mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ENHANCED BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Lucy McBath (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2019-2-28

. Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding. prgtoken Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019. prgtoken After losing my son Jordan to gun violence in 2012, I began reaching out to other families who recently lost a loved one to gun violence. I would send them letters. That is how I came to know Reverend Sharon Risher of Charlotte, North Carolina. prgtoken On June 17, 2017, Reverend Risher lost her mother, two cousins, and a childhood friend when a young man shot and killed nine people during a prayer service at the Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Today, with H.R. 1112, we can close the loophole in background checks for the gun purchase that led to their terrible loss. I support this legislation for Reverend Sharon Risher and the memory of her family and her loved ones. prgtoken Tragically, this was not the last time our country witnessed horrific violence in a place of worship. A few months ago, the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, took the lives of 11 human beings. prgtoken Our places of worship, whether they are churches, synagogues, mosques, or something else, should be safe places of love, support, and community. H.R. 1112 would allow law enforcement the time that they need to make sure all these community centers are places of peace and safety. prgtoken Yesterday, we voted to expand background checks. Today, we vote to make sure those background checks are thorough, even if a few of them take a few more days to process. Those few extra days will save lives. prgtoken In the days after the Emanuel shooting, I was there in the community praying with the community and dealing with their pain and loss. America deserves better than this. prgtoken Why not make sure that we are doing everything that we can to protect them? A few more days in making sure that the FBI has the ability to really soundly make a conscious and critical decision, America deserves that. prgtoken Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
Nomination of Andrew Wheeler (Executive Session)
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-28

I rise today to express my opposition to confirming Andrew Wheeler to serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. prgtoken His lobbying activities and tenure, first as Deputy, then as Acting Administrator, show that he should not be leading the EPA in a permanent capacity. prgtoken We are at a crossroads for action on climate change. The United Nations issued a special report in October, warning of the catastrophic consequences of allowing global warming to surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius. prgtoken The report warned that human activity has already caused about 1 degree of warming and that we need to drastically cut emissions--45 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050--to stay below 1.5 degrees. prgtoken The EPA is the strongest institution we have in the United States to combat climate change in terms of technical expertise and legal authority. Unfortunately, I fear that, if the EPA remains under the leadership of Andrew Wheeler, it will continue dismantling critical regulations and rolling back previous efforts to address climate change. prgtoken Andrew Wheeler is a former coal and fossil fuel lobbyist. Despite a duty to serve the public's interest, he has instead worked to push a counterproductive agenda of deregulation at the EPA. prgtoken During Mr. Wheeler's EPA tenure, the administration has aggressively moved to undermine numerous greenhouse gas emission regulations. This includes President 's landmark Clean Power Plan, performance standards for new power plants, and methane emission standards for the oil and gas industry. prgtoken I am most concerned that Andrew Wheeler is overseeing the administration's efforts to roll back our national program for motor vehicle emission standards, an issue that I have worked on for decades. prgtoken Under the current program, fuel economy standards for new cars and SUVs are set to exceed 50 miles per gallon by 2025. To date, these standards have saved 550 million barrels of oil, $65 billion in fuel costs for American families, and 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. prgtoken The success of these standards comes, in part, from the fact that they have been implemented as a single, coordinated national program under the authority of the EPA, the Department of Transportation, and the State of California. prgtoken The Department of Transportation implements the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act, which was signed into law in 2007 following a bipartisan legislative effort over the course of many years. I was proud to work together with our former colleague Olympia Snowe of Maine and many others from both parties to strengthen the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for the first time in three decades. prgtoken This law requires fuel economy standards to increase by at least 10 miles per gallon by 2020. Beyond 2020, the law requires standards to be set at the maximum feasible level based on available technology, which the admi
Women's Healthcare (Executive Session)
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2019-2-28

I am glad to join Senator Stabenow, who was on the floor just now, to respond to the shameful lies and gross exaggerations that have been claimed by some on the other side of the aisle. prgtoken Earlier this week, we voted on legislation that some of my colleagues claimed was needed to outlaw infanticide--the killing of babies. How absurd. It is, and has always been, illegal to kill any human, including infants. prgtoken So what was in that legislation we voted on earlier this week? To honestly discuss the bill, we need to have a factually and medically accurate conversation about abortion. prgtoken A healthy fetus becomes potentially able to live outside the womb at about 24 weeks of pregnancy. Very few abortions occur after that--less than 1 percent--and generally are performed either because the fetus has a fatal condition or the pregnant woman's life or health is at severe risk. These are heartbreaking situations involving very wanted pregnancies--hardly the time for the heavy hand of government to reach into our wombs. prgtoken Under this bill, doctors will be required to resuscitate infants born with fatal conditions, even if the parents did not want these measures that could prolong their infant's suffering and instead wanted to spend the limited time they had with their baby comforting their child and holding them close. prgtoken How dare anyone pretend to know what care is best for these families instead of trusting them and their doctors to decide. How dare Congress interject itself into a decision we have no business deciding for others. Yet this is exactly what this bill would have done. prgtoken I encourage my colleagues to read stories from women who have been speaking up about their experiences with abortion later in pregnancy. These stories are usually found on the internet as well as in the national press, as more women feel under attack and are coming forward to tell their stories. Perhaps, in hearing from these women, my colleagues will realize what these women need is compassion, not condemnation. prgtoken Stories like that of Dana Weinstein, who bravely told her story to CNN. Years ago, Dana and her husband learned at 31 weeks that their daughter's brain had a severe defect. Doctors told the couple their daughter would not be able to suck or swallow and would most likely suffer from uncontrollable seizures upon birth. They heard what a resuscitation order would entail. They listened to what an existence, short-lived or otherwise, would look like. They were briefed on hospice care. prgtoken After the diagnosis, the kicks in Dana's belly, which had given her so much joy, became unbearable. She feared her daughter was seizing and may be suffering. Ultimately, Dana and her husband decided to get an abortion. For this baby they loved, it felt like--in their words--``a more peaceful path for her passing.'' prgtoken These are the stories. Compassion and understanding are what is need
Nomination of Andrew Wheeler (Executive Session)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-2-28

I thank the gentleman from New Mexico for his comments. I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly with the sentiments that the gentleman from New Mexico just uttered and the others, the Senator from Rhode Island and the Senator from New York. prgtoken This is an emergency situation for the planet. How do we know? We know because the U.N. scientists at the end of 2018 issued a report saying that climate change is an existential threat to our planet. Our own U.S. scientists in the end of 2018 issued their own report. This is the administration's scientists, much to his chagrin, who said: ``We must act to avoid substantial damages to the U.S. economy, environment, and human health and the well-being over the coming decades.'' prgtoken These are earth-shattering science reports about the state of our planet. These are doomsday reports, which the scientists of our own country and the world are giving to us. Yet just 3 weeks ago, the ``Denier in Chief'' stood before the Congress and delivered a message to the American people--not by his words but by the words he did not utter, because in an hour and 20 minutes, President did not even mention the words ``climate change.'' He did not even mention the words ``clean energy revolution.'' prgtoken President , further, has sent to us a new person to be the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Who is Andrew Wheeler? He is a former lobbyist for the coal industry. That is what this Senate will be voting on--a coal lobbyist to take over the environment of our country, as the scientists of our country tell us that we are facing an existential threat if we do not take urgent actions today. prgtoken Our majority leader yesterday called the Green New Deal ``foolish and dangerous.'' Well, with all due respect to my colleagues, the only thing foolish and dangerous about the Green New Deal is to ignore the $400 billion in damages over the last 2 years from supercharged storms and wildfires, to ignore the tens of trillions of dollars in the damage that we will see from climate change in the United States by 2100 if we do not act, and the hundreds of trillions of damage across the entire planet if we are not the leader in creating a clean-energy revolution. prgtoken What is dangerous, I say to the leader, is sending our men and women in the military overseas to protect tankers of oil that are coming into our country from the Middle East. Superstorms, wildfires, rising seas, and other extreme weather events are the impacts of climate change if we do not act boldly to stop it. It isn't just dangerous; it is an existential threat to our planet, not from politicians or political scientists but from real scientists--``the'' scientists--the Nobel Prize-winning scientists of the whole planet and in our own country. They are telling us we are in danger, and this body has to take positive action to deal with it. prgtoken We have a ``Denier in Chief
Climate Change (Executive Session)
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2019-2-28

I come to the floor today to talk about climate change--to talk about something that is a pressing and real problem that affects everyone in this country, and, in fact, in our world. It is a challenge that we can't afford to ignore any longer because the health of our families, our economy, our environment, and even our national security, quite literally, depend on our ability to address it and address it promptly. prgtoken After a year of recordbreaking extreme weather in 2018--when we saw rising average temperatures fuel California's deadliest wildfire season on record, when Florida was faced with the strongest hurricane ever to reach that State's panhandle, and when farmers in Delaware and across the country faced challenges due to severe flooding and drought--it is clear that we can't afford to sit back and do nothing about climate change while the American people pay the price. prgtoken The costs of our inaction are real--real in human suffering, real in disaster recovery spending, real in lost economic opportunity, and real in the burden borne by our Armed Forces around the world. prgtoken Yes, there is a clear link between climate change and national security. The Pentagon has consistently pointed to climate change as a real national security threat that will make the military's job around the world harder. National security leaders from across administrations, both and ic, have warned that climate change acts as a ``threat multiplier,'' increasing global instability and weakening fragile States as climate change leads to more extreme weather events and scarcer food and water resources. prgtoken In many ways, these findings echo themes about climate change that we already know--that it is already happening, that it continues to get worse, that it is going to cost us dearly, and that we can do something about it. It is that last point that I want to focus on. We can do something to stop the disastrous impacts of climate change, so long as we recognize it and work together in a bipartisan way to develop, take up, debate, and pass meaningful legislation that can make a difference. prgtoken have a broad range of bold and new policy proposals and of tested and fully developed policy proposals to address climate change. Many of them are bipartisan. prgtoken I wanted to come to the floor today to talk through 4 different bills that I have cosponsored--some that are relatively new and some considered across several Congresses--that are positive, constructive steps forward we can take to address climate change. prgtoken The first, and probably my oldest bill in this field, is called the MLP Parity Act--a catchy name, I know. It has five colleagues who have cosponsored it now over three Congresses. This bill expands to renewable forms of energy, to carbon capture and sequestration, and to renewable and so-called clean energy a popular and long-established tax t
CONDOLENCES IN LOVING MEMORY OF CHARLES NUNZIO DelPIZZO
Marcia L. Fudge (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-2-28

. Madam , Charles Nunzio DelPizzo was one whose life and service enriched us and whose passing continues to leave a void in the community. He is sorely missed. prgtoken Mr. DelPizzo's service in the United States Army demonstrated his devotion to our nation. We will be forever indebted to him and all the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line for our beloved country. It gives me great pleasure to give him one final salute. prgtoken Mr. DelPizzo modeled a life of love, sustaining a 63-year marriage to Palma Antonia Santoro DelPizzo. prgtoken The pleasure of having known Charles DelPizzo is carried in the hearts and minds of his family and friends. Mr. DelPizzo's memory is forever cherished by his daughter Paula; Son-in-law Andrew; Grandchildren Angela, Melissa, and Andrew; great grandchildren Anthony, Talia, and Larissa; and all who knew and loved him. prgtoken I hope Paula continues to take comfort in the memories she has made with her beloved father. A person that departs from this earth never truly leaves, for they are still alive in our hearts and minds; through us, they live on. May she continue to find solace in the memory of Charles DelPizzo's love and the celebration of his life. prgtoken On behalf of the constituents of Ohio's Eleventh Congressional District, I extend sincere condolences. May God bless and keep the family.
ENHANCED BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-2-28

. Madam , the underlying bill, H.R. 1112, is a critical and carefully crafted bill to address the Charleston loophole. prgtoken We have discussed it here today, but I will repeat, the very name ``Charleston loophole'' is a grim reminder of the deficiency in current law that allows killers to get guns even if a firearms background check has not been completed. This is a dangerous flaw that we can address with a minor change to the system. prgtoken When a background check cannot be completed within a 3-day period, it is important that the FBI work to resolve the unanswered questions presented, because these are the very cases that present the most danger. prgtoken Unfortunately, we have seen many default proceeds go forward in domestic violence cases, allowing an abuser to obtain a firearm even when he or she is prohibited from owning one. The statistics back that up. prgtoken In 2013 and 2014, a plurality of default proceed transfers to prohibit a person were related to domestic violence. In that same period, 30 percent of denials due to convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence were issued after the abuser took possession of the gun. prgtoken My heart goes out to my colleague, Mrs. Lesko, because she should never have suffered from domestic violence. Unfortunately, we are colleagues that both know it. prgtoken I have spent more time thinking about how you keep guns out of the hands of abusers, probably, than anybody in this Chamber. I know better than most the dangers they pose. prgtoken It is not easy for me to talk about it this week, but more than once--and I think of the abuser. I will be honest on this floor. My father was mentally ill. I had to hide in that closet with my siblings wondering if we would live or die. One night, I kept my father from killing my mother. He shouldn't have had a gun. prgtoken This is what I remember as a child. My mother went out and bought a gun, and then all of us were scared to death about her gun and my father's gun. We had two guns to worry about. prgtoken No child, no woman, no man should ever have to go through that. prgtoken The additional time provided by H.R. 1112 will help us stop more massacres such as the one in Charleston, and may it prevent another child or family going through what I did as a child. prgtoken These amendments made by this motion would undermine the lifesaving improvements to current law that this bill will initiate. I oppose this motion with every bit of my heart and soul and urge my colleagues to do the same. prgtoken Madam , I yield my remaining time to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the distinguished whip.
``I AM JAZZ''
Angie Craig (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-2-28

. Madam , I rise today in celebration of Jazz and Friends National Day of Readings. prgtoken And I continue: ``Mom said that being Jazz would make me different from the other kids at school, but that being different is okay. What's important, she said, is that I'm happy with who I am. ``Being Jazz caused some other people to be confused too, like the teachers at school. ``At the beginning of the year they wanted me to use the boys' bathroom, and play on the boys' team in gym class, but that didn't feel normal to me at all. ``I was so happy when the teachers changed their minds. . . . '' ``Even today, there are kids who tease me, or call me by a boy name, or ignore me altogether. This makes me feel crummy. ``Then I remember that the kids who get to know me usually want to be my friend. They say I am one of the nicest girls at school. ``I don't mind being different. Different is special. I think what matters most is what a person is like on the inside. ``And inside, I am happy. I am having fun. I am proud. ``I am Jazz.''
ENHANCED BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-2-28

. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, and I applaud the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), my good friend, for his leadership and enduring commitment to reducing gun violence and making our communities safer. I also appreciate my friend from Texas, Sheila Jackson Lee, for her leadership on this issue as well. prgtoken Madam Chair, it is unconscionable to think that convicted felons, domestic abusers, and others who are prohibited by law from purchasing a firearm could end up with these weapons anyway. Sadly, this is the reality we currently live in due to the default proceed sales, also known as the Charleston loophole. prgtoken I have introduced legislation on this problem in the past because we must do everything we can to ensure firearms do not end up in the hands of those who should not have them. This is why I am also a cosponsor of Mr. Clyburn's Enhanced Background Checks Act. prgtoken The FBI should and, in fact, needs to know if a default proceeds sale has taken place. Currently, this is not the case unless the FBI eventually completes a background check, determines the purchaser should be prohibited from owning a firearm, and subsequently contacts the dealer. prgtoken We need more information throughout this process, and my amendment would do just that: require the FBI to report on the number of background checks that they are not able to complete within the designated time period. prgtoken This information will help keep track of the FBI's ability to clear background checks in a timely manner as well as give better understanding of where there is still room for improvement. It will also provide much-needed transparency to the default proceed process. prgtoken All who support commonsense solutions to reduce the gun violence epidemic in this country should support this amendment and the underlying legislation. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' prgtoken Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), my dear friend and a tireless champion and leader on the efforts to reduce gun violence.