mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRAVEL BAN
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-1-30

in just a few weeks, our great country will mark the 75th anniversary of President Roosevelt's Executive order authorizing the internment of hundreds of thousands of Japanese, German, and Italian Americans during World War II. They were rounded up with their families and held behind barbed wire like war criminals. But they had done nothing wrong; their crime was being Japanese, German, or Italian. They were labeled ``enemy aliens.'' prgtoken Mark Twain reportedly said that history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme, and this seems to be the path the President has pursued with his Muslim ban. This ban has already harmed green card holders, students, business people, and those fleeing violence and persecution. Remember, these are the people fleeing the violence, not the perpetrators of the violence. They are the victims, not the criminals. They have been pulled from their flights, left stranded in the airports. They have been detained without the ability to talk with a lawyer. And they are wondering if the United States of America is still the beacon of hope, the lamp by the golden door, the shining city on the hill. prgtoken Iraqis who risked their lives to serve our country as translators saw their visas revoked. An 11-month-old baby was detained. That is disgusting. It is un-American. It is contrary to everything we stand for. prgtoken We stand for providing refuge for those who want to escape their own awful circumstances and live in freedom and opportunity. It is my grandparents escaping Ukraine. It is my wife's grandparents leaving China. It is the Schatzes. It is the Binders. It is the Kwoks. It is Albert Einstein. It is Madeleine Albright. This is who we are. We are people from all over the world. We are united not by our ethnic extraction or religious affiliation but tied together by our love for America. prgtoken Here is the thing: It is not even as though we are trading liberty for security. We are getting no additional security. This is all about being cruel to Muslims because it is good politics for some people. prgtoken This isn't just morally wrong, it is also guaranteed not to work. This ban is ridiculous as a homeland security measure. prgtoken First, zero people from the countries on the ban list have been involved in terrorist attacks in America. Zero people from the countries on the ban list have been involved in terrorist attacks on America. It is almost as though the criteria for picking the countries is something other than the threat of terrorism. prgtoken Second, this ban has the potential to strengthen violent extremist groups by playing right into their hands. It encourages everyone to be afraid of people we don't know from other places. That is not America, and it will not work. prgtoken When President Gerald Ford repealed the Executive order interning Japanese Americans, he asked citizens across the country to make a pledge. He said: ``I call upon the American peo
Travel Ban (Executive Session)
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-1-30

I am honored to follow that very eloquent speech by my colleague from Colorado and to be followed on the floor by our colleague from Massachusetts. prgtoken We are here today with stories. Every one of us has a story going back one prgtoken generation, maybe two or three, maybe five or ten, but we all have an immigrant story. Most of those immigrant stories are about people coming here to seek hope, opportunity, and, yes, safety; to escape violence and persecution; to come here for refuge. prgtoken I met one of those refugees over this weekend in West Hartford at a Holocaust remembrance ceremony. Abby Weiner is a Romanian Jew who survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald but lost his parents there. He was honored by Voices of Hope at this Holocaust remembrance ceremony at a synagogue in West Hartford, attended by 500, 700 people. There was a massive outpouring of support for him and for the values that are represented by people who come here as immigrants fleeing persecution and violence, as he did in Nazi Germany. He said: The words came before the bullets and gas chambers. The words of Nazi Germany came before the bullets and gas chambers. Words have consequences. Edicts and orders have consequences. prgtoken When I spoke, I told my own story--a proud story of my father, who also came here from Nazi Germany in 1935. He was 17 years old. He spoke virtually no English, he had not much more than the shirt on his back, and he knew almost no one. This great country, the greatest in the history of the world, gave him a chance to succeed. He was a proud American. How sad and ashamed he would be today to see actions by the President of the United States that ban a group coming to this country based on their religion--a ban that is antithetical to our history, our values, our Constitution, and the rule of law. prgtoken I salute Sally Yates, who has taken a stand based on moral and legal principle in the highest tradition of the Department of Justice, saying that these orders cannot be defended and that the rule of law and morality is more important than the politics of the moment and the impulsive edicts of a ruler who apparently fails to understand that law--or, at least his administration does. prgtoken It raises the question of whether the next Attorney General--she is only acting--will have the strength and courage to uphold the rule of law. Tomorrow, I will vote against our respected and admired colleague, Jeff Sessions, because I believe that the next Attorney General must be a champion--a steadfast advocate and protector of the rule of law and rights and liberties that are overridden and abridged by this order banning people from Muslim-majority nations, in effect a ban on a religious group. prgtoken We are better than this kind of discriminatory edict. We know it harms mainly children and families fleeing violence and oppression. Refugees like those children have helped to shape and build this Nation.
OBJECTING TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTIVE ORDER SUSPENDING VISAS AND THE U.S. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-1-30

I rise today to object to the administration's recent executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and visas from certain countries in the Middle East and east Africa. Protecting our national security, of course, must always be our number one priority. prgtoken This executive order, however, , does not focus on the precise challenges that we face. We can keep our homeland safe by immediately implementing more thorough screening procedures rather than pursuing this broad brush approach. prgtoken Although this measure is temporary and some individuals will continue to be admitted on a case-by-case basis, Congress needs to work to ensure that this order does not apply to U.S. residents, does not apply to those who have already been issued a visa, or does not apply to those who have already been granted refugee status. prgtoken I urge the administration to work with Congress and Federal agencies to find a measured plan that protects our national security, honors our existing commitments, and follows the letter and spirit of the law.
TRIBUTE TO GARY SCHNEIDERS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-1-30

I would like to take a moment to honor an Iowa teacher who has clearly had a major impact on his students and his community because I was contacted by a number of Iowans regarding their desire to find some way to recognize him. The following is what they told me. prgtoken A teacher of 39 years at Columbus High School in Waterloo, IA, Gary Schneiders has been awarded the prgtoken McElroy Trust Gold Star Teacher of the Year in the Cedar Valley and Teacher of the Year at Columbus High School. prgtoken During his time at Columbus, Gary Schneiders has taught world history, applied economics, current world history and advanced placement European history. Through his world history and European history classes, Mr. Schneiders has taken it upon himself to educate his students about the many sacrifices our military men and women have endured throughout history. prgtoken This February, Gary Schneiders will be leading his 12th group of students to France and Belgium for a 12-day trip ``To Experience, To Learn, To Honor, To Remember.'' This is the theme each year for his AP Euro trip. Mr. Schneiders leads the students along World War I's Western Front starting in Verdun, France. His students experience the battlefields and trenches of the First World War. They visit some of the great museums and monuments honoring the soldiers who fought in the war. Most importantly, they go to many of the cemeteries and memorials to the many soldiers who fought for the various countries in that Great War. At the American memorials and cemeteries like Flanders Field and the Meuse Argonne, the largest American cemetery in Europe, the students lay flags and roses at each Iowa soldier's headstone. They also lay a wreath at the memorial itself, where Taps and the National Anthem are played. Because World War I is little remembered these days, the American cemeteries see very few visitors from the United States. The administrators of these memorials and cemeteries are excited to see Mr. Schneiders each year with his fresh class of students. prgtoken During the latter part of the AP Euro trip, Mr. Schneiders takes his students to the beaches of Normandy. He shows the students firsthand what difficulties our soldiers had in taking the beaches. On their last day in Europe, Mr. Schnieders takes his students to Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery. Mr. Schneiders takes his students down to Omaha Beach so they can see the distance our soldiers had to cover while carrying heavy packs and under constant fire. The students then go up to the top of the beach where the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is located. The students again put American flags and roses at each soldier from Iowa. They also take the sand they brought from Omaha Beach and wipe it over the name on each headstone so the name of the soldier and the State of Iowa becomes easily visible. The students again lay a wreath and Taps and National Anthem are pla
NOMINATION OF SCOTT PRUITT
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-1-30

the Environmental Protection Agency, which bears most of the blame for regulations targeting energy jobs, is in dire need of a change of direction. The EPA under the administration was unwilling to engage the people of West Virginia in public listening sessions or hearings about decisions that directly impacted our State's economy, and I have described what the result of that has been. prgtoken This failure to effectively engage resulted in a number of job- killing regulations, like the utility MATS rule for powerplants, the so-called Clean Power Plan, and the waters of the U.S. rule. prgtoken As the Presiding Officer knows, the waters of the U.S. rule is something that impacts not just mining but also agriculture, construction, and it really has far-reaching implications. prgtoken Scott Pruitt, who is President 's nominee to become the EPA Administrator, has gone through a thorough review process by the Environment and Public Works Committee. At Attorney General Pruitt's confirmation hearing, Senators from both parties were permitted to engage in as many as four rounds of questioning, and some of them were pretty tough. After the hearing, Attorney General Pruitt answered 1,078 questions for the Record. Combining both the hearing and the followup questions, Attorney General Pruitt answered more than 1,200 questions from our committees. prgtoken Through the process, Attorney General Pruitt has shown himself to be a person who cares about applying our environmental laws as they were written and intended by Congress. He has a prgtoken strong record of enforcing environmental statutes in a balanced way and ensuring clean air and clean water without unnecessarily sacrificing jobs or economic growth. prgtoken Attorney General Pruitt has been clear that he will work with State regulators and listen to the views of individuals who will be most heavily impacted by EPA's regulatory decisions. prgtoken I believe Attorney General Pruitt will keep his word and provide a refreshing change and direction for West Virginia coal miners, natural gas workers, manufacturers, farmers, and, indeed, for all of our communities struggling from the effects of overregulation. prgtoken I look forward to supporting Attorney General Pruitt's nomination in the EPW Committee, which will come before the committee on Wednesday morning, and I look forward to seeing him confirmed on the Senate floor soon. prgtoken , .
HONORING THE LIFE OF FORMER GOVERNOR ALBERT BREWER
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-1-30

there are few people who leave such a profound impact on the lives of so many as former Alabama Governor Albert Brewer did. Albert Brewer was more than just a Governor. He was a dedicated public servant committed to the betterment of our state and our people. prgtoken His unfailing commitment to the state of Alabama was apparent in his early years. After attending The University of Alabama, Gov. Brewer served three terms in the Alabama House of Representatives, and during the last of these terms, was elected by his colleagues as the youngest person in Alabama's history to serve as the . prgtoken After his time as , Brewer would go on to serve as Lieutenant Governor before being elevated to the position of Governor after the death of Lurleen Wallace in 1968. When he ran for a full term in 1970, he exhibited his compassion for the people of Alabama and his bravery in fundamentally changing how gubernatorial candidates organized their respective campaigns by including African Americans. In his platform, Brewer fought for education funding, an ethics commission, and a commission to revise Alabama's 1901 state constitution. prgtoken Governor Brewer sought to help those who were disenfranchised and in poverty throughout Alabama and to include newly registered African American voters. His dedication to the disenfranchised speaks volumes for his character and his commitment to selfless public service. Albert Brewer raised the bar for public service in Alabama. prgtoken After leaving office, Governor Brewer followed his passion for education and became a distinguished professor at Cumberland School of Law, where he taught courses on ethics and constitutional law. His expertise, impact on students, and passion were recognized by Cumberland School of Law with the dedication of the Martha F. and Albert P. Brewer Plaza on April 4, 2008. prgtoken Sadly, Governor Brewer passed away on January 2, 2017 at the age of 88. His integrity and dedication to public service have made a positive mark that cannot be undone. His legacy will be one of compassion, selfless public service, and an unfailing dedication to his family and the people of Alabama. prgtoken I consider it an honor to have known Albert Brewer and worked with him over the years. On behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to share my deepest condolences with his family, friends, and loved ones. prgtoken , Albert Brewer was one of the best governors in our state's history, and there is no doubt Alabama is a better state because of his service and sacrifice.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCTED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2017-1-30

I rise today to introduce S. 245 the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017. prgtoken Over 10 years ago, Congress passed the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act. This act was a step in the right direction to economic self-sufficiency for Indian tribes and energy independence for our Nation. prgtoken It created a process for Indian tribes to govern the development of their energy resources while reducing costly bureaucratic burdens of Secretarial review, approval, and oversight. But after more than 10 years, the act has not been implemented in a manner beneficial to the tribes or efficient resource development. prgtoken Bills have been introduced for the past four Congresses to improve and clarify the process but none of them have been signed into law. It is past time Congress acts and gets this bill across the finish line to be signed into law. prgtoken The bill that I am introducing today would improve, clarify, and make predictable the process for tribes to enter energy resource agreements and development. I would like to highlight some of the key provisions in this bill. prgtoken The bill provides clarity regarding the specific information and time frames for Secretarial decisions required for tribal energy resource agreements. This bill recognizes the need to engage tribes by requiring more robust technical assistance and consultation with Indian tribes in the planning and development stages for energy resource development. prgtoken It would further facilitate the Secretarial approval process for mineral development by allowing Indian tribes and third parties to perform appraisals. This bill also includes renewable energy resource development by authorizing tribal biomass demonstration projects to assist Indian tribes in securing reliable, long-term supplies of woody biomass materials. prgtoken I would like to thank Senators Barrasso, McCain, Lankford, Moran, and Heitkamp for joining me in cosponsoring this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing this bill and getting it signed into law expeditiously.
Unanimous Consent Requests--S. 240 and Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-1-30

so once again we are hearing the and the media traffic in fake news. We heard a lot on this floor and over the weekend about a Muslim ban. This is a so-called Muslim ban that applies only to seven countries, and it does not apply to Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Nigeria--the five largest Muslim populations in the world. I have heard lots of claims on TV about 134 million Muslims who could be affected. Of course that leaves 1.6 billion Muslims who are not affected. prgtoken This is not a Muslim ban; this is a temporary pause of movement from seven countries, which President did not pick from thin air. He picked from acts of this Congress and the Department of Homeland Security--five countries in a state of near anarchy; a sixth country, Iraq, which has had a large part of its territory overrun by the Islamic State; and a seventh, Iran, which is the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism. Moreover, it is not a ban; it is simply a temporary pause for 3 to 4 months to evaluate whether administration policies are strong enough to keep this country safe. prgtoken We also heard claims that this is somehow unconstitutional. However, there is no free-floating global right of people around the world to come to this country. President 's order is nothing more than a temporary pause on migration from countries with very weak state institutions or which sponsor terrorism, while the President and the administration take a more thorough review of our vetting procedures and the refugee program as a whole. prgtoken Secretary Kelly has stated that it does not apply to green card holders. Secretary Mattis is reportedly advising that the long-term policy accommodate Iraqis with a documented history prgtoken of serving with our troops, which I obviously support. prgtoken In fact, a temporary pause for security evaluations is so sensible that in November 2015, after the Paris terrorist attacks, even the minority leader suggested that ``a pause may be necessary.'' It wasn't beyond the pale then, and it is not now. Moreover, the people who are enforcing our laws on the frontlines agree with President . The union for Border Patrol and Customs Enforcement agents has stated that they support this order and two other related immigration orders. prgtoken Yet here is the minority shedding crocodile tears over President 's immigration refugee policy, but where were those tears for the last 8 years when President 's foreign policy created all of these refugees? Where were the tears when President overthrew the Government of Libya with nothing to follow? Where were the tears when President withdrew from Iraq, leaving that country to fend off Iran and the Islamic State? Where were the tears when President gave Iran $100 billion to continue its imperial campaign throughout the Middle East, to include overthrowing the Government of Yemen through its p
ANOTHER POE FROM TEXAS: GEORGE WASHINGTON POE
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-30

today I honor another Poe from Texas and an unsung patriot during our Revolution, George Washington Poe. The Legacy of Texas States: ``Born in Ohio, he and his wife, Frances, traveled to Texas as quickly as they could. It was in Texas that he found success in the military, building up the young Army's artillery and seeing to the needs of the men fighting for the Revolution's cause. prgtoken We all know the legendary story of Sam Houston and his role in our state's history. It was on this day in 1836 that Houston referred to Poe as a major, no doubt a reference to his volunteer rank since he was officially a third lieutenant in the fledgling regular army. Records show that while the political leaders of Texas wrestled with who should lead the Army in early 1836, Poe remained fiercely loyal to Houston. In a letter to Houston, Poe declared that he and his company ``do not nor will not know any other General than Sam Houston.'' prgtoken Poe's strong sense of loyalty proved to be fruitful for his military career. He soon was appointed assistant Inspector General of the Army, and was in charge of a 120-man garrison at Velasco. When the General Council assembled and established an official army for the Republic of Texas in March of 1836, Poe was appointed captain of the artillery. prgtoken That appointment seemed like a demotion to Poe. In a letter to Thomas J. Rusk, he protested saying he deserved to be a major. In mid-March, Poe and his artillery unit departed Velasco to join Sam Houston again, where it is documented that he later participated in the Battle of San Jacinto, Poe experienced two significant ceremonial milestones in his career that speak to the high regard in which he was held. Poe commanded the artillery piece that fired a salute over the remains of Fannin's men near the mission of La Bahia and later served as marshal of the funeral procession for Stephen F. Austin. prgtoken After leaving the military, Poe settled in Houston where he worked in land speculation. Houston remained loyal to his faithful supporter, and nominated Poe to be stock commissioner of the new Republic. Poe died on Texas soil, and although his name has failed to become as legendary as Houston, Bowie, or Travis; his contributions to our history and the success of Texas are worthy of remembrance.'' prgtoken It is always interesting to hear the history of bygone days of the Texas Revolution, especially about another Poe from Texas. prgtoken And that's just the way it is.