macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1995-10-10
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker. I echo the words of my colleague from Texas. Mr. EDWARDS. not only on this bill. but in relation to our good friend. General MONTGOMERY. I rise in support of the legislation and I commend both sides for what they have done for the veterans. Let me say that General MoNTroMERY and I came here at the same time. and for us. from Texas. it was certainly an easy transition from Olin "Tiger" Teague who was Mr. Veteran to Mr. Veteran General MONTGOMERY. I take great pride in mentioning the Montgomery bill of rights. Recently when both gentlemen. the gentleman from Arizona and the gentleman from Mississippi were in Hawaii for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. and I was privileged to accompany them. I told one of the young men who was about to be made sergeant the next day and he was already talking about when he might return home. and I said. "Well. you can get an education". and he says. "Oh. yes. the Montgomery bill of rights." And I pointed to the gentleman from Mississippi. and I said. "That is the Montgomery bill of rights right there." And with great awe and admiration he rushed over to thank Mr. MONTGOMERY. and that is his legacy. Mr. Speaker. I know later we will have other comments. but in association with what we do today. the gentleman from Mississippi will have left a legacy as a friend of the veteran. and all of us who are veterans thank him. This legislation is good. We still have a long ways to go in regards to taking care of the problems of veterans. but I feel very comfortable with the two gentlemen managing the bill here that we will address those issues. and I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
Date: 1995-10-11
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. just so my colleagues know that there are two sides to the debate. Medicare is not going bankrupt until. not going bankrupt until. the year 2002. and we can change Medicare by cutting over thenext few years and increasing beneficiaries costs may be $90 billion. not $270 billion. That is why the Republicans are scared. because the American people are not buying what they are trying to sell -them. It is a tax cut of $245 billion over that same 7 years and a Medicare cut of $270 billion. Mr. Speaker. the American College of Physicians and Surgeons. the AARP. finally came off of dead center and said it is wrong. We even have a freshman Republican doctor who has been quoted as saying. "I guarantee you that these reductions will be bad for quality health care. not just for our senior citizens. but also for working people." Hello. Earth to the other side of the aisle. Listen to your own people. These extreme. and that is extreme. cuts do not need to be made to save Medicare. only $90 billion. not $270 billion.
Date: 1995-10-11
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I may be one of the few here that voted for Medicare. and the counterparts of the Members now that are complaining chastised me for having voted for Medicare when it was enacted in my first session of Congress. I am concerned 4bout rural America and health in rural .America. The cuts proposed by our colleagues will increase the severe financial pressure on rural hospitals. and force some rural hospitals to close. Rural hospitals lose money on Medicare patients while urban hospitals make a small profit. Medicare accounts for almost 40 percent of the net patient revenue in the average rural hospital. as much as 80 percent in some rural hospitals. The Republican cut of $58 billion over 7 years. a 20percent cut in 2002 alone. will almost devastate most rural hospitals. We need to look at that. I went throughout my country. I did not see what my colleagues were saying in their prepared speeches. The Republican Medicare cuts will force 9.6 million older and disabled Americans in rural America to pay higher premiums and higher deductibles for a weakened second class Medicare Program.. Medicare spending for people in rural areas of America will be cut by $58 billion over 7 yearsa 20percent cut in 2002 alone. The Republican cuts will increase the severe financial pressure on rural hospitals in America and force some rural hospitals to close. Today. rural hospitals lose money on Medicare patients while urban hospitals make a small profit. Medicare accounts for almost 40 percent of. net patient revenue in the average rural hospital. and as much as 80 percent in some rural hospitals. According to the American Hospital Association. under the Republican cuts. the typical rural hospital will lose $5 million in Medicare funding over 7 years. Rural Medicare recipients would lose muchneeded doctors. Americas rural .Aedicare recipients would need 5.084 more primary care physicians to have the same doctor to population ratio as the Nation as a whole. Yet the American Medical Association has stated that the cuts in Medicare are so severe that they "will unquestionably cause some physicians to leave Medicare." [New York Times. October 10. 1995.]
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: BALL ENGER (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. the DavisBacon Act has long outlived any usefulness that it may have had. The rationale for the act has never been very persuasive. but it remains law. adding millions to Federal construction costs. Last night. NBC news highlighted the DavisBacon Act as part of their series entitled "The Fleecing of America." NBC reported on an Oklahoma investigation that has uncovered fraud and abuse in the administration of the Federal DavisBacon Act. In three specific cases. the Oklahoma Department -of Labor found instances where survey data on phantom projects was submitted and ghost employees were identified. presumably with the intent of inflating prevailing wage determinations. Basing the wages on Inflated and perhaps fraudulent data would drive up costs of Government construction projects. wasting limited taxpayer dollars. Scandals of this nature only further erode public confidence in the Government procurement process. This type of fraud and abuse must be stopped. Join me and the 119 cosponsors of H.R. 500. in supporting repeal of the DavisBacon Act.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. yesterday the Republicans finally conceded that their socalled Medicare reform plan would extend the Medicare trust fund only to the year 2006 instead of 2010. as they have been claiming. In fact. they claimed on this floor yesterday early in the morning that their plan would extend the Medicare trust fund until the year 2010. Now the Republican majority realizes they only need $90 billion to stabilize the trust fund until the year 2006 and not $270 billion to stabilize to the exact same year. It is very interesting to note that the Democrats have an alternative plan that would assure the solvency to 2006 by only cutting the necessary $90 billion. What we need is to be asking our friends on the other side. Why are you cutting three times more than you need to stabilize the fund. and you are only stabilizing it to 2006? Be honest about it. it is going to tax cuts. At this point I suppose we should ask the Republican majority. Why are you increasing premiums. deductibles. copayments. and making extreme reductions in payments to hospitals to provide a budgetbusting tax cut? There is a country western song in Texas that is popular now. It is called "I Let Her Lie." The people know now who is the one that is doing the lying.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

and Messrs. HORN. CUNNINGHAM. MORAN. and LEWIS of California changed their vote from "nay" to "yea." So the motion to recommit was rejected. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I would like the RECORD to show that had I been present for rollcall vote No. 709. I would have voted "aye." I was tied up in traffic and could not make it here in the 17 minutes.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. and I rise on behalf of this amendment. Mr. Chairman. the Science Committee has included in the report language which accompanies this bill health care language which could not be further from the truth. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has not proposed to expand into the development preventive technologies. Rather. NIST has proposed to increase by $2 million the amount it would spend to establish accurate medical measurements to assist with improving our Nations health care. This is not a new area for NIST. The institute has been providing this service for decades. Those in the health care community recognize that NIST is the ultimate authority on literally thousands of m Turements which bring certainty to the practice of medicine in this country. Without NIST. there would be no way to guarantee that a blood pressure or cholesterol measurement performed in Boston would be the same as one taken in Dallas. TX. For example. Cellmark. the Nations leader in DNA sciences. has stated that it would go out of business if it could not rely on NIST standards. The work done by NIST in this area is not duplicative of work done by other agencies. To put it bluntly. other agencies neither understand nor perform this type of important medical work. Additionally. Mr. Chairman. the report language seeks to forbid NIST from participating in the development of environmental technologies. by stating that the work of NIST is duplicative of the work done by other agencies. NIST has a proven record of providing measurements and reference materials which are the basis of many environmental technology areas. For example. NIST has been involved in the development of standards for refrigerants and other chemicals covered by the Montreal Protocol. This process affects over $300 billion of refrigeration equipment in the United States. The programs at NIST are not being carried out by other agencies. DOE and NSF are unable to perform the type of standardsetting work that goes on at NIST. NIST deals with measurements. standards. reference data and test methods. No other agency has this role. NIST provides the quality assurance for measurements which are made by other government agencies. For example. NIST enables other companies and agencies to measure low levels of chemical concentrations by providing more than 200 different environmental reference materials that allow more accurate measurement of pollutants in air. water and soil. Importantly. NIST does not establish or enforce regulatory standards. The role of NIST is to ensure that these activities are based on sound science and accurate measurements. In sum. Mr. Chairman. the work being performed by NIST in the crucial areas of health care and environmental technology is of a critical nature. and is work that NIST is uniquely qualified to perform. The amendment before us today will allow NIST to continue this important work. and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. the question I would like to ask is just for the gentleman to point out to me the specific language that he is referring to. because my intent is to just allow them to. where the gentleman says development. is to keep current on standards. Many things can be changed and updated and reformed for more efficiency. but the standards do not remain current in certain activities. They have to be updated because we have the technology to improve it.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

If the gentleman would yield further. I did not hear the specific language. if he would just point that out to me.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

If the gentleman would yield further. could I just follow up with one final question? Let me give an example of what one of my concerns might be. In my area. there is an environmental area contaminated with lead. It has been there for a while. Years ago. where the standards were at one point. they are very different now. Tests have been done by some of the Federal agencies and a medical school and the results were differently interpreted. But when put by a standard that had been developed by process and updating of information. they had to be brought together. No agency other than NIST could have done this with authority and neutral information. If we do not allow for updating. we will waste money because we are developing technologies to simplify it all the time.
Date: 1995-10-12
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

If the gentlewoman will yield. I really wonder who the Republicans are listening to. and I would like to hear later from members of that committee. Because as I am reading. a Republican Congressman the gentleman from Iowa.
Date: 1995-10-18
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. it is ironic I follow my colleague from Arizona. I rise today to present 5.000 signatures from. people in the congressional district that I represent and the surrounding community in Texas. On Monday I visited a senior citizens center and was presented these petitions and signatures from senior citizens and working families. They signed their names to these petitionsbecause they are concerned about the broad cut and the extreme reversal of Medicare that is going to be voted on tomorrow in this House. In the 30 years since enactment of Medicare. we transformed what it means to be old in this country. We have lifted our senior citizens out of poverty and restored their health and their dignity. Never again will seniors have to choose between food on the table and Medicare or health care. until tomorrow. because what we see today from the Speaker and the Republican majority is the surrender of that commitment between our Government and our seniors. because the majority feels it Is so important to fulfill their campaign promise to provide a $245billion tax cut and cut Medicare $270 billion. These petitions are from 5.000 hardworking Texans. and I hope we remember that tomorrow.
Date: 1995-10-18
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I know there was an objection for a Member. and I hope that we do not see that because there was an agreement earlier tonight. But I would hope we would be able to proceed with the order. If the gentleman would like to have someone to stand up over there and ask to speak now. I will wait my turn.
Date: 1995-10-18
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. we need to go ahead and go forward with it because I have 5 minutes on Medicare. and it is a concern. I would be more than happy to sit back down. if the Speaker would like to recognize a Member from the other side because I think the objection has been withdrawn.
Date: 1995-10-19
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. Congress will vote today on the Republican plan to cut the $270 billion in Medicare to pay for that $245 billion. and my colleague from California. they are stepping up to the plate. but they are being greedy. Even though the Medicare trustees. as the gentleman said. said we need to deal with Medicare. they only said we needed to deal with it for $89 billion and not $270 billion. Speaker GINGRICHS Medicare plan takes three times as much to pay for that tax cut of $245 billion. The simple truth is that they do not need the $270 billion from Medicare to make the program healthy. They are cutting Medicare to pay for the tax breaks. . Do not be fooled. Seniors will be hurt by Speaker GINGRICHS plan. Number one. premiums will double. forcing many seniors to choose between their choice of health care and other living essentials. The choice of doctors will be limited. Earlier this year my Republican colleagues talked about the Washington Post editorial. Before they vote today. I hope they would read todays editorial. where it talks about what they say. "Who Pays if Medicare Is Cut?" I include that editorial for the RECORD. [From the Washington Post. Oct. 19. 1995]
Date: 1995-10-19
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. it is a sad day that the House is about to pass this crown jewel of the contract which slashes a $270 billion from Medicare in order to pay for a budget busting $245 billion tax cut. The bill that is about to be passed by Speaker GINGRICH and the Republican majority will add hundreds of dollars every year to seniors outofpocket medical costs and force seniors to give up their lifelong doctors. without saving Medicare past the year 2006 and without cutting. in fact increasing the problems. of fraud. abuse. and waste. This bill is about as much designed to save Medicare as the grim reap is designed to bring happiness to our lives. Mr. Chairman. I urge everyone to continue this fight. The decision today is just round one. The Democrats will continue to fight this extreme bill if it is enacted. The senior citizens in my district and around our country deserve better. I hope the Senate will change it. If.not. I pray the President will veto it.
Date: 1995-10-25
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague from Florida for. one. bringing this motion to instruct to the floor and also for yielding myself 3 minutes. Mr. Speaker. when the debate came up not only in our committee. and I serve on the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. I supported the lineitem veto both in the committee and also on the floor. I served 20 years in the legislature where we lived under the lineitem veto. and I always joked I had the distinction of having lineitem veto by both Republicans and Democrats when I was in the legislature. so it was bipartisan. During my campaigns for a couple of years people said. "Well. we need the lineitem veto to control Federal spending." It is not the panacea to control Federal spending. It is just a small weapon in the arsenal to do it. I guess my concern and the reason I am rising today in support of my colleague from Florida is that the lineitem veto has a great deal of bipartisan support. and it seems amazing. here we are at the end of the tenth month of this year and we have not seen it come back to us out of conference committee. In fact. again. as my ranking member on the committee mentioned. this is the second instruction that we have had. We need to see that as part of the Contract With America and one of the items I supported to my colleague from Massachusetts. because I think it is a good program. it is something that not just future Presidents. but this President should do. Mr. Speaker. I remember several months ago that this bill was part of the Republicans Contract With America. In fact. the majority took great pains to pose on former PreSident Reagans birthday and provided. as my colleague Mr. OBEY tells us. holy pictures and likes to say and show their devotion to the Contract With America. Well. I am sorry that President Reagan has not been able to enjoy the actual gift that they were going to give to him. The problem is. evidently. that maybe they like the idea of lineitem veto. but maybe not for President Clinton. Again. I have had the honor of having items vetoed by both Republican and Democrat Governors in Texas and what is good for the goose is good for the gander. I would hope that before we stay here too long that we will see that come out of the conference committee. a real lineitem veto that the President can deal with. Again. I regret my colleague from New York. Mr. SOLOMON. our chairman of the Committee on Rules. talking about my colleague being listed by some lobby group as a big spender. That group that he mentioned. I noticed a lot of folks from both parties are on their list. Sometimes I wonder if people are more interested in perpetuating their groups than they are actually looking at the Federal budget. Mr. Speaker. with that. I would hope that my Republican colleagues. to par* aphrase St. Augustine. will remember saying. Lord. I am really for the lineitem veto. but just not yet.
Date: 1995-10-25
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. an editorial ran in yesterdays Houston Chronicle that affirmed what a lot of us have been saying for months. It is ridiculous to cut taxes at a time when the Federal Government is desperately trying to balance its budget. In fact. Congress. own analysts pointed out that the tax cut would needlessly add almost $100 billion to the swollen national debt and increase taxes for working people who make under $30.000. No one likes to pay taxes. It would be great to give every taxpayer a tax cut. We should balance our budget first. Speaking of the budget. the new majority has been backslapping and congratulating themselves for weeks about passing a balanced budget. but wait a minute. there is a problem. I see on page 3 of the budget conference report. it says in the budget document in the year 2002 that we will have a $108 billion deficit. Only in Washington could a deficit of $108 billion be considered balanced in the year 2002. when we are supposed to have a balanced budget. In their heart they know the budget is not balanced. All this pomp and celebration is one big joke on the seniors of this country. Do they know why? Yes. because that $108 billion will come out of the Social Security trust fund to balance that budget. Mr. Speaker. I include for the RECORD an article from the Houston Chronicle of Tuesday. October 24. 1995. [From the Houston Chronicle. Oct. 24. 1995]
Date: 1995-10-26
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. in response to my colleague from Ohio . the last speaker. does the gentleman know that in his district 22.659 working families will have their taxes increased by this bill?
Date: 1995-10-26
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. does my colleague. the gentleman from Texas. know that in his district. if this bill passes. 51.213 taxpayers will pay in increased taxes because of changes in the earned income tax credit and in Texas he will lose $337 million in student loans?
Date: 1995-10-26
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I want to know how many Members on the Republican side have had a chance to read this bill. Maybe if they had. they would notice two things in the bill. One of them is that it cuts student loans. but also that in relation to that. the quote from our majority leader on the Senate side that said. "I was there fighting the fight. voting against Medicare in 1965." and now he is proud to be doing it again. I hope they would look at that bill in relation to these quotes from this week. There is an old saying that only the ignorant fear education. I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote "no" against ignorance and to vote "no" against this careless and irresponsible bill we have today. The Republicans. in their zeal to balance the budget. eliminate the stafford student loan 6month grace period. This attack on students will increase college loan costs by $3.5 billion nationwide and $331 million in the State of Texas alone. College students will have to take out additional loans just to pay the interest. This shows the Republicans commitment to education. in addition. the commitment on the plus loan. or raise the interest rates for parents.
Date: 1995-10-26
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I do not have that information. But I would imagine in my district. to my colleague and my friend. who is chairman of my committee. my district has a $25.000 median income. and they will not even be eligible.
Date: 1995-10-26
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I am not asking the gentleman from. Ohio for a parliamentary inquiry. I am asking you for a parliamentary inquiry.