mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REQUIRING COMPLETION OF TRAINING PROGRAM IN WORKPLACE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-11-29

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) for his leadership, and I thank Chairman Harper for his as well. I thank them for bringing this legislation to the floor. prgtoken Here it is, November 29, 2017, an historic day in the history of the Congress, a watershed moment in our Congress' history because it is a day in which we will take the opportunity to make change. This body is taking a constructive first step to protect all Members of our legislative community from harassment and discrimination in the workplace. This vote is vital to upholding the integrity of the U.S. Congress. prgtoken We are grateful for the tremendous leadership of Congresswoman Jackie Speier. I have observed her leadership on this subject for a very long time. She has a lifetime commitment to exposing and ending the scourge of sexual harassment. I thank her for that leadership. prgtoken I want to also acknowledge my own daughter, Christine Pelosi, who is the chair of the Women's Caucus of the California ic Party. She is a former prosecutor in San Francisco and prosecuted these cases, and she has been a strong, strong advocate for protecting people in the workplace and has had some level of success with that. prgtoken So here we are at this watershed moment in the nationwide fight against sexual harassment and discrimination. Brave women in every corner of the country and in every industry are making their voices heard. As Members of Congress, we have a moral duty to show real, effective leadership to foster a climate of respect and dignity in the workplace, with absolutely zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, or abuse. Anything less is unacceptable. prgtoken Requiring the Members and the staff to take training, while valuable--and we must have it--must be only a first step. We must make sure that that training is very effective as well. But the next step for Congress to take is to pass the ME TOO Congress Act, introduced by Congresswoman Speier, to create greater transparency and accountability in the broken reporting and settlements system. prgtoken Taxpayer money should not have been spent to build a culture of silence and complicity around workplace harassment. We must make a judgment about how that was used. This bill, the ME TOO Congress Act, will reform the shameful secret settlements policy that has persisted. It will ensure that survivors who wish to share their stories publicly can come forward, and they can come forward to the Ethics Committee. prgtoken We want to create a culture that says to everyone who comes to work here: This will be hospitable for you. We want it to be a culture that is a model to the Nation. prgtoken In addition to that, , this moment is a moment of truth for Congress. It is disappointing and disturbing that some in the Capitol have not served with the dignity and respect required of this office. It is very hard to accept that people we admire in public life and here in Con
REQUIRING COMPLETION OF TRAINING PROGRAM IN WORKPLACE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-11-29

for us women who have been victims of assault or harassment, this is a very serious, serious matter. I intend to vote for this bill today. But, as has been mentioned, it is just a first step. We know on the House Administration Committee that we are going to have to dig in and make sure that the training that is referred to in this bill is a lot better than what we have right now. It is deficient. prgtoken I would like to say also that the process that we have for victims to come forward is an embarrassment. It needs to be refined, reviewed, and fixed from the point of view of the victim. prgtoken Here in America, every day we open our news feed and we see someone else who has been fired because of engaging in sexual harassment misconduct. It is part of, really, a component of devaluing women. That is what this is about. prgtoken I heard my colleague from the House Administration Committee mention the columnist who said that the sexual harassment racket is over. I am afraid it isn't. Not yet. But it is our obligation to make sure that it does end. prgtoken We are the House of Representatives. It should be expected of us that we take the lead, that we set the standard for how women can be valued in the workplace. I think this first step is valuable, but if we had to walk a mile, this is a foot. prgtoken I am happy to support this measure, but I am looking forward to working with Mr. Brady, who has been such a leader, and the committee. We have had a bipartisan effort with the chairman of the committee. We have got a lot of work to do, and I look forward to doing it.
IN RECOGNITION OF DAVID STARR
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-11-29

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize David Starr, the longtime president of the Company in Springfield, Massachusetts for receiving the Massachusetts Governor's Award in the Humanities. A national figure in the field of journalism, David's influence and impact on the media and arts in western Massachusetts and beyond for more than seven decades makes him an ideal recipient for this prestigious honor. In my opinion, no one deserves this recognition more. prgtoken Throughout his extraordinary life, David has always been passionate about journalism and the newspaper business. His career began at age 12, when he started delivering the Long Island Press. Even then he was reading more than ten newspapers a day. At 17, he became one of the youngest editors of the Queen College newspaper in New York. After serving his country with distinction in the U.S. Army during World War II, David returned to journalism where he would begin his lifelong association with the Newhouse family. He did every job well and quickly rose through the ranks. The skill he displayed as a reporter, publisher, and eventually president, led him to have a successful career as the longest-serving news executive at the Advance Publications Newspaper Group, formerly known as Newhouse Publications. His leadership in the newsroom, particularly at the Springfield , helped him win a well-deserved reputation as a giant in the industry. prgtoken I first met David in 1977, and few people have consistently done more to improve the quality of life in the Pioneer Valley. He has worked tirelessly to make western Massachusetts a better place to live, work, and raise a family. He was pivotal in the 1980s and 1990s in revitalizing downtown Springfield by encouraging the public and private sectors to work together for the progress of the city. David was a critical part of the city's renaissance. Successful projects like the Monarch Building, the Sheraton Hotel and One Financial Plaza all happened on his watch. He had a vision for our community and it was realized. Additionally, he was the founder of several organizations to promote economic and cultural development including Springfield Business Friends prgtoken of the Arts, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts. His enthusiastic support of the Springfield Symphony and WGBY is legendary. prgtoken , David Starr has spent decades listening to people and writing their stories. He was a mentor to a generation of young reporters just starting their careers in journalism and seeking sound advice and guidance. His good work and philanthropy informed the people of western Massachusetts and helped make their lives better. With his lovely wife Peggy by his side, they remain a truly formidable team. For the past 40 years I have been proud to call David Starr my friend and honored to be a small part of his in
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-11-29

first, before I get to my main issue of taxes, I just heard the majority leader talk about taking away the blue slip. We hear the other side professing they want to work in a bipartisan way, but every step they take takes away bipartisanship. Reconciliation takes away bipartisanship. Getting rid of the blue ship takes away bipartisanship. Unfortunately, the majority leader has taken many steps this year to remove any hint of bipartisanship--most notably, reconciliation on this major tax bill. prgtoken This is the first time we are doing tax reform in 36 years, but then, it was done in a bipartisan way. The product lasted, and people, in retrospect, were proud of it. Because this bill is being done in such a partisan and narrow way and the idea--I even heard my friend from Utah say this: Join us. You don't put together a bill in the dark of night with just s and then say: Come join us. That is not how tax reform was done in 1986. That is not how major, bipartisan efforts in this body have ever been done. It is a group from both parties sitting down and coming up with a plan. And to offer amendments and then to have them all defeated or ruled out of order and then say that is regular order? Who are we kidding? Who are we kidding? prgtoken This has been a very partisan bill. That is why it is not a great product. That is why the other side is rushing it through. This is not a proud day for this Chamber, and history will show that. History will show that. prgtoken Now I would like to talk about the specific plan, although we are still not sure what the plan will be. According to reports, s are, right now, furiously debating changes in the bill, and who knows when they will put the bill on the floor. A bill like this deserves weeks of debate on the floor. At most, we will get 20 hours of debate-- and maybe not that--depending on when the leader puts the new substitute bill on the floor. That is so wrong. That is so against the better angels of this Chamber and the history we have had for centuries. It is against the best practices that my dear friend from Utah, the chairman of the Finance Committee, has exhibited throughout his career. So I hope we can, even at this late moment, change that. prgtoken But we are only 1 day away, unfortunately, from a final vote on the bill to rewrite the entire U.S. Tax Code, and significant parts of the bill prgtoken are still up in the air. By the time we vote, no one will have a definitive analysis of how the bill would impact the economy--no one. No one will know how the last-minute provisions s add will affect American taxpayers and businesses. prgtoken If this bill should pass--and I sure hope it doesn't, for the sake of America and for the sake of the middle class--my friends will regret rushing it through in such a brazen way. There will be unintended consequences. The rush to get something--anything--done
TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-11-29

I agree with my colleagues that we need tax reform, but we need tax reform that simplifies the Tax Code, bolsters the middle class, and helps small businesses to create jobs. I think we can do that, and we can do that in a fiscally responsible way, but we need to work together, s and , as we did the last time we did tax reform. prgtoken Unfortunately, these priorities are not reflected in the bill that is before us. Instead, it is a partisan, fiscally irresponsible giveaway to the wealthy and the largest corporations in this country, and it comes at the expense of the middle class and small businesses. prgtoken We know that the wealthiest Americans will see massive tax breaks from this bill, including President himself. In fact, the New York Times has estimated that President and his family would save more than $1 billion from this tax bill. prgtoken How does this legislation pay for these tax cuts? Well, it asks today's middle class and future generations to foot the bill. The nonpartisan analysis from the Joint Committee on Taxation has found that the bill will raise taxes on millions of middle-class families making less than $75,000 a year. The bill sunsets any middle-class tax breaks in 2026, and at the same time it makes tax breaks for large corporations permanent. It increases the national debt by $1.5 trillion. prgtoken I think the headline in the current Forbes Magazine says it all. It says ``The GOP Tax Bill Is The End Of All Economic Sanity In Washington.'' As more people look at this bill, they are beginning to see how it will hurt middle-class families across the country. prgtoken Over the past few weeks, I have heard more and more concerns from people throughout New Hampshire, and I just want to take a minute to highlight some of these concerns. I met recently with the New Hampshire Realtors and homebuilders. They are major advocates for home ownership in New Hampshire. They told me that this bill is nothing short of an attack on home ownership. In particular, they are concerned about the impact of repealing the State and local tax deduction, which would be a huge hit to middle-class families in New Hampshire. Right now, more than 200,000 Granite State homeowners use the State and local tax deductions so that they are not double-taxed. That is about one-third of taxpayers in New Hampshire. It is particularly important to us where property taxes account for 66 percent of all State and local taxes. That is a higher share than any other State in the country. prgtoken Homeowners are also concerned about proposals to limit the mortgage interest deduction, including on home equity lines of credit, where homeowners in New Hampshire are going to get hurt more than others because we have approximately 14 percent of homeowners who have a home equity line of credit, compared to 3.8 percent nationally. The result is, according to the Realtors and the homebuilder
MINNESOTA'S ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN THE SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST ACT
Keith Ellison (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-11-29

one of the things that I am most proud of is being from Minnesota. What a beautiful State that we have. People joke about how cold it is in the wintertime, but let me tell you, Minnesota is awesome all year round. prgtoken One of the things that we are so proud of is the Boundary Waters. Mr look at this picture. This is no glossed-up photo. This is what it looks like. It is awesome. prgtoken Back before I was in Congress, I was able to bring young people to the Boundary Waters who were court-involved one day a judge asked me: Hey, Ellison, come up here. You want to take some kids to the Boundary Waters? prgtoken I said: Fine. I kept doing it for 5 years straight because I loved the place. prgtoken Yet this bill will perhaps damage all that, all that beauty, that gem of our State, which not only is a beautiful place that needs to be preserved for people, but also is a job-generator. A lot of people earn good livings because of the Boundary Waters, and if we just do this, pass this bill, what it will do is jeopardize their livelihood and our crown jewel of our State. prgtoken This bill will grant a mining company the right to build sulfide-ore copper mines along rivers and lakes that flow directly into the Boundary Waters. Sulfide-ore copper mining has never been done without polluting water, and thousands of communities and wildlife will be at risk. prgtoken When you mine sulfide ore, water and air interact to create sulfuric acid. One leak or spill would contaminate substantial portions of the Boundary Waters, decimating wildlife and habitat, and destroying the livelihoods of so many Minnesota workers. prgtoken The Boundary Waters, the waters of the Boundary Waters, are especially vulnerable to acid mine drainage because they lack a buffering capacity. prgtoken This bill is a bad idea, and I urge Members to vote ``no.'' This bill will undermine core environmental laws, including the Antiquities Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. prgtoken The Antiquities Act is a bipartisan conservation law to protect irreplaceable Federal lands, including in the Grand Canyon, Acadia Forest, Zion, Muir Woods in California, and the Olympic National Parks. If they undermine the Antiquities Act, what else is in danger? Well, I would say every national treasure of the United States. prgtoken This attack on the Antiquities Act is an attack against our national parks and monuments, making this not only a Minnesota issue, but a national issue. prgtoken This bill would permanently lock in all mineral leases on Minnesota's national forests by overriding two laws on mineral leasing in Minnesota's national forests that require Forest Service consent to any mining. They don't want to go around the regular process. They want to use Congress to short-circuit that process. prgtoken If you have never been to the Boundary Waters, as I said, I urge you to go there. If you vote ``no'' o
TAX REFORM
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-11-29

we do want to go far, and we need to travel together. We have been trying to make the case that, indeed, we do this in a bipartisan way instead of being jammed through in a partisan way. prgtoken I don't think there would be a Senator in this Chamber that would not want to help Puerto Rico, given the fact that Puerto Rico is going through the ravages of the aftermath of a hurricane, where still today just under half of the population in Puerto Rico does not have electricity, and it is 3 months after the hurricane. But we are going to send another hurricane to Puerto Rico if we pass this bill because of the provisions that are so punitive to Puerto Rico in this tax bill. prgtoken In this tax bill, there is a 20-percent penalty on businesses doing business in Puerto Rico. It is just unbelievable, a 20-percent penalty on companies that invest in Puerto Rico, causing one of the daily newspapers on the island, El Nuevo Dia, to state that 250,000 jobs would leave the island just as a result of that provision. That is not something we want to do to Puerto Rico. We want to help Puerto Rico. prgtoken Unfortunately, that is not all. The bill eliminates the section 199 manufacturing deduction for Puerto Rico, specifically in the law to encourage manufacturing in that island Commonwealth, a territory of our fellow U.S. citizens. prgtoken The bill also eliminates the rum cover, which is how they get a rebate for paying those excise taxes on the production of Puerto Rican and U.S. Virgin Islands rum. It is a means of offsetting the cost of economic development in those two territories, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. prgtoken This bill further fails to put Puerto Rico residents on an equal footing with those on the mainland by giving them the same treatment on the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit. prgtoken First, the bill is so out of balance, to begin with. But then, when you get down to the specifics in so many of the items--now, in this particular item affecting Puerto Rico--this is not what we want to do. Yet we are just about to vote on this bill, and that is what is going to happen. That is what is going to happen in Puerto Rico. prgtoken I urge some of our Members to reconsider their vote. prgtoken .
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-11-29

I rise in recognition of National Family Caregivers Month. Caregivers are our Nation's hidden heroes. They foster family stability and help those with chronic and disabling conditions avoid costly out-of-home placements. In fact, family caregivers are very often the difference between costly institutional care or staying in their home. prgtoken Family caregivers not only deserve our respect and gratitude, but also respite from the physical and emotional toll of ensuring their loved ones receive the care that they need. But if the caregivers themselves aren't taking care of their own needs, they are not going to be very effective at taking care of their loved ones. prgtoken , almost 44 million Americans are providing over $470 billion in uncompensated care each year, if we had to put a dollar figure on it. These caregivers are our grandparents, parents, spouses, siblings, children, and prgtoken even our grandchildren. They are often the lifeline to accessible, quality care at home. prgtoken We in Congress need to do our part to support these heroes by passing the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, which my good friend Representative Gregg Harper and I have introduced. It is the least that we can do in appreciation of the sacrifice these family caregivers make each and every day.
DACA
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-11-29

I come to the floor today to speak about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, known as DACA. DACA, an Executive order of President , provided temporary, renewable legal status for immigrant students if they registered with the government, paid a filing fee of $500, passed a criminal and national security background check. About 780,000 young people stepped forward and did something they had been warned their entire lives never to do. Their parents knew they were undocumented. They knew that they had been brought to this country at an early age. They knew that they weren't technically legal, and their parents had warned them: Stay away from cops and government. All that can happen is that they will discover you are undocumented and deport you and maybe your family as well. Be careful. prgtoken So President stepped up and said: If you will step forward, tell us who you are, and let us do a background check on you, we are going to give you a chance--a chance to earn your way to legal status in America--and 780,000 young people took that chance and signed up for DACA. prgtoken Just this last Monday I was up in New York City, and I went to Hunter College, which is part of the City University of New York, and there were about five young people on a forum with me to discuss this bill and the issue of Dreamers and immigration. It was interesting because each one of them--bright students, impressive young people--before they would say anything, they would introduce themselves by saying something like ``My name is Isadora, and I have 465 days.'' And the next one would say, ``My name is Evelyn, and I have 270 days.'' They were telling me how much time they had left, protected, to continue on as students. prgtoken They know that President 's decision on September 5 to abolish DACA means that their protection is going to end as of March 5 next year, and then they face some terrible possibilities. The first is deportation. These people have turned themselves in. They have stepped up and identified themselves to our government with the belief that our government would not hold it against them, and now they worry that has changed. They are worried about what will happen to their family because they had the courage to come up and sign up for this program. These are very real, lifetime problems and challenges these young people face. prgtoken If you look through the list of those who could be affected if DACA disappears, as President has called for on March 5, there are some heartbreaking stories. Do you know there are 900 DACA-protected young people who have volunteered and now serve in the U.S. military? That is right. Even though they are undocumented because of DACA, they were allowed to sign up for a program known as MAVNI, which is a specialized program for those who have talents that are needed in our military, and they literally signed up. Think of that for a mome