mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-4-30

I rise today to re-introduce the Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2019, legislation to ensure equal housing opportunities for all Americans. This bipartisan bill would protect Americans from housing discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. No American should be turned away from a home they love because of who they love. prgtoken I began my career as a civil rights attorney. My initial focus was on fair housing, and I learned early on that a home is more than just structure or a shelter. A home plays an integral role in one's identity, and it is central to the life of every American. prgtoken Housing discrimination nevertheless continues to plague many Americans. And it is a reality for LGBT Americans because of incomplete protections in the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the landmark Federal housing law. prgtoken The FHA prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability. It does not, however, protect against discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender. More than 20 states and over 200 localities safeguard sexual orientation and gender identify in their housing discrimination laws. That's telling. It's time for the federal government to do the same. prgtoken A study released this month analyzed national mortgage data from 1990 to 2015. It found that same-sex applicants were 73 percent more likely to be denied approval for a mortgage than opposite-sex couples. prgtoken The study also found that same-sex couples often pay more for their loans in interest and fees. This despite the fact that the study found no evidence that same-sex couples carried a higher default risk. In fact, the study's findings suggest that same-sex borrowers may perform better. The analysis indicated that, on average, same-sex couples paid 0.2 percent more in interest and fees, which adds up to as much as $86 million per year. prgtoken These findings confirm the need to include gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes under federal housing laws. Loan decisions should be based on fundamental economic considerations, not race, religion, sexual orientation or gender. prgtoken The job of perfecting our Union is an ongoing quest requiring continued stewardship. Our history is replete with examples of manifest action from the Bill of Rights, to the 14th Amendment, to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2019 is one more step in our longer journey to perfect our Union and to extinguish discrimination in places which call for our leadership. I urge my colleagues to join us in support of this legislation.
NOMINATIONS
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-4-30

I rise in support of the nomination of R. Clarke Cooper to be an Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the Department of State. prgtoken The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs plays a critical role in the State Department and in broader diplomatic and national security efforts around the world. Every day, the Bureau works to ensure that our foreign policy goals are driving our security partnerships and security assistance around the world, including nearly $100 billion annually in arms sales. prgtoken I am prepared to support Mr. Cooper's nomination as Assistant Secretary because I believe he brings experience, insight, and leadership that will benefit the Bureau and our foreign policy. I also expect Mr. Cooper to uphold the commitments he made during his confirmation hearing, including that he will not only be responsive to all inquiries from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and its staff about the Bureau's work but that he will also proactively keep us fully informed about issues under his jurisdiction. 3D Guns prgtoken , if confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Cooper will assume his position at a time when the Bureau is at the center of, quite frankly, some appalling decisions by the administration that will undermine the safety and security of Americans abroad. prgtoken I cannot wrap my head around the administration's policies, for example, on the issue of 3D-printed firearms. The administration apparently believes it is a good idea to indiscriminately distribute around the world--to foreign adversaries, terrorist organizations, and future mass shooters--the literal blueprints for using 3D printers prgtoken to make nearly undetectable firearms and components. prgtoken Apparently, the administration believes this information should be readily available to anyone as it seeks to transfer the export control licensing of military-style firearms and ammunition from the Department of State to the less stringent Department of Commerce. Even the Commerce Department has admitted that its own regulations will not permit them to effectively stop the publication of these firearm blueprints online. prgtoken It is not difficult to imagine the devastating consequences of this reckless decision, which will make more lethal weapons available to more thuggish regimes and facilitate their illicit transfer to criminals and terrorists. We are talking about making it easier for a criminal to build his own weapons without having to get a background check. We are talking about making it easier for terrorists to board a plane with deadly guns, perhaps to hijack them and use the aircraft as weapons, just as the 9/11 terrorists did. We are talking about making it easier for armed militants to enter a U.S. Embassy undetected, endangering the lives of our diplomats abroad. Simply put, we are talking about preventable tragedi
175TH ANNIVERSARY OF OLIVET COLLEGE
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-4-30

today I wish to pay special tribute to Olivet College in Eaton County, which this year is celebrating 175 years of educating the people of Michigan. prgtoken Let's think back to 1844. Michigan had been a State for only 7 years. The very first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls in New York was still 4 years away, and it would be another 19 years before President Lincoln would sign the Emancipation Proclamation. prgtoken It was an era marked by gender and racial inequality; yet a group of leaders led by ``Father'' John J. Shipherd had a different vision: a college founded on the values of inclusion, mutual respect, honesty, and integrity, a Christian institution where neither gender, nor race, nor lack of financial resources would prevent people from attaining an education. prgtoken This was a radical idea. Coeducation--women and men learning alongside one another in the same classrooms--was rare at the time, so was admitting Black students alongside White students and poor students alongside the affluent. prgtoken It was so controversial, in fact, that Olivet College wasn't formally chartered by the State until 1859. Then in 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, the college honored its first graduating class: Mary N. Barber, Sara Benedict, and Sophia A. Keys. prgtoken One hundred seventy-five years later, a lot has changed, but Olivet College's core values remain the same. prgtoken Those values include diversity. Comets come from all across Michigan and the United States and nine other nations around the world. Half are the first person in their families to go to college, and half come from low-income families. About 1 in 3 Comets are students of color. prgtoken Those values include inclusivity. That is a special focus of the Olivet College Women's Leadership Institute, which helps young women from middle school through college recognize and cultivate their unique strengths and abilities and become Michigan's and America's next generation of leaders. prgtoken Those values include community. Comets aren't just responsible for their own education. Whether they are sharing perspectives in the classroom, working together to score a goal on the soccer field, or combining their voices in the Olivet College Gospel Choir, students are committed to the growth of others. prgtoken Those values include service; 100 percent of Comets take part in service learning, where students use what they have learned in the classroom to solve real-life problems both in the community and around the world. Just as it did in 1844, Olivet College understands that the future of humanity rests in the hands, hearts, and minds of those who will accept responsibility for themselves and others. prgtoken The founders of Olivet College once wrote this: ``We wish simply to do good to our students, by placing in their hands the means of intellectual, moral and spiritual improvement, and to teach them the divine art and science of doi
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-4-30

I rise in support of the ``Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act,'' which would help address the concerning rise of electronic cigarette use among America's youth. prgtoken This common-sense bill would protect children by requiring online retailers of e-cigarettes to meet the same standards as those that sell regular cigarettes and other tobacco products online. prgtoken E-cigarette use among teenagers has increased dramatically over the past few years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 20 percent of high school students used electronic cigarettes in 2018. In comparison, only about 1.5 percent of high school students reportedly used e-cigarettes in 2011. prgtoken Even more disturbing, the rise of teenage use of e-cigarettes appears to be accelerating. Between 2017 and 2018, e-cigarettes use among high school-aged children jumped 78%. Today, e-cigarettes have become the most commonly used tobacco product among America's youth. These severe levels of e-cigarette use by middle and high school-aged children are staggering. prgtoken According to a U.S. Surgeon General report on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults, the developing adolescent brain is uniquely sensitive to nicotine. Studies have also shown that the development of the brain during adolescence can be permanently altered by nicotine. As a result, children exposed to nicotine may be at greater risk for acting out drug-seeking behaviors, experiencing deficits in attention and cognition, and suffering from mood disorders. These effects may continue into adulthood, long after e-cigarette use has stopped. prgtoken Given the effects of nicotine on children, it is critical that we close any legal loopholes that have allowed underage youth to gain access to tobacco, particularly through e-cigarettes. prgtoken Among underage e-cigarette users, 86 percent reported that they obtained the product from somewhere other than a retail store. And a recent survey of adolescent e-cigarette users showed that 32 percent of them reported purchasing their products online, making online sales the single largest source of underage purchases. prgtoken Our legislation would build off the ``Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act,'' which has been a tremendous success in preventing underage use of cigarettes. Since it passed, the number of middle and high school students who use cigarettes has been nearly cut in half. We should expand on this success by requiring e-cigarette retailers to meet the same requirements as those that sell regular cigarettes online. prgtoken By applying the same safeguards that have worked with online sales of regular cigarettes, our bill would ensure that online e-cigarette sellers are verifying the age of their customers, properly labeling packages, and checking identification at delivery. prgtoken In addition, our bill requires deliveries of e-cigarettes to comply with relevan
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-4-30

I am very grateful to be joined by the senior Senator from Louisiana on the floor today. I think this is about 240 in my series of ``Time to Wake Up'' speeches, and this is the first time we have a bipartisan presentation on the floor, which is significant to me. prgtoken I had the great pleasure of visiting Louisiana last month to see firsthand how a combination of decreased sedimentation, erosion, subsidence, habitat degradation, and rising seas are threatening Louisiana's coastline. I was joined by Congressman Garret Graves, former Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority chairman, and I thank the Congressman for sharing his time and expertise of Louisiana's coastal issues. I have also enjoyed working with Louisiana's junior Senator on coastal resiliency efforts, and I look forward to continuing that work. prgtoken Senator Cassidy and I share home States that are lively, diverse, coastal, proud, and a little bit eccentric and that have great food. There is a lot in common between Louisiana and Rhode Island. Like Rhode Island, Louisiana's coast drives the State's economy and has shaped the State's history and culture. Coastal Louisiana is home to around 2 million people and is responsible for over a quarter of the continental United States' fisheries landings. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Louisiana's wetlands today represent about 40 percent of the wetlands of the continental United States and about 80 percent of the losses. prgtoken Coastal wetlands are critical habitat and nurseries for commercially important fisheries and other wildlife. They also improve coastal water quality and buffer against storm surge, flooding, and other storm effects. Across the United States, we have lost ground. About half of our original wetlands in the past 200 years are gone. That is significant, and the scale and speed of wetland loss in coastal Louisiana is almost impossible to comprehend. From 1932 until 2010, the State lost nearly 1,900 square miles, or 25 percent, of its coastal land. All the red is land lost from 1932 to 2010. Between 1985 and 2010, the State was losing ground, about a football field's worth, every hour. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike caused the loss of more than 300 square miles of wetlands. prgtoken I saw firsthand what Louisiana's shredded coastline looks like from the air. The Mississippi River is one of the most heavily managed rivers in the world and is certainly one of the most important rivers in the world. A combination of flood prevention and irrigation interventions upriver have cut off the tap of sediment that used to flow naturally to Louisiana's wetlands. Now erosion outpaces natural rebuilding. prgtoken Though erosion is a natural phenomenon, oil and gas development exacerbates the problem. The dredged tracks left in the marsh by exploration and pipelines accelerate erosion, and here you see photos we took from our little airplan
Mueller Report (Executive Calendar)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-4-30

the Mueller report, released earlier this month, was divided into two sections. One is detailing the concerted and coordinated effort by President Putin to interfere in our Presidential election, an effort the campaign welcomed and at times amplified. It also included a second section, which laid out a pattern of dishonesty and interference with a Federal investigation by the President and his team. prgtoken Now, today I want to focus the Senate's attention on the first half of the report: the coordinated effort by President Putin to interfere in our elections, which is an unbelievable thing, a threat to our democracy, and something every American should be concerned about. prgtoken Though we have long known about President Putin's interference in the 2016 elections--we have all known about that--the conclusions of the Mueller report demand a vigorous response by this Congress to ensure that Putin pays a significant price for his actions and that Putin and other adversaries will not consider a similar action in the 2020 election cycle. What occurred in 2016 was nothing short of an assault on our democracy and an attack on our most revered traditions. It was the kind of foreign influence feared by the Framers and warned about in the Federalist Papers. It is the very reason we have an emoluments clause in our Constitution. prgtoken Even so, President and his administration met these attacks with apathy. The President has routinely sought to undermine and weaken efforts by this Chamber to sanction Russia. The Treasury Department recently cut a deal to reduce sanctions on the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. prgtoken Just last week, the Times reported that then-Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen was told to not even mention election security in front of the President, even though she reportedly considered it one of America's highest priorities as we head into 2020. prgtoken In the face of the administration's disturbing indifference, it is clear the Senate must act. In the past, this body has proudly come together, bipartisan, to pass sanctions on Russia. We have not done enough yet to hold the guilty parties of 2016 accountable, and we must do more to ensure that a foreign power cannot meddle in our elections ever again. With that in mind, I have three proposals for my colleagues to consider. prgtoken First, we should pass additional sanctions against President Putin, his cronies, and other adversaries considering similar malign activities. There are multiple bipartisan sanctions bills awaiting action, including the Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act, called DASKA, and the Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines Act, the DETER Act. I would urge the chairmen of those committees to take up those bills and send them to the floor, where Leader McConnell should bring them up for serious consideration. prgtoken Second, we should commit serious--and I m
HONORING THE LIFE OF OSCAR DUNCAN
Stephanie N. Murphy (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-4-30

. Madam , I rise to honor my constituent, Oscar Duncan, who passed away on April 10th, at the age of 75. prgtoken A long-time resident of Geneva, Florida, Oscar Duncan lived an extraordinary life, and leaves behind an enduring legacy. He was a soldier, a law enforcement officer, and a successful small business owner. prgtoken Above all, Oscar was the Duncan family patriarch. He and his beloved wife Bernice were married for 44 years, and he was fiercely protective of her. Heaven help the person who said a cross word to Bernice in Oscar's presence. prgtoken Together, they had 10 children, which led to 22 grandchildren, which led to 23 great-grandchildren. That's more than a family. That's an army. prgtoken My office spoke to one of Oscar's four sons, Hannibal Duncan, about Oscar's life. Hannibal made clear that those who knew his father best had the greatest respect and affection for him. prgtoken Oscar was born and raised in Tampa, at a time in our nation's history when African-Americans were treated unequally under both law and custom. prgtoken Adversity made Oscar strong, as fire forges steel. Everything Oscar Duncan achieved in life, he had to fight for. Nothing was given to him; he earned it all. prgtoken Out of high school, Oscar volunteered for the U.S. Army, serving for five-and-a-half years, including tours in Korea and Germany, and rising to the rank of sergeant. prgtoken The same qualities that made Oscar a good soldier made him a great man. Discipline, intelligence, toughness, fairness, self-confidence, the capacity to suppress fear and doubt, a sense of purpose. He was a natural leader that others wanted to follow. prgtoken After leaving the service, Oscar earned two degrees at an Orlando- area college and became a police officer in Eatonville, famed as the first city in the country to be organized and governed by African- Americans. prgtoken In 1971, Oscar was a member of the first class of black deputies selected to join the Orange County Sheriffs Office, which had officially desegregated in the early 1960s but had accepted only a handful of African-Americans in the ensuing years. For nearly a decade, Oscar woke up every day and worked to keep central Florida safe, always the consummate professional. prgtoken Then, in his mid-30s, Oscar decided to walk a different path. He left law enforcement and opened Duncan's Food Mart in Eatonville, located next to the dry cleaning shop that Bernice ran. It became an iconic institution in the city. Oscar did everything at the store--cooking and cleaning, manning the cash register, and handling the finances. The kids were expected to help as well, and it was here they absorbed their father's lesson that success demands sacrifice. prgtoken According to Hannibal, Oscar explained his decision to change careers by saying that, ``at some point in your life, you have to choose between being a mouse and being a man.'' For Oscar, being a man meant striking out on his own, answe
CAPTAIN ROBERT L. MARTIN POST OFFICE
Robin L. Kelly (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-4-30

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 1449, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3033 203rd Street in Olympia Fields, Illinois, as the Captain Robert L. Martin Post Office. prgtoken Captain Robert L. Martin was a true American hero dedicated to serving his country to ensure the continued safety of all Americans. prgtoken Robert L. Martin graduated from Iowa State University, where he completed a civilian pilot training program, and joined the Army Air Corps in January 1944. Captain Martin was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, serving as a combat pilot in the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group. prgtoken During his 64th mission, he was shot down over German-occupied territory and safely evaded capture for 5 weeks to return across Allied lines. He left the Army in 1945 with the rank of captain. prgtoken His war decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart. Martin was also awarded the Congressional Medal in 2007 by President at a ceremony honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. prgtoken Having lived in Olympia Fields, Illinois, it would be a tribute to his life's accomplishments to name the post office there as the Captain Robert L. Martin Post Office, bringing a source of pride to the community in honoring a great American hero. prgtoken Madam , .