macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-02-26
Speaker: MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

Mr. Speaker. Federal law states that social welfare groups must exclusively promote social welfare. Social welfare includes activities like early childhood education. environmental protection. or veterans assistance. not partisan political campaign activity. Now. there is an important book on the House floor. and it is a dictionary. We have that book here because this is a lawmaking institution. and the precise definition of words is incredibly important. Now. last time I looked up the word "exclusively." it meant everything. excluding everything else. solely. or only. However. the IRS must have found an alternative definition for exclusively when it issued a regulation allowing social welfare organizations to only primarily promote social welfare. This contradiction between Federal law and IRS regulation has allowed these groups to spend over a quarterbillion dollars on political campaign activity. not their social welfare mission. while keeping their donors secret. I urge my colleagues simply to vote against the bill and let the IRS move forward with this proposed regulation to correct this. "Exclusively" should mean exclusively.
Date: 2014-02-26
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. this is the final amendment to the bill. which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted. the bill will immediately proceed to final passage. as amended. and as the motion indicated. it addresses secret money in elections. I am trying to make sure we end that secret money. It also deals with the issue of extending unemployment insurance. which my colleague from Michigan
Date: 2014-02-26
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I thank you for your excellent recitation. and you have already become a part of this Congress. of course. but also of the fight. You have really hit the ground running. I want to salute you and let your constituents know that they can be proud of what you have accomplished in a very short time in the Congress of the United States of America. Thank you for spending time with us this evening.
Date: 2014-02-26
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. if I may. I would like to know how much time I have remaining because I would also like to yield to the gentleman from Florida at the end of my commentary.
Date: 2014-02-26
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. GRAYSON. I assure you. you will have ample time. I want to conclude with this: I believe that this is a great country. Notwithstanding all that I have explained about Black history. this is a great country. and I love my country. I believe that this is a country that has allowed me privileges and opportunities that I probably could not have enjoyed in another place. So let me share this brief vignette with you. I was not born into riches. obviously. based upon the stories that I have told. but from very poor parents. My father could neither read nor write. I remember going to work with my father one day. I have no idea as to why I was there. My father was a mechanics helper. He was not a mechanic. He was a helper. He was the person who would clean up the wet spot on the floor. He was the person who would fetch the tools and do the things that were required that many people would not do. And I heard them address my father by a name that I was not familiar with. They called him "Secretary." And as any child would. I suppose. I made an inquiry: Why do they call you Secretary? He explained to me that they were making fun of him. that they were aware that he could not read and that he could not write. and they were making fun of him. I said: Well. why would you do this? Why would you let them make fun of you like this? Why would you let them do this to you? It hurt as a young child to see your father being made fun of because he could not read and he could not write. By the way. it was not his choice. It wasnt his choice to be a person who could not read or write. But my fathers answer is really what this story is all about. When I said to him: Why would you let them do this to you? He said to me. after having told me many more things. but he said to me: I do it. and I accept it because I want you to be able to read and write. And isnt it wonderful that the son of a secretary can now stand in the well of the House of Representatives in the United States of America and read and write laws for the United States of America? I thank you for the time. Mr. Speaker. I am grateful to all who made it possible for us to have this hour. And I believe that ours is the best country in the world. I believe that it really doesnt get much better than the United States of America. There are things that we need to do and things that we need to correct. But on a bad day. it is good to live in the USA. On a bad day. when your dog that you reared from a pup wants to bite you. on a bad day when your spouse wants to desert you. if you have to have your dog bite you and your spouse desert you. have it happen in the United States of America. God bless you. and I yield to Mr. GRAYSON.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to pay tribute to the Reverend Crawford W. Kimble. pastor emeritus of the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. which was originated in Freedmens Town in 1872. and my dear friend. My sympathy to Mrs. Kimble and all of his family. Reverend Kimble died earlier this week in Houston at the age of 95. He will be laid to rest on Saturday. March 1. 2014. Reverend Kimble was the fifth of six pastors at the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He served as pastor for approximately 35 years. His dream was part of the building of Good Hope in its current location on North MacGregor. Reverend Kimble was born in Elgin. Texas. on March 24. 1918. and he followed the ministerial paths of both his father and grandfather. He began preaching at 33. He started his church in 1951. and he joined it. He preached his first sermon in 1959. and later became the pastor to many giants of Texas. including the Honorable Barbara Jordan. the first African American United States Congresswoman from the South. and Dr. Lonnie Smith. who played an important role in minority voting rights in primary elections. It is astounding to find that prior to becoming Reverend Kimble. he was in the newspaper business as an editor of the Houston Informer. He was also part of The Kansas City Call. which was the oldest African American newspaper. and it ended with The Kansas City Call that he was a part of. After more than 30 years in retirement. Reverend Kimble continued to write. He had many books. and he also was part of the Crawford W. Kimble senior living facility. which he lived in in the Fourth Ward. Freedmens Town. that was named after him by Reverend Elmo Johnson. Mr. Speaker. let me just say that this giant is deserving of our honor and respect and commendation. and let us all remember his book. "Watch the Tree. It Might Fall on You." Reverend Kimble. may you rest in peace. God bless you. and God bless your family.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: In the table of contents of the bill. insert after item pertaining to section 405 the following:
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman very much. and we obviously have a great deal of mutual respect. I hope. but a great deal of disagreement on the intent and the impact of this legislation. Let me say that Homeland Security has vast jurisdiction. Congress created it. In the course of that. it has a great deal of jurisdiction dealing with humanity and the necessity to help humanity. So in the crisis of dealing with issues of individuals who have been unfairly put in front of a deportation order who need to have the response of this agency. or the agency needs to correct some aspect of the many responsibilities that it has. from natural disaster to terrorism to ensuring the security of the border. the needs of Customs and Border Protection. the needs of ICE officers for regulatory schemes that will give them better tools to ensure the security of this Nation. I would argue that a 6month delay. that 60 barriers being put in place of that regulatory scheme. does not give comfort to the American people that their homeland is secure. Give the Secretary of Homeland Security and his fellow Secretaries or Assistant Secretaries or Directors the responsibility and the leadership that they need to have to protect the homeland. I would just offer to say that my amendment is common sense. It deals with consent orders and settlements that the Homeland Security Secretary is making in the course of making America safe. Please support the Jackson Lee amendment. commonsense security. protecting the homeland. and having us do the job we should be doing on behalf of the American people. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for his explanation. We have noted 653. and you are absolutely right. It thrusts that in the hands of the President of the United States. but I would argue that the Congress created the Department of Homeland Security with a Secretary to be able to be the first line of defense. and I would argue that it is important that we exempt the Secretary of the Department from that because of their number one responsibility. which is securing the homeland. and we live in a different climate. I think the gentleman accepts the fact that terrorism has become franchised at this moment. I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I ask individuals. again. to support the Jackson Lee amendment.
Date: 2014-02-27
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: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I have an amendment at the desk as the designee of Mr. JOHNSON. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: In the table of contents of the bill. insert after item pertaining to section 405 the following:
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. as I indicated. I am moving this on behalf of Mr. JOHNSON. The amendment is simple. It would exclude from this bill any rule that would result in net job growth. I ask that my colleagues support this commonsense amendment to promote job growth and strengthen the middle class. After all. the stated purpose of the ALERRT Act is to grow the economy and create jobs. Although this bill purports to grow the economy and create jobs. we cannot pretend that this bills myopic focus on regulations will accomplish any of these goals. I have profound concerns with the ALERRT Act. The bill would undermine the ability of agencies to protect the public interest. It is a continuation of the majoritys obstructionist approach that led to the sequester and the shutdown of the Federal Government. The majority continues to rely on debunked and partisan studies that presuppose that regulations have harmful effects. Far from it. There is ample. bipartisan evidence that have found that regulations have a negligible effect on the economy and create jobs. No one would argue that there is not a positive impact from the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. and all of the regulatory scheme that has provided for a safe workplace for our workers under OSHA. and those who protect the quality of life of Americans from sea to shining sea. Leading scholars such as Wake Forest law professor Sidney Shapiro has testified that all of the available evidence contradicts the claim that regulatory uncertainty is deterring business investment. Bruce Bartlett. a senior policy analyst in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. has observed that regulatory uncertainty is the canard invented by Republicans that allows them to use current economic problems to pursue an agenda supported by the business community year in and year out. In other words. it is a simple case of political opportunism. not a serious effort to deal with high unemployment. Nevertheless. the House Republican leadership continues to bulldoze its deregulatory agenda through Congress. This deregulatory train wreck threatens to send us back to the days before the Wall Street collapse. a financial catastrophe that could have been avoided by responsible policies. Instead of working together to come to a bipartisan solution and end sequestration. this Congress has continued an agenda to make life worse for American families. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Johnson amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. a few minutes ago I stood to the floor of the House and showed a picture that has been made by the gentleman from California of a long line of suitwearing Americans looking for jobs. Yet this Congress. my friends on the other side of the aisle. have refused to pass extended unemployment insurance. emergency unemployment insurance. Yet they put legislation on the floor pretending to create opportunities for American workers. I can tell you what will create opportunities for American workers. and that is to extend the unemployment insurance. or in actuality. pass my legislation. H.R. 3888. that provides training for individuals for newly created job skills. Or. in fact. as so many of us have done. sign a discharge petition to raise the minimum wage. That is a story for creating jobs or lifting up the opportunities for the American people. This amendment says simply. if you join us and you believe in job growth. if there is a regulatory scheme that in fact deals with job growth. then this is the amendment that you should support. And I would argue you should support an increase in the minimum wage. and today we should put on the floor of the House the extension of the unemployment insurance. emergency insurance for my constituents and Americans across America. The number is 1.3 million in 2013. rising to 2 million now. with no relief. There is no excuse. The other body had a bill that was paid for. and yet it was refused by Republican Senators in the other body. I would simply ask that we work together to create job growth. This amendment will say to my good friends that if it creates jobs. then we should in fact support it. that particular regulatory regulation. and we should not subject it to this legislation. With that. I ask for the support of this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I offer amendment No. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: In the table of contents of the bill. insert after item pertaining to section 405 the following:
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for his comments. I would just say that OSHA has already undertaken these standards. but if this legislation passes. all of the processes and procedures that are in this underlying legislation would have to go first. The fact is people are dying at work. They are dying at work because of the fact that they havent been able to get this standard in place. This is a very serious standard that directly relates to the lives of these workers in the workplace. To suggest now that they would have to go through this process. if this becomes the law. is just unacceptable when you consider the urgency of this matter. When we took up this question of grain dustgrain dust explosions. which are some of the most powerful explosions that can take placethat look like a place has been hit by tons of TNTthat was killing workers. they have reduced the number of fatalities by 70 percent. and you rarely hear about grain explosions any longer. But dust explosions from other sources continue to be the kind of problem that threatens workers on a daily basis when they report to work in these various industries where the standards are not adequate to protect the workers. As I pointed out in my opening statement. across a number of different industries. that dust collectionwhether it is iron or sugar or wheat dustbecomes a huge explosive device that continues to take the lives of workers. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

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 gentleman from California will be postponed.
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I rise to offer an amendment that would exempt from this bill any regulations that have been recommended by the inspector general. This amendment will improve protections for taxpayers and students. protect public and workplace safety and health. and otherwise increase the effectiveness or efficiency of agency activities. Inspector generals are the taxpayers independent watchdogs. They perform an investigative role that is above politics. seeking to find out what has gone wrong and what should be done to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government. My amendment would ensure that IG recommendations will not be buried in mountains of red tape that this bill creates. For example. the Department of Labors inspector general found that the Mine Safety and Health Administration had a regulation with gaping loopholes that allowed mine operators who habitually violated mine safety standards to easily evade sanctions and continue to operate unsafe mines. Massey Energy expertly exploited these loopholes at its Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. Massey consistently putting coal production ahead of safety. with more than 684 mine safety violations in the 18 months prior to the tragic explosion in 2010 that killed 29 miners. But the most powerful regulatory tool in MSHAs arsenal was not deployed. In fact. the inspector general found that the potentially lifesaving sanctions had never been used over a 32year period. The price of that 32year period was the miners lives. The inspector generals investigation found that the rule was. by design. set up to be gamed. so it was recommended that MSHA close the loopholes. MSHA then quickly adopted the new regulations that will prevent 1.800 miner injuries each decade. Had todays bill been the law of the land. that lifesaving rule would be delayed for years. and had this bills requirement requiring that agencies use the leastcostly rule been the law. these dangerous loopholes could be left in place. Mr. Chairman. after every mine tragedy. elected representatives mourn the dead and declare they will take action to make sure that such tragedies never happen again. Then Congress comes along and works overtime to pass legislation like this. which would delay or block the rules that can save hundreds of lives. Mr. Chairman. at this time. I would like to yield my remaining 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I was assuming that when the gentleman was speaking about the effectiveness of the inspector general reports that he was going to join in support of the amendment. I guess I misunderstood that. The point is this: In the case that I cited. the inspector general came in and found out the agency wasnt using the powers that it had and that it needed additional powers for miners who were trying to avert their obligations under the safety laws of this Nation. Again. that is not an action that should be delayed. That is not a finding by one party or the other or by one group of people in the Congress or the other. That is the inspector general. He looked at the situation and said that this was leading to an increased likelihood of accidents and deaths on behalf of miners and that the rules had to be changed and that they had to be changed right away. I dont know why we would interrupt that process. That is the point of this amendment. This Congress has a lot of trust. I believe. in the inspectors general. and we should not get in and make them run through a lot of hoops when urgency is the matter. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California .
Date: 2014-02-27
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chair. H.R. 3193 is a clear attempt to undermine the independence and effectiveness of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. As such. I oppose passage of this legislation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was created by the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform Bill in response to widespread market abuses that helped precipitate the financial crisis and is the first ever independent watchdog charged with the sole task of protecting the financial lives of Americas families. Since its inception. the CFPB has handled nearly 270.000 consumer complaints and secured more than $3 billion in relief for almost 10 million consumers through enforcement actions against bad actors who were violating the law. It has established important oversight for industries ranging from payday lenders to debt collectors to credit reporting agencies. And it has generally received high marks from industry leaders and consumer advocates alike for the openness and evenhandedness of its operations. Not surprisingly. the Senate confirmed the CFPBs first director Richard Cordray by a bipartisan vote of 6634 in the summer of last year. Rather than building on this track record of success. H.R. 3193 would weaken the CFPB by bureaucratizing its structure. placing additional constraints on its operations. slashing its funding and subjecting that funding to the political pressures of the annual appropriations process. If the majority really believed the annual appropriations process was necessary to ensure the proper oversight of our federal banking regulators. this legislation would be recommending similar treatment for the Federal Reserve. or the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. It doesntwhich tells you all you need to know about the consistency of the conviction underlying this bill. In my judgment. the CFPB is succeeding at its job of protecting consumers in a fair and transparent marketplace. Accordingly. I urge a no vote.