mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CLOTURE MOTION
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-3-5

in California, several counties and cities are suing the big oil companies to hold them liable for the damages that climate change is causing to the infrastructure out there. As judges consider these cases, one thing they will be asked to keep in mind is Big Oil's history of deception and lies. prgtoken A group of scientific experts filed this friend-of-the-court brief out in the Ninth Circuit, carefully charting that history, that pattern of deception and lies. The group of scholars and scientists chronicled how the fossil fuel companies had actual knowledge of the risks of their products and had taken ``proactive steps to conceal their knowledge and discredit climate science'' while at the same time taking steps based on that science to protect their own assets from the impacts of climate change. prgtoken It is a 51-page document, so let me cut to the chase. Big Oil knew for a very long time that the production and burning of fossil fuels would be disastrous for the planet. Yet they did everything in their power to confuse the public, undermine the scientific evidence of the dangers, and prevent action to stave off this worldwide problem. The brief makes a fascinating read. Here are some highlights. prgtoken Way back in 1959, when I was a kid and Dwight Eisenhower was President, Columbia University held a symposium attended by oil industry executives to mark the 100th anniversary of the petroleum industry. At that event, the legendary Dr. Edward Teller, a physicist, warned the industry about global warming. He said: [A] temperature rise corresponding to a 10 percent increase in carbon dioxide will be sufficient to melt the icecap and submerge New York. . . . [T]his chemical contamination is more serious than most people tend to believe. prgtoken In 1959. A few years later, in 1965, at the American Petroleum Institute's annual meeting, API president Frank Ikard briefed the Big Oil trade group on a report from President Johnson's Science Advisory Committee that predicted significant global warming by the end of the century, caused by fossil fuels, and warned that ``there is still time to save the world's peoples from the catastrophic consequence of pollution, but time is running out.'' The American Petroleum Institute, 1965. prgtoken API then commissioned a Stanford Research Institute report on the climate problem which was made available to its membership in 1968. The report said: [R]ising levels of CO2 would likely result in rising global temperatures. . . . [T]he result could be melting ice caps, rising sea levels, warming oceans, and serious environmental damage on a global scale. prgtoken Then, in 1969, Stanford produced a supplemental report for the American Petroleum Institute. As the authors of this brief tell the Ninth Circuit, ``The report projected that . . . atmospheric CO2 concentrations would reach 370 [parts per million] by 2000--ex
VOTE EXPLANATION
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-3-5

I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 34, the motion to invoke cloture on Allison Jones Rushing, of North Carolina, to be U.S. circuit judge for the Fourth Circuit. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 35, the confirmation of Allison Jones Rushing, of North Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 36, the motion to invoke cloture on Chad A. Readler, of Ohio, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit.
VETERANS-SPECIFIC EDUCATION FOR TOMORROW'S HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ACT
Mark Takano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-3-5

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of H.R. 1271, the Vet HP Act. The Department of Veterans Affairs reported last month that it has 48,985 vacancies. That means about 10 percent of the positions at VA are unfilled. prgtoken Sadly, a majority of these vacancies are Veterans Health Administration vacancies. VA does not have enough doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other medical prgtoken providers and support staff to make sure veterans have timely access to the high quality healthcare delivered by VA. With shortages in areas like mental health and primary care, it can become increasingly difficult to maintain a facility's efficiency and quality. That is why it is so important that VA does everything it can to fill every last vacancy. prgtoken The committee is not blind to the challenge of meeting this laudable goal. Hospital systems throughout the country also face health provider shortages. Rural areas and some urban areas are often the most in need of providers. However, that should not be an excuse for inaction, and relying solely on community providers who also face shortages and lack the expertise and cultural competency to provide for veterans' specific healthcare needs is an incomplete, problematic, and high-cost solution. prgtoken The VA must work to recruit and retain talented and mission-driven clinicians and employees who are guided by one goal: to provide the best possible care to veterans when they need it. prgtoken The bill offered by Congresswoman Kaptur from Ohio is a creative and necessary step towards ensuring VA is able to fill each vacant position. The Vet HP Act seeks to expose undergraduate students considering careers in medicine to experience the VA healthcare environment directly. By allowing undergraduates to observe the work of staff at VA medical centers firsthand, the department can begin recruiting early--by sowing interest in students about the VA's mission and the healthcare, research, academic, and professional opportunities available to clinicians at VA medical centers. As an educator of 70 percent of the Nation's healthcare providers, VA can create an early familiarity with VA among students thinking about or preparing for careers in medicine. prgtoken Our Nation's future healthcare providers may be more likely to choose residencies at academic affiliates of VA medical centers and careers at VA if they are more familiar with VA's mission and are able to observe the improvements VA clinicians are able to make in the lives of those who have served our Nation. prgtoken Moreover, as the veteran population becomes increasingly more diverse, VA should strive to recruit students from backgrounds as diverse as the military and veteran population so that VA staff and clinicians reflect that growing diversity and are better equipped and able to understand the needs of the veterans they serve. prgtoken In an effort
VETERANS-SPECIFIC EDUCATION FOR TOMORROW'S HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ACT
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-3-5

I want to thank Chairman Takano for his staunch leadership for veterans in so many arenas and for moving this bill through his committee. I also want to thank Ranking Member Phil Roe for his continued bipartisan support and encouragement. prgtoken H.R. 1271, the Vet Health Professionals Act, Vet HP Act for short, also called the Veterans-Specific Education for Tomorrow's Health Professionals Act; I am honored to speak on its behalf this evening. prgtoken By expanding opportunities for future physicians interested in serving our Nation's veterans, this legislation will lay the groundwork to help fill, as was mentioned earlier, the Department of Veterans Affairs' nearly 50,000 medical vacancies by creating a viable pipeline for future physicians. prgtoken The Vet HP Act creates a 3-year pilot program that will operate in at least five VA medical centers for premed students to gain clinical observation experience, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of veterans' specific health needs and experiences. We have heard about some of those this evening. prgtoken Several years ago, three premed students--and I will put their names into the Record--Andrew Frank, Seamus Caragher, and Michael McNamara-- highlighted to my team that included Andrea Kaman, Nora Sarsour, Carrie Swope, and more recently Margaret McGuinness, our legislative assistants, the struggles that disadvantaged minority and other young people who lack personal connections face as they apply for medical school. prgtoken Health schools recommend or require clinical observation hours, but there is no formal process to apply for these hours. Let me tell you, , in the field of neuropsychiatry it is particularly difficult. Opportunities to shadow are limited and are often based on where you go to school or whom you know. prgtoken Students who attend schools outside major cities as well as those whose families lack connections to the medical community find it harder to shadow and are disadvantaged in medical school admissions. This places an unfair burden on otherwise qualified students who come from less affluent communities or even rural areas. prgtoken Through their own struggle to access clinical observation experience, the students realized an immense opportunity. This bill prioritizes students in medically underserved areas, first-generation college students, students referred by minority-serving institutions, and veterans themselves. prgtoken It also prioritizes training for students who specialize in health professions where there is an identified staffing shortage. This important bill will help narrow the professional gap and ensure we are training premed students in careers that are in demand and necessary. For example, the three VA medical centers that service our constituents in Ohio are located in Cleveland, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and the city of Detroit. They currently have--this is an amazing number--542 medical and dental staff vac
REAUTHORIZING WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
Brian Higgins (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-3-5

I rise in strong support of Congressman Tom Reed's bill, H.R. 1138, which authorizes funding for the cleanup of the West Valley demonstration project, the nuclear waste remediation site in western New York. prgtoken , advocates are in Washington this week to remind Congress of the importance of the Great Lakes as a source of clean water for millions of Americans. The long-term cleanup at West Valley, which sits 30 miles from Lake Erie and at the foot of a tributary stream, will prevent harmful contamination to the region. prgtoken The Department of Energy has an obligation to ensure that 600,000 gallons of high-level radioactive waste are solidified and disposed of safely and expeditiously. The funding in this bill will allow us to do just that. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
HONORING ARCHIE ARCHULETA
Ben McAdams (Democrat, UT) \u2014 2019-3-5

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of one of Utah's finest. On January 25th, Utah lost Archie Archuleta--a longtime community activist. Archie was a shining beacon of hope, leading by example on how to be a champion for marginalized groups and for the causes of civil liberties and peace in the State of Utah. He believed that ``truth needs witnesses'' and each person's voice matters. prgtoken Archie was born near Grand Junction, Colorado, the child of farm workers who picked sugar beets, lettuce and other crops. After getting his bachelor's degree in education, he came to Salt Lake to teach elementary school. He met the love of his life, Lois, and together they raised five children. prgtoken Archie served as president of the Coalition of La Raza for nine years and for his work on behalf of the Latino Community, he was recognized by many for his efforts. prgtoken I'll always remember Archie's calls and visits to my office to share his thoughts and advice. He cared deeply about our community and worked hard to make all of us better. I was inspired by Archie's fiery speeches at public rallies and humble mentorship in more private moments. prgtoken Archie was someone bigger than life--a man who left his mark on so many of the people with whom he came in contact. We mourn his passing but celebrate the legacy of this fierce advocate and gentle teacher.
FAIRNESS FOR HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-3-5

. Madam , we often hear about the immunotherapy revolution, medicine's next frontier, which is right now, for extending or even saving lives. Dr. Sadhak Sengupta and his wife, Sudarshana, two talented scientists from Rhode Island, are on the cutting edge of this research. prgtoken Dr. Sengupta is the director of brain tumor immunotherapy research at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor at Brown University. He has been working as a scientist in the United States since 2002, and he holds numerous patents. prgtoken Despite these achievements, Dr. Sengupta has been unable to get a green card simply due to the country of his birth, India. For years, we have reached the per-country cap on employment-based green cards for India, and the current backlog is, right now, measured in decades. prgtoken Sadhak and Sudarshana dream of launching a startup, but 17 years after moving to this country, they still live in uncertainty. Madam , that is why I support the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, a bill to remove per-country green card caps and treat all immigrants equally. prgtoken It is the right thing to do for the Senguptas and for all Americans and their families who will benefit from their research and their greatness of spirit.
INTRODUCTION OF STOP UNDERRIDES ACT OF 2019
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2019-3-5

. Madam , I rise in support of the Stop Underrides Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill I introduced earlier today along with my colleague on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Representative Mark DeSaulnier from California, and in the Senate, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Marco Rubio, to prevent deadly truck underride crashes. prgtoken An underride crash is when a car collides with a truck and goes underneath the body of the truck. Modern car safety features are designed to ensure that a passenger can walk away from a crash where the vehicle hits a solid wall at 35 miles per hour. In an underride crash, the first part of a car coming into contact with a truck body is the windshield, and as a result, a car's safety features are rendered useless. When a car collides with a truck, it will keep moving forward, and decapitation is a serious threat at 35 miles per hour. prgtoken While large trucks have been federally required to have rear underride guards since 1953, there is no requirement to adequately maintain rear underride guards and they often fail. In addition, underride guards are not federally required to be on the sides or front of trucks. Too many lives have been lost or forever altered by these preventable crashes and the time has come for Congress to act. prgtoken The Stop Underrides Act does just that--lays out a path to bring an end to these terrible and all too often fatal accidents by requiring all large truck trailers to have front, side, and rear underride guards. prgtoken These guards, if installed, would have likely prevented the death ofMichael Higginbotham, who was killed in an underride crash in Memphis and whose parents, Randy and Laurie Higginbotham, have been urging Congress to take action on this long overdue issue. prgtoken This is common sense legislation that will save lives. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of the Stop Underrides Act.
STREAMLINING ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR SCHOOLS ACT OF 2019
Paul Tonko (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-3-5

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I want to voice my strong support for H.R. 762 introduced by my good friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright). prgtoken This legislation will provide a coordinating structure for our Nation's schools to help them better navigate available Federal programs and financing options. prgtoken Across our great country, K-12 school districts spend literally billions of dollars on their energy bills each year, while an estimated 14 million American children attend deteriorating public schools. By upgrading these systems, we can increase efficiency and focus school funding to achieve better educational outcomes. prgtoken We have a huge opportunity this Congress to make major investments in our Nation's infrastructure--including our most essential institutions, such as schools. prgtoken I believe efficiency has to be our fuel of first choice. We can save local taxpayers money while upgrading and modernizing these facilities. prgtoken This legislation has passed the House in each of the last two Congresses with broad bipartisan support, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this year's iteration. prgtoken I commend Representative Cartwright and the bill's bipartisan cosponsors for their efforts, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the bill. prgtoken , .
Nomination of Chad A. Readler (Executive Calendar)
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2019-3-5

it is very important that the American people know that s are still trying to take away their healthcare. Last year, s filed a lawsuit arguing that the entire Affordable Care Act should be invalidated, and now they want to give a promotion to the person who led that effort at the Department of Justice. That person's name is Chad Readler, currently a Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the Justice Department. prgtoken Last year, he filed an argument on behalf of the Department of Justice to take away protections for people with preexisting conditions. The American Medical Association said that Mr. Readler's argument would ``have a devastating impact on doctors, patients, and the American health system as a whole,'' that it ``would cause 32 million people to become uninsured,'' and that it would double insurance premiums. prgtoken The American Medical Association was not alone here. Lawyers at the Justice Department refused to sign their names to Mr. Readler's brief. One senior career official actually resigned in protest, and Senator Lamar Alexander said that his arguments were ``as farfetched as any I've ever heard.'' prgtoken On the same day that Mr. Readler filed his argument to take away people's healthcare, the White House nominated him to a lifetime appointment to the bench on the Sixth Circuit. They wanted to promote him because of his good work suing in Federal court trying to invalidate the entire healthcare system--the entire healthcare law. prgtoken We should not sign off on this nominee--not if we care about protecting the health of our constituents, especially those who have cancer, asthma, diabetes, or any other preexisting medical condition. prgtoken We should also be wary of putting someone on the Sixth Circuit who makes the kind of poor, farfetched argument that Mr. Readler made, because this isn't purely a question of public policy. If it were public policy, you would definitely say: Don't take 32 million people and take away their healthcare--right? If it were public policy, you would say: Don't do the thing that is going to double premiums. prgtoken This is about what kind of a lawyer he is. This is about what kind of a judge he would be. The White House may want to reward his efforts, but we don't have to. prgtoken If you look at Mr. Readler's record and feel that, OK, he tried to deport the Dreamers. Even if you concede past his defense of the Muslim ban or his discrimination against a gay couple who wanted to get married or even if you don't mind that he is trying to make it harder for people to vote or his argument to allow kids under 18 to be sentenced to death--even if none of that bothers you--it should bother you that a Senator in Mr. Readler's home State has not returned a blue slip. It should really bother you. If you say you are for protecting people with preexisting conditions, here is your opportunity. prgtoken It is one thing to say: Well, w
REAUTHORIZING WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2019-3-5

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , H.R. 1138, a bill to reauthorize the West Valley Demonstration Project, was introduced recently by our New York colleague, Tom Reed. I also see my good friend, Brian Higgins on the floor, and I know the chairman has been personally involved with this for many, many, many years. prgtoken The House passed an essentially identical version of this bill this past September on suspension. Prior to that vote, the bipartisan legislation had moved through the Energy and Commerce Committee by regular order, including a legislative hearing and markups as part of our broader nuclear waste management agenda. It was reported by the full committee with a bipartisan amendment by a voice vote. prgtoken H.R. 1138 authorizes appropriations to support the Department of Energy's environmental remediation at its West Valley cleanup site in New York through 2026. It also directs a study to help Congress determine the final disposition of radioactive waste that DOE is cleaning up at the site. prgtoken H.R. 1138 continues the work of Congress to address the Federal Government's obligations for treatment and disposal of the legacy waste produced during the Cold War, and through the Federal Government's early efforts to develop a civilian nuclear energy industry. prgtoken The Department of Energy has successfully remediated 92 sites of this waste, but the most technologically challenging projects remain in process at 17 locations, one of which is the West Valley site. prgtoken In 1980, Congress passed the West Valley Demonstration Project Act to direct DOE to address legacy environmental issues and authorized appropriations only through fiscal year 1981. The project has not been reauthorized since that time, despite Congress funding DOE's work at the site for the past 37 years. prgtoken H.R. 1138 corrects this situation, provides a path to answering important questions concerning the waste disposition, and ensures spending at the site is subject to an active authorization. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1138, and .