mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Pat Roberts (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-6-27

I rise in support of my colleague's amendment. prgtoken As Senator Thune indicated, this amendment proposes to make changes to the Conservation Reserve Program. Goodness knows that we have been working on that for several years. As a matter of fact, I can even remember back in the House when I was the original sponsor of the Conservation Reserve Program and when Senator Thune was Congressman Thune and continued that effort. prgtoken We provide additional flexibilities for the management of routine haying and grazing, which the Senator has pointed out. prgtoken The amendment provides greater clarity for when and how often producers can conduct the active management of their CRP land. I strongly support that, as do all of the members of the committee. prgtoken These flexibilities not only provide a benefit to the producer but a more active management of CRP also has a mutual benefit to the wildlife that relies upon the habitat created by CRP. prgtoken What the distinguished Senator has pointed out is exactly right in that during the Ag Committee markup, both Senator Stabenow and I committed to working with him on this priority. I am pleased the amendment reflects that bipartisan agreement that has the support of the grower and wildlife organizations. for working with Senator Stabenow and me on this amendment. I support it and urge my colleagues to do so as well. prgtoken Thanks, dude.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-6-27

I understand that the ic leader may be on his way, and I will yield the floor when he comes, but I do want to respond to the comments that have been made by my friend, the Senator from Illinois, the ic whip. prgtoken I think what he is proposing is a false choice. He says we need to do away with zero tolerance when it comes to enforcing our immigration laws. Basically, what that means is an argument for the nonenforcement of our immigration laws. We can actually enforce our immigration laws and keep families together. Indeed, we have a proposal, which I know he is very familiar with, to do precisely that--proposed by Senator Tillis and Senator Cruz. I know he and Senator Feinstein are talking to them, and hopefully they can come up with a bipartisan solution. Yet the argument that somehow this is a new phenomenon is just not borne out by the facts. prgtoken We all remember 2014, when the vast wave of unaccompanied children who came across the border from Central America was called a humanitarian crisis by President . It was because we simply were not prepared to deal with the medical and other needs, feeding, housing, and taking care of these tens of thousands of children who were streaming across the border. prgtoken Central America, basically, has some very serious problems which result in there being people who flee from those countries and seek, in many cases, asylum in the United States. Yet the idea that President started something new when he decided to enforce the law or that this phenomenon of children coming across the border is something new is simply not the case. It has been happening for a long time. prgtoken Back when President was detaining families and was separating families, on some occasions when the accommodations were not available to deal with them together, we didn't hear a peep out of our friends on the other side of the aisle. When 1,500 unaccompanied children from Central America--those placed with sponsors here in the United States who were not American citizens, who were not even family members, and who had not had criminal background checks--were unaccounted for, as reported in a New York Times story recently, that was as a result of the flawed policies of the past in dealing with this humanitarian crisis. prgtoken We do agree on one thing; that is, that families ought to be kept together, and the President has said as much. Yet what every single across the aisle has agreed to is a bill by our friend from California Senator Feinstein, which, simply goes from zero tolerance, when it comes to violating the immigration laws, to zero enforcement. prgtoken What that bill would result in is a return to the flawed catch-and- release policies of the past because, if you can't enforce the law--if you don't have the immigration judges, if you don't prioritize these family cases--then you will have to give people notices to appear at s
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-6-27

I thank the gentlewoman from Texas, the distinguished chair, for her leadership. prgtoken The amendment I am offering will support explosive ordnance disposal equipment upgrades and technology enhancements. prgtoken When the Department of Defense canceled the EOD/Low Intensity Conflict Program, which formerly developed and delivered capabilities commonly required by each services' EOD tactical units, it was done without transferring this program and the oversight responsibility on EOD research, development, and acquisition to that of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. prgtoken It is my understanding that DOD's Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office will now absorb this specific mission set within their Improvised Device Defeat and Explosives Countermeasures program. This program is unique in that it supports the United States Government's Interagency Deputies' Technical Support Working Group to combat terrorism by using a whole-government approach. Specifically, the program leverages the intelligence community, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State, as well as State, local, and Tribal levels of government. prgtoken There are about 33,000 annual call-outs, approximately 4,500 of which are on DOD military munitions. The Improvised Device Defeat and Explosives Countermeasures program develops or improves operational capabilities to neutralize, render safe, and contain blast fragmentation during these emergency response operations and terrorist incidents involving use of IEDs in the homeland. Furthermore, it produces dual-use capabilities on enhancing lifesaving technologies for military tactical EOD units and those of public safety bomb squads organized at the State, local, and Tribal levels of government. prgtoken Therefore, I encourage the Director of the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office to appropriately prioritize funding toward delivery of these advanced dual-use capabilities in the IED countermeasures program used by military tactical EOD units and public safety bomb squads. prgtoken In closing, this program is critical to the safety and security of America's prgtoken citizens. Military tactical EOD units and public safety bomb squads deserve the best tools and equipment we can provide so they are able to neutralize, disable, dismantle, render safe, and exploit improvised explosive devices and explosive ordnance both at home and abroad. My amendment will ensure they receive the equipment upgrades and technology enhancements they need. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2018
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-6-27

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m June 28; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. Finally, I ask that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 2.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Ken Calvert (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-6-27

. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment, which would add $1 billion in advanced procurement for two additional Virginia-class submarines in FY 2022/23. prgtoken The Navy has a substantial plan for submarines. It achieves the mission of a 355-ship Navy by 2050 and does it in a way that is fiscally responsible and provides for stability of the industrial base. prgtoken In a letter from the Secretary of the Navy to Chairman Frelinghuysen, the Secretary states: ``The FY 2019 President's budget provides sufficient funding to procure the ships included in the FY19-FY23 Future Years Defense Program.'' prgtoken An advanced procurement amendment of $1 billion in FY19 and, by the way, an additional $6 billion tail, would take from much-needed programs that have already been considered by the committee. Additionally, it would jeopardize the future programs and assume risk in other areas. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I certainly urge a ``no'' vote on this, and I will remind my Members, as my friend from Indiana mentioned, we have a cliff coming in 2020. Making a commitment to spend an additional $7 billion, which we don't have, is not a good idea. We ought to be working on trying to resolve that cliff issue.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Steve Russell (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-6-27

the Defense Innovation Unit-Experimental is a program that leverages brilliant engineers at places like the Silicon Valley or MIT to invent such amazing things as saline cooling to save the lives of badly wounded soldiers on the battlefield or create improved communications. prgtoken In just the last year, the DIUx program saved the United States Air Force hundreds of millions of dollars by replacing a whiteboard management system for managing refueling with an integrated app that saved millions of pounds of fuel each week, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars and, ultimately, billions of savings. prgtoken This never would have happened without DIUx. It pays for itself many times over. In fact, we would not have things today like Predator or key anti-missile defense systems without it. prgtoken Perhaps some big defense contractors might wish to cut DIUx, but only in Washington would we cut a program that integrates Silicon Valley and MIT engineers, develops products in months instead of decades, and saves billions of dollars. This amendment protects that from happening by restoring the $14 million in funding, something it already saved in fuel in just a couple of days with the United States Air Force. prgtoken I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill, and s for their work on this bipartisan measure. I urge support.
ARPA-E ACT OF 2018
Frank D. Lucas (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-6-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , reforming the mission and the goals of ARPA-E will transform the Agency to do what the DOE does best: develop innovative technology solutions to complex science, energy, and national security challenges. prgtoken I again want to thank my nine colleagues on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee who cosponsored H.R. 5906, including Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson. I want to thank the new leadership staff at ARPA-E and the Department of Energy, who provided technical comments and policy recommendations as we developed this legislation. prgtoken I urge the adoption of this bipartisan, good-government legislation, and .
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-6-27

reserving the right to object, in this farm bill, when it was considered in committee, there was an amendment added that allows for American agricultural interests to promote American agriculture on the enslaved island of Cuba. prgtoken In an effort to be accommodating, I have said: Well, that is fine. It is not a very large market, and, frankly, as long as we are not lending them money--because they are never going to pay us back--I am not going to object to the ability of American farmers to market our products to a market. In the end, it is food. prgtoken What I do think we should not allow, however, is the ability to spend American taxpayer money in properties and in other places on the island that are owned and controlled by the Cuban prgtoken military. Last year, President issued an Executive order that prohibited American citizens who traveled to Cuba from staying at hotels or frequenting businesses or anything of this nature that is controlled by GAESA, which is a holding company controlled by the Cuban military. prgtoken So what I have proposed as a way forward on this is to basically say: That is fine. You can promote American agriculture in Cuba. But while you are there and doing your activities, you can promote it, but you just can't spend any of these taxpayer dollars at any of the facilities or businesses controlled or owned by the Cuban military. The list is detailed and provided by the State Department via Executive order. prgtoken That is the amendment I offered. To date, we have not been able to get it considered as part of any of these vehicles that are moving. Therefore, procedurally, I am wanting to protect my right to ensure this gets included in something that is incredibly important from my perspective, so I object.
PREVENTING INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTIONS
Mimi Walters (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-6-27

I rise today in honor of Paul Garaven on his retirement from the Tustin Police Department. prgtoken Deputy Chief Garaven has served over 30 years at the Tustin Police Department beginning in 1987 as a part-time volunteer reservist. Since then, he has held numerous positions within the department, including time spent undercover with the special investigations unit. prgtoken No matter the title Deputy Chief Garaven held, he devoted every day of his career to making the city of Tustin prgtoken a safer and better place for all. On July 3, Deputy Chief Garaven will end his long and impressive career at the Tustin Police Department. prgtoken Thankfully, the image of a young undercover officer will remain to inspire the next generation of officers at the police department to strive for greatness in everything they do. prgtoken , please join me in congratulating Deputy Chief Garaven on an outstanding 30-year career serving the city of Tustin. I wish him the absolute best as he begins the next great chapter of his life.
BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION REFORM ACT OF 2018
Bob Goodlatte (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-6-27

I rise in strong opposition to this effort to distract us from the major problems that we are attempting to address in our country. This motion to recommit deals only with a red herring. It fixes nothing, but rather ensures that catch and release will remain in effect. prgtoken The American people want a holistic approach to reforming immigration laws that focuses on enforcement first before legalization. The motion to recommit simply does not do that. prgtoken H.R. 6136 helps solve the problem with a surge of people coming illegally into the United States by funding the border wall construction and other infrastructure at the border, and it closes the loopholes that require catch and release of aliens who have entered illegally. The bill begins the process of reforming the way U.S. green cards are prgtoken allocated. And it provides a path to legalization for the DACA-eligible population. prgtoken H.R. 6136 addresses the areas that need to be addressed in immigration: enforcement, including a true fix to the issue of separation of children from their parents; it includes border security, legal immigration, and legalization for DACA-eligible individuals. prgtoken The motion to recommit does none of that. I urge my colleagues to oppose that motion. prgtoken I also want to call to everyone's attention the Statement of Administration Policy issued by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget just this morning. It says in part: ``The administration strongly supports House passage of H.R. 6136, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018. . . .'' ``H.R. 6136 would end the visa lottery program and would begin moving toward a merit-based system for admission. H.R. 6136 would also reduce extended-family chain migration by removing family preference categories for siblings and adult married children. . . .'' ``Overall, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 would support the administration's goals of securing the border, closing legal loopholes, moving to a system of merit-based immigration, and providing a responsible solution to DACA. ``If H.R. 6136 were presented to the President, his advisers would recommend that he sign it into law.'' prgtoken But, you don't have to listen to his advisers. You can listen to the President himself, because he tweeted this morning: ``House s should pass the strong but fair immigration bill, known as Goodlatte II, in their afternoon vote today, even though the Dems won't let it pass in the Senate. Passage will show that we want strong borders and security while the Dems want open borders equals crime. Win.'' prgtoken That is what we need to do today. We need to win by defeating this motion to recommit and passing this important legislation that brings America forward in addressing our immigration issues, is an appropriate fix for the DACA population, secures our borders, and moves towards a merit-based immigration
RECOGNIZING ABI'S ARTISAN ICE CREAM
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-6-27

America's entrepreneurs are known to strive to go above and beyond by producing uniquely high-quality goods to better serve their local communities. Our Nation's small businesses are often led by people who are not afraid to innovate and bring new ideas to the marketplace. Many small businesses in my home State of Idaho harness this creative spirit and are well known for their locally sourced, all-natural products. Today, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize a small business from Couer d'Alene, ID, that displays such forward thinking in the food service industry. As chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am proud to recognize Abi's Artisan Ice Cream as the Small Business of the Month for June 2018. This family-owned and operated business is dedicated to providing fresh, wholesome, and natural products to their customers. prgtoken Previously a healthcare consultant, Maren Scoggins founded Abi's as a way prgtoken to bring together her love of cooking and her desire to bring happiness to the lives of others. She named her ice cream shop after her daughter Abigail. Better known as Abi, she can often be found in the shop's kitchen sampling her mother's latest flavors. Abi, who has a peanut allergy, inspired her mother to create a selection of flavors free of nuts and legumes, to allow as many people as possible to enjoy her creations. prgtoken In addition to being legume and nut-free, Maren wanted to provide ice cream that customers loved without artificial flavors or preservatives. Abi's is technically a specialty kitchen, as everything is made by hand and on-site. The kitchen is open and customers are invited to observe the process of how the ice cream is made. In pursuit of her goal for all-natural, great-tasting ice cream, Maren works hard to ensure that her creations can be enjoyed by all. By exclusively using natural and in-season ingredients, customers are able to enjoy healthy and seasonal ice cream. Maren is always experimenting with new and unique flavors for the community to enjoy. While they have a selection of staple flavors, Abi's also creates rotating seasonal flavors to ensure that their customers always have the opportunity to try something new and innovative. Whether it is their ``fan favorite'' malted vanilla with coffee and chocolate chips or just a simple ice cream sandwich, her customers always remain confident in Maren's all-natural recipe. In each one of her creations, Maren prides herself on using as few ingredients as possible and believes that the simplest recipes can be the best tasting. As a result of their hard work and dedication, Abi's Artisan Ice Cream was named a top 10 ice cream shop in Idaho by OnlyInYourState. prgtoken Maren's ice cream shop is also heavily involved in the Coeur d'Alene community. Aside from being locally owned and operated, the ice cream shop works closely with the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association to organize
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-6-27

I rise today to offer an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which would increase funding for USSOCOM to provide for additional training of Special Operations Forces. Simply put, I never want our men and women in uniform to be in a fair fight. My amendment would allow for an increase in the training budget to ensure, whenever our forces are deployed, they have been fully prepared and are ready to fight, win, and return home safely. prgtoken , one of the greatest honors of my life is representing Fort Bragg, the epicenter of the universe, and home of the airborne and of the Army Special Operations Command. The units stationed here represent the best of the best and have a vast footprint across our Nation. prgtoken As our Nation continues to fight terrorism around the world, while simultaneously preparing for the threats of near-peer adversaries, our training requirements increase and diversify. prgtoken As a result, we must ensure that we are ready for any situation at a moment's notice. Readiness cannot be built overnight. A Green Beret cannot be built overnight. In order to conduct their mission set effectively, we must provide them with a steady stream of predictable resources to enable them to train and prepare for the dangerous tasks our Nation asks them to perform. prgtoken We must never underestimate the most important asset our military has: the individual. My amendment would ensure that we continue to take care of that asset by providing them every edge, every bit of preparation, and, yes, every bit of training that they require. prgtoken , I thank Chairwoman Granger for her excellent work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. prgtoken , .