mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REHABILITATION FOR MULTIEMPLOYER PENSIONS ACT OF 2019
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-7-24

an additional 1 minute. prgtoken The idea that we are hearing that this has no chance in the Senate, I disagree with that. I disagree with that profoundly. prgtoken There is an opportunity, once this moves to the Senate, to at least have something to negotiate with, the Butch Lewis Act. prgtoken And I think that there are men and women, again, in the Senate who are prepared to act on this problem, largely because the contagion from this plan will eventually make its way and leach into the PBGC. prgtoken The head of the PBGC, while not endorsing this specific plan, said to me: , I am glad you are doing what you are doing because you are going to invite further opportunities to address this problem, short of, in the end, having to bail out the PBGC, which will happen if we don't formally address the measure that is in front of us today. prgtoken , .
HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION CUSTODY ACT
Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-7-24

I just would note that we went through this in committee during the markup. All of the specialty positions listed need not be available at the site, as is mentioned on line 23. prgtoken As we mentioned, if you took a picture of a rash on a child, you could text that picture to a pediatrician, say, ``Is this a communicable disease or is this a small rash?'' and that would meet the requirements of this. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia).
HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION CUSTODY ACT
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-7-24

. Mr. Chair, contrary to the allegations by my colleague disparaging our view of Customs and Border Protection agencies, I was actually very impressed by the professionalism of many of the Border Patrol agents that we met and had the opportunity to tour the facilities in McAllen and Brownsville with. prgtoken I share the gentleman's commitment to a zero-tolerance policy. Frankly, one incident of sexual assault is far too much. This data will provide more transparency for Congress and for survivors and, frankly, more transparency for those members of the Border Patrol who are doing their job with respect to migrants. prgtoken Mr. Chair, ?
REHABILITATION FOR MULTIEMPLOYER PENSIONS ACT OF 2019
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-7-24

I rise today to support the bipartisan bill H.R. 397, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act. This bill would allow pension plans to get back on their feet and ensure retirees receive their promised benefits. prgtoken We must act quickly to ensure that Americans who contributed to their multiemployer pension plans will not have their financial security at risk. That is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 397. This bill provides financial assistance to financially troubled multiemployer defined benefit pension plans covering about 10 million, mostly working-class, Americans across the country. prgtoken The financial assistance provide by the bill consists of loans with a 30-year repayment term. Multiemployer pension plans are collectively bargained pension plans covering employees with two or more employers. Retirees, workers and their families, who rely on these plans are losing benefits earned over a lifetime of work through no fault of their own. prgtoken As an example, the Central States Pension Fund in my district has 10 employers covering more than 1,500 participants. Some of the top employers using Central States Pension Fund are YRC Inc ABF Freights Systems, Penske Truck Leasing Co DHL Express, and Air Express International. Without this financial assistance, pensions of truck drivers, electricians, ironworkers, bakers, and many more would continue to be cut significantly--putting their families' financial security and future at risk. prgtoken , the growing number of families in our country relying on their pension plans is growing and can no longer go unnoticed. We now have an opportunity to help these families protect their financial security.
HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION CUSTODY ACT
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-7-24

. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3239, a bill introduced by my friend and colleague from California, Congressman Raul Ruiz, and which I proudly cosponsor. prgtoken The humanitarian crisis at the southern border is greatly worsened by understaffed, unprepared, and under-equipped CBP facilities. prgtoken I know this. I have seen them firsthand in visits that I have made to some of these facilities not only in Texas, but also in New Mexico. prgtoken This bill will alleviate these problems by requiring CBP facilities to maintain the personnel and equipment necessary to screen all individuals in custody and provide emergency care as needed. prgtoken Our American values, moral conscience, and the Constitution require that we treat all individuals on American soil humanely and respectfully. For this purpose, border agents must have the equipment, resources, and training necessary to carry out this mission and save lives. prgtoken Congress must continue working to solve the immigration issue and finally end the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3239.
NEWBORN SCREENING SAVES LIVES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2019
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-7-24

as a senior member of both the Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Homeland Security, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2507, the ``Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2019.'' prgtoken The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act would yield major improvements in both the screening and follow up processes involved in the testing of infants for heritable diseases and conditions. prgtoken In the United States, more than 4,000,000 infants and children are screened every year, and up to 4,000 of the children test positive for one or more disease or disorder. prgtoken , 4,000 conditions detected are 4,000 young lives saved, as many of the diseases on the uniform screening panel, the list of conditions that newborns are tested for, are very treatable but can be deadly if left unaddressed. prgtoken However, there is an ever-present need to continue adapting the panel of conditions that newborns and young children are tested for, as improvements in technology allow medical professionals to identify new diseases, sooner. prgtoken , children and their families should have access to state of the art testing, and treatments. prgtoken H.R. 2507 specifically improves the current Newborn Screening Act in several ways, including: prgtoken Creating new educational strategies and practices regarding the screening and follow-up treatments for heritable diseases and conditions; prgtoken Creating an advisory committee for heritable diseases in newborns and children; prgtoken Creating a Clearinghouse of newborn screening information; prgtoken Improving laboratory quality and surveillance, which includes implementing new tools, resources and infrastructure, to improve data analysis, interpretation and lab practices; prgtoken Increasing funding for the Hunter Kelly Institute; and prgtoken Authorizing $2 million in Appropriations to the National Academy of Medicine, to fund studies dedicated to further improving the practice and procedure of the Uniform Screening Panel. prgtoken The screening of children has already been proven to be effective, and improvements and additions to the panel of diseases that are tested for can only result in more lives being saved. prgtoken I urge all members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 2507, the ``Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2019.''
PROMOTING RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUALS' DIGNITY AND EQUALITY ACT OF 2019
Andy Levin (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-7-24

. Madam , , the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu) for yielding. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to rise in strong support of the Promoting Respect for Individuals' Dignity and Equality, or PRIDE, Act, which I have been privileged to colead with Congresswoman Chu. prgtoken This bill is about moving our country closer to true equality and equity for the LGBTQ community. We have an opportunity today to send a message to LGBTQ married couples across America that their unions are recognized, valued, and dignified by the U.S. Government. prgtoken I am especially proud that this bill includes the text of my bill, H.R. 1244, the Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act, which addresses the glaring problem that the Tax Code is replete with out-of-date references to marriage that no longer reflect the institution of legal marriage in this country. prgtoken Our Tax Code, like all of our laws, should accurately represent and include all the people to whom it applies. prgtoken Gendered language in the Tax Code represents a time when LGBTQ couples could not get married. Fortunately, those days are over, and marriage equality is the law of the land. prgtoken We need to ensure that our laws reflect the vibrant diversity of our democracy, and this legislation will remove another vestige of discrimination from our country's code of laws. prgtoken Including language that is inclusive of LGBTQ couples and families is a small change that will have a huge impact, affirming loud and clear to all of our brothers and sisters and siblings in spirit in the LGBTQ community that we love them, that they are part of our Nation. prgtoken We also have an opportunity with the PRIDE Act to correct an injustice experienced by LGBTQ couples who married in States before marriage equality was finally recognized nationwide in the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision. prgtoken For years, LGBTQ couples in States that recognized legal marriage were wrongfully denied Federal tax refunds. The PRIDE Act will allow those couples to amend their past tax returns and receive the corresponding benefits. prgtoken Protecting LGBTQ families is not just about the LGBTQ community. It is about our never-ending pursuit to move America closer to freedom and justice for all. prgtoken Madam , I thank Congresswoman Chu for her tremendous leadership and for her partnership, and I thank Chairman Neal for prioritizing this effort. prgtoken Madam , I also thank my predecessor and my dad, Congressman Sandy Levin, who first introduced the Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act in 2015. prgtoken Madam , I urge strong support for this legislation across the aisle, both sides, and I look forward to the day when it becomes law.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1247
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-7-24

Senator Warner, and we will hear shortly from Senator Wyden. prgtoken These two great colleagues are championing election security. Senator Warner, at the helm as vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, has done as much as any American and any Member of this body to uncover the serious Russian threat to our election system. It is a threat not just from Russia but from other countries as well. That is why I have offered and will ask unanimous consent for the passage of S. 1247, the Duty To Report Act. prgtoken This legislation, like Senator Warner's, is based on a very simple idea: If you see something, say something. The Duty To Report Act would require campaigns, candidates, and family members to immediately report to the FBI and the Federal Election Commission any offers of illegal foreign assistance. It differs in some technical aspects--for example, with regard to family members--from Senator Warner's proposed FIRE Act. Yet it is the same idea because it codifies into law what is already a moral duty, a patriotic duty, and basic common sense. It is already illegal to accept foreign assistance during a campaign. It is already illegal to solicit foreign assistance during a campaign. All this bill does is require campaigns and individuals to report such illegal foreign assistance directly to the FBI. prgtoken Special Counsel Robert Mueller came before Congress today to answer questions about his very comprehensive and powerful report that documents the sweeping and systematic interference in our election, as he testified, to benefit, principally, 's campaign. Yet this measure is about the future. It is about preventing such election interference in the future and providing a mandate and a duty to report any offers of assistance from a foreign government, like Russia. prgtoken This report outlines the most serious attack on our democracy by a foreign power in our history. It tells the story of more than 150 contacts between the campaign and Russian agents. It tells the story of Russian covert and overt efforts to influence the outcome of our election by helping one candidate and hurting another, and it shows--perhaps most importantly for the purpose of this measure--that the campaign knew of it, welcomed it, and happily accepted it. prgtoken Mueller testified this morning: Over the course of my career, I have seen a number of challenges to our democracy. The Russian Government's efforts to interfere in our election is among the most serious. As I said on May 29, this deserves the attention of every American. prgtoken Equally important is that, just yesterday, FBI Director Christopher Wray came before the Committee on the Judiciary and warned that the Russians are still actively trying to interfere in our election, which is what Mueller said today when he was asked about some of the remarks and some of the efforts in t
Norma J. Torres (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-7-24

painting this greedy picture of union bosses who mismanage funds and overpromise benefits doesn't get us anywhere, and it is simply not true. prgtoken I will tell you what is true. What is true is that 399 retirees in Texas' Congressional District 19 will lose. But guess what? got your back in Texas 19. Know that. prgtoken , I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz).
PROMOTING RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUALS' DIGNITY AND EQUALITY ACT OF 2019
Tom Reed (Republican, NY) \u2014 2019-7-24

. Madam , in closing, I would just echo as we started. from California (Ms. Judy Chu) for her efforts on this issue. I thank our chairman, Mr. Neal, who has artfully indicated his words on the Record in regard to this issue. prgtoken Madam , what I would encourage Members to do is to consider passage of this legislation--I know I personally will be supporting this legislation--to make sure that our Tax Code is reflective of the law of the land as it has been declared by the Supreme Court. prgtoken We recognize the administrative problems that have been raised through the hearing process and the colloquy with the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and we hope that those issues can be administratively resolved. prgtoken Madam , .
ALLOWING THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ON THE DATE OF ENACTMENT OF THIS ACT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS SUCH DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2019-7-24

I rise today to voice my support for Brian Buescher, President 's nominee to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. prgtoken Near the end of 2017, both Senator Sasse and I were given notice that Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp would assume senior status on Nebraska's Federal bench. Many people may not know this, but the case docket for the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska is among the busiest dockets in the Nation. In recent years, the district has carried some of the highest per-judge criminal caseloads in the country, which surpasses judicial districts that include New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. That is why it is critical to both Nebraska and our Nation that the Senate delivers an exceptional judge to fill this vacancy without further delay. prgtoken In this spirit, both Senator Sasse and I worked quickly to begin the open-application process. Nebraska is the proud home of many brilliant legal minds, and we thoroughly studied every application and interviewed qualified candidates. After an extensive search spanning the course of a few months, Senator Sasse and I came to a conclusion. We would recommend to President that Brian Buescher be nominated as the next judge on Nebraska's Federal district court. prgtoken Mr. Buescher is a proud husband and father of five children who have been his biggest cheerleaders throughout this long confirmation process. He grew up in Clay County, NE. There he learned the importance of hard work at a young age on his family's farm, where they raised corn, milo, wheat, alfalfa, hogs and cattle. It is also from this upbringing that he developed a keen appreciation for how the law directly affects the everyday lives of Americans and even more so for those who live and work in America's heartland. prgtoken After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska- prgtoken Lincoln, Brian was accepted into law school at Georgetown University. He thrived both in and out of the classroom. He was editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Journal of Ethics and vice president of the Georgetown Law Student Bar Association. prgtoken Mr. Buescher is currently a partner at Nebraska's largest law firm, Kutak Rock. He is chairman of the firm's agribusiness litigation team and oversees large, complex commercial litigation, which includes environmental law, food law, real estate, class actions, product liability, and banking. prgtoken He has gained invaluable experience as a litigator, and his resume speaks for itself. His success includes favorable rulings in cases heard by Nebraska and Iowa's State and Federal courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska. Time after time, case after case, he has demonstrated his commitment to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. prgtoken In 2017, the American Agricultural Law Association awarded him the award for Exce
COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2019
Bob Gibbs (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-7-24

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , H.R. 3409 represents the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's commitment to the men and women serving in the Coast Guard and lays the groundwork for maintaining their mission capability in the future. prgtoken It also represents the bipartisan spirit that so often falls below the radar on Capitol Hill. At a time when the issues dominating the headlines fuel political fighting, it is refreshing to work with colleagues from both sides of the aisle. prgtoken H.R. 3409 recognizes that port and coastal security, drug interdiction, and maritime safety are commonsense issues, not or issues. This Coast Guard authorization addresses priorities important to both East and West Coasts, the inland river system, and the Great Lakes. All these regions are well-represented by the chairs and ranking members of the committee and subcommittee. prgtoken The Coast Guard plays an important and unique role in national security and maritime safety. It is a critical component in carrying out drug interdiction efforts, keeping our ports and coasts safe, and conducting icebreaking operations. H.R. 3409, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019, helps the Coast Guard better perform their missions and encourages the use of cutting-edge technology to improve operations. Utilizing drone technology and upgrading computer systems will help the Coast Guard personnel complete their missions. prgtoken I am also proud of the commitment made to the Great Lakes in this bill. Working with Congressman Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin, we emphasized the economic importance of the Great Lakes and the necessity for new, dedicated icebreakers on the lakes to keep commerce moving. prgtoken It is unfortunate that the provisions in the bill to ensure the Coastguardsmen were paid during lapses in appropriations were stripped from the bill. Nonetheless, I commend Chairman DeFazio and the 186 cosponsors of the Pay Our Coast Guard Act for pursuing this important initiative. prgtoken I thank Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and Subcommittee Chairman Maloney for working in a bipartisan fashion to give the Coast Guard the resources it needs to accomplish its missions. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019.
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-7-24

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Thursday, July 25; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-7-24

the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement will be a very big boon to the American worker. In my State, one out of every four American manufacturing firms export to Canada and Mexico. Seventy percent of these are very small or medium-sized businesses. More than 25,400 Iowans depend on manufacturing jobs. prgtoken By encouraging auto manufacturers to use more U.S. content in our cars and high-wage labor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will help American workers compete on a level playing field and benefit from selling to two of our largest trading partners.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB MISSOURI STATE YOUTH OF THE YEAR
Vicky Hartzler (Republican, MO) \u2014 2019-7-24

I rise today to congratulate Columbia, Missouri, Fire Chief Randy White on his retirement. prgtoken Since joining the department in 1998 as a firefighter, Chief White has dedicated his life to the safety of mid-Missouri families. He has saved countless lives and led his department to new heights. prgtoken During his time as fire chief, Randy's department became one of only 258 in the world to achieve accreditation through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. His hard work and leadership have been a blessing to the Columbia Fire Department and a true role model for other departments to follow. prgtoken I join with many Missourians, families, and friends to wish Chief White a fulfilling retirement. I hope Randy enjoys the days he has worked so hard to earn and wish him continued health and happiness in this new phase of life.
TRIBUTE TO ANNELIESE TAGGART
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-7-24

today I wish to recognize Anneliese Taggart, an intern in my Washington, DC, office, for all the hard work she has done on behalf of myself, my staff, and the State of South Dakota. prgtoken Anneliese is a graduate of Vermillion High School in Vermillion, SD. Currently, she is attending the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, where she studies political science and communications studies. Anneliese is a dedicated and diligent worker who has been devoted to getting the most out of her internship experience and has been a true asset to the office. prgtoken I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Anneliese for all of the fine work she has done and wish her continued success in the years to come.