macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I would hope Senators would not press the majority leader to do this. What has been done is often done. The Chair oftenonce we give unanimous consent that a measure may be called up. we vitiate the 1day rule. We do not necessarily vitiate the 3day rule. But very seldom does anyone raise any question about that 3day rule once we have given consent that the measure be called ut. in which case the Chair proceeds. to see if there are no further amendments. third reading. That is what happened here. He made it very clearly. I sat here and listened to him.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I hope we will now vote on the passage of the bill. I ask unanimous consent that any other Senators who wish to do so may also insert their statements in the RECORD.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. The concurrent resolution reads as follows: Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring). That the House of Representatives shall adjourn Monday. December 20. 1982. or on Tuesday. December 21. 1982. pursuant to a motion made by the Majority Leader. or his designee. in accordance with this resolution. and that when It adjourns on said day. it stand adjourned sine die: and be it further Rcsolved. That the consent of the House of Representatives is hereby given to an adjournment sine die of the Senate at any time prior to January 3. 1983. when the Senate shall so determine: and that pending such sine die adjournment. the Senate may adjourn or recess for such period or periods in excess of three days as it may determine.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I have no objection to that. If the distinguished. majority leader is likeminded. at the end of the actions. perhaps he will then get an order to reconsider.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. on matters that do require consent. I ask the Chair to yield to the minority an opportunity to object.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. again. I say on matters on which there could be* an objection filed. the Chair should give the minority the chance to object before he asks the clerk to state the matter. I do not expect to object.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I am proud to cosponsor the pending legislation to establish a National Institute on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. While arthritis is generally thought of as a condition of old age. it is actually a generic term encompassing more than 100 forms of disease afflicting both young and old. More than 31.5 million Americans suffer from some form of arthritis1 out of every 7 citizens. Moreover. the number grows annually. Almost 1 million more Americans are plagued by these painful and debilitating diseases each year. Arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases are important factors behind the increasing costs of the medicare and social security disability programs. and the rising costs of other workers compensation programs. Eight years ago the Congress enacted the National Arthritis Act to organize a national campaign against arthritis. Implementation of that plan has fallen short. the gap between recommended and actual expenditures has grown annually. and arthritis and musculoskeletal disease research has received neither the priority nor the focus it warrants. This is partially be. cause this research is currently lumped in the National Institute of Arthritis. Diabetes. and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIADDK) with an inappropriate array of diseases. While 14 percent of the population suffers from arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases. in 1981 only 16.7 percent of the NIADDK budgetor 1.7 percent of the National Institutes of Health research budgetwas earmarked to this research. The result is. each year Americans spend many times more money on ineffective "remedies" for arthritis. than the Federal Government spends on research into the causes. treatment. and prevention of all types of musculoskeletal diseases. The time for an accelerated research effort in arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions is now. As our society grows older. these diseases will take an even greater toll in economic and human terms. A significant scientific breakthrough could bring us closer to affording relief from almost. daily pain for millions of Americans. and to greater future participation in everyday activities for millions more. Such medical advances would also help to contain the future costs of Federal entitlement programs. most notably the social security disability and medicare programs. Given current Federal budget constraints. this bill does not attempt to spend more money on biomedical research endeavors. It does not even provide increased funding to create the Institute. Because research efforts in NIADDK pertaining to arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases are already concentrated in one systematic Division. the overhead and administrative costs connected with separating these disease groups from NIADDK are not expected to be significant. Hopefully. arthritisrelated research efforts would benefit from greater visibility. and more coordinated future research activity. I commend the distingushed Senator from Arizona. Senator GOLDWATER. for his significant contributions to this legislation.
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

No objection. The Senate proceeded to consider the bill to provide that per capita payments to Indians may be made by tribal governments. and for other purposes. which had been reported from the Select Committee on Indian Affairs with anamendment on page 2. line 20. strike "met.". and insert "met. including but not limited to. the protection of the interests of minors and incompetents in such funds.."
Date: 1982-12-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I again have the last word. I move to lay the motion on the table. TE S 15883 The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Presi. dent. I do not think I will need the remainder of the majority leaders time. I thank the majority leader for his offer.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I would like to announce that last week. on Wednesday evening. Senator PROXMIRE cast his. 8.000th consecutive vote. I do not think that is a matter that should go unnoticed here or in the country. It is a remarkable record. I know of no other Senator who has ever achieved such an outstandingly extraordinary record of casting consecutive votes. In the other body that may very well be the case but not here. I congratulate Senator PROXMIRE for his spartan dedication to duty. I frankly do not see how he has been able to do it. I like to pride myself on the fact that I have cast nearly 10.000 votes in my 30 years in the Congress. only to be exceeded by my senior colleagues. Senator RANDOLPH and Senator JAcXSON. insofar as I know. I am proud of the fact that I have a 100percent rolleall attendance record during this year which was a campaign year for me. and a 98percent rollcall attendance record for the 24 years I have spent in the Senate. But those achievements pale by comparison with the record that has been achieved by the Senator from Wisconsin8.000 consecutive rollcall votes without missing a single vote in that time.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I will ask the distinguished majority leader a question. I know that he can only answer this question to the very best of his understanding and based on conversations that he is in a position to have with the White House and with the President and the Presidents assistants. But on yesterday. some of us raised the concern borne of having read in the media that the President was holding the conference report on the continuing resolution hostage to the passage of the gas tax bill. That question was raised on the floor. and I participated in raising that question. At that time the distinguished majority leader said the following. I do not want to misquote him. He said: Madam President. the conference report is now on its way to the President. I expect the President will act on that. I hope tonight. I expect tonight. In any event. I expect him to act on it promptly. May I say I have seen wire service reports that he might wait "a day or two." I have talked to the President. That is not the case. He did not say that. He expects to act on it promptly and I hopeI want everybody to know that I have personally talked to the President. I make that representation on my own authority. based on my own conversation. which was less than 30 minutes ago. The rest of what the majority leader said pertained to other matters. Now. there are reports I hear that have come through the media that the President is still holding up signing the conference report on the continuIng resolution until he sees what happens on the gas tax. And I read in this mornings Washington Post an excerpt from a story which is subheaded as follows: "Reagan Ready To Sign Measure." President Reagan will sign the stopgap spending measure sent to him early today even though he has deep reservations about restrictions imposed by Congress on development of the MX missile. high administration officials said. But. then another excerpt reads as follows: But the president withheld any announcement of his decision yesterday in order to keep pressure on the Senate to complete approval of two measures that he regards as high prioritythe 5centagallon gasoline tax increase and legislation allowing dutyfree imports that Is part of his Caribbean Basin Initiative. Now. I have had conversations with the distinguished majority leader. whom I trust without any question. and I know that the majority leader would never knowingly misrepresent anything to the Senate. But I would like to know whether or not the President. in the opinion of the majority leader. is going to sign that continuing resolution. whether he is going to sign it promptly or is he rcoing to hold that continuing resolution hostage to the gas tax or the Caribbean Basin Initiative or anything else. If the President is going to do that. I think we ought to know it. And I trust the majority leader to tell us to the best of his knowledge what his uptotheminute information is on that matter.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I thank the distinguished majority leader. The only thing I can say is that I wish he were the President of the United States right at this moment.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the majority leader and I deal with each other as friends. not enemies. We obviously have to disagree at times. But I have no better friend in this body than HOWARD BAKER. .
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I know of no better friend that I have than HOWARD BAKER. We deal with each as friends and not enemies and he lays it right on the table. I try to do the same. He cannot commit himself at this moment. but before he proceeds he will consult with me and others. and I assure the distinguished Senator from Ohio that there were not only two obJections ready to be made last night. I was sitting in the chair right there. There were two others who objected so why should I object?
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

He need not be concerned. I will do everything I can to protect my colleagues on this side of the aisle as the majority leader protects those on his side of the aisle and as he consults and tries to be protective. fair and generous to Members on this side. I merely wanted to be sure that the President was not playing games. I cannot be indicted for treason for anything I say on this floor. If that is reasonable then I am guilty. And the best way I knew to get that assurance was to ask the majority leader and he has given that assurance. I do not know of anything more I can say or he can say. but I ssure the distinguished Senator from Ohio that he can count on me as the leader of his party to do everything I can to protect all our Democrats. and I do not think I will have to protect them against surprises from the majority leader. but I will do everything I can to protect them. to put them on adequate notice of any vote that is going to arise. We are in a difficult point in this session right now. Some of our Members have gone home. although .we have a good many Members left. But I hope that we could let the matter rest at that point.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I am satisfied with the answers the majority leader gave to me anent the signing of that conference report. But if that is not signedat what time was it?
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Because I think if the President is holding the conference report on the continuing resolution hostage. the other House is entitled to know that.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

We are entitled to know that. I am perfectly satisfied by the assurance the majority leader has given. But if the pen is not Dece Imber 21. 1989 off that paper by that given hour. I am going to be back here asking again.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I thank the majority leader for his announcement. which certainly relieves the concerns of myself and several other Senators that that matter has been put to rest. How long would the majority leader like to proceed before he takes up any business?
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Neither of those matters is cleared for action at this point. May I say to the distinguished majority leader. we will continue to explore the possibility here. My only reason for asking the question that I asked was that I have a speech which I can make now or I can make next year. but I would only want to make it when the Senate does not have business ready to transact. I think the Senator from Michigan does have a statement to be made in morning business.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Dbcimber $1. 19829
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Yes. Mr. President. I will not object. I am a little concerned by the great numbers of bills that are beink discharged from committees at the last minute. This is not a thing unheard of. that some bills be discharged from committees. but it seems to me that committees ought to S15914 do their work on these pieces of legislation so that we would not have to take this extraordinary procedure of discharging committees. There is nothing in this request that there is any objection to.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agteed to.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. in response to the Inquiry by the distinguished majority leader. the minority is ready to proceed with the following Calendar Order No. 1013 on page 3 and No. 1071 on page 3 and beginning with 1125. Department of Defense. on page 3. and going through the remainder of the calendar through page 15.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. there is no objection on this side to proceeding with the nominations which have just been enumerated by th6 distingdished majority leader. On the treaty we would want a division vote.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: JOHN L. BURTON (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. Saturday a spokesman for the President said that they were against any expenditure of funds for job programs and would veto the continuing resolution if it had job programs in it. At the same time they said they were concerned about the unemployment and they were in favor of extending unemployment insurance for 13 months. As Ronald W. Reagan always said. what the people of this country want is a hand up and not a handout. I would suggest that the President stop by the butcher shop and get himself a heart for these holidays.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speakers table the Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 271) to make technical corrections in certain bank. ing and related statutes. and ask for its immediate consideration.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman will yield. I want to assure the gentleman that the action that would be taken definitely concerns technical amendments. typos. correction of erroneous references in the legislation that we adopted prior to the November elections. and where there are substantive changes there will be an amendment offered to eliminate the substantive legislative changes. They can be dealt with in the next Congress in the ordinary legislative process.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (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 the legislation just considered.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: JOHN SEBERLING (democrat)
Chamber: H

whose enthusiastic support along with the strong support of the gentleman from Alaska. DoN YOUNG. also made thq passage of these important bills possible. To the veterans of the Vietnam war. who gave so much. then faced further opposition at home. the passage of these bills which will insure that the memorial carry a message not only of honor and respect. but also convey a message concerning the very proper reasons why we fought in that war. This action in many ways helps ease the hurt of our original unwelcome homecoming. More Importantly. it clearly indicates thAt the memorial is to carry a political message. a good and strong and positive political message that the fundamental values of the United States are sound. and do offer help for mankind. and that in fighting the Vietnam war. regardless of ones opinion of how it was fought. the men and women who sacrificed there did so for the freedom and liberty of their fellow men. In the finest tradition of what the United States of America has stood for. stands for now. and we pray to God will continue to stand for. on behalf of the human rights of all individuals everywhere.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Presi- Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to reduce dent. I move to lay that motion on the the rate of certain taxes paid to the Virgin table. Islands or Virgin Islands source income. The motion to lay on the table was having met. after full and free conference. have agreed to recommend and do recoinagreed to. mend to their respective Houses this report. signed by a majority of the conferees. MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE The PRESIDING OFFICER. WithThe conference report on H.R. 6211. out objection. the Senate will proceed the Surface Transportation Act of to the consideration of the conference 1982. and other matters received from report. the House of Representatives at that (The conference report Is printed In time are listed in the message of 9:58 the House proceedings of the RECORD p.m. under "Messages From the of December 21. 1982.) House." Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. President. I
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. will the Senator from Kansas yield? There have been many times when I have called bills up that I opposed when I was majority leader. I have been successful in breaking a fillbuster. as in the case of the natural gas bill. which I was opposed to. I had to do some rather highhanded actions at that time. but. nevertheless. it was .the. only way to break the filibuster. and I was responsible for setting some precedents when I was majority leader. with the help of Mr. BAKER who was then the minority leader. and
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I hope the majority leader will let us all know -what his plans are. I have been listening carefully. but are we going to be here all night tonight or. if he is not going to file a cloture motion. are we going to be here maybe all day the following day? I say this with the utmost good faith. Mr. President. We are entitled to know what the majority leaders plans are if he can tell us at this time.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. reserving the right to object. I have one clarification and possibly two suggestions. The clarification is I want to make sure that the meeting tomorrow will be a pro forma session. no business.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

No later than that. It could come at 10 oclock. I think we ought to be in position to tell our Senators exactly what time the vote will be.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

If we are going. to agree to a vote on Thursday. why not vote today (Wednesday)-we are hereand make. it a oneshot deal? One cloture vote today.. and if cloture carries. fine. vote 2 hours afterward. If it falls. that is the end of the ball game and we will be out of town.
Date: 1982-12-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

I think we ought to take that. The majority leader earlier referred to my keeping the Senate in overnight a few times. and I never responded to that. because I did do it. But I thought we had something that was imperative before us to act upon. I do not think this is imperative. right now. I think it could wait until next year. which is only 2 or 3 weeks away. But I am willing to do what I can to help the majority leader one more time to get cloture. We Democrats have done it time after time. But I think we ought to have an understanding that this. is a oneshot dealit is up or down win or lose. and that is the end of it. so we can get home.