mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE FORT SMITH NOON LIONS CLUB
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-2-26

today I wish to recognize and congratulate the Fort Smith Noon Lion's Club on its centennial celebration. prgtoken The Fort Smith Noon Lions Club first met on March 8, 1919, only 2 years after the creation of Lions Club International. With 25 charter members, the club's mission was to encourage fellowship and civic participation by local businessmen. Many prominent business leaders were part of that founding group, including Dr. Charles Holt, founder of Holt Crock Clinic; Fagan Bourland, who served as the city's mayor for many years; and W.E. Harding, the founder of Harding Glass, one of the city's largest companies at the time. prgtoken The club met for many years at the historic Goldman Hotel in downtown Fort Smith and, later, at the Ward Hotel on Garrison Avenue. Among its earliest projects was supporting the Victory Loan Campaign designed to pay off debt from WWI. In the early days, it held festivals, hosted free concerts, and played an annual baseball game against the local Rotary Club. prgtoken In addition to supporting local causes and providing a networking tool for businessmen, the club's mission came into focus after Helen Keller spoke at the Lions Club International convention in 1925. She concluded her speech by saying, ``I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?'' Her eloquent plea transformed the Lions and made sight conservation the organization's primary mission. prgtoken Throughout its 100-year history, the Fort Smith Noon Lions Club has contributed greatly to this mission by raising money to provide eye exams and glasses to local students and adults. Lions Club members have also collected thousands of pairs of glasses which are donated to the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis where students take the glasses on international mission trips. prgtoken In recent years, the Fort Smith Noon Lions Club has donated more than $100,000 to help local residents with sight preservation and provided support to many local children's organizations including the Fort Smith Boys Club, Good Samaritan Clinic, Clearinghouse Backpack Program, Special Olympics, and the Children's Emergency Shelter. prgtoken In addition, the club has provided all of the equipment and support needed for the Safety Patrol program in the Fort Smith Public Schools since 1946. prgtoken As an optometrist whose hometown is Fort Smith, AR, I am proud of the great work done by this club and Lions chapters around the world. prgtoken I congratulate the Fort Smith Noon Lions Club on its 100th anniversary and hope that these Knights for the Blind continue to prosper in their mission.
Nomination of Andrew R. Wheeler (Executive Session)
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-2-27

I rise today to speak about a vote that we will be having in just a few minutes on the process of moving Andrew Wheeler forward as the EPA Administrator. prgtoken This is not a time for talk; it is not time for theoretical debates. This is certainly not the time for an EPA Administrator who, during his time at the EPA, has ignored climate scientists, rolled back climate regulations, and taken action that will lead to more carbon pollution. prgtoken Instead, this is a time for bold, decisive action. We need to act today because life on our planet depends on it. The fate of our Nation depends on it. Our children's and grandchildren's futures depend on it. prgtoken For those reasons, I cannot support Andrew Wheeler for the critical position of EPA Administrator. prgtoken Climate change is real. In fact, it is more than real. It is an existential crisis, and it is already having real impact on Michigan families and Michigan's economy. prgtoken Some call it global warming. Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist from Texas Tech, has a better term. She call calls it ``global weirding.'' Ask anybody in Michigan. Things have been weird. prgtoken Our lakes are heating up. In fact, Lake Superior is getting about 2 degrees warmer each decade. That could make the lake a happy home for invasive species, like sea lamprey. prgtoken As the waters warm, these parasites grow and kill off more trout and salmon and other fish that are key to the Great Lakes' $8 billion recreational fishing industry. It is believed that warmer temperatures contributed to algal blooms on the lake last summer. prgtoken Other changes we are seeing are life-threatening. prgtoken Thanks to the polar vortex in January, Michigan experienced temperatures colder than Antarctica. Scientists believe that climate change has caused the jet stream to become wobbly--that is a technical term, ``wobbly''--pushing dangerously frigid air south. prgtoken Folks say: Well, how can it be global warming when we see the polar vortex? It is about what is happening to destabilize the atmosphere and the planet and the changes that are occurring. prgtoken Last weekend, a bomb cyclone hit my State, leaving tens of thousands of Michigan residents without power. prgtoken We are having to come up with new terms. I had never heard of a bomb cyclone--60-mile-an-hour winds, ripping up homes and farms and roadways. prgtoken The intensity of what is happening is incredible. The travel was so treacherous in Otsego County that all roads were closed--all of the roads were closed. Even drivers on Interstate 75 were getting stuck in drifts. That is our major highway. prgtoken We can't link any specific storm to climate change. However, we do know that overall climate change is making storms more intense. They are longer. They are more intense. They are happening more frequently with more intensity. prgtoken Last summer in Houghton County, more than 5\1/2\ inches of rain fell in 6 hours. It c
BIPARTISAN BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Anthony G. Brown (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-2-27

. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 8. This bill is long overdue. For too long, Congress has failed to end the cycle of gun violence and death that too many families are now familiar with. prgtoken In 2017 alone, 40,000 people died from gun violence. Congress did nothing. Last year, five reporters at the Capital Gazette in my district were murdered in cold blood in a mass shooting that took place in their newsroom. Congress did nothing. prgtoken Gun violence is a crisis in our communities and a real national emergency that will no longer be met with inaction. prgtoken For the first time since Congress passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1994, we will pass a bill in pursuit of our effort to protect our communities and end this scourge of gun violence. prgtoken The American people overwhelmingly want us to act. For the people, we will pass universal background checks out of the House as our first piece of comprehensive gun safety reform. prgtoken Mr. Chair, today is only the beginning.
BIPARTISAN BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-27

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019. prgtoken Mr. Chair, first, I thank Pelosi and Chairman Nadler for their support. Gun violence is a true national emergency, and I am glad that we are moving so early in this Congress to address this crisis. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I also thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who recognize the importance of passing this legislation, Representatives King, Fitzpatrick, Mast, Upton, and Smith, who stand with more than 90 percent of Americans who support universal background checks. prgtoken This bill will require a background check on all firearm sales and most transfers I am a lifelong gun owner. I am a hunter and I support the Second Amendment. If this bill did anything to erode the rights of lawful gun owners, I wouldn't support it and it wouldn't have my name on it. prgtoken Background checks work. Every day, they stop 170 felons and 50 domestic abusers from getting a gun from a licensed dealer. But, in some States, those same people can go into a gun show or go online and buy a gun without a background check. This bill will help stop them from doing so. prgtoken Some will argue that criminals won't follow the law. If that is the case, then why do we have laws against murder? People still commit murder. Why do we have laws against stealing? People still steal. This is flawed logic, and don't fall for it. prgtoken This bill is supported by law enforcement, medical professionals, veterans, gun owners, religious leaders, and the millions of Americans who took to the streets in support of H.R. 8. prgtoken , I ask that my colleagues support this bill and honor the lives lost with action. No more moments of silence with no action to follow. Today, your thoughts and your prayers aren't enough. Today, you can vote, ``yes''.
BIPARTISAN BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-2-27

. Mr. Chair, just 2 weeks ago in my district, six lives and six families were forever changed by gun violence in a 6-day period. Four people were killed and two were injured in six different shootings. One person was 28. The other five were 16, 17, and 18. They were teenagers. My heart goes out to all of those victims' families. prgtoken Thoughts and prayers are no longer enough. It is long past time that our actions speak louder than our words. No matter which State we are from, with over 40,000 gun violence deaths last year, every State has been severely impacted by gun violence. prgtoken The public health crisis has been politicized and weaponized as a means to divide us, despite the fact that it is a crisis that should bind us together, and we must come together. prgtoken Background checks are the foundation of commonsense gun policy, and they are supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans. Our current system fails us in two ways, but the bills we are looking at this week are designed to address that. prgtoken Under current law, firearm sales can proceed regardless if a good background check comes back within a 3-day period, and it doesn't capture all the sales. So this puts an incredible burden on law enforcement and an incredible burden on ATF agents who have to go and reclaim guns that are sold, despite the owner of the gun not being able to pass the background check. So for too long those in a position to act have failed to do so. But that ends now. prgtoken I strongly support the commonsense gun legislation in H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Peter A. DeFazio (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-2-27

. Madam , yesterday had I been present, I would have voted in strong support of S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act. I was detained due to severe weather and cancelled flights in Oregon. prgtoken S. 47 is a compilation of approximately 100 public lands and natural resources bills. One of the main provisions would provide permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which I strongly support. prgtoken Also included in this essential legislation are three provisions that I authored to protect critical salmon and steelhead habitats in southwestern Oregon and designate more than 30,000 acres of public land as Wilderness. prgtoken H.R. 994, the Chetco River Protection Act, would prohibit new mining claims on various rivers and creeks in Southwestern Oregon. The waters protected by this legislation supply clean drinking water to thousands of residents of Southwest Oregon and Northwest California and are critical salmon habitat. prgtoken H.R. 999, the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Act, would permanently protect Devil's Staircase, a remote, unspoiled area in the Coast Range. The legislation would designate approximately 30,500 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lands as Wilderness. In addition, this legislation designates approximately 14.4 miles of the Wasson and Franklin Creeks, which support native Coho and Chinook salmon, trout, and steelhead runs, as Wild and Scenic Rivers. prgtoken H.R. 1056, the Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Special Management Area Designation Act, would designate almost 100,000 acres of public land in the Steamboat Creek Watershed in the Umpqua National Forest that is vitally important steelhead habitat. The legislation would honor Frank and Jeanne Moore's lifelong efforts to protect the North Umpqua River and its tributaries. prgtoken The lands protected in these bills are some of the most beautiful, pristine, and ecologically-diverse areas in Oregon. To leave these areas unprotected would be to subject them to pollution and mining, endanger drinking water for thousands of families, and devastate local recreation economies. prgtoken I am proud that Congress overwhelmingly passed this legislation and that President is expected to sign this important legislation into law.
BIPARTISAN BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-2-27

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. prgtoken This year, my State of the Union guest was Alexandria Goddard, a young activist who helped organize Portland's March for Our Lives. prgtoken Alexandria led thousands of Oregonians in a march to demand that Congress take action to prevent gun violence. prgtoken By passing this bill we are heeding the call of the hundreds of thousands of students who marched for their lives. prgtoken They know--and we know--that this bill will save lives because it requires a background check for nearly all firearm sales and transfers. prgtoken The evidence shows that Oregon and the other states that have already passed comprehensive background checks have 35 percent fewer gun deaths, and 47 percent fewer women shot by their intimate partners. prgtoken Congress is finally doing more than offering thoughts and prayers. prgtoken We are acting. We are acting for Parkland, for Sandy Hook, for Umpqua Community College, and for the hundreds of thousands of victims and survivors around the country. prgtoken I urge all of my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 8.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE HONORABLE PAUL K. LEARY
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2019-2-27

. Madam , I rise today in recognition of the life of the Honorable Paul K. Leary, who led a life committed to justice as well as improving the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. prgtoken Born in Boston in 1939, Judge Leary spent his entire life in Massachusetts. After graduating from Suffolk Law School, Judge Leary worked in the Boston Municipal Court system. He then moved on to become First Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. Judge Leary ended his career as First Justice of the Boston Municipal court, where he started his career at the age of sixteen. prgtoken Alongside his jobs in the Suffolk County District Attorney's office and the Boston municipal court, Judge Leary taught at Suffolk University Law School and lectured at New England School of Law. He served for a period as the President of the National Board of Trial Advocacy and was awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award in July of last year. prgtoken Judge Leary was a dedicated family man and a staple in his community. He coached his son's youth hockey team in Milton all the way to the state championship in 1980. Judge Leary spent his summers in Pocasset, where he could be found with family and friends, playing golf or racquetball, or having dinner at one of his favorite local restaurants. prgtoken Judge Leary has led a life dedicated to justice and upholding the laws of Massachusetts. prgtoken He not only held positions in the judicial system for most of his life, Judge Leary utilized his expertise to educate the next generation of lawyers. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to honor the life of the Honorable Paul K. Leary. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing his commitment to justice and the people of Massachusetts.
Bipartisan Background Checks Bill (Executive Calendar)
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-2-27

later today, the House of Representatives will pass a proposal that will be supported by 95, 97 percent of Americans. prgtoken This is a proposal to make sure anybody in this country who wants to buy a gun in a legitimate transaction has to go through a background check--a background check that in 90 percent of the cases takes less than 5 minutes of time. That background check will assure that only people who should be buying guns and owning guns will be buying and owning guns--people who don't have violent criminal histories and people who don't have histories of serious mental illness. It is a popular proposal. It is an impactful proposal. It will save thousands of lives all across this country. prgtoken I have come down to the floor to just remind my colleagues as to why this is so important, and I want to tell a quick story to try to put a little meat on the bone when it comes to this conversation we are having about the importance of making sure people go through background checks before they buy weapons. prgtoken , 2008 to 2012 was a period of time in this country's history where violence was declining. Homicides were declining. Gun murders were declining. They were declining across the country. Specifically during that period of time, they were declining in the Midwest. Yet there was one State that stood out as a curious outlier during that period of time, and that was the State of Missouri. prgtoken In the State of Missouri, there was a dramatic jump during this period of time in gun homicides. In fact, it happened right away after 2007. In 2008 and 2009, about 50 to 60 to 70 additional people every year were being murdered with guns inside Missouri. A researcher from Johns Hopkins went to try to figure out why this was, and I think it is important to tell that story on the floor today. prgtoken Let me give a little historical context first. During the Civil War, Missouri was one of the most violent, most dangerous places in the country because there were these outlaws, these renegades of Confederates who were out in the bush--they call them the bushwhackers--who were doing regular battle with Union troops. It was one of the first instances of true, sustained guerilla warfare in this Nation. When the Civil War was over, they didn't go home. They had been brutally put down by the Union, but they stuck, and they formed their own smaller criminal enterprises. prgtoken We know about this because Jesse James and his brother Frank were amongst those who made their name as bushwhackers fighting the Union and then turned into criminals who robbed stage coaches and banks and trains. prgtoken To combat this post-Civil War continuation of violence, Missouri decided to change its firearms laws, and it started with a crackdown on the ability of individuals to conceal weapons. It extended to a change in the Constitution to make it perfectly clear that Missouri politicians had the ability
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2019-2-27

from Missouri. I thank him for his leadership and levelheadedness. prgtoken As he is on his way out, I will say that I think the current way we deal with nominees is not tenable. I imagine a scenario where we have a ic President, and it will take even longer than it is currently taking to confirm nominees. I think there are a number of us on both sides of the aisle who are open to modifying the way we operate. prgtoken For me, the blue-slip question is a redline. I think what they are doing with the blue slips undermines the individual ability for any Senator to have their say, especially as it relates to the circuit courts, but I think there is an opportunity to have a conversation. prgtoken On climate generally, I am looking forward to a debate, but it is very difficult to debate in the Senate when only one party proffers a proposal. I don't mean this as rhetorical flourish. I don't mean this as a personal accusation or a partisan attack. It is just a fact that there are no climate proposals coming from the Senators who are . There are zero. So they are trying to have a debate about a resolution which was nonbinding and which was signed by 12 Senators. I get it, but I think, given that this is the world's greatest deliberative body, we ought to have a proper debate about climate change. prgtoken We are actually in a climate emergency. This is the most important moment in the world's history as it relates to this particular crisis. We are sitting here trying to score points about an FAQ that was posted on a new Congresswoman's website and trying to make fun of each other and say: They are going to ban cows and ice cream. It is very silly, and it is not worthy of the seriousness of the moment. prgtoken I would ask my colleagues--I see a number of them who take the debt, foreign policy, cyber security, personal privacy, and the rules of the Senate very seriously. They are very levelheaded human beings with a seriousness of purpose. Yet when it comes to climate change, it gets into this goofy thing where they are doing everything except debating climate change and what ought to be done about it. prgtoken We spent 5, maybe 10 years trying to get most s to concede that this problem exists at all. Now a lot of them are feeling comfortable saying: Yes, this problem exists, but all of the solutions proposed by are wrong. prgtoken That is fine, but I ask this question in all sincerity: What do Senators propose to do about the climate crisis? What is your plan? If you don't like cap and trade; if you don't like a fee on carbon; if you don't like massive investment in green technology and clean technology; if you don't like the extension of the investment tax credit and the production tax credit; if you don't like our solution; if you don't like being part of the Paris climate accord--which, by the way, is nonbinding, which me