mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-3-13

I thank Senator Sanders for the question. This is incredibly important to understand. prgtoken There was great consternation in the beginning of this civil war, when the United States, under the administration, was beginning to support the Saudi-led coalition. The Saudis were only targeting the Houthis, and as the al-Qaida wing inside of Yemen was getting stronger and stronger, no matter how much we asked, no matter how much we pushed, the Saudi-led coalition would not drop bombs on al-Qaida and would not send any of their forces near them. They were only focused on the Houthis. prgtoken The answer as to why that was happening is very simple. The enemy of your enemy tends to be your ally, and inside Yemen, the Houthis were drawing fire from both the Saudi-led coalition and from al-Qaida. In the early stages of this fight, the policy of the Saudi-led coalition was to have hands off of al-Qaida, and that made al-Qaida stronger and stronger and stronger. prgtoken Now, admittedly, recently we have been more successful in getting the Emirates, not necessarily the Saudis, to take on targeted missions against al-Qaida, but that is only a recent phenomenon, and it is frankly belied by the fact that we have new information that at the same time that the Emirates are occasionally taking out operations--and sometimes dangerous operations, with risk of life to their forces against al-Qaida--they are also supporting other militias inside Yemen--Salafist militias--that are in many ways just as radical as al- Qaida is and are recruiting the types of recruits that one day may join ISIS and one day may join al-Qaida, targeting against the United States. So this is a very chaotic space in which very purposefully, for a period of time, the coalition allowed for al-Qaida to grow. Even though that policy has changed recently, there are still signs that there are some people who are very dangerous to the United States who are being supported on the ground by members of our coalition. prgtoken I know Senator Durbin is here, so I want to turn it over to him. I just want to say two more quick things on this point. One is to note that our resolution does continue to allow for the United States to target al-Qaida. We built into this resolution a carve-out for any military activities that are currently authorized by the 2001 AUMF, and the administration interprets that to be al-Qaida and affiliated follow-on organizations. So let's be clear that if you care about the United States targeting al-Qaida, that can continue here. prgtoken Finally, to Senator Lee's point about this interpretation of hostilities, let's be clear about how narrow a definition that is. There have to be American troops on the ground exchanging fire in order for the War Powers Act to be triggered. That is not what Congress intended because, in fact, that would then allow the administration to perpetuate an unlimited air campaign, dropping unlimi
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-3-13

I thank my friend Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and congratulations on his long history of action on climate change. prgtoken Six years ago, Senator Whitehouse began a campaign to speak every week about climate change. One need only look at the past 6 years of climate impacts to understand just how important the Senator's pledge is. prgtoken The planet has been warming for years, but in the last few years, the disturbing trends have accelerated. The last 4 years have been the hottest on record. prgtoken The effects of climate change are already obvious, from the eroding coasts prgtoken off Cape Cod to storm surge in Boston Harbor. January's bomb cyclone in Massachusetts broke the flood record in Boston set by the Blizzard of 1978. prgtoken Sadly, this is our new normal. Thirteen of the top 20 biggest flood events in Boston have occurred since 2000. While Massachusetts gets overrun by the impacts of climate change, President has plans to expand offshore drilling off the New England coast. This is the very definition of insanity. prgtoken Our communities and our oceans are feeling the pressure of the changing climate. But what has the administration decided to do about it? Worse than nothing. It has started to withdraw us from the Paris Climate Accord. It has repealed the Clean Power Plan. It has rolled back historic fuel economy standards, loosened standards for hazardous pollutants, and declared all-out war on climate science. prgtoken Throughout the administration, there has been an alarming attack on public information about climate change. On the Environmental Protection Agency's website, more than 5,000 pages of information on climate change have disappeared, either relegated to an unsearchable maze far from public view or simply deleted. Fact sheets on public health and climate change are gone. Resources for States and cities have disappeared. Guides for students and teachers are no more. This isn't transparency; it is a transparent attack on climate science. prgtoken It is also an attack on our scientists. More than 200 scientists have left the EPA under the administration. Those 200 scientists have been replaced with only seven new hires. Our top climate scientists are telling us that fear is rampant at EPA and across Federal agencies. The EPA's job is to instill fear into the hearts of corporate polluters, not its own scientists. prgtoken We need to encourage more science, not less. We need science to inform the policies we need to provide the solutions that could save our planet. That is what Senator Whitehouse has championed for these past 6 years on the floor and throughout his career in public service. prgtoken I thank Senator Whitehouse for asking me to stand with him today and for being an environmental Paul Revere, sounding the alarm on climate change. We cannot be silenced, and we will continue to work together to sound that alarm--because that is what is happening, th
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-3-13

I join my colleagues today to discuss climate change. I want to thank Senator Whitehouse for being a vocal advocate for addressing this issue. prgtoken Climate change is real. It is happening all around us, and we can't afford to ignore this fact any longer. prgtoken This past year, global temperatures were up 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit over the historical average. Millions of Americans came face-to-face with extreme weather events like deadly wildfires and powerful hurricanes, and these extreme weather events are only expected to get worse. prgtoken If no action is taken to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the world will warm 7 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. Rising temperatures will bring increasingly more severe droughts, destructive floods, deadly wildfires, and strong coastal storms. Rising temperatures are also warming our oceans, threatening to melt both polar icecaps. prgtoken Last summer, the world watched as an iceberg the size of Delaware broke free from Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf. Scientists are now studying how the entire shelf may collapse and projecting what that would mean for the even larger West Antarctic Ice Sheet as oceans continue to warm. That sheet--twice the size of Texas--contains enough ice to raise sea levels by more than 10 feet. prgtoken That much sea rise would submerge more than 25,000 square miles of the United States that is home to more than 12 million Americans. prgtoken Rising seas and the loss of coastal land aren't the only threats we are facing due to climate change. The effects it is having on our water supply is deeply troubling. prgtoken California is home to the largest agriculture sector in the United States. prgtoken Our growers need access to plenty of water to help feed the whole Nation. As temperatures rise, we are seeing fewer and fewer days below freezing, greatly reducing mountain snowpack which is a critical source of water in the West. Extreme heat is also making it harder for agriculture workers to safely work outside. In the Central Valley, average temperatures are projected to rise 6 degrees by the end of this century. It is not just people who work outdoors who are feeling the health effects of climate change. Warmer temperatures are expanding the range of disease-carrying pests such as ticks and mosquitos. Lyme disease cases have tripled in the last two decades, and tropical diseases are now appearing as far north as the Gulf Coast. prgtoken Californians know all too well the effects of climate change. We are still recovering from an historic drought and the most destructive wildfire season on record. But we may be in another drought by next year if we don't get more rain soon. prgtoken In the absence of leadership from the Federal Government, California is stepping up and taking action. California is still honoring the Paris Agreement even though the President pulled the United States out. prgtoken By 2030, California will reach
STATE OF MINNESOTA RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET PROPOSAL
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-3-13

I recently held a hearing in St. Paul, Minnesota's capital city, to receive feedback on President 's fiscal year 2019 budget proposal. I am deeply appreciative for the input from the State of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota, Ramsey County, Washington County, the City of Saint Paul, and vital nonprofits like Lutheran Social Services, Clean Water Action, the Alzheimer's Association, Habitat for Humanity, Community Action Agencies, the Sierra Club, and the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits. prgtoken The testimony I heard was clear and unambiguous, the President's budget will harm every aspect of our community--students, seniors, low- income families, housing, the environment, refugees, and the list goes on and on. If a White House intentionally wanted to write a budget that shredded vital services to communities and essential services to school districts, local governments and state agencies this is that destructive, dangerous document. prgtoken As this Congress limps along trying to finish work on the fiscal year 2018 federal budget (nearly six months past the start of the fiscal year), we are now starting appropriations work for 2019. I expect there to be largely bipartisan agreement that President 's budget will be largely rejected in favor of some bipartisan common sense, if such a thing exists anymore. prgtoken I include in the Record the following testimony from Eric Hallstrom, Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Management and Budget and it clearly articulates what is at risk in our state if Mr. 's backwards agenda is advanced: Good Morning. For the record, my name is Eric Hallstrom and I am Deputy Commissioner at Minnesota Management and Budget, the state's budget agency. On behalf of Governor Dayton and the State of Minnesota, thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the president's budget proposal. Federal budget decisions have a direct impact on the services Minnesotans receive. In considering the budget proposal, we appreciate your attention to the profound effects federal budget and fiscal policy decisions have on the State of Minnesota. The president's budget contains deep cuts in programs that have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable Minnesotans, including children, the elderly, and those living in poverty. As you are aware, at the state government level we adopt balanced budgets on a two-year cycle. We make budget decisions based on revenue projections that look out two and four years into the future. Governor Dayton has spent the last seven years working hard to right out state's fiscal ship by ensuring Minnesota's budget is balanced. Under Gov Dayton's leadership, we corrected the 6 billion dollar deficit left by the previous administration. We restored the state' s credit ratings to be some of the highest in the
GUNS
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-3-13

I want to share the words of Geneva Cunningham. She is 15 years old. She is a ninth grader from the Hopkins Grammar School in New Haven, Connecticut. prgtoken Geneva witnessed the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre when she was only in the fourth grade. Geneva's father gave me her poem in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, though Geneva wrote it just a few days before the shooting occurred. This is what she wrote: Pure; A mother called her child Kissing his forehead On his way to school. For the boy It was a normal day Until the darkness came And swept the light away. We did not ask for this. We did not ask to hear gunshots In slamming doors and dropping books. We did not ask To witness the murders Of the children We played with at recess. We did not know That our teacher Had taught us our final lesson. And we believed her When she said The red spilling from her foot Was only paint. Sweet ignorance The honey in our poisoned tea The salt we mistook for sugar. But where do we draw the line? Between knowledge and ignorance When do we know to cover our eyes When the darkness Begins to swallow us whole. We united this country By stating ``We are one.'' And on that principle Our Forefathers said You may ``bear arms'' to fight against them. You may defend Against them. But who is this ``them''? If we are one Who are we fighting against? If we are one Then who are we defending? If we are taking lives to begin with Because killing is still killing. The number of lives lost Is no victory On our own soil Or on any soil. We say we are equals. So who gets the power To decide Who lives and who dies? Because by giving open access to these weapons We are giving power To trembling hands. And these hands Were the ones to take the life of the little boy The day he was learning How to read. These machines were not designed for play. They were designed to kill. If we use them on the battlefield If they can take a life Then they are not worth it. Because I promise you A life is worth more Than any machine Used for fun. Yet we bear these weapons. We claim that we enjoy The crack At the end of the rifle. Yeah, it may seem fun On the other side. But what if You are on the opposite end? Begging Pleading Crying out For your life. For the lives of your friends For the lives of your classmates For the life of your teacher. We must be sure Whose fingers we can trust On the trigger Because that choice May determine Your life The lives of your friends The lives of your family And the l
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Heidi Heitkamp (Democrat, ND) \u2014 2018-3-13

I am here to discuss the merits of S. 2155, a bill that I have been working on since coming to the Senate in 2013. It is a bill that addresses the concerns of rural financial institutions, particularly those in our rural communities. It is a bill that was drafted to address access to capital concerns and the consolidation of small banks in areas where I live, which is in the State of North Dakota. It is a bill that I am incredibly proud of. I know that there have been a lot of statements made about this bill in the last week, and I am here to set a lot of those straight. prgtoken Before I start, I wish to talk about what it is like in rural communities where I grew up. I find it interesting when I hear that this bill is about Wall Street banks and big bank bailouts. The last time I checked, Lincoln State Bank, which is my small community bank in the community where I went to high school, in Hankinson, ND, is not on the Fortune 500. It is not on the Fortune 100. It is a small community bank that has been operating and has been available to consumers in my community to help them achieve their family goals, achieve their farming goals, and achieve their needs for capital going forward. prgtoken I don't recognize the bill that is being debated here in the U.S. Senate because it is not the bill that has been written, and it is not the bill that is hopefully going to pass the Senate. I don't think that it is any mistake, when you look at the five primary sponsors of this bill--the five of us who wrote this bill--that most of us are from predominantly rural States. I think we understand the needs of those living in our States and the needs of those living in our rural communities. prgtoken When you look at an opportunity to fix regulation and to respond to concerns that people have, one of the constant arguments that I get when I go home is this: There is no longer any common sense in Washington, DC. They don't understand where we live. They don't understand who we are. They don't understand that we live in communities and that we support and protect each other. Instead, they write one regulation that is supposed to be one-size-fits-all. prgtoken That is certainly not what this is. This is an attempt to write a bill that would give direction to the Federal regulators so that small banks could be treated as small banks and so that large banks could continue to be regulated and treated as the large, systemically significant institutions that they are. prgtoken I will give just a few statistics that I think everybody should understand. prgtoken Thirty years ago, there were approximately 14,000 banks in the United States. Today, there are approximately 5,000. Since the passage of Dodd-Frank, the United States has lost about 14 percent of its smallest banks. Meanwhile, the small banks' share of U.S. domestic deposits and banking assets has decreased, and the five largest U.S. banks, which don't benefit fr
EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise to speak against the Right to Try Act. prgtoken It sounds compassionate, but it only offers fake hope. An FDA process already exists to allow terminally ill patients to try experimental drugs at no charge. But the difference is that the proposal that we just voted on strips consumer protections and charges patients. prgtoken The FDA program receives about 1,000 requests each year and responds in a few days, often recommending changes to enhance safety for the patient. Removing the FDA from the approval process does not add value and could instead be detrimental. prgtoken The bill would open up access to drugs after phase I trials, which are very small and, more often than not, unsuccessful. This bill allows pharmaceutical companies to profit off of experimental drugs that could ruin the quality of life that is left. prgtoken This bill creates the wrong incentives and pushes care for the terminally ill in the wrong direction, which is why I join patient and consumer advocates in their strong opposition to this bill. This was under suspension and, therefore, did not pass. I remain opposed to the bill.
TRICKETT WENDLER, FRANK MONGIELLO, JORDAN McLINN, AND MATTHEW BELLINA RIGHT TO TRY ACT OF 2018
Gene Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-3-13

I thank my ranking member for allowing me to speak tonight. prgtoken , I rise in opposition to the Right to Try Act, legislation that would bypass the Food and Drug Administration's longstanding review and oversight of drug treatments and endanger patients with life-threatening diseases. prgtoken My heart goes out to the families of loved ones who are terminally ill and desperate for a breakthrough treatment. I, too, have lost loved ones and wished there was an experimental therapy available to save them. prgtoken FDA has decades of experience dealing with experimental therapies that have not received final approval. In 1987, the FDA created expanded access, better known as compassionate use, and gives terminally ill patients access to therapies still under clinical trials. FDA approves nearly all requests for investigational drugs. For the last 5 years, the FDA approval rate for this expanded access is over 99 percent. In fact, FDA physicians are available 24 hours a day to approve emergency requests. prgtoken My daughter is an infectious disease physician at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. They used the FDA's compassionate pathway to provide experimental therapy for an American doctor, a U.S. citizen, who had contracted Ebola while in Africa in 2014. FDA approved that request for that experimental treatment over the telephone in less than 24 hours. There is a solution other than this bill. prgtoken The new path created in this legislation is not necessary, and, in fact, may endanger the health and safety of terminally ill patients by bypassing FDA's oversight and expertise. prgtoken , I also want to speak on the importance of following regular order. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has been working with stakeholders and Federal agencies for years on creating incentives and pathways for the new generation of breakthrough therapies. prgtoken Two years ago, these efforts culminated with the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which I am proud to be a champion of. The 21st Century Cures Act went through regular order, including hearings; Member discussions; and compromises between regulators, stakeholders, and regulators. prgtoken It is not easy or quick, but regular order works because it gives the committees of jurisdiction the opportunity to debate and refine the legislation. This legislation we are currently considering did not go through regular order. In fact, it was just introduced earlier today, purposely avoiding consideration before our Energy and Commerce Committee due to its shortcomings. prgtoken I hope we can agree on the importance of following regular order and observe our Chamber's rules and traditions. The American people deserve nothing less. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for Americans facing these serious and life-threatening diseases by opposing this unnecessary and potentially dangerous legislation.
CONGRATULATING IMPACT CHRISTIAN TV NETWORK
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise to honor the country's only African- American owned Christian television network, the IMPACT Christian TV network. prgtoken Over the weekend, at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, I joined IMPACT for the celebration of their launch onto the Altice family of programming. The launch is a big step for Altice and people across the Nation. prgtoken The partnership between IMPACT and Altice means that the country's only African-American owned and operated Christian television network will now reach more than 85 million homes around the world. prgtoken As we have seen with the ``Oscars So Black'' movement and spotlight on inequality in film and television, people across the country are demanding increased diversity in programming. prgtoken IMPACT's launch on Altice is another step in the right direction. It is a historic pairing that will bring diversity and ministry to millions of homes. prgtoken I would like to point out that, in my district, the 10th Congressional District of the State of New Jersey, I want to commend two local heroes for helping move this effort forward. prgtoken I want to commend Reverend Dr. David Jefferson of Metropolitan Baptist Church and the IMPACT team, and Marilyn Davis and the Altice team for what they did to make this launch happen.