mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INTRODUCTION TO ELECTORAL COLLEGE REFORM
John Conyers, Jr. (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-9-14

the resolution I am introducing today expresses the sense of Congress that it and the states should consider a constitutional amendment to reform the Electoral College and to establish a process for electing the President and Vice President by a national popular vote. The resolution also encourages the states to further their efforts to form an interstate compact to award their Electoral College votes to the national popular vote winner. prgtoken This Sunday, September 17 is Constitution Day, marks the 230th anniversary of the Philadelphia Convention's approval of the Constitution. We should rightly celebrate the day that the Framers endorsed the basic framework of our democratic system of government enshrined in our Nation's governing charter. Yet, we should also use this day as an opportunity to reflect on the fact that the Constitution still retains the Electoral College, a fundamentally prgtoken anti-democratic process for electing our Nation's highest federal officeholders. prgtoken On five occasions in our history, the Electoral College has permitted the national popular vote winner to lose the presidential election, including the most recent election, where Hillary Clinton won nearly 3 million more votes than Electoral College winner . This occurs because a presidential candidate needs only 270 electoral votes and 48 states award their electoral votes on a ``winner-take-all'' basis. As a result, the Electoral College creates perverse incentives for candidates that further distort the presidential campaign process in undemocratic ways. prgtoken For example, the Electoral College encourages candidates to focus their campaign efforts on only a handful of so-called swing states. During the last presidential campaign, for example, both major party candidates largely bypassed three of the four states with the largest populations and skipped campaigning in 12 of the 13 smallest states as well. prgtoken Additionally, the Electoral College is an anachronistic institution intended, in part, to protect the institution of slavery. According to Yale Law School Professor Akhil Reed Amar, who participated in a forum on Electoral College reform sponsored by House Judiciary Committee last year, the Electoral College was established, in part, to preserve the political influence of slaveholding states. Although enslaved populations were not allowed to vote, slave states insisted that three-fifths of enslaved persons be counted when determining a state's representation in the House, which in turn affected the number of Electoral College votes allotted to the state. prgtoken Given its history and undemocratic nature, it is clear that the Electoral College system must be replaced with a process that determines the election of the president and vice president by a national popular vote. As such, Congress and the States should consider a constitutional amendment to reform the Electoral College. prgtoken
LET'S TRY AND MAKE AMERICA FAIRER
Thomas R. Suozzi (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-9-14

I rise today in support of the passage of the Dream Act, and I request my ic and colleagues to stand together to try and address this very important issue in our country. prgtoken The issue of undocumented immigrants has been plaguing this country for almost 30 years now, going back to the 1980s, when people flowed over in the thousands from El Salvador during the death squads and the civil wars during that time. prgtoken As the mayor of the city of Glen Cove back in the 1990s, we dealt with this issue in my city, on one side people saying, ``Get those people out of here,'' on the other side people saying, ``They are just trying to live the American Dream like your father did.'' My father emigrated from Italy. I am a first-generation American. ``They are just trying to live the American Dream like your family did, trying to work hard and live a better life here in this country.'' prgtoken When dealing with these difficult questions, we have to rely on the fundamental principles of this country, namely, that all men and women are created equal--not all men and women with a green card or all men and women with a passport, but all men and women are created equal and are entitled to be treated with human respect and dignity. prgtoken When looking at the DREAMers, we are talking about people who came to this country under 17 years of age, who have lived a productive life, who have either graduated from high school or received a GED and have now either gone to college or are serving in the military or have been working for the past 3 years and have no criminal background. prgtoken Let's try and make this country fairer. Let's try and make ourselves the model for the rest of the world to follow and lift up these people who are productive members of our community.
Introductory Statement on S. 1814
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-9-14

. . Far too many students leave our Country's classrooms ill-equipped to keep up with the demands of the 21st century job market. Many enter high school and postsecondary education uninformed of the range of careers available to them. For our Country's continued success, it is essential that our young people have exposure to the vast range of available work and career options early in their academic careers so that, by the time they begin high school, they are more knowledgeable about future paths and what they need to do to pursue them. prgtoken Wherever I travel through Virginia I hear the same thing from business owners, manufacturers, and plant managers: there are good paying jobs out there, we just need to train our students with the skills to fill them. Middle school is a time for students to begin thinking about what they want to pursue in life. Helping them explore how their coursework could support those interests can make a valuable difference down the road. prgtoken Programs that focus on career and technical education (CTE) allow for students to explore their own strengths and passions, as well as how they match up with potential future careers. But limited funding for middle school CTE programming often requires students to wait until high school for access to this type of experience. prgtoken This is why I am pleased to introduce today the Middle School Technical Education Program Act, or Middle STEP Act. This bipartisan legislation creates a pilot program that allows for middle schools to partner with colleges and local businesses to develop and implement CTE exploration programs that give students access to apprenticeships or project-based learning opportunities. Additionally, middle school CTE programs funded through the Middle STEP Act would give students access to career guidance and academic counseling to help them understand the educational requirements for high-growth, in-demand career fields. Programs would assist students in drafting a high school graduation plan that demonstrates what courses prepare them for a given career. The programs must also provide a clear transition path from the introductory middle school program to a more narrow focus of CTE study in high school, and must be accessible to students from economically disadvantaged, urban and rural communities. prgtoken I believe this meaningful legislation can propel young students toward the careers of the future, and help to fill workforce shortages across the Commonwealth and the Nation. I strongly encourage my colleagues to consider this legislation to allow for students to have opportunities to explore potential career choices and pathways early on in their academic careers. Their futures depend on it.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--Continued
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-9-14

the Senator from Wisconsin has pointed out one of the shortcomings in this process, which is that we have not had a series of amendments on the floor to vote on. prgtoken Through the chairman's leadership, we have, as he has indicated, cleared 103 amendments on a bipartisan basis. We think we have legislation that is important for the Nation, particularly for our men and women in uniform. prgtoken Senator Baldwin raises an extremely important question. ``Buy American'' is not only for the people we represent all across the country but for the quality of goods and services that our men and women in uniform will receive. I thank her, and I join with her in the frustration of not having a vote, despite the progress we have made in so many other areas. This is something that both the chairman and I would like to see remedied in the next national defense debate on the floor. prgtoken As the chairman pointed out, this will be an issue at conference. I know Senator Baldwin will not cease her efforts. She has been incredibly tenacious in pushing forward this ``Buy American'' provision on behalf of her constituents and all of our constituents. I do, in fact, support this provision, and I will work to my utmost to see that we can move this issue forward. I appreciate very much the fact that it will be considered in conference. prgtoken Again, I think we have done a lot over the last several days with the leadership of Chairman McCain. I regret that we can't wrap up this legislation with several votes on issues, which each side would like to see, but I commit myself to work with the Senator from Wisconsin to see if we can move this ``Buy American'' provision forward.
HONORING MAURO G. DePASQUALE
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-9-14

I rise today to honor Mr. Mauro G. DePasquale. Mauro is a gifted filmmaker, singer, writer, and composer who has put his creativity to work as the Executive Director of Worcester Cable Community Access TV, where he started as a volunteer in 1990. Mauro has been a driving force behind the success of Worcester Cable Community Access TV, where he has used his platform to encourage community involvement and educational programming. Mauro has produced over one thousand television shows, and hosted and produced music scores for many TV and documentary films. His work in television production has been recognized with a Pegasus TV award, a prgtoken TELLY award, and many other awards. Through WCCA, Mauro offers citizens of Worcester from all walks of life and opinions the chance to speak their mind and be heard. prgtoken Mauro's soft-spoken exterior gives way to lively piano and vocals when he performs with his popular musical combo Jazzed Up, which he started in 2012. For the past few years, Jazzed Up has performed at the Worcester Columbus Day Parade Grand Marshal Banquet. Jazzed Up has been nominated Best Jazz Act at the Worcester Music Awards 2012-2015, and in 2014, Worcester Living Magazine voted Jazzed Up Best Entertainment group in Central Massachusetts. prgtoken Mauro is proud of his Italian heritage. Like so many Americans, his family came to the United States in search of a better life. His own experiences--hearing of the oppression and prejudice faced by immigrants when they first arrived in the United States--have made Mauro a lifelong supporter of the underdog and a strong voice for community service in Worcester. Mauro has been a fierce advocate for preserving Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. As President of the Mount Carmel Preservation Society, he has fought tirelessly to save the church, which has been an epicenter for the Italian-American community in Worcester for nearly ninety years. prgtoken But , I rise today not just to recognize Mauro's public service, but to congratulate him on a new honor--on October 8, 2017 Mauro will march down Shrewsbury Street as Grand Marshal of the 2017 Worcester Columbus Day Parade. I join with all the residents of Worcester in thanking Mauro for his service to our community, and congratulating him on his selection as Grand Marshal of the 2017 Worcester Columbus Day Parade.
CRIMINAL ALIEN GANG MEMBER REMOVAL ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-9-14

. This clearly says this is not a bill against crime, it is a deportation bill. prgtoken Save our children, . Let's do something different and defeat the bill. prgtoken , I rise in opposition to H.R. 3697, the ``Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act of 2017''. prgtoken This bill amends the INA to now include a definition for criminal street gangs as: prgtoken An ongoing group, club, organization, or association of 5 or more persons that has as one of its primary purposes the commission of certain listed offenses, including: a felony drug offense, including felony simple possession of marijuana (this would impact high school kids who may gather to smoke marijuana); bringing in and harboring certain aliens under INA 274 (this would cover sanctuary sites like churches that aid undocumented immigrants); identity fraud offenses (including knowingly possessing a false identity document); crimes involving obstruction of justice; and burglary. prgtoken This bill also defines ``criminal gang'': a group that has been designated as a criminal gang by the DHS Secretary in consultation with the Attorney General. prgtoken I oppose this unwise and irresponsible legislation because the bill contains several constitutional and procedural defects, and is an unnecessary diversion and distraction from the real issues facing the American people. prgtoken As Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee, I am highly disappointed that this bill was rushed to the floor without any thorough and thoughtful consideration by the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken In particular, there was no markup or hearing on this legislation that has such wide ranging and profound effect on a mass scale. prgtoken This bill (1) is constitutionally unsound; (2) has a very low standard of proof; and (3) will result in a sweeping effect among many innocent individuals who have not committed any crime, and thus, raises due process and racial profile concerns. prgtoken First, this bill lacks a constitutional construct for how Homeland Security is to determine its designation of a ``criminal street gang''. prgtoken I offered an amendment that would have required a uniform legal standard, which will govern the identification of Criminal Street gang members for purposes of ICE enforcement. prgtoken According to this bill, `any' immigrant, including minors, such as a 13 or 14 year old juvenile, would be subject to the harsh penalties of detention and deportation. prgtoken If we begin to criminalize for associations then we are heading down a terribly dark road, particularly with youths. Statistics show that the brain does not fully develop until the age of 25. To punish them for mere association based on unsubstantiated evidence is bad legislation. prgtoken According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recent report, nationally, 48,043 juvenile offenders were held in residential placement facilities as of October 28, 2015. prgtoken Due to thi
DISABILITY RIGHTS
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-9-14

today, I rise to express my strong opposition to H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act, which recently passed out of the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken For 27 years, the Americans with Disabilities Act has made a difference in millions of lives, including my own, by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a disability and requiring accessibility in places of public accommodation. prgtoken , H.R. 620 decimates the underlying intent of the ADA by allowing entities to wait before addressing barriers to access. It would roll back years of progress, and it sends a message to the disability community that we are not worthy of being included like everyone else. I urge my colleagues to consider the true implications of this policy. prgtoken , I was injured in 1980, a full 10 years before the ADA was enacted. I remember what our country was like before the ADA. I do not wish to go back. Instead of weakening our civil rights, let us work together to protect them.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-9-14

on September 14, I was unavoidably detained off the House floor and was not present for Roll Call 528, the vote on final passage of H.R. 3354. Had I been present, I would have voted ``No.'' As our nation comes together to help those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, I am saddened that members of Congress were not given the opportunity to come together to provide all of the people of our country the support they need to meet the many challenges they face and to invest in their future. This eight bill spending package was considered under a restrictive process that severely limited the ability of members to influence the bill. I could not in good conscience vote for this bill because it is based on the devastating House budget, meaning that it underfunds and makes significant cuts to many of my constituents' key priorities such as job training, education, fixing our crumbling infrastructure, economic development, Pell Grants, housing affordability, after-school programs, and law enforcement. It attacks women's health by cutting family planning and Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grants and defunding Planned Parenthood, and it includes many poison pill policy riders that will undermine the Affordable Care Act, undo many important Dodd-Frank Wall Street reforms, and prevent the EPA from keeping our air and water clean. As the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, I find it inexplicable that as we work to recover from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and see new storms on the horizon, the bill slashes funding for programs that build resilience and can be used for prevention and recovery and it weakens efforts to understand and address climate change, a driving factor of more frequent and severe storms. I repeatedly tried to shift funding in the bill for immigration enforcement activities to more pressing homeland security needs, but I was rebuffed on party line votes. Instead of this short-sighted bill that would be disastrous for all Americans, I call on s to join to enact spending bills that grow the economy, create jobs, and truly keep our nation secure.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE HONORABLE JANE F. GARVEY
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-9-14

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate The Honorable Jane F. Garvey on being the recipient of The 2017 L. Welch Pogue Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aviation. Over the course of her distinguished career, she has delivered decades of dedicated service in top leadership roles within both the public and private sectors. prgtoken Jane Garvey grew up in Western Massachusetts. She graduated from Mount Saint Mary College in New York and then went on to attain her master's degree from Mount Holyoke College, where I served on the Board of Trustees for many years. Jane notably served as the fourteenth Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 1997 to 2002. She was the first FAA Administrator to serve a full five-year term and also the first woman to lead the agency. She directed the FAA through the formidable events of September 11, 2001 with compassion, steady guidance, and assurance of mission. She also led the agency through Y2K preparation and implementation. Prior to this, Jane was Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. She has also previously served as director of Boston's Logan International Airport, as well as commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works. Currently, Jane is the North America Chairman of Meridiam, one of the largest investors of public- private partnerships in the U.S. She serves on several noteworthy boards, including the Bipartisan Policy Center and the United Airlines Supervisory Board. Jane also has the distinction of serving as Chairman of the FAA's Management Advisory Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Investment Advisory Council. prgtoken Throughout her career, Jane Garvey has been recognized many times for her outstanding leadership and public service. These awards include the National Air Transportation Association's Distinguished Service Award, National Award of Excellence for Public Leaders, Woman of the Year Award for Women in Transportation and Women in Politics, and the 2017 Eno Transportation Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award to name just a few. Furthermore, in 2003, she was honored as one of the 100 Heroes in Aviation History. prgtoken , Jane Garvey is known for her deliberate collaboration and ability to bring stakeholders together. She is a person of outstanding character and I would like to once again thank her not only for her exemplary leadership and service, but also for her continued dedication to educating and supporting young, inspired professionals in careers of aviation and transportation. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
Congratulating the Watertown High School Field Hockey Program (Executive Session)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-9-14

before I start my remarks on the dangers of nuclear war, I want to take a moment to congratulate the Watertown High School field hockey program in Massachusetts. prgtoken Up until this past week, the Watertown Raiders had not lost a single field hockey game since November 12, 2008. For nearly 9 years, the Raiders have been truly perfect. Their 184-game winning streak was our Nation's longest in high school field hockey history. Their leader, Head Coach Eileen Donahue, is one of the most historic figures in Massachusetts high school athletics. prgtoken To all the former and current players, coaches, parents and supporters, I offer my congratulations on this incredible accomplishment. prgtoken Go, Watertown Raiders. Congratulations on a historic streak of victories.