mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NET NEUTRALITY
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-7-12

today is the net neutrality day of action. So I wanted to add a few words to this issue. prgtoken We depend on a free and open internet to spur innovation and job creation, and our economy works best when innovators, entrepreneurs, and businesses of all sizes compete on a level playing field. Net neutrality, very simply, says that everyone--consumers, small businesses, startups--deserve the same access to and quality of internet as big corporations. prgtoken When I was growing up in Brooklyn, my father owned a small exterminating business. If his competitor down the street had received preferred electricity service, he would have been rightly outraged, and the law would have protected him from that unfair treatment. We don't reserve certain highways for a single trucking company, and we don't limit phone service to hand-picked stores. We shouldn't reserve high- speed internet for a favored few corporations, either, and that was the basis of the FCC's decision to preserve net neutrality back in 2015. prgtoken Now, of course, conservative and industry interests see an opportunity to roll back these protections and free access to a free and open internet in order to favor powerful corporations. That seems to be what they want. prgtoken President 's appointee to the FCC, Chairman Ajit Pai, has already taken several actions to undercut fair internet access. In his first 2 weeks on the job, Chairman Pai stopped nine companies from providing discounted high-speed internet to low-income individuals, and he jammed through nearly a dozen industry-backed actions, including some to begin curtailing net neutrality. prgtoken Once again, this administration favors the big, wealthy, special corporate interests over the average American. The American people should realize that is what the administration is doing time and again. They talk like they are for working people, but when it comes to actions like this one on net neutrality, they favor the big special interests that, Mr. and Mrs. American Consumer, are going to make sure that in many instances you pay more. It is another example of the administration sticking up for big corporations and special interests to the detriment of the people and small businesses--exactly the opposite of what President promised in his campaign. prgtoken The Open Internet Order is working well, and it should remain undisturbed. If President and Chairman Pai proceed down the path of dismantling net neutrality, they can expect a wall of resistance from Senate . We will fight tooth and nail to protect fair and equal internet access for all Americans. President , our colleagues, and Chairman Pai can expect a wall of resistance from the American people, as well, who are already making their voices heard in record numbers. So far, over 6 million--6 million--Americans have sent comments to the FCC on this issue. The fight has just be
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-7-12

. Mr. Chair, I want to start off by thanking the chair and ranking member for supporting these two amendments, one in this bloc, one in the next bloc. prgtoken The first amendment will authorize the Hacking for Defense, or H4D, Program. This is an innovative program developed in Silicon Valley with the help of battlefield-experienced Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and it finds unique solutions to national security problems. prgtoken First taught at Stanford, H4D uses lean business startup methods to engage America's best and brightest in solving real security challenges faced by the DOD. prgtoken Rapid, low-cost technological innovation is what makes Silicon Valley revolutionary, but the DOD hasn't historically had the mechanisms in place to harness this American advantage. prgtoken Hacking for Defense creates ways for talented scientists and engineers to work alongside with veterans, military leaders, and business mentors to innovate solutions that make America safer. For example, a July 7 New York Times article details how an H4D graduate, Capella Space, is helping track North Korean nuclear capabilities, helping to try to make our world safer. prgtoken , I include in the Record this article, along with these letters of support from universities and tech communities--- [From the New York Times, July 7, 2017] Tiny Satellites Will Track North Korea Missiles (By David E. Sanger and William J. Broad; Eric Schmitt contributed reporting) For years before North Korea fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile this week, the Pentagon and intelligence experts had sounded a warning: Not only was the North making progress quickly, spy satellite coverage was so spotty that the United States might not see a missile being prepared for launch. That set off an urgent but quiet search for ways to improve America's early-warning ability--and the capability to strike missiles while they are on the launchpad. The most intriguing solutions have come from Silicon Valley, where the administration began investing in tiny, inexpensive civilian satellites developed to count cars in Target parking lots and monitor the growth of crops. Some in the Pentagon accustomed to relying on highly classified, multibillion-dollar satellites, which take years to develop, resisted the move. But as North Korea's missile program progressed, American officials laid out an ambitious schedule for the first of the small satellites to go up at the end of this year, or the beginning of next. Launched in clusters, some staying in orbit just a year or two, the satellites would provide coverage necessary to execute a new military contingency plan called ``Kill Chain.'' It is the first step in a new strategy to use satellite imagery to identify No
NATTALIE NORCROSS
Donald Norcross (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-7-12

I rise today to honor my granddaughter, Ms. Nattalie Norcross, on the occasion of her graduation from Cherry Hill High School West. Nattalie was born on September 7, 1999, and raised in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Nattalie received her high school diploma at the Cherry Hill High School West Commencement Ceremony on June 15, 2017, which was held at Temple University in Philadelphia. Nattalie has been actively involved in the South Jersey community. She has volunteered her time at the Camden Children's Garden in the City of Camden, Grace Episcopal Church in Haddonfield and at various nursing homes and senior centers across Southern Jersey. Nattalie is also proud to be a Girl Scout. The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a premier youth organization that promotes compassion, courage, confidence, and leadership, all qualities that Nattalie possesses in great abundance. In the fall, Nattalie will matriculate to Rowan University in Glassboro, where she plans to pursue degrees in English and Education I ask you to join me in congratulating Ms. Nattalie Norcross on the occasion of her high school graduation, and wishing her the best of luck as she begins a new chapter in her academic career.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-7-12

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the bipartisan amendment I introduced with Congressman Tom Rooney from Florida. The amendment would require the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress within 180 days on the implementation of recommendations from a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report entitled ``Actions Needed to Ensure Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury Are Considered in Misconduct Separations,'' which was released in May 2017. GAO found that some of the service branch policies related to the consideration of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in ``other than honorable'' discharges were inconsistent with Department of Defense policy. To remedy these inconsistencies, DOD issued five recommendations. prgtoken As the co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, I have worked to address the effects brain injuries have on both the military and civilian populations. TBI and PTSD have been recognized as the signature injuries of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Estimates from the RAND Corporation in 2008 estimated that nearly 20 percent--or 320,000--of the 1.6 million men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan sustained a brain injury while in the line of duty. Additionally, between 11-20 percent of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). prgtoken Given the impact that TBI and PTSD have on an individual's behavior and decision-making skills, it is imperative that these conditions are accurately diagnosed in a timely manner. It is also important that these conditions receive appropriate consideration when a servicemember is discharged for misconduct. According to the GAO's report, in the case of 16 percent of the separations for misconduct that the GAO examined, the servicemembers suffered from PTSD or TBI. Additionally, the GAO found that two of the four branches of the military have policies inconsistent with DOD's policy on the impact of TBI and PTSD on separations for misconduct. It is troubling that the Army and Marine Corps may not have adhered to their own screening, training, and counseling policies related to PTSD and TBI. That is why it is imperative that DOD's policies are implemented consistently across all of the military services and that there is adequate oversight of adherence. prgtoken When an individual receives an ``other than honorable'' discharge, he or she may not be eligible for health benefits through the VA. A lack of health coverage is problematic for anyone, but especially so for individuals suffering from TBI or PTSD. DOD policy requires that servicemembers requesting separation in lieu of trial by court-martial be counseled on the negative consequences of this type of separation. However, of the 48 separation packets the GAO examined, 11 had unclear or undocumented evidence that counseli
INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO DIRECT THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY TO ACCEPT A STATUE DEPICTING PIERRE L'ENFANT FROM THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PERMANENT DISPLAY OF THE STATUE...
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-7-12

today I introduce a bill to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to accept a statue depicting Pierre L'Enfant from the District of Columbia and to provide for the permanent display of the statue in the United States Capitol. prgtoken Pierre L'Enfant was born in France in 1754. He was an engineer and an architect, and he traveled to the United States to serve with the United States in the Revolutionary War. In March 1791, L'Enfant was hired to develop the design for the District of Columbia. L'Enfant's design for the city was so remarkable that it remains and is cherished today in the nation's capital and throughout this country. L'Enfant's design envisioned a federal and residential city with diagonal streets propelling from Congress and the President's home, beautiful boulevards on local streets and neighborhoods, and open spaces for monuments, memorials and historical structures, all of which largely remain intact, protected as a historical treasure. prgtoken In 2006, the residents of the District of Columbia chose L'Enfant as one of the top ten Americans that have given distinguished service to the District, and the selection committee created by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities chose L'Enfant as the second statue from the District of Columbia to be placed in the United States Capitol. The District's first choice for a statue was Frederick Douglass, and I am pleased that the Douglass statue now sits in Emancipation Hall. Because the United States Capitol does not currently appropriately recognize the contributions of Pierre L'Enfant, and because D.C. residents and stakeholders chose L'Enfant as a distinguished Washingtonian, this bill would require the Joint Committee on the Library to place the Pierre L'Enfant statue in the United States Capitol. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Net Neutrality (Executive Calendar)
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-7-12

I want to build on the last point my colleague--a great advocate and champion of net neutrality--made about the rule of law and about the need to go to court when there is utter disrespect and contempt for the rule of law, which is reflected in the prospective plan of the Chairman of the FCC to undo that agency's net neutrality rules. It reflects an astonishing lack of respect and care for that agency's rules--in fact, the rules that apply to all agencies under the Administrative Procedure Act. prgtoken Chairman Pai wants to overturn a rule that was established after a factfinding--an elaborate process of comment and response--without going through that same process that is required under the Administrative Procedure Act, a fact-based docket that requires him to show that something has changed--not a little bit; something significant has changed--in the market since the Open Internet Order was established in February 2015. The burden is on the FCC to make that finding. That finding is impossible, which is why they are avoiding the attempt to do it. prgtoken The fact is, the Open Internet Order was established based on 10 years of evidence about how internet access service provides people with broadband. It has been upheld by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals twice over the last year. The thicket of law that the Chairman wants to simply leap over--it is not within his discretion to do. prgtoken The most recent evidence shows that net neutrality has not inhibited network investment at all, in contrast to Chairman Pai's claims. According to statements this year by the internet service providers-- AT&T, in fact, is expanding fiber deployment and calling fiber a growth opportunity. Comcast is saying that it doubles its network capacity every 18 to 24 months. Verizon is announcing a new $1 billion investment in cable. That is why we are here saying we will not and we cannot allow Chairman Pai to succeed in this plan to gut neutrality at the behest of big cable companies. prgtoken I am proud to speak today in support of the Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality and against the FCC proposal to undo the Open Internet Order because it is really a consummate pro-consumer measure. The Open Internet Order serves the best interests of consumers directly but also the best interests of competition in promoting innovation, new ideas, and insights--an open platform that is necessary for innovation and insights that benefit consumers, as well as the products and services that companies generally provide. prgtoken The Open Internet Order created three bright-line rules: No blocking, no throttling, and no pay prioritization. These rules apply to both fixed and mobile broadband service, which protects consumers no matter how they access the internet, whether on a desktop or a mobile service. Consumers deserve equal access, an open platform--no walls benefiting the companies that may want their gardens walled in. The
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2810, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 23, GAINING RESPONSIBILITY ON WATER ACT OF 2017
Jared Polis (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-7-12

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in opposition to the rule for providing debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, often called the NDAA, and also the prgtoken Gaining Responsibility on Water Act. First let me address that act. prgtoken They tried to create an acronym called the GROW Act, Gaining Responsibility on Water, trying to make it seem like it actually might help things grow, when it actually picks winners and losers in water-- and the losers are the environment, the State of California, and many others. prgtoken There are also a lot of problems around the process for the GROW Act. It bypassed hearings and markups. In fact, up until this bill was published on the Rules Committee website, only lobbyists and a few s even knew what many of the provisions in this bill were. This kind of backroom dealmaking is one of the reasons the general public holds Congress in such low esteem. prgtoken There is an immense amount of opposition to this legislation, including from conservation groups, fishing groups, Native American Tribes, and the State of California. prgtoken , I have several letters that I include in the Record in regard to opposition to H.R. 23. One of the letters is signed by groups ranging from the American Bird Conservancy to the Animal Welfare Institute, to the Humane Society and a number of others, discussing how this bill would dramatically weaken protections for salmon, birds, and other fish and wildlife. prgtoken Another letter that I include in the Record is from a former colleague of ours, now the attorney general of the State of California, Xavier Becerra, and, finally, a letter from the Governor of California as well. Please Oppose H.R. 23 July 11, 2017. Dear Representative: On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write to urge you to oppose H.R. 23 (Valadao, R-CA). This bill would dramatically weaken protections for salmon, migratory birds, and other fish and wildlife in California's Bay-Delta watershed and would threaten thousands of fishing jobs in California and Oregon that depend on the health of these species. In addition to gutting critical federal environmental protections in California, H.R. 23 also preempts a wide range of state environmental laws and would prevent the State of California from protecting and managing its own water and wildlife resources. In addition to these provisions focused on California, the bill also includes titles that would reduce public and environmental reviews of new dams and water infrastructure across the Western states. Both the Administration and the State of California opposed similar legislation in recent years, including opposition to H.R. 3964 (Val
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Pete Aguilar (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-7-12

. Mr. Chair, for decades, our Nation's nuclear weapons and triad have provided us with strategic deterrence against nuclear war and the existential threat it represents. And as is often said, it is essential that these weapons and delivery systems be safe, secure, and reliable. prgtoken However, the age of our forces is a major concern. Currently, our nuclear-capable bomber fleet contains 76 B-52s with the first models entering service over 50 years ago and continuing to fly only after numerous modernization efforts. prgtoken Our Ohio class submarines' lifespan, which were originally 30 years, have been extended to 42 years with the end of the 42-year lifespan approaching in 2027. The first Minuteman III ICBMs were deployed 40 years ago. prgtoken With the provocative actions of North Korea and the increase in nuclear weapon activities taking place around the world, a credible nuclear deterrent is vital to national security of the United States. But, over the past few years, there has been a good amount of debate as to how much this modernization process will cost. prgtoken Over the next 30 years, not only will all three legs of our nuclear triad, our bombers, ICBMs, and missile submarines have to be replaced, a sustainment and modernization program for our nuclear bombs and warheads will be taking place at the same time as well. prgtoken The Congressional Budget Office currently produces a projected cost of nuclear weapons report annually. However, it only covers 10 fiscal years into the future. My concern is that the CBO's current 10-year timeframe does not encompass the later out-year costs, including the late 2020s, and early 2030s, when costs are projected by many to increase significantly. prgtoken My amendment would modify section 1643 of the fiscal year 2015 NDAA, the CBO review of cost estimates of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon delivery systems, to make the timeframe 30 years instead of 10 years, . prgtoken I brought this issue up last year when I served on the House Armed Services Committee, and earlier this year Ranking Member Smith and Ranking Member Visclosky wrote a letter to the CBO expressing their interest in an assessment of the sustainment and modernization costs associated with the triad for the next 30 years. The New York Times reports that the CBO 30-year estimate, which is due to be released later this year, will put costs at more than $1.2 trillion. prgtoken With a resurgent Russia, a rising China, and destabilized Middle East, there is little evidence that the demands of our conventional forces will decrease. That is why it is imperative that we have proper accounting for our 30-year nuclear modernization process if we are to adequately plan for future conventional and nuclear investments and provide proper oversight. prgtoken Now, some of my colleagues will say that a 30-year cost estimate isn't worth the paper that it is written on; that they would depict a time period far