mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
POLICE AND CIVILIAN RELATIONS IN AMERICA
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-7-19

I thank Mr. Ellison very much for those very thoughtful and insightful comments. prgtoken I want to pick up the discussion about the police power and expand the discussion to include not just power over persons, but power over property in America. prgtoken Our Constitution's Framers were deeply informed by the social contract theorists of the 17th and 18th centuries, and those theorists believed that we enter into a social contract out of a state of nature, because we are all prgtoken made better off by virtue of being part of a society. prgtoken So the first incarnation of it came from Thomas Hobbes in his work on the ``Leviathan.'' Hobbes argued that the state of nature was, in his famous words, ``nasty, brutish, and short,'' because anybody could kill anybody. And so we enter into society together, and we give our power to the leviathan, the government. prgtoken Now, the problem with his view, of course, was that the leviathan, the government, had whatever powers it wanted, unlimited, infinite powers. And at that point, as the Framers of our Constitution would see, you have got a real problem, because you might be saved from criminals and bandits and thieves, but now you have got to deal with an all-powerful government and police who can trample your rights just as much as the thieves and the bandits could. So the Hobbesian theory was inadequate. prgtoken John Locke, in his famous work on the social contract, improved upon the proposition. The state of nature for him was not quite so frightful a place. There were certain virtues to a state of nature, so people were actually giving something up by going into it. prgtoken So in his view, entering the social contract meant that we would surrender some of our powers to government, and certainly our powers to commit violence and theft against other people, but in return, we would be guaranteed rights by the government and we would also have rights against the government, and that was the view that deeply informed the U.S. Constitution. prgtoken The whole point of the rule of law is that the people have rights against the government, against those who are just the agents of the sovereign. The sovereign is the people. The people are the sleeping sovereign who can come awake in times of constitution-making and also in order to make law. prgtoken Now, the whole social contract becomes unraveled Hobbesian style if we are attacked by the police. So my friend, Congressman Poe from Texas, earlier spoke about the horrific spectacle of violence waged against U.S. citizens and others in the streets of Washington, D.C by the thugs of Prime Minister Erdogan from Turkey, who were unleashed on protesters, and we saw, as Congressman Poe said, a scene of really savage violence take place right here in Washington. prgtoken I am glad that we have a bipartisan consensus that that kind of police attack on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly is unacceptable in the United Stat
RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF RACHEL HECK
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2017-7-19

I rise today to recognize Rachel Heck who made Memphis proud over the weekend at the U.S. Women's Golf Open. At 15 years of age, Rachel was the youngest player in the 2017 U.S. Women's Open field. prgtoken Rachel Heck is a sophomore at St. Agnes Academy with a stellar 4.7 GPA and has already committed to attend Stanford University. She was selected to be the USA Today high school golfer of the year and The Commercial Appeal's High School Golfer of the Year. Rachel qualified for the U.S. Women's Open on her first attempt, taking one of two spots in the Braselton, Ga sectional qualifier. prgtoken Last September, Rachel won the TSSAA Division II-AA girls state title. In June, she won the 2017 Rolex Girls Junior Championship. She's No. 3 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings and is ranked second by the American Junior Golf Association. prgtoken Rachel Heck finished her first appearance at the U.S. Women's Open at 2-over-290. Overall, Rachel posted rounds of 72-74-72-72 while battling difficult conditions throughout, including heavy rains on Thursday and Friday. She finished 33rd in a six-way tie and placed 3rd amongst amateurs. prgtoken Rachel Heck is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Memphis golfers ever. Dr. Carey Middlecoff (born in Hall, TN) won the U.S. Open Championship in 1949 and the Masters Tournament in 1955 and Shaun Micheel (born in Orlando, FL) won the PGA Championship in 2003, but Rachel is a native, born and raised in Memphis. prgtoken I joined thousands of Memphians watching Rachel, who had one of the best human interest stories of the tournament. I wish her the prgtoken best as she continues her golf career at St. Agnes and at Stanford University.
Introductory Statement on S. 1582
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-7-19

I rise to join my colleague and friend, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, in introducing legislation that would establish a Bicentennial Commission to honor Frederick Douglass in 2018. Douglass was an extraordinary individual who was enslaved at birth in Talbot County, Maryland. prgtoken At a young age, Douglass learned to read and write. In 1838 he escaped from Maryland and moved to New York. Then, in 1845, he published his first autobiography called ``The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: an American Slave''. prgtoken He later escaped to Great Britain to avoid being tracked down and returned to slavery in Maryland. Ultimately, British Quakers paid for his freedom, which enabled him to return to United States, settling in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847. Frederick Douglass continued to be a strong Abolitionist who campaigned against slavery and in favor of the right to vote throughout the East and Mid-West. In 1850 he oversaw the Underground-Railroad in Rochester, New York. prgtoken As a Freeman he was able to hold significant positions within the Government. He served as an Advisor to President Lincoln. He was appointed to serve as the District of Columbia Legislative Council, the United States Marshall and the Recorder of Deeds. He subsequently became the Ambassador to Haiti from 1889 to 1891. prgtoken Despite his extensive travel, Douglass made four trips back to Talbot County, Maryland. He reconciled with Captain Thomas Auld who had enslaved him in the past. He made a pilgrimage to Tappers Corner in search of his grandmother's cabin and his birthplace. As an entrepreneur, he invested in several enterprises, especially those that would benefit the African-American community. These included low-income housing developments in his old neighborhood in Fells Point (named Douglass Place) and at Highland Beach, a summer resort community outside of Annapolis popular with African Americans outside of Annapolis. prgtoken Two hundred years after Douglass' birth is a fitting time to reflect upon his work and achievements and pay tribute to a man who fought for his freedom and justice for all. He stated: ``We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.'' prgtoken In that spirit, it will be important to honor this man and explore how his legacy can help guide the future of our Country. As Douglass stated, ``The life of the Nation is secure only while the Nation is honest, truthful and virtuous''.
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-7-19

today the Senate is considering the nomination of John K. to the Sixth Circuit--someone who should have no place on the Federal bench. prgtoken Mr. is one of the most outspoken and blindly ideological judicial nominees I have seen in my time in the Senate. A longtime Party prgtoken activist and donor in Kentucky, Mr. is also a political blogger whose incendiary comments are beneath the dignity of the office he aspires to hold. On this blog, Mr. hid behind a secret online identity to denigrate people with crude language and to question the very foundation of our country's legal system. Mr. has been a champion of the racist birther conspiracy about President . prgtoken When asked about these posts during his hearing, Mr. appeared to regret that his posts presented problems during his confirmation process and did not demonstrate any remorse for the views he expressed in his blog. prgtoken In another post, Mr. equated abortion and slavery, calling them ``two of the greatest tragedies in American history.'' prgtoken In Dred Scott, which is widely considered to be the worst decision in Supreme Court history, the Court held that African Americans were property, not people, and that they were not entitled to citizenship under our Constitution. The American people rejected this holding in the Civil War and in the constitutional amendments passed in its aftermath. prgtoken In contrast, the core holding of Roe, as reaffirmed in Casey, is the law of the land and based on the Constitution's protections for individuals to make intimate and personal decisions. prgtoken Comparing a constitutionally protected right to slavery--a crime against humanity and one of the deepest stains on the moral conscience of this country--is unconscionable. I question how a judge holding this kind of view would rule on any number of cases coming before him that force him to confront his strongly held ideological beliefs. prgtoken Mr. made repeated attempts to downplay these outrageous statements and tried to convince us that he would simply follow precedent. Saying ``I will follow precedent'' should not shield this extreme nominee from legitimate scrutiny of his ideology. prgtoken Should he be confirmed, Mr. will likely be presented with cases that provide opportunities to push the precedent envelope. This is particularly evident when examining Mr. 's own writings. For example, in a 2008 blog post, he supported statements made by the majority leader, whose campaigns he supported, that judicial appointments could preserve ``the anti-abortion agenda.'' If confirmed, we have every reason to believe that Mr. will take every opportunity to pursue a radical, anti-woman, anti-choice agenda. prgtoken Statements like these raise serious questions about whether litigants appearing before potential circuit court judge could trust in the fairness that is the hallmark of our
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-7-19

I rise in open opposition to the nomination of John , nominated to serve a lifetime appointment on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken The Federal courts of appeal have a significant impact on the lives of many Americans. Because the Supreme Court only reviews a limited number of cases each year, decisions by the circuit courts represent the final word on thousands of legal matters that involve a host of important issues. prgtoken The Senate has to take very seriously its obligation to consider candidates for these important courts. We have to make sure they have the qualifications, the temperament, and the judgment to serve for the rest of their lives. Based on Mr. 's record and his testimony before the Judiciary Committee, I believe he falls short of this standard. prgtoken Over the course of his legal career, Mr. has made dozens of provocative comments, casting serious doubt on his temperament, his judgment, his impartiality, and his ability to serve as a fair and impartial judge. prgtoken Consider the following things that this nominee has said or done: prgtoken In 2008, Mr. compared abortion to slavery, writing in an anonymous blog, I might add, that ``the two greatest tragedies in our country--slavery and abortion--relied on similar reasoning and activist justices at the U.S. Supreme Court, first in the Dred Scott decision and later in Roe.'' prgtoken Senator Feinstein and I decided to ask Mr. to explain this statement at his hearing. He did not disavow the comparison he made in this anonymous blog. Here is what he said instead. He claimed that he had referred to Roe v. Wade as a tragedy ``in the sense that it divided our country.'' prgtoken I asked Mr. to explain his logic, asking whether he would characterize Brown v. Board of Education as a case that divided our country. He answered: ``I wasn't alive at the time of Brown, but I don't think it did.'' prgtoken That is an incredible statement made by a man who seeks to serve on a Federal circuit court for the rest of his life. His logic and his historical analogy have fallen apart. There is no dispute that Brown v. Board of Education, which ended up in the official desegregation of public schools across America, was a landmark Supreme Court decision that deemed racial segregation unconstitutional and, as a result, led to controversy and division across the United States. prgtoken I can't believe a man from Kentucky, a border State--a neighboring state of my State of Illinois--could not measure the impact of Brown v. Board of Education and whether it divided our country. That, to me, is incredible. The reason, of course, he didn't is because he didn't want to concede, quite obviously, that he was just opposed to a woman's right to choose, and this was a rationalization for this position. prgtoken There were many other instances in which Mr. expressed provocative and troubling views. He wrote that public
Fossil Fuels (Executive Calendar)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-7-19

so far this year President and Senate s have selected a long list of Wall Street insiders, corporate CEOs, lobbyists, and radical rightwing ideologues to run the Federal Government, but the s haven't stopped there. They are also working to fill vacancies on the courts with the same kind of people--nominees who reflect pro-corporate, radically conservative views that will threaten the principle of equal justice under law. prgtoken That is not coincidence. Powerful rightwing groups have had their sights set on the courts for decades, and over the past 8 years they have launched a relentless campaign to capture our courts. During the administration, a key part of their strategy was stopping fair, mainstream nominees with diverse, professional backgrounds from becoming judges. Our Federal courts suffered the consequences. Vacancies sat open for months. They sat open for years, and cases piled up on the desks of overworked judges. prgtoken Now, with President in the White House and Senate s are in control of the Senate, those powerful interests see an unprecedented opportunity to reshape our courts in ways that will benefit billionaires and giant corporations for decades to come. Now they see their chance to stack the courts with radical, rightwing, pro- Big Business conservatives. prgtoken John , President 's nominee to sit on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, is one of those radical, rightwing, pro-business conservatives. Mr. is not just a member of the ultraconservative Federalist Society. He is the cofounder and 20-year president of the Louisville chapter. During his career, he has earned a reputation for fighting for the big guys. For example, Mr. supports weakening our campaign finance laws so giant corporations and wealthy individuals can flood our elections with unlimited contributions and buy the officials they want. I believe Mr. 's pro-corporate views call his qualifications to the Federal bench into question. I do not understand how he can be fair and impartial when his billionaire buddies show up in court. prgtoken My concern about Mr. runs much deeper. He has demonstrated a level of disrespect for other people that flatly disqualifies him for a lifetime appointment to the Federal bench. Here is just a glimpse of what the man nominated to be a Federal judge has written and said in public: prgtoken In a blog post, he called for then-House Nancy Pelosi to be gagged. prgtoken In another blog post, Mr. mocked policies that recognize same- sex parents saying that ``[i]t's just like the government to decide it needs to decide something like which parent is number one and which parent is number two.'' prgtoken In a speech in Louisville, he repeated a quote from a late journalist saying: ``I come here every year, let me tell you one thing I've learned--this is no town to be giving people the impression you're some
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2910, PROMOTING INTERAGENCY COORDINATION FOR REVIEW OF NATURAL GAS PIPELINES ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2883, PROMOTING CROSS-BORDER ENERGY...
Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-7-19

such time as I may consume. prgtoken If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up Representative Pascrell of New Jersey's Bring Jobs Home Act, H.R. 685. This bill will close the tax loophole that rewards companies from moving jobs overseas, while providing a tax credit to companies that move jobs back to the United States. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-7-19

according to the majority leader, there will not be a vote on the motion to proceed to the healthcare bill until next week. In the time between now and then, my friends have a choice to make about how they want to move forward on what looks like will be a failed vote. prgtoken Do they want to take the path of President , who yesterday said that he wanted our healthcare system to fail, or do they want to work with on legislation to improve the law? It is that simple. prgtoken We know the Affordable Care Act isn't perfect, and we propose specific legislation that could pass right now to stabilize marketplaces and lower premiums for Americans across the country. These proposals are specific, nonideological, and could pass quickly and make life better for millions of Americans. A decent number of Governors and even Senators have said that these are the kinds of proposals we need. prgtoken Here they are: prgtoken First, we have proposed a bill by Senator Shaheen that would guarantee the premium reduction payments that insurers say is the No. 1 thing we could do right now to stabilize the individual marketplace. prgtoken Second, we have proposed a bill by Senators Carper and Kaine that would create a reinsurance program for the individual health insurance market, again, aimed at stabilizing the marketplaces. prgtoken Third, we have proposed a bill by Senator McCaskill that would enable any American living in a bare county--that is, a bare county that lacks health insurers--to purchase the same insurance we get here in Congress. prgtoken All three of these would stabilize the markets and help to prevent premiums from going up further and coverage from decreasing. They address the actual issues in our healthcare system. I have mentioned they are not ideological and exactly the kind of legislation we could work on together. If our intent is to make things better, this is something we can come together on--all three of these proposals. They address the actual issues that we have and should be something we can do together immediately. prgtoken The approach--decimating Medicaid to give a tax break to the wealthy--doesn't solve any of the problems s claim to be so worried about: high premiums, high deductibles, bare counties. In fact, by most objective reports, it makes them worse. The CBO said that under each version of the plan, premiums would go up on many Americans, deductibles and copays would go up, there would be even more bare counties than there are today, and tens of millions would lose insurance. prgtoken Repealing the healthcare law without any replacement is even worse. It would cause our healthcare system to implode, creating chaos. Millions more would lose insurance, and for millions more than that coverage would be diminished, all of which is even worse than under the bill. prgtoken I hope my colleagues will
HONORING CAPTAIN ROBERT ``BOB'' HOLTON
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2017-7-19

today I wish to honor the life of Air Force Capt. Robert ``Bob'' Holton, a lifelong resident of Butte, MT, and an intrepid Vietnam veteran. prgtoken To Bob's family, on behalf of myself, my fellow Montanans, and my fellow Americans, I would like extend our deepest gratitude for Bob's service to this Nation. prgtoken Bob was born on April 8, 1941, in Butte, MT. He graduated from Butte High School in 1959, a talented musician who excelled at the saxophone, clarinet, and piano. prgtoken Bob continued his education at the University of Montana, where he earned his pilot's license and served as an outstanding military cadet with the ROTC. Bob went on to marry his high school classmate, Diane Eck, in 1962, and graduated with a business degree in 1965. prgtoken Bob proudly served his country during the Vietnam War, flying an F4 Phantom as an interceptor alongside his comrade Maj. William Campbell, a fighter-bomber. Their deployment took them near the border of Laos and Vietnam, where their plane was downed in enemy fire on January 29, 1969. prgtoken This disaster sparked a tragic mystery for the Holton family, who have been unable to find the site of the crash, nor fully confirm its outcome. The circumstances gave them no closure and left Bob's family in pain. prgtoken Bob's memory has been tirelessly honored, with folks across the U.S. wearing MIA bracelets in recognition of his unfinished story. The National League of Families and the Air Force have continually supported the Holton family's search for Bill, for which they are endlessly grateful. prgtoken Now, 48 years after the crash, Butte's only Vietnam war Missing in Action has been found. Bob's remains have been recovered and will finally be returned to his home State. His life and light will be honored Saturday, July 22, in a ceremonial burial at the Sunset Memorial Park. prgtoken For Bob's family, the actions by so many have helped provide closure. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I want to thank them for their hope and continued support for Bob and all of our veterans who are missing in action. prgtoken Let us now take a moment to recognize the life of Capt. Robert Holton and the legacy he left behind. We deeply appreciate his service to the American people.