mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Introductory Statement on S. 292
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-2-2

I am pleased to be joined by Senators Capito, Van Hollen, and Isakson in the introduction of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research, STAR, Act of 2017. This legislation is an extension of ongoing bipartisan efforts in the Senate over the past decade to get us closer to the goal of hopefully one day curing cancers in children, adolescents, and young adults. Representatives McCaul, Speier, Kelly, and Butterfield are introducing the companion legislation in the other body. prgtoken I first started working on this issue after meeting the Haight family from Warwick, Rhode Island in June of 2004. Nancy and Vincent lost their son, Ben, when he was just nine years old to neuroblastoma, a very aggressive tumor in the brain. prgtoken With the strong support of families like the Haights for increased research into the causes of childhood cancers and improved treatment options, I introduced bipartisan legislation that eventually was signed into law in 2008 as the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. prgtoken This was an important step. Yet, more work remains. The STAR Act seeks to advance pediatric cancer research and child-focused cancer treatments, while also improving childhood cancer surveillance and providing resources for survivors and those impacted by childhood cancer. prgtoken If a treatment is working, doctors elsewhere should know immediately. The same should happen if a treatment isn't working, or if other major medical events occur during the course of a particular treatment. It is critical that doctors, nurses, and other providers are able to effectively communicate information about the disease, the treatment process, and what other health and development impacts children can expect to experience with a particular course of treatment. prgtoken As such, the STAR Act would reauthorize the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, creating a comprehensive children's cancer biorepository for researchers to use in searching for biospecimens to study and would improve surveillance of childhood cancer cases. prgtoken This legislation also includes provisions dealing with issues that arise for survivors of childhood cancer. Unfortunately, even after beating cancer, as many as two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors are likely to experience at least one late effect of treatment; as many as one-fourth experience a late effect that is serious or life- threatening, including second cancers and organ damage. prgtoken We must do more to ensure that children survive cancer and any late effects so they can live a long, healthy, and productive life. This legislation would enhance research on the late effects of childhood cancers, improve collaboration among providers so that doctors are better able to care for this population as they age, and establish a new pilot program to begin to explore improved models of care for childhood cancer survivors. prgtoken La
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 36, PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A FINAL RULE OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 37, DISAPPROVING...
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-2-2

I rise in opposition to this rule. prgtoken What does this rule do? It enables the repeal of protections for American workers. These are regulations that ensure that Federal contractors must disclose labor violations across 14 basic labor laws. prgtoken Our Federal contractors employ approximately 28 million workers, and while the vast majority of contractors are in compliance, unfortunately, every year American workers are denied their overtime wages, they are discriminated against for their gender, or their age, or had their health and their safety put at risk. prgtoken Why is this majority working so hard to ensure that billions of taxpayer dollars continue to go to contractors that cheat their workers? This executive order targets those bad actors and the most egregious cases. prgtoken The intention of the executive order was to encourage compliance with the law and level the playing field for contractors who are playing by the rules. If there are no violations, bidders simply check a box. prgtoken What should we be doing here in this body? We should be increasing worker protections, not demeaning them or decreasing them. The more than one in five Americans who would be affected should be protected by our labor laws.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-2-2

I am going to try to be very brief. prgtoken I am rising to return to the topic of the effort of the CRA to roll back transparency in the oil and gas industry, and I will speak briefly. I know my colleague from Arizona is here and wants to speak too. prgtoken The issue has been described. It is an SEC rule requiring energy companies to disclose the payments they make to foreign governments for natural resources. The reason is that many countries with abundant natural resources are run by dictators, and there has been a long history of payments by oil companies--American and others--to those dictators that don't get to the people and actually further the corruption of the country. prgtoken Just one example: An IMF report stated that in just 1 year, 1998, the Government of Equatorial Guinea received $130 million in oil revenue, and $96 million of that went directly into the personal bank account of the dictator, Teodoro Obiang. Meanwhile, hunger in that country is rampant, and that is what led to this. prgtoken I am on the Foreign Relations Committee. In preparation for our hearing on the nomination of Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, for Secretary of State, I read a wonderful report that was done by Senator Lugar when he was the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken October 2008: Report to members of the Foreign Relations Committee from the ranking member. The title was ``The Petroleum And Poverty Paradox: Assessing U.S. And International Community Efforts to Fight The Resource Curse.'' I read this. I read the book ``Private Empire,'' a recent history of ExxonMobil written by journalist Steve Coll, to prepare for my examination of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State. prgtoken This particular report was the basis for the 2010 law that was described by Senator Cardin, and it was sponsored in a bipartisan way. It didn't prohibit any company from doing anything. It only required companies that pay foreign governments to disclose those payments. prgtoken I voted yesterday against Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State because I believe a public official's duty--especially Secretary of State--has to be to the country. I was worried, based on three areas of his testimony, that Rex Tillerson could not set aside his loyalty to ExxonMobil. prgtoken He refused to answer questions that I asked him about ExxonMobil's knowledge of climate science, yet their efforts to convince the public that the science was not settled. He told me he wouldn't answer my questions. prgtoken He did not demonstrate to the committee's satisfaction, in my view, that he could be independent in Russia. For example, he said that ExxonMobil had not lobbied against sanctions against Russia, when we actually have the lobbying forms to suggest they had. prgtoken In both of those areas, I found his responses wanting, and I voted against him. prgtoken I will be honest. I asked him about the resource curse
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2017-2-2

I rise also to speak about the rule. I want everyone to know that the State of West Virginia has been a heavy- lifting State. We are a construction State. We mined the coal that made the steel that built the guns and factories that enabled our Nation to defend us and gave us the great country we have. prgtoken We have done everything. There is no one in West Virginia, Oklahoma, or any extraction State who wants dirty water or dirty air. Pitting people against each other is just wrong. The way this comes down is that this is a duplicative rule, this stream protection rule that was put in place. prgtoken My colleagues know that last year the Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement basically decided to send the final stream protection rule to the White House without fulfilling their obligations or even a request by myself to contact and work with the local authorities and to work with the States that are involved. They did nothing. They would not reach out to us whatsoever. This was one of many of President 's administration's regulations that absolutely crippled West Virginia families and businesses with no plan to replace or create new jobs or help these communities. prgtoken Not only is this rule very alarming in its scope and potential impacts, the rulemaking was executed in a very flawed way. The rules by the Department of Interior and Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation must be based on comprehensive data that is available to stakeholders, particularly when those rules threaten to eliminate thousands of jobs. All we have asked was to come to the DEP, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and tell us what is not working, tell us what you want us to do differently, work with us and help us strengthen where there is a flaw. prgtoken Not once did we ever get that type of courtesy. States critical to the implementation of this rule were left out of the process in any meaningful way. The Office of Surface Mining failed to work with States throughout this process, despite the clear congressional intent. Furthermore, agencies should not be assuming duplicative rules that overlap regulations under other environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act. prgtoken This rule is excessive and duplicative. It has over 400 changes to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act--which is what we refer to as SMCRA--that duplicate existing practices and protections that the EPA and the Army Corps already oversaw. prgtoken So, basically, we already have two agencies that have to do with any type of permitting that goes through the EPA, in conjunction and in alliance with the Army Corps. This overstepped and took all the powers away from them completely. Why would we want to duplicate? If we have an agency that is not doing its job, either change the personnel or get rid of the agency; don't just create another duplicative role and another agenc
TRIBUTE TO TERI HUYCK
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2017-2-2

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) President and CEO Teri Huyck will retire on February 3, 2017, after leading Wisconsin's largest most trusted non-profit health care organization for nine years. prgtoken Teri Huyck came to Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin during a difficult time as interim director in 2008. She had been the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood Chicago. Upon her arrival, the morale and financial stability of the Wisconsin Chapter of Planned Parenthood improved and eight months later, Teri Huyck dropped ``interim'' from her title and officially took over as president and CEO. She began an aggressive fundraising campaign that raised an additional $500,000 and reorganized the organization. prgtoken Currently, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin employs about 200 people and has a $21 million annual budget that comes from state and federal funding, Medicaid and private-pay patients and private donations. Planned Parenthood provides health care to about 70,000 men and women a year across the state providing services that include: annual exams, cancer screening, colonoscopies, pregnancy testing and counseling, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, and abortions. Family planning and prevention accounts for more than 95 percent of the services Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin performs. The organization gives out 200,000 cycles of birth control pills per year. The majority of the women and men who come here are not seeking an abortion. prgtoken Ms. Huyck has made it her mission to be transparent and tells the unvarnished truth to everyone she meets. A self-proclaimed ``farm girl from Ohio,'' she joined the Planned Parenthood organization following a career as a hospital administrator in Ohio and Illinois who wanted to combine her skills in the health care field with her passion for women's issues. Teri remembers when Roe v. Wade was decided and learned her passion for women's issues from her mother. Teri's childhood friend was raped and as a result became pregnant in the mid-1970s. The friend chose abortion and was treated poorly. This incident left a lasting impression on her as well. prgtoken Teri has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with high honors from Ohio State University and a Master's degree in Hospital and Health Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati. prgtoken I am grateful to have had the opportunity to know and work with Teri since she assumed her role at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. We have stood together on many issues to ensure both women and men in Wisconsin have access to health care. I join with her family, friends and colleagues to congratulate her on her retirement. I wish her much success as she transitions into a different phase of her life with her husband, Perry who recently retired, as well I am proud to honor Teri Huyck. The citizens of the Fourth Congressional District and the State of Wisconsin are privileged
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-2-2

I wish to oppose the resolution of disapproval on the stream protection rule. Each Congress has an opportunity to promote having cleaner air and cleaner water. Our job description shouldn't include hollowing out the protections for clean air and clean water which previous Congresses have provided. prgtoken Clean air and clean water are vital not just to human health and the environment, but to our economy as well. The number of premature deaths due to poor water quality affects our economy. The number of school or work days missed due to health problems affects our economy. The ability of industries to have access to clean water affects our economy. prgtoken Like many of my colleagues, I am proud to represent part of Appalachia, in the western part of Maryland. I have enjoyed skiing, hiking, and simply enjoying one of the most beautiful places in our country. Recreational activities along the Appalachian Mountains depend upon clean air and clean water. And recreation is a huge part of expanding economic opportunities in Appalachia. prgtoken Over the years, I have met with many people directly affected by the mining practice known as mountaintop removal, and I have worked very hard to address their concerns in a bipartisan manner. For instance, in the 111th Congress, I introduced S. 696, the Appalachia Restoration Act, with the senior Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Alexander, to help protect streams and rivers. prgtoken The stream protection rule updates 33-year-old regulations to implement the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. The update establishes clear requirements for responsible surface coal mining that will protect 6,000 prgtoken miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests over the next two decades, preserving community health and economic opportunities, while meeting the Nation's energy needs. prgtoken The stream protection rule includes reasonable and straightforward reforms to revise three-decades-old coal mining regulations to avoid or minimize harmful impacts on surface water, groundwater, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. There are a number of very positive, reasonable, and economically feasible changes in the proposed stream protection rule that make it an improvement over the existing regulations. prgtoken The rule incorporates the best available science, technology, and modern mining practices to safeguard communities from the long-term effects of pollution and environmental degradation that endanger public health and undermine future economic opportunities for affected communities. prgtoken The final Rule gives regulators more tools to measure whether a mine is designed to prevent damage to streams outside the permit area. prgtoken The rule would require companies to avoid mining practices that permanently pollute streams, destroy drinking water sources, increase flood risk, and threaten forests. prgtoken It would also require companies to restore streams and return
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, AND THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-2

I would like to thank my colleague and ranking member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Mr. Scott, for yielding. prgtoken I stand here in opposition to this resolution, which looks to undo rules that provide safety and fairness in the workplace. prgtoken The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule speaks for itself. It ensures that contractors entrusted with taxpayer dollars cannot exploit their workers and that repeated lawbreakers do not get a competitive advantage. This standard does not impose extra regulations on contractors. It simply requires that they follow the law. prgtoken These laws make sure women are paid the same wages for the same work. They make sure that employers are paying a fair rate for overtime work. They protect employees with disabilities. And they protect workers who are victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment by ensuring those individuals have an opportunity to be heard. prgtoken A 2013 Senate report found that government contractors are often among the worst violators of the workplace safety, wage, and hour laws. Nearly one in three companies with the worst safety and wage violations are Federal contractors. Americans working for Federal contractors lose up to $2.5 billion each year to violations of minimum wage laws alone. This is unacceptable and exactly why this order was executed--to protect workers. prgtoken We have a duty to our constituents, and this rule rightfully asks the Federal Government to take another look at contractors who have violated labor laws before awarding a contract. By upholding this order, we can continue to ensure that taxpayers get a fair deal for their money, something my colleagues certainly should be in favor of. prgtoken Some s will claim that this order creates a so-called blacklist by preventing companies from receiving Federal contracts. However, the opposite is true. The order, in fact, provides new tools for contractors to come into compliance with the law. This order is in the interest of the people and our constituents who we were sent here to represent. Rolling back these protections would demonstrate that we would rather side with employers who cut legal corners by not paying a fair wage than with our constituents who work day in and day out to provide for their families. prgtoken Not only will rescinding this rule hurt our constituents, but it would also hurt law-abiding companies by forcing them into unfair competition with companies that cut corners and knowingly violate the law. As we look to invest in our country's infrastructure, I cannot think of a more important time to ensure that employees working for Federal contractors are treated fairly. This rule is an important safeguard that protects employees, and its rollback will be a disgrace.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-2-2

s in both Chambers have introduced a resolution to permit oil, gas, and mining companies to continue making secret payments--involving billions of dollars--to corrupt foreign governments in exchange for access to their countries' natural resources. prgtoken This resolution would overturn legislation on which I worked closely with former Senator Richard Lugar and Senator Cardin and was included as section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to provide greater transparency when such payments are made and help better inform investors and combat massive corruption in the process. prgtoken One would think that everyone here would support a commonsense rule that will protect investors and make it a lot harder to get away with the theft of billions of dollars in public funds in some of the poorest countries of the world. But apparently, that is not a concern, at least not to the sponsors of this resolution or those who intend to support its passage. prgtoken Some s and their friends in the oil and gas industry say this rule creates unacceptable burdens. That is utterly without merit, as I will explain in a moment. prgtoken But even assuming there were a grain of truth to that, rather than proposing to amend the underlying legislation, which would require bipartisan support, this resolution is being advanced under the Congressional Review Act, to enable a simple majority vote to completely dismantle the rule with minimum debate. prgtoken Keep in mind that the rule is simply the product of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, implementing bipartisan congressional intent and would not take effect until the end of 2018. Despite what some have claimed, the SEC has not twisted the statute in any way when they developed this rule. But if this rule is overturned, the SEC will be prevented from issuing any substantially similar rule, potentially in our lifetimes. prgtoken In other words, what we are doing here is, for all practical purposes, the death knell for global efforts--involving most of our closest allies--to combat massive corruption resulting from the extraction of natural resources and help investors assess risk in the often murky and unstable oil, gas, and mining sectors. This is an issue on which the United States, until now, has been a global leader. prgtoken I mention this because the sponsors of this resolution have said that they support the goals of this rule, and all they want to do after overturning it is make some minor adjustments to it. That is the epitome of disingenuous. The rule does not take effect until the end of 2018. If that was what they really wanted to do, they would propose an amendment, and we could discuss it. Their real purpose, even if they are reluctant to say so, is to prevent disclosure. prgtoken This rule has two primary purposes. First, it is to protect investors. Investors whose combined net