mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
U.S. BORDER PATROL MEDICAL SCREENING STANDARDS ACT
Lauren Underwood (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-9-26

I introduced the U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act in response to the conditions I witnessed firsthand on our border this year: first in April, then in July, and then again in August. prgtoken The humanitarian crisis at our border is a problem that we should be working together to solve with an evidence-based approach. This legislation is evidence-based, and I am incredibly proud that it was able to be forwarded by the Committee on Homeland Security with a voice vote. prgtoken I also appreciated Ranking Member Rogers' willingness to engage with us on this bill, and I am committed to continuing to look for ways to work together on these issues going forward. prgtoken As introduced, my bill had three sections, two of which are included in the legislation we are debating today. prgtoken First, my bill ensures implementation of an integrated electronic health records system, or EHR, to be used by those caring for migrants at the border. This is a direct ask from medical officers at the Department of Homeland Security who have identified it as a high- priority barrier to providing care. prgtoken We know that migrants may be transferred between different sites and components multiple times while in custody, and an interoperable EHR is essential to their health records remaining accessible. prgtoken Immigration and Customs Enforcement has an EHR. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has an EHR. But Customs and Border Protection, which includes the U.S. Border Patrol, doesn't. prgtoken When I was at the border, I saw busy, overworked Border Patrol officials having to keep health records on paper. I also saw how these records don't always follow migrants between facilities and transfers of custody. prgtoken As DHS works to improve its medical screening of children and migrants at the border to ensure there is a minimum standard of care, the need for proper recordkeeping on those screenings will only increase. prgtoken Furthermore, children can spend days or weeks in CBP custody before being transferred to another component. There must be a transferrable record of the medical care those kids receive and the medical conditions that they report. That is why DHS has already begun independently taking steps toward an electronic health records system, hiring staff, and soliciting individual component requirements. prgtoken This legislation formalizes and directs that process, setting an aggressive but achievable timeline that reflects the urgency of the humanitarian situation at our southern border. prgtoken Second, this bill directs DHS to research innovative approaches to address any capability gaps in providing medical screening, particularly for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations. prgtoken As a nurse, I believe in data-driven, evidence-based policymaking. Data shows that, in recent years, the migrant population arriving at our southern border has shifted from primarily adult,
Nomination of Eugene Scalia (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-9-26

I want to speak on the nomination, which will occur before the Senate shortly, of Eugene Scalia as Secretary of Labor. prgtoken I think it is important to say that as President continues relentlessly pursuing his anti-worker agenda, now, more than ever, we need a Secretary of Labor who will stand up to the President and stand with working families, not someone like Scalia, who is an elite corporate lawyer, who has made his career fighting for the biggest corporations and against workers. We need someone who will fight for strong health and safety protections, not someone who has crusaded to strike them down. We need someone who will hold companies accountable, not someone who used his last position in the Department of Labor to undermine whistleblower protections and fought to get his corporate clients off the hook for workplace harassment and discrimination against workers with disabilities. prgtoken We need someone who will fight for workers' economic security, not someone who helped companies get away with stealing their workers' wages and denying overtime pay. We don't need someone who avoids committing to support our efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and close the pay gap and, certainly, not someone who costs working families billions of dollars by fighting to strike down a crucial rule that made sure they could get retirement advice that was in their best interest. prgtoken We need a Secretary of Labor, not a secretary of corporate interests. Yet at our confirmation hearing last week, Scalia made very clear that is exactly what he would be by dodging taking a stand for workers and deferring to President 's anti-worker agenda. prgtoken I have been deeply concerned about his awful record since day one. I strongly oppose his nomination. I urge my colleagues to do the same. Everyone needs to take a long, hard look at who Mr. Scalia fights for and who he does not and think carefully about the message their vote will send to working families in our country. prgtoken .
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THREATS IN AMERICA ACT
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2019-9-26

H.R. 3106, the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act was approved unanimously by the Committee on Homeland Security. This show of unity demonstrates that there is bipartisan support for ensuring that the American public has data on domestic terrorism and Federal efforts to counter this threat. prgtoken Congress and the American people need transparency from the government. We need to know about the domestic terrorism threats we face and how the government is allocating resources to confront them. prgtoken Importantly, in addition to ensuring that such critical data is made available, H.R. 3106 requires DHS to research the transnational aspect of domestic terrorism. Increasingly, there is an awareness that white supremacist extremists rarely act in a vacuum. From the United States to New Zealand to Norway, networks of extremists inspire each other to violence. prgtoken Further, the committee recently received testimony about the similarities and the recruitment tactics utilized by white supremacist extremists and ISIS. Both groups engaged in tactics that focused on victimization and distrust of political leaders and public institutions and heavily on propaganda that prgtoken emphasized themes of purity and militancy. prgtoken , I also thank the staff of our committee who worked on this. Sandeep Prasanna, Jenna Hopkins, Charles Carithers, and Nicole Tisdale made a yeoman's effort toward getting us to where we are today. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3106 to ensure greater transparency on this pressing and growing issue, and .
JOINT TASK FORCE TO COMBAT OPIOID TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2019
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-9-26

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the additional time. prgtoken As I said before, the opioid epidemic is increasingly complex, with a number of factors driving the tragic increases in overdose. There is no silver bullet; rather, we need a whole-of-society approach. This bill will bring that unity of effort to the Department of Homeland Security so that it can be a more effective partner in turning the tide against opioid abuse. prgtoken I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting the creation of a joint task force on opioids and support this bill.
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020, AND HEALTH EXTENDERS ACT OF 2019-- Resumed
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2019-9-26

I rise today to commemorate a terrible tragedy. Today is a solemn day and a chance to reflect. Two years ago, in my hometown of Las Vegas, thousands of people gathered on a warm evening at the Route 91 music festival. They were there with friends, partners, family. prgtoken They came to listen to country music, relax, and just celebrate. prgtoken Two years ago on that evening, they heard the pop of what sounded like fireworks. After seconds for some, minutes for others, they understood what was happening: an attack that would become the worst mass shooting in modern American history. prgtoken In the space of 11 minutes, Las Vegas was transformed. In that narrow window of time, 58 people were mortally wounded and hundreds of others were injured, many of them grievously. prgtoken I still think about the stories of those who ran into the crowd to help others, those people who made a commitment that night to our community to protect others from harm. Police, firefighters, and other first responders who ran toward the festival grounds to rescue others made that commitment that October evening. The people who piled the wounded into their cars, vans, and pickups also offered a hand to help strangers. So did the doctors and nurses who rushed to the hospitals and the hundreds of Las Vegas and Reno residents who stood in line to donate blood. They all felt viscerally the desire to help those who were suffering in whatever way they could. prgtoken We made a commitment to all those caught up in the devastating attack at the Route 91 festival, a promise that I honor today. I vowed to do all I could to help my community heal, to remember those who died, and to support those who bear scars of the body or of the spirit. prgtoken During that dark time 2 years ago, my city came together to help and sustain the wounded and their families--people from all over the world, neighbors and strangers alike. I have never been prouder of Las Vegas. prgtoken So many different groups worked in tandem that evening. There were the brave actions of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County School District Police Department, the Las Vegas Fire Department, and the Clark County Fire Department, who unhesitatingly risked their lives to stop the attack and rescue survivors. prgtoken Health institutions across the State joined the effort, like American Medical Response, Medic West Ambulance, Community Ambulance, the University Medical Center, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, the Valley Health System, and Dignity Health. So many doctors and nurses, including Nellis Air Force Base medical professionals, worked then and in the weeks and months that followed to restore people to health. The Red Cross and the Department of Veterans Affairs supported the hospitals with their mobile units. There was the staff at United Blood Services, who worked doggedly to process donations from thousands of people in Las Vegas, Reno,
CONGRATULATING THE CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASEBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH SCOTT LAVERTY
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-27

. Madam , I want everyone to join me in congratulating the Chapman University, in my district, men's baseball team and head coach, Scott Laverty, for winning the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament. prgtoken Congratulations, Panthers. prgtoken This is their third national championship--the first one in 1968, second one in 2003. In 2011, they were runner-up, and in 2019, here they are. prgtoken California's 46th Congressional District is the home of champs. Please join me in congratulating Chapman University Panthers on a job well done. Announcement by the Pro Tempore
RECOGNIZING EXODIE C. ROE, III
Jerry McNerney (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-27

. Madam , I rise to recognize the dedicated public servant and congressional aide, Exodie C. Roe, III, who has been instrumental in helping me serve the constituents of California's Ninth and Eleventh Congressional Districts. prgtoken Exodie C. Roe, III was born in Stockton, California, to Exodie C. Roe, Jr. and LaJuana Johnson Bivens. He credits his mother and his nonbiological father, Robert ``Bobby'' Bivens, Sr as his inspiration for pursuing a career in public service. prgtoken Exodie is a 2002 graduate of Stagg High School in Stockton and a 2006 graduate of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year he was honored by Dillard University with the ``40 Under 40'' award for his public service achievements. prgtoken Exodie began his service in my Stockton office as a field representative when I was first elected in 2007. In this role he developed the first major congressional foreclosure assistance workshop in the country that helped more than 500 residents and hundreds more through subsequent housing workshops. He also organized dozens of Congress at Your Corner events and several other events throughout my district. For his contributions to the residents of San Joaquin County, Exodie was featured in San Joaquin Magazine's ``5 People Under 30 to Watch For'' edition as the Change Maker. prgtoken After working in my Stockton office for 4 years, Exodie was promoted to legislative assistant and relocated to my Washington, D.C. office in 2011. Exodie was promoted again in 2015 to senior legislative assistant. During his time in my office, he worked on several legislative initiatives and two bills that were signed into law. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Exodie C. Roe, III for his contributions to our community and for his invaluable public service over the past 12 years. prgtoken Madam , .
CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF EL CHICANO
Pete Aguilar (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-27

. Madam , I rise today to recognize El Chicano, an Inland Empire institution that has given a voice to Latinos in my community for 50 years. Owned and operated by Gloria and Bill on, this publication highlights the important role Latinos have played in shaping the history and culture of the Inland Empire and continues to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of the Hispanic- American community in Southern California. From lack of representation in public office to limited educational opportunities, El Chicano set out to address the inequities felt by Mexican-Americans in our community. Founded by young activists who sought to highlight their own experiences and perspectives as Latinos, the publication began to run independently in 1969, and has celebrated the unique culture and accomplishments of the Southern California Latino community ever since. Over the years, El Chicano has stayed true to its original mission; to give a voice in media to those who needed to be heard. This Hispanic Heritage month, it is my privilege to recognize 50 years of El Chicano, which plays such a crucial role in the media landscape of the Inland Empire. I want to thank Gloria and Bill on for their unwavering commitment to this publication and to our community, and I look forward to celebrating another 50 years of El Chicano.
TERMINATION OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED BY THE PRESIDENT ON FEBRUARY 15, 2019
Julia Brownley (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-27

I rise in support of S.J. Res. 54. The President's declaring a national emergency in order to deliver on a failed campaign promise is a gross misuse of power and sets a dangerous precedent. prgtoken Not only is the President's fake national emergency unconstitutional, but he is choosing to undermine actual military readiness by diverting construction funding to the border wall. prgtoken For instance, President is targeting critical military projects, including a California Air National Guard flight simulator, which is intended to train C-130J pilots who put their lives on the line every day fighting wildfires, among many other missions. prgtoken Based in Ventura County in my district with over 1,200 highly trained and talented National Guard personnel, the 146th Airlift Wing has been called up to respond to many of our Nation's true--true--true--national emergencies, including the Mendocino Complex fire and the Thomas fire, the largest fires ever recorded in California's history. The 146th Airlift Wing also responded to the Camp fire, one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in U.S. history. prgtoken Across the country, the 146th Airlift Wing has been a critical component of Federal disaster response and humanitarian relief efforts, including in Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria, in Florida in response to Hurricane Irma, and in Texas in response to Hurricane Harvey. Stealing the funds for this critical flight simulator will harm readiness and delay necessary training for our Air National Guard members who risk their lives to save the lives of others. prgtoken The fact that President is willing to undermine military readiness, California's firefighting capabilities, and our Nation's emergency response efforts is unconscionable. We are talking about potential lives lost. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote for S.J. Res. 54 and end this made- prgtoken up crisis and fake emergency. What I am talking about here today is a real emergency.
SECURE AND FAIR ENFORCEMENT BANKING ACT OF 2019
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2019-9-27

. Madam , I include in the Record the following letters of endorsement for H.R. 1595, the SAFE Banking Act. Law Enforcement Action Partnership. To: Chairwoman Maxine Waters and Members of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions From: Major Neill Franklin, Ret on behalf of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) Re: Challenges and Solutions: Access to Banking Services for Cannabis-Related Businesses Hearing: Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 2:00 p.m. Position: Support Distinguished members of the Committee, thank you very much for the opportunity to present the views of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) in support of this legislation. LEAP's mission is to unite and mobilize the voice of law enforcement in support of drug policy and criminal justice reforms that will make communities safer by focusing law enforcement resources on the greatest threats to public safety, promoting alternatives to arrest and incarceration, addressing the root causes of crime, and working toward healing police-community relations. ``LEAP envisions a world in which criminal justice and drug policies keep our communities safer.'' This is a quote directly from our website and that quote is exactly what this hearing is about. It is about enacting policy that will dramatically enhance public safety in our communities. This hearing is not, nor should it be, a hearing about whether we should legalize, regulate, and control marijuana for adult use. It should be clear to everyone here that Americans have already decided this issue. In October, Gallup said 66% of American residents supported legalizing marijuana. More than half of states already allow marijuana for medical and/or adult-use purposes. A vast majority of Americans live in a state where marijuana can be purchased legally. This is not a niche business market; it's a significant part of our economy. If Congress respects the rights of the states and the will of the people, as protected in the Tenth Amendment, then we don't need to debate the legalization of marijuana or medical marijuana here today. We need to decide how best to protect those states, given the choices they've democratically enacted. However, I know some opponents will try to cloud the banking issue with attacks on legalization, so I will quickly address some of these concerns. Let's talk about what's happened in Colorado, the first state to legalize marijuana for adult use. A federal study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that teen marijuana use decreased after legalization. The American Public Health
2019 CONGRESSIONAL FOOTBALL GAME
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-27

I rise today with my ic and colleagues to present to you, to present to this body, a trophy that recognizes something that hasn't been done in over a decade. prgtoken Now, I am not talking about the 2009 Raise the Wage Act. I am not talking about the 2009 Hate Crimes Act. I am not even talking about the creation of the Office of Congressional Ethics in 2009. prgtoken What I am talking about is that these Congressmen in front of you actually beat the Capitol Police in football on Tuesday night for the first time in a decade. prgtoken Now, at the game, , fortunately, there were no serious injuries. At practice, there was, but not at the game. prgtoken We had a lot of sore muscles, but most importantly, we did raise a heck of a lot of money for local charities and the Capitol Police Memorial Fund. prgtoken So, , I present this trophy to you, this rather large trophy to you, I present it to this body as a reward for that victory, but also a small reminder of what and s can do when we work together. prgtoken , from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).
NOTCH FAIRNESS ACT
Grace Meng (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-9-27

. Madam , I rise today to bring attention to the need to right a wrong caused by Congress in 1972 when Congress amended the Social Security Act to adjust the benefits formula to include automatic cost-of-living adjustments. Unfortunately, this new formula was flawed; it resulted in unexpected windfalls for beneficiaries born before 1917. In 1977, Congress corrected the formula, but beneficiaries born between 1917 and 1926 received significantly less than those born before and after them. Those born during these nine years are referred to as ``Notch Babies,'' and Congress has been attempting to offset this disparity since 1999. That is why I am introducing the Notch Fairness Act, which would compensate Notch Babies by providing them with either a one-time benefit of $5,000 payable over a period of four years, or monthly benefits in accordance with a new formula. Madam , fixing this disparity in benefits would not only make a real difference to our seniors who rely on this money as their main source of income, but it is the fair thing to do for seniors who were shortchanged by Congress. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.