mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COLORADO THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2018 OLYMPIANS TRIBUTE
Scott R. Tipton (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-2-6

I rise today to honor the athletes from Colorado's Third Congressional District who are competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The dedication, passion, and spirit of these 21 men and women prove that they are some of the best our nation has to offer, and they serve as a model for young adults all around the world. I am proud to recognize these athletes for their impressive achievement: prgtoken Competing in Alpine Skiing: David Chodounsky, Wiley Maple, Alice McKennis, and Mikaela Shiffrin; prgtoken Competing in Bobsled: Nathan Weber; prgtoken Competing in Cross-Country Skiing: Simi Hamilton and Noah Hoffman; prgtoken Competing in Freestyle Skiing: Aaron Blunck, Alex Ferreira, Gus Kenworthy, Keaton McCargo, and Torin Yater-Wallace; prgtoken Competing in Nordic Combined: Ben Berend, Bryan Fletcher, Taylor Fletcher, and Jasper Good; prgtoken And competing in Snowboarding: Mick Dierdorff, Arielle Gold, Hagen Kearney, Jake Pates, and Meghan Tierney. prgtoken While I am here to acknowledge the athletes that hail from my home district, I would like to thank every member of Team USA for their continued contribution to their sports and communities. prgtoken , it is truly an honor to recognize each of these accomplished athletes. Their talent, hard work, and commitment has allowed them to compete on an international platform and I have no doubt they will make our nation proud. I want to thank them for representing the United States and Colorado's Third Congressional District and I wish them luck as they prepare for their upcoming competitions.
RECOGNIZING THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
Scott Taylor (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-2-6

I rise today to recognize the College of William & Mary's founding by British royal charter 325 years ago on February 8, 1693. prgtoken As our Nation's second oldest college, William & Mary has been coined the ``Alma Mater of the Nation.'' From George Washington to Thomas Jefferson to many of my contemporaries in Congress, William & Mary has played an important role in shaping our Nation and its leaders. prgtoken I am proud to say that that tradition continues today. For the last 325 years, William & Mary has been the place where the world's greatest minds come to study. The college is consistently ranked among our Nation's most elite public universities and delivers an education that is rated among the highest in value for its graduates. prgtoken Many of William & Mary's accomplishments would not have been possible without the leadership of President Reveley. On June 30, he will retire from William & Mary after 27 years of service to the college, the Commonwealth, and the Nation. I want to congratulate President Reveley for a job well done and wish him a happy retirement.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1892, HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Paul Mitchell (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-2-6

I think everyone can agree here that continuing resolutions--CRs--are bad policy. prgtoken For the folks in the gallery, it is simple. CRs are whether we keep the lights on or not. They are whether you can call Social Security and get assistance. They are whether you can figure out what is going on with your taxes, call the IRS. They are whether or not we actually function. prgtoken Yes, it is going to be our fifth CR. Shame on all of us, and I do mean all of us. prgtoken However, the people on the other side of the aisle, they talk about all their legislative agenda they want put in the package and passed or they are going to vote against keeping the lights on. Think about that. prgtoken They say: If we don't get DACA, we are shutting the lights off. If we don't get this, we will shut the lights off. prgtoken That is what happened in the Senate the last shutdown. prgtoken They say: If we don't get full-year funding for the military, we are shutting the lights off. If we don't get DACA, we are shutting the lights off. If we don't get permanent funding for CHIP, we are shutting the lights off. prgtoken It didn't work out very well, did it? prgtoken Our fundamental responsibility is to keep the lights on. There is nothing in this bill that is objectionable. In fact, they have all passed. This bill supports full-year funding for the Department of Defense appropriations. This isn't the first time we passed the appropriations bill for the Department of Defense. We have passed it three times. And we sent it to the Senate to die a cruel and horrible death. prgtoken Why? prgtoken Not because, as was noted by my colleague, that we can't get 51 votes. prgtoken We can't get 60 votes. prgtoken And where do those votes come from? prgtoken On the other side of the aisle, who will do anything to get their agenda, prgtoken including putting our military at risk. People die when we make those decisions, and they have. prgtoken The funding is fully consistent with the NDAA, National Defense Authorization Act, something that was a bipartisan vote. It provides a 2.4 percent increase to the men and women in the military who put their lives on the line for our Nation, well deserved, something we also voted for and supported. prgtoken The bill provides full extensions for popular health programs that, in fact, both sides of the aisle supported, a 2-year extension of community health centers. prgtoken In Michigan, federally qualified health centers serve nearly 650,000 individuals. There are 11 health centers located in my congressional district. They need the funding. That is why I support it. In all of your districts, you have community health centers. prgtoken But you will argue: Unless we get DACA, we won't fund the military; we won't fund the health centers. This bill also extends Medicare policies, providing options for people receiving home care. Again, it was a bipartisan vote, but now we don't want to support it. prgtoken I believe we sh
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2018-2-6

I am in receipt of the Statement of Administration Policy, which indicates that the administration supports this continuing resolution and that the President's advisers would recommend his signature on the bill. prgtoken , I include in the Record the Statement of Administration Policy dated February 6, 2018. Statement of Administration Policy House Amendment to H.R. 1892--Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018--Rep. Frelinghuysen, R-NJ The Administration supports the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892, the Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018. This bill funds most Government programs at current levels through March 23, 2018, while incorporating the text of the House-passed fiscal year (FY) 2018 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which provides the resources the military needs to keep the Nation safe. As the Administration has noted previously, the House- passed Department of DefenseAppropriations Act is consistent with the President's pledge to undo the looming defense spending reductions that are harmful to America's national security and military readiness. The House-passed Department of Defense Appropriations Act incorporated in the bill includes a total of $659 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD), including $584 billion in base spending and $75 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations. These amounts are consistent with a total funding level for DOD similar to that authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, which was signed into law by the President. It includes $1.2 billion requested by the Administration to support increased troop levels in Afghanistan, special operations forces capabilities, and other urgent needs. The United States military's greatest asset is the men and women who volunteer to serve. This bill keeps faith with service members by providing a 2.4 percent military pay raise. It increases end strength across the military services for active duty, reserve, and National Guard personnel, and includes funding for training and maintenance to ensure that United States troops are properly equipped and ready to fight. In addition to supporting the defense bill, the Administration supports language in the House Amendment to H.R. 1892 that provides for an extension of a variety of healthcare provisions, including Community Health Centers. The Administration is also appreciative that the bill includes language requested by the Administration to ensure continuity of operations for the 2020 Decennial Census Program and the Small Business Administration's Disaster Loans Program. The Administration supports continuing discussions over a
IN MEMORY OF BRIGADIER GENERAL VERNON RODNEY TATE, SR.
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-2-6

on February 3, 2018, a memorial service was conducted at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, Maryland, to honor the life of Brigadier General Vernon Rodney Tate, Sr. prgtoken I include in the Record the following obituary published in The Post and Courier on February 1, 2018: Brigadier General Vernon Rodney ``Rod'' Tate, Sr. passed away peacefully on January 28, 2018, in his home on Daniel Island, South Carolina, with his beloved wife, Lynn, his children and two faithful rescue cats, Frankie and Cooper, by his side. He celebrated his 80th birthday this past November with family. Rod was born on November 18, 1937, in Washington, D.C. to Dr. Vernon Dale Tate and Katherine Ann (Moore) Tate, and lived his childhood years in Hingham, Massachusetts. Rod earned his Eagle Scout rank as member of Troop 25 in Hingham, Massachusetts. He moved to Annapolis with his family in 1954 when his father began serving as Director of Libraries at the U.S. Naval Academy. Rod graduated from Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, Massachusetts, in 1957. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland in 1961, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and the University of Maryland Swim Team. He later received a Masters of Business Administration at George Washington University with a focus on International Marketing in 1967. Rod began his career working at Xerox Corporation. He later founded Nationwide Fulfillment Systems located in Ridgely, Maryland, serving Fortune 500 companies. During this time, he served in the U.S. Air Force and spent his last five years in service as a Brigadier General, USAF, working in the Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), which included duties at the Pentagon, Office of Secretary of the Air Force. He was also a Mobilization Assistant to the Inspector General (SAFIG). Upon retirement from the Air Force, Brigadier General Tate received the Distinguished Service Medal. Rod and his late wife, Missy, founded Weems Creek Nursery School and Kindergarten, Annapolis, MD in 1972, which, 46 years later continues making a difference in children's lives. They also established Super Skate roller rink together in 1979. During retirement, Rod and his son, Vernon (Skip) Rodney Tate, Jr. founded Recreation World RV Center, Annapolis, MD. Over his lifetime, Rod was involved in many philanthropic causes, serving in various capacities including Anne Arundel Medical Center, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, the Annapolis Area Christian School, the Summit School, Cushing Academy, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and other organizations. Rod was a member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, the Anna
COMMON SENSE NUTRITION DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-2-6

I join my colleagues in supporting the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. prgtoken Under the administration, the FDA put forward an unworkable, one-size-fits-all mandate on restaurants and retail food establishments for providing calorie and nutrition information to customers. As written, many businesses cannot comply with these rules and would be subject to onerous, arbitrary penalties. prgtoken H.R. 772 is a bipartisan solution that makes compliance possible by providing small businesses with greater flexibility to provide nutrition information in a way that best serves their customers. It ensures customers receive the nutrition information they want, but does so in a way that takes into account the diversity of restaurants and food products. prgtoken This commonsense bill takes a flexible approach that will actually increase access to information for customers and allow good, hardworking Michigan restaurants, grocers, and convenience stores to continue meeting the needs of consumers. prgtoken , I urge its passage.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 772, COMMON SENSE NUTRITION DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1153, MORTGAGE CHOICE ACT OF 2017; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R...
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-2-6

such time as I may consume. prgtoken Washington is out of step with the vast majority of the American people. It is true that we often do work here that moves our country forward, that protects this great land, but it is also true that there is a competing worldview in this City which seeks to rule over the American people. prgtoken In Colorado, we have experienced the negative effects of overreach by the Federal Government. prgtoken How is it that regulators living 1,700 miles away from us believe they can create rules that take into account our needs and that respect our way of life? prgtoken It is just not possible. prgtoken Washington is good at stamping out large Federal programs. The problem is that it usually stamps out individual liberty in the process. This City must stop telling the people of Colorado how to live every detail of their lives. Washington's so-called experts must stop burying Colorado businessmen and -women under piles of rules. prgtoken If we truly free our people to grow and pursue their hopes and dreams, we will experience a renaissance of growth unmatched in our history. This Congress has done good work in rolling back the strong arm of the Federal Government, but there is more work to do. prgtoken These bills before us continue what should be a never-ending pursuit of giving back to the people their personal liberty which has been confiscated by overreaching Federal Government. prgtoken , I thank Chairman Hensarling and Chairman Walden for their work on these bills. I thank Chairman Sessions for bringing these bills to the floor. prgtoken , I urge passage of the bills and the rule.
RECOGNIZING THE COMMISSIONING OF THE USCGC ``JOSEPH GERCZAK''
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-2-6

today I wish to recognize the commissioning of the Coast Guard's 26th Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter, FRC, the USCGC Joseph Gerczak. The commissioning ceremony for this impressive ship will take place in Honolulu, HI, on March 9. Although I regret not being able to attend the ceremony in person, I am deeply honored for the chance to speak about this cutter and the remarkable man for which it is named. prgtoken Joseph Gerczak, a son of Pennsylvania, valiantly died fighting for his country during World War II. He was born on February 10, 1922, in Philadelphia, PA. Soon after enlisting in the Coast Guard on September 26, 1942, he was assigned to a tank landing ship whose job it was to carry tanks, vehicles, cargo, and troops directly onto enemy shores. Gerczak was quickly promoted to signalman third class on this ship, which was called the USS LST-66. prgtoken On December 26, 1943, Gerczak and his crewmates participated in the initial Allied assault on the Japanese-held island of New Britain. During this operation, the USS LST-66 came under sudden attack by seven Japanese dive bombers. Acting without hesitation, Gerczak was the first crewmember to man his battle station; he heroically shot down two Japanese planes before being mortally wounded from the shrapnel of a bomb blast. He was 21 years old. prgtoken For his valor in battle, Gerczak was posthumously awarded both the Silver Star and Purple Heart. The USS LST-66's entire crew was also given the Presidential Unit Commendation. It is exceptionally fitting that Gerczak be honored for the sacrifice he gave during World War II by having his name live on in the service of the U.S. Coast Guard. prgtoken The USCGC Joseph Gerczak will be the second FRC based in Honolulu, HI, replacing the legacy Island-class patrol boats. As a Sentinel-class cutter, it will feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance--C4ISR-- equipment. Furthermore, this ship will be fully interoperable with existing and future Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense assets. These state-of-the-art capabilities will better enable the USCGC Joseph Gerczak to conduct missions that include port, waterways, and the coasts; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in recognition of the commissioning of the USCGC Joseph Gerczak into military service as a Coast Guard ship.
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-2-7

I rise today to speak in support of--and to share a sample of--the positive results my State of Indiana is already experiencing as a result of tax reform. Hoosiers like Chelsee Hatfield, who accompanied me at the State of the Union address last week, are already seeing the benefits of this historic tax overhaul. Chelsee is a young mother of three. She is a teller at a rural branch of First Farmers Bank & Trust Company in Tipton, IN. Chelsee recently learned that she is going to receive a raise and a bonus as a result of tax reform. This additional income will help Chelsee go back to school and earn her associate's degree. It is also going to enable her to put money away for her children's college education. prgtoken First Farmers Bank & Trust is also investing $250,000 per year--per year--in community development in the small rural communities where they serve businesses and individuals. Moreover, First Farmers is going to invest $150,000 per year in employee development. This is just one company throughout the State of Indiana, and we are seeing all sorts of stories like this already emerging. prgtoken Chelsee and the employees of First Farmers Bank & Trust represent so many regular Hoosiers who work in small towns and in our large cities, and they are going to see real benefits, substantial benefits, for themselves and their families. As a result, the entire State and country, of course, will benefit as well. prgtoken Indiana, like so many States, is already seeing a steady stream of tax reform success stories like these--and has ever since we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I will just go through a number of these positive stories that are emerging. prgtoken Anthem, an Indiana-based health insurance company, announced on Monday that more than 58,000 employees and recent retirees will receive $1,000 contributions to their retirements. Now, in my family and in so many families around this country, $1,000 is a lot of money. That is just in the here and now. Moving forward, we can expect increased economic growth, a greater demand for workers, and for more wages to increase. Just in the near term, we know that Anthem has said it will give retirees and employees $1,000 contributions to their retirements. prgtoken Family Express Convenience Stores, out of Valparaiso, announced it is boosting its starting wage for employees at their 70 locations throughout Indiana. Gus Olympidis is its CEO, and he said: ``We feel obligated to pass on a significant portion of the tax savings to our staff.'' Of course, we have heard this from a number of employers and their leadership. They are passing on tax savings to their employees because they want to retain these employees. This, of course, is a good way to do it. prgtoken Southwest Airlines announced that it will be investing in a new fleet of airplanes, and the engines will be built by Hoosiers in Lafayette. prgtoken FedEx is investing $1.5 billion in its Ind
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-2-7

I want to add to Senator Nelson's comments. First, let me just say, in a time when there is a lot of noise and news about the divisions in American politics, despite differences of opinion on issues, this is what I believe the people of Florida want us to do; that is, to come here and work together on the issues we can work together on. I must say, the ability to work with Senator Nelson on this has been invaluable, to have two different Senators from two different parties singing from the same song sheet about the priorities that are critical to our State. prgtoken What is unique about this storm and disaster relief is, the impact wasn't just on Florida, it was also the impact on Puerto Rico. prgtoken When the House passed its relief package at the end of December, it had a lot of good things in it. The President came out with his proposal, and it had some good things, but it needed work. The House took it, and the House added a few things to it. prgtoken Over the last 2 months, we have had the ability to work in the Senate, not in front of the cameras and not, obviously, through a series of press conferences, but in the way legislation is put together. The way we worked together and our offices worked together, we were able to come out with a concise, unified position on the needs of both Florida and Puerto Rico, working with the leadership of the ic Party on his side and the Party on ours. prgtoken I have to tell you, in a place where it is very hard to get 60 percent of what you want--and that is a win--when you start to go through some of the items that are going to be in this relief package, it would be hard to complain. prgtoken With perhaps a small exception here or there, virtually all of the things that are critical for disaster relief for Florida--and to a large extent as well for Puerto Rico--are going to be included. I think, while a lot of us are very concerned about how long it took--we should have done this 4 weeks ago or 3 weeks ago--there are other reasons why it was held up. It wasn't disaster relief that was holding it up, it was the other issues at play that were holding it up. In fact, this was being held until the other things were agreed upon. prgtoken Now we are able to move forward. I have to state that while no one wants to have a hurricane and no one wants to have a natural disaster, this is a response we should be happy about. I think it is a testament to the sorts of things we can achieve in the Senate when we can put aside our differences on other issues and work together on this. prgtoken By the way, I want to state, because I don't want anyone to read into what I said about big differences, that although we may vote differently on a lot of issues, Senator Nelson and I have cooperated on a host of things, from judges to anything that impacts Florida. I hope we can get to doing that more as a Senate, not just for us in Florida. Maybe Senator Nelson
CONGRATULATING JIM WOODS ON RETIRING FROM HIS ROLE OF PLATTSBURGH HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-2-7

I rise today to congratulate Jim Woods on retiring from his role as Plattsburgh Highway Superintendent. prgtoken For the past 30 years, Jim has been a dedicated member and leader of the Plattsburgh Highway Department. Jim joined the department on January 4, 1988, and served as the Deputy Highway Superintendent for four years before becoming the Highway Superintendent in 2011. As Superintendent, Jim oversaw the year-round maintenance of over 90 miles of road, working to ensure safe travel for North Country residents. prgtoken On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to thank Jim for his three decades of hard work and dedication to his community, and wish him all the best in the years ahead.