mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
STUDENT BORROWER CREDIT IMPROVEMENT ACT
Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-1-29

. Mr. Chair, the bill we are considering today is made of six extremely partisan pieces of legislation. This package will not receive substantial bipartisan support and is dead on arrival in the Senate. prgtoken Unfortunately, instead of working in a bipartisan manner to improve credit reporting for consumers, the majority has chosen to advance legislation that simply attacks an industry, to the consumers' detriment. prgtoken I think the ranking member made a number of points a while ago with regard to the willingness of the minority to advance a lot of different solutions to some of the concerns that we all have, yet they were not heard. prgtoken Each piece of legislation in this package has one of two goals--the first goal is to expand the authority of the CFPB over credit modeling; the second is to eliminate as much information from the credit report as possible--both of which will increase the cost of credit and make it even more difficult for low- and moderate-income families to receive a loan. prgtoken If the financial institution is unable to analyze a risk, it has to increase the cost to be able to cover the additional risk. It is just that simple. prgtoken In this Congress, we have had witness after witness come before our committee and praise and support the use of alternative credit modeling. Using alternative data can increase access to prgtoken credit, particularly for low-income consumers and the underbanked. prgtoken Instead of supporting efforts to modernize and increase credit access, the majority seems inclined to stifle innovation by requiring the CFPB, an unaccountable government agency, to determine what factors can be used in credit scoring. Putting the government in charge of establishing credit scores for consumers is a dangerous notion that strikes at the heart of economic freedom in this country. prgtoken By eliminating the information that appears on the credit report, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are weakening one of the most objective and accurate ways to determine creditworthiness of borrowers. prgtoken If lenders can no longer rely on a credit report to reflect the actual risk of a borrower, the lender will be forced to increase their rates to ensure they are pricing the additional risk they are taking. This increased cost of credit will directly affect the individuals who are on the margins, notably low- and moderate-income borrowers. prgtoken While I think the majority may have good intentions with this legislation, government control of credit modeling and decreased access to credit for low-income families sounds like a disastrous recipe for our economy. That is why I am opposing the legislation, Mr. Chair, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.
RECOGNIZING JAMES GREGORIUS
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-1-29

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Mr. James Gregorius, the associate director for training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, FLETC, who will be retiring this week after more than 40 years of public service. prgtoken Mr. Gregorius began his career in law enforcement as a police officer with the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department. From there, he transitioned to Federal policing, where he served as a special agent within both the Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the National Security Agency. prgtoken This experience and this expertise positioned him perfectly for a high-level career with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, which is headquartered in the First Congressional District of Georgia. During James' time there, he did an exceptional job of managing training operations in Georgia, New Mexico, South Carolina, and the D.C. metropolitan area. prgtoken Madam , I thank Mr. Gregorius for his service to our country and congratulate him on his retirement. prgtoken James' presence, leadership, and expertise will all be missed.
TEMPORARY REAUTHORIZATION AND STUDY OF THE EMERGENCY SCHEDULING OF FENTANYL ANALOGUES ACT
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2020-1-29

I thank Mr. Walden, my friend, for yielding. prgtoken , I rise today in support of S. 3201. prgtoken Opioids, heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl-like substances have ravaged the communities of all of us, like mine, across this Nation. Synthetic opioids have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Americans last year, and I have heard firsthand some of those devastating stories from friends, neighbors, and constituents in my district. prgtoken The DEA has been able to combat this part of the epidemic by changing the scheduling so that the administration could combat all fentanyl- related substances. prgtoken Passing S. 3201 will allow law enforcement the leeway to properly combat these fentanyl-like substances. prgtoken My support of this measure is strong, but I am admittedly frustrated. We need to make this scheduling classification permanent. We cannot let expiration dates approach while political games that we have seen for months and months now take the spotlight and consume precious legislative time that could have indeed helped to deal with some of the concerns my friends on the other side of the aisle expressed about minimum mandatories and criminal justice reform. prgtoken We have come dangerously close to the expiration of the temporary order making fentanyl-related substances schedule I. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support S. 3201, but I also encourage immediate action to be taken to make these changes permanent and to stop using political games to stand in the way of doing things like this. Pass this legislation today.
COMMEMORATING 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF BOTETOURT COUNTY, VIRGINIA
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2020-1-29

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of Botetourt County, Virginia. When initially founded, Botetourt County extended far and wide, all the way to the banks of the Mississippi River, and encompassed portions of seven present-day States. prgtoken Named for Royal Governor Norborne Berkeley, Lord Botetourt, this scenic county serves as a gateway from the Shenandoah Valley into southwest Virginia. prgtoken As you walk through the quaint towns within the county's borders, you are filled with a sense of awe, not only because of its beauty, but because of the history that surrounds you. prgtoken Thomas Jefferson famously designed an earlier version of the county courthouse in the town of Fincastle, and Lewis and Clark departed on their great expedition westward from within Botetourt County. prgtoken Even after exploring the vast western expanse of America, William Clark returned to marry county resident, Judith Hancock, following his journey. prgtoken Just as the James River flows through Botetourt County, our citizens will continue to carve out their path toward prosperity with excitement and hope in the centuries to come. prgtoken Madam , may God continue to bless Botetourt County.
TEMPORARY REAUTHORIZATION AND STUDY OF THE EMERGENCY SCHEDULING OF FENTANYL ANALOGUES ACT
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (Republican, WI) \u2014 2020-1-29

I rise today in support of S. 3201. prgtoken Without this 15-month extension, dangerous fentanyl analogues will fall through a legal loophole in just 8 days. If there ever was a must-pass bill, this it is. prgtoken Importantly though, the scourge of fentanyl analogues needs to be addressed permanently. Drug traffickers are increasingly savvy and sophisticated; they can alter the chemical composition of these drugs, creating analogues that don't fall under the drug-scheduling protocol. prgtoken DEA has taken emergency steps to combat these analogues which we will temporarily extend today, but we owe it to our constituents to permanently schedule these drugs. This is about saving lives. prgtoken I have legislation, the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act, or SOFA, to place these drugs on schedule I and to give the DEA the authority to combat new analogues that arise. prgtoken We need to pass SOFA to protect our communities, and we need to pass SOFA to save lives. prgtoken I want to highlight how dangerous these substances are. One teaspoon of fentanyl is enough to kill 2,000 people. This lethality puts fentanyl and its analogues in a class with chemical warfare agents like VX nerve gas and ricin. prgtoken Scheduling fentanyl analogues is a matter of life or death. We must choose life. The attorneys general of all 50 States and the Attorney General of the United States have all called for the passage of SOFA and the permanent scheduling of fentanyl analogues. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to do our part to protect the American people to save lives. Pass this bill, and then let's pass SOFA.
HONORING THE LEADERSHIP AND CAREER OF SERGEANT JOHN AITON
Ralph Norman (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-1-29

it is my honor to recognize the exemplary leadership and career of Sergeant John Aiton, a native of the Palmetto State, born and raised in my hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina. prgtoken Upon graduating from Rock Hill High School, John Aiton attended East Coast Bible College, where he received a bachelor of arts in pastoral ministries, later earning a master's degree in biblical interpretation from Pentecostal Theological Seminary. prgtoken After a brief teaching and coaching stint at the Heritage Academy in Fort Mill, Sergeant Aiton joined the Rock Hill Police Department. John always had a special place in his heart for helping the community, so after 2 years of patrol work, he left to join the juvenile division as a DARE instructor. prgtoken During his work early on, he was promoted to special investigator, and was selected to serve on the police force's first crisis negotiating team, forming the department's neighborhood watch program. prgtoken Because of his dedication to the local community, he began to serve as the department's chaplain and continued work with the Worthy Boys and Girls Camp. This ultimately led him to his best-known role, a school resource officer for 22 years; 11 years at Northwestern High School, followed by another 11 years at South Pointe High School. prgtoken Throughout his distinguished career, Sergeant Aiton went above and beyond his job to protect and serve the community. Due to his service, he was promoted to sergeant of the Community Service Division, but because of his commitment to student safety, he relieved himself of those duties. prgtoken John is a truly inspirational citizen and a community servant whose pride and joy is found in protecting students. prgtoken After a distinguished career, Sergeant John Aiton retired from the force in June of 2019. It is truly an honor to recognize and congratulate Sergeant John Aiton on his well-deserved retirement. Rock Hill could not have asked for a better, selfless role model for our community. prgtoken In the words of Winston Churchill, who made famous a quote when Great Britain was about to be under siege, he said: There will be a time when doing your best is not good enough. You must do what is required. prgtoken Sergeant Aiton did what was required to make a true difference.
REVIEWING IMPEACHMENT PROCESS
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-1-29

. Madam , it has been an interesting day. prgtoken I was down in the Senate earlier today. We have reciprocity with the Senate, so we can go onto the Senate floor. It is a very interesting experience, seeing a President who committed no crime, not even perjury, like President Clinton, having an attempt to remove him from office. prgtoken An article today by Brent Bozell says: ``One favorite tactic of our `objective' media during the impeachment of President is to find a clip of the President's legal experts such as Ken Starr and Alan Dershowitz expressing an opinion during the 1998-99 impeachment of Bill Clinton and then show a contrast with the present day. But this is just as easily demonstrated with the press. ``It is not surprising that and s favor or oppose impeachment based on the party of the President in the dock. It should be surprising that our supposedly nonpartisan journalists flip to whichever talking points are in use by the . That makes the press a gaggle of hypocrites. ``Back in 1998, Newsweek's Eleanor Clift spoke for the vast majority of the press from her chair on `The McLaughlin Group.' Before the House voted to impeach Clinton, she warned, `If the s want to go ahead and do this, I think they disgrace themselves in a more profound way than President Clinton has by abusing the machinery of impeachment, knowing full well that the Senate will hold a sham trial and they will be, in effect, delivered of this ridiculous conclusion.' ``Over and over again, these network `news' stars lamented that the House impeachment vote and the Senate impeachment trial of President Clinton were a `sham' and a horrible `distraction' from the people's business. They said small-minded Clinton haters were obsessed with sex, and never mind the actual charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.'' prgtoken Obstruction of justice, of course, being a crime and perjury being a crime, whereas obstruction of Congress is more in the nature of maladministration, which the Founders made prgtoken clear should not be a basis for impeachment. ``Then there was NBC's Matt Lauer, who brought on former House Jim Wright, who resigned in disgrace in 1989 over a corrupt scheme of selling crates of his books to lobbying groups.'' prgtoken As I recall, there were restrictions on getting paid for speeches, so groups would buy thousands of his books that would sit in crates and go nowhere, in many cases, from what was said back then, as a way of getting around that. But he spoke with moral authority in response to Lauer. ``Lauer said: ` Wright, let me start with you. When you resigned 9 years ago, you had been battered by the right. You called for an end to what you called `mindless cannibalism.' Nine years later, we are hearing terms like that again and others swirling around the impeachment of Bill Clinton. Have we learned nothing in 9 years?' '' prgtoken As the
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT BECOMES LAW
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-1-29

today, at long last, the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, USMCA, will officially become law. USMCA is a major win not only for American farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and business owners, but for each and every American who depends on these industries. prgtoken Thanks to the leadership of the administration, we are delivering real results for the men and women who are the backbone of the American economy. Freer markets, fairer trade, and increased opportunity are on the horizon as USMCA is signed today and implemented. prgtoken The numbers are staggering: more than $68 billion in new economic activity, approximately 176,000 new jobs, and an increase of more than $2 billion a year in agriculture exports. It is no wonder that USMCA passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. prgtoken USMCA brings particularly good news for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 2018 alone, Pennsylvania exported approximately $15 billion in goods to Canada and Mexico, and USMCA continues to open doors for our producers. prgtoken As Pennsylvania's number one industry, agriculture is vital to the health of both the economy and our residents, as our farmers provide the food, the fiber, the energy, the building materials, and all that we depend upon. With increased market opportunities, the future of the Keystone State is brighter than ever. prgtoken That being said, it is impossible to talk about the impact USMCA will have on Pennsylvania without talking about dairy. For far too long, our Nation's dairy producers have been subject to Canada's unfair class 6 and class 7 ultrafiltered pricing programs, limiting our export potential both into Canada and, quite frankly, into Third World countries as Canada floods them with dairy components of whey and lactose, proteins and powdered milk. Thanks to USMCA, this is a thing of the past. prgtoken A 21st century economy requires 21st century trade policy, and with USMCA, we are sending a crystal-clear message to our trade partners around the globe: America is open for business.
TEMPORARY REAUTHORIZATION AND STUDY OF THE EMERGENCY SCHEDULING OF FENTANYL ANALOGUES ACT
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2020-1-29

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise today in strong support of S. 3201, the Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act. This is a commonsense, bipartisan extension of DEA's temporary scheduling of fentanyl-related substances. prgtoken , fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine. There are also countless types of fentanyl analogues which are similar in chemical structure to fentanyl but can be even more potent. prgtoken In just a 1-year period, synthetic opioids like fentanyl claimed more than 32,000 American lives. I am reminded of the story of Amanda Gray, a beautiful young lady who was going to college, ended up being given 100 percent fentanyl, and died. prgtoken These are evil things going on in our society and our culture, and this legislation will help put a stop to it. To fight this epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration was able to put in place this powerful but temporary tool. prgtoken Previously, drug traffickers could create these new variations of fentanyl by changing as little as a molecule--just one. Then these new variations, or analogues, as they are known, were not any longer on the schedule of controlled drugs. prgtoken So what does that mean? They were outside of the control of law enforcement. They were legal. prgtoken Analogues allow drug traffickers in clandestine labs to use the legal system and their chemistry knowledge to their advantage. By simply tweaking the drug and calling it something else then, they can avoid prosecution. prgtoken The creation of analogues has outpaced the DEA's ability to schedule them, so the DEA used emergency authorities that we have given them to temporarily place all previously unscheduled fentanyl analogues in schedule I so the administration could combat all fentanyl-related substances instead of just going after one substance at a time. prgtoken Since the instatement of the scheduling order, the DEA has encountered over 20 fentanyl-related substances that would have been perfectly legal but for this law. prgtoken Because of the number of possible variations to the fentanyl molecule, there is the potential for these bad actors--these killers-- to create 3,000 analogues. There is no way the DEA could keep up one by one. Many of these substances will be legal again if no action is taken. prgtoken The DEA's ability to schedule all fentanyl substances expires next week. That is why Congress must act, and it must act now. prgtoken This is what we were fighting about yesterday, as s, to get this bill on the floor. It shouldn't have come to the last minute, but I am glad it is here. The Senate has passed this bill, unanimously, some time ago, and S. 3201 is before us today. prgtoken Last Congress, we were able to put partisanship aside to pass the SUPPORT Act, landmark legislation to combat the opioid crisis. Synthetic opioids
STUDENT BORROWER CREDIT IMPROVEMENT ACT
William R. Timmons IV (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-1-29

. Mr. Chair, my amendment is simple. It would require the GAO to carry out a study on the compliance of consumer reporting agencies with the underlying legislation proposed by my colleague from Massachusetts. It would also study what effect the compliance of reporting agencies would have on consumers. prgtoken This is important because if this bill were somehow able to become law, the results would be disastrous not only for reporting agencies but also for the average consumer. prgtoken The purpose of a credit score is to show an individual's creditworthiness. This bill would significantly water down the integrity of these credit scores. prgtoken If you are removing predictive data, if you are drastically shortening the amount of time adverse yet accurate information remains on a report, and if you remove medical debt from a report, then what exactly is the purpose of a credit score? What will a credit score be good for if this bill were to become law? prgtoken The bottom line is this bill would significantly weaken the process for determining creditworthiness and would enable individuals to obtain loans that they do not have the means to pay back. prgtoken It would also give the CFPB, an unaccountable government agency, control over private credit scoring models. prgtoken It is imperative that we know exactly how compliance with this bill would affect reporting agencies and, as a result, consumers. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
STUDENT BORROWER CREDIT IMPROVEMENT ACT
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-1-29

. Mr. Chair, let me thank Mr. Clay for his work on this. Requiring an opt-in and excluding data that would not allow lenders to get the full picture of a consumer's financial health, in my view, makes it more difficult for consumers to access credit because practically no rental, utility, or telecommunication companies would actually furnish the Expanded Access program. prgtoken Therein lies the conundrum here. Therein lies the challenge with Mr. Clay's approach compared to my approach. But it doesn't stop me from prgtoken thanking my friend for his work on this. I know it is an area that we share an interest in. I know that this area is keenly important to him. prgtoken However, this amendment, as it is currently drafted, I cannot support it. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' But I hope my colleague would be open to working together to finding a better solution that truly benefits consumers, expands additional data, and allows people to offer these products because it will qualify more credit-needy Americans for badly needed credit. prgtoken I think in the case of Mr. Clay's approach, ``perfect is the enemy of the good.'' I think we ought to work within the system that we have and make it better. That is why I support my measure I have introduced in the House and oppose this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
RECOGNIZING STUART MacVEAN
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-1-29

I am grateful to recognize Stuart MacVean of Aiken, president and CEO of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, for being honored as a 2020 CEO Who ``Gets It'' by the National Safety Council's Safety and Health magazine. prgtoken This award is presented to those who go the extra mile through risk reduction, performance measurement, safety management solutions, and employee engagement--safety first. prgtoken Stuart has made keeping his employees safe and healthy a top priority. His dedication has resulted in successful site mission operations for support of our Nation's nuclear complex. prgtoken Stuart has been recognized by his local community. This month, I was present when Stuart was named Man of the Year for his leadership, community impact and involvement, and integrity by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, led by President David Jameson and Chair Julie Whitesell, succeeding Pastor Paul . prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism with the leadership of President .