mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-5-21

this month I join Senator Grassley of Iowa and a bipartisan group of my colleagues to recognize May as National Foster Care Month. prgtoken It is an opportunity to acknowledge the millions of foster parents and children in foster care around the country. More importantly, it is a call to action. We simply leave too many children behind. prgtoken Poverty should never be the reason children are separated from their parents. There is no dignity in removing children from their mothers or fathers because they don't have adequate housing or affordable childcare or jobs that allow them to take time off when their children get sick. prgtoken Right now, child welfare agencies are overwhelmed by the number of children who enter the system, and the addiction crisis just makes it worse. In Ohio, parents' substance abuse is listed as one of the causes for one-third of all children who enter the system. Children who are already in the system stay there longer, especially teenagers. We have to do better than that. prgtoken Last year, we passed and the President signed the bipartisan Family First Prevention Services Act, which is an important first step. It has the potential to change our child welfare system over time. Yet the changes the Family First Prevention Services Act requires ultimately have to be made at the State level. We have to make sure that States have the support they need and that they actually do what the law requires. prgtoken That is why, this month, I introduced the Family First Transition and Support Act--to help all States transition to the family first era. It would provide funding for States to recruit and retain quality foster parents who meet the needs of children. Our bill would expand funding for kinship support services, which would help family members who raise children pay for essential needs and services, like childcare, transportation, and other things. prgtoken This is especially important with the rise in having other family members raise the children because of the addiction crisis. In Ohio, Arizona, and all over this country, we have seen a big increase in there being grandparents who raise grandchildren, in large part, because the children's parents have had addiction issues or have actually died of overdoses. prgtoken The grandparents with the grandchildren face unique challenges and don't often qualify for the same support as foster parents. It means that they are going back to work. It may mean that a 68-year-old grandmother who lives on a pension and thought she was retired has to go back to work in order to raise this child to make enough money or has to take money out of her retirement savings. prgtoken Relatives' care is vital to keeping kids safe at home and in their communities. Our bill would provide real funding to get these grandparents and other family members more support. There is no formula here, but most of the time, it is better if grandparents can raise
CONGRATULATING THE BRADLEY UNIVERSITY SPEECH TEAM ON THEIR WIN AT THE AMERICAN FORENSICS ASSOCIATION'S NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Bradley University Speech Team on their victories at the American Forensics Association and National Forensic Association national tournaments. Bradley University is the only team to win a national championship every decade since 1980 and is one of the most winning teams in the country. prgtoken Bradley's Speech Team is an extremely accomplished program and impressively have now added two more national titles to their long list of championships. The program has also claimed more than 150 individual national champions and has served as a special place on campus for students to come together, tell stories and improve their communication skills along the way. The speech community unites students across the country and provides them with a community to share their passions and discuss topics important to them. I understand the amount of hard work and commitment to have a team as special as this. They are an example of how a strong work ethic and dedication can lead to victory. I am proud there is such young talent in our community, and to see them represent Peoria throughout the state and country. I look forward to following them as they continue their work and build skills that will last a lifetime. prgtoken It is because of dedicated leaders such as the Bradley University Speech Team that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again formally congratulate the Bradley University Speech Team on their victories at the American Forensics Association and National Forensic Association national tournaments.
SUPPORT FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINATORS ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , as a long-time advocate for veterans' well-being prgtoken and resources, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2333, the ``Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act.'' prgtoken I support H.R. 2333 because this legislation will provide much needed assistance to the VA to reduce the incidence of suicide among our veterans. The ``SPCA'' provides DVA suicide prevention coordinators with the resources needed to effectively do their job of providing veterans with critical mental health resources to veterans in need. prgtoken Madam , veteran suicide is a pervasive and critical issue, threatening, and in to many heartbreaking cases, taking the lives of many of our heroes. prgtoken Although, the Department of Veterans Administration has screening protocols designed to aid veterans and to stage suicide interventions, about 6,000 veterans fall through the cracks of this system annually, finding themselves without the necessary aid and resources that were promised to them. prgtoken Many suicide prevention coordinators and offices specializing in veterans affairs report being overworked and unable to keep up with the demand for their services. prgtoken On average, about 20 veterans die every day by suicide and since 2017, 25 veterans have taken their lives on the grounds of Veterans Affairs hospitals, including seven this year and at least four last month. These veterans were actively seeking help from an unprepared and under resourced agency before they took their lives. prgtoken It is long past time for Congress to provide the help needed to address the troubling increase in veteran suicides and help improve suicide prevention and mental health resources at the at DVA. prgtoken It is imperative that the DVA has the tools it needs to serve every veteran that walks through the door. prgtoken The ``Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act'' would require the Comptroller General to assess the responsibilities, workload, and vacancy rates of the Department of Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention Coordinators and report it to Congress within one year, on the ability of the DVA to detect and protect veterans from self-harm. prgtoken It is critically important that we provide suicide prevention coordinators with the resources needed to successfully combat the troubling trend of veteran suicide, and I believe this bill is a necessary step in the right direction. prgtoken Madam , it is unconscionable that a veteran will commit suicide every hour. prgtoken The fact that veterans make up just 20 percent of the male population, yet veterans make up close to 32 percent of all male suicides is shocking and must spur our action. prgtoken It does not have to be this way, Madam , and we can do something about it, starting with the passage of H.R. 2333, the ``Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act.''
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , and still I rise, and I do so with the love of my country within my heart, and I do so this evening because I believe that no one is above the law. No one. prgtoken We find this to be the case in our great country: If you are a person who exceeds the speed limit, you are breaking the law. If you are caught exceeding the speed limit, there is a price to pay. No one is above the law. prgtoken If you are a person who happens to, in the State of Texas, decide that you are going to go through the supermarket and pick and choose certain things that you would like to sample, at some point, if you partake of more than is reasonable, you will be charged with grazing. It is a crime in the State of Texas to graze, to take more than what is reasonable in having a sample of a grape. No one is above the law. People are prosecuted in the State of Texas for grazing. prgtoken In the State of Texas, a good many persons have been prosecuted for not causing their children to go to school. Thwarting public attendance in school was a law in the State of Texas. People paid fines for not having their children in school. prgtoken The list of laws is too long to ever mention in a statement such as this, but the point is, no one is above the law. There are laws that deal with persons who commit felonies and persons who commit misdemeanors. When you break these laws, you are prosecuted. prgtoken You are not allowed to break the law with impunity, and you are not allowed to do it with immunity. No one is above the law. prgtoken I believe that this is a part of the very hallmark of our criminal justice system in this great country. We believe that no one is above the law and that no one is beneath the law, meaning that the law should apply equally to all. Every person ought to be treated the same when it comes to the very bedrock principle of whether or not someone is above the law. No one is in this country. prgtoken However, we find ourselves with a unique circumstance now. We have the highest office holder in the executive branch, the chief executive officer, if you will, who has refused to cooperate with lawful investigations of the Congress. prgtoken He refused to cooperate in this sense. He has said to witnesses they should not appear and give testimony in a lawful investigation. He indicated that subpoenas will not be answered. They were issued pursuant to lawful investigations. prgtoken No one is above the law. If you are not above the law, then if you are called upon to testify, you must testify. If you have some document within your possession and there has been a request for it by way of a subpoena, then you have to produce it. No one is above the law. prgtoken Well, we currently have a circumstance where the chief executive officer is at odds with the legislative branch. This places the legislative and the executive at odds with each other. They are in a stalemate, if you will. prgtoken When this occurs, you have one branch o
Abortion (Executive Session)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-5-21

from Washington for that personal story, and I am sorry for her loss of a former staff member. I think that story is a good place to start because this isn't just about an isolated bill passing in one State. This is actually part of a greater effort. prgtoken As you look at what this administration has been trying to do since day one, defunding Planned Parenthood--OK, well, that is where one out of five women in their lifetime will go to seek healthcare for things like cancer screenings and for things like contraception. You look at the fact that over the span of the last administration, we actually reduced abortions to the lowest level in recorded history. That is a prgtoken good thing. People who are personally opposed to abortion or people who are pro-choice can agree that that is a good thing. Why did that happen? Because contraception was available. Why did that happen? Because healthcare was available that allowed, with more ease, women to access contraception. So now what do we have? We have three things going on. These restrictive laws that literally put doctors in prison for 99 years is what I will talk about today. We have an effort to defund Planned Parenthood and to reduce access to contraception as a result. Then we have an effort--a major effort--to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act, which would allow women to be kicked off of their healthcare insurance if they have a preexisting condition. Before that act came into law, in eight States, being a victim of domestic abuse was considered a preexisting condition. So do not see these laws that were just passed in these States and are being considered in these States as isolated. Look at it as a complete package, and it is not a package that the women of this country want to get in the mail. prgtoken I have always believed that a woman's most personal and difficult medical decisions should be made with her doctor and her family and that those decisions should not be undermined or politicized by Government officials. But that is exactly what we are seeing today. In the last few months, an alarming number of States have passed laws to limit a woman's ability to seek reproductive healthcare services. Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, and Georgia have all recently passed measures that basically amount to a ban on abortion. Just last week, Alabama passed a bill that effectively and in writing banned abortion completely. The bill which passed the Alabama State Senate--by the way, without a vote of a single woman senator--would allow a doctor who performed an abortion to be sent to jail for 99 years. The Alabama law's only exception is if a woman's life is at risk. It does not even include an exception for incidents of rape or incest. So what does this mean? Well, if your kid is in college and gets brutally raped, it means that she would not have a choice about whether or not she would carry a baby. That is what that la
MEMORIALIZING POLICE OFFICERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , I rise today in the wake of National Police Week to memorialize our officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. prgtoken Nearly 3 years ago, on October 8, 2016, Officers Lesley Zerebny and Gil Vega from the Palm Springs Police Department were shot and killed in the line of duty responding to what appeared to be a routine domestic disturbance. prgtoken Through this tragedy, our community came together, not only to remember Officers Zerebny and Vega, but to do more for their families and the entire law enforcement community. prgtoken Together, we found that families of fallen first responders, those who gave their all to protect us all, are being shortchanged. That is why I introduced the Heroes Lesley Zerebny and Gil Vega First Responder Survivor Support Act, to honor those who have passed by serving the living. prgtoken My bill will increase the Public Safety Officer Benefit from $350,000 to $500,000 in order to pay off the calculated national average debt most families have; it will increase the monthly education benefit from $1,024 per month to $2,000 per month to ensure they can afford the actual rising costs of an education; and it will fix a bureaucratic loophole that, due to unnecessary red tape and delays in receiving benefits, can cost families up to tens of thousands of dollars through no fault of their own. prgtoken I urge all Members of Congress to do the right thing: to follow words with action, to follow praise with pragmatic solutions that will improve the lives of fallen first responders' families. I hope that all Members will cosponsor and support my bipartisan Heroes Lesley Zerebny and Gil Vega First Responder Survivors Support Act. prgtoken I urge the to bring it up for a vote immediately. Let's support this bill and stand up for the families of fallen officers who have sacrificed so much for us.
WHOLE VETERAN ACT
Tim Ryan (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , I know the Secretary of the VA. We have disagreements with him, but he, himself, has testified before our committee talking about these programs and about the importance of these programs. prgtoken If you want to be inspired, go sit in a meditation class with a Vietnam vet who has been traumatized for years and listen to them tell you about how these practices have healed them and have fixed their problems and reconnected them back to their families. prgtoken Madam , I want to thank everybody for their leadership on this, and we will continue to try to support it from the appropriations side.
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , I am so honored to join my colleagues in commemorating the 100th anniversary of House passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote everywhere in our country. prgtoken My State, Wisconsin, was the very first State to ratify the 19th Amendment, and I am wearing this yellow rose today in honor of the remarkable women who fought for their seat at the table. prgtoken They persevered; they resisted; they persisted; and the face of Congress is different because of them. Women like Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth said that, if women want rights, we must be sisters in arms and fight for what is right. prgtoken Wisconsin was the first State to ratify the 19th Amendment, and, unfortunately, they are now leading in the efforts to disenfranchise people. But it is because of the powerful legacy that I will continue to fight to make sure that no one is denied access to the ballots due them as citizens.
HONORING SANDY D'ALEMBERTE
Kathy Castor (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-5-21

. Madam , I am saddened to hear of the passing of a truly prgtoken great Floridian, Sandy D'Alemberte. As it does for so many, his passing pains me both personally and for our state and country. Sandy was a voice for reason, the rule of law, decency and kindness--a ``necessary man'' for all his time and certainly for these times. It is enough to remember him as a brilliant legislator, president of the American Bar Association (ABA), Florida State University (FSU) president and Florida Constitutional scholar. And, much loved dean while I was at FSU College of Law. However, Sandy was indispensable in so many instances in Florida's history--both the big moments and some moments that most of his fellow Floridians might never know about but which were just as grand. One of the latter was his embrace of Jose Manuel Godinez- Samperio and his fight to be admitted to the Florida Bar. Jose graduated valedictorian of his class at Armwood High School in Hillsborough County, Fla. and went on to attend FSU College of Law. Jose made history when he graduated from FSU College of Law and passed the Florida Bar exam, but when he sought admittance to the Florida Bar as an undocumented immigrant, this great American Story almost came to an end. Sandy's belief in the law, fair play and young people caused him to take on this injustice. He brought together a team, including me, past presidents of the ABA, bipartisan members of the Florida Legislature and others, to successfully confront this quiet individual inequity just as he had taken on more large and public challenges for all of Florida. Like so many public officials, I can say that Sandy has helped make me a better representative for my neighbors in Tampa and throughout Florida. I sought his counsel for Florida's future as recently as last fall. The gracious efforts by Sandy on behalf of the small and the grand, and the foundation he has laid for the legal community, higher education, his state and his country will hopefully be of some solace to Patsy and his family.
Immigration (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-5-21

it is difficult to believe that it is happening, but I have seen it. It was about 5 weeks ago that I was in El Paso, TX. I went down to see what has happening on the border. You can't escape all the stories that have been written about the number of people who are coming to our border and what is happening to them, so I wanted to see it for myself. prgtoken I saw what was a detention facility for people who had been stopped at the border. There was a cell with a plate glass window, so that you could see everything inside. Above the door of the cell, it said, ``capacity 35.'' I looked inside and counted--took the time to slowly count--and I counted 150 men in that cell, standing shoulder to shoulder. Few of them could sit on the benches on the side of the walls--150. prgtoken There was one toilet in that cell. They were fed their meals to eat standing up. They slept taking turns lying down on the floor. Some of them would be there for 3 days and some as long as 6 weeks. prgtoken Next to that cell was another one with a plate glass window; you could see inside. Above the door, it read, ``capacity 16.'' This was a cell for women. I counted 75 women in that cell--``capacity 16.'' There were four or five of them with nursing babies. prgtoken I have since learned, in the few weeks since I saw this and witnessed it firsthand, things have gotten dramatically worse. The cell with 150 now has almost 200 men jammed into it. The cell with the women is even worse than what I saw when I visited. prgtoken If I described these conditions in a prison in some foreign country, you would say: For goodness' sakes, the United States of America should speak up for human rights. We cannot allow human beings to be treated that way. prgtoken This detention facility for these immigrants is in the United States of America. It has to come to an end, and it has to start with a commitment by the people of this country through their elected representatives in Congress and this President to stop this inhumane treatment of these individuals. prgtoken Today, I am sending a letter that I never thought I would send. I am joining other Senators in a letter to the International Red Cross. You see, we call on the International Red Cross to go to developing countries and look at their prison situations and decide whether they are humane. prgtoken I cannot believe that I am asking them to do this in the United States of America. Because I have seen it with my own eyes and I have been told that it is getting worse, I feel I have no choice. prgtoken I am also asking for the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security to immediately, on an emergency basis, review the detention facilities for adults and children. Why do I raise that point? We know what this administration did last year in a project called zero tolerance. prgtoken Zero tolerance, announced by the Attorney General of the United States Jeff Sessions, said we will tre