mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-9-6

I want to speak for a few minutes about the hearings going on today with Judge Brett Kavanaugh. I had a chance, as you did, to meet him a little over a month ago. It was clear from that conversation that he is clearly the best person available, in my view, to fill the vacancy left by Justice Anthony Kennedy. I think his opening remarks this week gave great evidence to that. He said, as he described himself, that ``a judge must be an umpire--a neutral and impartial arbiter who favors no litigant or policy. . . . I do not decide cases based on personal or policy preferences. I am not a pro- plaintiff or pro-defendant judge. I am not a pro-prosecution or pro- defense judge. I am a pro-law judge.'' prgtoken What does it mean to be a ``pro-law'' judge? It means that you see your job as a judge who will look at the law and determine what the law says, whether that is criminal law or civil law. prgtoken I am not an attorney, but if you hire an attorney to give you advice on civil law, the greatest benefit you can have prgtoken in making a decision based on that advice is that judges at all levels, up to the Supreme Court, will look at the law as hopefully your good attorney did and say: This is what this law means. If you make this decision based on what the law says, the courts in the United States of America will reach that same, likely, conclusion. Your attorney might say that the law is not clear on this issue, and that is a different scenario. But the judge's job is not to decide what is the right thing. The judge's job is not to decide what the law should say. The judge's job is not to decide what the people who wrote the Constitution should have written or should have meant if they had known everything we know today. The judge's job is to look at the law and look at the Constitution and decide that is what it said. prgtoken Nothing would be a better example of Judge Kavanaugh's philosophy than the 300 opinions he has issued as a judge. There is a lot of discussion: Well, there is not enough material out there. We haven't seen everything. We haven't seen everything that went through the White House when he was the Staff Secretary for President . We haven't seen all of that. prgtoken Of course, that is not the case. There is plenty to be seen. In fact, there is more paperwork available to look at from Judge Kavanaugh than from the last five Supreme Court Justices put together. I will state that if you are looking for paper, you have paper. If you are looking for the judge's position, you also have 300 cases, some of which were appealed to the Supreme Court. Thirteen of his opinions--and I think some of them were when he was in the minority on the circuit court bench--became the opinions that the Supreme Court essentially adopted almost exactly as Judge Kavanaugh had written them. prgtoken What we are trying to do is put somebody on the Supreme Court for a lifetime appointment. This i
RECOGNIZING NICK RATLIFF, 2018 CARHARTT BASSMASTER CLASSIC COLLEGE SERIES INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION
James Comer (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-9-6

I rise today to recognize Nick Ratliff, a native of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and a senior at Campbellsville University, who recently earned the title of individual champion at the 2018 Carhartt Bassmaster Classic College Series. prgtoken The grueling competition at Milford Lake in Junction City, Kansas, tested Ratliff's endurance and fishing prowess, with only 4 ounces ultimately separating him from his competitor. After 3 days of challenges, and battling stormy conditions, Ratliff emerged the champion with a 13-pound, 8-ounce catch. prgtoken Following this incredible victory, he has earned the right to compete at the 2019 Bassmaster Classic on the Tennessee River in March of 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. prgtoken I join with his family and friends, as well as his coach, Pete Hedgepath, in congratulating him on this great accomplishment. I wish him the best of luck in his future competitions, and look forward to many more titles and championships as a result of his continued dedication to his sport.
ENSURING SMALL SCALE LNG CERTAINTY AND ACCESS ACT
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-9-6

. Madam Chair, I rise today to support my colleague, Bill Johnson's legislation, H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act. With its passage, there will no longer be unnecessary restrictions placed on small-scale liquefied natural gas exports, creating more open, transparent, and competitive markets for our natural gas industry. prgtoken H.R. 4606 includes a rule finalized by the Department of Energy that expedites approval for small-scale gas exports, ending the several- months wait in the review process. prgtoken These simple fixes are so commonsense that the bill itself is significantly bipartisan which, as you know, is a rarity here in Washington. But I am pleased to see that when the good clearly outweighs the bad, both sides really can come together, and that is what we see here today. prgtoken This legislation would also place small-scale exports on a level playing field with Canada and Mexico, and open new markets in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. As a result, this bill would create new jobs in the United States, boosting our local economies. prgtoken I spent most of the day yesterday with the Farm Bill Conference Committee, where the biggest theme we heard was the need to have certainty. That desire for policy certainty is something that transcends parties and, in this case, committees. This legislation would provide that assurance to our energy folks and protect jobs and investments in the United States.
HONORING FIRE CHIEF MICHAEL REESE
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-9-6

it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor and remember a dedicated public servant in our community who just passed away 2 weeks ago today at the young age of 53--Willow Street Fire Chief Michael Reese. prgtoken Chief Reese's career as a firefighter, which spanned four decades and began when he was a teenager, stands out in our community as one of service, pride, and bravery. His loss is a tremendous loss to our community as well as his fellow firefighters. President Bob Kiesel said recently in a statement, and he said it best: ``Chief Reese's life was dedicated to helping others.'' prgtoken In addition to his 39 years as a firefighter and EMT, Chief Reese spent 17 years as an emergency dispatcher and assistant supervisor with the Lancaster County-Wide Communications. Chief Reese focused his entire career on serving others, on making our community a safer place, and on saving the lives of those he was charged with protecting. prgtoken Michael served alongside his brother, David, who is the deputy fire chief in Willow Street. David and all the firefighters in Willow Street and across central Pennsylvania will carry Michael's spirit with them for the rest of their lives. prgtoken I am extraordinarily grateful for his service. We owe a debt of gratitude to Chief Reese, his wife, Susan, and to his entire family. His memory will not soon be forgotten.
HONORING KENNEWICK POLICE CHIEF KENNETH HOHENBERG FOR 40 YEARS OF SERVICE
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2018-9-6

I rise today to recognize James Webb, a Yakima native, for receiving the prestigious Louis H. Bauer Founders Award by the Aerospace Medical Association this year. prgtoken It is not every day that a man born and raised in central Washington is awarded the Aerospace Medical Association's highest honor, and Mr. Webb deserves it. prgtoken After graduating from the University of Washington, James joined the prgtoken United States Air Force, where he completed 175 combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as several other awards. prgtoken James was inspired to research altitude decompression sickness, finding solutions to help astronauts and pilots across the country and around the world. prgtoken Before receiving the Founders Award, James won five other awards from the association and also served as president. prgtoken , I thank James Webb for his contributions to aerospace medicine. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him on this award.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-9-6

my colleague Senator Jim Risch joins me today in paying tribute to the veterans of the 116th Combat Engineer Battalion in recognition of the battalion's 50-year grand reunion. prgtoken In 1968, the 116th Combat Engineer Battalion deployed to Vietnam. The battalion was made up of approximately 800 Idaho National Guard soldiers from National Guard companies based in Idaho. The soldiers' tasks included clearing and repairing roads. prgtoken The soldiers who served in the 116th Battalion were an integral part of the war effort. They have been credited with swiftly and effectively reconstructing airfields, building bases, clearing thousands of acres of minefields and jungle, constructing thousands of square feet of buildings and bridges, moving critical supplies and equipment, providing access to water, and more. Their legacy of outstanding, dedicated service remains a hallmark of the battalion. prgtoken Veterans who served in the battalion are gathering in Idaho Falls on September 14-15, 2018. As they join with their fellow veterans and family and share memories and life experiences, we thank them for their service to our Nation. We wish veterans of the 116th Combat Engineer Battalion, your families, and loved ones all the best for an enjoyable reunion and honor you for your remarkable service to our country.
RECOGNIZING THE WINNETT LION'S CLUB
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-9-6

this week I have the honor of recognizing the Winnett Lion's Club for their impact on Petroleum County and surrounding communities. prgtoken Over the past 3 years, the Winnett Lion's Club has serviced rural communities through free visionary health screenings. This preventative care aids in catching Ambylopia, an easily treatable disease during childhood. prgtoken I just 3 years, the Winnett Lion's Club has served over 3,000 children and has traveled over 2,500 miles to help rural communities. The Winnett Lion's Club has served children from Headstart, Child Find programs, local public schools, colony-based schools, and business fairs. They have gone above and beyond to support the children in their surrounding communities. prgtoken I congratulate the Winnett Lion's Club for their dedication in serving their community and for leaving a positive impact on Petroleum County.
RECOGNIZING BETTY CAMPBELL
Greg Gianforte (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-9-6

I rise today to honor Betty Campbell of Hays who, at 83 years old, paid tribute to her late husband by walking in the annual Bataan Memorial Death March in the high-desert terrain of New Mexico. Michael ``Bud'' Campbell became a prisoner of war during World War II and survived the brutal Bataan Death March. Bud was among thousands of Philippine and American soldiers forced to march nearly 70 miles with little food or water, enduring torture along the route and at POW camps where he was held for over three years. After the war, he and Betty raised seven children, and owned a ranch in north-central Montana. Betty served her community as an educator for over 30 years, teaching in area schools and serving as a principal. For 20 years, Betty has served as a board member of the Big Flat Electric Cooperative. In March 2018, Betty and her granddaughter Vernelle paid tribute to Bud by walking approximately seven miles at the 29th Bataan Memorial Death March, crossing the finish line together. The Bataan Memorial Death March is an annual tribute to honor the service members who defended the Philippine Islands and were taken as prisoners of war. Betty said her emotions ran high as she thought about what her late husband and other prisoners endured. She reflected on the shoes she wore and the water she had available at nearly every mile, saying, ``It wasn't the same. It didn't seem fair.'' , for her courage, sacrifice, and dedication in honoring her late husband, a World War II POW, at the Bataan Memorial Death March at age 83, I recognize Betty Campbell for her spirit of Montana.
HONORING RYNE LAMMERS
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-9-6

I proudly pause to recognize Ryne Lammers. Ryne 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 714, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. prgtoken Ryne has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Ryne 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, Ryne has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Ryne installed a concrete pad and a bench for a church in his community. prgtoken , I proudly ask you to join me in commending Ryne Lammers for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.
HONORING JOHN McCAIN
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-9-6

I thank the gentleman for the time to thank my colleagues for coming to the House floor to this hallowed Chamber of the people's House and paying tribute to a distinguished Member of this House, a distinguished United States Senator, and someone who epitomizes the best of American character. prgtoken We were all inspired by the stories shared tonight, particularly I think by the touching tribute of a colleague in the Hanoi Hilton, Sam Johnson of Texas. I will remember that time for the rest of my days. prgtoken In conclusion, , let me just say that as John McCain communicated with Sam Johnson in the Hanoi Hilton, I say we salute this fine sailor and say God bless you.
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-9-6

the most important words of our Constitution are the first three--``We the People.'' It is the mission statement of our Nation--a nation of the people, by the people, for the people, as President Lincoln so eloquently stated, not a nation of, by, and for the powerful and the privileged. prgtoken Yet the powerful and the privileged are working overtime to undermine our Constitution. Ironically, they are using the courts to do it. We have seen it happening all week long as the Judiciary Committee has barreled ahead with hearings on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the same Judge Kavanaugh whose record from 5 years of serving in a Presidential administration is still being hidden from the Senate and from the people of the United States of America. prgtoken For 5 years, Brett Kavanaugh had the ear of the President on a number of critical issues--on how we treat enemy combatants, conduct wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, use and expand Executive power through signing statements, or how the authorization for the use of military force is utilized. For 5 years, in the inner circle of America, he had been engaged in policy after policy after policy. Yet Chairman Grassley and the committee s are unwilling to allow that record of insights on his views to be shared with Senators under advice and consent responsibility. prgtoken Then there is this parallel process in which the documents that are being made available are first being vetted by Bill Burck. Who is Bill Burck? He is a partisan lawyer who used to work for the nominee. He is the one who has the final say over what the Senate sees. He is the one who has the final say over what documents are released, not just to the Senate but to the American people. prgtoken He is the one who decided to release 42,000 pages of documents--not the ones from those 5 years we are talking about--just hours before the hearing began. Who could possibly review 42,000 pages the evening or the night before the hearing occurs? It is humanly impossible. There we are with a process normally headed by the nonpartisan National Archives, which is still trying to do its work but can't do its work until the end of October to vet these prgtoken documents. So instead of nonpartisan public servants vetting the documents, we have a partisan lawyer, who worked for the nominee, deciding what we are going to see in the U.S. Senate, what the public and the United States is going to see. This is not transparency. This is censorship, and censorship is absolutely wrong in numerous contexts but particularly in intervening with the responsibility of the Senate. prgtoken Instead of integrity, we have deceit. Instead of honoring advice and consent responsibility, we are dishonoring that fundamental constitutional role. This is a rigged system, completely and absolutely rigged through the censorship of the documents we see and the bl
TRIBUTE TO KATHERINE JOHNSON
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2018-9-6

Today I wish to honor a White Sulphur Springs native who not only completed groundbreaking work at NASA during the space race, but who also broke the barriers of race and gender during a critical time in our Nation. prgtoken Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson was blessed with a natural talent for mathematics which far exceeded that of her peers. By the age of 13, Katherine was already attending high school on West Virginia State College's campus where, in 1937, she received a B.S. in both mathematics and French. prgtoken In 1939, when West Virginia began to integrate its graduate schools, West Virginia State's president, Dr. John Davis, personally selected Katherine and two male students as the first African-American students to attend West Virginia University. prgtoken After starting a family, Katherine found work at the West Area Computing section of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics' Langley laboratory, headed by fellow West Virginian Dorothy Vaughan. The 1957 launch of the Soviet satellite, Sputnik, changed history--and Katherine's life. Her work on the equations to describe an orbital spaceflight in which the landing position of the a spacecraft is specified led to Katherine being the first woman recognized as an author of a report from the flight research division. prgtoken As NASA prepared for the orbital mission with John Glenn in 1962, Katherine was famously asked to run the orbital equations controlling the Friendship 7 trajectory by hand in case of a mechanical computing error. Katherine has recalled John Glenn saying that, if she said the numbers were good, then he was good to go. The mission was a success and marked a tremendous turning point in the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union in space. prgtoken Katherine's story inspired the book, ``Hidden Figures,'' by Margot Lee Shetterly and also the Oscar-nominated film of the same name. prgtoken Recently, 46 of my colleagues and I introduced the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act, which would award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden in recognition for their contributions to NASA's success during the space race. In 2015, President awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor. prgtoken A bronze statue in Katherine's honor now stands on the campus of West Virginia State University. It is my hope that the students who pass it every day will be reminded of Katherine's legacy and will be inspired to keep their passion for knowledge alive. prgtoken Every one of our female leaders in West Virginia are the epitome of strength, leadership, and advancement in their fields. They serve as inspiring role models for the next generation, and that is due in great part to the women who broke ground in generations past. Because of the accomplishments of intellectual leaders such as Katherine, more young women have
HONORING RONALD V. DELLUMS
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-9-6

I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for reminding us what a visionary and a leader Ron was. prgtoken , I remember when we came to Houston, Texas, Ron was determined to put together a coalition between African Americans and Latinos to look at our common issues. He and Mickey Leland were very close, and he worked very closely with the Latino community to really put together the agenda that spoke to both of our communities. So I thank the gentlewoman very much for being here and reminding us of that. prgtoken He was a coalition builder. I called him the father of coalition politics, and the gentlewoman laid that out tonight. prgtoken , ?
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Eric Swalwell (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-9-6

I missed votes on Tuesday, September 4. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: prgtoken On Roll Call Vote Number 380 (Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 6157, the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019): YES. prgtoken On Roll Call Vote Number 381 (Passage of H.R. 6439, the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program Authorization Act): YES.
ENSURING SMALL SCALE LNG CERTAINTY AND ACCESS ACT
Diana DeGette (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2018-9-6

. Madam Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam Chair, H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act, is far from perfect, as several of our colleagues have noted. The amendment I am offering today would reverse most of the bill's most egregious shortcomings and help ensure that liquefied natural gas exports benefiting from expedited approval truly are in the public interest, as the original bill purports to do. prgtoken This amendment would help keep methane waste to a minimum for the LNG exports permitted by the bill. It requires export applications to show that the natural gas was produced using available techniques and technologies to minimize methane emissions from leaks or venting. prgtoken In other words, this amendment would require companies developing liquefied natural gas for export to actually develop and export the natural gas rather than venting vast quantities into the atmosphere or lighting it on fire. prgtoken This requirement is easy to implement with readily available technologies. Many companies are already working to reduce their methane emissions. prgtoken Sara Ortwein, president of XTO Energy, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, just this week stated her company's continued support for Federal methane regulations, and she is far from alone. prgtoken In Colorado, we have had strong methane rules in place since 2014, and our oil and gas industry has continued to thrive, even as it is required to find and stop the leaks. prgtoken Stopping these leaks has real benefits. There is widespread scientific consensus that methane leaks into the atmosphere significantly contribute to climate change. The volatile organic compounds released with the methane increase ground-level pollution and harm public health. When natural gas is produced on public land, it leaks rob taxpayers of royalties on the wasted gas. prgtoken So we can and we must prevent such needless harmful emissions wherever possible, and this measure is one way to do it. It would increase the royalties collected for taxpayers; it would reduce climate-changing emissions; and it would protect public health. prgtoken Vote for it and you will vote for a better future for our constituents, for our children, and for generations to come. prgtoken Now, colleagues who are considering whether to support this amendment may be interested to learn that natural and regional polling consistently show strong bipartisan support for methane rules. Sixty to 80 percent or more of those polled expressed their approval. prgtoken Now, there may be many reasons for which some people will oppose this amendment, but I can't think of any that would stand up to scrutiny. I would look forward to discussing those reasons here. And if you oppose this amendment, let's talk about it. prgtoken Otherwise, we can reduce these emissions; we can pass this bill; and it would go a long way toward cleaning up our environment and saving money. prgtoken Ma