mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Vanita Gupta (Executive Session)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-4-15

I thank Senator Durbin for his leadership, and following my colleague and friend, Senator Lee, I disagree with him vehemently about Vanita Gupta. She is someone I have worked closely with for years on voting rights, on police reform, and just last year I marched with her across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with the late John Lewis to mark the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, AL. prgtoken After working alongside her to build a more just system, I have no doubt that she will take this job on with two words, two words that I think are so important right now to build trust with the people of this country: honor and integrity. That is what has marked her career. prgtoken As a civil rights lawyer, public servant, and as President of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Nation's oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition, she has a record of fighting for all Americans, with dedication, consistency, and--and--a willingness to work across ideological lines to achieve results. prgtoken Why did she get those police endorsements and the kind of support that she got, even though she was taking on reform? It is because she earned people's respect. She is the right person for the right time in the Justice Department, and I say this coming from Minnesota, where my State is reeling after the killing of Duante Wright. prgtoken Our hearts break for Daunte's family and for our community, which is still in the midst of the George Floyd murder trial of Derek Chauvin. I was so proud and am so proud of the ordinary citizens that came forward and testified from my State: a clerk in the store, a man walking by, all of them having carried the burden--the burden--of this murder, looking inside themselves thinking: What could I have done better? prgtoken And that case will soon conclude, but those citizens coming forward and actually the law enforcement coming forward and testifying at all levels of law enforcement for the prosecution of Derek Chauvin--that meant something to the people of my State. I want to be able to go back and tell those citizens who testified that you don't carry this burden alone; that we have a Justice Department that is going to stand up for you. prgtoken And, for me, one of those key people is Vanita Gupta. She is exactly who we need right now to champion the cause of equal justice under the law. prgtoken She has described the Department as an institution she loves dearly because, as she said, it bears the name of a value--justice--one that carries a unique charge and North Star. It is the sacred keeper of the promise of equal justice under the law, and coming from the North Star State, that means a lot. prgtoken Her commitment to defending the Constitution and upholding the integrity of this important Agency is, for her, a professional calling. It is also a personal calling. As she has described, she inherited from her parents, who came to this cou
NICHOLAS AND ZACHARY BURT MEMORIAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING PREVENTION ACT OF 2021
Alma S. Adams (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2021-4-15

. Madam , I was with the at her press conference. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 105. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Allred (Wexton) Babin (Fallon) Cardenas (Gonzalez, Vicente) Crenshaw (Fallon) Greene (GA) (Gosar) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Jayapal (Raskin) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Keating (Clark (MA)) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lieu (Beyer) Lowenthal (Beyer) Mfume (Raskin) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (Underwood) Napolitano (Correa) Neal (Lynch) Nehls (Fallon) Norcross (Pallone) Omar (Pressley) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Wexton) Rush (Underwood) Sewell (DelBene) Slotkin (Stevens) Stefanik (Tenney) Steube (Timmons) Trahan (Lynch) Wasserman Schultz (Soto) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Wilson (SC) (Timmons)
Introductory Statement on S. 1179
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-15

I rise to speak in support of the ``Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act,'' which I introduced today. Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA) has introduced companion legislation in the House. prgtoken The bill has two major provisions, benefiting both drought resilience and the environment: prgtoken First, it would authorize more than $653 million to restore the capacity of three canals of national importance. Restoring these canals would improve California's drought resilience and help the nation's leading agricultural economy comply with limits on groundwater pumping under the state's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. prgtoken Second, the bill authorizes an additional $180 million to restore salmon runs on the San Joaquin River. The funding is for fish passage structures, levees and other improvements that will allow the threatened Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon to swim freely upstream from the ocean to the Friant Dam. prgtoken The bill authorizes a \1/3\ Federal cost-share for restoring the capacity of the Friant-Kern Canal, the Delta-Mendota Canal, and the California Aqueduct. prgtoken Coordinated legislation in the State legislature introduced by State Senator Melissa Hurtado would authorize a \1/3\ state cost-share for restoring the canals' capacity. Under the coordinated Federal and State legislation, the locals would also be responsible for a \1/3\ cost- share for the canal restoration projects. prgtoken This legislation would help California water users and California's nation-leading agricultural industry comply with a recent State requirement to end the overpumping of groundwater. The stakes are huge: bringing groundwater into balance will reduce the water supply of the San Joaquin Valley by about 2 million acre-feet per year. prgtoken Unless local water agencies and the State and Federal governments take action, a recent U.C. Berkeley study has projected severe impacts from these water supply losses: prgtoken 798,000 acres of land would have to be retired from agricultural production, nearly \1/6\ of the working farmland in an area that produces half the fruit and vegetables grown in the nation; and $5.9 billion would be lost in annual farm income in a region that is almost entirely reliant on agriculture and has been called ``the Appalachia of the West'' due to its severe economic disadvantage. prgtoken One of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to restore groundwater balance is to convey floodwaters to farmlands where they can recharge the aquifer. California has the most variable precipitation of any State. When we get massive storms from atmospheric rivers, there is plenty of runoff to recharge aquifers--but only if we can effectively convey the floodwaters throughout the San Joaquin Valley to recharge areas. prgtoken Here is where the challenge arises. For a variety of reasons, the ground beneath the major canals has dropped by as much as 10 to 20 feet, which ha
PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT
Janice D. Schakowsky (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-15

this year marks the 58th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act. Despite the goal to ensure equality for women in the workplace, nearly 60 years later, the pay gap still exists. prgtoken Women today, on average, make 82 cents for every dollar earned by a man. For women of color, the disparity is worse, with Black women making 63 cents on the dollar, AAPI women making 60 cents, and Latinas making 55 cents. prgtoken This disparity is unacceptable, and it is unfair. prgtoken Let us come together right now to pass H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act. prgtoken When women get equal pay, our families and our entire economy will do better. prgtoken I include in the Record a letter from the United Church of Christ in favor of H.R. 7. United Church of Christ Dear Representative: We are writing to ask for your support in passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 7), and to ensure that passage in the House is done without amendments that diminish the protections provided by the bill. There is ample evidence to show that despite equal pay laws, the gender pay gap exists. These lost earnings add up to a loss of over $400,000 in a lifetime. The wage gap is even more significant for women of color with Black women working full time making only 63 cents for every dollar paid to men, Native American women only 60 cents, and Latinas only 55 cents, for every dollar paid to their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts. As people of faith, we believe that each person deserves to be treated with dignity and humanity. When women are paid less for the same work that is a concrete and explicit way of showing that their work and personhood are valued less. Passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act will strengthen and update the Equal Pay Act and provide women with the legal means to fight the gender pay gap and challenge gender pay discrimination. The work done by women, and particularly Black and brown women, is undervalued and underpaid. Even though much of that labor is what keeps people fed, clothed, and cared for. The work of women, so important to how a society functions is always relegated to less pay and less value. This is a gross injustice--and part of the systemic racist structures that undergird the economic system in the United States. God's vision for our world is one where all are valued, no matter their gender, race, or credo. We urge you to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act without harmful amendments that weaken its critical protections. The United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-15

I thank Chairwoman DeLauro for her persistent leadership for so many years, as well as Chairman Scott and the . prgtoken We must put an end to the wage gap and pay discrimination. Let me tell you, as you have heard, the wage gap for women of color is so much worse. prgtoken I am reminded today of our heroine, Fannie Lou Hamer. She said, ``I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.'' prgtoken Black women earn 63 cents, indigenous women earn 60 cents, Latinas earn 55 cents, White women earn 82 cents, and AAPI women are paid as little as 52 cents on every dollar paid to the White man. That is outrageous. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter from the Equal Pay Today! campaign urging Members to support the bill. Equal Pay Today, April 14, 2021. Re Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 7) and vote no on harmful amendments. Dear Representative(s): As the House votes on the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 7), we strongly urge you to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 7, without amendments that would limit its scope or undermine its critical protections. As members of the Equal Pay Today Campaign, we represent a broad coalition consisting of both national and state based organizations from all across the country, that are dedicated to challenging the legal, policy, and cultural barriers at the local, state, and national level that keep women from being paid equally. Launched on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the federal Equal Pay Act, we are committed to fighting and advocating for legislation that will ultimately close the gender wage gap. With our nation now entering into year two of this global pandemic, we can no longer ignore the disparities that have existed long before our nation's shutdown, and despite federal and state equal pay laws, the gender pay gap persists, and earnings lost to these gaps are widened due to the financial impacts of the pandemic, with a heavier burden bared by women of color and the families and communities who depend on them and their income. Women are increasingly becoming the primary or co- breadwinner in their families, with Black mothers being far more likely than other mothers to be the primary or sole breadwinners for their families and more than half of Latina mothers being the breadwinner in families with children under 18. Women across this country, working full-time, year-round, are typically being paid only .82 cents for every dollar paid out to men, adding up to a loss of more than $400,000 dollars over a lifetime. And the wage gap gets even wider as race is factored in. Black women working full time, year round typically make only .63 cents, Native American women only .60
FRAUD AND SCAM REDUCTION ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-4-15

I rise today in support of H.R. 1215, the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act, which will create the Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group and the Senior Fraud Advisory Office to improve the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) prevention and response efforts against senior fraud and scams through enhanced coordination with key industries, consumer advocacy groups, appropriate law enforcement agencies, and consumers. prgtoken Every day, and far too often, vulnerable seniors in Texas and across the country fall victim to financial scammers. prgtoken Seniors have worked their entire lives with the promise of a safe and secure retirement, but unfortunately criminals are taking advantage of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and working overtime to target them. prgtoken Retirement accounts are not the only damage these scams harm--they damage the independence and trust of a vulnerable community. prgtoken During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen instances of fraud rise in unprecedented numbers, as scammers attempt to take advantage of senior citizens and deprive them of their hard-earned savings. prgtoken Bad actors preying on older Americans is, unfortunately, nothing new. But in the midst of a global pandemic impacting Americans' lives and livelihoods, cracking down on those scams must be a priority. prgtoken One such scam was thwarted by Houston police and the County District Attorney, who made an arrest in February in an international cyber-scam that bilked unsuspecting, mostly elderly victims out of more than $1 million. prgtoken This bill is aimed at cracking down on these scams by bringing public and private stakeholders together, so that we might give our seniors the resources they need to tackle these predatory schemes. prgtoken Although 1 in 20 seniors in the U.S. is a target of fraud schemes, the National Adult Protective Services Association has found that only 1 in 44 seniors report that they are victims of a fraud scheme. prgtoken The Senior Fraud Advisory Office will address these low reportingrates by directing the FTC to educate seniors, families, and caregivers of the process for contacting law enforcement after being targeted in a fraud scheme. prgtoken It will also direct the FTC to help improve the nation's fraud response efforts by reforming FTC's complaint system as well as enhancing fraud surveillance through better coordination with law enforcement agencies. prgtoken The Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group will bring together relevant government agencies, consumer advocates, and industry representatives to collect and develop model educational materials for retailers, financial institutions, and wire transfer companies to use in preventing scams on seniors. prgtoken The FTC will coordinate efforts to educate the public and even the employees of key industries who often find themselves on the front lines of anti-scamming activities, helping prevent fraud before it happens. prgtoken , we need t
PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT
Kaiali’i Kahele (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2021-4-15

. Madam , on April 15, 2021, I was unable to vote on the first three votes in the series because I had unavoidable conflict. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 104; H.R. 1215, the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act; YEA on Roll Call No. 105; H.R. 1460, the Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2021; YEA on Roll Call No. 106; En Bloc No. 1. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Allred (Wexton) Babin (Fallon) Crdenas (Gonzalez, Vicente) Crenshaw (Fallon) Greene (GA) (Gosar) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Jayapal (Raskin) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Keating (Clark (MA)) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lieu (Beyer) Lowenthal (Beyer) Meng (Clark (MA)) Mfume (Raskin) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (Underwood) Napolitano (Correa) Neal (Lynch) Nehls (Fallon) Norcross (Pallone) Omar (Pressley) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Wexton) Rush (Underwood) Sewell (DelBene) Slotkin (Stevens) Stefanik (Tenney) Steube (Timmons) Trahan (Lynch) Wasserman Schultz (Soto) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Wilson (SC) (Timmons) amendment no. 4 offered by mrs. miller-meeks
MOTION TO DISCHARGE (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-15

. Thank you. prgtoken , let me be the first to rise today on our side and say that I am in strong support of the nomination of Vanita Gupta to be the Associate Attorney General. prgtoken The Justice Department has not had a Senate-confirmed Associate Attorney General in over 3 years because President never put forward a nominee. The No. 3 position in the Department of Justice has been virtually vacant of a Senate-confirmed nominee for 3 years. prgtoken That position, by definition, oversees the Department's civil litigation components. This is no small deal. It is a big deal. The Department of Justice needs and deserves to have full leadership in place. prgtoken Vanita Gupta will be the first woman of color and the very first civil rights attorney to serve as Associate Attorney General. This historic nominee is also exceptionally well qualified. She is a veteran of the Justice Department. She has a proven record of working across political and ideological lines to uphold the rule of law in a nonpartisan fashion. I don't believe President could have picked a better nominee. prgtoken Vanita Gupta first joined the Justice Department shortly after the shooting death of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, MO. I remember it. I am sure many of my colleagues do as well. It was a difficult moment for many. As the head of the Department's Civil Rights Division, Ms. Gupta worked closely with all of the stakeholders involved in police reform: community leaders, civil rights leaders, and law enforcement. prgtoken Not only did Ms. Gupta implement meaningful reforms in Ferguson, MO, and other cities, but she did so by helping to repair the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Can you think of a better qualification at this moment in time in our history? prgtoken Sadly, in recent days, our Nation has been rocked by controversial police shootings. Vanita Gupta is exactly the type of person we need at the Justice Department at this very moment. One strong piece of evidence is the incredibly broad range of support her nomination has received. When you say the words ``civil rights lawyer,'' you say, ``Oh, way off on the left. I will bet she is out of touch with reality.'' prgtoken Not so. It is not just the civil rights groups that support her. Her nomination has the support of virtually every major law enforcement organization in the country. I want to repeat that because in the ensuing several hours, when we will discuss the discharge of her nomination, there will be assertions made which do not acknowledge the obvious. prgtoken Vanita Gupta has the support of virtually every major law enforcement organization in the country, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, just to name a few. prgtoken I can read numerous quotes from law enforcement
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
Susie Lee (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-4-15

I rise today on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Nevadans who are still struggling to put food on the table. prgtoken I rise for those who can't bear to look their children in the eye when they are asked, ``What's for dinner.'' prgtoken Right now, in my home State of Nevada, where our economy has been devastated by this pandemic, 304,000 adults say that they don't have enough food to eat. Of that, 132,000 say that their children don't have enough to eat. This is entirely unacceptable. There is no excuse for a child to go hungry in our country. prgtoken But I am glad to say that help is here. prgtoken The American Rescue Plan will cut child poverty in half through payments, bolster child tax credits, and the expansion of food assistance programs. For the first time in a long time, millions of children across this country will be lifted out of poverty and allowed a stable and secure childhood. prgtoken We all know that our children are our future, and the smartest investment we can make is in them, which is just one of the many reasons I am proud to support the American Rescue Plan.
PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-4-15

I rise in strong support of the Paycheck Fairness Act. prgtoken The Equal Pay Act has been the law for more than half a century, but, in 2021, equal pay for equal work is still not a reality for many women, especially women of color. This is an injustice to millions of working families. Closing the wage gap is an economic imperative. prgtoken Last month, I was honored to chair the hearing on persistent gender- based wage discrimination. We heard witnesses describe the barriers to detecting wage discrimination and holding employers accountable. Most importantly, we heard how the Paycheck Fairness Act can address the problematic loopholes in the current law, empower workers to better detect and combat wage discrimination, and create mechanisms for better pay data transparency. prgtoken By advancing the Paycheck Fairness Act, we can restore the original intent of the Equal Pay Act and finally make equal pay for equal work a reality. I thank Congresswoman DeLauro for her steadfast leadership. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act from the American Association of University Women.
MEDFIELD MODEL
Jake Auchincloss (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2021-4-15

I rise today to recognize the Medfield Model as a national exemplar for returning kids to full, in-person learning. prgtoken By following the latest public health guidance, drawing on the best science and technology, and building trust across students, teachers, administrators, parents, and nurses, the Medfield Public Schools are returning to full, in-person learning safely. At a recent visit, I watched nurses test and screen students with minimal disruption and felt firsthand the palpable relief among the students and teachers to be back in the classroom. prgtoken For their academic and socioemotional growth, our students deserve an education off Zoom and in the classroom. prgtoken , the Medfield Model shows that we can keep students physically and mentally healthy. I am pleased to see schools in my district leading the way.