mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-4-18

I want to briefly address an issue that has been raised in the context of the vote we will have later today. As you know, later today we will be using the Congressional Review Act to repeal a very ill-conceived regulation imposed by the CFPB. Some of our colleagues and some outside this Chamber have suggested that it is somehow problematic to use the Congressional Review Act--to use this device--for the repeal of a regulation that is promulgated by guidance as opposed to those regulations promulgated in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, which we usually refer to as a rule, or a rulemaking. prgtoken The reality is that the applicability of the Congressional Review Act to a guidance, in my view, is very obvious and very well-established and should not be controversial. I understand that people might like the CFPB's rule, which I don't, but to suggest that because they issued it through a guidance rather than through the appropriate rulemaking process, we shouldn't be using the Congressional Review Act, I think, is completely mistaken. prgtoken First of all, there is the CRA's definition of a rule. It is very broad and intentionally so. I will quote in part that definition. It says: ``The whole or a part of an agency statement of general or particular applicability.'' prgtoken The text says nothing about limiting the Congressional Review Act procedural device to formal rulemakings that follow from the Administrative Procedure Act. It is much broader than that. Instead it says: ``The whole or a part of an agency statement.'' prgtoken You don't have to just take my word for this. You could go back to the statements of the authors of the Congressional Review Act itself, the legislation that makes this vote today possible. One of the authors was none other than Harry Reid, the former Senate majority leader and Senate minority leader. Senator Reid was very clear about the intention. He and Senator Nickles, at the time, and Senator Stevens put out a joint statement, which I will quote. It is brief, but it is important. It says: The authors are concerned that some agencies have attempted to circumvent notice-and-comment requirements by trying to give legal effect to general statements of policy, ``guidelines,'' and agency policy and procedure manuals. The authors admonish the agencies that the APA's broad definition of ``rule'' was adopted by the authors of this legislation [the CRA] to discourage circumvention of the requirements of [the] chapter. prgtoken Here is the irony implied by the position of those who suggest we can't use the Congressional Review Act to repeal a guidance. What they really are suggesting is that the regulators and the agencies ought to be able to circumvent the very public process that is established in law--the Administrative Procedure Act--for rulemaking. They ought to be able to avoid the need to collaborate with o
CONGRATULATING DEE KOCH ON HER RETIREMENT
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-4-18

I rise today to congratulate a Fort Bend County treasure, Dee Koch on her retirement. prgtoken Dee is retiring from her position as the George Foundation Director of Community Engagement. She is an icon in my home county of Fort Bend, where she has established two community engagement programs; Youth-in- Philanthropy and the Leadership Excellence Program. Between these programs and her work at the George Foundation, she has overseen grants totaling $135 million. Over the years, Dee has also been instrumental in numerous community projects including the George Memorial Library, Access Health, the University of Houston Sugar Land, Memorial Hermann, the Fort Bend County Museum and the Mamie George Community Center. She has been a tireless advocate for youth and families in need in our community. I am proud to know her and call her a friend. prgtoken On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Dee Koch on her retirement. I thank her for her dedication to making Fort Bend County a better place to live and raise a family.
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-4-18

I have 13 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation prgtoken The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Abusive Robocalls and How We Can Stop Them.'' Committee on Environment and Public Works prgtoken The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Appropriate Role of States and the Federal Government in Protecting Groundwater.'' Committee on Foreign Relations prgtoken The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 10:30 a.m to conduct a hearing ``Treaties.'' Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: David Williams, of Illinois, Robert M. Duncan, of Kentucky, and Calvin R. Tucker, of Pennsylvania, each to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service. Committee on Indian Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Indian Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 2.30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``The 30th Anniversary of Tribal Self- Governance: Successes in Self-Governance and an Outlook for the Next 30 Years''. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.'' Committee on Veterans' Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, during votes and off the Senate floor to conduct a hearing on the following nominations. Paul R. Lawrence, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits, and Joseph L. Falvey, Jr of Michigan, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Special Committee on Aging prgtoken The Special Committee on Aging is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 9.30 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Exploitation of Older Am
Remembering Barbara Bush (Executive Calendar)
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-4-18

yesterday, our country lost a bright, caring, independent lady, and my wife, Honey, and I lost a good friend. Barbara set a wonderful example as mom, wife, First Lady, and advocate for adult literacy. We express to the family our sympathy and great respect for the life of Barbara . prgtoken Jon Meacham wrote the biography of George H.W Barbara 's husband, to great acclaim. He had access to the diaries of President and Barbara that was almost unparalleled in any Presidential biographer's experience. So it was a plain and unvarnished biography that told us a lot about those two individuals. I thought a better name for Jon Meacham's book--it was named ``Destiny and Power,'' and it must have been properly named because it sold a lot--would be ``The Last Gentleman.'' If I were to make a really accurate suggestion about the title for the book, I would call it ``The Last Gentleman and His Lady'' or maybe ``The Last Gentleman and His Very Independent Lady'' because Barbara was a very independent lady. prgtoken I remember it was 1991. It was a sunny day, and we were walking on the south lawn of the White House. I was the Education Secretary, and I was walking with the President and Mrs. to the announcement of his GI Bill for Kids, which was a school choice program for low-income children. As we walked along, Barbara turned to President and said, ``George, you've got on the wrong pants.'' He had a suit coat on from one suit, and he had pants on from another suit. So she said to the President ``You go on back in and change clothes, and Lamar and I will wait here for you,'' which we did and he did. prgtoken On another occasion, President invited my wife and me to join Barbara and the President at Ford's theater. Of course, the President traveled with great security in a big car. As the protocol goes, he got out first, and as she was about to get out, she said, ``I'll get the door, George.'' prgtoken On still another occasion, I was sitting next to Barbara and , and the President was called on to make some remarks. He leaned over to his wife and said, ``Barbara, what should I talk about?'' And she whispered very loudly, ``About five minutes, George.'' prgtoken Barbara was quite a woman. She said what she thought. When the second one of her sons decided to run for President, she was reported to have said, ``We've had enough es.'' prgtoken When I ran for President in 1999 against her other son, I made what I thought--certainly by today's standards--some very mild comments disagreeing about something, and I heard prgtoken from Barbara about what I had said about her son, . prgtoken Not many of us think how difficult it must be to be the spouse of a President of the United States with all that one goes through, but think how much harder it must also be to be the mother of a President of the United States and the mothe
OPIOID EPIDEMIC
Mimi Walters (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-4-18

I rise today to join my colleagues in our effort to raise awareness for the growing opioid epidemic in America, particularly in the State of California. prgtoken In 2016, nearly 5,000 Californians died of opioid overdoses. Astonishingly, the year before, 122 million prescription opioid pills were dispensed in Orange County. prgtoken , we cannot allow this cycle of opioid abuse and death to continue, which is why Congress must work together to end the epidemic. prgtoken I proudly supported recently enacted legislation that provides $4 billion of prevention, treatment, and law enforcement programs that help address this growing crisis. prgtoken Ending the opioid epidemic starts at home. On April 28, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day gives Americans the opportunity to safely dispose of their excess prescription drugs, including opioids. This effort can reduce the possibility that these pills will find their way onto our streets. prgtoken There is still work to be done, but I am confident that together we can end the opioid crisis in this country.
HONORING THE LIFE OF SONNY MELTON
Ruben J. Kihuen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-4-18

today I rise to remember the life of Sonny Melton. prgtoken Sonny was lucky to find the love of his life while working at the Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tennessee. As a certified nurse, Sonny would often assist his wife, Dr. Heather Melton, during surgeries. prgtoken Sonny and Heather had planned to move into a lake house together. They were in the process of building it in Big Sandy, Tennessee. prgtoken They traveled to Las Vegas together to celebrate their 1-year anniversary at the Route 91 festival. When gunfire erupted, Sonny died when he was trying to get his wife out of harm's way. prgtoken Sonny's wife and all those who knew him remember Sonny as an enthusiastic man who had an infectious positive attitude. prgtoken I would like to extend my condolences to Sonny Melton's family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the entire country mourn with you.
CONGRATULATING MONSIGNOR GEORGE FARLAND
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-4-18

I come to the floor of the House this morning to pay tribute to a close friend of mine, Monsignor George Farland, who is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a Catholic priest. prgtoken On May 4, 1968, Monsignor Farland received his ministerial orders at Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in my hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. I know because I was the CYO basketball coach at Sacred Heart upon his arrival. prgtoken For the next half century, he has been a source of inspiration and comfort to his faithful parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Springfield. Every Sunday, he provides a strong spiritual message, frequently laced with a special grace and a sense of irony and good humor, but always a powerful message. We have watched and witnessed as he has rebuilt and sustained a vibrant parish in the life of its members. prgtoken Sacred Heart Church was built by immigrants, and to this day, it welcomes immigrants, as he frequently says in the opening phrases of his powerful homilies: ``No matter what your status or station in life, you are welcome in this church.'' prgtoken He has found time to serve as a police chaplain for the Springfield Police Department and also a hospital chaplain in the Sisters of Providence Health System in Mercy Medical Center. He has surely reinvigorated the life of the church, and is a son of Hungry Hill, a graduate of Cathedral High School and Saint Anselm College. prgtoken His spiritual leadership in western Massachusetts has become, in fact, legendary. He has a well-deserved reputation for compassion, humility, and kindness. Again, the welcoming message of his inclusivity continues to deeply resonate with those who worship at Sacred Heart Church. prgtoken He leads his parishioners up and down that middle aisle, oftentimes in joy and happiness or in grief of the funeral, but he always does it with a special tolerance and grace. prgtoken , on behalf of the United States, I want to congratulate Monsignor George Farland for reaching this important milestone in his life, thank him for his decades of thoughtful ministry, and acknowledge the remarkable contributions he has made to the people of all walks of faith in the Diocese of Springfield in western Massachusetts.
TAX DAY
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-4-18

yesterday was tax day; and this year, millions of working men and women filed their taxes knowing that s want them to bear the costs so corporate special interests and the wealthiest Americans can get a gigantic tax cut. prgtoken Even worse, the new tax law will raise the deficit by more than $2 trillion, meaning Medicare and Social Security are now on the chopping block according to leaders. prgtoken This is not what we were elected to do. Working Americans deserve a better deal. Working families deserve a real and permanent tax cut, not the scam that they got. prgtoken It has been decades since we have asked the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. No secretary, no janitor, and no mid-level employee should have to pay a higher tax rate than the CEO of their company. It is long past time to fix this broken system and pass the Buffett rule. prgtoken , we should be promoting policies that give families the tools not just to get by, but to get ahead, instead of further rigging the system to benefit the billionaires, millionaires, and America's biggest corporations. prgtoken It is time for real tax reform and to undo the tax scam that is going to hurt so many in our country.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-4-18

I rise today with my colleagues in advance of today's Congressional Review Act vote. I want to be clear about something. We are here today for a CRA vote, or a Congressional Review Act vote, that is on agency guidance--not a rule but an agency guidance from 2013--that seeks to protect consumers from discrimination. prgtoken CRAs are rule rollbacks. They are rolling back rules. They are not, though, meant to apply to years-old guidance from Federal agencies. prgtoken Today's vote is actually a radical departure of longstanding norms and statutory interpretation that will change the scope of the Congressional Review Act. What, then, could possibly be so important and so urgent that today we would break from longstanding tradition and demand a vote on something that could set an entirely new precedent for this body? prgtoken What is the guidance--not rule--that the administration and leadership of this body are going so far out of their way to undo? What this guidance does, very simply and very clearly, is to try to prevent discrimination in purchasing. prgtoken In 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau put this guidance in place in response to, unfortunately, widespread and well-documented persistent discrimination against Americans of color when financing the purchase of a car. The guidance did nothing more than remind indirect auto lenders that they were liable under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act for pricing disparities caused by markup in compensation policies. It offered concrete steps to those auto dealers that they could use to ensure compliance and support for fair lending. prgtoken Auto lending is the third most common source of debt for all Americans. We know that the way the established financing model works too often leaves space for implicit racial bias and leaves space for discrimination against Americans of color. prgtoken We know from studies that Americans of color who have better credit and who go in to try to purchase and finance a car, compared to White Americans with worse credit, will often get higher interest rates and worse terms on their loans set by auto dealers. In fact, in one specific study conducted by the National Fair Housing Alliance, they paired White Americans and people of color to visit auto dealerships and shop for the same car within 24 hours of each other. Unfortunately, and surprisingly--or maybe not to some--in most cases the applicant who was a person of color, despite having better credit and less debt, was offered higher cost financing options than the less-qualified White applicant. This is a practice that no one can support. This is a practice that most Americans think is outrageous. It is clearly wrong, and we should address it. prgtoken But we also know that, unfortunately, this kind of discrimination isn't unique to the auto industry. There are many areas of American lives where people of color, under the same circumstances
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-4-18

before this sounds like an admiration society, I will say it is genuinely felt. Nomination of James Bridenstine prgtoken , what I want to do is talk about the leadership of our civilian space program. Traditionally, the NASA administrator has been well qualified and is not controversial. prgtoken NASA is one of the few remaining areas that has largely avoided the bitter partisanship that has invaded far too many areas of government in our society today--until now. prgtoken The NASA nominee, Congressman Bridenstine, was nominated to head NASA last fall. His hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee was among the most contentious I have ever been a part of. He was voted out of the committee on party lines, and Senators on both sides of the aisle have expressed doubts, both publicly and privately, to me on his qualifications for the job. prgtoken The NASA Administrator should be a consummate space professional. That is what this Senator wants, a space professional, not a politician, as the head of NASA. That space professional ought to be technically and scientifically competent and a skilled executive. More importantly, the Administrator must be a leader who has the ability to bring us together, to unite scientists, engineers, commercial space prgtoken interests, policymakers, and the public on a shared vision for future space exploration. prgtoken As you know, our goal is going to Mars in the decade of the 2030s. We set the goal first with the administration and now with the administration. What pains me is, I believe the one who has been nominated to head this not partisan, not bipartisan--NASA has always been nonpartisan--agency, I am afraid we are hitting a different standard. prgtoken My concern comes from having witnessed very directly the tragic consequence when NASA leadership has failed us. prgtoken When it comes to the ultimate frontier of space, there are always going to be risks involved, but the NASA Administrator bears the responsibility, accountability, and the final decision for the lives of astronauts who explore the heavens on behalf of all of us. prgtoken I have personally witnessed--in both the Challenger and the Columbia accidents, we learned that engineers at NASA knew of the dangers and tried to sound the alarm, but NASA's management and its structure, while well-intentioned in both of those tragedies, filtered out debate and dissent, and the warnings of the engineers went unheeded with heartbreaking consequences. And so it was, in 1986, with the launch of the Challenger--10 days after this Senator had returned on the 24th flight of the space shuttle to Earth--there was the tragic consequence. Even the engineers out in Provo, UT, who were engineers on the solid rocket boosters, were begging their management the night before the launch to stop the count when they saw on NASA TV the icicles hanging on the launch tower. prgtoken We learn