mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WORLD REFUGEE DAY
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-6-20

I want to take the opportunity to join communities across the country and around the globe to commemorate the 19th observance of World Refugee Day. prgtoken Let me start with two sobering statistics from the UN agency charged with protecting refugees. The first is that 25 people were forced to flee their homes every minute of last year. The second is that more than 70 million people have now been forcibly displaced by conflict and persecution, the highest number the UN refugee agency has ever seen. So suffice it to say that the global need is real. prgtoken Which is why it is so heartbreaking to see 's repeated efforts to try and slam America's doors shut to the world's most vulnerable. prgtoken It is particularly outrageous that the folks aren't even on track to admit their own historically low cap of 30,000 refugees this year. prgtoken Let's be clear: Turning away refugees isn't some cornerstone of conservatism. Ronald Reagan admitted tens of thousands of refugees, so did . prgtoken In another era, that would have included my family, who fled Nazi persecution in the 1930s, seeking sanctuary in this country. I would have never had the honor of representing my State of Oregon here in this body had America sent my parents away. prgtoken Now, Edith and Peter Wyden aren't exactly household names, but here are a few that should be: Madeleine Albright, Albert Einstein, Gloria Estefan, Mila Kunis, and Elie Wiesel. prgtoken America is so much the richer for their contributions to diplomacy, physics, music, film and television, literature, and more. prgtoken So there is a practical reason for accepting refugees: Doing so makes America better. prgtoken There is also a moral reason for accepting refugees. Faith traditions speak of it as a duty to repair the world or to welcome the stranger. In Oregon, we just call it the right thing to do. prgtoken America is better than the administration's cruel and callous policies. I remain committed to challenging 's exclusionary, anti-refugee policies on all fronts, and I challenge my colleagues to do the same. prgtoken Folks are looking to the Senate for strong, principled leaders. They want more than rhetoric; they want results. prgtoken So I urge my colleagues in the strongest terms to honor this World Refugee Day by rolling up their sleeves and working to revive America's historic, bipartisan commitment to the plight of refugees around the world.
RECOGNIZING INTERFAITH TAMPA BAY ON THEIR FIFTH ANNUAL INTERFAITH PRIDE WORSHIP SERVICE
Charlie Crist (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Madam , I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Interfaith Tampa Bay on their fifth annual Interfaith Pride Worship Service in St. Petersburg, Florida. I am honored to represent such an inclusive and diverse district. This worship service demonstrates that an attitude of not just tolerance, but acceptance, is shared by our faith leaders of all beliefs and backgrounds. prgtoken Interfaith Tampa Bay is an organization uniting faith leaders and believers of different religious backgrounds, coming together in prayer, service, and mutual support. The Pride Worship Service, taking place within the city-wide celebration of St. Pete Pride, gives LGBTQ members of the faith community an opportunity to worship and celebrate God's love surrounded by those who accept and support them. The Pride Worship Service invites all in attendance to worship at the altar of compassion, kindness, and understanding. prgtoken Hosted by King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Pride Worship Service features leaders of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist faiths. This service is proceeded by a Pride March through the streets of the city to the steps of the church, demonstrating the interconnectivity between faith, pride, and self-love. It is a message to all that one need not choose between their faith and their identity, and that it is only when we are able to truly love ourselves that we are able to love God. prgtoken Through the Pride Worship Service and other community gatherings, Interfaith Tampa Bay is fostering a sense of community between the faith communities in our region, and reestablishing the church, mosque, synagogue, and other houses of worship as places of love and enlightenment for all. Recently, the organization hosted the Tampa Bay Iftar Dinner to celebrate the Muslim observance of Ramadan and recognize the achievements of Tampa Bay's Muslim community. In light of recent incidences of violence within these sacred spaces, the role of Interfaith Tampa Bay and similar institutions is incredibly important in the fight against intolerance and hate. prgtoken On behalf of my Tampa Bay neighbors, I want to recognize Interfaith Tampa Bay, King of Peace MCC, Allendale UMC, Congregation B'Nai Israel, and all participating faith organizations for their support of the LGBTQ community.
CONSIDERATION OF SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NOS. 27 THROUGH 48 EN BLOC-- Resumed
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-6-20

I come to the floor again to urge my colleagues to stand up for Congress as a coequal branch of government and assert our institutional rights in the arms sales process. prgtoken I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have joined with me in this effort to bring us here today. prgtoken As we get ready to vote on these resolutions, I want to again remind my colleagues what is at stake here. At the end of the day, these votes are not about any one President or any one arms sale. There will be another President in the White House someday. There will be another President who will want to claim Executive authorities to run over Congress and who will want to use emergency declarations to push through their agenda. We in this body must embrace our article I responsibilities and ensure that we serve as an effective check on whoever that Executive is. prgtoken Regarding these resolutions, in particular, we must both assert our role in upholding the rule of law at home and use our position to ensure that when our government seeks to sell weapons, those sales advance our national security interests and our values. It is the Congress that provided the President with the authority to sell arms while retaining strong oversight in the process. prgtoken At the risk of getting in the weeds, I want to briefly explain why Secretary Pompeo's 22 emergency certifications don't meet the basic requirements laid out by Congress in the Arms Export Control Act. I will be submitting a further statement for the Record detailing my statutory concerns, and I encourage my colleagues to read it. prgtoken First of all, Secretary Pompeo provided us with one single emergency declaration for 22 separate arms sales, when the law requires each come with its own individual justification. It is obvious why the Secretary flouted the statute: His bogus emergency doesn't pass the laugh test, in general. Furthermore, the Secretary is trying to justify these sales by relying on a section of the Arms Export Control Act--article 36(c)-- that arguably does not grant him the authority to do what he is even trying to do. prgtoken Congress made fairly clear back in 2000 that this provision only allows for the United States to make emergency arms sales in very limited situations--for example, to sell arms to NATO partners and other steadfast allies that share our values, like Israel, Australia, and Japan. prgtoken This is a power grab, pure and simple, with lasting implications for the role of Congress in the sale of arms around the world. We cannot, as an institution, stand for it. prgtoken Let me turn to the proposed sales. As a number of my colleagues and I have already laid out, the administration's argument that this is an emergency meriting pushing through $8 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates simply does not pass muster. prgtoken The weapons sales this administration is trying to push thr
CONSIDERATION OF SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NOS. 27 THROUGH 48 EN BLOC-- Resumed
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-6-20

over the past few months, tensions with Iran have escalated. There have been a series of attacks on tankers in the Gulf region, and this morning it was reported that Iran has shot down a U.S. drone. prgtoken These events are deeply concerning--all the more so because the administration has not explained to Congress or to the American people how it views these events, how it plans to respond, and, most importantly, what the broader strategy for confronting Iran is. prgtoken President left the diplomatic agreement a little more than a year ago. It was obvious to anyone who even had a cursory knowledge of Iran that it would create consequences. With that decision, there is a course set for conflict--conflict whose purpose or strategy has never been articulated to the American people. prgtoken The President says on TV: It is a much better Iran than when I took office. Well, they were not building nuclear weapons--and I opposed the Iran agreement, as you know. But they were not building nuclear weapons. They were proceeding along the path of the agreement, and the President, as he seems to, just gets a bug in his head, something he said in the campaign without thinking, and then upends foreign policy-- another example of chaos in this administration. But he has done that. He has done that. prgtoken So now the issue is what is our strategy to deal with the consequences? The American people have to know this. We have seen too many conflicts in the Middle East escalate into war--escalate into a 10-year war. prgtoken The American people are not for spending a fortune and, more importantly, lives of Americans overseas. They want us to focus here at home, but the kind of adventurism--almost unplanned, unthought out, and, certainly, unexplained adventurism--of the President is the wrong way to go and could lead to severe consequences. And, I must say, even in closed-door briefings with Senators, the administration doesn't have a strategy. prgtoken This is not how democracy is supposed to work. This is not how the CEO of a major Nation or even a major company should behave, with no articulated strategy. The President needs to explain to the American people why he is driving us toward another endless conflict in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia prgtoken , on Saudi Arabia, another matter concerning the administration's foreign policy, today the Senate will vote on resolutions of disapproval for arms sales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. prgtoken These 22 resolutions introduced by Senator Menendez would block billions of dollars in military sales, including the transfer of tens of thousands of precision-guided munitions that the Saudis have previously used to bomb innocent civilians in Yemen. prgtoken The timing of these votes is significant. Last night the United Nations issued a report that documented evidence that the Saudis meticulously plan
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment that would provide an additional $1 million increase to the NASA Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Engagement for the purpose of supporting the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program also known as Space Grant. prgtoken I first want to thank Chairman Serrano and the House Appropriations Committee for providing $48 million for the Space Grant Program, especially given that the President's fiscal year 2020 budget request proposed an entire elimination of not only the Space Grant Program, but also the entire Office of STEM Engagement. prgtoken Founded in 1989, the NASA Space Grant Program is made up of a national network of colleges and universities. It is a program that inspires, educates, and develops America's future technological workforce with hands-on projects, courses, and research, ensuring that our next generation is excited and equipped to thrive in our Nation's aeronautics and space programs. prgtoken I would be remiss if I didn't say that my district, Colorado's Second District, which I am proud to represent, is home to three Space Grant consortium members: Colorado State University in Fort Collins; the University of Colorado in Boulder; and Front Range Community College. prgtoken These institutions support almost 300 students, preparing them for successful STEM careers. In April, I was proud to lead a bipartisan letter with the entire Colorado delegation in support of this program. prgtoken The program doesn't just provide benefits to my home State, but to the entire country, Space Grants consist of over 850 affiliates and 52 total consortia across the country. There is one in every State, as well as the District of Columbia. prgtoken From reaching Mars, to exploring the depths of the galaxy, if we want to ensure that our Nation remains on a path of discovery and innovation, we must invest in our students and education. prgtoken With that, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment before them, and .
TRIBUTE TO PEG SEMINARIO
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-6-20

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I rise to pay tribute to Peg Seminario, a fierce advocate for working people with more than 40 years leading the AFL-CIO and the labor movement in fighting for stronger protections and safer worker conditions for workers. prgtoken Peg has led the AFL-CIO's safety and health program since 1990 and throughout her career has played a leading role in the fight to promulgate strong health and safety standards pertaining to major hazards facing workers, including asbestos, lead, silica, noise, and ergonomics. In fact, she has had a hand in every major health and safety rule adopted since 1977--almost all of which were adopted since the inception of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA. prgtoken She has pushed Congress to protect and enhance the provisions of the OSH Act; to increase Federal funding for critical worker protection Agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and worked tirelessly to see that first responders who responded after the 9/11 attack and suffered illnesses as a result received the necessary medical care they need and deserve. prgtoken I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing Mrs. Seminario's distinguished career and thanking her for her efforts to protect the health and safety of workers in America.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Veronica Escobar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Mr. Chair, I thank Congressman Crow for yielding and for his great work on this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, the Census aims to count each person living in the United States every 10 years. It is important that we get this count right because the information helps determine a vast array of decisions, from the number of congressional seats to the allocation of Federal dollars. prgtoken For example, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, my home State of Texas stands to gain three congressional seats. These gains will go a long way for Texans and help bring much-needed funds to every community in the State, but we must ensure an accurate count. prgtoken With the administration's push to include a citizenship question on the upcoming Census and scare Latino communities like mine into not participating, this amendment underscores the fact that no personally identifiable information can be shared. prgtoken This amendment will give all residents, regardless of their immigration status, the confidence they need to answer the survey questions freely and to know that their data will be kept safe and secure. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Ted Lieu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Interior Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2020. In 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement established the Wildlife Detector Dog Program as part of a national effort to combat illegal wildlife trafficking. Certified canines and wildlife inspector handlers go through a 13-week training course at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Detector Dog Training Center in Newman, Georgia, and they are trained for real work environments such as mail facilities, ocean containers, and air cargo warehouses. Since the program's inception, USFWS has added more wildlife detectors. There are now six detector dogs deployed at USFWS designated ports of entry: Dutton in Houston, Texas; Beans in Chicago, Illinois; Viper in Miami, Florida; Samm in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Dock in Anchorage, Alaska; and Lockett near my Congressional District in Los Angeles, California. prgtoken These highly intelligent canines, paired with highly trained handlers, are able to detect many wildlife scents, such as elephant ivory, sea turtle skin, dried seahorse, python skin, and rhino horn. USFWS has reported that the use of these dogs is far more efficient than deploying human inspectors. For every 1,000 packages sniffed by dogs, 10 packages are properly inspected by humans. prgtoken The Wildlife Detector Dog Program strengthens and expands USFWS' inspection capabilities on illegal wildlife products. With more than 18 major ports of entry across the country, I would like to take this opportunity to urge more attention and resources be dedicated to the growth and expansion of this program. prgtoken My amendment will designate $200,000 of Department of Interior appropriations for the Wildlife Detector Dog Program, which is the estimated cost of adding an additional K-9 unit to the program. I thank Chairwoman McCollum for her support on this amendment and I urge my colleagues to join us in passing it.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Haley M. Stevens (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 3055. prgtoken This bipartisan amendment removes and adds $2 million from the Legal Activities account at the Department of Justice. prgtoken I would like to make the intent of this amendment clear, that Congress is directing the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division to allocate $2 million to enforce our Nation's animal welfare laws. prgtoken Congress has taken meaningful steps over the past several decades, and especially in the past few years, to improve animal welfare and rid this country of heartless cruelty toward animals. These improvements include the passage of legislation like the Horse Protection Act, the crush video law, the Animal Welfare Act and animal fighting laws, which received overwhelming bipartisan support. prgtoken While our animal rights laws have improved, there are currently insufficient resources to ensure that these laws are being adequately enforced. prgtoken The Environment and Natural Resources Division, or ENRD, oversees many important functions, including pollution cleanup and wildlife protection. This division also has the unique responsibility to prosecute animal welfare crimes. ENRD lawyers at the Department of Justice are doing the best they can to defend the humane treatment of captive, farmed, and companion animals across the country, but there are currently not enough resources being allocated for them to go after animal welfare crimes. prgtoken Failure to adequately enforce these laws harms communities and animals--the truly voiceless. Failure to enforce these laws leaves animals to suffer tremendously at the hands of people who force animals to fight to the death for pure entertainment and/or other cruel actions. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I use this opportunity to urge DOJ to coordinate with USDA and continue working with the U.S. Attorney's offices to prosecute and investigate animal welfare crimes. Specifically, DOJ should create a dedicated animal cruelty crimes unit and allow for robust enforcement of animal welfare crimes. There should be dedicated personnel, including prosecutors, focused solely on these offenses. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. prgtoken I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crist).
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Ruben Gallego (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-6-20

. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman (Mr. Blumenauer), my friend, for introducing this amendment. prgtoken Earlier this year, I introduced a bill to codify the Roadless Rule across the country. For nearly two decades, the Roadless Rule has been an important tool for preserving pristine forests, clean water, and wildlife. It has also protected taxpayers from subsidizing even more costly road building in national forests. prgtoken No roadless place is more in need of this protection than Tongass National Forest in Alaska. The Tongass National Forest is home to some of the most undisturbed, temperate, old-growth rainforests in the world. prgtoken These 16 million acres of beautiful landscape are also a critical carbon sequestration tool and a resource for climate change mitigation. prgtoken Despite these facts and the opposition of many Alaska Native communities, as well as the concerns of the Alaska tourism and sportsmen industries, the State of Alaska has proposed to strip this forest of full Roadless protection. prgtoken Stripping Roadless Rule protections from Tongass National Forest will allow millions of taxpayer dollars to be funneled into incredibly expensive road-building projects in one of the most remote, wild parts of our country. prgtoken This amendment does not end discussion of how and where the Roadless Rule should be applied in Alaska and other States. It is much simpler than that. All this amendment does is prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to subsidize more old-growth logging in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. prgtoken Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to construct environmentally harmful roads for the logging industry in this pristine place. This is the exact sort of fiscally responsible amendment my colleagues on the other side of the aisle should support. That is why I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in protecting Tongass National Forest and American taxpayers by supporting this amendment.