mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
UNITED STATES-MEXICO TOURISM IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2019
Henry Cuellar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-10

. Madam , I want to thank Chairman Engel for yielding to me and for his leadership that he has provided in making sure that we develop a good working relationship with the Republic of Mexico. prgtoken In fact, a few months ago, we also passed a U.S.-Mexico economic development bill that is over in the Senate, and now today we are passing a tourism bill that will be used to promote this important relationship. prgtoken Madam , I want to thank the chairman for his leadership. prgtoken I also want to thank the ranking member, a friend of mine who is also with me on the U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary Group, and I want to thank him because, as a Texan, he also understands this very important relationship that we have with Mexico. prgtoken Madam , I also want to thank the majority staff and, certainly, the minority staff for the Committee on Foreign Affairs because they get it. They understand the type of legislation that we need to have to improve this relationship that we have between the U.S. and Mexico. So I want to thank both staffs. prgtoken The relationship with Mexico is very important. Let me first talk about trade. prgtoken Every day, there is more than $1.7 billion of trade between the U.S. and Mexico. That is over $1 million every single minute, the trade that we have between these two countries. prgtoken If we look at the more than 5 million jobs that have been created because of the trade that we have with Mexico, it is important that we nourish this relationship. prgtoken So it is not only the trade that we have, the commerce that we have, but it is certainly also the tourism. prgtoken In 2016, we had over 19 million Mexicans that came over and spent over $20.5 billion at our restaurants, at our prgtoken hotels, at our malls, at our stores--a lot of money that has been spent here in the United States. But the last couple years, we have seen a different trend. prgtoken While international tourist arrivals in the U.S. have totaled 79.6 million visitors, which has been almost a 5 percent increase, a 4.2 percent increase, the tourism from Mexico has actually decreased, and, again, for different reasons. prgtoken Again, if we call them murderers, rapists, and other words, they are not going to come and spend the money. So we have to make sure that we get our friends to the south to come back and spend money because, again, in 2016, Mexican tourism to the United States peaked at almost 19 million, which means that one out of every four international visitors, that is almost 25 percent of the tourists coming from across the world, was coming here to the United States from Mexico. prgtoken Madam , this is why, with Chairman Engel and my good friend, the ranking member, Michael McCaul, we are trying to make sure that we get this tourism back because, again, it is good for our economy. prgtoken What does this bill do? Basically, it is asking that we focus on doing a couple things: prgtoken Having the State Department de
AUTHORIZING THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY TO INITIATE OR INTERVENE IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS TO ENFORCE CERTAIN SUBPOENAS
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-6-11

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , this is a dark time. This Congress is being tested--in this case, not by a foreign adversary but by our own President, a President who is undertaking a relentless campaign of obstruction and stonewalling. prgtoken We have never seen anything like this. Never before, , has a President from either party so flagrantly ignored Congress' constitutional oversight authority and our Nation's separation of powers. prgtoken You don't have to take my word for it. President has declared, ``We are fighting all the subpoenas,'' and, ``I don't want people testifying.'' These words make Richard Nixon look like an Eagle Scout. prgtoken His Attorney General, William Barr, is apparently more than willing to follow the President's command. He has refused to release the full, unredacted Mueller report and any underlying evidence until a compromise was finally reached yesterday. That is after the Judiciary Committee had already voted to hold him in contempt of Congress. Apparently, the Attorney General went from being America's lawyer to being the defense counsel for the President of the United States. prgtoken I hope the Justice Department acts in good faith on this new agreement. These are documents that Congress needs to see in response to Special Counsel Mueller's findings. But if they do not, and if the Attorney General holds back key information, then all options need to be on the table, including enforcing these subpoenas. That is in addition to the fact that some documents and testimony we deserve to obtain could very well fall outside the bounds of this agreement. prgtoken The Mueller report is just the tip of the iceberg. The President is using every trick in the book, including false claims of executive privilege, absolute immunity, and lack of legitimate legislative purpose, all to obstruct legitimate inquiries into matters that impact Americans' daily lives. This includes the President's attack on affordable healthcare coverage for millions of Americans, including those with preexisting conditions; his family separation policy that has torn apart vulnerable immigrant families; his misappropriation of military funds for his offensive border wall; and his decision to roll back landmark civil rights protections. prgtoken This is exactly the sort of concentrated power in the hands of the few that the Founders intentionally prevented through the creation of the three separate but coequal branches of government, each branch with unique powers and responsibilities and each branch expected to act as a check on the power of the others. prgtoken But the President is trying to take this balance of power and centralize it prgtoken in one place, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He is acting as though the law applies to every American but himself. prgtoken The President's strategy here is clear. Tweet by tweet, quote by quote, he has laid it bare for all of us to see. prgtoken The q
VOTE EXPLANATION
Kamala D. Harris (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-11

I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 145, the confirmation of Ryan T. Holte, of Ohio, to be a Judge of the US Court of Federal Claims. prgtoken , I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 146, the confirmation of Rossie David Alston, Jr of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. prgtoken , I was necessarily absent but, had I been present, would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 147, the confirmation of Richard A. Hertling, of Maryland, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
A. Donald McEachin (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-6-11

. Madam , I was unavoidably detained on June 10, 2019 during roll call no. 242, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 542, the Supporting Research and Development for First Responders Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 243, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 2539, the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 244, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 2590, the DHS Overseas Personnel Enhancement Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''
AUTHORIZING THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY TO INITIATE OR INTERVENE IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS TO ENFORCE CERTAIN SUBPOENAS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-11

. The American people would not want a Congress that turned its back on, frankly, the rule of law. prgtoken For those of us who had the special privilege of going to Normandy this past week, we got a great sense of pride, of the courage of Americans, the bravery of those young men, and all I could think of is how important it is to all of us to adhere to those wonderful principles. prgtoken So, again, there is no targeting here. This is not a way to do policy or legislation. We can fight that battle on the floor of the House. prgtoken But if you read those volumes and end it in the last pages of Volume 2, you know that Director Mueller asked us to finish the task of looking into elements that he did not or could not and the underlying issues. prgtoken Let me also say, as we do that, we do it forthrightly because, in 2020, we want to make sure that every American has the right to vote and every American is not undermined by a foreign operative interfering and taking the election away from you. prgtoken I support the resolution. We must stand for the rule of law. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of H. Res. 430, authorizing the Committee on the Judiciary to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings to enforce certain subpoenas and for other purposes. prgtoken It is an honor to serve in this body. prgtoken We are the successors and heirs to an august freedom earned centuries ago, expanded for successive groups and defended through the blood, sweat and tears of the nation's fighting forces. prgtoken It is this debt that took me to the beaches of Normandy to pay my respects on the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion. prgtoken We are heirs to this legacy, and we are heirs to this ingenious system of separation of powers. prgtoken The system they laid down presumes equality of power among the branches. prgtoken As custodians of Article I, we have a duty to ensure the rigors of the Constitution are upheld. prgtoken This includes that when the Second Branch, Article II, flouts the investigative prerogatives of the Congress, there must be recourse and accountability. prgtoken As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I have to say that it is regrettable that we are here. prgtoken This is because a hallmark of our constitutional republic is that no person is above the law. prgtoken Congressional oversight has been the tradition going back to the first years of our republic. prgtoken And the congressional prerogative of oversight has been a tool in the Article I arsenal as a way of asserting our power and protecting against the worst excesses of an executive. prgtoken This comports with the founding of our government, which sought to prevent the concentration of power in an autocratic executive, which was anathema to the Founders. prgtoken Which is why the events of the last many months have been so confounding. prgtoken The decision by this executive to flout all lawfully authorized subpoenas has been unprecedented. prgtoken
AUTHORIZING THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY TO INITIATE OR INTERVENE IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS TO ENFORCE CERTAIN SUBPOENAS
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2019-6-11

this is an opportunity for Congress to reassert itself as an equal branch of government. The fact that it is supposed to be three equal branches of government is not totally accurate. prgtoken When we came up with the Constitution, we decided that we didn't want to have an autocratic king rule us. That is why we had a revolution. When the men met to write our Constitution, they made Congress Article I. There was a reason they made Congress Article I, because the Congress represents the people. It is not a king, it is not an autocrat, and it is not a despot. It is the Representatives of the people who make the laws. We are supposed to really be the embodiment-- and we are the embodiment--of the American people. prgtoken This President has thumbed his nose at the Representatives of the people by not complying with lawful requests for documentation and lawful requests for testimony for Congress to do its constitutionally delegated purpose of oversight of the executive branch and laws that are necessary for the betterment of this Nation. prgtoken This is about time Congress did act. I am proud of Congress for bringing these bills, and I am shocked at the opposition for not wanting the people's House--their House, their legislative body--to stand up for future Congresses as well as this Congress for the rightful power that it deserves to do oversight and perform its functions with the best possible witnesses and testimony and materials that could aid it in its efforts. prgtoken I support the contempt citations. I condemn the parties that have thumbed their noses at us, subpoena under law, they are supposed to arrive with documentation and appear to testify. If they object, they can object there and then, not just disregard Congresses' subpoenas that are lawful.
Net Neutrality (Executive Session)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-6-11

I rise today in defense of net neutrality. In April the House of Representatives took an important step in passing the Save the Internet Act, legislation that would overturn the administration's Federal Communication Commission's wrongheaded decision and restore net neutrality protections. Another way of saying it is that net neutrality is nondiscrimination online. That is what it is. It is the principle of nondiscrimination online so that large companies just can't discriminate against smaller voices, smaller companies, and startups. prgtoken In the Senate, we have already successfully passed the same proposal last year. In April of 2018, my Congressional Review Act resolution passed in the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 52 to 47. In April 2018, on a bipartisan basis, we debated net neutrality and the Senate decided to join the majority of Americans and support a free and open internet. prgtoken In that vote we sent a message to President about what that means: an internet, free of corporate control and open to all who want to communicate, engage, and innovate. We made it clear that Congress will not fall for President 's special interest agenda and his broadband baron allies who just want to block, slow down, or discriminate against content online just to charge Americans more on their cable bills. prgtoken Unfortunately, the rules for the Congressional Review Act that allow just 30 Senators to force the majority to schedule a vote is not an option in this Congress. So, instead, on this, the 1-year anniversary of President 's net neutrality repeal going into effect, we will call for an immediate vote on the Save the Internet Act. Unfortunately, our colleagues are failing to listen to the voices of their constituents and plan to block the vote from happening. prgtoken Let's be clear. Net neutrality is just another way in which the Party refuses to side with the ordinary people in our country--regular families, small businesses, and startup software companies. How do they get access to the internet in a way in which they cannot feel that corporate pressure restricting their ability to use this incredible invention to further the democratization of access to opportunity or, at the same time, to innovate in a way which continues to change not only our own country but our own world? prgtoken We can't let big companies discriminate against individual consumers. We can't let big companies stifle speech. Once you pay your monthly internet service bill, you can go anywhere you want on the internet without your provider slowing down or blocking your path to a website of your choosing. prgtoken This is a fight. It is a fight for innovation, for entrepreneurialism, for the American economy, and a fight for free speech--the cornerstone of our democracy--and a fight for the most powerful platform for commerce and communications in the history of the planet. The S
HONORING THERESA BURROUGHS
Terri A. Sewell (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2019-6-11

I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Theresa Burroughs, a champion for voting rights and a foot soldier of the civil rights movement. prgtoken Sadly, Mrs. Burroughs passed away on May 22, 2019, at the age of 89. prgtoken Mrs. Burroughs dedicated her life to advancing equality and justice and making sure that future generations would learn about the sacrifices and the bravery of foot soldiers who marched, bled, and died for the right to vote and for civil rights in this country. prgtoken She is best known for her stewardship in founding the Safe House Black History Museum in Greensboro, Alabama. The museum is located in the same house in Hale County where Dr. Martin Luther King hid out from the KKK on a visit to west Alabama in 1968. The museum houses materials to educate future generations of the local struggle that happened in the Black Belt of Alabama on behalf of all of us. prgtoken I am deeply honored to have known Mrs. Burroughs, and, in fact, I had the opportunity to present Mrs. Burroughs with a Congressional Gold Medal for her participation in the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. I am deeply honored because I know I stand on the shoulders of Mrs. Burroughs. So many of us do. Her bright light will always glow through the many lives that prgtoken she impacted. May my colleagues join me in celebrating the exemplary life of Mrs. Burroughs today and honor her great contributions to this Nation, the State of Alabama, and to the civil rights and voting rights movements.
Equal Pay (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-6-11

later this afternoon, the U.S. women's soccer team will begin its quest for another World Cup title with its opening match against Thailand. As the entire Nation cheers them on as they take the field, I want to shine a light today on an issue the women's national team has been fighting for off the field: pay equity. The women make just as much of a sacrifice, put in just as much mental and physical energy, absorb just as much risk of injury as the men who play for the national team. Yet when you break it down, a women's national soccer team player earns a base salary of $3,600 per game while a men's player earns $5,000. Over the course of a season, if both the men's and women's teams have the same record, a male player could earn $30,000 more than his female counterpart. prgtoken Female soccer players who earn the privilege of representing their country on the world stage get a much smaller bonus, $15,000, than male soccer players who earn the same privilege, $55,000. When a woman's national team wins a World Cup, something the U.S. women have done three times--with some New York State players helping--it wins a percentage of what a men's team gets if it wins at all, something the U.S. men have never done. prgtoken For the sake of comparison, U.S. soccer awarded the men's national team a $5.4 million performance bonus for losing in the round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup. It awarded the women $1.7 million for winning the World Cup. prgtoken Let me repeat that so you get the contrast. The women won the Cup and were given $1.7 million. The men got into the final 16 and got $5.4 million. That is discrimination staring us all in the face. prgtoken This is an issue of basic fairness. Performances aside--and the women have been excellent and often dominant over the past two decades--we shouldn't reward women less for doing the same work as men. We shouldn't say to generations of girls and boys who look up to these talented stars that women's prgtoken sports is in any way ``less than'' because it is not. These women, who inspire our country with their poise, tenacity, skill, and excellence every time they take the field, deserve to be fairly compensated. prgtoken Right now, the Senate could take a meaningful step to support the women's international team by passing legislation that aims to end gender-based wage discrimination. The House passed a paycheck fairness bill months ago, which languished here in the Senate in Leader McConnell's legislative graveyard. Bill after bill comes from the House, has the support of large percentages of Americans, gets support in the House, and Leader McConnell just lets them lie there--another tombstone in the graveyard. prgtoken As the women of Team USA take the field today, I call on Leader McConnell to bring up the House legislation already passed that would aid in their fight for equal pay. prgtoken I will be rooting for Team USA women to kick off their campa
ICE SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-11

I rise today to condemn the inhumane treatment of immigrants at detention centers around the country. prgtoken Recently exposed documents paint a gruesome picture of ICE custodians abusing the practice of solitary confinement on immigration detainees. Often these detainees have not violated rules or shown dangerous behavior, but, in some instances, are being held in isolation because they are disabled or because they identify as gay. prgtoken Even under ICE's own guidelines, solitary confinement is a serious step that requires careful consideration of all alternatives. Yet, ICE is using this practice as a tool of first resort, not last resort. One detainee noted that the strain of the isolation made him lose his mind. prgtoken These reported cases reveal what we already feared: that this administration is committed to widespread abuse of human beings simply because of who they are and where they come from. prgtoken , I learned at an early age that we are all God's children. This is not the way to treat God's children.
LET'S USE OUR POWER TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE
Charlie Crist (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-6-11

. Madam , I stand before you 2 days before the third anniversary of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, to tell this body, the people's House, that we have work to do. prgtoken The Pulse shooting shook us all to our core, and for so many in the LGBTQ community, these wounds may never fully heal. prgtoken We honor the memory of those whose lives were taken, but for those 49 people, their families, and, importantly, their chosen families, thoughts and prayers will never be enough. ``Orlando Strong'' and ``Never Again'' are only words until we take action. prgtoken We are united by the power our constituents have given to us to make laws. We must use that power to stop gun violence. prgtoken What does it say to the victims at Pulse, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Aurora, Virginia Beach, and too many others to list? Do we not care? prgtoken Making life safer for our constituents is not right versus left; it is right versus wrong. prgtoken Madam , I urge action on this national epidemic.
INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO ADD SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES TO SCHOOL IDENTIFICATION CARDS
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-11

. Madam , unfortunately, in 2017, there were more than 47,000 suicides nationwide, making it the tenth-leading cause of death. prgtoken Tragically, among teenagers and young adults, the suicide rate is particularly alarming, with suicide the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24. prgtoken For people experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line provide free and confidential round-the-clock support. Many colleges and universities also offer mental health resources on campus. prgtoken To raise awareness of these available resources, the bill simply requires colleges and universities to provide the contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; Crisis Text Line; and a campus mental health center, if applicable, on student identification cards. For colleges and universities that do not provide identification cards to their students, schools must ensure that the information is available on their website. prgtoken Suicide is a major public health problem. Providing information on existing suicide prevention resources can help students experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress and potentially save lives.