mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Government Funding (Executive Calendar)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-2-14

I rise to vote against William Barr's nomination to serve as Attorney General. Although Mr. Barr has served as Attorney General in the past, I do not believe he is the right candidate to lead the Department of Justice at this time. prgtoken Americans are facing unprecedented times. The President fired former FBI Director James Comey to circumvent and frustrate a Federal investigation. Former Deputy Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe confirmed today that he opened an investigation into the President himself regarding his potential ties to Russia after Comey's firing. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating President and his campaign for collusion and Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections. Some of the President's close confidants have been indicted, pled guilty and are cooperating with the Special Counsel. Yesterday, a judge ruled that President 's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, lied to Federal investigators about his interactions with Russians during the campaign. prgtoken During this tumultuous time, Americans need an Attorney General who values transparency, who is independent, and who can stand up to a President who has shown repeatedly that he believes that the Attorney General of the United States is his personal attorney and not the attorney of the American people. After closely following Barr's nomination hearing and analyzing his record, I do not believe he will stand up to the President and effectively lead the Department. prgtoken Before Barr was formally nominated to be Attorney General, he wrote and distributed a 19-page memo where he characterized the Mueller investigation as ``fatally misconceived'' with ``potentially disastrous implications not just for the Presidency, but for the Executive branch as a whole and for the Department in particular.'' Barr wrote this memo well aware that his knowledge of the facts surrounding the Mueller probe is severely limited to public reporting. prgtoken Nevertheless, Barr concluded that 's publicly reported interactions with former FBI Director James Comey could not constitute obstruction of justice and sent the memo to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Assistant Attorney General Steve Engel, the Solicitor General, White House Special Counsel, Jared Kushner's attorney, and 's personal attorneys. He made certain that everyone in 's orbit knew his name and knew about this memo. prgtoken This behavior should alarm not only Senators but every American. Former prgtoken FBI Director Comey testified under oath that President said to him, ``I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.'' President publicly railed against former Attorney General Sessions for following the guidance of Department of Justice ethics officials and recusing himself from anything pertaining to the Russia investigation. During his confirmation hearing, Barr would not commit to following the advice of career
OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-2-14

. Madam , I rise today to express my relief that and s have come together to advance a bipartisan spending measure to keep the government open and deliver for the American people. prgtoken President 's recent irresponsible government shutdown over his demand for an unnecessary, medieval wall was misguided and hurt our dedicated Federal employees and their families and threatened our economy. prgtoken I want to applaud my colleagues, the incredible Chairman Lowey, Representative Pete Aguilar, Representative prgtoken Roybal-Allard, and all of our conferees for their diligent work to reach the compromise bill that we are sending to the President's desk tonight. prgtoken This legislation promotes 21st century border security and humanitarian support for migrants in detention, alternatives to detention, and family case management. prgtoken The American people sent a strong message when they elected a ic majority in this House in November, and they want Congress to focus on delivering real results that will benefit the lives of hardworking, middle-class families.
JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF LYNCHING ACT OF 2019
Kamala D. Harris (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-14

. James Baldwin once said: Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. prgtoken That is why we are here again today, to face the history of lynching in this country. From 1882 to 1986, the U.S. Congress failed to pass anti-lynching legislation when it had the opportunity more than 200 times. prgtoken We have an opportunity, once again, to right this wrong and face the ugly history of lynching in America. Let's recall this stain on America's history. Lynching is an act of terror. It is murder. prgtoken These were summary executions. Victims of lynching were dragged out of their homes. They had ropes wrapped around their necks. They were hanged on trees. In many cases, they were castrated and burned as crowds of people watched and applauded. The premise underlying all of these acts was that Black people were not full human beings. prgtoken According to the Equal Justice Initiative, lynching was used as an instrument of terror and intimidation 4,084 times during the late 19th and 20th centuries. prgtoken In 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American boy, was lynched in prgtoken Mississippi after being accused of offending a woman in her family's grocery store. When Emmett Till's mother held open her son's casket at his funeral, the image of his body became one of the starkest examples of racial violence in America. prgtoken These lynchings, I think no one can deny, were acts of violence. They were needless, horrendous acts of violence, and they were motivated by racism. Lynchings were crimes that were committed against innocent Americans. These crimes, for the most part, did not go without consequence. They rarely were followed by an arrest or the charging of a crime or the prosecution of a crime or the punishment for the crime. Of course, the victims of these acts and their families never received justice in our courts of law or in their community. prgtoken This is an uncomfortable history to think of, to talk about, and understandably makes many people uncomfortable because of the violence we are describing, because it is part of America's history, because it is something we have never truly acknowledged and recognized, in terms of the crime it was, the crime it is, and how we, through our laws, must recognize the seriousness of it. prgtoken Today we have that opportunity, and we must recognize the context in which we discuss it today. Just in the last month, we have had difficult and high-profile conversations about slavery and blackface, issues that are claimed to be part of a bygone era. However, it is clear that in many ways our past is our present. prgtoken Lynching is not a relic of the past. In 2011, three men in Brandon, MS, murdered an African-American man, James Craig Anderson. They robbed him, beat him, and ran him over with a truck. That is modern-day lynching. prgtoken Let's be clear. No one should have to fear for their life because of the
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-2-14

. Madam , unfortunately, on February 11, 2019, I was not able to cast my votes during the vote series due to prior obligation in my District. Had I been in attendance, I would have voted: Yes on H.R. 1065--Social Media Use in Clearance Investigations Act of 2019 (Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Lynch/Oversight and Reform Committee); and Yes on H.R. 1079--CASES Act (Sponsored by Rep. Garret Graves/Oversight and Reform Committee).
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-2-14

I rise today to commend my colleagues for their steadfast commitment to pursuing and achieving a bipartisan agreement that prevents another government shutdown, upholds our shared values, and provides stability for American families. prgtoken I am encouraged that we have returned to a productive dialogue and set a constructive tone that seeks to unite and not further divide us. The American people expect and deserve nothing less. prgtoken Now, it is my hope that we continue that same spirit of bipartisanship as we return our focus to governing and addressing the important issues facing our Nation. That means working together to ensure access to quality, affordable healthcare for every person, to protect the promise of Social Security and Medicare, to expand economic opportunity, and to stop the devastating cycle of gun violence. prgtoken Progress can only be achieved through cooperation and partnership, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to deliver results that uplift the lives of all Americans.
The Green New Deal (Executive Calendar)
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-2-14

how do we make our communities, our States, our Nation, and our planet better for our children? How do we make it better for our children's children and their children? Isn't that the task we have in the U.S. Senate, to make things work better, not worse? prgtoken We have this question before us: Do we have a carbon pollution problem? What is the answer, yes or no? I ask each of my colleagues, yes or no? prgtoken Presiding today is a new Member of the Senate from Florida. I have been down to Florida. I will tell you that I heard about the rising seawater polluting the aquifers and creating freshwater supply problems for communities in Florida. I heard about coastal erosion. I heard about coral reefs being damaged and the fish offshore. I heard about the toxic red algae on the gulf side--so toxic it is killing fish and dolphins and turtles and manatees, and they are washing up on the shore of Florida on the gulf side. prgtoken The people have two problems. The toxic algae is creating breathing problems, and then there is a stench arising from the dying sea life. People on the gulf side of Florida say: We have to take inland vacations. prgtoken I know my colleague presiding today knows about these issues in his State because we see the impacts of carbon pollution and climate chaos in every single State. We certainly see it in my State. We see it through the more powerful forest fires--hotter, more acreage, and more destruction. We see it in the smoke affecting the communities and the economies throughout Oregon. Of course, we saw the devastating forest fires in California, wiping out the town of Paradise and afflicting so many other communities. prgtoken It is not just the impact on the natural world; it is the impact on the people. When you affect the fisheries, you affect the fishermen. When you affect the forests, you affect the timber industry. When you proceed to produce conditions of more floods and more droughts, you affect the farmers and ranchers of America. It is the people of America. prgtoken How about the Panhandle of Florida. It was wiped out by a more powerful hurricane, driven by those warmer ocean temperatures. What does one say to them--that there is not an issue; that we don't have a problem? prgtoken The entire scientific community of the world has said you can see the facts on the ground, but we don't need them to see the facts on the ground. We see it through the everyday impacts on Americans, on our farmers, our ranchers, and on our communities plagued by smoke or wiped out by hurricanes. prgtoken So we do have a problem. The answer is, yes, we do have a problem. If you say there is no problem, then your head is stuck in the tar sands, and you are failing your responsibility not just as a U.S. Senator, you are failing your responsibility as a human being. You are failing your constituents if you think there is no problem, while their lives and their economy are being so dram
HONORING VICTOR GONELLA
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-14

. Madam , I rise today along with my colleagues, Representative Jackie Speier and Representative Mike Thompson, to honor Victor Gonella for his enduring commitment to the protection and restoration of California's salmon fisheries, and his exemplary service as the founder and president of the Golden Gate Salmon Association. prgtoken Born in San Francisco, Victor developed a childhood passion for fishing that has greatly informed his public service throughout his life. His focus on salmon began after his family moved to Mill Valley: he fished off the waters of Sausalito on his first boat when he was still in high school. prgtoken Following high school, Victor began to race motorcycles and started his own repair and custom engine fabrication facility. He rented a workspace from a local auto dealership, and eventually ran the dealership's parts and service center. Victor would go on to buy the dealership and move it to Petaluma, adding a second dealership soon thereafter. prgtoken As Victor built up his dealership and custom racing business, he never lost sight of his passion for salmon fishing. In 2008, when California experienced the first closure of ocean salmon fishing, Victor took action and founded the Golden Gate Salmon Association to restore California's largest salmon runs. In doing so, Victor would make California history by bringing together disparate stakeholders, including leaders from the commercial and sport fishing industries, conservation groups, and businesses connected to fishing, for a common cause. Over the next few years, Victor developed the financial and logistical backbone of the organization, coordinated fundraisers throughout Northern California, and assembled community leaders to support the organization's mission. prgtoken After establishing Golden Gate Salmon Association, Victor spearheaded its development of a plan to restore Central Valley salmon runs, utilizing available science and research funded by the organization. This process would be the beginning of a number of critical prgtoken restoration projects that the organization sponsored and successfully completed, with many still underway. prgtoken Madam , as ocean life continues to decline all over the world, organizations like Golden Gate Salmon Association are critical in protecting the natural habitat, wildlife, and fisheries that we all rely on and cherish. We therefore ask our colleagues to join us in thanking Victor Gonella for his tireless efforts to not only protect valuable natural resources but the communities that rely on them.
Russia (Executive Session)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-2-14

over the last 2 years, many of us have grappled with a very difficult question about our President. It is a question that never before could we even imagine thinking about an American President, let alone saying it out loud on the floor of the Senate. I am talking about the entirely legitimate question of whether could be compromised by the Russian Government. It is more than a legitimate question; it is the natural question that comes to mind every time we learn more about the links between President , his associates, and the Russian Government. prgtoken With the Mueller investigation possibly coming to a close in the near future, we may be forced to deal with--both Congress and the American public--some very stark facts about the President's ties to Russia. Just think about the reported revelations over the last month or so. prgtoken We have learned that President took unprecedented steps to conceal the contents of his conversations with Putin from his own advisers. prgtoken We have learned that following one of the meetings with Putin, phoned a New York Times reporter to argue that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election--once again carrying the Kremlin's water in direct conflict with the entire U.S. intelligence community. prgtoken We have learned that over the past year, President repeatedly argued for pulling the United States out of NATO--something that Putin desires. prgtoken We continue to learn new details about Paul Manafort's--President 's campaign chairman--meetings with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian national with suspected ties to Russian intelligence and an associate of Oleg Deripaska's. We know that Manafort met with Kilimnik repeatedly, provided him with polling data, and discussed ending U.S. sanctions and adopting a Russia-friendly peace plan for Ukraine. This is perhaps the most significant indication that 's inner circle was discussing pro-Kremlin policies in the months before the election. prgtoken Tellingly, just last night, we learned that Manafort has lied again and again about the truth of his contacts and his conversations. Did Manafort determine that lying to prosecutors was a better alternative to telling the truth? prgtoken Finally, let's not forget the revelation from just a few weeks ago that the Nation's top law enforcement agency reportedly opened a counterintelligence investigation into the President, in part for firing the FBI Director because of ``this Russia thing.'' prgtoken You can't make this stuff up. Not even in your wildest dreams, not even on the TV set of ``Homeland'' could you make this stuff up. The news of a possible counterintelligence investigation against a sitting President should shake us all to the core. Instead, we are barely even surprised. prgtoken For the rightwing pundits who spoon-feed a warped reality to President every hour of the day, it is just one more excuse to paint him--the
TRIBUTE TO OFFICER MILOS GRUBNIC
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-2-14

today I wish to honor supervisory Transportation Security Officer Milos Grubnic for going above and beyond his duties while serving with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration, TSA, at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, IL. prgtoken On November 26, 2018, Officer Grubnic was featured in TSA Today after he and a fellow Transportation Security officer, John Kozcur, helped a passenger recover his stolen cell phone. Not only did they handle the situation in a thorough and professional manner by reviewing security footage, tracking the individual down and returning the item, but they were able to do so before the passenger boarded his flight. Many times, the hard work of our Transportation Security officers goes unnoticed and unreported, and I am thankful for all they do to keep us safe. prgtoken Officer Grubnic's actions in November displayed his steadfast dedication and passion for public service. Throughout his time at O'Hare International Airport, Officer Grubnic has worked to support all aspects of TSA's mission, including assisting my family and me at security checkpoints as we travel. prgtoken I commend Officer Grubnic's hard work, passion, and commitment to safeguarding the public and achieving TSA's mission to protect our Nation's transportation systems. May his continued dedication serve as an inspiration to us all.
HONORING FORMER SILVIS MAYOR JOE TERRONEZ ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-2-14

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Mr. Joe Terronez on his 90th birthday. Mr. Terronez is the first Hispanic mayor in the state of Illinois and is the former mayor of Silvis, Illinois. prgtoken Joe Terronez began a long career of public service when he was first elected alderman in 1963 before later going on to serve the City of Silvis as its mayor. He was one of the first Hispanic city council members in the state and his dedication to his community is admirable. One of the best examples of Mayor Terronez's service to others, although there are many, was when he renamed 2nd Street in Silvis to ``Hero Street.'' Although this street is only one and a half blocks long, over 100 of its residents were members of the military, including six who gave the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedoms. As a result, Mayor Terronez dedicated this street to honor their sacrifices. Actions such as this embody Mayor Terronez's spirit of giving back to others. As he celebrates this milestone, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for his many years of service to others. prgtoken It is because of dedicated leaders such as Mayor Terronez that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again formally honor Mr. Joe Terronez on his 90th birthday.
Government Funding (Executive Calendar)
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-2-14

I rise today to speak on the government funding agreement announced last night. I greatly appreciate the work of Senator Shelby, Senator Leahy, and the Appropriations Committee in their efforts to reach a bipartisan agreement. I appreciate the efforts of Senator McConnell, Senator Schumer, and our House counterparts, as well, to reach an agreement. prgtoken I am glad we will avert another government shutdown and also make critical investments in several areas that are important to my home State of Minnesota; however, there is an important piece of unfinished business that wasn't included in the agreement, and that is to provide backpay for the employees of Federal contractors who were forced out of work for more than a month during the shutdown. prgtoken During the longest Federal shutdown in history, thousands of Americans who serve as contractors to the Federal Government lost over a month's pay through no fault of their own, and these are people who work as security guards and clean office buildings, and they work shoulder to shoulder with Federal employees for all of us. Unfortunately, and this is important, while Federal employees have received backpay--a bill this Chamber passed unanimously--their contractor counterparts have been left out in the cold with no backpay. prgtoken I have introduced legislation, which has bipartisan support, which would right this wrong, and it should have been included in the final budget deal, but it appears that the White House blocked it. prgtoken I have talked with many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate Chamber, and I have not found a single person who says contractors don't deserve backpay. We all agree on this, and that is why every in this Chamber has cosponsored my bill, and that is why several of my colleagues and many others in this room have not only cosponsored but have also expressed support for finding a solution to this challenge. prgtoken So why not provide backpay to contractors in the funding bill before us today? Because it appears the White House apparently has said not to do it. But I have talked to the White House just in the last week. I didn't hear any fundamental reasons why our plan couldn't go forward and why challenges couldn't be resolved. prgtoken While I don't claim to know the White House's motivation in opposing this bill, I do know there are several misconceptions about this legislation that I would like to address today. prgtoken First, some have claimed that the problem is just too complicated to solve or that it would involve an untested process, but that is not right. prgtoken My bill would allow Agencies to make what is called equitable adjustment to contract prices to compensate contractors who provide backpay to their furloughed employees. This equitable adjustment process is used regularly by contracting officers and contractors. It has already been used to address other sh