macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-09-29
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of VFW Post 8469. and the veterans whose dedication and service to this country are a remarkable testament to the past and present character of Americas servicemen. On October 7. 2006. Fairfax Citys VFW Post 8469 will celebrate its 60th anniversary. This Veterans of Foreign Wars Post includes members who have served their country in several foreign conflicts. including World War II. Korea. Vietnam. Desert Storm and most recently Iraqi Freedom. It is the history of this fine group of patriots that is celebrated. And history tells a tale. Sixty years ago Fairfax was a bucolic little southern county. There were only two high schools. The Fairfax County Police Department had only six officers. Most of the young men who went off to war in the preceding 5 years knew each other. as did many of their families. They- generally left for war at different times and typically served in different units. spread all over the globe. These soldiers saved the world and then they returned to an America that had radically transformed in their absence. specifically. to a county poised on the verge of a period of unprecedented growth. The only thing that had changed more than their world was the soldiers themselves. The returning soldiers. in the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes. "[had] shared the incommunicable experience of war . .This theme. and the reality of their circumstance. helped to underscore the necessity for a place and a venue where the veterans could find comradeship. work for the common good of the community. their fellow veterans. the widows and orphans. and to remember their fallen. Mr. Speaker. today VFW 8469 is blessed with the presence of four of the 108 charter members of our Post from October 1946. All members of VFW 8469 stand on the shoulders of these and other giants. The Charter Members named VFW 8469the "Blue and Gray Post". in honor of the areas famous 29th Infantry Division and in recognition of the healing power of a postCivil War poem titled. The Blue and the Gray. by Francis Miles Finch. The first verse of which reads:"By the flow of the inland river. Whence the fleets of iron have fled. [the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River] Where the blades of the gravegrass quiver. Asleep are the ranks of the dead: [Arlington Cemetery] Under the sod and the dew. Waiting the judgmentday. Under the one. the Blue. Under the other. the Gray." All Americans owe an unfathomable debt to our American soldiers who have taken up
Date: 2006-11-14
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. as vice chairman of the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. I rise with very mixed emotion. I am certainly happy that Chairman BUYER is bringing this important bill to the floor that will extend several worthy veterans programs and add a new provision that will improve education opportunities for the spouses and dependents of our severely wounded veterans. I urge my colleagues to support the bill in a bipartisan manner. However. I am disappointed that to date negotiations with the other body on Chairman BUYERS package of veterans initiatives. which was very. very bipartisan. has produced only limited progress. And there is a real possibility that many good provisions passed by both the House and the other body might not become law. These bills include improvements to VA medical care. hospital construction and maintenance projects and a wide range of veterans benefits. From my subcommittees perspective. important improvements include small business and employment legislation that is widely supported by the administration and the veterans community. For example. our legislation will improve the competitive status of veterans and disabled veteranowned small businesses seeking to win VA contracts. As the Members know. Public Law 10650 and Executive Order 13360 direct Federal agencies and departments to award at least 3 percent of Federal contracts to servicedisabled veteranowned businesses. serviceconnected veteranowned businesses. To date the only department to make that goal was the Department of State in fiscal year 2004. This is an unacceptable record for a nation whose armed forces are engaged in hostilities as we speak. One of our bills. H.R. 3082. will help rectify that shortfall in at least the Veterans Administration Department. The small business provisions of H.R. 3082 would provide VA acquisition staff additional tools that would give veterans and servicedisabled veteranowned businesses priority in many VA contract competitions. The bill would also ensure that surviving spouses who retain control of those businesses after the veteran owner dies continue to enjoy status as a servicedisabled veteranowned business for up to 10 years. In short. at least at the VA. the veteran business owners will be treated fairly and enable the VA to set a standard for other Federal agencies. Mr. Speaker. the bill- also makes several other improvements to the employment programs operated through the veterans employment and training service at the Department of Labor. I am especially pleased that H.R. 3082 includes provisions of a bill I introduced to improve licensing and credentialing of veterans based on skills and experience they gained during their military service. Mr. Speaker. in conclusion. this is an excellent bill. We need to pass it and make sure that the Senate gets the message loud and clear.
Date: 2006-12-05
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the chairman for his leadership and hard work on H.R. 5466. the. Captain John Smith National Historic Water Trail. which is very important to my district. The John Smith Water Trail has support from across the Bay watershed. My colleagues from Virginia. Maryland. Delaware and Pennsylvania have been tremendously supportive. State legislatures. Governors. county governments. local boards of supervisors. citizens groups and nonprofits. including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. have supported this project. Also I would like to recognize the leadership of Pat Noonan of the Conservation Fund and Gilbert Grosvenor. chairman of the National Geographic Society. for all of their hard work. In 1607. Captain John Smith and a small band of Englishmen set foot in North America with the intent of finding gold and quick riches. Instead. they represented the first wave of English colonists that would permanently settle the New World. Four hundred years ago. 140 men from the Virginia Company settled at Jamestown on the banks of the James River in Tidewater. Virginia. In search of a northwest passage to the Pacific Ocean. Captain John Smith and a dozen men explored the Chesapeake Bay in a small barge. From Jamestown. they explored the Bays major rivers. the James. the York. the Rappahannock. the Potomac and Susquehanna. Between 1607 and 1609 Smith mapped and explored nearly 3.000 miles of the Chesapeake Bay. Captain Smiths maps and writings influenced exploration and settlement in the New World for over a century. During Smiths voyages. he encountered the Native Americans in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. He developed trading relationships with many tribes. He documented the culture. languages and settlements of our countrys first people. This spring. the world will recognize the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in 1607. The Queen of England will visit America commemorating this significant event. Central to the story of Jamestown is Captain Smiths voyages. This National Historic Trail designation signifies Captain John Smiths profound influence that shaped the course of our Nation and represents a lasting tribute to the American spirit of discovery and exploration. Mr. Speaker. I ask my colleagues to support the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. and I appreciate all the hard work of our chairman and those who put forth their effort in this event.
Date: 2006-12-05
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. This 2.300mile trail retraces the waterborne route of Captain John Smith. who charted the Chesapeake Bay 400 years ago. The route stretches from the head of the Bay at Havre de Grace to the mouth at Cape Charles. and would enable visitors to explore Captain Smiths tracks. all of which helped to lay the foundation for our beloved Nation. The joumey of Captain John Smith dates back to June 2. 1608. when he and 14 English colonists set out from Jamestown to explore the Chesapeake Bay. The journey took over 3 months to complete and was marked by its success as the first thorough exploration of the Bay area. It was also key in discovering that the Chesapeake Bay did not open up into the Pacific Ocean. Additionally. Captain Smiths map of the Chesapeake opened up the area to thousands of Eiropean settlers. who may not have come to America otherwise. The Chesapeake Bay has a rich and unique heritage. and deserves to be commemorated through passage of this historic water trail. It is only fitting that such a man and such a discovery. be a part of Jamestowns 400th commemoration next year. The proposed trail would consist of a circuit of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. of which Captain Smith explored. It would allow visitors. families. school groups and civic organizations to retrace a route of great historic significance. It would also serve to encourage good environmental stewardship of the area to ensure its permanence for future generations. Mr. Speaker. in closing. I would like to thank the Chesapeake Bay for the impact it has had on its region and the Nation. I ask that my colleagues join me supporting H.R. 5466 and ensure the establishment of the historic Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
Date: 2006-12-06
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of S. 843. the Combating Autism Act of 2006. This bill would amend the Public Health Servicg Act to combat autism through research. screening. intervention and education. I have been greatly concerned by the significant increase in autism rates in our country. As a member of the House Coalition for Autism Research and Education Caucus. I have tried to take an active roll in improving the governments response to this epidemic. I am pleased we are considering this legislation today. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) places a terrible burden on the families of those afflicted. Autism is growing at a rate of 1017 percent each year. and we must take action before it becomes even more of a health crisis. The earlier we identify autism. the more options we have to help a child. The Combating Autism Actof 2006 would authorize $405 million in funding for autism research the National Institutes of Health over five years. and would require the director of NIH to develop and implement a plan for autism research by April 1. 2008. Passage of S. 843 would give $185 million to Autism Centers of Excellence. which provide continued support to examine causation. diagnosis. early detection. prevention. control. intervention and a cure for autism. The bill would also authorize $15 million for fiscal 2007 for the Centers for Disease Control and their surveillance and research programs. Combating autism is imperative because it affects one in .166 children and persists through adulthood. By learning the signs. a child can begin benefiting from one of the many specialized intervention programs. We must provide Federal funding to ensure that research. education and prevention are possible. Mr. Speaker. in closing. I hope that all Americans can continue to unite to form a collective voice for the autism community. I ask that my colleagues join me supporting S. 843. the Combating Autism Act of 2006.
Date: 2006-12-06
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my appreciation for departing members of the Florida Congressional Delegation. I am especially saddened that I will not see CLAY SHAW walking these halls or voting on this esteemed Floor next year. He is a class act. a true public servant who always demonstrated grace and decency. He has been a great mentor to me. and I can only hope that I can serve in Congress with the same honor CLAY SHAW did for 26 years. I know he will now -have more time for his wonderful wife and his lovely family. but I also know that I will miss him dearly. MIKE BILIRAKIS has earned his retirement from public service and I wish him well. Prov-. erbs states that "A wise son maketh a glad father." and MIKE BILIRAKIS should be a very glad dad. I had the great pleasure of serving with his son Gus in the Florida State Legislature. and I look forward to working with him again in the 110th Congress. . No one can doubt that KATHERINE HARRIS loves Florida. Her family roots run deep in the Sunshine State. and no one is more proud of our great State than her. I am honored to have served with her both in the Florida Statehouse and in this distinguished Chamber. I wish her all the best.
Date: 2006-12-07
Speaker: MICHAEL BURGESS (republican)
Chamber: H

for yielding. I appreciate the opportunity to rise and speak in support of the gentleman from Georgia. Dr. PHIL GINGREYS. House Resolution 934. which encourages the creation of a week that would be dedicated to the support and development of advance directives. Advance directives are a legal document that every American should explore and hopefully will find useful. An advance directive is something that has been very helpful in my own family since I lost a spouse to cancer and then subsequently lost my father to cancer. Now. the advance directives that come into play are something that would not take over unless the individual lost consciousness and went into a coma. Other than that. a person is able to call their own shots and make their own decisions. But if a person slips into coma. an advance directive can be very helpful in telling your family and your physicians and hospital staff in advance how you want to be taken care of. And this is very important. Mr. Speaker. and very important for all of us that we take the time to help clarify those decisions before a person slips into a coma and is unable to communicate. Providing a family physician and the family members an advance directive can reduce confusion and reduce guesswork about what you really want for your treatment during endoflife time if you should slip into a coma. Since illness can come unexpectedly and not all of us have the chance to make those wishes known personally. an advance directive can be very useful and can remain in a drawer or with your family physician. in your file. so that you can be at ease knowing you have made that kind of decision known in advance. Once again I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia. Dr. PHIL GINGREY. for. bringing this resolution to the floor.
Date: 2006-12-07
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Madam Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is a privilege and a distinct pleasure to be able to say a few words about HENRY HYDE. someone I consider to be a friend but also who I consider to be part of the institution of the House of Representatives and in many ways a true hero. We count probably on one hand the number of inspirational people that we either have read about in history or have met in person. I count my father as one of my heroes. I count Abraham Lincoln as one of my heroes. I count Ronald Reagan as one of my heroes. and I count HENRY HYDE as one of my heroes. Of that group. there is only one with whom I was able to serve in the House of Representatives on the Judiciary Committee for 10 consecutive years. a number of those years sitting directly beside HENRY HYDE. He was not only an excellent practitioner of the art of politics. but he was a true scholar. If you have ever had the opportunity to sit with HENRY HYDE as he thinks about a response to a question. thinks about a response to an argument that has been made on the floor or the committee. you see a man in real thought. in deep thought. If you have ever had the opportunity to be there when he then began his response. you were educated. you were edified. you were inspired by what he had to say. And you knew he took it seriously. but he never took himself too seriously. We could do no better in this House of Representatives as we embark on a new Congress in which the majority has shifted. and as we attempt to try and figure out how we treat one another. to think of the example of
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: GINNY BROWN-WAITE (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Flor

ida. Mr. Speaker. I certainly want to thank Chairman THOMAS. He has been a great chairman and has worked with everybody on both sides of the aisle and is sorely going to be missed. I know he doesnt like people to say nice things about him because he does not want to be known as a nice guy. but he truly is. Florida. like other States. does not have an income tax. and only recently have the residents again been able to deduct the sales taxes from their Federal income tax. That is called paiity. It is parity with other States. This deduction was about to expire at the end of 2005. In recent months I and many others from States that only have a sales tax have heard from many constituents who are concerned about whether or not they will be able to claim this deduction as they begin their taxes. due April 15. Thankfully this legislation before us today will extend this critical provision. I know throughout the last several months I have probably been the biggest nag to Mr. THOMAS about this issue. I know all of my colleagues from States that only have sales tax also have been making their views known that this does need to be continued. I certainly want to stress that it is common sense. and. again. it is just parity. And we do need this very muchneeded tax benefit and it is good that we are able to deliver it just before the holidays. I want to thank the chairman.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: JO ANN DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. due to a medical treatment. I was unable to attend votes on Friday. December 8. 2006. Had I been present. I would have voted the following: H.R. 6406-"nay". to modify temporarily certain rates of duty and make other technical amendments to the trade laws. to extend certain trade preference programs. and for other purposes. H.R. 6111-"yea". Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: MARIO DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I strongly support free trade with free nations. I can not in good conscience support free trade with a totalitarian regime like Vietnam which imprisons political dissidents. suppresses religious freedom and violates even the most basic of human rights. I will continue to strongly advocate for an Andean Free Trade Agreement. and I will continue to voice my support for free trade with the Impoverished nation of Haiti. which desperately needs the economic opportunities the United States can provide. Although I would have eagerly voted to extend the trade agreements with Andean nations and Haiti. I am very disappointed that the Vietnam trade agreement was attached to this vote. Economic opportunities with the United States should be with nations who uphold some basic human rights.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: . Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill .to reform the postal laws of the United States. as amended.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. put together. Speaker. I yield 5 minutes to the gen- This bill represents 80 percent. probtleman from New York . ably more than 80 percent. of the first
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. let me just say again. this legislation mandates transparency in the Services finances. costs. and operations. creates a modern system of rate regulation. establishes fair competition rules. and a powerful new regulator to oversee operations. It addresses the Postal Services universal service operation in the scope of the mail monopoly. it institutes improvements to the collective bargaining process. it also puts a reasonable rate cap on it for the mailers. the firstclass mailers and across the board for Americans who use the postal system. I urge my colleagues to adopt it and support this. - H9181 Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee for agreeing to work with me on H.R. 6407 and I ask that our letters of exchange be inserted into the RECORD.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 103 East Thompson Street in Thomaston. Georgia. as the "Sergeant First Class Robert Lee Bobby Hollar. Jr.. Post Office Building".
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 4nd include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I rise jn support of S. 4050. offered by the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. WESTMORELAND. This bill would name a post office in Thomaston. Ga. to honor Sgt. First Class Bobby Lee Hollar. who was killed in action while serving our nation in Iraq. Sergeant Hollar was the kind of man who makes it possible for Americans to live in freedom and his service to his country was nothing short of remarkable. He was a Tank Commander in the U.S. Army National Guard before joining the 108th Calvary Division in Griffin. Georgia. For seven years following that. he worked within the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg and Colorado Springs. He believed passionately in what he did. and at the young age of 35. he died entirely too young. I would also like to note here that naming this post office in honor of Sergeant Hollar is quite befitting. as he dedicated several years of his life to the Postal Service before returning to the military and deploying to Iraq. Friends and family from every part of his life remember his kindness. his spirit. and the way he put his heart and soul into everything he did. We are so fortunate for the bravery and allegiance of people like Sergeant Hollar. and it is with gratitude for his dedication and service that I support this resolution. Mr. Speaker. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia .
Date: 2006-12-08
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. That is. on the night that Members found out that they were defeated. their staffs knew they were out of a job. It is my information that a number of Republican staffers on some of the committees were not informed until just yesterday that they were out of a job because we didnt know what .the staff ratios were going to be. we didnt know which people were going to have to be selected. and so just in that particular regard. they got far less notice. I understand what the gentleman is doing here. I happen to be one of those who has been accused about not being concerned enough about staff. but the fact of the matter is. if we want small government to work well. we need to have good people to work here. I dont know why we are taking the time tonight to berate. in essence. our people. to suggest that somehow they knew this was coming.