mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3401, EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SECURITY AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER ACT, 2019
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-6-25

such time as I may consume. prgtoken The gentleman did offer an amendment in the Rules Committee. He is a member of the Rules Committee. He knew there was a budget point of order against it, so it was not compliant with the rules of the House, so it wasn't made in order. prgtoken I am not sure what the gentleman was talking about, about these young children--2, 3, 4 years old--what? To request that they be sent back to their homes, that they could somehow just walk out of where they are being held right now? I am not quite sure what he is talking about. prgtoken The bottom line is, there is also money in here for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. My friends know that, if they have read the bill. prgtoken So I just have to say, I think where the outrage is here is that this administration has overseen an immigration policy which does not reflect the values of this country, where children have been separated from their parents, and now we see children being held in the worst conditions possible. prgtoken It does not reflect the values of the American people, and we need to pass this bill to try to remedy that. prgtoken .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020--Resumed
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-6-25

. I would be happy to accept that as a friendly amendment. Border Security prgtoken , it pains me to say this on the floor of the United States Senate, but there is no other way to describe what America is facing today. By every objective and measurable standard, the policies of our government constitute child abuse when it comes to the treatment of these children on our border. Hardly a day goes by that we don't hear another horror story involving these migrants and particularly their children and babies. prgtoken Having been there and seen it and read the numbers, I will concede that we are being overwhelmed, and for that, there should be some understanding and perhaps even forgiveness if we don't respond as quickly as possible. But this has dragged on and on for months. There are children who are being held in detention under circumstances and conditions which are an embarrassment to this country and unacceptable in any civilized nation on Earth, period. It led me to join with 23 other Senators to write to the International Red Cross several weeks ago. prgtoken The International Red Cross is called in to countries around the world when jails and detention facilities have reached such a point that you need an international arbiter to come in and declare to that government and to the world how deplorable the conditions are. prgtoken I never dreamed there would be a moment when I would need to ask the International Red Cross to review our own detention facilities in the United States. What brings me to this point? Well, it is well publicized in the press. prgtoken There is a New York Times story of June 21. Let me read it. A chaotic scene of sickness and filth is unfolding in an overcrowded border station in Clint, Tex where hundreds of young people who have recently crossed the border are being held, according to lawyers who visited the facility this week. Some of the children have been there for nearly a month. Children as young as 7 and 8, many of them wearing clothes caked with snot and tears, are caring for infants they've just met, the lawyer said. Toddlers without diapers are relieving themselves in their pants. Teenage mothers are wearing clothes stained with breast milk. Most of the young detainees have not been able to shower or wash their clothes since they arrived at facility. They have no access to toothbrushes, toothpaste or soap. ``There is a stench,'' said Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants' Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School. . . . ``The overwhelming majority of children have not bathed since they crossed the border.'' prgtoken I might find that hard to believe had I not seen for myself, at the El Paso border crossing, what is happening. Albeit, it was several weeks ago, but the circumstances described in this article on June 21 mirror what I saw in El Paso. <|p
MAKE COMMUNITIES HEALTHIER AND SAFER
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2019-6-25

I rise today to talk about making our communities healthier and safer for all Americans. prgtoken Let me start out by urging my colleagues to join me and my colleague, Jim Sensenbrenner, in supporting the Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorder Research Enhancement Act, legislation that we are introducing today. prgtoken There are millions of Americans who suffer from gastrointestinal and motility disorders. These are very common gastrointestinal disorders in the general population, but they affect tens of millions of Americans. prgtoken Symptoms of these disorders include pain in the inner organs, lack of motility, altered immune function, and altered central nervous system function. Although these symptoms can be life-threatening, effective therapies exist. Treatment, generally, focuses on management of the symptoms. prgtoken For nearly 30 years, patient advocacy organizations, like the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in my district, have been working to support affected individuals and their families. prgtoken , we are asking all of our colleagues to join us in cosponsoring this important legislation. prgtoken , while I am here addressing healthier and safer communities, I would be remiss if I did not mention the need to aggressively attack a crisis, a health crisis, a public safety crisis that is affecting all of our communities, and that is gun violence. prgtoken , it is often said that it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a village to protect children, too. prgtoken That is why I am so inspired by my own hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to see what our community is doing collectively to address gun violence. That is why I am inspired to see that Milwaukee hospitals are working to combat accidental shootings by offering free gunlocks as a tool to protect children from guns in homes. The city is also working to put violence interrupters in our community to teach people how to deescalate violence. prgtoken Communities like Milwaukee have always stepped up when Congress falls short, but now, , it is time for Congress to act to pass commonsense gun violence prevention measures that have widespread support. prgtoken It has been over 100 days, , since the House has passed H.R. 8, strengthening background checks; H.R. 1585, the VAWA reauthorization that includes new provisions to prevent abusers from accessing guns; and H.R. 1112, closing the Charleston loophole that allows individuals to get a gun if their background checks haven't been completed within 3 days, all legislation that would prevent the gun violence that is hurting all our communities. Yet, the Senate has failed to act, as key Senators have opposed taking any action. prgtoken That is irresponsible. prgtoken We are not the only country that experiences gun violence, but it seems that we are the only ones not to do anything about it except to offer thoughts and prayers and moments of silen
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SECURITY AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER ACT, 2019
Henry Cuellar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-25

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and the rest of the appropriators and the staff who are working very hard to get this emergency bill on the floor. prgtoken This bill is important. I live on the border. I don't just go visit the border. I have been to the CBP processing facilities. I have been to the nonprofit shelters for the immigrant children. prgtoken I speak with the brave and compassionate men and women who are responsible for managing this humanitarian crisis. These men and women are my neighbors, and we have their back. They have expressed to me the urgency of getting this funding to enable them to protect the life and the safety of the migrants in their custody. prgtoken But we must also keep in mind the communities that are also providing the food, the housing, and the assistance that they need, communities like Laredo, like McAllen, Texas, like San Antonio, and so many other communities across the southwest border. So we must pass this bill to provide that funding. prgtoken But there are two particular provisions that I d want to mention, also. One is the humanitarian reimbursement for communities, and the other is the one-stop processing centers that I had requested and have been added on this particular bill itself. prgtoken Let me talk about the humanitarian care. prgtoken Madam , you have cities, you have counties, you have churches, and you have nonprofits that have really stepped up for many years. In fact, they started this work in 2014 when the first wave of children started coming up here. This bill includes $60 million for the direct reimbursement for local communities and nonprofits in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. prgtoken This funding will now use a different model. One, we set up a new pot of money to make sure that we get that funding. The second thing is this model provides direct funding where the local communities can now ask for these requested moneys. prgtoken We had a different model back in 2014, and, unfortunately, you had Governors, like my own State of Texas, that got over $100 million and only provided $400,000 in the last 4 years, 5 years. prgtoken So this new funding will get the money directly to them. In fact, this funding will now be distributed through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board, and they prgtoken are required to distribute that money within 30 days after this board gets this money. prgtoken So we have to provide that assistance to them because, again, they have to be reimbursed for food, water, medicine, medical supplies, temporary housing, and transportation. So that assistance has to be provided to the local entities. prgtoken The second provision is this one-stop center, $200 million to make sure that this multiagency, integrated, migration process gets this.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020--Resumed
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-6-25

before I begin, I just heard the leader conclude his remarks. He didn't mention the fact today that he is meeting with several constituents of mine from New York, including John Feal and other 9/11 first responders, to discuss a solution to the shortfall in the Victim Compensation Fund. prgtoken I am glad the leader has agreed to meet with them. It is a good thing, but it is not enough to have just a meeting. These brave men and women who selflessly rushed to the towers in the midst of danger, when no one knew what would come next, deserve a commitment that their bill will be considered in a timely manner here on the floor. prgtoken So, again, I urge Leader McConnell to listen to the 9/11 first responders. Then give them your commitment, Leader McConnell, that you will put their bill on the Senate floor as soon as it passes the House as a standalone bill. It will pass the House; it will certainly pass the Senate, given the cosponsorship; and the President will sign it. The families of those who, just like our soldiers, rushed to danger to protect our safety can breathe a sigh of relief. prgtoken Leader McConnell is the one person--this is not a dual responsibility--I wish it were, at least when we are in the minority, but Leader McConnell is the one person who controls the calendar on the Senate floor. He can stand in the way, as he has done before, or he can do the right thing and commit to give this bill the attention it deserves. I will be eagerly waiting to hear what the leader says after he meets with the first responders this afternoon. Iran prgtoken , on Iran and the NDAA, ever since President unilaterally decided to abandon the Iran nuclear agreement, our two countries have been on a path toward greater conflict. In the past month, Iran has heightened its aggressive actions in the region, prompting responses from the U.S. Government. No one looks at Iran through rose-colored glasses. That is why Americans, myself included, are worried about the current course of events. Escalation happens quickly in the Middle East. Without a steady hand at the helm, without a coherent plan or strategy--things this President has lacked since the moment he took office--the danger of bumbling into war is acute. prgtoken have been urging Leader McConnell to allow us a vote on an amendment to the NDAA concerning a possible conflict with Iran. We have an amendment, led by Senators Udall, Merkley, Murphy, and Kaine-- cosponsored by Senators Paul and Lee--that would prohibit any funds authorized by the current NDAA to be used to conduct hostilities against the Government of Iran. prgtoken Again, this is a dangerous situation. Even if the President doesn't intend war, his erratic, inconsistent, and off-the-cuff policies could lead us to bumble into war. When we are at war, it doesn't matter how we got there. The loss of life and the l
Introductory Statement on S. 1967
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-6-25

today I am joined by my colleagues Senator Joni Ernst, Congressman Rob Bishop, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to introduce the bipartisan Recreation Not Red Tape (RNR) Act. In Oregon and nationwide, the outdoor recreation economy is growing. Nationally, outdoor recreation generates $887 billion in annual consumer spending and 7.6 million American jobs. As those numbers keep rising, communities across the country are benefiting from growing American interest in enjoying the great outdoors. Our bill will help grow the economic potential of the outdoor recreation economy by opening access, reducing red tape, and updating Federal recreation guidelines. prgtoken Unfortunately, getting outside often requires permits, parking passes and camping fees that are important to maintaining public lands, but too often involve confusing, complicated and lengthy processes to obtain. This bill removes barriers to outdoor recreation, making it easier for visitors from near and far to get outdoors and enjoy America's treasures. By streamlining paths for more people to get outdoors, the Recreation Not Red Tape Act will encourage outdoor recreation opportunities, giving communities an economic boost. prgtoken The RNR Act includes provisions from Senator Heinrich's Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act. The bill improves the Federal outdoor recreation permitting process by eliminating duplicative and bureaucratic reviews, requiring time limits for processing permit applications, reducing fees, and simplifying multi-jurisdictional trips. The bill also ensures recreation permits are available for online purchases. prgtoken The RNR Act encourages all military branches to include information about outdoor recreation opportunities as part of the basic services provided to service members and veterans, and encourages all military branches to allow active-duty service members to engage in outdoor recreation or environmental stewardship activities without taking away their hard-earned leave. prgtoken For the first time, the RNR Act directs Federal land management agencies to enhance recreation opportunities when making land and water management decisions. The RNR Act ensures Federal land managers have and maintain recreation access goals. Importantly, the RNR Act highlights the recreational values of public lands across the county and encourages more National Recreation Area designations in the future by creating a system of National Recreation Areas to manage recreation lands in uniform guidelines. prgtoken Additionally, the RNR Act encourages volunteer opportunities to help agencies carry out public lands maintenance projects, such as trail maintenance on Federal lands. The bill establishes a pilot program to create uniform interagency trail management standards for trails that cross agency jurisdictional boundaries.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-6-25

I rise today to introduce the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act of 2019. I am proud to be introducing this bill with my long-time friend and colleague, the junior Senator from Ohio (Mr. Portman). prgtoken The purpose of the bill is to authorize the Fallen Journalists Memorial (FJM) Foundation to establish a commemorative work--a memorial--in the District of Columbia or its environs honoring journalists, photographers, and broadcasters killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The bill directs the Federal government to make eligible Federal land available for the memorial. prgtoken The bill explicitly prohibits the use of Federal funds to design or construct the memorial, and stipulates that the memorial must be designed and built in compliance with existing federal standards for commemorative works. Furthermore, the FJM Foundation must provide the funding necessary for the National Park Service or General Services Administration to maintain the memorial. The bill conforms to the structure of other similar bills. prgtoken Across the National Capital Region, we have monuments and memorials to honor those who have helped make our Nation and our democracy stronger since its founding days. Currently missing from that honor roll, however, are journalists who have sacrificed everything to gather facts, ask questions, and report the news in the spirit of the free, open, and transparent societies and governments that Americans--and all people--deserve. prgtoken Why do we need this memorial? Well, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists: prgtoken Worldwide, at least 1,337 journalists have been killed in the line of duty since 1992; prgtoken each year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned, and tortured; prgtoken the majority of the journalists killed are murdered in direct relation to their work as journalists; and prgtoken in 9 out of 10 cases, the killers of journalists go free. prgtoken When we think of casualties, we tend to think of war correspondents on the front lines. in battle. Intrepid reporters and photographers and cameramen and women put themselves in harm's way, and many have been killed and wounded. But then we have cases like the Saudi Government's savage dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Consulate in Turkey last October. That was a state-sanctioned killing. And here at home, barely 30 miles from here, we had the horrific shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis that left five people dead and two wounded. The attack at the Gazette offices occurred one year ago this Friday, on June 28th. So it is fitting that we are introducing the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act today to remember and honor the Gazette victims, Jamal Khashoggi, and all other journalists who have been killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The Fallen Journalists Memorial will be a visible symbol and reminder of what is at stake and the price people
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-25

. Mr. Chair, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in support of the Jackson Lee amendment to Rules Committee Print 116-20 which makes appropriations for fiscal year 2020, H.R. 3351, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020. prgtoken I wish to commend Chairwoman Waters and Ranking Member McHenry for their work in shepherding this legislation to the floor. prgtoken Mr. Chair, the Jackson Lee amendment is simple but provides an important and necessary protection for grieving parents. The Jackson Lee amendment ensures that the IRS Tax Advocate Service has adequate resources to assist parents of a deceased child whose Social Security number was stolen by tax cheats and used on a Federal tax return to receive an Earned Income Tax Credit. prgtoken The Jackson Lee amendment is intended to be a compassionate use of IRS funds to help grieving parents navigate the process of reclaiming their child's identity from tax cheats. This amendment is necessary when we consider the story of little Alexis Agin who was just 4 years old when she died of a brain tumor in 2011. prgtoken Her parents grieved. Someone stole Alexis' identity to commit tax fraud. Alexis' parents did not discover the crime until they filed their taxes. prgtoken The sad fact is, Alexis' parents are not alone. They were one of at least 14 other parents whose children died of cancer and learned that their child's Social Security number had been stolen by tax thieves. prgtoken Nearly all of us understand the importance of safeguarding our Social Security numbers, but, after someone dies, Social Security numbers are published on a national online registry called the Master Death List. The Master Death List registry exists to alert businesses and financial institutions to not renew credit cards or create new credit in the deceased person's name, but it also alerts thieves of opportunities to steal identities and commit tax fraud. prgtoken As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, identity thieves have stolen the tax refunds of more than 490,000 dead persons since 2008. The thieves typically claim that a dead person is their dependent when they file their tax returns. prgtoken In fiscal year 2012, the IRS initiated approximately 900 identity theft-related criminal investigations, triple the number of investigations initiated in 2011. Direct investigative time applied to identity theft-related investigations increased by 129 percent over the same period. prgtoken On July 30, 2013, in St. Louis, Missouri, Tania Henderson was convicted of theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft, sentenced to 144 months in prison, and ordered to pay $835,883 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury. According to her plea agreement and other court documents, Henderson stole the identities of more than 400 individuals, many of whom were deceased, and filed fraudulent tax returns using their names and Social Security account numbers. prgtoken T
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS OF DECEASED CHILDREN
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-25

earlier today I was very pleased to have had one of my amendments passed in the Financial Services appropriations legislation that really many people are not aware of. That is the utilization of deceased children's Social Security numbers. prgtoken Fraudulent individuals add more insult and hurt to those families who have lost their precious children by stealing their Social Security numbers and utilizing them in the public arena. It is important to note that these Social Security numbers are very valuable because, obviously, children have no long record of any credit improprieties or bad credit, and, therefore, it seems as if you have a perfect number to do all manner of havoc and to create a trail of responsibility for these mourning parents and guardians. prgtoken So we have asked for an investigation into the use of these Social Security numbers and a method in which to stop these fraudulent individuals from using the Social Security numbers of deceased children, but more importantly, adding to the absolute devastation of these families that their little, precious loved one is now being abused and misused in their death. prgtoken , the Honorable Barbara Lee, who offered the amendment on my behalf on the floor, but I am grateful to the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee appropriations chair, ranking member, and the full committee chair and ranking member. This is an important amendment that will stop these tragic incidences from impacting these mourning families on the loss of their little ones