mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ROBERT MUELLER INVESTIGATION
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-12-14

. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for taking this opportunity on the Special Order. I think, as an aside, I need to apologize to him for making him wait so long for this Special Order. prgtoken I also want to tell the American people, , that the gentleman who has taken this Special Order is probably the constitutional expert not only in this body, but one of the constitutional experts in our country. He is a great legislator himself. Although he is new to this body, he is not new to being a legislative leader at all. He has been a legislative leader in our State for many years. He is a wonderful teacher and somebody who has great political courage and is willing to stand and say that the emperor has no clothes. He is willing to call attention to the fact that our democracy is at risk, that our due process is at risk. prgtoken He used the phrase ``trumped up.'' What an interesting phrase that is that we have used for many years. I don't know that it has had as much relevance in years past as it now may have. prgtoken , I thank my friend, Mr. Raskin, for leading this Special Order. Our system of government, as he has pointed out, is based on the rule of law. We are a government of laws, not of men. prgtoken What that means is that it is not personalities, not dictators, not kings that rule our land. It is the law, the law of our Constitution, the law of our legislators, and the common law that we pursue as interpreted by our court systems. Its foundation is the constitutional principle that all are equal under the law. No one is exempt. prgtoken The appointment of a special prosecutor earlier this year to look into the possibility of the administration or campaign officials colluding with a foreign adversary or obstructing justice falls into a long tradition in our country of using independent counsel to investigate those in the most senior offices of our government. prgtoken Our Founding Fathers would say that is a check and balance; that is a protection against the usurpation of democracy. prgtoken The choice of former FBI Director Bob Mueller to be that independent investigator was an extraordinarily wise one; a decision greeted with support from across the political spectrum, precisely because Mr. Mueller is so widely respected for his independence and his commitment to the law above all else. prgtoken And, parenthetically, although it is not necessarily relevant, he is a . He is not, however, driven by the politics of left or right or or . He is a man of the law, a man who seeks the truth, a man who has dedicated his career to assuring that we remain a land of liberty under law. prgtoken We have already seen a demonstration of that commitment in the prompt firing of a subordinate investigator for an act that was not illegal, as the gentleman from Maryland, our constitutional scholar, has pointed out, but, however, threatened to impugn the objectivity of the investigation
Funding the Government (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-12-14

on the year-end negotiations, they are making headway--that is good--but many issues still remain to be resolved. prgtoken We need to provide funding for community health centers, CHIP, and areas that have been hit by disasters. We need to pass a bipartisan deal to pair the Dream Act with border security and pass a budget deal that fully funds both our national security and our economic security, in the common parlance known as ``parity.'' prgtoken If we don't lift the spending caps for defense and also urgent domestic priorities--jobs, the economy--both will come under the specter of sequestration. Lifting those spending caps in equal measure has been the basis of successful budget agreements going back several years. prgtoken There has been parity between defense and nondefense for the last three prgtoken budget negotiations. That is how it ought to stay. That is what brought us to good agreements. That is what averted shutdowns. Unfortunately, it appears that the Freedom Caucus in the House, which doesn't represent the mainstream of America or even the mainstream of s, is trying to derail another successful parity agreement. Unfortunately, Ryan, as he is doing far too often, to the detriment of the country and his party, is just following its lead. prgtoken Last night, the House posted what is called a CRomnibus--a very short-term extension of funding for jobs and economic development that will lead to cuts in those areas but a long-term extension and a large increase of funding for defense. This is merely a ruse that is designed to slash funding for education, healthcare, infrastructure, and scientific research--all things the Freedom Caucus doesn't want the government to fund--against the will of the overwhelming majority of Americans. prgtoken At this late hour, it is also an unfortunate waste of precious time. Earlier this week, 44 Senate sent a letter to our colleagues that explicitly warned them that could not support such an approach. Because 60 votes are needed to advance a spending bill here in the Senate, House s should have known not to waste everyone's time with a partisan spending bill that could never pass in the Senate. prgtoken The CRomnibus is nothing but a spectacle--a charade, a sop--to some militant, hard-right people who don't want the government to spend money on almost anything. It is a perilous waste of time as the clock ticks closer and closer to the end of the year. prgtoken It is time for our colleagues--especially in the House, where the Freedom Caucus is like the tail wagging the dog--to get serious about working with toward a real parity agreement. Every hour that the House spends on the CRomnibus is an hour that could be spent on our working on a deal to avert a shutdown and solve the many pressing issues that Congress must grapple with before the end of the year. prgtoken If Ryan decides
Fifth Anniversary of the Sandy Hook Mass Shooting (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-12-14

I thank the senior Senator from Connecticut for his words. The Senator from Connecticut is a former prosecutor who knows law enforcement backward and forward. I can only imagine the grief felt in his State. As a neighboring New England State, I recall the vigils, the prgtoken people coming to pray, and the sadness from what happened in our neighboring State of Connecticut. But as so many have said, we can express grief--and we should--but we have to do what the Senator from Connecticut and others have suggested, which is actually take some steps that might stop these things. So I applaud him for what he said. prgtoken Let me speak on another issue. This week, we voted on three circuit court nominees, just one step below the Supreme Court. All three of these nominees are extreme. One is objectively unqualified. The fact that we are so quickly casting floor votes on these troubling nominations, all of whom were reported out of the Judiciary Committee just last week, is a symptom of the s' willingness to abandon decades of Senate tradition so that this body can serve as a rubberstamp for President 's nominees. The Senate will not be the conscience of the Nation or the check and balance it was always designed to be, but instead, a rubberstamp for the President. prgtoken Let me just cover a couple of things. Don Willett is a sitting justice on the Texas Supreme Court. That should mean something. Sitting judges have an obligation to exercise good judgment; to not say anything that would lead individuals to question their impartiality. A question I ask nominees all the time is: Can someone who comes into your court--whether they are or , plaintiff, defendant, rich, poor, whatever--look at you and say: Well, at least this judge is going to show impartiality. Maybe I will win or maybe I will lose, but it will not be because the judge wasn't impartial. When you look at this sitting justice, Don Willett, he fails the standard of impartiality. prgtoken A few weeks ago, I questioned him about his tweet telling a young transgender woman, who was interested in playing softball to ``Go away, A-Rod.'' Justice Willett claimed that this tweet was in jest. But, let me say it again--a sitting justice telling a transgender teen to ``go away'' sends an unmistakable message to marginalized, vulnerable communities: Not all are welcome in my courtroom. Well, that is not a laughing matter. prgtoken This was not the first time that Justice Willett has worn his bias on his sleeve. As an aide to while he was Governor of Texas, he objected to then-Governor declaring a ``Business Women's Week.'' He opposed the proclamation's mention of ``glass ceilings, pay equity . . . [and] sexual discrimination/harassment.'' He dismissed these very real barriers to women in the workforce as ``hype.'' For these and other reasons, I seriously question his judgment or that he would be se
PRIVACY NOTIFICATION TECHNICAL CLARIFICATION ACT
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-12-14

I have no other Members, so the balance of my time to close. prgtoken It is very simple. The consumer groups that I took time to help people to understand who they are and what they do, representing the consumers, are the folks who are concerned about people knowing their rights. This is what they work at doing. prgtoken Those of us who align ourselves with consumer groups care about the average citizen. We care that the average citizen gets the kind of information that is going to make their lives much easier. prgtoken The people on the opposite side of the aisle represent banks and financial institutions. We are not opposed to business, and we work with businesses in various ways. prgtoken We are opposed to rip-offs. We are opposed to fraud. We are opposed to denying consumers the opportunity to know their rights. prgtoken But those Members of Congress who come here and basically mimic and mock the consumers by talking about those consumers who wait by their mailboxes for privacy information certainly are not representing the citizens of their district. prgtoken I can tell you this: When you take a look at who the real special interests are, who is representing the interests of the special interests, who in this House stands up for banks, financial institutions, and Wall Street and hedge funds, you look at the opposite side of the aisle, time and time again, and you will find them putting all of their time and their effort into representing those special interests. prgtoken For those of us who stand on the side of the average citizen, yes, we align prgtoken ourselves with consumer groups. No, we don't dismiss them as unnecessary people just messing around in the business of big business. prgtoken These are the representatives, again, of people who don't have fancy lobbyists walking these Halls and following the Members of Congress, getting into their area and influencing them. prgtoken , I stand today with our consumers. I applaud all of our consumer groups and I stand on the side of our consumers being able to know their rights and all of the work that went into providing this opportunity in law. I stand with them and I resist any effort by the opposite side of the aisle to deny the right of our citizens to be notified about their rights and their ability to opt out if they do not want their information shared with these unaffiliated groups. prgtoken , I am very proud. I know that we are doing what our citizens want us to do, why they sent us to this Congress. prgtoken , .
CLIMATE CHANGE
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-12-14

I am here for my 189th ``Time to Wake Up'' speech to discuss the tax bill. Who knew? Folks watching today's debate from home are probably wondering what the tax bill has to do with climate change. That is a good question. They might also ask, as I do, why the tax bill includes massive giveaways to fossil fuel producers or what opening up precious wilderness to oil drilling has to do with tax reform. prgtoken The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said: ``We need a simpler tax code that puts more money back into the pockets of workers and families.'' s, he said, want to create ``a fairer, more predictable system for taxpayers across the country.'' prgtoken Their tax plan is none of those things. Its benefits are weighted heavily to big corporations, not workers and families. The corporate tax cuts are permanent, while the modest breaks for some workers disappear after a few years. What is fair or predictable about that? prgtoken The chairman also said: I want a bipartisan process that renders a bipartisan result. . . . I think we need a vigorous and open debate in the Senate, which, in my view, should include a full process in committee and regular order on the Senate floor. prgtoken We got none of that. s have rammed this bill through, using every procedural and parliamentary trick at their disposal, as a purely partisan measure, in the dead of night, producing amendments in handwritten chicken scratch in the margins of the bill at the last minute. prgtoken If we were to ask middle-class families their top priorities for fixing our tax system, I don't think very many would say: You know, we really need to let oil companies pump crude in an Alaskan wildlife refuge. But that is what they do. prgtoken The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1960 to preserve ``unique wildlife, wilderness, and recreational values.'' It now encompasses almost 20 million acres, with around 8-million acres designated as wilderness. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the refuge, which is roadless, trailless, and represents the best of wild Alaska in a world where wilderness is increasingly scarce and vanishing far too fast. prgtoken The tax bill opens the refuge's 1.5 million-acre coastal plain to the oil drillers. Opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development does little to provide energy security. The oil-producing potential of the area is estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to be, at a maximum, around 12 billion barrels total of recoverable oil. In 2016, the United States consumed 7.2 billion barrels of petroleum products just in that year. So all of the oil we get from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which will take decades, represents fewer than 2 years of current consumption, and that is according to the most optimistic estimate. prgtoken The budget resolution required that this venture rai
NEWTOWN ANNIVERSARY
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-12-14

on this day in 2012, we watched together in horror as news broke of a shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty innocent children and six brave educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School. prgtoken In the 5 years since, this House has paused 40 times for moments of silence to recognize the victims of mass shootings. The names are now familiar: Emanuel AME, Pulse nightclub, Las Vegas, and Sutherland Springs. prgtoken Since Newtown, there have been more than 1,700 mass shooting events, nearly one every single day. prgtoken Across the country, there have been nearly 170,000 gun deaths--let me repeat that figure--170,000 gun deaths since Newtown. prgtoken But in those 5 years, this House has taken no significant action to improve our gun safety laws. We are not debating universal background checks or restricting assault weapons or even banning the bump stock used 2 months ago in Las Vegas, the worst mass shooting in our history. prgtoken I have met some of the parents of Newtown. We all grieve for them and their loss. But our moments of silence are not enough. The 26 who lost their lives deserve more. We must honor them with action. prgtoken I urge this House to end the obstruction and finally consider legislation that would improve safety for all of our communities.
NOMINATIONS OF STEVEN GRASZ, JAMES HO, AND DON WILLETT
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-12-14

this week, Senate s sought to confirm the 10th, 11th, and 12th circuit court nominees of the year. The -controlled Senate has been moving at warp speed to try to confirm President 's circuit court nominees as quickly as possible. Twelve circuit court nominees is the same number of nominees confirmed in the first years of Presidents , , and Clinton combined. prgtoken In quickly rushing through President 's picks for these critical lifetime appointments, my colleagues have been abandoning longstanding norms of due diligence and careful scrutiny. They want to rubberstamp these nominees despite a lack of complete information about the nominees' records and despite clear warning signs about the nominees' ideologies, temperaments and judgment. prgtoken Consider the nominees that came before us this week. prgtoken Eighth Circuit nominee Steven Grasz received a rare unanimous ``not qualified'' rating from the American Bar Association. Only 4 out of 1,755 nominees reviewed by the ABA since 1989 have received this rating. For those who are not aware, the ABA has worked since the Eisenhower administration to conduct a confidential peer review process for vetting judicial candidates. For their review of Mr. Grasz, the ABA conducted 207 interviews with his peers. These interviews revealed some very troubling things. People familiar with Mr. Grasz raised serious concerns about his objectivity, his gratuitously rude conduct, and his deeply held partisan loyalty. Those are major red flags for a lifetime appointment to the Federal bench. prgtoken After the ABA's review committee voted Mr. Grasz unanimously ``not qualified'' for the bench, rather than reconsidering their support for the nominee, a number of my colleagues decided to aggressively attack the ABA. One Senator described the ABA as ``blatant partisans with a sad track record of hackery.'' prgtoken These criticisms are over the top. The ABA peer review and vetting process provides the Senate with valuable information to consider when we decide how to vote on nominees. President took ABA ratings seriously enough that he did not nominate anyone who received a ``not qualified'' rating. prgtoken Of course, Senators do not have to vote on nominees solely based upon ABA ratings. For example, I voted in committee for Kansas District Court nominee Holly Teeter despite the ``not qualified'' rating that she was given by the ABA. I have voted against nominees who received ``well qualified'' ratings, such as Neil Gorsuch, because I had serious questions about their judgment and their objectivity. prgtoken It would be foolish for Senators to ignore the ABA's peer review process altogether. In Mr. Grasz's case, his ABA rating is just one of many troubling signs. Just look at some of the controversial things Mr. Grasz has said and written. He wrote in a law review article that courts can ignore jurispru
REMEMBERING EDWIN M. LEE
Kamala D. Harris (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-12-14

Californians and San Franciscans have lost a tireless champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Mayor Edwin M. Lee was the son of Chinese immigrants and the city's first Asian- American mayor. Mayor Lee grew up in public housing and moved from Seattle to the Bay Area to attend law school at UC Berkeley in the mid- 1970s. As a former civil rights attorney, Mayor Lee began his career in public service fighting for fair housing and went on to serve in five different city departments under four mayors before becoming mayor himself. As mayor of one of America's largest cities, Mayor Lee worked hard to transform San Francisco into a hub for innovation and technology while still upholding the city's longstanding values of equity and justice.
Fifth Anniversary of the Sandy Hook Mass Shooting (Executive Session)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-12-14

2 days ago, the GOP-controlled Senate confirmed Leonard Steven Grasz to a Federal appeals court. This is a man who is so aggressively ideological that he earned a rating of ``not qualified'' from the American Bar Association. prgtoken The ABA reached that conclusion, in part, after speaking with many of Mr. Grasz's peers who expressed concerns ``that Mr. Grasz' strongly held social views and/or his deeply rooted political allegiances would make it impossible for him to have an unbiased and open mind on critical issues.'' prgtoken Those individuals have ample reason to be concerned. Among his many appalling views, Mr. Grasz believes discrimination against LGBTQ individuals is A-OK. He supports the harmful and discredited practice of conversion therapy and he opposes reproductive rights and the s just confirmed him to a lifetime appointment as a Federal judge who will make life-changing decisions for millions of Americans. prgtoken The other judicial nominee the GOP-controlled Senate confirmed this week, Donny Willett, doesn't fall very far from that tree either. Mr. Willett, a current justice on the Texas Supreme Court, isn't shy about his radical rightwing views. He has bragged about being the most conservative justice on the Texas Supreme Court, and he has a record to show for it. prgtoken Mr. Willett believes judges should be able to easily overturn State and local laws that protect workers, including minimum wage laws and laws that allow workers to unionize. This view is so out of the mainstream that other conservative judges, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Judge Robert Bork, have rejected him. prgtoken Mr. Willett's radical views don't stop there. He has ruled to limit the rights of same-sex couples. He has mocked transgender individuals. He has demonstrated hostility to issues that affect working women, including pay equity, discrimination, and sexual harassment. Mr. Willett has ruled against efforts to help remedy discrimination in Texas schools. On issue after issue, Mr. Willett's record shows a stunning disregard of the issues that impact millions of Americans. prgtoken The truth is, Mr. Grasz and Mr. Willett are not unique. They are just a few of the many nominees whose records show they cannot fairly and impartially dispense equal justice under the law. prgtoken Right now, the GOP-controlled Senate is executing a breathtaking plan to fill our courts with rightwing, radical nominees like Mr. Grasz and Mr. Willett. It is a plan that has been long in the making. For years, s have worked hand in hand with billionaire-funded, rightwing groups to ensure that our courts advance the interests of the wealthy and the powerful over everyone else. prgtoken First, after President was elected, s abused the filibuster to stop reasonable mainstream judges from filling vacancies on Federal courts. They didn't stop those nominees because of their qualifications
A PARTISAN TAX BILL
Kurt Schrader (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-12-14

how do you make a bad, partisan tax bill better? For my colleagues, apparently that means cutting tax rates for the wealthy even more than the original bill, as we have heard over the last couple days. prgtoken Where is the fairness for average, hardworking Americans? prgtoken Medical expenses are no longer deductible. prgtoken Student loans and tuition waivers are no longer deductible. prgtoken Interest is not deductible for families, but it is for business. prgtoken The mortgage interest deduction is reduced. prgtoken State and local taxes are not fully deductible. prgtoken Small businesses don't get the same tax cuts that big businesses do. prgtoken No help for capital gains. prgtoken No help for dividends, advertising, or entertaining. prgtoken Other business expense is no longer deductible. prgtoken Renewable energy tax credits go away. prgtoken Private activity bonds that help veterans and many others are also gone. prgtoken Worst of all, individual tax cuts flip back and are rescinded in a few years, while corporations go on forever. prgtoken Where is the fairness for seniors, for our youth, for our families, and for small businesses? Not in this partisan tax bill.