mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AFFIRMING THE UNITED STATES RECORD ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
John P. Sarbanes (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-10-29

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Today the House of Representatives will affirm, finally, that we recognize the horrors of the Armenian genocide and are committed to remembering the victims of this crime against humanity. prgtoken Our moral standing in the world requires us to acknowledge the truth of the Armenian genocide. For too long, we have acquiesced in Turkey's policy of genocide denial, unwilling to risk the ire of our so-called ally. prgtoken However, Turkey's actions against the Kurds in Syria have reinforced what many of us have long known: Erdogan's Turkey does not stand for human rights or religious freedom, but instead spreads authoritarianism wherever it goes. Erdogan's disdain for democracy and contempt for an ally was on display 2 years ago when his bodyguards attacked peaceful demonstrators right here in our Nation's Capital. prgtoken I am pleased that later today the House will vote to impose sanctions on Turkey for its actions in Syria. This resolution and that bill are tied together. They are both powerful statements that we respect fundamental prgtoken human rights and that we desire to stand on the right side of history.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN...
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-10-29

from Ohio for raising these issues about the skills gap. This is something that is very important in Minnesota, as well, and I agree with him. I think this should be a place where we could find some bipartisan agreement. So I thank him for his words today. prgtoken , today I rise to talk about another gap that I would like to ask my colleagues for help in filling. prgtoken For many Americans, the 35-day government shutdown during the last holiday season is a distant memory. The national parks have reopened with their usual programming; airports are running normally; and Federal employees are back on the job with the backpay they had lost through no fault of their own because of the Federal Government shutdown. prgtoken But for one group of workers, things are not back to normal. These are the low-wage workers employed by Federal contractors serving in cafeterias, providing building security, and keeping Federal buildings clean. These Federal contractors work shoulder to shoulder with Federal employees, and though they are often invisible, they play a crucial role in keeping the Federal Government working for Americans. prgtoken Thousands--potentially hundreds of thousands--of these workers at Federal facilities all across the country were not allowed to work during the Federal Government shutdown. They went without paychecks during the height of prgtoken the holiday season. They skipped Christmas gifts. They missed tuition payments. And they even, in some cases, were unable to afford the insulin they need to stay alive if they live with diabetes. prgtoken Unlike Federal employees, these employees of Federal contractors didn't get backpay when the government reopened. They were ready and willing to work every single day of those 35 days of the shutdown, but they couldn't, through no fault of their own, and they paid the price. That is just not right. prgtoken Making ends meet in a low-wage job is hard enough, and making ends meet when you miss two paychecks--when those paychecks are taken away from you--is nearly impossible. Families who didn't get the income they were expecting were forced to borrow from friends. They were forced to rely on the help of others. They had to make difficult choices, and many of them are still in a financial hole that was not created by them and that they can't dig themselves out of. prgtoken So, colleagues, I rise today to ask you to help me in righting this injustice, and I am glad to be joined on the Senate floor by several of my colleagues who also have been strong advocates for these workers. Senator Brown from Ohio, Senator Van Hollen from Maryland, Senator Kaine from Virginia, along with many of my colleagues, have helped to try to right this wrong. In this way, we have introduced bipartisan legislation to provide modest backpay to these workers. prgtoken The House included our backpay language in the appropriations package that
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-10-29

this afternoon, I join with a number of my colleagues to put s on notice that their healthcare charade is coming to an end. prgtoken Tomorrow, the Senate will go on the record and make clear, once and for all, whether they stand with patients and families who are counting on them or with President and big insurance companies. prgtoken Tomorrow, will force the Senate to vote on our bill to reverse President 's rule that undermines protections for people with preexisting conditions and promotes junk health plans and higher costs for families. prgtoken For too long, s have been making empty promises on healthcare, while taking harmful steps that make things worse for patients and families. prgtoken Time after time, have asked s to work with us to actually make healthcare work better for patients and families, but, time after time, Senate s have said no. In fact, there has been no greater cheerleader for President 's relentless attacks on families' healthcare and no greater obstacle to prgtoken passing solutions to repair the damage than Senate s. prgtoken This isn't just a hypothetical conversation. Any day now--any day now--we could get a ruling on the partisan lawsuit brought by President that would undermine healthcare for over 100 million people by ending protections for people with preexisting conditions, stripping away coverage families got through the exchanges and Medicaid expansion and letting young adults get kicked off of their parents' insurance before they turn 26. prgtoken A win on this could absolutely drive up costs by scrapping the caps on patients' out-of-pocket costs, while bringing back lifetime and annual caps on their benefits--even for those insured through their employer--and ending essential health benefits that require insurers to cover prescription drugs, maternity care, mental healthcare, emergency care, and more. prgtoken When Senate took a stand against this dangerous lawsuit and introduced this legislation to fight for patients and protect their care, Senate s ducked for cover and did not bring it to a vote, just like they have done with Senate ' efforts to bring down drug prices through impactful steps like Medicare negotiation, or to restore funding to help people find the care that is right for them when open enrollment starts this week, or make coverage more affordable for working families. prgtoken in the House have already made progress on some of these steps, from successfully joining the lawsuit to fight for patients to passing legislation that would restore navigator funding, reverse President 's harmful junk insurance rule, and more. prgtoken s in the Senate have blatantly failed to live up to their promise to fight for families' healthcare instead of working with us on these steps to help our families and pro
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JOHN CONYERS
Karen Bass (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-10-29

I rise today to pay a special tribute to Congressman John Conyers. He was one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). He served for 53 years in the U.S. House of Representatives--making him one of the longest-serving House members in U.S. history and the first African American to hold the title of dean. prgtoken Congressman John Conyers, Jr was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 16, 1929, the eldest of four sons of John and Lucille (Simpson) Conyers. Congressman Conyers attended Detroit public schools and graduated from Northwestern High School in 1947. After graduating from high school, Mr. Conyers served in the National Guard from (1948 to 1950) and then joined the U.S. Army for four years. prgtoken Congressman Conyers later attended officer candidate school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. During his time in the Army, he served in Korea for a year. He was honorably discharged in 1954 and served three more years in the Army Reserves. prgtoken He was inspired by his friend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to run for office and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1964. His first hire was civil rights hero Rosa Parks. She served as an aide to Mr. Conyers for 22 years from 1964 until she retired in 1988. During his time in Congress, Representative Conyers chaired the Government Oversight and Reform Committee (formerly the Government Operations Committee) and was the first African American to serve on the House Judiciary Committee and to become its chair. prgtoken As a human rights and civil rights champion, Mr. Conyers opposed the death penalty and fought for police brutality oversight. He was a lead co-sponsor of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mr. Conyers also assisted in passing the Help America Vote Act (2002), the Violence Against Women Act (1994), the Motor Voter Bill (1993), the Jazz Preservation Act (1987), and the Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday Act (1983). prgtoken His legislative record extends to introducing the Medicare For All Act, legislation to establish a government-sponsored, single-payer prgtoken healthcare option to control costs. Additionally, Representative Conyers also championed the issue of reparations by introducing a bill to establish a commission to study the effect of slavery and race relations in America, which he fought for consideration every year. prgtoken His fight for justice also extended to international issues, as well. Mr. Conyers was an early leader in the anti-Vietnam War movement, in addition to the anti-Iraq War movement. He was also a vocal opponent of South Africa's apartheid policies. Congressman Conyers joined Congressman Ron Dellums and other CBC Members in confronting President Nixon about imposing sanctions against South Africa. When it became clear he would not act, Congressman Conyers joined Congressman Dellums in introducing legislation to that end and was even arrested at a protest in front of the South African
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN...
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-10-29

I want to talk for a few minutes about money, 5G, and radio waves. prgtoken A radio wave is nothing more than electromagnetic radiation that moves through the air. That is all a radio wave is. Imagine a pond, and think of a radio wave as a ripple, or wave, in that pond. The wave kind of goes like this. It has a peak and a valley and then a peak and a valley. Eventually, it gets shorter and shorter. That is what a radio wave is. There are different kinds of radio waves. I don't know how many, but there are a bunch, and they are differentiated by the lengths of the peaks and the valleys. prgtoken Remember? The radio wave is doing this. As it goes to the top and comes to the bottom, that is called a cycle. prgtoken Frequency--you have heard that term before--is nothing more than how many cycles a radio wave goes through in one second. So we have out there--we can't see them, for they are invisible--thousands, millions of these radio waves that are, once again, going like this. prgtoken Now, what does that have to do with 5G? So 5G is nothing more than a certain type of radio wave. I will come back and talk a little bit about the 5G in a second. prgtoken When I make a cell phone call to the Presiding Officer, my voice is being converted into an electrical signal, as she knows. It is being sent to her phone through a radio wave. Once it gets my signal carried by the radio wave, her telephone converts it back into my voice. That is all a cell phone is. prgtoken I say: Hello, . prgtoken My voice is then converted into an electrical signal that is sent by a radio wave to her telephone. That is how a cell phone works. prgtoken What is 5G? ``5G'' stands for ``fifth-generation wireless technology.'' prgtoken The very simple answer to ``What is 5G?'' is that it is an incredibly fast radio wave that can carry a huge amount of data. I mean, it is lightning fast. Even if you have fourth generation, it is 10-times faster than anything we have right now. Fifth generation's waves are going to be 10-times faster and will carry way more data, way more information. It is going to change the world, not just the United States of America. It is going to change the world. It is going to change space. prgtoken You have heard about the Internet of Things. 5G is going to be able to hook up all kinds of devices that will be able to talk to each other simultaneously. prgtoken Once we get 5G in America, I will be able to open my garage door from a half a mile away. The Presiding Officer will be able to set the timer on her coffee pot from here in the Senate if she wants to. Surgeons will be able to conduct surgery thousands of miles away from each other through the internet. We will have driverless cars. Do any of you ever get money out of an ATM? They are going to be gone. We will not need ATMs anymore. You will be able to get the money through a smartphone. Through 5G technology, farmers will be informed well in a
THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-10-29

I rise today to draw attention to an invasive pest that is wreaking havoc on farms and forests nationwide and is giving Pennsylvania agricultural producers a major headache. I am talking about the spotted lanternfly. This native Asian insect has been found in at least 14 different counties in Pennsylvania and has spread to our neighbors in Maryland and New Jersey as well. prgtoken The spotted lanternfly feeds on sap, leaving all the plants that it touches weakened. The residue that the spotted lanternflies leave behind promotes mold growth which destroys many plants and crops. The spotted lanternfly has a diverse appetite, feeding on more than 70 different kinds of plants. From fruit trees to hardwoods and nursery industries, so many of the sectors of Pennsylvania's agricultural industry are subject to these pests. prgtoken In Pennsylvania alone, it is estimated $18 billion in agriculture is at risk. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued a checklist that all residents should consult to check for spotted lanternfly egg masses. These things include camping equipment, firewood, outdoor children's toys, like playscapes and sandboxes, and more. By the end of the year, most adult spotted lanternflies will be dead. However, residents are encouraged to rid their property of any egg masses that they find by dowsing them in alcohol. prgtoken Thankfully, research is being done to look into the best ways to combat this pest and eradicate it from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture recently awarded the Pennsylvania State University a $7.3 million grant to support a team of researchers from a variety of disciplines. It is a good investment if we can save $18 billion worth of agriculture damage. prgtoken These funds will be combined with an additional $5 million in investments from growers and landowners--private citizens who agreed to work with researchers on this project. Researchers and extension educators from Penn State will be joined by additional experts from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Virginia Tech, University of Delaware, the Universities of Rhode Island, Temple, Rutgers, Cornell, and the Northeastern IPM Center. prgtoken With continued education and research into this invasive pest, we can get closer to finding a solution to dealing with the spotted lanternfly and alleviating Pennsylvania's agricultural producers of this threat.
SCHOOL SAFETY
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-10-29

Nelson Mandela once said: ``Education is the best weapon with which to change the world.'' prgtoken Today, this morning, 51 million students woke up and went to a public school in the United States. Each student carried a spark with which to light up the world in their futures. Unfortunately, today, given the realities that we have seen over the last few years, some of these students are at risk. prgtoken Last week was designated as America's Safe Schools Week. It was meant as a time to reflect on the steps we are taking to protect our children every day. Upon reflection, however, one thing has become very clear: In many cases, considering the current realities, our public schools have not been designed physically to deal with the student safety issue. prgtoken The consequences of this are heartbreaking. We have heard this story too many times: Parkland, FL, 17 lives; Newtown, CT, 27 lives; Columbine, CO, 13 lives. These were some of the darkest days in our country's history. None of us will ever forget the terror, the tears, and the devastation that these and other communities have felt. For the parents and the relatives of those affected, it is a nightmare from which many will never wake up. prgtoken This can't be allowed to continue. There is an implicit agreement that when we drop our children off at a school, we know they are going to be kept safe. In many cases today, we are not fulfilling that agreement. There are a lot of steps we must take in order to face this crisis. I am confident that if we come together in a bipartisan fashion and focus on doing what actually works, we can make our schools safer. prgtoken The U.S. Senate has a chance to get this started right now. Last month, in a bipartisan effort, Senators Doug Jones, Thom Tillis, and Shelley Moore Capito joined me in sponsoring the School Safety Clearinghouse Act. This bipartisan bill is a critical first step that will help to protect students and faculty in our public schools in America. prgtoken The School Safety Clearinghouse Act will codify a recommendation from President 's Federal Commission on School Safety to create a Federal clearinghouse containing all of the best practices for designing safer schools. The techniques contained in the school safety clearinghouse will come from the brightest engineers, architects, researchers, and educators in the country. It will be like a library that schools can trust when making critical decisions and when talking about physical upgrades in their environment. It is imperative that schools have the best design information because design flaws in school buildings are placing our students and faculty at risk every day. prgtoken When drafting this bill, our office met with Max Schachter, whose son, Alex, was tragically killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, FL, not that long ago. On that awful day, the murderer fired through the window in Alex's classroom
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-10-29

a couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to stand at Iron Horse Industrial Park. It is a brand-new industrial park just outside of Shawnee, OK. It is run by the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and for almost 10 years, they have had the dream of opening up a location in Oklahoma, where there could be foreign trade; different countries could come in to do manufacturing there, and they would be able to work through raw materials and products and sales. It has been a remarkable dream for them. prgtoken I stood on a platform with the leadership of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, members of the Shawnee community, sitting right next to folks from the Canadian Consulate and a Canadian business owner who is opening up a manufacturing plant in just a couple of months, right there on that spot, to be the first company in that location to start doing international trade in that part of Oklahoma. prgtoken That location of Pro-Pipe will start manufacturing pipe that they will send all over the place. It is a Canadian company, but it will have about 40 or 45 jobs that are Oklahoma jobs that are there. prgtoken Now, why do I mention that? I mention that because it was a reminder--again, as I sat on that platform next to Canadians, the Japanese delegation that was there, the Taiwanese delegation that was there, and others from multiple other countries--about how integrated we really are. prgtoken If I took you to Shawnee, OK, there are some great people--and it is a fantastic community--the first thing you would think of probably wouldn't be international trade, but it should be now. prgtoken In Oklahoma, our top two trading partners are Canada and Mexico. We have an overwhelming amount of trade just with those two countries. In fact, we exported $2.4 billion worth of goods just to Canada and Mexico last year. prgtoken We are a very connected economy, and working through the trade issues is incredibly important to us. That is why this new trade agreement that replaces NAFTA, which is now decades old and needs a revision, is so important, because our Oklahoma economy depends a lot on how we trade. A lot of prgtoken our jobs are connected through agriculture, manufacturing, digital sales, other financial services that are connected through trade to Canada and Mexico. They cooperate with us; we cooperate with them. prgtoken So a new trade agreement started in the negotiation process. It started in August of 2017. The administration, the administration in Mexico and in Canada all sat down and decided to reopen NAFTA after the administration put tremendous pressure on Canada and Mexico to update this agreement. prgtoken Initially, everyone said they didn't want to change a thing, and from August 2017 until September of 2018, our three countries negotiated a new trade agreement that all three countries now have come back in their leadership and said: That is a better deal than what NAFTA was. That works better f