mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Bill Flores (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Bryan- College Station Habitat for Humanity, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. prgtoken The Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1989 when a Texas prgtoken A&M University college student named Heather Hilton came across a brochure and wondered why there was no locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Heather contacted other pillars of the community who also noticed the lack of affordable housing in the Brazos Valley. Since its subsequent formation, the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity has continued its mission of putting God's love into action by building homes, communities, and hope in Brazos County, Texas. prgtoken In 1990, Victor and Amelia Gonzalez purchased the first home built by Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity. This opportunity allowed them and their three children to move out of their small trailer with no heating or cooling and a large hole in the floor. In 2012, they paid off their mortgage on the home. The Gonzalez family is just one example of the more than 1,000 people the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity has helped in their 30 years of existence. prgtoken The Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity has served 456 adults and 816 children by providing homeownership opportunities to individuals and families who earn between 35 and 80 percent of the area's median income. This past August, the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity raised the walls of its 298th home, and will reach its 300th home milestone this year. prgtoken The Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity is able to provide these opportunities to those in need through financial donations, volunteer labor, efficient building methods, standardized designs, and zero interest loans. Over 70 percent of the land and construction costs come from the generous donations from businesses, individuals, and other private sources. Other costs are covered by mortgage payments of the existing Habitat for Humanity homeowners and revenue from the Bryan-College Station ReStore which opened in 1995 selling building supplies, furniture, appliances, and home decor. prgtoken In addition to constructing new homes, the Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity has also started a Community Home Repair program to serve low-income residents. Since the program's inception in 2015, it has served another 209 homeowners in the Brazos Valley. prgtoken The work Habitat for Humanity does is vital to the success of families in the Brazos Valley. A 2018 study conducted by the School of Government and Public Service found that families in Habitat homes visit the doctor less for mold related illnesses, the children have increased performance in school, and parents are more confident in funding their children's education. The Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity does more th
FORCED ARBITRATION INJUSTICE REPEAL ACT
Doug Collins (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam Chair, yes, it is me, and I do speak truth here, and I will acknowledge there is one cosponsor of this bill. It is bipartisan in that regard. However, it could have had 100 or more cosponsors if we would have actually done legislation. prgtoken Instead, my gentle friend from Georgia just gets up and repeats trite statements about what s want to do and what s don't want to do. That is the problem we have right here. That is the problem, why we don't have legislation that actually works and will actually get signed and put into law. prgtoken Remember, a bill that only comes through one part and cannot get through to get a President's signature is simply a political statement. That is what we are doing today. prgtoken Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Armstrong) so he may manage the remainder of the time.
RETRACTIONS OF NEW YORK TIMES' ARTICLES
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-9-20

I appreciate the privilege to be recognized to address you here on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. prgtoken And I come to this floor to talk a little bit today about what is happening to our Nation, our society, our culture, our Constitution. And these are topics that have been debated in this Chamber for a long time, but some things have happened that never happened before. prgtoken And so I would start first with: It seems to me our leader seems to be a high respecter of the credibility of the New York Times. So I put together a document here that I thought might be interesting to him, and I would go through just a few of them, the articles that have come up in the New York Times, that have had to be retracted. prgtoken Let's see: There are the articles about Russian meddling in the election that had to be retracted. prgtoken They had to apologize for ruining Wen Ho Lee's career and life. prgtoken And the New York Times admits that one of the reporters engaged in frequent acts of journalistic fraud, widespread fabrication and plagiarism, and found problems in at least 36 of the 73 articles written by a single individual since he had started. prgtoken Further, the Times admits--that is the New York Times--that Judith Miller took journalistic shortcuts, and that New York Times' editors, ``failed to dig into problems before they became a mess.'' prgtoken They did become a tremendous mess. Remember, that was the allegation that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. Well, we got into a war over that one, didn't we, over the New York Times--at least in part. prgtoken Most of us will remember in 2006, when the New York Times covered an alleged rape by Duke--or multiple rapes, I should say, by the Duke University Lacrosse team. The Times coverage was biased towards the accuser, despite the fact that it ended up being a hoax and there was little evidence supporting the accuser's case. prgtoken And those young men on the Duke Lacrosse team were run through the wringer. They were excoriated; they were pounded on by the national media, not only the New York Times, but that is one of the things that triggers it. prgtoken Then, again, there is a New York Times article that questioned John McCain's relationship with a lobbyist. And that faced widespread criticism to the article implying that McCain had a romantic relationship with a lobbyist. They had to issue a correction, that they did not intend for the article to imply a romantic relationship. Well, they did imply that. They just said they didn't ``intend'' that. prgtoken And so somehow, the Times thinks they should have a pass for their own definition of intent, even though time after time after time, the Times has been found to be less than credible. prgtoken The President of the United States has poured forth his ire against the New York Times, and called them the ``lying New York Times,'' ``the fake news New York Times,'' ``the fa
FORCED ARBITRATION INJUSTICE REPEAL ACT
Kelly Armstrong (Republican, ND) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam Chair, I think we can't talk about this bill and talk about arbitration without also talking about class actions. prgtoken Mayer Brown did a study on class-action suits. Rather than simply relying on anecdotes, the study undertook an empirical analysis of neutrally selected sample sets of putative consumer and employee class- action lawsuits filed in Federal court in 2009. prgtoken In the entire dataset, not one of the class actions ended in a final judgment on the merits for the plaintiff. None of the class actions went to trial, either before a judge or a jury. prgtoken The vast majority of cases produced no benefits to most members of the putative class, even though in a number of those cases, the lawyers who sought to represent the class often enriched themselves in the process, and the lawyers representing the defense as well. prgtoken Approximately 14 percent of all class-action cases remain pending 4 years after they were filed, without resolution or even a determination of whether the case could go forward on a class-wide basis. In these cases, class members have not yet received any benefits and likely will never receive any, based on the disposition of the other cases we have studied. prgtoken Over one-third, 35 percent, of the class actions that have been resolved were dismissed voluntarily by the plaintiff. Many of these cases settled on an individual basis, meaning a payout to the individual named plaintiff and the lawyers who brought the suit, even though the class members receive nothing. prgtoken Just under one-third, 31 percent, of class actions that have been resolved were dismissed by a court on the merits. Again, that means that the class received nothing. prgtoken One-third, 33 percent, of resolved cases were settled on a class basis. prgtoken The settlement rate is half the average for Federal court litigation, meaning that a class member is far less likely to have even a chance of obtaining relief than the average party suing individually. prgtoken For those cases that do settle, there is often little or no benefit for class members. prgtoken I have been personally involved in this in a Barbri lawsuit for any member of the bar across the country. I have no idea how much my fellow lawyers made, but I know I got a check for $37 in the mail. Few class members ever even see those paltry benefits, particularly in consumer class actions. prgtoken Unfortunately, because information regarding the distribution of class-action settlements is rarely available, the public almost never learns what percentage of a settlement is actually paid to class members. But of the six cases in the dataset for which the settlement dispute was made public, five delivered funds to only minuscule percentages of the class, 0.000006, 0.33 percent, 1.5 percent, 9.6 percent, and 12 percent. prgtoken Those results are consistent with other available information about settlement distribution in consumer class actions. prgtoken
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-9-20

I hope the gentleman is not going to try to use the VA as the standard of care that every American should get. We saw the scandals at the VA, veterans dying waiting to get care. prgtoken We actually passed legislation this Congress that got signed into law last Congress to allow veterans to go to another hospital that can actually treat them if the VA is not doing the job. And I know a number of people in the gentleman's party oppose that, but our veterans appreciated it. While you might be able to get good care at some VA hospitals, there were--and the scandals, you have seen the ads, those aren't false ads--veterans literally dying waiting to get into VA hospitals, and the VA was telling us there was no secret list when, in fact, there were secret lists that were not allowing these veterans to get proper care. prgtoken So the VA CHOICE Act was passed specifically to address that problem and, ultimately, allow our veterans to be able to go to another hospital if the VA isn't properly taking care of them. Our veterans deserve the best care. If a VA hospital can't provide it, then someone else should, and, in fact, now other hospitals are. Our veterans have asked for that and now have that ability. prgtoken But if the gentleman wants to talk about bipartisanship, again, I go back to the bills that passed out of committee unanimously. When those bills came to the floor, they were changed to make them partisan. And if he thinks 5 s out of 197 is bipartisan, I think he needs to go and look back at what, ultimately, is going to allow a bill to become law. To become law, it is going to have to have a lot more support than that, which means the games have to stop being played. The poison pills can't be put in a bill and then expect that to become law. You can pass it out of the House, and it will never become law. prgtoken So the ultimate goal, I would hope, would be for us to come together to get a bill to the President's desk. The bills that came out of committee unanimously could have absolutely gotten to the President's desk and would be lowering drug prices. Once you start adding things to them--maybe you get a few s here and there--but ultimately you took an unanimous bill and made it a partisan bill and it is not going anywhere. prgtoken So there is a path, if you want to get it back on track, to get a bill to the President's desk. You can make statement, or you can make law, and I would hope we do both. I hope we actually work together to make something come together that not just can pass the House and barely get it across the finish line, but where we can get overwhelming support. The ability is there. prgtoken And those bills, by the way, took years to come together, just like the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill that took a long time to put together when we were in the majority, but, ultimately, got to the desk of , and he signed it. It is great law. It is something that
HONORING NEW YORK CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE FOR ITS ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
Tom Reed (Republican, NY) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , today I rise to recognize New York Chiropractic College for the one hundredth anniversary of its founding. prgtoken In 1919, Columbia Institute of Chiropractic was founded by Dr. Frank Dean. The institute later became New York Chiropractic College in the 1970s. In 1991, a two-hundred and eighty-six acre campus was purchased in Seneca Falls, New York, and the college moved to this expanded location. prgtoken Clinics were added throughout the region, including in Seneca Falls, Depew and Levittown, New York. The college has also partnered with the Veterans Administration and others throughout the years. prgtoken This college has been educating Chiropractic students for one hundred years and I wish them success in the next one hundred years of educating students. New York Chiropractic College has provided outstanding programming that is both meaningful and valuable to its students and the patients they go on to help. I applaud their efforts and hope to see many more great things from them in the future. prgtoken Given the above, I ask that this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations and join me to recognize New York Chiropractic College for the one hundredth Anniversary of its founding.
FINANCIAL SERVICES ARBITRATION IS BETTER FOR CONSUMERS
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-9-20

I rise today to explain my opposition and vote against the bill that was on the floor earlier today, H.R. 1423, the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act. I would like to highlight its negative impact on financial services. prgtoken Financial services providers and their customers use arbitration to settle disputes because it is easier, faster, and less costly for consumers than litigation. Forcing parties into litigation would dramatically extend the time before a customer is made whole and would significantly increase legal fees for all parties. prgtoken These increased costs are ultimately passed along to consumers through higher fees and fewer options, and they would negatively impact any American who has a bank account, credit card, or retirement plan. We have had that debate before. prgtoken Dodd-Frank directed that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau promulgate a rule on mandatory arbitration. While Congress overturned that rule in 2017 because it would adversely impact consumers, the administration's own study found that the average consumer receives approximately $5,400 through arbitration and only $32 through a class action lawsuit. That means the average customer who prevailed in arbitration received 166 times more than the average class member in class action settlements. prgtoken , my time has expired, but I would urge opposition to this wrongheaded idea in the United States Senate.
RECOGNIZING 75 YEARS SINCE HANFORD'S B REACTOR WENT CRITICAL
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2019-9-20

I rise today to recognize an important anniversary in our Nation's nuclear and military history. prgtoken At the start of the atomic age, thousands of men and women, our Cold War patriots, moved to central Washington State to work on a top-secret government project, building the world's first full-scale nuclear reactor. prgtoken During World War II, Hanford, Washington, was selected as one of the three sites for the Manhattan Project, and September 26 marks the 75th year since the B Reactor went critical at the Hanford site. prgtoken Since then, the Tri-Cities has grown as a hub for innovation, with an appreciation of the past and an excitement for the future, transforming into the fastest growing economy in Washington State. prgtoken The B Reactor has been converted into the centerpiece of the Manhattan National Historical Park, where all are welcome to experience its history. prgtoken But the work at the Hanford site must continue as the Federal Government has a moral and legal obligation prgtoken to clean up the country's largest nuclear waste site. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking the Cold War patriots at Hanford for their important contributions to our country.
FORCED ARBITRATION INJUSTICE REPEAL ACT
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Mr. Chair, I have seen elected officials change their positions. I have never seen it happen in 5 minutes. prgtoken Mr. Chair, 5 minutes ago, the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary stood up at the end, closing out the debate on the overall legislation before we got to the amendment debate, and he said this, ``a bedrock principle in this country is you get your day in court.'' The next word he used was important. He said, ``all'' Americans deserve their day in court. Now, he just told us that is not the case. prgtoken I guess by ``all,'' he meant only if you are nonunion do you get your day in court. Union people don't. They have to abide by these arbitration contracts. prgtoken This is really simple. This is about fairness. If it is good for the goose, it is good for the gander. That is all we are saying here. prgtoken If the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary believes what he just said 5 minutes ago, then he should be in support of this amendment. prgtoken Or maybe he didn't mean ``all'' when he said ``all'' Americans deserve their day in court. prgtoken Maybe he didn't mean ``bedrock principle'' when he said bedrock principle. prgtoken Maybe he only meant, Oh, it is a principle just for some people, which means, by definition, it is not a principle at all. prgtoken So I want to know which position the chairman has; the one he said 5 minutes ago, or the one he said 2 minutes ago. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
CONGRATULATING DR. NEIL SHARKEY ON HIS RETIREMENT
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and congratulate a friend and educational leader, Dr. Neil Sharkey, vice president for research at Penn State University, upon his retirement. prgtoken For the last 22 years, Dr. Sharkey has managed, facilitated, and advanced the university's entire research portfolio to dig deeper and discover innovative solutions to society's most challenging questions. prgtoken Under Dr. Sharkey's leadership, Penn State's research expenditures reached an all-time high in 2017 and 2018, totaling $927 million. This investment in the university's research has helped fund important research projects in life sciences, cyber science, social science, cancer research, energy and the environment, and a variety of other interdisciplinary fields. prgtoken Before his position as vice president of research, Dr. Sharkey served as the associate dean for research and graduate education in the College of Health and Human Development, as well as a professor of kinesiology. prgtoken I always say we cannot make good decisions without good data. Dr. Sharkey has been a leader in this feat, and I wish him the best of luck as he embarks on his new endeavors.
SOCIALISM
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-9-23

on a related matter, while Senate s continue to seek bipartisan solutions, the story on the other side of the Capitol has been a little bit different. prgtoken Pelosi and the ic House continue to neglect opportunities to find compromises that might actually become law and instead churn out one leftwing messaging bill after another. prgtoken Two weeks ago, just days before Iran's coordinated attack on the world's largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia, House took it upon themselves to send us several pieces of legislation that would have reduced--reduced--American energy independence. prgtoken Domestic energy is a driver of American prosperity and one of the big success stories of recent years, but the House want us to retreat. They send us go-nowhere legislation the Senate will not pass and the President will not sign. prgtoken And then, lest a whole week go by without one of these exercises, here is what happened last week: House began unveiling Pelosi's handmade plan to have Washington, DC, bureaucrats start micromanaging America's prescription drugs. It is the same old one-size-fits-all, government-controlled philosophy we continue to see from our ic colleagues. Forget about choice. Forget about competition. Forget about free enterprise and finding ways to unleash more market forces to help consumers. Just give Washington bureaucrats more power to clumsily call the shots and manipulate markets from the top down. prgtoken Predictably, what this plan amounts to is not an efficient, effective way to help American families but an efficient, effective way to bring even more of the economy under the bureaucracy's thumb and potentially set us on a track toward nationalizing a major industry. prgtoken There are millions of Americans who benefit from our Nation's incredible innovations and the R&D breakthroughs on new drug treatments and cures. We really ought not to jeopardize that. prgtoken American families deserve more choice, more competition, more affordability. The last thing we need is for the socialist delusions of the Green New Deal and Medicare for All to be copied and pasted into innovations and cures, putting them at risk. prgtoken Fortunately, this Senate won't let the 's dangerous proposal hurt the country. We will stay focused on the American people's business, and we will keep hoping our friends across the building put aside the political performances and join us to work on real solutions with a real chance of becoming real laws.
Order of Business (Executive Session)
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-9-23

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture motions for the Cella, Jorjani, and Black nominations ripen at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 24; I further ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, following the cloture vote on the Black nomination, that the Senate resume consideration of the McGuire nomination, and that at 3:30 p.m all postcloture time on the McGuire, Cella, Jorjani, and Black nominations be considered expired; finally, I ask unanimous consent that if any of the nominations are confirmed, that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.