mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COMMEMORATING NATIONAL MINORITY HEALTH MONTH
Robin L. Kelly (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-4-12

I rise today as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust to commemorate National Minority Health Month and to challenge Congress to take bold action to end health disparities that continue to plague our communities. prgtoken , it is a sad fact that in America your race, class, and ZIP Code very much determine how long you will live and how healthy you will be; whether you will die of a heart attack in your forties or develop type 2 diabetes and lose a limb. prgtoken These three factors speak volumes about your life and health. That is just wrong, and it is up to us to change that. prgtoken From cradle to grave, and at every stage in between, people of color, low-income people, rural Americans, Native Americans, and first- generation Americans are sicker, receive less care, have less access to care, and, tragically, die sooner. prgtoken In 2010, we took a major leap forward with the passage of the Affordable Care Act. This law has started to reduce these disparities by increasing access to care, ensuring mental healthcare, expanding research, and creating a prgtoken pipeline of doctors and medical professionals from underrepresented communities. prgtoken A major result of the ACA has been to cut the excessive risk of cancer death in half for African-American men. The same risk factor for Black women was reduced by seven points, according to the American Cancer Society's 2017 report. prgtoken They clearly state: ``Increasing access to care as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may contribute to a further narrowing of the racial gap across all population groups.'' prgtoken However, the ACA is not just fighting cancer. It is improving other aspects of care and increasing access to care. prgtoken While the Affordable Care Act has made major strides, disparities remain deeply entrenched in our society and our healthcare system today. prgtoken Today, I would like to talk about several of them. The first and most entrenched is access to care. Far too often, the sickest among our neighbors are those with the least access to the care they need. They cannot see a provider because they can't afford it, can't get the time off work, can't find transportation; or there is simply no care available in their community. prgtoken Let's work together to make sure that everyone can get the care they need, no matter where they live, whether in a city, the suburbs, or on a farm. prgtoken This Minority Health Month, we must also address the challenge of mental health being stigmatized in communities of color. prgtoken We know that African Americans are 20 percent more likely to report serious psychological distress than their White counterparts, but just 25 percent will seek care, compared to 40 percent of White Americans. prgtoken Thankfully, there are some great organizations, like New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray's Cities Thrive Coalition, working to deconstruct the stigma and improve acce
The FBI (Executive Calendar)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-4-12

I want to start by thanking my colleague from Massachusetts for the clarity and passion he brings to this debate. prgtoken I, too, am here to strongly oppose the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be the Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. prgtoken Before I talk about Mr. Wheeler, I want to join my colleague from Massachusetts to talk a little bit about Scott Pruitt and the current management over the EPA. Because the people of our country rely on a strong, effective, and healthy EPA to keep our air and water clean and to make sure people are not living among toxic substances, we need strong leadership there. prgtoken In the State of Maryland, the EPA is also important to protect a great national and natural treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. The bay States include many of the States in this area. We have made great progress over the years through the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program. It was recognized many years ago that when you have a bay such as the Chesapeake, where multiple States feed into it, so that when you see pollution in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, or Virginia, it ends up in the bay, you need a national response, and you need an agency like the EPA to bring people together. That is why the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program was created. Yet we now have a Director of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, who doesn't recognize the vital and unique role the EPA plays in protecting the Chesapeake Bay. prgtoken We know that because, if you look at the budget Scott Pruitt and President submitted to the Congress, they zeroed out funding-- zeroed out funding--a big goose egg for the EPA Chesapeake Bay funding. That is what they did in year 1. prgtoken Then, when Senator Cardin and I and others said: This is a really important national effort; in fact, it has had bipartisan support in the Congress, it has bipartisan support among the Governors of all the Chesapeake Bay States, then they said: OK. We are going to provide just 10 percent of the moneys that had been provided for that program. prgtoken This is a $73 million-a-year program. It actually needs more to achieve its full effectiveness, but Administrator Pruitt and President provided only $7.3 million in their budget, which would devastate the bay program. prgtoken Fortunately, on a bipartisan basis, this Senate and the House of Representatives have continued full funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program for the past 2 years. s for recognizing the vital importance of that program, not just to the bay States but really to protecting a national treasure. prgtoken I guess it shouldn't be surprising that Scott Pruitt's first budget zeroed out funding for Chesapeake Bay protection because, back when he was the attorney general of Oklahoma, he filed an amicus brief in a case that would have neutered the ability of the EPA to actually enforce the pollution protection standards for the Chesapeake Bay. prgtoken We can set
Nominations for the U.S. Department of Education (Executive Calendar)
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-4-12

in Federalist Paper No. 76, Alexander Hamilton wrote that it was the job of the Senate to ``prevent the appointment of unfit characters.'' That is certainly the mission for which we have responsibility today--to make sure that the unfit characters do not have roles of power and influence within our government. prgtoken Andrew Wheeler, the nominee who is before us for the No. 2 job at the Environmental Protection Agency, raises a series of questions and concerns related to whether or not he is fit for office. This is a man whose entire career working for the fossil fuel industry stands in direct opposition to the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency--a mission to protect the health of the American people and the well-being of our planet. prgtoken At such a volatile moment for the EPA, when the Agency is plagued by scandal, ethical misbehavior, and pandering to polluters, this nomination deserves the closest of scrutiny. After all, it is quite possible that, before long, whoever fills the role of No. 2 at the EPA could be acting in the No. 1 spot. prgtoken It is clear that Andrew Wheeler is not fit to be that person. prgtoken When President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, he recognized that we all share ``a profound commitment to the rescue of our natural environment, and the preservation of the Earth as a place both habitable by and hospitable to man.'' prgtoken For more than 47 years, the EPA has worked under ic Presidents and Presidents to protect our natural environment and preserve our planet as a habitable and hospitable place. That has included controlling toxic and poisonous chemicals, improving air and water quality, and enhancing vehicle efficiency and emissions control. The list of EPA's accomplishments goes on and on, but it can be summed up like this: Americans value clean air. Americans value clean water. Scott Pruitt does not, and Mr. Wheeler does not. prgtoken Administrator Pruitt has turned his longstanding disdain for the EPA into a crusade to destroy it. Think about the hard work of protecting our air and our water. There is a lot that goes into that. You can think about the equivalence of constructing a house. You need to have somebody who knows the foundation, knows the plumbing, knows the wiring, knows the carpentry, knows the drywall, and knows the roofing. You have to combine all of that with someone to get the windows installed right and the insulation installed right. It is a lot of work to create a structure that protects our air and water from the thousands of chemicals that can do it harm, but it only takes one person to knock down that carefully constructed house--one person, one wrecking ball. prgtoken Scott Pruitt is that wrecking ball in the EPA, knocking down the carefully constructed work of decades of efforts by some of the Nation's leading scientists and most dedicated team members. prgtoken There is
PROPOSING A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2018-4-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , government is and should be about more than just dollars and cents. Government, and especially democratic government, is about nurturing community, taking care of one another, and defending our common humanity. prgtoken H.J. Res. 2, proposing a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget every fiscal year strikes sharply against those core values, as much that we see in government these days does. prgtoken A balanced budget amendment undermines our commitment to each other, as expressed through critical social safety-net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP; Medicare; Medicaid; and Social Security. My constituents in my congressional district of Tennessee and millions of vulnerable Americans nationwide depend on these and other programs to make ends meet in difficult economic circumstances. prgtoken Therefore, it concerns me greatly that this Congress, which hypocritically passed massive tax giveaways to corporations and the superwealthy, has chosen to devote its limited time to what is essentially a gimmick to avoid actually making politically difficult decisions about the Federal budget. prgtoken Just this week, my Tennessee colleague, respected Senator Bob Corker, called out his fellow s when he tweeted: ``If we were serious about balancing the budget, we would do it. But instead of doing the real work, some will push this symbolic measure so they can feel good when they go home to face voters.'' prgtoken I wear on my lapel the letter ``F.'' That is the grade that Bob Corker and I give this Congress for its work toward balancing a budget: trillions of dollars of debt with tax giveaways to the wealthiest, trillions of dollars of debt with a budget that gives the Pentagon $70 billion more than they want. prgtoken A balanced budget is nothing but an attempt to shortcut government, and it would impose real harm on millions of Americans. Social safety- net programs would be at particular risk if a balanced budget amendment were to be adopted because they are funded every year by drawing on savings accumulated in prior years. prgtoken And let's be real about what is going on. After giving tax breaks to the wealthiest and corporations, after giving away massive budget amounts, particularly to defense, they want a balanced budget amendment. How would they balance the budget? On Medicare, on Social Security, and on Medicaid. On people who are ill and seniors who need money to live on and healthcare to keep their lives going. That is who this cruel Congress would say the balanced budget amendment falls on. They would be on the chopping block. prgtoken This funding mechanism ensures that benefits could be paid to those who need them and provides the opportunity to stave off funding shortfalls before they occur. prgtoken The state of the Department of Justice is another example, given President 's sharp political a
The FBI (Executive Calendar)
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2018-4-12

. So here we have an attempt by Administrator Pruitt to emasculate the Agency by chasing off some of the best and brightest scientists, buying out people, doing everything he can to intimidate people to leave the Agency, and we are at a point in time where we have a staffing level equivalent to 1988. This is the Agency that protects our water and our air, makes sure the water and air are clean, and protects our children from toxic chemicals. This is a pretty remarkable record. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to reconsider the Wheeler nomination, to put a hold on it, to have the proper vetting, and let's find the kind of individual who is going to respect the mission of the Agency and move us forward in the direction of public health, protecting the environment and our air and water. prgtoken .
The FBI (Executive Calendar)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-4-12

Scott Pruitt is the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He is charged with running the Agency and ensuring its mission. There are serious questions about Mr. Pruitt's leadership, but we will get to that later. prgtoken Today, the Senate is preparing to vote on the nominee to be the second highest ranking official at the Environmental Protection Agency--Andrew Wheeler. As the No. 2 at the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler deserves the kind of scrutiny that reflects a position one step away from Administrator. prgtoken Andrew Wheeler has spent years protecting the coal industry--first from here in the Senate, where he worked to prevent passage of climate legislation, and then as a lobbyist for Murray Energy, one of the largest coal companies in America, which has led the fight by the coal industry to undo the progress we have made on climate policy. prgtoken Andrew Wheeler's coal credentials are without equal. He is without question a member of the coal industry's hall of fame. He was even present in March of last year at the meeting where Murray Energy CEO Bob Murray presented Energy Secretary Rick Perry with the now-infamous secret plan to save the coal industry. prgtoken Sadly, I am concerned that Andrew Wheeler's background means that he will never understand that saving coal is not the Environmental Protection Agency's job. It is the EPA's job to regulate coal, to protect public health and the environment, to keep particulate matter from filling the lungs of children in our most vulnerable communities-- more than 7,500 people die every year from the pollution from fossil fuel powerplants--to reduce the harmful carbon pollution that is causing climate change, and to end the toxic coal-mining practices that are poisoning our waters and our communities. prgtoken The corporate special interests, who have worked hand-in-hand with the administration to block clean energy deployment and force Americans to breathe dirty air from fossil fuel combustion, are exactly the opposite of what we need to be at the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. They are, at the same time, the companies that Andrew Wheeler has represented. Andrew Wheeler has made a career of promoting the policies that make our air and our water dirty and that endanger the public's health. prgtoken Now, with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt under siege as a result of Agency mismanagement and scandal, we must have real concern about who will be No. 2 at the EPA. Who is on deck to take over if Scott Pruitt has to leave? Who is going to be sitting there in the chair as the Administrator to make these decisions about clean air, clean water, about the role which coal plays in polluting our environment? Who will that be if Scott Pruitt were to be removed from his position or resign from his position? And, by the way, that is a position from which I strongly support that he
TRIBUTE TO GLORIA SOTO--CALIFORNIA'S 24TH CONGRESSIONAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Salud O. Carbajal (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-4-12

I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Every year, we dedicate the month of March to give special recognition to the accomplishments and sacrifices made by America's women. I consider it an honor to highlight the extraordinary women who are making a difference in my District. I would like to recognize one outstanding woman, Gloria Soto, of Santa Maria, California. prgtoken Gloria Soto was born and raised in the Santa Maria and Guadalupe areas of Santa Barbara County. She comes from an immigrant family who instilled the value of hard-work and determination, and made numerous sacrifices to ensure she would have a chance at a better life. Gloria took advantage of every opportunity and graduated from Pioneer Valley High School, Allan Hancock College, and then from Bradman University all while working full time. prgtoken Gloria started out as an educator about 6 years ago where she built up educational programs from Lompoc to Paso Robles. She initiated Young Advocates groups in Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo that encourage young people to speak up for reproductive rights. Gloria now works in the development department of Planned Parenthood of the Central Coast where she strives to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in her community. She also educates donors about the importance of their continued support. prgtoken In addition to her work for Planned Parenthood, Gloria also serves on the board of Future Leaders of America where she volunteers hundreds of hours training youth leaders and directing week-long youth leadership camps. She is also a board member of the Fund for Santa Barbara, a member of the Activist-Led Grant Making Committee, and a key organizer for the Latino Legacy Awards in Santa Maria. prgtoken Gloria's contribution to social justice for a more just community are immeasurable, she is not afraid to get her hands dirty and understands the importance of taking leadership roles in organizations so they can better serve our community. She is a champion for youth, immigrants, and women, and we are lucky to have her in our district. prgtoken I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an exceptional woman of California's 24th Congressional District, Gloria Soto, for her incredible service to her community.
HONORING TWENTY-TWO TEACHERS OF THE GREATER BOCA RATON AREA
Theodore E. Deutch (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-4-12

I rise today in honor of the twenty-two outstanding teachers in South Florida who have been awarded the Teacher of the Year award from the Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunrise. prgtoken For the past 32 years, the Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunrise has offered this annual distinction to one teacher at each of the twenty- two schools in the greater Boca Raton area. Each awardee is selected by the school's principal. These teachers have dedicated their time to inspiring, empowering, and bettering the next generation of youth in our community. Their passion in this effort is truly worthy of our recognition. prgtoken These twenty-two exemplary teachers have made a profound impact on their students through their caring, commitment, and professionalism. They are a cohort defined by integrity, excellence, and the highest marks in all they do. The City of Boca Raton is fortunate to have such outstanding faculty. prgtoken Congratulations to Chayane Oliveira, Irene Gonedes, Patricia Fusco, Kerry Maione, Jaqua Lewis, Alexandra Mangogna, Meghan Mooney, Melissa Pierce, Thomas Simone, Gary Aronson, Joni Webster, Robyn Jones- Crockett, Deborah Straus, Susan Mallardi, Tara Clair, Josephine Saldana, Mary Shanty, Marcela Mendoza, Kathleen Loeffler, Karen Richards, Stephanie Stiepleman, and Danielle Alarcon on being nominated for this year's teacher of the year award. prgtoken I am pleased to honor them, and I thank them for their continued service.
Nominations for the U.S. Department of Education (Executive Calendar)
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-4-12

I rise to voice my opposition to the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Deputy Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. prgtoken The Senators standing up this afternoon to fight this nomination are not just opposing Mr. Wheeler. We are trying to shine a light on the fact that this administration has one of the worst environmental records in history. And you don't have to take my word for it because this unprecedented assault on our Nation's bedrock environmental laws has drawn strong criticism from former and Environmental Protection Agency Administrators. prgtoken The American public overwhelmingly supports the laws and regulations that protect our air and water. And my constituents don't buy the false trade-off between protecting the environment and jobs. To them they come hand in hand. The facts on the ground have proven that these are red herring arguments. prgtoken There are so many examples of how this administration's disdain for science has led them to try to undo decades of progress on the environment. I want to focus on three issues that are particularly damaging and serve as an indication of why Mr. Wheeler's nomination and record are so troubling. prgtoken First is the example of Mr. Wheeler lobbying on behalf of fossil fuel interests. My concern is that Mr. Wheeler would have a prominent role in reviewing the air pollution rules that govern coal plants, rules that he got paid millions of dollars to help attack. prgtoken A number of press reports have exposed how one of Mr. Wheeler's biggest lobbying clients, Murray Energy, was a driving force behind Secretary Perry's ill-considered resilience proposal. That proposal ignored the Energy Department's own staff report and was an attempt to try to say that coal was the only reliable source of energy for the electricity grid, which would have forced citizens to pay more on their utility bills. They said that is a wrong conclusion. And it was a transparent attempt to try to prop up one of the administration's favorite energy sources, which really would have made everything more expensive for consumers and certainly would have changed the focus of what we need to do to decarbonize our energy system. prgtoken But the biggest problem here was how the proposal would have hit consumers, as I said, with billions of dollars in added costs. Bailing out old coal plants wasn't just bad policy; it was a breathtaking raid on consumer pocketbooks. The regional grid manager found that the Secretary's proposal would nearly double the cost of wholesale energy in the Nation's largest electricity market. prgtoken Fortunately, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unanimously rejected this proposal. But if Mr. Wheeler comes to EPA as the No. 2, what other misguided proposals like this are they going to propose or try to fight, even though the science within the own agencies says they are wrongheaded? How much time will we