mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REMEMBERING WILLIAM J. VAN NESS
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-2-7

I join my colleague from Alaska today in honoring Bill Van Ness. Chairman Murkowski has identified some of the significant contributions that Bill made to Alaska and Alaskans. I would like to focus specifically on one of those contributions, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or ANCSA, and the role that law has played in improving the lives of Alaska's Native people. Through ANCSA, the State of Alaska, the Federal Government, and the Alaska Native community reached a settlement regarding aboriginal claims to lands and resources throughout the State. Alaska Natives set aside those claims in exchange for nearly $1 billion and the right to select approximately 45 million acres of land. prgtoken Bill's creativity is evident in the manner in which ANCSA addressed the fundamental question of how to ensure that the thousands of individual Alaska Natives received their fair share of the settlement funds and lands. To answer that question, ANCSA authorized the creation of corporations, in which Alaska Natives are the sole shareholders, to receive the funds and hold title to the selected lands. For the most part, this corporate structure has proved to be very beneficial to the Alaska Native shareholders and to the State of Alaska. prgtoken In this regard, I point to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, ASRC, which is owned by Alaska Native people who have inhabited the North Slope of Alaska for thousands of years. With strong leadership from its shareholders, officers, and board members, ASRC has grown into a multibillion dollar enterprise that is Alaska's largest domestic company and that provides dividends to its nearly 13,000 Alaska Native shareholder, as well as many jobs to shareholders and other Alaskans. Bill Van Ness's contributions as an author of ANCSA and later as a private attorney representing ASRC were keys to ASRC's success story.
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-2-7

every community has one--the iconic American diner. Its definition, as has been officially outlined, is ``a friendly place, usually mom-and-pop with a sole proprietor, that serves basic, home-cooked, fresh food, for a good value.'' This is sort of an official definition that was coined by a gentleman named Richard Gutman, who is regarded as the curator and expert on all things diner. prgtoken In 1955, 4 years before Alaska won statehood, our very own iconic American diner opened in Anchorage. It was called the Lucky Wishbone. It was a friendly place. It featured pan-fried chicken, real cheeseburgers, great milkshakes, by the way, and French fries that had been cut from potatoes just that morning. Fitting squarely within Gutman's definition, it was a mom-and-pop. Mom was Peggy Brown. Peggy passed away in 2011 at the age of 87 after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. Pop was George Brown, who passed away on January 13 at the age of 96. prgtoken This is the story of two extraordinary individuals who helped build our community and helped build our State in remarkable and very humble ways. prgtoken George, along with his partner at the time, Sven Jonasson, built the restaurant with their own hands. Sven exited shortly thereafter, and Peggy became George's business partner, as well as his life partner. She did the books. She greeted the guests. She was involved in every aspect of the enterprise. prgtoken In 2002, the Lucky Wishbone was named Alaska's Small Business of the Year. When you think about it, there is nothing more homegrown, nothing more truly small business and entrepreneurial than that small diner everybody calls home. Peggy flew back to Washington, DC, to receive the award in 2002. She was introduced at the time to President by Senator Stevens. Senator Stevens told the President: ``This lady makes some of the best fried chicken in the country.'' You wouldn't think that coming from Alaska, but I can testify from personal knowledge that that is a fact. prgtoken The Lucky Wishbone, I expect, will continue on. It is a successful business with a large following. But with the passing of Peggy and now George, it marks the end of an era for us in Alaska. We have lost two beloved pioneers who were dear friends to so many of us, and I am proud to count myself among that group. It is important that we acknowledge their place in Alaska's history, and that is what I intend to do briefly today. prgtoken George was a native of Wisconsin. He attended high school in Red Wing, MN. He joined the Minnesota National Guard. He was selected for Officer Candidate School. prgtoken In 1943, George and Peggy met, and they married the next year, in 1944. It is said that they met ``over Formica.'' George was training to be a pilot, and Peggy was a waitress. Some would suggest that their destiny as operators of an iconic diner was sealed at that very moment, but World War II came first. George re
MORTGAGE CHOICE ACT OF 2017
David A. Trott (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-2-7

I rise in support of the bipartisan, commonsense Mortgage Choice Act, sponsored by the Congressman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation, which will make mortgages more affordable for low- and moderate-income families. prgtoken In the wake of the financial crisis, Congress directed the CFPB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to create a definition for so- called qualified mortgages. Congress wanted to ensure that consumers were not sold predatory loans and that good faith investors were not buying mortgages designed to fail. prgtoken Unfortunately, the Bureau's rulemaking drove originators from the industry and made loans more expensive in the process. This burden will fall mostly on low- and middle-income families, the very people the CFPB was created to help. prgtoken The rule promulgated by the CFPB czar limits consumer options, causes consumers to pay more, and does nothing to make mortgages any safer. It is this sort of illogical rulemaking that makes Michiganders more and more frustrated by what they see in Washington. We need to ensure that our government prosecutes fraud, predatory lending, and unethical practices, but it should not be in the business of undermining an industry that plays such a critical role in the dream of homeownership. prgtoken You know, when mortgages become more expensive, it is America's low- and middle-income families that suffer the most. Homeownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream. It builds communities, provides families with stability, and, hopefully, creates equity for retirement. The government should be helping this dream, not creating silly, illogical obstacles. prgtoken Over the past several years, I have worked with my colleagues to refocus the Bureau on its core mission of protecting consumers. I am glad that Acting Director Mulvaney has begun to do so, and I am encouraged that Congress is doing its part to rein in this rogue bureaucracy. prgtoken This bill does nothing to threaten the underlying safety of the QM rule and does not erode vital consumer protections. It simply helps ensure that consumers have choices to reduce their mortgage costs along the way. prgtoken Now, the ranking member opposes this bill, as she believes it will usher in a new era of fraudulent subprime, dangerous loans riddled with kickbacks and inflated title fees. I am not sure how money held in escrow would ever be a kickback, and her description of the title industry is completely incorrect. It is a highly regulated industry in most States, and the State that she mentioned, Illinois, is extremely competitive and extremely regulated. prgtoken I am not sure what bill the ranking member believes we are debating today, but the Mortgage Choice Act will not result in any of the problems she describes--all great scare tactics, great theater, a great political sound bite, but, unfortunately, all fiction, all inaccurate. Her flip-flop o
Introductory Statement on S. 2392
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-2-7

in recent years we have seen the inability of the Federal government to quickly adapt to changing technology and evolving cyber security threats. In June of 2015 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced it had fallen victim to a major cyber breach, compromising the personally identifiable information of more than 22 million current and former Federal employees, including myself. Seven months later, nearly half a million more Americans had their social security numbers stolen when the Internal Revenue Service was hacked. We found out last year that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had been hacked in 2016. prgtoken I spent 28 years in the private sector, 12 years with a global cloud computing company. We faced new cyber threats daily and our customers expected security. We delivered, not once was our data compromised. prgtoken I know firsthand that industry has the talent and the incentive to revolutionize cyber security and keep their information systems secure. The Federal government should unbridle the private sector whenever possible, utilizing their expertise, learning from their best practices, and facilitating their innovation. prgtoken That is why I am introducing the Cyber Support for Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act or the Cyber SAFETY Act. Since 2002, the Department of Homeland Security's existing SAFETY Act program has successfully incentivized the private sector's development and deployment of anti-terrorism and security technologies through limited liability protections. It has ensured the threat of litigation does not deter entrepreneurs from developing and commercializing products and services that protect lives and infrastructure. This legislation will simply expand the applicability of the program to ensure that cyber security firms can qualify for these same protections. It will enable cyber security firms to innovate and commercialize new technologies without a technology mandate. prgtoken I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in support of this important legislation. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
TRIBUTE TO MARK ABERNATHY
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-2-7

I rise today in remembrance of Mark Abernathy, an incredible individual, close friend and trusted confidant, and to celebrate his life and service to our community in California's Central Valley, the great state of California, and our country. Mark will be missed by so many that have been influenced by his political acumen, his unparalleled wit, and his spirit and passion for his neighbors and community. He passed away on January 27, 2018, and I know that our community joins me in mourning this loss. prgtoken Mark was born and raised in the Land of Lincoln, appropriate given that the principles of Abraham Lincoln was a seminal influence that would eventually shape much of Mark's patriotism and worldview. From a young age, Mark learned the value of hard work and perseverance while growing up on the family farm with his sister Jill, his brother Mike, and his cousins, growing corn and raising hogs. During that time, he developed an adoration for baseball--and especially the St. Louis Cardinals--that would remain with him for the rest of his life. Mark attended Western Illinois University and paid his tuition fees by literally ``singing for his supper'' as a guitar player and singer for the ``The Rising Sons,'' a country western band that he was a member of all throughout college. He graduated with degrees in agriculture and biology and felt a call to serve his country shortly after, joining the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and serving as a Captain and electronic warfare officer from 1968 to 1972. prgtoken The Air Force eventually brought Mark to California, where he first uncovered a natural talent for campaigning and an interest in local politics. While stationed at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, he served as Chair of the Fairlake Young s Club, where he met Cathy Swajian, who would become the love of his life and inseparable partner while raising two daughters and becoming a fixture in politics. prgtoken Bakersfield welcomed the Abernathys when they moved in 1981, and Mark became involved in state and local politics through when he founded his political consulting firm, Western Pacific Research, which would grow to influence and create some of the most effective Young groups and elect many elected officials on the local, state, and national levels through grassroots political campaigns. Mark was the type of person who never gave up--whether that meant working all throughout the night to finalize and execute campaign messaging or strategy, or just walking door to door to register voters and share his passion for community engagement. He adhered, and he made sure his campaigns adhered, to the values and principles enshrined in our Constitution and our nation's founding documents. Yet his great emphasis toward civic responsibility was only surpassed by his devotion to his faith and to his family, never missing a softball game or the opportunity to
MORTGAGE CHOICE ACT OF 2017
Ralph Norman (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-2-7

I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 1153, the Mortgage Choice Act of 2017. prgtoken This bipartisan legislation is essential to help low- and middle- income families gain access to qualified mortgages. I commend Chairman Hensarling and Congressman Huizenga for their work on shepherding this bill through the legislative process. prgtoken Policymaking is complex, and Congress and Federal regulators do not always get it right. We need to sometimes make changes to address new issues and unintended consequences that arise. prgtoken As we have seen for the past few years, the Dodd-Frank Act--and let me add that there are many of us in the real estate business and on bank boards who saw the effects of Dodd-Frank not allowing banks to go into the communities that need them the most--contains certain provisions that fit one or both of these categories and must be changed through legislative action. prgtoken One of these policies is the CFPB's qualified mortgage, or QM, rule. The QM rule is intended to protect lenders from legal liability and provide compliance certainty for mortgage loans that are low risk and meet certain criteria. One of those criterion requires a mortgage loan's total points and fees not to be in excess of 3 percent of the loan's value. prgtoken Unfortunately, the points and fees rule often depends on who is making the loan and how title insurance is obtained, which is confusing for both consumers and businesses providing these services. Also, as has been mentioned, insurance premiums held in escrow are considered points and fees under the QM rule, which is ridiculous. That is like saying that a parent who puts money in for a 529 savings plan for his children's education is a car payment or a mortgage payment. It doesn't make sense, but it discourages consumers from using this important financial management tool. prgtoken H.R. 1153 would address these unintended consequences and provide clarity for borrowers and businesses. I am also confident that the CFPB, under the leadership of Mick Mulvaney, will ensure that this clarification is effectively implemented if this bill is enacted into law. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense fix so that we can get the policy right and address the unintended consequences arising from the future rule.
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-7

all week I have been speaking about the impending deadline of tomorrow, the continuing resolution that we passed following the shutdown of the government over the DACA issue, and the importance of meeting that deadline. So you can imagine my pleasure at hearing the announcement this afternoon by the majority leader. His hard work leading to this critical funding negotiation has now produced an agreement that both sides should be able to get behind. prgtoken One of the reasons these negotiations were so significant and why the announcement today was such good news has to do with our military. I happened to have been raised in a military family. My dad served 31 years in the U.S. Air Force and was a B-17 pilot in World War II in the Army Air Corps. Those who have seen the old movies about the B-17, like ``Memphis Belle'' and others, realize what treacherous service that was during World War II. prgtoken He was shot down on his 26th mission over Mannheim, Germany, and was captured as a prisoner of war for the last 4 months of World War II. But, thank goodness, the U.S. Army and General Patton came through Germany and liberated those POW camps at the end of World War II. My dad came home, built a family, and finished his career after 31 years in the military. So, as you might imagine, the men and women who serve in our military are near and dear to my heart. prgtoken I recognize the importance of our support not only for the ones who wear the uniform but also the families. Of course, having an all- volunteer military means we have to provide support not just for the servicemembers but for the families as well. When our servicemembers enlist, they sign a contract and, basically, hand their lives over to us to be good stewards of their service and to be in a position of trust. prgtoken To hold their budget hostage, which is what has happened until now, is to ask them to assume even greater risk in order to satisfy certain narrow political agendas. Given all that our men and women in uniform do for us--to keep us safe, to keep the world at peace as much as possible--it is not too much to call holding that funding hostage a disgrace. prgtoken Our men and women in uniform can't afford to be hamstrung, especially when we face new and evolving threats across the globe, but because of our inability to produce longer term certainty, they were. That is, until now. prgtoken The compromise we have reached will ensure both that our troops have what they deserve--in terms of training, equipment, and readiness--and that our country has what it needs in order to achieve ``peace through strength'' across the globe. prgtoken Since the Budget Control Act of 2011, we have kept discretionary spending, which includes defense spending, relatively flat. Unfortunately, the threats have done nothing but proliferate and increase, and we have seen a number of training accidents like the Fitzgerald and the John McCain where, lit
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-2-7

who spoke very highly of the qualifications of Mr. Northey to be Under Secretary at the Department of Agriculture. I may say just a little bit about his qualifications, but I want to spend most of my time expressing my thoughts to my colleagues in the Senate, and to Senator Cruz primarily, on what I think about the argument over RINs being an impediment to some refineries operating efficiently, going into bankruptcy, or other problems they have. prgtoken Senator Cruz has said there are some things that could be put together to help this situation. I will name three of them that I think would work, and then I will say why I disagree with the Senator from Texas about the RINs issue and why he thinks that is a solution to it and why I feel it is not a solution to it. prgtoken First of all, my colleague from Texas said there is a problem with Wall Street speculators. I don't know whether that happens every day, but it happens sometimes, and it is something that should be taken care of. I recognized that back in November of 2013, when I wrote a letter on that very subject urging the regulators to take a position on that. prgtoken I think greater transparency of this whole market would be very good as well. I think that is a possibility. That is something the Senator and I have discussed as being very helpful, the EPA putting out regulations on vapor so we could get more ethanol in the percentage of E15. prgtoken I would say his idea of putting caps on RINs will not work because when you do that, you are getting--the marketplace isn't working. I suppose I am a little surprised that a free market person like Senator Cruz would suggest the government step in and cap that. Also, I would like to speak to the point that in November of last year, 2017, as an agency, the EPA itself said the RINs market was working, which puts the Agency in a little bit different position than where we think Mr. Pruitt, the Administrator of EPA, is coming from. prgtoken So, with that in mind, I am going to go to my remarks right now and express that it is very unfortunate that there is an objection to advancing President 's nomination of Iowa secretary of agriculture Bill Northey to be Under Secretary at the Department of Agriculture all because of unrelated concerns over the renewable fuel standard, which is a law passed by Congress and obviously administered by the EPA. prgtoken I am very disappointed that a highly qualified and honorable man like Bill Northey is being held up for an issue unrelated to his position. As you heard my colleague say, Secretary Northey enjoyed unanimous support from the Senate Agriculture Committee and has the support of numerous agriculture groups from around the country. prgtoken Now I will get to the RINs issue and my feeling that this is not a legitimate reason for either holding up this nomination for the bankruptcy that has been referred to or for any other refinery