macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I thank the gentleman. and I yield myself 2 minutes. Congressman STARK mentioned Pat OBrien. and I want to thank him because he has been such a wonderful manager of this system. along with his entire staff. and certainly all of the volunteers who come to the park. which number in the thousands. all of the time to take care of these parks and make them accessible to the public. to host special events. I thank the magnificent staff. the rangers of the park system. who live in our communities and know the people who use the parks and accommodate them. It was said at one time. I dont know if it is accurate or not. but it was suggested you could get on horseback and ride for 7 days and never leave the park and never use the same trails. The park hosts numerous stables that the private sector has outside of the park. Again. thousands of people a year use the parks on horseback. It is a great opportunity for children to be around horses and see people riding them and learn about them from their owners. This is a remarkable community asset in the midst of one of the most urban areas in the United States in terms of density. and clearly highly appreciated by the people. I would hope that all of my colleagues in Congress would join us in voting for and supporting the 75th anniversary recognition of this world class park system of the East Bay Regional Parks.
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Does the gentleman recall how many of our friends on the other side of the aisle voted for the Recovery Act?
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I think it was none. Goose eggs. And that was the Recovery Act that gave 98 percent of Americans a tax cut. the same one that created a situation where we have the lowest. as you said. the lowest tax bills. the lowest tax rate since 1950. the one that created a situation where the triangle that Mr. TONKO referred to a few minutes ago enabled us to go from bleeding more than 700.000 jobs prior to President Obama being sworn into office to gaining almost 300.000 jobs in this last month. So we. on our side of the aisle. created. conceived. passed. and President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law. and our friends on the other side of the aisle all said "no." Is that right?
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank both gentlemen. Again. I think its really important to stress the choices that we have in front of us. The American people have choices over the next few months about the direction that they want to go. whether they want to continue to go in the direction that the job creation chart that we just had up showed. whether they want to continue to go in the direction of the tax rate chart that
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman would yield. because I want to focus on results. We have been talking about the facts tonight. We have been talking about the impact and results of Democratic policies. the policies of the Democratic Congress. the policies of Democratic President Barack Obama. and the results that have occurred. And I think this chart right here is very illustrative of the direction that we continue to go in. If you look at the very ugly red end of the chart. that is an indication of where we were in terms of household wealth under the Bush administration. And if you look through those years. we had household wealth that dramatically. dramatically declined. so much so that people were in absolute dire straits. So we had an economy that was reeling. spiraling ever downward. we had deficits that were exploding from a President who was handed a record surplus. and that was the mess that President Obama found himself in. The additional mess that he found himself in was a plummeting statistic of household wealth. If you look at the progress that we have made and the direction that household wealth is going in now. as evidenced by the right side of the chart. you have an indicator that. since the Recovery Act took effect. we have gained nearly 30 percent back of household wealth that was lost under the Bush administration. $5 trillion in growth in household wealth. compared to $17.5 trillion in household wealth that was lost. We have gained in just 1 year $5 trillion of that back.
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I am thrilled that we are joined by the gentleman from Ohio. He might still be getting organized. So while he does that. I wanted to focus a little bit. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act clearly is sort of the jewel in the crown. the linchpin to the beginning of our economic recovery. and all the indicators demonstrate that. But it is sort of a "but thats not all" type thing. We had the Recovery Act. which gave us a huge boost. but we also passed and continue to propose numerous pieces of legislation designed to focus on different aspects of the economy: small business. the energy sector. technology and innovation. making sure that we cover as many bases as we can. because we know that there are so many potential gaps in the economy and you dont want to leave anybody behind. So in addition to the Recovery Act. Madam Speaker. we also passed the Worker Home Ownership and Business Assistance Act. which was legislation that expanded that firsttime homebuyer tax credit and gave people an opportunity to purchase a home when they had been unable to previously. provided that tax relief for small businesses.
Date: 2010-05-18
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Yes. So. again. it is about choices. The American people have a choice. It is a very stark contrast. They can side with the people who voted 93 percent in this instance with Wall Street and big corporations and continuing to pad their bottom line. or they can vote with the middle class and make sure that we can continue to boost small business and get our economy moving again and put folks back to work. It really is a very stark contrast with a very clear choice.
Date: 2010-05-19
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 5325. the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act for 2010. It was once said. "When the world says. Give up. Hope whispers. Try it one more time." America cannot afford to give up on science. innovation. and education. I want to applaud my colleagues. the leadership. as well as the entire Committee on Science and Technology for their hard work on this legislation. Our Nation is being outpaced by competitors in graduating scientists and engineers. It is so important to invest wisely in programs that truly make a difference in the achievement of our young people. America COMPETES is about our future. Its about ensuring that we are taking the right steps toward increasing American competitiveness and innovation. It is also about strengthening diversity in our Nations scientific enterprise so that all Americans can compete in the 21st century. We have an obligation to the future of our Nation to ensure every segment of our population has equal access and opportunity to pursue these careers in STEM. The bill was put together in a bipartisan fashion and represents a concerted effort to create a more competitive science and engineering workforce. This is the goal of America COMPETES. and I am pleased that the provisions are in this bill for all Americans. I will fight for innovation. justice. parity. and equality for all Americans as long as I can.
Date: 2010-05-19
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 5327. the United StatesIsrael Rocket and Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act. As a staunch supporter of the Jewish State of Israel. it gives me great pride to be a cosponsor of this resolution. which will provide Israel with the funding it needs to maintain the safety and security of her citizens. By authorizing funds requested by President Obama for Israels Iron Dome defense system. Congress and President Obamas message to the people of Israel is loud and clear: Our commitment to Israels security is unshakable. And. through this funding that will help Israel produce and maintain an effective defense against shortrange missiles. rockets. and mortars such as those used by Hamas and Hezbollah. we are backing up our words with action. I urge my colleagues to vote "yes" on helping to maintain Israels qualitative military edge and vote "yes" on H.R. 5327. And I commend my colleague. the gentleman from Virginia
Date: 2010-05-24
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of H. Res. 1258. in expressing support for designation of May 2010 as Mental Health Month. The time has come to pay special recognition to the needs and shortfalls that are associated with mental health in the United States. Mental health and the wellbeing of people of the United States is a critical issue that affects not only quality of life. but also the health of communities. families. and economic stability. Often it is the youngest among us. our children. which suffer from the lingering stigma of mental illness. Words. that make fun of those diagnosed with mental health can sometimes create a sense of shame. feelings of guilt. and loss of self esteem. Statistically. the figures associated with mental health are quite staggering. It is estimated that more than 57 million people in the United States suffer from mental illness. Furthermore. 1 in 5 children and adolescents have a diagnosable mental order. And in 2005 alone. over 32.000 individuals died by suicide in the United States. nearly twice the rate of homicide. The goals of Mental Health Month are to bring these figures to light in order to draw more attention and support for addressing this health crisis. From my time as a psychiatric nurse in the Dallas Veteran Affairs Hospital. I know firsthand the burden placed upon those who serve in our armed forces suffering from mental illness. More than a quarter of the members of the United States Armed Forces suffer from psychological or neurological injuries sustained from combat. including major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. For far too long the disparities of taking care of our veterans in regards to mental health went unaddressed. and too many suffered because of it. In closing. I encourage all organizations and health practitioners to use Mental Health Month as an opportunity to promote mental wellbeing and awareness. ensure access to appropriate services. and support overall quality of life for those living with mental illness.
Date: 2010-05-25
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. America has been through tough times before. but weve always pulled together as a Nation to overcome our challenges. Just over 1 year ago. Democrats came together and faced the challenges that we were handed by the mismanagement of the Bush Republicans. Faced with massive job losses exceeding 700.000 a month just over 1 year ago. we passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. and. since that time. weve reversed the job losses and spurred economic growth. One only needs to look at Americas manufacturing sector to see the progress that were making. American industrial production has increased a cumulative 6.8 percent during the past 10 months. the largest 10month gain since 1997. Total industrial production continued to increase last month. Together with last months jobs report. this suggests a strong start for the second quarter. The increase. which was slightly above market expectations. was led by a strong 1 percent growth in manufacturing output. As Americans. we can do it. We can turn our economy around. We have a ways to go. but we can get America back on track and. together. we are doing just that. And thats just the way it is.
Date: 2010-05-25
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. because of the policies of the last administration. the Bush administration. our Nation is going through the most difficult economic times in its history. and unemployment is around 10 percent. We must do everything we can to help create jobs. especially for those struggling to support their families. That is why I support the goals of the Local Jobs for America Act. We need a bill that will create and save millions of public and private jobs in local communities. This bill is intended to help ensure that local communities can still operate essential services. to help prevent State and local tax increases. to stimulate local businesses. and create more jobs in the local community. The Local Jobs for America Act is aimed to get our economy back on track and Americans back to work. We have short memories sometimes and we forget where the problem began. It did not start with this administration. It was done by the last administration.
Date: 2010-05-25
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. Democrats have stepped up the fight against terrorists and are getting real results that make Americans safe. Democrats are strengthening our security by restoring Americas global leadership. We have ended torture. We are working with our allies and are getting countries like Pakistan to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. We have increased funding for counterintelligence activities and human intelligence collection. We have enhanced cybersecurity efforts and bolstered aviation. ports. and border security. We are ensuring troops. veterans. and their families have the support they need on the battlefield and when they come home. That means stateoftheart equipment and body armor and mineresistant vehicles that they need to bring them home safely. And we have also made historic investments in our veterans health care and improved the benefits they have earned when they return home. And we passed a GI Bill for a new generation so that our troops and their family members will have access to a quality education. Mr. Speaker. Democrats are making America stronger.
Date: 2010-05-25
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H. Res. 1316 to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and pay tribute to the many achievements of Asian Pacific Americans across our Nation. The month of May marks several historical events in Asian Pacific American history. On May 7. 1843. the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States. paving the way for a great movement of Asian and Pacific peoples to immigrate to the United States. Only 26 years later. on May 10. 1869. the transcontinental railroad was finished. the completion of which is largely credited to Asian Pacific Americans. Due to these vents it is appropriate to celebrate the month of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and honor the sacrifices and contributions of this great community. Through the years. the Asian Pacific American Communities have made significant contributions to Texass diverse culture. In Dallas. I am privileged to represent the largest Asian American Chamber in the United States. I believe that we all learn from those who come from different backgrounds. and I can truly say that I have learned a great deal from my Asian Pacific friends and constituents. Today. there are over 15.2 million Asian Pacific Americans living in the United States. representing nine percent of the population. The rich history associated with the Asian Pacific American community has left a lasting and important imprint on our country. I would like to acknowledge the devastating earthquake that shook Yushu County in the Qinghai province of China on April 14. 2010 which killed or injured over 10.000 civilians. My deepest condolence goes out to the friends and families of the victims. Mr. Speaker. I am proud to support this resolution and the Asian Pacific American communities in North Texas and across the United States.
Date: 2010-05-25
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize and honor the courage and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces and our Veterans. May is National Military Appreciation Month. a tine when we honor the bravery and service of our Armed Forces. veterans. and their families. Members of our Armed Forces leave behind their homes. families. and jobs in times when duty calls. They protect America and American Allies. provide support in times of disasters. and help bringing stability to areas of unrest. From my time as a psychiatric nurse in the Dallas Veterans Affairs Hospital. I know firsthand the burden placed upon those who serve in our Armed Forces. People around the world owe their freedoms and liberties to the courage. service. and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces. I urge all Americans to recognize and honor the courage and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and thank them for their service.
Date: 2010-05-26
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to remember an extraordinary young woman. a scholar. a student activist. Ms. Tam Ngoc Tran of Garden Grove. California. who was recently killed in a headon collision with her close friend. Cinthya Perez. Tam was the daughter of a refugee couple who fled Vietnam over two decades ago after escaping from a communist reeducation camp. She graduated from Santiago High School. attended Santa Ana College. transferred to UCLA. earned a bachelors degree in American literature and culture and was a doctoral student at Brown University. Tam was also a courageous leader who inspired many through her personal story of immigration. In 2007. the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency raided the Tran home and subsequently arrested Tam and many of her family members. Representatives LOFGREN. SMITH. and I then wrote a letter to thenSecretary Rice urging her to uphold the U.S. policy regarding the return of refugees to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. That allowed them to remain in the United States.
Date: 2010-05-26
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. I rise this evening to proudly commemorate the fifth annual Jewish American Heritage Month. which takes place in communities across the country each May. Jewish American Heritage Month promotes awareness of the contributions American Jews have made to the fabric of American lifefrom technology and literature. to entertainment. politics and to medicine. It is a concept that was brought to me by leaders in the south Florida Jewish community 5 years ago when I was first elected to serve in this body. It was an idea born of the concern that. although there have been 355 years of Jewish life in America. there is still a tremendous lack of understanding about Jewish culture in that Jews are both a religion and a heritage in terms of our traditions and our community. Because we are less than 2 percent of the population in America. most people in America have either never met a Jewish person or have rarely. if ever. interacted with a Jewish person. so our traditions are often a foreign concept. It was felt by the leaders in my Jewish community that. in having a month dedicated to cultural and educational programming. particularly in nonJewish communities. it would raise awareness. foster understanding and deal with some of the concerns over the fact that. of the bias incidents that have been documented by the FBI and by the AntiDefamation League. literally 65 percent of those bias incidents in recent years have been antiJewish bias. If we can use Jewish American Heritage Month. now in its 5th year. to foster understanding and tolerance. then hopefully we can reduce antiSemitism and bigotry in this country. As we are well aware. the foundation of our country is built upon the strengths of our unique cultures and backgrounds. Yet. while our diversity is Americas strength. ignorance and intolerance about the culture and about the traditions and accomplishments of the Jewish people are. unfortunately. still really prevalent. Again. Jews make up only 2 percent of our Nations population. and as a result. we need to make sure that people in America understand that there have been so many different things and that so much of American history has been touched by a significant contribution of American Jews. Tonight. my colleagues who are joining me on the floor to acknowledge and to mark the 5th annual Jewish American Heritage Month are going to talk about some of the impacts that the Jewish community has had throughout American history. It is my privilege to yield to my friend. the gentleman from Colorado.
Date: 2010-05-26
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Thank you so much. Mr. POLIS. Your comments are such a perfect example of the unique contributions that American Jews have made in our history. and you specifically highlighted examples that most people would not have been familiar with. I would bet that Coloradans are not familiar with that history. So thank you very much for coming down and sharing that with us this evening. Mr. Speaker. I want to share a story that was an experience that I lived through. For me as a young Jewish woman growing up in a predominantly Jewish community in New York. on Long Island. growing up. and then moving to south Florida and spending my adult life in a significant. large Jewish community. one would think that I had spent most of my life without experiencing antiSemitism. and I have not experienced much in the way of overt antiSemitism. But I want to share a story with my colleagues from when I was in college at the University of Florida. I was standing in the hallway of my dorm the first week of school and talking to another young woman who I had just met. and she saw my last name on the door. because there are signs on the doors with your names on them at the beginning of each semester in most college dorms. Somehow the subject of religion came up. I shared with her that I was Jewish. and her response. she was from a tiny town in north Florida. and it was evident after her comments that she had never met a Jewish person before. because she said to me. "Youre Jewish? I have seen pictures. but I have never seen a real one." You know. growing up on Long Island. and that being my first exposure to someone who had not met a Jewish person. I had heard that there were people in America who thought that Jews had horns. and we were somehow not human. But. fortunately. I realized at the time that that was simply a reflection of the fact that she had not had experience with Jews or the Jewish community. And as we got to know each other. we lived on the hall together all throughout our freshman year. we got to be very good friends. and she realized that I was human and that I didnt have horns. But it is really important. and that story and that experience helped me understand why we had a need for Jewish American Heritage Month. just like the experience of Black History Month and the years and years of success of that cultural celebration that we have in February. and Asian Pacific Islander Month. and Hispanic Heritage Month. It is important that we celebrate the diversity in this country and that all Americans learn about the success and contributions that all different cultures have weaved together to make America the strong. vibrant Nation that we are today. Again. I am really pleased to be joined by my colleagues who are here with me on the floor tonight. With that. I yield to my good friend and next door neighbor. a gentleman who has been doing a fantastic job representing his constituents in south Florida and someone who has spent many. many years as a leader in the organized Jewish community. Congressman RON KLEIN from the great State of Florida.