mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL: RACISM AND POVERTY 50 YEARS AFTER THE KERNER REPORT
Marcia L. Fudge (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-3-8

I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Report. prgtoken In 1968, the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, known as the Kerner Commission, found that the civil unrest in the African American community was a result of white racism. From employment and housing discrimination to segregated and underfunded schools, racism was the root cause of systemic poverty plaguing African Americans. prgtoken In 1969, the theme for Delta Sigma Theta under the leadership of the late Frankie Muse Freeman was,``One Nation or Two?'' As we continue to ask ourselves that same question 50 years later, it is clear that civil rights is still unfinished business. prgtoken According to 2016 Census data, 12.7 percent of Americans live in poverty. For African Americans, the poverty rate is nearly double the national rate at 22 percent. And 33 percent of African American children are growing up in poverty. prgtoken The persistent racial wealth divide and lack of economic progress among African Americans is cause for alarm. prgtoken The Black unemployment rate has risen to 7.7 percent and continues to be nearly double that of White workers. In 1968, it was 6.8 percent. prgtoken The median net worth for Black families is $17,600, compared to $171,000 for white families. When it comes to homeownership, 71 percent of White households are homeowners compared to 41 percent of Black households--practically the same as in 1968. prgtoken On the campaign trail, the President said inner cities were more dangerous than war zones and repeatedly asked the African American community, ``What do you have to lose?'' prgtoken Every day, the Administration's economic policies make clear what African Americans and communities of color have to lose: economic opportunity and upward mobility. prgtoken The President's lopsided tax cut added at least $1.5 trillion to the national deficit with likely offsets to earned benefits and social safety net programs many families depend on like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP. prgtoken The President's budget would reduce funding for SNAP by $213 billion over the next 10 years and force 16 million households to survive on so-called ``Harvest Boxes'' that will cost more than they save in dollars and human capital. These proposed ``ration boxes'' are demeaning to families: shelf stable milk, ready to eat cereals, canned meat, fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and pasta. Is this what we have come to? This is the same Party who told us that we couldn't provide our children healthy meals in schools. prgtoken While roughly 1 in 6 Black households spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing, the President's budget eliminates the National Housing Trust Fund and U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the legal aid program which helps families avoid unwarranted evictions, the Community Development Block Grant program, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Progra
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-3-8

the leader spoke in a very calm and reasoned way. I will do the same. prgtoken As an aside, I will tell you the CHIP bill passed on November 3, over a month after its authorization expired. prgtoken , the majority leader talks about coming to compromise. I went down to the White House. Mr. Durbin and I talked about whether we would go to the White House. We went to the White House out of respect for the Presidency, out of a hope that the discussions that we had at the White House would lead to resolution of a serious issue threatening hundreds of thousands, indeed, close to 2 million individuals who know America as their country and who 86 percent of Americans think ought to stay here in America. prgtoken In that meeting, , the President of the United States said--and he said it on television. You don't have to take my word. There is a video record of what the President said. What he said is we would take care of the DACA issue, consistent, , with what Ryan said to that young woman when he said that the revocation of protections for Dreamers brought here as children will not be carried out. prgtoken There was no parenthetical addition, if we do X, Y, Z, A, B, C, D, W. There was no parenthetical phrase. He said: We will not put you at risk, young woman, and those similarly situated. prgtoken We have a bipartisan coalition on this floor, but the leader speaks about going into a room--if you want to have a pejorative, a back room, privately--to try to resolve issues not directly related to the DACA protectees. prgtoken They are here. The President said they ought to stay here. And the President made a representation, , that if we passed a bill, he would sign it. But as the Senate considered a compromise piece of legislation, agreed to by Senators and ic Senators, just a few hours before it was brought to the floor, the President said he would veto it. That was not what he said on television in the White House. He said that he would take the heat, if heat there is, and sign the bill that we sent down. prgtoken Now we have a of the House and a majority leader of the Senate who say we won't send something down to the President unless he agrees to sign it, meaning that the House and Senate will not act independently of the President's imprimatur. How sad a position it is that the people's House and the United States Senate have subjugated themselves to the President of the United States. prgtoken I presume, , that prolonging this discussion apparently will make no difference. But, , our side of the aisle represents just short of 50 percent, maybe 48 percent, of the American people we are saying let us consider. Let us have on this floor--not in a back room, not in somebody's office, not somewhere privately--on the House floor, the people's floor, let us vote. prgtoken Let the American people see who raises their hand ``aye'' and ``nay'' on propositions that have been worked on in com
Introductory Statement on S. 2526
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-3-8

Senator Hatch and I have introduced the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018. This bill makes a number of improvements to our Nation's employer-provided retirement plans and is the result of several years of bipartisan work on the part of the Finance Committee. The Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act was unanimously reported out of the Finance Committee in the prior Congress, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. prgtoken The bill that Senator Hatch and I have introduced is identical to the bill reported by the Finance Committee except for updating effective dates, omitting provisions that already have been enacted into law, and several technical modifications to the provisions impacting the United States Tax Court and to the safe harbor for employers for annuity provider selection. prgtoken The safe harbor for annuity provider selection is a critical change to current law that will encourage employers to offer annuities to employees in 401(k) and other defined contribution retirement plans. Many employers are reluctant to offer annuities in these types of plans because of uncertainty about their liability in the event that an insurer becomes insolvent and is unable to pay benefits under the annuity. This safe harbor provides certainty for employers who select insurers who are financially capable of meeting their commitments and are in good standing with State regulators. The technical modification to the safe harbor is a one-word change that clarifies that the safe harbor is solely for the selection of the insurer and the possibility that the insurer may not be able to make payments due under the contract and is not a safe harbor for the selection of the contract. As under existing law, the plan fiduciary remains required to prudently select the type of annuity that is best for participants and beneficiaries.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-3-8

I stand today in support of my colleague from Maryland as the 36th State to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. I couldn't agree more. I think it is time to eradicate discrimination of any kind, so I commend my colleague for standing up today and for his comments. prgtoken , I stand to talk about an issue that continues in our communities, and it is the issue of housing discrimination. prgtoken I recently read an article from the Center for Investigative Journalism about a young woman named Rachelle. At the time, Rachelle was in her early thirties and living in Philadelphia. She was making $60,000 a year as a contractor at Rutgers University. She had savings, good credit, and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern. prgtoken When she first went to apply for a home loan, she thought she would be the perfect applicant. On paper, it seemed that way, but a few weeks later, she received an email informing her that her application had been denied. prgtoken In the email her broker told her that because she was a contractor and not a full-time employee, her application was too risky for the bank to approve. She was at a loss. She had been planning to purchase a home for years and thought she had done everything right. She then asked her partner, Hanako, to sign on to the application with her. At the time, Hanako was working a few hours a week at the grocery store making $300 a month. That is about $3,600 a year. Hanako tried calling the bank to speak to a loan officer about the application, and to Rachelle's surprise, the loan officer picked up. He was attentive, helpful, and friendly to Hanako. A few weeks later, he approved the couple's loan. prgtoken This makes no sense, right? Rachelle was making an income in the upper five figures, $60,000 a year. She was the one with good credit, and she was the one paying for Hanako's health insurance. The difference here was that Rachelle was Black. prgtoken This story did not take place in 1930, when it was legal for housing lenders to discriminate on the basis of race. It did not take place in 1968, the year banks were formally banned from using race as a factor in deciding home loan applications. It took place less than 2 years ago, in 2016. prgtoken Today, 50 years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act, stories like Rachelle's are all too common. For any person of color who has tried to navigate the housing market, Rachelle's experience is a case of deja vu. prgtoken We now know that Rachelle was the victim of redlining. ``Redlining'' is a term that describes the practice of denying goods or services to people on the basis of the color of their skin. prgtoken The term originated in the 1930s, when redlining was the official policy of the Federal Housing Administration. Back then, Federal officials divvied up cities and assigned a color to each neighborhood. The color system was supposed to help mortgage lenders know where to invest. Green and
SALUTING THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF GIOVANI ``GIO'' DOS SANTOS RAMIREZ
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-3-8

I rise to recognize Mr. Giovani ``Gio'' dos Santos Ramirez on his athletic and philanthropic contributions to the Los Angeles community and beyond. prgtoken Giovani, who was born May 11, 1989, is a Mexican professional soccer player who currently plays for the Major League Soccer club the Los Angeles Galaxy, as well as the Mexico national team. He began his football career at a very young age, being recruited by Spanish club FC Barcelona and playing for their B team until age 18. Giovani made his way up the ranks, eventually debuting for the senior squad in 2007. That year, he was named by World Soccer Magazine as one of the ``Top 50 Most Exciting Teen Footballers.'' prgtoken As a member of the Mexico under-17 team, Giovani won the 2005 U17 World Championship held in Peru. In 2007, he made his debut for the senior national team in a victory over Panama on September 9, and represented El Tri at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. With Mexico, he won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2009, 2011 and 2015, scoring in the 2009 and 2011 finals and winning the 2009 MVP award. He was also a member of the Mexican team that won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. prgtoken Since joining the Los Angeles Galaxy, Giovani's passion for giving back has led him and his brother to host community soccer events in LA. In July 2017, Giovani and his brother Jonathan hosted a community soccer clinic based on the values and methods they have acquired over the course of their careers. The brothers contributed to the educational and athletic development of aspiring low-income young soccer players by helping shape their skills and guiding them on a path to becoming future stars. I commend them for this project, for their desire to give back to the community, and for their willingness to share their career lessons with young people. I understand the clinic was an unforgettable experience for the youth in attendance. prgtoken On March 17, 2018, Giovani will support the community once again by appearing for his fans in South Gate, California, to support the biggest Soccer Community Tournament in Los Angeles County history. The tournament will be hosted by the largest Latin regional record label, DEL Records, a company headquartered in Bell Gardens in my 40th Congressional District. prgtoken , it is a privilege to salute Giovani dos Santos Ramirez for his achievements on the playing field and in the community. I ask my colleagues to please join me in applauding his outstanding contributions.
TRIBUTE TO JANET JONES
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2018-3-8

I wish to honor Janet Jones for her distinguished public service to the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Janet began her Senate career in the Office of the Senate Chief Counsel for Employment in 2006 as a litigation paralegal. Not long after that, she took on the tremendous responsibility of getting Senate offices prepared for their mandatory OSHA inspections by the congressional Office of Compliance. prgtoken During the 114th Congress alone, Janet pre-inspected almost a half- million square feet of office space, assisting Senate offices with identifying potential hazards and potential safety violations. prgtoken Janet's tireless work with Senate offices over the past 12 years has contributed to making the offices that serve this body safer for our employees, our visitors, and our constituents. With Janet's assistance, many Senate offices, including my own, have earned Safe Office Awards. prgtoken We will miss Janet's institutional knowledge and unparalleled professionalism. prgtoken Janet, thank you for your service, and I wish you great happiness in retirement.
Introductory Statement on S. 2526
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-3-8

I rise today to introduce a common sense piece of legislation that will expand the ability of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to nurture innovative and high-growth small businesses in Maryland and across the country. prgtoken Let me first say, I recently returned to the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship as the Ranking Member. I look forward to continuing the important work of helping America's 29 million small businesses--the job creating engine of the country--access the essential capital to grow, to earn their fair share of Federal contracts, and to take advantage of SBA's counseling and mentoring programs that help entrepreneurs market and manage their businesses. prgtoken The Small Business Investment Opportunity Act is straightforward. It prgtoken modifies SBA's Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program by increasing the amount of capital that SBICs with a single fund can invest in qualifying small businesses. prgtoken The SBIC program stimulates investment in America's high-growth small businesses. SBICs are privately-owned and managed investment funds that use their own capital--plus funds borrowed with an SBA guaranty--to capitalize small businesses. prgtoken Last year, SBICs made 36 investments totaling $61.3 million in 12 innovative Maryland firms. Over the past five years, the program has channeled more than $21 billion of capital to 6,400 American small businesses across a variety of industries. prgtoken The program operates at no expense to taxpayers. Instead, the cost of the program is covered by fees paid by SBICs and their portfolio companies. prgtoken Consider this: since the program launched in 1958, SBIC has: prgtoken Deployed more than $67 billion of capital; prgtoken Made more than 166,000 investments in American small businesses; and prgtoken Licensed more than 2,100 investment funds. prgtoken Some of America's most iconic brands have received investment capital from SBICs, including Apple, Tesla, Whole Foods, Staples, Intel, FedEx and Costco, among others. prgtoken Under current law, SBA can guarantee up to $150 million of an SBIC investment fund. Our legislation increases that cap to $175 million and unlocks additional capital for small businesses with high-growth potential. The cap has not been raised since 2009. prgtoken Raising this cap would simply keep up with inflation and maximize the amount of capital SBICs can direct to innovative small businesses that hire our workers, support our communities, drive innovation and help our country maintain its competitive edge. prgtoken This bill also builds upon a change that Senator Risch, Senator Shaheen and I passed in 2015 to increase the maximum amount of leverage to SBICs with more than one fund. As some of my colleagues will recall, those types of SBICs are known as ``Family of Funds.'' prgtoken As with the bill in 2015, the legislation we are introducing today is also bipartisan and bicameral. I am pl
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-3-8

well, not exactly. Yesterday I spoke about the big banks that have violated our banking laws time and again, banks like Wells Fargo and Citigroup. I talked about foreign banks like Santander and Deutsche Bank--the President's personal German bank, I might add. Santander, a Spanish bank, has foreclosed on the cars of American service men and women when they are overseas serving our country, and we are rewarding that Spanish bank. We are rewarding a Swiss bank that has broken international law in support of Iran. We are rewarding these foreign banks. prgtoken I liked this bill at the beginning. I have been working on these issues with Chairman Crapo, whom I respect--I really do--for some years, and we worked on coming up with a bill that would help community banks and the midsized regional banks, three of which are located in the Presiding Officer's boyhood State and my State of Ohio--Fifth Third, KeyCorp, and Huntington. We wanted to do those things. prgtoken You know, in this place, when we work on something to help the small guy, the big guy thinks: Well, don't leave me out. I want to be part of this. I want to get my things too. prgtoken So we start helping community banks, we start helping the little guy, and all of a sudden, Wall Street gets its hand out, just like on the tax bill. I guess I believed my colleagues on the tax bill when they said it was a middle-class tax cut bill. Well, it kind of didn't end up that way. By the end, 81 percent of the tax benefits went to the richest 1 percent. prgtoken That is what we do. We start here. We go back home, and we talk about helping the middle class and helping the little guy. No matter whether she punches a time clock or works construction, we want to help middle- income people. But you know what--by the time the lobbyists swoop in, by the time they are here, and they start talking to their friends and start doing what they do, then all of a sudden, these bills help the big guy. They help Wall Street. It is no surprise; it has happened here before. prgtoken I particularly think we would learn about it when it comes to what happened 10 years ago. There are some pretty smart people in the Senate, but they have some kind of illness that I don't entirely understand called collective amnesia. They forget. They forget what happened 10 years ago. prgtoken Where I live, Cleveland, OH, and where the Presiding Officer grew up in greater Cleveland, in my neighborhood, ZIP Code 44105, in early 2007, in the first half of that year, more people lost their homes through foreclosure than any other ZIP Code in the United States of America. The neighborhood that I live in is not a gated community. I live in an area of about 200 relatively new homes. When I drive about 500 yards in any direction, I see the blight that came because of what Wall Street and, frankly, this Congress and the regulators, the regulators--I can mention names; it is all public record--
SATISFYING ENERGY NEEDS AND SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT ACT
Paul Tonko (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-3-8

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken I have no other speakers. I just would make mention that some 18 groups that are public interest groups have joined together in a letter opposing this legislation, suggesting and indicating strongly that it pits waste coal-burning plants against coal-burning plants, that it creates a public health situation that is an outcome that is negative for our constituents, and it basically cites that the courts have reviewed some of the requests made earlier and denied those requests because they felt that technology was available. prgtoken I include the letter in the Record. March 6, 2018. Dear Representative: On behalf of our millions of members, the undersigned organizations urge you to oppose the amended Satisfying Energy Needs and Saving the Environment Act, or SENSE Act (H.R. 1119). This bill would weaken health safeguards for Americans on behalf of special interest groups and result in more toxic air pollution and health hazards. The SENSE Act would provide a giveaway to power plants that burn waste coal under EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). The bill favors waste coal-burning power plants at the expense of other in-state coal power plants and the public through blunt political favoritism. Specifically, the SENSE Act would permanently exempt power plants that burn waste coal from having to meet certain pollution limits. Power plants, including waste coal plants, are already meeting these standards--passing this bill would be a free giveaway to polluters, and nothing more. And the courts agree. When waste coal plant owners filed lawsuits challenging the MATS standards in the first place, they claimed it was ``virtually impossible'' to meet the acid gas and sulfur dioxide limits set in MATS. The court rejected the plants' arguments. The judges pointed to clear evidence that waste coal plants already were meeting these limits. EPA had evidence demonstrating that 8 out of 19 waste coal units nationwide already could meet the rule's acid gas standard or alternative sulfur dioxide standard. In fact, the court noted that not only were the plants meeting these supposedly ``impossible'' standards, but some of these plants were ``among the best performers'' in achieving hydrogen chloride reductions among all coal-burning units under the rule.'' Doomsday claims to justify this bill are just that. Waste coal plants have already had more time than other power plants to come into compliance with MATS. Rewarding laggards who continue to drag their feet, even after already getting special treatment, would undermine all pollution reduction programs and disincentivize compliance. Were this bill to bec