Doug Bereuter

The Public Record

Quotes by year · 1994–2004353 total · peak 1999 (64)

★ Featured Quote

July 13, 2004

I came back convinced that if I could take 40 farmers from my district in to the area during the middle of the winter for about 6 weeks and they could turn around some of those efforts and make them successful, because…

— Doug Bereuter

Most widely reported

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this Member rises today to express his support for H.R. 833, the Bankruptcy Reform Act, of which he is an original cosponsor. First, this Member would thank the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas], Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, for introducing this bill. This Member would also like to express his appreciation to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde], the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for his efforts in getting this measure to the House Floor for consideration. This Member supports the Bankruptcy Reform Act for numerous reasons; however, the most important reasons include the following: First, and of preeminent importance to the nation's agriculture sector, this Member supports the provision in H.R. 833 which permanently extends Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code for family farmers. Chapter 12 bankruptcy allows family farmers to reorganize their debts as compared to liquidating their assets. Chapter 12 bankruptcy has been a viable option for family farmers nationwide. It has allowed family farmers to reorganize their assets in a manner which balances the interests of creditors and the future success of the involved farmer. If Chapter 12 bankruptcy provisions are not permanently extended for family farmers, this will have a drastic impact on an agricultural sector already reeling from low commodity prices.42 sources1999govinfo.gov
this Member rises in strong support of H.R. 5, the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act. As a cosponsor of H.R. 5, this Member is pleased to see this important legislation receive such prompt consideration on the House Floor. This Member commends the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger], the distinguished gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Portman], the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Condit], and the distinguished gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Davis] for their introduction of this legislation. Mr. Chairman, in recent decades Congress has dramatically increased the number of mandates it has imposed on States and local governments without providing adequate funding to fulfill the requirements. In other words, while Congress has passed the buck, it hasn't forwarded the bucks. When I was first the community affairs director, Federal-State relations coordinator, and then State planning director for my home State in the late 1960's, on a daily basis I saw vivid examples of the senselessness and cost of a great many unfunded mandates visited upon local and State government, and I did what I could to push for reforms and changes. Since then the number of mandates and their costs and negative impacts have only increased, both by actions of an unheeding Congress and by the inflexibility and policymaking excesses of Federal bureaucrats.36 sources1995govinfo.gov
this Member rises in support of this measure and to express his pleasure at seeing this much needed legislation finally brought before this body. This Member introduced the first product liability legislation in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature in 1977. During this process this Member realized that this issue must be dealt with on the Federal level, because the vast majority of products and services move through interstate commerce. Addressing product liability at the state level is like patching one hole in a tire with fifty holes. Now, finally, this issue is being debated on the House floor after years of being bottled-up in committee by the trial attorneys and the former chairmen of the respective committees. Mr. Speaker, all Americans are paying much higher prices for consumer goods and services because this legislation has been delayed for so very long. The insurance costs incurred by companies protecting against and paying for outrageous and unreasonable product liability suits are passed along to the consumer each and every day, in nearly every product and service purchased. Perhaps even more outrageously, the current system unfairly imposes upon the American public product design standards, which are created in response to penalties awarded in a few states with the highest punitive and compensatory damages. Those States get to impose their juries' ideas of appropriate design and safety standards on the rest of the Nation.24 sources1995govinfo.gov
this Member rises today in support of H.R. 3, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2001, a bold and fair tax relief plan that will reduce the inequities of the current tax code and help ensure that America remains prosperous. This measure will reduce taxes for everyone who pays income taxes, and it will encourage enterprise by lowering marginal tax rates. However, this Member must lament the fact that, in what appears to be a partisan decision, none of the Minority Members of the Committee were willing to support refunding these surplus tax dollars back to the people who paid the taxes--our constituents. This Member strongly believes that some considerable portions of the Federal budget surplus should be returned to the American taxpayer, especially to middle income Americans. Therefore, this Member is pleased to support the President's common sense plan that funds our nation's top priorities, pays down our national debt and gives tax relief to every taxpayer. Over-charged taxpayers deserve some of their own money back.10 sources2001govinfo.gov
This Member rises to express his thanks to the distinguished subcommittee chairman, Mr. Lewis, and the distinguished ranking Member, Mr. Stokes, For their efforts in bringing this bill before us today. This Member is particularly pleased that H.R. 3666 includes $3 million in funding for the Indian Housing Loan Guarantee program at HUD. This very modest sum will guarantee the private financing of nearly $37 million in housing loans for Indian families. As you know, Mr. Chairman, there is a severe lack of decent, affordable housing in Indian country, due in large part to the lack of private financing in Indian country. This program provides a substantial means of bringing much needed private financing to Indian country. This very limited Federal funding is money well spent, and this Member commends the appropriators for including it in this measure. The appropriators also should be commended for increasing an inadequate initial allocation for VA and HUD programs.10 sources1996govinfo.gov
this Member wishes to add his strong support for H.R. 3061, the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2002. This Member would like to commend the distinguished gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Regula], the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], the ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, for bringing this important bill to the House Floor today. In particular, this Member supports the additional $25,000,000 provided to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for digitalization. Public broadcasting has been issued a mandate to be on the air with a digital signal by 2003. By FY 2004 all stations will bear the additional costs of dual carriage of analog and digital signals. Nebraska ETV Network has worked closely with this Member and has informed me and shown evidence that they anticipate using the digital signal to offer multicating and interactive video that will enable the network to address even more needs of children and adult learners. The State of Nebraska has already committed significant resources to convert the nine-station Nebraska ETV Network to digital technology.7 sources2001govinfo.gov

Jun 15, 2004

following the stirring address of the President of Afghanistan this morning, this Member rises to address the urgent need for NATO to augment the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF. This Member cannot overstate how critical…

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Jun 3, 2004

This Member rises to inform our colleagues about grave shortfalls in NATO's International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, in Afghanistan and about efforts to ensure the mission has the resources needed for success. This Member returned to…

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May 20, 2004

It is people that make an institution function, that make it great, that sustain and build respect for it; and Charles W. Johnson is certainly one of those people. He has helped the Congress respect and assert the best traditions and…

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May 19, 2004

this Member certainly is pleased that H.R. 4200 provides authorization for funding for a very important project in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District. The bill includes $614,000 for a national guard and reserve center headquarters…

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May 11, 2004

Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 352 recognizes the contributions of people of Indian origin to the United States and the benefits of working together with India toward promoting peace, prosperity and freedom among all countries of the world…

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May 6, 2004

this Member is absolutely not satisfied with the language of H. Res. 627, as I believe it does not adequately convey how intensely this House and the American people feel about the exceptionally repugnant, insensitive, and damaging the…

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May 4, 2004

as the chairman of the House delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and currently the president of the assembly, I have frequently had to reassure parliamentarians that the outrageous and false allegations they had heard about the…

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Apr 28, 2004

53 years ago, acting on a vision conceived by French businessman Jean Monnet and proposed by Robert Schuman, six nations of Europe agreed to create what we now know as the European Union. On Saturday, May 1, there will be yet another…

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Apr 20, 2004

Last summer this House overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling on the citizens of Cyprus to accept a U.N.-sponsored plan designed to end 29 years of separation and to unite the island. During the floor debate, this Member expressed the…

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Mar 18, 2004

this Member has been a strong supporter of regulatory burden relief for our financial institutions in the past. However, this Member will oppose the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2003 (H.R. 1375) because of the provisions…

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Mar 17, 2004

this Member rises today to fervently condemn the terrorist bombings in Madrid on March 11 and to express his strong and unwavering support for the Spanish people in their fight against terrorism. As all of our colleagues surely know, last…

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