mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018--Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-10-17

I wish to thank my colleague, the Senator from Wyoming, chairman of the Budget Committee, Mr. Enzi, for allowing me, as the vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, some time on the Senate floor to discuss the budget. prgtoken Our budget process is important, and it has long been in a period of neglect. It needs reform. That is what I am here to talk about today. There are so many areas that are affected by our budgeting process or, at least, that should be. In fact, it is difficult to conceive of any aspect of the Federal Government that couldn't be or shouldn't be addressed through the budgeting process. prgtoken When we look at the budget process, it is important for us to focus, to one degree or another, on the Budget Act of 1974. This is an old law. Forty-three years in statute has not exactly improved it. It hasn't matured into something better. In other words, rather than a piece of art that has appreciated in value over time, this is something more akin to the 8-track tape player that you might have purchased in 1974 to go inside your Ford Pinto, which would explode upon impact. This is something that didn't really improve in the 43 years since it was passed, especially not the way we have followed it or, better said, the way we have utterly failed to follow it. prgtoken One of the best ways to describe the budgeting process, prescribed by the Budget Act of 1974, is that it is nonbinding. It is less legislation than it is legislative fiction. It is aspirational in the sense that it aims for what could be and what should be, except no one actually aspires to it. In Congress, we don't get to the aspiration, basically, ever. It is reminiscent almost of the immortal words of St. Augustine. When he was undergoing his transition to Christianity, he famously said: ``Lord, grant me chastity . . . but not yet''--always wanting to restrain oneself later and not now, even though the need for restraint, the need for reform is present now, is calling out for reform right now. That is why it is important to remember that what comes next is prgtoken important, and next is now. We are discussing the budget this week, and it is important that we focus on these issues right now. prgtoken We do have a system that has to be kept carefully in balance. That balance depends on Congress keeping the national interest front and center. It depends on Congress being willing to restrain itself and follow the dictates of our constitutional structure. We have failed on these scores. prgtoken Congress collectively, actively, almost defiantly avoids the very type of accountability built into our constitutional structure--the type of accountability called for by article I of the Constitution. Article I, the very first clause of the first section of the first article of the Constitution, makes clear that if you are going to make policy within the Federal Government, if you are going to establish norms that will be
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-10-17

I have 4 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Consumer Data Security and the Credit Bureaus.'' Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions prgtoken The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at 10 a.m. in room SD-430 to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Cost of Prescription Drugs: How the Drug Delivery System Affects What Patients Pay, Part II''. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at 10 a.m in room SD-226 to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: Gregory G. Katsas, of Virginia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, Jeffrey Uhlman Beaverstock, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama, Emily Coody Marks, and Brett Joseph Talley, both to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama, and Holly Lou Teeter, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas. Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at 2:30 p.m in room SH-216 to hold a hearing entitled ``Open Hearing on the Nomination of Christopher Sharpley to be the inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency.''
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018--Continued
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-10-17

this week, the Senate will vote on a budget resolution for fiscal year 2018. While there are many elements to this particular resolution, most of this Chamber's and the public's attention are on the reconciliation instructions related to tax reform. prgtoken Before I go too far, I first want to thank Chairman Enzi and all of our colleagues on the Budget Committee for their work on this resolution. Chairman Enzi has been a critical player in the ongoing effort to reform our broken Tax Code, and his work to craft this budget resolution and move it out of committee has been critical to this effort. prgtoken For the next step, he is going to need help passing the resolution here on the floor. I think we will get there. prgtoken Specifically, this budget resolution contains a $1.5 trillion reconciliation instruction for tax reform. That is a good number, putting meaningful tax reform within reach. prgtoken As the debate over the budget and the instruction moves forward, I think it is critical that everyone understand what tax reform will do for our country and, perhaps more importantly, what will happen if we fail. prgtoken Tax reform has been the chief focus of the Senate Finance Committee for years now. In the 6\1/2\ years that I have been the lead on the committee, we have had about 70 hearings focused on the Tax Code. In the vast majority of those hearings, we have heard both and s acknowledge the inefficiency of our current tax system, with very few members having spent their time and energy defending the status quo, which is not at all surprising. prgtoken Our current tax system imposes undue burdens on middle-class families. Our current tax system is obscenely complex, riddled with credits, exemptions, and deductions, many of which were designed to benefit special interests. Our current tax system's complicated rate structure makes it difficult for families to plan and, for some workers, creates a disincentive to work for additional earnings. Our current tax system subjects American businesses and job creators to the highest tax rates in the industrialized world. Our current tax system creates incentives for businesses to move headquarters and operations offshore, eroding our Nation's tax base. And our current system has forced companies to keep trillions of dollars offshore, preventing further investment and growth here at home. prgtoken Reform of this broken system is long overdue. The last major overhaul to our Tax Code was more than three decades ago. Even if the Tax Code hadn't changed dramatically since that time, prgtoken the economy of 1986 was dramatically different from the one we have today. Of course, the code has undergone a number of piecemeal changes since the 1986 reform, but that approach has left us with a system that simply does not work. prgtoken Fundamental change is what our tax system needs--change that takes the entire system into account and
REMEMBERING PATRICK FLANAGAN
Dean Heller (Republican, NV) \u2014 2017-10-17

today I wish to remember my friend, Second Judicial District Court Chief Judge Patrick Flanagan, who recently passed away in Reno at the age of 64. My deepest sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones. prgtoken All of Washoe County and Nevada's legal community will miss Chief Judge Flanagan, who only a year and a half ago was unanimously elected by the Second Judicial District Court to serve as chief judge. He was one of Nevada's finest, and his loss cannot be understated. prgtoken Before being elected to the bench, Chief Judge Flanagan served as an attorney and an assistant Federal public defender for the District of Nevada and worked in the appellate division of the Washoe County Public Defender's Office as a chief appellate deputy. In 2006, he was elected to serve as the Second Judicial District Court judge in Department 7 and was reelected in 2014. prgtoken Chief Judge Flanagan played a large role in the Reno community, as he regularly spoke to students, opened his courtroom for observation, and engaged students in public outreach initiatives, including the court's first annual student Flag Day poem contest. prgtoken His colleagues remember him as a personable, caring, and effective jurist who repeatedly inserted jokes or random facts about Irish history in his emails. prgtoken He served as the president of the State Bar of Nevada, the Washoe County Bar Association, and the Nevada Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. prgtoken Chief Judge Flanagan completed his undergraduate degree from Duquesne University and received his juris doctorate from California Western School of Law. prgtoken As Nevada's senior Senator, I know Chief Judge Flanagan's legacy will live on in the court. Lynne and my family pray for Chief Judge Flanagan's wife, their two children, grandchild, and entire extended family as they mourn his passing.
125TH ANNIVERSARY OF A.T. STILL UNIVERSITY-KIRKSVILLE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-10-17

today I wish to recognize the 125th anniversary of A.T. Still University's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, KCOM. KCOM was established in 1892 as the first osteopathic medical school in the world and continues to be recognized for its success as a multidisciplinary healthcare educator. prgtoken KCOM was founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, whose novel methods of treating patients gave birth to the field of osteopathy. The school's first class included 21 students, five of whom were women. The school and medical practice quickly became a success, providing more than 30,000 osteopathic treatments in 1895. prgtoken According to the American Osteopathic Association, osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest growing specialties in U.S. healthcare. In fact, the number of doctors of osteopathic medicine has increased 276 percent since 1986. Importantly, more than half of all active doctors of osteopathic practice in primary care specialties, and many of these choose to practice in community-based settings. Students trained by KCOM are uniquely situated to impact communities lacking medical resources, whether they be rural or urban. prgtoken The focus of the KCOM administration and faculty on community outreach and underserved populations is to be commended. They partner with community health centers around the State to provide services to the most vulnerable individuals and instill a spirit of service in their students. Unique programs such as these that further education and support community health are of great benefit to the people of Missouri and serve as an example to others. prgtoken Today KCOM continues to make strides in whole person healthcare and works to be a leader in health professions education. I extend my sincere thanks for all they do. Congratulations to A.T. Still University president Craig M. Phelps, A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine dean Margaret Wilson, faculty, and all former and current students on this important occasion.
TAX REFORM AND THE BUDGET
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-10-17

on the GOP tax plan, as soon as today, we will vote on the motion to proceed to the GOP budget resolution, which includes instructions to increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion, slash Medicare and Medicaid by $1.5 trillion, and sets up, unfortunately for everybody, the same destructive, partisan process on taxes that the GOP used for healthcare called reconciliation. It says: We don't need you. We are just going to rush it through with our votes. It didn't work on healthcare. It is not going to work on this either. prgtoken Tax reform--if it is real reform--or even just tax cuts are very complicated. If you don't have the center coming together, everyone can pick it apart, and they are setting themselves up to do just that. prgtoken Although the tax plan is little more than principles at the moment--and we have talked a lot about these principles of the plan--it is so far away from what the American people want because of the process they have decided to use. When you don't want and use just s, the people of the hard right--a minority in the Party probably--can push the debate so far over because they say: We are not voting for this unless you do it our way. So we have a bill that really is so out of touch and harmful to all but the wealthiest Americans that it is hard to believe the s are putting it forward with a straight face. prgtoken It is going to be the first time, my friends, that s in Congress will vote to increase our Nation's deficit by $1.5 trillion, which is spelled out as clear as day in the budget. I hope, given this dramatic increase in the deficit, all of the deficit hawks are out of their nests for this one. prgtoken For the sake of ideological consistency, the same folks who decried debt and deficit under President ought to denounce them under President , but we haven't heard much of a peep from a whole lot of s on this side with a few notable, brave, and leaderlike exceptions. prgtoken Here is what Representative Walker, a conservative Member of the House, said, lamenting what was going on: [The deficit is] a great talking point when you have an administration that is -led. It's a little different now that s have both houses and the administration. There's been less talk about it this year with a - led administration than there has been the last seven or eight years. prgtoken Representative Walker is exactly accurate. prgtoken The leader on May 16 told Bloomberg TV that tax reform ``will have to be revenue neutral.'' These are his words. That is a principle he has advanced for years. prgtoken We are not hearing much from s about deficits now. Yet, I repeat, this budget instructs the committees to increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion. It will be difficult for many of my friends to s
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018--Continued
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2017-10-17

I rise to oppose this deeply flawed budget that is terrible for America and particularly harmful to working families. prgtoken The plan that we face today is a budget-busting first step toward issuing massive tax breaks to special interests and to wealthy individuals. This proposed budget fails to improve economic growth or to drive up wages. It should look awfully familiar to all of us because it is a retread of the failed trickle-down economics which exploded budget deficits in the 1980s and squandered the budget surplus we had briefly in the early 2000s. That trickle-down theory ruined our budget and failed to grow the economy then, and we cannot afford to relive those failed policies now. prgtoken Our Nation faces significant economic challenges today that need to be addressed directly. Wages have barely improved in the past 20 years; the costs of education, childcare, and other essential living expenses continue to climb. prgtoken Job creation is slowing. From February through September of this year, the economy added the lowest number of jobs in 7 years. Wages are also falling this year. Since the administration took over, 39 States and the District of Columbia have seen workers' wages decline, after adjusting for inflation. Nearly 4 in 10 rural families don't have access to high-speed internet and the opportunities it affords. prgtoken We all know many of the communities we represent, in both rural and urban areas, still have not fully recovered from the great recession. Yet this budget only makes life harder for working families by cutting vital programs and critical services that invest directly in those communities. The budget ignores our current reality and makes it tougher for American families to afford a college education or access quality healthcare coverage. As we saw through last week's executive actions, the administration remains singularly focused on taking away healthcare from 20 million Americans and sabotaging the system for those left. This proposed budget would take us deeper down that destructive path. prgtoken The 2018 budget cuts more than $5 trillion over the next decade in healthcare, education, transportation, medical research, and other critical investments. It slashes Medicaid by $1 trillion and Medicare by more than $470 billion. When they are done, these budget- busting tax giveaways will leave other Federal efforts with a gaping $660 billion hole, bringing our domestic Federal investments as a share of our Nation's GDP to the lowest levels since the Hoover administration. prgtoken If you are at home listening, all of that sounds pretty unbelievable. Washington s wouldn't really jeopardize our Nation's healthcare, our educational system, our rural communities, and bust the budget all at the same time, right? Unfortunately, all of that is true when we look at the details of this failing budget. Again, this
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018--Continued
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-10-17

I come to the floor to discuss the tax reform plan and what impact it will have on the fiscal health of our Nation but especially the impact it will have on working families across the United States and in my home State of Illinois. prgtoken I have represented Illinois in Congress both as a House Member and as a Senator for a number of years. I am proud to say that during my career, I have not shied away from tackling big issues. prgtoken Maybe one of the toughest assignments I have ever had was in 2010, when President created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. It was known as the Simpson-Bowles Commission. I was one of 18 s and given the responsibility of trying to find a way to balance America's budget and reform our country's largest spending programs and our Tax Code. prgtoken This was no small task, but it was an important one. We spent month after month in bipartisan meetings working at it. Nearly a year after the Commission was created, we were asked to vote on the final report. prgtoken Simpson-Bowles was not a perfect plan, but I decided to vote in favor of the report, and I knew it would be controversial, but I believed then, as I do now, that there is only one honest way to reduce debt: cut spending, raise revenues, do not ignore the Tax Code. Bowles- Simpson did just that. It raised revenue by eliminating a lot of the exclusions and deductions and efforts of the Tax Code to reward certain companies and special interests, and it cut spending for both defense and nondefense. To say nothing of the months-long bipartisan process--a far cry from the current reconciliation that we have been going through this year on the healthcare issue--there simply is no comparison between the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan and what the s want to bring to the floor of the U.S. Senate and House this year in the name of tax reform. prgtoken Simpson-Bowles was about balancing our budget responsibly. It raised nearly $88 billion in revenue over the first decade, and unlike the tax plan, it boosted the standard deduction and still retained the personal exemptions families claim on their taxes. It protected middle-income families from backdoor cuts, and--and I underline this--it ensured that the wealthy in America paid their fair share of taxes. prgtoken If there is one thing I can never understand, it is why the s, in the name of budget deficits or in the name of tax reform, always end up in the same place--always cutting taxes on the wealthiest people in America. Where in the world is that coming from? I have met a lot of wealthy people in the course of my life; not one of them, with a straight face, has said to me: Senator, I desperately need a tax cut. They don't. Yet that is the fallback default position on every plan. prgtoken Importantly, the Simpson-Bowles plan provided details of the hard c
Introductory Statement on S. 1975
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-10-17

this bill authorizes additions to two existing wilderness areas within the George Washington National Forest in Virginia; the Rich Hole and Rough Mountain Wilderness Areas. It's a relatively simple bill, and it provides only a small window into the volume of work done by Virginians to manage a vast swath of Federal land in this region collaboratively and responsibly. prgtoken America's Federal lands are some of our most precious assets. We may hike or bike them; derive energy, minerals, or goods from them; or sometimes just leave them to nature. There is a long history of conflict among stakeholders who disagree on which Federal lands are best suited to which purposes. prgtoken Many years ago, forest users with different views and interests formed the George Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative. Through hard work and consensus, the Collaborative agreed upon a number of recommendations for forest management and protection. Everyone got some of what they wanted and gave some ground. Preservation advocates consented to timber harvest and other active forest restoration and management in certain areas. The forest products industry consented to wilderness and lightly-managed areas elsewhere. The U.S. Forest Service's 2014 revised GW Forest Management Plan reflected many of these agreements. prgtoken Subsequently, the Forest Service convened the Lower Cowpasture Restoration and Management Project, bringing more stakeholders to the table, earlier in the process, to negotiate out how to manage this particular part of the Forest, located in the lower portion of the Cowpasture River watershed, in ways that work for everyone. Within this process, further compromises were made to achieve a mutually satisfactory project that could gather broad support. All members of the Stakeholder Collaborative now support the wilderness additions identified in this bill. prgtoken I am proud to partner on this with my colleague Senator Mark Warner, and we are following in the path blazed by Senator John Warner and Representative Rick Boucher, who were instrumental in passing the original Virginia Wilderness Act in 1984. prgtoken Taking care of our Nation's outdoor resources is good for our economy and good for our environment. Land disputes may sometimes be difficult, but the example of the GW Forest Stakeholder Collaborative proves they don't have to be. When everyone comes to the table and invests the necessary time, we can find common ground. I hope this will be a lesson for us in other tough policy challenges, and I encourage the Senate to support this bill.