mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TO COMMEMORATE ST. JOSEPH'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Trey Gowdy (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-1-16

I include in the Record the following Proclamation to congratulate St. Joseph's Catholic School on twenty- five years of educating and preparing future leaders of South Carolina. Whereas, St. Joseph's opened its doors in a small rented home to thirteen students in August of 1993 with the belief that God would provide. Today, that belief has paid dividends as St. Joseph's enrolls nearly seven hundred students and has been nationally recognized by the Catholic High School Honor Roll as a ``School of Excellence.'' Whereas, St. Joseph's commitment to providing students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in life is clear from the contributions of their alumni to our community. St. Joseph's alumni are serving our community in all professions from education and business to medical research, and many donate their time and gifts to serve as leaders in churches across the Upstate. Be it prgtoken Resolved, That I, Trey Gowdy, do congratulate the staff, students, and alumni of St. Joseph's Catholic School on this milestone and look forward to their continued contributions to our community and the Fourth Congressional District of South Carolina.
PUERTO RICO DESERVES BETTER
Jenniffer González-Colón (Republican, PR) \u2014 2018-1-16

4 months after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, 40 percent of our people still lack electricity, with a system barely patched up. Of almost 80,000 homes approved to receive the temporary ``blue roof,'' only half of them have been installed. prgtoken Those are only two examples. The hurricane season will be back in 5 months, and then we will be required to start all over again. The situation demands extreme urgency from all Federal agencies. prgtoken What is taking so long? Where is the sense of urgency? prgtoken This would never be tolerated in any State. prgtoken The provisions of the Stafford Act limit us to only patching things up. The supplemental disaster appropriations bill addressed this, but it is stalled in the Senate. prgtoken We expect better. We deserve better. We will work to lift ourselves up, but we need the tools to do so. We expect the Federal agencies to act urgently.
MISCELLANEOUS TARIFF BILL ACT OF 2018
Kevin Brady (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-16

I include in the Record the following: Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, January 16, 2018. : Consistent with section 3(b)(3)(F) of the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 (P.L. 114- 159), attached, please find a list of petitions recommended by the International Trade Commission in its final report but excluded from the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act of 2018 (H.R. 4318) due to Member objections. Sincerely, Kevin Brady, --- Chairman, Committee on Ways & Means.-- Richard E. Neal, Ranking Member, Committee on Ways & Means. The following petitions were objected to by Mr. Bucshon (IN): Petition 1566, Table-tennis tables of aluminum-clad particleboard; Petition 2692, Table-Tennis Table with Metal Legs; Petition 2708, Table-Tennis Table with Metal Legs; and Petition 2733, Table-Tennis Table with Metal Legs. The following petitions were objected to by Mr. McCaul (TX): Petition 2928, Certain Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioners; Petition 2660, Air Conditioning Units; and Petition 2656, Self-Contained Air Conditioning Units. The following petitions were objected to by Senator Brown (OH) and Senator Graham (SC): Petition 1920, Boys' Cotton Woven Blue Denim Jacket; Petition 1891, Girls' Cotton Blue Denim Skirts or Divided Skirts; Petition 948, Beach Shelters; Petition 949, Tents with Floor and integrated LED Lighting; Petition 950, Tents with Automatic Window Rollers; Petition 954, Tents with Hinged Doors; and Petition 957, Tent Shelters Without Floors and with LED Lighting. The following petitions were also objected to by Senator Brown (OH): Petition 1950, Six-Sided Screen Houses, and Petition 1952, Six-Sided Canopies. The following petition was objected to by Senator Donnelly (IN): Petition 1579, Akolidine; Pyridine, Alkyl Derivatives Unspecified.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-1-16

I rise in opposition to the government listening to your phone calls, reading your emails, or reading your text messages without a warrant. It doesn't mean the government will never do this, but it means they would have to ask a judge. They would have to ask a judge if they have probable cause that you committed a crime. They would have to name you. They would have to name the information they want. It is called the Fourth Amendment. All Americans deserve the protection of the Fourth Amendment. prgtoken In fact, I believe it was John Adams who said that James Otis's argument against blanket warrants, against generalized warrants that they called writs of assistance--he said that the argument James Otis made in the 1760s was the spark that led to the American Revolution. prgtoken Lincoln is said to have written that any man can stand adversity, but if you want to challenge a man or a woman, give them power. prgtoken Over almost 1,000 years, the history of Western civilization has been the struggle to contain the power of the monarch, the struggle to contain and maintain the power of the government in every form. From Magna Carta on, it has been the people trying to take power back from either the monarchy or a despotic government. We get to the formation of our government, and Jefferson wrote that the Constitution would be the change, that the government would be bound up in the change. prgtoken Patrick Henry wrote that the Constitution is meant to restrain the government, not the people. It is about trying to restrain government from abusing the power to take our rights. You have a fundamental right to be left alone. Justice Brandeis put it this way. He said that the right most cherished among civilized men and women is the right to be left alone. prgtoken But we know also that the history of those who grab the reins of power, the history of those who take up the mantle of power is a history of abuse. prgtoken In World War I, President Wilson arrested 10,000 Americans because of their objection to the war. prgtoken FDR had an enemies' list that he actually was very vocal about and published in newspapers. There were 77 people who were his enemies, and he used the IRS to go after them. prgtoken LBJ illegally spied on Martin Luther King. We just had Martin Luther King Day yesterday. LBJ spied on him illegally in all manners and in all forms. They spied on Vietnam war veterans. prgtoken Nixon had an enemies' list. prgtoken You name it--President after President has abused this power. prgtoken President had a fight with the tea party groups. It turns out that if prgtoken you registered as a tea party group, you were given extra scrutiny. And people were denied being allowed to form as a charitable group or political activist group under President because they disagreed with President . prgtoken We now have a current administration where there have been accusations of people in the FBI having a
HONORING GARRETT JACKSON
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-1-16

I proudly pause to recognize Garrett Jackson. Garrett is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 60, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Garrett has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Garrett has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Garrett has become a member of the tribe Mic-O-Say. Garrett has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project I proudly ask you to join me in commending Garrett for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America, and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2018-1-16

I rise to join my colleagues in our fight to keep a promise made to workers and retirees across this country. I will start with where we were, where we are now, and what Washington needs to do to keep these promises. prgtoken A little over 2 years ago, Central States pension had an application before the Treasury Department, which had it been approved would have meant deep cuts to pensions that had already been earned over a lifetime of hard work. prgtoken Retirees in my home State of Wisconsin began to receive letters notifying them that their pensions could be cut by 30, 50, and, in some cases, as much as 70 percent. Treasury made the right decision and rejected these pension cuts. That was an important victory, but we have always known there is more work to be done, that we have to find a long-term solution that keeps these promises. prgtoken I am talking about a promise made to Bernie in Franklin, WI, who would have lost about one-third of his pension if the Central States application had actually gone through. I am talking about a promise made to Kenny from Menomonee Falls, WI, who spent most of his career in trucking, paying into a pension fund to safeguard his family's future. He got a letter notifying him that his pension might be cut by 55 percent. I am talking about promises made to 25,000 retirees and workers in the State of Wisconsin. They have been living with the fear and uncertainty of not knowing whether the retirement security they saved for and sacrificed for, and that their families depend upon, will be there when they need it. prgtoken If Washington does not act, these workers and retirees will face massive prgtoken cuts to their pensions earned over decades of work. prgtoken I have been proud to work side by side with Wisconsin retirees and with Senator Sherrod Brown to introduce the Butch Lewis Act. The bill will put failing pension plans, including Central States, back on solid ground to ensure they can meet their commitments to retirees today and workers in decades to come, and it does so without cutting a single cent from the benefits retirees have earned. prgtoken In the time since Central States submitted its application to the Treasury Department, I have met with retirees in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Endeavor, WI--last week, I was in Brookfield, WI, with many more than 200 retirees and workers--who are counting on Washington to pass this bill. prgtoken Washington needs to act. We need to pass the Butch Lewis Act, and we need to do it soon. prgtoken .
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-1-16

first, on the topic of net neutrality, since the administration's FCC voted to end net neutrality in December, have been working hard to round up enough Senators to overrule the FCC's decision, which places control of the internet in the hands of the biggest corporations. prgtoken Today we reached a milestone: 50 Senators will support Senator Markey's resolution of disapproval. All 49 have signed on to cosponsor, and my friend from Maine, Senator Collins, has also said she will support it. prgtoken With our full caucus supporting the measure, it is clear that want to keep the internet from becoming a Wild West where ISPs are free to offer premium service to the wealthiest customers while average consumers are left with far inferior options. prgtoken When we force a vote on this bill, s in Congress will, for the first time, have the opportunity to right the administration's wrong and show the American people whose side they are on. Are they on the side of big internet service providers and corporations, or are they on the side of consumers, entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners? prgtoken I applaud Senator Collins for supporting this effort and hope sincerely that more of her colleagues will do the same. Given how quickly this measure has earned the support of 50 Senators, I believe we have a real chance of success in restoring net neutrality and keeping the internet open and free for all Americans. prgtoken , another pressing issue before us this week is FISA and the 702 program. The majority leader is pressing forward on a 6-year bill to reauthorize the 702 FISA Court program. This is a significant bill, but right now the majority leader is pushing for its passage without debate or amendments. That is the wrong approach. prgtoken Many of my colleagues would like to offer amendments on this legislation and, frankly, they deserve that right. Personally, I believe that while the bill makes some improvements to the 702 FISA program, it should go somewhat further. We could do a better job balancing the crucial national security imperatives of the program with legitimate concerns about privacy and protecting the rights of American citizens. prgtoken Clearly, the bill on the calendar is better than the status quo, and it is certainly better than no bill at all, but that is not the choice before us. The majority leader can open up the bill for limited debate and a few amendments, not to delay but so we can have some amendments and try to improve it. prgtoken For that reason, I will be voting no on the upcoming cloture motion. If cloture is not invoked, we can move quickly to an amendment process where Senators from both parties could offer ideas to improve the bill. That is what we ought to do, especially on a bill on the most sensitive area of the government, where security and liberty meet, and that will stand for 6 years. That is too qu
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-1-16

s. I will be very brief. prgtoken Colleagues, what we are debating is whether the Senate will be the Senate. If you vote in favor of this, you are voting for cloture, there will be no amendments then. We would have the opportunity, if we vote against cloture, for improving this bill. prgtoken I want to emphasize that if we take a short time to improve this bill, as Senator Lee, Senator Leahy, and Senator Paul want to do, this program continues to operate. It is not in any way going to harm our ability to fight terrorism. This program would stand. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote to carry out our constitutional obligation as Senators, to have real debate and vote against cloture. prgtoken I yield. Cloture Motion
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-1-16

I thank my friend, the chairman of our committee, the Senator from North Carolina, for his work on this important piece of legislation. prgtoken I obviously rise today in support of passage of S. 139, the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017. This bill would provide significant reforms that enhance the civil liberties and privacy protections of individuals, while preserving an authority critical to our national security for an additional 6 years. prgtoken As vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I have long advocated for reforms to surveillance authorities that balance the imperatives of national security and counterterrorism with the privacy rights and civil liberties of Americans. prgtoken Section 702 stands among the most important of our intelligence programs. To illustrate, I wish to highlight very briefly one recently declassified success story involving a terrorist by the name of Hajji Iman. prgtoken Hajji Iman was the second in command of ISIS based in Syria. NSA spent more than 2 years looking for him. This search was ultimately successful, primarily because of FISA section 702. prgtoken NSA used collection permitted and authorized under section 702 to collect intelligence on the close associates and the network supporting Mr. Iman, including their location in Syria. Between section 702 and other intelligence that was developed, the IC was able to track down the movements of Mr. Iman and ultimately resulted in taking him off the battlefield. prgtoken This is but one of numerous examples in which information obtained pursuant to section 702 has proven critical to addressing threats to Americans both domestically and abroad. prgtoken For much of the past year and a half, I have worked closely with Chairman Burr and a bipartisan group of Senators to pass legislation to reauthorize section 702 for an extended period while incorporating substantive reforms. In October our Senate Intelligence Committee passed, in a bipartisan way, with a vote of 12 to 3, comprehensive reauthorization legislation. prgtoken Since that time, we have worked with our counterparts in the House, as well as representatives of the executive branch, to ensure that the final bill that we will be voting on tonight and tomorrow garners widespread bipartisan support and includes enhancements to civil liberties and privacy protections. prgtoken The bill before us here today is the product of extensive bipartisan, bicameral negotiations. Now, this bill is not perfect. Rarely have I worked on or voted on a bill anywhere that is perfect, but I believe this measure represents a significant compromise and preserves the operational flexibility of section 702, while instituting key reforms to further protect U.S. personal privacy. prgtoken Let me take a moment to identify a few key items in this legislation that I believe bear mentioning. prgtoken First--and I have seen my friend from Oregon, who has argued
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-1-16

I rise to join my colleagues in calling for action--action to protect the hard-earned benefits of pensioners, hard-working people all across my State. Senator Brown for organizing these speeches and my neighbor to the east, Senator Baldwin from Wisconsin, for her eloquent words on behalf of the workers in her State. prgtoken I know how important benefits are to workers firsthand. My grandpa was one of many children, growing up in the Iron Range of Minnesota. He loved school, but he had to quit at age 15 to help support his family. First, he got a job as a teamster, pulling a cart, and then at a very young age, he went to work in the iron ore mines in Ely, MN. prgtoken He had wanted to be in the Navy. He had wanted to sail the world. Instead, he spent his entire life to support his eight brothers and sisters and then, later, my dad and my uncle. He spent his entire life working 1,500 feet underground, and he would go down the mine shaft every single day with his black lunch bucket, and I often thought: What did he think of when he went down that mine shaft? Did he think of that life at sea, of school, of other things? He felt he had an obligation, and that obligation was not only important to our family, which somehow ended up with me in the U.S. Senate, but it was also an obligation that was so important to our country, because when you go back as far as World War II, it was the iron ore that was made into the steel that built our country--our factories, our skyscrapers, and our ships and tanks that won that war. That is what my grandpa did, and it was dangerous back then. prgtoken My grandma would always tell me how you would hear this whistle go off, and it meant someone was either very hurt or killed in the mines, and all of the wives would go and stand outside that mine to see what miner was going to be brought up injured or worse. My dad remembers seeing the coffins in the church in Ely lined up of miners who had been killed. This wasn't that long ago. prgtoken When someone does something like that for their family and for their country, promises that were made to them should be kept. Because my grandpa stayed in that job--over time, the safety requirements got better, the benefits got better--he was able to get healthcare, he was able to save money in a coffee can in the basement of their little house so he could send my dad and his brother to college. That all happened. prgtoken So when he got sick, he should be able to have healthcare, right? Well, he did. He had cancer, but he was able to have healthcare. When my grandma got older and lived into her late eighties, she was able to stay at assisted living. That all happened because promises made to those workers were kept. prgtoken The promise made to the workers in multiemployer pension plans is simple; that the pension they have earned through their decades of hard work will be there when they retire. prgtoken Savin
FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT
James A. Himes (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-1-16

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , H.R. 4258, the Family Self-Sufficiency Act of 2017, makes several commonsense improvements to HUD's Family Self-Sufficiency program, or FSS, which is the only asset-building program at HUD to help increase economic opportunities for its low-income households. prgtoken Anecdotally, , when I was a commissioner of a housing authority many years ago, I saw this program in action. It deals with one of the challenges of what happens to a family as their incomes go up and they find it increasingly hard to invest and save because their rents typically go up. prgtoken , this bill expands the scope of supportive services provided to residents to include GED training, education, and pursuit of a post-secondary degree or certification and training in financial literacy. prgtoken The bill also expands the program to include families who live in privately owned properties and ensures that low- prgtoken income families can continue to participate in this program as their incomes increase. This is a particularly important improvement since under current law, once a family reaches 50 percent of area median income, they no longer are able to accrue additional savings in their escrow accounts. This bill fixes that issue. prgtoken This bill is an important step in the right direction, and I hope we can continue to find ways to expand this very successful program beyond the current 72,000 households it can serve. prgtoken I am glad to see that my friend from Wisconsin and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle recognize the success of this voluntary program, and I hope we can work together to find ways to improve it and to give energy to other programs which allow people to lift themselves out of lower income circumstances. prgtoken , this bill was passed out of committee 58-0. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. prgtoken , I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver).