mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT
Randy K. Weber, Sr. (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-26

I thank Mr. Mitchell for yielding. prgtoken , tonight, the Texas delegation comes before the American people to say that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is working. It is making a positive impact on our paychecks and our lives. This bill is making a big difference--not just crumbs--it is making a big difference. prgtoken , Ronald Reagan once said: `` . . . whenever we lower the tax rates, our Nation is better off.'' President Reagan was on to something. prgtoken , in just over 2 months--listen to these astounding statistics--in just over 2 months, 350 companies have announced more than $3 billion worth of bonuses. That benefits over 4 million Americans. The success of this bill spans from coast to coast and across all industries, both large and small, and across and , I might add, . prgtoken During the week, I hear the success of this bill as companies make their various announcements. Then, on the weekends, when I am back home and out in the district, I have people coming up to me, telling me about the great things this bill is doing for them, their families, and their businesses. prgtoken The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is making a big difference. Everyone has a story to share. Paychecks are bigger. There are more opportunities. Student loans don't seem as daunting. A new car seems within reach. Sports equipment for their children is reasonable. That family vacation they have been saving for now is on the verge of reality. prgtoken , we have a lot of small businesses in the 14th District of Texas. I used to be one of them, as Mr. Mitchell alluded to. Those small businesses support the community in more ways than one. prgtoken One, in particular, in my district has announced benefits from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and that is Hawkins Lease Service in Alvin, Texas. Jay and Adrienne Hawkins are great friends, great business people, and great patriots. Jay let me know the other day that they recently gave each of their employees a $1,000 bonus. Let me repeat that: it is $1,000. If I remember correctly, Jay said they have 120 employees. Now--do the math--that is $120,000 put back into this economy, . That is far from crumbs. If you ask me, that will make a huge difference. prgtoken ExxonMobil announced they were expanding their Permian Basin project. This expansion alone will create thousands of jobs, strengthen the economy, and bolster energy security, and national security, I might add. The Permian Basin is a bit of a drive away from us on the coast, but the increased production will provide low-cost supply and feedstocks to their operations throughout the State, including ExxonMobil's plant in our very own district, in Beaumont, Texas. prgtoken , I want to tell you that there was something my dad taught me: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I will tell you what, he also taught me: if it is broke, you better fix it, and fix it we did. prgtoken My hat is off to Kevin Brady--what a great job he did--al
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-2-26

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to prgtoken the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-26

, my friend from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell), and his cohost, Mrs. Walters of California, for this first Special Order of the Tax Reform Truth Squad. prgtoken We are thrilled that Texans have the first chance to speak on such an important issue. Texans love to brag about Texas, and that is what we will do tonight. That is what I will do. prgtoken I want to brag about two stories from home and two faces from home. The first face is Justin Mannino. He runs the Houston Shoe Hospital in my hometown of Sugar Land, Texas. It is right there at the corner of Williams Trace and State Highway 6. For 10 years, I have taken my boots to be shined at that store. prgtoken I have talked to Justin about what the Tax Code and the cuts will do for his business. He said: It is simple. More money in my pocket means I will pay off all my credit cards and all our debt. prgtoken But most importantly, Justin met his bride in Mexico. They were married there. With all this new money he has because of our tax cuts, he plans to take his two kids to the same church where they were married to baptize them in the Lord, Jesus Christ. That is priceless. That has happened because of these tax cuts. prgtoken A second story and face that comes to mind is a dear friend, Andres Novoa. He is the owner of a Fort Bend County icon, La Cocina Mexican Restaurant, right there off of Highway 357. prgtoken He told me that the biggest benefit to his business is that he can pay his employees more--more money in their pockets. He can expand his business. He can get new equipment. He said the last 4 years of high taxes and the exploding regulations have caused a small retraction in his business. He is now in full expansion mode. He is giving his employees more pay and has plans right now to buy more equipment. prgtoken And there is more. prgtoken Andres is the heart and soul of an annual fundraiser for seniors' Meals on Wheels in Fort Bend County. Every Cinco de Mayo, when Mexico celebrates their independence from France, he has a fundraiser at La Cocina. Last year, he raised over $60,000. With more money in his pocket, he thinks he can have a bigger party and maybe raise $100,000, or maybe purchase a new van to deliver food. prgtoken This is a picture of Andres. He is smiling because he was talking with us about those amazing tax cuts. He is just one more picture. prgtoken I invite America to check out Justin's and Andres' story at my website, my Facebook page, or on Twitter. Hear their voices. See them speak. Learn what they have learned. prgtoken I will close with a request from Justin and Andres. They want me to say thank you to President and thank you to every Member of Congress who voted for this bill. prgtoken This bill is not about crumbs. This bill is about real money in real people's pockets. I invite everyone to come down to Houston, Texas, in Sugar Land, and get your boots shined at Houston Shoe Hospital. If you h
TRIBUTE TO McKENZIE BOBBITT
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-2-26

today I recognize McKenzie Bobbitt, an intern in my Washington, DC, office, for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota over the past several months. prgtoken McKenzie is a graduate of Texas A&M University--Commerce, in Commerce, TX, having earned a degree in business administration. She is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of her experience. prgtoken I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to McKenzie for all of the fine work she has done and wish her continued success in the years to come.
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF GLOBAL HUNGER
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-2-26

I rise today to emphasize the need for broadband development in rural communities. More and more, we see a transition from ``brick and mortar'' to ``click and mortar'' establishments, with the world quickly moving from paper to digital. prgtoken In rural America, the digital divide is becoming increasingly present. From limited connection speeds to locations entirely without service, these communities are lacking the same basic abilities as their urban counterparts. I am encouraged to see so many conversations happening in and around the Hill related to removing the barriers to connecting Americans, but there is still a lot of work to be done. prgtoken I applaud the efforts of President , Chairman Pai, and Agriculture Secretary Perdue in making rural broadband deployment a national priority as we head into 2018. I hope that my colleagues here in Congress will remember that all Americans deserve reasonable and comparable service, no matter where in the country they live.
REMEMBERING THE ANNIVERSARIES OF TWO TRAGEDIES IN AZERBAIJAN
Bill Shuster (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-2-26

as Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, I would like to take time to recognize the anniversaries of two tragedies in the history of this great American ally. prgtoken On January 20th 1990, heavily-armed Soviet troops stormed the capital city of Baku in a final attempt to quell anti-communist uprising. The day is most commonly known as ``Black January'' due to the terrible human losses and subsequent military rule. 26,000 soldiers fired into crowds of civilians targeting women, children, hospitals, and ambulances. Fighting lasted for three days and resulted in 131 fatalities, over 600 injuries, 841 arrests where detainees were subject to torture, and to this day an unknown number are still missing. These horrific acts did not have their desired effect in the slightest on Azerbaijan who won independence less than two years later. prgtoken The second occurred on this day, February 26, twenty-six years ago in the city of Khojaly where several thousand ethnic Azerbaijani people were trapped in a blockade by Armenian troops seeking to lay claim to the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Citizens of the city were told that they may escape if they left immediately but regardless, hundreds of innocent citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, were brutally murdered or taken prisoner on that day. This was the largest massacre as part of a conflict that is still ongoing. prgtoken As the first nation to lend its support to the United States following the attacks of September 11th, so too does Azerbaijan deserve our support and condolences for their losses. These were terrible crimes against humanity which we must never forget, and I urge my colleagues to commemorate them on this day.
DENICE MIRACLE--AMERICAN AIRLINES EMPLOYEE TO THE RESCUE
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-26

New York City lights, modeling, and starring in music videos sounds like a script from a movie. So when two young girls met a man they knew as ``Drey'' on Instagram, they thought they had their ticket to the spotlight. Little did they know they were about to be victims of human sex trafficking. prgtoken The 15- and 17-year-old girls headed to the airport, ready to check into their American Airlines flight. Denice Miracle, however, was working the American Airlines ticket counter when the girls approached. She noticed that the teenagers looked nervous. They had too many bags, no adult was with them, and they had one-way, first-class tickets. prgtoken Denise's training kicked in, recognizing the red flags of human trafficking. She immediately alerted law enforcement, and they came to the rescue. Thankfully, this story ends with both girls returning home safely. They were not trafficked into the scourge of human slavery, in large part, because of Denice, who saw something and said something. prgtoken We thank people like Denise Miracle for their work, for their personal involvement in rescuing these two girls from evil. prgtoken And that is just the way it is.
Congratulating the U.S. Women's Hockey Team (Executive Session)
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2018-2-26

I rise today to honor the U.S. women's hockey team for their outstanding victories in the 2018 Winter Olympics. All told, the team won four games, including two 5-to-0 wins over Finland and Russia, and finished as champions after a 3-to-2 victory over Team Canada. Their achievement stands as a powerful example of hard work, perseverance, and collaboration. prgtoken North Dakota is proud to be represented among the talented members of this team by two athletes, the Lamoureux twins, Jocelyne and Monique. These sisters are natives of Grand Forks, ND, and alumni of the University of North Dakota, where they played three seasons of NCAA women's hockey. prgtoken This was their third trip to the Olympics with Team USA, having won silver medals in 2010 and 2014 and, of course, now the gold in 2018. They have a tremendous collegiate record and a tremendous Olympic record now, as well. Across their Olympic careers, they have scored 13 goals and provided 17 assists, for a total of 30 points. They displayed tremendous skill, tremendous work ethic, and a tremendous team spirit as leaders of a great women's Olympic hockey team. prgtoken Jocelyne holds an Olympic record now, as well, having scored two goals in less than 6 seconds in the match against Finland. However, it was in the final game where the Lamoureux twins really shined. It was a close game throughout. While Team USA started out with the lead, Team Canada came back in the second period with a 2-to-1 lead. Remember, Canada had won gold in the last two Olympics. It was Monique who brought the game to a tie in the final period, and then Jocelyne scored the game-winning goal in the shootout. How great is that? It was unbelievable and exciting. It was such a great representation of sportsmanship for our Nation, coming back after twice seeing Canada take the gold, ending up with silver, and now coming back and winning the gold. This ended Canada's four-time gold-winning streak in women's hockey. Obviously, it was a joyous occasion--certainly for my State of North Dakota but also for our whole country. It is uplifting and positive--all the things you want the Olympics to be. prgtoken As they arrive home from South Korea, we congratulate Team USA for their historic victory and thank them for representing our Nation with their incredible dedication, tireless effort, and tremendous sportsmanship. prgtoken I yielded floor.
RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF NBA ALL-STAR JOE JOHNSON
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-2-26

I rise today to recognize North Little Rock Middle School teacher Dawn McLain. Dawn, a sixth grade science and math teacher, recently was named a 2017-2018 recipient of the national Milken Educator Award, one of only 44 across our country. This prestigious honor is given to teachers with exceptional educational talent who impact students both in and out of the classroom. prgtoken Dawn has not only increased her students' test scores, but she has engaged her students through robotics, design modeling, and rocketry. She is a strong proponent of project-based learning, technology integration, and data deployment. Dawn is also focused on helping her students build life skills that will help them succeed into adulthood and works to build strong relationships with both parents and her students. prgtoken Teachers like Dawn prove that education is one of the best investments America can make. I am proud to represent her and all the teachers of central Arkansas who are making a difference in the lives of our kids. Recognizing Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Heffernan
KENTUCKY FLOODING
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-2-26

over the last week, heavy rains and strong winds caused widespread destruction-across Kentucky. Sustained rainfall has led to devastating flooding in many communities, especially along the Ohio River. prgtoken The high waters have closed dozens of roads, and some areas are reporting dangerous mudslides. The extent of this flooding hasn't been seen in my State since the 1997 flood. prgtoken In addition, the National Weather Service has confirmed that three tornadoes touched down in western Kentucky. The entire Commonwealth is under a state of emergency because of the damage caused by this severe weather. prgtoken I was saddened to hear reports this morning that these destructive storms have claimed the lives of three Kentuckians. Many are still struggling to stay safe. prgtoken As they always do, Kentucky's emergency personnel responded quickly and professionally to the storms and the aftermath. Rescuing many individuals from their homes or their cars, these dedicated men and women continue to do everything they can to protect Kentuckians in need. They have our sincere gratitude. prgtoken Although the sky has cleared, there is more rain in the forecast for this week. prgtoken My staff in the State and I will continue to monitor this situation as it develops throughout Kentucky.
ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH ACT OF 2017
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-26

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , today I rise in support of H.R. 2422, the Action for Dental Health Act of 2017, introduced by Representative Robin Kelly. prgtoken The bill reauthorizes the oral health promotion and disease prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and permits the CDC to award grants or enter into contracts with stakeholders to develop projects to improve oral health education and dental disease prevention. This bill also reauthorizes HRSA's Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities and permits States to establish dental homes, mobile or portable dental clinics, initiatives to reduce the use of emergency departments by patients seeking dental services, and initiatives to provide dental care to nursing home residents. prgtoken Good oral health is an important component of good overall health, and this bill takes important steps to help improve the dental care in underserved communities. prgtoken , .
ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH ACT OF 2017
Gene Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-2-26

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 2422, the Action for Dental Health Act, sponsored by my colleague, Congresswoman Robin Kelly from Illinois. prgtoken For millions of Americans, affordable dental care is hard to find and desperately needed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all individuals in our country over the age of 30 suffer from some form of gum disease. One in four children under the age of 5 already have cavities. prgtoken The lack of basic oral health services in some communities today leads many Americans to delay treatment to the point the pain is so severe that they rush to the emergency room, where they receive expensive treatment for common dental issues. prgtoken Dental care is necessary for more than cosmetic reasons. Good oral health is vital to a person's overall health. Bad oral health can be a sign of larger health issues. prgtoken Increasing access to affordable dental care would lower the number of emergency department visits for preventable oral health conditions and reduce the risk of chronic disease. prgtoken The Action for Dental Health Act will make grants available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, for programs to improve oral health for underserved populations. prgtoken This legislation will make it possible for groups, such as State health departments and nonprofit dental societies, to receive funding for critical oral health services. These services may include providing dental services to nursing home residents, operating a mobile dental clinic, or implementing an emergency room program so patients can receive dental care in the dentist's chair instead of the ER. prgtoken I thank the bill's sponsors for their bipartisan work on this important legislation. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Action for Dental Health Act. prgtoken , I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), the sponsor of this bill.
GUN VIOLENCE
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-2-26

let me thank the distinguished gentleman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for his leadership. I am delighted to join the Congressional Black Caucus this evening under the leadership of Chairman Richmond. prgtoken As my colleagues have said, we have been, sadly, a leader on commonsense gun safety legislation, sadly, because many of our districts, although we represent the huge numbers of diverse Americans--our districts represent Anglos, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians, and all economic backgrounds, all wealth backgrounds, all backgrounds dealing with religion--we are able to speak because many of our districts have the reality of gun violence. prgtoken So I want to speak, , to a particular point that I have heard from the stander-uppers of the NRA, particularly the president and CEO when he spoke to the conservative organization just this past week. I was certainly shocked to hear accusations about are socialists, even to the extent of calling out Members' names, which I think patently rejects the comity and collegiality of recognizing democracy accepts two distinct parties and some other parties and respects differences of opinion. prgtoken But let me be very clear on the record. No one Member of this body, nor the distinguished gentleman, can eliminate the Second Amendment. No group of 20 Members of Congress, no s of Congress and no of Congress, can eliminate the Second Amendment. prgtoken The Second Amendment is a constitutional amendment, and there is a decided practice of a percentage of Members of Congress and the percentage of Members of 50 States. With that in mind, let us clear the air. But if we want to know the truth, what is being fought is gun safety legislation, not gun eradication. prgtoken In my State, you cannot rent a car if you are not 21. The Federal law says that you cannot buy a gun if you are not 21. I will be introducing legislation to raise the age of 21. I already have legislation, a 7-day waiting period banning bump stocks, and, of course, dealing with automatic weapons. I know we are introducing one now. prgtoken There are a multitude of introductions of bills and a multitude of decisions being made by the Florida delegation which we should listen to. I hope they will come forward in a bipartisan way. prgtoken But let me talk about the children and parents. I was on the air today talking--or hearing that parents are hovering and scared of sending their children to school, and the children are scared. This last week I went into my schools where children were not only talking about not arming teachers, but the gunfire in their neighborhoods by handguns, or those who were in schools dealing with children who had steered in the wrong direction. Those children were talking about you got to pack. Gun culture doesn't realize what we are turning our children into that they have got to pack. prgtoken So from Las Vegas to Orlando, to Virginia, to Sandy