mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BORN-ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-1-19

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4712, the so- called Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. prgtoken Despite what its supporters would have us believe, this legislation would do nothing to enhance protections or enhance the quality of care if an infant is born after an attempted abortion. What it would do, however, is directly interfere with the doctor's medical judgment and dictate a medical standard of care that may not be appropriate in all circumstances, which could, in fact, put infants' lives at greater risk. prgtoken Let me say at the outset of this debate very clearly, it has always been the law that healthcare providers cannot deliberately harm newborn infants and that they must exercise reasonable care in their treatment of such infants. The bill's implications that providers who provide abortions routinely act in a callous or criminal manner that would result in an infant's death or that a provider who performs an abortion somehow cannot be trusted to take adequate measures to save a living baby's life is insulting and untrue. prgtoken In opposing this bill. I do not oppose in any way proper medical treatment for newborn infants, whatever the circumstances of their birth, but determining the proper treatment is for medical professionals to decide, not politicians in Congress. prgtoken When I supported the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act in 2002, my reasoning and the reasoning of my pro-choice colleagues was simple: Killing an infant who is born alive either by an act of omission or commission is infanticide. It was, is, and always should be against the law, and we saw no harm in reaffirming that fact. prgtoken That law passed Congress with bipartisan support precisely because it was harmless, even if it was also useless, since it did not change the preexisting law in any way. The bill specifically just reiterated existing law in florid language and did nothing to interfere with a doctor's medical judgment or to cause needless harm. prgtoken Unfortunately, the bill before us today puts children's lives and health at risk. It requires doctors to immediately ensure transportation and admission of the infant to a hospital in all cases, with no regard as to whether doing so is in the best interest of the child's health and well-being. prgtoken This mandate effectively overrides the case-by-case exercise of professional medical judgment by healthcare providers and replaces it with a blanket rule enforceable with criminal penalties. Such a ham- fisted approach fails to consider the fact that, in many cases, it may be safer and more conducive for the infant's health to care for the infant where it was born rather than transporting it many miles away. But this bill assumes that Congress knows better, and it imposes a new obligation on providers that, rather than saving lives, could put infants at risk. prgtoken I am sure that such
FEDERAL REGISTER PRINTING SAVINGS ACT OF 2017
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-1-19

we are here today because s and President have failed in their most basic responsibility as the governing party, bringing us mere hours away from an unnecessary and consequential government shutdown. prgtoken Let's be clear. With s in control of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, the only person to blame if the government shuts down will be President . prgtoken Later today, I plan to vote no on the government funding bill that the House of Representatives has sent over to the Senate because it provides no certainty or resolution for Dreamers, pensioners, veterans, the people of Puerto Rico, or vulnerable children and patients across the country. I cannot support legislation that fails to ensure that we are fulfilling our moral and constitutional obligation to the American people. prgtoken Sadly, this budget process is just a continuation of a pattern from s in Congress: Draft major policy in secret, with no debate, no , no real opportunity to negotiate. First, they did it on healthcare. Then, they did it on tax reform. Now, they are doing it again on the continuing budget resolution. prgtoken There is a great song in the musical ``Hamilton'' titled ``The Room Where It Happens.'' Well, the aren't even told where the room is. s aren't negotiating deals. They are delivering fiats, not just to the but to the American people, and the American people are the ones paying the price. prgtoken We cannot let this craven, half-measure of a bill fool us. Yes, this legislation does finally reauthorize and fund a program that provides healthcare for 9 million children across this country, known as the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. But remember, just like they are abdicating their role in governing today and have been throughout the budget negotiations, s in Congress allowed CHIP to expire at the end of September--more than 100 days ago. prgtoken Why would s do such a thing for a program they now say is so vital and bipartisan? Because 100 days ago the caucus was preoccupied with their unsuccessful attempt at repealing the Affordable Care Act. For weeks on end, they held America in suspension as they secretly wrote and rewrote a bill that would rip healthcare coverage away from tens of millions of Americans while taking a machete to Medicaid. prgtoken Thankfully, this dangerous bill failed to gain support from enough Senate prgtoken s to pass. But when that irresponsible bill failed, instead of immediately returning to the important business of providing low- and middle-income children healthcare, the s decided to use their energy to jam through a massive tax scam with giveaways for millionaires and billionaires, once again leaving children's health and working families in limbo. s were more interested in a tax bill of corpo
U.S.-KAZAKHSTAN RELATIONS
Michael T. McCaul (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-19

I rise today to welcome the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to the United States, and to recognize the strong and growing relationship between our two countries. prgtoken Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan became an independent nation, and the United States was the first country to recognize it. Since then, over the last 26 years, Kazakhstan and the United States have built a strategic partnership based on mutual trust, commitment, and genuine friendship in order to advance our bilateral political, military and economic goals. prgtoken Over the years, a major pillar of our strategic partnership has been built on a shared interest in nuclear non-proliferation and security. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan inherited the fourth largest nuclear stockpile in the world-roughly 1,410 nuclear warheads. Through President Nazarbayev's leadership, and in conjunction with the United States, Kazakhstan renounced its arsenal, became a non- nuclear state, and continues to be a leader in nuclear security. prgtoken Further, the economic ties between our two countries continue to expand, particularly in areas such as energy and investment. This is evident through our work to implement WTO obligations and improve the investment climate. In 2016, bilateral trade with Kazakhstan grew to $1.9 billion (a 117 percent increase from 2015), supporting more than 7,000 U.S. jobs. Just last year, the USA Pavilion at Kazakhstan's International Expo showcased the successful collaboration between our two countries and paved the way for future joint projects and partnerships. prgtoken Lastly, as the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, I am proud of the close partnership our two nations have forged on efforts to promote peace and stability around the world. I am particularly appreciative of the role Kazakhstan has played in support of United States counter-terrorism efforts following the unforgettable attack on our homeland on September 11, 2001. President Nazarbayev's dedication to working with the United States to defeat terrorism and extremism around the world is sincerely appreciated, and critical to our success. prgtoken As a testament to our long history of friendship and advancement of mutual priorities, I look forward to increasing the collaboration between our two countries in the years to come. Kazakhstan remains one of our most reliable and trusted partners throughout the world, and I am eager to watch our relationship grow in the future.
FEDERAL REGISTER PRINTING SAVINGS ACT OF 2017
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-1-19

I realized a long time ago something unique and unfortunate about the way Congress can work. It seems sometimes that in Washington, and only in Washington, the more people agree on something, the less likely it is to get done. In the real world, back in Colorado and in Alaska, where the Presiding Officer is from, the more people agree on something, the more likely it is to get done and the more likely you will see progress on an important issue to the people of Colorado and to the people of Alaska. But here in Washington, the more you agree, the more people seem to want to push back to fight and to divide. prgtoken So here we are approaching the zero hour of a government shutdown, and I hear from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--where is the good faith, they say. It has been 111 days, and these programs haven't been permanently reauthorized? Where is the good faith, they say. They say that we just make it worse by passing a 4-week continuing resolution. Where is the good faith? prgtoken Let me just talk a little bit about where we are right now. I have been a part of a bipartisan working group--very proud of the work we are doing--trying to find a solution on a very important issue dealing with many thousands of children around our country and around our State. In Colorado, this issue of DACA, of Dreamers, is incredibly important, not just to part of the State, not just to Denver or the Front Range. Two kids of mine go to school with people who were brought here at a very young age through no fault of their own, and we all agree there needs to be a solution for those kids. prgtoken We agree we should address the opiate crisis that is gripping this Nation, that is tearing families apart, and that is resulting in the deaths of far too many people. When you have a crisis that is resulting in the age and life expectancy of Americans declining, like the opiate crisis has, we should address that. prgtoken We have men and women in uniform around the country defending this Nation. There are hundreds of thousands in Korea facing down a threat from North Korea. An article in the Wall Street Journal today talked about the special operators who are now in the Philippines directly intervening in the War on Terror in the Philippines, fighting radical Islamic terrorists. Of course we all know about the work that is taking place in the Middle East, the conflict in Syria, the conflict in Iraq, the conflict in Afghanistan, and the progress we have made fighting back on ISIS, fighting back on terrorists, the fact that we have shrunk the ground they have taken. It is one of the great victories people haven't really talked about yet because they would rather talk about divisive issues. And to think that we are hours away from a government shutdown, and somehow people think it is going to make it better. They are going to shut down the government, and somehow that makes it better for the military.
FEDERAL REGISTER PRINTING SAVINGS ACT OF 2017
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-1-19

as I come to the floor today, we are facing the prospect of a government shutdown. At midnight tonight, funding runs out, the lights will go dark, and when that happens, everyone suffers. No one wins; everyone suffers. I know that, and you know that. s know that, and we have offered a solution that keeps the government open and extends the Children's Health Insurance Program. As a doctor, I will tell you how valuable that program is for children all across the country. prgtoken The House has already passed this legislation. in the Senate have promised to block it, to stand in the way. Some have actually been bragging that they can shut down the government and that they want to shut down the government. Why would someone want to do that? Well, here is what the New York Times said on its front page this morning: ``Senate Shutdown Looms As Spending Bill Advances. House approves a stopgap measure while dig in on immigration.'' That is the reason the want to shut down the government of this entire country--over the issue of immigration. That is the New York Times. Here is the Washington Post this morning: ``Shutdown looms despite House action. tie `dreamers' to passage of budget deal.'' prgtoken There it is--the New York Times and the Washington Post. The minority leader is forcing a shutdown over the issue of illegal immigration. are ready to set aside all other issues, all other deadlines, all other priorities. prgtoken s have written and passed legislation that funds the government. That means funding for our military, funding for our veterans. It means funding for opioid treatment. It means funding for everything that our Federal Government does now, and it funds the Children's Health Insurance Program--not just for a week or a month, it funds it for the next 6 years. This is a program that helped provide medical care for almost 9 million children and needy families across this country. There are more than 7,300 people in my home State of Wyoming who benefit from this program. The money for this program is going to start running out in some places very soon. The funding has been in limbo since last fall. Some States are getting ready to send letters to families--letters that tell those families their coverage is going to be discontinued because this Senate didn't act. prgtoken States have been asking for certainty, and that is what we are doing with this legislation. We are providing that certainty. We are taking care of this program, which is so vital to families across every State in this country, for the next 6 years. are blocking it. It does seem to be that what they really want to do is make a political point at the expense of everything else and everyone else. They are willing to hold 9 million children and their families hostage to do it. They are willing to hold hostage more than 300 million Americans wh
BORN-ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-19

. Madam , I rise in strong support of The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. prgtoken There is no question that the rule of law should require medical practitioners to treat babies born alive after a failed abortion with the same care they would treat any baby born at that same gestational age. prgtoken Everyone in this body should agree that it is inhumane to willingly kill a baby who has been born alive. It's time to end this repugnant practice. prgtoken Unfortunately, the left spread the lie that pro-life s only care about life when it's in the womb and not once it's born--However, the bill before us is about protecting the born and alive and nearly all of its support comes from s. prgtoken No human being should be treated with such violence. prgtoken Let's pass this bill and end this horrendous and unthinkable act.
MORNING BUSINESS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-1-19

I intend to object to any unanimous consent request at the present time relating to the nomination of David J. Ryder, of New Jersey, to be Director of the Mint, PN1355. prgtoken I will object because the Department of the Treasury has failed to respond to a letter I sent on September 29, 2017, to a bureau within the Department seeking documents relevant to an ongoing investigation by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Despite several phone calls between committee staff and Treasury personnel to prioritize particular requests within that letter, the Treasury Department has to date failed to provide any documents. prgtoken My objection is not intended to question the credentials of Mr. Ryder in any way. However, the Department must recognize that it has an ongoing obligation to respond to congressional inquiries in a timely and reasonable manner.
PRO-LIFE YOUTH ARE LEADERS OF TOMORROW
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-1-19

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the sanctity of human life and to redouble my commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us: the unborn. prgtoken Today, more than 100,000 pro-lifers from across the country are in Washington, D.C for the 45th annual March for Life. This year's theme is: ``Love Saves Lives.'' And, Madam , it surely does. Thanks to the pro-life movement, abortion rates across the country are at the lowest since 2013. prgtoken Today's march is one of the best events of the year, and I am always pleased to see so many young people standing for life. They are the leaders of tomorrow. And to see so many individuals here today, standing for what they believe in, truly gives me great hope for the future of the pro-life movement. prgtoken We must always be a voice for the voiceless, and we continue to build a culture that values lives and respects mothers and their children. prgtoken Madam , we all know that ``Love Saves Lives.''
FEDERAL REGISTER PRINTING SAVINGS ACT OF 2017
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-1-19

today hundreds of thousands of Americans from all walks of life will participate in the 45th annual March for Life. This begs the question, Why do all these citizens march year after year? It certainly isn't for their health or for the media coverage. No, these Americans march on behalf of those who cannot. They march for uniquely vulnerable members of the human family. They march for the unborn, for those threatened by abortion, and for the countless millions of innocent lives already lost. These Americans march to protest the legal regime that sustains abortion. prgtoken The cornerstone of that crumbling edifice is Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that invented a right to abortion in the Constitution, and in so doing, it stripped the unborn of their right to life. The principal effect of Roe v. Wade on our culture has been to cheapen the value of humanity itself. Roe has insinuated into the law a poisonous notion, the notion that some human beings may be treated as things, as objects to be discarded when they are inconvenient. We have seen this before in human history, but an unintended effect of Roe has been to kick-start a movement that has lasted four and one-half decades. Roe did not resolve the abortion debate, although it tried to. Rather, it intensified that very debate. prgtoken The Nation's conscience was not deadened by Roe's euphemisms and evasions. Rather, it was brought to life. Like a firebell in the night, Roe awakened a generation of Americans to the injustice of abortion. Countless thousands of them are marching in Washington, DC, in Salt Lake City, and in cities all across the country today, but the institution of abortion still has its stalwart defenders--vociferous defenders even. prgtoken One may ask, Why does this issue arouse such anger and such passion, as it so often does? I argue that it is because the pro-life and pro- abortion movements offer competing and mutually inconsistent visions, moral visions for our society; indeed, competing arguments about human dignity and even about what it means to be human in the first place. Both moral visions are, in one sense, as old as the Nation. They have appeared in various guises throughout American history. prgtoken There is a consistent trend in how the clash of visions has played out in every era. The vision advanced by the pro-life movement has inspired righteous protests. The other vision has been used to rationalize hideous injustices. The pro-life vision embraces our country's noblest truth. The pro-abortion vision twists it. prgtoken Let me explain what I mean. Our Declaration of Independence contains some of the most succinct, profound, and revolutionary statements in human history. ``We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.'' prgtoken We know
FEDERAL REGISTER PRINTING SAVINGS ACT OF 2017
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-1-19

midnight is approaching and a government shutdown is looming in front of us. I would say--as we can tell in this city--there are not a lot of things Senators will agree on, but I think there is one thing that just about every Senator I have spoken with does agree on; that is, we have a budgeting and spending process that is broken. prgtoken In fact, the first bill I introduced in Congress was a bill that simply said: If Members of Congress can't pass a balanced budget, they shouldn't get paid. Nobody here likes to see CR after CR. CR stands for continuing resolution. prgtoken Think about it. We have a government that starts its fiscal year every year on October 1. I spent 28 years in the private sector, and 13 of those years were with Procter & Gamble, a Fortune 500 company. I spent time in a small family business, and I spent time as part of a cloud computing startup that grew over 1,000 jobs. We took the company public. So I have had a lot of experience in budgets, management spending, and ensuring that you actually take in more money than you spend because that is all profit in business. prgtoken Here in Washington, DC, we are now--October, November, December, middle of January--we are 3\1/2\ months into the fiscal year without having nailed down the spending plan. It is broken. That needs to be reformed. prgtoken On a more optimistic note, there is a group of and ic Senators who are having discussions about how to change the way the budgeting and spending works in Washington, DC, to deliver a better outcome for the American people. prgtoken Here we are at this moment, just hours away from a looming government shutdown. So whether we are in business or dealing with issues in personal life, we have a choice to make right here in front of us--a choice we have to make in less than 7 hours. We can either keep the Federal Government open and fund health insurance for 24,000 Montana children--it is about 9 million American children. The idea was, let's put something in play that ought to be agreeable to both sides-- something pretty clean, not a tax with a bunch of political, divisive kind of issues. No, we are going to extend the funding of the government, avoid a government shutdown, and let's permanently reauthorize, for 6 years, the Children's Health Insurance Program. It is very popular with the American people. Either we do that or we shut the government down. prgtoken Here is where we are. There will be a lot of folks spinning a lot of different messages, but let me try to articulate exactly where we are in as simple terms as possible. The House has passed an agreement to keep the lights on and to fund Children's Health Insurance. They passed it. The President has said he will sign that agreement to keep the lights on and to fund Children's Health Insurance. The House has passed it, the President says he will sign it, and now it is up to this body. prgtoken Will we get 60