mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN CONGRESS?
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-12-12

something is terribly wrong here. Four in my family are teachers. It is a little thing, but it means everything. It is little. Teachers are able to deduct from their taxes $250 for expenses that they have paid for classroom supplies. Gone. It is gone. If you want to hurt the system, stick it to the teachers. prgtoken Why would you do that? prgtoken It is not a big thing. It is a little thing, but it means everything to that classroom. It is the additional paper, the crayons, the chalkboard, whatever. prgtoken How small is that? Is that a better deal for America? prgtoken I don't think so. prgtoken The casualty loss deduction hurts. Three hundred homes in my district were lost in the October fires. The casualty loss deduction is gone. I don't know, maybe they will be able to rebuild. But when it comes time to address that deficit, I can assure you that they will do everything they can to cut the programs that would support that family as they attempt to rebuild. prgtoken So you get the program, you lose on the front end, your tax deduction is gone, and you lose on the back end when you go to get mortgage assistance. prgtoken There has got to be a better plan. There has got to be a better way to do it. prgtoken , over the years, in the last several months, Mr. Cicilline and his colleagues on the ic Caucus have put together a program for a better life for Americans. It involves much of what we talked about here. It involves a tax program that is balanced, one that provides the incentives for businesses to stay in the United States. We haven't talked about the corporate tax program that allows for territorial taxing, a specific effort in this legislation to encourage corporations to go offshore where their corporate income will never be taxed. prgtoken That is not a better plan. That is not a better program for building American jobs and wages. It is a way for corporations to continue to escape. Someday soon I would hope Mr. Cicilline and his colleagues would bring to this floor--the three of them who have put together this program on how we can build the American economy--well, the gentleman can talk in specific ways about how we can have educational programs, apprenticeship training programs, and job training programs, how we can encourage corporations to invest in America, and how we can Make It In America. prgtoken I would love to join Mr. Cicilline and talk about a bill that we are soon going to introduce that would require that, when we export a strategic national asset--our oil and natural gas--that it would be on American-built ships with American sailors. We could employ hundreds of thousands of people in our shipyards by changing the laws and by providing incentives for Americans to stay here and to work here. prgtoken , I know this is Mr. Cicilline's effort. I know the gentleman wants to get to it. Perhaps we can wrap up.
WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN CONGRESS?
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-12-12

it is important to note here--I think my memory is correct on this--that the $1.5 trillion in debt which will be generated by this tax giveaway is exactly the same number that they cut from Medicare and Medicaid in the budget they just voted on. So we don't have to wonder whether that is the plan. They have already done it in the budget that they have proposed. And as you said, the , Senator Rubio, and others have already acknowledged this. prgtoken So this should be clear. We are going to vote, and have already voted, to give a tax cut
Net Neutrality (Executive Calendar)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-12-12

I rise to vote against Leonard Grasz's nomination to serve as a circuit judge for the Eight Circuit. Mr. Grasz is one of two judicial nominees who has received an ``unqualified'' ranking from the nonpartisan American Bar Association, ABA. I am appalled that s advanced this nominee out of the Judiciary Committee and are bringing this vote to the floor. prgtoken s have made it their mission to fill our judiciary with radical ideologues. The administration has outsourced judicial nominations to the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation, and their nominees have included a nominee who believed in corporal punishment, one who questioned the constitutionality of the 14th Amendment, and one equated a woman's right to an abortion to chattel slavery. Many of these nominees are simply unfit to serve and undeserving of the prestige of receiving a lifetime appointment. prgtoken No judge nominated by the administration received an ``unqualified'' ABA rating. When asked to clarify their rating for Mr. Grasz, a spokesperson for the ABA said that ``[t]he evaluators and the Committee found that [Mr. Grasz's] temperament issues, particularly bias and lack of open-mindedness, were problematic. The evaluators found that the people interviewed believed that the nominee's bias and the lens through which he viewed his role as a judge colored his ability to judge fairly.'' I am disappointed that, instead of insisting on qualified nominees, my colleagues have decided to instead attack the ABA's ranking system. prgtoken I sincerely hope that many of my colleague across the aisle will vote no against this nominee and demand more from the administration.
SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE POST OFFICE
Val Butler Demings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-12-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I am honored to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 2815, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Post Office located at 30 East Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the Sergeant Basilone Post Office. prgtoken We have already heard he was born in 1916 and enlisted in the United States Army at the young age of 18. While serving in the Philippines, Sergeant Basilone developed a reputation as a championship boxer. prgtoken He returned to the United States in 1937 to begin work as a truck driver, but we have heard that that was not enough. He reenlisted in the Marines in 1940. prgtoken Sergeant Basilone earned the reputation as the marine who proved that the opposition was not invincible. Sergeant Basilone was a hero. As stated, upon his death, he was awarded a Navy Cross, the Navy's highest decoration. prgtoken , we must pass this bill to name the post office in Raritan, New Jersey, after their hometown hero so that future generations might continue to be inspired by his selfless and heroic service. prgtoken , I urge the passage of H.R. 2815, and .
CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY ACT OF 2017
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-12-12

I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3359, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2017. prgtoken I thank Chairman McCaul for introducing this important piece of legislation that addresses the cybersecurity needs of our nation. prgtoken H.R. 3359, amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to redesignate the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) National Protection and Programs Directorate as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). prgtoken Under its new designation the CISA would be headed by a Director of National Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security, who will be responsible for leading national efforts to protect and enhance the security and resilience of U.S. cybersecurity, emergency communications, and critical infrastructure. prgtoken CISA will be composed of DHS components reorganized as: the Cybersecurity Division; the Infrastructure Security Division; and the Emergency Communications Division, which was previously the Office for Emergency Communications. prgtoken The agency will also have its own privacy officer to ensure compliance with relevant federal laws. prgtoken CISA must carry out DHS's responsibilities concerning chemical facilities antiterrorism standards. prgtoken The bill requires DHS to: prgtoken develop, implement, and continually review a maritime cybersecurity risk assessment model to evaluate current and future cybersecurity risks; prgtoken seek input from at least one information sharing and analysis organization representing maritime interests in the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center; prgtoken establish voluntary reporting guidelines for maritime-related cybersecurity risks and incidents; prgtoken request that the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee report and make recommendations to DHS about methods to enhance cybersecurity and information sharing prgtoken among security stakeholders from federal, state, local, and tribal governments; public safety and emergency response agencies; law enforcement and security organizations; maritime industry participants; port owners and operators; and maritime terminal owners and operators; and prgtoken ensure that maritime security risk assessments include cybersecurity risks to ports and the maritime border of the United States. prgtoken As with other threats that this nation has faced and overcome, we must create the resources and the institutional responses to protect our nation against cyber threats while preserving our liberties and freedoms. prgtoken We cannot accomplish this task without the full cooperation and support of the private sector, computing research community and academia. prgtoken Earlier this Congress, I introduced H.R. 3202, the Cyber Vulnerability Disclosure Reporting Act, which was passed by the full Homeland Security Committee. prgtoken H.R. 3202 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report on the policies and procedures developed fo
Funding the Government (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-12-12

last week, the House and Senate passed a short-term funding bill to keep the government open as and ic negotiators continue to work on a long-term spending deal. The negotiations are advancing well, but many issues remain to be resolved. prgtoken First and foremost, we must resolve the issue of the spending caps. If we do nothing, there will be painful and unnecessary cuts to both defense spending and programs that invest directly in jobs and economic development for the middle class in early January. We must lift the spending caps for defense and also those urgent domestic priorities in equal measure. That has been the basis of the successful budget agreements going back several years and as recently as April of this year. There was parity between defense and nondefense, and that is how it ought to stay. That is what brought us home to a good agreement and no shutdowns in previous years. prgtoken As the opioid crisis continues to rage, dimming the bright future of so many Americans, we have a moral obligation to step up our country's support for addiction treatment and recovery. I have had a father cry in my arms because his son was online waiting to get into a treatment program, but it was too crowded. He had to wait, and his son died of an overdose before he could get in. We can't have that in America. prgtoken So many of our young people, the flower of our youth, are dying or being hurt so badly, addicted, with this opioid crisis. We cannot sit by, just as we cannot sit by with foreign threats that plague our country. prgtoken As veterans continue to struggle to find the quality healthcare they deserve after bravely serving this Nation, we should be making additional investments in veterans' healthcare and veterans hospitals. Just as we need to help prgtoken our soldiers abroad, we need to help those who have fought for us, risked their lives for us, and now have healthcare problems. prgtoken As hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of miners, truckdrivers, construction workers, and food service workers approach retirement age, we have to make sure the pension plans promised to them have enough in the bank to fulfill that promise. These people painstakingly paid every month into their plans, and so did their employers. They would forgo larger salary increases so they could make sure they are taken care of when they retire. prgtoken Now that the pension funds--in good part because of the crash of 2008--don't have the money they need, these people should not be left out. Hard-working American families deserve to retire with the dignity and security they have earned. If we don't meet these pension obligations today, they are going to cost the government a whole lot more tomorrow. That is why are fighting for a pension solution in the year-end spending bill. prgtoken These are all urgent priorities. There are more. They can't wait another day, just as we must make sure o
Net Neutrality (Executive Calendar)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-12-12

as a U.S. Senator, one of the most important and consequential choices I make is whether or not to support a judicial nominee. prgtoken The men and women of the bench are often the final gatekeepers of our Nation's justice system--and the right kind of judge shows up to work every day to make the system work for every citizen, free from prejudice or bias. prgtoken With that principle in mind, I strongly oppose the three nominees for the circuit court whose nominations are before the U.S. Senate. prgtoken While President has the right to make nominations, Members of this Senate also have the right to reject those nominations. prgtoken It is clear, based on the records of the three nominees before us, that is exactly what Members of this Senate ought to do. prgtoken Vote no. prgtoken Don't be a rubberstamp for this President's hateful agenda or his obvious disdain for the rule of law. prgtoken The first nominee this Senate should reject is Leonard Grasz, whom President picked to serve on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken Mr. Grasz is a notable nominee but for all the wrong reasons. prgtoken He is notable because his peers at the American Bar Association unanimously found Mr. Grasz ``not qualified''--just the third nominee in nearly 30 years to receive this distinction. prgtoken The ABA report shows his peers questioned whether Mr. Grasz could look past his ``deeply-held social agenda and political loyalty to be able to judge objectively, with compassion and without bias. prgtoken These are serious red flags--and it is unconscionable for any of my colleagues to turn a blind eye to relevant information regarding Mr. Grasz's ability to do his job fairly. prgtoken I am also disturbed by the willingness of several of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to slander the nonpartisan ABA as some sort of liberal front group instead of evaluating its factual assessment. prgtoken The ABA has done this body a great service of neutral and fair evaluation over many decades, for which Members of the Senate should be grateful. prgtoken I also have grave concerns regarding Don Willett, one of two nominees for the Fifth Circuit. prgtoken Mr. Willett has been unabashed in his criticism of equal rights for women--expressing caustic views on pay equity, justice for sexual assault survivors, and age discrimination. prgtoken He has resisted equality for LGBTQ Americans and defied the key same- sex marriage ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken No judge who thumbs their nose at the Supreme Court is fit for a lifetime appointment. prgtoken No person who compares the right of one person to marry the person they love to a ``right to marry bacon'' is fit to administer justice in this country. prgtoken President 's other nominee for the Fifth Circuit, James Ho, has a similarly disturbing track record on LGBTQ rights. prgtoken He has also called for eliminating all restrictions on campaign finance and is <|p
COMMUNITY INSTITUTION MORTGAGE RELIEF ACT OF 2017
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-12-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I think it is important for us to realize that, in present law, community banks of $2 billion or less are exempted from requiring escrow accounts on higher priced loans if they serve rural and underserved areas. So we are talking about present law that gives this exemption. And not only does it exempt these real community banks of $2 billion or less, the banks are required to serve rural communities and underserved areas. prgtoken This is so important because, oftentimes, these are loans to riskier customers. These are loans where they are charging a higher interest rate. These are loans where they are taking more risk, and so when we hear those on the opposite side of the aisle talking about different ways to service the rural communities, this is one way that the law allows that kind of attention to rural communities and underserved areas. They say: Small community banks, you don't have to have escrow accounts, and so what we are saying to you is give your attention to these rural and underserved areas where they are higher priced loans, they are riskier accounts, and we are not going to require you to have to force upon these kinds of accounts the rules that will be forced upon different kinds of financial institutions. prgtoken If we adopt this bill, it would not be about community banks at all. And I have to disagree with my chairman of the committee who talked about this, in some way, enhancing community banks' ability to service rural and underserved areas. They are talking about expanding the exemption from $2 billion or less to $25 billion. That is not a community bank. We don't have any community banks that are worth $25 billion or more. I want everybody to be clear what this bill is attempting to do. prgtoken , .
Healthcare (Executive Calendar)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-12-12

I stand today to call for bipartisan action on several things that are really critical. One of them has become routine, since it started as a bill that and s did together. That was the Children's Health Insurance Program, something that my colleague from Vermont has referenced. prgtoken In my State, we have been a good-government State. We have had a budget surplus for years, and, believe it or not, we relied on the fact that Congress would come through and do what they were supposed to do and reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program, but that didn't happen. As a result, we have a slight budget deficit--something we haven't had for years. But it really hit home when I called our budget director in the State and I said: How did this happen when we have had these surpluses? prgtoken He said: Well, we actually thought that you guys would reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program, but you didn't. prgtoken Instead, what we have seen is a tax bill that adds over a trillion dollars to the debt. Even when you take into account any economic gain from that bill, a nonpartisan group said that it would, in fact, add $1 trillion to the debt. That is what we are doing instead of reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, which makes no sense to me. prgtoken Funding for CHIP expired more than 2 months ago, even though, as I said, it is one of the success stories out of this Congress. Both parties have come together for years to support this program that provides healthcare to millions of children across the country. prgtoken In Minnesota, these funds support coverage for more than 125,000 kids. Just last week, my State estimated that failing to reauthorize CHIP would cost us $178 million. That is why the prgtoken deficit was at $188 million. So the CHIP funding that our State has come to rely on through ic Presidents and Presidents has suddenly gone away--that is why we have a deficit--while at the same time, a decision has been made by my colleagues on the other side to add over $1 trillion to the debt. I don't know what to tell the people in my State, except that tax cuts for the wealthy appear to be a priority rather than reauthorizing this bill to help kids get their health insurance. Guess what. They don't understand that reasoning. prgtoken States like mine are running out of ways to make Federal funding last a little bit longer. Every single day that we don't act puts coverage at risk for millions of kids. Some States have already been forced to tell parents to start making other plans for their kids' healthcare. No parent should ever have to worry about whether their child will have healthcare. We must keep this strong program going. I have also heard from families with kids who get treatment at the children's hospitals and clinics of Minnesota and who count on this program for the medical care they need. That is why we must pass the
SHASH JAA NATIONAL MONUMENT AND INDIAN CREEK NATIONAL MONUMENT
Ruben Gallego (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2017-12-12

there they go again. and Paul Ryan are dusting off a familiar playbook. prgtoken I will break it down for you: prgtoken Step one, slash taxes for millionaires and billionaires; prgtoken Step two, explode the deficit; prgtoken Step three, use rising deficits to justify cuts to Medicare and Medicaid; prgtoken Step four, accuse of being irresponsible for opposing said cuts; prgtoken Step five, repeat. Repeat as the rich get richer, repeat as the deficit grows larger, repeat as working families struggle, and repeat as the social safety net disintegrates. prgtoken We saw it a decade ago under President , and we are seeing it again right now. prgtoken But you don't have to take my word for it, . The tax bill will add $1.5 trillion to our national debt over the next decade, yet Paul Ryan is already claiming that we need to cut entitlements to get America's finances under control. prgtoken Last week, Ryan warned: ``We're going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform. . . . Frankly, it's the healthcare entitlements that are the big drivers of our debt . . . that's really where the problem lies.'' prgtoken Not true, . prgtoken Our problem doesn't lie with lifesaving healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Our problem lies with this monstrosity of a tax bill. prgtoken What if we tried a different approach? prgtoken What if, instead of slashing Medicare to pay for tax cuts for 's cronies, we said no to this scam of a tax bill? prgtoken What if we said no to raising taxes on middle class families? prgtoken What if we said no to hurting students to help the largest companies in the world? prgtoken What if we said no to a tax bill written by high-paid lobbyists for wealthy donors behind closed doors? prgtoken What if, just once, the majority actually passed a bill to make life easier for Americans living paycheck to paycheck? prgtoken It is a crazy idea, right? prgtoken But if s come to their senses and want to work on real tax reform for working Americans, they know where to find us, but I won't hold my breath.