mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-1-11

I thank the gentleman. prgtoken , nobody has any intention, of course, of holding the military hostage. prgtoken Secretary Mattis and his predecessors have all believed that a CR is damaging to the military's ability to move forward and plan. I would suggest to my friend, the majority leader, , that it is equally damaging to the nondefense side of the budget. Administrators and secretaries cannot plan for what resources they will have a month out, 2 months out, or until September 30 and the end of the fiscal year. Reaching agreement is important on both sides of the budget. prgtoken In addition, I would respectfully hope that we can pursue the policy and agreement that we made and on which Ryan was a principal on your side of the aisle and Senator Murray was the principal on our side of the aisle and reached agreement on the parity of increase--not parity of expenditures, because we spend more on defense, but parity of increase I would hope we could pursue that. It would accelerate agreement on how we are going forward. prgtoken I know the gentleman is going to be working on both of those efforts. I appreciate that and look forward to working with him. prgtoken , .
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-1-11

this body cannot be afraid of the Constitution. It has been our guiding moral force for this Nation for all of our beginnings and our nows. prgtoken This amendment is truly an amendment that will protect and provide for the FBI to do its work and to protect our men and women around the world who are wearing the uniform unselfishly. But let me be very clear: all this amendment does, frankly, is provide a roadmap for the FBI to utilize when it is surveying and it is using the private data of Americans. All the amendment does is ask the FBI and the Attorney General, where there is probable cause, that such communication provide evidence of a crime; and, as well, if there is a foreign power or foreign agent, to be able to utilize a warrant, and that is the protection of the Fourth Amendment. prgtoken Uphold the Constitution. Vote for the Amash-Lofgren amendment and let's move forward on this legislation.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-1-11

I was necessarily absent for the votes on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 389, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 435, and the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 435. prgtoken On vote No. 7, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 389. prgtoken On vote No. 8, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 435. prgtoken On vote No. 9, had I been present, I would have voted yea on the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 435. prgtoken , I was also necessarily absent for the vote on the motion to proceed to the House message to accompany S. 139. prgtoken On vote No. 10, had I been present, I would have voted nay on the motion to proceed to the House message to accompany S. 139.
CONGRATULATING WTTW'S CHICAGO TONIGHT: THE WEEK IN REVIEW AND JOEL WEISMAN
Mike Quigley (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-1-11

I rise today to congratulate WTTW's Emmy- Award winning series, Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review, on its 40th Anniversary. January 19, 2018 will also mark Mr. Joel Weisman's final appearance as host and senior editor of the program. prgtoken Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review is the longest running series in the history of WTTW and a staple of Chicago news media, representing the city's longest running television series with a single host or anchor. Mr. Weisman has been senior editor since the show's inception. prgtoken Mr. Weisman is a lifelong Chicagoan and has been with WTTW since 1973, beginning as political editor and commentator on WTTW's nightly news program, The Public News Center. When The Week in Review premiered on January 20, 1978, it served as a 30-minute conversation series. Throughout its four-decade history, Mr. Weisman welcomed hundreds of reporters to his rotating four-person weekly panel long before this format became commonplace in national TV programming. At. Mr. Weisman's insistence, the panelists were nonpartisan and diverse, first representing print and broadcast, and later, digital media. prgtoken In 2008, he was deservedly inducted in the Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. prgtoken , I applaud Mr. Joel Weisman for his tireless dedication to WTTW's Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review throughout his long and storied career delivering vital information--and entertainment--to Chicagoans. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Weisman on his invaluable contribution to WTTW and our community's civic dialogue.
H.R. 3731, SECRET SERVICE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ACT OF 2017
Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-1-11

I rise in support of H.R. 3731, the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017. prgtoken The United States Secret Service is operating under tremendous demands with very limited resources. The agency is tasked with protecting a large presidential family that travels frequently around the world. This year, members of the family have traveled to Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, among other destinations. The Secret Service provides protection on all of these trips, in addition to protecting the president himself, and each of these trips requires the Secret Service to incur significant costs, including travel, lodging, and costs associated with coordinating with local security entities, embassies, and other overseas partners. The family does not reimburse the Federal government for costs associated with protecting family members on these trips, even when they are made in pursuit of the Organization's business interests and to promote the brand. prgtoken The scope of the Secret Service's protective mission, along with other agency activities such as investigating and preventing counterfeiting, has created a hole in the agency's budget. At a June 8, 2017, hearing before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, Secret Service Director Randolph ``Tex'' Alles testified that the agency's budget is ``$200 million to $300 million a year short of what would be required'' to fulfill its protective and investigative missions more effectively. prgtoken This bill will not solve the Secret Service's budget gap, but it will prevent Secret Service agents from having to bear the brunt of challenges they did not create. Many Secret Service agents have hit their overtime pay limits and are unable to receive further compensation despite having to work additional hours given the agency's expanded mission. Such a system is unfair to the agents, who work difficult jobs with long shifts and uncompromising schedules even when they are being fairly compensated. prgtoken H.R. 3731 would allow the Secret Service to pay agents for hours they have worked, which is the least we can do. I urge the Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible.
THOMASINA E. JORDAN INDIAN TRIBES OF VIRGINIA FEDERAL RECOGNITION ACT OF 2017
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-1-11

I rise today on a happy occasion, to discuss a House bill, H.R. 984, the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act. This is a bill with a long history, and we are joined in the Chamber by the chiefs of six Virginia Tribes whose past, present, and certainly future are connected to this bill. I will speak briefly. Then, Senator Warner will speak. Then, the matter will be called up for a voice vote. Various objections have been heard and then cleared, and so we are now ready to move forward with this bill, which passed the House in May. prgtoken This is about Virginia Tribes that were here and encountered the English when they arrived at Georgetown in 1607--the Tribes of Pocahontas and so many other wonderful Virginians. They are living, breathing, active Tribes. They have never been recognized by the Federal Government for a series of reasons. prgtoken First, they made peace too soon, in a way, and they have been punished for that. They entered into peace treaties with the English in the 1670s. prgtoken Second, many of their Tribal records were destroyed in the Civil War. Third, a State official destroyed other records during the 1920s through 1960s. The power of these Tribes having achieved State recognition beginning many years ago--and they have never given up hope that they would be recognized by the U.S. Government, just as they have been recognized for hundreds of years by the Government of England. In fact, last spring, they went to England to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Pocahontas. They were treated as sovereigns, treated with respect, and all they have asked is to be given the same treatment by the country they love. prgtoken This bill for Tribal recognition was first introduced by a Virginia Governor, then-Senator George Allen, in the 107th Congress. A House companion bill to the Senate version was passed in May, and that is the third time the House has passed this bill--first in 2007, and the second time was in 2009. prgtoken I have had many productive discussions, as has Senator Warner, over the last months about the bill, various questions about the history. We are now in a position where all objections have been cleared, and we are ready to move ahead. prgtoken It is such a treat to be joined by the chiefs. It is such a treat to be joined by my colleague, my senior Senator. Senator Warner has worked tremendously hard on this, as have I, from the day he was Governor. I also have to give praise to Congressman Wittman on the House side, who has worked very hard to get to this day. prgtoken It is a fundamental issue of respect and fairly acknowledging a historical record and a wonderful story of Tribes who are living, thriving, and surviving and are a rich part of our heritage. This is a happy day to stand upon their behalf. prgtoken With that, I wish to yield to the senior Senator.
HONORING DANA MARSHALL-BERNSTEIN
Jacky Rosen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-1-11

I am here today not only to mourn the loss of a family friend and lifelong Las Vegas resident, but to let Congress know what an amazing young woman she was. prgtoken Dana Marshall-Bernstein died in December at the age of 28 following a lifelong battle with Crohn's disease. She spent most of her life in and out of the hospital, but even while she was undergoing countless surgeries, she never let her disease define her. She never stopped feeling optimistic about her future. She believed in kindness, and she used her experience to comfort others who were also affected by Crohn's disease. prgtoken She shined in more ways than one, and I know she will continue to shine in the memory of each and every life she touched, and her memory will be a blessing to all those who knew and loved her. prgtoken I encourage all Members here today to carry with them the courage and determination that Dana brought into this world: to always think and live life with positivity and never ever stop believing in doing good by others.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-1-11

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I rise in strong opposition to the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, which reauthorizes section 702 of FISA for 6 years without enacting adequate protections for our privacy. prgtoken Supporters of this measure want to convince us a new, incredibly narrow warrant provision actually constitutes reform. It does not. Our right to privacy does not begin when the Department of Justice has a fully formed criminal case against us, nor does it begin when prosecutors enter our emails and text messages into evidence against us in court. prgtoken The Constitution guarantees far more than this. Our right to privacy protects us when the government first makes its decision to search our private communications for information it might find useful. S. 139 falls well short of this basic guarantee. We, therefore, cannot--we must not--support this bill. prgtoken Make no mistake: S. 139 is not a compromise. The Judiciary Committee, the technology companies, civil society, and other critical stakeholders were shut out of this conversation long ago. prgtoken S. 139 does not include a meaningful warrant requirement. The rule in this bill does not apply to most searches of the section 702 database. It does not apply to a query for any information that ``could mitigate a threat,'' an exception that threatens to swallow the entire rule. As a result, S. 139 allows the FBI unfettered access to this information for purely domestic nonterrorism cases without a warrant. prgtoken What does that mean in the year of Jeff Sessions and ? It means that absolutely nothing stops the Department of Justice from trolling the database for evidence that you use marijuana or failed to pay your taxes or may be in the country unlawfully or possess a firearm that you should not have. None of these cases have anything to do with the core purposes of section 702, and all of them should require a warrant based on individualized suspicion and probable cause. prgtoken I agree with Chairman Goodlatte that section 702 should be reauthorized. I understand its importance to the intelligence agencies. But none of us should support this bill which pretends at reform while codifying some of the worst practices of the intelligence community in domestic crimes. prgtoken When we came to Congress, each of us took an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. I ask that each of my colleagues honor that oath today and that we work together to defeat this bill and to bring the right set of reforms to the floor without delay. prgtoken , .
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-1-11

I rise to oppose this amendment--I think it is in the wrong direction--and to support the underlying bill. prgtoken The bill, I think, strikes a balance. Americans cherish and strongly want us to protect their privacy. We all agree on that, and I think this bill threads the needle. The underlying bill protects our Fourth Amendment through the FISA process through this improved effort. prgtoken We know we live in a dangerous world. Terrorism is a constant threat that we all clearly understand. When we take our oath of office, we swear to protect and defend our Nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I believe this underlying bill does that with increased transparency. prgtoken Clearly, it is not perfect. We never vote on any perfect legislation. But this is an improved piece of legislation. The amendment is an overreach in the wrong direction. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill.
Opioid Epidemic (Executive Session)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2018-1-11

let me applaud my colleague from West Virginia, Senator Capito, for her work in addressing the opioid epidemic. It is something that I know, in a bipartisan way, we care about in this Chamber, and it is one place in which I think we could come to some agreement about increasing resources as we come to an agreement on the budget for the upcoming year. So for her comments.
Offshore Drilling (Executive Calendar)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-1-11

I rise today to discuss the administration's recent proposal to expand offshore drilling to more than 90 percent of U.S. waters. This handout to Big Oil executives puts short-term corporate profits ahead of the long-term health and livelihood of America's coastal families, and it ignores the growing threat posed by climate change. prgtoken This administration is too weak-kneed to stand up for American families, too weak-kneed to say ``enough is enough'' when Big Oil executives demand more, and Big Oil executives keep demanding more because they don't like being told that any area is off limits. prgtoken Big Oil didn't like being told that the extraordinary natural, cultural, and historical value of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase- Escalante made them off limits for fossil fuel development. So President opened up much of the previously protected land for future drilling and mining. prgtoken Big Oil didn't like being told that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of America's last untouched expanses of wilderness, was off limits. So President and this Congress included a provision in the tax bill to allow drilling for the first time in this pristine reserve. prgtoken Big oil didn't like being told that our coasts, which provide the homes and livelihoods for millions of Americans, are off limits. So the administration, faithful as ever to whatever Big Oil wants, issued a proposed offshore drilling plan that would allow drilling in more than 90 percent of America's coastal waters. In doing so, the administration is threatening the Atlantic coast with unwanted oil drilling for the first time in more than 30 years, threatening to introduce new drilling rigs to the Pacific coast for the first time in 30 years, threatening the eastern Gulf of Mexico with drilling for the first time in more than 10 years, and threatening to illegally reopen portions of the Arctic for drilling in areas that were permanently protected in 2016. prgtoken Our coasts are working waterfronts supporting hard-working families. This unprecedented expansion of offshore drilling endangers hundreds of thousands of jobs that depend on the health of our oceans. In Massachusetts, there is shipping in and out of Boston, fishing from Gloucester to New Bedford, and tourism and small businesses on the Cape and the Islands. The ocean is our lifeline, as it is for so many coastal States and towns around the country. prgtoken The multibillion-dollar coastal economy has been a key part of the American economy since our Nation's founding. Our coastal communities are united in opposition to an expansion of offshore drilling. They understand the risks that Big Oil imposes on them. prgtoken Our coastal communities remember when the BP-Deepwater Horizon oilspill occurred in 2010. One offshore oil well blew and caused the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig to explode, and what was the consequence? It
FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-1-11

we are inching ever closer to the government's spending deadline of January 19, when we will have to address a host of unresolved issues. We must lift the spending caps equally for defense and other domestic priorities, such as opioids, veterans, pensions. We must pass an aid package to give relief to disaster stricken areas of our country. We must pass the healthcare package that extends CHIP--children's health insurance--and community health centers. prgtoken Just this week, the CBO projected that CHIP will actually save the government money if it is extended for 10 years. We could ensure that kids continue to get quality health insurance for longer and save the government money if we extend it for 10 years. That is a no-brainer. prgtoken Of course, we must settle the fate of the Dreamers. A deal to pass DACA protection alongside a package of border security measures is finally within reach. As the immigration meeting at the White House showed, almost everyone in this body is interested in passing DACA protections into law. prgtoken are interested in effective, practical border security measures. We want what secures the border the most, not what sounds the best, not what was a political slogan in a campaign but what actually protects our border as drugs flow in and other things come across. We are working as hard as we can to find an agreement both sides can live with. The only folks who didn't get the memo were some House s who continue to push hard-line immigration bills that are outside the scope of the negotiations. I am referring to Representative Goodlatte's proposal, which is entirely counterproductive and completely unacceptable. prgtoken If Ryan is going to listen to the hard right in the House and coalesce behind Representative Goodlatte's proposal on DACA, we will have no deal. Let the American people hear that. If Ryan is unable to resist Representative Goodlatte's proposal--he has never been for Dream to begin with--we will have no deal. prgtoken If Ryan bends to the hard-right faction of his caucus--which is far away from what most Americans think; the hard right doesn't like Dreamers, and 70 percent of Americans do--and if they ask for immigration measures outside the scope of our negotiations, then so will we. Deal with chain migration outside of the scope of Dreamers? Let's deal with the 11 million who need a path to citizenship--a tough but fair path. We can play that game too. We can go beyond the confines of this deal, which has been Dreamers and border security, and then the whole thing won't happen. prgtoken There are people on my side who aren't going to want to make any compromises. I know that. There are people on both sides who won't want to make any compromises. As responsible leaders, we have to come to an agreement, and we can't make everybody happy. That is why we have a House and Senate. That is why we have legislators. prgtoken The wh
DHS OVERSEAS PERSONNEL ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2017
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2018-1-12

I rise in support of H.R. 4567, the DHS Overseas Personnel Enhancement Act of 2017. prgtoken This legislation would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to brief the Committee on Homeland Security in the House of Representatives and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the Senate every six months on the operations of Department of Homeland Security personnel that work outside of the United States. prgtoken The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the newest cabinet department in the United States federal government and was created in 2002 in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The department's mission is to prevent, prepare for, and respond to domestic issues, and it is deeply involved in border security and immigration services. In many ways, the DHS is still a fledgling cabinet department and H.R. 4567 aims to ensure transparency and accountability in this law enforcement body, and to encourage interagency communication and collaboration in their shared mission to fight terrorism abroad. prgtoken As a federal law enforcement agency, it's important to establish oversight rules for the DHS. Government oversight is one of the pillars of the American democracy and is a vital part of promoting accountability among the powerful. This is even truer of personnel in countries outside of the United States, where agents can be operating far from a supervisor's watchful eye. prgtoken We, as one of the most powerful nations in the world, must police our international presence to prevent abuses of power. As a former member of the Armed Services committee, I have long been a supporter of ethical practices and even sponsored legislation to review the United States treatment of suspected ``unlawful enemy combatants''. In our fight against terror worldwide, it's important to make sure that we ourselves are upholding the inalienable rights our democracy is founded upon. prgtoken H.R. 4567 encourages communication and accountability within the DHS, and allows for transparency between this department and the legislative branch. I support H.R. 4567 and I urge my colleagues to do the same.