mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NOMINATIONS (Executive Session)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-1-20

I rise to speak on the nomination of Gen. John F. Kelly to be Secretary of Homeland Security. This is a tremendously important position, especially in these dangerous and uncertain times, and it requires a highly qualified nominee who will be able to handle one of the most complex positions here in Washington, DC. After his impressive career and nomination hearing, few would question that he has the knowledge and the skill to lead the agency. prgtoken He has years of experience working with our neighbors in Latin America as former commander of U.S. Southern Command, where he saw firsthand the drivers of the unaccompanied minors crisis. In his testimony, he outlined what he saw as the root causes of migration, including people fleeing violence and seeking asylum within the United States. prgtoken Yet the position requires more than experience, it requires a true understanding of the issues and how they affect the men and women we are all sworn to serve. It is in this aspect that I have lingering concerns. prgtoken Anyone running DHS must be able to prioritize their resources in the apprehension, detention, and removal of undocumented immigrants. On November 20, 2014, the Department of Homeland Security outlined how scarce Federal resources would be allocated in enforcing our Nation's immigration laws. The memo focused resources on threats to national security, threats to national safety, and threats to border security, while deemphasizing law-abiding immigrants who have integrated themselves into society. I have been generally supportive of this prioritization, as I believe that Federal resources should be spent on enforcement actions against serious criminals. prgtoken On day one as Secretary of Homeland Security, General Kelly will have to address this. I hope he will recognize the wisdom of keeping families together, protecting children and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA Program and focus on deporting serious criminals and those who truly pose a threat to our national security. This focus isn't about being liberal or conservative but is a smart and humane approach to enforcement of our immigration laws. prgtoken General Kelly will have to grapple with the realities of our immigration system. As Secretary of Homeland Security, General Kelly will be tasked with the critical duty of maintaining our southwest borders. We have heard prgtoken promises by the President-elect to build a wall that would cost taxpayers $25 billion; yet a wall will not secure the border or stop the flow of illegal drugs into the country. General Kelly himself noted that a wall alone is not enough. I hope that General Kelly will recognize that $25 billion is better spent trying to reduce factors that drive people to the United States. prgtoken After speaking to General Kelly and listening to his testimony, I am cautiously optimistic that this is a nominee who understands the issues that will be in front o
NOMINATIONS (Executive Session)
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-1-20

. Respectfully and with high regard, I would just ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--let's get this intelligence team to work. Let's put them together. We will have outstanding individuals in a time when, in the view of most observers, this Nation is in greater peril than it has been in 70 years. prgtoken This is a very, very serious situation we find ourselves in. The people have spoken. Let's confirm them today. prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO FRANK TAYLOR
Peter T. King (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-1-20

I rise today to recognize an extraordinary public servant and a dedicated leader of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), Brigadier General (Retired) Francis Xavier Taylor, the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. Brig Gen Taylor came out of retirement in 2014 when the President nominated him to be the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After nearly 40 years of honorable service to our nation, Under Secretary Taylor will retire again on Friday, January 20, 2017. prgtoken Under Secretary Taylor applied his knowledge and experience from his 31 years in the United States Air Force, his service at the U.S. Department of State as an Ambassador for Counterterrorism and head of Diplomatic prgtoken Security, and as Vice President of Security at General Electric. Applying his decades of experience and innovative thinking, Under Secretary Taylor rolled up his sleeves and got to work. prgtoken Due to Under Secretary Taylor's leadership, I&A is much further along on its vision of driving information sharing and delivering intelligence and analysis to operators and decision-makers at all levels. One of Under Secretary Taylor's first actions at I&A was to guide the organization through a transformation. He removed internal I&A stovepipes and realigned the organization to ensure DHS-collected information now forms the basis of the majority of I&A production. Under Secretary Taylor also ordered that finished intelligence include State and local data. prgtoken Under Secretary Taylor also worked tirelessly to mature and strengthen the Department's relationship with the state and local fusion centers and make information sharing a priority. In FY2016, 62 percent of I&A's finished intelligence products were disseminated at the SECRET level or below to best serve those who protect our borders, critical infrastructure and communities. prgtoken Under Secretary Taylor also took to heart the need to invest in the workforce and address extremely low employee morale. He spent a great deal of his tenure fine-tuning the organization, restructuring and rebalancing the workforce. He drastically reduced the ratio of supervisors to workers, reducing the amount of bloated management and replacing it with what he called ``seed corn''--young, junior people brought in to rejuvenate the organization and help develop a truly homeland-focused workforce. prgtoken Our Nation owes this public servant a tremendous debt of gratitude. I wish to thank Under Secretary Taylor for his decades of exceptional service to our country and to wish him and his wife Connie the very best in the days and years ahead. Under Secretary Taylor can now enjoy his three grandchildren Ava, Aaron and Alexander, while taking in some more games under the Golden Dome at Notre Dame.
INAUGURATION AND CABINET NOMINEES
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-1-20

in November's election, the people called for a new direction, a change from the last 8 years. Today, we took a meaningful step toward that new direction as we inaugurated a new President of the United States. prgtoken I think it is important for all Americans--regardless of party--to remember the significance of inauguration day. As we celebrate our Nation's rich electoral tradition, we can begin to move our country forward together. prgtoken It is always an honor to participate in the historical transition of power and the ceremonies surrounding it. Today was certainly no exception. On behalf of the Senate, I wish to express our gratitude to each individual, from law enforcement personnel to Inaugural Committee staff, to congressional staff of volunteers whose efforts made this event a success. prgtoken I wish to again congratulate President and Vice President on today's inauguration. We are eager to work with you and the administration in advancing policies that can improve the lives of the American people. prgtoken Today marks a new beginning. We are faced with many new opportunities. We are faced with some new challenges too. I will have more to say on that in the coming days. For now, the Senate remains hard at work as we move forward with the confirmation process on President 's nominees. We will have an opportunity to confirm some today. prgtoken It is imperative to proceed with confirmations without delay, especially when it comes to key national and economic security needs. I urge colleagues to remember that we worked with the administration of former President after he was first inaugurated. We confirmed seven--seven--members of his Cabinet on the day he took office and nearly the entire Cabinet was filled within 2 weeks. prgtoken I wish to say, parenthetically, there is a lot the minority can do at the very beginning by refusing to give consent to drag this out, and that is what apparently is occurring here. The nominations we are not doing are not even controversial. prgtoken I would hope the feeling around here would be at least on day one to have some level of cooperation. We should work in the same spirit with the current administration and put the rest of President 's team in place as soon as possible. Specifically, it is important that we confirm General Mattis and General Kelly to their crucial positions as the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security. prgtoken That is not enough. We live in dangerous times. As the ic leader noted earlier just today, ``We face threats foreign and domestic.'' It is critical for the President to have a full national security team today, day one. That includes, in particular, the Director of the CIA. It makes no sense to prgtoken leave the post open, not for another week, not for another day, not for another hour. America's enemies will not pause in plotting, planning, and training simply because the
Welcoming A New Day In The Country (Executive Session)
Pat Roberts (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-1-23

I believe that to continue to delay confirmation of Congressman Mike Pompeo to serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency would be a real disservice to the Nation and to the security of the American people. prgtoken It was 2 weeks ago that I had the honor and privilege of introducing my colleague from Kansas during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee--a committee I once had the privilege of chairing. More than enough time has passed for all Senators to really acquaint themselves with the pertinent qualifications of the President's nominee. prgtoken As a long-serving Member of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike has the merits for the job. He has the experience, he has the knowledge, the judgment, and the skills necessary to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Mike is Army strong. He graduated at the top of his class at West Point and then served as a cavalry officer patrolling the Iron Curtain before the fall of the Berlin Wall. prgtoken After completing his military service, Mike attended Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Because he is an attorney, Mike understands the law, as emphasized by my distinguished colleague from California, a long-serving member of the Intelligence Committee, Senator Feinstein. prgtoken Aside from the many questions posed to Congressman Pompeo, this is the salient point. He will respect the limitations we have placed upon our intelligence services, and he will preserve our constitutional values. prgtoken After practicing law, Mike returned to his mother's roots in South Central Kansas, running several very successful businesses in Wichita before making the decision to run for Congress in 2010. prgtoken Mike came to Washington with a strong desire to serve the people of the Fourth District. Ready for a challenge, he sought a seat on the House Intelligence Committee at a time when intelligence-gathering methods were under fire. prgtoken Again, a salient point, as an experienced legislator, Mike Pompeo understands and respects the role of Congress and the need for vigorous oversight, again demonstrated by the remarks of the distinguished Senator from California, Mrs. Feinstein. prgtoken I know he will provide the House and Senate Intelligence Committees with candid and honest assessments and provide the information the committee needs necessary to fulfill their oversight responsibilities. I know he will also demand that of everyone who serves at the CIA. In so doing, I know--and he knows--the difference between intelligence reporting and an intelligence product with salient input from all within the intelligence community, thus making sure our intel community does not become mired in assessment failure or any political controversy. We have certainly seen enough of that. prgtoken There are few positions in government of greater importance than that of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agen
IN RECOGNITION OF WILEY WASDEN, JR.
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-1-23

I rise to honor Mr. Wiley Anderson Wasden, Jr from Savannah, Georgia, who passed away on January 18, 2017, just a few days shy of his 80th birthday. prgtoken Born in Millen, Georgia, to his parents, Wiley Senior and Katherine, Mr. Wasden moved to Savannah after graduating from high school in 1953. He then began studies at the University of Georgia, where he joined the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and ignited his interest in government. Throughout his life, Mr. Wasden continued this interest in government and used it to make the State of Georgia a better place to live, eventually serving as chairman of the Georgia State Party and as a Georgia State senator. Outside of government, Mr. Wasden worked hard for his community. He was a well-respected local Realtor in Savannah while he also served as chairman of the board for Savannah Country Day School. prgtoken I am proud today to recognize Mr. Wasden's outstanding life and the positive impact he made on the State of Georgia. He will certainly be missed.
Welcoming A New Day In The Country (Executive Session)
Richard Burr (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-1-23

I am not sure if we need to yield back the time or not. prgtoken Let me state that the committee had an open hearing that was unlimited. We didn't cut off questions. We had a closed session that was unlimited. We didn't cut off questions. The nominee asked to see every Member and didn't cut off the length of time he was willing to answer any questions. He handled more than 150 questions for the record and answered them honestly. At the end of the day, when it came to those questions that were of most interest to most Members, he said: I am going to follow the law. That is exactly how we would expect or hope a nominee would, in fact, respond. prgtoken But I ask you to look at Mike Pompeo, Representative Pompeo, Congressman Pompeo's record: West Point grad, first in his class, served his country with distinction, went to Harvard, opened up an aerospace business, became the CEO, ran a successful business, decided that his life needed to have community service in it, ran for Congress, served four terms representing Kansas's Fourth District. prgtoken This is an individual who, as a member of the House Intelligence Committee, committed to do the things that--as the Presiding Officer knows because he is on the Senate select committee--are tough to do. He traveled around the world to see firsthand the men and women who operate in the shadows; the ones who we, on behalf of our other Members of the Senate, certify are living within the letter of the law, that they do things that only they can do because of the positions they hold, but they do it with the laws of the United States in place. And the 15 of--those of us who serve on the committee certified that for our colleagues because in many cases they can't see behind the curtain with the clarity we can. prgtoken Mike Pompeo did that. He traveled around the world. He saw firsthand what these men and women do. They are invaluable to the security of this country, and, I might add, they are invaluable to the policies we as legislators put in place because they provide us with the intelligence we need to make the right decisions. That is Mike Pompeo. That is the person whom the President has nominated to be CIA Director. I am not sure you can find a glove that fits any better for the Agency, for the Congress of the United States, and for the administration, but more importantly, for the American people. This glove fits perfectly to make sure they are performing to keep America safe. prgtoken I hope all of my colleagues will vote for Mike Pompeo's confirmation. prgtoken .
Welcoming A New Day In The Country (Executive Session)
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-1-23

in less than 2 hours, the United States will have a new Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Those watching may conclude that perhaps there is still debate going on about how we are going to vote. Everyone in the Senate knows how they are going to vote on this confirmation. Quite frankly, the President deserves the right to have someone at the CIA whom he trusts and is going to do a good job at a very critical agency. This is a critical component of our national security apparatus. It is unfortunate that the first weekend as President he had to have that position vacant. Nevertheless, that ill will be remedied here in about an hour and a half. prgtoken I am proud to stand in support of Congressman Pompeo, whom I got to know well. He was very supportive of my efforts earlier last year when I chose to pursue the Presidency. I got to know a lot about him in that endeavor. So I want to take a few moments to tell the people of Florida and those who may be watching this, now or in the future, a little bit about their next Director of the CIA. prgtoken First of all, he is an incredibly respected leader. Anyone who has interacted with him, anyone who watched the hearing before the Intelligence Committee would conclude that he was a star in terms of the way he presented himself. That is in line with his honorable service during his time on the House Intelligence Committee, which he has been on for over 6 years. prgtoken He is a graduate of West Point. He is an Army veteran. He finished at the top of his class at Harvard Law. I don't think anyone here would say that someone who went to West Point, who served in the Armed Forces, and who finished at the top of his class at one of the most exclusive law schools in the world does not qualify for the job. He certainly has the intellect for it, but he also has a very keen understanding of our national security issues, both as a Congressman but also from a practical perspective, having operated in that space in the Army. prgtoken Senate , unfortunately, have delayed his confirmation for political reasons. As I said earlier, we could have voted on this last Friday, as the Senate ic leader had promised the chairman of the Intelligence Committee. That word was not kept. Nevertheless, we are here today, and we are going to move forward. prgtoken Our new Commander in Chief deserves and needs the Director of the CIA in this job as soon as possible because we face a complex number of dangerous threats, perhaps more than at any time in our recent memory. These include the threat of radical Islamic terrorism--in Iraq, Syria, Southeast Asia, North Africa, even here at home; Russian aggression toward our friends and allies in Eastern Europe and elsewhere. We face the savage Assad regime in Syria, which continues to slaughter innocent men, women, and children, targeting civilians in Aleppo and other places. We, of course, face an increasingly un
IF PRESIDENT TRUMP WERE A DEMOCRAT
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-23

just think what the media would be saying about President if he were a : He has tremendous energy. He campaigned for 18 months, puts in 15-hour days, and has the stamina of a bull elephant like Teddy Roosevelt. He is courageous, even fearless. Given the amount of hate directed his way, no doubt he constantly receives death threats. But that doesn't curtail his public appearances or seem to worry him in the least. He has conviction. He practices what he preaches. He doesn't waffle or waver. And he is obviously not deterred by media criticism. He is a great father. Anytime his son or daughter calls, he picks up the phone. He includes them in his activities. Clearly, he has a strong relationship with his children. He is off to a fast start. His Cabinet consists of smart, experienced, and successful individuals. He already has taken steps to keep jobs in America, put unnecessary regulations on hold, and improve health care. Consumer confidence is at a 16-year high. prgtoken No, the national liberal media won't print that or air it or post it. Better to get your news directly from the President. In fact, it might be the only way to get the unvarnished truth.
MOURNING THE LOSS OF DETECTIVE JERRY WALKER
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-23

today I rise to honor the memory of Detective Jerry Walker of Little Elm, Texas. prgtoken Detective Walker was lost in the line of duty last week when he responded to an emergency call that involved an active shooter. This great loss has cast a shadow of sadness over our close-knit community. This is the first time in the city's history that we have lost an officer in the line of duty. prgtoken Detective Walker was a dedicated member of our police force and community. He was a husband, a father, a mentor, and a friend to many. I had the privilege of meeting Detective Walker when he was on duty at one of my townhall meetings in the summer of 2014. His dedication to protecting the residents of Little Elm was evident in all that he did. prgtoken Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Cole Beasley sums up this loss precisely saying: ``We lost a good one.'' prgtoken Our town of Little Elm continues to mourn the loss of one of our heroes. His service to our community will not be forgotten. prgtoken I extend my deepest sympathy to Detective Walker's family and will continue to keep them in my prayers.