mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO HEIDI HEITKAMP
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-12-11

I want to echo what my colleague from New Mexico said about our friend and colleague Senator Heitkamp. I can say that everything he just said--there is strong bipartisan agreement on that front. I want to emphasize a couple of points he mentioned about Senator Heitkamp. Certainly, she is one of the most well-liked Senators, optimistic and upbeat. prgtoken As Senator Udall just mentioned, I think there is a certain element in the Senate--whether you are a or a , if you are a former attorney general, you come to this job with a little bit of the same viewpoint, the same experiences. prgtoken I want to emphasize what Senator Heitkamp mentioned in her remarks and Senator Udall mentioned in his remarks, which is her strong dedication to two issues that I think really matter--certainly, they matter to my constituents, and they matter to most Americans--and that is her relentless advocacy and fight with regard to combating the big problem we have in America with sexual assault and domestic violence-- it is a very big, difficult problem in my State, and I know it is a problem in many other States-- prgtoken and her commitment to the Native peoples of our country. prgtoken One example is a bill that Senator Heitkamp and I worked on together called the POWER Act. The whole focus is to get more legal representation for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. When we were working on this bill together, she was obviously a huge advocate, but she came back to me and said: We need to make this especially focused on the Native communities. That was her idea. That was in the bill. The bill was passed in the Congress and signed into law 2 months ago. I have no doubt that bill, for which she was the strongest advocate, is going to make lives better for women throughout our country who have gone through horrible experiences, particularly in the Native communities, whether in North Dakota or Alaska or New Mexico, and that was because of her hard work. prgtoken So I want to echo what so many others have said. In those areas and so many others, it has been my honor to serve with Senator Heitkamp. I know she is going to continue to serve her community, State, and country in important ways. My best to her. prgtoken .
A TRIBUTE TO SCOTTY BYRNE
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-12-11

I rise today to honor the legacy of longtime Brewton, Alabama, resident and my cousin, G.S. ``Scotty'' Byrne Jr who passed away on November 18 at the age of 92. prgtoken Scotty was a veteran of World War II having served in the 351st Infantry Division under General Mark Clark and later went on to serve as sheriff of Escambia County for 24 years. prgtoken In college at the University of Southern Mississippi, Scotty was a premier two-sport athlete excelling in both baseball and golf. He was the first athlete to be inducted into the USM Sports Hall of Fame for two sports. Throughout his life, he was one of the most able golfers in our part of the State. prgtoken During his tenure as sheriff, he was a vocal supporter of the Alabama Sheriff's Boys Ranch, providing resources for children in need throughout our State. Without a doubt, Scotty was one of the most memorable citizens in Escambia County's long history. prgtoken So on behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to share our condolences with Scotty's family. He will be sorely missed.
Healthcare Costs (Executive Session)
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-12-11

today I am asking experts at the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institute, as well as other leading experts, for specific ideas about how Congress and the President can work together to reduce the cost of healthcare in the United States. Here is why. prgtoken Last July, at the Senate HELP Committee's second in a series of five hearings on reducing healthcare costs, Dr. Brent James, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, testified that 30 percent--and perhaps as much as 50 percent--of all the money spent in this country on healthcare is unnecessary. That startled me, and I hope it startles you. prgtoken So I asked another witness, Dr. David Lansky from the Pacific Business Group on Health, if he agreed with Dr. James' estimate that 50 percent of all the money spent on healthcare is unnecessary. Dr. Lansky said yes. prgtoken Then, in our next hearing on reducing healthcare costs, not one witness on our distinguished panel disagreed with Dr. James. That means we are spending as much as half of all we spend on healthcare on unnecessary treatment, tests, and administrative costs. prgtoken As a country, we spend a huge amount on healthcare--$3.5 trillion in 2017, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. When we use Dr. James' estimates, that means we spent roughly $1 to $1.8 trillion on unnecessary healthcare in 2017. That is more money than the gross domestic product of every country in the world except nine. That is three times as much as the Federal Government spends on all of our national defense, 60 times as much as it spends on Pell grants for college students, and about 550 times as much as the Federal Government spends on national parks. prgtoken For the last 8 years, most of the debate about healthcare has not been about this extraordinary fact that we may be spending up to half of what we spend on healthcare unnecessarily. Instead, we have been arguing about health insurance. In fact, really, we have been arguing about 6 percent of the health insurance market--the individual insurance market. prgtoken The truth is, we will never have lower cost health insurance until we have lower cost healthcare. Instead of continuing to argue over a small percentage of the insurance market, what we should be discussing is the high cost of healthcare that affects virtually every American. prgtoken Here is something we ought to be able to agree on. We are spending too much on healthcare, and too much of what we spend is unnecessary. The five hearings we held reminded us of something else we should be able to agree on. One major reason for the unnecessarily high cost of healthcare is that the healthcare system does not operate with the discipline and cost saving benefits of a real market. prgtoken Too many barriers to innovation drive up costs, and most Americans have no earthly idea of the true price of healthcare services they buy, which also drives up costs. Let me r
SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND OTHER HERITABLE BLOOD DISORDERS RESEARCH, SURVEILLANCE, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT ACT OF 2018
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-12-11

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , I rise today in support of S. 2465, the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act. prgtoken This legislation, which has been sponsored by Senator Scott, makes important updates to statute so as to better help our medical professionals understand and treat sickle cell and other blood disorders. prgtoken Sickle cell is a terrible disease, inflicting extremely difficult effects on those who have this condition. Today's legislation will allow us to move forward and combat this and other heritable blood disorders so that we can provide a better quality of life to those who suffer from them. prgtoken We are very fortunate to have some world-class treatment options in my home State of Georgia at health systems like Emory University. They are doing incredible work in treating and understanding this disease so that we can improve the lives of all who suffer from these forms of diseases. prgtoken This legislation supports State health departments, establishes best practices, improves data collection efforts, and develops strategies that will hopefully allow us to eventually fully address these diseases. prgtoken , s for their work on this, and I urge them to support this legislation.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY RELATING TO ``RETURNS BY EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS AND...
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-12-11

I don't know how, but a lot of people back home have gotten in their heads that defending America is a complicated issue and that it is the kind of issue they think is going to have to be decided in Washington by a lot of smart people and all that, but nothing could be further from the truth. prgtoken The reality is, defending America is just common sense. It is called priority--something we didn't have in the last administration. We all-- every American citizen--need to be responsible for our own national security. I am going to be coming here each week to outline the common sense for our common defense--what we are working on here in Washington--for families back home. prgtoken Today I will talk about how we face the urgency in funding our national defense. It is very simple. Again, it is common sense. Without action to exempt the military from sequestration or to reach a budget agreement, once again, we will have to face the devastating cuts of the Budget Control Act in our military. We could handle it in other areas, and I am very supportive of it but not in the military at this particular time. prgtoken I will tell you why. We know what the result will be. We saw it during the administration. Without sufficient, sustained, and predictable funding, we will squander the progress the military has made over the past 2 years, which is to improve readiness, increase procurement for critical capabilities, and investment in future technologies. This is just in the past 2 years. We need to continue to make progress. prgtoken We also need to implement the national defense strategy. The administration's national defense strategy correctly prioritized strategic competition--and that is with China and Russia--but the effective strategies are going to have to be matched with resources. prgtoken This chart is from the National Defense Strategy Commission. That is this document right here. This is put together by a number of very top people chosen by and s. In fact, Senator Jon Kyl was a member of this Commission before he got to the Senate. He and I will be talking about this and complementing each on this tomorrow. This chart we are looking at right now gives you an idea of what is happening with some of the other countries. We have China, which is actually increasing--they are passing us in terms of their number of ships. This is true with everything else. It looks like they will pass us in about 2023. prgtoken In this country, we are kind of used to having the very best of everything. Ever since World War II, we thought that was our mission. prgtoken There is a quote out of this document we have right here that has been so brilliantly described by so many people. It says: ``Put bluntly, the U.S. military could lose the next state-versus-state war it fights.'' These are the top military and nonmilitary people in our society who conducted this study. It has been heralded as
LEGALIZING HEMP
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-12-11

on another matter, as I mentioned a moment ago, one key piece of our unfinished business is the farm bill. Last night, I used my very own hemp pen to sign the conference report, clearing the way for the House and Senate to pass legislation and send it to the President's desk. I am proud that the bill includes my provision to legalize the production of industrial hemp. It is a victory for farmers and consumers throughout our country. prgtoken Fighting for Kentucky hemp has been a long struggle. My State was once the national leader in the growing and production of industrial hemp, but then, for decades, a Federal ban halted that progress and shut American farmers out of the hemp field. Don't get me wrong--Hemp could still be found all over our country in all kinds of products. The problem is that it is all being grown somewhere else and imported into America. It is time to let American growers get back in business with this versatile crop once again. prgtoken The farmers, processors, and manufacturers in my State and across the country are ready for the hemp comeback. It began in 2014 when I secured the establishment of a hemp pilot program with the help of then-agricultural commissioner Jamie Comer. States like Kentucky got the chance to explore the plant's potential and show us just what hemp could do, and the results have been nothing short of extraordinary. Now, American-grown hemp can be found in your food, your clothes, and even in your car dashboard. The results mean jobs, economic growth, and new opportunity. Last year alone, hemp products contributed more than $16 million to Kentucky's economy, and that was just from the pilot program--just from the pilot program. prgtoken At a time when farm income is down and our growers are struggling, industrial hemp is a bright spot of agriculture's future. prgtoken My provision in the farm bill will not only legalize domestic hemp, but it will also allow State departments of agriculture to be responsible for its oversight. In Kentucky, that means that Commissioner Ryan Quarles--another champion of hemp--will be able to help farmers thrive. And I know the occupant of the Chair is familiar with Commissioner Quarles. prgtoken When the Senate votes on this legislation in the coming days, we will also be voting to give farmers throughout the country the chance to tap into hemp's potential and take part in its future. I have been proud to work with my colleagues in Congress, such as Senator Ron Wyden, and with hemp advocates in Kentucky to get to this point. Obviously, I will be proudly voting for this bill.
TRIBUTE TO HEIDI HEITKAMP
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-12-11

as I listened to Senator Heitkamp's farewell remarks to us today, I could not help but think of the fact that she used her final speech on the Senate floor not just to talk about her accomplishments, of which there are many, but to inspire us. It was a call to action. It was a call to the better angels of ourselves to work together in the interests of our country. prgtoken Maine and North Dakota are separated by a great distance, but the people of our two States have in common the qualities of hard work, of respect for tradition, balanced by a spirit of innovation and a belief in personal responsibility, always tempered by compassion. prgtoken During her years in the Senate, Heidi Heitkamp has demonstrated those qualities time and again. She is passionate, as we heard today; she is energetic, as we have seen in her work; and she is a committed public servant who has worked so diligently for her State and for our country. prgtoken Senator Heitkamp has a remarkable record of public service. As her State's attorney general, she fought to protect the people of North Dakota against drug dealers, to defend seniors against abusive scams, and to keep sexual predators off the streets. prgtoken Senator Heitkamp has continued those causes, that fight as a Member of the U.S. Senate. Among the many issues on which we have worked together, Senator Heitkamp's determined leadership on efforts to support victims of human trafficking and to prevent youth homelessness stand out. She and I led the charge to increase Federal funding for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program. prgtoken She has also been such a strong advocate for children, as you all heard today. She has worked to help teenagers who find themselves without a permanent home or on the street. prgtoken I was proud to stand with her in helping to forge the bipartisan path forward on the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which became law and includes Senator Heitkamp's provision to give safe harbor to victims of human trafficking. She has also shed light on the role healthcare providers can play in identifying and protecting the victims of human trafficking by authoring the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Act--the SOAR Act--on which I was proud to be her lead . prgtoken Senator Heitkamp has been such a valued leader in strengthening our agriculture. In fact, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee was just talking about the absolutely vital role she has played working with both the chairman and the ranking member. She knows that when we strengthen agriculture, we sustain our rural communities. prgtoken The Next Generation in Agriculture Act that she authored and I cosponsored will ensure that new farmers and ranchers have the support and guidance they need. prgtoken It has been so rewarding to work with Senator Heitkamp on so many bipartisan iss
Senate Accomplishments (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-12-11

the 115th Congress is drawing to a close, and it has been a good 2 years. Our goal 2 years ago was simple: to make life better for American families--which is exactly what we have done. We knew that a huge part of making life better for American families was in the expanding of opportunity and putting more money in their pockets, so we passed a historic reform of our outdated Tax Code that slashed tax rates for families and removed barriers to economic growth. prgtoken It is already producing results. Since we passed tax reform a year ago this December, we have seen unemployment drop to its lowest rate in almost 50 years, and we have seen job openings reach a record high. For the past 7 months, there have been more job openings than there have been Americans looking for work. We have seen company after company dispense raises or bonuses or boost benefits for their employees. We have seen the best wage growth since the great recession and more. prgtoken Most importantly, the economic benefits of tax reform are reaching the people who need them the most. During the administration, what economic prosperity there was tended to be concentrated in large metropolitan areas, but under government, growth and prosperity are reaching small cities and rural families and communities. Thanks to tax reform, a lot of families are finding it easier to pay their bills and to put a little bit away for the future. prgtoken Yet, of course, tax reform is far from the only thing we did in this Congress to improve the lives of the American people. Along with the White House, we lifted burdensome regulations. We enacted legislation to improve career and technical education programs. We passed legislation to make it easier for Main Street banks and credit unions to lend money to small businesses and farmers and ranchers. We passed the largest pay increase in nearly a decade for our men and women in uniform. prgtoken We delivered real reforms for our veterans through the VA MISSION Act. This legislation streamlined the VA's community care programs to help ensure veterans receive efficient, timely, quality care. Once fully implemented, it will also expand caregiver assistance to disabled pre-9/11 veterans--an overdue benefit for generations of our heroes. We also modernized the Veterans Benefits Administration's appeals system to develop a quicker, more responsive system for veterans. prgtoken On the national security front, we have reinvested in our Nation's military to ensure that our troops are equipped not only for today's missions but to meet the threats of the future. A recent report from the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission outlined how dangerously our military superiority has eroded--to the point at which it would be difficult for us to win a war against two major powers. This alarming reduction in our military's readiness is why s have made rebuilding our military such a
THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS CONGRESS
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-12-11

Texas was its own republic from 1836 to 1845. Just like any other republic, the young country had a legislature, outlined in the Constitution of the Republic of Texas. The Congress of the Republic of Texas was based on the United States Congress. Both were bicameral and had a similar committee structure and age requirements to be elected. prgtoken Throughout its short history, the Nation of Texas had nine congresses. The first Congress gaveled in on October 3, 1836 in Columbia, Texas. In November of 1839, the Texas Congress met for the first and only time in Austin. However, Austin was considered too dangerous of a meeting place because it was on the western frontier and more exposed to Native Americans, so the Republic's Congress would meet in Houston and Washington-on-the-Brazos between 1842 and 1845. prgtoken After Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845, Austin was reaffirmed as the capitol of Texas. The first capitol building in Austin was completed in 1855 but burnt down in 1881. The next capitol building, which is still where the state legislature meets, was dedicated in 1888. Texans are quick to point out that the Texas Capitol is 15 feet taller than the United States Capitol. prgtoken To belabor the point, the San Jacinto Monument that honors the victory and independence of Texas from Mexico, is taller than the similar Washington Monument. prgtoken And that's just the way it is.