mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise today in opposition to H.J. Res. 40, disapproving of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) rulemaking on the Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. While I have reservations about the rule, I do not believe the Congressional Review Act is the way to fix it. prgtoken Under the rule, individuals with a severe, long-term mental disorder who SSA determines are unable to manage their benefits would be placed on the NICS list and prohibited from purchasing a firearm. That tens of thousands of Americans die each year due to gun violence is unconscionable, and I do believe that the government has a role to play in alleviating this public health crisis. prgtoken However, as Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, I understand the concerns of many mental health and disability rights advocates that this rule also has the potential to perpetuate the stigma that people with psychiatric or intellectual disabilities are more prone to violence, when they are often more likely to be the victims of violence. I also believe the due process procedures in this rule can and should be strengthened. Nonetheless, I believe these concerns can be addressed without resorting to the Congressional Review Act, and I cannot support this resolution of disapproval. prgtoken This is particularly true as passage of the resolution of disapproval could limit SSA's future regulatory activity in this area and could discourage other ongoing efforts to improve gun safety laws. I look forward to working with both the disability community and the Administration to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities while maintaining the integrity of the rulemaking process.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Eliot L. Engel (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-6

I was unavoidably detained and unable to attend session on Friday, February 3, due to personal reasons. Had I been present, I would have voted no on H.J. Res. 36, roll call No. 78, which provided for congressional disapproval of President 's Methane Waste Prevention Rule. prgtoken I am outraged by House efforts to overturn substantial environmental policies of the Administration, including and especially the Methane Waste Prevention Rule. This rule caps, for the first time, the amount of methane that oil and gas producers operating under federal leases are allowed to ``flare,'' or burn as waste. It also prohibits operators from releasing or ``venting'' natural gas into the atmosphere, and requires them to replace equipment that allows large amounts of methane to ``bleed'' into the air. This rule would result in 175,000 to 180,000 fewer tons of methane emissions each year, which is equivalent to removing nearly 1 million vehicles from our roads. prgtoken As a leading member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I have long been a champion for a cleaner, healthier environment for all New Yorkers and the American people. I have relentlessly fought to close Indian Point, oppose the Spectra Algonquin Pipeline, and resist the plan to anchor barges carrying crude oil along the Hudson River. prgtoken I will continue fighting to stop s in Congress from undermining our environmental regulations and turning back the clock to a time when corporations could pollute unchecked.
Repealing ObamaCare (Executive Calendar)
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise to urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the confirmation of our colleague Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General of the United States. prgtoken I have great respect for Senator Sessions' long history of public service, and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to work with him where we have found common ground. However, Senator Sessions and I have frequently and sometimes vehemently disagreed on important issues, including matters like civil rights and voting rights, hate crimes laws, immigration, and criminal justice reform. prgtoken I want to acknowledge that Senator Sessions' nomination is supported by many, including many in the law enforcement community in my home State of Wisconsin. It is vital that the Attorney General have a good working relationship with the law enforcement community, and I have no doubt that Senator Sessions will be a strong voice for law enforcement, if he is confirmed. prgtoken But the role and the responsibility of our Attorney General is bigger than any one group. Our Attorney General must work on behalf of all Americans. The Department of Justice has a broad jurisdiction. So I have also heard from over 16,000 Wisconsinites who are opposed to his confirmation, many of whom expressed profound concerns about what it would mean for racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, including DREAMers, and others, were he to become our Attorney General. Hundreds of national civil and human rights organizations have expressed their opposition on similar grounds. prgtoken After reviewing his record, getting a chance to meet with him in my office, and considering everything that I have heard from my constituents, I simply do not believe that Senator Sessions is the right choice to be Attorney General of the United States. I have that belief for a number of reasons. prgtoken First, I am concerned that Senator Sessions will not be the independent prgtoken champion for the rule of law that we need with in the White House. In any administration, the Attorney General's first duty is to the Constitution and to the people of the United States. This President has already issued a number of orders--legally questionable orders--including one affecting our visa and refugee programs that a number of Federal courts have already temporarily blocked. We need an Attorney General who will ensure that the President's actions do not run roughshod over protections guaranteed by our Nation's laws and Constitution. I am not convinced that Senator Sessions will be that kind of Attorney General. prgtoken Second, I do not believe that Senator Sessions will be the champion of the civil rights of all Americans that an Attorney General must be. The Department of Justice plays a central role in enforcing our Nation's civil rights laws, from investigating hate crimes to safeguarding the right to vote, to fighting discrimination against women, racial and religious minorities, and peo
NOMINATION OF TOM PRICE
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-2-6

as the Senate begins to consider the Price nomination, I wanted to see if I could put a little perspective on the upcoming debate. prgtoken Focusing on bipartisanship has always been important to me. I know many of my colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee, on the ic side, share that view, and in 2009, the nominations of Tom Daschle, Tim Geithner, and Ron Kirk were all handled in a bipartisan way. prgtoken Issues came up in the vetting process in each of these cases, and both sides of the committee took the investigation seriously. Unfortunately, that has not been the case in 2017. prgtoken While Congressman Price served on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he traded in health care stocks, pushed policies that helped his portfolio, and got special access to a promising stock deal. prgtoken I asked the congressman directly in his Finance Committee hearing whether he got a special deal. He said that he did not. prgtoken I don't think you could be much clearer than the following passage from a recent report by a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter at the Wall Street Journal. He wrote: ``Rep. Tom Price got a privileged offer to buy a biomedical stock at a discount, the company's officials said, contrary to his congressional testimony this month.'' prgtoken I want to repeat that because I think it goes right to the heart of why Finance Committee feel that the effort to do the vetting necessary with respect to Congressman Price is not completed. prgtoken A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at the Wall Street Journal--I will just read it again--wrote: ``Rep. Tom Price got a privileged offer to buy a biomedical stock at a discount, the company's officials said, contrary to his congressional testimony this month.'' prgtoken So, as I indicated, my ic colleagues and I on the committee said it was important to take more time to look into this issue. But the majority, when we said we needed to take more time to look at it, decided to look the other way. That is the first reason for concern on my side. prgtoken The second is how Congressman Price would manage Health and Human Services, a Department that is really all about people: services for seniors, services for the poor, for the disabled, for children, and for families. These are the powerful threads of our safety net. If the safety net is not there for those who have nowhere else to turn, those poor will suffer greatly. prgtoken Now, the debate on Congressman Price's nomination, in my view, is a referendum on the future of health care in America. In short, it is a debate about whether it makes sense for our country to go back to the dark days when health care worked only for the healthy and the wealthy. prgtoken Based on the public record, Medicare is a program Congressman Price doesn't believe in, and it guarantees services he doesn't believe seniors should have. prgtoken On the Affordable Care Act, he is the architect of
OPPOSE THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL BAN
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-2-6

earlier today I joined members of my community to discuss the impact of President 's Muslim and refugee ban. prgtoken I wanted to read from a statement given by one of my constituents who participated in the discussion today. Her name is Nureed. She wrote: I have always been grateful for being an American and for the sacrifice my parents made to afford me my American Dream. Yet, every day, since the nominee for President was announced, I have feared for my safety and the safety of my little children. I hold my breath every day praying that the day will not come that I need to flee my home for fear of retribution or, worse, because of my faith. prgtoken , Nureed is an American who realized the American Dream. She is not a threat to this Nation, nor are her young children a threat to this Nation. prgtoken President wants to shut the door to the American Dream. He is tearing apart the fabric of this Nation before our eyes. I urge my colleagues to remember Nureed's words and to oppose the President's unconstitutional ban.
EMAIL PRIVACY ACT
John Conyers, Jr. (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-2-6

such time as I may consume. prgtoken In 2014, in a unanimous ruling delivered by Chief Justice Roberts, the Supreme Court concluded that the police may not search a cell phone without first demonstrating probable cause. prgtoken Citing an obvious Fourth Amendment interest--namely, the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure--in the vast amount of data we store on our personal devices, the Court wrote: ``The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought. Our answer to the question of what police must do before searching a cell phone seized incident to an arrest is accordingly simple--get a warrant.'' prgtoken With that decision, the Court took a bold step toward reconciling the Fourth Amendment with the advent of modern communications technology. prgtoken Today the House takes a similar step to reconcile our interests in privacy and due process with the realities of modern computing. We do so for the second time. prgtoken H.R. 387, the Email Privacy Act, recognizes that the content of our communications, although often stored in digital format, remains worthy of Fourth Amendment protection. And to investigators and government agents who seek access to our email, our advice is rather simple: get a warrant. prgtoken It is an idea whose time has long since come. So this bill will allow us to move to a clear, uniform standard for law enforcement agencies to access the content of our communications; namely, a warrant based on probable cause. prgtoken H.R. 387 also codifies the right of the providers to give notice of this intrusion to their customers, except in certain exigent circumstances that must be also validated by the court. prgtoken We should note the absence of a special carve-out from the warrant requirement for the civil agencies, like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Internal Revenue Service. prgtoken Last Congress, in the Judiciary Committee, we reached quick consensus that a civil carve-out of any kind is unworkable, unconstitutional, or maybe both. I would have preferred to keep the notice provisions of the original bill, which are absent from the version we reported from committee. prgtoken In the digital world, no amount of due diligence necessarily tells us that the government accessed our electronic information. The government should have an obligation to provide us with some form of notice when intruding on a record of our most private conversations. prgtoken I fully understand that not everyone shares this view, and I am willing to compromise, for now, in order to advance the important reforms that we will adopt today. prgtoken I am proud of the work we have done. Last Congress, the House passed this legislation that has already been noted by 419-0. I hope that today we can send our colleagues in the Senate a similarly strong si
RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF GARY ANDRES
Diana DeGette (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise today to recognize the contributions Gary Andres has made to the House of Representatives. Gary most recently served as the Staff Director for the Committee on Energy and Commerce under the leadership of Congressman Fred Upton. In his last term as Chairman, Congressman Upton partnered with me to author the 21st Century Cures Act. I got to know Gary very well over nearly three years as we worked to pass the bill into law. It was a real pleasure working with Gary. Even at the darkest moments, when we couldn't seem to find a way to come to a bipartisan agreement on Cures, Gary's steady leadership and immutable resolve helped to light the way forward. His wise counsel is one of the reasons that bill was enacted into law. Although he is leaving Capitol Hill, the 21st Century Cures Act stands as a testament to his immeasurable contributions to this body. Gary is a person of integrity and an incredibly effective staffer. The American people were lucky to have his service with the House of Representatives.
THE DRIVE FOR FIVE
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise today because the Drive for Five is complete. I want to join New England in congratulating our New England Patriots on their incredible victory in Super Bowl LI. Fans across the Granite State agree that Super Bowl LI will go down in history as one of the most amazing comebacks of all time, and it cements the legacy of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as the greatest quarterback-coach duo ever. prgtoken The game was remarkable for team effort. After finding themselves down by 25 points, the Patriots did not fall victim to despair. They, instead, showed true resolve and perseverance as the offense executed drive after drive and the defense held the powerful Atlanta offense in check. prgtoken Whether it was the record 14 catches by James White, the record 466 passing yards by Tom Brady, the forced fumble by Dont'a Hightower, the mind-boggling catch by Julian Edelman, or the coaching of Bill Belichick, everyone did their part. prgtoken So let me take a moment, , to say to the New England Patriots: Thanks for doing your job. prgtoken Congrats, Pats.
HONORING THE LIFE OF LOUISE B. GABRIEL
Ted Lieu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise to celebrate the life of Louise B. Gabriel--mother, grandmother, wife, philanthropist, author, and visionary--who passed away on January 10, 2017. prgtoken Louise lived her life to the fullest with great passion, humor, love and dedication to community. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she was one of eleven children. At the age of five, her family lost their farm in a fire, taking with it all of her family's possessions and cherished mementos. It was this experience of loss that instilled in Louise a desire to preserve history. prgtoken In 1946, she married Bob Gabriel, an Officer in the United States Navy. Together, they moved to West Los Angeles, and eventually made their home in Santa Monica, a community with ``the ocean and palm trees,'' that Louise loved. Together, the couple celebrated 60 years of marriage and worked to support the City of Santa Monica. prgtoken Louise Gabriel was a champion of local Santa Monica history, and dedicated her life to preserving the community's unique background. With her husband Bob, Louise helped bring the Santa Monica History Museum to life, an institution dedicated to the preservation of the history, art and culture of the Santa Monica Bay Area. For 27 years, Louise served as the museum's President and helped find the permanent home that it still resides in today. With the museum, Louise left a legacy that will live on for future generations to enjoy as they learn about the history of the Santa Monica Bay Area. prgtoken Louise overcame tremendous obstacles in her life without complaint by taking life one day at a time. As she was famous for saying, ``I cried about having no shoes until I saw someone with no feet,'' a motto her family continues to live by. She is survived by her children Susan Gabriel Potter, Robb Gabriel, Sharyl Gabriel Szydlik, her sisters Josephine Van Buren and Elaine Bruner, her sons-in-law Pat Potter and Joseph Szydlik, her grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews. prgtoken Though we have lost a champion and advocate for Santa Monica, I hope that her family and friends take comfort in the way Louise lived her life as an accomplished and astounding woman. May her memory be a blessing to us all.
A BEACON OF DEMOCRACY
A. Donald McEachin (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-2-6

in our country, political enemies do not disappear in the dark of night or become, mysteriously, fatally ill. In our country, the press is separate from the government, and journalists do not find themselves jailed or out of business for writing articles with which the government disagrees. While the journalists are not made to write accolades about leadership or about whether they agree or not, I stand here in light of the President's words that were aired over the weekend that suggested that our country is comparable to Russia. prgtoken In our country, laws and the Constitution are supreme, not just one person. The courts rule on our Constitution, not one leader. In our country, lawyers, advocates, and citizens are free to challenge the government and its leadership without fear of reprisals. prgtoken , our country has been a beacon of democracy and freedom and hope for people all around the globe. I would suggest to the White House that it stop squandering that reputation with idle comments and dangerous actions.
REMEMBERING DR. ARTHUR ROSENFELD
Paul Tonko (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-6

the energy world was saddened by the recent passing of Dr. Arthur Rosenfeld on January 27. I rise today to pay tribute to his extraordinary life and countless contributions. prgtoken Known as the godfather of energy efficiency, Dr. Rosenfeld's efforts brought awareness to the tremendous benefits of efficiency. As a physicist at UC Berkeley, Dr. Rosenfeld became interested in efficiency during the 1973 oil embargo. He soon began pushing efficiency standards for appliances and buildings for California, and eventually for the entire Nation. He went on to work as an adviser at the Department of Energy and served on the California Energy Commission. prgtoken According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a group that Dr. Rosenfeld helped found, savings from energy efficiency gains have averted the need to build more than 300 large power plants since 1990. prgtoken The EPA has estimated that between 1992 and 2014, its ENERGY STAR program, a program built on the shoulders of Dr. Rosenfeld's work, has helped families save over $350 billion on utility bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.5 billion metric tons. prgtoken The cleanest and cheapest kilowatt-hour of electricity that one may take advantage of is the one we do not use. prgtoken We salute Dr. Rosenfeld.
INTRODUCTION OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING FRAUD ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2017
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise to reintroduce the Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017 with my colleague Rep. Ted Poe. prgtoken In March 1931, the infamous gangster, Al Capone, was ultimately indicted for tax fraud. Today the IRS Criminal Investigations division continues to play a vital role in proving criminal activity and fraud. I believe that the IRS can play a similar role in cracking down on criminals profiting from human trafficking and prostitution. prgtoken This bill authorizes $4 million to establish an office within the IRS to prosecute sex traffickers for violations of tax laws. The office would focus on the willful failure of traffickers to file returns, supply information, or pay tax where the taxpayer is an ``aggravated'' non-filer. In addition, the office would coordinate closely with existing task forces focused on sex trafficking offenders in the Department of Justice. prgtoken The bill also amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase criminal monetary and other penalties for attempts to: evade or defeat tax, willful failure to file a tax return, supply information, or pay tax, aggravated failure to file tax returns, fraud and false statements, and underpayment or overpayment of tax due to fraud. This offense will carry a maximum sentence of 10 years and a maximum fine of $50,000. prgtoken The Human Trafficking Fraud Enforcement Act of 2017 also establishes a new felony offense for an aggravated failure to file to include failure to file with respect to income or payments derived from activity which is criminal under Federal or State law. This will target those involved in the promotion of commercial sex acts--pimps and traffickers--and not conduct of exploited persons in prostitution. prgtoken Last, this bill directly benefits those who are victimized by the traffickers by revising current IRS Whistleblower provisions so that women and girls who choose to come forward to cooperate in an investigation will be eligible to participate in the whistleblower program and may ultimately be granted up to 15% of any fines levied against the trafficker. prgtoken We must use every tool possible to take down traffickers, who have often proven elusive to apprehend and prosecute. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation.
CONGRATULATING THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-2-6

a lot of history was made last night. I, too, want to join my New England colleagues to say congratulations to the New England Patriots on an extraordinary victory at Super Bowl LI. prgtoken A lot of history was made. This was the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history where our team was down by 25 points in the third quarter to come on to victory. It is the only team to win in Super Bowl history in overtime; and it is an incredible display of the extraordinary talent of Tom Brady, the only quarterback in history to win five Super Bowls. This establishes Tom Brady unequivocally as the greatest quarterback ever. prgtoken Also, congratulations to Bill Belichick for his extraordinary coaching, to Jonathan and Robert Kraft, and the whole Patriots organization for all that they have done. prgtoken This was a great and wonderful night and an important example and display of determination and persistence. It is really a lesson for all of us to never stop fighting and, for young people, the importance in believing in yourself. prgtoken , the victory last night by our great team, the New England Patriots, raised the spirits of our entire Nation. prgtoken Congratulations to the Pats. Thank you for a great season and thank you for a great victory last night.