mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, RELATING TO...
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2019-10-23

it has been over 1 year since the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement was signed by President and the leaders of Canada and Mexico. This landmark trade agreement is expected to create 176,000 new American jobs. It is expected to grow American businesses all over our country and help give a jump-start to our hard- working farmers and ranchers. With 95 percent of the world's population outside of the United States, Montana producers need access to these global markets. prgtoken Agriculture drives our economy in Montana. In fact, it is the No. 1 economic driver in our State. Canada and Mexico both are in high demand for our products like wheat, barley, and beef. In fact, in 2018 alone, Montana had $731 million in total exports to Canada and Mexico. prgtoken For our producers in Montana, the USMCA would be a positive step forward in providing certainty and alleviating the challenges and obstacles they faced virtually every single day this season. prgtoken When I travel across Montana, I have heard from folks in every corner of our State: 4-H members, FFA members, farmers and ranchers at local county fairs, and producers along the highway. They all want action on USMCA. They all need relief. They are looking for something certain coming out of Washington, DC, in these uncertain times. prgtoken I cannot stand by any longer as my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives fail to act. Listen, we have enough votes in the Senate to pass it. There are enough votes in the House to pass it. President can't wait to sign it. Mexico is ready; Canada is ready; the United States is ready; and I can state that in my home State of Montana, we are very ready. I, along with the majority in the U.S. Senate, am ready to get this deal done and get it across the finish line for some of the hardest working folks in our Nation, our farmers and ranchers. prgtoken Hard-working small business owners and folks on farms and ranches all over Montana are sitting and waiting for Pelosi to stop slow- walking the USMCA. The House cannot continue to hold our farmers and ranchers hostage for any future political gain that we are seeing right now in the House. It has been a political game over there. This is negatively impacting the Montana way of life. prgtoken There are countless numbers of Montana families out there who are surviving paycheck to paycheck. They are living on a prayer. They are sick and tired of politics and the partisan games being played in Washington, DC, and, you know what, I am too. prgtoken We were elected to come here and get something done, not spin the wheels on cable TV at night just talking about other issues that aren't moving the ball forward on behalf of the American people. What Montanans care about is how they are going to put food on the table and how they are going to make ends meet this winter coming up. The USMCA is more than just a trade deal, it is an opportunity for m
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN...
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2019-10-23

it has been a year since the United States, Mexico, and Canada agreed to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, the replacement for NAFTA and the modernization for the NAFTA agreement that has been so important to all three of our countries. In fact, we are coming up on 1 year since it was signed by leaders of all three countries. In fact, the country of Mexico has ratified the USMCA. Canada is waiting for the United States to take the next step so they, too, can ratify this very important trade agreement. prgtoken This agreement between the three countries on the North American continent is estimated to add $68.2 billion to the U.S. economy and create 176,000 new jobs. The USMCA would also increase exports to Canada by 5.9 percent, to a total of $19.1 billion, and shipments to Mexico by 6.7 percent, or $14.2 billion. Imports from Canada and Mexico would rise by 4.8 and 3.8 percent, respectively. prgtoken But the ratification process has to begin with the in the House under the trade promotion authority with which this deal was struck. The leading the House seem to be more focused on taking away one person's job than creating 176,000 new ones here in the United States. It is time for Pelosi to act on something that is nearly unanimously agreed to. prgtoken While not every person agrees to it, I don't think there is any question that if she would bring up the USMCA for a vote in the House, it would pass. We know that when it comes over to the Senate, it will pass here for many good reasons--for the reasons I already stated, for economic reasons and job creation reasons. prgtoken But I also want to add that passage of the USMCA is important to negotiations with other countries. Having Mexico, Canada, and the United States in one accord adds leverage to the President's negotiations with China, especially now that we have a bilateral trade deal with Japan that President has negotiated so effectively, and when working with other neighbors and allies on other bilateral trade agreements. All of this adds to leverage in negotiating with China. prgtoken I want to speak for a couple of minutes about the specifics to my State of North Dakota. We are a border State with Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada, and our northern border is by far our biggest trading partner. In 2017, my State of North Dakota exported $5.8 billion worth of goods to the global marketplace. Those exports contributed to 28,000 jobs. Of that $5.8 billion, we exported $4.9 billion of goods to Canada. That is 84 percent of North Dakota's exports that go to our northern neighbor, Canada. When adding Mexico into that equation, that is 88 percent of the value of North Dakota's exported goods and services going to USMCA countries. prgtoken Farmers and manufacturers can be very pleased with the renegotiated terms that will now benefit them directly with a commitment from Canada to reduce trade distorting policies
RECOGNIZING POLICE OFFICERS FROM MIDDLETOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR THEIR SERVICE
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-10-23

I rise today to honor the life of Mason Chandler Allen. A fellow native of Levittown, Pennsylvania, Mason was an intelligent and thoughtful 11-year-old boy when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the most common form of bone cancer, in late 2015. prgtoken Through months of exhaustive chemotherapy, physical therapy, and several surgeries, Mason was never without a smile or his amazing sense of humor. He even got to hang out with his football idol, Philadelphia Eagles' star Darren Sproles, at an Eagles practice, and later, on the sideline of an Eagles game. prgtoken A year after homeschooling, Mason came back to school with the aid of crutches, and was excited to join clubs, launch the school's newspaper, and was soon able to leave the crutches behind. Following a holiday season surrounded by his family, the cancer returned in January of 2017. And on March 11, Mason lost his battle with cancer. prgtoken Soon after, Mason's family and friends founded the Mason Chandler Allen Memorial Foundation to increase awareness and funding to fight pediatric cancer. On September 28, the foundation held its third annual Steps Towards the Cure Walk in my hometown of Levittown. This walk benefits pediatric cancer research funding and supports quality of life projects for children and teens who are fighting cancer. prgtoken , as long as organizations like this exist, we can continue the fight to end childhood cancer forever.
HONORING THE 74TH BIRTHDAY AND 40 YEARS OF SERVICE OF JUDGE WAYNE C. SHELTON
Mark E. Green (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-10-23

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and honor Judge Wayne C. Shelton of Clarksville, Tennessee on the occasion of his 74th birthday and 40 years of service as a judge. Judge Shelton was appointed as the judge for Montgomery County's General Sessions and Juvenile Court Div. II by Governor Lamar Alexander on July 1, 1979. At present, he is the longest-serving judge in the State of Tennessee. For the past 40 years, Judge Shelton has served with distinction and devotion. Fittingly, the Tennessee Juvenile Judges Association recently presented Judge Shelton with a lifetime achievement award to honor Judge Shelton's decades of faithful service to the people of Tennessee as a judge. As the father of a son with Down's Syndrome, Judge Shelton is a strong advocate for those with special needs. His family is establishing a scholarship in his honor at Austin Peay State University for students who intend to work with people like his son, William Isaac Shelton, to help them lead successful and fulfilling lives. Madam , I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in commending Judge Shelton for his faithful service to the law and his contributions towards improving the lives of those in need.
DEBBIE SMITH REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2019
Debbie Lesko (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2019-10-23

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken In closing, Madam , I will support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. While this is not the most expeditious manner to get this vital program reauthorized, it is the one that our ic majority has put before us. prgtoken I am not in the habit of holding rape victims and survivors hostage to play political games, and it really deeply saddens me that it appears that our majority may be doing this. prgtoken We had the opportunity to pass the Senate bill, and it has been sitting here for 5 months. We had the opportunity to show rape victims and survivors that we care about their plight. We had the opportunity to send the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2019 to the President's desk today. Instead, our majority has decided to squander these opportunities. prgtoken It was bad enough that the ic majority allowed this authorization to elapse last month. It is even worse that we are placing this reauthorization into the realm of uncertainty. prgtoken There is no timetable or guarantee that the Senate will act on this bill. The one thing we know is that if we were voting on the Senate bill, it would pass today. It could have been signed by the President immediately. Unfortunately, we are now only marginally better off than we were this morning with regards to this reauthorization. prgtoken In the rush to impeach our President, our majority appears to have forgotten what we were sent here to do. Despite the petty motives sometimes of our majority, I will vote for the bill before us today and show support for the victims and survivors of rape. I urge my colleagues to do the same. prgtoken Madam , .
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, RELATING TO...
Martha McSally (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2019-10-23

I come to the floor to speak in support of the USMCA, and I appreciate all of my other colleagues who are speaking out as well. prgtoken Almost a year has passed since President signed the U.S.- Mexico-Canada Agreement and notified Congress of the administration's intention to enter into the deal. Legislation to implement the agreement must originate and be approved first in the U.S. House of Representatives and then the U.S. Senate, where it will pass with a strong bipartisan vote, including mine. prgtoken This modernization of NAFTA matters for Arizona businesses, hard- working citizens, and families. Mexico has already ratified USMCA, and Canada is in the process of doing so. Congress needs to pass USMCA without any further delay. prgtoken Simply put, USMCA is a win for Arizona. Trade with Mexico and Canada is key to Arizona jobs and opportunities. Almost 50 percent of all Arizona exports go to Mexico and Canada, and more than 228,000 Arizona jobs rely on this trade. In 2018, Arizona and Mexico engaged in $16.6 billion worth of cross-border commerce. prgtoken Exports to Canada and Mexico support Arizona jobs across a broad variety of industries. In 2018, Arizona companies exported $2.3 billion worth of computer and electrical products, $1.4 billion in appliances, $928 million in transportation equipment, and $796 million in machinery to Canada and Mexico. Arizona miners exported $1 billion in minerals and ores, and Arizona farmers exported almost $600 million in agricultural goods. One out of five Arizona manufacturers export to Canada and Mexico, and most of those are small and medium-sized businesses. It is not too hard to see how much Arizona communities, farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and business owners stand to gain from Congress finalizing the USMCA. prgtoken A few weeks ago, I was honored to host Vice President in the Grand Canyon State. One of our stops took us to Caterpillar's proving grounds in Green Valley, AZ, where the company tests their impressive machinery and trains operators on new equipment. prgtoken With roughly 660 full-time employees in our State, Caterpillar knows what a critical role cross-border commerce--and the passage of USMCA-- is for Arizona. Caterpillar recycles 150 million tons of scraps a year to create new products. This kind of innovation should be promoted, not penalized. USMCA encourages this kind of innovation by specifically prohibiting restrictions on remanufactured goods. In turn, companies like Caterpillar are not penalized but encouraged to be thoughtful in their environmental footprint. prgtoken I made many other visits to local businesses this year and heard straight from Arizonans about why we need to get this deal passed and now. The USMCA opens doors for Arizona to continue leading in the aerospace, financial services, film and digital media, and bioscience sectors. It enhances intellectual property protections and will benefit Ariz
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, RELATING TO...
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-10-23

I will speak for only a few moments, and then the distinguished junior Senator from Alaska will close this part of the debate. prgtoken The senior Senator from Alaska mentioned that only 38 of us have actually served with Senator Ted Stevens. Of that group, I am the junior-most in rank, and I know that because I was the junior-most Member of this body more than a decade ago when I rose on this floor to pay tribute to this great Senator from Alaska, Ted Stevens, on his last day in office. prgtoken I did not speak from my desk, as you can imagine. I didn't have a very prominent desk at the time. I chose instead to stand as close as I could directly behind Senator Stevens. I suppose I wanted to have his back, at least figuratively, for one last time. And I wanted to make sure I could see his wife Catherine in the gallery, as I may have done just a few moments ago, because she meant so much and still means so much to all of us and to my wife Gayle and me. prgtoken What we learned from Ted Stevens guides our work today. I was honored to serve alongside him for just a few years. I was anguished when he had to leave us in 2008, and together with all of us, I mourned his death in 2010. prgtoken Seniority is earned when the people of our States see fit to return us time and again to Washington to do their business. Respect is earned when we prgtoken engage in the long fight to fulfill our oaths and to support and defend the Constitution. prgtoken Ted Stevens earned both seniority and respect for 40 years. When he was elected as the third Senator ever from the Land of the Midnight Sun, he had already served his country brilliantly, as has been mentioned, as a brave pilot in World War II for the Flying Tigers and as a key leader in putting that 49th star on the American flag. prgtoken The portrait being unveiled in the Old Senate Chamber today, where so many great debates took place, is a fitting homage to Ted Stevens. As the senior Senator has mentioned, the seemingly gruff exterior depicted was a facade over one of the most genuine and patriotic people ever to walk these halls. prgtoken He went to work every day to defend Americans and to make good on the promise of the country he so deeply loved. He belongs in the place of honor where his portrait will be displayed. Members who served with Ted Stevens will look on that portrait and remember that. prgtoken I hope our more recent colleagues who have joined since Ted Stevens left will come to know what a giant he was. As chairman of the Commerce Committee, a committee Ted Stevens once led, I went to Alaska with the junior Senator from Alaska this summer to learn, among other things, from coastguardsmen keeping our Nation safe in the Far North. But I saw a lot of that State, and there is a lot to see. prgtoken Despite its geographic size, Alaska is in many respects a small town. Like my home State of Mississippi, everyone knows just about everyone else, and virt
HONORING THE 36TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 241 MARINES LOST IN BEIRUT, LEBANON
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-10-23

I thank my friends, colleagues, and distinguished guests in the gallery for their participation in my Special Order. prgtoken As a Beirut veteran, I am deeply moved by their remarks, and I know their words will comfort the Gold Star Families across this Nation. prgtoken Today, on the 36th anniversary of this horrific attack, and every day, we must strive to ensure that all are remembered, and all are honored. We remember their loyalty, their selflessness, and their courage. We are humbled by their tremendous sacrifice. prgtoken We must hold them closely in our hearts and hometowns. We must live in gratitude for the precious gift they have given to us here today. prgtoken Most of all, we must uphold our promise to honor our fallen. We must remain always faithful. prgtoken , I will always remain faithful. God bless America, and Semper Fi. prgtoken , .
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-10-23

2 months ago, Texans were mourning the loss of 22 of our people killed in a senseless attack in El Paso, TX. Little did we know that we were just days away from another violent attack, this time in Midland and Odessa, which took seven lives. prgtoken Visiting these communities in the wake of these tragedies is tough-- something I have, unfortunately, had experience with following the 2017 shooting in Sutherland Springs and, again, in 2018 in Santa Fe High School. There are no words to bring comfort to the families and the friends and the community members who were shaken to their very core by these sudden and unwarranted acts of violence. prgtoken But as I visited with the families and offered my condolences following each of these attacks, there was one common refrain, one common request: Please do something. Now, if I knew of a way to introduce and pass legislation that could stop these types of criminal acts from occurring, I guarantee we could pass it with 100 percent of the Senate and 435 Members of the House, and the President would sign it. But that, unfortunately, is not the human condition. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix, no simple answer. Instead, we are left to look at the factors that led to these attacks and to try to do something to prevent the sequence of events from playing out again in the future. prgtoken Following the shooting in Sutherland Springs, we quickly learned some disturbing facts about the shooter and how he obtained his weapons. He had a history of violence and a criminal conviction that should have prevented him from ever purchasing a firearm. But this information was never uploaded into the background check system run by the FBI. As a result, the shooter was able to purchase four firearms, three of which were used in the attack. He shouldn't have been able to do that. prgtoken Every time something like this happens, it is only natural to say: What if? What if those convictions had been uploaded? What if he wasn't able to purchase those firearms? Could we have stopped this terrible loss of life? prgtoken My goal then, as it is now, is to do everything I can to make sure those questions don't have to be asked again. prgtoken Ten days after the Sutherland Springs shooting, I introduced a piece of legislation called Fix NICS--Fix the National Instant Criminal Background Check System--to fill the gaps in our background check system and ensure that government agencies submit relevant evidence. We worked hard on it over a long period of time, and it passed with more than 70 Senate bipartisan cosponsors. prgtoken What is the result of the Fix NICS bill we passed in the wake of Sutherland Springs? We now know that the Federal Government has increased its record submissions to the background check system by 400 percent--a 400-percent increase in the background check system. That means if somebody is dishonorably discharged from the military, if somebody has been convicte
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, RELATING TO...
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-10-23

my mom would always say: You know, it is not a good sign if you are doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. prgtoken My colleagues have sought several times, under the guise of election security, to circumvent going to the Rules Committee and trying to bring these bills to the floor. prgtoken It is important to note that the legislation they are bringing would do something that most people, especially people in Tennessee, tell me they do not want to see happen. What it would do is take away authority from your local election commission, your State election commission, and then vest that authority with the Federal Government. prgtoken Federalizing our elections, in my opinion, would actually make them less secure. Is there anybody who thinks the Federal Government is going to do a better job of administering an election in Williamson County, TN, where I live and where I have served on the election commission? The answer would be ``of course, not.'' They know that their friends and neighbors who served on those entities would do a better job. prgtoken I must also remind my colleagues that every single Member--, , and Independent; every Member of the Senate--agrees that foreign meddling in our Nation's business is a problem. For decades, foreign nations have sought to meddle in our affairs in the physical space. Ought we to have expected them to try this in the virtual space? It ought not have come as a surprise to us. prgtoken We also know that Members are working on this issue, and that there has been progress that has been made by the Intel community, by State- level authorities, and by those who are making certain these election systems are secure. And guess what. They are doing this without a Federal power grab taking place. prgtoken I fear that my friends on the other side of the aisle still have not gotten prgtoken over that they lost in 2016. Further, they have yet to accept that their colleagues in the House of Representatives have turned their best hopes for correcting this electoral disappointment into a farce. prgtoken We know that in 2016 the Russians seized upon partisan hysteria and used it to pit the American people against one another. They did not affect voting in election systems. prgtoken It is not too much to ask that my friends in the minority cease using the business of the Senate to continue these requests. prgtoken I do object to the motion.