mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-1-17

a few days ago, our Nation stopped and remembered Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is entirely appropriate for us to do so. It is a holiday set aside to be able not only to remember but to reflect and try to figure out: Where are we now? prgtoken This year is especially significant. Fifty years ago this year, Dr. King was assassinated in April 1968. A lot of things have changed in that time period. Quite frankly, as a nation, we have learned a lot about race. We no longer as a nation talk about three-fifths of a man anymore--rightfully so, and we are appalled by our history in that. We no longer have separate water fountains set up in restaurants or tell certain people because of their background, their family, or their skin color that they can take food to go but they can't come in and sit down. prgtoken We have come a long way in hiring. We have come a long way in just our communities and our schools. The work is not done. We still have a long way to go, quite frankly. prgtoken Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was bold enough to be able to challenge the church first, then the Nation, and then the world that we have an issue around the issue of race. He was going to challenge us to confront it--rightfully so. He challenged us on the issue of racial justice, on poverty, on education, but he also challenged us on the way that we speak out on issues, and I think we lose track of that as a culture. prgtoken Quite frankly, as a Senate and as a Nation, we are losing track of one of the things Dr. Martin Luther King challenged us on: There is a right way to confront issues and a wrong way to confront issues. Dr. King did something revolutionary. He pushed a community to confront injustice the right way, and he won. prgtoken He made radical statements like this: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. prgtoken Dr. King said: I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. prgtoken For whatever reason, we lose track of Dr. King's statements about ``love is a powerful thing.'' We start as a culture responding with hate to respond to hate. When someone says something hateful, we respond back with something more hateful back at them. It doesn't actually solve anything, and we lose the great model that he really set for us in that. prgtoken If we want to make enemies friends, only love can do that, only relationships can do that, only pressing a friend to do the right thing can do that. Now, is that happening in our culture? No. It is in spots, but it is not hard to go on any of our social media sites at any moment and be able to see the challenge in our social media sites, where it is not love driving out hate. It is hate attacking hate. prgtoken It is remarkable to me. I just glanced at some of the things just of late as
WORLD BANK ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-1-17

. Mr. Chair, I think what America just heard from the last two speakers on the other side of the aisle was that, literally, the prgtoken wanted the money to the World Bank but not the reforms. That is why they voted for the $3 million-plus to go into that account, that IDA account. prgtoken How cynical. I mean, funding of IDA is about as good as putting a Band-Aid on a car accident victim; right? It is not doing anything, ultimately, if there is such woeful inadequacy in trying to provide the true issues that need to be addressed. prgtoken So, the sexual abuse of underage Ugandans, not really interested in talking to you about that; harassment of female project staff, not really interested in talking about that on the other side of the aisle; deficient project safety that may have resulted in five fatalities, not interested in talking about that. So, when they rise, talking about how much they care about the poor and those who are underserved--forgive me if I am cynical, --it rings a bit hollow. prgtoken For the Bank, it got even worse. After sending this letter with Ms. Moore, we received a response that the Bank was undertaking cosmetic steps to improve their projects and their actions, such as creating a task force. prgtoken Again, forgive me for being a little cynical about the task force, but not only was the country manager associated with the Ugandan project not held accountable, he was promoted to country director for the Congo. prgtoken It still gets worse. Last November, we learned that the Bank was suspending yet another road project in the Congo due to allegations of sexual violence against women. The investigation is still underway today, . And the Bank has already admitted that it ignored repeated requests to the beneficiaries in the Congo to look at the other complaints, but we are beginning to see a theme: let's just keep the money flowing anyway. prgtoken Here is the thing: it was the same projects, the same people in place. I am just wondering why they--whether it is the ranking member or others who voted for this in subcommittee--refused to keep the Bank's feet to the fire.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-1-17

I rise this afternoon to speak about what our tax reform and tax relief legislation actually does. prgtoken I want to start by welcoming in advance the President of the United States to Pennsylvania. The President is going to Pittsburgh, PA, to talk about the specifics of our tax reform and the effect it is having. I really wish I could be there with him, but we don't know when we are going to finish up here, as the President knows very well. We might be here well into the evening, and I have multiple obligations to which I have long been committed in addition to juggling that. Unfortunately, I will not be able to get to Pittsburgh with the President, but I hope to have another opportunity to celebrate this victory for Pennsylvanians and Americans because that is what it is. prgtoken When we set out to accomplish the biggest tax reform in at least 31 years, we had two big goals. prgtoken The first was to make sure we implemented a direct tax cut for working families, for middle-income families, and for the overwhelming majority of families and individuals whom we all represent. That was goal No. 1--to make sure we cut taxes for the people who are working every day, living paycheck to paycheck, working hard, and making America what it is. That was item No. 1. prgtoken The second thing we wanted to do was to reform what was a completely archaic, unbelievably complicated, inefficient, and really terrible business tax code that had become arguably one of the very worst in the world and one that was systematically discouraging investment in the United States. prgtoken So those were the two goals--direct tax relief for ordinary Americans and making the business tax code competitive. I am thrilled to be able to say that I believe we achieved both goals. prgtoken First of all, it is a simple, straightforward, factual matter that we cut taxes on the vast, overwhelming majority of taxpayers--the families and individuals who pay taxes. That is just a factual matter. That is easy to confirm. Of course, that has the effect of increasing the take- home pay for anybody who is working. You can increase your take-home pay by either getting a raise from your employer or by paying fewer taxes on what you earn or both, and we knew for sure that we were cutting taxes and that there was going to be a take-home pay increase. prgtoken I predicted at the time that we would also be creating an environment in which there would be upward pressure on wages, where over time we would start to see people getting bonuses, pay rate increases, and wage increases because we would be creating a dynamic in which employers would be competing more and more for workers so that, in effect, they would be bidding up the compensation for the workers. That is what I predicted, and I was confident that would happen within some number of months or a year or so. So I had to come down to the floor today and confess that I was wrong--very wrong--ab
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-1-17

we had a very special day in the Capitol this afternoon, and I am grateful that we as a nation were able to honor Senator Robert Dole by presenting him with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is the highest civilian honor the United States can bestow. prgtoken Senator Dole joins a list of very esteemed Americans going back to 1776, with President George Washington as the first recipient of this award. The Gold Medal shows our highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions, and Senator Dole is such a deserving recipient of this award. It was a real honor and pleasure for me to be there to see this take place. prgtoken Senator Dole is known, obviously, as a former Member of the Senate, a majority leader, and a Presidential candidate, but I would put at the top of my list of the attributes that I admire and respect Senator Dole's service in our military. prgtoken Senator Dole joined the Army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was 21 years old and left Russell, KS, and ended up on a battlefield in the hills and mountains of Italy. He suffered for 9 hours after being hit by a Nazi bullet that did tremendous damage to his body and to his life. But that wasn't the end, as it could be for some people--even if people continued to live after these traumatic injuries. This was a recovery process that began that day for Senator Dole. prgtoken I once heard a story about Bob Dole's commitment to our country, and it stuck with me. There are lots of Dole stories, particularly in Kansas. Bob Dole used his injuries to learn about caring--not for himself but for others. His service in World War II--again, what I greatly admire and esteem--also resulted in his effort to raise money, with no taxpayer dollars involved, to build the World War II Memorial that is now on the National Mall. Senator Dole took that task on and made certain that happened for his soldiers and fellow colleagues who served in World War II. He went out and raised money across the country. He was out in Hollywood, CA, and he was visiting with one of those people who have lots of money. Senator Dole asked for that person's support for this project, and he was told by that wealthy person that he was not interested. ``I have other priorities.'' Senator Dole responded to that mogul: ``When I was 22, I had other priorities, too. I went to war.'' That is the Bob Dole who every day since then has gone to battle on behalf of Americans, other Kansans, and people across our country. prgtoken His service in many ways began with his military service but has continued every day since his days in the 10th Mountain Division. During his nearly 36 years on Capitol Hill, Senator Dole became known as the leader who worked relentlessly to forge alliances and to pass significant legislation. Today, he serves as a role model for those of us involved in this legislative process. We ought to be fully engaged in t
TAX REFORM
Steven M. Palazzo (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-1-17

I rise today to talk about the benefits that many Americans across the country are already seeing from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. prgtoken After hearing leaders of the ic Party call $1,000 ``crumbs,'' I wanted to make sure my colleagues on prgtoken the other side of the aisle understood that our tax reform and relief plan is more than just crumbs to over 2 million Americans. prgtoken Immediately following the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we saw an outpouring of businesses announce they would offer bonuses to their employees, and some even increased their wages. This money was instantly invested back into American workers. prgtoken I would like to see one of my colleagues from the other side of the aisle come to Mississippi and see the response they get after they tell the Levins and the Ladners in Saucier, Mississippi, that $1,000 is only crumbs. I promise you they would only say it once. prgtoken As we go into 2018, I will continue highlighting real stories of Mississippi businesses that are benefiting from our new Tax Code.
ADDRESSING THE PENSION CRISIS
David B. McKinley (Republican, WV) \u2014 2018-1-17

gradually, many of America's largest multiemployer pension funds are slipping into insolvency, threatening the retirement income of millions of Americans. Funds such as the United Mine Workers of America, the Central States Pension Fund, the Boilermakers, the IBEW, and over 50 others are in critical condition. prgtoken Failure of these funds would leave retirees who have paid their dues throughout their entire career without the income that they were expecting and promised. prgtoken This pending economic crisis for families could mean a loss of hundreds of billions of dollars in funds and must be avoided. prgtoken I have worked with representatives of the coal miners and the construction building trades preparing a resolution. If we fail to act soon, our options become increasingly limited and extremely expensive. prgtoken For example, the UMWA pension fund has been predicted to collapse by 2022, or sooner. But the real culprit to their pension crisis comes not from Wall Street, the management of the operations, but from right here in Washington. Environmental regulations aimed at putting coal out of business have resulted in the loss of over 470 coal mines, 350 coal- fired generating plants, and 86,000 coal jobs as a result of the bankruptcy of mining companies. prgtoken Some have suggested that the funds could fall into the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation, but the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation says it, too, is underfunded. Assuming the liability of one or more of these troubled funds will lead to their own insolvency. prgtoken H.R. 3913, the American Miners Pension Act, would allow their funds to recover by borrowing funds that will be paid back. It is important to emphasize this point. The loans are designed to be paid back. It is not a bailout. prgtoken A bipartisanship Pension Protection Caucus that I co-chair with Representatives Richard Nolan and Debbie Dingell shares this common goal of raising attention to this crisis before it is too late. prgtoken Congress must come together and find a bipartisanship solution that works for all of these critical funds and takes care of the families that need peace of mind. prgtoken So on behalf of the American coal miners, the Teamsters, the builders, bakers, boilermakers, and many others, we must act now.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-1-17

it is of the highest importance that we reauthorize title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, especially section 702. It is one of the best tools we have for detecting and preventing terrorist attacks against our country, and it has a long track record of success. prgtoken It is one reason that Najibullah Zazi today is not a household name, but yet just another bin Laden wannabe sitting behind bars. He was planning to blow up the New York subway system, but he never got the chance because our intelligence community and law enforcement professionals stopped him in his tracks by using information collected under section 702. That is how vital this program is, and that is why I will be voting yes on this legislation. prgtoken That being said, the bill we are voting on today is not my ideal legislation. If I had my way, we would be voting on a permanent reauthorization with no changes. That was the White House's position when I worked together with the administration and introduced a section 702 extension bill earlier this past summer, and the administration has said all along that they wanted a clean and permanent reauthorization. prgtoken The people who rely on this program and know better than anyone just how valuable it is believed it was good as is. The way I see it, if the threats against our country will not sunset in 6 years, why would we sunset this vital program? But I understand we usually have to compromise around here. I am glad to see a provision I offered to increase the maximum penalty for the misuse of classified information included in this bill. So while I worry this bill might make it harder for our intelligence community and law enforcement professionals to protect our country, I am going to vote yes. prgtoken As a result, you can imagine my surprise as I listened to the program's critics. There is a lot of misinformation out there. I want to take this opportunity to set a few things straight. prgtoken First off, there is nothing unconstitutional about this program. Section 702 targets foreigners on foreign soil--not Americans--and it is specifically designed to protect Americans against unreasonable searches. You don't have to take my word for it, though. Every district court that has looked at this question has found section 702 to be constitutional. prgtoken That includes, by the way, the so-called ``about'' collection. If you are trying to collect information about a foreign target, and an American citizen mentions that target in an email, I would suggest that we would want our intelligence community to know about that. Does that mean that they incidentally picked up information about American citizens? Yes. But let's be frank here. The only way to prevent this kind of incidental collection is to prohibit any collection at all. If our intelligence community couldn't track an email address or phone number simply because they theoretically might pick up informati
THE MARCH FOR LIFE
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-1-17

I thank Congressman Smith for yielding. I am proud to be amongst my colleagues this evening. prgtoken , I rise today on behalf of the constituents of the First District of Michigan who are--I repeat--the voice for those who have no voice. prgtoken 2018 marks the 45th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision. Since that day, as you have heard several of my colleagues say, almost 60 million abortions have occurred in our country, our United States. Today, this timeframe is an appropriate time for us to pause, reflect, and plan a path forward for the pro-life movement. prgtoken The most important question we must ask ourselves is: Why? Why do we stand for life? Why is this cause so important to us? Why do we fight for not only all of our citizens, but for the unborn? prgtoken For me, my why is simple: every life--every life--has immense value, regardless of wealth, stature, or fame. Whether you were born in rural northern Michigan or in a large city, we all were put here on this Earth for a purpose: to fulfill God's purpose. prgtoken As the father of two wonderful daughters and eight beautiful grandchildren, I know firsthand the joy, love, and inspiration that every single life brings. prgtoken Life is precious and should never be taken for granted. As a nation, we must offer hope to those who have no hope. We must remind others of the hope offered by an adoptive family and continue together as the voice for those who have no voice. We must and will continue to fight for those who have no voice.
WORLD BANK ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-1-17

I thank our chairman of the full committee and the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Barr from Kentucky, for bringing this bill, H.R. 3326, to the floor today because this is precisely what the American people want out of their government in Washington, D.C.: accountability. prgtoken , our constituents ask us all the time: Do you monitor the money that you send and spend around the world to further America's interests? prgtoken There are always a lot of people just kind of looking around. And how do we verify that? prgtoken Well, , here is an opportunity to verify that. This important piece of legislation would require the World Bank to implement real incentives, particularly through staff evaluation standards, that prioritize antipoverty results and capable project management over just the volume of loans they produce. It is that classic management expertise, quality over quantity. prgtoken Of course we want poverty eradicated. The taxpayers of this country wouldn't vote for us to approve spending like this if it wasn't done right to further America's interests around the world and to alleviate poverty around the world. prgtoken If the World Bank is serious about that, then it would defend the poorest's freedoms more vigorously. In other words, , no reforms like we propose, then poverty is not eradicated; the poor are not helped. prgtoken So H.R. 3326 insists on greater efforts by the World Bank to fight corruption in its projects. Just because the World Bank may have to work in corrupt environments does not mean it needs to add to the graft by pouring money in it for the taking. No one is for that. That is why the vote was 60-0. prgtoken That is why the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) was so supportive of this in our subcommittee. It withholds appropriations until the World Bank raises the quality of its work, raises the quality of its forensic audits, which are designed to unmask the systemic corruption we find in the Third World, inadvertently or advertently supported by the efforts of the World Bank. prgtoken We are tired of it. That is why, on a bipartisanship basis, we support the foreign policy goals contained in H.R. 3326. prgtoken , I thank my friend, Mr. Barr, for his thoughtful work to implement this. These are needed changes. These are bipartisanship changes. These improve transparency, end corruption, better spend our taxpayer resources, and demand accountability of the World Bank, which is notoriously unaccountable. I thank Mr. Barr and I thank Mr. Hensarling for their efforts.