mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-5-3

. Thank you, . prgtoken I join my colleague, Senator McCaskill from Missouri, in her comments about the Central States Pension Fund. We have over 14,000 workers and retirees in our State affected by this as well. prgtoken But I really stand here today to thank Senator Manchin for his work and to thank our leaders, Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer, as well as Chairman Cochran and Vice Chairman Leahy for their ability to put partisanship aside and get this deal done. It meant everything from funding for the COPS Program to helping to combat the opioid epidemic, Capital Investment Grants, and medical research. prgtoken But for one guy here, it was all personal, and that is Joe Manchin. He fought long and hard to protect healthcare benefits for his coal miners. Think about this: In October, 12,500 retired coal miners and widows received notices telling them that their healthcare benefits would be cut off at the end of the year. Then, in November, another 3,600 notices went out. That is over 16,000 people. prgtoken I don't have coal miners in my State, but do you know why I knew about those notices? Because Joe Manchin prgtoken made sure that I knew about those notices and because the other Senators who spoke here, who have coal miners in their States--they stood up and made sure we knew about those notices, and they worked tirelessly to get this done. prgtoken For me, mining is not about that black coal dust. It is about red dust. It is about iron ore. As Senator Manchin knows, my grandpa worked 1,500 feet underground in the mines in Minnesota. He got his first job as a teamster when he was only fifteen. He had to quit school and go to work and help raise his eight, nine brothers and sisters. One of them died. His parents died. He worked underground his whole life. He went down that shaft and that cage every single day, just to support his brothers and sisters. Then he married my grandma and supported my dad and his brother. prgtoken Do you know what? I wouldn't even be here in the Senate today if he didn't have the pension benefits that came out of the job he had--and healthcare. Joe Manchin understood that about the people he represents. Those miners earned those pensions, and they earned their retiree healthcare benefits. That is why what he did, and what all those Senators who represent the coal miners did, is more than just about those States and about those miners. It is about a promise we made to our workers. prgtoken As one former Congresswoman, Barbara Jordan from Texas, once said: What Americans want is something simple. They want a country that is as good as its promise. prgtoken I thank Senator Manchin for fulfilling that promise. prgtoken .
JERUSALEM DAY
Gene Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-5-3

on May 14, 1948, the democratic State of Israel was founded. prgtoken This week, 69 years later, we celebrate a vibrant, Jewish state located in the biblical homeland prgtoken In tribute to Israel's 69th birthday, I rise today to honor the Jewish people and their long-standing struggle to build and expand their country. prgtoken Many of the Jews who lived in Israel in 1948 were survivors of the Second World War and the Holocaust, which pushed international opinion for the need for a homeland for the Jewish people where they could be free from persecution and free to build a better life. prgtoken Since that fateful day in Tel Aviv, Israel and its people have worked tirelessly to build a thriving democracy that is economically prosperous and at peace with neighboring nations. prgtoken Today, 69 years later, after many difficulties and hardships, a strong, resolute Israel has a population over 8 million. prgtoken The first nation to recognize Israel's independence, I am proud to say, was the United States, when ic President Harry Truman welcomed Israel into the community of nations just hours after its declaration. prgtoken The bonds between our two great nations, bound together by common interests and shared values, have only grown with time. prgtoken Through ic and Administrations, we have continued to stand by our ally in the Middle East. prgtoken As most people know, I have been a long-time supporter of Israel and continue to advocate on their behalf. prgtoken , I hope on this joyous celebration that we reflect on the need to redouble our efforts to bring peace to the region and continue to tangibly support our friend and ally in its request for peace.
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2017-5-3

I wish to thank my friend from West Virginia, my colleague, Senator Capito, for her support and leadership in our fight to keep the promise made in President Truman's White House more than 70 years ago. prgtoken For the past two Congresses, Senator Capito has been an original cosponsor prgtoken of the Miners Protection Act with me, and I am proud to say that the healthcare portion of that bill is included in the Omnibus appropriations bill that we are set to vote on later this week. Before sending this permanent fix to the President's desk for his signature, I want to confirm our specific understanding of how the language would apply to the eligibility for benefits of the former employees of Patriot Coal, Alpha Natural Resources, and Walter Energy.
HONORING INVESTMENTS IN RECRUITING AND EMPLOYING AMERICAN MILITARY VETERANS ACT OF 2017
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-5-3

I rise to speak about Senate Amendment to H.R. 244, ``Making Consolidated Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017.'' prgtoken The legislation before us is an imperfect vehicle for appropriations for FY 2017, but this Omnibus Appropriations package contains new funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017 for federal agencies under the eleven remaining Appropriations subcommittees. prgtoken The Omnibus Budget Agreement appropriates $1.070 trillion in base discretionary budget authority, allocating $551 billion for defense and $519 billion for nondefense in line with the Budget Control Act's statutory discretionary spending caps, as well as $93.5 billion in additional funding designated for Overseas Contingency Operations(OCO). prgtoken , this budget agreement is far from perfect, but it is a positive step since it ensures that funding for appropriated entitlements will continue at a rate maintaining program levels under current law and prevents congressional s from shutting down the government again and manufacturing a crisis that only harms our economy, destroys jobs, and weakens our middle class. prgtoken The government shutdown of 2013, which was manufactured by the majority lasted 16 days and cost taxpayers $24 billion. prgtoken The enormous harm and disruption of the lives of federal employees and the people they serve, however, was irreparable. prgtoken As I stated, , this Omnibus Budget Agreement is a product of goodwill and realism, and averts a shutdown of government operations and the disruption a shutdown causes to the lives of millions of Americans who depend upon federal programs to do their jobs, educate their kids, care for their parents, and contribute to their communities. prgtoken Our constituents look to the Congress and the President to make responsible choices and decisions to keep the nation safe, the economy prosperous, and to make necessary and prudent investments in education, healthcare and research, transportation and infrastructure, economic development, science, the arts and humanities, and the environment. prgtoken This is, after all, just another way of saying that the American people expect their leaders in Washington be guided by the Constitution's Preamble and pursue policies and provide the resources that will: ``establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.'' prgtoken The funding priorities that have been floated by the Administration fail this essential test of leadership because they are irresponsible, impracticable, unrealistic, and, in many respects, insensitive or indifferent to the deleterious impact they will have on the lives of real people living in the real world. prgtoken They do not command majority support in the Congress or of the public and have been rejected in this budget. prgtoken Instead, in a stinging defeat for the , the Omnibus
TERRIBLE HEALTHCARE PLAN
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-5-3

s in Congress and now President are twisting arms and trying to make a deal to get their terrible healthcare bill through this House of Representatives. prgtoken It is so interesting to note that they are working really hard to make sure they can have a vote, if they can, before Members have to go home and speak to the people that they work for. prgtoken Why would that be? Why would they be so fearful of having to go back and explain what is happening? prgtoken They would rather go back and say: It is too late. I already voted for it. Sorry. prgtoken They do that because they know this is a bad piece of legislation. Don't just take it from me. Other Members have said things like: This legislation provides health care in name only or it torpedoes protections for people with preexisting conditions. prgtoken No one should be fooled by this last-minute ditch effort to put some money on the table as if it is enough to provide support for preexisting conditions. prgtoken Let's be clear, this change eliminates the guarantee that you can get coverage if you have any sort of preexisting condition. We should reject it.
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-5-3

I rise today to join with a number of my colleagues, and from Illinois for her comments on pensions, but there is another battle that a lot of us have been down here for a number of times over the last couple of years; that is, how do we make sure this country honors its promise and provides a permanent fix for our Nation's coal miners, particularly in terms of a promise that was made back in the late 1940s by then-President Truman in terms of healthcare for miners? prgtoken The last few months have been filled with an awful lot of uncertainty about whether the promise of healthcare for miners, retirees, widows, and others would be kept. As a matter of fact, earlier this year, 22,000 coal miners or their dependents received notices that their healthcare benefits would be terminated at the end of April. prgtoken After months of uncertainty and fighting, we stand ready later this week to pass a bill that would make sure America kept its promise. We have spent a lot of time on this floor arguing for causes, but rarely in the 8 years I have been here have I seen any Member of the Senate be more engaged, more obsessed, more of a pain in the neck--and a pain in other parts of bodies--on this issue than my great friend, the Senior Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin. The truth is, without Joe's tireless work and leadership, I am not sure the miners in West Virginia or Virginia or Pennsylvania or other States that were affected would be able to look at this piece of legislation and know that their healthcare benefits are going to be maintained. prgtoken This didn't come easily. If nothing else, this shows again the power of persistence. Joe first raised this issue in July of 2015, when he introduced the Miners Protection Act. Since then, he has brought it up--I ask my colleagues to contradict me if it is not the case--in every public meeting or private meeting. Whenever there were more than two or three Senators engaged in any topic, Joe would come bursting in and say: We have to take care of the miners. prgtoken Well, there are a lot of times here in this Chamber that those kinds of efforts are not recognized or rewarded. I just wanted to be one of the first to say on behalf of all the miners in Virginia--but more importantly to the 22,000 miners who otherwise would have lost their healthcare--that many of us played some small role, but we wouldn't be having a permanent fix to the law without the absolute leadership, dedication, and determination of Joe Manchin. prgtoken Before I turn it over to my colleague from Pennsylvania to make a comment or two, I know that at times Senator Manchin, as a former Governor, has wondered: Can you really get stuff done here? Well, there are a lot of issues we still have to work on; there are a lot of things we haven't gotten done. But for a whole lot of miners, their widows, and dependents, without the Senator's leadership, America wouldn't ha
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2017-5-3

. . prgtoken , I rise to speak about what the Senior Senator from Virginia just spoke about, and that is the miners' healthcare. We have complete action at long last. This should have been done in December, when we were pleading with the majority leader at the time to get it done then. prgtoken But we are happy we are at this point now, where one of two--one promise has been fulfilled, and that is the promise of permanent, guaranteed healthcare for thousands, tens of thousands of miners across the country. In my home State, the last count was 1,955. Let's round it off to 2,000--a lot of families. We are grateful we are at this point. prgtoken I do want to reiterate what Senator Warner said about our colleague from West Virginia, Senator Manchin. He is right. Joe Manchin brought this up at every meeting over the course of many, many months and several years. We are grateful for the leadership he demonstrated and grateful that he kept us all focused. I thank all of our colleagues who worked on this. prgtoken I think, initially, going back years ago, before Senator Manchin was in the Senate, Senator Rockefeller was raising this issue. This really has been around a long time--for at least 5 years. We heard this morning from Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, who talked about this 5-year fight. prgtoken I commend and salute Senator Manchin. I also thank the committee dynamic here, the Finance Committee--several members on the committee-- with Senator Wyden helping us get this bill, the Miners Protection Act, through the Senate Finance Committee and the leadership of Senator Schumer, as well, in focusing our caucus on getting this done. prgtoken I just want to make two additional points. One is a negative note, but I think it is important to point this out. There was a story yesterday in the publication, ThinkProgress. Here is what the headline was: `` administration admits it used miners' healthcare as a bargaining chip.'' That was the headline. Then the subheadline was: ``Coal miners were just pawns in a larger game.'' That is what the headline and subheadline said. prgtoken I am not sure I have read a more disturbing headline in a long time, where the healthcare of coal miners--retired coal miners, who were promised this decades ago, would be used as pawns in a debate about a spending bill. Unfortunately, that is at least what has been reported. I hope we don't ever see a headline like that again. prgtoken Going forward, the problem for us now is, as much as we are happy about this current result on healthcare, we still have a lot of work to do for miners, especially when it comes to their pensions. That is the second half of the promise. prgtoken So I remind everyone again, these miners kept their promise. They kept their promise to their company to work in the darkness and danger of a coal mine, sometimes for decades, not just years. They kept their pr
CLIMATE CHANGE
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-5-3

the last two weekends have surged with political activism. Around the world, millions of people took to the streets to stand up for science and to call attention to the global crisis of climate change. This past weekend, my wife and I marched here in Washington, alongside 200,000 people from across our country in the People's Climate March. prgtoken I joined faculty and students from Rhode Island's Greene School, an environmental charter school named after the great Nathanael Greene. The Presiding Officer may well know that Nathanael Greene worked his way through the Presiding Officer's State during the course of fighting the Southern Revolutionary campaign and that General Cornwallis wrote to his wife that ``that damn Greene is more dangerous than Washington.'' So we are very proud of Nathanael Greene in Rhode Island and of the school that bears his name. prgtoken The kids who came down traveled overnight, through the night, to participate in that march. Joined by 375 sister marches worldwide, we came together with one voice to demand leadership in the fight against climate change. The Science March in Washington over Earth Day weekend, led by a nonpartisan group of scientists, was joined by people in 600 satellite marches around the world. prgtoken I went to Earth Day Texas, a truly impressive event, with 150,000 people, making it the largest Earth Day event in the world. It is the passion of businessman and philanthropist Trammell Crow, who has been bringing s and together to combat climate change since 2011. So for my 165th ``Time to Wake Up'' speech, I want to thank all of those folks who made their voices heard these past few weeks in the streets or online. prgtoken With the administration locked into tone-deaf climate denial, these marches mattered. And how tone-deaf this administration is. Data from Yale's program on Climate Change Communication shows national support for climate action across a broad range of questions. Nationally, 71 percent trust scientists about climate change--right here; trust climate science about global warming, 71 percent. So many folks came out to the Science March to show that. prgtoken A majority of Americans, 53 percent, believe climate change is caused mostly by human activity. That compares to 9 percent--9 percent of the caucus here in a vote taken just last Congress. History will have to look back and explain why 53 percent of the American people say that is the case and only 9 percent of our caucus was able to recognize that. prgtoken Eighty-two percent of Americans want research into clean and renewable energy sources. Seventy-five percent want us to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant, and 69 percent--right here--want strict CO2 limits on existing coal-fired powerplants. prgtoken The President is disparaging the Paris climate agreement, but 7 out of 10 registered voters say the United States should stay
HONORING LYDIA STRUNK
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-5-3

I agree with almost everything the just had to say, and I may repeat some of it. What I do not agree with, however, , is that we didn't notice. I noticed. My staff has noticed. My staff has not only noticed, but appreciated the extraordinary work that Lydia has done for this House--yes, for your office, yes, for the side of the aisle, but for this House and for the American people. prgtoken Lydia and I have a great relationship, but probably more importantly, she has a great relationship with Shuwanza Goff, who runs the floor on our side of the aisle. prgtoken What a privilege it is to rise and say to Lydia, thank you--not as a , not as a , but as an American who appreciates the role that you have played, Lydia, in making a difference. I always say that, when the House runs well, it is the staff's work. When it doesn't do so well, it is the Members' responsibility and fault. So you have been absolutely terrific. prgtoken And Jeff and Graham and Evie, I join with Ryan in saying that your mom is a great American, a wonderful human being. You know that personally. You see it every day in your own lives. But for the past 9 years, Lydia has been a presence on this floor first in the Cloakroom as an assistant, later as a staffer with the Rules Committee, and then, as the just pointed out, deputy floor director for the side of the aisle. prgtoken They are the majority party, so Lydia's responsibility really is institutional--not partisan, but institutional--and she has performed that in the best traditions of the best of this House. prgtoken It is a testament to Lydia's skill and professionalism that she has earned the respect not only of her own colleagues on the side, but also those who work on my staff and the ic leader's staff on this side of the aisle. That is why, Lydia, I said we have noticed, we have appreciated it. prgtoken In many ways, , public service is a family affair for Lydia Strunk. She grew up around it when her father worked in the George H.W. White House handling legislative affairs. Her dad is a good friend of mine, so perhaps I am not objective. I am also the father of three daughters, so perhaps I am not objective. prgtoken Nick Calio is one of the great people with whom I have served through the years. I think he is here in the gallery somewhere with his wife. prgtoken Thank you, Nick, for your service, and thank you for being such a wonderful example for your daughter. She has brought that same kind of cooperative, collegial, inclusive spirit to her work that you brought to yours not only working in the public sector, but also in the private sector. prgtoken Let me end. She grew up in a great State: Maryland. Again, perhaps making me more subjective than I otherwise would be. prgtoken After she began as a Cloakroom assistant, she met and later married Jeff Strunk, who then worked on John Boehner's floor staff,
HONORING INVESTMENTS IN RECRUITING AND EMPLOYING AMERICAN MILITARY VETERANS ACT OF 2017
Henry Cuellar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-5-3

I rise to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Lowey for their hard work on this good bill. prgtoken This bill today is a compromise bill. It is a good bill because this is the way Congress is supposed to be working. I say it is a good bill because it provides an increase to the Pell grants, authorizes them in the summertime, year long. That will be good to get kids into education. It provides $2 billion to the National Institutes of Health. It provides a solution to the citrus greening crisis that is impacting our citrus growers in south Texas and other parts. It provides funding for 10 additional immigration judges and their support staff to help cut down the backlog of over half a million cases that we have on top of the 55 immigration judges we had last year. As Chairman Carter said a few minutes ago, it adds $1.5 billion to improve the Nation's border security without funding the medieval wall that we have. prgtoken Again, I thank all of my colleagues for working in a bipartisan way.
TRIBUTE TO MANUEL TROY CORONADO
Joaquin Castro (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-5-3

I rise today to acknowledge and honor the patriotic service of Manuel Troy Coronado, who recently retired from a distinguished career in the Army National Guard. prgtoken Troy was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1962. The son of a career military officer, he attended elementary school in Germany and Panama, and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in San Antonio in 1980. He attended the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany and later graduated from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. prgtoken In 1986, Troy enlisted in the U.S. Army and shortly after gained acceptance into the Army's Officer Candidate School. He attended the Armor Officer Basic Course in Fort Knox, Kentucky and served a tour in Germany before taking time to pursue a civilian career, including jobs as a teacher and guidance counselor for troubled teens. prgtoken Drawn back to military service, Troy eventually reenlisted in the Army. Through his work, he lived in several places in the United States, including Arlington, Virginia; Houston, Texas; and Fort Benning, Georgia. Troy was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 to serve as an embedded team trainer. Ultimately, Troy rose to the rank of Branch Chief in the National Guard Bureau's SOUTHCOM Joint Staff. prgtoken Troy's loving wife, Lisa, and their three daughters, Raquel, Jaqueline, and Mindy, have provided him with a great deal of support throughout his various deployments and assignments. prgtoken I join my fellow Texans and all Americans in thanking Troy for his years of admirable, selfless service to our nation.