mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
EQUAL PAY DAY
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-4-3

over 50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act, landmark legislation which requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. prgtoken Unfortunately, equal pay for equal work has not become a reality. In fact, women are paid between 79 and 80 cents for every dollar that men are paid for doing the exact same job. In fact, it takes women until tomorrow, April 4, to earn what men were paid in the previous year. prgtoken For women of color, the gap is even wider. In 2015, African-American women made 65 cents for every dollar earned by their White male counterparts. For Hispanic women, it is even worse. They earn 58 cents for every dollar earned by their White male counterparts. prgtoken Women pay a huge price because of the wage gap. Today, families rely increasingly on women's wages to make ends meet; and with less take- home pay, women have less money to cover the everyday needs of their family. prgtoken , it is time for Congress to right the wrong. Let's pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and send it to the President's desk for signature.
OLD VESSELS EXEMPTION ACT
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-4-3

first, let me thank my friend and colleague from Nebraska for her indulgence. Explosion in Saint Petersburg, Russia prgtoken Before I begin, , I want to express our concern here in the United States for our friends in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the wake of an explosion on their subway system this morning. Russia has been in the news a lot recently, typically in adversarial terms. Today is a time to remember that, whatever our differences, we wish no ill to the people of any nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Russians who were killed this morning. We wish a swift recovery to the injured and hope the perpetrators are soon brought to justice. Nomination of Neil Gorsuch prgtoken , I rise this afternoon on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which was just advanced by the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken This afternoon, it has become clear that Judge Gorsuch does not have the 60 votes that are necessary to end debate on his nomination. So now the focus is shifting away from the issue of whether Judge Gorsuch will get 60 votes on the cloture motion and toward the fundamental question before us: Will the majority leader break the rules of the Senate in order to get Judge Gorsuch on the bench? prgtoken My friend, the majority leader, has said several times that Judge Gorsuch will be confirmed by the end of this week one way or another. What he really means when he says that is, if Judge Gorsuch does not earn 60 votes in the Senate, which is now the likely outcome, the s must--underline ``must''--exercise the nuclear option to pass Judge Gorsuch on a simple majority vote. prgtoken I think the majority leader reasons that if he says it enough times, folks prgtoken will start believing it--that he has no choice--but they should not. It is a premise no one should swallow. The majority leader is setting up a false choice of supporting Judge Gorsuch or he will have no choice but to break the rules. Maybe, to the majority leader, the nuclear option is the only option, but there are many alternatives. The majority leader makes up his mind independent of what do on issue after issue, but on this one, he says he has no choice. Maybe he has no choice because the rightwing of the Party--organizations like the Heritage Foundation--will go after him if he does not, but he certainly has a choice to do the right and courageous thing. prgtoken Instead, s are playing the game of ``they started it.'' They say started this process by changing the rules for lower court nominees in 2013. They fail to mention the history that led to that change. The reason that Majority Leader Reid changed the rules was that s had ramped up the use of the filibuster to historic proportions. prgtoken They filibustered 79 nominees in the first 4 years of President Obam
MAIN STREET FAIRNESS ACT
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-4-3

today I want to join my friend Susan Collins and talk about why I support the Main Street Fairness Act. I am glad to partner on this bill with the Senator from Maine. prgtoken The bill does one simple thing: It ensures small businesses don't have to pay higher taxes than the largest corporations. This is the type of common sense that we need more of in Washington. prgtoken There are 2.3 million small businesses in Florida, employing around 43.2 percent of the State's workforce. They are the primary engine of job growth in the country, and are a proven means for economic mobility. prgtoken Under most circumstances, small businesses are subject to the same rules as large corporations but are treated differently under the Tax Code. They already have a hard enough time competing with large multinational corporations, which can hire an endless stream of high- priced tax lawyers to shift their income abroad and avoid U.S. taxes. prgtoken We should be doing all we can to put small businesses on a more level playing field. Part of that starts with this bill, but it doesn't end here. We need to do comprehensive tax reform. prgtoken This bill should be part of that conversation, as one way we could help small businesses. It is not the only way, and I am certainly open to other ideas, but we need to have a serious talk about how we are going to freshen up the Tax Code and help the economy grow. prgtoken I know a lot of my colleagues have different ideas about what tax reform should look like, but I think we should all be able to agree that it needs to be real reform, not just a temporary tax cut. It needs to support a technology-driven economy and help us transition to a greener, fairer economy--with a lot less disparity. prgtoken Tax reform should also generate enough added revenue to pay for the infrastructure we desperately need. That includes the crumbling roads and bridges that threaten the safety of millions of Americans and are a tax on small businesses. We also need to invest in our water infrastructure, energy infrastructure, ports, railways, public schools, and affordable housing infrastructure. prgtoken At the same time, tax reform needs to be deficit neutral. You might ask, how are we going to pay for all this? Well, we can start by getting rid of outdated special interest tax breaks that are no longer needed or don't make sense in the 21st century. prgtoken We can also eliminate tax loopholes that allow companies to shift profits abroad and lead to corporate inversions. prgtoken This bill, the Main Street Fairness Act, is a good start, but it shouldn't end here. We need to have a serious, deliberative effort to develop a bipartisan tax reform package.
GORSUCH NOMINATION
Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-4-3

Judge Neil Gorsuch's lifelong appointment to the Supreme Court would have serious consequences for all Americans, but especially the health and well-being of African- American women. prgtoken In 2013, by ruling that corporations have the right to deny access to contraceptives on employer-sponsored health insurance plans, Judge Gorsuch proved that he believes the reproductive decisions of women nationwide can and should impact their livelihood. This is problematic and troubling. prgtoken For Black women and so many women across the world, birth control is a matter of health and life. We rely on contraception to treat endometriosis, manage uterine fibroids, unplanned pregnancies, and quell PMS symptoms. prgtoken In 2013, Judge Neil Gorsuch made the decision that his overarching commitment to religious freedom as a constitutional and statutory right is more important than lifesaving reproductive care. prgtoken In 2013, he proved he should not be confirmed to the United States Supreme Court. For this reason and a host of others, I implore my colleagues in the Senate to take all available steps to oppose Judge Gorsuch's nomination.
CONFIRMATION OF NEIL GORSUCH TO THE SUPREME COURT
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-4-3

I am very pleased to come to the floor this evening to coanchor the Congressional Black Caucus hour about the present nominee to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch. prgtoken I am very pleased that my good friend from Texas, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a distinguished member of the Judiciary Committee, has agreed to coanchor this hour with me. prgtoken , I am chair of the working group for the Congressional Black Caucus that looks at nominees for Federal courts. So, I have buried myself in the record of Neil Gorsuch and wrote the testimony that we submitted to the Senate. prgtoken What I will do is speak for a few minutes generally about the nominee, and then I will go to my good friend from Texas. I am very pleased that another good friend, Mr. Don Payne, Jr is here from the State of New Jersey, and we will hear from him as well. prgtoken Now, just as the Congress has been polarized so has the court been polarized, if you look at the liberal and conservative blocks in that way. But, of course, since the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, there has been a 4-4 split. Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is still a Member of the Court is not always a predictable conservative, though he tends to vote with the conservatives. prgtoken What has happened in the Senate is entirely predictable, at least today. In an unprecedented move, the Senate refused to hear from or even meet the nominee of President . There was almost a full year, yet the Senate refused to take up that nominee. prgtoken What happened today was not payback. If you listened to the testimony, you would see that there are good reasons why the Senate today decided to filibuster Judge Gorsuch. prgtoken I want to begin because I am speaking for the Congressional Black Caucus with his views as they affect African-Americans and, by definition, others who depend upon the antidiscrimination laws and the Constitution of the United States. prgtoken There is more than enough in the record on race related matters from Judge Gorsuch's 10th Circuit service to oppose his nomination. But let me focus for a moment on his pre-court service, which seems to have predicted what he would do in the court of appeals. prgtoken He was a principal deputy to the principal who had jurisdiction over the Civil Rights Division. We have to pay attention to the fact that the inspector general, during Judge Gorsuch's time in the Justice Department, found that the Civil Rights Division, where he had some oversight, had been politicized in order to stifle civil rights enforcement. As you might imagine, the Congressional Black Caucus had to pay attention to that finding by a neutral investigator. prgtoken We also are very concerned about how Gorsuch is a Justice Department Official treated a Georgia election law. As we know, election laws from the South--of course, there has been a historic decision that has made the Voting Rights Act far less effective than it was--
AMENDING THE VETERANS ACCESS, CHOICE, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2014
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2017-4-3

I want to thank Senator Moran and members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for all their good work, Senator McCain for his good work, and Chairman John Isakson for his good work on this bill. prgtoken This Veterans Choice Program Improvement Act is an important piece of legislation that is going to really ensure that veterans can access care in their communities. It is a critically important piece of legislation that we should get done and get done now. prgtoken I think this body could learn from the work that was done on the Veterans' Affairs Committee under the leadership of Chairman Isakson for the veterans of this country. I don't think my home State of Montana is any exception. Veterans have been waiting far too long for an appointment at the VA and oftentimes had to drive 100 miles for an appointment. That is why we set up the Choice Program. It was supposed to allow these veterans to get their healthcare closer to home. Unfortunately, it did not work the way it should have. And we were inundated with redtape and a government contractor that struggled to schedule appointments with providers on time. prgtoken This Veterans Choice Program Improvement Act is not the end all. It is not what is going to fix the Choice Program in its entirety, but it certainly is a step in the right direction, a step that needed to be taken, and I commend the body for allowing this step to be taken. prgtoken .
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-4-3

today I am reintroducing, along with Senator Grassley, the Government Settlement Transparency and Reform Act. This bill closes a loophole in the Tax Code that allows corporations to claim tax writeoffs for payments made at the direction of the government to settle investigations into illegal and abusive corporate behavior. prgtoken Corporations accused of illegal activity routinely settle out of court with government agencies because it allows all parties to avoid the time, expense, and uncertainty of going to trial. While there is nothing wrong with settlements that correct wrongful corporate practices and compensate for the resulting harm caused by a corporation, the Tax Code often permits offending companies to claim a business tax deduction for any portion of a settlement that is not paid directly to the government as a penalty or fine for a violation of the law. The Tax Code on this point is vague, and big businesses exploit this by characterizing settlement penalties as tax-deductible business expenses. prgtoken Illegal corporate behavior is not an ordinary business activity, and it shouldn't be subsidized by taxpayers. Yet, according to a 2015 study by U.S. Public Interest Research Group, PIRG, corporate settlements over a single 3-year period totaled nearly $80 billion, and corporations could claim business deductions for at least $48 billion of that amount. Moreover, there is no consistent, transparent way to track how these settlements can and will be treated by businesses for tax purposes. prgtoken The Reed-Grassley bill addresses these problems by amending the Tax prgtoken Code to require the government and the settling party to reach clear agreements on how settlement payments should be treated for tax purposes. It also clarifies which settlement payments are punitive and therefore nondeductible. It increases transparency by requiring the government to file a return at the time of settlement that accurately states the tax treatment of amounts to be paid by offending businesses. Last Congress, it was estimated that this legislation would raise $218 million in revenue over a ten-year budget window. prgtoken When a major corporate scandal breaks national news, Rhode Islanders and all Americans deserve to know that Federal regulators are protecting their interests by handing down punishments that deter future illegal and abusive business practices. That deterrent effect is undermined if corporations can claim a deduction for any penalty and build the cost of breaking the law into their business models. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Grassley for working with me again on this legislation and for being a champion for reform in this area. I urge our colleagues to join us by cosponsoring this legislation and seeking its passage.
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO LOIS WILLIAMS
Adam B. Schiff (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-4-3

I rise today to honor the memory of Lois Williams, of Burbank, California, who passed away on March 21, 2017. Lois Tuttle was born on February 25, 1921 in Kansas City, Missouri where she was raised with her brother Karl. In 1947, Lois married Bill Williams and they moved to California in 1951, settling in the Burbank area of southern California. With a passion for social justice, Lois was an ardent advocate for the rights of workers to organize and join in the democratic political process. A staunch defender of the union movement, she assisted in writing curriculum for teaching union history in schools, worked on labor law negotiations, and was a founding member of Citizens for Utility Rate Balance. Ms. Williams was Executive Secretary and Treasurer of the Council of the Engineers and Scientists Organization and an officer at the Engineers and Scientists Guild-Lockheed Section, where she helped advance many progressive programs, and was an early proponent of portable pensions, health care for all, conversion policy in the defense industry and child care in the workplace. Affiliated with the ic Party since she first voted for Harry Truman, Lois was active in many democratic organizations and clubs where she held leadership positions. She served as President of the Verdugo Hills ic Club, President of the MidValley ic Club, Regional Vice President and Chair of the Endorsements Committee of the California ic Council, a Steering Committee member of the Stonewall ic Club, Secretary and Treasurer of the 43rd Assembly District Committee, and a member of for Neighborhood Action. In addition, Lois was a long-serving member of the California ic Party State Central Committee and the Los Angeles County ic Central Committee, and was a founding member of the 27th Congressional District ic Club. In 2012, Lois was honored with the Action of the San Fernando Valley's Mimi and Lou Robins Distinguished Achievement Award. Preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Bill Williams, Lois is survived by her daughter, Lyn Shaw and son-in-law, Jim Hilfenhaus. Lois was an irreplaceable part of the local community, and she will be greatly missed. I ask all members to join me in remembering Lois Williams.
DANIELLE HERRERA
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-4-3

I rise today to recognize and applaud Danielle Herrera for receiving the Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Award. Danielle Herrera is a student at Northglenn High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Danielle Herrera 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. I extend my deepest congratulations to Danielle Herrera for winning the Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.
OLD VESSELS EXEMPTION ACT--Continued
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-4-3

I wish to express my opposition to S. 89 because it exempts certain vessels--actually one specific vessel called the Delta Queen--from current fire retardant construction standards and, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, represents ``an unacceptable degree of fire safety risk. . . . '' prgtoken Maritime history has numerous examples of catastrophic on-board fires followed by the passage--or attempted passage--of laws designed to improve safety and protect passengers and crew. prgtoken In response to the sinking of the RMS Titanic, in 1914, the International Maritime Organization, IMO, prescribed emergency equipment and safety procedures IMO-flagged ships were required to have in place. prgtoken The 1934 fire on the SS Morro Castle prompted the adoption of multiple Federal safety regulations, including the use of fire retardant construction materials. prgtoken A series of fires aboard international passenger ships in the early 1960s prompted the U.S. to enact the Safety of Life at Sea Act, SOLAS, which mandated that ``no passenger vessel of the United States shall be granted a certificate of inspection [. . .] unless the vessel is constructed of fire-retardant materials.'' prgtoken Congress delayed the implementation of the SOLAS mandate first until 1968, then until 1970, then again until 1973, but only for U.S. passenger vessels operating on inland rivers. prgtoken In 1973, Congress again delayed the effect of the mandate, but this time EXPRESSLY for one ship--the Delta Queen--and only for one 5-year period ``while a new [overnight passenger] riverboat is being constructed.'' prgtoken Despite the clear intent of Congress in 1973, the various owners of the Delta Queen successfully secured exemptions from SOLAS for the Delta Queen in 1986, 1991, and 1996. prgtoken Their attempts to seek a 10-year extension in 2007 and a 15-year extension in 2013 were unsuccessful, so they made another run in the 114th Congress and now in the 115th Congress with S. 89. prgtoken Current law requires passenger vessels with overnight accommodations for 50 or more passengers to be constructed of fire-retardant materials, unless an exemption is made, but in the case of the Delta Queen, the U.S. Coast Guard has consistently opposed legislation to provide the Delta Queen an exemption to remain in service as an overnight passenger cruise vessel. prgtoken A Coast Guard Special Inspection Report on the Delta Queen in 2008 found ``an unnecessary and unacceptable accumulation of combustible fire load.'' In a January 8, 2016, letter to Senator Bill Nelson, the Coast Guard's then-Assistant Secretary of Legislative Affairs wrote ``the Department of Homeland Security is resigned to oppose continuously any legislation that would provide any form of statutory relief for the steamer Delta Queen.'' prgtoken S. 89 is contrary to public safety. It is contrary to the Safety of Life at Sea Act regulations which have been in full force in the U
RECOGNIZING THE 38TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
Scott DesJarlais (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-4-4

Monday, April 10th marks the 38th anniversary of the 1979 enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The United States and Taiwan are bound by shared values, and the TRA commits the U.S. to providing Taiwan with the arms needed for its defense, while advocating a peaceful resolution to the contentious issues separating Beijing and Taipei. The people of Taiwan may rest assured that regardless of changes in administrations or the partisan composition of Congress, the TRA endures. Taiwan's freedom, democracy, and security will remain one of the highest interests of the United States, and our relationship will continue to grow and strengthen in the years and decades to come. In 1982, three years after the TRA's enactment, President Ronald Reagan issued the Six Assurances, another important component in strengthening this relationship. Together, the TRA and the Six Assurances have been instrumental in providing Taiwan with the security and space necessary for its people to build one of the most vibrant democracies and societies of the Asia-Pacific region I was gratified to hear that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the TRA and the Six Assurances in his confirmation hearing earlier this year. I know many of my colleagues will join me in seconding this commitment. I also noticed that Chinese President Xi is visiting the United States this week. It is our hope that the upcoming -Xi meeting is constructive as U.S. engagement of the PRC is important to the peace and stability of the region. It is also our hope and insistence that US-Taiwan relations and Taiwan's security and interests are not in any way compromised. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration in moving forward on the issues that are of mutual interest between our two countries, and I offer my best wishes to the people of Taiwan on the occasion of this 38th Anniversary.