mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING IMPORTANCE OF 19TH AMENDMENT
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , exactly 100 years ago today, this House passed the 19th Amendment. On June 4, 1919, the Senate approved it. prgtoken The women's right to vote began the race to ratification, requiring three-fourths of the 48 States to ratify it before it was added to the Constitution. That happened on August 26, 1920. prgtoken Madam , a woman having the right to vote is not at all controversial today. However, in 1848, when the first women's rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, the issue was so contentious that the group of mostly women only narrowly passed including voting rights in their Declaration of Sentiments. prgtoken We know some of the leaders of the movement, like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ida B. Wells, but there are thousands of other women whose names will never be known. They also gave heart and courage to ensuring equality for women. prgtoken The passage of the 19th Amendment ensured that all Americans were included in steering our Nation toward the future. One hundred years later, it remains just as important.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-5-22

I am proud to recognize Elizabeth Guillotte prgtoken of Hill, NH, and Richard ``Ricky'' Mazur of Franklin, NH, as the May 2019 Granite Staters of the Month for their dedication to helping their classmates whose financial and/or family circumstances render them unable to afford basic necessities like clothing and toiletries. prgtoken When the Franklin High School FIRST robotics team sat down to discuss how they could give back to their community, Elizabeth and Richard had an idea: They could revamp the makeshift thrift shop at their school. Now, students at Franklin High School who are in need of anything from clothing, to toothbrushes, to cereal, can get all these items anonymously and for free at the new and improved ``Karma Korner.'' prgtoken Elizabeth and Richard were inspired to act after they noticed that some of their classmates were walking the halls in the same clothing that they wore the day before and learned that some classmates were eating their only meal of the day in the school cafeteria. prgtoken With the support of their FIRST Robotics teammates, the two students moved an already existing makeshift thrift shop to a wheelchair- accessible room with better lighting and brightly colored walls. They added food to the inventory of items available for students and started a program that allows students to bring home a backpack stuffed with pantry items so that they do not go hungry over the weekend. prgtoken Ensuring anonymity and, as a result, reducing stigma was important to Elizabeth and Richard. If a student wants to check out an item, all they need to do is record what they are taking on a clipboard, so that the students working the pantry know what needs to be replenished. prgtoken Many businesses in the surrounding communities have also lent their support in the form of gift cards or donated items. By collaborating with local businesses and charities, Karma Korner recently received washers and dryers for student use, which were bought and installed at no expense to the school. prgtoken In establishing Karma Korner, Elizabeth and Richard have recognized and elevated the dignity of their friends, peers, and classmates, and they have reminded us of our shared humanity and shared promise. I join the rest of the Franklin High School community in thanking Richard and Elizabeth for their efforts to help make their school a more supportive and welcoming place and congratulate them for being honored as May 2019's Granite Staters of the Month.
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam Chair, I first want to join my colleagues in thanking Chairwoman Waters for her leadership for so many years and, in particular, her leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. prgtoken We are here today to reinstate the powers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which have been severely weakened, and it includes the curtailing of enforcement of fair lending laws and removing a standalone office on student loans. We must ensure, however, that our elderly population is included in this debate. We must not leave our elderly behind. prgtoken My amendment is simple and straightforward. It will require the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue an annual report to Congress of consumer complaints from older Americans, including a State-by-State breakdown of complaints by type of consumer financial product or service. prgtoken Madam Chair, studies show that people 50 and older hold 83 percent of the wealth in the United States. However, these same individuals, who grew up in a workforce very different than the evolving, technologically driven one of today and who are experiencing aging health disparities, are prime targets for scammers. This has resulted in our seniors losing anywhere from $2.9 billion to $36 billion each year from financial exploitation. prgtoken Having served as the director of my State's, Colorado's, Department of Regulatory Agencies in the past, I had the honor of working on behalf of Coloradans to protect them from unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices. We certainly saw many of these practices up close. prgtoken While I am proud that our department was able to recover millions of dollars for consumers across Colorado, including senior citizens, we must do more. In an era of sophisticated targeting of our seniors, we must act, and I certainly believe that is the case at the Federal level. prgtoken So, in a world in which we continue to hear of calculated financial fraud and various data breaches, I believe we prgtoken should be working to protect all consumers, not making it easy for bad actors to take advantage of them, in particular, making sure that we protect vulnerable populations. prgtoken Madam Chair, that is why I encourage my colleagues to support this important amendment, and, with that, .
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-22

it has been a frightening 2 weeks for tens of millions of Americans who support a woman's freedom to make her own healthcare choices. Actually, if you believe the polls, there are hundreds of millions of Americans in that category. prgtoken legislators across the country have passed some of the most extreme restrictions on a woman's right to choose. With breathtaking speed, they are trying to take us backward, but they have already provoked a fierce reaction among the American people. prgtoken Just yesterday, I stood with hundreds before the Supreme Court to speak on behalf of Americans everywhere who believe that women don't deserve to be treated this way by their government. Meanwhile, here in the Senate, the leader is once again stalling--it seems to be his MO--on a bill to improve legal protections for women who are victims of domestic abuse, assault, and stalking. This is VAWA, or the Violence Against Women Act. prgtoken VAWA has been a landmark piece of legislation, and it has greatly reduced the abuse of women. Well, there was an improved and expanded VAWA that was passed by the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis. It got significant votes. It brings much needed updates to existing Federal law. It finally expands protections to women who are victims of violence from domestic partners or former partners, not just current or former spouses. It also says that if you are known to stalk your partner or have a restraining order against you, you shouldn't be allowed to purchase a gun. Thanks to the work of some of my colleagues in both Chambers, it also brings renewed attention to violence against Native American women who are so often overlooked. prgtoken I thank Senators Smith, Klobuchar, and Cantwell for bringing attention to this bill later today. prgtoken Unfortunately, Leader McConnell has indicated that he will not bring the House-passed VAWA bill to the floor, despite these many commonsense reforms. Why not? I hope it is not because the gun lobby reflexively opposes any restrictions on gun purchases--even for convicted stalkers. I hope that is not the impediment here, because as Senator Klobuchar has pointed out, if you are abused by your husband, then, you are protected by VAWA. If you are abused by a boyfriend, you are not. What is the difference? What is the difference? prgtoken VAWA is yet another example of how Leader McConnell has turned this Chamber into a legislative graveyard. Even the most commonsense bills, with broad support from one end of America to the other, that are passed by the House--here, a bill protecting women from violence--meet the grim fate at the hands of the Senate's self-proclaimed Grim Reaper. prgtoken What a shame. The Violence Against Women Act is precisely the kind of legislation the American people expect the Senate to consider. During a difficult few weeks for women across prgtoken America, the Senate could hav
RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MAY AS GBS/CIDP AWARENESS
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the month of May as GBS/CIDP Awareness Month 2019 and ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the CIDP and MMN communities through cosponsoring the Medicare IVIG Access Enhancement Act. prgtoken The bill Act would provide much-needed assistance to Medicare patients suffering from two rare diseases, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) and Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN). These debilitating conditions are the result of a patient's own immune system attacking their motor nerves, leading to compromised mobility and reduced quality of life. prgtoken Patients are frequently treated with intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), a plasma-derived medicine that can significantly improve health outcomes for these vulnerable patient populations. Given the mobility challenges associated with CIDP and MMN, treatment in the homes is the preferred site of care for many patients. prgtoken I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation by becoming a cosponsor. The establishment of a home infusion option for patients with CIDP and MMN will help promote therapy adherence, enhance quality of life and promote positive health outcomes for beneficiaries with CIDP and MMN.
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Alma S. Adams (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam Chair, before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, there was no Federal agency dedicated to protecting consumers from predatory and abusive practices, so I am grateful to my chair for bringing this issue before us. prgtoken I am not exactly sure why my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have been so resistant to protecting consumers and to restoring the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to its original intent. prgtoken My amendment would restore the relationship between the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education. Specifically, it would reestablish an interagency agreement concerning the sharing of student borrower complaints and allow for cooperation in the supervision and oversight of student loan servicers. prgtoken It is critical that the Department of Education work with the CFPB on student loan oversight. Currently, the Department of Education is refusing to share information about loan servicers and student borrower complaints, which is making it more difficult for the CFPB to conduct its investigations into the lenders' bad behavior and deceptive practices. prgtoken In fact, last Thursday, it was reported that the Director of the CFPB, in response to Senator Warren's inquiry, stated that Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education were blocking efforts to conduct proper oversight on the student loan industry. prgtoken Because of the stance the Department of Education has taken, many student loan servicers and lenders are not complying with CFPB's request for information as well. These companies that manage student loans are refusing to share information that the CFPB needs to perform proper oversight. This is unacceptable. prgtoken The national student loan debt has reached crisis levels. The American people are getting crushed by more than $1.5 trillion in student debt. Moreover, we have seen countless lawsuits allege that widespread wrongdoing by student loan companies is costing some borrowers thousands of dollars. prgtoken This critical amendment would put borrowers back at the center of the Bureau's consumer protection work. prgtoken Our constituents have elected us to look out for their best interests, to protect them from harmful policies, and to provide them recourse when they get into difficult situations. Dismantling, undermining, and weakening the CFPB is not in our constituents' best interests. prgtoken I thank Chairwoman Waters for her leadership in restoring the CFPB to its original intent. prgtoken Let's do the right thing for the American people. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to help student borrowers and to support H.R. 1500. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
SRI LANKA
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-5-22

this week marks the 10th anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war. On May 19, 2009, Sri Lanka's 26-year conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, LTTE, and the government of Sri Lanka came to a close with the LTTE's military defeat and surrender. This anniversary comes on the heels of the horrible Easter Sunday terrorist attacks on churches across Sri Lanka for which we are still seeking answers and accountability from ISIS and its affiliates on the island. prgtoken While the end of the war was a counterterrorism victory, we have since learned the ugly cost of this effort. According to International Crisis Group, in the final months of Sri Lanka's civil war, Sri Lankan Government ``attacks on its own self-declared `no-fire zones' killed tens of thousands of [Tamil] civilians . . . claims range from 7,000 to 147,000 dead.'' For several years, I have been calling for an international, independent mechanism to investigate allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Sri Lankan conflict. I also remain concerned about recent violations of human rights and religious freedom in that country. prgtoken Since the end of the war, there has yet to be real progress made on reconciliation and accountability for Tamils through domestic processes, as recommended by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 2015 Investigation on Sri Lanka, OISL. Human rights violations against Tamil, Christian, and Muslim minorities continue, and the Sri Lankan Government has prgtoken failed to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks against journalists, religious, and ethnic minorities and opposition politicians. prgtoken Sri Lanka has a long way to go on its path to reconciliation. In addition to pursuing meaningful justice and accountability, the Sri Lankan Government must implement comprehensive security sector reform, fully operationalize the Office of Missing Persons to provide families with answers on what happened to their loved ones, repeal the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act, PTA, release political prisoners as called for by our own State Department and required by fiscal year 2019 Appropriations bill and address the root causes of the civil war and the government's responsibility to protect citizens of all communities. prgtoken Concerns over intercommunal strife are exacerbated by the horrific April 21 Easter attacks on churches and hotels across the island that killed over 200 civilians. We are learning that ISIS-affiliated entities were behind the attacks. As Sri Lanka deals with the very new threat of Islamic extremism, it is critical that its government not repeat its pattern of suppressing media, civil society, and religious freedom under the veil of counterterrorism. The government's abuse of emergency powers, recent ban on Muslim face-covers, coupled with retaliatory attacks against mosques and Muslim businesses with little respon
REMEMBERING ELLEN TAUSCHER
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-22

I wish to speak about the wonderful spirit and dedication of Ellen Tauscher, who was taken from us far too early on April 29, 2019. She was a one of a kind of person and very special to me. prgtoken Ellen is survived by her daughter Katherine, who is an amazing young woman. I have seen her through some of the most difficult days and she has an equanimity and an ability second to none. Ellen's sisters Sally and Kathy and brother Jack provided very strong family support to her, especially at the end. She is truly loved. prgtoken Ellen touched so many lives, and anybody who has worked with her, had dinner with her, drank a little California wine with her knows the special person she is. prgtoken Ellen was one of the first women and the youngest woman ever at the age of 25 to become a member of the New York Stock Exchange in 1977. prgtoken I was president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at that time, and I can tell you, being a woman on the Stock Exchange at that time was a very big deal. prgtoken Ellen was to go on to work in finance for 14 years as a successful investment banker and bond trader. prgtoken A few years after she moved west, Ellen gave birth to her pride and joy, the wonderful Katherine Tauscher. As a new mother herself, Ellen struggled to find good childcare, and she used that experience to create the ChildCare Registry, a service to help parents check backgrounds of childcare centers. prgtoken You see, that was how she was. When she saw a problem, she worked out a solution. When Ellen Tauscher put her mind to something, there was no stopping her. Achievement was a given. prgtoken Ellen ran for a seat in Congress in 1996. The newly created district was conservative, and few people thought it would go to a , but Ellen appealed to moderates on both sides of the aisle, and success, I always thought, was a given. She went on to win that seat and hold it for 12 years. prgtoken As a Member of Congress, Ellen made a name for herself as a centrist, someone who could work both sides of the aisle. Her colleagues, many of whom attended the memorial service earlier this week at the National Cathedral, knew she would always do what was best for her district and for the country. prgtoken Ellen sat on the House Armed Services Committee and became chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. Not necessarily what you would expect from an elementary education major from New Jersey, but Ellen was a real force. prgtoken She developed an expertise and substantial knowledge in arms control, nonproliferation, and nuclear weapons. It was a good fit since her district was home to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. prgtoken That expertise and the ability to be effective in a critically important post was a big reason why then-Secretary of State Clinton selected her and President nominated her to be Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. prgtoken One of Ellen's b
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam Chairwoman, I thank the gentleman for his bipartisan support. This is an issue that we all hear about from our constituents. prgtoken As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, I know that we are working hard on affordable higher education; but, in the meantime, we need to make sure that we are aware of the problems that so many student loan borrowers have. This amendment will help us get the information through a report, and I appreciate that this will help us inform our approach here in Congress, as well as get a better understanding of the practices of student loan services. prgtoken Again, I thank the gentleman for his bipartisan support, I thank Chairwoman Waters for her support of the amendment, I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Thank you, . Again, I share in Senator Baldwin's disappointment that we can't move immediately to this legislation. This isn't a political game. These are individuals all across the country who are relying on us to make sure that they are not subject to the abuses of the market. They are relying on us to make sure we don't return to the days in which insurance companies could prevent you from getting healthcare simply because you were sick or return to the days when you bought an insurance product and then it didn't turn out to ultimately be insurance. prgtoken Let's be clear. The waiver that the President has allowed States to take advantage of would absolutely--it would by definition of the rule--allow for States to waive the preexisting condition requirement. The rule itself says that the innovation that happens at the State level does not have to comply with the essential healthcare benefits requirement. It says in the rule that you do not have to comply with preexisting conditions requirements. That is the reason that they are so cheap. So I am at a loss as to why we have s on the floor saying that preexisting conditions will be protected under this rule. That is not true. The rule says that States do not have to comply with the preexisting requirement. It says that States do not have to cover essential healthcare benefits. That is why these junk plans are attractive, because they aren't actually insurance, and they are only insurance for people who are at the time very healthy. prgtoken We have to get on the same page here. We have to be reading from the same script. The fact of the matter is, the definition of the rule allows for protections for people with preexisting conditions to be discriminated against. prgtoken I am sorry that we weren't able to bring up this piece of legislation because healthcare insurance should be healthcare insurance. And what we worry about are two things. First is that by allowing for the marketing of these junk plans, you are going to have all sorts of people who today aren't sick jumping into those plans, coming off of the plans that protect people with preexisting conditions. The people who are going to be left behind on those regulated plans are people who are sick, people who have preexisting conditions. So you are, all of a sudden, bifurcating the insurance market. You are going to have a market for people who are currently healthy, and then you are going to have a market for people who are sick or have ever had a preexisting condition. prgtoken You do not have to be an actuary and you don't have to have taken classes in healthcare insurance economics to know that when that happens, rates skyrocket for people who have a preexisting condition-- for the millions of people around this country who have had a serious diagnosis at some point during their life. prgtoken So as you sell these junk plans, there is no way but for costs to go up. That is
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN HOUSING
Wm. Lacy Clay (Democrat, MO) \u2014 2019-5-22

I rise today to introduce a resolution recognizing women and minorities in housing, acknowledging their efforts in the face of historical discrimination, and promoting diversity and inclusion in business. prgtoken Although the U.S. has become more demographically diverse, the financial services industry, especially at leadership levels, remains mostly White and male. prgtoken President Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, 1 week after the assassination of Dr. King. The Fair Housing Act was a monumental step forward for the civil rights movement and pivotal to establishing equal opportunity in housing for all Americans. prgtoken Home ownership has proven to be one of the most consistent paths to obtaining wealth in America and narrowing the wealth gap. Closing the racial wealth gap will be an essential path towards countering historic discrimination and predatory lending.