mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INTRODUCTION OF THE POLICE TRAINING AND INDEPENDENT REVIEW ACT
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2017-4-4

I rise today in support of The Police Training and Independent Review Act, a bill I introduced earlier today with colleague Lacy Clay of Missouri, and with Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. prgtoken If enacted, the Police Training and Independent Review Act would help ensure the independent investigation and prosecution of law enforcement officers in cases involving their use of deadly force. It would also help ensure that law enforcement officers receive appropriate training. prgtoken America received a wakeup call in Ferguson, Missouri. We received another in Staten Island, New York. prgtoken We received yet another in Ohio, South Carolina, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana and Oklahoma. prgtoken Our nation faces sobering questions about the basic fairness of our criminal justice system. And we face sobering questions about race. These questions simply cannot be ignored. prgtoken For too many, for too long, justice has seemed too lacking. prgtoken Nearly 2 years ago, President 's Commission on 21st Century Policing suggested several common sense reforms, including the use of independent prosecutors for police-involved civilian deaths, as well as additional training for law enforcement officers. prgtoken Unfortunately, Congress has not yet acted on these recommendations. prgtoken We need to stop asking local prosecutors to investigate the same law enforcement officers with whom they work so closely, and whose relationships they rely upon to perform their daily responsibilities. Prosecutors also often seek the support of their local police when they run for reelection. prgtoken This is an inherent conflict of interest, and if we are serious about restoring a sense of fairness and justice, we must remove this conflict immediately. prgtoken To be sure, the vast majority of prosecutors and law enforcement officers are well meaning, dedicated public servants, and we depend upon them to keep us safe from criminals. And they have dangerous jobs, as we have seen all too frequently. prgtoken But the fact remains that some officers go beyond the law in a callous disregard for due process. When it comes to investigating, and potentially prosecuting, these actions, there is often a perception of unfairness, and that perception poisons the public trust. prgtoken That is bad for law enforcement as well as citizens, making their work more dangerous. prgtoken The Police Training and Independent Review Act would give states an incentive to use independent prosecutors when police use of deadly force results in a civilian death. It would also give states and incentive to provide training to police to help them better understand the racial and ethnic diversity of the communities they serve, as well as how best to work with individuals who are disabled or mentally ill. prgtoken If states refuse to use independent prosecutors or provide appropriate training, they would begin to lose a portion of their federal funding. prgtoken I urge my
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1343, ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP ACT of 2017
Jared Polis (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-4-4

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in opposition to the rule, one that provides for consideration of H.R. 1343, the Encouraging Employee Ownership Act. prgtoken I strongly support the underlying legislation. I wish it had been brought forward to the floor under an open rule that allowed and s to freely offer amendments that could be adopted by a simple majority vote. prgtoken Before we get to the specifics of the bill, I want to talk about the importance of employee ownership. I join my friend and colleague from my neighboring district in Colorado in extolling the virtues of employee stock ownership, of ensuring that employees in the company are stakeholders and able to benefit from the value that is being created. prgtoken You know, we have different stakeholders in our economy, and when you look at a company, you have different stakeholders that that company is responsible to and caters to: You have the shareholders, you have the employees, and you have the customers. In running a company, as I have done, it is always a constant balancing act to make sure that you are able to satisfy the legitimate demands of all those various stakeholders. prgtoken Now, one of the things that has been out of whack in our economy the last few decades is that a disproportionate share of the value creation has gone to the shareholders and the customers, often to the detriment of the employees. prgtoken Now, everybody has benefited as consumers and as customers with revolutions in prices and consumer technology. It is so exciting to see people, you know, where a flat screen television used to be out of reach, you now see them in nearly every home; and, in many cases, they cost less than a television would have cost that was significantly smaller 10 years ago--not to mention the remarkable mobile computing devices that middle class families and working families carry in their pockets with them that contains more processing power than a $3,000 computer did just a decade ago. prgtoken Consumers have benefited and shareholders have benefited. There has been an unprecedented increase in private equity markets, in stocks, a huge amount of value creation in the American economy, both on the balance sheet as well as in the market valuation of companies. prgtoken Now, the issue is that, while all of this has happened, wages have largely stagnated. A lot of the increases in efficiency and economic growth have gone to benefit consumers and shareholders. Employees and workers have felt, legitimately so, that they haven't seen their share of value creation. prgtoken Now, there are a number of reasons for that. One of those has been the weakening of the union movement that gave workers a collective voice. But if you look at what some of the remedies are, really none can make a bigger impact than employee stock ownership. This bill
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-4-4

today I, along with my colleague Senator Paul from Kentucky, am introducing the Protecting Data at the Border Act, a bill that protects Americans and U.S. Permanent Residents from warrantless searches of their electronic devices at the border. prgtoken 1n 2014, the Supreme Court established in California v. Riley that law enforcement agencies must obtain a probable cause search warrant before they can search someone's phone or laptop during a ``search incident to arrest.'' Prior to that decision, law enforcement agencies around the country routinely engaged in warrantless searches of phones and other electronic devices. The Supreme Court rightly recognized that we need new, stronger rules to protect digital information. prgtoken Although the warrant protections from Riley have been the law of the land for the last three years, a significant loophole has remained: the border. The Riley decision left unresolved the question of whether or not U.S. Customs can search the smartphones and laptops of U.S. persons as they leave the country and return home. This is not a theoretical concern. According to recent statistics provided by Customs and Border Protection, searches of cellphones by border agents has exploded, growing fivefold in just one prgtoken year, from fewer than 5,000 in 2015 to nearly 25,000 in 2016. Five- thousand devices were searched this last February alone, more than in all of 2015. prgtoken My colleague, Senator Paul and I intend to close this loophole, ensuring that U.S. persons crossing the border do not have lesser digital privacy rights than individuals who are arrested inside the United States. prgtoken This bill has four main components. prgtoken First, it requires that law enforcement agencies obtain a probable cause warrant before they can search the laptop, smartphone or other electronic device belonging to a U.S. person at the border. The bill includes an emergency exception to this warrant requirement, modeled after USA Freedom Act section 102, which became law in 2015. prgtoken Second, it requires informed, written consent before the government may request and obtain voluntary assistance from a U.S. person accessing data on a locked device or account, such as by disclosing their password or otherwise providing access. The bill also prohibits the government from delaying or denying entry to a U.S. person if he or she refuses to provide such assistance. prgtoken Third, it requires that the government obtain a warrant before it can copy and retain a U.S. person's data, even if the data has been collected without a warrant, during an emergency. prgtoken Fourth, it requires that the government create and publish statistics on the electronic border searches they conduct. prgtoken Passage of this bill would ensure that the important privacy rights recognized by the Supreme Court in Riley also apply at the border, while still enabling law enforcement agencies continue to do the importan
DON'T CUT INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET
Eliot L. Engel (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-4-4

in 2013, Secretary of Defense Mattis similarly said: ``If you don't fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition ultimately. So I think it's a cost benefit ratio. The more that we put into the State Department's diplomacy, hopefully the less we have to put into a military budget as we deal with the outcome of an apparent American withdrawal from the international scene.'' prgtoken That is from Secretary of Defense Mattis. I couldn't agree with him more. prgtoken Now, I believe that development helps to lift countries and communities up today so they can become strong partners on the global stage tomorrow. A lot of us think we have a moral obligation to help cure disease, improve access to education, and advance human rights. But even if it were not the right thing to do, it would be the smart thing to do because those efforts lead to greater stability, more responsive governments, and stronger rule of law--populations that share our values and priorities. Poverty and lack of opportunity, on the other hand, provide fertile ground for those who mean us harm. prgtoken All these efforts, by the way, cost cents on the dollar compared to military engagement. People think international affairs and foreign aid are a massive chunk of the Federal budget, but the chart right over here next to me shows how it actually stacks up: 1.4 percent. And we make that sliver of the pie even smaller. It will come back on us in spades. 1.4 percent of our Federal budget goes to all these programs. prgtoken The diseases we don't combat will reach our shores; the communities on which we turn or backs may be the next generation of people who mean us prgtoken harm; and the conflicts we fail to defuse may well grow into the wars we need to fight later at a much higher cost in terms of American blood and treasure. Just imagine having to tell the parents of a young American soldier that their son or daughter was killed in battle because we weren't willing to spend the tiny sums needed to prevent the conflict. prgtoken Finally, let me say that the American people don't want to see us slash diplomacy and development. In fact, recent data shows that 72 percent of Americans believe the country should play a leading global role. Nearly 6 in 10 believe funding levels at the State Department should stay the same or increase. prgtoken Fortunately, the Congress is a coequal branch of government. I want to the remind the executive branch of that. We in Congress decide how much to invest in our international affairs, not the White House. prgtoken For example, regardless of how this administration is playing footsie with Vladimir Putin, Congress will devote resources to push back against the Kremlin's efforts to spread disinformation and destabilize our allies, just like they did to the United States during last year's election campaign. prgtoken I am hopeful that, as we move forward with next year's spending bills, we continue to
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Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-4-4

I come to the floor to express my deep concern about the s' rush to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat and about President 's nominee for this critical position. prgtoken I believe one of the most solemn and consequential decisions we make as Senators is whether to support a nominee to the highest Court in the country. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly. And after careful consideration, I will be voting against the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch, and I will be opposing a cloture motion ending debate. prgtoken I come to this conclusion weighing several things. First, a Supreme Court Justice has an enormous responsibility to uphold our Constitution and defend our democracy. The Court's decision affects every citizen in every corner of this country. At times, one Justice--perhaps this nominee--may be the only thing standing between someone's rights and an executive branch that operates as though it is above the law. prgtoken That is a real concern--one I have heard over and over from people in my home State of Washington who are frightened about the direction President is trying to take our country. prgtoken Since taking office about two months ago, he has demonstrated complete disregard for the law, the Constitution, and American families. He has tried to force through un-American bans on Muslim refugees and immigrants. He fired Sally Yates, an Acting Attorney General who dared to stand up to him. prgtoken It is clear this President doesn't just think he is above the law. He has, at times, shown a true disdain for it, repeatedly insulting the men and women on the bench, even telling a crowd that perhaps the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals--a court that didn't rule in his favor--should be broken up. prgtoken Now, we need an independent judiciary that can safeguard the rights of citizens against this executive branch, but with so much chaos created by this President, coupled with the cloud of an FBI investigation into him and his associates, I have no reason to trust that he or his administration are acting in the best interests of our country or our democracy, and I cannot support moving forward with his choice for the Court. prgtoken On top of that, I am concerned about the unprecedented pace of the Judiciary Committee process, which would rush through this nominee on the fastest time line in recent history. That is pretty striking because this same committee failed to hold a single hearing on this vacancy for 12 months following Justice Scalia's passing. It refused President 's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, any opportunity to be heard, which brings me to my serious concerns about this particular nominee. prgtoken I wish to start with women's access to healthcare. President campaigned on promises to overturn women's constitutionally protected rights to make their own healthcare decisions, secured by the historic ruling in Roe v. Wade. This President has b
WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION ACT OF 2017
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-4-4

I rise in support of H.R. 353, the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017. prgtoken Climate and weather are not fundamentally partisan concerns; they affect all of our constituents, regardless of their party affiliation. The bill we are considering today, which is the culmination of more than 4 years of bipartisan compromise and negotiation, demonstrates what can be accomplished when we work together to address the concerns of our constituents. prgtoken , weather affects all of us each and every day. It is a constant presence in our lives. Extreme weather events, which are becoming more severe and more frequent, are damaging lives and property in my home State of Texas, across the continental U.S and all the way to the islands of Hawaii. prgtoken Sadly, the devastation caused by tornadoes, hurricanes, and other severe weather incidents have become a far more familiar occurrence and, really, too much of it for far more Americans. It should go without saying that we need to help Americans avoid and cope with these potentially devastating events by utilizing the very best weather forecasting and warning capabilities. prgtoken In that regard, the National Weather Service and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, or NOAA, play a central role in protecting the lives and property of every American. H.R. 353 will help accelerate innovation that NOAA can make use of, turning cutting-edge weather research into essential weather forecasting tools and products; tools the forecasters can then use to protect American lives. prgtoken The legislation improves collaboration and cooperation within NOAA and removes barriers that exist between the weather research community, our Nation's forecasters, and the private sector weather enterprise. Improving these relationships will strengthen the accuracy and timing of our weather predictions and, ultimately, will save lives and make our communities safer. prgtoken H.R. 353 also reauthorizes NOAA's tsunami warning activities. Communities along our Western Coasts are particularly impacted by the threat of tsunamis. While this bill reauthorizes tsunami warning and research activities at NOAA, it does so at a level far below current agency spending. Such a cut makes little sense. Even in a tough fiscal climate, we should be wary of cuts to programs that negatively affect our ability to protect American lives and property from natural disasters. prgtoken I want to applaud Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici for her fight to retain funding for these programs at their current level, and I hope that we can work together with our colleagues to maintain current tsunami funding when it comes time for appropriations. prgtoken , strengthening our resilience to severe weather events is both vital and necessary to strengthen our Nation's economic security. H.R. 353 will advance our weather forecasting capabilities, and I urge my colleagues to su
OUR DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK
Robin L. Kelly (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-4-4

it pains me to come to this Chamber this morning to say that nothing was done as our democracy came under attack. prgtoken We know Russia intervened in our Presidential election. This was not done in the interest of the people, by the people, or for the people of America. It was done to make America a vehicle for Russian interests. prgtoken You know that, in 2016, President said he hoped Russia would hack our former Secretary of State's emails. You know General Michael Flynn was forced to resign due to his prgtoken unreported contact with Russian agents, who he also had business ties to. prgtoken Yesterday, you learned that the President had a contractor meet with Russian officials on his behalf to have a back channel to the Kremlin. prgtoken Where is the transparency from the White House? How is it that Meals on Wheels is the enemy, but you turn a blind eye to an attack on democracy by Vladimir Putin? prgtoken Russian spies have long attacked American businesses. Now they are attacking our freedom. You must investigate the Russian grip on our government. We must investigate swiftly and seriously. prgtoken , this is on your watch.
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Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-4-4

we will vote today and tomorrow on the Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, in the midst of a looming constitutional crisis. Only in the past few weeks, the Director of the FBI has confirmed that his agency is investigating ties between President 's associates and Russian meddling in our recent election. prgtoken The urgent need for an impartial investigation and the possibility of the Supreme Court's having to rule on a subpoena directed to the President of the United States is very real. The repeat of United States v. Nixon is far from idle speculation. The independence of our judicial branch has never been more important. It has never been more threatened. prgtoken When the story of this constitutional crisis is written, I believe that the heroes will be an independent judiciary and a free press. An independent judiciary is the bulwark against overreaching and autocratic tyranny, and the free press has uncovered much of the facts that have prompted the FBI investigation and, I hope, eventually-- sooner rather than later--an independent prosecutor because only a special prosecutor can bring criminal charges that will hold accountable wrongdoers who have broken our criminal laws. prgtoken In this constitutional crisis, respect for an independent judiciary is more important than ever before, but it is threatened by forces that are powerful and undeniable. It was threatened first by the denial to Merrick Garland of a hearing and a vote, relying on an invented principle found nowhere in the Constitution that the President of the United States--then --somehow lost his power to appoint Justices during the fourth year of his term. That act of political expediency demeaned this institution, the U.S. Senate, and it also disrespected our judiciary. It dragged the Supreme Court into the partisan mire that has caused such drastic dysfunction in this branch of government. prgtoken President demonstrated his own disrespect for the judiciary through his constant, repeated, relentless attacks, calling one member of the bench a ``so-called judge'' simply because he ruled against him and struck down on constitutional grounds President 's illegal travel ban--really a Muslim ban. His demeaning and disparaging comments have attempted to shake the foundation of respect for judicial rulings that have held him accountable and potentially every President accountable to the American people, along with the Senate and the House of Representatives. He has attempted to convince his audience that judges who rule against him are not only wrong but illegitimate--in one case, because of a judge's ethnic heritage. prgtoken I would have thought that there would have been bipartisan shock and outrage at such suggestions, but the silence across the aisle has been deafening. Such a campaign by the Executive against the judicial branch would be extraordinarily disturbing regardless of the circumstances