mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IMMIGRATION
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2018-2-15

I am grateful to my colleague from Tennessee for yielding to me. prgtoken One of the reasons Howard Baker was one of the great leaders in this place is he had good staff, and one of those folks, who was maybe the senior member of his staff lo those many years ago, was Lamar Alexander, now Senator Alexander. Howard Baker would be very proud of the kind of Senator he has become--a great Governor, Secretary of Education. He is someone who speaks, more often than not, with great wisdom. He and I agree on not everything but pretty much everything. prgtoken I am mister glass half full. My wife says to me that I need to be more of a realist. She says I am too much of an optimist. I am not an optimist today. I feel like we leave here--get on a train, go home-- feeling like we have not done our job. prgtoken The Senator from Tennessee has said that the President did his job, but I just don't agree. I just don't agree. He served as Governor; I served as Governor. if we had an impasse on a difficult issue in Delaware--we are lucky; we are a small state--we can pull people together to resolve just about anything and figure out what we call the four c's. One of those is close to Delaware. No. 1 is communicate. No. 2 is compromise. No. 3 is collaborate. No. 4 is civility. Those are the four c's. That is the reason why we had some success in our State. prgtoken I am not sure we really demonstrated enough of those today. I am not sure the President did as much as he could have done and should have done. We have a Bible study that meets here on Thursdays, as the Senator from Tennessee knows. Seven or eight of us that need the most help meet with the Chaplain of the Senate, Barry Black, retired rear admiral and chief of chaplains for the Navy and Marine Corps. prgtoken Today in our Bible study, he mentioned the golden rules: Treat people the way we want to be treated. Love prgtoken thy neighbor as thyself. And ask the question: Who is our neighbor? He told the parable about the Good Samaritan. Oftentimes, he mentioned Matthew 25, which deals with the least of these. When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was naked, did you clothe me? When I was thirsty, did you give me a drink? When I was sick and in prison, did you visit me? When I was a stranger in your land, did you welcome me? prgtoken I think there is a moral imperative here. In the case where young people were brought here when they were very young from another country by their parents, have grown up here, were educated here, and are working here in all kinds of jobs--jobs that need to be filled--to say by our actions today that sometime in March--maybe March 5--a lot of them will be facing the prospect of being rounded up and sent back to where they were born, I think, there is a moral imperative that says that is not right. prgtoken In Delaware State University, we have any number of Dreamers who are students there. They are the most impressive young peop
ANNIVERSARY OF PROTESTS IN BAHRAIN
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-2-15

in a truly dubious distinction, this week marks the 7th year since tens of thousands of Bahraini citizens took to the streets of Manama in protest. prgtoken These brave men and women put themselves at great risk to demand greater access to their political system and more accountability from their government. prgtoken Rather than engage these protestors in meaningful dialogue, the regime responded with violence, tear gas, and rubber bullets. prgtoken After much international attention, Bahrain's King agreed to set up the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, or BICI, and to fully implement its recommended reforms. prgtoken I say to the Senate today, on the seventh anniversary of the demonstrations, that the regime has not upheld this fundamental commitment. prgtoken In fact, the situation has only grown worse over the past 12 months as the regime has actually taken a number of huge steps back. prgtoken In January of 2017, the regime restored arrest and detainment powers to Bahrain's National Security Agency, despite that agency's past involvement in torture and coercion of political prisoners. prgtoken Later in the year, the King approved a constitutional amendment allowing military courts to try Bahraini citizens, a move Amnesty International called ``disastrous'' and warned would be used to crack down on political opposition. prgtoken These policies are fundamentally at odds with the BICI recommendations and make clear what folks in international human rights community have long said, that the regime has no intention of upholding its commitment. prgtoken The State Department last certified in 2013 that the regime had fully implemented a mere handful of the BICI recommendations. The last State Department update, in 2016, failed to identify any further progress taken. prgtoken Last year a panel of UN human rights experts noted a ``sharp deterioration of the human rights situation in the country . . . aimed at muzzling any discordant voice and suppressing dissent.'' prgtoken The State Department's most recent Human Rights Report details the Bahraini regime's willingness to revoke citizenship as a punishment, often without providing a concrete justification and without an opportunity for basic due process. prgtoken A Washington Post story from last year indicated the regime revoked citizenship from more than 100 Bahrainis prgtoken in the first half of 2017, and reports indicate the regime issued deportation orders to eight Bahrainis just last month after stripping them of citizenship. prgtoken A number of organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, have echoed these observations. prgtoken Regrettably, the administration has done almost nothing to push Bahrain's leaders to fulfill their commitments and do better by their own citizens. prgtoken Why would they when the Embassy of Bahrain is throwing lavish parties at the Hotel right here in DC?
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--Continued
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2018-2-15

I was honored when my good friend Senator John McCain reached out to me 2 weeks ago to suggest that we introduce bipartisan legislation here in the Senate that would attempt to solve two of our most pressing immigration issues and keep our country and Congress moving forward. The bill we have introduced--and which the Senate will soon proceed to vote on--doesn't solve every immigration issue we face, and it doesn't try to. What our bill does is focus on the issues on which we can agree. It is an attempt to break through the messy political debates and substantive disagreements here and find compromise. prgtoken Our bill would do two simple things: Move to secure our border, and finally give Dreamers the path to citizenship they deserve. prgtoken First, to address border security, our bipartisan bill would ensure that we gain operational control of the border by 2020 with new investments, new technology, new resources for Federal, State, and local law enforcement. It would also reduce current immigration court backlogs by funding new judges and attorneys, while addressing one of the root causes of immigration from Central America. prgtoken Second, our bill would give legal certainty to 1.8 million Dreamers who are American in every way but the paperwork--young Americans who have known no other country but this one. Dreamers who continue to play by the rules by going to school, serving in our military, and maintaining consistent employment can become lawful permanent residents and, 5 years later, U.S. citizens. prgtoken Senator McCain and I aren't the only ones who think this bipartisan solution makes sense; 54 Members of the House--an even split of 27 s and 27 --have cosponsored and led this effort. It has been championed by Congressman Will Hurd of Texas, whose district has 800 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, and ic Congressman Pete Aguilar of California. prgtoken Our bill is more than just a set of policies. It is a way for us to agree when we can agree and not let our disagreements get in the way of making progress. There have been misrepresentations and half-truths said in attacking this bill, and I will simply say this: Would a true American hero and patriot like Senator McCain have lent his name to this bill if all these attacks were true? I think not. prgtoken Our message is simple. We may not fix every immigration issue right now, but we can take a historic step forward, and with new technology, new manpower, a new pathway to citizenship, address Dreamers and allow them to succeed in American schools and in the American military and to enrich American communities without fear of deportation. These are tough issues, but the solution is simple. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the McCain-Coons bill. prgtoken . Cloture Motion
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--Continued
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-2-15

I come to the floor today, fully aware that time is running out for America's Dreamers. Their fates rest in our hands. Their futures hang in the balance of our votes, and what Dr. King called ``the fierce urgency of now'' is officially upon us. prgtoken If we fail to take action today, the dreams of 800,000 young people protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, known as DACA, and thousands of others like them will turn to nightmares. It is truly a terrifying prospect that Dreamers face--the prospect that at any moment after they fall out of status, they could be snatched up by President 's deportation forces, torn away from their families, and sent away to countries they consider foreign lands. Well, I refuse to be complicit in that nightmare. prgtoken I refuse to be complicit in the deportation of innocent children. I refuse to be complicit in the deportation of 800,000 DACA recipients and the 22,000 Dreamers living, studying, and working in my home State of New Jersey. It is only out of compassion for them and commitment to them that I am prepared to vote for the bipartisan deal reached last night, the Rounds-King version. prgtoken Let me be very clear. This is not the deal I would have drafted. It is far from the deal I would want, but I know for a fact that it is the only deal with a shot at becoming law. It is the only deal with any hope of earning 60 votes, a simple majority in the House, and maybe the forced signature of 's pen. Therefore, it is the only deal with any hope of protecting more than a million Dreamers across America from the President's mass deportation agenda. prgtoken To my fellow , to my friends and fellow leaders in the Hispanic community, to those in the immigration advocacy community, and to the millions of Americans in New Jersey and across the Nation who stood by Dreamers throughout this ordeal, I will not sugarcoat things. This deal is not the fairness that we would want. It is not as fiscally responsible as it should be. To be honest, if my colleagues truly wanted to protect America's Dreamers in good faith, they would have done so months ago. Instead, they refused to address this crisis for months. prgtoken s chose to treat Dreamers like bargaining chips, pawns that could be used to advance far-right restrictions on lawful, family- sponsored immigration to the United States and to deliver President a big, fat $25 billion kiss in the form of border wall funding. The only thing more preposterous than asking Mexico to pay for a border wall is asking the American people to pay $25 billion for a border wall. That is $25 billion that could be going to repairing the walls of our crumbling public schools, outdated airports, and aging highway tunnels. That is $25 billion Americans will have to pay for 's broken promise that Mexico would foot the bill. prgtoken In case you couldn't t
LET DEMOCRACY PREVAIL ON IMMIGRATION
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-2-15

. Madam , we have 4 legislative days before those protected by DACA will be at risk. The has said he was going to address this issue. He has not at this point in time. prgtoken The said on 9/23/2010: We will advance major legislation one issue at a time. prgtoken He said: We will not duck the tough issues. We will take them head- on. prgtoken In that light, I urge the to put on the floor the three bills that are pending in this House: a clean Dream Act; the USA Act, sponsored by Representatives Aguilar and Hurd, a bipartisan bill; and a bill, the Securing America's Future Act, sponsored by Representative Goodlatte. prgtoken Madam , let the people's House speak. Let them vote. Put these three bills on the floor, and let the majority rule. That is democracy. Let democracy prevail in this House.
GUN VIOLENCE
Robin L. Kelly (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-2-15

I rise today because, on a day when schoolchildren should be thinking about baseball tryouts, prom, and college selections, again they head to school living the reality that a gun may strike them down at any moment. prgtoken Today 17 children will never again return to their school in Florida, casualties in America's 18th shooting in 44 days. Once again parents and counselors will have to bring the comfort and security that this Congress refuses to offer. prgtoken This week in Chicago, a decorated police commander, Paul Bauer, was shot and killed, another officer lost in a disturbing trend of police shootings that we have not addressed either. prgtoken , Melissa Falkowski, a teacher in that school, asked when Congress will do something. A student said, The country needs to look in the mirror. He said, We cannot get used to this. This cannot become the norm. prgtoken Do you remember the terror you felt as grown men on that baseball field? prgtoken Well, imagine those young people in that school, in our neighborhoods, at a concert, in a park. prgtoken Despite your words, your prayers, you have proven over and over you don't care about anyone but yourselves and your contributions. It is sickening, and shame on you.
ADA EDUCATION AND REFORM ACT OF 2017
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-2-15

I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding. prgtoken , because we are talking about need this morning, having seen Mr. Deutch in Florida, let me offer my deepest sympathy for the tragic loss of our children. prgtoken , I rise today to be able to speak for many of those who cannot be on the floor today, and that is the millions of disabled Americans; and to be able to say that with all of the consternation and the uncomfortableness of some of the very important people in America: small businesses, the engine of our economy. prgtoken I have to stand and speak for the value of civil rights and the civil rights of Americans with disabilities who waited for centuries to not be looked upon in distaste and disgust. prgtoken I remember preceding the passage of the American with Disabilities Act. George H.W. is a Texan, and I see often his passion for passing that bill. prgtoken There are 57 million Americans with disabilities. That translates to 1 in 5 Americans. There are 31 million Americans with physical disabilities. prgtoken I heard some of their comments: ``As an older woman with disabilities, I feel invisible.'' Or ``I am not living; I am just existing.'' prgtoken The ``notice and cure'' framework included in this bill would fundamentally change the structure of the ADA's public accommodations title and remove any reasons for business to comply proactively with the law. prgtoken The same as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that we now suffer because we gutted section 4 and section 5, and we have voter suppression, and people are not having their civil rights in terms of voting. prgtoken You touch this in a way that you undermine the very existence of people living with disabilities. I am outraged, even though I am empathetic. prgtoken But if it is a problem of lawyers, State bars can regulate them and State courts can regulate them. You can punish or sanction lawyers who do not have the proper protocols. prgtoken , this is wrongheaded. I ask my colleagues to stand for civil rights for Americans with disabilities. This is not just an amendment. It is undermining the civil rights of those prgtoken who are living with disabilities. They have a right to live. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 620, the ``ADA Education and Reform Act,'' legislation that would infringe on important civil rights of Americans who live with physical disabilities. prgtoken I am deeply troubled that the House of Representatives is taking up H.R. 620, legislation that would remove any incentive businesses currently have to comply with this longstanding civil rights law and undermining protections that allow millions to live independently and in the dignified manner they deserve. prgtoken There are about 57 million Americans with disabilities; that number translates to 1 in 5 Americans. prgtoken There are 31 million Americans with physical disabilities who use a wheelchair, cane, cru
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR JAPANESE INTERNMENT
Tulsi Gabbard (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2018-2-15

. Madam , over 120,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated on American soil during World War II. prgtoken On the annual Day of Remembrance, we are reminded of the brave men, women, and children who lost everything. They lost their homes, their belongings, their businesses, really keeping only what they could carry with them. prgtoken But their spirits were not broken. Countless stories of bravery, courage, and resilience defined an entire generation, including the Nisei-only ``Go For Broke'' 442nd Infantry Regiment, becoming the most highly decorated unit in Army history. prgtoken The anniversary of this shameful blight on our history remains a powerful reminder of the fragility of civil rights and the threat that prejudice and divisiveness and bigotry continue to pose to our way of life today. prgtoken We must follow in the footsteps of those Japanese Americans who volunteered to serve this country, even with their loved ones incarcerated on American soil, and find the light and love of the Aloha spirit to stand up and fight against intolerance, bigotry, and hatred.
ADA EDUCATION AND REFORM ACT OF 2017
Bill Foster (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-2-15

since the start of the debate on this legislation, I have been laser-focused on getting the problems with ADA compliance actually fixed. The problems of drive-by lawsuits have hit my district, and abusive demand letters are a problem nationwide. One of the tragedies of the status quo is that, even after settlement of demand letters, the problems are often not even fixed. prgtoken Many of my colleagues have expressed concern, however, that the underlying text of this legislation would not provide sufficient incentive for legitimate civil rights attorneys to take to court businesses that offer no good faith effort to solve the problem with ADA compliance after they have been pointed out. prgtoken My amendment simply would allow courts to award punitive damages in the cases that a business has made no good faith effort to remove a barrier to access. If they cure the problem, the matter is resolved; if not, they should be subject to the full force of the law, including punitive damages. prgtoken Since its enactment, the Americans with Disabilities Act has allowed millions of Americans to gain access to public accommodations that many of us take for granted. The passage of the ADA was a major civil rights victory. Many more schools, hospitals, grocery stores, and movie theaters are now accessible. Thanks to the ADA, many of our fellow citizens are fully integrated into the fabric of society. prgtoken Despite these gains, however, more still remains to be done. As people with disabilities have continued to work to make our public accommodations more accessible, unfortunately, some individuals have found ways to use the current system for their own financial benefit. prgtoken The underlying bill aims to prevent unscrupulous individuals from taking advantage of the law and to establish a process leading to increased compliance. However, during many meetings with disability groups in my district over their concerns, some voiced fears that the underlying bill would discourage attorneys from taking ADA cases. prgtoken My amendment would work to create an incentive for lawyers to take ADA cases, knowing that, if a business does not comply, punitive damages may be sought. The goal is that individuals with disabilities have access to competent legal representation in order to bring meritorious cases against businesses that seek to purposely avoid compliance with the ADA. prgtoken , .
CUTTING EPA'S BUDGET
Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-2-15

. Madam , 26 percent--that is how much and Pruitt want to cut the EPA's budget, a starved agency cut again by a full one-quarter. That is massive cuts of staff, massive cuts to our health and safety, massive cuts to the EPA's ability to do its job. prgtoken The day after they proposed those cuts, we learned that Mr. Pruitt likes to fly first class on the taxpayer's dime. Over one stretch last June, taxpayer-funded travel for Scott Pruitt and his aides cost at least $90,000. If the administration wants to look for cuts, maybe Scott Pruitt shouldn't be flying first class to his meetings. Maybe he should have to sit next to the constituents he represents. prgtoken Madam , the EPA's mission is to protect our environment. President 's dirty budget wants to cut its budget by $3 billion. prgtoken Madam , we need to be able to protect our health and environment and prioritize funding to do so. It doesn't look like Mr. Pruitt is capable of doing that, even from 40,000 feet in the air.