macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1985-02-19
Speaker: MEESE AND RED (democrat)
Chamber: S

HERRINGS Edwin Meese III. who wants to be attorney general. entered the Senate Judiciary Committees hearing room Tuesday amid a school of red herring. The panel members will serve the country best by emulating welltrained beagles. keeping their noses on the trail despite all those interesting smells. It might help for the Senators to concentrate on their duty in assessing presidential choices. It isnt to sit as a kind of supreme court. ruling merely whether nominees are guilty of this or that legal or regulatory sin. They work on a higher plane. Their job is to decideapplying standards that consider adherence to laws and rules. but also transcend themwhether nominees are fit to hold the offices they seek. Until Monday. the Meese record seemed to be on the table. Then The Wall Street Journal reported that two lawyers in the Office of Government Ethics had concluded that Mr. Meese violated federal ethical regulations in connection with two financial arrangements. The staff memo. if divulged. was certain to give ammunition to Mr. Meeses opponents. Perhaps thats why there seems to have been no intention to let that happen. Although the memo was discussed with Mr. Meeses lawyer and with White House counsel Fred F. Fielding. it wasnt given to the Judiciary Committee until the committee asked for it. The staff lawyers conclusion was overridden by their boss. the director of the ethics office. David H. Martina Reagan appointee. In a letter to the committee chairman. Sen. Strom Thurmond. Mr. Martin declared that Mr. Meese "is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest." Why was the staff memo suppressed? Should Mr. Martin. as head of a supposedly independent agency. have discussed it with a White House lawyer? Given Mr. Meeses propensity for appearing in situations that at least raise questions about impropriety. and given the broad sweep of the ethics rules. is there sufficient reason for the clean bill of health given him by Mr. Martin? These are all questions worth discussing. But in broad context. theyre red herrings. no more important than the presidents eagerness to get Mr. Meese confirmed or the November election landslide or Mr. Meeses long ordeal or even the conclusion of independent counsel Jacob A. Stein that Mr. Meese shouldnt be prosecuted for criminal misconduct. With enough beaglelike persistence. the senators will soon end the hunt. They will find that Mr. Meeses weak professional qualifications make him a poor choice to head the nations biggest law firm. They will see that his lack of ethical sensitivity. profusely illustrated in the Stein report. is incompatible with the unique office to which he aspires. For the Senate to make Mr. Meese attorney general would be for it to say that the quality of the highest officials In the federal government isnt very important. To say that is to render the confirmation process meaningless. (From the New Kensington (PA) Valley News Dispatch. Jan. 22. 19851
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may con-. sume. Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak in support of H.R. 1035. a bill to provide emergency credit and debt adjustment assistance relief to financially stressed farmers and ranchers. and I urge its passage by the House.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee that initiated this legislation. our colleague. the gentleman from Tennessee .
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas . a very valuable member of our committee.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. MCCURDY. .(Mr. McCURDY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. at this point. in order that we might proceed with the- amendments. I would yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute be considered as read. printed in the RECORD. and open to amendment at any point.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman. first let me assure the gentleman that we who represent agriculture so very much appreciate his sensitivity and his compassion and his intelligent comprehension of the issue. Although we have been there in the past. assisting the gentleman with the needs of his constituency and similar constituencies. I think that today the gentleman has reinforced our dedication to continue to work with him. because the plight of an American. whether he be in the inner city or out in rural America. is the plight of an American. For those in need and those who are suffering. I wish that all of us would have the sense of sensitivity and compassion that our distinguished colleague has. Perhaps with the example here todaywhen those in need in one sector who are effected so drastically receive such compassion from those in another sectorI would hope and pray that we would reciprocate at the time when we are needed to help in other areas.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I will state to the gentleman that I do not know from whence the two hired hands requirement came. But the regulation that the Farmers Home Administration works under. which we feel reflects the intent of Congress. states in the definition of family farm that it "may require a reasonable amount of fulltime. hired labor."
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Under the definition. among other things. it says. "may require a reasonable amount of fulltime. hired labor and seasonal labor during peakload periods." I would say to the gentleman that our committee would insist that that was the intent of the Congress. and then you have to go on a casebycase basis.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

As I stated to the gentleman. the regulation. as I read it. says. "reasonable." What is reasonable would be decided on a casebycase basis. One might say yes to one and then to 20 or 25. I think we should state here. as the gentleman from South Dakota states. and I concur. that this should be addressed in another forum. But. again. I would state that the legislative intent is reflected in the regulation. which states that a family farm may require a reasonable amount of hired labor and seasonable labor.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I would state that that would be our interpretation. that "reasonable" has to mean reasonable. and that no figure be set across the board that must apply everywhere. in each section of a State. and from one State to another State.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

The decision could be made in each State. But our interpretation Is that no stated figure should go across the board.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I have the same concerns just expressed by my distinguished colleague from Wisconsin in that we would. In effect. mandate something be done without any ability to look at the lender. We would say that a lender with a 25percent agriculture portfolio would automatically qualify. We have not done this in any other areas. The first part of the amendment I think is good and appropriatethat there should be a .15day turnaround. But. as to the other part of the amendment. we have to look across the board. This is legislation of national significance and import. and I get a feeling that our distinguished colleague is looking at a smaller area than the whole spectrum of the 50 States. We have not had the benefit of his expertise and knowledge in this area at the hearings. Although we went rather fast. we were available at the hearings. We met with members of banking institutions. we met with members of the farm credit system. we met with both lenders. borrowers and prospective lenders. The expertise and knowledge of the gentleman could have helped us to make a decision. So at this point I would oppose the gentlemans proposal. We did not have sufficient time to dedicate and to digest possible implications.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. we What I am quite concerned about. would have no objections to the my colleagues. is this: I am concerned amendment of the gentleman. as that we may be attracting borrowers amended by the gentleman from away from the PCAs and Federal Kansas. Land Banks in this country.
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding. As I stated earlier to the gentleman this afternoon. I would express that it was not our intent and never our intent to any way prejudice PCAs or the farm credit system and everything within reason be done to discourage that result. But the gentlemans amendment. again I repeat. as well intentioned as it is. has the possibility of doing more damage than what the gentleman is concerned with because we may load this too terribly much. so that it will not have sufficient enticement for the private banking institutions to participate. We have no assurance they are going to participate. to begin with. They did not on the prior principal buydown. So what I would tell the gentleman is what I have stated before. that we always appreciate his expertise. his knowledge in. this area. and we would give him as promptly as possible the necessary forum to address this issue either Independently or within the context of the farm bill. and I pray that the gentleman would see that our -intent is to work with him. not prejudice existing institutions. But loading the bill beyond the weight that it can carry might endanger both his proposal and our proposal. and I would hope that the gentleman. with that assurance. would withdraw the amendment and let us continue working. address that issue in the proper forum and manner. I
Date: 1985-02-27
Speaker: BE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill to provide emergency credit and debt adjustment relief to financially stressed farmers and ranchers. the Clerk be authorized to make certain substantive changes which I submit for the RECORD.
Date: 1985-02-27
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. 1035. the bill just passed.
Date: 1985-02-28
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker. I rise to support this rule but I would like to make at least a brief mention of why the situation that we find ourselves in in Africa and in other parts of the world and the things that. some were mentioned by our colleague. Mr. SCHEUER. in his remarks a few minutes ago. About 16 years ago. the Agriculture Committee. under then chairman. the distinguished Texan. Mr. W.R. Poage. traveled through the area of Africa that finds itself in drastic trouble. I was among the group that traveled with him and 16 years ago. he said what would happen. exactly his prediction. and he said. "Heaven forbid that it ever come to pass." But it has come to pass. The main reason that it happened was just three things: They did not take care of their soil. they did not take care of their water. and they had the wrong system of government. Those three things brought them basically to the situation they find themselves in. They let the farmer fall by the wayside. They did not use the technology that was available. as meager as it might have been. The governmentdid not protect the agricultural section. Merely to say now that. well. the desert is moving south. well. the desert did not have to move south. The desert could have been contained. it may be too late now. Hopefully. it can still be contained. We have to now work in tandem because the nations of the world. including us. cannot sustain for food the countries that are suffering. We have to bring them back to some semblance of productivity at least in the basic areas. The grains. edible beans or the things that they are accustomed to in that particular areas. How odd that we should be debating about the same time keeping our farmers on the land. and keeping the farmers available to conserve the land and to conserve the water so that we might. hopefully. not that we could be in as drastic a situation. because we are so diversified and the good Lord has given us the geography not to have a famine of that proportion. For example. recently Mrs. Rupee of the Peace Corps has asked for volunteers to go work in agriculture. the soil conservationists. The people that would work in technology. .in irrigation. in agronony and seeds and the things that are needed. So we cannot put the one aside and only worry about the immediate. because the immediate can become permanent. We. in the rest of the nations. will not be able to provide. in a permanent manner. the needs that they have now. We have got to get their farmers back on the land. we have to give them the resources. Every time that you give some food. you should also give a plow or a. rake or a hoe. Every time that you give some food. you should bring one more farmer that can feed. in our country 80. in that country probably it would be less. but it has to be done in tandem and we should not forget that because our charity. our compassion. our sensitivity all can go for naught if you do not correct the basic problem which is. they did not keep their farmers on the land.
Date: 1985-02-28
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. in February of each year we pause to note the role of blacks In the history of this country. In anticipation of the day when the contributions made by blacks will be fully recognized in the collective history of the United States. I join in todays special order to bring to the attention of my colleagues a few of the contributions made by blacks in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I first call to mind Edward Wilmoth Blyden. who left the Virgin Islands to go to school on the mainland. Disillusioned with the racism he found there. Blyden went on to Liberia where he served as professor and later as president of Liberia College. Mr. Blyden became Liberias Secretary of State and its Minister of the Interior. He also served as that countrys Ambassador to the Court of St. James. a post he held in 1877. Another Virgin Islander. Alton Adams. Sr.. was the first black Navy bandmaster in the United States. He served during World War I as part of the first black unit allowed to serve in this countrys Navy. Terence Todman is U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Prior to his current post. this Virgin Islander served as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain. In that position. Ambassador Todman negotiated the first post Franco treaty between this country and Spain. He is the top ranking black diplomat at the Department of State. recently referred to by the Deputy Undersecretary as "the very best we have to offer in the foreign service of the United States." In 1969. when Ambassador Todman was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Chad. he was the youngest ambassador ever appointed up to that point in our history. Enid Baa is responsible for the development of the Virgin Islands library service. including the effort made to preserve Virgin Islands history and culture. This contribution is particularly significant given the purpose of black history week. In addition to her post as librarian to the Virgin Islands. Ms. Baa has served as librarian at the United Nations. the Caribbean Organization and the New York Public Library. Other Virgin Islanders have made significant contributions to this countrys history. We can also take pride in the service which Virgin Islanders have given to other nations. It will be to our credit when this Nation fully embraces the efforts of these and all Americans.*
Date: 1985-03-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Agriculture Conservation and Credit Subcommittee chairman. Mr. JONES of Tennessee. and the subcommittees ranking member. Mr. E. THOMAS COLEMAN Of Missouri. this legislation was cleared through the Agriculture Committee without delay. and was brought to the floor of this body for immediate consideration. In fact. Mr. Speaker. in honoring your commitment to our South Dakota legislators who brought the message of the farm credit emergency to Washington. a commitment that this emergency proposal would receive your highest priority. you cleared the way for H.R. 1035 to be the first major legislative proposal of the year to receive the consideration of this body. In its response to the crisis in American agriculture. this body showed that politics takes a back seat to doing what is right. This body gave its strong bipartisan stamp of approval to my emergency credit legislation with a 318to103 vote. On the same day. farm State legislators in the other body were fighting the same battle. I must regretfully observe. without the bipartisan spirit that characterized our debate. After hours of filibuster. advocates in the other body extracted a promise from the Republican leadership. that they would be allowed to offer emergency farm credit amendments to an emergency famine relief bill the House had passed a day earlier. The legislative proposal we have before us today is the product of that effort. In the form of amendment. the other body narrowly approved the principles contained in the Emergency Farm Credit Act. The amendments adopted by the Senate strengthened the administrations Debt Adjustment Program and provided for an advance on producers Commodity Credit Corporation price support loans. Mr. Speaker. I include a summary of these two proposals be in the RECORD at this time:
Date: 1985-03-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

The majority rules and the majority voted. The question now is. what do we do? What do I tell the farmer who says. I am going down if I do not have help in 1 week. in 2 weeks? We are still waiting to go to conference on the soil conservation legislation because whoever runs the committee over there says. "I do not want to have any meetings." You would have an unfriendly conferr ence with conferees that would deadlock. That is the reality of the situation. an unfriendly conference that would deadlock and kill It there. My main concern is. I come to you with clean hands. I come to you with a clean heart. I come to you. if I have to. begging for the farmers of America that are in trouble that have given us the best food in the history of the world for the lowest amount of disposable income than any other country in the world. Those are the ones that are in trouble. and need our help. That is beyond any posturing. A poor shoeshine boy from south Texas Is going to embarrass the President of the United States? Ridiculous. absurd. untrue. It is the right thing to do. and this the time to do it. and this is how we act in a free legislative House. Do what you need to do. do it right. do it promptly. do it efficientlythat is what we are trying to do. Abnormal situation? Yes. I said it. Abnormal procedure? Yes. it is. The two go handinhand. So all I say is that my only posture here is that my responsibility as chairman\ of this great committee Is to see that the people of America get the best quality food for the lowest amount of disposable income. I think that 1 percent of the total budget of this great country of ours is a good investment to keep that farmer on the land. Why did Poland fall by the wayside? Because they let the farmer go. I heard a friend of mine from Germany say. "You have never known hunger in your country. we have twice this century. We are not going to let it happen again." I asked him. "Pray tell. how are you going to do that?" He said. "We are going to keep our farmers on the land." And that is my plea to you today: Keep that farmer on the land before. my friends. we are to know scarcity and. hopefully. God forbid. we are to know hunger.
Date: 1985-03-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

The gentleman is correct. This is not budgetbusting legislation. The Senate version costs less. It is $445 million over a 5year period in the House bill and $254 million in the Senate bill. I submit for the record the correct figures.
Date: 1985-03-05
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to the administrations proposal to eliminate funding for the Job Corps in the 1986 budget. The Washington Post recently described the Job Corps as one of the last survivors of the war on poverty. Although America has waged a gallant fight in this war. the war has not yet been won. and we cannot afford to surrender. The fight against poverty. hunger. and hopelessness must continue. One of the most important weapons in this fight has been the Job Corps. The Job Corps is an intensive program of education and skills training. which also attempts to instill personal discipline and efficient work habits. Participants are young. primarily members of minority groups. and largely school dropouts. The Job Corps helps these disadvantaged young people to find jobs. further education. or placement in the military. In so doing. it often helps to save them from lives of crimes. welfare.dependency. and premature parentage. Unemployment in America is still relatively high in historical terms. This is a particularly difficult problem in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Unfortunately. our choice may be between paying to train disadvantaged young people for jobs. or paying to keep them in jail when they turn to crime for lack of alternatives. It costs between $20.000 and $30.000 per year to keep a young person in prison. but only $6.000 per year to train that person for gainful employment in the Job Corps. The Job Corps has provided stable. long term. costeffective gains for its participants. In so doing. it has effectively carried out the administrations philosophy of partnerships between the public and private sectors. Of the 107 Job Corps centers. 77 are operated by private companies under competitive bids. The other 30 centers are Civilian Conservation Centers which are operated on public lands by the Departments of Interior and Agriculture. This is exactly the kind of public/private partnership which the administration has tried to encourage. Mr. Speaker. the Job Corps has for many years enjoyed broad bipartisan support. I call upon the President and my fellow Members of Congress to join those of us who have supported this program in a renewed bipartisan effort to save this extremely valuable program. We are all currently involved in the battle of the budget. Although we must win that battle. we cannot afford to let it cause us to lose the still unfinished war on poverty.