mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CLIMATE ACTION NOW ACT
Lizzie Fletcher (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-5-2

. Mr. Chair, 4 minutes, and I rise in support of my amendment. prgtoken Innovation drives the energy industry, and it is important that we continue to follow a technology-neutral approach that allows the best science to flourish and the best technologies to emerge. prgtoken When it comes to energy innovation, my home in Houston is its home. Houston, long known as the energy capital of the world, is the epicenter of our modern energy renaissance. Home to virtually every segment of the energy industry, including exploration, production, transmission, marketing, supply, and technology, we see opportunities for innovation in all sectors of the energy industry. prgtoken Over the last decade in particular, energy technology has enabled us to recover resources in new areas and new ways. Advances in technology that have transformed our energy economy have substantially reduced U.S. carbon emissions. prgtoken Replacing coal-fired plants with natural gas plants has led to the greatest reduction in carbon emissions in the last 30 years, and we are leading the way on new technologies critical to reaching our emissions reduction goals and combating climate change, like carbon capture technologies. Two plants are near my district in Houston. prgtoken We believe in an all-of-the-above approach to energy sources that reduces costs as well as emissions, and we see that in Texas' investment in wind energy. prgtoken In Texas, we have installed more wind power generation than any State, three times as much as the next leading State. prgtoken Houston is home to more than 100 solar-related companies. prgtoken These statistics may surprise some, but they should not because energy companies, whether renewable or hydrocarbon-based, are really technology companies that apply their technology to energy. prgtoken My amendment ensures that nothing in this act will favor one fuel source or one technology over another. prgtoken Climate change is a global threat. We need the input of a diverse and broad coalition of stakeholders that have the energy expertise we need to chart our path forward, and we need to encourage innovation and technology in every area. prgtoken Mr. Chair, it is for these reasons that I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
HONORING THE POLISH HIGHLANDERS ALLIANCE OF NORTH AMERICA ON ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-5-2

. Madam , I rise today to honor the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America as the organization prepares to celebrate its 90th anniversary. It is a privilege to represent so many Polish Highlanders and to have the organization's headquarters just a few blocks from my district. The Polish Highlanders Alliance traces its roots back to 1929 when its first chapter, known as a circle, was founded in Chicago. Since its inception, the Alliance has sought to organize Polish Highlanders throughout North America into a unified Highlander family. For the last 90 years, members of the Alliance have worked hard to preserve the unique cultural heritage of the Polish Highland region, including music, dance, folk costumes, and other traditions. Through the years, the organization has grown to over 80 circles throughout the U.S. and Canada. Today, the Polish Highlanders Alliance is headquartered on the Southwest Side of Chicago in the Highlander Home on Archer Avenue. The Alliance organizes many cultural events for the Highlander and the Polish-American community including the Highlander Picnic which attracts nearly 3,000 people every year. For its numerous cultural activities, the Alliance has received awards including the Gloria Artis Cultural Achievement Medal. The medal was awarded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland for the Alliance's distinguished contributions to Polish culture. In addition to cultural activities, the Polish Highlanders Alliance raises money to provide assistance to churches, schools, and other establishments within Poland and the Highland region. Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing all that the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America does to promote unique Polish cultural traditions and to support strong ties between Poland and the U.S. The members' devotion to their community and their mission is commendable and I wish them the best as they continue to impart their traditions for generations to come. One hundred years (Sto lat).
Nominations (Executive Session)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-5-2

I will be brief. I see my colleague from Tennessee is here. prgtoken Earlier this afternoon, the President's designee, Stephen Moore--not quite yet his nominee, but the President put his name out there to be a Governor of the Federal Reserve--withdrew his name from consideration, in large part because so many s in this body were unhappy with his selection. prgtoken This is the second failure for the Federal Reserve just in the last month. He was about to nominate Herman Cain. There was a lot of outcry about his lack of qualifications. I am not sure why the President came up with him. Then he withdrew, and Stephen Moore's name had been put out there, too, and there were the same kinds of complaints about Moore--not just about what he wrote and said over the years, but really about his reputation as a thinker, as an economist, and as a strategist on economic issues. prgtoken The President has tried twice. I don't know when we have ever seen this before, where the President hasn't been able to find somebody who understands the independence of the Fed and is qualified to take on that awesome responsibility to be on the Federal Reserve. It is as influential as any economic position in this government, I think. prgtoken Now the President has two new chances again. I am hopeful that he will think about not appointing somebody whose whole mantra is trickle- down economics--to give tax cuts to the richest people in the country and prgtoken hope it trickles down and we get a better economy. That never works. prgtoken I am hopeful that the President better understands that you focus on the middle--my earned income tax credit bill, for instance--and you focus on tax breaks for the people making $20,000, $30,000, $50,000, and up to $100,000 a year. They will spend those dollars they get in tax breaks and build the economy, whether in Terre Haute, in Nashville, or in Cleveland. We know how important that is. prgtoken I hope the President will look at the next Governor of the Federal Reserve--these two appointments--and think about the dignity of work and think about someone who respects and honors work. prgtoken You may remember that Stephen Moore made some really caustic and nasty comments about two great cities in my State--Cleveland and Cincinnati. As much as that was offensive, what is really offensive is how he just doesn't seem to respect the dignity of work and respect these workers. Whether they are physical therapists at hospitals, whether they clean bathrooms at hotels, whether they are construction workers, whether they are midlevel managers, or whether they are salespeople on the road, it is important that we honor and respect work and understand the dignity of work. I am hopeful the President will see that the next two nominees for the Federal Reserve will think about the American workforce. prgtoken One of my most fun moments and most productive moments and days in my time in the Sena
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-5-2

let me thank my colleague from Maryland for outlining one of the cases for why the override of the President's veto is so important. prgtoken There is no question that Saudi Arabia has in no way moderated their human rights behavior since the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi. In fact, as Senator Van Hollen has rightly pointed out, the stick in America's eye from Riyadh has just gotten sharper. The number of executions has increased. More American citizens are being detained. I didn't catch it as to whether Senator Van Hollen specifically referenced the case of Dr. Fitaihi, a Harvard-trained physician who has allegedly been tortured, including stripped to his underwear and shocked with electricity. He has been in detention without charges or a trial for 1\1/2\ years after his arrest. prgtoken The Saudis' behavior has gotten more outrageous, has crossed more human rights lines, has compromised the safety of more American citizens, and yet no response from the U.S. Congress and not a single piece of legislation moving through the U.S. Senate that would hold the Saudis accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and now the detention of multiple U.S. residents. We almost shut down our relationship with Turkey over the detainment of an American pastor, but there is no similar response from this body when it comes to the continued detention of Americans in Saudi Arabia, with no trial, with no charges, and with evidence of torture. How is that? How is that? prgtoken Today we specifically litigate the case of the disastrous war that continues to rage inside Yemen today. I want to read a very short excerpt written by a hardened U.S. diplomat. Jeffrey Feltman is not a or . He was a career Foreign Service officer. He did some of the toughest duty in the Middle East, including a stint as our Ambassador to Lebanon. Many people know him, and I know he commands just as much respect from s as he does from . Here is what he wrote. He said: The war in Yemen has been a disaster for U.S. interests, for Saudi interests, and above all for the Yemeni people. It has sparked the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe: tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, and 14 million are at risk of starvation. It has been a strategic blunder as well, producing the exact results the Saudi-led military campaign was designed to prevent. The Houthis are more militarily sophisticated and better able to strike beyond Yemen's borders than they were at the start of the war; Iranian influence has expanded; and the relationship between the Houthis and Lebanon's Hezbollah has only deepened. Although the United Arab Emirates has waged an effective battle against al Qaeda in Yemen, terrorism remains a grave threat. prgtoken Now, I could read you similar pronouncements from all sorts of other Middle Eastern experts.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-5-2

I rise to cast my vote in support of the resolution we will shortly be voting on, which sends an important message that this body, directly representing the prgtoken American people, wishes to end direct U.S. military support for the Saudi-led coalition's campaign in Yemen. prgtoken I am disappointed but not surprised that the President issued a veto, choosing to stand by a campaign of devastating consequences for the people of Yemen. Every time we have a vote on this resolution and every day, the numbers get worse, but let us be clear. These numbers are people: 3 million human beings have been forced to flee, more than 15 million are on the brink of starvation, and more than 1 million individuals--children, mothers, fathers--are suffering from the largest cholera epidemic in the world. prgtoken Even the coalition countries themselves insist there is no military solution to this manmade conflict. As Houthis, backed with destabilizing and increasing support from Iran, continue to launch attacks into civilian population centers, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue their campaign which has targeted hospitals and threatened humanitarian access. prgtoken The fragile U.N.-brokered political process that emerged from Stockholm is almost at a breaking point. To be sure, the Houthis slow- walking the implementation of this plan presents a serious challenge, but U.S. focus should now be on supporting a meaningful, inclusive, and comprehensive process, even if it is one step at a time--a process that must start by ensuring that vital humanitarian relief reaches those who need it most desperately. prgtoken As some of my colleagues and the President have repeated, we do indeed have important security and military partnerships with the countries comprising the coalition, but these partnerships are not a blank check for weapons and direct support for a campaign that is decidedly working against U.S. interests in the region. prgtoken In addition to the truly horrific attacks on civilians, we have credible, alarming reports that our partners are transferring U.S. weapons to nonstate actors who have worked directly against the United States. Moreover, the length and brutality of this campaign have allowed Iran to exploit a vacuum and increase its influence and presence in the gulf. prgtoken This resolution sends an important message, but much work remains to be done. prgtoken I have a bipartisan bill that would authorize serious policy regarding U.S. weapons sales, that would hold accountable those blocking humanitarian aid, and help set the stage for supporting a meaningful political process. prgtoken As I have said before, we should consider this resolution just as one step, but one that must be taken, one that the Congress has shown it supports. prgtoken While the President has made his decision clear, the Congress must continue to assert our independence and continue to act where he will not. prgtoken
CLIMATE ACTION NOW ACT
Jason Crow (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2019-5-2

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise today to highlight the continuing work at the Department of Defense to procure renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and make our military more resilient in the face of climate change. prgtoken The American military is the strongest in the world. It is also the world's biggest consumer of energy. In 2017, our Armed Forces consumed over 85 million barrels of fuel to power ships, aircraft, combat vehicles, and bases. As a combat veteran, I know firsthand that our reliance on fossil fuels at home and on the battlefield makes us very vulnerable. prgtoken Moreover, current and former DOD civilian and military leaders have argued that climate change presents a rising threat to our force readiness and has exposed vulnerabilities of critical operations. They have argued that climate change is an urgent national security threat, and I agree. prgtoken Warming oceans lead to higher tides, putting our Nation's critical infrastructure at risk. Severe weather has already wrought havoc on military assets, including Tyndall Air Force Base, which will likely require $5 billion in repairs after Hurricane Michael. Climate change is already causing mass migrations that affect the stability of nations and will put our national security and that of our allies at risk. prgtoken The purpose of my amendment is to make the DOD's contributions to the government sustainability efforts a part of the conversation surrounding H.R. 9. And the DOD's accomplishments should be lauded: the DOD has invested heavily in microgrids, renewable energy resources, and fuel-efficient vehicles. prgtoken Additionally, last year's NDAA required the military to build on its obligations to address climate change by incorporating energy and climate resiliency efforts into its installation and operational planning. prgtoken The DOD has done a lot so far and is a model for the rest of the U.S. Government, but there is more to be done. prgtoken Going forward, we have a unique opportunity to support sustainable policies, while also securing our bases, saving taxpayer money, and protecting the environment. One of the best examples is Fort Hood, Texas. Fort Hood has invested in technology to harness renewable energy and ensure that power is being efficiently managed. It is estimated that the combination of microgrids and renewable energy will save Fort Hood $100 million in energy costs. It is also hardened against potential vulnerabilities in the electrical grid, which is a win for our security. prgtoken We must scale smart, practical solutions, like those at the DOD, to make our force more resilient, agile, and efficient. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. prgtoken , I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the chairman.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-2

I rise today in support of overriding President 's veto of the Sanders-Murphy resolution. prgtoken The resolution would end U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen, which I believe is long overdue. prgtoken Saudi Arabia's conduct in the war in Yemen has been deplorable. prgtoken It has purposefully attacked civilian infrastructure, including electricity generation facilities, water sanitation plants and, medical facilities. They have employed cluster munitions in civilian areas and used disproportionate force to attack military targets. In one attack, the coalition killed more than 40 children on a school bus, claiming to this day that the bus was a legitimate military target. prgtoken While I am pleased that the United States is no longer refueling coalition aircraft, I support ending all U.S. assistance for the Saudi- led coalition before thousands more die. To date, more than 63,000 people have been killed as a direct result of the conflict. If the conflict continues, an estimated 22,000 more people will be killed this year. That is only direct combat deaths, which is highly misleading. The ongoing war, with U.S. support, has indirectly killed far more, with Yemen's children bearing the brunt of the suffering. Since 2014, more than 85,000 children have died of starvation. That is worth repeating: More than 85,000 children have starved to death in the last 4 years in Yemen. prgtoken By the end of 2019, the total number of people in Yemen who will die from a lack of food, health services, and infrastructure is expected to top 131,000. Sixty percent of those killed will be children under the age of 5. In fact, a child in Yemen will die every 12 minutes unless we end this war. prgtoken The Saudi coalition's purposeful destruction of Yemen's civilian infrastructure, targeting of medical facilities and withholding of aid has led to the world's worst humanitarian crisis: 14 million people require emergency food aid. A majority of Yemen's population does not have access to clean water, sanitation, or adequate public healthcare. Cholera and other diseases are rampant throughout Yemen as public services have collapsed. There have been 1.2 million suspected cases of cholera, resulting in 2,500 fatalities from this entirely preventable disease. Nearly three-quarters of the population--almost 22 million people--need some form of humanitarian assistance. prgtoken Sadly, the actions of the administration have worsened the humanitarian harm. Through the President's ``Muslim ban,'' the administration has effectively trapped civilians in Yemen, sealing their fate. prgtoken The administration has not accepted a single refugee from Yemen since October 2017. It has banned permanent immigration from Yemen, including immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and it has stopped issuing temporary visas. The administration has even refused to redesignate Temporary Protected Status for Yemen, making mo
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-5-2

. Madam , I appreciate the gentleman's comments. I won't respond to his initial comments. Obviously, we have a disagreement on the impact that the administration has had on preexisting conditions and on the section to which we are referring. But we will have a full debate on that next week when we consider the bill. prgtoken With respect to the gentleman's question as it relates to the President's proposal for supplemental funding for border security, which, by the way, was sent down yesterday and is now being reviewed, the gentleman knows that we are strong supporters of border security, and we want to make sure that the border is also humane. prgtoken The gentleman did not mention, but I want to point out, that in the bill that we adopted to fund the government that was shut down for 35 days, in the bill that we passed, there was $755 million for construction and technology at ports of entry where most drugs come into the country illegally. We want to make sure those drugs stop. prgtoken We want to have border infrastructure that allows for not only security but checking people who are coming into the country to make sure they do not have illicit substances with them, either for their own use or for sale. prgtoken In addition to that, we had $415 million for Border Patrol and Customs agents and for humanitarian relief, which, obviously, was anticipating the problem that currently confronts us and to make sure that people who come across our border are treated humanely and with respect. prgtoken In addition, there was $30.5 million for alternatives to detention and family case management, which we think is important. prgtoken In addition to that, there was a half billion dollars, $563 million, for immigration judges to reduce the backlog of cases. prgtoken Lastly, there was a half-billion dollars, $527 million, to assist Central American countries, which has had a positive effect on reducing crime and violence, one of the major reasons that people are fleeing those countries, particularly the Northern Triangle countries, and seeking asylum in the United States of America, pursuant to American law. prgtoken But we are reviewing. We want to make sure, as I said at the beginning, that our borders are secure and that we are treating people consistent with American law, not separating children from their families. prgtoken The President says he wants to perhaps renew that policy. We are vigorously opposed to that policy. We think the President is wrong in citing previous administrations that separated children. They did so in very few instances, almost exclusively when they were concerned about the safety of a child because of a parent's actions toward the child. prgtoken I will tell the gentleman that we are going to be reviewing the President's request very carefully. Ms. Roybal-Allard, who chairs the committee, and Mr. Thompson, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, both will be looking at it carefully. We will