mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Healthcare (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-8-2

I note in this morning's news that insurance companies that provide health insurance policies on the Care exchanges are projecting that insurance premiums will go up about 30 percent next year. prgtoken Since 2013, we have seen the nationwide average of premiums go up 105 percent. That was before this latest announcement. We know that in 2017, the national average increase in premiums was 25 percent, and in Arizona, for example, it was 145 percent. prgtoken So why did all of the Senate vote against making progress on a solution toward these runaway premiums I have talked about ad nauseam on the Senate floor? prgtoken We have almost become numb to the pain people across this country are experiencing because of the skyrocketing rate of their insurance premiums, and we know that 28 million, roughly, have dropped out and are uninsured. In my State alone, because of the individual mandate, which is the penalty the government imposes for one's failing to buy a government-approved health insurance plan--as the Presiding Officer knows because I got the figures from him--more than 400,000 Texans who earn less than $25,000 a year paid the penalty because they could not afford to buy the insurance. All in all, about a million Texans paid the penalty because of the individual mandate. prgtoken When we tried to do something about that last week, in working with our House colleagues, what was the response from the other side? It was crickets--silence. Unfortunately, the people who were hurt by Care are still being hurt by Care. prgtoken Now, here is the narrative. I have already seen it on social media and have read about it in the paper and elsewhere. Some people are saying: Well, the reason insurance companies are saying that premiums are going to go up 30 percent next year is that President will not commit to the subsidies for insurance companies, the so-called CSRs. prgtoken That is utterly false. How do they explain the 105-percent increase from 2013 to currently? How do they explain last year's increase in insurance premiums, 25 percent, on average, and 145 percent in places like Arizona before President even took office? It is a demonstrably false narrative, and I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that we were not able to make some progress toward a solution on behalf of the people whom I represent in my State but also on behalf of the people whom we all represent across the United States. prgtoken I dare say, as we search for a path forward, we ought to get our facts straight, and the idea that premiums are going to go up 30 percent next year, unless something changes, is a product of the failure of Care. It is nothing that this administration has done or will do that has caused that. So let's get our facts straight because starting with the correct facts is absolutely essential to coming up with real solutions.
RECOGNIZING HILLCREST AIRCRAFT COMPANY
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2017-8-2

today I would like to recognize an outstanding small business located in my home State of Idaho. As many of my colleagues in the Western Caucus can tell you, catastrophic wildfires are a cause for major concern and costs for large swathes of the West, particularly in the summer months. This month's small business has found their specialty in helping to control these large wildfires in a safe and efficient manner. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Hillcrest Aircraft Company as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Month for August 2017. prgtoken Hillcrest Aircraft Company is based out of Lewiston, ID, and is a utility helicopter company with a broad spectrum of work. Hillcrest Aircraft Company was founded by local pilots in 1946. Jerry Wilson partnered with the company in 1959, eventually becoming the sole owner in 1972. Jerry's son, Gale Wilson, is the current president of the company, and his son, Keith White, serves as vice president. The Wilson's legacy of promoting a strong work ethic coupled with strict safety requirements has built the company into a premier helicopter business. In 1968, Hillcrest became the first certified Bell customer service facility in Idaho, and 1 year later, in 1969, they became an approved FAA repair station. Their main focus, however, is aerial firefighting. Whether they are transporting firefighters to remote areas or dropping hundreds of gallons of water on a raging fire, Hillcrest prides itself on protecting communities from dangerous wildfires. In fact, they have fought fires in all of the lower 48 States during their 60-plus years of experience. On top of aerial firefighting, Hillcrest flies for power and timber companies, photographers, videographers, and even fish planters. Their comprehensive background in a variety of industries, dedication to operational safety, and commitment to strict ethical standards continue to keep this family-owned business busy around the clock. prgtoken Hillcrest has always put safety first, and in 2015 and 2016, they were rewarded for their efforts. Hillcrest achieved the necessary requirements for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, IS-BAO, Stage I registration by implementing a safety management system, SMS, in 2015 and Stage II registration in 2016. This safety standard acknowledges the company's efforts to improve their safety risk profile and operating efficiency. Hillcrest was one of the first rotary-wing-only operators to achieve the IS-BAO Stage II. prgtoken The future is bright for Hillcrest Aircraft Company as they continue to expand their business. Just a couple of months ago in June, Hillcrest opened their very own fixed base operation, FBO, at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport. I would like to congratulate Gale Wilson and his family, along with all of the employees at Hillcrest, for the hard work they do in trying cond
CBO ESTIMATE OF H.R. 2430
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-8-2

for the information of my colleagues, the Congressional Budget Office released its estimate of H.R. 2430, the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017, in July 2017. Information related to this House-passed bill can be found at the Congressional Budget Office's website with the following link: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/ 115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/hr2430.pdf ____________________
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JACOB LEINENKUGEL BREWING COMPANY
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-8-2

today I wish to honor a true original, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, on 150 years of brewing great beer in Wisconsin's North Woods. The Leinenkugels were fairly typical Wisconsinites in the mid-1800s--German, immigrants, and lovers of beer. Jacob Leinenkugel started in the business in 1867 after he and three brothers learned the craft from their father, a brewer and distiller. Together, the Leinenkugel family started four breweries, including the Spring Brewery, which eventually became Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing. prgtoken While the Leinenkugel family was typical, the brewery they started became far from ordinary. For a century and a half, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company has put Chippewa Falls, WI, on the map and excellent beer in the hands of people throughout Wisconsin and the country. prgtoken Walk into most any bar in the State and there will be ``Leinie's'' on tap. Go to a backyard cookout or a Milwaukee prgtoken Brewers tailgate on a hot summer's day and there will Summer Shandy in the cooler. Stop by a Wisconsin supper club for dinner and odds are you or someone at the table next to you will be enjoying their fish fry with a Honey Weiss. prgtoken Leinenkugel Brewing is the seventh oldest continuously operating brewery in the country. This lengthy heritage did endure trying moments. Leinenkugel's survived Prohibition by producing soda, ginger ale, and a nonalcoholic cereal beverage to stay in business. Afterward, the brewer eventually grew into the fourth largest craft brewer in the United States. prgtoken The original brewery is still operating, and its Leinie Lodge visitor center in Chippewa Falls welcomes 125,000 visitors annually, making it a top tourist destination in northern Wisconsin. Along with its original lager, Leinenkugel's now brews 24 other beers, with offerings for every taste and season, including a special German Marzen-style lager to celebrate the family's roots and the brewery's 150th anniversary. prgtoken Leinenkugel Brewing is more than beer. Leinenkugel's is a Wisconsin institution that touches the lives of people across the State--even those who have never lifted a pint. The brewery's Canoes for a Cause outreach program has provided education and resources to help improve and protect Wisconsin springs and waterways. Generations of the Leinenkugel family have served our country in the military and other civic capacities. That tradition continues today as former Marine Corps captain and Leinenkugel Brewing president Jake Leinenkugel serves as a senior White House adviser for the Department of Veterans Affairs. prgtoken Six generations have taken a family from the North Woods of Wisconsin to the refrigerators of beer lovers in all 50 States while maintaining its Wisconsin roots and cherishing its German heritage. I join my fellow Wisconsinites in raising a glass in appreciation for the last 150 years and hoping for many more to come.
THE USS ``WEST VIRGINIA''
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-8-2

I would like to recognize the service of the first ship named for our Nation's 35th State--our only State born of war--the armored cruiser USS West Virginia. She was commissioned on February 23, 1905, and served in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. On two occasions, she deployed to Mexico to enforce U.S. diplomacy. In 1916, she was renamed the USS Huntington, in order to permit the assignment of her old name to a new battleship. prgtoken That new battleship--the second USS West Virginia--was commissioned in December 1923 and affectionately nicknamed the ``Wee Vee.'' In 1940, she moved to Hawaii and became part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. She was the youngest of all the battleships at Pearl Harbor. During the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the USS West Virginia was moored outboard the USS Tennessee; as a result, the Tennessee was not hit by a single torpedo, while the West Virginia was hit by nine torpedoes. prgtoken Despite being mortally wounded by shrapnel, the ship's captain, Mervyn S. Bennion, remained on the bridge ordering counterflooding of starboard compartments to prevent capsizing; for his actions, Captain Bennion posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Captain Bennion's actions are regularly cited as the epitome of proper command under fire. prgtoken Displaying a resilience befitting the people of her namesake, the USS West Virginia refused to stay sunk. She was pumped out and refloated on May 17, 1942, and sailed to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs. After being fully modernized, she saw action in the invasion of the Philippines, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa, among others. She was present in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, for the formal Japanese surrender. prgtoken The USS West Virginia was decommissioned on January 9, 1947; her awards included the American Defense Service Medal with ``Fleet'' clasp; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with five battle stars; the World War II Victory Medal; and the Navy Occupation Medal with ``Asia'' clasp. An antiaircraft gun remains at City Park in Parkersburg, WV; the ship's wheel and binnacle are on display at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Her mast sits in front of Oglebay Hall at West Virginia University, and Interstate 470 in West Virginia is named the ``USS West Virginia Memorial Highway.'' prgtoken The U.S. Navy resurrected the proud history of the 35th State's moniker with a 1983 contract to build a Ship, Submarine, Ballistic, Nuclear, SSBN, the 11th of an eventual 18 Ohio-class submarines, otherwise to be known as the USS West Virginia, SSBN 736. She was launched on October 14, 1989, sponsored by Mrs. Erma Byrd, wife--and high school sweetheart--of the now late U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, of West Virginia--the longest serving Senator and the longest serving Member in the history of the U.S. Congress--and commissioned on October 20, 1990. prgtoken The USS West Virginia, SSBN 736 conduc
REMEMBERING DAN FAUSKE
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-8-2

Alaskans will gather on August 9 to celebrate the life of Dan Fauske, a public servant extraordinaire, who lost his battle with cancer in April. Upon learning of Dan's passing, Representative Mike Chennault, four-term of the Alaska House of Representatives described Dan as ``Superman.'' In Mike's words, ``Dan Fauske leaped tall buildings in a single bound. Like Superman, there was not a challenge he couldn't take on.'' prgtoken Dan was a dear friend of mine, and his family is part of our extended family in the Murkowski office. Dan's son, D.J who now serves as director of government and external affairs for the North Slope Borough, helped open my Washington office in 2003 as a staff assistant. D.J. subsequently married Gretchen Wieman, a legislative correspondent in my office during that period. prgtoken I counted on Dan for advice and counsel on important public policy issues affecting Alaska, as did many others in the State. His integrity and wisdom were unsurpassed, but Dan's greatest attribute was perhaps his humility. He was known as a straight shooter; one who was about getting the job done and doing it right. Although he waded into many a difficult political problem, he resisted the urge to become a politician. If there was an ounce of self-promotion in Dan Fauske, I never saw it. Dan was one of the most grounded people I have ever met, and that was the key to his influence and effectiveness. prgtoken Dan Fauske, like so many builders of Alaska in the half century after Statehood, adopted our State as his home. Dan was born in Fargo on December 13, 1950. He relocated to Alaska in 1974 after serving in the Army--not to the big city, but to Barrow, now called Utqiagvik, the northernmost American city. A place where the first language was then and remains today Inupiaq. His older brother, Dave, was a teacher in the village. Dan worked construction and delivered fresh water, and he made himself part of the community. Elise Patkotak remembers him as one who approached the world as if everyone were a potential friend. Dan built a dog ramp to help Elise get her handicapped dog into the house. This is just one example of the many random acts of kindness for which Dan was known. Bridging the cross-cultural divide, his kindness was reciprocated in the community. prgtoken Dan left Alaska to study for an MBA at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, but it was a temporary absence. Utqiagvik was Dan's home, and upon graduation, Dan went to work for the North Slope Borough. He was chief financial officer and chief administrative officer. During his tenure, he pursued a vigorous capital construction program which brought water and sewer to many of the North Slope villages. prgtoken In 1995, Dan moved his family to Anchorage. He was named chief executive officer of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, AHFC. John Bitney, then a legislative staffer, remembers the day that he and the legislative auditor
Introductory Statement on S. 1730
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2017-8-2

today I am pleased to be joined by my friend and colleague from Delaware, Senator Chris Coons, in introducing the Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2017. Our legislation would make it the policy of the United States to lead an effort to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and young children in the developing world by 2030. prgtoken Due in part to American leadership and generosity, many lives have already been saved. Since 1990, the annual number of deaths of children under the age of five has been cut in half. Nevertheless, far too many mothers, newborns, and young children under the age of five still succumb to disease and malnutrition that could easily be prevented, if only we could reach the mothers and children with simple, proven, cost- effective interventions that we know will help them survive. prgtoken Every day approximately 800 women will die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, more than 16,000 children under the age of five will die each day of treatable conditions such as prematurity, pneumonia, and diarrhea--with malnutrition being the underlying cause in nearly half those deaths. prgtoken According to USAID, a concentrated effort could end preventable maternal and child deaths worldwide by the year 2030; however, U.S. leadership and support of the international community are critical to success. prgtoken To achieve this ambitious goal, our bill would require the implementation of a strategy to scale up the most effective interventions to save as many lives as possible. This idea is central to our bill. We do not have to guess at what interventions will work-- the reality is that more than 16,000 children under 5 years old die each day of conditions we know today how to treat. prgtoken These life-saving interventions include clean birthing practices, vaccines, nutritional supplements, hand-washing with soap, and other basic needs that remain elusive for far too many women and children in developing countries. This must change. prgtoken In addition, our bill would establish a Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator at USAID who would focus on implementing the ten-year strategy and verifying that the most effective interventions are being scaled up in target countries. prgtoken The bill would also establish an interagency working group to assist the Coordinator in promoting greater collaboration among all the federal agencies involved in this effort. prgtoken To promote transparency and greater accountability, our bill requires that detailed reporting be published on the Foreign Assistance Dashboard, where it can be assessed by the public, Congress, and non- governmental organizations to track the implementation of the strategy and the progress being made. prgtoken Finally, our bill would encourage USAID to pay for successful programs run by non-governmental entities. The message we want to send to all our partners in the private sector, the
UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-8-2

I ask unanimous consent that at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, August 3, the Senate proceed to executive session for consideration of Calendar No. 103, the nomination of the Deputy Secretary at the Department of Energy. I further ask that there be 15 minutes of debate on the nomination equally divided in the usual form, and that following the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on confirmation with no intervening action or debate, and that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Venezuela (Executive Session)
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-8-2

I stand here today to speak about the devastation befalling Venezuela--the people raging in the streets against unfair elections, the dissidents being seized from their homes and detained by security forces, and those starving without food and water. prgtoken Venezuela--once one of the most richly resourced countries in Latin America--is being dismantled by Nicolas Madura and his flailing Chavista regime. It is a human tragedy impacting more than 30 million people who are literally witnessing society collapse around them. prgtoken The numbers, sadly, speak for themselves. According to estimates from the International Monetary Fund, Venezuela's GDP contracted by almost 20 percent last year, with inflation reaching some 550 percent and unemployment spiking to more than 21 percent. The Pharmaceutical Federation of Venezuela estimates that the country suffers from an 85- percent shortage of medicine and a 90-percent deficit of medical supplies, including those needed to treat various types of cancer. prgtoken Men and women, young and old, are going hungry. Thanks to Maduro's destruction of the Venezuelan currency, flour, cooking oil, and other basic commodities have disappeared from store shelves. Students and teachers leave their classrooms for hours on end to stand in line, hoping to receive a loaf of bread as a week's meal. The most vulnerable are going on what are called Maduro diets--skipping meals and reducing their food consumption. prgtoken And Maduro's response? The would-be dictator is threatening to seize businesses that don't produce enough and has told Venezuelans that doing without makes them tougher. Thousands of Venezuelans have crossed borders in search of food and medicine, while Maduro and his cronies spin conspiracies and rail against phantom enemies on state media. The situation is so dire that the regime has begun ``rewarding'' some of its most loyal supporters with toilet paper. prgtoken Alongside the disintegration of Venezuela's economy is the specter of Maduro's growing dictatorship. We have just witnessed the sham election of a so-called constituent assembly, which Maduro intends to use to try to rewrite Venezuela's Constitution, to crush what is left of its free political institutions, and to consolidate his grip on power. His electoral commission lied about the turnout and downplayed the number of government workers whom the regime pressured to participate. While Maduro preached dialogue on television, his security forces were busy rounding up political opponents and murdering peaceful demonstrators. prgtoken This was not Maduro's first power grab. Earlier this year, his handpicked supreme court temporarily dissolved Venezuela's duly-elected National Assembly and stripped its members of immunity in what the head of Organization of American States called a ``self-coup.'' The regime backtracked only after ferocious pressure and condemnation. prgtoken But this week's actions m