mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-9-25

Wells Fargo creates 3.5 million fake accounts, charging customers fees and ruining credit scores. Equifax lets hackers steal personal information on 143 million Americans, putting nearly 60 percent of American adults at risk of identity theft. What is the Party's response? To take away your legal rights to hold companies like Wells Fargo and Equifax accountable. prgtoken I know that sounds nuts, but it is true. Here is the issue. If you have a checking account, a credit card, a private student loan, or any other number of financial products, there is a good chance that you have given up your right to go to court if this financial firm cheats you. That is because millions of financial contracts include a forced arbitration clause that says that, if you want to legally challenge something your financial company did to you, you can't join with other customers in court. You have to go to arbitration all by yourself. prgtoken Think about what that means in the real world. You wake up one morning, and you find a mysterious $30 fee on your account statement. You call the bank and say: Hey, I didn't agree to this. The bank tells you: Go pound sand. So what are your options? prgtoken Well, if there is no forced arbitration clause in your contract, you can join a class action lawsuit against the bank for free. Chances are you are not the only customer who got hit with an unauthorized $30 fee. A class action gives you a chance to get some of that money back, and, just as importantly, the bank might actually have to cough up some real money and think twice before hitting you and their other customers with hidden fees again. prgtoken Think what happens if there is a forced arbitration clause. You can't join with other customers in court. Your only option is to go out on your own and file an arbitration claim, which will cost you $200 or more just to get started. OK. Who is going to pay $200 to get back a $30 fee? No one. And that is exactly what the banks are counting on. They can get away with nickel-and-diming you forever. prgtoken Earlier this year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau put a stop to that. They issued a new rule that prohibits financial companies from forcing you to give up your right to join in a class action. The rule guarantees your right to join other customers in court and to hold your bank accountable. prgtoken But s in Congress are now coming after the rule. House s have already voted to reverse the rule, and now Senate s are gearing up to follow suit. prgtoken Make no mistake: Anyone who votes to reverse this rule is saying loud and clear that they side with the banks over their own constituents, because bank lobbyists are the only ones who are asking Congress to reverse this rule. Every other organization--all of those that represent actual human beings--want the rule to be saved. prgtoken Let me read from just a few. The Military Coalition
HONORING THE SARAH FOUNDATION ON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-9-25

it is my great pleasure to rise today to extend my deepest thanks and heartfelt congratulations to the SARAH Foundation of Guilford, Connecticut as they celebrate their 60th Anniversary--a remarkable milestone for this very special organization. prgtoken Families with loved ones with developmental disabilities have always struggled to find the appropriate care. Indeed, throughout much of our history, there were little to no resources to address their needs. In the 1950s, families had only two choices--remain at home without support or services, often isolating both the caregivers and their loved ones, or send their loved one to an institution, often far from home and thus isolating those with disabilities from their families and communities. prgtoken Recognizing this struggle and understanding the challenges families were facing, Dan and Eleanor Reinhardsen, Reeves and Dorothy Spencer, and William and Regina McNeil, pooled their resources to establish a school for children with intellectual disabilities--and SARAH was born. The Reinhardsens, Spencers, and McNeils, along with other shoreline families, worked diligently to raise funds for teachers, transportation and speech therapists. They moved from borrowed space in a church basement to a schoolhouse in North Guilford, the programs and services offered at SARAH met the academic and social needs of its students until the introduction of special education legislation providing for inclusion of children of all abilities in school districts. prgtoken With education needs being met by school districts, there came a new mission for SARAH and they refocused their efforts to expand their services to include vocational training, job placement, and independent living to ease the transition from school to life in the community. The Apple Doll Tea House, the first food service training program for people with disabilities in the nation, opened its doors in Guilford in 1973. Along with the Tea House, the Apple Farm Bakery, Greenhouse horticulture program, and others provided choices prgtoken in vocational employment, interaction with the public, and a close connection with communities. Today, SARAH works with businesses throughout the region, enabling hundreds of men and women to find steady, meaningful employment and build a sense of self-esteem. SARAH's first community residence was opened in Branford in 1977. Soon more homes were added in other communities as well as residences for individuals with multiple disabilities. The organization's commitment to providing a warm, nurturing environment and personalized residential care have made it a model for other agencies in Connecticut and across the country. prgtoken Built from love and compassion, SARAH is an extraordinary organization that has and continues to have the most positive of impacts on the lives of those with disabilities and their families. Today, as they mark their 60th Anniversary, I am honored to offer
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-9-25

before I begin on the nomination before us, I wish to first echo what so many of my colleagues-- and s--and millions of people across the country have made very clear today: enough with all of the partisanship around healthcare, enough with playing politics with people's lives, and enough with the repeated attempts to roll back all of our progress and move our country backward. prgtoken It is time that we drop Graham-Cassidy, drop Care, once and for all, and join together to actually work to improve healthcare, starting with acting right now to lower premiums for families and strengthen healthcare in a bipartisan way. prgtoken That has been my message to colleagues all along. The truth is that I know many of my colleagues prefer a bipartisan route. They have said as much in the last Care debate, in the very productive discussions we have had in and outside of the HELP Committee, and in many of their comments over the past few days. prgtoken It begs this question: Why are we in this spot yet again? prgtoken People across the country have been demanding for months to turn the page on Care. Instead of working in a bipartisan way to actually help people, a few of our colleagues have now pushed through yet another reckless repeal bill that is even worse than the previous Care version. It is a bill that will increase costs for families, especially seniors and people with preexisting conditions. prgtoken It will allow insurance companies once again to charge people more for basic healthcare, such as maternity care, mental health services, and more, and it will take away women's access to care at health centers like Planned Parenthood and result in millions of people across the country losing their Medicaid. Just like last time, the bill has not been subject to any real hearings, public debate, or even a complete and thorough CBO score. prgtoken Let's be clear. This bill is not a new proposal. It is not serious policy. It is not regular order. It is yet another version of Care that would be devastating for people across the country. prgtoken This is actually pretty simple because there is a clear alternative path before us. Let's do what my colleague, the senior Senator from Arizona, and so many others have so bravely called for once again and return to working together. prgtoken As I have said, I wholeheartedly agree with my colleague from Arizona that the right way to get things done in the Senate--especially on an issue as important to families as their healthcare--is through regular order and finding common ground. That is why I am still at the table ready to keep working. I remain confident that we can reach a bipartisan agreement as soon as this latest partisan approach by leaders is finally set aside. prgtoken , I come to the floor today on the nomination before us and to urge my colleagues to vote no on William Emanuel to
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-9-25

I want to make a couple of comments. Thanks to Senator Boozman for honoring the little known, courageous, now no longer young men and women but then boys and girls of Little Rock. prgtoken I have had the good fortune of getting to know over the years Ernie Green, who was the senior in high school of the Little Rock group. He went on to Michigan State. Martin Luther King attended his, I believe, high school graduation, maybe his Michigan State graduation. I am not sure. prgtoken My brother arranged for my daughter, some years ago on her birthday, to get to have dinner with Ernie Green because we had watched the docudrama of the Ernie Green story, about the young men and women of Little Rock. prgtoken I say thank you to Senator Boozman for honoring them. Disaster Relief for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands prgtoken , I want to take a moment for the millions of American citizens who are fighting for their lives in Puerto Rico, to never ever forget that the people in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are, in fact, American citizens. prgtoken It has been 5 days since Hurricane Maria ripped through the island of Puerto Rico. People are without power, they are without communication, and in many cases with no end in sight. prgtoken My staff has checked to see the condition of the veterans hospitals, both in Puerto Rico and in the three American Virgin Islands. There has been a mixed response. Some of them are up and running with electricity and water. Some of them are running with a generator. Some of them have been simply suspended or closed for a period of time. prgtoken It is up to us to make sure--one of the first things we can do is make sure those hospitals are served and running, and there is obviously so much more we need to do. prgtoken Much of the island of Puerto Rico remains mostly cut off from San Juan. The government has dispatched runners on foot to try to maintain contact in towns outside the capital. Towns are blocked from rescuers. Patients are worried they will run out of medicine. prgtoken The Washington Post talked to a woman in a mountain town. Her mother has diabetes. They have no power. She worries they will run out of prescriptions or generator fuel to keep her insulin refrigerated. I repeat. These are citizens of the United States of America. She is worried her mother's ulcer will become infected. She fans her mother with a piece of cardboard to keep the flies away. prgtoken These are American citizens. We cannot ignore them. Puerto Rico's secretary of the Department of Agriculture estimated the storm wiped out 80 percent of the crop value on the island. Entire farms were wiped out. Entire plantations are destroyed. One farmer said there will be no food in Puerto Rico. Officials predict the storm will set the island back for decades. prgtoken Listen to Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico's representative in Congress. Understand that Puerto Rico elects a Congres
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-9-25

let me associate myself with the remarks of the Senator from Massachusetts. There is a lot of work we need to do this week; she is right. There are healthcare crises right around the corner for millions of kids and families that we could be working on solving right now. As the Senator knows, both Connecticut and Massachusetts are still being wrecked by an opioid crisis--one that in my State is getting worse by the year, not better. We could be working together on that. We have brothers and sisters all throughout the United States who are right now in crisis because of devastating storms that have hit. We could be working together on trying to provide a meaningful response, and we aren't. Yet, again, we are back now talking about Care redux. This is version 10, version 11. I think there have been three versions already this week. This one is really the most dangerous version yet. prgtoken CBO just released a scaled-down analysis, noting that there was no way they would be able to provide a full analysis given the compressed schedule, given the need to pass this by the end of this week because of s' desire to make sure that not a single is included in the negotiation. They gave us some hints as to what their score would say once it was fully completed. prgtoken Federal spending on Medicaid would be reduced by $1 trillion over the course of this decade. There is simply no way to rip $1 trillion out of the Medicaid system--the Medicaid system, by the way, as all my colleagues know, that provides insurance to the disabled, to children, and to the elderly--without millions of people losing access to healthcare, people who have nowhere else to go. prgtoken CBO unsurprisingly says that the number of people with comprehensive health insurance would be reduced by millions, and they predict that States would allow insurers to set premiums on the basis of an individuals' health status. None of that is news to people who have read this piece of legislation. prgtoken I want to talk for a second about why CBO comes to those conclusions and why this is the most dangerous version of the bill yet. prgtoken In this bill is a massive reordering of the American healthcare system. The healthcare exchanges, which right now insure millions of Americans across the country, are essentially eliminated under this bill because the whole reason they existed was to funnel tax credits that are attached to individuals based on their income to help them buy insurance. Those tax credits go away under this proposal; thus, the exchanges go away. prgtoken Medicare as an entitlement is ended by this bill. No longer will you as an individual have a payment from the Federal Government attached to you because of your income or your health status or your disability. States will now get a block sum of money to do essentially what they wish, which may or may not cover the same number of people today covered under M
Healthcare (Executive Calendar)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-9-25

one of the most pernicious threats to the right of employees and consumers to access our judicial system has been the rise of forced arbitration. This practice unfairly eliminates access to our courts for millions of Americans. When used by employers, forced arbitration serves to shield corporations from the prgtoken consequences of harmful behavior, such as discrimination or sexual harassment. Today, the Senate is considering a nominee for the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, who has advocated in favor of forced arbitration in the employment context. Mr. Emanuel's support for stripping American workers of their rights is an important reason why I am opposing his nomination. prgtoken The shadow justice system brought about by forced arbitration results in real harm to employees while serving only to protect powerful corporate employers. In a high-profile example from last year, former FOX News host Gretchen Carlson was barred from speaking publicly about her allegations of sexual harassment against the company's former chairman, Roger Ailes. Had she not spoken out and instead complied with the private arbitration clause in her contract, her case would have been hidden from public view, denying other victims of harassment the knowledge that they were not alone. prgtoken In another disturbing case reported earlier this year, hundreds of current and former employees of Sterling Jewelers, a company that earns $6 billion in annual revenue, have for years alleged that the company is engaged in pervasive gender discrimination and has fostered a culture that condones sexual harassment. According to reports, this shocking behavior dates as far back as the early 1990s. Despite decades of allegations from women at the company, these claims were hidden behind closed doors because of private arbitration. The full details are still unknown today. prgtoken These are just two examples that highlight the serious harm forced arbitration can cause employees. During the administration, the NLRB found that the use of forced arbitration by employers to limit employees' rights to enter into class or collective actions violated the National Labor Relations Act. Mr. Emanuel participated in key cases related to this decision. I am concerned that his history of advocacy on this issue could lead to his prejudging the outcomes of subsequent cases that come before the Board. prgtoken Unfortunately, Mr. Emanuel declined during his confirmation hearing to recuse himself from decisions related to forced arbitration should he become a member of the Board. His other answers on this issue did not sufficiently allay my concern that he would work to undermine the rights of employees to access our judicial system. As someone who has fought for years to protect Americans' access to the courts and has introduced legislation to limit the harms caused by forced arbitration, I must oppose his nomination.
SENATE RESOLUTION 267--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2017 AS ``NATIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MONTH''
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-9-25

I rise today to introduce a resolution to recognize September as Workforce Development Month. prgtoken As technological advances reshape traditional fields and fuel the emergence of new industries, it is imperative that our workforce development system remain agile and flexible in order to educate and train the next generation of workers and those needing additional on- the-job training skills to stay competitive. prgtoken In addition, it is vital that we recognize the importance of all career pathways and professional development whether an individual pursues a 4-year degree or seeks to further their education at a community college, through an industry recognized certificate program, or as an apprentice. prgtoken In an effort to face this challenge head on, Congress passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act in 2014 with overwhelming bipartisan support. WIOA was signed into law by President and has helped streamline the workforce development system while increasing and strengthening partnerships between regional businesses, workforce development boards, and educational institutions. prgtoken In fact, it is these partnerships that have proven to be key to regional success at addressing the workforce needs of businesses. By working together, local businesses and educators can ensure that not only do businesses have access to the talent they need to grow but that those seeking work can find it. prgtoken Nationwide, the more than 550 workforce development boards and 2,500 American Job Centers have become a driving force behind growing regional economies by providing training, resources, and assistance to workers aiming to compete in the 21st century economy. prgtoken These workforce development boards and American Job Centers work with job seekers and employers across industries ranging from healthcare and information technology to manufacturing and construction. prgtoken There are currently nearly half a million registered apprentices across the country, including nearly fifty thousand in California alone. prgtoken Bipartisan support for earn-and-learn approaches such as apprenticeships and paid internships is critical for helping future workers gain the skills and experience they need while being able to provide for themselves and their families. prgtoken In recognition of workforce development month, Congress reaffirms its support for a comprehensive approach to workforce development, encourages partnerships between industry leaders and educators, and emphasizes the importance of all career pathways in pursuit of economic prosperity. prgtoken In closing, during this month it is essential that we acknowledge and commend the professionals who work every day to make these efforts a reality. America's workforce is the backbone of our economy and it is the expertise, dedication, and knowledge of these professionals that has helped develop such a robust system. prgtoken , I hope
REPUBLICANS SHOULD WORK WITH DEMOCRATS TO CREATE BETTER HEALTHCARE
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-9-25

. Madam , I come to the floor today to express my opposition to the newest Care bill that will result in 21 million fewer Americans having healthcare insurance. prgtoken Once again, Senate s, like House s, are rushing to pass a hurtful bill that every major healthcare group, from the American Medical Association to Kaiser, is opposing. prgtoken The latest heartless version of Care is no different than the previous plans because it still leaves many in the cold. As the old saying goes, it is like putting lipstick on a pig, as the bill still allows States to eliminate essential healthcare benefits like ER visits, preventative screenings, and prescription drug coverage. prgtoken This misguided plan also guts Medicaid, at a loss of $4 billion in Federal funds to Ohio--my State--and allows insurers to charge seniors and people with preexisting health conditions more money for less coverage. prgtoken Now it is time to stand together and hold strong with Senator John McCain and the Governors of Ohio, Nevada, and other States. s should work with to create a better deal, better jobs, better healthcare, and a better future for all Americans.
THE AMERICAN LEGION 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Timothy J. Walz (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-9-25

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time and, more importantly, for his eloquent words. I appreciate the support both for The American Legion and for this piece of legislation. prgtoken , thank you for bringing the bill to the floor, H.R. 2519, The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, for a vote today. prgtoken For nearly a century, The American Legion has worked tirelessly day and night to improve the lives of veterans and their families. For that reason, words cannot express the gratitude that we have for the men and women of The American Legion. prgtoken As both a veteran and a legislator, I see firsthand the results they achieve for veterans on a daily basis. prgtoken This bipartisan piece of legislation has the support of over 370 of our peers, including the entirety of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, the Financial Services Committee, and the majority and minority leaders. prgtoken The Senate has passed a similar piece of legislation, and I look forward to continue working to get this to the President's desk. prgtoken These commemorative coins are just a small token of thanks to show the millions of American Legion members that we appreciate what they do for our servicemembers, for our veterans, for our national security, and for our local communities. prgtoken In full disclosure, , as a longtime member of The American Legion, I am proud to stand here sponsoring this piece of legislation. I look forward to it being signed into law, and then I look forward to Americans getting a piece of this history that we should all be proud of.