mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of David Bernhardt (Executive Calendar)
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2019-4-10

I rise today to oppose this rush to confirm David Bernhardt to serve as the 53rd Secretary of the Interior. prgtoken The Secretary of the Interior is the chief steward of nearly 500 million acres of public lands and 1.7 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf. The Interior Secretary is charged with managing the public's natural resources and protecting our Nation's most iconic spaces for now and for generations to come, and the Secretary has the duty of making sure that our trust and treaty responsibilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives are met. It is essential to have the right individual serving in this position--someone who has a record of honoring these critical responsibilities and someone who will approach the solemn duties with only the interests of the American people at the top of his or her agenda. prgtoken After considering the whole of Mr. Bernhardt's record, especially the open questions about his actions that have benefited his former clients, I cannot vote to confirm this nominee. His policies are too slanted toward private interests, and as a former lobbyist for many of these interests, his conflicts are too many. Any discussion of this nomination must begin there--by addressing the serious conflicts of interest that Mr. Bernhardt brings to this role and by addressing the ethical cloud that is plainly hanging over this nomination. prgtoken I am rising today to call on the leadership to put a halt to this nomination until that ethical cloud can be cleared, and if that cloud cannot be cleared, then, Mr. Bernhardt should be withdrawn. prgtoken The concerns that have been raised are serious. Let's talk about a few of them. prgtoken Much has been made of Mr. Bernhardt's ethics pledge and whether he has complied with the letter of the law, but we all know that he certainly has not complied with the spirit of the law. The Interior Department has begun or completed at least 19 policy actions requested or supported by at least 16 of Mr. Bernhardt's former clients since he came to Interior, according to just 1 analysis. prgtoken Mr. Bernhardt's ethics pledge didn't stop him from trying to divert water to his former client, Westlands Water District in California's Central Valley, one of the largest agricultural water users in the county. On their behalf, Mr. Bernhardt sought to weaken protections for endangered fish species so that his client could pump more water. While an Interior official ``verbally'' ruled that he could participate in the matter, outside ethics experts disagreed. Mr. Bernhardt is clearly making a decision that directly benefits one of his former clients. prgtoken Last month, I wrote to the DOI inspector general requesting an investigation into this matter. The Senate should know the outcome of such reviews before considering a Cabinet nominee. Otherwise, we are flying blind when it comes to a nominee's fitness for office. prgtoken Just last week, it
HONORING THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE RECENT AFGHANISTAN ATTACK
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-4-10

I am reminded of the creation of the Homeland Security Committee and the Department of Homeland Security. It was in the aftermath of the heinous acts of 9/11, of which I was a Member of the United States Congress, and the description and actions are seared in my memory. prgtoken We organized the Homeland Security Department to be the front lines of security, to recognize, and to determine what would be the best way to function. prgtoken I will be introducing legislation about the security of the Homeland Security Department. The precipitous firings and resignations are putting this Nation in jeopardy and putting the men and women on the front lines for the work that they are doing, it is undermining that very important work. prgtoken So today I rise as a cofounder and co-chair of the Afghanistan Caucus, to ask my colleagues to salute those who just lost their lives in battle in Afghanistan, soldiers from across the Nation. Their families are mourning, and we owe them a recognition that they wear the uniform and they are able or willing to sacrifice for us. prgtoken I would ask my colleagues to take a moment of silence for those who died in the recent IED incident in Afghanistan. I ask now for a moment of silence for those soldiers who have fallen in battle.
SAVE THE INTERNET ACT OF 2019
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2019-4-10

due to a family emergency, I was unable to vote on Roll Call 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, and 167. I would include in the Record how I would have voted on each had I been present. prgtoken rollcall 157: ``Aye'', rollcall 158: ``Aye'', rollcall 159: ``Aye'', rollcall 160: ``Aye'', rollcall 161: ``Aye'', rollcall 162: ``Aye'', rollcall 163: ``Aye'', rollcall 164: ``Aye'', rollcall 165: ``Aye'', rollcall 166: ``Nay'', and rollcall 167: ``Aye''.
HONORING DAN HAIFLEY
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-4-10

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Mr. Dan Haifley for his decades of service to the Santa Cruz community as the Executive Director of O'Neill Sea Odyssey, and to congratulate him on his retirement. Mr. Haifley has been at the helm of O'Neill Sea Odyssey, a cornerstone of the Santa Cruz community and maritime education, since 1999. Through his years of dedication to environmental education and our environment, Mr. Haifley made an immeasurable impact on our community on the central coast of California. During his tenure of twenty years with O'Neill Sea Odyssey, the organization grew into a pillar of the Santa Cruz community as it offered free oceanography and ecology programs for grade school children, often from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Mr. Haifley also championed the integration of oceanography into formal educational institutions, making the subject matter accessible to youth of diverse backgrounds. Under Mr. Haifley's direction, over one hundred thousand children had the opportunity to receive hands on marine biology, ecology, and navigation lessons aboard Team O'Neill's `Catamaran' yacht. Mr. Haifley's leadership was intrinsic to the extraordinary performance of O'Neill Sea Odyssey, which has received numerous awards and recognition on multiple occasions for outstanding environmental leadership and education. Mr. Haifley's conservation efforts did not begin with O'Neill, but rather span throughout his career. He was also the executive director of Save Our Shores, where he played a vital role in the creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. In addition, he led a successful campaign against offshore oil drilling throughout California and actively writes columns about the importance of our oceans. Mr. Dan Haifley exemplifies what it means to be a conscientious and engaged citizen of the Central Coast. Mr. Haifley influenced generations of citizens to cherish and preserve the environment and through them he leaves a legacy of respect and admiration for our planet. Madam , it is my pleasure to prgtoken stand here today in recognition of Mr. Dan Haifley's accomplished career. I have no doubt that he will continue serving his community and giving a voice to our oceans.
Venezuela (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-4-10

last year I made my first trip to Venezuela just 1 month before a Presidential election that by all accounts was about to be rigged by the incumbent, Maduro. His criminal regime was increasingly isolated by its neighbors in the world. prgtoken The Venezuelan people are suffering horribly--malnutrition, hyperinflation, levels of disease seen only in war zones around the world. As a result, 3 million Venezuelans have fled the country. prgtoken Neighbors in Colombia and Ecuador showed and continue to show incredible compassion to the hundreds of thousands of desperate Venezuelans who are pouring across their borders. In fact, my staff was just in Cucuta, Colombia, on the Venezuelan border, and my staff saw firsthand the humanity and patience of the Colombian people helping their Venezuelan brothers and sisters showing up desperate for food and safety, all amid the stark cruelty of barricaded bridges deliberately blocking aid trucks. prgtoken I might just add parenthetically--what a sharp contrast: the suffering in Venezuela and the people in Colombia, their neighbors who are trying to help, and what we are doing on our southern border when it comes to those who are suffering in Honduras and El Salvador and Guatemala. What a contrast. prgtoken During my visit to Venezuela last year, I told Maduro that if he went ahead with his stolen election, he would find himself isolated in the eyes of the world, and the Venezuelan people would suffer even greater hardship. I told him that in Washington both political parties don't agree on much, but they do on Venezuela. prgtoken Tragically, he ignored me and proceeded with this discredited election. prgtoken As a result, when the region's governments on both the left and the right decided to recognize the Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the country's interim President, as provided for under the country's Constitution, I promptly agreed. In fact, I called Guaido immediately, spoke to him personally, and came to the floor of the Senate to offer my support for his ascendency as the leader of Venezuela. prgtoken I had met him in Caracas last year at a dinner that was kind of a secret dinner since he was in the opposition, and I remember at that dinner that five members of the National Assembly said: If you come back here in 2019 and look for the five of us, two of us will be exiled, two will be in prison, and one will disappear. That is what happened in Venezuela. prgtoken The courage they showed at that meeting and afterward should not be ignored by the American people. prgtoken As President made his case that the world needed to act in Venezuela, in part because of the horrible situation and danger the Venezuelan people found themselves in, I joined in prgtoken bipartisan agreement. The danger and fear are well-placed and well- documented--armed vigilante groups, some in motorcycle gangs, that harass and beat innocent civilians; extended pow
SAVE THE INTERNET ACT OF 2019
David J. Trone (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-4-10

I thank the gentleman for his comments. prgtoken , good policy simply needs good data. We need accurate, reliable information to target our policies and resources as effectively as possible. prgtoken This amendment simply ensures reports issued by the FCC are accurate, and we should all be able to agree on that. And I thank the gentleman for that. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ATTACKS ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-4-10

I rise today to condemn the administration's new attacks on the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken Over 4.5 million non-elderly Texans have preexisting conditions that could keep them from getting insurance if the administration gets its wishes in Federal court. This is truly outrageous. prgtoken No family should have to choose between lifesaving care and going bankrupt. And we cannot forget how important this is for Latinos, there are many in my district, who already have the highest uninsured rate of any group in the United States. prgtoken Regardless of the language you speak, or the color of your skin, healthcare is a right, and we will defend it for everyone. prgtoken The well-being of our families and their health is the top priority of House , and I can assure you, , we will do everything in our power to make sure this administration does not strip away the access to healthcare for our loved ones. prgtoken Yes, we can, and we will.
NOMINATION OF DAVID BERNHARDT
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2019-4-10

time and again over the past 2 years, we have seen a clear pattern in the types of people nominates to serve in his Cabinet. prgtoken They have extensive conflicts of interest. If confirmed, they work to advance the interest of former clients and special interests, and in doing so, they are often hostile to the very mission of the very Department they have been nominated to lead. prgtoken We have seen this time and again with the same disastrous results-- from Scott Pruitt at the Environmental Protection Agency and Ryan Zinke at the Department of Interior to Andy Puzder at the Department of Labor and Tom Price at Health and Human Services. prgtoken Today, the majority leader and Senate s are forcing through the nomination of David Bernhardt to serve as Secretary of the Interior--another person who fits 's pattern for conflicted, unethical Cabinet nominees. prgtoken Bernhardt brings so many conflicts of interest to the job that he has to carry a list around in his pocket to remind himself of what they are. I am putting up this graphic poster that shows a card he carries around in his pocket to remind himself of the people he is not supposed to be interacting with or helping. prgtoken In normal times, a President would not nominate someone with David Bernhardt's background as a superlobbyist who represented interests before the Department he was nominated to lead. In normal times, the majority party would push back against a nominee who brings so many obvious conflicts of interest to the job. But these are not normal times, and the Senate is moving in an all-fired rush to confirm someone who shouldn't have been nominated in the first place. prgtoken During his tenure as Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Mr. Bernhardt was well-placed to deliver results for the special interests who paid his firm millions of dollars to lobby on their behalf over the past decade. prgtoken Mr. Bernhardt, for example, spent years lobbying on behalf of an organization with a misleading name--the Center for Environmental Science, Accuracy & Reliability, or CESAR. Far from being a nonpartisan group, CESAR is an industry front group dedicated to, among other things, attacking and weakening the Endangered Species Act, the ESA. prgtoken As a lobbyist at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Bernhardt spearheaded CESAR's efforts to gut the ESA through a disingenuous shell campaign to list the American eel as a threatened or endangered species. prgtoken Here is what they did. First, CESAR petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to designate the American eel--a species whose habitat spans the entire east coast of the United States--as a threatened or endangered species. These Agencies are required to complete their review of such a position within 90 days. Both Agencies were unable to complete their review on such a short timeline, and CESAR filed a lawsuit in DC District
SAVE THE INTERNET ACT OF 2019
Greg Stanton (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-4-10

I appreciate the comments from Congressman Walden. prgtoken I would say, in this particular case with this particular amendment, this is not the government asking for information from entities that don't want to provide it. Just the opposite, the Tribal communities in my State and across the United States of America want to provide this information and want this very detailed consultation with the FCC so that we can provide better investments on Tribal lands. prgtoken This is a situation where government involvement is very much welcomed by the entities that we are asking the FCC to better consult with. This is welcome government intervention. prgtoken , I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle).
Nomination of John P. Abizaid (Executive Calendar)
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-4-10

I rise to speak today about the vote we cast earlier confirming GEN John Abizaid, Retired, to be U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. prgtoken I was proud to vote for him. I think he is very well qualified for that position. The position has been vacant since 2017. Other critical countries in this most important region are without Ambassadors--Egypt, Jordan, and Pakistan. prgtoken General Abizaid has his work cut out for him, and I want to speak specifically about some of the challenges in Saudi Arabia now. prgtoken I believe there is a great day of reckoning that is now pending in the U.S.-Saudi relationship. prgtoken Last week, the House of Representatives passed a Senate resolution ordering the President to stop U.S. military action in support of Saudi Arabia's intervention in Yemen's civil war. The Senate had earlier acted on that bill in 2018. It went to the House and died. The Senate took up the bill again recently, and the House passed it. The bill is now on its way to the President's desk. prgtoken The President has indicated that he is likely to veto the bill, to continue U.S. support for Saudi military activity in Yemen. If that happens, the bill will come back to the Senate, and the Senate will then have the opportunity to vote on whether that veto should be overridden. prgtoken The House vote to withdraw U.S. support for this military activity was 247 to 175. The Senate vote was 54 to 46. prgtoken The Yemen civil war has been a humanitarian disaster. Many of my colleagues have spoken at length about this, so I will not speak at length. Just to underline key points, it has been a humanitarian disaster, and the United States should not be involved. Saudi intervention has made it worse. prgtoken As of November 2018, nearly 7,000 civilians have been killed, nearly 11,000 had been wounded--the majority by Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrikes, many of which are targeted and prosecuted in amateurish ways. Those statistics are according to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for prgtoken Human Rights. The actual human casualties are actually much higher because the war has led to famine and disease outbreaks that have killed many more. Thousands have been displaced by fighting, and millions are suffering from shortages of food and medical care, with the country on the brink of famine. There are 12 to 13 million civilians at risk of starvation largely because of the effects of this civil war. prgtoken In addition to the poor prosecution of this military activity by Saudi Arabia, there are other issues we have to grapple with. prgtoken A Virginia resident who is a Saudi citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, who was a journalist for the Washington Post, criticized the Saudi policy in Yemen. For his advocacy against the war, the Government of Saudi Arabia lured him into their consulate in Istanbul and then tortured and assassinated him, dismembering his body with a bone saw. Then the Saudi Government engaged
EQUALITY FOR RESIDENTS OF NATION'S CAPITAL
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2019-4-10

D.C. makes a big deal of Emancipation Day. That is the day that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the Nation's Capital 9 months before the Emancipation Proclamation freed the rest. prgtoken You will forgive us if we say that it is hardly enough that more than 150 years later, the residents of your Nation's Capital, White and Black, are number one in Federal taxes paid to support this Republic but have no final vote, like the vote just cast in this House on the House floor, and no Senators whatsoever. prgtoken Emancipation Day will mark the day when we will celebrate H.R. 51 to make the District of Columbia the 51st State. prgtoken Lincoln freed the slaves in the District of Columbia. Congress must pass H.R. 51 to make freedom mean equality for the residents of your Nation's Capital with all other Americans.
Debbie Smith Act (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-4-10

I would like to start by sharing a story about one of my personal heroes, Debbie Smith. Debbie Smith is living proof that one person can change the world if they have the courage to tell their story and fight for justice. prgtoken In 1989, Debbie was at home doing laundry. Her husband Rob, a police officer, was asleep upstairs after working a night shift. prgtoken Suddenly a masked man entered her home and threatened to kill her if she screamed. He blindfolded and abducted Debbie and took her outside to a wooded area behind her home, where he robbed and repeatedly raped her. The man threatened her over and over, saying: Remember, I know where you live, and I will come back to kill you if you tell anyone. prgtoken After he finally left, Debbie ran upstairs to tell her husband. She begged him not to make her go to the police. But he, as a police officer, insisted that she report the crime and go to the emergency room for a sexual assault forensic exam, sometimes called a rape kit exam. prgtoken Debbie did go for that examination and did report the crime. But for Debbie and millions of other survivors there are no immediate answers. Because of the nationwide backlog of untested rape kits, it would be years before she was able to identify her assailant and find any sort of peace. prgtoken Although the exact numbers are hard to estimate, experts believe that hundreds of thousands of rape kits remain untested in the United States, and, of course, each one of them represents a unique story of a sexual assault victim and holds the key to apprehending a violent criminal. prgtoken Waiting for that evidence to be tested can be excruciating. Debbie said that fear took over her life. She was haunted by the man's voice threatening to kill her. She was terrified for herself and her family, and she even became suicidal for a time. prgtoken It wasn't until 6\1/2\ years later that Debbie finally got the answer she had been looking for when a DNA cold hit revealed the identity of her rapist. She later said in an interview that DNA gave her back her life. prgtoken Debbie chose to harness her pain and to use it to save others from living through years of uncertainty as she did. She has become the fiercest advocate in the Nation for eliminating the rape kit backlog. She has devoted her life to making a difference for victims of sexual violence. prgtoken The aptly named Debbie Smith Act was originally signed into law in 2004 to provide State and local crime labs the resources they need to end the backlog of untested DNA evidence from unsolved crimes through additional funding and increased capacity. Under this law, Congress has provided more than $1 billion since then in vital funding to forensic labs for analyzing crime scene DNA evidence, uploading the results into the CODIS database, which is what happens to the test after it is completed, and identifying violent fugitives and taking these violent criminals off the