macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-03-15
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. there are at least 13 private companies in the $1 billion revenue bracket and 19 companies listed in Fortune 500 in North Texas. Dallas is also known as the Silicon Prairie of the United States and is proud to house the largest hitech employment centers in the nation. The 30th Congressional District in Texas. where I represent. concentrates on electronics. hitech industries. manufacturing. and has a very large concentration of global headquarters. However. current global economic trends force large high tech companies to lay off their workforce and it is apparent the industry has no immediate plans to rehire. I do believe job creation will occur through small businesses. Small businesses. infrastructure. and clean energy are areas in which we can put Americans to work while putting our nation on a sturdier economic footing. The foundation for sustained economic growth must be our continuing focus and our ultimate goal which includes capitol lines of credit for small businesses. It continues to concern me that banks are currently not lending. (a) Establish public interest free loans for small IT companies to get new products on the market. Loan time should be in the range of 7 to 10 years. (b) Encourage banks to be more generous reworking home loans to prevent more foreclosures. (c) Because our economic future depends on a financial system that encourages sound investments. honest dealings. and longterm growth. I believe jobs can be available if small businesses can get help. Small IT companies can be leaders in achieving electronic medical records. (d) And because our economic future depends on our leadership in small business we can help them create jobs and employ more people through enhancing their abilities to lead in the installation of energy saving windows. weatherization. watersaving plumbing. etc. I am encouraged that the current administrations policies will help investing in basic and applied research. as well as to create the incentives to build a new clean energy economy. As one of the Senior Members in the U.S. Congress. I will work with the administration and my colleagues in the House to make sure that the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) occurs in this Congress. The Workforce Investment Act addresses retraining and training issues. I believe in work force training through local government or community colleges so opportunities can be fairly practiced.
Date: 2010-03-16
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. Members. we. as Members of Congress. this week have a choice. We have a choice between voting with the people who need health care or voting with the insurance corporations who have fouled this system up for decades. The bill that were going to deal with. the consumers select their insurance plan and their company. Consumers select their doctors. Consumers make treatment decisions with their doctors. Consumers will keep coverage they have if they change their jobs. The insurance companies will have less control. Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage or revoke coverage for preexisting conditions. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to cap medical costs that people run into all the time for treatment. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to drop coverage when you get sick. Insurance companies will have to compete for business. Thats why we have a choice. Whose side is your Member of Congress on. with the people who need health care or the ones who want to sell it?
Date: 2010-03-16
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

My voice is not quite clear. but I hope. Madam Speaker. that you can hear me. We are hearing so much talk. and you know why? Because we are at a point where we are going to choose consumers over insurance companies. And it is time for that to happen. Insurance companies have held this public hostage for many years. controlling them. When we talk about rationing. that is who is rationing. They tell the physicians what to do. they tell the hospitals what to do. It is time to take the insurance companies out of control and let the people have their right to pick their health care. We have always said if you have a health care plan you like. keep it. We are trying to make sure that the people that the insurance companies will not insure or will drop get a chance to have health insurance. This is misplaced anger because these insurance companies are spending a million dollars a day to kill this bill. And their cheering squad is right over here to my left. We have got to do this for the people. It is time for the people to have a choice in their health care.
Date: 2010-03-16
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. Medicare will be expanded. Medicaid will be expanded to allow more people to be insured. Our children will have more health insurance. It will be a major change for Americaa positive change. It is interesting that every time America makes a historic and catastrophic change for the better. there are large voices of oppositionconfused voices. voices without the facts. Im reminded of the history of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. They did not pass with large margins. The Dixiecrats raised their voices in opposition. Africans Americans. Negroes. should be secondclass citizens forever. It is time now for the courageous to recognize that Americans cannot be second class and third class in the climate of needing health insurance. That they must be able to go to hospitals and not be kicked out. that they must be able to get insurance without saying you have a preexisting disease. that women cannot be discriminated against. Wheres the courage to stand up as we did in the time when African Americans needed their freedom? It is now time to free others who do not have health insurance. Do you have the courage to make these hard decisions when others are chatting away. saying the wrong thing? It is time to pass health care reform. I want to stand with the courageous on behalf of the American people.
Date: 2010-03-16
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H. Res. 311 to recognize the American National Red Cross and to express my support for the Goals and Ideals of Red Cross Month. The Red Cross is one of the most effective and important disaster relief organizations in the world. and since its founding in 1881. the Red Cross has worked diligently to prevent and relieve suffering. As a nonpracticing Registered Nurse. I am still moved by the lifesaving work that the Red Cross does in some of the most difficult places on the planet. and I am proud to recognize this organization and all of their efforts. Additionally. every President of the United States since 1943 has proclaimed March to be Red Cross Month and because of this. I am happy to join people across the county in supporting this remarkable organization. Mr. Speaker. the American National Red Cross is one of our countrys greatest treasures. and the work that they do is unmatched across the globe. I encourage my fellow colleagues to join me today in supporting this resolution to recognize this organization and support the goals and ideals of Red Cross Month.
Date: 2010-03-17
Speaker: ZOE LOFGREN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. soon health care insurance reform will be on this floor. and I believe that the women of America have the most to gain from the bill. In the individual insurance market. women are charged up to 48 percent more than men for the same coverage. The health bill will prohibit that discrimination. Women are denied coverage for preexisting conditions like domestic violence or Csections or pregnancy. The health care bill will prevent that. We know as mothers that we are worried about our young adult children. They cant get insurance. but the health care bill will allow us to keep our young adult sons and daughters on our own health care insurance plans. Preventative services are sometimes unaffordable for women. but the health care bill will require preventative services to be provided without a copay. Health insurance reform is just what the doctor ordered for the women of America.
Date: 2010-03-17
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. there are many. many important issues that we will be debating over the next couple of days. I look forward to being engaged in helping America. But all of us believe in saluting our youth. and so I rise today to salute Jack Yates High School in Houston. Texas. I salute them because of their achievement when things were going wrong. They are the AAAA State Champions in basketball. but they are rated as the number 1 high school basketball team in the Nation. So we stand here in the Congress saying thank you to young men that not only know how to play sports and basketball. but also know how to play the game of academics. Let me salute their principal. Principal Mumphrey. their coach. Coach Wise. and all of the team. both the starting five and others. who showed courage and showed character. During the game Saturday at the Erwin Center in Austin. Texas. they suffered injuries. But they didnt give up. they didnt give out. and they didnt give up. They stood tall. they played. they ordered themselves. and they won this game. They have had a noloss season. They should be commended because they also stand for character. They have served their community. Im proud of the Lions in Winter. Jack Yates High School should be congratulated.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Thank you. Before I begin. I just want to thank you for your leadership on this matter and thank you for night after night coming to the floor. After we do our day work. we can always count on you doing the night work. coming here. educating the American people. And I just want to personally thank you for your leadership.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

And all of the women that have come out tonight. Let me just make a few remarks. and then I have a series of questions that I want to ask you. But first of all. this is a fight thatI came here in 1992. and we started with Clinton. and just because we didnt pass health care does not mean it wasnt a serious problem. And we got a piece of the loaf. We were able to get programs that covered children. So that was step one. But here we are on this historical event where were going to have the opportunity to go to step two. And let me just say that this bill is not the perfect bill. but I have been elected 27 years. and Ive been in this House for 18 years. and Ive never seen the perfect bill. But this is the perfect beginning. I mean. there is so much that I would have included in this bill. A public option. to me. is very important. Ive been on VA for 18 years. VA is a public option. TRICARE is a public option. and that keeps the cost down. We made the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense negotiate the price of the drugs to keep the costs down. We want to do that for all Americans. When we passed that hideous bill that helped people with the doughnut hole. one of the things in the bill that was against the law was that the Secretary did not have the option of negotiating the prices of drugs for all of us. So I would like to discuss. when the President signs the bill. what are some of the things that would immediately come into effect? And one of them that I think is so important to families. particularly mothers who have kids in college. is that age for family coverage would go up to 26. Is that correct?
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

You know. that is so important. As a mother who had a kid in school. I mean. when they got to a certain age. the planeven our plan dumped them. So with this. you will be able to keep the kids on the family coverage while theyre in college. I think that is extremely important.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

One other area. one lady came to one of my town hall meetings. and she was a black female. She mentioned that she was educated. and she was concerned about the deficit. But I said. Concerned about the deficit? Well. President Obama said thatyou know. I look at it like when youve got your head in the lions mouth. youve got to ease it out. We were under the Bush administration for 8 years. What was it? Tax breaks. tax breaks. I used to call it a reverse Robin Hoodrobbing from the poor and working people to give tax breaks to the rich. Our effort toward health care will bring down that cost. Now. this young lady had a degree but could not get a job because she had a preexisting condition. epilepsy. So I told her. You are the poster child. The only reason she could not get a job is because she had a preexisting condition. Now. how would this work under this bill?
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

I want to share a couple of quick stories. In one of my town hall meetings. a person came in and was telling a story that they had been in an abusive marriage for a number of years but stayed in that marriage because she needed the health care for her children. This should not exist in the United States. And in another case. a woman quit her job so she could take care of her mother. Her mother had insurance. she had not. For 6 years. she didnt go to the doctor. She had an emergency. had to go to the emergency room. Her bill was $10.000. and they think shes got cancer. So if there is a better way to provide serviceand of course women are always the ones that areyou know. they have the children. and because of a divorce or because theyre working in minimumwage jobs. they cant afford health care. So these bills will go a long way to help women that are single or divorced or married and their husband died or got a divorce. So. I mean. this is so important for women in the Third Congressional District of Florida. women in this country and women in Florida. This is a step forward. Its not a perfect bill. but its a perfect beginning.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Let me just say that we compete with companies all over the world. and the reason why we are losing the bids is because health care is a part of the bid. So when we compete with other countriesyou know. 16 percent of our income goes toward health care. You know. I had dinner with the French Ambassador a couple of nights ago. They spend 9 percent. So basically were losing out as far as jobs for American workers because we dont have health care.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Let me give you a scenario. At one of my town hall meetings recently. a person came to me and said that they went to the hospital. and their bill was $77.000. They negotiated it down to $18.000. so. therefore. they didnt need health care. I said. Let me explain something to you. The hospital did not write that off out of the goodness of their hearts. They are charging it to us. a disproportionate share. We are paying the cost. There is a better way to provide services in this country. and its not through the emergency room.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

What did I say? I said it when I started. I have never seen the perfect bill. Its a perfect beginning. and were going to refine and massage this bill as we go on. Like I said. in 1992. we went after health care under President Clinton. We didnt get it. but we came out with the childrens portion. And. of course. thats where we are now. and this is the second step. I want more. But the point is. in this body where youre not going to have one Republican vote under any circumstancesand let me tell you something. As far as health care. its not Democrat. its not Republican. Everybody needs it. And people who say they dont need it need the mental health portion. Everybody needs health care. period.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Under the last administration. what they did in many areas is they would come in. they would farm out the jobs. and you could be in that same job paying maybe the same amount of money but no benefits. [- 2000 And thats what so many companies are doing.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Im sorry. Its the story of someone I know that worked with the Duval County school system for 25 years as a teacher. They quit the job. They had a breakdown. female. Had to go into the hospital. blood sugar went up 700. I mean. intensive care for a week. No health care. I mean. and these stories are over and over again throughout our country and throughout our district. And we can make a difference this week. And this is a giant step for mankind. I mean. people are concerned. you know. what is going to happen if I vote for this bill? I mean. why are you here? Youre here to provide service. Youre here to make a difference. The Bible says. to whom God has given much. much is expected. Its a privilege to serve here. but were not just here to vote on suspension bills.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

And post offices. No. this is why were here. And like you said. this bill will go down like Social Security. Medicaid. this will be one of the biggest bills ever passed by the United States House of Representatives and this Congress. And certainly. I said it over again. The House bill is so much better than the other bodys bill. However. weve got to work with what weve got. And I dont think either one of us is going to stop working to improve health care because we pass a bill. It will be just one more step. and it will give us more to work with.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

And thats why I did not vote for that bad bill. that doughnut. when I know so many people needed the coverage. but that was a bone that was thrown to the pharmaceuticals by the past administration. the Bush administration. That was a terrible indictment that was put on the seniors that needed the prescription drug coverage. And I have a similar incident. I went to the drug store to pick up my mothers prescription. Well. they said it was $200. I said. okay. look again. She came back. Because I knew my mother had TRICARE. She came back. and I think it was $12 or $15. But can you imagine a senior going there. not knowing where in the world theyre going to get the $200. This is something that we are going to fix starting with this bill. This will make a difference for the seniors in this country.
Date: 2010-03-18
Speaker: CORRINE BROWN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

I want to thank you all. And as I take my seat. remember. theres no such thing as a perfect bill. but this is a perfect beginning.
Date: 2010-03-19
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Let me thank the gentlelady from California. And I want to thank her for her thoughtfulness in being a leader on H.R. 3644. which focuses on the opportunity to promote ocean. atmospheric and environmental education awareness opportunities for young people. And to acknowledge that these are competitive grants again emphasizes that this caucus. that Democrats are concerned about the budget. but also concerned about important issues dealing with coastal growth and coastal learning. I am from the coastal area. and it brings me to some of the comments that have been made on this health care bill. It is interesting that when we look at our friends on the other side of the aisle. who spent billions of wasteful dollars on giving tax cuts to the richest of Americans. that they can give a short shrift. if you will. to the fact that this health care bill will not only insure millions of Americans. almost 95 percent of Americans. including those who are employerbased insured. which we say to them. as in my own congressional district. where 41 percent are employerbased. yes. you can keep your insurance. But at the same time. we are prepared to reduce the deficit $130 billion over the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion more over the following decade. reining in waste. fraud. and abuse. but at the same time providing millions of uninsured Americans. women. children. families with the opportunity for insurance.
Date: 2010-03-19
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Ms. WOOLSEY. Messrs. FARR Moran (KS) Moran (VA) Murphy (CT) Murphy (NY) Murphy. Patrick Murphy. Tim Myrick Napolitano Neal (MA) Neugebauer Nye Oberstar Obey Olson Olver Ortiz Owens Pallone Pastor (AZ) Paulsen Pence Perlmutter Perriello Peters Peterson Petri Pingree (ME) Pitts Platts Poe (TX) Polls (CO) Pomeroy Posey Price (GA) Price (NC) Putnam Quigley Radanovich Rangel Rehberg Reichert Reyes Richardson Rodriguez Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Rooney Roskam Ross Rothman (NJ) Royce Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Salazar Sanchez. Linda T. Sanchez. Loretta Sarbanes Scalise Schakowsky Schauer Schiff Schmidt NAYS 37 Grijalva Hinchey Jackson (IL) Johnson. E. B. Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick (MI) Kucinich Lee (CA) McDermott Moore (WI) Nadler (NY) Pascrell Schock Schrader Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Sestak Shadegg SheaPorter Shimkus Shuler Shuster Simpson Sires Skelton Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Snyder Souder Space Speier Spratt Stearns Stupak Sullivan Sutton Tanner Taylor Teague Terry Thompson (CA) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Tierney Titus Tonko Tsongas Turner Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walden Walz Wamp Wasserman Schultz Waxman Weiner Welch Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (OH) Wilson (SC) Wittman Wolf Wu Yarmuth Young (AK) Young (FL) Paul Payne Rahall RoybalAllard Sherman Thompson (MS) Towns Waters Watson Watt Woolsey
Date: 2010-03-19
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1133) recognizing the extraordinary number of AfricanAmericans who have overcome significant obstacles to enhance innovation and competitiveness in the field of science in the United States.
Date: 2010-03-19
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on H. Res. 1133. the resolution under consideration.