macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-06-09
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentlewoman from California for her wise and compassionate concern and sharing of information. I want to remind us that there are so many vestiges of discrimination against the LGBT community. not the least of which is also denying them access to public accommodations. This isnt what this country stands for. This isnt who we are. We are better than that. So I am glad to have this opportunity to highlight some of our issues and concerns and the support that we have for the LGBT community. For everyone. anyone. and all of us celebrating this month. I wish you a happy Pride Month. Mr. Speaker. I conclude my Special Order hour. and I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise this morning in opposition to H. Con. Res. 112. expressing the sense of Congress opposing the Presidents proposed $10 tax on every barrel of oil. During my time in Congress. I have represented all five major refineries and countless energy production firms in East Harris County. I know the importance of the domestically produced and refined oil to the U.S. economy. I also know the importance of a wellfunded transportation system. Houston is growing rapidly and our transportation system needs to expand with our population. I stand in opposition to todays Sense of Congress because of this knowledge and experience. But to clarify. we shouldnt make things tougher on American companies and domesticallyproduced crude. I do not support a $10 dollar tax on our natural resources. I do not support a $10 dollar tax on wildcatters in West Texas. North Dakota or any other areas in the U.S. that supply crude to the Texas Gulf Coast. It is these companies that are responsible for the energy renaissance in the U.S. These entrepreneurs lowered our gas prices. reduced our foreign dependence and made the U.S. the largest producer of oil in the world. I do support a $10 dollar tax on imported oil from foreign sources. Imported oil from countries that may or may not be our friends does not benefit our national security or domestic economy. We should sharpen our competitive edge and expand our 21st century transportation system by taxing imported oil. I stand with our domestic companies. we should continue to produce and refine U.S. crude for the benefit of U.S. consumers and workers. But I stand in opposition of this overly expansive Sense of Congress and I ask my colleagues to do the same.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. I support the gentlemans amendment. This is a commonsense amendment which would prohibit funding in this bill from being used to pay contractors engaged in fraud or tax evasion. As the gentleman said. similar amendments have been adopted on other appropriations bills. I urge Members to vote "aye."
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I rise in support of the amendment to revive the Office of Technology Assessment. When I was chair of the subcommittee. we tried to restart it within the Government Accountability Office. In fiscal years 2008 to 2010. I included $2.5 million in this bill with GAO to support that initiative. However. the supporters of the amendment make an impassioned case that the Office of Technology Assessment should be a part of Congress itself. rather than GAO. in order to provide objective analysis of complex. scientific. and technical issues which certainly. I think we can all agree. actually exist today. We are not trying to go back to 20th century technology. We have important issues that need to be reviewed. and we dont always have the expertise in Congress necessary to be able to make sure we can get that cogent analysis. particularly when we are still at funding levels back to 2010 in the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. This is a bill in which we are tackling copyright modernization. specifically dealing with technology challenges. and an OTA would add to the rigor of our analysis on that topic and others. I urge support of the amendment.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. I claim the time in opposition to the amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Florida is recognized for 5 minutes.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. the Office of Congressional Ethics is crucial to ensuring accountability and transparency in this body. Any attempts to cut its budget would only serve to erode our constituents trust and faith in Congress. which certainly has already suffered a significant amount of erosion. As many of my colleagues will recall. the House created the Office of Congressional Ethics nearly a decade ago to improve the integrity of the ethics process in the House. The House was recovering from the Mark Foley scandal. and it was clear that we needed to do something to rebuild the American peoples trust in their elected Representatives. That is why OCEs core "mission is to assist the U.S. House in upholding high ethical standards with an eye toward increasing transparency and providing information to the public." I acknowledge that there are proposals to improve the operations of the Office of Congressional Ethics. and we should certainly take a look at those. Madam Chair. but it is common sense that these improvements cant be made by cutting funding for the office that we are actually seeking to improve. Moreover. the issue of congressional ethics is far too important to reduce to a 10minute debate on the House floor. For these reasons. I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided amendment. Madam Chair. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. while I can appreciate the gentlemans concerns. he has listed a number of substantive differences of opinion with the way the Office of Congressional Ethics handles their work. This appropriations bill is not the appropriate place to address those. The Office of Congressional Ethics was created through legislation. It is a substantive issue. and it is one that should be debated and discussed on an authorizing bill. not on the funding of the legislative branch. You dont just cut the budget of an office with whose decisions you disagree. We can debate and discuss these concerns. but cutting $190.000 out of the OCEs budget is not the way to address that. For those reasons and the fact that the public already has some pretty significant concerns with the way we do business here. this would send the wrong message. If we are going to have this discussion. we should do it in a forum that allows for more robust discussion and debate over how to address those challenges long term. Madam Chair. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. how much time do I have remaining? The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Florida has 3 minutes remaining.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. I have tremendous respect for the gentleman from New Mexico and his concerns for the operation of the Office of Congressional Ethics. However. all that we would be doing here. if his amendment were to pass. is to send a $190.000 message to the Office of Congressional Ethics. It would not achieve any of the gentlemans goals. If we do need to take a look at the way the office functions. then there is a process for doing that. The only thing we achieve here by adopting this amendment is cutting their budget by $190.000. So. if the majority believes that it is important to take a look at the function of this office. then there is a process for doing that and to take up legislation to change the way they do business. That is certainly appropriate. But we dont accomplish any of the gentlemans goals by cutting $190.000. In fact. the public has certainly already sent multiple messages to the United States Congress that they dont have a whole lot of confidence in the business that we are doing here. This would send the absolute wrong message back to themthat we dont get it. So I urge Members to oppose the amendment because it would not achieve the gentlemans goals and because we have a more appropriate place to actually achieve those goals in the authorizing committee. Madam Chair. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New Mexico .
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII. further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New Mexico will be postponed.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise to join my colleague. Congressman JOAQUIN CASTRO. to urge the majority to finally allow the House to strike a destructive political provision that has made its way into the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. If those listening are wondering why we are talking about the pejorative term "illegal aliens" on the bill that funds the legislative branch. then you are not alone. This legislations accompanying report includes language that would have the Library continue to use the term "illegal aliens." "to the extent practicable"-even though the Library itself has said that there is no practicable means to continue to use the term "illegal aliens." The Library changes thousands of subject headings each year without interference from Congress. Why this one? Why now? The Library once used the subject heading "Negro." then moved to "AfroAmerican." and now "African American." They didnt wait until the entire U.S. Code was free of the pejorative term "Negro" before they changed their subject heading. As a matter of fact. Congress only recently removed the last vestiges of the terms "Negro" and "Oriental" from the U.S. Code in May of 2016. That bill passed with a unanimous vote. including the "yes" vote of the chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee. If we removed "Negro" and "Oriental" in the subject headings of the Library of Congress before we changed the U.S. Code. then we should do the same for the nowpejorative term. "illegal alien." The Library of Congress is our Nations first established cultural institution. and it is hard to fathom why my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would try to tie its hands to the slowmoving wheels of the U.S. Code. Entering into an immigration debate on the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill is a terrible precedent. If the majority is really serious about debating the U.S. Code. then lets have the Republican Rules Committee bring up the Castro bill that would remove the hurtful and inaccurate term "illegal aliens" once and for all from the U.S. Code. We are Members of Congress. not captains of the word police. Free the card catalog and depoliticize this bill.
Date: 2016-06-10
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Madam Speaker. I rise today to express my fierce opposition to the "illegal alien" provision that has been inserted into the legislative branch appropriations bill. This partisan language will force the Library of Congress to keep using the term "illegal alien" even though the Library of Congress decided to remove that derogatory and totally inaccurate term from the Librarys subject heading system. "Illegal alien" is a form of dehumanizing rhetoric. The term has been used to justify continued discrimination against vulnerable migrants and minority communities. The provision is politicizing what is supposed to be a bipartisan budget bill. This unprecedented interference by Congress will have huge ramifications. The Library of Congress sets the standard for subject headings used across America and internationally. "Illegal alien" is inaccurate. The Library of Congress contains our most important records. and they should be accurate and reflect reality.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I have no further requests for time. and I urge a positive vote on the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. also known as the publics right to know or Transparency in Government Act. It is fitting that we pass this bill to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act just a few weeks before the 50th anniversary of this important law. The National Archives and Records Administration currently has on display the original Freedom of Information Act in celebration of the anniversary on July 4. It is inspiring to think that 50 years have passed and that document is still the most important tool that the public has to access information about their government. When FOIA was passed in 1966. it was only the third freedom of information law in the entire world. and it was by far the most powerful. Now countries all over the world have transparency laws that are modeled on our Nations FOIA law. We are here today in the ongoing quest to improve FOIA and to keep it current with changes in technology. I want to thank Congressmen ISSA and CUMMINGS for introducing the House version of the bill and Senators LEAHY and CORNYN for taking the lead in the Senate. This bill is the result of many voices providing feedback and helpful critiques. That is the way a good law is made. Advocacy groups such as OpenTheGovernment.org and the Sunshine in Government Initiative have been critical to the success of this legislation.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland . who has led many of the discussions in this body on criminal justice reform and reform in so many ways. including this bill that he helped author with former Chairman ISSA.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself the balance of my time. I join my voice with Ranking Member CUMMINGS in being associated with the words from my friend and colleague from the great State of North Carolina in support of this important legislation and to also compliment not only ELIJAH CUMMINGS for his leadership. but former Chairman ISSA for making this a priority and for helping to move it to the floor and make it happen. This is a good. bipartisan bill. It was worked on diligently by both sides in both the House and the Senate. It is an important step forward for transparency. It is a strengthened bill. It deserves the support of everyone on both sides of the aisle. and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I am delighted to know that this is a part of the innovation project. There are a number of good bills in the committee that we could really make a part of that package. I have no further speakers. and I urge support of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise first of all to acknowledge my colleague. Congresswoman CORRINE BROWN. in whose district this heinous. terroristic. hateful act occurred. I acknowledge my hometown of Houston. where. as I stand here today. they are mourning with memorials that will be held today. Tuesday. and Wednesday in solidarity with the people of Orlando. Florida. I also rise with great pain in joining my colleague. Congresswoman BROWN. to introduce legislation to push and to remind individuals about the violence that is taking place through the weapons of war that we are allowing to be sold on the streets of America. It is high time for this body to stop standing in memoriam and for a 1minute speech and to pass the ban on assault weapons and highcaliber bullets that are destroying and killing and destroying and killing. It has been told that there were bodies whose legs were taken off by the bullets. I ask this body to recognize that we can no longer talk. talk. talk. We must do. do. do. We will fight till our last breath to demand that the Constitution be respected. Mr. Speakeras I endthe First Amendment. the right to free speech. and. yes. the Second Amendment. with the restrictions and the recognition that AR15s are killing Americans. We must stop it now.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: MAXINE WATERS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker and Members. we have had another moment of silence. a moment of silence indicating that somehow we are concerned about what happened in Orlando. Florida. It is not good enough. How many times have we done this? Whether we are talking about Sandy Hook. where those babies were killed. or we are talking about North Carolina or we are talking about San Bernardino or Aurora. Colorado. we keep getting up with a moment of silence because we dont want to deal with what is really going on. This Republican leadership is pitiful. It is disgusting that they dont have the guts or the commitment to call it like it is and bring a bill to this floor to get rid of assault weapons. That weapon that killed those 50 people and harmed those other 53 is a weapon that is designed for war. Dont tell me about your hunting concerns. This AR15 has nothing to do with hunting. This is about killing. And so this leadership is spineless. it is gutless. and it deserves not to have the ability to get up on this floor and talk about responsibility or innovation-
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: MAXINE WATERS (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia.-or any of this other stuff that they are talking about. I want to say over and over again. I dont care if my time is up. you stop me from talking if you will. The fact of the matter is. we should all be on this. Business as usual? I dont think so. We should have stopped everything this evening. concentrated on how we can get a bill to the floor.
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise in honor of the special order hour titled "Bridging the Divide: A Call to Action by the Congressional Black Caucus to Eliminate Racial Health Disparities." I would like to thank my colleagues Congressman HAKEEM JEFFRIES and Congresswoman JOYCE BEATTY for hosting this timely special order. Historically. racial and ethnic minorities are likely to have the highest uninsured rates and are less likely to receive preventive and quality health care. While the Affordable Care Act has helped minorities afford health insurance and access quality care. there is still a need to eliminate existing disparities. For example. the Department of Health and Human Services is currently working to expand access. end racial and ethnic discrimination. perform outreach to underserved communities. improve workforce diversity. and expand data collection and reporting. While this is an ambitious plan. it is one that is extremely necessary. Unfortunately. coverage. access. and outreach may not be the only keys to eliminating disparities. Demographic characteristics contribute heavily to racial and ethnic health status. For example. research shows that privately insured African American and Hispanic adults fare worse than privately insured white adults along measures to access and use of care. Unfortunately. African Americans and Hispanics are less likely to have a regular provider than their white counterparts. The same research also showed that privately insured African Americans and Hispanics had less confidence in their ability to pay for medical costs. Since social determinants like economic stability. education. and environment play such a large role in how we each view and access health care. many of the changes necessary to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities require a much larger plan than just a focus on healthrelated programs. Reducing disparities in health truly entails addressing racial and ethnic social determinants such as availability of safe housing. affordable food. access to education. job opportunities. communitybased resources. public safety. public transportation. and more. Our society must make many changes before we can truly eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities because that also means eliminating disparities in many other sectors. I thank Congressman JEFFRIES and Congresswoman BEATTY for hosting this poignant special order. TIBET
Date: 2016-06-13
Speaker: BEN RAY LUJAN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New Mexico

PETITIONS. ETC. "Sense of the Council in Support of a Statehood or Else Signature Campaign ResoluUnder clause 3 of rule XII. tion of 2015". which was referred to the Com68. The SPEAKER presented a petition of mittee on Oversight and Government Rethe Council of the District of Columbia. rel- form. ative to Council Resolution 21292. entitled Congressional Record
Date: 2016-06-14
Speaker: CAROLYN B. MALONEY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: New York

Mr. Speaker. yesterday. I went down to the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in New York City. where the modern gay rights movement really began. I went there to leave some flowers in honor of those members of the LGBT community who lost their lives in the massacrethe worst mass shooting in American historyat Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Florida. While I stood there in solidarity with a somber crowd of allies and members of the LGBT community. it occurred to me that. just as the events at Stonewall were a turning point in the gay rights movement. this horrific attack in Orlando may serve as a turning point of its own because it is time for all of us to stand up together and say: Enough. We will not be silent. This madness must end. And make no mistake. it is utter madness that a man with a history of domestic violence. a man who had been investigated by the FBI for his possible ties to terror. could buy an assault weapon as easily as he could buy an aspirin. In the Pulse massacre. this man armed with an AR15 militarytype assault rifle. a weapon that he bought legally. killed 49 people and injured 50 more. Earlier. at an elementary school in Connecticut. another madman with an AR15style assault weapon killed 26 children and their teachers. And in a theater in Aurora. Colorado. one man with one AR15 assault weapon killed 12 and wounded 70. In each of these mass casualty events. it took one gun and one man to brutally take so many innocent lives. In each case. the gun was an assault weapon. Assault weapons are designed to do one thing very well. and that is to kill people very rapidly. They arent used for hunting. They arent used for selfdefense. They are used as weapons of war. So why is it so easy for people to purchase them and hurt others? That is why. in 1994. three United States PresidentsPresident Ford. President Carter. and President Reaganall signed a letter to the House of Representatives calling for a Federal ban on militarystyle assault weapons. I will place their meaningful letter into the RECORD.