mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ALASKA'S SESQUICENTENNIAL
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-3-29

I have come to the floor this evening in celebration of an important milestone, but speaking about it actually presents a little bit of a challenge. In our current environment, how do you give a statement about a Secretary of State, a Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, a Russian Ambassador, and an exchange of millions of dollars without making sensational headlines? Well, my answer to that is you tell the story of Alaska and the Treaty of Cession that brought Alaska into our Nation on March 30, 1867, exactly 150 years ago tomorrow. prgtoken If we are going to be fair, this story actually begins years before 1867. The United States and Russia had been in discussions over Russia's territorial claims since 1856, but the domestic turmoil and the Civil War in the United States stymied progress. So it wasn't until March 11, 1867, when Edouard de Stoeckl, Russia's Foreign Minister to the United States, met with then-Secretary of State William Seward that discussions really began in earnest. prgtoken From that time on, things really picked up speed. Just a few weeks later, on March 29, 1867--150 years ago today--Stoeckl received a cable from Czar Alexander II, approving a deal--a deal that would transfer Russia's interests in North America to the United States. In my office, I actually have a copy, a replica of the deal that was written, along with the note for $7.2 million. That was the deal, but closing it in time was far from certain. prgtoken With work in this Congress rapidly wrapping up ahead of its April adjournment--can you imagine that, actually having an adjournment around this body in April? But that was the way it was 150 years ago. There was little time to complete an agreement and see it ratified, but Secretary Seward was determined, and despite some rather lackluster interest from President Andrew Johnson, he pressed forward with this. prgtoken When Ambassador Stoeckl received the cable, he went to Seward's house on Lafayette Square to deliver the news to him. According to the National Archives, Mr. Stoeckl said: ``Tomorrow, if you like, I will come to the department, and we can enter upon the treaty.'' To which Seward replied: ``Why wait until tomorrow, Mr. Stoeckl? Let us make the treaty tonight.'' prgtoken Secretary Seward was not merely a determined man; he was really a very canny man--canny because before he met Ambassador Stoeckl, he consulted with the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who at the time was Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. He did this to ensure smooth action by the U.S. Senate in approving a treaty. In other words--and this is a lesson that all good members of the executive branch should perhaps take to heart--the Secretary consulted with the Congress before taking action. prgtoken Conveniently, Senator Sumner and Secretary Seward lived on opposite sides of Lafayette Square from each other, and, according to the National Archives, they wer
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TIES TO RUSSIA
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-3-29

the American people are demanding a real investigation into President 's ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. prgtoken I was a journalist for nearly two decades, and for part of that time, I was an investigative reporter. I could tell you that, where there is smoke, there is usually fire. Right now, smoke is billowing out of the White House. prgtoken No matter how many times President tries to distract us with a tweet, no matter how many times President advisers have held secret meetings with the Russians, no matter how many times the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence changes his story to protect President , sooner or later, the truth will come out. prgtoken Vladimir Putin has a driving mission and that is to weaken America from within. prgtoken So to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I ask one simple question: What would President Ronald Reagan do? prgtoken Well, I can tell you. He would put our national security ahead of partisan politics. He would follow the facts, and he would leave no stone unturned. prgtoken Our democracy demands a complete, thorough, and independent investigation into President 's ties with the Putin regime.
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-3-29

I have a great deal of respect for my friend from Pennsylvania, as we have worked together on a number of issues, but forgive me if my blood boils when I hear my friends talk about breaking precedent in this body when it comes to the consideration of Supreme Court nominees. Forgive me if I get a little angry when I hear those on the other side of the aisle talk about ' using exceptional measures, in their opinion, in order to oppose a Justice for the Supreme Court. Come on. Everybody knows what happened here last year. The majority decided to deny the President of the United States--at the time, --the ability under the U.S. Constitution to nominate a Justice to the Supreme Court, not because of anything having to do with the merits of the nominee, Merrick Garland, but simply because the President was a . Everybody knows that is what happened. Everyone knows that precedent was broken and that comity was broken here in the Senate when the majority decided not just to deny a vote on this floor but not to even give the courtesy of a meeting, of a hearing to Merrick Garland despite the fact that he was unquestionably qualified for that position. prgtoken It is a fiction to suggest that there is some strategy amongst on this nomination. We are all making up our minds individually. I decided yesterday that I was not going to support prgtoken Judge Gorsuch because I think he is likely going to side on behalf of corporations and special interests instead of my constituents and bring his politics to the bench in a way that I do not think squares with the people whom I represent. Yes, I am going to use my ability to vote on the floor of the Senate in order to stop his nomination. prgtoken I understand s may not be happy about my decision and the decisions of others on this side of the aisle, but let's have a discussion about the merits of Judge Gorsuch, not the question of which side is breaking precedent because everybody remembers what happened to Merrick Garland. Nobody has forgotten that. This is not some quid pro quo, this is not some tit for tat, but to come down and pretend as if 2016 did not happen. prgtoken , I would like to speak for a moment about a potential CRA--another CRA--that is perhaps coming to the floor this week or next week. It is one that would take away the ability of States to try to do something about the retirement crisis that is enveloping this country. prgtoken I speak as one of the youngest Members of this Chamber, and it scares me to death to think that half of Americans who are in their working years have no money saved for retirement today before a qualification for Social Security or Medicare. Even worse, a study that I looked at the other day suggested that 58 percent of Americans who are working have not even done the calculations as to how much money they will need in order
TRIBUTE TO JILL HRUBY
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2017-3-29

it is an honor to recognize Jill Hruby and her team for their commitment to the success of Sandia National Laboratories and their commendable service to the Nation. prgtoken Since 2015, Ms. Hruby has been the president and director of Sandia National Laboratories and will be leaving the labs at the end of April. prgtoken It has been a pleasure working with her over the last 2 years. prgtoken With more than 12,000 employees, Sandia is our Nation's largest national laboratory with principal sites in Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA. prgtoken The lab employs some of the best and brightest minds in the country and is indispensable to our national security and to maintaining our Nation's science and engineering superiority. prgtoken Ms. Hruby joined Sandia in 1983 to work on research in nanoscience, hydrogen storage, mechanical component design, thermal analysis, and microfluidics. prgtoken She served for 27 years at Sandia's California location, managing projects responsible for weapon components, microtechnologies, and materials processing. prgtoken In 2010, she came to New Mexico to serve as the vice president of the Energy, Nonproliferation, and High-Consequence Security Division and as the leader of Sandia's International, Homeland, and Nuclear Security Program Management Unit. prgtoken In July 2015, Ms. Hruby became the first woman to direct a national security laboratory. prgtoken Ms. Hruby has authored numerous publications, holds three patents in microfabrication, and won an R&D 100 Award in solid-state radiation detection. In 2016, the Society of Women Engineers presented Ms. Hruby with the Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award in celebration of her rise to a leadership role and her dedication to creating a nurturing environment for women in the workplace. prgtoken She has said that she wants her work to matter to others and to have a purpose greater than herself. prgtoken I commend Jill Hruby for her incredible record of service to our Nation addressing some of our most complex issues and challenges, and I wish her the best in all of her future endeavors.
HONEST AND OPEN NEW EPA SCIENCE TREATMENT ACT OF 2017
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-3-29

I thank the ranking member and my friend, the chairman of the committee. prgtoken We often agree on things in the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, but there are times when our disagreements are huge, and this is one of those times. prgtoken So, , I rise today to oppose H.R. 1430. We have seen this bill in the last Congress, when it was called the Secret Science Reform Act. It was a lousy bill then, and it is still a lousy bill today. prgtoken Let's start with the name of this bill, , the HONEST Act, but it really should be called the dishonest act. That is because this bill improperly describes what is going on at the EPA, which is looking to protect our environment from extreme weather events that we have in Colorado, throughout the country, and around the world. prgtoken The EPA is working to protect our clean air and our clean water, and has demonstrably improved our communities and the health of America since 1970. prgtoken I wish I could say these attacks today and tomorrow on the EPA and scientific research are isolated, but unfortunately they are not. Earlier today, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on climate science. I was astonished at what I heard from the majority Party calling into question whether climate change is happening, and whether it is caused by humans. All this serves is to attack scientific research and jeopardize the progress we have made to combat climate change and protect our communities. prgtoken Just yesterday, President issued an executive order to further roll back progress that we have made over the last 8 years. The executive order tries to dismantle the Clean Power Plan and many other important protections from the administration which were worked on based on the best available science and through an open and deliberate process, gathering millions of comments along the way. The fact is, investing in clean energy and reducing emissions is good for our national security, good for our environment, and good for jobs. prgtoken I believe we can do both--improve our energy independence and create good-paying jobs--at the same time. Colorado has been a leader in reducing harmful emissions, improving energy efficiency, and investing in clean energy, and we have realized substantial economic benefits for Colorado through innovation, research and development, and the creation of good-paying jobs. prgtoken , we need to do better. This House and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee need to take their heads out of the sand and stop ignoring what is going on across the country and across the world. prgtoken I urge all my colleagues to oppose this bill. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter dated March 8, 2017, from the American Geophysical Union. American Geophysical Union, March 8, 2017. Hon. Lamar Smith, Washington, DC.
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-3-29

I take to the floor to urge my colleagues to vote against two of the resolutions that are on the floor, H.J. Res. 66 and H.J. Res. 67--both under the Congressional Review Act--which would not allow two regulations under the administration to go forward that would allow for increased retirement security for American workers and families. prgtoken Throughout my time in office, I have fought hard for measures that increase the retirement security for American workers and families. One of the most prominent examples is the private retirement improvements that I championed with my friend Senator Portman when we were both in the House of Representatives. prgtoken More recently, Senator Portman and I have joined together to support other changes to our pension laws that enhance retirement security. For instance, the Cardin-Portman Church prgtoken Plan Clarification Act, which became law in 2015, clarified the application of certain tax laws and regulations to the unique structures of church pension plans. The Cardin-Portman Retirement Security Preservation Act, which was reported out of the Finance Committee unanimously last September, amends nondiscrimination regulations to protect older workers in pension plans that have been closed or frozen. I hope the bill will be taken up again in this Congress. prgtoken I mention these efforts over the years with Senator Portman because I think they show two things: First, they show that ensuring all Americans can retire with dignity is an ongoing effort. We need to work continually with workers, retirees, and other stakeholders to make sure retirement security is achievable, especially as our economy changes. Second, they show that this ongoing work has been and hopefully will continue to be strongly bipartisan. That is why I need to speak in opposition to H.J. Res. 66 and H.J. Res. 67. These resolutions are an unnecessary step backward in our ongoing retirement security work. prgtoken As my colleagues are aware, H.J. Res. 66 and H.J. Res. 67 eliminate the ERISA safe harbor that was created by the Department of Labor for IRA plans that are administered by State and local governments. We are considering the local government resolution today, but I want to stress the importance of both types of plans. prgtoken The provisions of this safe harbor are very similar to an existing safe harbor that is already in ERISA that allows employers to establish payroll deductions to IRAs. So long as the State- and municipal-run plans meet the requirements of the safe harbor, the businesses--usually small businesses--that offer State-run retirement plans to their workers will not inadvertently be subject to liability under Federal law. prgtoken The Department of Labor rules were meant to provide legal certainty to the increasing number of States that have decided, in the absence of any action by the Congress, to address the retirement coverage gap in their communities. Mar
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-3-29

before he leaves the floor, let me thank my friend from Illinois for his very thoughtful and warm remarks about somebody who we all admired very much, Ed Greelegs. prgtoken I remember so many times talking to him about the rights of seniors, and a lot of us who thought we knew something about the subject didn't know half of what Ed did. This was a guy with a really razor-sharp mind, but he had an even bigger heart, and particularly a heart for people without clout and power. I don't think it was an accident that he gravitated to the senior Senator from Illinois, I might add as well. prgtoken So I thank my friend for his very gracious remarks about somebody we all admired very much. prgtoken , I am here this afternoon because from the people who brought us Care, which was so favorable to the fortunate few and the special interests, now comes legislation that is going to make it harder for working people and working families to save for their own retirement. To kind of put that in context, whenever we have a debate about retirement, we always hear people say: You know, you just ought to realize that Social Security, this earned benefit--an earned benefit for Americans--you have to realize it is not going to cover everything. You have to save privately. You have to save for your retirement. And now, what we are seeing is the powerful special interests--the people with deep pockets and great political influence--are talking about restricting the chance for those typical working families to do the very thing that those people usually say is the solution. They say: No, we can't have government programs; you have to save privately for your retirement. And now come along those very powerful special interests, and they want to talk about restricting the ability of working families to save privately. prgtoken So we are now debating the first of two resolutions that would put a huge dark cloud over the new programs with individual retirement accounts, called auto-IRA programs, that States like mine and a handful of cities are seeking to build. prgtoken Right now, immediately, it is the locally based programs that are trying to promote private savings, giving the working-class family the chance to do it, and they are the ones who could be undermined. Of course, depending on what happens around here, the State programs could be next. prgtoken So at this time in American history, when we are facing a very large challenge with respect to savings, when a little over half of the workers approaching retirement age have nothing--zero--saved in retirement accounts such as individual retirement accounts or 401(k) plans, these two resolutions amount to a game plan that would take the savings crisis, which is already bad, and make it worse. prgtoken Around 55 million Americans don't have access to a retirement plan at work. More often than not, it is the employees of small- and medium- sized businesses
QUESTIONING THE RUSSIAN CONNECTION
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-3-29

I thank Congresswoman Jayapal for her fantastic leadership for the people of Washington in the city of Washington and her zealous advocacy for all of the American people. prgtoken , let me try to recap some of the themes that we have brought up this evening and talk about what is really at stake here. But I want to start with some good news, because there was really some great news out of Russia on Sunday, where more than 75,000 people across the country braved the tyranny and despotism of their government to go out into the streets to express their commitment to democracy, human rights, and against corruption. prgtoken They were focused very specifically on some of the oligarchs who surround Vladimir Putin. One of them, Prime Minister Medvedev, it has just been learned, has amassed more than $1 billion, as a public servant, in mansions, in vineyards in Italy, in fancy cars, in jewelry--$1 billion. And the people of Russia are up in arms about the corruption, the kleptocracy, the stealing from the Russian people, which is increasingly impoverished by the imperial designs and the corrupt practices of Putin and his team. prgtoken So tens of thousands of people went into the streets to protest. These are brave people, because you are talking about an authoritarian government there, a dictator, a despot, someone who orders out for the assassination of his political enemies. Many of them were arrested. Hundreds of them were arrested in Moscow, and some of them are still in jail right now. prgtoken , we should be on the side of the protesters in Russia. That is who we are as America. We are a nation conceived in revolutionary insurgency against corruption, against monarchy, against dictators and autocrats and theocrats and kleptocrats who steal from the people. That is who we are. prgtoken We should be meeting with them. We should be meeting with the human rights activists. We should be meeting with the anticorruption marchers who are putting themselves on the front lines of history. We should be meeting with the dissenters and the critics of Vladimir Putin and the oligarchs and big business kleptocrats who surround him. But, instead, our government has aligned with Putin himself, with the insiders in Russia. That is totally antithetical to the design of America, when you think about it. prgtoken , we have the great good fortune to go to work every day surrounded by portraits of people who built this country, like George Washington, who is right over there. We have got portraits of Thomas Jefferson. We have got portraits of Frederick Douglass. We have got portraits of Abraham Lincoln, who actually served in this body and, when he was here, spent a lot of his time railing about a war that was concocted with lies by President James Polk, the Mexican War. prgtoken But Lincoln knew how delicate and precious and precarious an enterprise democracy is. In the Gettysburg Address, he posed the question of how long gov