mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILL
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-1-18

the House has sent us a bill that should be an easy ``yes'' vote for every Senator in this Chamber--an easy ``yes'' vote. This bill continues government funding, prevents a needless shutdown, and extends a key health insurance program for vulnerable children for 6 years. Its content is bipartisan. There are no provisions that any of my ic friends oppose. It is a simple step that will let us continue bipartisan talks without throwing the government into disarray for no reason. prgtoken Americans are surprised this is even a debate. I don't blame them. I share their surprise that some ic Senators see the prospect of a government shutdown for more than 300 million Americans, see a possible lapse in health coverage for 9 million vulnerable American kids, and they have attempted to hold all of that hostage until we resolve a nonimminent problem related to illegal immigration. prgtoken The surprise is compounded for anyone who listens to the public statements of my ic colleagues and takes them at their word. Less than a week ago, the senior Senator from Colorado was asked whether it was prudent to shut the government down over the issue of illegal immigration. He insisted it was not. prgtoken Last month, my friend, the senior Senator from West Virginia, had this to say: ``I'm not going to make 300 million people suffer because I can't get the process working the way it should.'' prgtoken The junior Senator from Virginia put it even more clearly. This is what he had to say: ``I will exercise every bit of leverage I can . . . but if there is a vote that would lead to a shutdown, that is where I draw the line.'' prgtoken Not more than 2 days ago, the senior Senator from Missouri said she wasn't ``interested in drawing a line in the sand'' because ``that's how negotiations get blown up.'' prgtoken Well, I hope their votes this evening reflect those recent statements. prgtoken Some of my colleagues say they are reluctant to support this measure not because of illegal immigration but simply because they are tired of continuing resolutions. They point out that this is a suboptimal way to fund our government, especially our warfighters. prgtoken That is precisely why s worked hard all last month and all this month--all last month and all this month--to try to negotiate a long-term spending caps agreement that would bring stability back to government funding, but the ic leadership made it clear they would not be serious about these spending talks until this unrelated immigration issue was solved. prgtoken So now, unfortunately, a continuing resolution is the only option our Armed Forces have this evening. Let's not pretend for a moment--not a moment--that our men and women in uniform and their families benefit from a government shutdown. prgtoken This is how we got here. My ic colleagues' demand on illegal immigration, at the behest of their far-left base, have c
CHINA'S STRATEGY TO ACCRUE GLOBAL POWER
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-18

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate the gentleman holding the Special Order on China. prgtoken It is important that Americans know who the Chinese are, what they are up to, and what their plans are in the future. prgtoken We will start with North Korea. No question about it: China could rein in North Korea and little Kim if China wanted to. They don't want to. That is why he is a menace to not only that region, but to the rest of the world. But China could rein in little Kim. They are storing millions--maybe billions--of dollars in assets in China. They could freeze those assets. They could cut off trade with North Korea. prgtoken China must understand that it is in their interest that North Korea not get nuclear weapons; not necessarily our interest, but their interest. When they come to that realization--which I think it is in their interest that North Korea be reined in to make sure that they don't use nuclear weapons or continue to develop nuclear weapons or use weapons against any of their neighbors--then North Korea will cease its belligerent activities. prgtoken The key lies with Beijing. If they make that decision, the world will be safer. If they don't make that decision, the world and Beijing will not be safer either. prgtoken Also, I want to point out kind of their philosophy, why they act the way they do. prgtoken Beijing has, first of all, little regard for the lives of the millions of Chinese citizens. China's communist regime shares more values with the communist North Korea than it does the U.S. prgtoken For decades, Beijing's human rights record has been among the worst in the whole world. It has persecuted not thousands, but millions of people who are not followers of communism and Maoism. prgtoken , remember, communism--because China is a communist nation, although it is not really politically correct to say that much anymore, they are a communist nation that teaches against God, and their God is the state and tells the people you have to worship the state. prgtoken So when you have an atheistic regime in charge, you can see why they persecute their own people and torture not only Christians and Muslims, but Tibetans and other people who don't agree with their atheistic philosophy. prgtoken We need to be sure, as a country built on religious freedom, that we call China out for its abuse and persecution of its own people. I know we trade with the Chinese. They are a big trading partner. I don't think trade and money ought to get in the way of calling China out for abusing the people who live in China and abusing their rights of religious freedom. We can't turn a blind eye to that merely because we trade with them as a major trading partner. prgtoken We have learned through history that regimes that oppress their own people just seem to have ambitions beyond their own borders and subjugate those people as well. prgtoken The South China Sea, most Americans probably don't even know wh
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4712, BORN-ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT, AND PROVIDING FOR PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 22, 2018, THROUGH JANUARY 26, 2018
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-1-18

I come to the floor on this. I want to make sure that people know that I am an original cosponsor of the underlying bill. I support the underlying bill. I have signed on to every piece of pro-life legislation that I can find, and I came here to save as many lives as we can. prgtoken My question out here is: What do you have to do to break out of the straightjacket of incrementalism and get to actually saving numbers of lives? prgtoken My hat is off to Jill Stanek. She brought this bill a long way. We are going to honor her today on the vote on the final passage of the bill. prgtoken But I am putting up a procedural vote, a ``no'' vote on the rule today, because we have 170 cosponsors on the Heartbeat bill. I have gone to every meeting. Nobody brought this bill up as the premier bill, and somehow, one outside organization came in and lobbied to put this ahead. It had 61 cosponsors instead of 170. There has been no hearing. prgtoken I am for the bill. Attach them both together. Let's save all the lives we can. But if nobody has the courage to step up and say what is wrong with this process, then we're never going to fix the process. prgtoken So I am going to vote ``no'' on the rule. I won't ask anybody else to do that. I will vote ``yes'' on the underlying bill, and I will go back to work to save as many lives as we possibly can.
MISCELLANEOUS TARIFF BILL ACT OF 2018
George Holding (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-1-18

I rise today in strong support of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. prgtoken As you know, I represent the great state of North Carolina which has more MTBs recommended by the ITC than any other state. prgtoken Of the 1,800 petitions from the ITC, around 330 of those were submitted by North Carolinians. This represents a tax cut for them of $70 million in 2018 alone. prgtoken This legislation benefits a wide variety of manufacturers in my home state, and across the nation. Textile manufacturers like Glen Raven, or crop science companies around the Research Triangle Park, or appliance manufacturers in Charlotte, would all benefit under this plan. prgtoken Requiring American manufacturers to pay tariffs for imported products not made in the United States puts them at a competitive disadvantage to other countries. This bill is an opportunity to cut those tariffs, which are taxes, and have them reinvested in our communities. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to support this very important bill.
PROTECTING LIFE
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-1-18

there has just been a dialogue--a colloquy--here on the floor. I thank Senator Daines from Montana, Senator Blunt from Missouri, Senator Ernst from Iowa, and Senator Sasse from Nebraska for joining in a dialogue of this basic issue of life. prgtoken In 1973 this week, Roe v. Wade was passed by the Supreme Court in a split decision. We are still having this dialogue, and there is still an ongoing argument about looking into the womb. We know a lot more now--about times now--than they knew in 1973, and we know a lot more about the development of a child now than they knew in 1973. We are still having this ongoing debate that, I think, is a righteous debate, quite frankly. I think it is entirely appropriate for us to be able to talk about these kinds of difficult issues and try to find some resolution. The American people have these dialogues, and we should have them here and be able to bring the debate to the forefront. prgtoken This is not about people whom we hate. It is always interesting to be able to get the dialogue and pushback from people who say: You just hate people because of whatever reason. It is not true. It is, actually, that we love children. That is really the issue. There is a vulnerable child in the middle of this conversation, and sometimes they don't seem to come up in the conversation about protecting rights or about giving people privacy. All of those things are wonderful euphemisms, but in the middle of that, there is a very small child who is being discussed. We are trying to elevate their voice--to literally speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. We think that is an appropriate role for government--to speak out for the most vulnerable and see if we can find justice for those individuals. prgtoken This week is not only the week that we have the anniversary of Roe v. Wade; it is also the week that we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I would say that he is a terrific role model in this conversation. His basic teaching is that hate doesn't win over a friend, that only love can do that. Only love can transform an enemy into a friend. That is what we are trying to do. prgtoken To the people who oppose this idea, we get it. We can have that dialogue. They are not our enemies, though. Quite frankly, we want to respond to their comments in love and say, ``Let's sit down and have a reasonable dialogue. Let's express our affection for children,'' and be able to talk about how valuable they really are in our society. Let's talk about adoption. Let's talk about ways to be able to continue to take care of them. In the middle of it, let's talk about a child as a child, not just as tissue that is random, because tissue that is just random doesn't suck its thumb and smile back at you. It doesn't stretch and yawn. It is a child who does that. We want to be able to have that conversation. prgtoken I would urge this body to stop ignoring what millions of the American people
PROTECTING LIFE
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-1-18

I wish to thank my colleagues from Oklahoma and Missouri, and we will be joined shortly by the Senator from Montana as well. prgtoken I am rising today to discuss the importance of protecting and celebrating life. prgtoken As I travel across the State of Iowa, I have had the opportunity to hear directly from families whose lives have been changed by the innovative, life-affirming services offered by their local pregnancy resource center. There are so many more stories of vulnerable lives saved all across the country, not just in Iowa but all across the country. prgtoken I would like to begin by recognizing the critical, on-the-ground actions of these pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies across the country that are changing and saving lives. I want to thank them for all they do. prgtoken Since coming to Washington, I have tried to hold Congress accountable to do its part to protect the most vulnerable in our society. The Senator from Missouri has mentioned that we can measure a society, and ours is a great society, but we can do more to protect those who are vulnerable. For example, last January, I introduced legislation to defund Planned Parenthood while protecting women's healthcare centers. As I have stated time and again, taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for roughly half a billion dollars annually for an organization like Planned Parenthood that exhibits such disrespect for human life. Despite what they may claim otherwise, Planned Parenthood is not the Nation's preeminent provider of women's healthcare. For example, Planned Parenthood facilities don't even perform in-house mammograms. They don't do that. Community health centers, on the other hand, continue to greatly outnumber Planned Parenthoods. They provide greater preventive primary healthcare services, regardless of a person's ability to pay. prgtoken Additionally, last April, President signed my legislation into law that ensures States are not forced to provide entities like Planned Parenthood--the Nation's single largest provider of abortions--with Federal title X dollars. prgtoken I am grateful to have worked with Congresswoman Diane Black, a dear friend in the House; my Senate colleagues, who are with me here today; and President to make sure States are not forced to award providers like Planned Parenthood with taxpayer dollars through title X family planning grants. prgtoken Another effort my colleagues and I continue to work on is passing Senator Graham's Pain-Capable Unborn Children Protection Act in the Senate. Whenever I discuss this bill, I cannot help but share the remarkable story of a very special family from Newton, IA. prgtoken In July 2012, Micah Pickering was born prematurely at just 20 weeks postfertilization--the very age at which this bill would prohibit abortions. When he was born, Micah was only--if you can imagine it-- about the size of a bag of M&Ms, about t
PROTECTING LIFE
Ben Sasse (Republican, NE) \u2014 2018-1-18

I say thank you very much to the Senator from Oklahoma and thanks to the Senator from Montana for spelling me. I have been sitting in the Presiding chair during this colloquy, so I have not been on the ground floor able to participate, but I would like to associate myself with this colloquy and with the leadership of the Senators from Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, and Montana. prgtoken I, too, know Micah, and it is an amazing thing. I wish all 100 Senators had a chance to know Micah and his family. I also want to associate myself with the comments of the Senator from Oklahoma, as he began this, that we are one of only four countries in the world that allow elective abortion at any time for any reason. Our peers in this are North Korea, China, and Vietnam, and it is a genuine shame. The American people need to understand that, and this body needs to grapple with that reality. prgtoken As the Senator from Missouri said, it is special to be a part of the rally and march over the next 36 hours because the college kids who are coming here understand this far better than the general public. There is a movement in this country to want to respect and celebrate life, and good things are happening generationally with this cause. prgtoken I want to associate myself with this colloquy and thank the Senator from Montana for spelling me from the chair. Thank you.
FEDERAL REGISTER PRINTING SAVINGS ACT OF 2017
Ryan A. Costello (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-1-18

we need to keep the government open, and we need to keep the government funded, and we need to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program. Now, in the Energy and Commerce Committee, we passed CHIP, reauthorized for 5 years out of committee in October. We passed it out of the full House in November. We are now back to authorize it for a full 6 years. We do not need any additional pay-fors. prgtoken This will help 177,000 children in Pennsylvania and millions across the country. CHIP funding will be exhausted next month in Pennsylvania. Right now, some States already face a shortfall in their funding as the program has not yet been fully reauthorized for all of fiscal year 2018. prgtoken It is past time that we provide a long-term solution and stability for families who depend on this quality, affordable coverage. I have heard from so many constituents--I have heard from many -- urging us to reauthorize CHIP. Tonight, we have a vote to keep the government open and to reauthorize CHIP. The right vote on this bill is a ``yes'' vote. That is the vote I will be taking on behalf of my constituents and this country.
FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-1-18

here in the Senate have really raised obstruction to an art form in this Congress. The Presidential nominees--they have obstructed and obstructed some more, even when they ultimately planned to support the nominee. We have had many nominees who have come to the floor who have been objected to and had to go through the long postcloture process, only to get to the end of it and have those nominees be voted out in many cases unanimously. I have seen that happen in the committee that I chair, the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. We have nominees over here who are noncontroversial who are being held up by the . Many of them are in important prgtoken positions in our government. The FRA--Federal Railroad Administrator-- is a key safety position in the administration who is being held up by the even though he is supremely qualified for the job and I think will have a huge bipartisan vote here in the Senate, were it to occur. prgtoken We have seen this consistent pattern of obstruction when it comes to nominees and giving the President an opportunity to fill his administration with the positions that are key to not only his getting his agenda done but the American people seeing their government function in a way that represents their interests. prgtoken Tax reform. Well, absolutely refused to work with s on a bill. They fought hard against passage despite the fact that the have previously called for reform and supported many of the very proposals that were included in the law. prgtoken Now, of course, the are threatening to shut down the government and block funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program--a program they claim to support--because they are not happy that they are not getting an immigration bill that they want this week. That is right, -- are threatening to shut down the government and block funding for health insurance for 9 million low-income children because they are not getting the bill they want when they want it. prgtoken Members on both sides of the aisle are eager to find a legislative solution to the status of children who were brought to this country illegally through no fault of their own. There is broad support among both and s for getting a solution to that. In fact, there is a group who has been meeting every day on that very issue in an attempt to try to put together a solution that would help address that issue in a way that not only resolves the status of these young people who came to this country illegally but also addresses the broader issue of border security and chain migration and visa lotteries and all those sorts of things. So there are a series of issues that relate to immigration that are being worked on now by both sides of the aisle in the hope that they can come to a solution about that, but there is no agreement just yet. prgtoken
RECOGNIZING DR. TIMOTHY M. BLOCK
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-1-18

I rise to recognize the players, staff, and coaches of the Archbishop Wood football team and congratulate them on winning the PIAA Class 5A State championship. With their discipline and hard work, the young men of this football team have continued a tradition of excellence for the Vikings. The dominance they displayed in their championship win in December is an excellent example of what teamwork and tenacity can achieve. They have made our community very proud. prgtoken To the coaching staff, we say congratulations and thank you for leading and teaching these young men. It is my hope that the lessons of determination and perseverance that these student athletes have learned will help guide them off the field as well. prgtoken To the fans, friends, and family that have supported Archbishop Wood, we say congratulations. To all those who work with and support organized youth sports in our district, we say thank you.
TAX REFORM
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-1-18

I would like to speak about a tax issue. It was nearly 3 weeks ago that the President signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It is the most sweeping reform of our Tax Code in more than three decades. This tax reform provides both tax simplification and tax cuts for the vast majority of taxpayers. prgtoken Importantly, the tax reform bill made good on its commitment to provide real relief to small business owners, and that also includes family farmers and ranchers. As one of only three Senators on both the Finance Committee and the Agriculture Committee, it was a priority of mine to represent agriculture and the family farm institution throughout the tax reform debate. prgtoken Fair treatment for farmers under tax reform was especially important to me, given the large role agriculture plays in the economy of the State of Iowa. Ag accounts for one out of every five jobs in the State and makes up 33 percent of Iowa's economy. The tax reform bill provided a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make real and long-lasting reforms for farmers, ranchers, and every American working in our agricultural industry. prgtoken Broadly speaking, across the board, rate reductions will let Americans keep more of their own money. This will afford farmers the opportunity to reinvest in their operations instead of sending that financial capital to politicians in Washington. prgtoken Tax reform legislation expands section 179 of the Tax Code, which helps farmers finance overhead costs. It enables farmers to deduct more expenses in the year they occurred and also expands the availability of cash accounting to more farmers in Iowa and throughout the country. These provisions will allow farmers to invest in the equipment necessary to do the job of feeding the Nation and the world. prgtoken The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers taxes on capital investment and includes a business income deduction, which will help level the playing field between farms that file as corporations and those that file as individuals. More than 94 percent of farms are taxed under the IRS provisions affecting individual taxpayers. The bulk of agriculture producers who operate outside the corporate tax code deserve basic fairness. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act makes sure that those taxed under the individual and corporate tax codes are treated with more equity. prgtoken One of the most frequently discussed issues in tax reform discussion is the estate tax, which can force family farms to break up operations to pay the IRS following the death of family members. That doesn't happen at the death of a lot of farmers, but in a few cases it does, and it seems to me to be very unfair to break up a farming operation to pay as a result of the consequence of death. I support a full repeal of this unfair tax, but was pleased that in this tax reform legislation we were able to make significant progress in alleviating its burden on family farmers by doubli