macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-10-22
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank the managers of this bill. the gentleman from Washington and the gentleman from Texas. my colleague from. we would say on the floor. the great State of Texas. This is a very important measure that I have had an opportunity to engage in. A couple of years backI would say more years than I would like to rememberformer Congressman Mike Andrews and myself were cochairs of the Foster Grandparents Program in Houston. and it drew me to the importance of both foster care and adoption. I have also spent some time with Senator MARY LANDRIEU. who. as many know. is a very strong advocate of the idea of adoption and legal guardianship for children in foster care. One of the new phenomenons that we are seeing more and more is the phenomenon of aging out for foster care children. and so I rise today to support H.R. 3205 and compliment the cochairs of the Foster Care Caucus. of which I am a member. Congresswoman BASS and cochair MARINO. and really ask my colleagues to support this important initiative. I am very proud to cosponsor this legislation. and as a cochair and founder of the Congressional Childrens Caucus. now almost 20 years. I would like to say I strongly support it. The more times that we can say something positive about children in a bipartisan way on the floor of the House. the more of a national statement and commitment is seen by those who are in the various venues in our States and county government and city government who work every day to protect our children. Foster care serves our children and families in a temporary placement by providing suitable. permanent living. Most children are placed in foster care temporarily due to parental abuse and neglect. In Harris County. my county in Texas. 2.388 children were taken into protective custody in 2011. The average number of children in foster care each month in Harris County is 5.300. 2.440 children in Child Protective Service custody were placed in permanent living in Harris County in 2011. This is the right direction to go. As of September 30. 2012. 1.740 children in the Houston region are still waiting to be adopted. and. on average. children stay in the system for almost 3 years before either being reunited with their families or adopted. What a wonderful statement to know that there are families or adults that love you. Many times. those adoptions are amongst family members. Many times. the grandparents take the children. Lets thank them. because that was the program I was involved in. to give R and R. rest. to the grandparents who foster care for many. many children. Frequent moves. different schools. our children need loving care. They need stability. Many times these foster parents provide that kind of stability. Many foster children have been separated not only from their parents. but from their siblings. and this can be very detrimental socially. emotionally. and psychologically.
Date: 2013-10-22
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Florida . and I would like to thank Chairman MILLERwe have worked together. I thank the gentleman so very much. I want to acknowledge as well the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. Mrs. LOWEY. Thank you for allowing me to share with you this evening my comments. appreciation. and respect that I have for BILL YOUNG. First of all. I would like to say what everyone else has said. What a great American. What a great patriot. What a great public servant. BILL. may you rest in peace. Congressman YOUNG. Chairman YOUNG was on the floor of the House just a few weeks before he passed. I think that is important to note. that he was working every single day to make America better. He loved soldiers and veterans. He loved their families. It is highly appropriate for him to have his name so honored as a named veterans hospital. I want to say that it is particularly important to note that Congressman YOUNG was able to speak to kings and queens and generals and people of high places. But he was best when he was talking to everyday people. to the soldiers that he loved. He came from humble beginnings. Starting with his mother. a single parent. losing his home early in life. living in a hunting camp. You would think that he would not be the generoushearted person that he is today. But he was really what America is all about. the American Dream. I remember his commitment to our soldiers and his easy ability to work across the aisle as someone who advocated for soldiers suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. I want to let his family know how dedicated he was to providing extra resources to the thousands upon thousands of soldiers who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan who needed extra help with posttraumatic stress disorder. He was very kind to those of us who were concerned about breast cancer and women in the United States military who may have experienced breast cancer.
Date: 2013-10-22
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the distinguished gentlelady from Florida. He has worked with me over the last two sessions. Mr. Speaker. in providing extra funding for posttraumatic stress disorder to a center that is in Houston. Texas. but also dealing with additional research on triplenegative breast cancer that might have an impact not only on the military population of women but also with women around the Nation. BILL was like that. if I might. Congressman BILL YOUNG. Chairman BILL YOUNG was like that. always extending. always sharing. He has a special place in my heart because my late mother is from St. Petersburg. Florida. But I would say that he should have a special place in the hearts of all Americans because if you ever want to see exemplified a grand and stately gentleman who had nothing in his heart but the love and respect and admiration for this Nation. it was our dear friend. the Honorable
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. it is always good to have a number of good news stories for my colleagues and the American people. and I am delighted to have a good news story. which is that the Affordable Care Act is rolling along. I recognize that the most important aspect of this law is that Americans. like Kendall Brown in Oklahoma City. are having their lives changed in front of their eyes. She writes to the President that she has Crohns disease and she has already benefited from the Affordable Care Act by being able to stay on her parents insurance. but now she is able to enroll. And she wrote in this letter that as individuals are debating to delay the individual mandateshe said: Mr. President. if they do it. then this is the last letter that you will receive from me because I will be dead by the time I am 27 years old. So the good news is. my friends. enroll. You can use 18003182596--30.000 calls and only 20 seconds in wait time. You can use the navigators. You can use the outreach efforts. You can even get on the Web and be educated. 18003182596.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I thank the gentleman from Florida. Mr. Speaker. while not a perfect bill. I will be voting for it. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 3080. the Water Resources Reform and Development Act. better known as WRRDA. As a member of the California Delegation. I am particularly supportive of reauthorizing WRRDA. which is such a critical bill for our state. Although this bill was intended to be reauthorized every two years. it has been six years since the last Water Resources Development Act (WRRDA) was signed into law. After examining the provisions included in this legislation. I am encouraged by provisions like Section 124 which helps our state by requiring a comprehensive review of the Corps of Engineers policy guidelines on vegetation management for levees. I am hopeful that this provision will help eliminate some of the challenges that local governments and flood control agencies face because of current vegetation removal policy. Additionally. provisions like the one outlined in Section 130 mandate that a report be issued on the practices. priorities. and authorized purposes at Corps of Engineers reservoirs in arid regions and their effect on water supply during times of drought. This is a good start to begin addressing the need and ability for local water agencies to be able to store more water in their dams for water replenishment. Although we do not have the ideal reauthorization bill of WRRDA in front of us. I believe this to be a good start to once again focus on the importance of water supply and management.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of the 2013 Water Resources Reform and Development Act. Our Nations infrastructure is critical to a thriving economy. In Florida alone. civil works projects improve navigation at our many ports. assist with flood control. restore the Everglades ecosystem. and help protect our pristine beaches. which are central to our $65billionayear tourism industry. Yet Congress has. unfortunately. passed only one WRRDA bill in the last 13 years. so this legislation is certainly long overdue and much needed. I am grateful for the committees leadership in championing this effort. WRDA 2000 launched the visionary Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. or CERP. This 30year FederalState partnership is the largest environmental restoration project in our Nations history. After much delay. projects are now underway. This bill authorizes four additional muchneeded components. One of those is the Broward Water Preserve. located in my congressional district. This project will help capture. store. and distribute surface water runoff from the Everglades and assist with flood protection and groundwater recharge. I am also pleased the managers amendment will allow nonFederal sponsors to prefund projects prior to authorization. and I appreciate Chairman SHUSTER and Ranking Member RAHALLS flexibility that this amendment affords my community. This will assist Port Everglades. a major economic engine in south Florida. Port Everglades generates nearly $26 billion a year in economic activity. but needs to be deepened from 42 feet to 48 feet to allow it to be competitive in attracting deeper draft cargo ships in the postPanama Canal expansion market. The Army Corps. after considerable urging from the Florida delegation. is close to completing a longdelayed dredge study to make this happen. Despite years of intense efforts. the final study is not yet ready for authorization by this bill. Again. I want to thank Chairman SHUSTER and Ranking Member RAHALL for their commitment to returning to a more regular WRRDA process. We simply cannot wait another 6 or 7 years to authorize the next step of public infrastructure projects. We need to start the next WRRDA bill in a timely fashion. In Florida alone. there are four critical projects almost ready for authorization. including Port Everglades. two other Florida ports projects. and the Central Everglades Planning Project. All four of these initiatives are critical to our State and should not have to wait many years to receive authorization simply because of either Congress or the Army Corps delay. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill that will focus on our ability to create jobs and make sure we can move our economy forward.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chair. I rise today in support of H.R. 3080. the Water Resources Reform and Development Act. a bipartisan bill that is an important step toward creating good jobs here at home and growing our economy while improving our waterways infrastructure and addressing significant risks to public safety. The House WRRDA bill makes crucial investments in ports and waterways and is an important vehicle to improve our nations flood protection systems. Maintaining and investing in these resources is essential to economic prosperity and public safety both because there are a substantial number of jobs linked to waterways and ports and because flood damage poses a serious risk to the livelihoods and economies of communities across the country. Although I am voting in favor of this bill and believe that passage of it is critical. I am deeply concerned by misguided environmental streamlining provisions in the bill that ultimately will weaken the National Environmental Protection Act. Although the major reason for the Army Corps of Engineers project delay is a backlog in projects and a lack of funding for those projects. the troublesome provisions in this bill instead purport to address that issue by unwisely undermining the effectiveness of NEPA reviews through unreasonable time restrictions and limitations on the quality of information available to both reviewing agencies and the public. In addition. the bill undermines the integrity of several other foundational environmental laws. including the Clean Water Act. the Endangered Species Act. and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Ultimately. these provisions will weaken environmental protections and undermine other elements in the bill that are designed to improve efficiency. It is critical that concerns over these provisions be addressed in the conference committee on this bill so that we can ensure final passage of a bill that create jobs. improves our waterways infrastructures. and protects the environment. Once again. I urge support for WRRDA and look forward to working with my colleagues to improve the bill further to secure final passage of a bill that helps create jobs across the country in an environmentally responsible way.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chair. I strongly support the Water Resources. Reform. and Development Act. WRDA is an important bill for my area. We have critical flood control projects and our Port of Houston. which is the largest port for foreign tonnage in the country. is an economic engine for the entire region. I prefer the Senate language in some ways. especially the funding for dredging at our ports. But. the bill in front of us represents the hard work of both sides of the T&I committee and I appreciate the leadership that they have shown on this issue and I look forward to supporting it. I am pleased that Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall included language in the managers amendment that my colleagues and I from the Houston area requested regarding assumption of maintenance. This language is important because we want to incentivize entities like Ports to take on some of the responsibilities for deepening and widening channels and other projects. but we have to make sure that the federal government lives up to their responsibility to assume the maintenance. I want to make sure that the language that was included is the best way to accomplish this and I look forward to working with the Army Corps of Engineers. the Port of Houston. and our committee leadership to make any necessary changes and I am pleased that they are working with us toward achieving our policy intent. I support this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chair. I rise in support of passage of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act today. although I have serious concerns with the changes to public and environmental review made in the bill. This longoverdue authorization of Army Corps projects is critical to continue infrastructure maintenance and construction and environmental restoration in our nations waterways. In my home state of Maryland. the Corps work is essential for the operations of the Port of Baltimore. which supports thousands of jobs. Additionally. its environmental protection and oyster recovery work bolsters our efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay. However. I am deeply concerned that the bill goes too far in its attempts to expedite project review. While we all support prompt analysis of federal projects. the NEPA process is critical to ensuring that proposed projects are costeffective. environmentally sound. and in the best interest of the surrounding communities. Corps projects in particular are often large and complex. with impacts across waterways and ecosystems. We must provide adequate time for public and agency review and comment to avoid lasting environmental damage and costly litigation. While I will vote today to move this bill forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the conference process to preserve a robust review and oversight process for all proposed projects.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

I thank the gentleman from Oregon. I thank the sponsors of this legislation. Mr. BLUMENAUER. and I am delighted. along with Mr. DEFAZIO. to be a cosponsor. Mr. Chairman. I really just want to emphasize the core values of Mr. DEFAZIos as to what this amendment represents. The fact is there is a lack of funding. For those of us who are around ports. who are experiencing extreme flooding. there is a lack of funding that the environmental review process has nothing to do with. and it has not led to the backlog of authorized projects that are not being constructed. I support the timely delivery of water resources projects. but I have concerns as to whether the changes made in this bill in the name of streamlining will actually achieve that goal. So I ask and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment. which will make the construction of already authorized projects a priority. which clearly had no problems with the environmental review process. and I would argue the fact that we should be encouraged to make this truly a jobs bill and support the DeFazio amendment. Mr. Chair. as a cosponsor to Rep. DEFAZiOs amendment. that would delay the application of the environmental "streamlining" provisions in Section 103 until the Secretary certifies that there is sufficient funding to reduce the backlog of authorized Corps projects to less than $20 billion in construction costs. I ask my colleagues across the aisle to support amendment #2. This amendment highlights the fact that it is a lack of funding not the environmental review process that has led to a backlog of authorized projects that are not being constructed. We have spent enough energy arguing over the budget and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) streamlining. but not enough time in making the hard decisions and investments that are going to create economic growth and create jobs. In short. while I strongly support timely delivery of water resources projects. I have concerns as to whether the changes made in this bill in the name of streamlining will actually achieve that goal. Particularly given the real world funding issues that we face. and I remain very concerned about the impacts these changes will have on the public participation process and the assessment of impacts to the environment. I urge Members to support Rep. DEFAZIOs amendment which will make the construction of already authorized projects that clearly had no problems with the environmental review process a priority.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. let me thank the ranking member and the chairman for including the Jackson Lee amendment in the en bloc amendments and indicate that this is a bill long overdue. Just to acknowledge. 209.000 jobs. 970 jobs in Texas. $16.7 billion in direct business. $14.1 billion in personal income. My amendment adds to this legislation by providing for the Army Corps of Engineers under section 118 to consult with key stakeholders. including State. county. and city governments where applicable. State and local water districts. and in the case of recommendations concerning projects that substantially affect underrepresented communities. the Secretary shall also consult with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. tribal colleges and universities. and other minorityserving institutions. Mr. Chairman. we are all reminded of the tragedy of Hurricane Sandy. of the tragedy of Tropical Storm Allison. Hurricane Rita. Hurricane Ike. and Hurricane Katrina. Universities and communities were impacted. The Army Corps of Engineers will be much better for the idea of being able to engage in those who are directly impacted. Again. I ask my colleagues to support the amendment and support the underlying bill.
Date: 2013-10-23
Speaker: AL GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I had the preeminent privilege of talking to the Honorable Barney Frank just recently. the former chairperson of the Financial Services Committee. He called to my attention a speech made by the Honorable MAXINE WATERS. who is now the ranking member of the committee. This speech was a keynote speech at the launch of the Global Financial Governance and Impact Report. This is a very insightful message accorded by the Honorable MAXINE WATERS. It is. in fact. a critique of the World Bank. the IMF. She goes into the global sovereign debt restructuring issue. and she talks also about the problem of growing inequality. I would invite anyone who is interested in learning more about what I call the "Waters Worldview." to peruse this document. Chairman Frank was eminently correct when he suggested that this might become a part of the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. and I will place it in the RECORD tonight.
Date: 2013-10-28
Speaker: NEGRETE MCLEOD (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise to support H.R. 2189. which includes provisions from the VA Claims Efficiency Through Information Act of 2013. which I introduced in April. that will require VA to track the time spent evaluating each medical condition in a disability compensation claim. VA would have to report the number of completed claims by region and by medical condition for the current and preceding month and year. As Veterans Day approaches. we should remember veterans who are struggling to find work while living with serviceconnected disabilities. VA compensation is needed so veterans can support themselves and avoid homelessness. The VAs legacy paper system has made it difficult to process claims of older veterans who need additional compensation later in life. Claims of younger veterans can also take longer to process because they have multiple medical conditions. The claims backlog is a serious problem for the VA and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Since July. the Los Angeles regional office has reduced the average time to process claims from 600 days to 400 days. The VA still has a long way to go to meet its own goal of 125 days. and the backlog will not end overnight and may even go up as more men and women apply for benefits. No one is looking at directing blame but. instead. searching for a way to work together. and Congress and the VA must be willing to explore new methods for delivering services to veterans in the 21st century for the growing veteran population. I thank Mr. MILLER for allowing my bill to be included in his.
Date: 2013-10-28
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable man. a twenty four year distinguished Member of this body and an outstanding American. Congressman Major Owens. It was through his work in the community as a librarian. chief administrator of New York Citys antipoverty program and a State Senator where he learned the benevolence of kindness and value of public service. In Congress. Congressman Owens worked tirelessly to improve education for all. His dedication to this cause extended further than the boundaries of our country and touched countless lives. Mr. Speaker. it is incumbent upon this body to acknowledge Congressman Owens service which has improved our Nation. On behalf of the people of the 30th Congressional District of Texas and the United States Congress. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to his family and celebrate his life of service.
Date: 2013-10-28
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on Ms. CLARKES 1minute speech.