mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SENATE RESOLUTION 708--EXPRESSING THE NEED FOR BOLD CLIMATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE RELEASE OF THE UNITED NATIONS REPORT ENTITLED ``GLOBAL WARMING OF 1.5 C, AN IPCC SPECIAL REPORT ON THE IMPACTS...
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-11-27

the most important words of our Constitution are the first three: ``We the People.'' These words were written in supersized font so that anyone standing across the room would know exactly what the vision of our Constitution is all about: government of, by, and for the people, as Abraham Lincoln put it--not a nation by and for the privileged, not a nation by and for the powerful, but for the people. prgtoken Unfortunately, we see too much today of our government being taken over by the powerful. We see the use of gerrymandering, which has totally corrupted the distribution of power in the House of Representatives just down that hallway. We see the use of voter suppression in State after State. My colleague from Illinois just pointed out that a man nominated to be a judge here in the United States of America was a key advocate, a key participant, a key architect of voter suppression. That should deeply trouble every Member of this body because if you believe in the vision of our Constitution, you prgtoken would be a full-on advocate for voter empowerment, not voter suppression. prgtoken We see this played out in all kinds of different policies. We saw it played out in 2017 when the powerful drove through this body a $1.5 trillion theft of Federal resources and distributed it to the richest Americans. That is what happens in corrupt countries far overseas. But it happened right here, right in this Chamber--a theft of $1.5 trillion out of our Treasury, distributed through that tax bill to the richest Americans. I can tell my colleagues after having done 360 townhalls in my home state, 220 of them in very red counties, no one has ever come up to me--not from the left or the right or the center--and said: I have a great idea. Let's raid the Federal Treasury and distribute it to the richest people among us. Yet that is what we see with government by and for the powerful, as demonstrated right now, here in this U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives down the hall. prgtoken I will tell you where else we see it. We see it in the neglect of our responsibility to care for our beautiful blue-green planet. All across the land, we are seeing the devastating consequences of carbon pollution and the heat that it is trapping and the consequences that is driving. Yet here in this Chamber, on this most important responsibility, we do absolutely nothing. In fact, we make it worse, with the majority serving simply as the implementers of whatever version of fossil fuel special favor, special interest, powerful interest policy they can possibly think up--more and more for fossil fuels, more and more damage to our country. prgtoken This, certainly, is a situation we are in where we are seeing our land pillaged and polluted. That is a battle we have been waging for many years, but this last week we had a powerful reminder of just how much trouble we are in. Just last week--last Friday--the administration
AMENDING THE WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE TRIBE WATER RIGHTS QUANTIFICATION ACT OF 2010
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-11-27

I rise today in strong support of S. 140, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018. Congressman LoBiondo has served his constituents in New Jersey's 2nd congressional district well, including the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May in Cape May, New Jersey. From his position on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a panel on which we served together for a decade, he successfully fought on behalf of our state and the brave men and women in uniform who guard our nation. Congressman LoBiondo has focused on strengthening our nation's maritime industry, which is a critical source of jobs and economic output in New Jersey. During his time in Congress, Congressman LoBiondo fought to improve the lives of our service men and women and their families. Given his service to bettering the Coast Guard, it is fitting that this year's authorization legislation is named after Congressman Frank LoBiondo. I look forward to this bill's passage and strongly urge all my colleagues to support S. 140.
AMENDING THE WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE TRIBE WATER RIGHTS QUANTIFICATION ACT OF 2010
Peter A. DeFazio (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-11-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in full support of S. 140, legislation that we have been somewhat patiently waiting for the Senate to move on for over a year. This legislation incorporates three different bills passed and reported by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last year: H.R. 2518, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2017; H.R. 1726, the Coast Guard Improvement and Reform Act; and H.R. 2593, the Federal Maritime Commission Authorization Act. prgtoken This is going to provide both positive improvements in maritime policy, help with the competitiveness of the U.S. maritime industry, and it is going to be of substantial assistance to the Coast Guard. There are issues where we had some disagreement. It is not a perfect bill, but I am pleased to support it, and I urge all Members to support it. prgtoken I am particularly pleased with the 2-year authorized funding levels for the Coast Guard. It has been hurt over a number of years. Their budget has been too thin, and cuts imposed by the prgtoken Budget Control Act have been harmful. So this is a reasonable--not optimal--funding level, but it will meet both the acquisition and operational needs, and the Appropriations Committee will have the capability of meeting the targets we have set. prgtoken It would have a rigorous new process before the Coast Guard can permanently close any air facility it operates. In my home State of Oregon there was a rather sudden announcement of a closure of an air facility in the mid-coast, Newport, in Representative Schrader's district. The waters of the Pacific are extraordinarily cold year- round. Survival times are not long, and we were putting mariners--both recreational, commercial, and others--at risk. So we have now imposed a new process. There will have to be an extensive public review justification, and then Congress will also have time to review, evaluate, and, if necessary, reject future proposed closures. prgtoken I also support a provision in the bill that will allow certificates of documentation to be renewed on a multiyear basis. The Coast Guard has had a backlog forever on certificates of documentation, and they are annual. The rationale has been, well, we need to know your home port every year. We are going to have a process where you can get a 5- year certificate, and then if you change your home port, you have to report it within a certain number of days to the Coast Guard. That solves that issue. prgtoken There was a long-discussed provision that was very controversial on the Senate side on the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act. We came up with a compromise. Again, I don't know that it is optimal, but we can live with it. It sets strict technological standards for vessel discharges under the Clean Water Act to protect local waters, minimizing the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species to where it was becoming an incredibly expensive and difficult problem.
TRIBUTE TO SHARON SHULTZE
Susan A. Davis (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-11-27

I rise today to mourn the passing of a truly dedicated public servant, Sharon Shultze. Sharon was a tireless advocate for social justice and civility, a loyal senior Congressional aide, and generous mentor. Sharon dedicated her life to serving the poor, the downtrodden, and the most vulnerable. She will be remembered by all those who knew her for her selflessness and love. Sharon was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska and moved to San Diego after getting married. She was instrumental in creating a ground breaking program at the University of San Diego's Law School, the Mira Mesa Mediation Center, which helped people from diverse backgrounds resolve conflict peacefully and civilly. The center later developed into the National Conflict Resolution Center. Sharon worked for Bob Filner throughout his entire political career, from the San Diego School Board to San Diego City Council to the United States Congress. Sharon passionately served the people of San Diego for over three decades, taking on various responsibilities throughout Filner's different elected offices. One of her favorite projects while working for Congressman Filner was helping him chose the district winner of the Congressional Art Competition wherein high school students from every congressional district in the country compete for an opportunity to display their artwork in the halls of Congress. prgtoken Her favorite role, and the one she found most rewarding, was that of advocate. Sharon took the most joy out of writing legislation that promoted veterans and San Diego residents. Her contributions to the veteran community include helping to draft and pass the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 which provides full, four- year tuition to military veterans attending public universities across the country who enlisted after September 11, 2001. Perhaps the achievement Sharon was most proud of in the veteran community was her contribution toward the passage of legislation in support of Filipino veterans and Merchant Marines who served the United States during World War II receiving full veteran benefits, which they had been previously denied. Sharon was an amazing, accomplished woman. Her strong worth ethic and professionalism made her a role model and devoted mentor to the young people who looked to her for guidance both in San Diego and in Washington, DC. My office and I were on the receiving end of some of her mentorship. Soon after I was elected to Congress, Sharon was the first to offer guidance and support. Her best quality, noted by many of her friends and family, was that Sharon was a gifted listener. She was there for whoever needed her help, without regard for her time and energy. Sharon bestowed unconditional positive support, kindness, compassion, and empathy to those around her, assuring them that they were loved and valued. She shared her ideas and common sense with others, always making sure to keep people's be
NOMINATION OF THOMAS FARR
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-11-27

I rise to speak about the nomination of Thomas Farr to serve as a district judge for the Eastern District of the great State of North Carolina. prgtoken Over the past year, I have joined many of my colleagues in the Senate, my esteemed colleagues in the House, and really people from all across the country who have been speaking out about Mr. Farr's troubling record. prgtoken We see many district court judges come before the U.S. Senate, but I think none has triggered this kind of tumult, this kind of frustration, and this kind of outcry. prgtoken We have seen an outpouring of advocacy and activism that is now coming around this nomination, but this nomination--and the energy and advocacy of Americans speaking out against it--is, frankly, not about politics. It is not about partisanship. It is about something deeper than just left or right. This is about right or wrong. prgtoken We are a nation of people who I believe have so much more in common than we have apart. The lines that divide us are nowhere near as strong as the ties that bind us. What binds us? We are bound together not because of many of the more obvious historically held things that hold people together. It is not our language or our religion or our race that holds this Nation and her people together. We are bound to one another because of the ideals we share. We say them in our anthem. We say them in our salute and in our pledge. We know we are a nation of principles and ideals. prgtoken Some of the most fundamental of those principles, the most sacrosanct of those ideals we share are about and surrounding that right to vote; that every American has the right to vote. When you enter that ballot box, whether you are the richest person in this country or a working- class person from New Jersey, you are equal in that ballot box. You all have that right to vote. That is what makes this a great republic. That is what makes us a great democracy; that your vote will be equally counted and treated equally under the law. prgtoken Throughout our history, greater Americans have fought to secure these fundamental rights for us. From Seneca Falls to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Americans have stood and fought and marched and sweated and bled for this right to vote, for suffrage, for universal voting rights. prgtoken There have been debates on this floor advancing legislation that has secured those rights amongst men and women, further advancing that truth about our country that we will be a democracy where every vote will be counted, where every person will be treated equally in their right to vote. prgtoken Americans from all backgrounds--multiracial, multiethnic coalitions-- struggled together for these rights and fought together to make them real, but this nomination now stands in direct contrast to that legacy of common sacrifice and common struggle, of that legacy to push for equality. prgtoken The facts in this nomination are clear, and they agai
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-11-27

today I wish to recognize the 150th anniversary of Wayne State University. Located in the heart of Detroit, MI, Wayne State University provides world-class education and has made a tremendous impact on the community that surrounds it. prgtoken In 1868, just over 30 years after the State of Michigan joined the Union, the development of what would become Wayne State University began with the establishment of the Detroit Medical College by five physicians who were inspired to improve medical education after their service in the Civil War. Following shortly thereafter, the Detroit Normal Training School--the predecessor of the college of education-- was founded. prgtoken At the turn of the 20th century, the school saw rapid transformation and development. A change in attitudes brought on by the progressive movement between 1890 and 1920 impacted institutions across America. In 1917, the Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery admitted its first female students, as the Detroit Normal Training School began admitting married women. These milestones in the school's history coincided with the culmination of women's suffrage in the United States. In 1934, the Wayne University name was adopted, eventually becoming Wayne State University in 1956, after the Michigan State Legislature approved public act 183. prgtoken Year after year, Wayne's footprint would grow to include more programs and opportunities for students to excel. Growth of that footprint included Detroit City Law School, which was founded in 1927 and later became part of Wayne University in 1933. Moreover, as veterans from World War II came home and acclimated into civilian life, Wayne University established the office of veteran affairs to help veterans continue their education, enter vocational training programs, and transition into the workforce. With the introduction of the GI bill, Wayne University's programs saw it well positioned to increase its veteran enrollment. prgtoken In 1950, the former central high school and main building of the College of the City of Detroit was renamed Old Main, becoming one of the City of Detroit's and Wayne University's most notable landmarks. prgtoken The 1960s proved to be a pivotal time in American history, with the civil rights movement and the Vietnam war serving as the backdrop of the public's conscience, ushering in a new era of barrier breaking civic engagement. Throughout the 1960s, Wayne State University continued to build on its rich tradition of progressivism by establishing the office of counseling for the handicapped, the center for urban studies, and covering pertinent social issues in the school newspaper. prgtoken Continuing to build on its record of success, Wayne State launched doctoral programs in the college of pharmacy and college of nursing, and established the college of urban, labor, and metropolitan affairs, and college of fine and performing arts. In 1994, Wayne State was recognize
RELIST JEWISH-OWNED HOMES ON WEST BANK IMMEDIATELY
Matt Gaetz (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-11-27

. Madam , I rise today to express our support for our great ally, Israel, and also to share my concern about a recent decision from the company Airbnb. prgtoken On November 20, Airbnb made the decision to delist about 200 Jewish homes in the West Bank. This decision is a win for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, the BDS movement, which is blatantly anti-Semitic and consistently targets businesses that are operating in Israel. prgtoken As a Representative from northwest Florida, I am proud to serve a State that has stringent BDS laws. I am incredibly proud of Governor- elect Ron DeSantis for sharing his concern and for stating unequivocally that if Airbnb continues to engage in BDS activities, they have a right to speak, but they will hear from all of us very soon.
IN CELEBRATION OF REAL CHRISTMAS TREES
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-11-27

I rise today to share some good news with the House. Over a year and a half ago, we passed the Small Business Health Fairness Act. prgtoken Small businesses were hit hard by flawed mandates, soaring costs, and limited choices under Care. The Education and the Workforce Committee worked hard to produce the Small Business Health Fairness Act, which expanded healthcare options and lowered costs for working families by encouraging small businesses to come together through association health plans and negotiate for lower costs on behalf of their employees. prgtoken In October of last year, President issued an executive order that built on the solutions in that bill, directing the Department of Labor to remove barriers and make association health plans a viable option for businesses and their employees. prgtoken Well, it is working. In my home State of North Carolina, individuals in the hospitality industry will soon have access to a new association health plan that provides affordable, comprehensive coverage. Nearly half a million workers in North Carolina alone will have options they didn't have before thanks to association health plans. prgtoken In Oklahoma, chambers of commerce at the State and local level are working with some of the smallest businesses around to form association health plans and allow these talented individuals to keep doing what they really want to do, innovating and creating jobs only they will be able to create. prgtoken Even farmers in Minnesota and Nebraska are finding ways to come together for better bargaining power that puts people and their healthcare choices first. prgtoken Association health plans put people in charge. They empower small businesses to offer the same benefits that prgtoken large companies can provide, and they allow employees to choose coverage options that work best for them. prgtoken At the Education and the Workforce Committee, we have been proud to do our part to bring about this sustainable healthcare solution for millions of Americans. I welcome the news.
Remembering Jim Hansen (Executive Calendar)
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-11-27

earlier this month, Utah lost one of our very finest--former Congressman Jim Hansen, a great leader, an amazing husband and father, and a fantastic, loyal friend. prgtoken It is my privilege to honor his life today. Jim's first and most important rule for getting involved in politics was ``get involved because you have a cause, and not simply because you want a job.'' In fact, his own motivation to first run for local office was with the objective of improving the local water system in his small town of Farmington, UT, where the water supply was sometimes dirty and sometimes even nonexistent. prgtoken Though he had lived in Farmington, UT, for only a few years at the time, he was elected to the Farmington City Council in 1961, and he oversaw the installation of a new utility system--no small feat for that small town. That water system allowed the community to grow and to flourish, just as it continues to do to this very day. Thus began Jim Hansen's 42 years in public service. prgtoken After serving on the city council in Farmington for 12 years, Jim was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 1973. He worked hard and eventually rose to the position of speaker of the house during his final term. It was then that Jim launched his congressional bid for Utah's 1st Congressional District, defeating five-term incumbent Gunn McKay in 1980. He got right to work in representing the citizens of Utah--this time at the Federal level. Among his proudest accomplishments were serving on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission and on the House's Natural Resources Committee. Jim took great pride in helping save Hill Air Force Base, in Northern Utah, from closure. Whenever he would hear a jet roaring overhead at a decibel level loud enough to break the windows, he would tell his children, predictably: That is just the sound of freedom. You are lucky to hear and live under that sound every day. prgtoken A great lover of the outdoors, so too was he proud of saving the environment from environmentalists, as he would say. Jim often sparred with environmentalists about wilderness issues and championed multiple- use policies for public lands, although he was also a sponsor of the 1984 Utah Wilderness Act, which designated wilderness in U.S. forest areas. prgtoken Ever a staunch and always a man of humor, Jim Hansen delighted in reciting his own version of Proverbs 22:6. He would say: ``Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will vote .'' Yet Jim was always known for being able to work across the aisle and was well respected by his ic colleagues. He served as the chairman of the House Ethics Committee during a partisan crisis among House Members over the investigation into former Newt Gingrich. Both parties, at the time, trusted him to handle any investigations fairly and impartially. prgtoken For 22 years, he tirelessly served the First District of U
TEXAS RANGERS: ONE RIOT, ONE RANGER
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-11-27

they have been the focus of legend and lore, portrayed on radio shows and the silver screen. prgtoken It was this month, in 1835, the new Republic of Texas officially created a law enforcement force of three companies, 56 men each, known as the Texas Rangers. The Rangers wear a star made out of a Mexican cinco pesos coin on their western dress, with, of course, the ubiquitous cowboy hat. prgtoken Captain Bill McDonald said it best: ``No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that's in the right and keeps on a-comin'.'' prgtoken They are the oldest law enforcement agency in North America with statewide jurisdiction. These Texas lawmen have always had a certain swagger and a certain awe about them. prgtoken Legendary Ranger ``RIP,'' rest in peace, Ford said this: ``They did right because it was right.'' prgtoken And when the Dallas mayor needed to call in the big guns to prevent an illegal prizefight, Captain McDonald answered the call. As the story is told, the mayor asked: ``Where are the other rangers?'' prgtoken McDonald replied: ``Hell, ain't I enough? There's only one prizefight.'' prgtoken Texas Rangers: One riot, one ranger. prgtoken And that is just the way it is.