macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1989-08-03
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. after 4 months of hearings. our Subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials is ready to introduce legislation. the Hazardous and Solid Waste Management Materials Reclamation Act of 1989. or RCRA reauthorization. What this means to the country is that clean water and unpolluted land is just as important as clean air. We are rightly preoccupied with clean air around this House. this Congress. but we should remember that far more toxic chemicals enter the land and the water directly than through the air. If we are going to avoid being engulfed by a tide of industrial toxic releases and being drowned in a sea of garbage. we are going to have to come up with a sensible wastemanagement system. Unfortunately. the landfills we have leak. the incinerators pollute the air and produce a very dubious kind of ash. while the rest Is put on trucks and sent out to distant destinations. This bill which we are introducing includes recycling. includes eliminating hazardous waste. Waste minimization is the theme.
Date: 1989-08-03
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Chairman. on the point that the gentleman just raised that the wealthy are the ones who are being subsidized. I have before me a survey taken by Amtrak. It shows that 30 percent of the longhaul passengers have family incomes under $20.000. 51 percent under $31.000. It also shows of the longhaul passengers 48 percent are 55 years old. 28 percent 65 or older. So it appears that we are helping those who are in the lower income brackets and the elderly.
Date: 1989-08-04
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the House amendment to the Senate amendment be considered as read and printed in the REcoRD.
Date: 1989-08-04
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Yes. It Is approved by the administration. the Senate majority and minority approved it. and the House leadership and the committee majority and minority approved it.
Date: 1989-09-06
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask Members to consider the subject of hazmat [hazardous materials] transportation. Recently. a week or two ago. in Michigan there was another derailment and a cloud of a toxic material that caused evacuation of thousands of people there. It happened in Miavisburg. OH. near my district a couple of years ago also. There. a resourceful fire chief who was universally praised for his actions in that situation. even though he was a trusted. tried and true veteran professional. could not find out what toxic materials were in thatit turned out to be sulfurin that tank car for over 11 hours. The question that I address to you. and it could happen in any of your districts. your constituents are aware of it: "Where will the next Bhopal actually strike?" We have hazardous materials transportation legislation. a tame law. a bland one that is ineffective. that is merely confusing and it has not been changed in 15 years. Mr. Speaker. the subcommittee which I chair has been studying transportation of hazardous materials. We have recommendations. We are introducing a piece of legislation within the next week or two and I earnestly ask Members to consider this because it means so much to all of your citizens. all of your constituents who are intensely interested. We hope you will cosponsor this legislation.
Date: 1989-09-07
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that the Conmittee on Agriculture may have until midnight tonight Thursday. September 7. 1989. to file the report on H.R. 2869. the Commodity Futures Improvements Act of 1989.
Date: 1989-09-07
Speaker: ELIZABETH MOGAN (democrat)
Chamber: S

Washington. DC. DEAR DR. MORGAN: I am writing this because of my concefn for the welfare of your daughter. Hilary. For the following reasons. I strongly recommend against your compelling Hilary to attend the scheduled unsupervised visit with her father this coming weekend (7/27/5/87): (1) Her recent abuse. which she described to Metropolitan Police Officer. Detective Williams. on 6/24/87. To expose her to the likelihood or reabuse by her father at this time would be very detrimental to Hilarys mental health. The message she would receive is that the terror she feels is inconsequential. and that therefore she Is worthless. (2) These feelings of worthlessness and/or the stress of possible or actual reabuse likely would trigger her suicidal feelings. thereby putting her life at risk. If you have any questions. please do not hesitate to call. Sincerely.
Date: 1989-09-12
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. Era mi Hermano. He was my brother. Era mi Amigo. He was my friend. Era un slervo del Senor. He was a servant of the Lord. The poor. the homeless. and the hungry of the world have lost a great champion. From the fifth ward in Houston to faraway Ethiopia he cared for them. he worked for them. His compassion for the starving people of the world was deep. They. too. have lost a great friend. He fought injustice in so many ways within and without the system. he rebelled and yet he made people see the light. We will continue his mission. it was a mission of concern for those who struggle and for whom he so many times extended his hand in help. When we look up in the evening sky we will see his light shine brightly. He gave his all. For us. there is yet time. there is still hope. there is still the fightthere is the will to go forward with his good works. Two thousand years ago the Lord fed the multitudes through His miracle with a few loaves of bread and some fish. In this spirit we will continue in MICKEY LELANDS nameas he would want us .to do. MICKEY LELAND did not want us to build statues or monuments. or to name buildings and streets after him. His only wish was that we move ahead with is fight to feed the hungry of the world. The Lord willing. we will do this in his memory.
Date: 1989-09-12
Speaker: THOMAS A LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. upon receiving the confirmation that the plane carrying Congressman MICKEY LELAND. and others in his delegation. had been located on a mountainside in Ethopla and that there were no survivors. I relaized that this Institution had lost more than a colleague. I knew that our country had been stripped of a champion in the fight for human and civil rights in this era. but more Importantly to me. I had lost a true friend. The death of MICKEY LELAND has left a huge void In the ability of the United States Congress to personify its fight against the hunger and malnutrition of our own citizens. as well as people worldwide. During the past 10 years I had the privilege and the honor to share many of MICKEYS Ideas firsthand through our involvement on both the House Energy and Commerce Full Committee. and the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. His Ideas were consistantly innovative. progressive. and expressed from his heart in such a way that it was difficult. if not impossible. not to share his compassion for those less fortunate. MICKEYS tireless determination and commitment to help others. particularly those who are disadvantaged by social circumstances and/or economic conditions. set the standard by which we as Americans should aspire toward and proudly associate ourselves with. Today. MICKEYS humanity Is no longer with us. but his spirituality lives on in our minds and hearts. I urge Congress to Insure that the life and death of our colleague was and is of value to this Nation by continuing and increasing its support for his causes in his bonor. To that end. his existence will have made the ultimate difference between life and death for millions of Americans and others .around the world. I have lost a good friend. Congress has lost a great stateman. The world has lost a true humanitarian.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. This is to inform our colleagues that we ran out of time on general debate. Other Members who wanted to participate in the debate could not be allotted time. but we are under an open rule and under the 5minute rule they can avail themselves of time for whatever comments they might wish to make. or they may incorporate them into their amendments if they have anendents. I have taken this time for that purpose.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. wc have no problem with the amendment. We think that it is a good addition to the legislation. and on this side. pending the approval of the chairman of the subcommittee. we are prepared to accept the amendment.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chairman. I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise primarily to thank and commend our distinguished colleague from Iowa. and say that we have no problem with his amendment. As a matter of fact. we think that it is a welcome and forceful addition to our legislation. Our commitment is. and I appreciate the gentleman from Massachusetts concern. we share his concern. We have tried to address. to the utmost possible. those concerns in the legislation before the Members. This amendment adds a little bit more. The goal. of course. is the same: that we would like for the public to be protected to the nth degree if at all possible. There is a mechanical function to it. even the fastest computer has its failures. so it is very easy for Members sometimes to say this is what we would like done. but whether it can be done or not remains to be seen. So we need to proceed as best we can to the utmost that we can. to continue working to that ultimate goal. Correcting human error. we cannot do. Many thousands of years ago it was written in stone. "Thou shall not kill." Every country in the world has incorporated this into their basic law. "Thou shall not kill." They are doing so every day. So the propensity of the human element for weakness in some areas connot be eradicated. but our concern and our commitment here is that we would provide the commission. and hopefully will implement in the trading.pits. and in the futures industry. the tools necessary to limit that element to the nth degree. The gentleman from Iowa has been very diligent in working with Members on this legislation. His advice and counsel has been of utmost value. We would be very happy to accept his amendment.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DR LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank the gentleman for his cooperation in working with us in drafting the amendments so that they might comply with what we perceive to be the intent. We will be very happy to accept the amendments on this side pending further colloquy with members of the minority. the ranking minority member and the chairman of the subcommittee. and if there be any further question by the chairman of the subcommittee getting that In order. then we wilD be happy to accept the gentlemans amendments.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman would yield further. that is the understanding. that if any better language or more concise language or more finite language to express the intent that all of us agree on. that we would be receptive to that language.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. this is an amendment that has been agreed to. It was inadvertently left out of the Savings and Loan Institutions Report. The committee agrees that we should move forward with It. The Committee on Rules has authorized us to do so. Mr. Chairman. I would urge my colleagues to adopt the amendment.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill . the Clerk be authorized to correct the table of contents. section numbers. punctuation. citations. and cross references. and to make such other technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House in amending the bill.
Date: 1989-09-13
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2869. the bill Just passed.
Date: 1989-09-14
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. what is a DOE weapons plant? Mr. Speaker. 80.000 rusted and leaking barrels of radioactive waste mixed with hazardous chemicals litter the landscape at the Department of Energys nuclear weapons plant at Fernald. OH. Thousands of pounds of radioactive pitchblende sit in two crumbling silos there. Local wells have already been contaminated. yet the Department of Energy does nothing and has yet to do a single thing. What does the Department of Energy do? We have 10point plans and 5year plans and we have tiger teams. The tiger teams have turned out to be teams of pussycats. The tiger teams have reported that Fernald is totally out of compliance as the other weapons plants. but we knew that. We continue to know that. In fact. the coverup of environmental crimes at Fernald and at other plants continues. In testimony before the committee which I chair. DOE deliberately created the impression that the tiger teams included FBI. The fact is there are no prosecutions. There have been no prosecuticns for 40 years. As a matter of fact. private citizens are prosecuted. and it is time for the Federal polluters to be prosecuted also.
Date: 1989-09-19
Speaker: BOB ROE (democrat)
Chamber: H

chairman of the Science. Space. and Technology Committee for pushing so hard to provide safe and reliable fasteners for use in American products. As the gentleman from Michigan noted. and I thank him for the recognition. substandard industrial fasteners have a been a great concern of mine for some time. However. I have a question I would like to ask the gentleman from New Jersey as the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Science. Space. and Technology. Does H.R. 3000 allow a loophole large enough to drive a truck through by allowing foreignmade bolts to be tested in foreign laboratories that are accredited by foreign governments? By doing this. will we have the fox guarding the chicken coop? I wanted to call attention to a similar situation that developed not too long ago when the Department of Defense asked for an audit of a French DOD contractor. The audit was done in French. but the firm refused to translate it or release it. and we really did not know what was In there. So what I am saying Is are we making certain. Mr. Speaker. that this bill will guarantee that foreign manufacturers are subject to the same rigorous standards and testing faced by American manufacturers?
Date: 1989-09-19
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to draw your attention to a very important resolution that officially designates October 6. 1989. as "GermanAmerican Day." House Joint Resolution 104 has received the support of more than half of my colleagues in the House. and it is identical to Senate Joint Resolution As you know. GermanAmerican Day has been signed into law for the past 2 years. I introduced this legislation along with Congressman LEE HAMILTON on January 27. 1989. and have worked with the GermanAmericans in my district and across the country in an effort to obtain the necessary number of cosponsors In the House. In this time. I have been impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm these people have shown. Since the arrival of the first German immigrants in the United States on October 6. 1683. their number has grown to an estimated 52 million. GermanAmericans have contributed to the life and culture of the United States over the past three decades. These outstanding people have earned this very special day to pay tribute to their achievements. I am honored to have been able to introduce this legislation that has received such overwhelming support. This is truly an important sign of recognition and appreciation from the United States Congress to GermanAmericans across the country.
Date: 1989-09-20
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the Department of Energy is stll polluting faster than it is cleaning up. We all know that the DOE weapons plants are a collection of cesspools and hazardous wastes all over this country. Over a period of 40 years. the failure of DOE to enforce environmental laws at its plants and their obstruction of any efforts of EPA or the Department of Justice to enforce and prosecute environmental crimes has directly resulted in the radiation of America. We know that. too. However. the bad news. the news is that even today DOE is polluting faster than it is cleaning up. The Secretary of Energy has submitted a fiveyear plan which he calls a plan for environmental restoration and compliance. Yet. in 440 pages there is not one word about compliance or correction. DOE and their contractors remain above the law. Deterrence through prosecution and enforcement remain a lost art of the Department of Energy. In 40 years there has not been one referral for prosecution. Until somebody goes to Jail for the obvious crimes at these 18 weapons plants. this pollution will continue unchecked.
Date: 1989-09-21
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I would like to propose a Department of Energy quiz this morning. What happens to a person if they are caught robbing a bank? Probably a long prison term. What hsppens if a person is picked up for DUI? Make it a Jail sentence. driving suspension. bad reputation. What happens at a DOE weapons plant to the contractor who breaks all the environmental laws and pollutes the whole country with radioactive and hazardous waste? He gets an award. a bonus. and a renewal of his guaranteed profit contract. What happens to DOE officials who knowingly and willfully help that contractor break the law. condone the violations. and conceal things from the public and Congress? They get reassurance that DOE is a selfregulating agency and no inquisitive investigator from EPA or the Department of Justice will be allowed to come in and investigate. Then what happens if the word leaks out to Congress and the public anyway that DOE employees and contractor employees have broken the law? DOE confesses error and enters Into a compliance agreement. Then they do not comply with the compliance agreement. and then they enter into another compliance agreement. This continues. nobody goes to Jail. and nobody is punished. nobody pays any fines. DOE does not know what deterrence is. and that is why we are polluting todaymore at the DOE plants than we are cleaning them up. We have to get the criminal deterrence going at DOE.
Date: 1989-09-25
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill to amend the Rail Passenger Service Act to authorize appropriations for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. and for other purposes. as amended.
Date: 1989-09-25
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to offer a few brief remarks with respect to H.R. 2364. the Amtrak Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 1989. On May 16. 1989. I introduced H.R. 2364. Following a hearing which the Subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials held on May 17. 1989. our subcommittee marked up and reported this bill by voice vote to the full Committee on Energy and Commerce. The full committee marked up the bill on June 6 and reported the bill by voice vote te the House. The bill represents the combined bipartisan efforts of many members of both the subcommittee and the full committee. I commend the chairman and ranking member of the full committee. Mr. DINGELL and Mr. LENT. for their leadership in crafting this measure. as well as Mr. WHITTAKER. the ranking member of our subcommittee. Mr. BoucHm. Mr. BLILEY. Mr. SwiFT.
Date: 1989-09-25
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucim] who has participated very assiduously in crafting this legislation.
Date: 1989-09-25
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio . who is from the other part of the State. and he wants to represent an extension of service to Cleveland. whereas we want to get more service in Cincinnati. but we will yield the gentleman 2 minutes not to weight the odds anymore.
Date: 1989-09-26
Speaker: BE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague for yielding. and appreciate his having the special order this evening. To my colleagues in the Committee on the Interior and Insular Affairs. I extend my appreciation for the assistance that they have rendered our colleague. Let me say. Mr. Speaker. that I can sympathize with the problems of our colleague from Puerto Rico. from our colleagues in the Caroltnas. and the Virgin Islands. amd our hearts and our sympathy goes out to the people of South Carolina. Charleston and that area. to the people of the Virgin Islands. and certainly to those of Puerto Rico that we will address here. I would like to say that even 20 years after we had Hurricane Beulah in my area on the Mexican border and on the coast. and when the hurricanes come. sometimes in Mexico. sometimes on our side of the border. However. Hiaricance Beulah was one of the worst we have had in 20 years since. from 1967 until now. There are still areas rebuilding. I think this is important because it was mentioned by our colleague from California. I remember during Hurricane Beulah the confusion as to who was to ask for emergency declaration. when it was to be made. whether It was to be retroactive or not. and there was tremendous confusion. Apparently with all commendation that the Federal Emergency Management Agency deserves or how Members solicit that assistance. I remember that program vividily then. The devastation. of course. Is something that is very difficult for people to comprehend. From the experience that I have had. I join with the gentleman. and I assure the gentleman of the cooperation in the axea of jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture with feeding. and commodities in all of the areas that the Department of Agriculture manages. Also. as chairman of the Hispanic Caucus. my heart goes out to our brethren. the Spanishspeaking island of Puerto Rico. Now. I assure the gentleman that we will cooperate and work with him because there has to be a longterm involvement of the Federal Government. No State can handle. by themselves. devastation of this nature. nor Puerto Rico or the Virgin Isdands. e ouar c mitinent to the gentleman. workbag with hih. with the other .omnttees in the Congress and in this House. is that we need to see the needs of tbe people. the reconstruction. the longterm reconstruction. the Infrastructure which has been destroyed in many of the small cities and villages in Puerto Rico. and I am sure In the Virgin Islands. and in the Carolinas. We will work with the gentleman to see that the Federal response does not terminate when the situation is off the front pages or off the 6 oclock news. We will work with the gentleman. and we will stand behind him and do everything we cam to help our brethren in all the areas of desolation. but tonight my commitment is to my distinguished colleague from Puerto Rico.