mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING STATE REPRESENTATIVE DON MOFFITT FOR HIS SERVICE TO ILLINOIS
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-1-23

I rise today to recognize State Representative Don Moffitt, who retired from the Illinois House of Representatives after finishing out his final term in office. Mr. Moffitt has led a life dedicated to public service, honorably serving in various levels of government for more than four decades. prgtoken Mr. Moffitt began his career in public service as an Alderman in the City of Oneida, Illinois, the city he soon became the Mayor of. Mr. Moffitt continued to serve his community through his time as the Knox County Board Chairman, and Knox County Treasurer from 1984 to 1993. Mr. Moffitt became a member of the Illinois State Legislature representing the 74th District in Illinois in 1993, where he has served more than 20 years as a State Representative. prgtoken Mr. Moffitt has dedicated his time in public office to strengthening our region by always placing the safety and well-being of our communities first, and serving as a strong advocate for rural communities in the State Legislature. I was pleased to learn he will continue being an advocate for our rural economy in a new position as the Assistant Director at the Illinois Department of Agriculture. prgtoken , I would like to thank Mr. Moffitt for his commitment to public service, and for all that he has done to strengthen our region. I congratulate him again on his retirement from the State Legislature and wish him well at the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
TRIBUTE TO MILTON BRONSTEIN
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-1-23

Mr. Milton Bronstein, a lifelong public servant, labor leader, and great friend to me, today celebrates his 100th birthday. prgtoken Milton served in many capacities during his more than three decades of service as an employee of the State of Rhode Island. In addition, he was an active workers' organizer, leading Rhode Island's AFSCME chapter, Council 94, as its first president and eventually becoming the retiree chapter's vice president until retiring just last year at age 99. prgtoken Those who have been fortunate enough to work alongside Milton during his State service or to benefit under his tenure at Council 94 describe him as a strong, dedicated leader and mentor. Current labor leaders say Milton's involvement helped strengthen prgtoken the labor movement in Rhode Island. It is his selflessness and commitment to seeing working Rhode Islanders succeed that so many of us admire. prgtoken Milton has been a tireless leader in the community. He has served on the board of directors of the Rhode Island Credit Union and the Touro Fraternal Association, the largest independent Jewish fraternal order in New England, for more than 50 years. He also was very active in the Rhode Island ic Party for just as long, working as president of the Association of ic City and Town Chairs. One of his proudest moments in politics was being a member of the 1992 Electoral College where he proudly cast his vote for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. prgtoken I know Milton's family means everything to him. His love for his late wife, Claire, and his devotion to his children, Harvey, Andrew, and Cindy, are obvious. He has carried on his devotion to family with his seven grandchildren and his two great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. prgtoken Milton has been a close friend, supporter, and adviser to me throughout my political career. He is someone you can go to when you need help, and he is always there. He has helped so many people over the years, but you would be hard pressed to hear of him asking anything for himself. prgtoken Milton, I am lucky to celebrate you today. You are a great Rhode Islander. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for your dedicated service to the people of our great Ocean State. As your friend and Senator, please accept my birthday wishes for a wonderful 100th year.
Welcoming A New Day In The Country (Executive Session)
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-1-23

I thank the distinguished Senator from Kansas for giving me the opportunity to make some remarks for the record. prgtoken I support Mike Pompeo to be Director of the CIA. I want to make clear that Congressman Pompeo has committed to following the law with respect to torture. He committed, during his open hearing, to a question I asked, to refuse any orders to restart the CIA's use of enhanced interrogation techniques that fall outside of the Army Field Manual. prgtoken However, what has happened is that his written answers to my questions for the record on torture appear to leave open the possibility that he would be open to the CIA carrying out these practices again in the future. I have had an opportunity to discuss this with Congressman Pompeo, and I asked him today to give me some statements from him that I could put directly into the record in that regard, and I wish to share these responses. I received them today, prepared by his staff. prgtoken Let me quote. ``By law, any agency interrogations will be limited to techniques in the Army Field Manual.'' ``The Army Field Manual explicitly prohibits waterboarding and other techniques.'' prgtoken He further recommitted to the promise he made at his hearing that he ``would `absolutely not' comply with an order that violates the law, including an order to restart a program with techniques that violated the limitations in the Army Field Manual.'' prgtoken Additionally, he clarified his comments regarding which experts he intends to consult at the CIA and other organizations in the government regarding the Army Field Manual. This is where there was particularly-- I think in the Daily Beast, this question was raised, as well as in other places, so I want to clear it up. Here is his statement: He ``would listen to any items raised by the High-Value detainee Interrogation Group''--which we call the HIG--``or other career intelligence professionals that any improvements were needed to the Army Field Manual based on their professional experience.'' prgtoken Moreover, he promised to provide objective analysis of Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement and insisted that he would keep the Senate informed of all CIA activities in that regard. prgtoken Additionally, he has promised to put aside his previous political considerations, and he has committed to providing the President and the Congress with independent, objective intelligence analysis. prgtoken Certainly, I, and certainly others, intend to hold him to these commitments. For these reasons, I am clearly voting for his confirmation and look forward to working closely with him on the Senate Intelligence Committee to make sure strong congressional oversight of the CIA continues. prgtoken . prgtoken .
IN HONOR OF THE REVEREND RICHARD GAMMAGE
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2017-1-23

it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding spiritual and community leader, the Reverend Richard Gammage, Pastor of New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia. Sadly, Reverend Gammage passed away on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at the age of 85. A memorial service was held in his honor on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at his church in Macon, Georgia. prgtoken Richard Gammage was born in Sylvester, Georgia in 1931. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at the young age of twelve. He was a member of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church and served in the various roles of deacon, Sunday school teacher, choir president and Chairman of the Sick Committee. prgtoken Always seeking to improve his craft of Christian ministry and discipleship, he furthered his education at Carver Bible College, the Morehouse School of Religion, and the Interdenominational Theological Center. He earned a Master's degree from Brown College of Transoral Science. prgtoken For the past 37 years, Reverend Gammage pastored the New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Macon. He loved each member of his congregation, and they loved him back. He believed that in addition to existing in a building, the church should exist in a community. The church took pride in serving breakfast on Sunday mornings to many homeless people and people in need who were able to eat a good meal immediately after the early service. prgtoken In Reverend Gammage's many years of service, he ordained more than one hundred deacons, including seven women to preach. He served as President of the Evangelical Ministers Alliance for several years and most recently held the title of President Emeritus. Reverend Gammage also stood firm as a strong believer in Christian education, providing Bibles and other instructional materials to every individual who attended his Bible studies. prgtoken Reverend Gammage made a difference both in and out of the pulpit. He was a renowned and passionate community leader in Macon, Georgia. For more than three decades, he led the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March in Macon. He also hosted forums at New Pleasant Grove during nearly every political election for candidates to discuss issues and their campaigns. prgtoken Acts 20:35 says, ``I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive.' '' Truly, Reverend Gammage abided by this scripture, understanding his calling and purpose to serve God's people and his community. prgtoken Reverend Gammage achieved much in his life, but none of this would have been possible without the love and support of his wife, Myra Gammage, and their three children. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife Vivian, and the more than 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION PROCESS REFORM ACT OF 2017
Michael F. Doyle (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2017-1-23

I rise in support of H.R. 290, and as much time as I may consume. prgtoken , this bill was the same bill that passed the House last Congress and is the result of lengthy negotiations in the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology to come to a bipartisan agreement that all can support. This agreement requires the FCC to make certain procedural rule changes and requires an inquiry into other process changes. prgtoken The bill includes the FCC Collaboration Act, a bill that allows for more than two FCC Commissioners to discuss official business as long as certain safeguards are in place. This bill should help the Commissioners reach consensus more quickly. prgtoken The bill also includes important provisions offered by last Congress, such as Representative Clarke's provision to require that the FCC provide quarterly reports on pending decisions to ensure accountability and timely responses, Representative Matsui's provision that required the FCC to coordinate with the Small Business Administration to improve small business participation in FCC proceedings, and Representative Loebsack's provision that requires the FCC Chairman to publicly post the agency's internal policies and procedures for greater transparency. The addition of these ic ideas make this a better bill. prgtoken The bill also requires the FCC to post, in its entirety, any item adopted by the Commission within 24 hours of filing of final dissenting statements, a compromise that was reached by Congressman McNerney and Congresswoman Ellmers last Congress. prgtoken FCC process reform has been an issue in our subcommittee going back several years. I hope this compromise bill is something all Members can support. prgtoken , I see no other speakers on my side of the aisle, so .
Welcoming A New Day In The Country (Executive Session)
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2017-1-23

I wish to start my remarks by saying I have tremendous respect for anybody who will go through the process of confirmation. It is a tough, rigorous process, but it is a process that is very important to this country. The Senate needs to confirm the nominees, and we need to do our work as Senators to make sure the people in the positions in the Cabinet are well-suited to those positions. prgtoken In that regard, I am going to rise today in opposition to the nomination of Mike Pompeo to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. prgtoken As our Nation's top intelligence agency, the CIA plays a critical role in keeping our country safe from those who want to do us harm, but Mr. Pompeo envisions American intelligence-gathering that does much more than keep us safe from our adversaries. He wants to collect the private information of law-abiding citizens. Mr. Pompeo has advocated for reestablishing bulk metadata collection, combining it with publicly available financial and lifestyle information into a searchable, comprehensive database. prgtoken That might sound fine, but it isn't. What this means is that a phone call with your friend or coworker could be a conversation tracked by the U.S. Government. That is not right. What this means is that a kid from Lewistown, MT, who is attending college in Bozeman and feels homesick and wants to call home on a Sunday afternoon, that could be tracked. Look, he is not a threat to our country. A grandmother calling her grandkids on their birthday to wish them happy birthday, that could be a tracked. It is not a threat to our country. prgtoken This type of bulk data collection Mr. Pompeo advocates for fails to protect our right to privacy and potentially treats innocent Americans like hostile actors. The threats we face in this world are real, but we cannot afford to revive and expand some of the worst elements of the PATRIOT Act. Every American has a fundamental right to privacy, and Mr. Pompeo has indicated he is willing to sacrifice that right. The President deserves to have the guy in office whom he wants, but we can't allow a person to be in office that is going to take away our privacy, take away our civil liberties. prgtoken It has been pointed out on this floor before all the bad people out there--in North Korea, in China, in Iran, in Syria, in Russia. Let me be clear. We must strengthen our national security, but we do not have to sacrifice our civil liberties in that process. prgtoken We can have a safe nation that respects our fundamental freedoms. Both are possible. Because of these reasons--of bulk metadata collection and infringement on our civil liberties in this country--I cannot support Mr. Pompeo. I urge my colleagues to look at what he is requesting and oppose his nomination. prgtoken , .
Welcoming A New Day In The Country (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-1-23

. Tonight, the Senate will vote on the President's nominee to be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. As I said on Friday, I do not believe the Senate should rush to confirm such a critical position, without the opportunity for debate or discussion. We are having that debate today, and that is why on Friday, I supported a motion to proceed to this nomination. prgtoken Our intelligence agencies have an enormous task ahead. The challenges they face range from state-sponsored information warfare to countering violent extremists around the world. Among those who will lead these efforts will be the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The importance of the CIA cannot be overstated. Now, perhaps more than ever, we need a Director who will manage the Agency with the full confidence of the American people. prgtoken This confidence is based not only on a future Director's ability to comprehend security challenges, but on his or her ability to safeguard the privacy and civil liberties of all Americans and to uphold and advance United States leadership in protecting human rights. prgtoken I have serious concerns with President 's nominee to lead the CIA. Congressman Pompeo has called for the re-establishment of the bulk collection of Americans' phone records, and has even argued that the intelligence community should combine that metadata ``with publicly available financial and lifestyle information into a comprehensive, searchable database.'' He went on to say that ``[l]egal and bureaucratic impediments to surveillance should be removed.'' prgtoken But Congress outright rejected the bulk collection of Americans' records when it passed the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis--the very program that Congressman Pompeo said that he wants to bring back. prgtoken During his testimony last week, Congressman Pompeo attempted to diffuse this and other questions about his more alarming positions by affirming his appreciation of the supremacy of law. It sounded to me, like the tried and true confirmation conversion. I appreciate that he testified that he understands the responsibility of a Director to uphold the Constitution and the laws passed by Congress. prgtoken But I remain deeply concerned that he advocated for such dangerous measures in the first place. And I am concerned that he will push to remove ``legal and bureaucratic impediments to surveillance''--just as he said last year. prgtoken We face grave threats from around the world, whether from Russia, from ISIS, or other adversaries. The Director of the CIA must be trusted by all Americans to protect us from these threats, but also to protect our nation's core values. prgtoken I don't question Congressman Pompeo's loyalty to our nation. I do question his stated beliefs that immediate security concerns can be used as a justification for eroding the fundamental rights of all Americans. For prgtoken these reasons, I cannot s
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Trent Franks (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-1-24

. Madam , I want to thank Congresswoman Black for this bill. It seems like whenever we talk about this issue, we always talk past each other. But the real question before us is: Does abortion kill a little baby? prgtoken If it doesn't, I am ready to quit talking about it. But if it does, then those of us sitting in the seat of freedom are also standing in the midst of the greatest human genocide in the history of humanity. And although we may not agree on all of the vicissitudes of abortion, one thing is certain: Some day, we, as a society, will look back, we will recognize the humanity of these little children of God and the inhumanity of what was being done to them, and we will regret these days. prgtoken Until then, at least can't we get together and say that we shouldn't force taxpayers to pay for the killing of innocent little human beings? prgtoken I pray that we can open our eyes to that truth.
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-1-24

. Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act. prgtoken Unfortunately, in our Nation, the most vulnerable and the most helpless lives amongst us have had their lives ended unceremoniously and tragically through abortion. Since 1973, 57 million lives have been lost to abortion. Even more disheartening, taxpayer dollars have been funding these abortions, despite the fact that polls show that 60 percent of Americans believe that abortions should not be directly paid for with tax dollars. prgtoken Since 1976, the Hyde amendment has saved 2 million lives by prohibiting tax dollars from funding abortions. It is time to make this lifesaving amendment permanent and governmentwide. If signed by our new President, this prgtoken measure would do just that. Supporting comprehensive, life-affirming care is a better and more effective way to invest in women's health. prgtoken I am thankful to all those who will come to Washington, D.C this week to March for Life on behalf of the unborn. As a practicing Catholic and the father of three, I am proud to be the voice for the unborn here in Congress. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7 and stand up for life.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-1-24

I rise to speak of legislation I am introducing today--the Transportation Investment Recalibration to Equality Act, or the TIRE Act. The TIRE Act would suspend the Davis- Bacon prevailing wage requirement on all transportation-related infrastructure contracts. This would free up billions more in taxpayer dollars to be spent on jobs and on projects. prgtoken For those who are not familiar, Davis-Bacon is a Depression-era law that requires contractors on Federal construction projects to pay workers no less than the so-called local prevailing wage. Now, since its enactment over 80 years ago, the Department of Labor has been unable to devise an effective system for determining prevailing wages. prgtoken In fact, a 2004 Department of Labor inspector general report revealed that Federal wage reporting surveys, which are a key metric used to determine prevailing wages, are fundamentally flawed. Of all the wage report surveys reviewed by the IG, 100 percent contained flaws. Let me say that again: 100 percent of all the surveys were flawed. prgtoken In addition, some of the wage surveys have not been updated since the 1980s. The bottom line is that every time Davis-Bacon applies to a Federal project, less money is going to construction and more money is going to meet onerous wage requirements. According to the Beacon Hill Institute, Davis-Bacon forces taxpayers to pay 22 percent above the market rate for labor on Federal infrastructure projects. prgtoken This is largely the result of disproportionate union participation in flawed wage surveys that skew Federal decisionmaking. Now, despite representing only 4 percent of the construction industry, unions are able to leverage their clout with Federal bureaucrats to inflate more than 60 percent of prevailing wages--talk about benefitting a few at the expense of the many. prgtoken Here is some perspective on what it means in real dollars. In 2016, the Federal Government spent $23 billion on Federal construction projects, and 2.1 billion of these dollars was spent on above-rate labor costs. prgtoken Again, $2.1 billion of the $23 billion spent was on above-market-rate labor costs. This means that nearly 10 percent of all Federal construction spending last year went to inflated contracts. Not only does this translate into less construction funding going to actual construction, but according to George Mason University, it results in roughly 30,000 lost construction jobs. prgtoken So we lose both on the projects and the jobs that are created. More broadly, it discriminates against small businesses that don't have the resources to meet onerous Federal reporting and compliance requirements. Now, while it may be well-intentioned, Davis-Bacon ends up eliminating decent-paying construction jobs and hampering infrastructure spending. prgtoken I have often talked to State and local officials who will say that if you have two bridges across the same river, even if they are j
HONORING CLARKE BLODGETT
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-1-24

I proudly pause to recognize Clarke Blodgett. Clarke is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 81, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Clarke has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Clarke has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Clarke has mastered the bugle, led his troop as the Senior Patrol Leader, and earned the rank of Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Clarke also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Clarke built, installed and organized shelves inside a shed at Sacred Heart Church in Bevier, Missouri I proudly ask you to join me in commending Clarke Blodgett for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.