mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
STRENGTHENING AVIATION SECURITY ACT OF 2018
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 4467, the Strengthening Aviation Security Act. prgtoken , last year, I learned that, while the Federal Air Marshal Service considers its travel budget and the number of personnel when determining which flights will be covered by air marshals, they do not consider risk. prgtoken This current system might maximize the number of flights covered by air marshals, but it does not ensure that the highest risk flights-- those likely to be hijacked by a potential terrorist--would be covered by air marshals. The Strengthening Aviation Security Act would fix this flawed policy by requiring the Federal Air Marshal Service to incorporate risk in its deployment strategy in three ways: prgtoken First, this legislation requires the Federal Air Marshal Service to utilize a risk-based strategy when allocating resources between international and domestic flight coverage. Currently, the Federal Air Marshal Service does not account for risk when it sets its annual target numbers of average international and domestic flights to cover. prgtoken Second, this legislation requires the Federal Air Marshal Service to utilize a risk-based strategy to support domestic allocation decisions. Currently, these decisions are made based on the professional judgment of subject matter experts. Without documented risk assessments, the Federal Air Marshal Service cannot justify to the TSA, the Department of Homeland Security, or Congress why it chooses to deploy air marshals on certain flights and not on others. prgtoken Third, this legislation requires the Federal Air Marshal Service to utilize prgtoken a risk-based strategy to support international allocation decisions. prgtoken Shockingly, the Federal Air Marshal Service does not currently document the rationales for their international allocation decisions. Without this documentation, there is no verifiable method to determine whether the decisions are intelligence-driven, risk-based, or even in compliance with the TSA or DHS directives. Unless the Federal Air Marshal Service accounts for risk at every level of its deployment strategy, it cannot ensure that it is devoting its resources to cover the highest-risk flights. prgtoken It is incumbent upon us in Congress to address any vulnerabilities to our national security and to enable our Federal agencies to effectively deter, detect, and disrupt any attacks planned by our enemies, and this legislation does just that. prgtoken I would like to thank Chairman McCaul and Chairman Katko for their strong support of this legislation, and I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.
CEILING FAN ENERGY CONSERVATION HARMONIZATION ACT
Fred Upton (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-3-19

the gentleman is correct. prgtoken I, too, have heard from lighting manufacturers, and I sympathize with the concerns asserted by them regarding potential unintended consequences. prgtoken The intent of this bill, and, for that matter, my intent, is to keep the compliance deadline for changes to the 190-watt limiter requirement at January 7, 2019. prgtoken We now know that the limiter requirement adds to the cost to consumers, it can compromise ceiling fan reliability, and is no longer needed to meet efficiency standards. The final rule that included the ceiling fan light kit standards also provided that the 190-watt limiter requirement is deemed to be met by any product that complies with the new efficiency standards. prgtoken The bottom line is that the 190-watt limiter should no longer be required beginning on January 7, 2019. This bill, S. 2030, seeks to delay the ceiling fan light kit compliance deadline only, but not to delay the change to the 190-watt limiter requirement.
POSITIVE IMPACTS OF TAX REFORM
A. Drew Ferguson IV (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-3-19

as I said early on, we are seeing tremendous growth in businesses both large and small. Previously I highlighted a great American company, Aflac, but an example of a small company that is seeing the benefits of tax reform is a company called Shred-X in Griffin, Georgia. prgtoken Shred-X is a small business offering paper shredding and recycling services to approximately 3,000 clients throughout Atlanta and central Georgia, and they are using their tax savings to invest in their business. They are planning on buying a new truck and hiring a potential employee. prgtoken Now, for a company like Shred-X, that is a true small business that employs ten people, the addition of one truck and another employee makes a big difference. Shred-X owner Cade Joiner told me: ``This is just one practical example of how tax reform is helping us here on Main Street.'' prgtoken It is really exciting to see our small-business owners really beginning to see the benefits of tax reform and beginning to see the benefits with their employees as well prgtoken , my next guest is Mr. Buddy Carter. Representative Carter has been an outspoken advocate for the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He represents a district where the median household income in the First District of Georgia will see an average savings of $1,220. prgtoken , I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
HOUSING OPPORTUNITY MORTGAGE EXPANSION ACT
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-3-19

as chairman of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, today I wish to engage in a colloquy to discuss legislation that I introduced, the Housing Opportunity Mortgage Expansion, HOME, Act, with several of my colleagues to address an issue involving the Federal Home Loan Bank, FHLB, system. The FHLB system is a cooperative organization of 11 banks that support a mission of ``helping American families realize the dream of home ownership, stimulate the creation of affordable housing, and improve the local business environment.'' FHLBs are privately capitalized by their 7,300 members and are subject to strict oversight by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA. The HOME Act is designed to correct the FHFA's perceived statutory limitation in the FHL Bank Act that does not permit captive insurers to be considered a class of the eligible insurance companies for membership in FHLBs. prgtoken In 2016, the FHFA determined that captive insurance firms were not insurance firms for purposes of the FHLB Act. In making this determination, the FHFA abruptly terminated the membership of approximately four dozen captive insurance entities, including mortgage real estate investment trusts, REITs, that were active and responsible members of the FHLB system. These insurance captives greatly contributed to the affordable housing mission of FHLBs through the use of private capital versus taxpayer dollars, something that we should always encourage. I thank Senators Duckworth, Johnson, and Baldwin for their support of this legislation, which I am hopeful will receive favorable consideration by this body in the future. prgtoken I yield to my friend from Illinois.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-3-19

I ask unanimous consent that cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 1865 be vitiated, and that at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the ic leader, on Wednesday, March 21, the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 1865; further, that the only amendments in order be Wyden amendments Nos. 2212 and 2213; finally, that there be up to 4 hours of debate concurrently on the amendments, and that following the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed, with a 60-vote affirmative threshold required for adoption of each amendment, the bill be read a third time, and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended, with no further intervening action or debate.
RECOGNIZING TWO EXEMPLARY OREGONIANS
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise today in recognition of my friends, and two exemplary Oregonians who have dedicated their lives to service of their community and country. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Les Cochenour and his wife, Jody, are stalwart citizens of The Dalles, Oregon--my birthplace--who will be relocating from their treasured home in the Columbia Gorge to start a new chapter in their lives in Bend. prgtoken Before Les and Jody's new chapter begins, though, I would be remiss if I did not provide a brief account of their impactful chapters written in Wasco County. prgtoken Like me, both Les and Jody were raised in The Dalles. They are both proud alumni of The Dalles High School--high school sweethearts who graduated one year apart from each other and married just a few short months after Jody graduated. The foundation of their 56-year-long marriage began in high school, and so did the start of an inseparable duo of public servants. prgtoken Les entered the local National Guard Unit as a private straight out of high school. With a work ethic acquired at a young age on his farm in Dallesport, Les soon went on to officer candidate school and became a second lieutenant. prgtoken After more than two decades in the National Guard, Les joined the Army reserve, where he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and retired after another decade of service. Les' military record spans 31 years with the Army reserves, and 42 years as a military officer. prgtoken Just as his military service was winding down, Les' community service in The Dalles was just beginning. Les served as Mayor of The Dalles for two terms from 1990-1994. His leadership qualities and dedication to his constituents, including the planning of the Fort Dalles Readiness Center, earned him the position of President of the Oregon Mayor's Association in 1994. prgtoken A veteran himself, Les made it a top priority in his life to serve his fellow service men and women. He served on the board of the Oregon Veterans' Home for five years, dedicating his time to providing veterans and their families with a place to seek care, rehabilitation, and a roof over their heads. prgtoken Les is a founding member of the Mid-Columbia Veteran's Memorial Committee, providing another venue for service to his fellow veterans. All the while, Les has had a partner in this admirable endeavor of service to those who have served our country: his wife, Jody. prgtoken Jody, also a public servant who worked for the state in the Building Codes Division, is a board member of Mid-Columbia Veterans and a lifetime member of The Dalles Veterans of Foreign War Auxillary. A trailblazer of her own right, Jody launched the Red Crested Purple Breasted Cronies, a chapter of the National Red Hat Society that donates to a charity of their choosing each month. prgtoken Les and Jody have not been without recognition for their unique history of devoted service to others. Les has been honored with the bronze medallion of the Orde
HONORING THE WARTBURG COLLEGE WRESTLING TEAM
Rod Blum (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise today to honor the Wartburg College wrestling team for winning this year's NCAA Division III National Championship. Wartburg College is located in Waverly, Iowa and this is their third-straight title out of the fourteen they have won in NCAA National Championship history. These young men have sacrificed much of their lives to hold this title--spending more time in the gym and more time practicing to continue improving. Through their hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, they have made their family, friends, Wartburg College, and northeast Iowa proud. With that being said, , I congratulate the Wartburg College wrestling team, Coach Keller, Coach Ortner, and the Wartburg College community, on their well-deserved championship. Go Knights.
HOUSING OPPORTUNITY MORTGAGE EXPANSION ACT
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-3-19

I agree with the comments of my colleagues on the need to pass S. 2361 during the 115th Congress. The legislation is narrowly tailored such that it would provide the opportunity for reapplication or continuation of FHLB membership only for those captive entities that meet a series of criteria pertaining to the mission of their parent companies to serve the residential mortgage market. These captive members have proven track records of responsible membership, have contributed to the system, and have invested their capital in the respective FHLBs. Moreover, each and every captive that would be affected by our bill are subsidiaries of financial institutions that are aligned with the overall mission of the FHLBs. prgtoken I yield to my colleague from Wisconsin, Senator Baldwin.
HONORING THE LIFE OF STAFF SERGEANT CARL ENIS
Neal P. Dunn (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-3-19

I rise today to honor a life that was lost too soon. Staff Sergeant Carl Enis from Tallahassee was tragically killed in the Black Hawk helicopter crash that claimed the lives of seven members of the United States Air Force in western Iraq last week. prgtoken Sergeant Enis graduated from Florida State University, and went on to get his MBA in 2017. He chose to selflessly serve our country and he joined the Air Force after college, serving as a pararescueman, where he performed combat rescue missions as a member of the elite 308th Rescue Squadron. prgtoken Sergeant Enis loved the outdoors, and he even had a blog about hunting, fishing, and hiking. He was loved and respected by all who met him. prgtoken , please join me in honoring Staff Sergeant Carl Enis and all of our fallen heroes who gave their last full measure of devotion to this country to make Americans safe at home and abroad.
POSITIVE IMPACTS OF TAX REFORM
Gary J. Palmer (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-3-19

I thank the gentleman from Michigan for setting this up, and I thank the gentleman from Georgia for leading it. prgtoken , I rise today to highlight the impact that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is having in Alabama's Sixth Congressional District. prgtoken Millions of Americans across the country are now reaping the benefits of tax reform in the form of higher paychecks, and my district is no exception. I would like to give just a few examples of how my constituents are using the additional money to benefit their families. prgtoken One woman from Mountain Brook noted that her employer was paying out bonuses of $1,000 as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and that she will deposit that money in her health savings account. prgtoken Another woman from Trussville talked about how the savings would help with tuition payments for her two college-age daughters. The ability to help with tuition payments was a common theme among my constituents. prgtoken Another gentleman from Birmingham noted that his family used their larger paychecks to help pay for college and have placed additional money in savings. prgtoken A man from Hoover shared that he was able to make additional payments toward his mortgage principal, increase the amount he was contributing to his 401(k), and was able to take his wife out to dinner and a movie. prgtoken It seems the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts may be having an additional benefit for marriages in a way we hadn't considered. prgtoken Finally, another gentleman from my district noted, and I would like to quote him here: ``We now have an additional $250 a month thanks to the tax plan. We love the crumbs.'' prgtoken That was the same message I got from a lady in our church who received a $1,000 bonus from her company. prgtoken These are just a few of the numerous examples of the individuals and families in my district that continue to benefit from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. But the benefits don't stop there. prgtoken Regions Bank, which is headquartered in Birmingham, recently announced that they would be making a range of investments as a result of the tax cuts, including raising the minimum hourly wage in their branches to $15 per hour, and that is without a government mandate. They are also contributing $40 million to the company's charitable foundation and increasing their capital expenditures budget by $100 million in 2018. prgtoken It is not just the big companies that are doing this. Smaller businesses are getting in on the act as well. prgtoken One small business in my district, Wadsworth Oil, sent a note along with their employees' paycheck letting them know that, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, they would be getting cumulatively $22,000 in bonuses. prgtoken Despite fierce opposition from those who wanted to maintain the broken status quo, s in both Houses of Congress were able to deliver a significant win for the American people. prgtoken Going forward, we must maintain this momentu
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-3-19

we just had a vote in this Chamber on a very significant piece of legislation. It was the motion to proceed to it. It was agreed to with good and ic majorities, with both sides of the aisle supporting moving to this debate. prgtoken Because we have cosponsors from both sides of the aisle, I feel confident that we will get to an end point, and we prgtoken must. This issue of trafficking human beings is something the Senate must stand up against, particularly because there is a Federal law that now permits trafficking online that otherwise would be considered a criminal act. I want to talk a little about that legislation tonight. prgtoken We probably will not have the final vote until Wednesday, and some of the information I will provide tonight will be setting the reasons, the basis for doing this legislation. Then, between now and Wednesday, we will have to learn more about the specifics of it, what is happening online, and how the U.S. Senate can step in and provide the legislation to remediate what is an obvious problem to anyone who looks at this issue. prgtoken Human trafficking is such an egregious crime. We all, I hope, agree with that. It is also a very lucrative crime--$150 billion a year is the estimate, and that is probably second only to the drug trade in terms of the amount of money involved. Think about this. This is selling human beings. prgtoken The Senate has taken steps in this body in a bipartisan way over the past 6 or 7 years to focus on this issue, and I certainly commend my colleagues for that. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a , and I, as a , started a bipartisan caucus to stop human trafficking about 6 years ago. We started with the two of us, and now there are a couple of dozen. There are many Members who are engaged and involved in this. prgtoken Over those past 6 years, the Senate has passed legislation to increase the penalties on those who buy children for sex. For the first time in a decade and a half, we increased the Federal penalties. prgtoken We have helped to stop international trafficking by U.S. Government contractors overseas with legislation that was signed into law. prgtoken We have helped with regard to finding missing children by requiring for the first time that those missing children have a photograph attached to them. Unbelievably, until that legislation, most kids in my home State of Ohio and other States who went missing did not have the information provided to law enforcement and others--people who work in shelters, people who are in the juvenile justice system--to be able to find those children. Why is that so important? Because, as you can imagine, kids who go missing are sometimes the most vulnerable to being trafficked. prgtoken We also passed legislation to improve the data on trafficking. There is legislation called the Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act, which we passed in this body to provide better informatio
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-3-19

I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Tori for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office as well as to the State of Wyoming. prgtoken Tori is a native of Yellowstone National Park. She is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, where she studied international studies and criminal justice. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months. prgtoken I want to thank Tori for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her next journey.
VEHICULAR TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT OF 2018
Ron Estes (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-3-19

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 4227, the Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act, introduced by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta). prgtoken H.R. 4227 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to examine the threat of vehicular terrorism and develop a strategy to improve DHS support for the efforts of emergency responders and the private sector to prevent, mitigate, and respond to such a threat. prgtoken Terror groups, including ISIS and al-Qaida, have urged supporters to carry out attacks in their home countries using any means necessary, including vehicle ramming. Terrorists and inspired homegrown extremists have heeded this directive and have carried out vehicle-based attacks in the past several years, including in France, England, Spain, Ohio, and, most recently, New York City. prgtoken The majority of prevention, mitigation, and response activities related to vehicle attacks are carried out by first responders and the private sector. DHS has existing resources and programs that can be better utilized to prepare frontline personnel in local communities to address this threat. This includes guidance related to the use of existing grant programs, increased information sharing, promoting suspicious activity reporting, increasing available exercises and training programs, dedicated research and development targeting mitigation measures, and utilizing critical infrastructure protection programs for vehicle ramming prevention. prgtoken H.R. 4227, the Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act, requires the Secretary to develop a plan on how to improve and increase those capabilities. This bill passed by voice vote in the Committee on Homeland Security in early March. prgtoken , I want to thank Representative Latta for his work on this important measure, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. prgtoken , .