macleginn/stanford_congress_record_longer_speeches huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-10-28
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. about 1 year ago. Speaker BOEHNER and Senate Majority Leader MCCONNELL described a vision for the 114th Congress. It included "focusing first on jobs and the economy." They looked forward to helping middle class Americans "frustrated by an increasing lack of opportunity. the stagnation of wages. and a government that seems incapable of performing even basic tasks." In the time since. they have done nothing but protect big businesses enjoy record profits. attack immigrants. and help polluters continue the destruction of our environment. This body has voted four times in support of the Confederate battle flag. but we have taken no votes on legislation that will level the playing field for working Americans. This body has voted against a solid. longterm transportation and infrastructure bill five times. and we have taken no votes on legislation to boost American wages. This body has voted countless times to undermine the Affordable Care Act or endanger womens access to health care. but we have taken no votes on legislation to help families balance the needs of work and their personal lives. That is in spite of statements from Members like the Republican nominee for Speaker who just last week indicated he wouldnt run for the position unless he would be allowed to set aside time to spend with his family. Mr. Speaker. my colleagues and I are here on the floor tonight to call for a shift in focus. We were elected to ensure everyday Americans have a fighting chance and opportunities to succeed. We need to change gears to get to work on an agenda for working families. We need to pass legislation that would give workers the ability to balance work and family needs. bills like the Healthy Families Act. the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act. the Schedules That Work Act. and the Strong Start for Americas Children Act. We need to pass legislation that will give workers paychecks that actually give them a chance to make ends meet. bills like the Raise the Wage Act. the WAGE Act. and the Payroll Fraud Prevention Act. We need to pass legislation that will give every American a chance to succeed and climb into the middle class regardless of gender. sexual orientation. or any other quality. bills like the Paycheck Fairness Act. the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. and the Equality Act. Tonight. Mr. Speaker. you will hear stories from across the country of working families who have played by the rules and worked for long hours and still cant seem to make it work. These experiences are shared with countless others from my district in New Jersey all the way across the Nation to California. I hope that my colleagues are ready to listen. and. more importantly. I hope they are ready to act. It is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from Minnesota .
Date: 2015-10-28
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague. Mr. ELLISON. who has been a very strong and consistent voice on behalf of all working families and. indeed. all of those that are least among us couldnt have a better advocate. I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois .
Date: 2015-10-28
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois. She is always a progressive voice and no greater advocate can we have. I am now delighted to yield to the gentleman from Virginia . someone who has been a friend for a very long time and whose work I respect and admire tremendously.
Date: 2015-11-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee. I rise in support of H.R. 3361. the "Department of Homeland Security Insider Threat and Mitigation Act." I am in support of this bill because it amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish an Insider Threat Program. which shall: provide training and education for DHS personnel to identify. prevent. mitigate. and respond to insider threat risks to DHSs critical assets. provide investigative support regarding such threats. and conduct risk mitigation activities for such threats. The Department of Homeland Security will establish a Steering Committee headed by the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis who will serve as the Chair. and the Chief Security Officer of the office as the Vice Chair of the Committee. The Under Secretary and the Chief Security Officer. in coordination with the Steering Committee. shall: develop a holistic strategy for DHSwide efforts to identify. prevent. mitigate. and respond to insider threats to DHSs critical assets. develop a plan to implement the strategy across DHS components and offices. document insider threat policies and controls. conduct a baseline risk assessment of such threats. examine existing programmatic and technology best practices adopted by the federal government. industry. and research institutions. develop a timeline for deploying workplace monitoring technologies. employee awareness campaigns. and education and training programs related to potential insider threats. consult with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and other stakeholders to ensure that the Insider Threat Program is informed by current information regarding threats. best practices. and available technology. and develop. collect. and report metrics on the effectiveness of DHSs insider threat mitigation efforts. Threat mitigation is focused on blunting the effectiveness of threats posed by terrorists seeking to carry out attacks in the United States. This is a core mission of the Department of Homeland Security and this bill will support that mission. I ask my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.
Date: 2015-11-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee. and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3505 the "Fusion Center Enhancement Act." which would guarantee improvement of security for the Department of Homeland Security. This bill requires the Homeland Security Department to provide training to appropriate staff of the Department to determine eligibility for access to classified information. At least 88 DHS workers have been on administrative leave pending resolution of claims against them. according to the office of Senator CHARLES GRASSLEY (Rlowa). Four workers had been on leave for three years or more with another 17 on leave for two years or more. The 88 were placed on leave for a variety of reasons. Amongst those reasons it was noted that 13 were placed on leave due to security clearance issues. Earlier this year officials said that a database holding sensitive security clearance information on millions of prior. current. as well as potential federal employees and contractors was compromised. via a Chinese Breach. That database was also breached last year by the Chinese in a separate incident. The bill will ensure that: 1. The Secretary will review all sensitivity level designations of national security positions. 2. Access shall be administratively adjusted and an appropriate level periodic reinvestigation completed. as necessary. and 3. The Inspector General of the Department shall conduct regular audits. With cyber security threats on the rise across the world. and our continued dependence on technology we must be ever vigilant of the threats that we face. It is for these reasons. as well as the previously mentioned cases of threats to DHS security clearance. that I seek the support of my colleagues today to support H.R. 3505. I am confident that my colleagues will heed my advice and realize the need for the enactment of H.R. 3505.
Date: 2015-11-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee. I rise in support of H.R. 3503. the "Homeland Security Support Fusion Centers Act of 2015." State and major urban area fusion centers serve as central points within the state and local environment for the receipt. analysis. gathering. and sharing of threatrelated information between the federal government and state. local. tribal. territorial. and private sector partners. H.R. 3503 will require the Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). in coordination with the homeland security advisors of the states to provide an assessment of fusion center personnel needs. and for other purposes. to the Committee on Homeland Security. H.R. 3503 will amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve the management and administration of the security clearance processes throughout the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security advisors must conduct a needs assessment of Department personnel assigned to fusion centers pursuant to subsection (c) of section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The assessment must include information on: the current deployment of DHS personnel to each fusion center. the roles and responsibilities of Office of Intelligence and Analysis intelligence officers. intelligence analysts. senior reports officers. reports officers. and regional directors deployed to fusion centers. federal resources. in addition to personnel. provided to each fusion center. whether deploying additional personnel would enhance intelligence and information sharing between DHS and federal. state. local. tribal. and territorial partners. fusion centers located in jurisdictions along land and maritime borders of the United States and the degree to which deploying personnel from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. and the Coast Guard to such centers would enhance the integrity and security at such borders. and fusion centers located in jurisdictions with large and medium hub airports and the degree to which deploying personnel from the Transportation Security Administration to such centers would enhance aviation security. The Under Secretary must submit such assessment to specified congressional committees. together with a report on: the number of personnel assigned to fusion centers from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. the number of personnel assigned to the National Network of Fusion Centers from components and offices of DHS and the methodology for determining the fusion centers to which such personnel are assigned. and an implementation plan for determining how DHSs personnel resources will be allocated to fusion centers in the future. H.R. 3503 will help to ensure the safety of our fusion centers and the personnel that work within these centers. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 3503.
Date: 2015-11-02
Speaker: WATSON COLEMAN (democrat)
Chamber: H

I want to thank Mr. ENGEL for giving me this opportunity to speak. and I want to thank my colleague and neighbor. Congressman CHRIS SMITH. for introducing this resolution. I stand in proud support of the resolution. and I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker. more than 70 years removed from the Holocaust. Jewish residents in Europe face renewed waves of antiSemitic violence. The Pew Research Center reported that global harassment of Jews has reached a 7year high. This violence is pronounced in Europe. where the desecration of synagogues. cemeteries. schools. and other violent incidents have spiked over the past few years. The Jewish Community Security Trust reported more than 1.100 antiJewish incidents in the United Kingdom in 2014. including 81 violent assaults. That same year. according to the French Jewish advocacy group CRIF. antiSemitic incidents doubled in that nation. Troubling. violent. and even deadly antiSemitic attacks have also occurred in countries such as Denmark. Belgium. and Germany. As the leader in the international community. the United States plays a very vital role in denouncing antiSemitism and hate. The national director of the AntiDefamation League has attributed U.S. public figures speaking out against hate as contributing to steady decreases in antiSemitic attitudes domestically. As a nation founded on equality and religious freedom. we share a responsibility to stand against antiSemitism and against hate in all its manifestations. whether it is the hate that manifested as four people were killed at the HyperCacher Jewish supermarket outside of Paris this past January. or the hate that manifested as the nine Americans killed in the massacre at Mother Emmanuel AME in Charleston. or the hate manifested as six killed at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek. or the hate that manifested in the flames that have recently burned countless Black churches to the ground. We must join together as a nation and a global community to denounce hate wherever it may appear and uproot weeds of hate wherever they may sprout. With that. I urge my colleagues to support this.
Date: 2015-11-02
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise to join my colleagues in speaking on the critically important issue of criminaljustice reform. Just last week. an AfricanAmerican girl at Spring Valley High School in Columbia. South Carolina was violently arrested by the schools resource officer. This is a disturbing example of a law enforcement officer using excessive force when interacting with a person of color and a perfect illustration of an alarming trend in our schools. We need to have a substantive dialogue around how to empower administrators. teachers. and staff to deal with school disciplinary issues so that students arent being criminalized for behavioral issues. According to the Department of Education. black females enrolled in New York City and Boston schools are disciplined 10.5 times more on average than their white counterparts. African Americans seem to face undue scrutiny by police officers throughout our communities. Black Americans are more than twice as likely to be unarmed when killed during encounters with police when compared to Caucasians. States and Congress must set higher standards for the use of deadly force and must hold police officers accountable if they violate these standards. This is the first of many steps to begin the process of mending the delicate relationship between law enforcement and people of color. This disparity is increasingly evident when looking at the composition of the U.S. prison population. The Coalition for Public Safety argues that more than 60 percent of our prison population is composed of racial and ethnic minorities. That is why I have supported H.R. 3713. a comprehensive sentencing reform effort with bipartisan support that aims to overhaul the current system which disproportionately affects minorities. I strongly believe that addressing the disparate treatment of people of color at the hands of police is a fundamental step toward creating an equitable society. As one of the first black women to be publically elected from Dallas. I spent my entire career championing equity for communities of color and fighting on behalf of African Americans for social justice. It is clear that there are fundamental problems in police and justice systems across the nation that needs to be addressed. As a former Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. these issues are of the utmost importance to me and I am personally committed to finding long term solutions. We must act now to remedy the culture and system of violence against people of color. Our nation has endured this disparity for far too long and I encourage my colleagues to not only speak out on this issue. but also take swift and immediate action.
Date: 2015-11-03
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Chair. I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 238. strike line 10 and all that follows through page 239. line 5. and insert the following: (1) by striking paragraph (4). and The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 507. the gentlewoman from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Date: 2015-11-03
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Chair. my amendment represents an important effort to preserve the existing budget authority for the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act. TIFIA. program. In essence. this simple amendment would strike DOTs ability to reallocate budget authority for TIFIA. ensuring that this authority remains available for the TIFIA program.
Date: 2015-11-03
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. EDDIE BER-
Date: 2015-11-03
Speaker: PETER DEFAZIO (democrat)
Chamber: H

for their efforts to bring the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act to the floor. I thank them for this opportunity to explain the Jackson LeeSewell amendment. which makes a good bill even better by ensuring that the national goals of strengthening our Nations transportation and infrastructure is aided by innovation. The Jackson LeeSewell amendment improves this good bill by ensuring that the goals of improving transportation efficiency and safety take into consideration the topic of rest stop and other parking and the topic of public safety. This amendment seeks a public safety report to be provided to the House and the Senate Transportation Committees on the security of locations that are intended to encourage the public use of alternative transportation as well as personal transportation parking areas. More than 1 in 10 property crimes occurs in parking lots or in garages. and this study will provide an opportunity for Congress to do more to enhance the safety of parking areas that are used by the most vulnerable in our communities: students. women. seniors. the disabled. and other vulnerable members of the public. The Jackson LeeSewell amendment will make surface transportation travel safer. More importantly. it will increase safety for the traveling public. especially for women. seniors. students. disabled persons. and children. Madam Chairman. I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson LeeSewell amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.
Date: 2015-11-03
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. I am offering this amendment on behalf of Congresswoman SEWELL and myself. I wish to thank the Chair and Ranking Member of the Rules Committee for making this Amendment in order. I thank Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman BILL SHUSTER and Ranking Member PETER A. DEFAZIO for their efforts to bring the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act to the floor. I thank them all for this opportunity to explain the Jackson Lee/Sewell Amendments. which makes a good bill even better by ensuring that the national goals of strengthening our nations transportation and infrastructure is aided by innovation. The work of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in bringing this bipartisan forward thinking bill to the floor is appreciated. This Jackson Lee/Sewell amendment improves this good bill by ensuring that the goals of improving transportation efficiency and safety take into consideration the topic of rest stop. and other parking and the topic of public safety. This Amendment seeks a public safety report to be provided to the House and Senate Transportation Committees on the security of locations that are intended to encourage public use of alternative transportation. as well as personal transportation parking areas. An essential part of the success of public transportation usage is the ability of automobile drivers to park their vehicles in safety. More than 1 in 10 property crimes occur in parking lots or garages. The report will provide an opportunity for Congress to do more to enhance the safety of parking areas that are used by students. women. seniors. disabled. and other vulnerable members of the public. The Bureau of Justice Statistics provides a detailed report on the place of occurrence for violent and property crimes from 2004 through For example. purse snatchings and pocket pickings typically occur away from home. According to Bureau of Justice Statistics 28.2% of purses snatched occur in open areas such as the street or on public transportation. This amendment will lead to enhanced safety of car pool parking lots. mass transit parking. local. state. and regional rail station parking. college or university parking. bike paths. walking trails. and other locations the Secretary deems appropriate. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that victimization and property crimes occurring between 2004 and 2008 in parking lots and garages include: 213.540 victimization crimes that occurred in noncommercial parking lots and garages. and 864.190 property crimes. The Bureaus report on victimization crimes that occur at public transportation or in stations was 49.910 and property crimes was 132.190. The Jackson Lee/Sewell Amendment will make surface transportation travel safer. More importantly. it will increase Safety of the traveling public. especially women. seniors. students. disabled persons. and children. Madam Chair. I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee/Sewell amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Alabama .
Date: 2015-11-03
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. I am offering this amendment on behalf of Congresswoman SEWELL and myself. Once again. I wish to thank the Chair and Ranking Member of the Rules Committee for making this Amendment in order. I thank the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman BILL SHUSTER and Ranking Member PETER A. DEFAZIO for their bipartisan work to bring the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act to the floor. This Jackson Lee/Sewell Amendment provides a report to Congress from the Secretary of the Department of Transportation on the "Internet of Things" (loT) and its potential to improve transportation services to the elderly and persons with disabilities as well as assist local. state and federal transportation planners in achieving better inefficiencies and cost effectiveness. while protecting privacy and security of persons who use loT technology. The loT refers to the wireless environment that will support networking of physical objects or "things" embedded with wireless electronic components. software. sensors. and network connectivity technology. which enables these objects to collect and exchange data on people. places and things. The loT will introduce the functionality of computing into physical space as computing technology is integrated into devices and systems. It will also challenge the privacy and security of users of the technology if precautions are not taken to ensure that information on these devices is not protected. This Jackson Lee/Sewell amendment will allow Congress to take into consideration how loT technologies can be used to make public transportation. safer. more convenient to the elderly and disabled. and how it may improve mass and personal transportation efficiency. The ability to include wireless technology into physical things or support communication among digital devices that may be nearby or at distances will offer many benefits to consumers. loT products are already being deployed for personal. recreational. city planning. public safety. energy consumption management. healthcare. and many other applications. Today. local governments are working to incorporate loT services into transportation. garbage pickup. as well as the provision of wireless connectivity for their residents. The Jackson Lee/Sewell Amendment will help ensure that we harness the benefits of the "Internet of Things" for the traveling public and minimize the threats to privacy and cybersecurity presented by this new and exciting technology. I urge support for the Jackson Lee/Sewell Amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Alabama .