mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SAVE OUR SEAS ACT OF 2017--Continued
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-12-18

sometime in the next 2 weeks, we will leave this body and this session, and many of us will return in January for the next one. We will leave many challenges unmet and many problems unsolved, partly because of the partisanship that has paralyzed the Congress, our Federal Government, and many of our States. prgtoken The model for what we should adopt as the spirit going forward as we begin that new session is articulated powerfully in a letter that was recently sent to us by 44 former colleagues--10 s, 32 --coming together to cite the challenges this Nation faces and the need for us to do so in a bipartisan way, coming together in the spirit of what makes this country the greatest in the history of the world. prgtoken I hope my colleagues will pay attention to that letter. Yesterday, I entered it into the Congressional Record, and I am proud today to cite parts of it that I think are worthy of our attention. They say--and they are right--that ``we are at an inflection point [in our Nation's history] in which the foundational principles of our democracy and our national security interests are at stake, and the rule of law and the ability of our institutions to function freely and independently must be upheld.'' prgtoken That is a quote from a letter which puts us on notice that we have a historic obligation to work together, as they have come together in this letter, as they did so often to accomplish great things in this body. prgtoken They say: We are on the eve of the conclusion of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation and the House's commencement of investigations of the president and his administration. The likely convergence of these two events will occur at a time when simmering regional conflicts and global power confrontations continue to threaten our security, economy and geopolitical stability. prgtoken Above all the issues that occupy us in these closing days of the session and will confront us as we begin the next, the backdrop is a dangerous world and severe jeopardy to our democracy and rule of law. prgtoken They say, and we should keep in mind, that during their service in the Senate, at times we were allies and at other times opponents, but never enemies. prgtoken That is the spirit that must move us as we end this session, but, more importantly, as we begin the next session. That commitment to the rule of law that these 44 of our former colleagues have expressed must animate us as well. prgtoken The three former colleagues who signed from Connecticut could not be more different. Senators Weicker, Dodd, and Lieberman are different as people, in character, and in background in almost every way, except in their commitment to this country and in their allegiance to that principle of coming together in a bipartisan way. prgtoken I hope we will take this lesson. I am far from the most appropriate Member of this body
TRIBUTE TO JOE DONNELLY
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-12-18

. Finally, on a matter near and dear to my heart, the great Senator from the great State of Indiana--unfortunately, we are going to be saying goodbye to Members of our caucus who won't be returning to the 116th. This morning, I want to share some words about the senior Senator from Indiana, my dear friend Joe Donnelly. prgtoken Most folks don't know this, but Joe is actually a native New Yorker. Maybe it is because of his affable personality, his agreeableness, his midwestern decency that folks don't think he came from New York, and they are surprised to learn it. prgtoken After falling in love with Indiana after college, Joe is now fond of saying: ``You can pick where you live, but you can't pick where you're born.'' Joe, on behalf of all New Yorkers, I officially forgive you for saying that. prgtoken But like all of the young Irish Catholic kids from Long Island, Joe's dream was to go to Notre Dame. Joe likes to say that all good Irish Catholic kids are handed an application to Notre Dame, along with their baptism, and go to Notre Dame Joe did, where his long career and life in the State of Indiana began. prgtoken Something about Joe's inherent decency drew people toward him. His first foray in politics came when he received a phone call from a local official in the ic Party. Joe thought he was calling to ask for a donation, but the official instead asked him if he would like to run for the State legislature. Joe responded: ``OK, I'm eating my cereal; I'll get back to you on that.'' The people of Indiana and the people of America are glad Joe finished that bowl of cereal and decided a career in public service might suit him. prgtoken It didn't happen right away though. Joe lost that first race. A few years later, he found himself coaching the son of his opponent from that race in a local basketball league. At the first practice, sensing trepidation in the young man, Joe hugged him and said: Don't worry. It won't affect your playing time. prgtoken That is the kind of little story that shows the decency of Joe Donnelly--what a good man he is, how he cares about other people's feelings, how he holds no grudges or resentments and always gives his political opponents and, in this case, their children the benefit of the doubt. prgtoken He always tried to see things from other people's perspective. That quality is what made him such an effective and well liked Member of this body. It is hard to be both effective and well liked here. Joe is both. prgtoken And, of course, he hustled. A Donnelly day in Indiana is legendary among his staff. It begins before sunrise and ends long after the sun has set. prgtoken I travel to every county in my State every year, which is 62. Joe, of course, outdid me. He makes it to each of Indiana's 92 counties every year. When he offers an opinion on where to find the best gas station or fried chicken in Indiana, you know it is coming from real authority. prgtoken Joe's dad was a small
FIRST STEP ACT
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-12-18

I am proud that the Senate has passed the FIRST STEP Act. As a cosponsor of this bill, I am heartened that s and came together to address an issue that affects millions of Americans and their families. prgtoken Although one of my colleagues across the aisle has said that we have an ``under-incarceration'' problem, that is simply not the case. The United States represents only 4.4 percent of the world's population, but we hold approximately 22 percent of the world's prisoners. Over the past decade, Americans and Congress have taken a long hard look at who we incarcerate and why. This review has made us realize that too many elements of our criminal justice system are based on prejudice and have inflicted unnecessary harm in communities across the country. We should strive to ensure that ``liberty and justice for all'' is not just a phrase we say, but a promise we keep to all Americans. prgtoken The FIRST STEP Act allows prisoner rehabilitation so that they can return home ready to contribute to their communities. Education and job training opportunities provide individuals with a real second chance. prgtoken The bill incorporates important provisions that allows for the retroactive application of the Fair Sentencing Act, which removed the sentencing disparity between the crack-powder and cocaine. We were able to include provisions that prohibit the use of solitary confinement of juvenile offenders, prohibit the shackling of pregnant and postpartum women, and ensure that prisoners are placed in prisons closer to home. The bill also offers low and minimal-risk offenders the possibility of supervised release, home confinement, or release to halfway homes. prgtoken The three amendments offered to the bill by Senators Cotton and Kennedy do not protect victims, are redundant, and are so broad as to subvert the bill's purpose. The first amendment requires mandatory notification to crime victims of an offender's impending release. However, current law and agency policies already allows victims to choose if they want to receive these updates. Mandated reporting harms victims who do not want to receive this information. That is why this amendment is opposed by organizations such as the Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice and the Fairness, Dignity & Respect for Crime Victims & Survivors Project. prgtoken The second amendment will require wardens to notify victims of early release and review victim statements prior to determining if an offender is eligible for pre-release custody or supervised release. Again, this amendment diminishes the rights our current laws give victims by allowing them determine if they want to receive this information. Victims already have the right to submit statements of opposition or support prior to parole or early release. Additionally, prison wardens should not be burdened with calculating risk assessment. The bill establishes an independent review commit
TRIBUTE TO EDMUND G. BROWN, JR.
Kamala D. Harris (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-12-18

today I wish to express my deepest appreciation to Governor Edmund G. ``Jerry'' Brown, Jr for his nearly 50 years of committed public service to the people of California. prgtoken The son of a former California Governor, Jerry was born in San Francisco in 1938 to Pat Brown and Bernice Layne. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1961 before earning his law degree from Yale University in 1964. He began his statewide career in public service in 1970 after winning his first election as California secretary of state. prgtoken In 1974, Jerry became Governor of California for the first time, implementing an agenda that epitomizes the essence of California values. He helped create millions of jobs and strengthened the environment. He passed the Agricultural Labor Relations Act and led the cause for the introduction of government funding in renewable energy research. After 8 years in office, Jerry had a distinguished law career, ran for Federal office on a platform dedicated to empowering communities and affecting change, and served as chairman of the California ic Party. prgtoken He reentered public life in 1998, this time as mayor of the great city of Oakland, my hometown. As mayor, Jerry worked diligently to revitalize downtown Oakland, reduce crime, and expand educational opportunities. In 2006, he became California attorney general and prioritized consumer protection, environmental protection, and combating the underground economy. prgtoken Finally, in 2011, Mr. Brown returned to the Governor's seat where his record can only be described as extraordinary. Jerry has brought California's unemployment rate to record lows, expanded health coverage to millions in the wake of the Affordable Care Act, and established groundbreaking policies to combat climate change that have inspired our Nation and the world. Before joining the U.S. Senate, I worked with Jerry for 6 years as attorney general of California, during which we tackled an economic and housing crisis of epic proportions and fought to protect the privacy and cyber security of California's residents and businesses. Since joining the U.S. Senate, Jerry, Senator Feinstein, and I have worked together to bring critical aid to those affected by the deadly wildfires that have ravaged our State. prgtoken I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to honor Governor Brown's leadership and achievements today on the Senate Floor. His ability to bring sweeping change to improve the lives of the people he serves and the communities he governs is truly inspiring. His unwavering commitment to the people of California and vision for a more perfect union will long be remembered and cherished in the pages of history.
SAVE OUR SEAS ACT OF 2017--Continued
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-12-18

Thank you very much. prgtoken I want to begin by congratulating Senators Grassley and Durbin on getting such strong bipartisan support for this bill, including support from the President. prgtoken I am proud to support it, too. prgtoken As I have said in the past: I am not a fan of mandatory minimum sentences, particularly those that are very harsh and allow no discretion to a sentencing judge. prgtoken Early in my career, I sat on some 5,000 felony cases as a member of the California Women's Board of Terms and Parole. This board set sentences and granted parole to women sentenced to State prison. prgtoken I recall one individual sentenced to more than a decade in prison for three marijuana cigarettes. The judge ran the counts consecutively, and the sentences added up to 15 years--15 years for three cigarettes. prgtoken These sorts of cases are the ones that show why judicial discretion is so vital to our justice system and why the bill we are considering today is an important step towards restoring it. prgtoken The bill before us makes several changes to criminal law. prgtoken Most importantly, in my view, it reduces some of the harshest mandatory minimum sentences. prgtoken For example, right now, the mandatory sentence for a third drug offense is life in prison without the possibility of parole. This bill lowers that mandatory minimum to 25 years. prgtoken Similarly, right now, the mandatory minimum sentence for a second drug offense is 20 years. This bill reduces that to 15 years. prgtoken To be clear, the reductions in mandatory minimums under this bill do not prevent a judge from giving a defendant the maximum allowed under the law, if that is appropriate. prgtoken The point is that the judge decides, and sentences are not automatic. prgtoken The bill also gives more discretion to judges to sentence below mandatory minimums. prgtoken Under what is called the safety valve, when someone has been convicted of a nonviolent drug offense, is cooperating with the government, and has a limited criminal history, the judge, in his or her discretion, can sentence a defendant below a mandatory minimum. prgtoken This ability to sentence below a mandatory minimum is important for judges to sentence the specific defendants before them, as the facts of the case demand. prgtoken The bill also helps address some of the racial disparities in our criminal justice system. For many years, when it came to sentencing, our Federal courts treated 1 ounce of crack cocaine as if it was 100 ounces of powder cocaine. prgtoken Congress addressed this disparity in 2010, when the Fair Sentencing Act became law. That law, which Senator Durbin introduced and I cosponsored, reduced the crackpowder disparity from 100-1 to 18-1. In other words, under the law today, one ounce of crack cocaine is treated as 18 ounces of powder cocaine. prgtoken Unfortunately, this new law did not apply retroactively, and so there are still people serving sentence
Introductory Statement on S. 3771
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-12-18

today I have introduced the Retirement Parity for Student Loans Act. This legislation would permit employers to make matching contributions to workers under 401(k) and similar types of retirement plans as if worker student loan payments were salary reduction contributions to the retirement plan. This legislation will help those workers who cannot afford to both save for retirement and pay off their student loan debt by providing them with employer contributions to build their retirement savings. This legislation is a common sense fix to our Nation's rules for employer-sponsored retirement plans and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
TRIBUTE TO JOE DONNELLY
Joe Donnelly (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2018-12-18

I thank the leader, who is my friend and colleague, Chuck Schumer, for his kind words. prgtoken I thank Senator Durbin, who is here, as well, and I thank all the Members. prgtoken I see my friend Senator Fischer. We team up on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. prgtoken Of my friend Senator Grassley, not everybody knows Senator Grassley has relatives who are spending eternal rest in Michigan City, IN, which is not too far away from where I live. prgtoken To everybody who works here--to the incredible team that makes everything go and to all of our pages who have done such a wonderful job--it has been such a privilege to serve in the U.S. Senate. What an unthinkable thing for a kid to have a chance to do. To actually be here takes your breath away. Our Nation is so extraordinary, such a wonderful place. The trust we are given to represent our people is something that we take so seriously. prgtoken To the whole team, nothing we do could ever be done without your hard work, and the effort we have put in to be part of that is something I will never forget. I just say thank you. Thanks to everybody here. It has been such a privilege. prgtoken .
SAVE OUR SEAS ACT OF 2017--Continued
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-12-18

I rise today because our national parks have been neglected for far too long. prgtoken Due to years of chronic underfunding, the Park Service has been forced to defer maintenance on thousands of assets, including trails, buildings, and historic structures, as well as thousands of miles of roads and bridges. prgtoken Today, the National Park Service faces a deferred maintenance backlog of nearly $12 billion. Incredibly, more than half of all Park Service assets are in dire need of repairs. Every member of this body has a national park in their State with a maintenance backlog of over a million dollars. prgtoken I will give you a few examples from my home State of Virginia. prgtoken At Richmond National Battlefield, the deferred maintenance backlog tops $6.5 million. At Petersburg Battlefield, one of our most historic national battlefields, the backlog is nearly $12 million, with well over half of these costs associated with the maintenance of historic buildings and landscapes. prgtoken Look at Shenandoah National Park, which is truly one of the crown jewels prgtoken of the National Park Service. Unfortunately, Shenandoah has accumulated over $79 million in deferred maintenance, which can impact the ability of visitors to take in the breathtaking sights along Skyline Drive or explore the historic Appalachian Trail. prgtoken The Blue Ridge Parkway, ``America's Favorite Drive,'' has over $460 million in deferred maintenance needs. That is almost $1 million per mile of the parkway. Over $186 million is needed in Virginia to address the parkway's backlog and ensure visitors can continue to enjoy the beauty of the Appalachian Highlands. prgtoken I will give one final example: Colonial National Historical Park, which is home to Historic Jamestown and the Yorktown Battlefield. At that park alone, we have deferred maintenance needs totaling over $420 million. prgtoken In just the last year, the maintenance backlog at Park Service sites in Virginia grew by $250 million, to over a billion dollars. Virginia now ranks third among all States in total deferred maintenance, trailing only California and the District of Columbia. prgtoken We hear lots of talk in Washington about rebuilding our infrastructure, but sometimes, we forget that a great way to begin is by revitalizing our national parks, an investment which can generate $10 in economic activity for every public dollar invested. A recent study found that fixing our national parks would create over 100,000 jobs nationwide. In Virginia, we could create nearly 10,000 jobs just by clearing the maintenance backlog. prgtoken To that end, last year Senators Portman, King, Alexander, and I introduced the National Park Service Legacy Act, which would utilize otherwise unobligated Federal mineral revenues to reduce the backlog over a 30-year period. prgtoken Since then, we have worked with a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the administration, to produce this bip
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2018-12-18

before I begin, I would note my long friendship with the Presiding Officer. I was delighted to see him come back to the Senate. I wish him well now as he leaves the Senate. He is always welcome, by both and s, when he comes back. prgtoken I realize the Presiding Officer is constrained and cannot respond to whatever I say about him, but I assure him that I will stay within the Senate rules and say only nice things because that is all I know about him. FIRST STEP Act prgtoken , I want to thank the Senator from Minnesota who has just spoken. She, like me, is a former prosecutor. I have often said that is the best job I ever had. My wife, Marcelle, reminded me of some of those times at 3 a.m when I was going to murder scenes, and that maybe it is easier to be in the Senate where you can sleep all night. prgtoken A lot of us who have been prosecutors, both s and , or those who have been defense attorneys, s and , have come together. Because of that, the Senate is considering passing probably the most significant bill to reform our criminal justice system in nearly a decade. prgtoken The First Step Act takes modest but important steps to remedy some of the most troubling injustices within our sentencing laws and our prison system. It is my hope that this bill represents not just a single piece of legislation, but a turning point in how Congress views its role in advancing criminal justice because there will be a lot of advances we must look at. prgtoken I have been working to bring fairness to our criminal justice system for decades, both before I was in the Senate and since I have been in the Senate. For far too long, the legislative response to any and all public safety concerns was as simple as it was flawed: No matter the perceived ill, we turned to arbitrary and inflexible mandatory minimums to cure it. That knee-jerk response, I believe, is changing. I truly believe the error of mandatory minimum sentencing is coming to an end. prgtoken Today is a glowing recognition that one-size-fits-all sentencing is neither just nor effective. It routinely results in low-level offenders spending far longer in prison than either public safety or common sense requires. It comes at a steep human cost, especially in communities of color. It also comes at a steep fiscal cost that leaves us less safe. The United States houses more prisoners and has higher incarceration rates than any other country in the world. This is not something for Americans to point to with pride. The cost of housing Federal offenders consumes nearly one-third of the Justice Department's budget. Because public safety dollars are finite, this strips critical resources away from law enforcement strategies that have been proven to make our communities safer. prgtoken By taking steps to responsibly reduce our prison population, we can save b