macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

I want to segue to the U.S. attorney matter because what you just said brought something to mind. But before I do that. I do want to throw out yet another example of the neglect. of the just stark neglect. that this administration has and has had for our veterans. I mean. take Walter Reed.-I have a timeline in front of me. a neglect timeline for the treatment of the soldiers that are housed at Walter Reed and that seek services at Walter Reed. going back to July of 2004. First I want to just put up this Newsweek Magazine cover. Mr. Speaker. This is a young woman who clearly has lost her legs. and I think the picture speaks all that it needs to without words. But the caption on the picture on the cover of Newsweek. which was the week of March 5 of this year. says: "Shattered in body and mind. Too many veterans are facing poor care and red tape. Why were failing our wounded." And Walter Reed. there is no better example of what this irticle spoke to. Mr. Speaser. than the neglect timeline at Walter Reed. If you go back to July of 2004. again.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Yes. I believe you are right. The gentleman that is currently our Vice President. In Febrqary of 2007. just about a month ago. the number of Federal employees providing facilities management services at Walter Reed. Mr. Speaker. had dropped from 300. There were 300 Federal employees that were replaced with a $120 million private contract run by a formersenior Halliburton official. and the 300 dropped to fewer than 60. The remaining 60 employees went to only 50 private workers. 300 to 50 private workers. February 19. we know it was revealed by the Washington Post that there was an expose detailing mistreatment of veterans at housing on the grounds of Walter Reed Medical Center. And what has unfolded since then is resignations of top generals. resignations of the Secretary of the Army. Heads are rolling.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr.. Speaker. it is essential that we honor those commitments. And I was stricken by what our colleague from Georgia said at the end of the last hour when he referenced the need to be bipartisan. to come together and work on bipartisan solutions and move forward together. I was really glad to hear him say that. But the room was shockingly silent for the last 2 years that I served here. that there really werent calls for bipartisanship or locking elbows together and finding the way to the best public policy on issues of mutual concern. But be that as it may. we agree that we should move forward in a bipartisan way. And. in fact. the open government and ethics package that we adopted as part of our New Direction agenda on the first day that we were here was a commitment on the part of our leadership and on the part of our Speaker NANCY PELOSI that we woald have the most inclusive. open. and honest Congress in American history. And we have steadily been doing that every single day. H2811Unfortunately. the administratioi doesnt seem to be buying into tha same concept of bipartisanship. Again very nice words are said. I have seer the President stand in the Rose Gardei and stand on the South Lawn and stan( in lots of different really attractiv( camera shots talking about the neec for bipartisanship. And yet. again when it has come to light that ther( was a proposal out of the White House to fire 93 U.S. attorneys and subsequently we have gone back and fortl with the White House about what thE actual truth behind those suggested and then eventual firing of eight o them was. we have not been able to get a straight answer. In fact. we have had a concern that administration officials. including the Attorney General. have come before Congress and been less than forthcoming. I want to be careful about the words I choose. but it has gotten to the point where we have been told so many different things about what was behind those firings that we are at theboywhocriedwolf point now. Again. speaking as a mom. I know I have talked to my kids. and sometimes children will be less than truthful when they are concerned that they might get in trouble. I know that my kids sometimes are worried they are going to get in trouble and that the potential punishment is worse if they tell me the truth than if they kind of softpedal the actual facts. and maybe what happens to them Will be not the worst thing. But I always find out. I always eventually know what really happened. And that is exactly what is going on here. Any parent will tell you that they have sat their children down and counseled them. "You know. it is always better to just tell me the truth. because I am going to find out anyway. and the consequences are going to be far worse -for you when I do find out than if you were just up front with me in the beginning." Maybe we have to talk to the President and the White House and the administration like moms talk to their kids.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Not to be your mother or anything now. but. seriously. maybe an elementary backtobasics conversation is what is necessary. because clearly the process that they have been taking us through has been less than honest. We have had a lot of misleading excuses. We have reached a point. and I sit on the House Judiciary Committee. Mr. MURPHY. where now our subcommittee has taken the step of feeling -like in order to get to the bottom of it. we had to authorize the committee to issue subpoenas to bring the Attorney General and to bring Karl Rove and the administration officials associated with this scandal. with potentially being less than truthful to this Congress. I with covering up what actually hapt pened. maybe a subpoena may be necessary. I think that is sad and unfortunate. n but we cannot have less than truth d when we ask administration officials questions when they come before this institution. I am glad about the potential for bipartisanship. During the hearing we had in Judiciary yesterday. a number of our Republican colleagues indicated they were also unhappy with what was going on with this administration. In fact. specifically on the issue of the attorney firings. one of their top leaders. another good friend from Florida. Congressman PUTNAM. actually said that he questioned the Attorney Generals ability to continue to serve. I will quote what he said in the Washington Post. He said. "His ability to effectively serve the President and lead the Justice Department is greatly compromised." During a lunchtime interview with reporters. he said. "I think he himself should evaluate his ability to serve as an effective Attorney General." We are talking about the number four ranking Republican in their leadership on that side. Believe me. I know ADAM PUTNAM. He has served with integrity in our legislature in Florida. and does so here. If he is at that point. then you know there is something seriously wrong. There is seriously something wrong.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman will yield for a second. when thenPresident Clinton did that. correct me if I am wrong. he was asking 1 for the resignations of the Bush appointees. of the Republican appointees of his predecessor.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Now. my understanding when this scandal occurred. we are talking about a situation where the President. I believe. was considering asking for the resignation of 93 of his own U.S. attorneys. Subsequently. they decided maybe that was going a little too far. so I think the number is eight. they only fired eight.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

My recollection also is that there was some interference and some questions about specific cases for each individual U.S. attorney that were raised by some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle during this process before those firings.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

If the gentleman will yield. we should point out the President believes he magnanimously offered was to offer that the officials associated with this scandal to speak with. essentially. the Judiciary Committee. not under oath. that there be no transcript. and that Congress would not subsequently subpoena them. That is when Mr. CONYERS said. yes. we could just go have a drink and have that kind of private conversation which reveals nothing. which has no accountability whatsoever.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

It has been a pleasure to join you. Mr. MURPHY. I have to tell you how thrilled I was that we expanded the 30Something Working Group and we have now given ourselves a new chapter to talk about the issues that are important to the American people. and we have now the ability to hold the administrations feet to the fire and exercise Congress oversight role which the Founding Fathers envisioned. I would be happy to yield back to the gentleman to close us out.
Date: 2007-03-21
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

The 30Something Working Group. we were given this opportunity by the Speaker of the House. who has been so generous to allow us time on the floor to talk about issues that affect folks not only in their thirties. but issues that affect people throughout . this country. You can email the group at 30somethingdems@mail.house.gov. and you can always visit us on the web at www.speaker.gov/30something.
Date: 2007-03-22
Speaker: PATRICK J. MURPHY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Penn

sylvania. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong suppoft of a new direction in Iraq. For 4 years. Republican. Congresses followed lockstep as this President led our country into an openended commpitment refereeing a religious civil war on the streets of Baghdad and Iraq. After the fall of Saddam Hussein. ensuring no weapons of mass destruction. and several elections. the Republican Congress still follows lockstep as my fellow soldiers continue to give the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq. without a clear mission. without benchmarks to determine success. and without a clear timeline for coming home. That ends in the 110th Congress. This is a defining moment. Mr. Speaker. many of us were elected to Congress on the promise of new leadership. That is what the Iraq Accountability Act does. It leads the way out of Iraq. leads the way to rebuild our overextended Army. and leads the way to win the war on terror. For too long the American people have been craving leadership. craving accountability and craving new direction in Iraq. Lets give them that with this piece of legislation.
Date: 2007-03-22
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I stand today to support legislation that will bring Washington. D.C. into this century. It is time to give the citizens of Washington. D.C. the right to vote in the United States Congress. They have the right to pay taxes. but they dont have the right to vote in the United States Congress. They have the right to serve in the military. but they dont have the right to vote in the United States Congress. While the Constitution of the United States does not directly address this question. it does speak of government of the people. by the people. for the people. It is time for the people of Washington. D.C. to participate in this form of government. No other democracy in the free world has in its capital people who cannot vote. It is time to give the citizens of Washington. D.C. the right to vote in the United States Congress.
Date: 2007-03-22
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I thank the chairman for yielding. I want to make it conspicuously clear that I love the Constitution. And I understand that there are constitutional scholars on both sides of this issue. There were constitutional scholars on both sides of Dred Scott. There were constitutional scholars on both sides of Plessy vs. Ferguson. There were constitutional scholars on both sides of Brown vs. The Board of Education. The question is which side are you on? Which side are you on today? I stand with the half million people. more than a half million people. in the District of Columbia who do not have full representation in the United States Congress. Which side are we on today? I stand with ending 206 years of injustice on people who are citizens of the United States who live in the District of Columbia. I stand on the side of ending taxation without representation. I stand with the chairman and I want to especially say that I stand with the majority leader. who stood here and made me proud of him today. Just When I think that the stock of the chairman of this committee and the majority leader cant go any higher. it goes up. I stand for government of the people. by the people. and for the people.
Date: 2007-03-22
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the chairman. Madam Speaker. this bill is about justice. it is about fairness and about democracy. What a terrible message we send when the people in the capital of the worlds greatest democracy do not have a vote in the peoples House. I have the privilege of representing the district right next to Washington. D.C.. and it is simply wrong that when you cross the border from Washington. D.C.. into my district. you go from a district where you have no voting representation in Congress to one where you do. We need to make sure that all the people in this country share the right to a vote in the peoples House. I urge adoption of this bill.
Date: 2007-03-22
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

Hastings (FL) fornia and Mr. CARNEY changed their Hastings (WA) Hayes vote from "nay" to "yea." Heller So the resolution was agreed to. Hensarling The result of the vote was announced Herger as above recorded. Herseth A motion to reconsider was laid on Higgins Hi the table. - rncey Hinojosa Hirono NATIVE AMERICAN METHAMPHET- Hobson Hodes AMINE ENFORCEMENT AND Hoekstra TREATMENT ACT OF 2007 Holden
Date: 2007-03-23
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. 4 years ago President Bush sent our troops to war without a plan for success in Iraq. and without a plan to care for our wounded soldiers returning home. Diring those 4 years. the old Congress rubberstamped the failed policies of the Bush administration. The American people know well that when you ignore failure and bad decisions. you simply get more of them. Today. we are demanding accountability for a change. accountability to ensure that our troops get the training and . equipment they need. accountability to ensure that our wounded soldiers returning home are treated with a dignity that they deserve. We hold the Iraqi government accountable for taking the steps toward political reconciliation which they. themselves. have said are necessary to achieve stability. The accountability measures in this bill track the recommendations made by the independent bipartisan BakerHamilton Commission. The President chose to reject those recommendations and. instead. to escalate -the war in Iraq. . At the same time. the President has not paid adequate attention to those who were responsible for the attacks of September 11. 2001. al Qaeda. operating out of Afghanistan. This bill provides additional resources for completing that mission and for holding those responsible who did attack us on September 11. Al Qaeda is still plotting against us. It demands accountability. it supports our troops. and it strengthens our national security. Mr. Speaker. it is time for a change and direction in Iraq. It is time to bring some accountability to the history of failed decisions we have made so we dont continue to make the same bad decisions going forward. The American people asked for and deserve a change in direction. That is what this bill does.
Date: 2007-03-23
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this legislation. thanking both Congressman MURTHA and Congressman OBEY for their work. It has now been 4 years since this war started. over 3 years since we heard the phrase "mission accomplished." and almost a year and half since the Iraqi elections for a permanent govemmentit is time for the Iraqi govemment to police. govern. and run its country. This bill also provides more support for our veterans and military healthcare. This legislation will provide funding for our troops. but it will also force the Iraqis to take control of their own country. and bring our troops home within the next 18 monthspossibly sooner. if the Iraqis do not meet benchmarks that demonstrate they are making progress. Our commitment in Iraq. which grew under the Presidents surge plan last -month. has strained our military. cost thousands of U.S. andIraqi lives. and has created serious readiness problems in the Army and Marine Corps. I dont like the idea of setting a timeline. but for 4 years we have had an openended commitment. and after those 4 years. we are still seeing some of the bloodiest attacks. and highest casualty numbers to date. We need to set benchmarks to force the Iraqis to take over their own country. and this bill does that. I t is not pulling our troops out immediately---if Iraqis rise to this responsibility. we will have troops there for another 18 months. but if they dont. we will begin redeployment this year. After 4 years. it is time Congress exercise authority over the way this war is being run. Congress is not 535 commanders in chief. but we must provide guidance on what we will ask the American taxpayers to fund. We have held dozens of hearings this year. and passed a nonbinding resolution opposing the escalation or surge in U.S. troops. Our vote on this Supplemental will be another step in bringing a resolution to this conflict and will let the Iraqis know our commitment is not openended. I applaud the leadership and Appropriations committee on bringing this bill to the floor. and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
Date: 2007-03-23
Speaker: PATRICK J. MURPHY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Penn

sylvania. Thank you to the gentleman from Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker. there are 435 Members of Congress. and I know there are many people on the other side of the aisle who dont know who I am. I am PATRICK MURPHY. and I am from Bucks County. Pennsylvania. Back home. my wife and my daughter Maggie are watching. probably on CSPAN right now. Over 13 years ago. I worethe United States Army uniform for the first time. I was able to live the American dream. I was able to rise through the ranks and become a captain and a paratrooper in the 82nd- Airborne Division. We had a saying in the Army: Lead. follow orget out of the way. Well. in the past 4 years. the Republicanled Congress followed. They had their chance. and they followed lockstep as this President led our country into an openended commitment refereeing a religious civil war. For the last 4 years. this Republican Congress followed lockstep as my fellow soldiers continued to die in Iraq without a clear mission. without benchmarks to determine success. without a clear timeline for coming home. In the last 4 years. the Republican Congress followed this President as thousands of brave American soldiers returned home in coffins with our American flag. Nineteen of those coffins had soldiers that I served with in Iraq. 19 paratroopers.. Mr. Speaker. with this bill. with this vote. we mark the end of that error. Many of the 49 new freshmen. both Democrats and Republicans. were elected a few months ago on the promise of new leadership. and -that is what this bill does. It leads our way out of Iraq. It leads the way to rebuild our overextended Army. and leads the way to win the war on terror. To those on the other side of the aisle who are opposed. I want to ask you the same questions that my gunner asked me when I was leading a convoy up and down Ambush Alley one day. He said. "Sir. what are we doing over here? Whats our mission? When are these Iraqis going to come off the sidelines and stand up for their own country?" So to my colleagues across the aisle. your taunts about supporting our troops .ring hollow if you are still unable to answer those questions now 4 years later. Mr. Speaker. to vote "no" on this bill is to stand idly by. to let our commitment to Iraq remain openended and to let countless more American soldiers be killed in the sands of alAnbar and the streets of Baghdad. Shortterm political peril may sidestep those who cast their vote for the status quo. but our childrens history books will not treat them kindly. nor should they. Mr. Speaker. the 110th Congress will be judged whether we have the political courage to put forth a plan to restore accountability and oversight. to bring our troops home from Iraq and. most importantly.. to win the war on terror. This is our opportunity. This is our chance to lead. For too long. the American people have been craving leadership. craving accountability and craving a new direction in Iraq. Lets give that to them today.
Date: 2007-03-23
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

You know. there are students of history. our esteemed Speaker in theChair is a former college professor. and he certainly knows that the origin of this country was one where our Founding Fathers and the people that came before them that colonized this nation were escaping from tyranny. essentially. were escaping so that they could be free. so that they could be free from one individual telling them how their lives would be run. so they could be free from persecution about their religious choices that they made. so they could be free from taxation without representation. so that they could be free. And the reason that our democracy was set up as it is. with a Commander in Chief. with an executive as well as a legislative and judicial branch. was so that there would be a system of checks and balances. I am baffled lay our friends on the other side of the aisle when they seem to be saying that the Congress weighing in with binding legislation. with benchmarks. and with a time line so that we can ensure that there is not a neverending commitment and a blank check being written to folks fighting a civil war in another country. our friends on the other side of the aisle seem to be saying that we should only care about the opinion of one person. the person in the White House. that the decisions that the executive of this Nation makes are the only ones that matter. Well. if you go back to the origin of this Nation. Mr. MEEK..you go back to the origin of this Nation. that is why our power was diffused. That is why our Founding Fathers created three branches of government. because they experienced the tyranny of one individual. They had decisions forced on them by a king. by a monarch. who told them exactly what was going to happen. And there was no place to turn. there was nowhere to go. Well. the American people and our men and women in uniform can turn to us because they have a Congress. they have a representative body that can rescue them when the executive makes the wrong decision. and that is what has happened here. That is also what has happened with our veterans. Mr. MEEK. because it is incredibly important that we emphasize that. while we have made some very important. significant and essential decisions about the direction that we are going to continue to go in this war in Iraq. we also made some significant decisions to help our veterans. the ones that have already fought and have come back and have been left behind. have been forgotten. the ones that this administration and the Republican leadership before us had callous disregard for. And we are always about thirdparty validation in the 30Something Working Group. so people just shouldnt take it from me or take it from you. Lets just walk through what happened before and what has happened leading up to today with the vote that we cast on this floor. So. Mr. Speaker. before I got here.