mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING MS. DONNA MARIE GLAPION, QUEEN ZULU 2017
Cedric L. Richmond (Democrat, LA) \u2014 2017-2-13

I rise today to recognize the achievements of Ms. Donna Marie Glapion, a native of my hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. I especially wish to congratulate her on becoming the Queen of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club for 2017. It is my distinct privilege to recognize her for this accomplishment. prgtoken Ms. Glapion has been a member of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club for 15 years. Over the years she has shared her creative talents, having decorated numerous events for Zulu Members, Characters and the organization. She has served as the First Lady of the Mighty Mayor's Krewe, participated for many years with Zulu's Toys for Tots program, and has served as Co-Modiste to the Zulu Maids from 2012-2014. prgtoken In addition to her work with Zulu, Ms. Glapion is dedicated to her family and has been active in her community. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and for the past seven years she has positively impacted the lives of children in the community through her work as a character school operations manager. From 2009 to 2015, she has worked tirelessly on behalf of the students at James M. Singleton Charter School and since July 2015, hmerved as the Operations Manager at William J. Fischer School. Ms. Glapion is a graduate of McDonogh No. 35 Senior High School and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, earning a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication. She completed post graduate work in language studies at the Universidad Iberoamericana, in Mexico City, Mexico. Ms. Glapion began her professional career as an Administrative Assistant in the office of the late City Councilwoman Dorothy Mae DeLavallade Taylor and as Operations and Finance Manager for the Mary L. Landrieu for Governor Campaign. prgtoken Ms. Glapion has served as an Operations Manager in the Corporate Real Estate/Facilities Management Department at Whitney National Bank, and from 2001 to 2005, she was part of a research team at Tulane University School of Medicine as the Administrator of the Hematology/Oncology Section. prgtoken In closing , the hard work and dedication of Ms. Donna Marie Glapion gives us hope and promise for the future of our city and I wish to congratulate Ms. Glapion on her coronation as Queen Zulu and wish her a successful reign in 2017.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2017-2-13

I rise, as did the Senator from Georgia, in support of the nomination of Dr. David Shulkin to be Secretary of the VA. prgtoken First, I wish to take this opportunity to thank Senator Isakson for his leadership of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and throughout this confirmation process--and throughout the many processes--as chair of the committee. prgtoken Look, I think it is critically important that we have a Secretary of the VA to serve our veterans. I think Dr. Shulkin is the perfect person for that position. The solutions to the VA's problems should be based on common sense rather than partisanship or an extreme agenda. I think Dr. Shulkin recognizes that. He is committed to our Nation's veterans above all. Through the conversations I have had with him over the last year and a half, I think he understands the challenges ahead of us in the VA. prgtoken The Choice Program, for example, which has been a wreck by anybody's standards, is looming with dramatic funding shortfalls and is a program we need to work on here in Congress--and we will on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee--to fix, and I think Dr. Shulkin is on top of it. prgtoken I have many letters from veterans across Montana about how the Choice Program has not worked. It is not that it isn't a good idea. When we passed it, we all agreed that it was a good idea. But it needs to be changed to fix the needs of our veterans and make it more workable. prgtoken One other thing is a big problem, and that is the workforce problem we have within the VA. The hiring freeze has made this problem even worse. We all talk about the backlog, and the backlog is real. But we need to make sure the VA has the people they need to serve the veterans in this country, whether reducing that backlog or whether it is making sure they get the care they need. prgtoken Finally, and Johnny talked about this: privatization. He has reassured me he will oppose efforts to privatize the VA. Typically, this isn't a problem, but the administration has talked about it extensively. I think it would prgtoken be a path that is reckless for our veterans, and I think the veterans service organizations would tell us that. prgtoken Again, I express my support for the nomination of Dr. Shulkin to be VA Secretary. I believe he will stand up for our veterans. I believe he will put them above politics. prgtoken Moving forward, I look forward to working with him and other Members in this body to make sure we serve our veterans the best we possibly can. Our veterans deserve no less.
CORETTA SCOTT KING LETTER TO SENATE JUDICIARY
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-2-13

last Tuesday, Senator Elizabeth Warren sought to bring to the attention of the Senate some material about an Attorney General nominee, Senator Jeff Sessions. She was silenced. She persisted. Ultimately, the Record of the Senate does not reflect the remarks she was trying to give. prgtoken In particular, Senator Warren was trying to bring to the attention of the Senate a statement and letter of Coretta Scott King from 1986. In 1986, then Jefferson B. Sessions was a U.S. Attorney, a Federal prosecutor who had been appointed for a position as a U.S. district judge. prgtoken At that time, Coretta Scott King wrote to the then-chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Strom Thurmond. While the Senate may not entertain these remarks and while the Senate may stifle a United States Senator, this is the people's House and it is appropriate that the Record of this House, at least, reflect the comments of Coretta Scott King. prgtoken So I would like to use the time remaining to read her cover letter from March 13, 1986, and to read excerpts from the statement she attached to it. ``Dear Senator Thurmond: ``I write to express my sincere opposition to the confirmation of Jefferson B. Sessions as a federal district court judge for the Southern District of Alabama. My professional and personal roots in Alabama are deep and lasting. Anyone who has used the power of his office as United States Attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the ballot by citizens should not be elevated to our courts. Mr. Sessions has used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters. For this reprehensible conduct, he should not be rewarded with a federal judgeship. ``I regret that a long-standing commitment prevents me from appearing in person to testify against this nominee. However, I have attached a copy of my statement opposing Mr. Sessions' confirmation and I request that my statement as well as this letter be made part of the hearing record. ``I do sincerely urge you to oppose the confirmation of Mr. Sessions.'' prgtoken The statement attached to that letter is fairly long and very convincing, and I will read parts of it here: ``Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge. This simply cannot be allowed to happen. Mr. Sessions' conduct as U.S. Attorney, from his politically- motivated voting fraud prosecutions to his indifference toward criminal violations of civil rights laws, indicates that he lacks the temperament, fairness and judgment to be a federal judge.'' ``A person who has exhibited so much hostility to the enforcement of those laws, and thus, to the exercise of those rights by Black people should not be elevated to the federal bench. ``The irony of Mr. Sessions' nomination is that, if confirmed, he will be given life ten
INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS AND PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS ACT
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-2-13

today, I introduce the District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act. The bill, which passed the House in the 114th Congress, would make a small but important change to the authorities of the District of Columbia Courts (D.C. Courts) and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS), placing these entities in the same position as their federal counterparts for more effective management and operation. prgtoken The bill would give the D.C. Courts and PDS the same authority federal agencies and federal courts already have to offer voluntary separation incentive payments, or buyouts, to their employees. The fiscal year 2016 omnibus bill already gives D.C. Courts buyout authority, but my bill would make this authorization permanent, and would extend it to PDS in addition to the D.C. Courts. Buyouts would allow the D.C. Courts and PDS to respond to future administrative and budget needs, and would provide the flexibility to extend buyout offers to their employees. prgtoken The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has determined that voluntary separation incentive payments may be made only where statutorily authorized. Federal agencies and federal courts already have the statutory authority to offer buyouts, and PDS and the D.C. Courts need the same express authority in order to manage their workforce as budget conditions and needs change. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-13

I rise today to recognize Black History Month, also known as African American History Month during this month of February. prgtoken This is an opportunity to celebrate the countless contributions that African Americans have made to our great nation throughout its history. First recognized in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month allows us to reflect on the collective strength that diversity continues to bring to our great nation today and the many days to come. prgtoken New York's thirteenth congressional district has a rich history that celebrates the contributions of African Americans to New York City, and the legacy of African American history in the United States. The Apollo Theater, opened in 1914, introduced the world to the transcendent voice and talent of Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, and Lauryn Hill. prgtoken The Audubon Ballroom where the late Malcolm X (Malcolm el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz) was assassinated now stands in memoriam to his legacy and is also a venue for community organizing. prgtoken Even after his passing, in his name the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center has become a landmark for my constituents and visitors alike seeking reflection and enrichment. prgtoken Known to locals and across the country, Harlem's famous Sylvia's Restaurant founded by Sylvia Woods--the Queen of Soulfood--for 55 years stands proudly as a window to the rich culinary history of African Americans throughout the country. These institutions are cultural landmarks that help tell the story of the African American experience that runs throughout communities across the land. prgtoken During this month of reflection, as a representative of New York's 13th district, it is incumbent on me to highlight and celebrate the history of my predecessors. That history begins with the Honorable Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Congressman Powell was the first African-American to represent any district of New York in the U.S. Congress. prgtoken First elected in 1944, Congressman Powell served the Harlem community for more than two decades during which he worked tirelessly to raise the minimum wage, supported education and training for the hearing impaired, bolstered vocational training and endeavored to provide continued aid to elementary and secondary schools and public libraries. prgtoken His presence as an African-American in the U.S. House of Representatives was not just poignant for symbolisms' sake. In 1951, Congressman Powell rose to become the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor. For his efforts, President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966 wrote that Congressman Powell's record, ``represents the successful reporting of 49 pieces of bed-rock legislation. And the passage of every one of these bills attests to your ability to get things done.'' prgtoken President Johnson continued ``Even now, these laws which you so effectively guided through the House are finding abundant rew
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Marc A. Veasey (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-2-13

W. E. B. Du Bois is quoted as saying: ``The cost of liberty is the less than the price of repression.'' And the cost of liberty has come at a steep price for members of the Black community. But despite this immense challenge the Black community has faced, our resiliency is what we celebrate every month during Black History Month. prgtoken Every February, we get together to talk about it, highlight it, and share with school children, friends, and family the accomplishments of the men and women who changed the course of American history. We thank these pioneers for expanding what we believed possible and use them as an inspiration for the fight that remains. prgtoken There have been so many African-American pioneers in every field, including medicine. Dr. James McCune Smith was the first African American to earn a medical degree and practice medicine in the U.S.; Dr. Daniel Hale Williams owned the first Black-owned hospital and is credited with the first successful heart surgery performed by an African American; Dr. Charles Drew--many have heard of him--renowned for his research during World War II which allowed for us to better understand blood plasma and its storage for transfusions. More recently, Dr. Regina Benjamin became the first Black woman elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees and was appointed the 18th surgeon general by President in 2009. prgtoken Each of these medical pioneers broke barriers for the betterment of the community, and each worked to use tools of their profession to improve the health of each patient they treat and also for future generations. prgtoken The Secretary of Health and Human Services shared similar responsibilities, but on a much, much wider scale, . The agency, as you know, of HHS is tasked with enhancing and protecting the health of all American citizens. However, the recent appointment of Dr. Tom Price as HHS Secretary threatens to roll back the progress pioneered by Black medical professions and the progress made under President . prgtoken Dr. Price, as many of you know and as has been documented and seen on television on the cable news shows, was very hostile, extremely hostile, and openly hostile to the Affordable Care Act during the time that he was in Congress, despite the law ultimately extending health insurance for close to 20 million Americans who didn't have it before. That is what is so amazing that a doctor would take that view. prgtoken Because of the ACA, 2.3 million African Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 gained coverage, and the uninsured rate, among African Americans, fell by nearly 7 percent. In the district that I represent, 47,000 more residents now have coverage thanks to the ACA. And for the district that I represent, that is pretty significant. prgtoken People hear a lot about the Texas miracle and about all the jobs and the economic growth in the State of Texas. Despite living in Dallas- For
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Session)
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-2-13

the Secretary of the Treasury is one of the most powerful positions in our government, as we know. The Treasury Secretary has broad responsibilities--for the economy, for our tax system, trade, our pensions, housing, and so much more. It is critical that anyone who holds that position use their power to help working people. It is clear to me that Mr. Mnuchin's policies will, in fact, hurt middle-class families and working people. prgtoken There are also serious ethical concerns that neither he nor my colleagues have been able to address. As a result, I will be voting no on his nomination. prgtoken I would like to talk about something that has not received the focus that I think it deserves and certainly that the people of Michigan feel it deserves, and that is the question of pensions and what is happening to pensions in our country. prgtoken Mr. Mnuchin has a history of fighting against working people and profiting off their misfortune. As we know, pension funding can have a significant impact on a company's bottom line. But losing a pension can destroy a family's bottom line, and it seems that Mr. Mnuchin doesn't know this. When serving on the board for Sears, Mr. Mnuchin played a critical and direct role in how to fund the company's pensions. So what happened? Sears routinely underfunded the company's plan throughout his tenure. Analysts predicted that Sears ``massively underfunded'' their pension plan. They said their ``massively underfunded'' pension plan was ``a ticking time bomb'' that could even hasten or bring down the financial collapse of the company. prgtoken The company used investment return projections that were too optimistic, along with accounting gimmicks so they could avoid paying into the pension fund. They inflated their earnings on paper while contributing less to the pension. prgtoken Sears did such a bad job managing their pension fund while Mr. Mnuchin was on their board, that the fund only made a return of 1.5 percent, putting their fund in the bottom 5 percent of all the pension funds over $1 billion. Is this the kind of result the American taxpayers want when he manages their money? prgtoken Already, Sears has been cutting its employees' pensions. In 2014, the company eliminated the monthly health care subsidy that helped its retirees afford their health care premiums. That saved Sears and Kmart about $6.2 million a year. prgtoken I have received a lot of letters from Michigan families a lot from families who are very concerned about their pensions. One of my constituents who worked in the trucking industry said: We took small raises on our paycheck each contract so the company could put more in the pension fund-- prgtoken That is what people do. They take less every month in their paycheck so they can have more in the pension fund. I know in the Presiding Officer's State and my State, that is what they do. He continued-- and [we] were told
INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES PAID PARENTAL LEAVE ACT
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-13

today, I am proud to reintroduce the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, bipartisan legislation to grant six weeks of paid parental leave to hardworking federal employees. prgtoken In the Presidential campaign, both candidates voiced strong support for a workplace that makes sense for hardworking parents. This bipartisan legislation is a great place to start. prgtoken The federal government is our nation's largest employer, and should be setting the trend for commonsense, family-friendly policies. Paid parental leave would give a boost to the almost two million people who work for the federal government across the country, and would help our government recruit and retain a talented workforce. prgtoken The growing costs of caring for a new child, the expensive diapers, bottles, baby carriers, they all add up very quickly. The USDA found that in the first two years a new child can cost families an average of nearly $13,000. prgtoken Paid leave makes sure that families can start out on the right foot, not forcing them into debt, or making devastating choices between caring for a child and the paycheck they need. prgtoken I am proud that versions of this legislation have passed the House twice before, and urge my colleagues to support this common-sense proposal.
Cabinet Nominations (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-13

candidate ran a populist campaign that promised so much to working America. Many of those themes were actually echoed in his inaugural address, but ever since President took the oath of office, he has gone about breaking promise after promise to the working people of this country. prgtoken A predictable pattern is beginning to emerge. This President uses populist rhetoric to cover up a hard-right agenda. We still hear the remnants of candidate 's populism in his speeches, but his actions as President don't match up. Just an hour after he had delivered populist words on the steps of the Capitol in his inaugural address, the President signed an Executive order--his first, I believe--that jacked up the price on Americans trying to afford a mortgage. prgtoken Ever since, we here in the Senate have been working through the President's Cabinet, which is filled not with champions of the working class, not with people who came from the working class but with a slew of superrich nominees, Washington insiders, and corporate types who have spent their whole careers sticking it to the working man. prgtoken A President's Cabinet provides insight into how they will govern and what their priorities will be. The President has shown his hand by selecting the most anti-working class Cabinet we have ever seen. prgtoken The slate of nominees we will soon consider, including Steve Mnuchin for Treasury, Andrew Pudzer for Labor, and Rick Mulvaney for OMB, show the yawning gap between the President's audacious promises to working America and the practical reality of his administration, which is steadily stacking the deck against them. prgtoken This evening we will debate the nomination of Steve Mnuchin for Treasury, a Cabinet post that will have oversight over Wall Street. prgtoken Candidate spent the campaign lambasting elites and criticizing Wall Street. He said: I'm not going to let Wall Street get away with murder. Wall Street has caused tremendous problems for us. prgtoken Those are his words, but what does President do? With one of his first Executive orders, he started the process to try to roll back Wall Street reform, undoing protections we put in place after the financial crisis to prevent another one from occurring. He wants to eviscerate the one agency that sticks up for consumers when they are being ripped off by payday lenders or debt collectors--the CFPB. That is a broken promise. prgtoken Candidate said at his rallies: ``When you cast that ballot, just picture a Wall Street board room filled with the special interests . . . and imagine the look on their faces when you tell . . . them: `You're fired!' '' prgtoken But President told Steve Mnuchin, a Wall Street insider with prgtoken decades of experience in that board room he described, ``You're hired,'' as his Treasury Secretary, no less. That is a broken promise. prgtoken A President who is a true champion fo