mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Michael F. Bennet (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-10-24

I wish to honor the remarkable life of Senator Gloria Tanner. prgtoken Throughout her career, Senator Tanner has excelled in the face of adversity and carried out her work with integrity, strength, grace, and humility. All of these qualities are rooted in a unique authenticity that she possesses, something that is seemingly lacking in today's politics. prgtoken Born in Atlanta, GA, in 1934, Senator Tanner witnessed the growth of the civil rights movement firsthand. She rose to become the first African-American woman to serve as a Colorado State senator and the second African American to be elected to a leadership position in the Colorado House of Representatives, where she served for five terms and as the chair of the minority caucus. prgtoken In 1974, Senator Tanner received a B.A. in political science and graduated magna cum laude from Metro State University of Denver. She subsequently received a master of arts in urban affairs at the University of Colorado in 1976 and graduated from the American Management Association Program for Women in Top Managerial Positions. She also graduated from the Women in Leadership Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Leadership College, Executive Education, Keenan-Flagler Business School at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. prgtoken Senator Tanner became active in politics when she moved to Colorado in 1960 in unison with John F. Kennedy's election. She has served many roles in government, ranging from an administrative assistant to the Office of Hearings and Appeals at the U.S. Department of Interior, the executive assistant to Colorado Lieutenant Governor George L. Brown, to an elected member of the Colorado House of Representatives. In the Colorado House, she has served as chair of the minority caucus. She was also elected president of the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative-Women and served as an executive board member and chairperson of the finance committee of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. She has also served on the Colorado Black Round Table, as a member of the Women's Forum of Colorado, and finally, as a Colorado State senator. prgtoken Senator Tanner succeeded Regis Groff in 1994 and held a seat until 2000. prgtoken Within her 6 years of service as a Colorado State senator, Senator Tanner sponsored legislation on key issues such as marital discrimination in the workplace and worked tirelessly for civil rights for women and minorities and parental rights for adoptive parents. She was one of six legislators selected to serve on the powerful joint budget committee. In serving on the JBC, Senator Tanner secured a quarter of a million dollars to help restore the town of Dearfield, CO, which was originally created to assist former slaves and their families. She was a strong legislative advocate for women and children throughout her service as a senator. prgtoken In retireme
BANKRUPTCY JUDGESHIP ACT OF 2017
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-10-24

I am grateful to be joining with a lot of my colleagues today to talk about the urgency and the importance of what has happened in the aftermath of horrific hurricanes--Hurricane Harvey more than 2 months ago and Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria over a month ago. They have wreaked havoc on millions of lives. They have destroyed billions of dollars of property. They have created pain, suffering, and loss--loss of life everywhere from Texas, to Florida, to Puerto Rico, to the U.S. Virgin Islands. prgtoken Right now, too many of our citizens are still living in not just unacceptable conditions for an American, but they are really living on the brink of homelessness--food and water insecurity, scarcity, and facing the ravages of poverty, where you have lost everything and you are in a dependent state, dependent upon relief aid, dependent upon your neighbors. prgtoken Thousands of families have lost everything, and I believe they have yet to receive the kind of support they deserve from their government. Governments were formed in this country. This Nation was founded on this ideal of common defense. It is literally written into our founding documents, this idea that we are coming together for the protection and the strength of our communities. Right now, we are not doing enough, and that is not the American way. prgtoken I have seen it. During the storm that hit New Jersey, Superstorm Sandy, I still remember seeing us at our best, seeing neighbors open their homes, reaching out to one another. They were Americans standing up for Americans and not worrying about what their political parties were, not worrying about the risk there might be to themselves. prgtoken In fact, I still remember, as the storm was still raging, driving around my city in an SUV, checking in. I was coming up a hill, and I got a call from the President of the United States checking in on Newark. As the hurricane was beginning to leave, as the superstorm was beginning to leave, I got a call right after that from Governor Chris Christie expressing the same empathy, the same concern, checking in to see how I was doing. prgtoken I remember coming up on a hill, and just as I was finishing the last of those two conversations--talking to the most powerful person on the planet, the President, and the most powerful person in our State, the Governor; two different parties, two different backgrounds, but they are Americans--I remember coming up to a street corner where a massive tree had fallen, had torn down lines, and I saw a person in a raincoat standing there by the lines trying to wave me by to make sure my SUV didn't hit what could have been a live wire. I pulled the car over to the side in the wind and the rain, and I saw that it was an elderly man standing there in the streets feeling as if it was his obligation to protect his community. I stood there in the rain and looked at this elderly, African-American man who was standing
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-10-24

. It really comes down to this: We have heard from veterans groups, from individual veterans, Active-Duty military, and from banks, and the banks are the ones saying: Roll back this rule, and the veterans and Active-Duty military are asking us not to. prgtoken The decision hangs in the balance tonight, and I urge my colleagues: Just once, don't stand up with the big banks; stand up with the veterans. prgtoken I urge the President of the United States: Show us what you are made of. Stand up with America's veterans. Stand up to Wall Street; don't just roll over for Wall Street. Be there for the people who count on you. Be there for our veterans and Active-Duty military. prgtoken , .
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2017-10-24

today I wish to honor Joseph Guio, Jr a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice saving the lives of his fellow crewmembers aboard the USS Monaghan during World War II. prgtoken Gunners Mate Third Class Guio was one of the hundreds of men who were lost at sea during Typhoon Cobra, which struck Task Force-38 in December of 1944. Task Force-38 consisted of 7 fleet carriers, 6 escort carriers, 8 battleships, 15 cruisers, and 50 destroyers that had been operating in the Philippine Sea conducting air raids against Japanese airfields. prgtoken Survivors of the event reported that Joe freed a raft from the sinking ship and was injured in the process. Regardless, he continued to pull his fellow men to the safety of the raft and saved many lives. Aboard the raft, his grateful comrades tried to comfort Joe in his last moments, and he thanked them for doing so before he passed on. prgtoken When the Monaghan sank, 256 crewmembers were lost. Twenty held on to the raft for some time, but after days at sea, exhausted, injured, and struggling against 50-foot waves, that number dwindled to six. The USS Brown rescued the six survivors 3 days later. prgtoken Joe's body was never recovered, but his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines. He was 25 years old. prgtoken Born in Hollidays Cove in beautiful Hancock County, WV, no one would have expected less from Joe. He died as he lived, helping others with the utmost respect for our home State and our Nation. prgtoken West Virginia is great because our people are great--Mountaineers who will always be free. In fact, when visitors come to West Virginia, I jump at the chance to tell them about our wonderful State. We have more veterans per capita than most any State in the Nation. We have fought in more wars, shed more blood, and lost more lives for the cause of freedom than most any State. We have always done the heavy lifting and never complained. We have mined the coal and forged the steel that built the guns, ships, and factories that have protected and continue to protect our country. I am so deeply proud of what our citizens have accomplished and what they will continue to accomplish in the days and years ahead. It is with utmost gratitude that I recognize Joseph Guio, Jr and all the servicemembers of today and yesterday. prgtoken Additionally, I am honored to recognize Joe's family who have kept his legacy alive--his nephew, Gary Guio, his great-nephews, Mark and David, and the entire family, the Northern Panhandle community, and the surviving crewmembers who have never forgotten Joe's legacy of service and heroism.
RECOGNIZING THE AWARD RECIPIENTS OF THE 2017 CENTREVILLE IMMIGRATION FORUM ANNUAL DINNER
Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-10-24

I rise to recognize the Centreville Immigration Forum on the occasion of its 3rd Annual Dinner. The theme of this year's gala is ``Celebrating Our Global Community'' and will recognize the rich diversity of cultures in Northern Virginia. prgtoken Northern Virginia is blessed by its diversity. In Fairfax County, nearly l in 4 residents is foreign born. More than 100 languages are spoken in our schools, and we are home to more minority-owned technology firms than anywhere else in the nation. Our variety of cultures and heritages do not divide us; they make us stronger. prgtoken Three exceptional individuals will be honored during this gala who have gone above and beyond in ensuring that everyone, regardless of their country of origin, has full access to the benefits and opportunities this community and our nation provide. I am pleased to include in the Record the names of the following 2017 Annual Dinner honorees: prgtoken Ms. Diana Katz--Ms. Katz is a co-founder of the Giving Circle of Hope which provides grants to area non-profits with budgets below $2 million. She also co-founded NoVIE, a member driven, CEO-level forum that brings together ideas, knowledge and support to benefit the health and viability of social good organizations. She was the driving force behind the NV Rides program that provides transportation for the elderly, and has recently co-founded the Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund under the umbrella of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia. The Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund will be awarding its first grant this year. prgtoken Mr. Mukit Hossain (posthumously)--Mr. Hossain was a telecommunications executive in northern Virginia who became a grass- roots activist following the September 11 terrorist attacks. He was instrumental in encouraging fellow Muslims to become more politically engaged through his role as president of the Virginia Muslim Political Action Committee. In 2006, he joined with Jewish leaders to push successfully for a Virginia state law that made it illegal to falsely label kosher and halal foods. He started Food Source, an organization to feed the homeless in Fairfax, and used his organizing skills on behalf of undocumented workers--particularly as immigration became a defining political issue in Prince William and Loudoun counties. Prior to his sudden death in 2010 he was named Herndon Citizen of the Year and recognized for his community efforts in a joint resolution from the Virginia General Assembly. prgtoken Mr. Kofi Dennis--A Master Teaching Artist with Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through Arts since 1998, Mr. Dennis has shared his skills in drumming and story-telling with children and adults of all ages. He provides Arts integrated classroom residencies and professional development workshops in music and creative drama for early childhood educators locally, nationally and internationally. He has also brought drumming and storytelling to
BANKRUPTCY JUDGESHIP ACT OF 2017
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-10-24

. Thank you, . prgtoken As we speak, millions of Americans are working to put their lives back together after what has been an especially devastating series of disasters, from hurricanes that caused unprecedented flooding, which the Senator from Florida just spoke about, the catastrophic damage there, to deadly wildfires that have scorched communities across the West. From Santa Rosa to San Juan, there are countless families who need a hand up right now, prgtoken and we have to be there for them, including our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico, where a vast majority of families on the island are still without power or access to clean water, as we just heard. prgtoken I am glad we will soon take up a relief package to send resources to help our neighbors in need, many of whom have lost everything. I am glad, as you will hear from many of our colleagues on the floor today, that this is not the end of our commitment to those affected by these recent disasters but, rather, a downpayment on what we know will be a very long road to recovery for many devastated regions. But I challenge my colleagues to do one better. Not only could we address the longstanding fisheries disaster that continues to cause hardship for the men and women of our fishing industry and our Tribal communities, we could also fix the flawed way this country fights wildfires. prgtoken For far too long, the U.S. Forest Service has been forced to use up its budget fighting wildfires every season, only to have no funds left over to work on preventing them. This is a very dangerous cycle and a disservice to so many communities in the West. It has only gotten worse as climate change takes hold, which means our wildfires have grown more massive in size and intensity in recent years. I urge my colleagues to treat wildfires like the disaster they are. prgtoken I hope we all take this moment to acknowledge all of our neighbors affected by disaster, even if they don't make the front page of the paper. Let's use this opportunity to get the policy right and help out all our neighbors in need. prgtoken Thank you, . prgtoken .
CALIFORNIA FIRES
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-10-24

I have spent a lot of time with my friend, Congressman Mike Thompson, over the past week because our districts neighbor each other. While the worst of this prgtoken fire was in Congressman Thompson's district, portions of that terrible Santa Rosa fire spilled over to affect my constituents, and I had a separate fire in Mendocino County, the Redwood Complex, that itself would have ranked among the top 20 wildfires in California history. The fact that all of these fires happened together is truly an unprecedented and a dreadful crisis. prgtoken , I thank Mr. Thompson. He has been everywhere in the region. I thank our local government partners, and I thank our colleagues, Minority Leader Pelosi, and Majority Leader McCarthy. The support has been bipartisan and it has been nationwide. FEMA has been on the ground along with first responders doing heroic work to get the recovery and the rebuilding process started. We are grateful for all of that, but we are only at the beginning. prgtoken If you want to see your government doing good work, go to the local assistance center in Santa Rosa or in Ukiah and watch how the wraparound services are there. Every need that these fire victims, these devastated families, can imagine is there to be met. But we are at the beginning, and we are going to need that support over a long- sustained period. prgtoken , s for standing with us at this early stage of dealing with this crisis. We are going to need them over the long haul. We will be talking more about this going forward.
BANKRUPTCY JUDGESHIP ACT OF 2017
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2017-10-24

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria have left a path of destruction along the Texas gulf coast, Florida, and Puerto Rico. The damage caused by these storms will be felt for many years to come. prgtoken This emergency supplemental is another step forward to recovery for the millions of Americans who call these places home. But I want to remind my colleagues that there is still an ongoing natural disaster in the West that is leaving families displaced, costing taxpayers billions of dollars, destroying structures, and taking human lives. prgtoken As of today, 5,000 firefighters are still battling more than a quarter of a million acres of wildfires burning across the West. prgtoken In my home State of Montana, despite an early snowfall, families this last weekend in Musselshell County were forced to evacuate after a fire ripped through a dry landscape and put their homes and livelihoods at risk. prgtoken In California, more than 8,000 structures have been lost to wildfires this year alone, and with temperatures expected to be in the 90s all week, there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. prgtoken Across the country, in total, fires have burned nearly 9 million acres--significantly more than the yearly average--and 1.2 million of those acres are in Montana. These fires have cost the taxpayers nearly $3 billion to date. prgtoken Quite frankly, these wildfires have been devastating in Montana and in States across the West. It is critically important that we take quick action to mitigate the damage caused by these fires and get communities back on their feet. prgtoken The funds in this emergency package will reimburse the Forest Service for the funds borrowed to fight wildfires. When the Forest Service has to borrow from its nonfire accounts to cover firefighting on the ground, we lose out on critical maintenance, mitigation, and restoration work. This funding will pay back those accounts and support the work needed to recover after a recordbreaking fire season. This funding can help restore the trails and roads that were lost in fires, as well as keep our fishing streams clean and clear from runoff this spring. It will get folks back in the woods, thinning, cutting, and removing debris. It can provide the Forest Service with the resources to quickly salvage the dead and dying trees that are still usable and get that timber into our local mills. prgtoken Unfortunately, though, this bill fails to provide a long-term budget fix to pay to fight wildfires. Fire seasons are getting longer and more intense, which is quickly transforming the Forest Service from a forest management agency into a forest firefighting agency. prgtoken Folks, our climate is changing. History is telling us that our fire seasons are becoming more intense and they are becoming longer. Longer fire seasons will mean more borrowing from the Forest Service to fight these wildfires. We need a long-term fix. prgtoken Fires are burning a hole thro
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-10-24

something truly outrageous is happening today on the floor of the Senate. The resolution we will consider today signals to the American people, in no uncertain terms, that they do not deserve the right to seek justice when big banks or other financial service providers rip them off, leave their personal information exposed to hackers, or engage in discrimination. The resolution of disapproval before us today will strip Americans of their rights in court and will ensure that corporate wrongdoing can remain shrouded in secrecy--all to protect powerful companies like Wells Fargo and Equifax. prgtoken Access to our court system is a fundamental principle in American society. It ensures that all those who wrong others, no matter how powerful, are equal in the eyes of the law and can be held accountable. That may no longer be the case. Access to our courts is under assault by companies that slip forced arbitration clauses into the fine print of agreements for basic services like checking accounts and credit cards. For some of these companies, like Equifax, consumers are not even their customers. They sell consumers' financial information to other companies. They have little incentive to protect consumers or even treat them fairly. That is how Equifax can actually make significant profits after it carelessly allowed the personal information of half of the adult population in the United States to be compromised. This is wrong. prgtoken The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB, rightly put some commonsense limitations on the abuse of forced arbitration clauses. The rule provides that financial services companies cannot force consumers to sign away their right to join a class action lawsuit. The rule also requires more transparency when arbitration is used to ensure that wrongdoing cannot be hidden by powerful companies to keep consumers in the dark. Protecting consumers in this way should not be controversial. prgtoken With the blunt instrument of a resolution of disapproval, the majority is seeking to strike the CFPB's rule and prevent it from ever implementing a similar rule in the future. This action, through a simple majority vote, would slam the courthouse door shut on every American who is ever ripped off by a company like Wells Fargo or has their sensitive personal information carelessly left unprotected by a company like Equifax. If we go down the path of striking this rule, consumers will only be left with the same empty, meaningless apologies we always hear from these companies when they are finally caught red- handed. prgtoken I hope the American people are following this vote today. If they want to know whether their Senator stands with them or stands with corporate abusers, they will certainly find out. Whose side will the Senate be on when the rollcall is taken on this key vote? The American people, and their rights as citizens and as consumers? Or the powerful corporate interests
TIME TO PASS THE DREAM ACT
Pete Aguilar (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-10-24

we live in the land of opportunity where, if you are willing to set goals, work hard, and give back to your community, anything can be done. prgtoken This idea is the grandest of American traditions and is sewn into the fabric of everything that we do, yet we are failing to live up to our ideals. prgtoken A few weeks ago I met a college student in my district named Beatriz. Beatriz moved to the United States with her family when she was 3 years old. And while she wasn't born here, she told me: ``Today, I couldn't even tell you what my homeland looks like, Congressman.'' prgtoken A good student, Beatriz earned good grades to get into college, but would not be able to afford it, except that she received financial aid from the State because she is ineligible from the Federal Government. prgtoken But her life was changed when she applied for DACA in high school. Beatriz was able to attend Cal State San Bernardino with the help of financial aid and is now on her way to becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree. prgtoken She said it is the most exciting experience to make progress and contribute to the economy. This is her home, . It is time that we pass the Dream Act.