mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING BAHA'I FAITH
Keith Ellison (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-10-10

I rise today in honor of the Baha'i Faith to recognize the two-hundredth year anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah. prgtoken Baha'u'llah, born in 1817, is the founder of the Baha'i Faith which is currently practiced by people across the world. Its teachings promote oneness and human unity between all people regardless of race, religion, or class. prgtoken Baha'u'llah's teachings have proven to be timeless as followers continue to study and practice his teachings two centuries after his birth. As many as five million people make up the Baha'i Faith in virtually every country. This includes Minneapolis and its surrounding areas where members of the faith continue to promote unity and serve their community. prgtoken The Baha'i Faith has shown a continued commitment to peace and community globally as well as in Minnesota. I am proud to represent members of their community as they celebrate the two-hundredth year anniversary of Baha'u'llah
TRUMP RAMPS UP DEMANDS FOR NEW DACA DEAL
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-10-10

I join with my colleague from Illinois and demand that the Children's Health Insurance Program that will help millions of children have healthcare be reauthorized now, and certainly it should be done before we leave for the work recess. prgtoken I also want to hold up the headline of the Houston Chronicle that says: `` Ramps Up Demands for New DACA Deal.'' prgtoken Sometimes we think that these are just statements that don't impact people's lives. The name of the young lady on this front page is Karen, who watches her parents work 17 hours a day, trying to ensure that the children who came here through no fault of their own can be contributing Americans. prgtoken We stood together yesterday with 122,000 in the State of Texas. We thought we had a reasonable deal to be able to work together to help these young people. But with the ridiculous demands that have been made by this administration--$15 billion border wall, cutting legal immigration, sending out the door unaccompanied children--it is absolutely ludicrous. prgtoken Does anyone care about human life. prgtoken Then we stood together with the chief of police, the sheriff, the constables, and Moms Demand Action and fought against ridiculous nonregulation of guns that can kill people, military guns. We need gun safety legislation, and we need to do it now.
RELIEF EFFORT IN PUERTO RICO AFTER HURRICANE MARIA
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-10-10

what a privilege it has been for me to know and do my best to help community leaders in Lorain, Ohio, who have been engaged in the Puerto Rican relief effort following Hurricane Maria. prgtoken Lorain Councilman Angel Arroyo, along with many of our constituents, have been organizing local shipments to Puerto Rico. Last week, working with celebrities like Bravo TV star Bethenny Frankel, Councilman Arroyo helped arrange seven truckloads of aid that were flown in on a private charter airplane. prgtoken Human stories from relatives across that vast region focused on the tragic lack of aid, especially within the vast interior parts of that island. Our district has the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Ohio, and families are very worried. FEMA is not doing its job, and the administration should get an F for all of the citizens of this country that are being left behind. prgtoken Victor Leandry of the Lorain-based nonprofit El Centro noted that his sister and brother-in-law live in a smaller city, Ponce, and, as of this weekend, they still had no power. prgtoken I include in the Record a letter from a constituent's family member detailing the dire situation: no water, no electricity, no radio contact, with families' life savings destroyed, their crops and their land as well. prgtoken We need to address the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico. What is happening there is un-American. The administration better wake up and help the citizens of this country. Hi My parents live in Lares Puerto Rico in the Barrio called Palmallanos. November will make two years since they moved back ``home''. They worked since day one to get their land aka finca to what it was when my grandparents owned the home. They did a great job. They had Banana and Avocado trees. Had just planted roughly 200 coffee trees and couldn't wait to watch them grow. They had planted different herbs as well as squash and beans. All of that was lost on September 20th when Hurricane Maria ripped straight down the island. I could not get in touch with my parents for two long weeks. Finally I received the call I had been waiting for. While my parents are safe and their house is intact, they lost everything on their land. They had some flooding in the home and a shed they had their washer and dryer in had its roof ripped off and flooding. The river that runs through their land rose so much that my dad could not sleep concerned that it would rise to their home. Fortunately it did not, however due to the rains and winds the house did get flooded, but they were able to work for hours nonstop to get the water out. After two weeks they are still without running water, electricity and phone service. They drive 30-40 minutes to get cell Service as well as go get water. They have to take whatever containers the
CONGRESS NEEDS TO REAUTHORIZE CHIP FUNDING
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-10-10

since 1997, the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, has provided low-cost health insurance for millions of children across the United States of America. prgtoken Unfortunately, in another apparent sabotage to our Nation's healthcare system, Congress failed to reauthorize CHIP funding before it expired on September 30. Without immediate action, States will soon have to curtail care for our neediest children. prgtoken In my home State of Illinois, alone, over 295,000 children rely on CHIP for everything from routine checkups to immunizations. Congress' continued failure to reauthorize this critical program is jeopardizing the well-being of millions of America's children. prgtoken Congress will be going into recess again next week without taking any action to reauthorize this bipartisan and essential program for children. Meanwhile, millions of kids could go without care because of our failure to act. We must do better.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-10-10

$15 billion for a wall. I thought Mexico was going to pay for it President is playing a dangerous game with North Korea. He is playing a dangerous game with American lives. prgtoken The President probably thinks he is being clever when he taunts Kim Jong-un and calls him ``little rocket man.'' The President probably thinks he is a tough guy when he threatens to rain down fire and fury on North Korea. But the President is not clever, and he is not tough. prgtoken A clever President would know that peace is preferable to war. A tough President would understand that threatening war with a highly armed, petty dictator makes the United States look weak and risks American lives. prgtoken President 's saber-rattling could draw the country into nuclear war that no one wants. If the United States is drawn into a war for the President's ego, people will die, Americans will die, and thousands, if not millions, of North Koreans will die.
WORLDWIDE REFUGEE CRISIS
Joaquin Castro (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-10-10

as with any moment in the history of our Nation, in the world, there are tragedies and disasters which sear the conscience and call us to action not only because we are American, but because we are human. prgtoken Some of these tragedies are man-made, others are the work of nature. Some hit close to home, such as the hurricanes that devastated Texas-- my home State--Florida, and Puerto Rico, taking many lives and inflicting billions of dollars in damage. Some are the work of one man, like the shooter in Las Vegas, who took 58 lives. prgtoken Like many in this Chamber, I have spoken up on these tragedies close to home. prgtoken Tonight, I would like to speak to a humanitarian crisis far away from us; that is, the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma. prgtoken Since late August, 500,000 Rohingya have been forced out of their nation. The Rohingya, after being driven out of Burma, have sought refuge in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India. Some have even come as far as the United States of America. prgtoken These victims had been driven out of the country their ancestors have called home for hundreds of years through a systematic campaign of murder and rape and the destruction of entire villages and communities. prgtoken It can be challenging for host governments to care for these displaced populations, which can lead to additional instability, especially in countries with low incomes or with governments already under stress to provide services to their citizens. We see this pattern worldwide. prgtoken The refugees from the war in Syria have fled to Lebanon and Turkey, to Iraq, and across the Mediterranean to Europe. Over a million Syrian refugees are in Lebanon, which is over one-sixth of that nation's population. Over 3.2 million refugees have found their way to Turkey, and 600,000 in Jordan. Almost 1 million have sought refuge in Europe. prgtoken There are similar crises in the Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan, and Yemen. Millions of people have fled conflicts and instabilities in these regions, usually finding refuge in prgtoken neighboring countries vulnerable to instability. prgtoken The United States, our own country, has already been affected by instability. In recent years, gang-related violence in Central America has driven hundreds of thousands of people both to the north and to the south. We remember the tens of thousands of primarily women and children who made their way to the United States and were able to find refuge here. Tens of thousands more, though, remained in Mexico, where the resources to care for these children are scarce. prgtoken These crises have global consequences, and failure to address them early will eventually affect the United States. The United States cannot afford to treat these crises as events ``over there'' or just far away. This affects us in a very real way. prgtoken These events highlight how important the concept of democracy and inclusi
JANET CAPELLO POST OFFICE BUILDING
Jimmy Gomez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-10-10

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 2254, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Post Service located at 2635 Napa Street in Vallejo, California, as the Janet Capello Post Office Building. prgtoken H.R. 2254 was introduced this year by my colleague and friend from California, Mr. Thompson. Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson is unable to be here today, as he has remained in his district in California this evening to assist in wildfire relief and recovery efforts. I am, along with the entire House of Representatives, praying for Mr. Thompson and our fellow Americans in this time of need. prgtoken A lifelong resident of Vallejo, California, and granddaughter of Italian immigrants, Janet Capello took great pride in her heritage. Her deepest passion was the Sons of Italy, an organization where she served as a dedicated member of Lodge Number 1626 for over 63 years. prgtoken She held two of the organization's most prestigious posts--vice president of the Grand Lodge of California, and Secretary of the United Lodges--and led efforts to bring the group's scholarship program to Vallejo. In doing so, she helped hundreds of young men and women attend college. prgtoken Ms. Capello oversaw a number of charity efforts, and helped raise thousands of dollars each year for Alzheimer's research in conjunction with the University of California-Davis. Ms. Capello's dedication to these causes earned her the Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro Award, the highest honor granted by the Sons of Italy. prgtoken In addition to these accomplishments, Janet Capello was an active participant in local Vallejo politics, serving on the city's Planning Commission, the Civil Service Commission, and the Charter Review Committee, and others, and was an active member of the St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church until her passing in 2012, at the age of 77. prgtoken , we should pass this bill to commemorate the life of Janet Capello, and recognize the lasting contributions she has made to the Vallejo community. prgtoken I urge the passage of H.R. 2254, and .
WELCOMING NEW CITIZENS
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2017-10-10

it is with great pleasure and sincerity that I take this time to congratulate thirty individuals who will take their oaths of citizenship on Friday, October 13, 2017. This memorable occasion will be held at the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Hammond, Indiana. prgtoken America is a country founded by immigrants. From its beginning, settlers have come from countries around the world to the United States in search of better lives for their families. Oath ceremonies are a shining example of what is so great about the United States of America--that people from all over the world can come together and unite as members of a free, democratic nation. These individuals realize that nowhere else in the world offers a better opportunity for success than here in America. prgtoken On October 13, 2017, the following people, representing many nations throughout the world, will take their oaths of citizenship in Hammond, Indiana: Christopher Richard Sweet, Hikmat Mahmood Jbara, Abimbola Harninat Elenitoba-Johnson, Inessa Sergeyevna Bodrova, Radoslaw Jan Nabrzyski, Bhavik Kapilbhai Pathak, Zivojin Gino Djuric, Petrica Murariu Botez, Corina Gabriela Murariu-Botez, Obiefuna Foster Eze, Ai- Anh Thi Truong, Pavel Veljanoski, Caterina Susana Bosio Ruiz, Kan-Wei Coduti, Alejandra Diaz, Bijan Farajzadeh, Angela Izchel Fonseca, Adrian Fuentes, Gabriela Herrera, Jean Yves Jean Mardy, Petra Pacheco Dorado, Maria Guadalupe Perretta, Patricia Reid-Sinclair, Liliana Romo, Samantha Wenz, Jade Yu Rui Yang, Radomir Cvetkovski, Lan Phuoc Mai, Gilles Jean Claude Charriere and Heidy Lobo Gibson. prgtoken Although each individual has sought to become a citizen of the United States for his or her own reasons, be it for education, occupation, or to offer their loved ones better lives, each is inspired by the fact that the United States of America is, as Abraham Lincoln described it, a country `` . . . of the people, by the people, and for the people.'' They realize that the United States is truly a free nation. By seeking American citizenship, they have made the decision that they want to live in a place where, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, they can practice religion as they choose, speak their minds without fear of punishment, and assemble in peaceful protest should they choose to do so. prgtoken , I respectfully ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating these individuals who will become citizens of the United States of America on October 13, 2017. They, too, will be American citizens, guaranteed the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We, as a free and democratic nation, congratulate them and welcome them.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DIANE GLASSER
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-10-10

it is with tremendous sadness that I rise today to honor the life and contributions of Diane Glasser. Diane was a former Vice Mayor of the City of Tamarac, a dear personal friend, a constituent, and an activist who contributed greatly to the growth of ic politics in Broward County and Florida. She passed away on October 10, 2017 at the age of 89, and is survived by her son Craig Glasser of Sunrise, Florida. prgtoken Originally from Mill Basin in Brooklyn, New York, Diane and her husband moved to the City of Tamarac in 1973. She worked in the construction industry for twelve years. In 2004, Diane was appointed First Vice Chairwoman of the Florida ic Party. prgtoken She was then elected to the Tamarac City Commission in 2008, where she served until her retirement in 2016. She also served on various Boards in Broward County, including the Broward School Board Senior Advisory Task Force and the Broward Human Rights Board. prgtoken Diane was an Elected Florida Delegate in the last six ic National Conventions, and cast her vote in the Electoral College for the State of Florida in 1996 for Former President Bill Clinton and in 2000 for Former Vice President Al Gore. prgtoken , Diane was a very special woman who profoundly impacted our community. Her spirit and loving memory will always live on. She will be dearly missed.
PROTECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-10-10

going back to the days of Teddy Roosevelt, it has been a bipartisan principle that protecting the public health in America's environment is the sacred obligation of all of us who have the honor to serve this Nation in elective or appointed office. Unfortunately, the Administrator of the EPA, Mr. Scott Pruitt, didn't get that memo. prgtoken Yesterday, Mr. Pruitt announced that he is precipitously going to strike down the Clean Power Plan rule sometime later today, which will turn the clock back in this country in terms of trying to get our arms around the issue of rising carbon emissions that scientists from across all sectors have universally recognized are causing rising sea temperature, rising sea levels, affecting climate, and clearly are linked to manmade carbon emissions that have been tracked for decades going back in time. prgtoken Mr. Pruitt's argument is based on the discredited view that carbon pollution does not fall under the Clean Air Act, which is what the last administration was proceeding on when they actually designed the Clean Power Plan rule. prgtoken The facts are these: prgtoken In 1963, this Congress passed the Clean Air Act. It was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson and has been amended a number of times on a bipartisan basis to strengthen and enhance the protections that were built into that law when it was, again, enacted many years ago. In fact, in 1990, George Herbert Walker signed the last update and upgrade to the Clean Air Act, which is exactly what the prior administration was proceeding under when they designed the rule. prgtoken The Supreme Court has weighed in on this question about whether or not greenhouse gases are covered under the Clean Air Act. In 2007, in Massachusetts v. EPA, a -majority Court ruled in favor of the fact that greenhouse gases are in fact covered under the statutory umbrella of the Clean Air Act. This is what the Court said: Because greenhouse gases fit well within the Clean Air Act's capacious definition of ``air pollutant,'' we hold that EPA has the statutory authority to regulate the emission of such gases. prgtoken In 2014, the Court reenforced that ruling in a decision written by Antonin Scalia, the godfather of conservative lawyers all across this country, which reiterated the fact that greenhouse gases emitted from power plants are, in fact, subject to the scope and authority of the Clean Air Act. prgtoken Unfortunately, today, the EPA Administrator is completely striking down that important advance in terms of protecting the public health of this country and putting nothing in place. There is no alternative that Mr. Pruitt is putting out there in terms of trying to get this country to move forward on clean power. prgtoken It is unfortunate because, as the International Energy Agency announced this morning, for the first time ever, solar energy production now surpasses any other form of power produc
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-10-10

. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the following letter to the Honorable Paul Ryan, of the House. Congress of the United States, Washington, DC, October 4, 2017. Hon. Paul Ryan, of the House, Washington, DC. Dear : We write to request that, as the Congress considers the Fiscal Year 2018 budget resolution and any legislation written to comply with its reconciliation instructions, we continue to follow the long-standing practice of evaluating the fiscal effects of legislation relative to the baseline developed by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Using the CBO baseline will allow us to provide the American people the most accurate forecast of how proposed fiscal policies will affect our ballooning federal deficit. CBO's baseline conforms to the principles that Congress has defined in law. For decades we have consistently used the CBO baseline to accurately calculate the fiscal and distributional impacts of tax reform policy. The CBO baseline is the best mechanism to measure how we are affecting our nation's balance sheets because it reflects the clearest intent of Congress, accurately accounts for the costs of extending specific program provisions scheduled to expire, and keeps legislation in line with fiscal requirements set forth in reconciliation instructions within the budget resolution. Our constituents are calling on us to enact sound fiscal policy, and many have answered that call with promises to get our financial house in order. Unfortunately, according to recent news reports, some members of the House of Representatives may break that promise by opting instead to change the baseline we traditionally use to determine how new tax policy proposals will affect the deficit. Instead, some lawmakers are pushing you to use a ``current-policy'' baseline that would, among other things, obscure the true cost of extending deficit-increasing tax cuts by ignoring their expiration dates written into the tax code. Changing the baseline could cause Congress to inaccurately calculate the detrimental impact of tax cuts and therefore allow lawmakers to disregard important rules such as those that guide the use of reconciliation in order to limit long- term deficit increases. As you know, the Byrd Rule prevents reconciliation procedures from being used in the Senate to pass legislation that increases the deficit beyond the budget window. Adopting a current-policy baseline would effectively hide the $400 billion cost of extending expiring tax cuts, and pretend that they are revenue neutral in order to meet the Senate's reconciliation requirements. Such a change will have costly consequences. Every
JAVIER VEGA, JR. MEMORIAL ACT OF 2017
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-10-10

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I appreciate the remarks of my good friend from Pennsylvania, and I, too, rise in support of S. 1617, a bill to designate the checkpoint of the United States Border Patrol located on United States Highway 77 North in Sarita, Texas, as the Javier Vega, Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoint. prgtoken Javier Vega, Jr was killed in the line of duty on August 3, 2014, while trying to stop a criminal act and trying to protect his family in Raymondville, Texas. While fishing with his wife, with his children, and with his parents, two men approached him and tried to rob his family. prgtoken Agent Vega attempted to stop the robbery by drawing his gun, and we know that Border Patrol agents may carry their guns when they are off duty because they are law enforcement officials. He was shot in the chest. Agent Vega was rushed to the hospital after he was shot but died soon thereafter. prgtoken It was determined that Agent Vega was aware of a pattern of robberies in the area due to his role as a Border Patrol agent and that he identified himself as an agent before he was fatally shot. The U.S. Border Patrol considered those facts and later determined that Javier Vega, Jr was murdered in the line of duty, ensuring that Agent Vega's name was enshrined at the Customs and Border Protection Valor Memorial. prgtoken Agent Vega was a U.S. Marine veteran and had served with the United States Border Patrol for 6 years before his untimely death. He served his country with honor and distinction. prgtoken , I strongly support this legislation honoring the life and death of Javier Vega, Jr by naming this checkpoint after him. I urge my colleagues to pass S. 1617, and .