mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Background Checks (Executive Session)
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-9-19

in February of this year, the House of Representatives passed what is known as the universal background check in regard to gun sales. Since that time, the Senate has had no action whatsoever on gun safety issues. Leader McConnell could bring this bill to the floor, and I am confident we have the support to pass it. prgtoken I do hear from many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that we are waiting for the President, and unless the President signs off on a bill, they are not interested in bringing it up. The last time I checked the Constitution of the United States, the first article of the Constitution provides for the legislative branch of government, and that is us. We make the laws, not the President of the United States. It is up to us to deliver and consider legislation and pass legislation. Yet there is no action from the floor of the Senate. Leader McConnell will not bring up gun safety legislation. prgtoken Every day we wait--every single day--100 people in America die from gun violence. That is why many of us are frequently speaking on the floor of the Senate about the need to consider gun safety legislation. prgtoken It has been over 200 days since the House took bipartisan action on the universal background checks. Since that time, we have seen many mass shootings, including on August 3 in El Paso, August 4 in Dayton, and August 31 in Odessa. There is no action on the floor of the Senate. Every day, there are people dying in our communities and in our homes from gun violence. Yet there is no action on the floor of the Senate. prgtoken The United States is an outlier among the developed nations in the world. We have 10 times, 20 times, 30 times more instances of gun violence than in developed countries in the world. We have more guns in private ownership than the people of developed worlds, more suicides, more mass shootings, more gun violence. Yet there is no action on the floor of the Senate. prgtoken The issue is kind of simple. Inaction is not an answer to gun violence in America. Americans are expecting us--the Members of the Senate--to consider gun safety legislation. We want the majority leader to bring that bill to the floor today before another 100 people die. Let us take action. prgtoken I mentioned several times the bill that passed the House of Representatives over 200 days ago, the universal background checks. Let me just talk a moment about why that bill needs to be considered and passed as soon as possible. In 1993, we passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. It provides for a presale check as to whether an individual is entitled to own a handgun. As I am sure my colleagues are aware, the Supreme Court of the United States has determined that the Second Amendment is not absolute. If you have been convicted of a violent crime, if you have mental issues, you are not entitled to have a handgun. The Brady presale check determines whether you fall into
COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH AGGRESSIVE ACTION AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2019-9-19

. Madam , I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin) so much for yielding. prgtoken Madam , 12 years, we are told that we have 12 years to limit the effects of climate change on our planet and ensure a better world for our children, our grandchildren, and future generations to come--12 years. prgtoken I mean, it really seems like a long time, but now scientists are saying that the actions we take in the next 18 months will determine our ability to meet our climate goals by 2030. prgtoken In 18 months, we will experience two more winters and another summer, each bringing with them more extreme weather and more catastrophic natural disasters. The stakes are so high. prgtoken Less predictable climates produce lower crop yields, drive up the costs of healthy food; meanwhile, extreme weather events and heat waves resulting from a changing climate may worsen a growing array of public health problems like waterborne diseases, asthma, mental illness, heart disease, stroke, and more. prgtoken In Wisconsin, from where I hail, we still remember the deathly chill of the polar vortex this past winter, matched only in intensity by the summer's record-setting heat, heavy downpours, and flooding. Our storm in July produced severe enough damage that several counties across Wisconsin received Federal disaster relief funding. prgtoken But do you know what, Madam ? Disaster funding can help rebuild communities, but it cannot prevent them from being torn apart by climate change. prgtoken As we debate which urgent actions must be taken within the next 18 months to prevent further decay of our climate, we must work not only to support a swift transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, but also to fortify our communities. prgtoken The fact is climate change has a disparate impact on low-income and minority communities. Indeed, these communities are already disproportionately impacted by other environmental hazards, and we are just piling on. prgtoken Air pollution from both stationary and mobile sources are a primary source of environmental health risks, particularly in urban areas. Low- income, high-minority population communities, which unfortunately are highly segregated, tend to be closer to industrial sources of pollution, including chemical plants, steel mills, oil refineries, peak load power plants, and hazardous waste incinerators. prgtoken One study found that Blacks, the poor, and people with low educational attainment were substantially more likely to live within 1 mile of a polluting facility, and that within urban areas, racial disparities were particularly evident in the Midwest and the West. prgtoken As it pertains to our warming climate, another study found that, as urban areas heat up, so-called urban heat islands, low-income and high- minority communities will boast higher heat indexes during extreme heat events, thereby compounding the already dire and deadly impacts that heat waves have on urban
COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH AGGRESSIVE ACTION AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-19

. Madam , from the Representative of the northernmost district on the coast of California, I really do want to thank my friend from southern California for yielding to me. San Diego and Orange Counties are so well-served by his intelligent, principled leadership, and especially on this issue, this existential crisis that we are trying to confront of global climate change. The gentleman's leadership on this issue has certainly been noted. prgtoken Madam , our leader, Nancy Pelosi, did a very unusual thing in reaching out and choosing a freshman Member of Congress, and it is because of Mr. Levin's background and clarity on these issues that she put him on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, where I am proud to serve with him. So I thank the gentleman so much for that leadership. prgtoken And, Madam , he is doing more than that. He is putting great bills into the hopper. He is leading this debate this evening. So we are well served with Mr. Levin's leadership in southern California. prgtoken Now, one of the previous speakers mentioned that we are gathered here on the eve of this global climate strike tomorrow. Tens of thousands of students all over the United States, 800 different sites, are working in harmony with 156 other countries where young people are doing the same thing worldwide. This is a week of action. prgtoken These are high school kids, and even younger in some cases. They understand what is at stake here. The part of their message that I think we really need to hear is that we don't have time. prgtoken There is an extreme urgency to confront this crisis, and they understand that the longer we wait, the harder it is going to be to preserve a livable future for their generation. Of course, if we wait too long, it is game over. prgtoken They are scared, and they ought to be scared. We all ought to be scared about the fact that we are running out of time to address this crisis. prgtoken Yesterday, I had a chance to sit down with a few of these young leaders. I am super grateful that four of those that Chairman Grijalva and I met with for a couple of hours were from Sonoma County in my district. So I want to thank Olivia, Kate, Christian, and Jonah. They were from the National Children's Campaign and also Schools for Climate Action. They came all the way to Washington, D.C to make sure that the country heard their story. prgtoken That story, of course, involves the terrible firestorm of October 2017 that the folks in the North Bay had to live through. These young people had their lives uprooted and impacted in profound ways, and it helped sharpen their climate activism. They brought that story to a very important, urgent conversation that Chairman Grijalva and I were part of yesterday. prgtoken More and more people like them are living the very real impacts that climate change is having right now. This is not some abstract thing in the future. It is happening now, and it is going to get w
HIDDEN FIGURES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
Michael F. Q. San Nicolas (Democrat, GU) \u2014 2019-9-19

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise in strong support of H.R. 1396, the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019. prgtoken I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) for her work on this bill, which honors the women mathematicians and engineers who helped win the Space Race. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon space landing, a shining beacon of bold American innovation and ingenuity, made possible by tireless and often unacknowledged and under-appreciated contributions of the women working as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. prgtoken These women faced challenges that exemplified the period of segregation in which they lived and the male-dominated culture at NASA and its precursors, despite the contributions they made to space exploration. They faced lower pay, were not allowed to submit their work under their own names and did not receive the promotions that their male colleagues did. They also faced segregated dining facilities, water fountains, and bathrooms. prgtoken It was only right that the experiences of these women were brought to light by a popular book by Dr. Christine Darden published in 2016, which also became a successful movie. This book described her and the struggles of Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan in this difficult environment. prgtoken The women computers, mathematicians, and engineers of NACA and NASA overcame these challenges. They made critical contributions not only to the Space Race, as depicted in the film based on Dr. Darden's book, but also to World War II aircraft development and research into faster- than-sound flight. prgtoken The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award bestowed by the Congress. It is awarded to persons who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement. prgtoken The Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act awards five Congressional Gold Medals; one each to Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, and one medal to honor the contributions of the hundreds of women computers, mathematicians, and engineers whose names have largely been lost to history. prgtoken Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson) for introducing this bill this Congress, and I urge members to vote ``yes''. prgtoken Madam , .
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020, AND HEALTH EXTENDERS ACT OF 2019
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-9-19

I thank Chairwoman Lowey for her great leadership. prgtoken It is with, actually, great reluctance that I rise in support of today's short-term continuing resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well. While this continuing resolution will keep the lights on for the government of the United States, surely, this isn't the most responsible course of action we could follow. prgtoken This extension of current funding means Federal agencies are effectively forced to operate on autopilot. They can't begin any new programs or respond to shifting priorities. To force our Nation's government to once again operate on a continuing resolution has been railed against by our friends as particularly problematic for the Pentagon. And they are right. But it is the lack of action from our Senate colleagues who deep-sixed their fiscal responsibility and their leadership that brought us here today. prgtoken I commend Chairwoman Lowey's real leadership, and Pelosi, and Majority Leader Hoyer for their prioritization and passage in the House of 10 of the 12 annual appropriation spending bills. But what has the Senate achieved? Very little. prgtoken Despite ic warnings for months about the need for a bipartisan budget agreement, it took until July to settle on top-line numbers. Only this very month were our Senate colleagues willing to advance their first bills. prgtoken Why you might ask? Because they are beholden to the White House. But this White House has consistently demonstrated its lack of regard for the Federal budget process itself, for Congress' constitutional power of the purse, and for the constitutional separation of powers when it comes to Federal funding decisions. prgtoken So I suppose there is a bit of time to right this ship of state. But it will take real courage from congressional s to separate themselves from the irresponsible campaign promises of the President. It will take serious commitment in the Senate to produce bills that can be conferenced with our House versions that are just waiting for conference.
HONORING MELVINDALE-DEARBORN FIRE CAPTAIN MICHAEL PREADMORE
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , I rise today in tribute to Captain Michael Preadmore for his many years of service to the Melvindale-Dearborn Consolidated Fire Department, on the occasion of his retirement. During his twenty-three years of service, Captain Preadmore has moved steadily through the ranks, garnering accolades for his dedication and bravery along the way. Preadmore joined the City of Melvindale's Fire Department as a firefighter in 1996. From there, he was quickly promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and ultimately, captain. A consummate professional who knows safety doesn't take a day off, Captain Preadmore has been acknowledged for his perfect attendance multiple times and he has dedicated his time toward working to advanced certification, including confined space and rope rescue. Above and beyond that, Captain Preadmore has been recognized for his bravery in the line of duty, receiving the Fire Chief Life Saving Award twice, the Department Medal of Valor award, and the Fire Chief Unit Commendation. In short, Captain Preadmore has served bravely and nobly. Please join me in saluting him for his twenty-three years of public service as we wish him well on his retirement.
FORCED ARBITRATION INJUSTICE REPEAL ACT
Theodore E. Deutch (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Forced arbitration provisions strip employees of their rights. They ensure that employees are no match for their employers when it comes to reporting discrimination and harassment. prgtoken Today, this House of Representatives has the opportunity to restore the rights of all workers to seek justice and public accountability. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support and pass the bipartisan FAIR Act.
HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF PAJARO VALLEY LOAVES AND FISHES
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , I rise today on the behalf of Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes to recognize the work they have done to foster community development and collaboration as they celebrate 30 years of committed work to alleviating hunger among working class families on the central coast of California. Loaves and Fishes was founded in 1989 as an emergency response to the Loma Prieta earthquake and served more than 20,000 meals to residents displaced by the disaster at their original location in Watsonville's St Patrick's Church. The organization has since grown into a community-supported local kitchen and pantry to serve the people of the Pajaro Valley. The Loaves and Fishes lunch program serves a hot, nutritious lunch every weekday, prepared on-site by certified cooks and other community volunteers. In 2018, Loaves and Fishes served between 80 and 150 hot and nutritious meals every weekday. The pantry program provides supplemental groceries to the individuals or families up to twice per month, with 76 percent of adult pantry clients being farm workers who support the Central Coast. Most of these groceries are either donated or purchased from local farmers and the Second Harvest Food Bank. In addition to its food programs, Loaves and Fishes supports the development of the community by providing support services, including nutrition education, job trainings, resume building workshops, life skills development, and referrals to other available social services. Many of these services are provided through partnerships with other social service agencies and nonprofits. It is an honor to recognize an organization with such a meaningful impact on the community, and I am proud to celebrate Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes' 30th anniversary of supporting the Central Coast. Madam , I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in celebrating Loaves and Fishes as a pillar of strength in our community.
HIDDEN FIGURES CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson; most people know them as the ``Hidden Figures.'' prgtoken Well, Madam , I think it's safe to say they are ``hidden figures'' no longer. prgtoken Thanks to them and many other women, we were able to reach for the stars and put a man on the moon. prgtoken We honor these brave, brilliant women. They accomplished what many thought impossible and proved--to paraphrase Katherine Johnson--that ``Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they even have more imagination than men.'' prgtoken In that spirit, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act and urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
STAND UP FOR CONSUMERS BY SUPPORTING FAIR ACT
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Madam , every day, thousands of Americans unwittingly sign contracts for nursing homes, credit cards, and employment contracts that surrender their rights to their day in court before an impartial judge and jury. prgtoken Instead, buried in the fine print of the contract, they agree to rely on an arbitrator who doesn't have to follow the law or facts and will have every incentive to favor the special interests that could give them repeat business. prgtoken Typically, arbitration is not public. The Wells Fargo practice of opening unauthorized bank accounts would have undoubtedly been exposed and ended sooner if Wells Fargo hadn't enforced mandatory arbitration. prgtoken This is our chance to stand up for consumers, justice, and fairness. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1423, the FAIR Act.
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020, AND HEALTH EXTENDERS ACT OF 2019
Peter A. DeFazio (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-9-20

I will vote yes on H.R. 4378, which funds the federal government through November 21, 2019, although I do have several concerns regarding what is in the bill. prgtoken The House has completed nearly all of its appropriations bills. The Senate has passed none. Because the Senate has not done its work, bridge funding is needed to keep the government open past September 30. prgtoken Let me be clear: it is imperative that Congress provide long-term stability and funding. Congress, specifically the Senate, needs to get its work done and halt the ridiculous and irresponsible lurching from short-term fix to short-term fix. Shutting down the government does nothing but harm Americans. The shutdown earlier this year resulted in Coast Guard personnel going without a pay check for 35 days. I have a bill to ensure that never happens again. prgtoken The continuing resolution includes provisions that I strongly support. I am glad it contains language to stop roughly $1.2 billion in cuts to transit formula funding from going into effect on October 1, 2019. Had this language not been included, the so-called ``Rostenkowski test'' would have been triggered for the first time ever, leading to a roughly 12 percent cut in funding to transit agencies. This test, originally intended to prevent overspending from the Highway Trust Fund, is no longer relevant given that the Trust Fund now consistently relies on General Fund transfers and should ultimately be repealed. prgtoken It also includes funding for Community Health Centers, which provide a vital lifeline for health care services to thousands of Oregonians and millions of Americans in rural and underserved communities. It also modifies Medicaid's drug rebate program to ensure that rebates paid to the federal government and the states by brand name drug manufacturers are calculated based solely on the price of a brand name drug, and not on generic drug prices. prgtoken It includes language to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the funding it needs to process claims from Blue Water Navy Veterans impacted by Agent Orange as well as critical provisions that will significantly expand enrollment in the World Trade Center Health Program, aiding 9/11 first responders and survivors. prgtoken Importantly, the bill provides $250 million in aid to Ukraine to help it defend itself from Russian aggression, which President suspiciously delayed this summer. Disturbingly, may have even tried to use this aid as leverage to coerce Ukraine into conducting politically-motivated investigations to help 's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and to target former Vice President 's family. prgtoken However, I am extremely disappointed that the continuing resolution did not address a highway program funding issue created by the s in the last surface-transportation reauthorization bill. Section 1438 of the Fix America's Surface Transportati
FORCED ARBITRATION INJUSTICE REPEAL ACT
Lizzie Fletcher (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-9-20

. Mr. Chair, the gentleman from North Dakota's argument makes the argument for the FAIR Act, because the essential point there is about the ability to contract with equal bargaining power. prgtoken And we have heard debate this entire morning about the imbalance that exists with these contracts of adhesion, these contracts that require arbitration as a term of employment, and that there is also somebody who benefits. prgtoken And I think what we have seen is exactly what the FAIR Act is designed to prevent. The idea of equal bargaining power is not something we see in these consumer cases, in these employment cases, and that is exactly what we are here to protect. prgtoken However, we have also seen the argument that this is the end of arbitration, and that is simply not the case. There is a place in our system for people who elect to arbitrate, but it must be with equal bargaining power, and it must be with full information and voluntary compliance. prgtoken The amendment simply makes clear that the FAIR Act does not prohibit arbitration on a voluntary basis after a dispute arises and can't be construed to do so. prgtoken Mr. Chair, it is for these reasons that I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and .