mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-1-16

I thank Representative Mike Thompson for his diligent work on behalf of his fire-impacted communities and our State. It is critical that Congress ensures that every Federal resource is made available to the States, local governments, and all affected communities of the historic and unprecedented 2018 wildfires. prgtoken Ensuring that Californians get the support and resources they need is not a partisan issue. It is particularly frustrating that FEMA has the sole discretion to adjust these cost shares and often does so after catastrophic disasters or when multiple disasters strike the same State in a short period of time, as we have experienced in California. The State of California has requested the administration to adjust these cost shares, unfortunately, to no avail. prgtoken I appreciate Mr. Thompson's diligent work on this issue. I remain committed to working with him, our leadership, and the bipartisan cosponsors of the amendment to provide, in the Department of Homeland Security's full-year fiscal year 2019 funding bill, an increased cost share of 90 percent for these additional categories of Federal disaster funding for California communities devastated by the 2018 wildfires.
DISAPPROVING THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL TO TAKE AN ACTION RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION--Resumed
Kamala D. Harris (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-1-16

. We are now 26 days into the longest government shutdown in American history, and 800,000 workers--800,000 Americans--are going without pay. Half of them are working anyway. prgtoken Let's be very clear about how we got into this mess. The Senate unanimously passed a bill to open the government right before the holidays. The vote was 100 to 0. There was such jubilance on this floor that, literally, Members of the Senate were singing Christmas carols. prgtoken Yet 2 weeks ago, the House, doing its job, then passed a bill to reopen the government. They sent six bills over to the Senate. This body needs to hold a vote on that legislation and send it to the President and ask him to sign it. prgtoken The real obstacle to ending this shutdown is in the White House. The President is holding the American people hostage over his vanity project on the southern border and peddling his usual propaganda to distract from a crisis of his own making. prgtoken The President has said that ``most of the workers not getting paid are ,'' as if that is true or if that should matter. He has said that ``many of the people that we're talking about . . . agree with what we're doing.'' It has been said that the workers have said to ``stay out until you get the funding for the wall.'' prgtoken Well, that is contrary to what we have been hearing and what I have been hearing. Last week, for example, I heard from a woman by the name of Trisha. Trisha and her husband are both air traffic controllers with nearly 40 years of Federal service combined. Trisha's husband served in the Navy. He now has to work long hours of overtime to compensate for the workers who are absent because they have been furloughed, and he is not being paid. prgtoken Trisha's job was deemed nonessential, so she is also not being paid. Neither parent in this family is being paid. They have three young children, and this is on top of the fact that Trisha and her family have already endured hardship these past few months as victims of the Thomas fire. prgtoken As she wrote me: On December 5th of last year, our home was completely destroyed in the Thomas fire and we have used every resource available to us to work towards rebuilding our home. prgtoken While their home is being rebuilt, Trisha's family moved into a rental home, and they are currently evacuated from that rental home due to the flood and mudslide risks that are currently an issue in California. prgtoken Trisha said: We have small children that we are most concerned about (with the uncertainty of our careers as Federal employees and the incredibly long road ahead in rebuilding our home but most importantly our livelihood). prgtoken She writes: We will continue to stand with our NATCA Brothers and Sisters in ensuring the safety of the National Airspace System, but without the support staff working, it is a daunting task. prgtoken Trisha's messag
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam , today is day 26 of the Shutdown. Federal workers missed their first paycheck last Friday, and still there is no end in sight to this cruel and senseless shutdown. It is truly shameful that President and Congressional s are so desperate to secure taxpayer funding for an irrational border wall that they're willing to harm hardworking Americans and jeopardize national security by shutting down the federal government. prgtoken This outrageous shutdown has furloughed 400,000 federal workers, and it's forcing another 400,000 federal workers to work without pay. Among those working without pay are 53,000 Transportation Security Administration employees, more than 24,000 air traffic controllers and other Federal Aviation Administration employees, 54,000 Customs and Border Protection agents and customs officers, 42,000 service members in the United States Coast Guard, 17,000 Bureau of Prisons correctional officers, 14,000 FBI agents, and 6,000 Forest Service firefighters. prgtoken These dedicated public servants go to work every day for the American people. These hardworking people keep us safe. They should not have to worry about how they will keep a roof over their heads and feed their families. prgtoken My congressional district is home to Los Angeles/International Airport (LAX), the sixth busiest airport in the world and the third busiest in the United States. In 2017, more than 84 million passengers used LAX. All of these passengers depend upon the TSA's airport security screeners and the FAA's air traffic controllers to get them to their destinations safely. prgtoken The shutdown doesn't just affect government employees. An economic study in 2011 reported that operations at LAX generated 294,400 jobs in Los Angeles County with labor income of $13.6 billion and economic output of more than $39.7 billion. The economic vitality of Los Angeles County depends upon the safety and security of LAX and the TSA and FAA employees who work there. prgtoken TSA employees are dedicated public servants who risk their lives every day to keep our nation's airports and travelers safe. On November 1, 2013, a Transportation Security Officer named Gerardo Hernandez was tragically killed in the line of duty during an active shooter incident at LAX. He was the first TSA employee to be killed in the line of duty, and my colleagues and I passed the bipartisan Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015 in his honor. Our President has forgotten the critical role these American patriots serve in our national security. prgtoken Today, at LAX and airports throughout the country, Transportation Security Officers like Gerardo Hernandez are working without pay. prgtoken The Shutdown is endangering public safety, national security, and the livelihoods of the people whose job it is to protect us. prgtoken want to end this shutdown now. On Day One, the new ic House of Representatives passe
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for the time. prgtoken As I pointed out earlier, the supplemental includes $824 million to the U.S. Forest Service to help California and those who have been impacted by wildfires and Hurricanes Florence and Michael to recover. prgtoken While the funding includes $27 million for hazardous fuel, I support the gentleman's proposal to increase this amount because we know we have a lot of work to do in fuel reduction. I would like to point out to the gentleman, I also support the continuing resolution portion of this legislation in front of us today because we need to reopen the Forest Service so we can use these funds.
DISAPPROVING THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL TO TAKE AN ACTION RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION--Resumed
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2019-1-16

I rise today to talk about a New Mexico family who is severely impacted by the shutdown, and I think there are probably hundreds of thousands of families like this across the country. prgtoken This is Leah Teresa Ornelas, her husband Ervie, and their sons Ian and Zachary. They are all from Carlsbad, NM. Zachary, their youngest-- in the middle--had a brain tumor and has undergone two surgeries. Zachary is now disabled and requires constant care. Ervie, his stepfather, reduced his work as a daycare teacher by 75 percent to take care of Zachary. Leah is a public nurse, and her paycheck goes to their high insurance costs and medical bills. The family moved back in together to save on expenses. Their older son, Ian, is now the main provider for the family. Ian works for the Department of prgtoken the Interior, has been furloughed for 26 days, and has now missed a paycheck. prgtoken The Ornelas family is scared to death that Ian will miss another check and another check. They simply cannot make it without Ian being paid. The Ornelas family has made tremendous sacrifices as a family. They can make no more adjustments, as the President callously advised. prgtoken This shutdown must end now. The President and Senate majority must do the right thing for the Ornelas family--and for hundreds of thousands of families across the Nation--and open our government now. prgtoken .
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2019--Motion to Proceed
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-1-16

I was just over in the Russell Senate Office Building, and a group of freshmen from the House intercepted me and handed me this piece of paper, this document, and asked that it be made part of the Record of the Senate, and I have come to do that. prgtoken Let me explain that these freshmen House Members want to see the Senate engaged in debate on how to end this shutdown of our government. They see in their home districts across this country tremendous damage occurring in all kinds of fashions--damage to security; damage to the economy; damage to families trying to get a home mortgage, and they can't get their FHA approval; damage to farmers who are seeking that loan that is necessary to prepare for the next farming season; damage in the preparation for next summer's forest fires. prgtoken I have been hearing about this from my home State. In Oregon, we just had a training for fighting fires canceled. We have prescribed burns that need to be done during the winter that are being canceled. We have thinning, which makes the forest more fire-resilient, that is being canceled. We have the reduction of fuels on the forest floor that add to the intensity of fires--the removal of those--being canceled. These just add more to the list of so many ways that folks are being affected across the country. prgtoken I am going to share this letter with the Presiding Officer and our colleagues. It says: Dear Senator McConnell: We write as Members of the Freshman Class of the 116th Congress, an historic group that has the distinction of being the first Congress to be seated in the midst of a partial government shutdown. We as a legislative branch have the power to end this shutdown now. In December, the Senate unanimously passed legislation that would have kept the government open. In January, the House then passed those same bipartisan bills and sent them to the Senate. If the Senate were to pass these bills, we would be able to reopen the government and then proceed to debate about immigration reform and border security. However, it is impossible to have a meaningful policy discussion while the executive holds public servants hostage. We respectfully request that you allow the Congress to work its will and allow a vote on this bipartisan legislation to end this shutdown so that we can end this manufactured crisis and allow our devoted federal workers to get back to work for the American people. Sincerely Susie Lee, Member of Congress; Abby Finkenauer, Member of Congress; Mikie Sherrill, Member of Congress; Mike Levin; Jahana Hayes; Lori Trahan; Katie Hill; Ayanna Pressley; David Trone; Ed Case; Gill Cisneros; Rashida Tlaib; Kendra Horn; Angie Craig; Joe Cunningham; Chris Pappas; Andy Levin; Susan Wild; Sylvia Garcia; Katie Porter; Debbie Mucarsel-Powell; Ilhan Om
REOPEN GOVERNMENT
Kathy Castor (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam , the House will vote again today to reopen the United States Government and end President 's government shutdown. prgtoken It is unwarranted and wrong to force our Coast Guard, TSA, Customs and Border officers, air traffic controllers, and others to work without pay. prgtoken One of my neighbors who runs a small business in Tampa in her retirement years to support her son with mental disabilities advised me that: As a tax preparer, I cannot get responses from the IRS that affect my clients. prgtoken Another neighbor, who hoped to retire by year's end and is also running out of hope, says: We are told there is no more funding after January 18 for the courts, and our colleagues in the U.S. Attorney's Office were not paid today, although they stay on the job prosecuting criminals. prgtoken Our TSA officers, Customs and Border officers, and air traffic controllers at Tampa International Airport are outstanding. Twelve-year Officer Luis Mendoza advised me that: I have experienced previous shutdowns and close calls, but I really feel that this one is going to be a tough one to get through. The officers in Tampa are trying to hang in there because we do believe in the oath we took to protect the flying public and guard against threats. But many are trying to figure out how to get through this. prgtoken Madam , I urge our Senate colleagues and President to take up our bipartisan bill and reopen this government.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam Chair, let me just say how pleased I am that we are on the same page, that disaster relief funding should go to disaster relief; it should not go to expanding detention beds, which are already oversubscribed. prgtoken So I hope that the other side will be happy to vote yes on this amendment. And I would just say we are happy to have a discussion about immigration and all of the things we need to do to reform our immigration system at the right time. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
REOPEN GOVERNMENT
Veronica Escobar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam , today, on the 26th day of the prgtoken shutdown, I rise on behalf of Lauren, an El Pasoan in my district on the U.S.-Mexico border. prgtoken Lauren is married to one of our DEA agents, and he is one of nearly 10,000 Federal employees in El Paso. Every day, her husband puts his life on the line to serve El Pasoans and our Nation, and, last week, he missed his paycheck. prgtoken Lauren describes the shutdown as discouraging and scary. They are struggling to make ends meet for their family of three small children. prgtoken Lauren and her family, and the hundreds of thousands of Federal employees in America, should not have to face this dire reality and don't deserve this treatment. prgtoken We must reopen the government now and give our public servants the pay they have earned for their honorable work. prgtoken And I will repeat what I know to be true: The border has never been more secure or safer. prgtoken Madam , we, in the House, have voted on a number of bipartisan bills to reopen the government. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to come together, end this absurdity, have some compassion, and do the same.
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2019--Motion to Proceed
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-1-16

today is the 26th day of the longest government shutdown in American history. prgtoken Weeks ago, the Senate voted unanimously to keep the government open. The House has now passed multiple bipartisan bills to end the shutdown, but President refuses to come to the negotiating table, and Leader McConnell refuses to let the Senate vote on these bipartisan bills. As a result, over 800,000 people across this country have been sent home or are working without pay. prgtoken Senate are here to share the stories of people whose lives are being upended. I want to thank Senator Murray for organizing these speeches and Leader Schumer for leading our efforts to reopen the government. prgtoken I am speaking today on behalf of 8,200 Federal workers in Massachusetts who have been affected, including TSA workers at Logan airport, servicemembers, air traffic controllers, healthcare providers, and staff at our national parks. prgtoken Janelle, one of my constituents, works at Native American Lifelines of Boston, an urban Indian health program. This program does crucial work helping to meet the health, dental, and behavioral health needs for Native people in the Boston metropolitan area. It is a contract site with the Indian Health Service, an Agency whose funding has been cut off by the shutdown. prgtoken Janelle loves her job, and she cares deeply about the people she serves. She doesn't want them to go hungry. She doesn't want them to miss their appointments. She doesn't want them to be unable to fill their prescriptions, but she worries about what will happen if the government doesn't open up soon. A prolonged shutdown would be a major hardship for Janelle, but it could mean a health emergency, even life or death, for her clients. prgtoken Don, another constituent, is helping Coast Guard families in Massachusetts make ends meet. His organization, the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, has distributed over 5,200 pounds of food since the start of the shutdown. He knows that if the shutdown continues, he will have to start draining his organization's budget, and that could mean he will not be able to help military families afford food supplies come September. prgtoken Janelle's and Don's stories are just two examples of how President prgtoken is holding Massachusetts families hostage while he demands a border wall. prgtoken Let's be perfectly clear about what the President is doing. The shutdown is not about border security. It is not about protecting anyone. It doesn't make us any safer that President has padlocked the doors at the Department of Homeland Security or that he is asking our Coast Guard, our FBI agents, our airport security, and even our Border Patrol agents to work without pay. prgtoken No, this shutdown is a manufactured crisis that the President is using to fan the flames of racism and bigotry--all so he can distract the American people from demanding a government
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam , as you can see, there has been a huge challenge among the American people across the country. In my district alone, I have the third poorest congressional district, with ZIP Codes with the worst air quality in the country. prgtoken Many of the workers who are not showing up to work are directly providing critical services to our residents back home. It is important for us to see beyond, obviously, the numbers of 800,000 workers. What were they doing? How were they providing for the American people? How were they serving our Nation? prgtoken We to continue to be very focused on the fact that this is a huge crisis that needs to be addressed, and we need the leadership of the Senate to rise and to support the bills, the same ones we sent to them before our January swearing in. They supported it then. I have no idea why they haven't been able to pass again the same exact bills they supported before we became the leaders in the majority in the House. prgtoken Madam , I, again, urge all of the Americans who are directly impacted by the shutdown to please reach out to us. Seek out help. prgtoken As the gentlewoman from California said, we are here to serve you. We are here to help you in any way that we can. prgtoken Madam , .
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-1-16

. Madam Chair, I want to thank Representatives Velazquez, Hastings, Torres, Jackson Lee, Jayapal, Pocan, and Escobar for cosponsoring this amendment with me. prgtoken This is not about whether or not you believe a border wall is necessary or not. I don't believe it is. Some of my friends on the other side believe it is. But when the President said he was going to declare an emergency and dip into emergency funds, disaster funds, that are dedicated to helping people deal with real disasters to pay for this wall, that set off alarm bells here. prgtoken So no matter what side you are on on this border wall issue, you should support this amendment, because this President, and no President, should dip into disaster relief money to use it for something different than what Congress intended. prgtoken The people who this money is aimed at helping are not interested in building a wall; they are interested in rebuilding their homes. prgtoken Let us not put these moneys in jeopardy. Let's have a bipartisan moment when we all can agree that the disaster money ought to be disaster money, period. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge a strong vote in favor of this amendment, and .
S. RES. 19
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2019-1-16

S. Res. 19 is unnecessary because no religious test is being applied to nominees for Federal office. If my colleague, the junior Senator from Nebraska, wants to embrace the alt- right's position by offering this resolution, that is his business. prgtoken Rather than passing a resolution to address a problem that doesn't exist, we should focus on something real, like ending this totally unnecessary, unjustified shutdown that is harming millions of Americans. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent for, statements supporting the separation of church and state from Catholics for Choice, People for the American Way, and several Hawaii residents.