mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Executive Session)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-7-19

today I rise to voice my support for the brave men and women of America's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE. Unfortunately, a resolution that would have shown this body's unanimous support for these courageous individuals was blocked. prgtoken While the Border Patrol has the important mission of maintaining security at our borders, ICE agents have the critical mission of enforcing immigration laws inside the United States. These two work hand in hand. Our Nation cannot have border security without enforcing our laws inside communities, and we cannot have secure communities without enforcing our laws at our borders. prgtoken The critical mission of ICE goes far beyond just immigration enforcement. These folks are on the frontlines of our homeland security. prgtoken Here is just a short list of the types of activities ICE is involved in: one, investigating and combating drug smuggling, pretty important; stopping human trafficking; preventing gang-related crimes; and working with other law enforcement entities to stop criminal and terrorist networks from operating. prgtoken Iowa, along with the rest of the country, has been gripped by an opioid crisis that puts our people and our safety at risk. Additionally, we continue to have a very grave methamphetamine issue that threatens the core of many of our already struggling rural communities. prgtoken We need ICE to help stop the flow of these drugs into Iowa's communities, our schools, our workplaces, and to our children and our families. In 2017 alone, ICE enforcement and removal operations seized nearly 1 million pounds of narcotics--1 million pounds of narcotics seized by ICE. Abolishing ICE would turn the flow of illegal drugs across the border from a stream into a monsoon. prgtoken I also implore anyone challenging the need for ICE to look at the horrendous toll of human trafficking: young and innocent women and men, boys and girls used as human pawns, smuggled across the border with hopes of a better life, forced into prostitution or worse--raped, beaten, subjected to sexual diseases and stripped of all innocence and dignity. prgtoken Sadly, human trafficking is a major issue in Iowa. In 2016, for instance, Des Moines was identified as one of the country's top 100 human trafficking locations. That information came to us from our good friends at Polaris, which is an anti-trafficking organization. prgtoken Human traffickers often exploit our immigration laws to transport their victims, and our ICE agents are the ones who help to stop them and to stop their illicit activities. prgtoken Every day, 24/7, 365 days a year, ICE agents are on the frontlines. They are working to dismantle human trafficking networks and protect our most vulnerable. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to reconsider their objections and to support not only the resolution but to support those officers and personnel who carry out the vital mission of Immigration and
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-7-19

this week I have the honor of recognizing Andy Henry of Prairie County for his impact on the Terry community while working at the Roy Rogers Saloon. prgtoken Andy has spent the last 17 years of his life in Terry. After Andy graduated high school in Terry, his mom Amelia and her husband, John, bought the Roy Rogers Saloon. Following that, he began working at the Saloon. He has been working there since his family took it over, just under 6 years. prgtoken Andy's work at the Saloon brings the community together. Whether it be a friend or an old elementary school teacher of his, folks from all over the community come together at the Saloon. He enjoys spending time with their regulars and making sure the experience at the Saloon is as pleasant as it can be. prgtoken I congratulate Andy on his role in growing and contributing to the Roy Rogers Saloon. I look forward to seeing that success continue to grow and enjoying the hometown bar soon.
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT A CARBON TAX WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2018-7-19

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , I rise this morning in strong support of the resolution, and I thank my good friend and colleague from Louisiana, Steve Scalise, for bringing it to the floor. prgtoken The carbon tax is one of those endlessly recycled bad ideas. A carbon tax would put a tax and increased costs on coal, oil, and gas carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and other sources. prgtoken In simpler terms, a carbon tax is a tax on productivity. As anyone with the slightest familiarity with economics will tell you, the more you tax something, the less you get of it. It is just common sense. prgtoken Late last year, Congress was able to deliver historic tax reform. Just 7 months after we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, nearly every economic indicator is showing record-breaking success. prgtoken The free market has been unleashed again, and our economy is thriving as a result. We are on pace for a quarter of economic growth that we haven't seen in more than a decade. prgtoken Imposing a job-killing carbon tax minimizes the gains we have made and will stunt our economic growth. Of course, the carbon tax would run counter to the goals of American energy dominance and national security, another priority this administration and this Congress have been able to make great progress in. prgtoken A carbon tax would have a negative effect on consumption, investment, and jobs; increase the cost of coal, natural gas, and petroleum products; and lead to lower real wage rates, lower labor productivity, and decreased worker incomes. prgtoken Imposing a carbon tax on hardworking Americans sets the Nation backward. After all the accomplishments we have made in the last year and a half, that is something we simply should not tolerate. prgtoken A carbon tax asks the entire Nation to make enormous sacrifices, and the only thing we get in return is falling behind our competitors in the global marketplace. prgtoken We have a broad array of leaders across the spectrum in the economy who support and agree with these principles. prgtoken Harry Alford, president of the National Black Chamber of Congress, said: ``Our great Nation is at a crossroads. We can continue to reduce regulations and watch our economy rise with the recent tax reform. Bringing unnecessary hurdles before us like a prgtoken carbon tax will preclude that growth and hurt our economy immensely.'' prgtoken I have pages and pages of these. prgtoken Heather Higgins, CEO of the Independent Women's Voice, said: ``A carbon tax would be devastating to millions of American women and their families, causing their electricity bills and transportation costs to skyrocket, as well as suppressing their wages.'' prgtoken Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, said: ``Energy is the engine of progress. Making it more expensive will hurt our economy and disproportionately impact middle- and low-income families who can least afford it.
Cuba (Executive Session)
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-7-19

I rise today to give tribute to the spirit of the Cuban people--the people of my forefathers, who still live under a corrupt and violent Communist regime--and to honor the memory of Oswaldo Paya. Oswaldo was a champion for freedom. He died 6 years ago this Sunday, on July 22, 2012, in a car crash that is widely believed to have been orchestrated by the Castro regime. prgtoken The plight of the brave people of Cuba has been marked by terrible suffering under both the Castro regime and the brutal dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista before it. The Castros and their revolutionary terrorist lackeys, like Che Guevara, are responsible for the suffering and murder of countless innocent Cubans. It is because of these oppressors that my family fled their beloved home in Cuba for a better life in the United States. prgtoken My father, born and raised in Cuba, fought in the revolution, initially believing that the principles of freedom were what the revolution was all about. He fought against Batista, a cruel dictator, and he was imprisoned and tortured by Batista's thugs. prgtoken Then my aunt, his younger sister, my tia Sonia--who was there after the revolution succeeded, who discovered along with the rest of the world that Fidel Castro was a Communist, who saw the torture and the murder--my aunt fought in the counterrevolution against Fidel Castro, and she, too, like her brother, was imprisoned and tortured, except this time by Castro's thugs. prgtoken Both my father and my aunt were kids. They were kids who believed they were fighting for freedom, and they discovered they went from one tyrant to an even worse tyrant, a Communist dictator who would line up dissidents and shoot them. prgtoken The betrayal, the brutality, and the violence experienced by my father and by my aunt were all too typical of the millions of Cubans who have suffered under the Castro regime of the last six decades. Fidel may be dead, Raul may be retired, but the evil of the Castros persists. It still molds the Cuban regime's fundamental opposition to truth, to freedom, and to human rights. prgtoken But the malice and menace of communism cannot break down the will of the Cuban people. Instead, it has strengthened their resolve. It has further united them to fight for freedom and build a better future for their country, to establish a free Cuba--a Cuba not streaked by the ashes of dissident literature or littered with the corpses of defenseless teenagers; a Cuba built on human decency and individual liberty, where citizens are heard, not murdered, and speech is protected, not silenced. It is the Cuba envisioned by Oswaldo Paya Sardinas, his Christian Liberation Movement, and their fellow activists who continue to stand against the Castro regime. It is the Cuba of the young bloggers who expose the regime's crimes and corruption at the risk of arrest, deportation, torture, or worse. prgtoken With time, the oppressions of the Castro regi
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Executive Session)
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2018-7-19

I think it is regrettable this was objected to. We will bring it back. The majority leader said this is just a symbolic vote. It is. Symbolism is important. prgtoken Obviously, we have underlying sanctions we ought to fully implement. If there are waivers needed, there is already a waiver process in the NDAA authorization. I support those waivers with regard to India. This does not affect that. This says, in a symbolic way, that we in the Senate don't buy Vladimir Putin's rejection or his denial of election interference. prgtoken That was put in question this week, whether our government believes that or not. We in the Senate should stand and say: We don't believe it. We know the intelligence is right. We stand behind our intelligence community. We need to say that in the Senate. prgtoken Yes, it is symbolic and symbolism is important. Our agencies of government need to know that we stand behind them. That is what this is about. prgtoken I hope we will pass this. I note, regretfully, that there has been an objection to it, but we will bring it back. I believe this should pass, and I believe it ultimately will pass. prgtoken .
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT A CARBON TAX WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY
Kenny Marchant (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-7-19

the balance of my time. prgtoken For many years now, s in Congress have been clear: A new stand-alone carbon tax will raise consumer costs and hurt the economy. It is not a solution to any challenge but, rather, it would create additional challenges. prgtoken If American businesses and workers in industries are targeted by a carbon tax, they will suffer economically under such a policy. They are just now recovering from the recession that we went into, and they are just now, because of the tax bill that was passed this past year, just now beginning to see a brighter economic future. We should not debate putting new obstacles in front of them at this time. prgtoken Together, we should be focused on working to advance policies that hold down energy costs, improve the U.S. economy, its GDP, and create jobs. That is what we did last year, and that is what we are doing today. prgtoken , .
Cuba (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-7-19

soon, the Senate will vote on the Ryan Bounds nomination, and I want to make sure each Member of the Senate is aware of two important issues as they prepare to cast their votes on the Bounds nomination to serve on the Ninth Circuit. prgtoken First, Mr. Bounds flagrantly misrepresented his background to our bipartisan Oregon judicial selection committee. This is the committee that was tasked with vetting his nomination--a process I have worked on with s for literally two decades. I was pleased to work with our former colleague Senator Smith on this. I worked with the late Mark Hatfield on this. Now it is a pleasure to work with Senator Merkley, and the bipartisan efforts we have had produced this selection, a process. Mr. Bounds misrepresented--in my view, really lied--as he covered up disturbing, intolerant writings from his past. prgtoken Among many hateful matters he wrote about, he defended homophobic vandals who damaged a gay pride monument. He argued against efforts to protect the survivors of sexual assault on college campuses because, he wrote, he didn't think that would guarantee absolute safety. prgtoken As I indicated earlier, what outraged me, and shocked me, was his comparison of organizations that promote multiculturalism and tolerance in America to Nazi rallies. I am the child of Jewish parents who fled Nazi terror in Germany. Not all of our family got out. My great Uncle Max was among the last to be gassed at Auschwitz. For Mr. Bounds to compare groups that lift up minorities in America to Nazis is an extraordinary and dark stain on his character. For him to have concealed these writings from Oregon's bipartisan selection committee is disqualifying. prgtoken He never acknowledged these writings until they were uncovered and then posed a threat to his nomination. To this day, he has not fully recanted the abhorrent views that are reflected in that content. Five of the seven members of the bipartisan judicial selection committee, including the Chair, said recently they would not have included Mr. Bounds among their recommended candidates had they known about the writings as he was vetted. prgtoken Our bipartisan committee forwarded Mr. Bounds' name, along with others, as part of this process, and they said if Mr. Bounds had been straight with them, he would have told them about these offensive writings, but he misled them by keeping that secret. prgtoken The second issue, this is the first time in the 101-year history of what is called the blue-slip process where a nomination moved forward without a blue slip from either home State Senator. Senator Merkley and I withheld our blue slips specifically because of what I described, these lies about omission. We didn't consent to a hearing, a debate on the floor, but Chairman Grassley and Majority Leader McConnell barreled right ahead. prgtoken Leader McConnell even told the New York Times that blue slips ought to be viewed as
Fast-Growing Startup Companies (Executive Session)
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-7-19

when you think about fast-growing startup companies, you might think about Silicon Valley, Boston, or Boulder. Though all these cities certainly have very vibrant ecosystems, innovative startups and small businesses are launching and growing across the United States, including in my home State of Michigan. prgtoken In every State, there are hard-working entrepreneurs who have established job-creating startups. These dynamic companies act as business leaders, innovators, and job creators within our communities. prgtoken This is why I am working with Senators Warren, Tillis, and Scott to commemorate Startup Week Across America and celebrate the ingenuity and entrepreneurship in our States and across the country. I kicked off this annual event in 2013 while serving in the House of Representatives. In the years since, I have had the privilege of visiting startups in Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Traverse City. prgtoken I have met with business founders who code apps for Fortune 500 companies, design and produce high-end jeans and other denim products, and grow and deliver farm-fresh products. prgtoken This Monday I visited Ferris Wheel, a new coworking space in Flint, MI, a community of hard-working Michiganders who are focused on their future. prgtoken The people of Flint are committed to building a stronger, healthier, more prosperous community, and they are prgtoken committed to doing it together. You can see this in their schools and their churches and nonprofits, and you can see this in their startups and small businesses. prgtoken One of the best parts about starting a business in Flint is 100K Ideas, a nonprofit staffed by university students committed to helping entrepreneurs start their companies. This group is named in honor of the 100,000 residents of Flint and inspired by the thought that if they could pull one idea from every local resident, they could change the world. prgtoken This week, I had the chance to learn about a few of these new ideas. I met Kiara Tyler, the founder of Kalm Clothing. She moved the furniture out of her apartment to make room for inventory and stocked boxes of overalls and track suits where her couch used to be, while using her car as the company's headquarters. Now Kiara has done over $100,000 worth of business. She is selling her clothing online, and she has space for her office and inventory at Ferris Wheel. Flint is her home, and she is excited to stay and to build her business in Michigan. prgtoken I learned about Article One Eyewear, a company that has taken on office space next door to her. They sell handcrafted eyeglasses and donate a portion of their proceeds to combat vitamin A deficiency and to fight blindness in developing nations. prgtoken I also met with SkyPoint Ventures, a true homegrown Michigan story. While they are a for-profit investment fund, they have also committed to social benefit projects and making Flint a better place to live and to do busine
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Executive Session)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-7-19

I am very pleased to join with the distinguished ic leader in coauthoring this resolution. S. Res. 583 prgtoken , before I speak to it, I do want to speak to the Flake-Coons resolution. prgtoken Certainly, I would have supported it; although, I believe it is the minimum of what this body should be expressing after what we saw in Helsinki. This is a moment for bipartisanship and for patriotism because what I saw in Helsinki speaks to the opposite of standing up to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. prgtoken In the majority whip's objection to the resolution coming to a vote, I find it interesting that, among other things, he was talking about our having more sanctions against Russia, which I will speak to shortly. We are in the midst of developing a new, strong package of sanctions as it relates to Russia. So I embrace and welcome him to that effort if he seeks to actually see real sanctions against Russia. prgtoken We have sanctions. There are sanctions that passed by 98 to 2 in this institution and that passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, which forced the President to sign it as a result of there having been overwhelming votes. These were sanctions that were largely mandatory but have not been fulfilled. So we could start off by having a robust engagement of the existing sanctions. prgtoken I am not quite sure how we start being tough on Russia. One of the elements of those sanctions was to go after Russia's sales of defense weapons. Yet here we are, and we are already looking for waivers. There is a difference between a country that, maybe, has a long history of buying Russian military equipment, but the S-400--a new anti-defense system--is a new version. That is not a legacy issue. I am not sure how we are going to tell one country it can buy the S-400 but tell another country it can't. It doesn't work. That is how sanctions begin to crumble at the end of the day. Yet I welcome the response that we should be having new sanctions. S. Res. 584 prgtoken , as it relates to this resolution, it is outrageous that the White House would not instantaneously and firmly dismiss a proposition that Russian prosecutors question a former U.S. Ambassador. Again and again, we have seen President take Vladimir Putin's word. It is unconscionable that this White House would give anything other than a full-throated defense of America's Foreign Service, like Ambassador Mike McFaul, who has served our country with honor and distinction. prgtoken The reason Putin doesn't like Mike McFaul is that as our U.S. Ambassador, he stood up for democracy and human rights in Russia; he stood up to the Russian regime; and he promoted American values and ideals. He spoke truth to power inside Russia. That is why Putin wants him. Congress shouldn't have to tell America's
HONORING THE LIFE OF MICHELLE VO
Ruben J. Kihuen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-7-19

today I rise to remember the life of Michelle Vo. Michelle attended the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas on October 1. prgtoken Michelle was a very hard worker at her job as a financial adviser with the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce. During the month before her death, she had been named the top producer of her company. prgtoken Michelle was passionate and would religiously donate blood every 2 weeks. In her free time, she enjoyed volunteering with the Red Cross, rock climbing, and golfing. Everything Michelle did, she did with 150 percent effort. Michelle is remembered as being fun, charismatic, brave, and vibrant. prgtoken I would like to extend my condolences to Michelle Vo's family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the whole country grieve with you.