mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-3-6

ever since President signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on December 22, we have seen how one law can literally transform the economic landscape across the country. The New York Times has reported that there is a wave of optimism surging among job creators. prgtoken Let me just footnote that the New York Times was certainly a skeptic as to what the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would be, but they now report that a wave of optimism is surging among job creators. prgtoken Since January 2017, 2.3 million jobs have been added in the United States, and unemployment is at a 17-year low. U.S. weekly jobless claims are at their lowest since 1969. Many people who thought that stagnant growth and flat wages were the new normal have been surprised--and maybe a better word is ``gratified''--to see what the impact of this policy has been on their take-home pay, on their confidence in their future, and on investments and new jobs. It is pretty exciting. In 2017, average unemployment rates decreased in 32 States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. prgtoken , 186,000 manufacturing jobs have been added over the last 12 months. I know the President and all of us are concerned about manufacturing moving offshore because the cost of doing business in some places around the world is much lower than it is in the United States, but we should all be excited about the fact that 186,000 manufacturing jobs have been added in the last 12 months. prgtoken As I mentioned, consumer confidence is now at its highest level since November 2000, and real disposable incomes have seen their biggest gain since April 2015. prgtoken According to a National Federation of Independent Business survey, more small businesses than ever now believe it is a good time to expand. This is a very important part of the equation, and I will say more about small businesses in just a moment. prgtoken In Texas, where I am from, a survey of Houston businesses found that 2 out of 3 companies there will increase hiring and wages, while nearly 9 out of 10 said they expected to see an increase in their revenue. The head economist of the bank that conducted the survey didn't waste any words, saying that ``something real is happening in the economy.'' I agree. The positive gains from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are real and undeniable. prgtoken Recently, my office heard from one of my constituents by the name of Judy Patton. Judy lives in Cleburne, TX, which is roughly an hour from Dallas, down U.S. Highway 67. Judy owns a plumbing company called P&P. She said that her plumbing company will be giving both raises and bonuses to all of its employees this year because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and she just wanted to let us know that she appreciates what we are doing. prgtoken Well, all of us who have the honor of representing constituents here in the Senate hear from our constituents from time to time, and they don't always give us
IN MEMORY OF DR. LAKSHMI CHAPARALA, PH.D.
Pete Sessions (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-3-6

I rise today to honor Dr. Lakshmi Chaparala, Ph.D.--Gothram Koundinyasa, on the anniversary of her death. Dr. Chaparala was born and raised in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India, on a particularly important day in the Hindu calendar--the date of Krishna's birthday--and belonged to a prgtoken Hindu Brahmin Telugu community in India. Throughout her life, she educated thousands of students and believed that America is the greatest nation in the world. Lakshmi held strong beliefs that education, discipline, diligence, cleanliness and devotion to God are of utmost importance to succeed in life. prgtoken Lakshmi is the loving mother of one of my constituents, Praveen. She is also survived by her husband, Dr. Babji Chaparala, along with her two other children, Suneetha and Swapna. She was an extraordinary woman who touched the hearts of many. Although no words can really help to ease the loss, her life was truly a blessing and she is held very close in thought and prayer. In honor of her memory, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Lakshmi Chaparala for her service to our country and her faith in our great nation.
RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF SNAPa IN THE LIVES OF STUDENTS
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-3-6

this afternoon I will meet with leaders from the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania, commonly known as SNAPa, which is a statewide organization of school nutrition professionals. prgtoken SNAPa works to advance quality child nutrition programs through education and advocacy. Organized in 1955, SNAPa is an all-volunteer board of directors elected by its membership, which currently stands at more than 2,300 individuals. As chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and a senior member on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I know the essential services that SNAPa works to provide. Students throughout the Commonwealth receive high- quality, low-cost meals thanks to SNAPa. prgtoken , it is important to remember that, for some students, the only meal they may receive may be at school. This organization works to keep our children healthy and ensure that they have healthy food options through the school meal programs. prgtoken I look forward to speaking with Travis Folmar, a food services director from State College. I sincerely thank SNAPa for advancing the availability, quality, and acceptance of school nutrition programs as an essential part of education in Pennsylvania for more than 60 years.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2018-3-6

I have been in Congress now for about 18 years--12 years in the House and now 6 in the Senate. It is an honor of a lifetime, obviously, to represent Arizona here. prgtoken After being here so long, I have to say I get a little defensive when I hear somebody say that Congress is incapable of solving big problems. Yet it is a hard point to argue after watching the Senate squander the best opportunity we have had in a long time to pass legislation to protect young immigrants who are impacted by an uncertain future of the DACA Program and to strengthen security along the border. Somehow, despite sweeping public support for both of these items, we have been incapable of finding a compromise that can garner the support of 60 Senators. To say this has been a disappointment would be an understatement. prgtoken I do appreciate Majority Leader McConnell's attempt to facilitate an open debate. I truly believe he wanted this process to provide the necessary dialogue so as to deliver an effective bipartisan solution. I am certainly not alone in my efforts to forge genuine consensus on these subjects. There are a lot of Senators on both sides of the aisle who want to fix this problem. Unfortunately, as too often happens, the siren call of politics brought too many of us back into partisan trenches and blocked any hope of real results. prgtoken There are teachers and students and members of the military who are DACA recipients. They are friends and colleagues who represent the very best ideas of America. They are hard workers and productive members of their families and communities. They don't have the luxury of being able to admit defeat and move on to the next topic. prgtoken Likewise, those of us from border States, like Arizona, know that law enforcement officers who are tasked with patrolling the borders and protecting our neighborhoods just can't give up and go home. We have neighbors and family members who simply cannot shrug off failure and accept the status quo when it comes to securing the border. prgtoken That is why I have introduced legislation to extend DACA protections for 3 years and to provide 3 years of increased funding for border security. I am the first to admit that this is far from a perfect solution, but it does provide a temporary fix to these crucial problems. It begins the process of improving border security, and it ensures that DACA recipients will not lose protections and be left to face potential deportation. prgtoken We in Congress have too regularly confused action with results and have been entirely too comfortable with ignoring problems when they seem too difficult to actually solve. To put it as bluntly as possible, this is not something we can ignore any longer. prgtoken I thank Senator Heitkamp for joining me as a cosponsor on this bill and for illustrating that the drive to get something done on these issues is a bipartisan effort. She has been a trusted partner on border
CELEBRATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF KEVIN LEZYNSKI
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-3-6

recently, I was fortunate to meet an impressive young man, Kevin Lezynski, and celebrate with him as he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. prgtoken Kevin, of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, is a senior at Souderton Area High School. He is involved in the community as a member of the Unified Special Olympics and the regular Special Olympics, where he competes in soccer, swimming, bocce, baseball, and track and field. He is the manager of the school lacrosse team; he is involved in this year's musical; and he was voted homecoming king. prgtoken As an Eagle Scout in Troop 91, Kevin earned 36 merit badges and led a group of 38 others in building a gazebo on the high school grounds in just 2 days. Students and teachers now use the space to learn and socialize. prgtoken Kevin is a shining example of commitment to community service and what you can accomplish when you put your mind toward a goal. prgtoken Congratulations, Kevin, on earning this well-deserved rank of Eagle Scout. prgtoken Recognizing Christine Gunsiorowski, Alli Curro, and Kim McCleary for founding the Type One Parent Project Foundation
CONGRESSIONAL INTENT FOR H.R. 620
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-3-6

I supported H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act last month on the House floor. The bill will improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and curb lawsuit abuse. H.R. 620 requires the Department of Justice to develop a program to educate state and local governments and property owners on strategies for providing improved access to public accommodations for persons with disabilities. The legislation also gives owners and operators of public accommodations, after receiving written notice of ADA violations, an opportunity to address those violations before being sued. prgtoken The bill's notice and cure provisions apply to the owners and operators of public accommodations just like the underlying ADA statute. They are in the best position of control over the condition of their premises and compliance with the ADA. It is appropriate that disabled individuals who have been subject to discrimination in violation of the ADA should seek redress from owners and operators. prgtoken This does not affect the ability of owners and operators to seek indemnity from design and construction entities. However, such intent is not meant to authorize direct lawsuits against design and construction entities with or without compliance with notice and cure requirements on owners and operators under H.R. 620.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-3-6

. I just want to express appreciation for the Senator's chart. prgtoken For those who cannot see the chart, this is a chart that the Senator from North Dakota has put up that shows the intersection of Main Street and relief for Main Street. The reason I mention this is that back when we were debating this regulatory system that was put into place that we are now trying to rightsize and correct, I had held a news conference on Main Street in Boise, ID. I had said: This legislation is being promoted as targeting Wall Street excesses, but the bulls-eye is on Main Street across this country, which is what we are trying to fix today. prgtoken So I just wanted to tell the Senator how much I love her chart.
SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN CLEARANCE INVESTIGATIONS ACT OF 2017
Rod Blum (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-3-6

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise today in support of H.R. 3737, the Social Media Use in Clearance Investigations Act of 2017, introduced by the gentleman from Florida, Representative DeSantis. prgtoken According to the Pew Research Center, 7 in 10 Americans use social media today. A significant portion of those Americans' personal and professional interactions occur online. It is just common sense that the government should check the social media of individuals who apply for security clearances, but it doesn't. prgtoken H.R. 3737 will move the government toward implementing checks of social media for individuals we trust with our country's most sensitive information. prgtoken The bill requires a study of the use of social media in security clearance investigations to inform government-wide implementation of social media checks. The study will provide comprehensive information on existing pilot programs, lessons learned, and costs. prgtoken We must begin the process of strengthening the system now, and that starts with determining best practices for moving forward. prgtoken H.R. 3737 will help ensure that government checks social media before issuing security clearances. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-3-6

I will be very brief as I know numbers of people here would like to speak to this bill, which will be an accomplishment for us, and we greatly appreciate the Senator's leadership in making it happen. prgtoken I was here when Dodd-Frank was passed. I was on the Banking Committee at that time. I didn't support it. The reason I didn't support it is for the many reasons and the many things we are doing today to correct it. prgtoken Whenever regulation passes, it begins at the targeted group, which, in this case, was made up of the larger institutions in our country which failed. Then, over time, the regulatory processes seeped down to the smaller entities, the smaller banks, that were housed in the communities all across our respective States--the members of the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Lions Clubs International, the Chamber of Commerce--the people who make things happen in our communities back home. We have ended up in a situation now in which our community banks and credit unions, which serve our communities and cause economic growth to occur, have these large back office operations that are spread over a smaller asset base. It has made them noncompetitive and has made it very difficult for them to do the jobs we all cherish that they do back home, which is to help to grow those economies. This bill is focused on them. prgtoken Senator Tester, I know, has been focused on this for many years, but what prgtoken we are doing here is giving relief to those institutions. It is about time. We have had enough time to see what needs to happen. This was done in a bipartisan way, for which I am thankful. prgtoken , I would like to thank Senator Crapo for his leadership here in working with people on both sides of the aisle to create a responsible bill that is not an overreach. Some of the provisions of Dodd-Frank, we all know, are good. Some of them are good, and we are leaving many of those in place. At the same time, what we are doing is taking a very constructive step to make sure that these smaller institutions, which represent a very small amount of the assets in our Nation but have such outsized impact on the communities they are in, have the ability again to flourish and do the things that are necessary for our economies back home to grow. prgtoken I thank Senator Crapo. I am proud to be a part of this and a cosponsor. I thank Senator Crapo for letting us be a part of it, and I hope that collectively we will ensure that this is a very successful effort. prgtoken . (Mr. HOEVEN assumed the Chair.)
REPACK AIRWAVES YIELDING BETTER ACCESS FOR USERS OF MODERN SERVICES ACT OF 2018
Leonard Lance (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2018-3-6

I rise in very strong support of the RAY BAUM'S Act, which reauthorizes the Federal Communications Commission for the first time in 28 years. prgtoken How appropriate that this critical legislation is named for Ray Baum, who dedicated his tremendous public service to these issues, and whom we all admired. prgtoken I commend the leadership. The Energy and Commerce Committee puts more bipartisan bills on the President's desk than any other committee here on Capitol Hill. This is important legislation strengthening the FCC, protecting consumers, and, most important of all, expanding the information channels our lives and the economy need. prgtoken I am pleased that this legislation includes the Anti-Spoofing Act, a bill I have worked on with Congresswoman Meng and Chairman Emeritus Barton for several years. Spoofing is an insidious practice used by scammers to call consumers using a faked phone number, often pretending to be a bank or government agency. Millions of Americans continue to be defrauded by con artists and scammers who perpetrate this despicable crime. This disgraceful practice must end, and it will be ended in large part due to this legislation. I am pleased this FCC reauthorization enacts consumer protections like those in the Anti- Spoofing Act. prgtoken , I urge a ``yes'' vote.
COMPREHENSIVE REGULATORY REVIEW ACT
Steve Chabot (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-3-6

I rise in support of H.R. 4607, the Comprehensive Regulatory Review Act. prgtoken I want to thank Chairman Hensarling and the entire Financial Services Committee for their continued critical work on financial regulations. prgtoken As chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I consistently hear from Main Street businesses, small businesses from all over the country, that overregulation is preventing business expansion and job growth. prgtoken Just last week, I chaired a hearing on a recent report by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office that explored whether financial regulations were adversely impacting community banks and credit unions. One of the major takeaways from that report was that we need to improve the tools available to financial regulators to reduce those burdens. prgtoken Because small businesses most often rely on conventional bank borrowing to finance their development, any additional red tape that reduces access to capital can be a monumental problem for the Nation's smallest firms. The bill that we have before us today, which would reform the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996, is a move in the right direction. prgtoken Making sure all financial regulators have a comprehensive process in place to review regulations will strengthen our financial sector and make it more possible for America's small businesses to have access to the capital that they need to grow and expand and create more jobs for more Americans I therefore urge my colleagues to support the commonsense reforms that are in H.R. 4607, and I urge them to support this legislation.
ABORTION IN AMERICA
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-3-6

I thank the gentleman from Colorado for coming to the floor to make such a strong message here on the sanctity of human life. prgtoken When I think about that heartbeat, a heartbeat is a certain indicator of life. If the baby has a beating heart, we know that baby is alive. Statistically speaking, 95 percent or more of those little babies that have a beating heart, that can be detected by an ultrasound in that 6- to 8-week period of time, 95 percent of them will experience a successful birth. prgtoken I have asked the question to those who weren't supportive of the bill: Did you ever hear the expression, ``Let's error on the side of life?'' prgtoken Well, let's not error with life at all if we can help it. If we have a 95 percent chance of a successful birth, we can't take a chance on ending that little baby's life. prgtoken , this bill is a bill that has come together over the last year and a half or so. Just to mention some of the points here that I think are important is that we have at least 162 pro-life organizations and leaders that support the Heartbeat bill. I have a little demonstration here. prgtoken These are some of the organizations and leaders that support the Heartbeat bill. We have to really search pretty hard to find somebody that is not onboard. prgtoken You can go down through this list. I could read these all off, but I think it would be a little bit tiresome and maybe a little bit redundant. I put this together. This may be one-third of--or maybe even one-fourth--of the overall list of 162 pro-life organizations and leaders that support the Heartbeat bill. It is nearly universal across this country. prgtoken Of course, we don't have Planned Parenthood on here. We don't have the NARAL here. The National Abortion Rights Action League is what they used to be. They say they aren't anymore, but, yes, they are. prgtoken We have the pro-life organizations here: the people who care about life, the people who understand that human life is sacred in all of its forms, it begins at the moment of conception, that we have to protect life from that time on, and that we have a constitutional duty to do so. We have an equal protection clause in the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution that tells us that. prgtoken But it seems as though the United States Supreme Court, in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, upset that. They decided that a right to privacy, which was a manufactured right--I don't think I have it in my memos--but it is Griswold v. Connecticut back in the 1960s. It is a decision that a couple had a right to privacy in order to buy birth control pills. It was in Connecticut in that period of time. Shortly after that decision, they decided it wasn't just a married couple that had a right to privacy; it was an unmarried couple that had a right to privacy in the form of contraceptives. That was only in the mid- sixties. prgtoken Then Roe v. Wade came along. I think that this Court can never be defe