mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
8-K TRADING GAP ACT OF 2019
Michael F. Q. San Nicolas (Democrat, GU) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , as much time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I thank Representative Maloney, the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform and a member of the Financial Services Committee, for authoring H.R. 4335, the 8-K Trading Gap Act, a commonsense bill that would close a loophole in our securities laws that has been exploited by corporate insiders. prgtoken Currently, public companies must disclose significant corporate events, such as bankruptcy or major cybersecurity hacks, to investors and the public on Form 8-K. However, the law gives them 4 business days after the event occurs to make this disclosure. As a result, corporate executives have the benefit of knowing material, nonpublic information for 4 days before investors and the rest of the public. prgtoken This is a problem because there is no rule prohibiting these executives from buying or selling the company's securities during this 4-day gap, and there is evidence that certain executives have done so and profited handsomely. According to a 2015 study, over a 6-year period, insiders who traded during this 4-day gap successfully earned $105 million in above-market returns on these trades. prgtoken H.R. 4335, the 8-K Trading Gap Act, fixes this loophole by requiring public companies to put in place policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to prohibit officers and directors from trading company stock after the company has determined that a significant corporate event has occurred and before the company has filed a Form 8- K disclosing such event. prgtoken I support this commonsense fix and encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill. prgtoken Madam , .
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Ron Kind (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , I was unable to have my votes recorded on the House floor from January 6 through January 10, 2020 due to a family matter. Had I been present, I would have supported the final passage of all bills and resolutions considered on the floor. I strongly supported the passage of H.R. 535, the PFAS Action Act. PFAS pose a critical threat to human health, and I was proud my amendment, which would promote resources for private well water testing and treatment, was included in the bill. Wisconsinites deserve clean drinking water, and I am proud the House of Representatives is taking steps to address PFAS contamination across the country. I also strongly supported the passage of H. Con. Res. 83. This resolution sends a clear message to this Administration, our men and women in uniform, and all Americans: we will not go into another war without the President making the case to the American people and seeking approval from Congress.
Cloture Motion (Executive Calendar)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-1-13

I want to thank Senator Menendez and Senator Whitehouse again for their leadership on this. prgtoken We have all seen the pictures and the news stories. The issue, though, is a severe one. The World Economic Forum has estimated that if we don't do anything about this big crisis of ocean debris, but particularly the issue of plastics in the ocean, there are estimates that by 2050 there will be more plastics by weight in the world's ocean than there are fish. We can't let that happen. prgtoken So what we have done is we have put together this bill. As already mentioned, there were three different committees. There is an element on the domestic innovation side that creates a Marine Debris Foundation. That is a congressionally chartered private organization. prgtoken Think of groups that matter to Americans. There are dozens of these kinds of foundations, but they are important. They send a signal that the Congress of the United States cares about these things. Think about the Red Cross, the American Legion, and the National Parks Foundation. These are all congressionally chartered organizations. The new Marine Debris Foundation will be one of them. prgtoken The American Government is focused on this. It is an opportunity for the private sector, and we have seen some industries step up. There is a group called the Alliance to End Plastic Waste that has pledged $1.5 billion to start addressing this problem. That is not small change. It is going to need that kind of money. Perhaps some of that can go into this foundation. prgtoken There is an innovation prize. A lot of focus in our bill is on innovation so that we can solve some of the big challenges in chemistry--a plastic bottle that could fully biodegrade. We don't have that yet, but these are some of the things that the bill looks at doing. prgtoken Of course, Senator Menendez talked about the very substantial foreign relations component because so much of the plastic waste in the oceans comes from countries in Asia and Africa and 10 rivers, estimating almost 80 to 90 percent of all of the plastic waste in all of the oceans. So, again, it is solvable because it is definable. prgtoken Then, the third component is improving domestic infrastructure to prevent marine debris through new grants and foreign studies for waste management mitigation. So this covers a lot of different areas-- innovation, our domestic side, the international side. prgtoken We have momentum. We had a great group of bipartisan Senators-- and s from all over the country and from all political persuasions--showing that momentum. We have the administration fully behind this. In many ways, some of their Federal agencies weighed in significantly to help us design this legislation, and now we need to get it over to the House and move it in the House soon and get it to the President's desk. prgtoken So this is a good day for the oceans and a good day for bipartisan
TRIBUTE TO CONRAD JEFFRIES
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2020-1-13

today I honor Idaho veteran Conrad Jeffries for his service to our nation and for his efforts to address alarmingly high suicide rates in our country, especially among our Nation's veterans and servicemembers. prgtoken Conrad knows firsthand the personal costs of military service and the challenges servicemembers face returning to civilian life, and he has dedicated considerably of his time, talents, and resources to serving our country and helping his fellow veterans and military families. On January 12, Conrad Jeffries embarked on a more-than 200 mile run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to raise awareness about rising suicide rates among veterans, Active-Duty servicemembers, and first responders. I understand his running route is intended to honor three sailors who committed suicide aboard the U.S.S. George H.W. in September and promote the use of suicide screening forms to identify the root causes of and prevent veteran suicides. Conrad has said, ``Veteran suicide is not the problem. Veteran suicide is the outcome.'' Conrad has admittedly faced his own personal struggles and has since dedicated his life to solving veteran suicide. This includes working to help others who struggle with mental health and substance abuse. prgtoken Conrad, who was raised in American Falls and lives in Boise, ID, served our Nation for 13 years in the Idaho Army National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard. prgtoken His service included deployment with the 116th Combat Brigade and attachment to Joint Special Operations where he conducted personal security detachment missions as a convoy commander. In 2013, Conrad earned Idaho's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award. prgtoken I commend Conrad Jeffries for his extraordinary commitment to helping others through his actions to end suicide. His candid sharing of his experiences and empathy on the topic is instrumental as work continues to combat veteran suicide. Suicide prevention, specifically within the veteran community, has been one of my priorities in Congress. I co-led in the introduction of S. 1594, the Show Esteem and Respect for Veterans by Increasing Care and Equity, SERVICE, Act to address the alarmingly high veteran suicide rates by allowing veterans open access to mental healthcare at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. I also joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in asking the U.S. Department of Defense, DOD, to look for and explain any gaps in addressing the alarmingly high rates of suicide in the National Guard. prgtoken Many well-intended people identify a problem, want to fix it, but get bogged down trying. Others, like Conrad, just face the obstacles, plow ahead, work hard, and literally ``run'' to fix it. I wish Conrad well and thank him for his efforts on behalf of his fellow veterans, military families, and all Americans to end veteran suicide.
HONORING SHERIFF TOM BOSENKO FOR 40 YEARS OF SERVICE
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , I rise tonight to honor a good friend and a great leader in Shasta County, Sheriff Tom Bosenko, who served 40 years with the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, 14 years as sheriff. prgtoken He has worked in nearly every division of the sheriff's office, including patrol operations, school resource officer, SWAT, antigang enforcement, and the canine unit. Importantly, he was at the helm of the sheriff's office when the historic Carr fire hit last year. I can't thank him enough for keeping order and calm in directing people in a positive fashion during that time. prgtoken Madam , he is a four-time recipient of the Best in the North State's Best Elected Official award. prgtoken He has worn his badge with honor, never backing down from what needs to be done and shouldering the burden of keeping the community safe. I saw him everywhere I went during my time visiting around in the district there. He is a community guy. prgtoken Madam , as a motorcycle lover, I think Tom will ride his Harley-Davidson right into retirement. He is, in retirement, still a fierce defender of our Second Amendment rights. prgtoken Madam , I thank Tom for his unwavering service to the community, the people of the north State, and his example. He will be missed, certainly, but I know his successor, Sheriff Eric Magrini, will do well under Tom's tutelage. I appreciate him, and may God bless him.
Iran (Executive Calendar)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-1-13

it has been 10 days since the United States removed Iran's chief terrorist, Qasem Soleimani, from the battlefield. It has been 5 days since the brutal violence, recklessness, and failed governance that defines the Iranian's regime was put on full display with their shoot-down of a Ukrainian civilian airline and the death of all 167 souls on board. prgtoken After a brief stab at a failed coverup, the Iranian Government had to come clean and explain that its own recklessness had killed more than 80 Iranians, 63 Canadians, and the other victims. Despite the claims of supposed experts on Iran that Iranians would rally behind their oppressive regime, the truth is quite different. Instead, thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to celebrate Soleimani's death, condemn the regime's domestic repression, call for regime change in Tehran, and denounce their government's feeble efforts to lay its own violence at the feet of the United States. prgtoken According to journalists, here is one chant that has been ringing out on the streets of Iran: ``Soleimani is a murderer, his leader a traitor.'' Here is another: ``They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here.'' The irony is rich. prgtoken As Iran's master terrorist, Soleimani himself led efforts to brutalize Iranian protesters who dared to challenge the regime. Just a few months ago, he boasted to Iraqi leaders: ``We in Iran know how to deal with protests.'' That violent approach is exactly why Iraqis and Iranians alike are now celebrating his death and denouncing the regime he helped lead. I am sure the mullahs regret that Soleimani himself is no longer around to help intimidate and murder their own citizens into silence. prgtoken These protests aren't limited to Iran either. Protestors are back in Iraq as well--not phony, Iran-staged demonstrations but real citizen- led protests across Iraq. Iraqis are demanding a government whose top priority is Iraqi's own interests rather than facilitating Iranian interference. prgtoken Given the death and terror that Iran has wrought in the Middle East for decades, this kind of reaction shouldn't be a surprise, but strangely--strangely--it seems it has surprised many of our fellow Americans. prgtoken Here at home, many on the left and in the media had rushed to reflexively blame President , and not the Iranian regime, for the recent violence. prgtoken After only the earliest initial reports, the of the House rushed prgtoken to blame our administration for ``needless provocations,'' she said, and following Iran's shoot-down of the airliner, one prominent House characterized the regime's violence as ``collateral damage,'' resulting from America's actions--exactly how the Iranians themselves were trying to spin it. prgtoken One running for President tried a similar, embarrassing equivocation. He said the civilians Iran had blown up were ``caught in the middle of an unnece
IN HONOR OF COLONEL JOHN EDWARD GRAY
Ted Budd (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of Retired Colonel John Edward Gray of Mount Ulla, North Carolina, who passed away earlier this month at age 94. prgtoken Colonel Gray was born in Cleveland, North Carolina on August 24, 1925 and went on to serve in five campaigns against the Japanese in the Pacific theater in World War II. prgtoken Following the war, he returned home and resumed his education at Davidson College. After he graduated in 1949, he served again in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. prgtoken Selfless, legendary, and valiant are all words that come to mind when thinking about all that this man accomplished in his life. prgtoken Colonel Gray is survived by his wife Sue of 72 years, five children, 12 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. prgtoken Madam , please join me in honoring the life of Colonel John Edward Gray.
PRESIDENT TRUMP KEEPS PROMISES
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , in the December Jobs Report, job numbers remain strong. Over 140,000 jobs were added, and wages are up. The unemployment rate remains at a 50-year low at 3.5 percent. These new, consistent numbers show that President is continuing his effective record of promises made, promises kept. prgtoken The December Jobs report also showed that the total employment level rose to 158.8 million--another record high. By creating jobs, lowering unemployment, increasing wages, and consistently working to promote opportunities, President continues keeping his promises. prgtoken Baseless attacks on the President by and the biased fake news attempted to conceal his successes, but make no mistake: President is focused to work for American families and jobs. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism. prgtoken Best wishes to Coach Dabo Swinney, go Clemson Tigers tonight.
CYBERSECURITY AND FINANCIAL SYSTEM RESILIENCE ACT OF 2019
Patrick T. McHenry (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , today, I begin by thanking Chairwoman Waters and her staff for working with my staff and me to bring this bill to the floor today and, indeed, making it a bipartisan outcome. prgtoken It is a nice way to start a year. We started last year on the floor passing bipartisan bills, and from time to time, we have been able to do that over the last year. So I thank Chairwoman Waters for working with me where we can, but when we disagree in our committee, we are able to disagree and still have the capacity to talk to one another. I think that is a very special thing. Now, the rest of our politics, they are what they are, but it is good to celebrate when we have our bipartisan victories. prgtoken Madam , the bill we have before us will ensure the government regulators are taking seriously the systemic risk that cybersecurity attacks pose to the global economy. prgtoken For the first time, this legislation will require U.S. bank regulators--the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, prgtoken and the National Credit Union Administration--to provide Congress with a detailed analysis of what they are doing to protect against cyberattacks, both internally and in the entities they oversee. prgtoken This includes the regulators' technical procedures, their operational policies to ensure accountability for cybersecurity at the highest management levels, their cooperation with domestic and foreign financial institutions, as well as their forecasts on emerging threats to the resilience of the financial system--important stuff. prgtoken The need for this bill is clear. We have witnessed nearly half a billion data records exposed as a result of breaches in the private sector. prgtoken We know that the world is digitizing. Our government is trying to keep pace, but the private sector is moving very quickly as we, as consumers, drive this move to greater digitization. prgtoken Not surprisingly, one recent survey found that no less than two- thirds of our large financial institutions had experienced an increase in cyberattacks over the previous year, with 79 percent of them concluding that hackers were becoming more sophisticated. Certainly, they are. prgtoken At an April 2019 hearing of the Financial Services Committee, CEOs from five of America's seven largest banks cited cyberattacks as the foremost risk they face. Now, that is not productivity growth. It is not political upheaval overseas. It is not an economic slowdown in China or Europe. They ranked their highest concern as cybersecurity threats. prgtoken In the private sector, they are not alone in this exposure. Last year, we saw ransomware attacks against Baltimore and three towns in Florida that forced local government operations to be suspended, in some cases jeopardizing basic public services. prgtoken What would happen if hackers had that sam
Impeachment (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-1-13

it has now been 26 days since House voted to impeach the President of the United States. This is a predictable ending to an increasingly embarrassing impeachment inquiry. Apparently, Pelosi, Chairman Schiff, Chairman Nadler, and others were in such a big hurry to get this done before the end of the year, they have obviously gotten cold feet because they have refused to present the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate so that we can have the trial. prgtoken As the Presiding Officer knows, ordinarily, if you are presented with a situation in which the prosecution refuses to proceed to put on the evidence in the case, they are dismissed as a routine matter--dismissal for want of prosecution--or if, in fact, they do intend to present the Articles of Impeachment, there is a fundamental notion of basic fairness included in the guarantee of a speedy trial that is obviously being neglected, avoided, and abused by the and her leaders in the House. prgtoken Our ic colleagues in the House rushed through their investigation in only 12 weeks, and it ended up passing Articles of Impeachment on a partisan basis. After repeatedly saying that this is a grave and urgent matter, it seems that Pelosi has experienced some buyer's remorse and has questioned just how grave and urgent it really is. prgtoken Here we are, as I said, 26 days later, and she still has not sent the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. As we know, even though some have suggested the Senate could somehow proceed to trial absent the delivery of those articles here, we can't try the case until the charges are delivered. prgtoken Finally, last Friday, the indicated that she will transmit the articles this week. They will also have to name impeachment managers, Representatives from the House who will come over and actually present the charges to the Senate and attempt to produce evidence in support of those charges. prgtoken It remains to be seen whether the will deliver the articles this week. She has been withholding them, as I said, for nearly 4 weeks now, claiming that it is part of her strategy to get leverage over the Senate, a strategy that has yielded no positive results. prgtoken In fact, what we have seen is, the has zero leverage in the Senate. She runs the House; there is no doubt about that. But the Senate is a separate body. We don't take our instructions from the House, just as the House does not take their direction from the Senate. prgtoken Before the House even voted on the articles, Leader McConnell said that the Senate should follow the same bipartisan framework used to guide the Clinton impeachment trial. I say ``bipartisan'' because, at that time, 100 Senators agreed to this path forward. prgtoken The logic goes this way: If it was good enough for President Clinton, then it should be good enough for President . Suffice it to say, the disagrees. Instead of sending the Articles of Impeachme
PRUDENTIAL REGULATOR OVERSIGHT ACT
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-1-13

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , first of all, happy new year to our chairwoman of the full committee. I am glad to see the gentlewoman on the floor today on this good set of bills that she has worked hard to produce, a bipartisan solution to so many important topics. prgtoken I rise in support of H.R. 4841 today, and I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Loudermilk) for offering this legislation. prgtoken If there is one key point that the s and can agree on in the post-2008 crisis, it is that increased dialogue and transparency on safety and soundness of institutions, and monitoring emerging risks and potential threats to financial stability, can better promote understanding of the most concerning issues facing our American financial system, the broader economy, and how to make sure that America can keep its leadership in the world in competitive financial services. Certainly, an active Financial Stability Oversight Council is an example of that, and this measure, H.R. 4841, is a key tool as well. prgtoken It will require Federal financial regulators to appear at least annually before the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee to provide testimony on their oversight of financial institutions, including regulatory, supervisory, and enforcement activities. prgtoken Under this bill, the regulators will also be required to produce semiannual reports to Congress on these efforts. prgtoken Although the Federal Reserve Chairman, the Federal Reserve Vice Chairman for Supervision, and the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are required to testify before Congress semiannually, similar requirements do not exist for the Comptroller of the Currency, the Chair of prgtoken the FDIC, or the Chair of the National Credit Union Administration. prgtoken Last year, the principals from the prudential regulatory agencies, the OCC, the FDIC, and National Credit Union Administration, willingly and happily testified alongside the Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision during his statutorily required appearance. prgtoken Committee s recognize that it is good practice to have open and regular conversations with our prudential regulators on topics concerning the integrity of the U.S. and global financial systems. This practice is important, regardless of which party is in power. prgtoken Merger and acquisition trends, BSA/AML exams, fintech, Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money-laundering exams and trends, the use of financial technology, cyber threats and planning for cyber protection and compliance issues, generally, all of these are important topics. prgtoken I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for working in a bipartisan way to address some modest concerns the s had with the initial draft. We were able to make simple changes that clarify the parameters for the release of i