mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CELEBRATING WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
Tulsi Gabbard (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-3-2

as we kick off Women's History Month, I want to recognize Women Helping Women, celebrating 40 years of service to the people in my district of Maui County. prgtoken Since its founding in 1977, Women Helping Women has been an indispensable source of strength and support for survivors of domestic violence in Maui County, many of whom have fled courageously away from life-threatening situations with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, a few dollars in their pockets, and the desire to live without fear. Many of these women flee with young children and have no one to turn to and nowhere to go. prgtoken Each year, this organization serves more than 1,500 women, men, and children on the Islands of Maui and Lanai through a variety of programs, projects, and activities focused on direct intervention, shelter, advocacy, education, empowerment, and prevention. prgtoken Mahalo to Women Helping Women, and congratulations on reaching this 40th anniversary year.
CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN COMMISSION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-3-2

I rise today to express my deep concern about this administration's ties to the country of Russia. We are just 3 months into the 115th Congress, and I have come to the Senate floor multiple times to discuss inappropriate contact between administration officials and the Russian Government. This is truly unprecedented. prgtoken Our Constitution was set up to guarantee that our democracy would be free of influence from foreign powers. For months, U.S. intelligence agencies have said that Russia used covert cyber attacks, espionage, and propaganda to try to undermine our democracy. Reports show it, and the facts prove it. As I learned from my trip at the end of the year with Senator McCain and Senator Graham to the Baltics, Georgia, and Ukraine, this is not unique to our country and our elections and our democracy. This is something that has gone on for years--where Russia shut down the internet in the little country of Estonia simply because they had the audacity to move a bronze statue to a public square in Lithuania where they invited members of the Ukrainian Parliament who were in exile from Crimea in Kiev and invited them to Lithuania to celebrate their 25th anniversary of independence from Russia, and then they attempted to hack into the computers of the members of the Parliament in Lithuania. prgtoken As Senator Marco Rubio noted, this is not just about one party or one candidate or even about one country; this is an assault on democracies across the world. Last month, we learned that the very day President imposed sanctions on Russia, with unprecedented attacks on our democracy, General Flynn, a member of the transition team, spoke to a senior Russian official regarding those sanctions. The National Security Adviser, the person charged with the most sensitive matters of U.S. national security, then misled the Vice President of the United States and then, in turn, the American people. He resigned, as did the former chairman of the campaign; he resigned. prgtoken Now we have learned that Attorney General Sessions met with the Russian Ambassador. Fine, Members meet with Ambassadors; we know that happens. But in fact, he met with the Russian Ambassador only 3 days after then-President was at the G20 Summit. He was at the G20 Summit, and he met with Vladimir Putin himself. He told him to stop the cyber attacks, but he also told him that America was not going to back down from the sanctions. In fact, President told the whole world that day in a press conference that we were not going to roll over and back down on the sanctions imposed against Russia because of their illegal invasion of Ukraine. prgtoken What happened 3 days later? Then-Senator Sessions, now our Attorney General, in fact, met with the Russian Ambassador. prgtoken Senator Sessions was then asked about contacts with the Russians from officials during his hearing. I was there. I serve on the
COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP FOR THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO
Stephanie N. Murphy (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-3-2

a century ago today, a Federal law granted U.S. citizenship to individuals born in Puerto Rico. Island residents have made countless contributions to this country in times of peace and war, serving with exceptional valor in our Armed Forces. The bonds between Puerto Rico and Florida are unbreakable. The State is home to over 1 million Puerto Ricans, with most living in central Florida. prgtoken Puerto Rico is going through difficult times, and I am determined to help the Island get back on its feet. The main reason Puerto Rico is struggling is because, as a territory, it is treated unequally under Federal law. I support equal treatment for Puerto Rico because I oppose second class citizenship. prgtoken Ultimately, I believe Puerto Rico should discard its territory status and become a State or a sovereign nation. The choice lies with the people of Puerto Rico. However, my personal hope is that they will choose statehood so that they have full voting rights and full equality. prgtoken Puerto Ricans have earned the right to become first class citizens of the Nation they have served with honor.
UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY
Dina Titus (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2017-3-2

earlier this week, Attorney General Sessions stated we won't be a better, healthier Nation if marijuana is sold at every corner grocery store. His Justice Department also signaled that it would raid a marijuana industry convention being held on tribal lands in my State of Nevada. prgtoken While it is pretty clear that the Attorney General has some other problems to worry about now, I would note that his statement and his department's actions demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of the legal marijuana industry. prgtoken The industry, which is highly regulated in States that have chosen to legalize marijuana, does, indeed, face challenges in banking, taxes, advertising, security, and working with veterans. These need to be addressed by Congress. prgtoken But in the meantime, I invite Mr. Sessions: Come to Nevada. Meet with members of the industry. Find out how it really works before you make rash decisions about enforcement that will counter the votes of many people across this country.
ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS AND RUSSIA
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-3-2

I rise today after news that the Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, lied under oath about his multiple contacts with higher level officials from the Russian Government. prgtoken The American people deserve full answers from the FBI on the ever- growing list of administration officials with reckless and dangerous ties to Russia. The 2016 attack by Russia on U.S. democratic institutions, election systems, and political parties represents an international crime against liberty. prgtoken We still don't know the full extent of Russia's attacks. Thus, it is essential that the FBI, which reports to the Attorney General, be absolutely free of any political pressure. Congress must empower an independent investigatory, bipartisan commission to discover the truth. And the administration must appoint a special prosecutor free of political influence by the executive branch. prgtoken Any investigation must be empowered to thoroughly probe Russia's actions against our Nation's elections and must unearth any individuals who aided and abetted Russia in furtherance of its nefarious objectives. Without question, it is essential that our FBI and Justice Department be absolutely free of any political influence by the Attorney General. prgtoken The American people are owed the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Toward restoring integrity, the Attorney General should resign in view of his misleading answers about Russia during his Senate confirmation hearing. prgtoken Truth will out.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-3-2

. Russia and the President's Address to Congress prgtoken , on Tuesday night, along with my colleagues, I listened to the President of the United States address the joint session of Congress. As the ranking on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I was particularly interested to hear what the President would be saying about American foreign policy. prgtoken I heard him say during the speech that American foreign policy would be based on the respect of the sovereign rights of nations, which is something that I strongly believe in. I then thought I would hear the President talk about one of our greatest challenges from a country that is not respecting the sovereign rights of the United States of America, that country being Russia. But the President didn't mention Russia at all in his State of the Union address, which really surprised me. prgtoken When we look at Russia's most recent conduct and know what they did in regard to their attack on the U.S. democratic election system, it is beyond dispute that they wanted to interfere with our free elections, they wanted to affect the credibility of our democratic election system, and they wanted to influence the outcome of the election. That is pretty clear from the evidence that we have seen to date. Yet prgtoken the President did not mention that at all--a country that had attacked us as recently as just a few months ago. There was no mention in the President's State of the Union address. prgtoken It wasn't an isolated attack by Russia on the United States. We knew that before that, when we saw Russia's influence in regard to Montenegro's elections and how they tried to impact their parliamentary elections to influence Montenegro's decision to join NATO. We know that Russia is attempting to influence the elections in Western Europe. prgtoken So we have a country that is trying to bring down our democratic system of government by using our democratic system of government, and the way that we conduct open elections, to compromise our system. prgtoken But that is not the only thing Russia has done that is contrary to the U.S. national security and our foreign policy objectives. We know that they have physically incurred into other countries. They have physically incurred into Ukraine. Today, Russia has annexed Crimea-- something we will never recognize. Crimea is part of Ukraine. Russia is continuing to support the separatists in the eastern part of Ukraine, compromising Ukraine's sovereignty. prgtoken The President did not mention that in his State of the Union address. prgtoken We know that Russia is in Georgia, in Moldova, and other sovereign countries; once again, no mention of that. prgtoken And then Russia is very much engaged in the Middle East. We know that Russia's footprint in the Middle East is growing. They have their military presence in Syria, backing the Assad regime, facilitating Iran's part
CALLING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL COUNSEL
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-3-2

speaking in opposition to the Perry nomination, I would say this: We need an Energy Secretary for the 21st century, one who will help protect us by fighting for an electricity grid that will make our entire Internet economy more reliable and safe from cyber attacks. We need someone who is invested in an energy efficiency strategy that will save our businesses money and make them competitive. prgtoken The last two Presidents made energy efficiency a key priority-- President by advocating for plug-in vehicles and energy efficiency legislation and President , who made a major investment in the smart grid and made energy efficiency and creating clean energy jobs a top priority for the Nation. prgtoken Governor Perry has not committed to those same principles, to move us forward into the 21st century energy economy. We don't want this part of our economy to be left behind to our international competitors. prgtoken I encourage my colleagues to oppose his nomination.
IN HONOR OF THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RAVENSWOOD FAMILY HEALTH CENTER
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-3-2

I rise to honor the awe-inspiring Ravenswood Family Health Center upon the 15th Anniversary of its founding. This clinic is a key provider of quality affordable, integrated healthcare services in the southern cities of my district. Sixteen thousand residents are served annually by its newly-opened, state-of-the-art facility located in the beautiful city of East Palo Alto. prgtoken Ravenswood opened as South County Community Clinic in 2000 with 13 employees. It currently has a staff of 182 full and part-time employees and contractors. It employs 25 full or part-time medical providers including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and nurses, six full and part-time dentists, and four behavioral health providers. Seventy-one percent of the clinic's patients are served in their native language, including Spanish and Tongan. Ninety-seven percent of the patients are ethnic minorities. prgtoken The center's goal is to provide culturally-competent, sensitive primary and preventive care offering dignity to all patients. Often, the ability of a healthcare provider to do his or her job depends upon knowing how the patient's culture will influence the provider's recommendations. It is essential that the whole patient be treated with respect and offered dignity so that their illness or life situation can be competently assessed. prgtoken The clinic offers a comprehensive scope of care including family practice, adult medicine, teen health, prenatal health, dentistry, women's health, integrated behavioral health, optometry, pharmacy, mammography, ultrasound, x-ray, lab, and health education. Ravenswood partners with Stanford's adult and children's hospitals, the San Mateo County Medical Center and clinics, and Sutter Health. prgtoken As of 2014, 98 percent of the clinic's patients lived at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which for a family of four is about $24,300. Forty percent of its patients were uninsured, and 51 percent had Medi-Cal coverage. Our community counts on the Ravenswood Family Health Center to provide care to our most vulnerable residents, and 39 percent of the clinic's patients were children. Five percent of patients were homeless and, also as of 2014, 63 of those patients were children. Nearly 25 percent of all East Palo Alto residents are patients, as are nearly 18 percent of all residents of Belle Haven. prgtoken The Ravenswood Family Health Clinic provides valuable training opportunities for young physicians and allied professionals, and an opportunity to practice cutting-edge community healthcare, most notably chronic disease management, in part through grants from the federal government. While many in America struggle to pay for prescription drugs, the advent of the Affordable Care Act coupled with the clinic's discount pharmacy provides affordable prescriptions to both the insured and the uninsured. prgtoken The vision of the Ravenswood Family Health Center
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-3-2

the Department of Housing and Urban Development plays a vital role ensuring that all Americans have access to safe affordable housing. Affordable housing should not be a political issue; it is a moral issue. Programs like Section 8 and the Community Development Block Grant, CDBG, Program keep families in their homes and support and maintain affordable housing. That is not up for debate. prgtoken I am disappointed that President did not look to our knowledgeable housing advocates across the country to identify a qualified, experienced nominee to serve as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and instead nominated Dr. Ben Carson to this important position. In testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, Dr, Carson, like many nominees, said the right things. He made the right promises. I want to believe that he will fulfill those commitments. prgtoken Programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development keep shelter over the heads of our Nation's struggling and low-income families. They combat homelessness among adults and children alike by building and maintaining affordable housing and helping families buy their first homes. I am proud of the progress we have made in Vermont and across the Nation through programs implemented by the Department of Housing and Urban Deveropment. During his confirmation hearing, Dr. Carson testified to the crucial role of rental assistance programs. He pledged to be an advocate for funding for housing assistance programs. He turned away from his previous call for a 10- percent across-the-board cut to housing programs. I hope that Dr. Carson will fulfill these commitments. prgtoken I continue to have concerns regarding Dr. Carson's seeming animosity toward the affirmatively furthering fair housing, AFFH rule, which he called a ``failed socialist experiment'' in an op-ed in the Washington Times. While Dr. Carson tried to minimize those comments in his hearing, I remain concerned that Dr. Carson doesn't understand the AFFH rule. This rule asks cities and towns receiving Federal dollars to look at their housing patterns to identify racial bias and to take action to rectify any bias they find. Dr. Carson has called it social engineering. I call it social justice and support the examination of policies to promote equality and eliminate discrimination. During his confirmation hearing, he pledged to enforce our fair housing laws. I believe this includes upholding the AFFH. prgtoken I am concerned that Dr. Carson lacks the necessary experience to successfully serve as our Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He will be confirmed, of that there is no doubt. I hope that Dr. Carson will work with both sides of the aisle to further the mission of the Department, strengthen the successful programs that keep families in their homes, build and support and maintain affordable housing in Vermont and across the Nation, and h
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, AND THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-3-6

I am pleased to be here with a number of my colleagues to oppose H.J. Res. 37. As it has just been announced, we will vote on it later today. I am glad to be joined by so many of my colleagues to fight against efforts to limit the application of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive order. prgtoken As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I fought to ensure that harmful provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2017 seeking to limit the applicability of this Executive order to DOD were stripped from the final bill signed into law in December, and I continue to feel strongly that we must do everything possible to defend American workers. That is what this issue concerns. prgtoken In 2014, President issued a critical Executive order, the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive order. Then, last summer, after thorough analysis and due diligence by the Department of Defense and several other agencies, he implemented what is known as the fair pay and safe workplaces rule. That rule requires companies doing business with the Federal Government to disclose when they violate any of 14 laws. The list of laws include some that are very familiar to all of us, like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Civil Rights Act. This list includes some other laws that may be somewhat more obscure, but those laws have been around for decades. They are well known in the workplace, and they are designed to protect prgtoken veterans, women, and people with disabilities from harmful, debilitating discrimination. prgtoken There is no requirement that companies disclose trivial allegations; rather, the rule requires disclosures of violations that rise to a determination by a court or administrative body of an actual violation or serious pending administrative proceeding by an agency. Companies would know of such violations. prgtoken Most companies play by the rules; all they need to do is check a box confirming they are in compliance. For those companies with compliance issues, the contracting agency would take information about those violations into consideration in the procurement process, and the contracting agency would then try to work with the company to make sure that it comes into compliance with the law. This Executive order is not about exclusion or about blackballing; in fact, it is about including and working with companies to bring them into compliance so they obey the law, knowing what the rules are, and wanting everybody to play by the same rules--not having an unfair advantage. prgtoken This rule is not about blackballing or blacklisting companies. It is about ensuring that, if they want to do business with the Federal Government, they follow the law and provide a safe and equitable workplace, protecting American workers--veterans, women, and people with disabilities--who may be victims of harmful, debilitating discrimination
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, AND THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Al Franken (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-3-6

I rise today to discuss the effort by my colleagues, including the President, to dismantle the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive order and roll back protections for workers. prgtoken For too long, many workers in this country have been subject to dangerous working conditions, wage theft, discrimination, and harassment. While most companies follow the law and play by the rules, a few have cut corners at the expense of workers' rights and safety and have factored in paying penalties as just another cost of doing business. That is not fair for workers, and it is not fair for the businesses that play by the rules. It is time we put a stop to it. prgtoken We certainly should not be spending taxpayers' dollars to pay Federal contractors who violate--and sometimes repeatedly violate--Federal labor laws. Repeated violations by Federal contractors is a serious problem. prgtoken According to a 2013 HELP Committee staff report, 49 government contractors accounted for 1,776 Federal labor law violations. We are talking about things like an unsafe workplace, discriminating against workers, or failing to pay workers what they earned. Understand when I talk about unsafe workplaces, I am talking about fatalities. But despite these widespread violations, these companies continue to receive taxpayer-funded Federal contracts worth $81 billion a year. prgtoken My colleagues may have seen a recent Politico Magazine report on VT Halter. VT Halter is a major Navy shipbuilder, but its safety track record is deeply concerning. In 2009, two workers were killed and five others injured--some severely--when an explosion occurred at a VT Halter shipyard. A month later, they received an $87 million Federal contract. About 6 months after the explosion, VT Halter settled charges relating to the explosion, admitting that they had willfully violated at least 12 Occupational Safety and Health Administration--or OSHA-- workplace safety rules to prevent incidents like this from occurring-- an incident in which two workers died. They willfully violated-- willfully; that is willfully violated. prgtoken That explosion wasn't VT Halter's only incident. In 2009, a worker fell to his death at another VT Halter shipyard where there were no handrails or fall protections. In 2012, the company was fined by OSHA after a worker at a VT Halter shipyard was killed when the lid on a pressurized pot exploded. They were fined again in 2014 for violating crane safety rules after two cranes tipped over, injuring five workers, including one 63-year-old worker who now has the mental capacity of a child. prgtoken It doesn't make sense to keep rewarding companies like this with lucrative contracts when they repeatedly--and, again, willfully-- disregard basic safety protections. prgtoken To address this problem, in 2014 President issued an Executive order that essentially says that if you have repeatedly broken our labor laws, the Federal