mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
EXECUTIVE CALENDER--Continued
Claire McCaskill (Democrat, MO) \u2014 2017-2-28

I want to begin my remarks today by paying tribute to a strong, wonderful civil rights leader, Ina Boon, who passed away a few days ago. She was 90 years old, and she really was the strength and heart of so much of the civil rights work that went on in the St. Louis area. prgtoken She began working for the NAACP during the 1950s, and she will be sorely missed. She was an extraordinary woman. I think it is important to put a tribute to her in the record of the Senate. prgtoken Because of the other thing I want to talk about today, I want to mention that Ms. Boon, after graduating from Sumner High School in St. Louis, attended Oakwood University in Alabama, which is one of the special historically Black colleges and universities in our country. Secretary DeVos prgtoken , that brings me to what I want to talk to the Senate about today and what I want to try to emphasize. Betsy DeVos has been given one of the most important positions in education in this country. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it is pretty important that the Secretary of Education have a basic working knowledge of history. It is one thing to appear for your confirmation and have no idea what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is or not have a working understanding of the Federal laws as they relate to education in this country, but it takes it to a whole new level that someone who is Secretary of Education would make the kind of statement that Secretary DeVos made in the last few days. prgtoken I want to read it aloud. This is the statement from the Secretary of Education following a listening session with historically Black college and university leaders. I want to pull out the quote that I think is important for us to dwell on today. The quote is as follows: ``Historically black colleges and universities are real pioneers when it comes to school choice.'' prgtoken Now, let's be clear about what historically Black colleges and universities were. It wasn't about a choice. It was about racism. That is where these colleges came from. It wasn't that a young Black student looked at the State university and said: Well, I have to decide; do I want to go to the University of Alabama or do I want to go to a historically Black college and university? It may be that way today, but it was not when they began. They were established because do you know what the University of Alabama said to African-American students? prgtoken You can't come here. You are not welcome. You are not allowed to darken our doors. There was no choice. prgtoken This was the Jim Crow era of racism and segregation. prgtoken In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act which provided land for the purposes of colleges in each State. In 17 of those States, mainly in the South, Black students were prohibited by law from attending these land grant colleges. The second Morrill Act of 1890 required States to establish
E PLURIBUS UNUM
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-2-28

what a wonderful country that we live in. It is wonderful because we have come--maybe some because of the Statue of Liberty's wonderful words or others who have come in different ways, we are different, but we are one. prgtoken Tonight in his message, wouldn't it be well to focus on our unity and not our divisiveness? prgtoken Since the election, there have been 1,000 hate crimes. And, of course, in the last 72 hours to last week, two Indo Americans-- Indians--engineers, one dead, one shot. And the perpetrator indicated in his words: I shot two Middle Easterners. prgtoken What kind of hate is being generated? prgtoken It has been generated, and it needs to cease. We need to have a speech tonight that will speak to the unity, speak against anti- Semitism and the attacks that are going on the Jewish community. We need to recognize the distinctions and the differences. We need to stop the siege against Hispanics, mass deportation, African-American discrimination and others, women and many others. prgtoken This needs to be a time of unity, respect, and dignity. I will be waiting to hear and to see what kind of America are we going to be guided by and what kind of America will we live in? prgtoken I hope for the best.
SENSELESS ACTS OF GUN VIOLENCE
Norma J. Torres (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-2-28

I rise today to honor the memory of Jonah Min Hwang, another victim of a senseless act of gun violence. Jonah was only 8 years old when he was killed last week in a drive-by shooting in my home city of Pomona. prgtoken Jonah, his parents, and his brother were enjoying dinner hosted by friends of his parents, two schoolteachers, when a bullet ripped through the house and hit Jonah. Crimes like this are heartbreaking. prgtoken A talented soccer player, an avid reader who loved superheroes, Jonah was an adopted child from a Taiwanese orphanage just 3 years ago. It eats at your soul to think that such a young child with his whole life ahead of him could be taken so ruthlessly. Perhaps most frustrating is that Jonah's killer is still at large. prgtoken When I first heard of Jonah's death, it brought me back to a similar tragedy when I served as mayor of my home city of Pomona. In 2006, little Ethan Esparza was shot and killed while he was playing in his front yard during his birthday party. He would have turned 4 years old. prgtoken Ethan's murder shocked our community and was a stark reminder of the violence that plagues our city. Sadly, over 10 years later, we are still fighting those same battles. prgtoken The murders of Jonah and Ethan were completely senseless, but they are not rare. In fact, Pomona was recently ranked California's eighth most dangerous city, which doesn't surprise those of us who have seen gangs take ahold of our city. prgtoken Our local police department puts their lives on the line every single day to try to keep us safe, and our local officials have made significant investments in law enforcement. During my time as mayor, we implemented gang injunctions to try to get hold of the problem. prgtoken But as the number of guns on the streets continues to rise and ruthless gang members get their hands on these deadly weapons, it often feels like a losing battle. We are alone fighting these battles. prgtoken As a matter of fact, today marks the 23rd anniversary of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, better known as the Brady bill, which has blocked more than 3 million people who had no business owning a gun from buying a gun from a federally licensed dealer. prgtoken As the new President makes his first address to Congress today, it is especially infuriating that, despite the countless gun-related tragedies occurring across our country, this Congress and this new administration have not taken one single step to reduce gun violence. I have come to this floor before demanding action, and I stand here before you yet again today, , to demand action on behalf of Jonah, of Ethan, and of the millions of innocent lives lost. prgtoken There are steps that we can take immediately to expand the Brady bill to save lives and make our communities safer: prgtoken First, we should close the loophole that allows guns to be sold online or at gun shows without background checks. prgtoken Second, we should make
PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS TO WORK WITH ALL PEOPLE
Eliot L. Engel (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-28

I have long prided myself on working across the aisle to get things done for my constituents and all the American people. That is what the American people want: a government that grapples with tough issues in a constructive way. prgtoken Unfortunately, since January 20, the new administration has shown no interest in working with the Congress on both sides to tackle problems, including Russia's unlawful interference in last year's election. That is why I decided not to stand on the aisle in the House Chamber to shake the President's hand during the joint session of Congress, as I have done in the past through ic and administrations alike. This will be the first time during my 29 years in this House I have made this decision. prgtoken I have deep respect for the Presidency, and I will attend the joint session, but that respect between the branches must be mutual. The President has attacked the free press by calling it the enemy of the people. He has rejected America's traditional role welcoming refugees who have helped to make our country great. He has cozied up to Vladimir Putin, the strongman who attacks our democracy. He has moved to gut the Affordable Care Act. He has looked the other way when threats against the Jewish community have increased in the recent year. prgtoken This isn't part of our normal political discourse. This goes beyond ideological and political differences. The President needs to work with all people. Therefore, I will listen to what he has to say today, but I will not greet him and shake his hand.
EXECUTIVE CALENDER--Continued
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-2-28

it has now been almost 5 months since our intelligence community first detailed how Russia launched a cyber act of war on America and our last Presidential election--5 months. In those 5 months, how many times have my colleagues come to the floor of the Senate to discuss this national security threat, this cyber attack by Russia? How many times has the party of Ronald Reagan-- who so clearly understood the threat of the Soviet Union--spoken on the Senate floor about this Russian cyber attack on America? Zero. That is right--zero. They have found more than 35 occasions to talk about stripping health care from millions of Americans, and they made time to urgently rush votes dismantling environmental and anticorruption regulation, but to talk about how a former KGB official launched a cyber act of war against America aimed at eroding trust in our historic democracy and electing the candidate seen as more sympathetic to Russia--zero. Not once. prgtoken Why would Russian dictator Vladimir Putin favor President in the last election? Well, I just returned from a week visiting our allies in Eastern Europe. I can tell you, they are puzzled by this, too, and they are worried. They are worried that , the new President, is already advancing and will further advance policies sympathetic to Vladimir Putin's dangerous agenda, specifically weakening the Western transatlantic democratic alliance. prgtoken Regardless of the partisan leanings of who was in government in the nations prgtoken I just visited--populist, social democrat, conservative, liberal--the concerns in each of these nations of Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine were the same. Is the United States' history of championing democracy and collective security in Europe ending? Are we backing away from those values and commitments just as Russia is more aggressively challenging them? Is the American President really using phrases like ``enemy of the people'' to describe the free press in America? prgtoken You see, the countries that I visited were once in the Eastern bloc, Warsaw Pact, or Soviet Union. They are familiar with that term, ``enemy of the people.'' That was a term used by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin that was so ominous that the Soviet Premier, Nikita Khrushchev, later demanded that the Communist Party stop using it because it eliminated the possibility of any kind of ideological fight. prgtoken Think of that. Here was Khrushchev saying: Stop using the Stalin term ``enemy of the people''; it is too divisive. Now it is being used to describe the media, a description that has been offered by the new President of the United States. Are the administration's bizarre blinders to Vladimir Putin's aggression and true nature--and the silence of too many of his colleagues on this danger--a harbinger of some kind of Western retreat when it comes to Russian aggression? prgtoken It is hard to believe this is happening in
EXECUTIVE CALENDER--Continued
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-2-28

last November, I was in Maui celebrating the 100th anniversary of Haleakala National Park. The weather at the summit of the volcano was terrible. It was raining in sheets, with 40- mile-per-hour wind driving the rain sideways, but I was there with over 40 schoolchildren to plant Haleakala silverswords--a special, threatened plant that only grows in the harsh climate at the summit of Haleakala volcano. The silversword can live for almost 100 years before it flowers, spreads its seeds into the wind, and dies. prgtoken Silverswords have dotted the landscape of Haleakala's summit for millennia, but invasive species, human activity, and climate change have pushed the plant to near extinction. In the early 1900s, scientists estimated that as few as 50 plants remained on the volcano, but this changed after Haleakala became a national park in 1916. In the 100 years since, park rangers and visitors have made a concerted effort to protect the silverswords from feral goats and sheep and to make sure hikers don't go off the trail and trample their shallow root systems. prgtoken After the passage of the Endangered Species Act, the silversword became listed as a threatened species. Through the law, conservationists have provided resources to help restore the silversword population on Haleakala for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the park every year. Groups of students, including those whom I joined on that cold November day, have planted over 1,000 silverswords to supplement the population of silverswords. They were there to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Haleakala National Park. prgtoken I share this story because it demonstrates many of the reasons the Department of Interior is so important in the role it plays in preserving our public lands. prgtoken Business is booming at our national parks. In 2015, our national parks hosted 305 million visitors--a new record--and these visitors generated $17 billion in economic activity in nearby communities. prgtoken Our national parks are suffering from an overwhelming deferred maintenance backlog of $12 billion. Our national parks are also understaffed. Because of sequestration and a variety of other factors, 10 percent fewer people work in our national parks today than 5 years ago. This is at a time when visitors to our parks are ever growing. This means fewer rangers and support staff dedicated to maintaining parks like Haleakala and protecting species like the silversword. To add to this, the administration has put a 90-day hiring freeze in place that threatens nearly 2,000 permanent vacancies that are critical to helping our national parks function. prgtoken We need an Interior Secretary capable of standing up to the President to make preserving our public lands a priority. But during my meeting with Nominee Zinke and his confirmation hearing before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, on which I sit--and his record as a Member o
SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2016
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2017-2-28

I ask unanimous consent on behalf of Senator Isakson, chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics, and for myself as vice chairman of the committee, that the annual report of the Select Committee on Ethics for calendar year 2016 be printed in the Record. The committee issued this report on January 27, 2017, as required by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-2-28

this evening, the President will give his first address to a joint session of the House and Senate. We look forward to hearing from him. Tonight's speech from the President will be far less important than past Presidential addresses for one very simple reason, this President has shown throughout his campaign for the Presidency and now his first month in office that there is a yawning gap between what he says and what his administration actually does for working Americans. prgtoken He talks like a populist but governs like a pro-corporate, pro-elite, hard-right ideologue. He promised to be a champion for working people in his inauguration, and then 1 hour later signed an Executive order making it harder for working people to afford a mortgage. He told raucous crowds that he would tear down the power structure in Washington and drain the swamp, but he has spent his first month in office appointing bankers and billionaires and titans of Wall Street to fill his administration. He ran a campaign against the elites, promising to stand up to Wall Street, but as soon as he was in office, he started to try to roll back Wall Street reform and consumer protections designed to prevent another economic crisis and protect the interests of hard-working Americans. prgtoken In his inauguration, he said that Washington and the special interests have enriched themselves while ``the people did not share in its wealth.'' Then, one of the first bills he signed made it easier for large oil, gas, and mining companies to hide payments--potentially bribes--they make to foreign governments. prgtoken That is the swamp. He is not cleaning it; he is making it worse. Despite all his talk, he seems to be full steam ahead on a program to help big business, the special interests, and Wall Street. Meanwhile, a massive infrastructure proposal, a centerpiece of his pitch to working America, is nowhere to be found. A program to stop jobs from moving overseas--not just tweeting about a few hundred jobs at Carrier plants staying in the United States--is nowhere to be found. prgtoken President ran as a populist and still talks like one, but his first month has been a boon for corporations, the wealthy, and the elite in America and has provided absolutely no relief to folks who are struggling to make ends meet--no relief to the middle class and those struggling to get there. In fact, many of his proposals shift the burden off the backs of the special interests and keep it on the backs of working families. He likely isn't finished yet. prgtoken Tonight, the President might discuss his tax plan. He said that every decision on taxes would be made to ``benefit American workers and American families.'' It is another grandiose promise. But every indication we have gotten about the administration's plan is that it would give tax breaks to the wealthy and shift the burden onto the middle class and working class. prgtoken So no matter wha
SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL SPENDING OVERSIGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-2-28

Senate Standing Rule XXVI requires each committee to adopt rules to govern the procedure of the committee and to publish those rules in the Congressional Record not later than March 1 of the first year of each Congress. On February 14, 2017, a majority of the members of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management adopted subcommittee rules of procedure. prgtoken Consistent with Standing Rule XXVI, today I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a copy of the rules of procedure of the Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management. prgtoken There being no objections, the material was ordered to be printed in
SEARCHING FOR AND CUTTING REGULATIONS THAT ARE UNNECESSARILY BURDENSOME ACT
Martha McSally (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-2-28

. Madam Chair, again, my amendment is simple under the SCRUB Act. Right now, these agencies are not complying with the law. They have not submitted necessary reports to Congress and the GAO. So this amendment is simply asking, among other things that are being reviewed in this act, that we take a look at which reports have not been submitted, therefore, which are not in compliance with the Congressional Review Act so that we can decide whether any of those would be appropriate for disapproval resolutions or, quite frankly, whether the rule is even one that should be enforced because it hasn't complied with the law. prgtoken This is a good amendment. I appreciate our colleagues supporting it. prgtoken I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).
A STRONGER STANCE ON RUSSIA
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-2-28

Vladimir Putin's regime has long sought to undermine U.S. interests and shape a world more compliant with its corruption. I have argued for a stronger stance against Russia for years. I opposed the administration's failed reset of relations. prgtoken I helped lead the push for greater sanctions on Russia's human rights violators, helping secure passage of the Sergei Magnitsky Act. prgtoken I have called for sanctions against those who poisoned my friend, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and against all those involved in the murder of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, the 2-year anniversary of which occurred just yesterday. prgtoken I also support the efforts to codify sanctions against Russia and to limit the lifting of executive waivers. But we should be limiting the ability to waive sanctions not just on Russia, but also on Iran, on the Palestinian Authority, and on so many others because, in order for sanctions to be effective, they must be fully implemented and fully enforced.
TRIBUTE TO KIM WALL
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-2-28

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Kim Wall for being named a 2017 Forty Under 40 honoree by the award-winning central Iowa publication, Business Record. prgtoken Since 2000, Business Record has undertaken an exhaustive annual review to identify a standout group of young leaders in the Greater Des Moines Area that are making an impact in their communities and their careers. Each year, forty up-and-coming community and business leaders under 40 years of age are selected for this prestigious honor based on a combined criteria of community involvement and success in their chosen career field. The 2017 class of Forty Under 40 honorees will join an impressive roster of 680 past business leaders and growing. prgtoken Kim is the co-founder and president of dsmHack, a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for technology professionals to volunteer their time and talents to help nonprofits improve their technology. In three years, she has helped deliver over half a million dollars of in-kind technology services to 40 nonprofits with the help of over 350 local volunteer technologists. In addition to her nonprofit work and her career in software, Kim enjoys traveling, good food and wine, and seeking new adventures with her husband, friends and family. prgtoken , it is a profound honor to represent leaders like Kim in the United States Congress and it is with great pride that I recognize her today for utilizing her talents to better both her community and the great state of Iowa. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating Kim on receiving this esteemed designation, thanking those at Business Record for their great work, and wishing each member of the 2017 Forty Under 40 class a long and successful career.
RECOGNIZING LONDON ROBERSON
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-2-28

I rise today to honor McKamy Middle School student London Roberson for her dedication and commitment to helping those affected by heart disease. The 13 year old, who started fundraising in kindergarten, has raised an astounding $55,000 for the American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart. London's passion for helping those affected by heart disease started at a young age. After losing a grandfather to a heart attack and witnessing several family members struggle with cardiovascular issues, London jumped into action and began fundraising for the American Heart Association. This month, London and the American Heart Association have organized a students versus teachers basketball game at her Flower Mound middle school that will not only raise funds for those in need, but will increase awareness of this devastating disease. London's compassion for those suffering from heart disease and her commitment to organizing creative and fun ways to raise funds and increase awareness is inspirational and I am proud to represent her and McKamy Middle School in the United States House of Representatives.