mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Introductory Statement on S. 1224
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-5-24

today I am introducing legislation to authorize a game-changing scale of investment in making America's infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters. prgtoken The BUILD Resilience Act would build on the National Disaster Resilience Competition first authorized in the 2013 Hurricane Sandy emergency supplemental disaster package. It would authorize $1 billion a year over 5 years to jumpstart large-scale investment in community resilience--supporting jobs, strengthening infrastructure, and reducing risk to communities from disasters like hurricanes and flooding. prgtoken This bill aims to follow the ``ounce of prevention'' principle. Cleaning up after a disaster is important, but if we invest in sturdier infrastructure before the disaster, there will be less to clean up after the disaster. This is borne out in two separate studies. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that every $1 invested upfront in resilient infrastructure saves $3 on the back end. The Multihazard Mitigation Council of the National Institute of Building Sciences estimates $4 of benefit. prgtoken The Sandy Competition supported resilience projects in low-lying coastal areas of Virginia and Louisiana; in Sandy-affected areas of New York and New Jersey, in flood-prone Midwest regions like Iowa and North Dakota, and elsewhere. But Virginia's grant illustrates the scale of the challenge. This grant is supporting innovative flood-control projects but only in two at-risk neighborhoods of Norfolk, which is only one part of a broader Hampton Roads region. Neighboring localities like Newport News and Chesapeake submitted proposals to address their own infrastructure needs, but funding was insufficient. Since there will always be risk of another devastating storm, we must learn from Sandy and take steps now to protect our communities later. This bill tries to do that. prgtoken With a range from 1\1/2\ to 7 feet of sea level rise projected by the year 2100, the Hampton Roads region is the second largest population center at risk from sea level rise in the Nation, behind only New Orleans. Residents are dealing with skyrocketing flood insurance premiums and flooding not only after a Sandy or a Matthew but from ordinary rainstorms. This is a direct Federal responsibility given the presence of the largest concentration of naval power in the world. An ODU study estimates that the main Norfolk city road leading into Naval Station Norfolk could be inundated by the tides a few hours per day by midcentury. That makes this not only an infrastructure issue but a national security issue. prgtoken I hope to work with the White House and Congress to advance a comprehensive infrastructure package that rises to this challenge.
MAKHMUD CHARIEV
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-5-24

I rise today to recognize and applaud Makhmud Chariev for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. prgtoken Makhmud Chariev is a student at Standley Lake High School and received this award because his determination and hard work have allowed him to overcome adversities. prgtoken The dedication demonstrated by Makhmud Chariev is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. prgtoken I extend my deepest congratulations to Makhmud Chariev for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt he will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of his future accomplishments.
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Calendar)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-5-24

I rise to oppose the nomination of Judge Amul Thapar to serve as a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken It should surprise absolutely no one that Judge Thapar is the second nominee to a Federal court to come up for a vote in this Congress. His nomination comes on the heels of the nomination of now-Justice Neil Gorsuch, an ultraconservative who could not earn enough support to be confirmed under Senate's normal rules, a judge so radical, so controversial that Senate s had to change the Senate rules and lower the vote threshold to force his nomination through the Senate. prgtoken Now the Senate is poised to vote on a judge cut from the same cloth. Like Justice Gorsuch, Judge Thapar made the list of 21 acceptable judges that far-right groups drew up and handed to President -- judges who would tilt the scales of justice in favor of the rich and the powerful. As in Justice Gorsuch's case, those radical groups are committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure Judge Thapar sits on the Nation's highest courts. prgtoken For those groups, the goal is not just to get a few ultraconservative judges on our Federal courts; it is to capture the entire judicial branch. For years, billionaire-funded, rightwing groups have worked hand in hand with s to ensure that our courts advance the interests of the wealthy and powerful over the rights of everyone else. They abused the filibuster to stop fair, mainstream judges from filling vacancies on Federal courts, they slowed the judicial nominations process to a crawl, and they threw the Constitution and Senate precedent out the window by refusing to consider President 's Supreme Court nominee. Under their watch, judicial vacancies stacked up and courts became overloaded with cases. Now s and their extremist friends have a President who shares their concern about the interests of the 1 percent, and they are ready to stack our Federal courts with judges who will advance their radical agenda. Judge Thapar is much more than up to the task. prgtoken There are many reasons to oppose Judge Thapar's nomination to the Sixth Circuit, from his decisions making it harder for working Americans to get access to the judicial system to his support for sentencing policies that don't make us safer but that exacerbate the problem of mass incarceration. There is a lot to object to, but I want to highlight one area that should concern every person who thinks government should work for all of us; that is, Judge Thapar's stance on money in politics. prgtoken For decades, our laws restricted the amount of money that individuals and corporations could pour into the political process. In recent years, Federal courts chipped away at those laws, and then Supreme Court decisions in cases like McCutcheon and Citizens United took a sledgehammer to campaign finance laws, unleashing a flood of dark money into the political system. prgtoken
HONORING OLEALIA BRADSHAW
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2017-5-24

I rise today to honor a remarkable unsung hero, Mrs. Olealia Bradshaw of Mississippi. prgtoken Olealia Bradshaw was born to the late Spencer and the late Earnestine Frye on September 25th 1948. She is a graduate of John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Mound Bayou, MS and later attended Coahoma Community College, where she obtained an Associate Degree in Social Studies. prgtoken Realizing the study of history was not her passion, she furthered her studies at Delta State University receiving a Bachelor Degree in Home. While at Delta State University, she met and later married standout football player, Jimmy Lee Bradshaw. To that union, four children were born: Gabriel, Michellda, Rasheda, and Ernestine. prgtoken Upon graduating from Delta State University, Olealia began teaching at John F. Kennedy High School and she remained a teacher for twenty- nine years. Throughout the years, students, co-workers and community residents have expressed how she blessed their lives, personally and professionally. Although her influence in the realm of education is immeasurable, Olealia considers her greatest achievement to be her total surrender to the Will of God Almighty, and her desire to live a life that is pleasing to Him. She is a faithful member of St. Mark Church of God in Christ where she serves as the Sunday School Superintendent. prgtoken She lives her life in servitude to others. She and her late husband would open their home for the homeless and provided various services to the homeless to be able to re-establish their independence. prgtoken Mrs. Bradshaw is a mentor to many children, not only when she was in the educational system, but in her neighborhood and Christian community. She is someone who is admired, loved and respected for how she speaks the truth of the matters at hand. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Olealia Bradshaw for being an unsung hero to others in the Mississippi Delta.
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BUDGET
Keith Ellison (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-5-24

I just want to say thank you to Congressman Raskin for holding down this Special Order. You do such an excellent job, you and Pramila Jayapal, and we are grateful for it. prgtoken , here are just a few headlines from the budget that the administration just released: `` Budget Leaves Working Class Base Behind''; that is the Detroit Free Press. ``Meatloaf Again: Christie Meekly Accepts 's Medicaid Cuts''; that is the New Jersey Star-Ledger. `` Budget Replicates Disastrous Kansas Approach. This Won't End Well''; that is the Kansas City Star, . ``No Help from ''; that is the Houston Chronicle. `` Meets the Pope While His Budget Threatens the Least of Us''; that is The Sacramento Bee. ``The Harsh Budget Americans Voted for''; that is the Charlotte Observer. ``Another Bad Budget from Targets the Poor,'' The Washington Post. ``'s Assault on Working Voters''; that is the Baltimore Sun. ``Surprise, Surprise: 's Budget Punishes the Sick and the Poor While Rewarding the Wealthy''; that is the LA Times. ``A Slash-and-Burn Budget,'' New York Daily News. ``Budget Cuts Include U.S. Heart''; that is northjersey.com; prgtoken The New York Times: ``A Budget That Promises Little But Pain.'' prgtoken Bloomberg View: ``'s Budget is a Waste of Everybody's Time.'' prgtoken Financial Times, no beacon of liberalism there, : ``'s Implausible Plan for the U.S. Budget.'' prgtoken So whether you are talking about conservative instruments in the news or more liberal ones or more middle-of-the-road, it is really kind of amazing: Everyone seems to share one feeling about the budget. We all hate it. It is bad. It is not a good thing, and there are plenty of reasons why people don't like it. prgtoken And so I just want to add that the OMB is led by one of our former colleagues, Mick Mulvaney, and I think Mick is a nice guy. I can't tell people that I personally dislike Mick. He is nice to me. But that is not what this is about. prgtoken This is about how we are operating in our public lives. In our public lives and discharging our public responsibility, I have to quote the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. He says: Meals on Wheels sounds great. We're not going to spend money on programs that cannot show that they actually deliver on promises that we've made to people. prgtoken I will submit to you that Meals on Wheels is a very meritorious program, it costs very little money, and it allows vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities to live at home. Deep cuts. prgtoken Actually, Mick said as well: Deep budget cuts are actually one of the most compassionate things we can do. prgtoken I wonder, , compassionate for who? prgtoken Maybe those billionaires at Mar-a-Lago--maybe they need a little love, too, sometimes--or the people who occupy Towers. prgtoken Regarding HUD, or Housing and Urban Development, he said: It doesn't work very well. Tell
Nomination of Courtney Elwood (Executive Calendar)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-5-24

President has routinely attacked basic American freedoms--of the press, of peaceful assembly, of religion, of speech. When he lost the popular vote, President-elect assailed the integrity of our electoral process and falsely claimed that millions of people voted illegally. When the press exposed those falsehoods, Mr. dismissed credible reporting as ``fake news.'' When the courts ruled that his travel ban was unlawful, President accused judges of abetting terrorists. prgtoken These actions have consequences beyond our own borders and embolden dictators around the world. President displays a worldview that favors the military over diplomacy and transactional relationships over strategic alliances. President 's uncritical embrace of autocrats like Russian President Putin, Egyptian President Sisi, Turkish President Erdogan, and Philippine President Duterte is a repudiation of every reformer and activist seeking freedom from tyranny. It is a repudiation of America's values and founding principles. prgtoken President 's approach to the world is shortsighted and self- defeating. The greatest threats to U.S. national security come from countries that are corrupt, poorly governed, and fraught with poverty and disease. These countries require sustained engagement and assistance to prevent the kind of threats that could require American soldiers to go into war. These countries require American leadership and the American example to help address the root causes of conflict and to give a voice to the aspirations of their people. prgtoken That is why President 's proposed 32 percent cut to the budget of the State Department, his failure to put forward nominees for leadership positions, and his disrespect for the career employees who serve our country are so dangerous. By undermining American influence abroad, President erodes American strength. prgtoken While John Sullivan has an extensive career in public service, I am concerned that he lacks experience at the State Department. An understanding of the institution is, in many ways, as important as an understanding of our complex diplomatic terrain. Despite these concerns, I was encouraged by the statements and commitments he made at his confirmation hearing. prgtoken In his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mr. Sullivan committed to promoting American values abroad, saying: ``Our greatest asset is our commitment to the fundamental values expressed at the founding of our nation; the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These basic human rights are the bedrock of our republic and at the heart of American leadership in the world.'' prgtoken He underscored that our alliances and partnerships ``have been the cornerstone of our national security in the post-war era.'' He commended the foreign service officers, civil servants, and locally employed staff who faithfully serve
TRUMPCARE
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-5-24

our Nation and our government were founded on a principle that can be summed up in three words: ``We the People,'' the first three words of our Constitution, the three words that our Founders wrote in supersized font so that no matter who you were you would remember that this is the guiding mission of our form of government. This is the guiding mission of the Constitution. prgtoken From across the room, you can't read the fine print of article I and article II and so forth, but you can see what the Constitution is all about: we the people. prgtoken Lincoln captured that notion when he spoke in his Gettysburg Address and said: ``We are a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people.'' He didn't describe our system of government as of, by, and for the privileged. Our Founders didn't write ``We, the powerful and privileged'' at the start of our Constitution. That is what makes us different from the governments that dominated Europe, where the rich and powerful governed on behalf of the rich and powerful. America turned that on its head with our system of government. Our system of democratic republic governance. prgtoken Therefore, we are at a very strange moment right now because just 20 days ago, 217 Members, a small majority over in the House, voted for a bill that was all about government of and by the powerful, for the powerful, of and by the privileged, for the privileged, not by the people, for the people. They voted for Care. prgtoken We witnessed the House passing this horrific piece of legislation that will ensure that millions of low-income and middle-class Americans are worse off, will receive less care, and will have to pay more for their healthcare, assuming they can even get it. But, on the other hand, the bill delivers $600 billion in platinum-plated tax benefits to the richest Americans. prgtoken Picture the situation: our President holding a celebration at the White House, standing on a platform, crushing more than 20 million people in terms of their access to healthcare, while celebrating a golden plate with platinum-plated gifts to the wealthiest Americans. That is what happened 20 days ago in the House of Representatives. That is not a pretty sight and certainly doesn't fit the mission of our Nation. prgtoken Franklin Roosevelt shared his vision of how we progress in the following fashion. He said: ``The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.'' prgtoken But the principle that was supported by 217 House Members 20 days ago is the opposite. The principle is that the test of our progress is whether we add more to the abundance of those who have most, while taking away from those who do not have enough. That is what happened. That is the difference between Franklin Roosevelt and government of, by, and for the people, and President and 217 Hou
MARCH DEFICIT AND BALANCING TRADE
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-5-24

President recently told The Economist that he is ``absolutely a free-trader.'' Ohioans would be the first to tell you that free trade and fair trade do not mean the same thing. prgtoken Our trade deficit ballooned to $43.7 billion in March of this year-- more red ink and more lost jobs. That skewed gap is even more pronounced with NAFTA nations, where we have a huge negative imbalance, totaling over $16 billion with Mexico and nearly $7 billion with Canada. That yields over 115,000 more forfeited jobs in our country. prgtoken Yes, trade deficits translate into lost jobs and lower wages for our workers like steelworkers that have been battered in Lorain, Ohio. We must stop these trade practices that snuff out our jobs and hurt our communities. prgtoken That is why tomorrow I will be reintroducing the Balancing Trade Act. This bill requires an actual U.S. policy that takes the trade deficit seriously. It provides real achievable steps to balance our trade deficits with countries with which we hold a deficit of over $10 billion for three consecutive years. prgtoken I urge President to support this measure as a reasonable step forward. Let us help heal heartland communities, many of which elected him. Let us seek trade solutions that lift up our people and create new jobs on all sides of North America's borders, but starting here in the good old USA.
NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH
Kathy Castor (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-5-24

I rise today in recognition of National Foster Care Month, and I am pleased to welcome Yves Luma and Anabel Sanchez-Senofonte for the Sixth Annual Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day. prgtoken I would also salute Congresswoman Karen Bass, who is the most outspoken, energized advocate for foster youth anywhere in America. I am very proud of Yves and Anabel. They are an inspiration for all of us. prgtoken Yves has persisted in the face of true adversity and is now a first- generation college student at Florida State University. She was born in Haiti, faced challenges at a young age that most of us will never understand. Not being able to count on a stable home environment in Haiti, Yves, with her younger siblings, moved around between extended family and friends before moving to the United States. prgtoken Once in the United States, Yves did not have a consistent home. Yet through everything, she persevered, working to provide for her younger siblings while continuing her high school education at Plant High School and Blake High School in Tampa. She carried a heavy burden without parents that no child should have to endure. Due to the hard work and help of her school social workers, Yves was referred to Starting Right, Now, a Tampa-based group home for homeless youth who value and desire a higher education. It was this support system and the help of a lot of others that enabled Yves' talent and drive to catapult her to a promising future. prgtoken Anabel is 21 years old, also a student at Florida State University, getting a BA in economics and sociology. Anabel grew up in Miami, where she spent most of her life in foster care. She was taken from her mother three times before permanently being removed from her custody. At that point, she entered a group home at about 5 years old. She prgtoken went to a number of group homes before moving in with her parents who adopted her. prgtoken Foster care was hard because she was separated from her brothers, but she had her sister. But sometimes having that sister around made it tough as well because the sister didn't know how to read and had severe temper tantrums around her foster care parents, and they were usually taken away because of something her little sister did. prgtoken So Anabel liked to slide under the radar and focus on school, but she is resilient as well. Now at FSU and working in Tallahassee, she is an Unconquered Scholar. And Unconquered Scholars either have to have experienced homelessness, foster care, or group homes, but now she is on the path to graduate school. And as a lesson for all of us, she advises that: ``I believe that to get the results you want, you must insert yourself into the conversation.'' That is right around here, Anabel, and we look forward to learning a lot from you here today and in the future. prgtoken Yves and Anabel are just two of more than 400,000 youth in foster care in America. It is important to recognize the programs, i