mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2017-7-14

this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. prgtoken The National Defense Authorization Act has passed Congress 56 years in a row, and that is a testament to the collaborative, bipartisan work the Armed Services Committee has done to support our troops who put themselves in harm's way every single day to defend our country. prgtoken This year, the House Armed Services Committee adopted an amendment introduced by Congressman Gallego to ensure that none of the funds meant to support our troops and safeguard our Nation's security can be used for building President 's border wall. prgtoken The amendment was debated, amended, and ultimately adopted without objection by every single member of the Armed Services Committee. prgtoken If you ask the people who know the border the best, whether it is companies, lawmakers, border communities, trade groups, economists, or law enforcement officials--both s and --most agree that building a wall is unnecessary, impractical, ineffective, and, frankly, a complete waste of time and taxpayer money. prgtoken Furthermore, the United States already maintains approximately 650 miles of border fence in areas that most effectively stop the unauthorized entry of people, vehicles, drugs, arms, and other illicit items. prgtoken Instead of a costly border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, the Armed Services Committee chose to fully fund military healthcare, raise the pay of military personnel, and improve our Nation's cybersecurity. prgtoken They agreed that President 's ongoing effort to build a wall is wasteful and has absolutely nothing to do with advancing U.S. national security interests. prgtoken I want to emphasize that this amendment incorporated both ic and ideas, and passed unanimously in a bipartisan manner. But late Tuesday night, House leadership stripped Congressman Gallego's amendment from the NDAA with the use of a glaringly undemocratic, procedural gimmick to help fulfill his campaign promise. prgtoken leadership's actions to unilaterally open the door for funding the wall through the use of this defense bill is an insult to every single member of the Armed Services Committee, to our democratic principles, and to the spirit of bipartisanship. prgtoken They chose to undermine the unanimous judgment of the Armed Services Committee without the courage to test their proposal with a vote or even a debate on the floor. prgtoken You may hear my colleague on the other side of the aisle claim that prohibiting the construction of the wall doesn't fall within the jurisdiction of the Defense Department. However, I am not sure why the 8 members of the Rules Committee believe that they are more qualified to judge what should be included in the NDAA than the 61 members of the Armed Servi
THE HOUSE'S RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S REMARKS ON U.S.-RUSSIA CYBERSECURITY COOPERATION
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-7-14

I rise to express my distress over the House's response to President 's recent comments on cybersecurity cooperation with Russia. prgtoken The U.S. Intelligence Community has overwhelmingly concluded that Russia actively sought to influence the 2016 election through an active disinformation campaign, and covert cyberattacks. Yet this past weekend, in an act that confounded s and alike, President bragged about discussing with Vladimir Putin the possibility of establishing a joint cybersecurity unit with Russia. The idea that we would cooperate with Russia on cybersecurity, which would necessarily mean sharing some of our strategies, defies logic. prgtoken Naturally concerned by this reckless announcement, this week several of my colleagues and I offered amendments to H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Vear 2018 to prohibit such cooperation. However, House s refused to bring a single one of them to the floor for consideration. prgtoken Not only has our President refused to fully accept the overwhelming evidence that Russia actively sought to influence our elections, he now continues to place our national security at risk by floating the absurd idea that we should actually cooperate with Vladimir Putin, who ordered this campaign against our democratic institutions, in order to guard against future cyber threats. prgtoken , it would be laughable, if it were not so shameful, that House s are refusing to do anything to even consider prohibiting such a dangerous course of action by President . Why not let the full House vote on this proposal? If any of my colleagues do think it's a good idea to work with Russia on cybersecurity, let them come to the floor and explain themselves. prgtoken What will it take before House s take a stand against Russia's actions? If we do not do it, then I promise you it will happen again in the next election.
INTRODUCTION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF VIETNAMESE AMERICANS
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-7-14

today, I am introducing a House Resolution recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of Vietnamese Americans. prgtoken I represent part of one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the United States, and I am proud to recognize the valuable contributions of 1.7 million Vietnamese Americans currently living in the United States. The United States is home to the largest number of individuals of Vietnamese descent outside of Vietnam. Additionally, Vietnamese Americans make up the fourth largest Asian American population. Currently, more than 70,000 reside in California's 46th Congressional District. prgtoken In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, approximately 800,000 Vietnamese refugees fleeing persecution resettled in the United States. Today, Vietnamese Americans contribute to American society through their work in business, education, science and technology, engineering, mathematics, literature and the arts, gastronomy, the armed forces, and public service at every level of government. prgtoken Vietnamese Americans add to the rich cultural and religious diversity of our Nation. As a member of the Congressional Vietnam Caucus, it is critical that we continue to represent and celebrate our Vietnamese families, friends, and neighbors, and recognize their significant contributions to American society.
RECOGNIZING OUR NATION'S COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROFESSIONALS DURING PRETRIAL, PROBATION AND PAROLE SUPERVISION WEEK 2017
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-7-14

today I rise to recognize the nation's community corrections professionals and the vital role they play in enhancing public safety throughout the United States. In honor of the invaluable contributions of these dedicated public servants, the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) and its associated members have designated the week of July 17 through 23 ``Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week 2017.'' I thank the thousands of men and women who perform these important public safety duties, and urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in support of APPA's week-long recognition efforts this year. prgtoken In my congressional district, the nation's capital, thousands of women and men serve as pretrial, probation and parole officers or administrators. As public servants, these constituents, along with many other Americans, commit themselves on a daily basis to helping improve the lives of those involved in the criminal justice system. The work of these professionals ultimately results in stronger and safer communities for all. prgtoken Community corrections professionals are responsible for the supervision of adult and juvenile offenders in communities throughout our nation. These trained professionals go above and beyond the call of duty by connecting their clients to supportive services, community- based resources, employment opportunities, housing programs and other evidence-based practices that help individuals successfully complete supervision and reenter society. Community corrections professionals strive to provide these services and support, while simultaneously providing client surveillance, crime prevention and restorative justice. prgtoken In honor of Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week 2017, I take the opportunity to recognize those who carry out community corrections and supervision services here in the District of Columbia, including the officers and professionals of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA). prgtoken CSOSA and the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA) are dedicated to reducing recidivism and enhancing public safety in the nation's capital. CSOSA and PSA are recognized as model community supervision entities because of their use of evidence-based practices and community partnerships. prgtoken On any given day, CSOSA is responsible for supervising approximately 11,000 individuals on probation, parole or supervised release, while PSA supervises over 17,000 defendants over the course of a year. Charged with having to balance issues of public safety with social services and reentry support, the employees of CSOSA and PSA help to enhance the security of everyone who lives, works or visits the District. prgtoken , again, I extend my gratitude to these public servants for their commitment, prgtoken compassion and contributions to healthier and safer communities throughou
HONORING SONIA SEPULVEDA-DEMPSEY
Vicente Gonzalez (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-7-14

I rise today to congratulate Sonia Sepulveda-Dempsey, who was recently inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame. Sonia began running competitively when she was in the seventh grade. While a student at Edinburg High School, she qualified for state three times. Sonia excelled on the track and was recruited heavily by many colleges and universities in the state of Texas. She eventually chose to attend Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she joined their Track and Field Program. During her college years, Sonia was part of the second fastest relay team in Baylor's history. Inspired by her first grade teacher, who she refers to as her “haven,” Sonia became an educator following her graduation from Baylor. She currently works as a testing facilitator at Edinburg North High School, where her husband serves as the band director. Sonia has been an educator for two decades. She also periodically gives motivational speeches to student athletes, a testament to her passion for athletics and commitment to student athletes I applaud Sonia Sepulveda-Dempsey on the occasion of her induction to the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame, and recognize her contributions to education and student athletes in South Texas. Today, I am proud to honor Sonia Sepulveda-Dempsey.
DONALD TRUMP, JR.'S, EMAILS
Ruben Gallego (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2017-7-14

on July 11, , Jr released a series of emails regarding his meeting with a Russian Government lawyer and an individual associated with Russian intelligence. prgtoken Don , Jr.'s, emails are a smoking gun. They prove that the campaign was not only aware of the Russian Government's efforts to meddle in our elections, they were enthusiastic about accepting Russia's support. prgtoken What follows are the contents of those emails. They painted a disturbing picture of a campaign, and now an administration willing to break the law and sell out to an adversary of the United States in order to advance their own petty interests. prgtoken Our hope is that the American people will carefully consider the content of these messages and what they say about the fitness of and his senior advisers to hold high office. prgtoken We will begin. There was a comment posted by , Jr on Twitter on July 11, 2017. ``To everyone, in order to be totally transparent''--which we now know he wasn't even in this email--``I am releasing the entire email chain of my emails with Rob Goldstone about the meeting on June 9, 2016. The first email on June 3, 2016 was from Rob, who was relating a request from Emin, a person I knew from the 2013 Ms. Universe Pageant near Moscow. Emin and his father have a very highly respected company in Moscow. The information they suggested they had about Hillary Clinton I thought was Political Opposition Research. I first wanted to just have a phone call but when that didn't work out, they said the woman would be in New York and asked if I would meet. I decided to take the meeting. The woman, as she has said publicly, was not a government official. And, as we have said, she had no information to provide and wanted to talk about adoption policy and the Magnitsky Act. To put this in context, this occurred before the current Russian fever was in vogue. As Rob Goldstone said just today in the press, the entire meeting was `the most inane nonsense I ever heard. And I was actually agitated by it.' '' prgtoken End of email.
FIRST, DO NO HARM
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-7-14

those who support the GOP medical bill have forgotten one of the main and first principles of medical care: Do no harm. prgtoken They said repeatedly that they would protect preexisting conditions. They said that they would protect accessible and affordable healthcare and premiums. But they must have been crossing their fingers when they said it because nothing is further from the truth. prgtoken Under their latest bill, premiums will soar, particularly for the elderly. Women would have to, once again, worry about preexisting conditions, such as pregnancy. prgtoken The defunding of Planned Parenthood would hurt many women, particularly low-income women. prgtoken And the cuts to Medicare in the bill would be devastating to millions of women, seniors, children, and the disabled. prgtoken In addition, the diminished subsidies could mean that more people than the 22 million in the last bill who were removed from healthcare under the bill will lose their healthcare. prgtoken Vote ``no'' on this disastrous bill.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-7-14

I thank the majority leader for his observation. prgtoken I might say, if I can, the first year I was majority leader, which was in 2007, we passed all appropriations bills before the August break to the Senate, but I am pleased that the Appropriations Committee is moving forward, and let's hope that we can honor regular order. prgtoken Does the majority leader expect us to consider each of the bills that the gentleman refers to as having been passed through subcommittee, some through full committee? Do we expect to consider those discretely one at a time on the floor? prgtoken , I yield to my friend.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-7-14

I rise in opposition to this amendment. prgtoken The amendment shifts workers who repair super yachts and large, luxury watercraft out of coverage under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and into coverage under State workers' compensation programs. prgtoken But it doesn't just amend the longshoremen act. Rather, it creates a problem with the Coast Guard law. The Coast Guard opposed an identical amendment last year because it creates widespread damage to Coast Guard regulatory and enforcement authorities, implicates U.S. treaty obligations, and could affect the collection of tonnage taxes on foreign flagged vessels. prgtoken The Department of Labor also opposes the amendment because it could lead to uncertainty and foster litigation under the longshoremen coverage. Moreover, by shifting workers out of longshoremen into the weak State workers' comp laws such as Florida, it could permanently impoverish workers. prgtoken Last year, the Florida Supreme Court held that the Florida workers' compensation law was so anemic that it was unconstitutional. prgtoken If the goal is to provide reasonable insurance rates, then it should be in the insurance industry not by complicating the Coast Guard, by complicating the Department of Labor, and denying workers their benefits under the Longshoremen's Compensation Act. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter from the Committee on Education and the Workforce opposing this amendment. Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, July 12, 2017. Re Opposition to Making Amendment 302 in Order as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2018 (H.R. 2810) Hon. Pete Sessions, Chairman, Committee on Rules, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Louise McIntosh Slaughter, Ranking Member, Committee on Rules, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Sessions and Ranking Member Slaughter: I am writing to request that you not make Amendment 302 in order as part of the rule for the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2810). The amendment offered by Representatives Frankel and Byrne changes the definition of a ``recreational'' vessel under U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) boating safety authorizing legislation. The amendment authors' goal is to change workers' compensation coverage for those repairing luxury water craft and superyachts by shifting coverage for these workers from the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) into state workers' compensation programs. However, the amendment does not amend the LHWCA. Rather it changes the definition of ``recreational vessel'' under Section 4301 of Title 46 (the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971). According to the Coast Guard,
INSURING SOCIAL SECURITY SOLVENCY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
Terri A. Sewell (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2017-7-14

earlier this week, the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security held a hearing to discuss the Social Security Administration's Annual Trustee Report. This report is a strong reminder that Congress must act to address the Social Security Trust Fund shortfall to ensure the stability of Social Security for generations to come. The longer Congress delays dealing with this impending crisis, the fewer options we will have to address the shortfall. prgtoken Social Security is an essential program that prevents elderly Americans from falling into poverty once they reach retirement age or are disabled. Currently, Social Security covers 61 million seniors, and 171 million Americans pay into the system. The Trust Fund is divided into two divisions: Old-Age and Survivors insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI). These funds cover the 41.2 million retired workers, the 8.8 million disabled workers, and their families. prgtoken The long term viability of Social Security is undoubtedly under threat. The Baby Boomers are beginning to retire which is putting significant pressure on the fund. Since Social Security collects fewer revenues than it previously did, it will be forced to draw from the 2.8 trillion dollars in asset reserve. The Social Security Administration Trustee's report estimates that reserves are in danger of depletion by 2034. We cannot let this happen. A reduction in benefits for our seniors would be devastating for many of my constituent, who depend on Social Security payments as their only income in retirement. If benefits decrease, seniors who have paid into the system could be forced to choose between paying for their groceries, their utility bills, or their essential medication. prgtoken There are common-sense steps that Congress can take to stabilize the program and insure it's presence for the next century. The Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, Congressman John Larson, has introduced H.R. 1902--the Social Security 2100 Act. I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 1902, which would simultaneously increase benefits for current and future seniors, reduce payroll taxes for middle class and working class Americans, and secure the solvency of the program until 2100. This is accomplished by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share by raising the payroll tax cap on incomes above $127,000. There are reasonable solutions that both and s should be able to support. prgtoken Congress cannot afford to abandon our seniors. We must address the Social Security shortfall now. Therefore, I call an Ryan to bring H.R. 1902 to the floor for a vote.
TRIBUTE TO GARY GREENE, ESQ. AND HIS BIG BAND OF BARRISTERS
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-7-14

I rise today to pay tribute to the Big Band of Barristers and to recognize their founder, attorney Gary S. Greene. Gary Greene, Esq. and His Big Band of Barristers perform music from the Golden Era of Big Band Swing. Gary S. Greene organized the band in December 2011 as an adjunct to the 75-member Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic and the 100-member chorus, Legal Voices. These musicians are civil litigators, trial attorneys, in-house counsels, sole practitioners, partners at law firms, judges and justices, paralegals, law students and the like. prgtoken The members include conservatory graduates and professional musicians as well as some who only played in their youth. The mission of these musical groups is to bring the legal community together in harmony to perform concerts and raise funds for organizations providing legal services for those who cannot afford them as well as for other charitable causes and civic events. The Big Band has performed concerts for the American Diabetes Association, the American Legion, Shriners Hospitals for Children, The Thalians, Magen David Adom, the City of Hope, Hollywood Remembers World AIDS Day, Ascencia (raising funds for housing for the homeless), the Beverly Hills Bar Association's 80th and 85th Anniversaries, Loyola Law School's 50th Anniversary and for justices of the California Supreme Court. On Friday evening, July 14, 2017, Maestro Greene and the Big Band of Barristers will perform in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress. s at this program include the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, and Thomas V. Girardi, Esq I ask all of my House colleagues to join me in congratulating Maestro Greene and his Big Band of Barristers along with the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic for all their achievements.
STRENGTHENING DOD'S RESPONSE TO PFOA AND PFOS WATER CONTAMINATION
Brendan F. Boyle (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2017-7-14

I want to thank the House Armed Services Committee for working with me to strengthen the Defense Department's response to PFOA and PFOS water contamination issues. prgtoken These contaminants are plaguing communities due to the use of AFFF firefighting foams across our Nation, including in Horsham and Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, in my district. prgtoken I have been fighting for Federal resources and responsibility since first learning of these issues. prgtoken With my amendment, and the $30 million increases each for the Air Force and Navy to combat this issue that we fought so hard for, this bill is an important step in the right direction toward addressing this issue any and every way we possibly can, but our fight continues. prgtoken My bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3106, would require an enforceable nationwide drinking water standard for PFCs, including PFOA and PFOS, rather than the current voluntary advisory. prgtoken I will keep fighting to address this issue with the seriousness it merits.