mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-9-25

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , the whistleblower resolution we will vote on later this week is critical to the constitutional oversight responsibilities given to us by the Constitution. Congress has a right to view this whistleblower complaint, and it is important that we join our Senate colleagues in a bipartisan statement to prgtoken this administration that Congress will not abdicate its responsibilities. prgtoken Again, I urge my colleagues in the House to join House and a unanimous Senate to support the final resolution affirming to this administration that we will perform our duty and to reassure whistleblowers that their courageous acts will be valued and welcomed by Congress. prgtoken , the two strong bills to protect children and families from appalling conditions and treatment at our southwest border have been sent to us by the Committee on Homeland Security and are representative of the types of constructive and measured legislation that comes from going through regular order. prgtoken These bills seek to address emergent conditions at our southern border in a way that is thoughtful and practical and, if enacted, will have a tangible impact on the day-to-day working lives of the men and women who work at the border and the migrants and children who come into U.S. custody. prgtoken Conditions at the border are unacceptable. I think both sides of the aisle should agree on that. But what we would also likely agree upon is that simply throwing money at this situation will not help. We talk about the need for meaningful solutions a lot around here, and today we present two of them. prgtoken The situation at the border is complicated and requires ongoing attention, but we cannot let conditions at the border continue to deteriorate. These two bills will provide meaningful and much-needed reforms to our border detention system and help pave the way for larger scale immigration legislation. Amendment Offered by Ms. Scanlon
CANNABIS COMPANIES NEED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO HELP THEM START AND GROW
Chellie Pingree (Democrat, ME) \u2014 2019-9-25

. Madam , I rise to support H.R. 1595, the SAFE Banking Act, which passed this House this afternoon. prgtoken Maine voters have legalized marijuana. Like every other business, cannabis companies in Maine and other legalization States need financial institutions to help them start and grow. prgtoken Maine credit unions and banks want to help. They were early advocates of the SAFE Banking Act. They recognize that a safe harbor is necessary so that lenders can assist this emerging industry sector, to the benefit of consumers, lenders, and law enforcement. prgtoken Just yesterday, a banker from southern Maine contacted me out of regret. The bank had to close a long-time customer's account when they found out he was a delivery driver for a legal marijuana producer. Due to potential Federal liability, the bank lost a customer. The citizen lost his trusted financial institution. prgtoken Does he have to keep his earnings under a mattress? prgtoken This makes no sense. The SAFE Banking Act will fix this problem by allowing lenders to legally serve marijuana businesses. It promotes security by ensuring transactions are done through regulated institutions, not with bags of cash.
HOMELAND SECURITY IMPROVEMENT ACT
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-9-25

I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2203, yet another one of the majority's messaging bills that would do nothing to address the crisis on our southern border. prgtoken At home in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, nearly 2,000 miles away from the southern border, this crisis is taking a tangible toll on our communities. As illicit drugs continue to pour across the southern border and infiltrate into my district, addiction and death are occurring. prgtoken If we continue to kick the solutions down the road, we are choosing simply not to act. prgtoken Today, we could be voting to stop the human trafficking, to stop the drug trafficking, to stop the cartels and the violent criminals who permeate into our country. H.R. 2203 does not address the real problems. prgtoken Instead of passing this do-nothing bill, I ask that we return to the Homeland Security Committee and work on a bipartisan basis to secure our border, to end the asylum loopholes, and to protect this great country.
TYSON UPWARD ACADEMY
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2019-9-25

I rise today to celebrate the launch of the 50th Upward Academy at the Tyson Foods plant in my hometown of Zeeland, Michigan. prgtoken This unique in-plant educational program offers empowering resources and courses to all workers at no cost. prgtoken By partnering with local community organizations, Upward Academy provides team members the opportunity to access important classes, such as English as a second language, general education development, and citizenship courses. prgtoken The academy also includes multiple components focused on workplace skills and professional training to develop talent, especially in rural and marginalized areas. prgtoken Through programs such as drivers' education, computer technology, and financial literacy, Upward Academy brings knowledgeable experts directly to workers so they can move beyond entry-level jobs and receive valuable qualifications so that they can perform at even higher levels. prgtoken The 50th launch of the Upward Academy will open the door for all team members to strive beyond their current situations. prgtoken Tyson Foods and Upward Academy's commitment to cultivating a modern workforce that is prepared for the 21st century helps our community grow stronger and make west Michigan a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-9-25

I would urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this previous question because in doing so we can finally take care of a matter that should have been taken care of long before now that I understood was a bipartisan matter. Both sides of the aisle wanted to help address the tremendous backlog of DNA rape kits that needed to be analyzed. The Debbie Smith Act, as my friend from Arizona indicated, was previously passed and reauthorized, and now we need to reauthorize it again because even though there are 641,000 DNA cases that were processed, there is still so much that needs to be done. prgtoken In addition to crime scene evidence and rape kits, the Debbie Smith funds also are utilized to process offender DNA samples to ensure evidence from unsolved crimes can be matched against our database. So the funds provided by the act are incredibly critical since they will help solve crimes and get criminals off the streets. prgtoken I know from my friends across the aisle and in our hearing that was just going on that I just left in Judiciary that there is an effort to, as one ic witness said: Gee, we are here just to ask you to do something. prgtoken Rather than taking guns from law-abiding citizens as is being proposed, I would submit a better answer is let's get the criminals off the street. I know there is a big effort to get criminals out of prison, but how about if we get criminals back in prison for crimes they have committed that have not been adjudicated? prgtoken This needs to be addressed. It shouldn't be a political issue. If we could get a majority to vote ``no'' on the previous question, then we will get this amendment in as part of the rule. I don't know if we would have more than a couple of people who would even vote against the Debbie Smith Act. So it is all a matter of getting it to the floor. prgtoken Here we are about to enter October, and we still have not taken this commonsense step to get criminals off the street. So I hope we will do the right thing by all those victims, all those women who have been raped and are waiting for their criminal--their horrible and torturous individual--to be taken off the street. Let's vote ``no'' on the previous question, and then we can do that.
RESOLUTIONS TO INSTRUCT CONFEREES--Continued
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-9-25

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to ensure that Congress is working toward commonsense, effective family leave solutions. It is well past time we made paid parental leave a reality in this country. Affording all moms and dads the flexibility to spend time with their new baby is something Americans want to see happen. prgtoken While I appreciate the resolution by my colleague from the State of Hawaii, putting Washington insiders and Federal employees first doesn't add up as the right first step. I believe we need to think more broadly about this issue and how it impacts hard-working families in Iowa and across the country. prgtoken We all recognize there are significant barriers for new, working parents to spend time with their baby during those critical and precious first few months. That is why I am working with Senator Mike Lee on a proposal to offer paid parental leave to all new parents in a way that is both budget neutral and flexible. In fact, a number of s and are working on potential pathways forward. prgtoken At the heart of all of it, we simply cannot lose sight of the fact that we need solutions that work for all American families, not just those fortunate enough to have a government job. If we are serious about enacting paid family leave policies, instead of scoring political wins, we will support the resolution before us. prgtoken Families are the bedrock of our society. Let's look for solutions that all Americans can embrace. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE WITH RESPECT TO WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT MADE TO INSPECTOR GENERAL OF INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
Devin Nunes (Republican, CA) \u2014 2019-9-25

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in support of H. Res. 576, as amended. prgtoken This resolution, which mirrors a resolution passed by the Senate yesterday, expresses the sense of the House that the whistleblower complaint received by the intelligence community inspector general should be immediately transmitted to the congressional intelligence committees. prgtoken Madam , this complaint has given rise to fevered speculation and frenzied media reporting, much of which is based on a transcript of the President's phone call released today. It appears to be exaggerated, misleading, or outright false. It is also serving as a linchpin of a longstanding attempt by the to impeach President and finally achieve their goal of overturning the results of the 2016 election. The media coverage and the ' hysterical and politicized response to it is reminiscent of countless episodes during the course of the Russia collusion hoax. Thus, s look forward to actually reading the material on which the , from a position of ignorance, are basing their unrestrained accusations. prgtoken I should make the House aware that it is roughly 3 o'clock in the afternoon here in Washington, D.C and at 4 o'clock this afternoon, in fact, the DNI is going to transmit the complaint to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence spaces where all the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence members will have an opportunity to read it. prgtoken So, therefore, we have to ask ourselves: Why are we voting on a resolution that is asking for the very documents that are being sent over? prgtoken They are probably on their way right now, if they are not already here. prgtoken So, with that, I guess it gives an opportunity for the to come down and bash the President, which I know they enjoy doing, but in the meantime, we have no problem with this H. Res. 576, as amended. We appreciate the majority's accepting our amendment so that it mirrors exactly what the Senate passed last night. prgtoken Madam , in the meantime, .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-9-25

our friends in the House, led by Pelosi, have adopted a new strategy for handling allegations of wrongdoing. It is a dangerous approach, one in which opinions count for more than the facts and politics trumps everything else, including the law. prgtoken Yesterday evening, Pelosi announced that the House is now moving full steam toward impeaching President . When the announcement was made, the only information they had in their hands was press reports--no report of the transcript, no facts, no evidence, no nothing--and that is really all they needed. Any hook, any angle, any straw they might be able to grasp in order to justify this unjustifiable action was good enough for them--hearsay and press reports. prgtoken House began this process of impeaching the President based on a so-called whistleblower complaint they hadn't even read, which detailed a call they hadn't seen a transcript of. Meanwhile, we know the media eagerly reported that the ``whistleblower'' didn't even have firsthand knowledge of the situation--something we now know to be true. In other words, the alleged whistleblower doesn't legally qualify as a whistleblower because he or she wasn't there when the conversation took place but, rather, reported something that somebody told somebody else--otherwise known as hearsay. Forget obtaining the evidence, giving people an opportunity to be heard, and the facts considered. Rather than looking into that, they decided on a result they wanted to achieve and were looking at trying to backfill a justification or something that is unjustified based on the facts we know now. prgtoken Of course, we know what this is. This is a continuation of the election in 2016 where our ic friends can't believe that Hillary Clinton lost the election to . We know that after that, they claimed: Well, Hillary Clinton actually won the popular vote. prgtoken Forget the Constitution and the role of the electoral college. Because of the constitutional requirement that the electoral college vote and whoever wins the majority becomes President--they said: Forget the Constitution. prgtoken Then there was the former FBI Director, Comey, who leaked memos to a buddy of his and then asked him to leak them to the press because he wanted to make sure that a special counsel was appointed to investigate and potentially prosecute President . We know this investigation went on for years and cost millions of dollars and ended up with the conclusion of no obstruction and no collusion. You can imagine the disappointment of our friends in the media who had written about this assuming that President would be indicted, maybe convicted of some offense, only to find out there was no collusion, no obstruction, and no charges. prgtoken So now we know that the and her colleagues in the House have grabbed hold of this straw without knowing the facts and without even waiting for the evid
RECOGNIZING CYRUS G. WILEY
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-9-25

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the ninth President of Savannah State University, Mr. Cyrus G. Wiley. prgtoken At the time called the Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youths, Mr. Wiley made tremendous strides forward for the oldest public historically Black college in the State of Georgia. prgtoken He started his term in 1921 and was the first alumnus to become president of the school. In that same year, he allowed women to attend for the first time and he transitioned the college out of its role providing high school programs and into a 4 year, degree-granting institution. prgtoken Nearly 100 years later, the school remains a vital part of the Savannah community. They have earned patents in battling Alzheimer's and ALS, built new science and technology buildings, and purchased new property for a new marine lab. prgtoken Madam , I want to thank everyone at Savannah State University, especially President Kimberly Ballard-Washington, for following in Mr. Wiley's footsteps to continue breaking barriers, their commitment to the Savannah community, and for providing a great education for the students. World Pharmacists' Day 2019
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-9-25

. We are getting toward the end of the year, and one of the issues I would like to get done--which has to go through the House of Representatives first--is the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. In regard to that agreement's helping agriculture, I want to start by laying out the fact that there is a lot of anxiety in agricultural America. prgtoken Even though the harvest is about to start across Iowa, we had a really difficult, tough spring getting the crops in. There is a crop to be harvested, however, and farmers will now be doing that job. They hope they can cover their costs. And while they are doing that, they are thinking about putting in next year's crop. prgtoken Passing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement would inject more certainty into the plans that the farmers have about this year's harvest and the plans they have for next year's crop. Passage of that would signal to the world that we here in the Congress are very serious about passing new, modern trade arrangements. prgtoken Yet we are running out of calendar days in 2019. Congress must step up and deliver for our hard-working farmers, as well as workers in America and small business in America and, in a sense, by getting this agreement passed, helping all of America. The time for the U.S.-Mexico- Canada Agreement is now. prgtoken . prgtoken .
EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE WITH RESPECT TO WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT MADE TO INSPECTOR GENERAL OF INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
Ross Spano (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-9-25

. Madam , I call on the leadership to keep us in session the first 2 weeks of October, if this is as urgent and as serious as they are telling the American people. prgtoken I will not support the political impeachment that are incessantly pursuing. I implore this House prgtoken and its leadership to put this behind us once and for all and get to work, get to work and do the important work that the American people sent us here to do.
SECURE AND FAIR ENFORCEMENT BANKING ACT OF 2019
Patrick T. McHenry (Republican, NC) \u2014 2019-9-25

. Madam , I am prepared to close, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , let me begin as I did with my opening statement. I commend the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) for how he has managed this bill and brought it to the floor. prgtoken What we have here on the House floor, and we are debating now, is a much broader bill and, therefore, will have a much broader vote than what we had in committee, however limited we were in committee jurisdiction. prgtoken Madam , I know if the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) were on the Appropriations Committee, he would have worked for medical research funding. I know that if he were on the Energy and Commerce Committee, he would have worked for an FDA process on cannabis. And if he were on the Committee on the Judiciary, he would have worked to deschedule the drug. prgtoken However, we find ourselves on the Financial Services Committee, and this is not a normal conversation that we have on the committee. But this is addressing a key issue that many States are facing, and many financial institutions, credit unions, and banks are facing, which is how to bank people with a lot of cash, with a product that is legal at the State level but defined at the Federal level as an illicit substance that is harmful for human consumption. prgtoken While Congress is taking this half-measure, it doesn't resolve the issue. It does not resolve the issue of medical research or understanding the brain science and how cannabis affects the adolescent brain. There are enormous questions there. There are enormous questions about the Federal Criminal Code. But these are things that we should be debating rather than this half-measure on banking. prgtoken While this is an important step on the question of the overall legalization of this drug, it still doesn't resolve the issue fully. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues for a ``no'' vote, but I expect this vote will pass on the suspension calendar today. for his handling of this important issue and the wise nature of how he has approached the amendment process to address many different equities across the country. .
RESOLUTIONS TO INSTRUCT CONFEREES
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2019-9-25

first of all, let me say I concur with the good Senator from New Jersey that we should follow regular order. prgtoken He, like myself, has spent decades of service in a legislative body, and we both know this system works when the committee system works. prgtoken Every legislative body is set up with a committee system. Now, why is that? One of the reasons is because people develop an expertise in a certain lane, and they can use that expertise on the committee. prgtoken Most importantly, the issues regarding a bill--whether it is good or bad or whether it should be amended or whatever should happen to it--is best handled in the committee system, where people have an expertise in the area that the bill goes to. prgtoken This bill goes to the Foreign Relations Committee, which I chair-- which my good friend from New Jersey previously chaired--and it will be handled in the regular order by that committee, but it is a bad way to do a piece of legislation to draw it, drop it, and then come to the floor and try to pass it unanimously. prgtoken This piece of legislation was brought to the committee yesterday, and it is a piece of legislation that certainly deserves consideration but not this way. prgtoken I have not had a chance to even read it, let alone study it, and that is true of virtually every Member of the majority party. I frankly don't know whether the other members of the committee who serve in the minority party have had an opportunity to read it or to study it or, for that matter, to prepare amendments to it to make it better and to move it along. prgtoken So given that, the committee system is really important here. I don't want prgtoken to really go into the merits of all this. A lot of it is being debated out in the hallway right now with the national media and that sort of thing. prgtoken Look, what has happened over the last few days here is really a poster child for what has happened to the entire Presidency. A fair amount--not all but a fair amount--of the national media and a fair amount of the minority party here have done everything they can to delegitimize this President, not the least of which is taking anything that comes along and attaching to it some nefarious idea, some nefarious purpose. prgtoken Let me give you an example. My good friend said: What happened to standing up to Russia? This administration has imposed more sanctions on Russia than the entire 8 years of the previous administration. So what has happened to standing up to Russia? We continue to stand up to Russia. prgtoken I think my friend from New Jersey and I would be able to agree on the many sins Russia has committed starting way back, but if you go with fairly recent history, their invasion of Georgia and then their promise to back off and to get out of Georgia--they still occupy two of the regions in Georgia. prgtoken Of course, the invasion and takeover of the Crimea, their cause of problems on the eastern