mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
VOTE EXPLANATION
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-9-11

I was necessarily absent, but had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 263, motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 403, Kelly Craft, of Kentucky, to be Representative of the United States to the UN General Assembly. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 264, confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 403, Kelly Craft, of Kentucky, to be Representative of the United States to the UN General Assembly. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 265, motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 5, Elizabeth Darling, of Texas, to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 266, confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 5, Elizabeth Darling, of Texas, to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 267, motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 174, Stephen Akard, of Indiana, to be Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with the rank of Ambassador. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 268, motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 246, Dale Cabaniss, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management. prgtoken I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted yes on rollcall vote 269, motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 294, James Byrne, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
REMEMBERING 9/11
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-11

. Madam , I rise today on the 18th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack to honor the nearly 3,000 individuals, brave men and women who lost their lives. Most Americans remember where they were during that day. There have been few times in our Nation's history that we have faced such an atrocity. And the effects are still being felt today. prgtoken But instead of shrinking in the shadow of such adversity, we rose to the challenge and came together to help one another. We became a Nation of one. But it also has changed our Nation and the world that we live in today forever, the way we work, the way we view our security. prgtoken This past July, I was pleased that the House and Senate with the President came together to reauthorize the 9/11 Victim's Compensation Fund for police and firefighters, first responders who answered the call after the attack in New York and Washington, D.C. These heroic men and women deserve all the help we can give them, and we must never forget September 11, 2001. We must remember 18 years ago today when we were all one as Americans. We need that more today than ever before. Honoring David Huerta
Background Checks (Executive Calendar)
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-9-11

I join with many of my colleagues to make a pretty simple request, and that is, the issue of gun violence in this country requires us to take action. prgtoken The Senate needs to do what it has historically been in place to do. The Presiding Officer is in his first term, and I am in my third term. The U.S. Senate is the place in which we debate and vote on issues, the greatest deliberative body in the world--at least that is what I thought I was running for. prgtoken It is time for Leader McConnell to bring up gun safety legislation-- well prgtoken past time to bring up gun safety legislation--and for us to act and do something about gun violence in this country. prgtoken Yes, we hope the President will lead, will provide that leadership that we hear about after every one of these mass shootings--that the President is engaged. We need his leadership to bring us together on sensible gun safety legislation, but if not, we still have the responsibility here in this body to act. We call upon Leader McConnell to bring forward sensible gun safety legislation. prgtoken The United States is an outlier on gun violence. When you compare the amount of gun violence in the United States to that in the other developed countries of the world, in every category, multiply it times 10, 20, or 30--more likely for gun violence episodes here in the United States than other developed countries of the world. prgtoken We have far more private ownership of guns in this country than other industrial nations of the world. We have far more mass killings. We have far more gun-related suicides, and the list goes on and on and on. prgtoken So we need to take action. This is one area where we don't want to be the outlier. We want safe communities, and inaction is not an answer. prgtoken Yes, there are many things we could do. Look, the people of Maryland and the people throughout this country have been victims of this gun violence. In my own State of Maryland, we had a mass shooting in June of last year at the Capital Gazette--outrageous. People trying to do their jobs were killed. We have had, of course, school shootings. It is time for this Congress to take steps to reduce this risk. Inaction is not an option. prgtoken What should we do? As my previous colleague said, there are a lot of things we should be doing. We should take a look at whether it is reasonable for there to be private ownership of military-style weapons. I think there shouldn't be. That is certainly a bill we can bring up. prgtoken We have seen these assault weapons used in a lot of mass attacks, where you have multiple casualties in a matter of seconds, where there is no possibility for law enforcement to respond to keep people safe during that short period of time. prgtoken We should get rid of the high-capacity magazines. I know the House is working on that. That is something that, again, is not necessary for the purposes of recreation. prgtoken We should identify
RECOGNIZING ARTS IN EDUCATION WEEK
Chellie Pingree (Democrat, ME) \u2014 2019-9-11

I rise to recognize Arts in Education Week. prgtoken As children return to school from their summer vacations, I am reminded that true education must go beyond language arts and math. It must include daily access to creative subjects like dance, poetry, visual arts, and theater. prgtoken Ninety-three percent of Americans agree: The arts are a vital part of a well-rounded education, and when schools make the investment, we see ripple effects across students' lives. A student involved in the arts is four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement; they are three times more likely to win an award for school attendance and are elected to class office more than three times as often as their peers. prgtoken We must do more to ensure every child can regularly access arts education. In the most recent appropriations bill passed by this Chamber, we included a $6 million increase to support Arts in Education at the Department of Education. prgtoken I am proud to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to support this program and will push to preserve a strong increase in any final spending bill.
OREGON WILDLANDS ACT
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-9-11

Oregonians love and cherish their wild rivers, and I am pleased we were able to protect many of these Oregon treasures in the Oregon Wildlands Act, which Congress included as part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. The act adds 255 miles of new Wild and Scenic Rivers in Oregon. prgtoken Some, but not all, of these new or expanded wild and scenic rivers designated under the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act were evaluated by the Bureau of Land Management for their potential inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. These evaluations in many cases identified the rivers' ``outstandingly remarkable values,'' ORVs, consistent with agency regulations and guidance. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act specifies that wild prgtoken and scenic rivers are managed to ``protect and enhance the values,'' 16 USC 1281(a), for which the wild and scenic river was established. prgtoken The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act generally defines ``outstandingly remarkable values'' as ``scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values.'' The Federal land management agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, which is administering most of the new and expanded wild and scenic rivers in the Oregon Wildlands Act, has defined ``other'' values as, but not limited to, ``ecological, biological or botanical, paleontological, hydrological, traditional cultural uses, water quality, and scientific values.'' prgtoken Some of the new and expanded wild and scenic rivers in Oregon Wildlands Act were never evaluated by the agency. Therefore, as part of the fact-gathering by my staff based on State and Federal agency data and research and public input during the development of the legislation, ORVs were determined for the new and expanded wild and scenic rivers. The table I am including with my statement lists both the general and specific ORVs identified during consideration of the legislation. It is to protect and enhance these values for which I, as the chief sponsor of the Oregon Wilderness Act, included the various wild and scenic rivers in the legislation that Congress ultimately included in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. This table includes both the outstandingly remarkable values that BLM found for the stream segments, as well as additional values. prgtoken The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act reflects the Nation's commitment to protect America's rivers, streams, and special places. I am pleased the legislation permanently protects from damming, diversion, and mining over 255 miles of Oregon's pristine rivers and streams as part of the nation's Wild and Scenic Rivers system. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that the table be printed in the Record.
COASTAL AND MARINE ECONOMIES PROTECTION ACT
Jefferson Van Drew (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-9-11

. Mr. Chair, I rise today because I wholeheartedly support the Coastal and Marine Economy Protection Act, authored by my good friend, Congressman Cunningham. prgtoken This bill does what seems obvious to almost everyone. It bans offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean. It is an issue that brings together business groups, environmental groups, sportsmen groups, and many, many others. It is an issue that transcends party lines. prgtoken In my district, we had a press conference in support of this legislation and banning, and we had s, , Independents, businesspeople, as well as environmentalists all together. prgtoken In south Jersey, our coast is our lifeblood. It is everything. It is our economy, it is our culture, and it is our way of life. prgtoken Our fisheries and tourism industry are worth nearly $50 billion a year, supporting well over half a million jobs statewide. If an oil spill would occur on our coastline, our beaches, natural resources, and coastal properties would be wiped out in a heartbeat. prgtoken Our fishermen, casino workers, hospitality industry, restaurants, and small businesses would all, each and every one, suffer. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1941.
REMEMBERING 9/11
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-9-11

I thank the gentleman and all of my colleagues for all of the support and the effort to rebuild and make this country stronger. We literally rewrote the whole intelligence system and defense system of the Nation and took really massive steps to restructure our government and our country to be able to respond and protect our citizens. It was a unified, determined effort. prgtoken I thank all of my colleagues for all of their help for New York and for all of their help for the Pentagon and Shanksville, and, mostly, for being part of an effort to rebuild and make this country stronger to be able to prevent future attacks. prgtoken I thank Members so much for their kind words. My constituents in my city deeply appreciate it.
Background Checks (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-9-11

before I begin, I would like to take just a moment to remember the thousands of innocent lives lost 18 years ago today and to thank the first responders who so bravely sacrificed their lives in the service of others. prgtoken September 11 is a day that will always weigh heavily upon our Nation, but it is also a day that shows the strength and resiliency of the American people. In response to tragedy, we saw beyond our differences and came together as a country. That is the lesson we must never forget. prgtoken Today, I come to the floor as a voice for families in my home State of Washington who have had enough of just ``thoughts and prayers'' and as a mother and a grandmother who has had enough of them too. My heart breaks with every report of another horrific mass shooting. prgtoken Like my colleagues here today and the rest of our country, I watched in horror last month as devastating gun violence claimed dozens of innocent lives and threw our communities into a state of panic yet again. This heartbreak has become all too familiar to so many of us-- from El Paso and Odessa, to Dayton, to Maryville in my home State of Washington, and in schools and movie theaters and community spaces across our country. So what we are doing here today is refusing to accept this as normal and demanding the change that so many families are crying out for. prgtoken are committed to heeding the voices of countless people back in Washington State and across our country who are desperate for leaders in this Washington--including President and Leader McConnell--to address this crisis. That is why I am joining my colleagues on the Senate floor throughout today to call on Leader McConnell to take up commonsense gun safety legislation, starting with universal background checks. prgtoken We know universal background checks save lives by closing dangerous loopholes to help keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them. That is why more than 80 percent of Americans support universal background checks and are demanding immediate action from Congress to make universal background checks the law of the land. prgtoken There certainly are other steps we can take as well. We could strengthen the extreme risk protection orders, which have worked in my home State of Washington. We could revive the assault weapons ban, invest in gun violence prevention research, and regulate firearm magazine limits. All of those steps could save lives and prevent more families from enduring the horrific pain and trauma too many already have. But H.R. 8--the universal background check legislation that has already passed the House--is literally sitting here in the Senate, waiting to be called up for a vote. prgtoken As I close, I want to be clear. Passing universal background checks must be this body's first order of business if we are serious about protecting people and helping to keep guns out of the wrong hands. I and
Background Checks (Executive Calendar)
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-9-11

I am honored to follow my colleague from Connecticut after his powerful and eloquent description of the lives that have been lost, the stakes of this decision, and the clear path we have--an opportunity and an obligation to save lives. prgtoken Let me begin where he ended. The President of the United States has an obligation here to lead. If he does, we will have legislation that will literally save thousands of lives. He has an obligation, as we do, to find a way to save these lives. prgtoken All of us have seen all too often the needless, senseless, and unspeakable tragedy done by gun violence. We focus on the mass killings, but those 90 deaths a day consist of the drive-by, one-by-one shootings in Hartford and New Haven and Bridgeport and cities and towns and communities around the country. No one is immune. No family is untouched, through friends and relatives and workplaces and through suicides, which are a major part of those 90 deaths every day in this country. Domestic violence is made five times more deadly when there is a gun in the home. prgtoken The President must not only come to the table but lead. And if he will not lead, get out of the way because we have an obligation to move forward now and take advantage of this historic opportunity and obligation. prgtoken Just weeks ago, in one 24-hour period, massacres in El Paso and Dayton left 31 people dead. Eleven days ago, a shooter in Odessa, TX, killed another seven. Communities are forever changed by these events, and so is our Nation. The trauma and the stress done in schools to our children by the drills they conduct, by the anticipation that prgtoken is raised, by the fear that is engendered--the sights and sounds of gun violence echo and reverberate across our land. prgtoken I remember the sights and sounds of the parents at the firehouse in Sandy Hook on that horrible day in 2012 when 20 beautiful children and sixth grade educators died. The firehouse is where parents went to find out whether their children were OK. The way they found out was either their children appeared or they did not. prgtoken For them, in the cries and sobbing they experienced, the expressions of anguish, the look on those faces, it was only the beginning of their nightmare. It transformed Connecticut. What we did in Connecticut was adopt commonsense measures and comprehensive steps to stop gun violence. prgtoken The lesson of Connecticut is not only that those steps have reduced gun violence, including homicide, but also that States with the strongest laws are still at the mercy of the ones with the weakest because guns have no respect for State boundaries. They cross State lines, and they do damage and death in States like Connecticut with strong gun laws. Through the Iron Pipeline, it comes from other States to our south. prgtoken Since that day at Sandy Hook, there have been 2,218 mass shootings in the United States, and over 2,000 times, parents have sat
Remembering September 11th (Executive Calendar)
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-9-11

I start my remarks tonight by thanking my colleague from Wyoming for his remarks concerning the anniversary of the horror that was September 11, 2001. I join him and all of my colleagues here in recognizing that in the midst of that horror, the American people came together, and we demonstrated the strength, kindness, bravery, and resilience that we have throughout our history. prgtoken I, too, remember the victims, their loved ones, as well as all of the brave first responders. I thank all of the men and women of our military who continue to fight against terrorism and who keep us safe, and I remember the lives lost on the battlefield.
COMMEMORATING THE 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-9-11

I thank Congresswoman Maloney for yielding and for all her work over the years on this issue. prgtoken It is hard to believe it has been 18 years. Like many New Yorkers, 9/ 11 seems both long ago and immediate, a memory and something I live with every day. prgtoken I was in Washington that morning and immediately rushed back to New York by train. I saw the smoking wreckage in Lower Manhattan from the train window and expected chaos in the city, but, when I exited Penn Station that evening, I was struck by the silence. prgtoken It was like a scene from out of the movie ``On the Beach.'' The city seemed empty. No cars, no people, no vehicles, no buses, nothing on the streets--just the strange odor that hung in the air. prgtoken Knowing the terror and confusion happening just 40 blocks south, the silence was eerie. prgtoken But, as we recall the fear and grief of September 11, we cannot forget the courage we saw that morning and in the days, weeks, and months following the attack: the firefighters who ran into those buildings, the police officers who searched for survivors, the coworkers who carried each other down endless stairs, the strangers on the street who guided each other to safety, the construction workers who spent months clearing debris. prgtoken The legacy of 9/11 is not just one of tragedy and grief; it is one of courage, self-sacrifice, and community; it is one of the American people, through Congress, appropriating $20 billion to help New York begin to recover from the terrorist attack. prgtoken But history would not be complete if we did not acknowledge that the Federal Government exacerbated the massive environmental disaster caused by the collapse of the World Trade Center by insisting, contrary to ample evidence, that the air in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn was safe to breathe. prgtoken Thousands of responders, from all over the country, worked on the World Trade Center site with minimal or no protective equipment. prgtoken The Federal Government did not step in to conduct the necessary comprehensive cleanup of the schools, offices, and residences in Lower Manhattan. Instead, students were sent back to schools caught in a dust cloud before the ventilation systems were cleaned. Residents and office workers were sent back to buildings covered in asbestos. prgtoken I joined a few environmental groups in trying to warn people that they could not believe the assurances of EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman and Mayor Giuliani that the air was not safe to breathe, that people should not return to school or to work without respiratory protection and until a proper cleanup was done. prgtoken Eventually, we forced the government to acknowledge those lies and to provide healthcare and resources for those clearly made sick by their exposure to those toxins. prgtoken As subcommittee chair, I held the first hearings to hold the EPA and former EPA administrator Whitman accountable for putting hundreds of thous