mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT MAJOR DANIEL A. DAILEY
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-7-24

today I wish to recognize SMA Daniel A. Dailey, the fifteenth Sergeant Major of the Army, SMA, for his extraordinary 30 years of faithful service to our Army and our Nation. prgtoken Sergeant Major Dailey's impressive and distinguished career has been characterized by his diligent work, compassionate leadership, and focus on taking care of and advocating to improve the lives of soldiers and their family members. prgtoken In the next few weeks, Sergeant Major Dailey will transition his responsibilities as the U.S. Army's senior enlisted leader, and he will retire from the army after a long and distinguished career of military service at home and abroad. While Sergeant Major Dailey may transition his official duties, his heart and soul is that of a soldier. I know that, as a Soldier for Life, Sergeant Major Dailey will continue his life's work to improve our Army and to take care of our soldiers. prgtoken A native of Palmerton, PA, Sergeant Major Dailey began his journey of service when he enlisted in the Army in 1989 and successfully completed basic training and advanced individual training as an infantryman at Fort Benning, GA. During his career, Sergeant Major Dailey has held every enlisted leadership position in the mechanized infantry, ranging from Bradley Fighting Vehicle commander to command sergeant major. prgtoken Sergeant Major Dailey has served with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Infantry Divisions stateside and overseas. In March 2009, he was selected as the 4th Infantry Division command sergeant major, where he served as both the command sergeant major of Fort Carson, CO, and U.S. Division-North, Iraq. In 2011, Sergeant Major Dailey was selected to serve as the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC. prgtoken In addition to four deployments supporting Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and NEW DAWN, where he earned the Bronze Star with Valor for his leadership during the 4th Infantry Division's 2-month ``Battle for Sadr City'' in 2008, he also deployed in support of Operations DESERT STORM and DESERT SHIELD during the first Gulf War. prgtoken Sergeant Major Dailey's tenure as the 15th Sergeant Major of the Army began on January 30, 2015. As Sergeant Major of the Army, Sergeant Major Dailey serves as the senior enlisted advisor to the Army's Chief of Staff on all matters affecting enlisted soldiers and the NCO corps. In addition to being the soldier's voice through his membership on multiple councils, boards, and commissions and frequently testifying before Congress, Sergeant Major Dailey has also traveled the world to hear and tell the soldier's story, spearheaded initiatives to enhance Army readiness and increase soldier opportunity, and routinely met with business and industry leaders, and State and local government officials to improve the quality of life for Soldiers and their families. prgtoken Sergeant Major Dailey is the public face of the U.S. Ar
HONORING SERGEANT MIKE STEPHEN
Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-7-24

I rise today to honor one of our Nation's fallen first responders, Sergeant Mike Stephen, who was killed in the line of duty on July 18. prgtoken Sergeant Stephen was a true public servant, having served Arkansas and our Nation as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, and soldier. prgtoken Sergeant Stephen began his career as a first responder when he was just 16 years old, following in his father's footsteps by joining the Calico Rock Fire Department. prgtoken As a soldier, Mike Stephen rose to the rank of sergeant first class. As a firefighter, Mike Stephen led the Pineville Volunteer Fire Department while he served as a sheriff's deputy. He instilled his values and dedication to public service and his family, all of whom served as volunteer firefighters. Whenever a call came to the Stephen home, the entire family responded. prgtoken As a career law enforcement officer, Sergeant Stephen served in the Mountain View Police Department, Arkansas Department of Corrections, and, ultimately, the Stone County Sheriff's Office. Beloved by his colleagues, Sergeant Stephen viewed public service as more than a job. He was always on call 24/7, ready to assist his community in any way. He advocated for first responders by testifying before the Arkansas General Assembly. prgtoken On Thursday, July 18, Sergeant Stephen responded to his final call. Early that morning, Sergeant Stephen responded to a domestic welfare call in Leslie, Arkansas. As Stephen performed his duties, shots were fired, and Stephen was struck fatally, as was the suspected shooter. prgtoken As Arkansas mourns the loss of Sergeant Mike Stephen, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending my condolences to the Stephen family and honoring the life of a true public servant who gave his life protecting the community he loved.
HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION CUSTODY ACT
W. Gregory Steube (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-7-24

. Mr. Chair, this amendment is in keeping with the clear hostility with which the majority views the men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including the Border Patrol agents who have put their lives on the line to effectuate over 3,800 migrant rescues so far this fiscal year and the officers of field operations who are in peril each day when they search vehicles and pedestrians for dangerous and deadly narcotics like fentanyl. prgtoken The amendment requires quarterly publication of complaints of sexual abuse in CBP facilities. Of course, preventing sexual abuse in any government facility is an extremely important endeavor, but this amendment does not do that. Instead, it requires premature publication of mere allegations without any context. The effect is the maligning of the men and women who serve on our border and at our ports of entry without doing anything to actually prevent such abuse. prgtoken This amendment requires all complaints to be aggregated and published quarterly, regardless of whether an investigation is complete, regardless of whether the complaint was substantiated, and regardless of whether the victim was a CBP employee, contractor, or detainee. prgtoken We will not know whether those complaints were ever substantiated or unsubstantiated pursuant to an investigation. prgtoken We will not know whether those complaints were against CBP personnel, contracted staff, or against other aliens in the facility. prgtoken We will not know whether the victims were CBP personnel, contracted staff, or an alien in the facility. prgtoken I am also concerned that the amendment requires CBP to exclude personally identifiable information of the individual who reported the abuse, but it is silent as to the personally identifiable information of the accused. It would be inappropriate to publish a complaint against an individual without any context, especially if an investigation later determines that the complaint is unsubstantiated. prgtoken The Judiciary Committee already went through a similar situation with Health and Human Services, where one member of the majority claimed that hundreds of sexual abuse allegations were made against HHS employees when, in fact, the allegations by unaccompanied alien children were against contractors and other UACs. prgtoken The requirements of this amendment will simply give the appearance, regardless of the facts or ultimate outcome of the investigation into the complaints, that CBP facilities are rife with sexual abuse. And the further implication is that CBP personnel condone sexual violence. Such a characterization is offensive to the hardworking men and women of CBP who follow existing regulations and policies to prevent sexual abuse in their facilities. prgtoken In fact, CBP is bound by a duly published regulation at 6 CFR 115, that the agency mandate ``zero tolerance toward all forms of sexual abuse.'' And ``zero tolerance'' isn't a mere buzzword. The regu
Tax Reform (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-7-24

last week, Senator Cardin and I introduced our S Corporation Modernization Act. That brings the total of tax reform bills I have introduced so far this year to six. prgtoken Obviously, 2017 was a banner year for tax reform. In December of 2017, we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a historic, comprehensive reform of our Tax Code that put more money in American families' pockets and helped spur growth at American businesses. prgtoken The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been a great success for our economy and for hard-working Americans, but there are still things we can do to strengthen our Tax Code even further. prgtoken As I mentioned, last week, Senator Cardin and I introduced our S Corporation Modernization Act. S corporations are the most common formal business structure in the United States. There are nearly 5 million of these businesses throughout the United States, including large numbers in rural America. Despite the popularity of S corporations, however, there have been few S corporation-related changes to the Tax Code since this business structure was created. prgtoken There are things we can do to make it easier for these businesses to operate and raise capital. That is why Senator Cardin and I developed the S Corporation Modernization Act. Our legislation makes pro-growth reforms that will make it easier for these businesses to grow and create new jobs and opportunities in their communities. prgtoken Change is a human constant, but with modern technology, the pace of change has seemed to accelerate. American workers and American businesses face very different situations than they did even a decade ago. It is important that our Tax Code keeps pace with the 21st century economy. prgtoken In February, I reintroduced my Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act along with Senator Sherrod Brown. Today substantial numbers of workers travel to different States for temporary work assignments on a regular basis, and they end up subject to a bewildering variety of State laws governing State income tax. prgtoken Senator Brown's and my legislation would create an across-the-board standard for mobile employees who spend a short period of time working across State lines. It would ensure that States receive fair tax payments while substantially simplifying tax requirements for employees and employers. prgtoken In March, I introduced two other bills focused on updating the Tax Code for the 21st century economy. The last decade or so has seen the rise of the gig economy--services provided by individuals through apps and websites like Uber, Lyft, TaskRabbit, Postmates, Grubhub, and many others. These arrangements have stretched the boundaries of current tax law. prgtoken My New Economy Works to Guarantee Independence and Growth Act, or the NEW GIG Act, as we call it, updates our tax law to provide clear guidance on the classification of this new generation of workers. It will ensure that Uber drive
RECOGNIZING THE SPRINGDALE TYSON SCHOOL OF INNOVATION ROBOTICS TEAM
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-7-24

today I wish to congratulate Root Negative One, Springdale's Don Tyson School of Innovation Robotics Team, on qualifying for the FIRST Global Challenge in Dubai. Arkansas is proud to have a team from our State represent the United States in the robotics competition in October. prgtoken Root Negative One has achieved much success in the team's 4-year history. It won the Inspire Award, the top award given at the FIRST Tech Challenge tournament, in its first year. During the 2017-2018 season, the team earned the Inspire Award at the Arkansas FIRST Tech Challenge Championship, and it was an Inspire Award Finalist at the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship in Houston, TX. This past season, the team won the Inspire Awards at the Alabama FIRST Tech Challenge Championship and the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship in Houston. This award recognizes Root Negative One as one of the top two teams worldwide. prgtoken For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology--FIRST-- empowers students to develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics--STEM--and provides opportunities for youth to make connections with professionals in these areas. University of Arkansas College of Engineering professors Richard Cassady and Chase Rainwater volunteer as team coaches, serving as excellent mentors to the students. Since day one, the team has worked hard to build a world- class, high-school robotics program to compete at the most elite level. prgtoken The numerous benefits these Springdale students get from participating in the FIRST program will have a long lasting impact on team members. By having the opportunity to learn from professional engineers and master STEM skills before they enter college, they are well on their way to successful futures. prgtoken I am very proud of the team's accomplishments as its members continue their journey to develop such relevant, in-demand skills. Congratulations to Root Negative One Robotics Team on all of these accomplishments on earning a spot to compete in the FIRST Global Challenge. I wish the team the best of luck as it represents our country in the fall.
Budget Agreement (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-24

earlier this week, the administration and House reached a bipartisan budget deal to deliver on the President's priorities and prevent a funding crisis this fall. prgtoken As our Armed Forces continue their global engagements, this agreement importantly secures the funding necessary to maintain readiness and modernize the force. It provides increased defense spending to recover from the depressed military readiness rates of the previous administration. It provides our men and women in uniform with the resources, equipment, and training they need in order to defend our freedoms. prgtoken I know Congress deals with a lot of different topics, and all of them, by and large, are important, but there is nothing more important, nor is there anything more quintessentially a Federal Government responsibility than national security. prgtoken All other considerations aside, if this bipartisan budget deal did nothing more than fully fund our national security efforts, I would support it, but importantly, it also keeps other important elements of the congressional consensus intact--things like the Hyde amendment, which, as the Presiding Officer knows, since the late 1970s has ensured that no taxpayer dollars can be used to fund abortions. In addition, this agreement prevents our ic colleagues from trying to block President from using funds to strengthen border security. prgtoken The administration--Secretary Mnuchin--negotiated a tough deal and one that excludes any radical, leftwing poison pills--a difficult task in these times, to be sure. prgtoken We know they wanted to use policy riders--nearly 30 of them and counting--to try to implement elements of the Green New Deal to undo the President's regulatory reforms or to rewrite our immigration laws through the back door. Earlier this year, their far-left policy riders led to the longest government shutdown in history and almost prevented the enactment of bipartisan border supplemental funding. I saw the devastating impact that shutdown had on dedicated public servants across the country, especially in Texas. This agreement will prevent another senseless shutdown and ensure that the trains of government run on time. prgtoken To be sure, no bipartisan agreement is ever perfect. That is the definition of a negotiation--both sides give a little. It is the nature of compromise, which prgtoken is a necessary part of effective governing. There is no doubt that there are other priorities I would have liked to have seen included in the deal. I wish we had done something to reform our entitlement programs, which will continue to outpace inflation and increase our national deficit. Someday, we are going to have to deal with our deficits and debt; I just hope it is not during the time of a national emergency. But as a practical matter, Pelosi wasn't going to agree with such far-reaching reforms in the context of this spending deal and debt limi
BUDGET AGREEMENT
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-7-24

earlier this week the administration and Pelosi reached an agreement to avoid a government funding crisis and provide for our Armed Forces. In the tough circumstances of divided government, they achieved the kind of deal that our national defense actually needs. The 2-year funding agreement will secure the resources we need to continue restoring the readiness of our Armed Forces and modernizing them to meet the 21st- century challenges that face our country. prgtoken As I mentioned yesterday, I always find it curious when our ic colleagues take the negotiating position that funding critical Pentagon missions and providing for the common defense are partisan priorities. They act like only s want a modern, ready military, such that our spending on national defense needs to be matched up with other spending in order to make it palatable to . prgtoken In one sense, my colleagues and I will probably say, ``guilty as charged.'' Yes, we absolutely prioritize the national defense and the U.S. military. Yes, we prioritize keeping Americans safe. This is the fundamental obligation of the U.S. government. prgtoken Over the past 2\1/2\ years, it has been a President who has sought to reverse the previous 8 years of decline in defense. It has been s in Congress who prioritized rebuilding our national defense after the administration's neglect and atrophy. Thanks to the administration's tough negotiating, this deal will secure a larger increase in defense funding than in nondefense programs relative to current law. Better than parity for defense. prgtoken I doubt Members need any reminding about why these investments are so critical, but if they do, every day's newspapers make the case loud and clear. For years, our adversaries have methodically stepped up their incursions and their aggressions. They want to chip away at the peaceful, rules-based international order that American leadership has helped to establish and preserve. prgtoken Between 2009 and 2018, the Chinese Communist Party increased its military spending--listen to this--by 83 prgtoken percent--83 percent. Talk about a buildup. The Chinese nearly doubled their military spending in less than a decade. This is just the PRC's publicly acknowledged funding. prgtoken These numbers have very real implications. When China gets a leg up in terms of readiness or technology, they are able to hold a greater number of U.S. and allied forces at risk. They are able to push their air and maritime control further into the Indo-Pacific region, increasing hegemonic control and effectively pushing the United States and our allies back. prgtoken So the importance of this funding agreement is not simply our ability to provide for the upkeep and regular maintenance on our military as it currently exists. We are also talking about building the U.S. military of the future--research
ALLOWING THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ON THE DATE OF ENACTMENT OF THIS ACT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS SUCH DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-7-24

thank you for your accommodation today. I rise to talk about another responsibility we have in the Senate; that is, to fund the Federal Government. prgtoken Our Nation was built on debate and compromise. If you read what the Founding Mothers and Founding Fathers debated in Chambers just like this and then later in this Chamber through the first 100 years of our existence, there was hot debate and many disagreements, but somehow they found a way to find a compromise. prgtoken Our Founding Mothers and Founding Fathers believed rightly that to get the best results, both sides had to come to the table to make a deal. This week, the administration and congressional leaders, including Pelosi, reached a critical 2-year compromise on spending levels and the debt ceiling. prgtoken Like any compromise, this funding agreement is not perfect. Neither side got everything it wanted. It accomplishes three important things, however. prgtoken First, it will provide certainty to our military. This is critical after the last decade, when 2 years ago, two-thirds of our F/A teams couldn't fly. Only 3 of our Army brigades could fight that night out of the 58 Army brigades we have. Our readiness was terrible. This deal will continue to reestablish readiness for our military, provide our troops with the compensation and benefits they deserve, and take care of our veterans here at home. prgtoken Before this, three ic Presidents disinvested in the military. That is just historic fact. It was done in the seventies, it was done in the nineties, and it was done by the prior administration. prgtoken Second, none of the liberal poison pills or riders actually ended up in this final bill. Going forward, President and congressional s will ensure that we keep those out but in the spirit of compromise and hard negotiation. prgtoken Third, and most importantly, this deal keeps the ball moving on the process of funding the government on time to avoid another devastating shutdown or continuing resolution. However, despite these benefits, this deal highlights two significant problems. These are not new. prgtoken First, Washington's funding process is broken. The current system is inefficient and time-consuming. It has actually only funded the government on time four times in the last 45 years since the 1974 Congressional Budget Act was put into place. We now have just 13 working days between now and the end of this fiscal year. We are supposed to have 12 appropriations bills and $1.3 trillion of funding appropriated by the end of that time, by September 30. Good luck with that. prgtoken So here we are in the eleventh hour. We just made a big agreement, and I believe now the pressure is on to get defense and some of the domestic spending appropriations done certainly by September 30 so we can avoid the draconian impact of continuing resolutions on our military. prgtoken The lack of time means that for the se
ALLOWING THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ON THE DATE OF ENACTMENT OF THIS ACT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS SUCH DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-7-24

Judge Wendy Williams Berger has honorably served the State of Florida for several years, and I proudly support her confirmation as a district judge for the Middle District of Florida today. Throughout her distinguished legal career, she has remained committed to upholding the rule of law, prosecuting criminal offenses as an Assistant State Attorney for Florida's Seventh Judicial Circuit, and subsequently presiding as a circuit court judge for that same judicial circuit. As Governor of Florida, I was honored to appoint Judge Berger to the Fifth District Court of Appeal in 2012, and I am proud to support her confirmation to the Federal bench, where she will continue her exemplary service to our State and Nation.