mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4, FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3144, PROVIDING FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE FEDERAL COLUMBIA RIVER POWER SYSTEM; AND...
Lloyd Doggett (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-4-25

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. prgtoken Recently, our attention was rightly focused on one passenger who was killed after jet engine failure. prgtoken Two years ago, July 30, 2016, 16 people were killed near Lockhart, Texas, in the deadliest commercial balloon crash in our Nation's history and the worst aviation disaster of any type in the last decade. prgtoken After that crash, this photo shows all that was left. Rightly, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed his disappointment that the Federal Aviation Administration appears to be shirking its responsibility for the many people who go out to enjoy a commercial balloon flight. prgtoken Since 2016, I have repeatedly urged the FAA to adopt a safety measure, long recommended by the NTSB, to help avert tragedies like this. prgtoken The NTSB found that the FAA's refusal to require commercial balloon operators to obtain a medical certificate that they are suitable for flying contributed to this crash where so many were harmed. prgtoken My bipartisan amendment, that has been approved by the Rules Committee, would end this exemption for commercial balloon operations to ensure that there is not another family in America that is at risk of injury or death from an impaired pilot. prgtoken Continued inaction is inexcusable and risks condemning more to death. prgtoken Uniting in Caldwell County around the courthouse in morning prayer to remember the victims, a bell rang 16 times for each person who was lost; families, coming together in their hurt, lovingly embraced by that community. prgtoken You cannot un-ring a bell, and we cannot bring the precious lives back that were lost in this crash. But from their loss, we can pass an amendment that will help ensure that no other family needlessly suffers. prgtoken , I urge adoption of the amendment in the course of the debate.
CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAYS OF GEORGE A. VALLONE AND MARY ``DIXIE'' VALLONE
Josh Gottheimer (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-4-25

I rise today to celebrate two very special birthdays in North Jersey, George A. Vallone and Mary ``Dixie'' Vallone. prgtoken George A. Vallone, who was born on June 18, 1920, is a World War II Army veteran who served in an anti-tank division in North Africa. Later, George served in Rome as a Technical Sergeant working for the Allied Theater Commander. After returning home from the war, George continued to serve his community as the Co-Chair of the New Jersey Citizens for Property Tax Reform and as the President of the Sussex County Senior Citizens Presidential Council. George's work to better the country he loves so dearly is a testament to his patriotism. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing George's selfless sacrifices. prgtoken Additionally, Mary ``Dixie'' Vallone, who was born on March 8, 1929, has been an active member in the Sussex County community for decades. Mary is an award-winning crafter, winning several Blue-Ribbon awards at our local Sussex County Fairs. Mary has been a devoted wife and mother for nearly seventy years. Residents like Mary are what makes North Jersey such a special place to live. prgtoken George and Mary, happy birthday. I wish you both good health and happiness for years to come.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-4-25

today I wish to recognize Carolyn Lumsden, who received the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. prgtoken Ms. Lumsden, an opinion editor for the Hartford Courant, wrote an editorial series last year which revealed the breadth of the crumbling concrete foundations issue in northeastern Connecticut. Her work, ``Crumbling Foundations,'' gave a thorough look at this tragic situation where hundreds, potentially tens of thousands, of homes have foundations that need to be replaced because the concrete contains an iron sulfide that ultimately weakens the structure. Through her months of research, Ms. Lumsden spoke with homeowners, engineers, geologists, data analysts, bankers, and lawyers to understand the complete scope of this problem. ``Crumbling Foundations'' initiated much-needed, positive progress for the people of Connecticut, thanks in part to the data and personal testimonies Ms. Lumsden gathered. In the months following the series' publishing, the Internal Revenue Service approved tax breaks for homeowners, and the State of Connecticut approved $100 million in bonding over 5 years to help the homeowners suffering from crumbling foundations. I am working, along with my congressional delegation colleagues, on additional Federal relief to homeowners and funding for research into pyrrhotite. prgtoken Ms. Lumsden's dedication to using her position as a journalist to assist the people of Connecticut is deeply admirable. For over 200 years, the American press has uncovered and reported vital information to the public about our communities. Thanks to ``Crumbling Foundations,'' our State is now acutely aware of this significant tragedy and is working actively to find a solution. prgtoken I applaud her tireless efforts to uncover the truth of this problem and hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Ms. Lumsden on her well-earned honor.
IN RECOGNITION OF EASTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL'S `WE THE PEOPLE' TEAM
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-4-25

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the students and advisors of Easthampton High School's `We The People' team for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding achievement. These individuals prevailed over a number of highly skilled competitors to earn first-place honors in the 2018 Massachusetts `We The People' academic contest at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate in Boston. They have accordingly earned the distinction of representing the Commonwealth in the national `We The People' competition this week in Washington, DC. prgtoken The annual 'We The People' competition is an extraordinary opportunity that brings young minds together to discuss and learn about issues of vital importance to today's world and our nation. Not only did the students of Easthampton High School's team display exemplary commitment, ability, and character in preparing for and winning the statewide competition in January, but since then they have worked even harder as they eagerly anticipate competing in the national competition. They have been preparing to testify at mock congressional hearings and demonstrate their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, issue statements on a variety of topics related to our country's political and historical heritage, and field complex questions from a number of expert judges. I am confident that they will find their experience valuable for years to come--whether that be as a result of the fundamental knowledge that they have learned or the vital skills that they have built. prgtoken The students have been led by their teacher Kelley Brown who has provided crucial guidance and instrumental mentorship. The outstanding work performed by her class is a testament to the value of quality teachers in the Massachusetts public school system. The victorious students include Charlotte Banigan-White, Tierney Boyle, Ryan-James Bragg, David Brakey, Vincent Catalano, Aidan Chappuis, Carly Detmers, Victoria Drejsa, Chantel Duda, Shane Gravel, Kristin Hartley, Quinn LaFountain, Ambera Mutevelic, Shane O'Donnell, Devon Owens-Heywood, Lucas Patton, David Hunter Pelkey, Carlie Raucher, Nicolas Soucy, Fernando Tenesaca, and Dillan Wilson. Additional advisors of the team include Timothy Wood, Stephen Linsky, Nancy Sykes, and Anuraj Shah. prgtoken , in closing, I would like to once again acknowledge Easthampton High School's `We The People' academic team for their superb dedication and accomplishments. Strong civic education is the foundation of our democracy and these inspiring students have exemplified the finest qualities of informed citizenship. I am proud of this group and I wish them all the best in their upcoming national competition as well as all their other future endeavors.
FREE THE PANCHEN LAMA OF TIBET
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-4-25

today, we celebrate the 29th birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibetan Buddhism. prgtoken He was chosen for his position on May 15, 1995, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Two days later, when he was only 6 years old, the Chinese Government detained him and his family. The Panchen Lama has not been heard from since. Twenty-three years later, he is one of the world's longest held prisoners of conscience. prgtoken People from all over the world--representatives of governments, the United Nations, and civil society organizations--have repeatedly asked to see him, without success. prgtoken What kind of government steals away a child? prgtoken The Panchen Lama's disappearance symbolizes the violations of religious freedom that take place in Tibetan areas of China on a daily basis. prgtoken , in honor of his birthday, please join me in calling on the Chinese Government to free the true Panchen Lama.
Opioid Epidemic (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-4-25

I come to the floor today to voice my strong prgtoken opposition to Director Pompeo's nomination to be our next Secretary of State. prgtoken This position is too important. The stakes are too high to let this nominee slide by without full consideration of what it would mean for Director Pompeo to be our Nation's top diplomat--the person whose every word and action broadcasts America's values to the rest of the world. prgtoken Some of my opposition concerns Director Pompeo's harsh views on matters of war and peace, and his blatantly false accusations regarding members of the Muslim community. Some of my opposition surrounds my deep concern about Director Pompeo's ability to stand strong against President 's erratic and uninformed foreign policy positions. prgtoken But what I wanted to take a few minutes this afternoon to do is to express my serious concern about what Director Pompeo's ideological, extreme positions on women's rights and reproductive freedom would mean for women across the world. prgtoken Our Nation has an important role to uphold as a global champion of women's rights. We need a Secretary of State who will be a strong advocate and continue our legacy of leadership in fighting for women's health and reproductive freedom and the rights of women and girls around the world. Instead, I am afraid Director Pompeo would undo much of that legacy and undermine much of the global progress we have made. prgtoken An advocate for women doesn't repeatedly support the global gag rule, which keeps funding from clinics and programs that provide women important medical care. Director Pompeo did. prgtoken An advocate for women doesn't vote to defund the United Nations Population Fund, which provides family planning services for women around the world who live in poverty. Director Pompeo did. prgtoken When it comes to fighting for the survivors of rape and against those who would use rape as a tool of war, it is clear we should stand by survivors, fight for them, and work to make sure they have access to the medical care they need. However, Director Pompeo has said he would prevent women who have been raped from access to abortions. That is an unacceptably cruel response to women and war survivors, and it is one of the many clear indicators that Director Pompeo is an unacceptable choice to serve as Secretary of State. prgtoken The Secretary of State is always a critically important position, but it takes on even more important meaning in 2018. The President not only needs good counsel in navigating our complex global relationships, but he also desperately needs someone who can tell him when he is wrong and who can stand up to him and be a check on this President's worse impulses. prgtoken Throughout his nomination process, Director Pompeo failed to convince me that he is that person. So I will be voting no on his nomination to be Secretary of State. I urge my colleagues to do the same. prgtoken Thank yo
PROVIDING FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE FEDERAL COLUMBIA RIVER POWER SYSTEM
Raúl M. Grijalva (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2018-4-25

I include in the Record a letter of opposition from Governor Kate Brown of Oregon, a letter of opposition to the legislation from Governor Inslee of Washington, 140 undersigned businesses from the region in opposition, the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee in opposition to the legislation, and over 22 environmental and outdoor organizations in opposition to the legislation. January 22, 2018. As Governor of the State of Oregon, I write expressing deep concerns with H.R. 3144. I am concerned this legislation would thwart federal court direction to provide additional spill at dams on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers and the collaborative state, tribal and federal process that has worked effectively to develop spill provisions for 2018. These court-ordered collaborative efforts resulted in consensus recommendations from all sovereigns, representing a positive, and unprecedented, step forward in building stronger consensus for recovery actions. H.R. 3144 would negate this progress and our ability to implement and learn from these consensus recommendations. H.R. 3144 would also derail ongoing collaborative efforts to examine a range of potential future dam operations and salmon management options required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The State of Oregon has engaged in good faith as cooperating agencies with federal agency leads for this Columbia Snake River Operations study. This process is vital to secure a sustainable path forward optimizing power, commerce, agriculture and fish recovery within a changing social and environmental landscape. Through NEPA and the Endangered Species Act, Congress established processes for federal decision-making that are grounded in a robust analysis of alternatives in a systematic and science-based manner. H.R. 3144 contravenes these important principles and would disrupt the regional efforts to engage in a full, accurate and transparent analysis of salmon and dam management. Washington Governor Inslee has expressed similar opposition to H.R. 3144. Oregonians and Washingtonians share decades of investment in recovering Columbia River salmon, and I join my colleague in asking you to oppose H.R. 3144. Sincerely, Kate Brown, Governor.
MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-4-25

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of the Music Modernization Act. I am proud to partner with Chairman Goodlatte on this comprehensive bill intended to resolve some longstanding inequities and inefficiencies in the music marketplace. We have achieved consensus on this bill, which passed out of the Judiciary Committee by a remarkable vote of 32-0. prgtoken The package includes the original Music Modernization Act, H.R. 4706, introduced by Mr. Collins and Mr. Jeffries, which significantly reforms the process for licensing mechanical reproduction royalties under section 115 of the Copyright Act. It also includes a number of provisions to ensure that songwriters and other music creators receive fair market value for their work. prgtoken The package includes the CLASSICS Act, H.R. 3301, introduced by Chairman prgtoken Issa and me, to resolve the dispute over payment to legacy artists for pre-1972 works played on digital radio platforms. prgtoken For too long, many of our Nation's great cultural icons have been unfairly denied compensation. That is why this measure is supported by the NAACP and more than 300 major artists. prgtoken The bill includes the AMP Act, H.R. 831, introduced by Mr. Crowley and Mr. Rooney, to simplify the payment of royalties to producers, mixers, and engineers, recognizing in Federal copyright their important contributions to the creation of music. prgtoken Several of these measures were included in the Fair Play Fair Pay Act, H.R. 1836, a bipartisan bill I introduced with Representative Marsha Blackburn, Chairman Issa, and Mr. Deutch, to create a uniform system for sound recordings. They, along with Mr. Collins and Mr. Jeffries, deserve a tremendous amount of credit for getting us to this point. prgtoken We are at a unique moment in time where virtually all the industry stakeholders have come together in support of a common music policy agenda. The bill is supported by a broad coalition that includes songwriters and artists, publishers and labels, and internet and digital media companies such as Pandora, Spotify, Google, and Amazon. prgtoken I want to thank the members of my staff who worked for years to resolve some very complex and sensitive issues to move this legislation forward: Lisette Morton, Jason Everett, and David Greengrass. This is an historic opportunity to accomplish a great deal that hasn't been done in decades. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to support the Music Modernization Act, and .
Address by the President of France (Executive Session)
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2018-4-25

I don't know if the Presiding Officer was able to be present in the House of Representatives earlier today when the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, spoke to us about a variety of things, including the Paris accords, the Iran deal, the long history we have between their country and our country; the fact that the American Revolution and the French Revolution were really contemporaneous. We share the birth of democracy in our country and, to an extent, in their country at roughly the same time. prgtoken Those who have studied American history know that one of the ways we won our freedom and independence from the tyranny of that British throne was with the support of the French. We have not always agreed with one another in the years since then, but mostly we have. The bond between their Nation and our Nation continues to be strong, not just between our leaders but also between our people. prgtoken We are fortunate to have a number of French tourists who come to our country. From time to time, some of us are fortunate to go to that part of the world and to visit them, to know them as human beings. The bond between our countries is a benefit for both them and for us, and, I think, for the world. prgtoken I have never come to the floor to start reading someone else's speech, but I am really tempted to read some parts of what President Emmanuel Macron said today. I speak a little bit of French. I spoke to him briefly in French before he gave his remarks. His English is a lot better than my French. I want to mention a couple of things that he said and add some comments of my own. prgtoken He talked a bit about the Paris Agreement, and he talked about climate change. These were his words, and I think they are worth repeating and reflecting on. prgtoken He said: I believe in building a better future for our children which requires offering them a planet that is still habitable in 25 years. Some people think that securing current industries and their jobs is more urgent than transforming our economies to meet the global challenge of climate change. prgtoken He went on to say: I hear these concerns, but we must find a smooth transition to a low-carbon economy. Because what is the meaning of our life, really, if we work and live destroying our planet while sacrificing the future of our children? prgtoken President Macron then said: What is the meaning of our life if our conscious decision is to reduce the opportunities for our children or for our grandchildren? By polluting the oceans, not mitigating carbon dioxide emissions, and destroying our biodiversity, we're killing our planet. prgtoken He went on to say: Let us face it. There is no planet B. prgtoken I turned to my colleague sitting next to me and I said, I am going to steal that line: There is no planet B. prgtoken He is right. prgtoken I like to say this is the
PROVIDING FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE FEDERAL COLUMBIA RIVER POWER SYSTEM
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-4-25

I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy in permitting me to speak on this and the elements that he just put into the Record. These are tough issues. prgtoken The Bonneville Dam, one of the elements here, is in my district. I have been involved with these issues, literally, for decades. I have watched the give-and-take. prgtoken Part of what we are facing today is the legacy of our moving in to create the Bonneville system without really knowing what we were doing when we started. There was a rich fisheries existence. Rumor had it that you could actually--people claimed you could walk across the backs of the salmon when they were spawning. prgtoken The dams implemented, good for producing energy, not good for the fishery system, both in terms of the river and the marine ecosystem that depends on it. prgtoken And it is not just the commitment to the Endangered Species Act and the environment. We are dealing here with commitments to Native Americans who have been ill-served with their treaty rights. That is one of the reasons why we have litigated this for years, because they had valid treaty rights as a sovereign people, and the United States violated them; and only recently, under the pressure of litigation, were we responsive to their needs and some changes were made. prgtoken Now, it is not just the current Federal judge. We have had objections through the Judiciary looking at some of the compromises that people have made. I understand the political pressures. I watch it in terms of the economy, in terms of transportation, in terms of Native Americans, in terms of fish and wildlife, in terms of agricultural interests. prgtoken These are difficult and troublesome efforts, and there is no good response because we have made more commitments than the mighty Columbia River can deliver on. We treat it like a machine, and we have difficulty reconciling it. prgtoken The judge in the case has found that the plan was wanting and has put in place a system for the new BiOp. This legislation is not going to stop litigation. If it passes, I will guarantee you, we will be back in court, and I think there is a very strong likelihood that, rather than moving it forward, it will delay it. prgtoken Look at the record in terms of the opponents to approaches like this on how they have fared in court. It is not a good record. prgtoken Now, I would suggest strongly that we are better served by allowing this process to go forward. Respect NEPA; respect the Endangered Species Act; respect the process that is put in place; and look at all the options. prgtoken Now, I am not saying tomorrow we are going to tear down Snake River dams, but there are lots of options short of dam removal. When we start taking things off the table, we limit our ability to meet our responsibilities under the law and under our treaty obligations and, candidly, in what is going to be in the best interest of solving a very complex issue. prgtoken I would hope that we