulnerable. If you really look at it. it is kind of Robin Hood health care in reverse. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation. health savings accounts vastly benefit highincome earners. Fewer than 0.5 percent of taxpayers with incomes under $50.000 contribute to HSAs. yet 6.3 percent of taxpayers who earn over $500.000 contribute to these accounts. This is not surprising because it is highincome earners who can set aside thousands of dollars in HSAs. The median income in my congressional district is $51.311. The vast majority of my constituents will not benefit from this bill. but they will be harmed by it. To pay for the $24 million boon to the upper income. this bill hikes up the healthcare costs of low- and middleincome Americans. When low- and middleincome families receive financial help to make their ACA health insurance more affordable. the ACA wisely protects them from excessive penalties if they incorrectly predict their annual incomes. Shockingly. H.R. 1270 removes these important consumer protections from thousands of low- and middleincome families in order to pay for the tax breaks for the wealthy. In addition to increasing costs for struggling families. the bill would result in approximately 130.000 fewer individuals who are covered by health insurance. HSA expansion is not a substitute for comprehensive healthcare reform. HSA expansion does not lower healthcare costs nor improves the quality of healthcare services. Rather than raising the minimum wage. creating jobs. or growing the economy. the Republican leadership simply advances HSA expansion to bolster the wealth of the most privileged at the expense of the vulnerable. I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and vote "no."
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the chairman so very much. To the manager of the bill on the floor. my good friend who is representing the majority. I think not one of us can cite an example in which a Federal employee is not engaged in serving this Nation. Mr. Chair. over the last couple of months. our focus has been on the Transportation Security Officers. As I traveled back to Washington and as I interacted with my constituents. many were concerned about airport travel and the enhancement of security. I saw TSO officersgovernment workerson the front lines. We see them all the time as they serve this Nationfrom homeland security to. certainly. those who are working in the health areas now as we face the epidemic of Zika. In many places. Federal employees stand in the gap by serving us. We look forward to bright young people who are graduating from college and who are seeking service in the Federal army. if you will. of civilian workers who serve their Nation. I can only say that this legislation. H.R. 4361. disappoints me. because. first of all. title III would double the probationary period for Federal employees. unlike in the private sector. from 1 to 2 years. Federal employees would be at will. They wouldnt have benefits. and they wouldnt be protected. That is not. certainly. an enticing recruitment for young. bright college graduates. Another form of the lack of due process is in title IV. which would allow senior agency executives to be removed. almost immediately. with their having only minimal appeal rights. Executives would have only 7 days to file appeals. Mr. Chairman. what are we saying to those who we call upon for the front lines of serving in Americaour EPA employees. our Forest Rangers. they are all overwe are saying that that kind of experience is to be discarded. It sadly disturbs me. Lastly. I have never heard of this. I sit on the Judiciary Committee. and I wonder how title VI would reduce. in the end of a Presidents term. his or her right to be able to argue for regulations that would enhance the American people. Let me say to you that we are facing another uphill battle because right now we are trying to pass no fly. no buy and to close the loophole to save lives. It is interesting how we are dealing with a bill that takes away due process rights. but yet we cannot find a compromise. whose opposition is based upon we are denying an individual due process. Well. I tell you I am looking forward to us being able to vote on the gun legislation of no fly. no buy. I know it very well because I had a no fly for foreign terrorists. We work on these issues in Homeland Security. So if I look at an employment bill that is taking away due process rights. I am asking for us to come back. give them their rights by not supporting this legislation and. as well. giving our rights to the minority to vote on legitimate bills that will save lives. no fly. no buy. and closing the gun show loophole. I have seen the blood. the death that has come about from gun violence. It is time to vote to save lives.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to offer an amendment that would exempt from the bills moratorium any rule that an agency has included in its regulatory plan for at least a year. Some proponents have said that the moratorium on rulemaking is intended to address rules that have been rushed through the process. My amendment would address that concern by keeping in place the proposed moratorium on the rules that have truly been rushed. However. it would allow rules that have been under consideration for at least a year to move forward. During the time between election day and Inauguration Day. the executive branch cannot take a break from fulfilling its constitutional and statutory responsibilities. Just as this Congress will meet to pass legislation in November and December of this year. the executive branch must be allowed to continue doing its job of implementing crucial regulations to protect the environment and our constituents health and safety. For example. the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has been working to implement crucial pipeline safety regulations since 2011. with extensive input from numerous groups. Just last month. this Congress passed the PIPES Act. which included provisions reflecting our bipartisan concern that these pipeline safety rules need to be implemented soon to protect our constituents from the dangers of pipeline leaks. Without my amendment. certain pipeline safety rules could have to be delayed until a new administration. even though these rules have been under consideration for years. leaving the public safety at risk. In order to ensure important rules like these can be finalized. I urge my colleagues to adopt my amendment. Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. it is unfortunate that. yet again. some in this Congress refuse to accept that a Presidents term is a full 4 years long. Passing this legislation would unnecessarily impose new restrictions on the ability of Presidents to finish the work of their administration. Adopting my amendment would help ensure that wellvetted. necessary regulations to protect health and safety are not blocked. while not undermining the stated purpose of this bill. Accordingly. I urge my colleagues to adopt it. Mr. Chair. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-07-06
Speaker: MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

I thank my distinguished colleague from California for yielding time. Mr. Chairman. in the 2012 Presidential election. dark money groups such as these spent over a quarter billion dollars on partisan political campaign activities. In 2014. we saw the greatest wave of secret special interest money ever raised in a congressional election. In 2016. dark money groups have spent nearly 10 times what they did at the same point last year. We must ensure that social welfare groups exclusively spend their money on their social welfare mission like early childhood education or veterans assistance. Mr. Chairman. I urge my colleagues to vote for this sensible amendment to help ensure that our elections are transparent.
Date: 2016-07-07
Speaker: MAXINE WATERS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Well. you may stop me now because my time is up. But I will be back. I will not stop on these two issues: massacres and the killing of Black men in particular.