mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN TRIBUTE TO JOHN DREW
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2018-5-15

I rise today to recognize John Drew, Regional Representative for the United Auto Workers (UAW). John Drew is retiring from the UAW after 44 years of service. Originally from a large Irish Catholic family in Waukegan IL, John Drew started working at the American Motors Corp. (AMC) plant in Kenosha . He began as a spot welder on the line at the American Motors' Kenosha plant and quickly became a union activist. prgtoken He has served as the elected steward, chief steward, and executive board member in UAW Local 72 including Vice President and President. During a large portion of his tenure at Local 72, it was the largest and most influential labor organization in the state. John Drew was a part of and later led the UAW Local 72 Bargaining Committee which brought Renault vehicles to Kenosha as well as Chrysler car and engine production. He worked with local, state and federal government officials to help keep new engine lines at that plant as long as possible. John was elected Vice President of Local 72, serving with the legendary Rudy Kuzel. Then in 1996, John became President of the Local and continued to fight to keep the Kenosha assembly plant open. In 2004, John went to work for the UAW Regional office representing workers in plants throughout the Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha area. prgtoken John Drew has consistently fought for social and economic justice issues. In fact, John formed a caucus in the local called ``the Fighting Times'', with his colleagues Jon Melrod and Tod Ohnstad and exposed racist and sexist practices of management in the plant. AMC financed a multimillion dollar lawsuit to try to squash their voices but the Fighting Times prevailed. John has also been a major force organizing UAW members and retirees to support progressive candidates that would fight for working peoples' interests. John's community engagement led him to an appointment by former Governor Jim Doyle to the UW Board of Regents. prgtoken John has a Bachelor's Degree from the George Meany Center in Labor Studies and a Master's Degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from UW Milwaukee. He is also an avid sports fan and a soccer player. He coached soccer for many years and still plays occasionally. prgtoken John is married to Lauren Baker, a union and community activist. They have one son, Nick who graduated from Milwaukee Public Schools and UW Madison. He is a professional videographer and union member, in Chicago. prgtoken , I am proud to call John Drew my friend for over two decades. I am pleased to recognize his unwavering commitment to uphold the labor movement and its mission. I have sought his valuable counsel on many occasions and found him to be both honest and sincere. He and his wife Lauren have opened both their hearts and home to me and many others who share their passion to assist people from all walks of life. I have many stories of driving through inclement weather with John and Lauren to reach Martin L
Pensions (Executive Calendar)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-5-15

thanks to my friends from West Virginia and Indiana. I thank Mr. Donnelly for his leadership and bringing us together today. prgtoken Minnesota, like Indiana, has so many people who are in the Central States Pension Fund. Like Senator Donnelly, I believe that promises made should be promises kept. Over 10 million Americans participate in a multiemployer pension plan and rely on those benefits for a safe and secure retirement. prgtoken The Central States Pension Fund was established in 1955 to help truckers save for retirement. As Senator Donnelly knows, coming from Indiana--a State where there are a lot of truckers--there are a lot of truckers still in this pension plan. Today the Central States Pension Fund includes workers from the carhaul, tankhaul, pipeline, warehouse, construction, clerical, food processing, dairy, and trucking industries. prgtoken I have heard from people all over my State. Fred, from Hibbing, worked 33 years as a bread man and serves as a caregiver for his wife who has serious back problems and was recently diagnosed with leukemia. prgtoken Daniel from St. Michael worked over 41 years as a mechanic. If he were to face a reduction in his pension, he would likely be forced to sell the house he has lived in since 1973. prgtoken Sue, from Elk River, wrote about her husband Jim, who retired in 1998 and passed away in 2013. Jim left Sue a spousal benefit pension that was supposed to take care of her for the rest of her life. Sue writes that Jim's passing was ``devastating enough on its own,'' but now she fears being forced into the labor market as a woman in her seventies, just to make ends meet. prgtoken These are just a few of the examples. Unless Congress acts, hundreds of thousands of participants in the Central States Pension Fund face the real possibility that their hard-earned pensions could be reduced. Many of these are from the Midwest. That is why it is called the Central States Pension Fund. prgtoken We need to find a workable solution for underfunded multiemployer pension plans. I know Senator Brown is leading a group that is working on that--the joint committee working together--to find a solution they can present to the American people. prgtoken We all know that delay only makes the solution more costly. The time is here. It has arrived. We can't put it off any more. We must move forward now to get this done. I thank Senator Donnelly for his leadership.
JUSTICE SERVED ACT OF 2018
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-5-15

the balance of my time. prgtoken , I thank Mr. Pascrell for making that commitment that the resources under the Debbie Smith Act will still be viable and ready to be used for those sexual assault, sexual violence victims as this legislation was intended, but a provision in the bill allows the resources to also keep in line that nothing will undermine the investigation of sexual assault cases, sexual violence cases, but it allows the hand of justice to move on further for those who are the victims of violent crimes and to ensure that perpetrators of violent crimes are prosecuted as quickly as possible, again, under the equal and balanced hand of justice. prgtoken So H.R. 4845, the Justice Served Act of 2018, provides funding to State and local prosecutors to help them tackle the backlog of violent crime cases, including cold cases, where suspects have been identified through DNA evidence. prgtoken Certainly, there may be some overlap. I want to make it very clear to our victims of sex crimes, domestic violence, and other crimes dealing with those particular issues, that these dollars are enhanced dollars to be able to do the violent crimes. prgtoken While it is important that State and local prosecutors have the resources they need, it is also important that Congress remain vigilant and continue to support efforts to clear the backlogs of untested and unanalyzed DNA evidence, including rape kits. prgtoken The backlog in many jurisdictions is enormous. This was our intent, to move forward, to provide justice to those who have suffered, some have lost their life. prgtoken So in the spirit of expanding justice to ensure that justice is for all, I rise to support this legislation in keeping with its initial purpose, to solve the backlog of DNA kits, and now to be able to assist in the solving and bringing to justice the perpetrators of violent crimes. prgtoken , I again ask my colleagues to support the underlying legislation, I thank the sponsors of it, and .
NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM EXHIBITS ACT
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-5-15

such time as I may consume. prgtoken H.R. 1417 will allow the National Law Enforcement Museum to display firearms associated with the history of law enforcement in the United States. This bill was developed in cooperation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to ensure that the museum is authorized to display these items without jeopardizing public safety. prgtoken The National Law Enforcement Enforcement Museum was authorized by Congress in 2000, and is scheduled to open in Washington, D.C later this year. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the brave men and women in uniform who keep us safe every day by supporting this bill, and I share Congressman Young's concern about making sure that we are honoring our fellow law enforcement officers. prgtoken It was just this past year that we lost several law enforcement officers from central Florida, including in my district. On Sunday, I found myself going to the Law Enforcement Memorial to plant a rose next to the picture of one of our fallen officers, Lieutenant Clayton, whom we lost this past year. She was also a dear friend of Congresswoman Demings. prgtoken In addition, we lost Sergeant Howard and Officer Baxter of the Kissimmee Police Department, who were killed in the line of duty this past year. We also honor them. prgtoken These are opportunities for us to remember that these officers put their lives on the line every day to make sure that we are safe. Sergeant Howard, Officer Baxter, and Lieutenant Clayton faced dangers, and we need to memorialize them. prgtoken We also lost Deputy Norman Lewis from Orange County, as well, who served under Sheriff Jerry Demings, husband of Congresswoman Demings. prgtoken , .
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-5-15

I rise with my colleagues, Senators Grassley, Capito, and Durbin to introduce the Using Data to Prevent Opioid Diversion Act. prgtoken This legislation provides additional tools to drug manufacturers and distributors to better enable them to determine when orders of opioids are suspicious. prgtoken It also provides additional tools for law enforcement to hold manufacturers and distributors who fail to identify, report, and stop suspicious orders of opioids accountable. prgtoken Between 2006 and 2016, nearly 21 million opioids were distributed to two pharmacies in Williamson, West Virginia, which has a population of nearly 3,000. Even worse, between 2007 and 2008, nearly 9 million pills were distributed to a single pharmacy in Kermit, West Virginia, which has a population of only 392. prgtoken In total, between 2007 and 2012, 780 million oxycodone and hydrocodone pills--two powerful opioids--were distributed to pharmacies throughout West Virginia. These two drugs contributed to 1,700 drug overdose deaths in the state. prgtoken All of this happened despite the fact that opioid manufacturers and distributors are required to detect and disclose suspicious orders of opioids to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). They are also required to keep complete and accurate records relating to the sale, delivery, or disposal of opioids through the Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System, often referred to as ARCOS. prgtoken While required by law to provide this information, once obtained, the DEA is not required to disclose to opioid manufacturers and distributors the total number of distributors serving a single pharmacy or practitioner, or the total quantity and type of opioids being distributed. prgtoken This creates a blind spot because there is no awareness of how many drugs are entering a community. This lack of information may be part of the reason that millions of opioids were able to be delivered to small mom and pop pharmacies in West Virginia. prgtoken Our bill corrects this problem by requiring the DEA to provide to opioid manufacturers and distributors anonymized information related to the number of distributors serving a single pharmacy or practitioner, and the quantity and type of opioids being delivered to each. prgtoken This information, coupled with the algorithms that these companies already use in their efforts to determine the legitimacy of opioid orders, will help manufacturers and distributors better prevent these substances from being diverted to someone other than the intended recipient who has a lawful prescription. prgtoken Our bill also strengthens accountability by establishing civil and criminal fines for drug manufacturers and distributors who fail to consider ARCOS data when determining whether an order for opioids is suspicious. Additionally, it increases existing civil fines for drug manufacturers and distributors who fail to report suspicious orders and keep accu
Nominations of Andrew Oldham and Wendy Vitter (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-5-15

the Judiciary Committee announced that it would be voting on a slate of judicial nominees including Andrew Oldham, a nominee for the Fifth Circuit, and Wendy Vitter, a nominee for the Eastern District of Louisiana. prgtoken We prize the quality of moderation in all our judges at the district level, the circuit level, and, of course, at the Supreme Court level. Mr. Oldham and Ms. Vitter unfortunately have expressed a number of sentiments that would put them on the political extreme, including troubling statements about women's healthcare rights. prgtoken Asked separately by my colleague, Senator Blumenthal, if they agreed with the decision in the landmark Supreme Court decision forbidding segregating schools in Brown v. Board of Education, both Mr. Oldham and Ms. Vitter demurred. Can you believe that? They would not say they supported Brown v. Board of Education, and this is who our colleagues are nominating to put on the bench? It shouldn't be a tough question. Segregation and the false paradigm of ``separate but equal'' was a national disgrace. It remains a stain on our history. It has been widely discredited from one end of America to the other. Yet the nominees for the Fifth Circuit and the Eastern District of Louisiana could not say they agreed with the idea that we as a Nation should have one school system for all races. prgtoken The Judiciary Committee will vote on Mr. Oldham and Ms. Vitter's nominations on Thursday, 64 years to the day since Brown v. Board was decided and segregated schools were deemed unconstitutional. In honor of this anniversary, the 64th anniversary of Brown v. Board, my Senate colleagues aren't rolling out a new education policy or a new civil rights policy, they are voting to give these two individuals lifetime appointments to the bench. prgtoken When we say that sometimes our colleagues and this President is divisive, it is actions like this that document that and make the fact that they are being divisive irrefutable. Our Nation became a better nation--more just, more free--when the Supreme Court said that no official, high or petty, could determine where an African American child could or could not go to school. If you can't agree with that decision, you don't deserve to be a Federal judge, and my colleagues should make a stand and roundly vote against these two nominees.
MALIK JONES
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2018-5-15

I rise today to recognize and applaud Malik Jones for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Malik Jones is a student at Jefferson High School and received this award because his determination and hard work have allowed him to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Malik Jones is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Malik Jones for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt he will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of his future accomplishments.
Pensions (Executive Calendar)
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-5-15

I thank Senator Donnelly for bringing this issue to the floor. I also thank him for his leadership on this issue. He has fought for Indiana families day in and day out on the Senate floor. They are facing a crisis now as the people of Michigan are facing a crisis. As the Senator spoke about a fair deal, I can say, with a great deal of certainty, that the people of Michigan, just like the people of Indiana, believe a deal is a deal. This is a saying we have all heard, but it is also something on which we should all agree throughout the country. prgtoken The American commitment to honoring contracts is part of why our economy is the greatest in the world. Businesses know that if their partners in duly executed deals back out, they have access to the full power of our courts and our legal system to make them whole. This is basic fairness. A deal is a deal. Workers deserve the same fairness. Workers who have banded together to negotiate for pensions during their retirements in exchange for lower upfront pay deserve the pensions they have earned. prgtoken Generations of Americans have built their lives around the idea that if you work hard and play by the rules, you will have a fair shot at success. The certainty that hard work will be rewarded empowers Americans to achieve economic security, provide for loved ones, and retire with dignity, but for many Americans who have spent decades working hard, their retirements are now at risk. prgtoken Tens of thousands of Michiganders will be denied their hard-earned retirements if Congress does not act to protect the pension benefits they have earned. More than 400,000 Americans, including over 47,000 in Michigan, will face massive cuts to their pensions if the Central States Pension Fund is allowed to fail. Central States is not the only multiemployer pension plan that is on a rapid path to insolvency. As many as 200 financially troubled plans are at risk of being closed while the retirements of 1.5 million Americans hang in the balance. prgtoken When Michiganders contact me about this issue, they are frustrated and angry, but more than anything else, they are afraid. They are afraid they will lose their homes. They are afraid they will be unable to afford the healthcare they need. They are afraid they could, one day, become burdens on their adult children. prgtoken I appreciate that it is not very easy to share very personal fears, but I would like to share some of the stories I have heard from Michigan retirees and from folks who are hoping to retire soon. prgtoken Carl from Menominee would have to sell his house and find a new job he and his aching joints would, hopefully, be able to handle at the age of 72, after 30 years of hard physical labor. prgtoken Jan and his wife Thelma, from Deerfield, would lose the home Jan built over 50 years ago with his own two hands. Although Thelma still works and pays into a pension plan, she will not receive the benefits
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-5-15

I have come to the floor this afternoon to oppose the nomination of GEN Mitchell Zais, who has been nominated to serve as Secretary DeVos's Deputy Secretary at the Department of Education. I am opposing this nomination because those who work at the top of the Department of Education should be committed to its top priority, which is helping educate our next generation of students. They should not be focused on demonizing teachers or public schools or the Federal Government's role in public education, and they should not be promoting their extreme ideological agendas at the expense of our students. prgtoken We need a Department of Education with a positive vision for our neighborhood public schools that believes that everyone has the right to a high-quality public education no matter where they live or how they learn or how much money their parents make. That is what millions of parents and teachers and students stood up for during Secretary DeVos's confirmation hearing. prgtoken Despite the public rejection of her extreme ideology and her unprecedented tie-breaking confirmation vote by Vice President , it is clear Secretary DeVos has led the Department of Education in the opposite direction. She has continued to push her privatization agenda, trying to siphon taxpayer funds away from our public schools. She has ignored key parts of our Nation's K-12 laws, refusing to hold States accountable for the success of our most vulnerable students. She has made it easier for predatory, for-profit companies to take advantage of students, rolling back protections for students and dismantling the unit that investigates claims of fraud and abuse. Time and again, she has failed to protect students' civil rights. She tried to shrink the Office of Civil Rights. She rolled back protections for transgender students. She rescinded guidance for schools on how to investigate claims of campus sexual assault. prgtoken With Secretary DeVos's ideological agenda steering this ship, it is clear to me that the Department of Education needs a strong and independent Deputy Secretary of Education to once again start putting students first. Unfortunately, General Zais made it clear that he would be proud to be Secretary DeVos's right-hand man and shares her position on a number of concerning issues. He agrees with Secretary DeVos's extreme privatization agenda to siphon taxpayer funds from our public schools. He largely opposes the Federal role in education and, like Secretary DeVos, seems to lack even an understanding of key issues important to public schools. prgtoken As the State superintendent of education, General Zais allowed his partisan ideology to hurt South Carolina students. He refused Federal funding that could have saved teachers' jobs--the only State to do that--and he objected to plans to expand access to universal pre-K, calling 5-year-olds ``too young to learn.'' That is a particularly shocking comment