mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-5-11

the dismissal of Director Comey has raised a bevy of troubling questions over the prgtoken last few days. The President of the United States fired the man in charge of an active investigation about the President and his campaign ties to Russia. The truth is, the dismissal of Director Comey is part of a much longer pattern of this administration's interfering with or removing the people who are in a position to conduct an independent investigation of the President and his administration. prgtoken The administration requested that the chairmen of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees help them beat back reports in the press about the Russia probe. The administration picked this Attorney General--a very close political ally, then-Senator Jeff Sessions--to lead a Justice Department that was supposed to independently conduct this investigation. prgtoken Attorney General Sessions, of course, has since had to recuse himself from the Russia investigation after he misled Congress about his meetings with the Russian Ambassador. prgtoken The administration is not shy about removing independent prosecutors and law enforcement officers from their posts if they are simply doing something the President doesn't like, even if it is required by law. They fired Sally Yates. They fired Preet Bharara. They fired more than 40 U.S. attorneys across the country. Now they have fired Director Comey. prgtoken This is about more than just Mr. Comey. This is about a pattern of events that casts tremendous doubt on whether this administration has any interest in allowing the Russia investigation or any other investigation that could be politically damaging to them to proceed unimpeded. This is about one of the most sacred things we believe in as Americans, the rule of law--the rule of law being threatened here. prgtoken We in Congress, in both parties, should have one overarching goal: to get the full unvarnished truth. That means getting to the bottom of the events that led to Mr. Comey's dismissal and making sure the Russia investigation is conducted impartially. Here in Congress, the Senate Intelligence Committee is doing its investigation in a bipartisan way, but the executive branch investigation has been compromised. prgtoken Attorney General Sessions, who had to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, played a significant role in firing the man who was leading it. Not only that, but the Attorney General is now reportedly leading a search to replace Mr. Comey. He is helping select the next FBI Director, who will be in charge of an investigation he cannot oversee--what an irony. prgtoken This Attorney General shouldn't be anywhere near the hiring process of the next FBI Director. His role will jaundice the entire process, if it hasn't already. prgtoken In order to ensure the American people can have faith in the impartiality of the investigation, it must be conducted far from the reach of the White House. It is
INTRODUCTION OF THE PAY EQUITY FOR ALL ACT OF 2017
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-5-11

I rise to introduce the Pay Equity for All Act of 2017, a bill that will help eliminate the gender and racial pay gap by prohibiting employers from asking job applicants for their salary history before making a job or salary offer. Representatives Rosa Delauro, Jerrold Nadler, and Jackie Speier are original cosponsors of the bill. Even though many employers may not intentionally discriminate against applicants or employees based on gender, race or ethnicity, setting wages based on salary history can reinforce the wage gap. Members of historically disadvantaged groups often start out their careers with unfair and artificially low wages compared to their white male counterparts, and the disparities are compounded from job to job throughout their careers. prgtoken Our bill will ensure that applicants' salaries are based on their skills and merit, not on a potentially problematic salary history, by assessing penalties against employers who ask applicants for their salary history during the interview process or as a condition of employment. It would also provide job applicants and employees with a private right of action against employers who violate these provisions. prgtoken Although the wage gap has decreased for some women, it still persists for women and men of color with similar skill sets. There is much work to be done to address the wage gap for everyone, and our bill is just one step toward that goal. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
A TRIBUTE TO LT. COL. DAVID WORLEY
Adam B. Schiff (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-5-11

I rise today to honor Lieutenant Colonel David Worley, who is retiring after forty-two years of distinguished service with the United States Air Force. Born in Los Angeles in 1953, Dave grew up in Woodland Hills, California. An excellent student and astronomy enthusiast, he attended Serrania Avenue Elementary School, Parkman Jr. High and Taft High School. Dave met his future wife, Gayle, in Sunday School, and after their high school graduation, they attended Pierce College together. In 1975, Dave enlisted in the United States Air Force (USAF) and he and Gayle married shortly after his enlistment. Upon completion of his basic training, he was assigned to the Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi for technical training. After finishing his technical training, he was assigned to Dover AFB for a one year assignment. He was reassigned back to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, where their children, Valerie and Bryan were born. Dave served as an Air Traffic Controller Manager for seven years, after which he received his commission. Upon completing training as an Air Battalion Manager, then-Second Lieutenant Worley was stationed in Germany prgtoken for eight years, where he served as a mobile Theater Air Control specialist and evaluator and was promoted to the subsequent ranks of First Lieutenant and Captain. In 1992, Captain Worley served as a Flight Commander at the Squadron Officer School at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama and in 1994, he was stationed in Korea where he was promoted to Major and worked as Battle Director for airspace control. In 1995, Major Worley returned to the Squadron Officer School as Chief of Plans and Programs, then attended college in Virginia, and after college, began a three year tour at the U.S. Central Command Headquarters in Tampa, Florida. While in Florida, he served as the Chief of the Theater Air and Missile Defense Branch as Executive Officer to the Director of Operations, where he received the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 2000, Lt. Col. Worley returned once again to Alabama as Commander of the 30th Student Squadron Officers School, where he commanded hundreds of USAF officers, international officers and U.S. Department of Defense civilian personnel as an airpower and leadership education scholar, before his retirement in 2002. In 2003, Dave became a Senior Aerospace Science instructor at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, California. Lt. Col. Worley was responsible for administering the Air Force Junior Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) program, a citizenship-based program for nearly 100 high school student ``cadets,'' who are expanding their aerospace science and leadership education to become better leaders and citizens. During his illustrious career in the United States Air Force, Lt. Col. Worley has received several decorations including the Joint Service Commendation Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, a Defense Meritorious Service Me
Russia Investigation (Executive Session)
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-5-11

there is a Chinese curse that reads: ``May you live in interesting times.'' prgtoken To call the times that we find ourselves in right now ``interesting'' would be certainly an understatement. The fact is, we find ourselves and our country in a moment that is profoundly testing the rule of law here in America, profoundly testing the strength of our democratic institutions. We have a President who has now engaged in a pattern of removing individuals from office who are executing their responsibilities under the law. prgtoken First, on January 30, just 11 days into the administration, it was Sally Yates, the Acting Attorney General, who warned the administration that Michael Flynn had been compromised by his connections to Russia--an incredibly responsible act for her to take, but she was fired. prgtoken On March 10, it was Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in New York, who was reportedly investigating whether Secretary Price had profited from his position in Congress. He had been told he would be retained by this administration when suddenly he was fired. prgtoken Then this week, Tuesday, the President fired James Comey, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Comey, who was leading the FBI's investigation into the possible collusion between the campaign and Russia in the Presidential election and who was scheduled to testify before the U.S. Senate this week; James Comey; who had just recently asked for more funding and resources in order to appropriately and substantially investigate Russian interference in our elections and possible connections to the campaign; James Comey, whose investigation just handed down its first round of subpoenas. prgtoken The firing of James Comey has more than a passing resemblance to Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre, the infamous incident in October of 1973, when President Nixon ordered the Attorney General to fire the special prosecutor who was investigating Watergate. Nixon wanted to derail that investigation. The Attorney General, Elliott Richardson, refused to do so and resigned. His deputy, William Ruckelshaus, refused to do so and resigned. prgtoken Day by day, we have seen more connections, bits and pieces, come to light--conversations involving Michael Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, Carter Page, and Attorney General Sessions. prgtoken The President insists there is no ``there'' there, but we have seen a pattern of conversations that we don't fully understand. Was there coordination between the campaign and the Russians to interfere in the U.S. Presidential election? Was there collaboration? We don't know. We know there were a lot of conversations, but what was the substance of those conversations? And who instructed those meetings to take place? What is the full pattern of these events? prgtoken It is important that we get to the bottom of it because what every American understands is, if you conspire <|p
Medical Research (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-5-11

before the Senator from Missouri leaves the floor, I want to say a word about him and the topic he raised today about health and, in this particular case, children. prgtoken Senator Blunt and I have adjoining States, Illinois and Missouri. We have joined up, as well, on the issue of medical research. I salute him. Even though he is my colleague, I want to make clear that this is a bipartisan issue. He has made it a bipartisan issue. We had the good support of Senator Alexander, of Tennessee, and Senator Murray, of Washington. prgtoken The Senator from Missouri has done some amazing things. I want to say specifically for the Record that America owes him a debt of gratitude, as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that is responsible for the National Institutes of Health, the foremost leading medical research agency in the world. prgtoken Let me tell you, with his leadership, what we accomplished. For two straight years, Senator Blunt has been able to raise the appropriations for medical research at the National Institutes of Health by $2 billion or more. The net result of that is that a $30 billion budget has grown to almost $34 billion. What does it mean? It means that researchers don't get discouraged. They stay on their projects. They keep working to find cures. prgtoken Secondly, we are making dramatic advances in medicine because of it. His leadership has been absolutely essential. If there is ever a bipartisan issue, this is it. The Senator has been quite a leader in this regard. prgtoken I want to salute you for that while you are on the floor on the topic of healthcare and children.
INTRODUCTION OF THE ``KEEP OUR PENSION PROMISES ACT''
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-5-11

today I reintroduce the Keep Our Pension Promises Act to reinstate the long standing federal law and principal that prohibited cuts to private pension benefits in plans for retirees. prgtoken Pensions are one of the surest means to afford millions of middle class families' security in retirement. They have allowed millions of Americans to enjoy their golden years without fear that they have not saved enough. For decades, pensions guaranteed our senior citizens the peace of mind that a check would arrive every month for as long as they live: this is true retirement security. prgtoken But in December 2014, Congress uprooted this security for millions of retirees. At the last minute, in a must pass funding bill, Congress included the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act (MPRA) eviscerating this protection. With little understanding of what the provisions meant, Congress changed a forty year old pension law that ensured retirees were given the highest level of pension-defense. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, allowed for pension benefits in multiemployer plans to be cut only when a plan runs out of money-- and even then, the retiree benefits should face cuts last. This held true because it was the right thing to do. prgtoken Pensions are not handouts, they are deferred wages earned over a lifetime of hard work. An estimated 1.5 million participants, including retirees, are in multiemployer pension plans that are in danger of running out of money in the near future. The passage of MPRA allowed for the first time, benefits of current retirees to be cut in an attempt to address the fiscal distress confronting some of these multiemployer plans. prgtoken This was wrong then, and remains a blemish on the Congressional record that little action has been taken to correct the undue burden it placed on retirees. That's why today I introduce the ``Keep Our Pension Promises Act'' with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. prgtoken This Act corrects the injustices bestowed upon our most vulnerable retirees by restoring anti-cutback rules so retirees in financially troubled multiemployer pension plans are protected from having their earned benefits cut. prgtoken It will allow plans to partition off ``orphaned'' participants into a separate plan, giving participating employers relief from shouldering the full financial burden and risk of underfunded ``orphaned'' participants--ensuring the ability for plans to become financially secure once more. prgtoken This bill recognizes funding is the ultimate concern. It shores up the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp and creates a legacy fund to ensure participants in partitioned plans will continue to receive the benefits they depend upon. The costs to create this fund are covered by closing tax loopholes the very wealthy use to avoid taxes on like-kind exchanges and supersized IRA accounts that hold millions, despite laws that limit accounts to much smaller tax deductible am
Repealing and Replacing ObamaCare (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-5-15

let me assure the Senator from New York that I am willing to listen to his stories about how people might be affected by the health care debate that is going on in the Congress right now if he will listen to some of the stories I have to tell. By the middle of June, people in 94 of the 99 counties in Iowa may not be able to buy insurance through the care exchanges. prgtoken Senator Schumer talked about the tough consequences of the House bill on healthcare. I am coming to the Senate floor today to talk about the tough consequences of Care. prgtoken I rise today to speak some more about the Affordable Care Act. The law is collapsing before our eyes. After 7 years of Care, it continues to overreach, overpromise, and overstay its welcome for the American people. I want to tell you the history about a bridge that relates very much to what is happening to Care today. prgtoken Before I dive into the details of how Care is denying people in the State of Iowa the ability to get health insurance, I want to share a story about a bridge in the State of Washington. prgtoken This bridge is depicted right here. This is the collapse of that bridge. The bridge is called Tacoma Narrows Bridge. It was built in 1940. It was the world's third largest suspension bridge. It was considered a state-of-the-art masterpiece of 20th-century engineering, but the bridge was set to fail from the very beginning. prgtoken On July 1, 1940, the $6 million bridge opened to traffic. Just 5 months later, on November 7, 1940, the bridge collapsed. What caused the massive steel and concrete structure to twist, turn, and drop nearly 200 feet into Puget Sound? Importantly, there was a key foreshadowing clue. The bridge was nicknamed ``Galloping Gertie'' for its dancing, swaying bridge deck. On most days, it resembled a roller coaster rolling in the wind. But on the morning of November 7, Gertie's dance became twisted in a howling 40-mile-an-hour wind. Dramatic footage shown here shows tons of concrete and steel cables snapping like fishing lines before its collapse. Gertie essentially self- destructed due to design flaws that created sheer havoc in those high winds. prgtoken Like Care, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge wasn't built to last, and like Galloping Gertie, Care is on a self-destruction course with destiny. Galloping Gertie collapsed by a flawed design that was unable to withstand high winds, and every day that goes by without a bipartisan solution to fix the flaws, Care is moving the American people closer to a calamity. prgtoken Sooner rather than later, Care will become its own bridge to nowhere, with no insurance plans on the exchanges. Millions of Americans will be left twisting high and dry. The warning signs can no longer be ignored. First, many health insurers are bailing. The individual market is near collapse. prgtoken Just last week, another insurance company, Aetna, announced it w
TRIBUTE TO COLONEL PATRICK KERR
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-5-15

today I wish to recognize the military career of COL Patrick Kerr, who is retiring from Active Duty on June 1, 2017 after serving more than 26 years in the U.S. Army. prgtoken Colonel Kerr was commissioned into the Army as a second lieutenant through the ROTC program at James Madison University in 1990. Over the course of his long career, Colonel Kerr served at every leadership level in the Army from platoon leader in the 63rd Signal Battalion to brigade commander of the Army Information Systems Engineering Command at Fort Huachuca. During his brigade command, Colonel Kerr's unit defended Army networks against daily attacks and conducted cyber space and network operations in support of the warfighter. prgtoken Throughout his time in the Army, Colonel Kerr has been a leader in the incredibly important battlefield of cyber security and network communications. It is difficult to imagine aspects of the military that have changed more in the last quarter century than military communications, information technology, and cyber security. Colonel Kerr provided extraordinary leadership for the Army to navigate through the many challenges of building, operating, and protecting Army and Defense Department communications networks. prgtoken Prior to his current assignment in Arizona, Colonel Kerr was the deputy operations officer for recently created Army Cyber Command. He also commanded the 53rd Signal Battalion, which operates the Department of Defense's constellation of military command and control satellites, providing secure and protected communications around the globe. Colonel Kerr also served as executive officer of the 44th Signal Battalion for its deployment to Afghanistan during the first parliamentary elections for the new government in 2005. As a young officer, Colonel Kerr also deployed to Somalia for Operation Continue Hope; to Kosovo as part of the NATO stabilization force operations; and to Central Command for Operation Provide Comfort. prgtoken Colonel Kerr has received numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit, with oakleaf cluster, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, with two oakleaf clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal, with two oakleaf clusters). He has earned the U.S. Air Force Space Badge and is a recipient of the Signal Corps Regiment Silver Order of Mercury. prgtoken Finally, Colonel Kerr provided mentorship to countless soldiers throughout his career. He is known for going the extra mile in professionally developing his subordinates and truly preparing them for their next leadership role. In fact, Colonel Kerr's advice and counsel is regularly sought by all who work with him to include his peers and superiors. prgtoken Colonel Kerr is retiring in Vail, AZ, with his family. He has been married to his wife, Wendy, for over 25 years, and they have two children, Noelle and Peter. For a career soldier, the support of family is vital, and I sincerely thank Wendy,
IN RECOGNITION OF PASTOR VICTORIA JAMES FOR HER SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THE WASHTENAW COUNTY COMMUNITY
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-5-15

I rise today to recognize Pastor Victoria James of Ekklesia Fellowship Ministries in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Pastor James has provided spiritual guidance and support to the Ypsilanti community at large. prgtoken Pastor James works with the Ekklesia Fellowship Ministries church in Ypsilanti, which holds religious services every Sunday and also participates in a variety of different community initiatives to support groups and individuals in need. These include the annual Back to School Prayer, which provides backpacks and school supplies to needy children, as well as an annual community Thanksgiving celebration for members of the congregation and surrounding areas. Additionally, Pastor James serves as a member of the Washtenaw Faith Leaders Forum, a countywide interfaith initiative that mobilizes and speaks out on behalf of justice and equality. She has also been an outspoken advocate of improved community relations with law enforcement and has worked with other faith leaders and law enforcement officials to address this and other issues. Collectively, Pastor James' actions have provided critical support to individuals in need throughout Washtenaw County. prgtoken Pastor James' work has had a transformative effect on the city of Ypsilanti. As a lifelong resident of Ypsilanti and longtime community leader, she has leveraged her deep knowledge of the issues affecting the city and its residents to drive positive change. Ms. James' role as a counselor of Ekklesia Fellowship Youth, a church youth group, underscores her position is a respected mentor and voice for individuals in need. Her work with Ekklesia Fellowship Ministries has helped transform countless lives, and it is my hope that she continues to play a leading role in the Ypsilanti community in the coming years. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Pastor Victoria James of Ekklesia Fellowship Ministries for her work on behalf of Washtenaw County. Pastor James has been key to the growth and development of Ypsilanti and the surrounding areas.