mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Biennial Budget Process (Executive Calendar)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-2-6

I came to the floor this afternoon to address the nominee for Attorney General of the United States, Mr. Sessions. The U.S. Constitution provides that the Senate will advise and consent on all nominees put forward by the President. This fundamental check on Executive power continues to give confidence to the public that the individuals charged with the immense responsibilities and authorities of our Federal Government are of the highest ethical and professional character, are highly qualified, and are committed to exercising those powers in a manner that is consistent with our founding principles. prgtoken Any person seeking to serve in such high positions of public trust ought to be able to explain his or her record of personal and professional conduct, not only to close colleagues and friends but also to the public they seek to serve. prgtoken I have great respect for Senator Jeff Sessions for his commitment to public service, but I don't believe that he is the right choice to serve as our Nation's chief law enforcement officer. Time and again in the course of his career, his actions have demonstrated disinterest or even hostility to many of the civil rights that we rely on the Attorney General to protect and defend, from voting rights to civil rights, to equality for women, minorities, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. prgtoken Senator Sessions' record in the Senate provides little evidence that his views have evolved since the last time the Senate evaluated his fitness to serve in high Federal office, when President Reagan nominated him to serve as a Federal judge in 1986. Three decades ago, the Senate voted against his confirmation to serve as Federal judge. Today, I believe the Senate should not confirm him to serve as U.S. Attorney General. prgtoken At this time in our history, with the growing concern about this administration's commitment to basic democratic principles, such as equality before the law, separation of powers, freedom of the press, and protection of minority views, I cannot support a nominee who has failed to demonstrate appreciation for these ideals, regardless of our personal relationship. We need an Attorney General who will fight for justice and equal protection for all Americans, regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. prgtoken One of my principal objections to this nominee is his record of making it harder for certain groups of people to vote. In 2013, in Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court struck down section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, also prgtoken known as the preclearance provision. And while the overwhelming majority of civil rights organizations considered this ruling, which invalidated a landmark achievement of the civil rights movement--a devastating defeat--Senator Sessions was quoted as saying that it was a ``good thing for the South.'' He has been quoted as saying that he views the Voting Rights Ac
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-2-6

. I also note that the National Nurses United, on behalf of 150,000 registered nurses, also urge the opposition to this nominee. And the record of this individual has made these individuals concerned about the resources and focus on crimes and actions that they see in their day-to-day lives. prgtoken They want to make sure they are going to work effectively in addressing these issues that they see through the health care system. All of these issues add up to a great deal of concern about this next vote that we are going to be taking. prgtoken We are not under the illusion that somehow, magically, the vote is going to turn out any differently than it did on the last nominee. Why are we here at 4:30 in the morning to talk about this? Why are we going to continue to pursue efforts, as the minority, to get time to discuss these nominees? We are going to do that because we have great concerns about their record. And, frankly, in the case of the next two nominees who are coming before us, we had specific questions asked about their actual actions and statements and the testaments before the Finance Committee. Instead of the majority answering those questions for us, they decided not to answer them and push the vote to the floor of the United States Senate. prgtoken I am very concerned about the Price nomination, and the discussion that I hope we are going to have time to have here on that nomination and to bring light to the issues that we didn't get to bring to light in the Finance Committee. prgtoken The Treasury nominee that we will give time to in the next several days, the discussion of that record, the things I am interested in, obviously, are the protection of Medicare and Medicaid, and making sure we expose what is the concept and idea to either cap or cut the benefits that Americans are getting under those programs today and to have a great discussion about a very important issue that was talked about during the campaign and was put into party platforms on both sides of the aisle, but now all of a sudden seem to be forgotten. That mysterious, but all-important issue, something called Glass-Steagall, the separation of commercial and investment banking. That is what the campaign, now President , working with s, put into a platform. Let us have Glass-Steagall. prgtoken Let us have separation of commercial and investment banking. Why? Because it is the disaster that brought us the implosion of our economy and cost our economy $14 trillion, according to the Dallas fed. Yet, many Americans have not fully recovered from that event. I get that a lot of banks have recovered because we gave them the keys to the Treasury, and they got bailed out, but a lot of everyday Americans have not recovered. And certainly there are pension issues in the questioning of nominee Mnuchin. There was some discussion, ``Well, that is not what we meant. That is in the party platform, but that is not what we meant
Russia (Executive Session)
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise to speak this afternoon about the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. I know we will have had some time later today and even tonight, but I wanted to review some of the concerns I have about her nomination in the allotted time that I will have--I guess about 15 minutes. prgtoken The first concern I have is a broad concern that I think is shared by a number of Senators on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. The ranking member, Senator Murray, is here with us on the floor, and I am grateful for her leadership on this nomination debate, as well as many other issues. prgtoken I guess the broad concern I have is Betsy DeVos's commitment to public education. I come from a State where we have had a tradition of public education since about the 1830s. I am fairly certain--I will stand corrected--but Pennsylvania might have been the first State to have public education as far back as the 1830s. It is part of the bedrock of the foundation of our State. prgtoken Still, today, 92 percent of Pennsylvania students attend a traditional public school. We have charter schools. We have roughly 175 or so, but all of those charter schools in Pennsylvania have to be, by statute, public nonprofit entities. Public charter schools are what we have in Pennsylvania. We don't have for-profit private sector charter schools. It is not allowed by law. prgtoken There are some limited circumstances when one entity could affiliate with a for-profit entity, but we have nothing like what Mrs. DeVos has supported in Michigan and across the country. For a Senator from Pennsylvania to be questioning a nominee for Secretary of Education about for-profit charter schools is unusual because we don't have that entity in Pennsylvania. prgtoken My concern is substantial--and I will develop this later--about her commitment to public education. In fact, in my meeting with Mrs. DeVos, because of my concerns, I said something very simple, but I said it for a reason, to remind her about her obligation if she were to be confirmed. I said: You will not be the Secretary of private education; you are going to be the Secretary of Education, and for most of the country, that means traditional public schools, and I hope you understand that. prgtoken That is a broad concern that I have, and I will talk more about it. My line of questioning the day of our hearing--I should say the evening of our hearing--focused on campus sexual assault; and that, of course, is an area of urgent concern for a lot of people here, a lot of members of the United States. It is also of greater concern now because of her nomination. What do I mean by that? prgtoken Let me walk through how I got to my questions with her. We know the Department of Justice tells us that college women are twice as likely to be sexually assaulted than robbed in the time they are in college. This is a number that comes from the Centers for Disease Control
Motion to Proceed in Order (Executive Calendar)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-6

I don't want to prolong this much more. In light of what my friend from Florida said, I would just reread what I said earlier. prgtoken If average Americans heard someone read a letter from Coretta Scott King that said what it said, they would not be offended. They would say that is someone's opinion. That is all. prgtoken It seems to me we could use rule XIX almost every day on the floor of the Senate, as my colleague from Maine so pointedly and piquantly exhibited a few minutes ago. prgtoken This selective enforcement is another example of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle escalating the partisanship and further decreasing the comity of the Senate, which I treasure as well. This was unnecessary.
VIOLATIONS LINGER
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-2-6

candidate promised he would drain the swamp. The American people believed him. But instead of draining the swamp, it has become abundantly clear he is driving his own pylons deeply into the swamp. prgtoken Already, Incorporated is making significant profits off the President's position. Personal profits aren't what serving the public is about. prgtoken My mother used to ask about the superrich: Do they ever fill up? prgtoken In fact, The New York Times Editorial Board wrote a scathing indictment of Incorporated. I include that article in the Record. [From the New York Times, Feb. 1, 2017] White House Inc. (By the Editorial Board) As a candidate, President spent contributors' money for office space that he owned, stays at his resorts and food at his restaurants. He spent contributors' money on - branded wine and water. He displayed merchandise at campaign events. Now he seems determined to milk the presidency, apparently synonymous with his brand in his eyes, for a fortune. ``The brand is certainly a hotter brand than it was before,'' Mr. observed, with satisfaction, shortly after the election. Last week, an executive of the Organization, Eric Danziger, said it would open -branded hotels in the 26 largest metropolitan areas in the country, up from five. The business, he said, would focus its expansion domestically for ``the next four or eight years.'' The fee to join the Mar-a- Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla which Mr. calls the ``Winter White House,'' just doubled to $200,000. This news came less than a week after Mr. and his inauguration committee hosted parties and other events at the International Hotel in Washington, in the government- owned Old Post Office. Even his press secretary, Sean Spicer, has become a pitchman: ``It's an absolutely stunning hotel,'' he said recently. ``I encourage you to go there if you haven't been by.'' Self-dealing is such standard procedure for this White House that a cynic (or satirist) might say it's time to give in and try to put Mr. 's conflicts of interest to work for the public. Maybe if he had hotels in every nation, he'd have a financial interest in being less bellicose, and more supportive of the free flow of trade and of people, even if they happen to be Mexican or Muslim. But we really prefer the old-fashioned approach in which presidents put the public interest ahead of their own finances. Federal ethics officials have told Mr. that he should divest his business interests to avoid allegations of bribery and to assure Americans that their needs are his only concern. Mr. argues that he can put a ``firewall''
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-2-6

I am honored to follow my great colleague and a champion of education and consumer rights, Senator Durbin of Illinois, and to address this body and, most particularly, the Presiding Officer, who has contributed so much himself to the cause of education. We know, better than anyone, how important the Federal commitment to quality education is--not just a C or D education but excellence in education. prgtoken The American people deserve a Secretary of Education who embodies and exemplifies that commitment to excellence. Unfortunately, the nominee before us, Betsy DeVos, fails on every prgtoken count to meet that standard. So I am here today to voice my continuing concern about this nomination, which is antithetical to the very mission of the Department she has been selected to lead. prgtoken She is unquestionably unqualified, unknowledgeable, unprepared for this job. She is unfit to run the Department of Education. As hard and as unkind as that verdict sounds, we have an obligation to speak truth here and speak that truth to power, even when it is the President of the United States, even when it is a job as critically important as Secretary of Education--especially when it is as important as this job. prgtoken She is wealthy. She is a billionaire. She has committed her career to pushing for private school vouchers and unregulated charter schools. Having reviewed her full record, including her confirmation hearing and her responses and lack of responses to followup questions that my colleagues sent to her, I respectfully say to my colleagues: We should not approve this person. prgtoken She has committed her career to pushing for private school vouchers and unregulated charter schools, not to the public education our students deserve. The incoming Secretary of Education will face a myriad of challenging and constantly evolving problems that will demand a high level of leadership and guidance, from soaring student debt to faltering school and student achievement scores across the country, to the pervasive school violence and bullying that threatens so many of our students, to unscrupulous for-profit schools, profiteering off students and veterans. prgtoken Clearly, the problems, these problems and others, require a Secretary who will not just rubberstamp or approve the policies of special interests or delegate systematic problems to private schools. prgtoken The Secretary of Education is responsible for overseeing a budget of Federal spending over $36 billion--that is K-12 education funding--and $150 billion in higher education funding each year. In addition, there is a portfolio of more than $1.2 trillion in outstanding Federal loans. That is the largest consumer debt in this country other than mortgage loans. prgtoken The leader of this Department is responsible for determining policies that affect our neighborhood public schools. She is responsible, if she is confirmed, for enforcing key protections
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Calendar)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-2-6

I rise to express my strong opposition to the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to serve as Attorney General of the United States. prgtoken I ask: Where are the Senators who will say no to the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General of the United States? I hope there are at least enough Senators here who understand that America is careening over a constitutional cliff and that all of us, regardless of political party, need an Attorney General who can be relied on to enforce the laws fairly and fight back against lawless overreach by an out-of-control President. prgtoken On January 27, the world turned upside down for tens of thousands of people directly affected by President 's Executive order turning America's back on refugees around the world and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. prgtoken Last week, I recalled many of their stories. I spoke about students and professors, about mothers and children, about friends and neighbors, real people who were turned away, detained, or deported based solely on their religion or the simple fact that they were fleeing war. We all breathed a sigh of relief when a court temporarily halted that order, but we know the fight continues to permanently overturn this unlawful, unconstitutional, and deeply immoral Executive order. prgtoken That isn't all that happened last week. Last week, the Acting Attorney General of the United States refused to prgtoken defend President 's unlawful and unconstitutional Executive order so President fired her. That is right, the President of the United States fired the Nation's top law enforcement officer for refusing to defend an unlawful, unconstitutional, and deeply immoral order. prgtoken Last week, after days of slow-walking or ignoring judicial decisions, President went on the attack. He raged against the judge who temporarily halted his order, calling him a so-called judge and questioning his authority to act. That is right. The President of the United States attacked the legal authority of an individual district court judge, lawfully appointed by and confirmed unanimously by the Senate, to pass judgment on 's Executive orders. prgtoken These are dangerous times. At times like this, it is more important than ever that the Attorney General of the United States has the guts, the independence, and the good moral judgment to stand up to the President when he seeks to violate the Constitution and ignore the law. prgtoken At his confirmation hearing last month, Senator Sessions claimed to be that person. I have to say, I wish it were true. I really do. I wish the President's campaign had been different. I wish his actions now were different. I wish we could give his nominees the benefit of the doubt, but I will not ignore the real world, as unpleasant as it is, and neither can anyone in this Senate. prgtoken In the real world, Senator Sessions obviously isn't g
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-2-6

. Thank you, . prgtoken , the nomination of Betsy DeVos has triggered an outcry of deep public opposition. It has also inspired an outpouring of popular support for public schools. prgtoken Public education is what has made America great. It is at the heart of the American dream. Our schools are much more than just a collection of classrooms. They are expressions of our communities and our values. prgtoken This is a lesson I learned from my parents. My father was the school custodian in a public school. He took tremendous pride in ensuring that the school was clean, in good repair, safe, and welcoming to the students. He was part of the public school team entrusted with our community's children. He, along with the teachers, principals, and every staff member at the school were deeply committed to public education. We saw that commitment each and every day. He spoke of that commitment when he came home in the evening. The teachers would do much more than what was asked of them to ensure that students got the best opportunities and best education. Everyone in our school was pulling for our children. That is the way it should be, and that is the way it must be. This was free public education, the hallmark of America, and perhaps one of the most important contributions that we have made to progress, prosperity, and economic growth, not only here in the United States but around the globe. That is what we are talking about today-- the future of public education. prgtoken It is that kind of commitment to public education, going in early, working hard--I can remember of course in the wintertime, when the storms would rage through Rhode Island, it was not uncommon for my father and his colleagues to be out there on a Sunday afternoon, if the storm was bad enough, shoveling all night long so that Monday morning the school was open for the children, the teachers could get there, and the food could be prepared. That is the type of commitment that has been evidenced throughout our history when it comes to public education. That investment of effort but also of trying to understand and trying to improve public education has been at the heart of what we have all done. prgtoken Indeed, I believe it is that kind of commitment to public education that has caused millions of Americans to speak up about the nomination of Betsy DeVos. Teachers, parents, and community members have been calling across the country, writing, emailing, urging the Senate to reject her nomination. I have received over 12,500 calls and messages from Rhode Islanders, an unprecedented negative response to a Presidential nominee. prgtoken We are the smallest State in the Union. We have a population of just over 1 million people, and we understand that even for the most challenging and publicized issues, we rarely get this type of response. It is because this nomination touches a nerve. It touches a nerve with people who are products o
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Ruben Gallego (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2017-2-6

I was unavoidably detained and was not present for two roll call votes on Monday, January 30, 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted in this manner: prgtoken Roll Call Vote No. 66--Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: To remove the sunset provision of section 203 of Public Law 105-384 and for other purposes--YES prgtoken Roll Call Vote No. 67--Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2017--YES
Nomination of Jeff Sessions (Executive Calendar)
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-2-6

. As we have spent many hours debating whether Mrs. DeVos is the best person to head our Department of Education, my question is, Do you think Betsy DeVos is the best prepared, the best experienced, and the best committed person to lead as the Secretary of the Department of Education? prgtoken With your indulgence, I would like to put this into a little bit of a context because we talk about how foundational public schools are and how education is a great equalizer. I speak from experience as an immigrant coming to this country not speaking any English, and I learned from the public schools and the committed teachers in public schools how to read and write English, to develop my love of reading, to count on an education system to prepare me for success, not only in school but in life. prgtoken That is why I want to also ask my colleague from Washington State, for the nearly 200,000 young people in Hawaii who attend our public schools and obviously the millions of young people in our public schools throughout the country, Do you think Betsy DeVos is the best we can do for these people who are attending our public schools?