mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF KSRO
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-9-27

I rise today along with my colleague Congressman Mike Thompson, to recognize the 80th anniversary of Sonoma County's KSRO radio station. prgtoken When the station first began broadcasting in 1937, KSRO was California's largest radio station north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Originally located in an old Navy Air Station, KSRO provided homecare, music, and news programs throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The station adopted several formats over the years to match the interests of the day, leaning more heavily into music programming by the 1960s before transitioning into a talk and news centered station in 1987, a format the station continues to maintain to this day. prgtoken As KSRO continued to grow in listeners and programming, so too did the station's broadcasting talent. Some of the region's most popular broadcasters built their careers at the station, including Jim Grady, Merle Ross, Reg Lester, David Wesley Page, Curtiss Kim, and Steve Jaxon, to name a few. Some of the station's current broadcasters have been radio mainstays across the region for over 30 years. prgtoken During KSRO's 80 years of broadcasting, the station has played a critical role in keeping the region informed of the most pressing local and national news. By providing a platform for debate and discussion the station has also been instrumental in shaping public discourse year after year. The station's weather reports and emergency broadcasts have helped to save lives in a region prone to flooding, wildfires, and sudden storms. prgtoken Today, KSRO serves as more than just a drive-time distraction during a morning commute, but rather a familiar voice to a diverse community of people from all walks of life. And at a time when our sources of information are increasingly fragmented and tailored for individual needs and tastes, stations like KSRO are that much money important for creating and maintaining a shared sense of community. prgtoken , KSRO has been a critical provider of pressing news and information to the public, while facilitating public discourse in the North Bay. It is therefore fitting to congratulate the employees, owners, and management of KSRO on their 80-year anniversary.
DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-9-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise today in opposition to this bill, which began as a must-pass reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration but has prgtoken now become a Christmas tree for unrelated priorities. prgtoken Puerto Rico is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis following Hurricane Maria that is being exacerbated by 's and Congress' failure to adequately respond. Tens of thousands in Texas and Florida are just beginning to pick up the pieces following Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Yet, other than the small initial down payment of disaster aid we passed--which I might add Chairman Hensarling voted against-- Congress has yet to pass a single policy reform that will actually improve the lives of any of those who found themselves in harm's way. prgtoken This is the first time in this Congress that we are debating a flood insurance policy change on the House floor. However, this is not a policy change that would address the resilience of the Flood Insurance Program, help families to recover, or improve our country's response to natural disasters. No. The response to the catastrophic storms of these last 2 months is to muscle through the expansion of private flood insurance, which has long been sought by the insurance industry. prgtoken Now, let me be clear. I don't oppose this policy. I voted for it last Congress and I voted for it when we marked it up in committee this year. But moving this bill at this time, while ignoring all the other policy responses needed but the Flood Insurance Program and the ongoing natural disasters in our country, is simply irresponsible. prgtoken The NFIP will expire on December 8 of this year, and we still lack a credible plan to ensure that it is reauthorized for the long term. Therefore, I will oppose any and all efforts to break apart the debate on substantive reforms to the NFIP from the reauthorization debate we should so desperately be having. prgtoken The bill before us today does absolutely nothing to address the stability of the NFIP, which is in jeopardy following a devastating series of catastrophic hurricanes across several States and U.S. territories. We know that we will need to increase the NFIP's borrowing authority so that policyholders from Harvey, Irma, and Maria can be made whole, but the chairman has no plan to deal with the debt, frequently telling those of us who have urged him to consider debt forgiveness to just forget about that idea. prgtoken I have long called for Congress to forgive NFIP's debt, particularly because of the unsustainable burden placed on policyholders paying hundreds of millions of dollars a year just on the interest for the government to pay itself back. Flood insurance is already unaffordable. prgtoken So why are we continuing to make it worse by saddling policyholders with interest on a debt that will never be repaid? prgtoken We need thoughtful, comprehensive solution
MUSLIM BAN 3.0
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-9-27

I rise today to express my outrage toward the latest travel ban proposed by the administration again late on September 24. The administration issued a proclamation with new discriminatory travel restrictions on eight countries. prgtoken Let me be clear: no matter how many times this administration tries to repackage it and sell it, a Muslim ban is a Muslim ban. It remains hateful, discriminatory, and goes against our American values. We won't be fooled by the inclusion of North Korea and Venezuela. prgtoken This Muslim and refugee ban continues to be part of a dangerous and immoral agenda against a religion, people of color, and immigrants. prgtoken This administration and this ban is fanning the flames of fear and anger against groups of Americans and immigrants, with policies that clearly undermine the Constitution that I love and our American principles. prgtoken Dressed up or dressed down, this ban must not stand. prgtoken We must address terrorism, and it is not restricted to the Muslim population. We must address it here on the ground in homegrown terrorism as well.
SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2017-9-27

I thank Congressman Scott for being here and for his passion for veterans. prgtoken , from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy) to talk about this important issue we have been working on together. prgtoken Mr. Murphy has been serving in Congress since 2002. He is our only practicing psychologist serving in Congress, and he is the co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus. In addition, Congressman Murphy is a commander in the Navy Reserve and provides services to veterans at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center specializing in treating those individuals who are suffering from traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a privilege to serve with him in Congress and work on this important issue.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-9-27

may I bid a public farewell to Emily Enderle, who is here with me and who has served as the lead on my very active and busy environment unit for quite some time now. She is going on to another role in Washington and will continue to serve our cause. She has done an amazing job, and I want to be sure to say that on what will be her last appearance on the floor with me for one of our ``Time to Wake Up'' speeches. Climate Change prgtoken , I have spoken before, as you know, about the fossil fuel industry's persistent effort to undermine public understanding of climate change and to confuse people about the actual effects of carbon pollution on our atmosphere and oceans. prgtoken I have mentioned Drexel University Professor Robert Brulles' follow- the-money analysis, which reveals the complex network of organizations and funding--what we have called the web of denial--that is designed to obscure the fossil fuel industry's fingerprints and to perpetuate the fossil fuel industry's climate denial. prgtoken Dr. Brulle calls this ``a deliberate and organized effort to misdirect the public discussion and distort the public's understanding of climate.'' That is what this industry is up to. prgtoken One front group for that industry is called the Heartland Institute. It is a nice name, but they are not very nice people. For decades, the Heartland Institute has played a prominent role disseminating alternative facts and fake science at the behest of its industry funders. They have a long history of doing the bidding of industry funders. In the 1990s, it was teamed up with Philip Morris to challenge the facts about the health risks of tobacco. Using the same tactics-- along with funding from the Koch Family Foundations, ExxonMobil, and other fossil fuel interests--it undermines public confidence in the established scientific consensus about climate change. Heartland is quite shameless in its methods, once sponsoring a billboard comparing those who accept the science of global warming to the Unabomber. prgtoken For my 180th ``Time to Wake Up'' speech, I would like to explore the Heartland Institute's latest gambit, which is to airdrop climate denial propaganda directly into children's classrooms. prgtoken This spring, Heartland delivered packages to hundreds of thousands of K-12 and college-level science teachers across the country. These materials were designed to have a veneer of credibility. Each one was stamped with the headline ``Study: Science Teachers Giving Unbalanced Education on Climate Change.'' This intriguing story was attributed to something called Environment & Climate News. prgtoken Inside the package, the teachers found a report titled ``Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming.'' It was issued by something called the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change. As a bonus, each teacher also received a DVD copy of the ``History of Climat
SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
Thomas R. Suozzi (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-9-27

I want to start by thanking Congresswoman Sinema and Congressman Murphy and all of my ic and colleagues for trying to bring attention to this very important issue. prgtoken I also want to thank Secretary Shulkin, who has announced his Get to Zero initiative to try and address this problem of 20 veterans every day committing suicide in our country. prgtoken Just today, as on many days, I saw a veteran who had lost both of his legs. It is common here in Washington, D.C but it is common throughout every city and every town throughout our country that we see more and more veterans who have injuries. After 16 years at war, there are more and more veterans in our country who have been disabled. prgtoken With 20 veterans committing suicide every day, we know, however, that there are many injuries that we cannot see, injuries that veterans carry around by themselves at home, alone, in the dark of night, with nothing but their pain. prgtoken As Congressman Murphy pointed out, 70 percent of the veterans of the 20 per day that commit suicide in our Nation--70 percent, 14 of the 20--do not have access to veterans benefits at the current time and do not utilize those services. prgtoken In fact, in our Nation today, there are 21 million veterans, approximately, and of those 21 million veterans, only 7 million have access to veterans benefits. prgtoken I have introduced a bipartisan bill, H.R. 2736, to suggest that what we need to do in our Nation is provide mental health benefits to every single veteran in our country, regardless of whether they were Active Duty, whether they were in the National Guard or in the Reserves, whether they were honorably discharged or less than honorably discharged. It is estimated that, since 2009, there have been 22,000 veterans with mental illnesses that have received other than honorable discharges. Arguably, most of those discharges were because of the same mental illness that they now carry around with them today. prgtoken Think of a veteran who is in crisis, a veteran who is contemplating suicide, a veteran who, as Congressman Murphy described, is at the end of their rope and feels that there is no help and the only way to escape their pain is to commit suicide. Think of that veteran who reaches out for help at the VA. prgtoken Could you imagine going through the bureaucracy to figure out whether or not you were even eligible for services if you weren't currently enrolled? You are seeking help, you are in the middle of a crisis, and you have got to fill out a form. You have got to determine whether or not you meet the criteria. prgtoken I am an attorney and a certified public accountant and a Member of the United States Congress. I read the requirements, and I couldn't figure them out. We need to make it much easier for anyone who has ever worn a uniform in any capacity whatsoever: in battles that we won, in battles that we lost, whether they were in combat or whether
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-9-27

our Constitution begins with three simple words: ``We the People.'' The Founders wrote that in supersized font to remind us that this is what our Nation is all about. It is not about power by the privileged. It is not the elite. It is not to make the wealthy wealthier. It is not to add more to the abundance of those who already have much. It is to establish government that reflects the will of the people or, as President Lincoln put it, ``of the people, by the people, for the people.'' prgtoken In this age where vast sums are spent on campaigns by a few billionaires to basically substitute government of, by, and for the people with government of, by, and for the powerful, we have an enormous challenge to maintain the integrity of the mission of our Constitution and the responsibility of this Senate. prgtoken We probably haven't seen a challenge to ``we the people'' in years like the equivalent of Care. Certainly, it is designed to plan for massive tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans of hundreds of billions of dollars and to rip healthcare away from 20 to 30 million ordinary working families. prgtoken What a travesty that is of our responsibility under our Constitution. What amazingly misguided effort to do damage, rather than to assist and provide a foundation for families to thrive. prgtoken A few years ago, a woman came up to me at a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis--a walk--and she said: Things are so different this year, Senator, than they were last year. prgtoken I asked her: How so? prgtoken She said: A year ago, if our loved one was diagnosed with MS and they had prgtoken insurance, they were likely to have an annual cap or a lifetime cap and run out of coverage. prgtoken That was a terrible situation to be in because MS is a mysterious and expensive disease. prgtoken She said: If the individual didn't have insurance, they now had a preexisting condition, and they wouldn't able to get insurance. prgtoken She said: Now, we have the peace of mind that if our loved one gets an MS diagnosis, that individual will be able to get the care they need. prgtoken Isn't that the summary of what we should be seeking in our healthcare system--the peace of mind that if our child or our loved one becomes ill, if our child or our loved one becomes injured, he or she will get the care they need? Shouldn't that be what we are fighting for? prgtoken Instead, we had the opposite. We had the Care bill that was designed to rip peace of mind away, destroy peace of mind, trample all over peace of mind so the wealthy could have more giveaways from the Federal Treasury. prgtoken We had that House bill, and it was estimated that 23 million people would lose healthcare over 10 years and that our hospitals and our clinics would have a lot less funding to be able to provide care to everyone. Yet it passed the House. Then President got briefed on what was in the bill after he held a champagne party at the W
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. TRICIA DERGES
Billy Long (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-9-27

I rise today to congratulate Dr. Tricia Derges of Springfield, Missouri, on her recent winning of two prestigious awards. prgtoken Dr. Derges has been a resident of the Springfield area for 40 years and during this time she has contributed to the community in many ways. Dr. Derges has recently won both the National Jefferson Award for Southwest Missouri and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award. Both of these awards recognize individuals for their public service. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award is only awarded to five individuals per year across the United States. This clearly highlights the significant work Dr. Derges has taken over the years to help her community. prgtoken Dr. Derges set up the mission clinic named Lift Up in Springfield. This clinic provides a range of medical, dental and mental health services to veterans and the poor across Springfield. Dr. Derges and her clinic have helped thousands of people in the Springfield area. prgtoken I am truly honored to recognize the work by Dr. Derges and her dedication to improving the lives of others. On behalf of Missouri's 7th Congressional District, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Derges on her recent awards and wishing her all the best.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-9-27

. Thank you, , and thank you, Senator Blunt, for your leadership. prgtoken I am excited about what we are talking about today. I am excited for my State of West Virginia. The main thing that people in West Virginia want is a good job. A good job, with more take-home pay and a higher wage, is exceedingly important to the families I represent, so tax reform and any other policies Congress could support will enhance growth and create more job opportunities around the country. prgtoken Let me focus on my State of West Virginia. According to the Economic Innovation Group, more than 34 percent of West Virginians are living in distressed communities. Unfortunately, that number is the third highest of any State in the country. At the same time, only 3.4 percent of West Virginians are living in prosperous communities. prgtoken There are States that are prosperous and have done very well, but the vast majority of our States have really struggled. Only two in five communities have seen any job growth in the past 5 years during our so- called recovery. That is not the definition of a recovery. Since 2010, fully 50 percent of U.S. job growth has occurred in just 2 percent of our country's counties. Think about that. Economic growth has only occurred in 2 percent of the counties across this great country. prgtoken The truth is that most of our country has been mired in economic stagnation. We have been standing still. I saw Lou Holtz give a speech one time, and he said: If you are standing still, you are going backward. If you are not moving forward, you are going backward. There has been a slow recovery, but for many West Virginians, there has been no recovery at all. prgtoken But it isn't all doom and gloom in our State because we have an opportunity for change--the change we really need that helps our struggling, working-class families, that changes and revitalizes our distressed communities, changes that lead to economic growth and creates opportunity for future generations. prgtoken In fact, West Virginia, in the first quarter, grew by 3 percent. We were the second fastest in growth in the entire Nation. To be sure, one quarter of growth is not a trend, but it does demonstrate the potential that we have if we do it right here for our citizens. The potential of capital growth is there, but one of the biggest drags on our economy in recent years has been excessive regulations, which we have addressed quite a bit here in the first 9 months of President 's term. We have worked hard to bring reason into the regulatory environment and also our burdensome Tax Code. prgtoken What can we do? We can reduce taxes that impede our growth. Let's think about our small businesses. In many States, they are the major economic driver of our economy. In my State of West Virginia, 95.6 percent of the businesses are small businesses. They employ nearly half of the West Virginia private sector workforce, so nearly half of West
Delrahim Nomination (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-9-27

today, the Senate is voting to confirm Makan Delrahim to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. When Mr. Delrahim was 10 years old, his family fled the tyranny of Iran and settled in the United States, knowing no English. Since then, Mr. Delrahim received his B.S. from the University of California in 1991, his J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law in 1995, and his M.S. from Johns Hopkins University in 2002. prgtoken Mr. Delrahim's professional career and broad range of legal experiences have prepared him well to lead the Antitrust Division. He has experience in both the private and public sectors. He has worked at various law firms and served in government, including as staff director to then-Chairman Hatch of the Senate Judiciary Committee, deputy counsel to the President of the United States, and Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice. He also served as a Commissioner of the U.S. Antitrust Modernization Commission. prgtoken Mr. Delrahim will serve as the highest ranking Iranian-American official ever at the Department of Justice. His journey epitomizes the American dream. He is well known and liked by my colleagues and me. I am pleased to support his nomination today.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3823, DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Pete Sessions (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-9-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I appreciate the distinguished gentlewoman bringing this up. Perhaps, , she was not in the body on the floor earlier when I brought up prgtoken what I believe is an answer to this CHIP--Children's Health Insurance Program--reauthorization. prgtoken I talked specifically with the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Greg Walden, who is very excited about the opportunity to move the CHIP bill. The opportunity to do this is not dire or urgent. As a matter of fact, there is money in the bucket right now to fund, as it has been, the program to continue. prgtoken Chairman Walden indicated that, while he does understand that the program is scheduled to run through September 30, that the analysis from the nonpartisan Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission shows that States have enough funds remaining in their accounts through the end of this year. prgtoken Chairman Walden is interested in looking at it again and gaining information about it to see what sorts of changes, additions, or updates that we choose to do. He intends to do that in and through the committee providing information on a bipartisan basis. I trust not only what Greg Walden said, but I also know of his desire to deal effectively in this manner. prgtoken I want to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois for bringing up this important question, and I want to provide a timely answer to her, and I appreciate her very much. prgtoken , .