mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REMEMBERING JOSE RAMOS
Linda T. Sánchez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-9-12

I rise today to remember my dear friend, and fierce advocate for his fellow veterans, Jose Ramos. I am deeply saddened by his passing, and my thoughts are with his wife, Sylvia, and his family at this very difficult time. Jose was a member of my Veterans Advisory Committee and a well-respected resource for veterans throughout our community. He will always be remembered for his tireless work to gain national recognition for Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. prgtoken Jose Ramos was born in 1948 to Augustine and Herminia Ramos. He attended Garfield High School but chose to enlist in the Army when he was in 10th grade. He worked as an Army Combat Medic, and in 1968 he received the Purple Heart. After returning home, Jose worked at the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center and at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. He retired in 1999. prgtoken Like his fellow Vietnam veterans, Jose Ramos returned home from an unpopular war only to face hostility and resentment. And like his fellow soldiers, Jose quietly went back to his normal life, built a family and stayed in touch with his veteran friends. He became a powerful advocate for veterans in our community and across the country. It was his personal experiences, and those of his fellow GIs, that motivated him to work toward establishing a national day of recognition. He inspired many, including me, to help give Vietnam veterans their long overdue welcome home. prgtoken His legacy lives on as several states all across the nation have already adopted Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. It is long past time for our country to officially recognize and commemorate their service. I will continue to introduce and advocate for legislation to establish a national `Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day' on behalf of Jose Ramos and all of our veterans who fought bravely in the Vietnam War.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-9-12

I rise to speak in support of the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken The Defense bill has a long tradition of bipartisan cooperation, and I was glad to join in that tradition as part of the Armed Services Committee. As with any far-reaching legislation, there are a number of provisions in this I support and some I do not, but, on the whole, this bill is a win for national security and a win for Massachusetts. prgtoken Massachusetts has a lot to offer our national security. Each of our military bases is unique in making vital contributions to our defense. The Massachusetts National Guard has a proud history, dating back to 1636, and it contains the oldest units of the U.S. Army. prgtoken Today we are proud of our military tradition, and we have a unique ecosystem of universities, industries, startups, and military labs, all focused on the next-generation needs for our warfighters. Research and development is critically important to this effort. It will literally save lives. I have made research funding a major priority, and I am very pleased we have secured an additional $45 million in funding for the Army's Basic and Applied Research accounts, for places like Natick, where researchers are doing cutting-edge work to better protect our soldiers. Overall, the bill increases funding for science and technology $250 million above the President's budget. prgtoken The bill also recognizes the critical role that MIT Lincoln Lab plays in national security research, and supports the construction of a new advanced microelectronics integration facility that will begin in 2019. It also fully funds the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, or DIUx, which is doing prgtoken great work connecting DOD with innovative startups in Cambridge and around the country. prgtoken Our military bases, which are the lifeblood of their communities in Massachusetts, are also receiving much needed facility upgrades. Hanscom Air Force Base will receive $11 million to build a new gate complex that will dramatically improve its security. Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee will receive more than $60 million to construct a new maintenance facility and build a new indoor small arms range to improve readiness. Natick Soldier Systems Center will receive $21 million to improve family housing facilities, bringing our families working at Natick closer to the base. prgtoken All three of my brothers served in the military, and I know the demands of the military can be hard on families and on servicemembers. I have spent a lot of time over the last 9 months working hard with both and ic Senators to do everything I can to help improve the lives of our military personnel and their families. I partnered with Senator Ernst, a from Iowa, to introduce the Leadership Recognition Act, which has been incorporated into this larger Defense bill. Our proposal ensures that our servicemembers get the pay raises they
HONORING MAJOR GENERAL IRENE TROWELL-HARRIS
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-9-12

I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the achievements of Major General Irene Trowell-, who is currently the assistant to the director of the Air National Guard (ANG) for human resources readiness in the District of Columbia. prgtoken General Trowell- began her career in public service in 1963 when she was commissioned to the New York National Guard. In this role, she served in a number of positions, including chief nurse, nurse administrator, flight nurse instructor and flight nurse examiner. In 1986, she was appointed commander of the 105th U.S. Air Force Clinic in New York, which made her the first nurse in ANG history to command a medical clinic. She then went on to serve as ANG advisor to the chief of the Air Force Nurse Corps and as ANG assistant to the director of medical readiness and nursing services in the Office of the Surgeon General at the United States Air Force headquarters in D.C. prgtoken General Trowell- grew up in South Carolina as one of 11 children, working on a cotton field alongside members of her family. However, she always had big dreams and knew that she was destined to achieve something great. As a result, once she graduated from high school, General Trowell- went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Health Education from Jersey City State College in 1971. In 1973, she obtained her Master of Public Health from Yale University. But, General Trowell- did not stop there--she went on to obtain a Doctor of Education in Health Education from Columbia University in 1983. prgtoken While General Trowell- has completed her formal education, she continues to receive numerous degrees and honors for various achievements, including the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from the Medical University of South Carolina. In addition, she is a member of multiple organizations, including the American Nurses Association and the Aerospace Medical Association, and was also the first woman in history to have a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. chapter named in her honor, the Major General Trowell- Chapter, located in New York. prgtoken Therefore, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the achievements of Major General Irene Trowell-.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-9-12

I have listened intently to the discussions this afternoon with respect to the AUMF of 2001 and the AUMF of 2002, and all of the speakers have made a point that I think is obvious: We have to update our authorizations to account for the past 16 years, to account for the transformation of the threats in those 16 years and many other factors. prgtoken The Paul amendment does not give us that transformative language so that we can make a reasoned judgment. It simply gives us a 6-month period of time to work our way through all of the nuances, which are very complicated and difficult. I think it would unwittingly and unintentionally cause more difficulties than be an effective way to urge action and to seek complete action in this Senate and the House and a signature by the President. prgtoken Again, I do understand the concerns of all. I supported the 2001 authorization for the use of military force after the incredible and shattering attacks on New York City, Washington, and the crash of an aircraft in Shanksville, PA, and we responded. prgtoken Like so many of my colleagues who were here at the time, I did not expect that 16 years later we would still be engaged in the evolution of that fight that began on 9/11, but we cannot simply stop and threaten to pull back our legal framework with the expectation that in 6 months we will produce a new and more appropriate authorization for the use of military force. prgtoken I think we should be on the floor debating such an AUMF. I think it should have been debated seriously and thoroughly in the Foreign Relations committee, subject to amendment, and brought forward to this Senate so that we could debate it. Then we could present it to our colleagues in the House and ultimately to the President and also do so in the full view of the American public. prgtoken What we are simply doing, if the Paul amendment is adopted, is saying: If we can't get our job done in 6 months, then we have no legal authority or questionable legal authority to continue operations across the globe. It would be an arbitrary 6-month period. I think it would, unfortunately, send a very inappropriate signal to our troops and to our allies in the fight across the globe. Also, it would send an unfortunate signal to our adversaries because it would raise, quite literally, the possibility, since we have supported the option, of abandoning our legal basis for conducting many of these operations in 6 months. I think it would be read many places as a signal that the Senate has essentially declared that in 6 months we are going to de- authorize our military efforts. I think that signal would be very disturbing to our troops in the field, to our allies, and it would give a huge propaganda lever to our adversaries. prgtoken The 6-month period is not related to our operations on the ground, not related to the planning and the operational procedures that are in place already. It is unrealistic to
Introductory Statement on S. 1801
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-9-12

sexual assault is a major issue on our Nation's college campuses. Too many young people are sexually assaulted while in school. Alarmingly, the majority of these crimes will go unreported. The consequences of these crimes are often destructive to a student's mental, physical, and emotional well-being. In addition, the trauma of the assault and its aftermath drives many survivors to drop out of school. prgtoken Sexual assault survivors deserve access to a safe and supportive educational environment. I have met with students in Virginia and across the Country who have expressed the need for someone on campus to turn to for unbiased advice and guidance following an assault. Given the prevalence of this issue, it is clear that our federal higher education policy must do more to prevent sexual assaults and ensure that survivors have access to and can navigate through a plethora of resources. prgtoken This is why I am pleased to introduce today the Survivor Outreach and Support Campus Act of 2017 or SOS Campus Act. The SOS Campus Act requires universities that receive Federal funding to establish an independent, on-campus advocate for survivors of sexual assault. The advocate will help students access all of the resources available to them, both on and off campus, in the wake of a sexual assault and will guide them through the process of reporting their assault if they choose to do so, acting always in the interests of the victim, not the university. prgtoken The SOS Campus Act requires that the confidential advocate is responsible for ensuring that survivors, regardless of whether they decide to report the crime, have access to emergency and follow-up medical care, guidance on reporting assaults to law enforcement, medical forensic or evidentiary exams, crisis intervention, and information on their legal rights. The advocate will also conduct a public information campaign on campus to inform students of their services, and train other university staff to provide information to students about the advocate. prgtoken I am proud to introduce this legislation that would ensure all college students across our Country have access to a supportive advocate following a sexual assault on campus. I strongly ertdourage my colleagues in the Senate to consider this legislation to help protect our students from sexual violence and its damaging impact.
NEW JERSEYANS EMBODY THE BEST AMERICA HAS TO OFFER
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-9-12

last week I was outraged when President announced that he would be ending the DACA program. DACA recipients are contributing members of our society, have no criminal record, and have known only this country as home. They work at leading American companies. They have served our country in the military. prgtoken On the day of the President's decision, I met with several young people at Rutgers University in my district who may now face deportation. I was impressed by their courage in coming forward to tell their stories and to challenge the President's reckless action. prgtoken Some examples: Yeimi, a 17-year-old from Freehold, left Mexico when she was 1 year old. She said at the meeting I had: ``I do want to become something in life, because that is why I am here. I do not want this dream to be shattered because DACA, apparently, is going to be killed.'' prgtoken Then there is Alma, a 23-year-old from Perth Amboy in my district, who added: ``DACA has opened doors for me that I never knew existed. The elimination of this executive order without an appropriate replacement would not only be devastating for DREAMers but to the country as a whole.'' And I agree with Alma. prgtoken , these New Jerseyans embody the best America has to offer, and I will continue to stand by their side as we work together to protect their DACA status. We need to pass the Dream Act as quickly as possible.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-9-12

I also want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Conyers, and Mr. Mooney, for cosponsoring and supporting this amendment. prgtoken It is a bipartisan amendment and, I think, a natural complement to the excellent amendments just added from Mr. Walberg and also from Mr. Amash. It would prohibit funding made available by this act from being used to implement the recent DOJ policy change, which dramatically expands the Federal Government's civil Asset Forfeiture Program. prgtoken The new policy revives a controversial and, I think, unconstitutional practice that has been decried by Americans and Members of Congress across the political spectrum who hold dear the idea of due process and the presumption of innocence as it applies not just to us as people but also to our private property as well. prgtoken The new policy allows State and local law enforcement to circumvent State laws limiting civil asset forfeiture by having Federal agencies adopt State and local cases. Under this dubious practice, law enforcement may seize a citizen's cash and property simply because someone suspects it of being connected to criminal activity without convicting, indicting, arresting, or even charging the property owner with having committed a crime and without proving or even alleging in court that the property is somehow connected to criminal activity. prgtoken Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of property have been seized in this way by law enforcement on an officer's mere suspicion. In order to get your property back, you have to go out and hire a lawyer, you have to go to court, and you have to prove that your property was obtained through innocent means, completely reversing the constitutional presumption of innocence that is at the heart of due process. prgtoken This practice is an outrageous violation of property rights, of civil liberties, and of the due process principle that we are all presumed to be innocent as American citizens, and it raises profound questions also under the Takings Clause, which forbids the taking of private property without just compensation by the government. prgtoken Although the resurrected policy contains a few new safeguards, they will not remotely prevent abusive seizures or eliminate the profit incentives that encourage rampant civil asset forfeiture. The policy will lead to the same abuses uncovered in 2014. prgtoken A Washington Post investigation found that, since 2001, State and local law enforcement had made more than 55,000 seizures of cash and property worth nearly $2.5 billion under the civil Asset Forfeiture Program. prgtoken One striking case discussed by The New York Times was of Carole Hinders, owner of a restaurant in Arnolds Park, Iowa, who deposited her cash earnings in the bank on a weekly basis, and it was always under $10,000. She was suspected of illegally structuring her deposits, although they were perfectly innocent, and the IRS simply seized $33,00
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-9-12

today I would like to discuss the importance of ensuring that federally funded infrastructure projects are built to withstand flood damage. prgtoken As we work to provide Federal support to the people of Texas, Florida, and the Gulf Coast, Congress should consider how we can ensure that our roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure are better equipped to withstand future flooding. prgtoken In 2015, President signed an executive order to reinforce and expand existing policy regarding Federal action in a floodplain, directing agencies to use a higher vertical flood elevation and horizontal floodplain for federally funded projects. This was a common- sense step to improve our resilience in the face of increased flood risk. prgtoken Then last month, President signed an executive order to reverse his predecessor's action. Despite support from groups ranging from environmentalists to the insurance industry, the President has decided to undo what a former director of public affairs at FEMA called ``the most significant action taken in a generation to safeguard U.S. infrastructure.'' prgtoken We must prepare our Nation's critical infrastructure to deal with flooding. That is why I am I, along with Senators Schatz and Booker, am introducing the Flood Risk Management Act of 2017. This bill will codify common-sense flood standards and ensure that federally funded infrastructure projects are built to withstand flood damage. The legislation is supported by the Smarter Safer Coalition, a diverse group of organizations ranging from insurance groups, environmental organizations to taxpayer advocates. prgtoken If we fail to invest when our roads and bridges are being built, we risk the lives of American families and ultimately spend more taxpayer dollars to repair them after floods occur. Now is the time to prepare for the next disaster--not after it occurs.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Jared Polis (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-9-12

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman. prgtoken This is about giving both sides--the workers seeking to organize and the employer--the opportunity to make their case to workers fairly and expeditiously. prgtoken Prior to this case, in every case, employers would have access with ways to pester and bug employees at home, through their personal email, through their phone numbers. There was simply no way that there was any equality given to the case for union organizers to make. In fact, union organizers often had to try to find ways that they could reach to simply make the case to workers so that they can make a fair choice. prgtoken In addition, I find it ridiculous that this is called, by those on the other side, an ambush when, in fact, the only ambush is when they ambush the right of workers to organize by drawing out the election process to months and years, often beyond when many of the employees involved are even at the same employer because of the adverse working conditions that could have led them to organize in the first place. prgtoken This rule was done through a multistakeholder process. There was a lot input from all sides, and it was a very thoughtful rule that gave a level playing field to ensure that workers, should they desire to organize, had a reasonable calendar for doing so and a reasonable way of reaching other workers to tell them the benefits of organizing, just as the company was telling them the downside. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues to reject this amendment which throws out a very thoughtful rule that levels the playing field in labor relations.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-9-12

I was necessarily absent for today's vote on Executive Calendar No. 110, Kevin Hassett to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. I would have voted yea. prgtoken , I was necessarily absent for yesterday's vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to calendar No. 175, H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act. I would have voted yea. (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-9-12

I rise in support of my amendment that would increase funding for youth employment initiatives by $10 million. prgtoken Michigan's unemployment rate is 4.7 percent, but for youth aged 16 to 24, it is more than double that, over 11 percent. Young people face high unemployment, and the lack of opportunity to find meaning in the world of work has implications that go far beyond just those years that they might find meaningful employment. prgtoken Investing in those young Americans ensures that they all do better. Providing those important employment prgtoken opportunities builds a strong foundation around the concept of hard work, and I know many Members support this effort. We just need to make sure that we find every opportunity that we can to make sure that every young person looking for an opportunity to earn a few dollars learns and, especially, understands the connection between their focus on work and the benefits that they will realize from that not only in terms of their own well-being, but the contributions they can make to their community. prgtoken Just last month, I had an opportunity to visit a really great example about how youth employment can make a positive impact in my home community. I visited a community garden run by Greg Gaines, who employs Flint area youth in summer jobs. They learn to grow crops. They learn that hard work pays off. Over time, they see these crops come in that they sell at the local farmers market. Very few of them will work in agriculture, but they come to understand that some patience and some effort and the focus on showing up on time and doing a day's good work literally and figuratively will produce fruits that they can benefit from. prgtoken So for 14- to 20-year-old kids in this program, obviously, it will make a difference in terms of the way their lives and their life trajectory goes forward, but it also sets a great example for their peers. prgtoken This is just one of those things that we do in the Federal Government that is an investment in our future. It is an investment in the lives of these kids. It pays us back tenfold. We should support it with every dollar we can find, and I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .