mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL JAMES F. MARTIN, JR.
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-7-11

Maj. Gen. James F. Martin, Jr USAF, will officially retire from Active Duty at the end of September. This month, Major General Martin's friends are gathering at the Pentagon to celebrate his career. In advance of that event, I wanted to say a few words about this exemplary military officer and adopted Alaskan who has devoted his entire 32 year career to the security of our Nation. prgtoken Major General Martin was born and raised in the State of Missouri. He completed his undergraduate work at Mississippi State University in accountancy and was commissioned as an Air Force officer through the ROTC Program. His initial assignment was Lowry Air Force Base, CO. Major General Martin pursued a traditional Air Force career serving in Texas, Panama, Italy, Hawaii, Ohio, and multiple stints in the Nation's Capital. In 1992, he was the Air Force Finance and Accounting Officer of the Year and has received numerous other awards and distinctions throughout his career. prgtoken Although Major General Martin served throughout the Air Force, it was a fine day in 2001 when he arrived at Pacific Air Forces, PACAF, to serve as chief of the Operations and Maintenance Budget Branch. In 2006, Major General Martin, then Colonel Martin, took his first assignment in Alaska as commander of the 354th Mission Support Group, Eielson AFB. Major General Martin learned the hard way that, once bitten with the wonders of Alaska, you can never let it go. During that Alaska assignment, Major General Martin made friends around the State. Following his Eielson assignment, Major General Martin returned to PACAF Headquarters, first as director of financial management and comptroller and subsequently as chief of staff. He then began the first of three stints working for the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller. prgtoken In July 2013, Major General Martin was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, his capstone experience and the role from which he will soon retire. As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, Major General Martin is responsible for planning and directing the formulation of the Air Force budget. This is a weighty and stressful responsibility in any year, but Major General Martin arrived his position just in time to deal with the 2013 government shutdown, as well as the overhanging threat of sequestration which continued to dog him for the remaining days of his Air Force career. prgtoken In spite of the many difficult challenges that faced his office, Major General Martin maintained the bearing of a calm and happy warrior; completely devoted to the cause of our airmen, airpower, and air dominance. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget is responsible for the Air Force's relationship with members of the Defense and Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittees. Under his leadership, the appropriations liaison team was uniformly responsive and helpful to me and my staf
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-7-11

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to prgtoken the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 130TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST RODEO
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-7-11

today I rise to commemorate the 130th Anniversary of The World's Oldest Rodeo, Arizona's own Prescott Rodeo. On 4th of July weekend, cowboys and spectators gathered as they have every 4th of July weekend since 1888 to practice an art as old as raising cattle itself. Few sports can compete with rodeo as a test of reflex, skill and practical ability. Tracing its origins to the Spanish vaquero, rodeo in America grew from an Arizona-based cowboy competition into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with hundreds of competitors. Participants harness the spirit of ranchers in the American West, combining raw athleticism with instinctive knowledge and frontier toughness. This incredible event draws nearly 27,000 people per year and allows Prescott Frontier Days, the event's organizer, to donate thousands of dollars per year to several highly-regarded charities. Their dedicated organization of committed volunteers is one of only sixteen ever to have been inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. This storied event reflects so many of the values that make the American West, and the American spirit more broadly, unique and important. As we reflect on the 241st celebration of our nation's independence, I am proud to applaud the great Americans of the Prescott Rodeo and the tenacious character they embody.
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-7-11

first of all, I wish to thank Senator Murray, a member of our leadership, for taking this time to talk about accounts from home, what we have heard from those we have the honor to represent, and I think this is exactly what is appropriate at the beginning of this work period. prgtoken I just come off of eight open-to-all townhall meetings in my home State of Oregon. Five were in counties won by President , three were in counties won by Hillary Clinton, and the single unifying issue that dominated each one is that Care is a loser. Across the political spectrum--, s, liberals, and conservatives--what I was told is that the Congress ought to set this Care bill aside, that the one Mitch McConnell has been working on ought to be dropped, and after it is dropped, and s ought to get together and look for the common ground by trying to show some common sense. prgtoken I am going to spend a little time talking about what I heard, what people are concerned about, and then briefly talk about, as Senator Murray said, what we would like to do if our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will drop this ill-advised, ``our way or the highway'' approach and do what the Senate has traditionally done when we are talking about tackling a big issue, which is find common ground. prgtoken It doesn't get much bigger than healthcare. We are spending $3.2 trillion each year now on healthcare. It comes to something like $10,000 for every man, woman, and child. We are spending enough money; the real question is whether we spend it in the right place, and this very flawed Care bill will compound that problem. prgtoken During those eight townhall meetings over the past week, Oregonians asked me: When is this flawed Care bill coming to a vote? How are my frail, not physically well, older parents supposed to get by if this bill passes and they lose their health care coverage? prgtoken As I have talked about with Senator Murray, we know that Medicaid picks up the bill for what amounts to two out of three older people in nursing homes. What often is not mentioned is that it also covers home- and community-based services for seniors. I remember from my days as director of the Oregon Gray Panthers that the whole goal was to create this continuum of choices for older people and, as Senator Murray touched on, the older people who need nursing homes and nursing home benefits. She is absolutely right. We also need to protect the Medicaid guarantee for the seniors for whom care is appropriate in other settings, such as home- and community-based services. prgtoken At those townhall meetings at community centers and auditoriums, folks knew that I am the senior on the Senate Finance Committee. prgtoken We have another talented member from the committee, Senator Bennet, here, as well as my knowledgeable colleague from Oregon, Senator Merkley. prgtoken I have worked
JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE EXPANSION ACT
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2017-7-11

I attended the funeral of a close family member and was unable to fly back to the Capitol in time for votes today. Had I been present to vote, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 1397, To authorize, direct, facilitate, and expedite the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of certain Federal land, and for other purposes, and ``yea'' on H.R. 1719, the John Muir National Historic Site Expansion Act.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-7-11

on June 29, 2017, the Agriculture Committee reported by voice vote the fourth authorization of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act, more commonly known as PRIA. prgtoken For nearly 20 years, PRIA has served as an example of bipartisanship, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders in support of a commonsense fee for service programs within the EPA's Office of Pesticides Programs. prgtoken PRIA provides certainty for registrants; much needed resources to the EPA to ensure regulatory examinations related to human health and environmental safety risks are done properly; and PRIA also provides vital funds for pesticide safety training and information to our Nation's farmworkers. prgtoken Unfortunately, after several years of carefully revising and finalizing an updated Worker Protection Standard, the EPA decided last month to delay key elements of worker protections, including the much needed revisions to the Certification of Pesticide Applicators rule. prgtoken Without strong and timely farmworker protections, PRIA simply does not make sense for some stakeholders who are a part of the coalition. The funds from PRIA allocated to farmworker protection should be meaningful resources that complement strong, effective protections and should not be undermined by changes to EPA's Worker Protection Standard and the Certification of Pesticide Applicators rule that would weaken farmworker protections. prgtoken Therefore, I strongly oppose any future efforts by the EPA to delay or amend the worker protection rules that the Agency finalized in November 2015 and January 2017, respectively, prgtoken without undertaking a negotiated rulemaking, which must include all relevant stakeholders, to ensure that all voices are heard. prgtoken I hope the EPA will take a cue from our recent bipartisan and consensus-based committee action on PRIA and proceed in a similar fashion should they decide that any delays or adjustments to the Worker Protection Standards or the Certification of Pesticide Applicators rule are necessary. prgtoken Should the EPA dismiss the concerns of farmworkers and environmental advocates, I fear that last month's committee vote may unfortunately be the last bipartisan PRIA reauthorization that this panel is able to report out. I hope that is not the case, and I know other members of the committee share my concerns on the matter. prgtoken Once again, I want to thank Senator Roberts for his leadership. I am glad we were able to move forward in a bipartisan and consensus manner to reauthorize PRIA last month.
PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT HEALTHCARE
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-7-11

last week, as I traveled throughout my district, I heard time and time and time again from people worried about one issue: healthcare. I heard stories like Diane's in Mundelein, who was able to get affordable coverage through ACA after losing her job of 30 years to outsourcing, and Claire's, from Vernon Hills, who was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis just a month before her 26th birthday. Yet, because of ACA, she has insurance today, despite her preexisting condition. prgtoken I was thrilled to learn that Claire recently got married, and is looking forward to pursuing her dreams: raising a family and living a long and productive life. prgtoken , across the country, there are millions of stories just like these. The ACA is far from perfect and it needs work. I heard that from my constituents as well. prgtoken I urge my colleagues here in Congress to listen to the people who share their stories with me and others and end this ill-considered repeal effort. Instead, let's get to work together to deliver quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2017-7-11

today I wish to honor the life and legacy of Ted Shannon, whose passing marks the end of an extraordinary life spent in service to country, community, and family. Ted committed his life to the pursuit of justice and equality. Ted and his late wife Dorothy were incredible pillars who had a great influence on me as I entered a life of public service. prgtoken Ted Shannon showed up. In service to his country, he became a civil affairs officer in July of 1941 during WW II, attached to the British 8th Army during the occupation of Italy. In his subsequent post, he served as executive officer for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in Paris. prgtoken He showed up as a leader in education, whether it was in his role as a Ford Foundation higher education adviser for five Middle Eastern countries in Lebanon--the nation of his ancestors--or as a highly regarded UW-Extension faculty member and dean for more than three decades. prgtoken Ted Shannon showed up. Along with Dorothy and fellow travelers from the New Deal era, Ted supported progressive causes at all levels of government for more than half a century. I cannot recall an event, large or small, for a progressive organization where I did prgtoken not see Ted and Dorothy pitching in, providing leadership and encouragement no matter how challenging the cause. prgtoken He showed up as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Ted met and married the former Dorothy Judge while at Yale pursuing his Ph.D. on the GI bill and shared his life with her until her passing in 2003. Ted was father to Tad, Sara, and Pam. Ted showed up as a hunting and fishing companion to son, Tad, and sage adviser on matters of food, music, languages, and world travel to Sara and Pam. He enjoyed outdoor adventures with his dear friend, Bill Threinen. Ted, Dorothy, Bill and Connie Threinen were friends and compatriots in advancing beloved ideals and forward-thinking causes for decades. A few years after Dorothy's passing, Ted married second wife, Kate Foster, of Eau Claire and continued his life of service for another 9 years. prgtoken Ted showed up. He was a doer. He walked the talk. Ted's multifaceted legacy is perhaps best illustrated by the words of Cuban poet Jose Marti: ``Men of Action, above all those whose actions are guided by love, live forever.'' prgtoken The life of Ted Shannon serves as inspiration for anyone who seeks to create a world of peace, dignity, and opportunity for all. I miss him dearly.
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-7-11

I want to speak on behalf of a group of Floridians I have met with who would be tremendously hard-hit by the healthcare bill, whether it be the one that has already been published by the majority leader or some of the iterations that are being discussed. prgtoken I want to talk on behalf of and be the spokesperson for these people who have cried out to me. I want to say that people are crying out. It is not just the group of four families I assembled in my Tampa office last week, but it also includes walking down the street, being in an airport, or going into a public building. Constantly, folks are walking up to me and saying: Please, don't let them take away my healthcare. prgtoken Just this past week, I was in--it shall remain nameless--a Senator's State. It happened in the airport there as my colleague, the Senator in that State other than mine--the travelers, the constituents of that Senator in the airport as we were waiting for the airplane walked up to that Senator and begged: Please don't take away my healthcare. prgtoken What we have seen in this bill is that it takes health insurance away from millions of Americans. That is not my conclusion; that is the conclusion of the Congressional Budget Office. According to CBO, it also cuts back some $800 billion out of Medicaid over a decade, and it allows insurance companies to hike rates for older Americans. prgtoken Under the bill, 22 million people would lose their insurance by 2026. Over 2 million of these folks are in Florida. In fact, the bill would increase the uninsured rate in Florida by 62 percent. That is not what I want inflicted on the folks in Florida. prgtoken This bill lets insurance companies go back to the days when they had annual and lifetime limits on coverage and refused to cover basic health benefits, such as prescription drugs, mental health services, and even maternity care. This healthcare bill, which has been so much the subject in the news and the center of the debate here for the past innumerable weeks, really does cut Medicaid. According to CBO--again, not my words; CBO's words--funding will be 26 percent lower in Medicaid by the year 2026 than under the existing law. prgtoken My home State of Florida is projected to lose $5.7 billion in Federal Medicaid funding from 2020 to 2026 under the bill that is proposed by the majority leader. If that is not enough, the Senate bill would dramatically increase healthcare costs for Americans between the ages of 50 to 64 before they turn that magic age of 65 when they are eligible for Medicare. It dramatically increases those costs. That dramatic rise in cost is due in large part to a provision that would allow insurance companies to charge older Americans up to five times what younger people are charged. The current law, the Affordable Care Act, has a differential of 3 to 1. This bill as proposed has a differential of
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-7-11

let's revisit recent history. Four weeks ago, prgtoken my colleagues were meeting secretly in this building, in a hallway that the press was not allowed in because they didn't want to have the press see them sneaking in and sneaking out of this completely undemocratic process--13 men crafting a healthcare plan to destroy healthcare for 22 million Americans. That is where we were 4 weeks ago. prgtoken We made a big deal out of the fact that is not the way a Congress is supposed to operate. You are supposed to have committee hearings. You are supposed to have committee debate and invite experts in. You are supposed to have time to consult with your constituents back home, but none of that was happening. No, we had the zero-zero-zero process: Zero committee meetings. How does that compare to more than 100 committee meetings and roundtables and walkthroughs from 8 years ago? Zero committee amendments. How does that compare to more than 400 amendments that were considered 8 years ago and more than 100 minority amendments, amendments, that were adopted in this process? Zero exposure of the bill to the folks back home and to the healthcare stakeholders. prgtoken Then, 2 weeks ago, we had a draft, and we had a chance to circulate that draft and get a few folks from home to weigh in on what it looked like. We received a CBO analysis. Yes, it looked a lot like the House bill. The House bill was going to eliminate 14 million healthcare policies in a year, and the Senate was going to best that by eliminating healthcare for 15 million Americans and 22 million Americans over a 10-year period. prgtoken The President had called the House bill mean, but we had the even meaner Senate bill. Fortunately, we were able to create such a fuss that the majority leader canceled the vote--the vote that was going to take place with the zero committee hearings and zero amendments and that would give my colleagues the opportunity to go home and talk to their constituents. But what happened? prgtoken Well, in the course of this entire year, two-thirds of my colleagues haven't held a single townhall, and last week, when they had a full opportunity to finally take their secret 13 bill--zero-zero-zero bill--and ask their constituents what they thought, they didn't hold townhalls. By best count, 2 Senators across the aisle held a townhall out of 52. prgtoken Why are my colleagues so terrified of their constituents? Is it because wiping out health insurance for struggling Americans is a travesty? Is it because wiping out healthcare for working Americans is a crime--a crime against decency? Is it because their bill proceeds to give $33 billion to the richest 400 Americans? No, that is not $33,000 or $33 million, that is $33 billion to the richest 400 Americans--more than several hundred billion dollars to the richest Americans overall. You know, the money they want to give to
TRIBUTE TO ROSEMARY E. RODRIGUEZ
Michael F. Bennet (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-7-11

I wish to recognize a dedicated community leader, civil servant, and dear friend, Rosemary E. Rodriguez. She most recently served as my State director and senior adviser. Throughout her life, Rosemary has displayed a genuine and consistent commitment to strengthening our State and our country. prgtoken Rosemary began her career as a legal assistant at two of Denver's most prominent law firms. Also, during the early stages of her career, Rosemary began her lifelong commitment to the Latino community as she helped form the Hispanic League, an organization that strives to be a liaison between the non-Hispanic and Hispanic communities. Rosemary began her career in government in 1992, working for Mayor Wellington Webb's administration. She served in several roles during her time with the mayor, such as deputy director of the mayor's Office of Arts, Culture & Film, Denver County clerk and recorder, and director of boards and commissions. prgtoken In 2003, she was elected to the Denver City Council. Later, her peers on the council elected her as president. In 2007, she began to work on the Election Assistance Commission. In this capacity, she worked to preserve the integrity of our national elections and increase access to our most fundamental right to vote. She chaired the commission in 2008. prgtoken In 2009, Rosemary became an invaluable part of my staff as State director and did a tremendous job representing our office and connecting with communities across Colorado. When I wasn't able to attend an event, I was always confident that Rosemary would convey our team's values and perspectives on any number of issues. I also counted on her advice whether it related to women's issues, immigration reform, or other issues of importance to the Latino community. Most recently, she was elected to the Denver School Board where she continues to serve Colorado's kids. prgtoken Due to her dedication to the people of Colorado, Rosemary has received several awards including the Mi Casa Resource Center's Volunteerism Award, the Anti-Defamation League's Passing the Torch Award, and the Denver Public Library's Cesar Chavez Hall of Fame Award. prgtoken I have been honored to work with my friend Rosemary for the past 8 years. Her intellect, creativity, and compassion should serve as an example for all those who serve. I wish her the best in her future endeavors, and I fully intend to count on her advice and perspectives for years to come.