mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-3-15

of course. prgtoken I will tell my colleague, as to what the majority and the minority have agreed to, as soon as those consent requests are ready, then we will take a time out from my remarks and make sure that matter is resolved. prgtoken As we wait for the matter Senator Cornyn has mentioned, I will begin the discussion of the nomination of Dan Coats to be the Director of National Intelligence. prgtoken I have known Senator Coats for many years. He has been the lead cosponsor of the bipartisan Federal income tax reform proposal, which has been a special priority of mine. I do not know of a single U.S. Senator who does not like Senator Coats. He is honest, a straight shooter, and gracious. My remarks are not about my personal affection for Senator Coats. prgtoken The reason I am voting against the nomination is due to the matter I just touched upon with the Senator from Texas, which is, for 6 years, it has been impossible to get the intelligence community to provide the Congress and the American people information that is absolutely critical to the debate on reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. For 6 long years, and s, both in this body and in the other body, have been trying to get this information. prgtoken So this morning, given the fact that this legislation would be the top priority of Senator Coats, as he said in the Intelligence Committee, I want the Senate and the country to understand why this issue is so important. prgtoken First, my friend from Texas.
BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-3-15

March 13 through 17, 2017 commemorates Brain Awareness Week, which presents an important opportunity to educate lawmakers, students, and the broader public about brain science, and its many impacts and benefits. This is critical when you consider that brain disorders and diseases affect the lives of nearly 100 million Americans--from Alzheimer's to ALS to mental illness. prgtoken Neurological and neurodegenerative disorders are among the leading causes of disability in the United States and around the world--greater than heart disease and cancer put together. As society ages, this number will increase exponentially as will the cost to the healthcare system and to the economy. Yet, the underlying causes of most neurological diseases remain unknown. prgtoken Neuroscience is the next great frontier. Research and work being done in this field needs to be front and center in both the private world and Congress. prgtoken The bipartisan Congressional Neuroscience Caucus' mission is to build awareness of the intrinsic role brain research plays in understanding ourselves and our society. As the Co-Founder and Co-Chair, I am committed to working on these important issues and hope my colleagues will join our efforts as members of the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus.
SUBSTANCE MISUSE CRISIS
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise to deliver my first official speech on the Senate floor. I begin by saying how deeply grateful I am to the people of New Hampshire for the great trust they have bestowed upon me. prgtoken I come from a State that combines rugged individualism with a strong sense of community. It is what I often call our ``all hands on deck'' approach, where we come together, we pitch in, and we help our friends and neighbors when they need it. prgtoken Right now, we see this approach each and every day with those on the front lines of our State's devastating substance misuse crisis. Law enforcement officials, medical professionals, and citizens in every corner of our State work together to try to turn the tide of this deadly epidemic. The heroin, opioid, and fentanyl crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing New Hampshire. This epidemic takes a massive toll on our communities, our workforce, and our economy, and I know it is ravaging other States all across our Nation too. prgtoken This crisis does not discriminate. It affects people in every community and from all walks of life. In 2016 alone, roughly 500 people in New Hampshire lost their lives as a result of this epidemic, and the spread of synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, is increasing dramatically the number of lives lost and prgtoken is killing people faster with smaller amounts of drugs. Last year, more than 70 percent of confirmed New Hampshire drug deaths involved fentanyl. Lives are at stake, so every Member of this body must come together and put partisan politics aside to get results for our people. prgtoken The people of my State have a long tradition of sharing their stories and making their priorities known to the elected officials who represent them, and everywhere I go, I hear stories from those who have been affected by this crisis. I hear inspiring stories from those in recovery who are working to put their lives back together, and I hear tragic stories from siblings, parents, and friends who know the pain of having a loved one taken from them far too soon. All of these stories are critical in breaking down the stigma of addiction and pushing for solutions. Instead of simply writing in an obituary that a loved one died suddenly, more and more families, including the families of one of my son's high school classmates, are speaking out and telling the painful stories of addiction and loss. prgtoken Last year, at our annual Easter egg hunt that I hosted as Governor, I was approached by a woman on our statehouse lawn who was carrying a baby. After I took a picture and I admired the baby, she pulled me aside and said the little boy she was holding was not her son but her grandson and that his mother had died from an overdose 1 month earlier. She was there on the day before Easter, as we celebrated our spring ritual of renewal and hope, and shared that pain with me so we could move forward to help others in her situ
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2017-3-15

due to illness, I was unable to vote on roll call votes 138 through 158. Had I been present, I would have voted: nay on roll call number 138; nay on roll call number 139; aye on roll call number 140; aye on roll call number 141; aye on roll call number 142; aye on roll call number 143; aye on roll call number 144; aye on roll call number 145; aye on roll call number 146; aye on roll call number 147; nay on roll call number 148; aye on roll call number 149; aye on roll call number 150; aye on roll call number 151; nay on roll call number 152; aye on roll call number 153; aye on roll call number 154; aye on roll call number 155; aye on roll call number 156; aye on roll call number 157; and nay on roll call number 158.
NOAA FUNDING
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today in strong support of the mission of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, now under attack by the administration. prgtoken An assault on NOAA, , is an assault on science. NOAA is a data-driven organization with proven research in the public interest. NOAA defends our coasts from the surges we have seen from Sandy, Irene, and other storms. NOAA's satellites keep watch day and night, providing up-to-the-second data to farmers, forecasters, and fishermen. prgtoken , I acknowledge the administration's denial of climate damage, but I do not understand it. Defunding NOAA, as the President's budget purportedly does, does not make our climate problems simply go away. The mission of NOAA isn't just about our environment. American businesses rely on its data every day to give them an economic advantage. After all, there is a reason NOAA is in the Department of Commerce to begin with.
IN HONOR OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BRICK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of The Brick Presbyterian Church, one of the nation's oldest and most venerable religious institutions. The Brick Church has been in continuous operation since 1767, with the exception of a few years during the Revolutionary War, and has a rich history of serving the community as a spiritual home. Pastoral leaders of The Brick Church have had a profound impact on the nation as spiritual leaders, brilliant composers of sacred music and compassionate advocates for the poor, the downtrodden and refugees. prgtoken The Brick Church began as an expansion of the First Presbyterian Church at Wall Street, whose growing congregation could no longer be accommodated. Its first building was on Beekman Street on a site now occupied by Pace University's downtown campus. The first pastor was Reverend John Rodgers who would close the street in front of the church during services to eliminate noise. Dr. Rodgers also corresponded with George Washington, was the first moderator of the General Assembly and served as chaplain to the New York State Legislature. prgtoken During the Revolutionary War, the British commandeered the church for use first as a hospital and later as a brig. By 1858, after surviving two wars, three epidemics and three fires, the church followed its congregation uptown to Fifth Avenue at 37th Street. Nearly a century later, in response to further migration north, the church moved in 1940 to its present location at 91st Street and Park Avenue. prgtoken The church's other pastors were Gardiner Spring (1810 through 1873), James Ormsbee Murphy (1865 through 1875), Llewellyn Bevan (1877 through 1882), Henry Van Dyke (1883 through 1900), Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1900 through 1901), William Rogers Richards (1902 through 1910), William Pierson Merrill (1911 through 1938), Paul Austin Wolfe (1938 through 1964), D. Reginald Thomas (1965 through 1970), James Seth Stewart (1972 through 1974), and Herbert B. Anderson (1978 through 2001). Rev. Van Dyke became ambassador to the Netherlands under President Woodrow Wilson and organized efforts to serve the tens of thousands of refugees flooding the country at the onset of World War I. prgtoken The Brick Church is currently led by the remarkable Reverend Michael L. Lindvall who was installed on October 27, 2002 as only its 13th installed pastor. Rev. Lindvall has made education a center of his ministry at the church, recognizing that parishioners may have less exposure to the Bible, theology or the history and governance of the church than they once did. Accordingly, educational programs such as the Children's Sunday Church School, youth programs, and adult education are critically important to The Brick Church. prgtoken Over the centuries, Brick Church has assisted in educating poor children, supported immigrant congregations and settlement houses, and worked to improve the neighborhood. Before the Civil War, leaders of the con
THOMAS S. WILLIAMSON, JR.
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life of Thomas S. Williamson, Jr who passed away this month at the age of 70. Mr. Williamson was a former president of the D.C. Bar and a member of our Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission, which advises me on the selection of important federal officials for the District of Columbia, including federal district court judges and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Tom will be especially remembered as a champion for equal legal access to justice for all. His service will be held at the National Cathedral tomorrow. prgtoken Tom Williamson began his career at the law firm Covington & Burling LLP in 1974, where he became a partner, focusing on employment law, complex litigation, and health and welfare law matters for state governments. As a student, Tom played varsity football at Harvard College and excelled academically. He went on to Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and then to the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. From the beginning of his career and for more than 40 years, Tom had a deep commitment to pro bono service and civil rights. His passion for equal justice was influenced by his experience as a child when his family integrated a white neighborhood in Piedmont, California and experiencing the racism that resulted. prgtoken District residents are particularly grateful to Tom, who was an influential member of a team of attorneys representing the District in Adams v. Clinton, a case that sought voting rights for the District in the House and Senate. Throughout his years in successful private practice, Tom continuously provided legal service to those most in need of good lawyers--whether providing pro bono service to residents or leading the defense of the District's marriage equality law. Tom's career in law also included public service, where he served as the deputy inspector general at the U.S. Department of Energy and the solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor. prgtoken , as my thoughts are with Tom's wife, Shelly Brazier, and his family, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life of Thomas. S. Williamson, Jr.
CLOTURE MOTION (Executive Session)
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-3-15

first of all, I thank my friend the Senator from Texas for giving me the courtesy of letting me get in my comments about the nomination of former Senator Dan Coats to serve as the fifth Director of National Intelligence, a position recommended by the 9/11 Commission and established by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. prgtoken Dan Coats is a friend of mine and many in this body. He represented Indiana in both the U.S. House and for separate terms in the U.S. Senate. He was also U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 2001 to 2005. As mentioned, for 6 years I served with the nominee on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. I have always found Dan to be fairminded and know him to be an advocate for strong oversight of the intelligence community. He believes in the need for intelligence that is timely, relevant, and free of political interference. prgtoken During my private meeting with him, as well as during his confirmation hearing, Senator Coats committed to find and follow the truth, regardless of where it leads, agreeing that his primary job will be ``to speak truth to power,'' to the President, to policy and military leaders, and to Members of Congress. I know these are traits he will continue to employ if confirmed as the next Director of National Intelligence. prgtoken During James Clapper's most recent tenure as the DNI, in 6 years he put in place some fundamental changes in how the Intelligence community operates. He reoriented the Office of the DNI to focus on intelligence integration with an emphasis on mission. He often was willing to roll up his sleeves and take on the hard challenges of trying to get the intel community to operate on the same IT backbone systems. If confirmed, I have encouraged Senator Coats to build upon former Director Clapper's efforts, which are critical to ensuring that policymakers, warfighters, law enforcement, and national security officers receive intelligence products that are timely, relevant, and objective. prgtoken Of course, if confirmed, Director Coats will take on the job as the Nation's chief intelligence officer, leading the intelligence community during a very difficult time because unfortunately this President, along with his closest advisers, has repeatedly and unfairly disparaged the professionalism and actions of the Nation's intelligence professionals. These are men and women who maintain the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. They anonymously sacrifice for the country, often in the face of grave personal danger. prgtoken As DNI, Senator Coats is committed to defending the values and integrity of the men and women of the intelligence community, even when the White House may not like to hear it. prgtoken Another challenge Senator Coats will face on his first day on the job is to effectively support the Senate Intelligence Committee's ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Preside
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ACT OF 2017
John Lewis (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2017-3-15

I thank the gentleman from Colorado and the gentleman from Maryland for supporting this legislation. prgtoken I am a proud sponsor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act. prgtoken First, let me thank each and every member and the staff from the Natural Resources Committee for their hard work and support of this act. prgtoken , this nonpartisan bill will simply change these historic Atlanta places from being a site to a park. At no additional cost to taxpayers, this bill will create the first national historic park in the State of Georgia. This small change will significantly improve the way the National Park Service preserves, shares, and presents the history of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr site or park. prgtoken Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was our moral compass. He represented the best of America. His mission was to create the beloved community, a community at peace with itself and our neighbors. Throughout his life, Dr. King urged each and every one of us to recognize the dignity and worth of every human being. prgtoken Passing this simple piece of legislation will improve how this important history and legacy is shared with visitors from across our country and from around the world. prgtoken Again, , I would like to thank the chair and ranking member for their support of this legislation.
Nomination of Herbert McMaster (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-3-15

in a few short months, President has undermined U.S. credibility and our standing abroad. He has called for a nuclear arms race, asserted the United States should reinvade Iraq to take its oil, lavished praise on Vladimir Putin, and slandered stalwart allies like Australia and Germany. He has issued two Muslim bans--a move lauded by the Islamic State and condemned by top military, intelligence, and diplomatic officials of both parties. prgtoken President has put our national security apparatus under enormous stress. He has appointed Steve Bannon, an extremist with the explicit ambition to ``destroy the state,'' to the National Security Council--the highest body charged with protecting the state. He has failed to nominate officials for dozens of crucial national security positions, hobbling our ability to respond to a future national security crisis. He has repeatedly denigrated our intelligence agencies, rejecting findings that clearly demonstrated Russia's role in his election. He has accused the FBI of breaking the law by wiretapping Tower, a groundless claim for which he has offered no proof. prgtoken LTG H.R. McMaster is a respected military strategist with a reputation for an independent mind. He has demonstrated throughout his career that he is willing to challenge and criticize U.S. leadership, irrespective of party. He does not appear to be sympathetic to the view of President or Steve Bannon that the United States is at war with the entire Muslim world. Instead, while commanding U.S. forces in Iraq, General McMaster told his soldiers: ``Every time you treat an Iraqi disrespectfully, you are working for the enemy.'' prgtoken I am concerned with General McMaster's handling of sexual assault prgtoken allegations against two of his cadets at West Point. McMaster's reluctance to interfere with the training of these cadets, despite allegations of sexual assault, was in violation of Army policy. I am a strong supporter of efforts to reform the military's handling of sexual assault, which is why I cosponsored legislation in the House to pass new legal protections for victims of assault in the military. prgtoken While I remain deeply concerned with the large number of military officials in senior positions in the administration, I support General McMaster's retaining his rank while he serves as National Security Advisor. I do so with the hope that General McMaster will remain faithful to his reputation for dissent, will challenge President when he takes a dangerous approach to the world, will restore order to the National Security Council, and will steward a foreign policy that makes America safer.
COMMEMORATING THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BANGLADESH ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA'S ASIAN FOOD FAIR & CULTURAL SHOW
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to honor the Bangladesh Association of Florida. For 24 years, this fine organization has presented the Asian Food Fair & Cultural Show in Palm Beach County. This annual program is eagerly awaited by citizens around South Florida for its exciting and diverse performances of singing, dancing, acrobatics and food from many Asian nations. prgtoken , I am pleased to have been involved with the people of the Bangladesh Association of Florida since the inception of this wonderful program. It is one of the cultural highlights of every year. It is widely appreciated and greatly enjoyed by everyone who experiences its variety of entertainment. We are fortunate to have it on our schedule of great events, and I thank the Bangladesh Association for bringing it to us.
SOMEBODY ELSE'S BABIES
Eric Swalwell (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-3-15

in every chapter from the story of America's success, we find countless examples of the contributions made by immigrants. In fact, it begins in our prologue: we are a nation founded by immigrants. prgtoken Yet, over the weekend, a Member of this House, Mr. King of Iowa, said: ``We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies.'' prgtoken There is nothing to restore. We are the greatest country in the world. But, worse, by disparaging the value of somebody else's babies, Mr. King argues for an America void of people of color or who worship differently than he does. That is not who we are. prgtoken Behind me are a few small examples of somebody else's babies: people who immigrated to America or whose families immigrated to America, practicing many different faiths, coming from many different countries. prgtoken They include the daughter of Chinese immigrants who became one of America's most celebrated and best-selling authors, Amy Tan; the son of a Syrian migrant, Steve Jobs, who founded Apple; and the son of a Kenyan student, who recently finished two terms as the 44th President of the United States, . prgtoken These are not somebody else's babies. These are immigrants and the children of immigrants, and they are our babies. prgtoken I was born and baptized in Sac City, Iowa, located in Mr. King's district. It is where I learned from Exodus 22:21, ``You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners.'' And from the Iowans I know, they were raised to accept and love the same way. prgtoken I hope my colleagues join me in denouncing bigoted, hateful, and divisive rhetoric, and let's celebrate the beautiful diversity that has always made our Nation shine: these beautiful ``somebody else's babies'' who are America's babies.