mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BLUE-SLIP TRADITION
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-7-17

I thank Senator Merkley for bringing us here this evening to give us this chance to talk about a Supreme Court nominee and to have us all here to talk about a whole range of issues, because this Supreme Court nominee will affect the lives of every single human being. So I thank Senator Merkley for doing this. prgtoken Since day one, the administration has been plagued with chaos, corruption, and broken promises. Candidate promised to drain the swamp in Washington, but this administration is teeming with shady, corrupt political appointees using their government service to line their own pockets and to do the bidding of their benefactors. prgtoken Candidate promised to take care of everyone--to make sure that every American was, in his words, ``beautifully covered.'' Instead, he is trying to rip up the Affordable Care Act, permit insurance companies to discriminate against tens of millions of people with preexisting conditions, and knock millions more off healthcare coverage. prgtoken Candidate promised to raise taxes on the rich. Remember that one? Yes. Instead, he handed out an eye-popping $1.5 trillion tax giveaway to giant corporations and the superrich. prgtoken For hard-working American families, the Presidency has turned into a nightmare. hasn't broken his promises to everyone--no, not by any stretch. For millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations, has kept his promises all the way. Nowhere has that been more obvious than with our courts. ``Equal Justice Under Law''--those are the words inscribed over the top of the Supreme Court. That is what the American judicial system is supposed to be all about--a fair, neutral forum governed by the rule of law; a place where everyone can be heard; a place where individual rights are respected; a place where nobody is above the law. Those are high aspirations, but these ideas never sat well with the wealthy and well-connected. They are used to getting special deals, and a judicial system that protects everyone, no matter their wealth or status in this country, is a challenge to their unchecked power. prgtoken For years, they have engaged in a concerted campaign to turn our courts into one more rigged game, a place that carefully protects the rich and powerful and kicks dirt in everyone else's face. Billionaires and giant corporations have been working on this plan for decades. prgtoken Today, the rich and powerful do their best to drown our elections in money and tilt our government in their favor. Every day, they use their money to buy favors in DC. Every day, they deploy armies of lawyers and lobbyists to bend the laws passed by Congress to their will. Every day, they push this government to do just a little more for the rich and powerful and a little less for everyone else. prgtoken They are doing the same in our courts too. Since was elected, we have seen judge after judge come through
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 996, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-7-17

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , Federal administrative law judges, commonly known as ALJs, decide over 1 million cases a year, covering everything from appeals of Social Security Disability and Medicare claims to disputes over black lung benefits and securities law violations. These are cases that can touch virtually all of our constituents. prgtoken On July 10, President issued an executive order that will undermine the quality and independence of ALJs and the impartiality of the decisions they render. It does so by changing the hiring standards for judges. prgtoken The current standards guarantee that ALJs are fully qualified to serve. The executive order will replace those standards with a far more lenient system that would allow ALJs to be hired based on ideology or cronyism rather than experience and competence. prgtoken This executive order, titled, ``Exempting Administrative Law Judges from the Competitive Service'' will open the door for the politicization of a profession that plays a defining role in the lives of millions of American families. prgtoken Representatives Elijah Cummings, David Cicilline, John Larson, and I filed an amendment to defund the executive order and preserve the impartiality, independence, and competence of administrative law judges. Unfortunately, the majority on the Rules Committee has refused to allow Members of Congress to vote on or even debate our amendment. prgtoken The longstanding hiring standards for ALJs were designed to guarantee the legitimacy of their decisions. ALJs were required to have 7 years of trial-level experience as an attorney and successfully complete a six-part examination. To insulate judicial decisionmaking from agency political pressure, the examination was conducted by the Office of Personnel Management, OPM, which maintained a list of the highest scoring applicants from which agencies can then select their candidates. prgtoken All of that was jettisoned by the President's executive order, which removes ALJs from the competitive service. Now the only requirements are that an ALJ must be a lawyer in good standing. prgtoken This executive order is strongly opposed by a broad spectrum of organizations. The Federal Administrative Law Judge Conference, a nonpartisan, voluntary professional association, warns, ``now, any agency that wants to hire an ALJ needs no approval from OPM and can hire any attorney regardless of skill or experience. The new appointment process will not afford members of the public the due process and fair hearings they deserve. Instead, it will give agency insiders and political loyalists a job for which they may not be qualified but for which they will feel indebted.'' prgtoken The Association of Administrative Law Judges, which represents over 1,600 ALJs at the Social Security Administration, states that the President's order ``will politicize our courts, lead to cronyism, and replace independent and impar
EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE THAT THE UNITED STATES NAVY'S TOTAL READINESS REMAINS IN A PERILOUS STATE
Adam Smith (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-7-17

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I appreciate the gentleman's motion. It is part of the same discussion we had on the previous resolution, and I, as I said, completely agree. The lack of certainty on the continuing resolutions has negatively impacted the Department of Defense and our readiness. There is absolutely no question about it. The only thing I would debate today is: What is the best way to address that problem? How do we honestly get at it? prgtoken These resolutions would suggest that if we simply fund defense and ignore everything else, then we will be fine. I think the way we got into this mess is instructive, and it is also going to be helpful in terms of how we get out of this mess going forward. prgtoken It is worth noting, at the end of this, we talked a little bit about tax cuts and how one thing doesn't have to do with the other. Tax cuts do not increase revenue. If they did, we would have the easiest job in the world. Also, a tax rate of zero would generate the most revenue for the United States Government. Obviously, that is not true. prgtoken Now, it is true that tax policy, depending on how it is structured, can be more encouraging to investment. But we have never had lower tax rates on the Federal level than we have right now. After all of the tax cuts, as I mentioned the tax cuts under President , and now the tax cuts under President , all of that has added up to a massive decrease in our revenue, and that is part of the equation. prgtoken When President put the tax cuts in place in 2001, for three consecutive fiscal years after that, we had a real dollar decrease in the amount of revenue that the Federal Government took in. prgtoken Now, I also understand that taxes are always a burden on the people who have to pay them. If we are running government well, we are going to try to keep those taxes as low as is humanly possible. But if we are going to meet the needs of government, we have to raise revenue. prgtoken What we have heard today is a very, very compelling case for how, over the course of the last decade, we haven't met the needs of readiness within the Department of Defense. So, again, I simply urge us to make a choice here. If we want to cover these costs, then let's raise the revenue and pay for it, and not pretend with this fantasy that somehow cutting the amount of revenue you take in is going to increase the amount of revenue you are going to take in. It doesn't work that way, and it certainly doesn't work in the current economic environment. prgtoken The second thing I would say is, while national security is critically important, it is not the only thing we do that is important. And that is the other thing that worries me about this debate. We massively slash revenue so we have less money to play around with, then we make the case for why we need to massively increase our defense budget, and everything else that the Federal Govern
HONORING THE LIFE OF KURT VON TILLOW
Ruben J. Kihuen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-7-17

today I rise to remember the life of Kurt von Tillow. prgtoken Kurt attended the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas on October 1. Kurt enjoyed owning his own trucking company in northern California. He would often go to concerts and was happy to be going to the Route 91 festival with a number of his relatives. prgtoken Kurt and his wife loved to take golfing trips to Scotland and Ireland, and they loved to boat. He was fun, friendly, and liked to enjoy good beer. Kurt is remembered as being very patriotic and a big family man. prgtoken I would like to extend my condolences to Kurt von Tillow's family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the whole country grieves with you.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-7-17

. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my bipartisan amendment to H.R. 6147, the Interior Appropriations Act, which I am proud to introduce with my friend and colleague from Michigan, Congressman John Moolenaar. prgtoken Our amendment would provide funding to continue and advance the great science that is being done in the U.S. Geological Survey's Fisheries Program. We need more research to protect important ecosystems, like the Great Lakes, from invasive species and better understand how to conserve and protect important fishery resources. prgtoken The Great Lakes Science Center, which is strategically located near access fishery resources in communities across the eight Great Lakes States, would be an appropriate recipient of these additional resources. prgtoken The Great Lakes are a way of life for so many across Michigan and many other States, including agriculture, commercial and sport fishing, transportation, shipping, power generation, recreation, and tourism. prgtoken Whether you live, work, or vacation on the Great Lakes, we all benefit in preserving and conserving the Great Lakes for future generations. prgtoken The Great Lakes Science Center would be able to adopt cutting-edge technologies to support fisheries management, native prey fish restoration, and invasive species control by deploying autonomous underwater systems to assess impacts of bottom-dwelling invasive species on economically important fisheries and recreational resources. prgtoken The Science Center would continue to do their work on piloting gene silencing techniques to control zebra and quagga mussels in lakes and rivers with nationwide applications. prgtoken Fisheries science has been broadly recognized as a national and regional priority for many years, and nearly every action in the past has been to either maintain or increase the funding for the USGS fisheries assessments in the Great Lakes. prgtoken The Great Lakes Fishery Program also has enjoyed long bipartisan support from Congress. prgtoken The Great Lakes are a treasured national resource, with more than 20 percent of the world's freshwater, 9,000 miles of shoreline, and supporting a $16 billion outdoor recreation economy. prgtoken It is critical we maintain funding to continue the United States Geological Survey's research and to enhance exploration in cutting-edge technologies to support fisheries management, native prey fish restoration, and invasive species control that is being done at the Great Lakes Science Center. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important bipartisan amendment, and .
WATER SUPPLY IN THE VALLEY
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-7-17

I draw attention to the human right to have water to sustain ourselves. prgtoken Benjamin Franklin once said about this precious resource, water, that ``When the well's dry, we know the worth of water.'' prgtoken In the San Joaquin Valley, I can tell you we know the worth of water. It is the lifeblood of our Valley communities and our agricultural economy. We like to say, Where water flows, food grows. prgtoken The Valley is one of the most advanced agricultural regions in the world. We produce over 250 crops that provide over 50 percent of the United States' fruits and vegetables on America's dinner table every night. The bounty of nature of food that we produce is coaxed out of the ground by some of the hardest working people you will ever meet, farmers and farmworkers, and it relies on a clean and reliable water resource. prgtoken And America's food supply, make no mistake about it, is a national security issue. I have spent decades working for commonsense short- and long-term solutions to address California's broken water system. When I served in the California legislature, I carried multiple bonds that were passed that provided over $2 billion for crucial water projects. prgtoken While in Congress, I have advanced legislation that have improved water supplies and funding for projects in many different ways: The North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program, which helps irrigate over 44,000 acres in western Merced and Stanislaus Counties with local and recycled water, and the San Luis-Delta Mendota Intertie project, which brings up to over 35,000 acre-feet of water annually to most of our rural Valley communities to advance efforts that are so important, that make a difference. prgtoken In addition, that doesn't include the success of the WIIN Act, bipartisan legislation which I helped lead through 4 years of tough negotiations. It became law in 2016. The WIIN Act creates more flexibility to move water based on real-time water realities and provides authorization for $563 million in Federal funds for water projects, like expanding Shasta Reservoir, like raising San Luis Reservoir, and like creating Temperance Flat. prgtoken Just this month, legislation I introduced to allow local water districts to improve the efficiency of dams passed the House. I call on the Senate to move this bill to the President's desk. prgtoken In the Valley, this would allow the Merced Irrigation District to advance a project to raise the spillway at New Exchequer Dam. This would increase the supply of water, over 56,000 acre-feet of water-- much needed. prgtoken However, it seems like every time we are able increase our drought resilience, State or Federal regulators decide that they need to take more water from the Valley. It is wrong and it is unfair. prgtoken The most recent attempt to repurpose the Valley water supplies came earlier this month by the California State Water Board. Staff released the final draft of a plan that is sim
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-7-17

I thank the chairman and ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and the chair and ranking member of the Interior Subcommittee. prgtoken Mr. Chair, today I rise to highlight the importance of the EPA's Superfund Enforcement program. Around the country, communities are being put at risk by those who do not responsibly handle the waste that they actually create, and it can result in years of ongoing damage, which leads to health complications and environmental degradation. prgtoken The Superfund Enforcement program at the EPA was granted authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA, to enforce environmental cleanup laws that bring habitats and communities back from the brink in places where pollutants have seeped into the ground. prgtoken One of the Superfund sites in my State is the Hanford site, which is a decommissioned nuclear production complex next to the Columbia River. It was established as part of the Manhattan Project in 1943, and it was the location of the first full-scale plutonium production reactor. prgtoken The site is massive, and its legacy not only includes its devastating role in World War II but also the environmental impacts in central Washington and beyond. prgtoken The EPA has referred to the Columbia River as the ``lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest,'' and they are right. And it is why it is so crucial that we at the Federal Government do everything we can to clean up Hanford. prgtoken Another Superfund site, this one in my district, is the Duwamish River, which was designated as a Superfund site in 2001. Over the course of many years, factory waste and household pollutants have run into the Duwamish, and the Duwamish air quality is the most toxic in our State. prgtoken Water pollutants have affected our local fish and they have threatened the food supply and the fishing culture, particularly of those non-English speakers, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and people of multiracial backgrounds who depend on the river as a way of life. prgtoken It has gotten so dangerous that the State and Federal Governments have actually issued a warning against the consumption of fish from the river. On average, community members in the Duwamish live an average of 8 years shorter than other King County residents. prgtoken The Superfund Enforcement program allows the Federal Government to assess locations like this from Washington State to Washington, D.C and determine who is responsible for cleaning up these potentially devastating contaminants. prgtoken By the numbers, , the Superfund Enforcement program has not only been incredibly successful, it has actually saved taxpayers money and leveraged a lot of money for us. prgtoken According to the EPA, in fiscal year 2017, the agency reported that they reduced, treated, or eliminated 217 million in pollution. During that same time, 245 million pounds of hazardous waste was trea
BLUE-SLIP TRADITION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-7-17

I rise today to join many of my colleagues who have come to the floor to speak about our country's third branch of government; that is, our courts. prgtoken Senators have a solemn obligation to advise and consent on the President's nominees to our Federal courts. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I take that obligation very seriously. prgtoken As Senator Merkley--who is heading up this evening's speeches and has brought a number of people together--knows, it is not just an obligation of prgtoken members of the Judiciary Committee; it is also an obligation of Senators, when they look at the judges who are coming out of their particular States, to make sure that this is a person--whoever the nominee is--who represents our country as an independent voice and someone who respects precedent as a member of the Federal bench, whether it is on the Supreme Court level or whether it is on the circuit or Federal district court levels. prgtoken In the U.S. Senate, we are here to do the people's business and not the President's business. This is an important job, particularly when it comes to nominees to our Nation's highest Court. The next member of the Supreme Court will make decisions that will affect the lives of people across the country for generations. prgtoken In the last decades, the Supreme Court has decided whom you can marry, where you can go to school, and--for people like my grandpa, who was a miner and who worked 1,500 feet underground his whole life--how safe your workplace is. Those are decisions that affect people and their lives. prgtoken The next Justice of the Supreme Court will make decisions that will affect the lives of people across the country, determining whether health insurers can deny coverage to people who are sick or have a preexisting condition or whether women's rights are protected. These are all cases that will be coming to the highest Court of the land. It is for this reason that it is critical that here in the Senate, we do our jobs and thoroughly examine Judge Kavanaugh's record. prgtoken This is part of our jobs in evaluating Supreme Court nominees, regardless of which party controls the White House. In fact, when Justice Elena Kagan's nomination was considered, because she had worked for an administration, approximately 171,000 pages of documents were made available. prgtoken Given Judge Kavanaugh's years of service on the DC Circuit, as well as his previous work in the administration, we will need to do due diligence in reviewing the record. That is part of our job. prgtoken For a lifetime appointment to our Nation's highest Court, the American people deserve no less. This is especially important because, for me, many of Judge Kavanaugh's past rulings are very troubling. prgtoken One area that I am concerned about is, of course, related to Judge Kavanaugh's record on consumer issues. I have done a lot of work in this area, and, of course, I am concerned about th
DUTY TO VOTE
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2018-7-17

the most fundamental right in our country is voting. prgtoken The Pew Charitable Trust recently did a study on registration and voting in each State. I am sad to say that my State of Tennessee came out pretty bad. prgtoken We were 40th in the number of people registered in our State. About 78 percent of the people were registered to vote. prgtoken In turnout, we were last. Only 28.5 percent of the people in Tennessee voted. This was based on the 2014 elections. prgtoken The 2018 elections will determine a lot about who sits in this House, who sits in the Senate, and, eventually, who sits on the Supreme Court. It is imperative that everybody register to vote so that they can vote in the November elections, not just in Tennessee, but everywhere in the country, and that everyone turn out to vote so the voting totals are a fair representation of the people, all the people, if we are going to have a House and a Senate that is representative of America. prgtoken What occurred in Helsinki and what was brought out with the indictments by Special Counsel Mueller show how much the Russians think of our election system, that they got involved in a cyber attack on our country to defeat a candidate. prgtoken We should care as much about our electoral system as the Russians. We should care more about it. The fact that more than 20 percent of the citizens in my State do not register and do not vote is appalling. prgtoken With the continued threat to the electoral system in 2018, it is so important that we at least make it difficult for the Russians to have an impact. That means that each and every citizen needs to register, register others as their civic duty, vote as their civic duty, and make their voices heard. Otherwise, this room will not represent ``America the Beautiful.''