mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ALLOW STATES AND VICTIMS TO FIGHT ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2017-- MOTION TO PROCEED
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-3-19

I am pleased to learn that Senator Cory Booker, our colleague from New Jersey, is the 73rd cosponsor of the Fix NICS bill, which I have introduced and which I hope will be passed out of the Senate soon. This bill is designed to fix the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which, if it had been working the way it was designed to, would have caught the shooter at Sutherland Springs, perhaps saving the lives of 26 people who lost their lives in that little Baptist church outside of San Antonio; 20 more were shot and will suffer those wounds the rest of their lives. prgtoken Today the news brought us the fact that apparently there had been a recommendation by mental health professionals that Nikolas Cruz, the shooter in Parkland, FL, be committed for involuntary treatment, but apparently that never materialized. That was the recommendation, but it never actually happened. If that had happened, under the current law, his name would have been included in the Florida upload of background check information, and that would have prevented him from legally buying a firearm. prgtoken So we are starting to see the different data points that begin to paint a picture of the sorts of things that we could do here in Washington, DC, to save lives in these future mass shooting events. We know the President has said to the Department of Justice that he wants bump stocks banned. Of course, that was the instrument used to kill dozens of people in Las Vegas and injure 851 more. prgtoken So by addressing things like the background check system, improving the mental health response, eliminating the bump stock--which takes a semiautomatic weapon and makes it operate essentially like an automatic weapon--and by providing assistance to our schools so that they can harden themselves against potential attacks, we can begin to see a picture of the sorts of things we ought to be doing to prevent future mass shootings like the one we saw most recently in Parkland, FL. It is simply our responsibility to make sure we do everything we humanly can. prgtoken I know that after these horrific events, people throw up their hands and say: We need to do something. Well, we need to do something that matters and that will save lives in the future. I think we now begin to have a picture of the sorts of things we can do, starting with the passage of the Fix NICS background check system. It is the only piece of legislation I know of that now has 73 cosponsors, with Senator Booker of New Jersey being added as the 73rd today. It is the only bill I know of that has that kind of broad, widespread support and that will actually, if implemented, save lives. prgtoken , this week we will be discussing another important subject--one that perhaps people do not want to hear about; rather, they would prefer that it not exist at all because it is a manifestation of evil. The subject is online sex trafficking. Unfortunately, it
CONGRATULATING THE GIRLS AND BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS OF GRANDVIEW HIGH SCHOOL ON THEIR 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
Mike Coffman (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise today to congratulate both the Grandview High School boys and girls basketball teams. These two teams from Grandview High School are now Colorado's 5A school basketball champions. The Grandview Wolves' boys team triumphed over George Washington High School from Denver by a score of 57 to 52. The girls team prevailed over Regis Jesuit High School by a score of 67 to 61. prgtoken The Grandview boys basketball team had a spectacular season, finishing the season with an impressive 24-4 record. And the culmination of its season was the first ever boys basketball State championship title. The Grandview girls basketball team also had a tremendous season, finishing with an equally impressive 23-3 record. And the culmination of its season was the second consecutive girls basketball State championship title. prgtoken The teams were led to their respective championship titles by their coaches: Josh Ulitzky for the girls team and Michael Rogers for the boys team. I also commend these two coaches, their coaching staffs, and their supporters at Grandview High School for all they have contributed to the success of the school's boys and girls basketball programs. prgtoken Again, congratulations to Grandview High School girls and boys basketball teams on this impressive victory in Colorado's 5A State championship.
RECOGNIZING VALLEY VIEW CHAROLAIS RANCH
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-3-19

. . I would like to offer my congratulations to Valley View Charolais Ranch on their 50th Annual Bull Sale and cowherd. Valley View Charolais have some of the most proven and popular bloodlines available. They have been bred for ease of calving, fertility, milk, and mothering ability, as well as performance. Valley View Charolais Ranch's efforts to produce animals that will make money for all that are involved, including the producer, the cowman, and the packer, have been proven. Their commitment to producing quality 2-year-old bulls despite trends, drought, blizzards, fighting grasshoppers, irrigation water, and cattle price cycles, is remarkable and demonstrates their true dedication. prgtoken I commend the Westphal Family for all the dedication and passion they have poured into the industry to be one of the Nation's leading breeders of purebred Charolais cattle and for selling 2-year-old Charolais bulls for 50 years.
DHS FIELD ENGAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
Don Bacon (Republican, NE) \u2014 2018-3-19

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , first of all, I want to thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey for her comments and her support making this bill a bipartisan bill. Part of the work that we are doing is we are going to improve 70 different fusion centers with this bill and standardize the performance of all of them. prgtoken , once again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and
HOUSING OPPORTUNITY MORTGAGE EXPANSION ACT
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2018-3-19

unfortunately, including this legislation in the recently passed S. 2155 was not possible due to a number of procedural objections that could not be overcome. However, it is our understanding that the substance of our bill has the support of several FHLBs, and we intend to work with our colleagues, the administration, and FHFA to find sustainable ways for housing-focused entities such as relevant captive insurance companies to participate in the FHLB system.
VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF GHANA
Karen Bass (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-3-19

today I rise to salute His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana on the occasion of President Akufo- Addo's visit to the United States. prgtoken Ghana tops many lists of Africa's most peaceful and stable democracies, boasting an uninterrupted series of free and fair elections since 1992 that have seen power change hands between the two major parties three times. Freedom House ranks Ghana first on the continent for political and civil liberties. It was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of its people in extreme poverty, achieving this milestone well ahead of the 2015 target. The World Bank places Ghana first in its West African sub-region for ease of doing business. prgtoken Since his election, economic growth has surged from 3.6 percent to 7.9 percent. The World Bank projects an additional increase of 8.3 percent in 2018, making Ghana one of the world's fastest-growing economies. At the same time, Ghana's budget deficit as a proportion of GDP has been slashed from 9.3 percent to 5.6 percent even as the government has cut taxes. That would become an international cultural landmark. The school appeared in many movies and television shows until 1971, when portions sustained damage in the Sylmar earthquake, and then were ravaged by fire while awaiting assessment and repair. prgtoken Underpinned by a rich endowment of oil, gold and cocoa, Ghana's $43 billion economy prgtoken is becoming increasingly diversified. Expansion outside the commodity sector and renewed confidence in the government's ability to manage its finances are seen by analysts as key drivers of the country's current performance and growing attractiveness as a destination for the U.S. and other investors. prgtoken During President Akufo-Addo's American visit, he will receive an Exemplary Leadership award from: The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa; AllAfrica Foundation; The Constituency for Africa; The Corporate Council on Africa; Invest Africa USA; The U.S. Chamber of Commerce/U.S.-Africa Business Center; Africare; and The Whitaker Group. I stand with them to honor his work as Ghana continues to be a beacon of hope, a model for democracy and a leader on the African continent.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2018-3-19

I was unavoidably absent due to a death in my family for rollcall votes Nos. 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55. Had I been present I would have voted nay on all the rollcall votes in relation to S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. I would have also voted nay on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Kevin McAleenan to be Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, rollcall vote No. 55; PN1373.
2018: THE YEAR OF THE BLACK WOMAN
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-3-19

we stand today in honor and in awe of the many accomplishments of black women in America. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, black women have led iconic movements that have come to define the standard of equality and fairness throughout our society. prgtoken Every black woman stands on the shoulders of those who have paved the way for the continued freedom we enjoy, drawing their inspiration from the strength of our ancestors and our peers. The accomplishments of black women are part of a storied legacy of achievement made all the more meaningful by the challenges that we've had to overcome. As black women, the heavy burden of both systemic racism and sexism are not new realities, just circumstances that we have long worked to dismantle through civil rights movements, equal pay rallies, and organized civic engagement. prgtoken Black women and girls possess a unique understanding of the trials and adversities unique to our own experiences. Black women have always made do with less than their fair share, earning only 63 cents for every dollar a white man makes for the same work. More than 80 percent of black mothers are the breadwinners in their households, tasked with raising our future generations with just scarcely enough to pay for essentials while earning a fraction of what other segments of the population earn. prgtoken Black women are also sorely underrepresented in one the fastest growing and highest paying career fields in America--engineering. Black women make up less than 1 percent of American engineers. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are fields that black women are being excluded from through cultural exclusion, lack of role models, and pay inequities. STEM fields offer incredible opportunities for the African American community, and we must do more to ensure that we encourage more women of color to pursue these opportunities. prgtoken , America needs black women to fulfill the roles as chemists, engineers, physicists, and engineers. Black women have and continue to engineer solutions to many of the problems we face in the 21st Century. The coming age presents unique technological challenges that must be met with unique perspectives capable of grand problem solving. Supporting funding for STEM after school programs, workshops, and boot camps is an investment in the future faces of computer science, engineering, and the continued leadership of the black woman. Historically, when the Black woman succeeds, our nation succeeds. This year, let us do more for black women in America so that they can continue to do more for our country.
ALLOW STATES AND VICTIMS TO FIGHT ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2017-- MOTION TO PROCEED
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-3-19

this Saturday, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, are going to lead hundreds of thousands of Americans all around the country in calling for commonsense gun control measures at the March For Our Lives. prgtoken Since this terrible shooting in Parkland, FL, on Valentine's Day, we have seen students all across the country say: Enough. This is a movement that cannot be stopped, and, frankly, we owe it to the students--the next generation--to get this right in the policies and the laws we adopt. prgtoken Just a few weeks ago, I went to one of the student's homes in Parkland--a group of them. We talked. Indeed, just last week, a number of the students came to my office here in Washington. It is amazing that at 15, 16, and 17 years old, these students are looking to us in this Congress to, at a minimum, consider legislation that could have prevented the slaughter that happened in Parkland just a month ago. prgtoken In Florida, we have witnessed these students march on the State capitol and demand action. The legislature listened, in part. They made some changes in the law, like changing the age to 21 to buy an assault rifle. That is the same age in Florida law that says you can't buy a handgun until age 21. It was a small step, but it was a step in the right direction to address the problem we are confronting, but we need to do more. prgtoken I am so grateful for the resilience of these students, the power of their voices, and the strength of their activism, moving the lawmakers in Washington and in State capitals all across this country to act. prgtoken The students, the parents, the teachers, all of them we have asked: What do you want? And they say, obviously, we want commonsense things. We can start with universal background checks in the purchase of a weapon. That would then allow, universally, if you have a background check, you couldn't go to a gun show where there is not a federally licensed dealer and acquire a weapon without having a background check. Why is having a background check a commonsense thing to do? Because you not only pick up someone with a criminal record, you would pick up someone who had a restraining order for whatever reason--it could be mental, it could be domestic abuse. You would pick up somebody being on the terrorist watch list or you could pick up someone who had been on the terrorist watch list. That was the case with the killer in the Orlando Pulse Night Club shooting. prgtoken Clearly, that is a commonsense thing to approach this problem. prgtoken There is another commonsense thing; that is, these military assault rifles with the long--what I call the banana clips. These are clips that are shaped like a banana or even straight ones that hold 30 rounds. You know, there are State laws in the country that if you are going to hunt wild game, there are certain restrictions on the number of shells or bullets you can put in your gun. My good
McCABE FIRING
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-3-19

our law enforcement and intelligence community--most notably, the FBI--is sustaining an unprecedented, coordinated attack led by the President of the United States. No one is above the law in our country, including the President. prgtoken FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a 20-year veteran of the FBI, is the latest to fall to this concentrated effort to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the campaign's entanglements with Russia during the 2016 Presidential election. prgtoken Incidentally, former FBI Director Mueller has served our Nation for 36 years: as a soldier in the U.S. Navy with a Purple Heart; as a U.S. attorney; and also as FBI Director, including after 9/11 when he oversaw the transformation of the FBI from a domestic law enforcement agency into a global counterterrorism and counterintelligence agency. Wow. prgtoken This administration is making every effort to degrade our Federal law enforcement institutions and, even more insidiously, by a negative media campaign to erode public faith in these institutions. Let truth will out.
ALLOW STATES AND VICTIMS TO FIGHT ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2017-- MOTION TO PROCEED
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise today to reflect on the landmark legislation that this body passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last week. It isn't every day that folks in Congress can work together in a bipartisan way to get something done that will benefit Main Streets across rural America, but that is exactly what we did last week. I am very proud of that effort. prgtoken I say a big thank-you to the chairman of the Banking Committee, Chairman Crapo, for the work he has done, his ability to listen, his commonsense perspective, and his patience. It would not have happened without those qualities that Chairman Crapo exhibited. prgtoken I also want to single out three Senators who worked very hard on this bill. There are a number of others who did, too, but I am just going to mention Senators Heitkamp, Donnelly, and Warner. Those folks did yeoman's work in bringing into view the challenges that our banking industry has out there, coming up with solutions for those challenges, and coming up with consumer protections to put into this bill to move it forward. There were many others. I think there were 17 or 18 cosponsors on the ic side of the aisle, but I say a special thank you to Senators Heitkamp, Donnelly, and Warner for their advocacy, input, knowledge, expertise, and their ability to work to get things done. prgtoken People ask me: Senator Tester, why did you write this bill? Well, I was a part of the folks who wrote this bill for good reason. I remember very well that during the financial crisis, then-Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson came in--it was in 2008, I believe--and said that we were on the cusp of a financial meltdown in this country. I remember some of the free and irresponsible activities that were done in the financial system. I remember bringing regulators in front of the Banking Committee and ripping them up one side and down the other as to why we had gotten into this situation. In the end, we came up with a bill called Dodd-Frank. prgtoken Dodd-Frank was put together after a lot of public input and a lot of hearings, and it was put into effect really to regulate the folks who got us into the situation we were in. At that moment in time, we had banks that were too big to fail, folks who were doing no-doc or low-doc loans, and foreclosures happening everywhere. We put in the regulation. prgtoken One of the things we heard when we put in the Dodd-Frank regulation was that it was a big bill and that it was going to need to be changed, adapted--however you want to put it--moving forward. I believe that bill was passed in 2009. Here we are 8 or 9 years later, and we look at Dodd-Frank and see that in some cases, it has done exactly as was intended, especially for the larger banks. Some could argue that there is more work to be done there. prgtoken One of the negative things that resulted from the Dodd-Frank regulation was that some of that regulation bled down onto our local commun
Introductory Statement on S. 2571
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2018-3-19

today, I am proud to once again join with Senator Collins to introduce the bipartisan Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act. Senator Collins and I have championed this effort together for years now, and I thank her for her thoughtful and steadfast advocacy and constructive contribution throughout our efforts. Our bill will extend for five years key programs authorized by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and expand and improve the programs and services that are vital--and sometimes lifesaving--resources and safe havens for at risk youth in our home states and across the country. prgtoken Runaway and homeless youth are significantly more likely to become victims of sexual abuse and trafficking. Our bill ensures that service providers, who are the bedrock of the support system for runaway and homeless youth, have the information, training, and resources they need to identify and serve youth that have been victims of trauma. This includes connecting the youth with appropriate additional services to ensure their physical and mental health and safety. prgtoken The bill reauthorizes and expands programs and guidance that help providers reunify youth with their families and loved ones, or, if not possible, provide a tailored and comprehensive support system to help them get back on their feet or on a path to self-sufficiency. The spectrum of support services include emergency and transitional housing--because the first step is having a safe place to stay. They also include training and counseling relating to physical and mental health care, financial literacy, and workforce training. Runaway and Homeless Youth providers are there for the youth every step of the way, supporting them and connecting them to their community and to available resources. Our reauthorization adds completion of the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) form to the available assistance to help youth who wish to pursue advanced educational opportunities realize their goals. prgtoken Finally, our bill ensures that no child can be discriminated against in trying to gain access to access services or housing through Runaway and Homeless Youth programs. It is unconscionable to turn away any child in need--gay, straight, black or white. These are our Nation's most vulnerable youth and they must all feel welcome. In many cases, Runaway and Homeless Youth programs can be a last resort. We cannot let one child fall through the cracks in our support system. prgtoken In Vermont alone, the Vermont Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs served 500 young people in need of housing supports in Fiscal Year 2017. Vermont is the seventh most expensive State to live in for rural areas, and ranks within the top five States for the largest shortfall between housing wage and renter wage. As youth and families struggle to make ends meet in Vermont and across the Nation, these programs and support systems
CONGRATULATING SERGEANT THOMAS HOGSHEAD ON HIS RETIREMENT
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise today to recognize Sergeant Thomas Hogshead, who is retiring from the Village of Cherry Valley Police Department. Sergeant Hogshead has honorably dedicated his service to the citizens of Winnebago and Boone Counties and the Village of Cherry Valley for the past 25 years, and he will be greatly missed. prgtoken Sergeant Hogshead entered the line of duty with the Village of Cherry Valley Police Department on November 3, 1993. Since then, he has worked hard to secure the safety of the citizens of Winnebago and Boone Counties and his community. Through his tireless work ethic and professionalism he has set the tone for the rest of his department to follow. Someone once said, ``A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way,'' and Sergeant Hogshead has proven himself to be a leader to follow. prgtoken , I would like to thank Sergeant Hogshead for his commitment to the Village of Cherry Valley Police Department and for all of the work he has done to better our communities. I congratulate him again on his well-earned retirement and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.