mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DACA
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-12-7

I come to the floor today as a voice for 800,000 young men and women who are counting on all of us to pass the Dream Act. We can't wait because they can't wait. Every day that passes is another day they are forced to keep their lives on hold. Right now, hundreds of thousands of young people in this country are deferring their dreams of finishing a college degree, of becoming a doctor, buying a home, raising a family, starting a small business, or serving in our military--all because President pulled the plug on the DACA Program 3 months ago. prgtoken Imagine that feeling of waking up day after day without any certainty about what comes next. Imagine that the country you love--the country where you grew up, where you are part of the community, where you pay your taxes, where you spend your time, your energy, and your money-- will not commit to uphold this promise to you. That is just wrong. prgtoken Dreamers were brought to this country as children--some of them so young, they don't even remember it--and holding up their futures or sending them to a country they have never known makes no sense for them or for our country. It doesn't do anything to solve our broken immigration system, and it certainly doesn't reflect a country of opportunity or promise--something the United States has always aspired to. prgtoken My colleagues have been sharing stories from their States. Here are a few from my home State of Washington--just a few. I have heard so many in recent months. prgtoken Not long ago, I was in Tacoma, and I visited a community organization that has actually helped hundreds of men and women get enrolled in the DACA Program, including a woman named Adriana. She has always been a strong student. As early as middle school, she was representing her school district in statewide math and science competitions. Now, after becoming a certified nursing assistant, she is a program manager supervising others. Letting the DACA Program collapse would be a huge setback for Adriana and would end her authorization and her ability to work as a nursing assistant. prgtoken I heard from a sophomore at my alma mater, Washington State University, who was brought here to this country at the age of 9. Thanks to the DACA Program, she was able to get a job helping adults with disabilities, which has allowed her to pay for college tuition and support herself. She is a full-time student with a part-time job and still finds time to volunteer in her community. She is on track to graduate in 2019. She dreams of owning her own company someday. prgtoken I heard from another DACA recipient who owns a business in Washington State. He said that his college degree from the University of Washington--which he completed without any Federal funding, by the way, no help at all--symbolized one of his great life challenges. And, as he noted, he is now using his education, his skills, his earnings, and his taxes to contribute to th
Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-12-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , the gentleman from Georgia said they need the . He must be aware that they only need us when the votes come. prgtoken There is not a fingerprint on that tax bill. We had nothing to say about any of it. And while we begged almost on our hands and knees to be a part of what they are doing, we are not. It always sounds good when we hear it on the floor: Bipartisan. Oh, look, we want to work together. prgtoken But then, oftentimes, as you know, , bills come to the Rules Committee with no committee action whatsoever and no possible description to be bipartisan. prgtoken , for years we have endured relentless attacks on the Affordable Care Act, including just last week in the Senate's disastrous tax bill. By repealing the individual mandate, the Senate bill has knocked 13 million people from their health insurance. prgtoken I must have asked 20 times when they were doing those 60 times to try to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act: Why do you want to take healthcare away from people? prgtoken I have never, to this day, gotten an answer as to why it is they so despise a healthcare bill that is working and has literally insured more Americans than have ever been insured before. prgtoken Then suddenly, just on a whim, one party decides--the one that has been fighting to kill it over and over again--that they will come at it piecemeal and just try to render it helpless by taking away the ability to even say it is time to go sign up again. prgtoken I am sure they thought they would do grievous harm, but it didn't work that way, and millions of people came out to sign up again because healthcare is one of the most critical needs for any American family. prgtoken To make matters worse, the bill also repeals most of the State and local tax deductions, and that is a deduction that helps middle class families in my State of New York. prgtoken New York, on average, gives back to the Federal Government of the United States $40 billion; money that we send to Washington and get nothing back for it, the way we are rewarded for that. I think that probably will not be happening anymore since the taxes are going to go up so much higher on the people of my State, unless they do away with what is absolutely one of the most atrocious things I have ever seen them do. prgtoken , it is evident that the tax bill was not designed to help middle class families put food on their table, but, instead, it gives corporation tax cuts to line the pockets of their shareholders. prgtoken I have yet to read or see the Senate tax bill, but I understand there are gifts in there for people who own jet planes. I don't represent any of those. prgtoken But taking care, again, of the rich, as demonstrated in the figures that supported my speech a while ago, that just prgtoken short of $6 billion, that goes from the poor people who make under $40,000 to the rich people, the
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-12-7

on December 10 of this week, we will celebrate International Human Rights Day. It is the 69th anniversary of the United Nations' adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It provided inalienable rights for everyone in this world to be entitled to basic human rights, regardless of their religion, regardless of their race, their color, their gender, their language, their politics, their national origin, their property, wealth, birth, whatever. You are entitled to basic human rights. prgtoken The declaration further goes on to say that the ignoring and contempt of human rights have been among the principal causes of the suffering of humanity. That clearly has been the case throughout the history of the world and is still relevant today--very relevant today. prgtoken The interesting thing about the universal declaration is that it acknowledges that we all have responsibilities. This is not just a country responsibility; we, as citizens of the world, have an obligation to challenge when human rights are violated anywhere in the world. That is our responsibility. It is interesting that one of the responsibilities I have as the ranking Senate on the Helsinki Commission, which is the organization that monitors our participants and the Organization for Security and Co-operation In Europe--that declaration, the Helsinki accords, which was entered into in 1975, was an acknowledgement of basic human rights; it is a responsibility of all the participating countries to adhere to basic human rights. The Helsinki accords also make it very clear that any member country of the OSCE has the right to challenge what is happening in any other country. We have a responsibility as global citizens to speak out when basic human rights are being violated. prgtoken I also point out that this is one of the basic tenets of America's strength. One value embodied in our Constitution, embodied in our history, is a respect for human rights, and it makes America the unique Nation it is. Yes, we are looked upon as a global power because of our military and economy, but I must tell you, the real trademark of America, the real value we give to the international debate is the fact that we bring a commitment to basic human rights and values as part of our DNA. That has been very much demonstrated in so many ways. prgtoken I am proud of many of our accomplishments on behalf of international human rights. America's leadership on trafficking in persons--there have been and s who have taken the lead on this to make it clear that we will not tolerate modern-day slavery. We took the lead on that; Congress took the lead on that. We passed the ``Trafficking in Persons Report.'' We now monitor activities in every country in the world, including the United States, in order to protect against modern-day slavery. prgtoken I am proud of the passage of, first, the Magnitsky statute, which dealt with Russi
INTRODUCTION OF SUPPORTING CHILDREN OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE ACT
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-12-7

in 2015, Congress for the first time enacted a military student identifier (MSI) program to track and collect data on military-connected students' education. However, this provision only requires states to identify and monitor the academic progress of active-duty military-connected students. This excludes the children of National Guard members and Reservists. Students with parents in the National Guard and Reserves may face the same challenges, such as constant moving and the stress of parental deployment, as students whose parents are in active-duty service. That is why, today, I am introducing the ``Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve Act.'' prgtoken The need for an MSI for all military-connected children, not just those in active-duty, is important because it allows educators, parents, and policymakers to make informed, evidence-based decisions on how to positively affect the educational progress of all their students.
Order of Procedure (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-12-7

President has nominated Joseph Balash to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals at the Department of the Interior. In that role, Balash will oversee the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and head ``Interior's management of all federal lands and waters, and their associated mineral and non-mineral resources, as well as the appropriate regulation of surface coal mining.'' prgtoken Balash has worked for years in Alaska politics, including as the former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. prgtoken In 2013, as the acting commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Joe Balash advocated for exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Balash petitioned the U.S. prgtoken Fish and Wildlife Service ``to reconsider its decision to bar [Alaska] from conducting seismic studies in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.'' prgtoken Also, Balash has stated that he supports the administration rewriting the 5-year plan for the offshore oil and gas leasing plan, which could likely lead to new areas being opened up to offshore drilling. prgtoken I am a strong supporter of protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and oppose opening up new areas of the Atlantic to offshore drilling. For these reasons, I oppose his nomination for Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals at the Department of the Interior.
REPUBLICAN TAX BILL
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-12-7

. Finally, , on the issue of taxes, with the passage of the Senate bill last Friday, the Party has shrugged off its history as the party of tax cuts and become the party of tax hikes on the middle class. The tax bill will end up raising taxes on millions of middle-class families to pay for corporate welfare. prgtoken As our colleagues march us toward an enormous corporate tax cut, we have seen numerous companies start to announce plans to buy back more of their stock--not build factories, not create jobs, but to buy back their stock, which, of course, benefits the CEOs because the stock price goes up. prgtoken T-Mobile has announced $1.5 billion in stock buybacks; Mastercard, $4 billion; Bank of America, $5 billion. Just this morning, three or more companies announced hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of buybacks. These companies, I would say to President and I would say to my colleagues, are not announcing new investments in their workforce or wage increases, as s promised they would. They are announcing stock repurchasing programs that benefit their wealthy investors. prgtoken The tax bill will also saddle the next generation of leaders with larger deficits and debts, limiting our ability to make the kinds of investments we need to be making in education, infrastructure, and scientific research--a far surer path to good-paying jobs and raising wages than giving corporate America, already flush with cash, even more stock buybacks. For the same reason, those increased deficits, s are now coming back and saying that they want to slash Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, making it even harder in America to access affordable healthcare and retire with dignity. prgtoken Ryan admitted it yesterday. He said: ``We're going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and prgtoken the deficit,'' and he specifically mentioned Medicare. They first create the deficit by these huge tax cuts for the wealthiest corporations and individuals, and then they take it out on the middle class by saying: We have no choice but to cut Medicare. What is the matter? I hope the American people will see this. I hope some of the news channels and radio commentators will note this, since those are the people who listen to them. prgtoken By the way, that is only what we know about the bill. It was muscled through the Chamber with such reckless haste, we are finding errors and consequences every day. In yesterday's POLITICO, Greg Jenner, a former top tax official in 's Treasury Department who helped write the 1986 tax reform bill, was quoted as saying: The more you read [of the tax bill], the more you go, ``Holy crap, what's this?'' We will be dealing with unintended consequences for months to come because the bill is moving too fast. prgtoken That is a Republi
NET NEUTRALITY
Tulsi Gabbard (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-12-11

in 3 days, the internet as we know it could change forever. prgtoken On December 14, the FCC will be taking a vote on whether or not to get rid of net neutrality protections that keep the internet open, fair, and equal for everyone. Repealing these protections will allow internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T to control the levers of the internet--stifling access, deciding which websites you and I can visit and use, and making it virtually impossible for small businesses to compete against industry giants. prgtoken It will hurt our students, entrepreneurs, working families, and all who rely on the internet for things from education to healthcare to employment as a level playing field of opportunity. prgtoken The FCC must protect the people it is supposed to be serving, not big corporate interests, and make sure that the internet remains a place where everyone has a seat at the table.
150 YEARS OF HBCU EXCELLENCE
Dwight Evans (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2017-12-11

I, too, would like to thank my good colleague from the great State of North Carolina for her leadership on this very important issue. prgtoken I am proud to stand here with so many of my friends and colleagues tonight for a topic near and dear to my heart: the continued viability and success and importance of HBCUs. prgtoken Our HBCUs play an incredible critical role in the stability and strength in our Nation. I truly believe, in order to build stronger neighborhoods, better schools, and other community-sustainable institutions, we must go block by block, we must celebrate the diversity, and we must salute the rich history of the HBCUs and the phenomenal contributions that they have made and will continue to make to our communities nationwide. prgtoken I am so proud to say that, for years, our HBCUs have produced amazing leaders who not only contribute to their respective fields, but who also pride themselves on making sure the next generation of African Americans succeed. prgtoken The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the proud home of two exceptional HBCUs: Cheyney University and Lincoln University. They share the distinction of being the first two HBCUs founded in America, a point of great pride to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Many of my fellow members of the CBC have HBCUs in their States, but they started in Pennsylvania. prgtoken Many students and residents in the Second Congressional District call Lincoln and Cheyney their alma mater. Cheyney was founded on February 25, 1837, three decades before the Emancipation Proclamation. This year, Cheyney is celebrating its 180th anniversary. prgtoken Cheyney is located outside of Pennsylvania's Second Congressional District and is the oldest HBCU in the country. For years, Cheyney was known as a teachers college and has played an incredibly viable role within the Commonwealth, ensuring the elementary, secondary, middle school, and high school teachers at schools in the city of Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are prepared and have the necessary skills in order to train our students for success in the classroom and beyond. prgtoken That brings us to Lincoln University. Lincoln was established as our Nation's prgtoken first degree-granting HBCU. Lincoln was designated as the first institution in the world to provide higher education in the arts and sciences for young African-American males and is famous for two of the lions of Black American history: Langston Hughes, and the Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Today, Lincoln is one of the largest employers in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. prgtoken Our HBCUs nationwide are critical to the strength and stability of our Nation. Just like our cities, our schools compete for people. We have the power to continue to define the rich history and the legacies of our HBCUs. prgtoken I am proud to stand here today with our friends and colleagues to send a strong message that it is on
HONORING JACQUELINE S. GILLAN
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-12-11

I rise today to honor my good friend and tireless auto safety advocate, Jacqueline S. Gillan, on her retirement from her day-to-day leadership role at Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a group she helped found nearly three decades ago. Beginning in January 2018, Jackie will transition to President Emeritus at Advocates. prgtoken Jackie has dedicated her professional career to making our roads safer for all American families. She co-led Advocates starting in 1990 and has served as President since 2011. Prior to joining Advocates, she worked in senior policy positions in the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the United States Senate, the Washington, D.C. office of the Governor of Ohio, and the California and New Jersey state transportation agencies. prgtoken Her extensive accomplishments include the successful enactment of numerous federal and state laws advancing motor vehicle and motor carrier safety standards; improving child safety; strengthening impaired driving laws; requiring safety belts, child restraints, and motorcycle helmet use; establishing teen driver programs; and providing adequate funding for highway and auto safety programs. prgtoken , I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Jackie for several years on transportation safety issues. I am always impressed with her skillful knack to bring together a diverse group of transportation stakeholders to work to make our roads safer. But perhaps Jackie's greatest trait is her ability to tell the stories of truck crash victims with power and compassion. Her work with crash victims and their families--to make sure that every story is heard--is an incredible testament to her personal devotion to the issues she has worked on. prgtoken Jackie is truly one of the most effective advocates that I have had the privilege to work with during my congressional career. You will find no greater champion for road safety than Jackie Gillan. She exemplifies the best of public service and principled public policy. I have no doubt that our roads are safer because of her years of hard work. I wish Jackie and her family nothing but the best in her well- earned retirement.
CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY ACT OF 2017
Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-12-11

the balance of my time. prgtoken , H.R. 3359 has broad support on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken We talk a lot about the need to harden our cyber defenses against an evolving array of virtual threats. Reorganizing and rebranding NPPD as the prgtoken Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has the potential of enhancing DHS' cybersecurity capacity, boosting morale, and bringing its critical infrastructure protection workforce together in an unprecedented way. prgtoken As an operational agency, CISA will be positioned to foster better collaboration between the cyber and physical sides of the house, bringing its cybersecurity analysts together with chemical inspectors, protective security advisers, emergency communication specialists, and Federal Protective Service officers for a more holistic approach to critical infrastructure protection. prgtoken , mapping out a new agency is a complicated task, but this measure is long overdue. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and .