mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE 47TH ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-1-15

, Chris Smith, for leading this Special Order as we memorialize countless lives that have been lost in the last 47 years to the Roe v. Wade decision. prgtoken The gentleman and all of my colleagues here are champions for life, and I want to thank them for their commitment and their resolve to address this issue. prgtoken The March for Life is a unique event in American culture. It is the only march where 100 percent of the participants are marching on behalf of someone else; marching on behalf of the most vulnerable among us, as has already been mentioned, those who have not yet had the opportunity to take their first breath of life. prgtoken This Special Order annually commemorating the March for Life stands as a memorial to those lives who have been lost to abortion. And it is time for this Chamber to mark that dreadful decision of the Supreme Court and to mourn the results of that decision. prgtoken This is a time for us to carefully consider the choices of our Nation and the realization that those choices have dire consequences. prgtoken This is our time to learn from those past decisions and to, with fresh determination, do all we can to make sure that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. prgtoken It is for that reason that I introduced H. Res. 50, which would memorialize the unborn by lowering the flag of the United States to half-staff on the 22nd of every January. It would be known as a day of tears, memorializing the ocean of tears that have been lost and shed for the millions, countless children who have never had a chance to live. prgtoken , I believe every human life is sacred. I believe that life begins at conception, and if we don't stand on behalf of the unborn, who will? That is the question. prgtoken So it is on their behalf that each of us here, we will never waiver, we will never quit. We will continue fighting with everything we have for life. No matter how long the battle is, no matter how intense it may become, we will not cease our effort until every child is given the gift of life that only God gives.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-1-15

it appears that we are likely to be considering some version of the USMCA, implementing legislation this week, so I want to address this agreement, but in order to do that, I think we have to start with the underlying NAFTA agreement, which has been in place for some years, and ask a question, which is, Why did we go down the path of renegotiating NAFTA in the first place? Let's start there. prgtoken As I can imagine, one reason that one might want to renegotiate a trade agreement is if the trade agreement in question were not a reciprocal agreement. If it treated one party differently than it treated the other parties, then you might question whether that is a fair arrangement and might decide that if it is not, it needs to be revisited. That certainly would not describe NAFTA. NAFTA is entirely reciprocal. prgtoken Another reason one might decide to renegotiate a trade agreement is if there were tariffs--meaning it wasn't really a free-trade agreement; it was an agreement that maybe changed the terms of trade. But if you still had tariffs, you might decide, as a free-trader like me, that it would be a good idea to renegotiate so that we can eliminate the remaining tariffs. prgtoken Well, that certainly isn't the motivation, either, because with NAFTA, there are zero tariffs on 100 percent of manufactured goods that cross the borders of any of the three countries that are parties and zero tariffs on 97.5 percent of agricultural goods. So really there is not much more to do on the tariff side. prgtoken By the way, that is true about any other kinds of restrictions on trade. There are no quotas, no obstacles. This is a free-trade agreement. That is what it is. It is fair, it is free, and it is reciprocal among the three countries. As a matter of fact, since NAFTA was adopted, U.S. exports to Mexico, for instance, have increased 500 percent. That is true of Pennsylvania exports to Mexico, as it is on average for all 50 States. prgtoken I will state that modernizing the agreement always made sense, right? We now have this huge digital economy that did not exist back in the early nineties when NAFTA was adopted, so it definitely makes sense--it always makes sense to modernize, to update. But I think it is very clear that modernizing and updating were not the driving motivations for renegotiating NAFTA and adopting USMCA. The fundamental reason was that we have a trade deficit with Mexico. It is pretty persistent every year. It is not a huge deficit, but we have a trade deficit with Mexico, and that was deemed to be unacceptable to the administration. prgtoken So the fundamental purpose of renegotiating NAFTA and the reason Mexico and Canada had to be coerced into this new agreement was so that we could diminish exports from Mexico. Despite the fact that economists universally understand that a trade deficit with a country like Mexico is a meaningless measure, nevertheless, that is the goal. prgtoken
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-1-15

later today, the President will sign phase one of the trade agreement we are negotiating with China. Of particular importance to my State, phase one includes a pledge from China to substantially increase its imports of American agriculture products. prgtoken That is good news for South Dakota. It is good news for farmers and ranchers who have been struggling in a tough ag economy. Low commodity and livestock prices, natural disasters, and protracted trade disputes have made the last few years challenging ones for farmers and ranchers around the country. prgtoken I spend a lot of time in South Dakota, talking to our farmers and ranchers. One thing they always emphasize is the need for trade deals that will open up new markets or expand current markets for their products. prgtoken The China deal should significantly increase demand for American agricultural products and boost the farm economy. But while this agreement is excellent news, we do need to make sure that China will actually live up to its commitments. China doesn't have prgtoken the best record in this regard, so it is important the United States make clear that any agreements must be honored. prgtoken As we wait for the China deal to take effect, one piece of definite good news on the trade front is the arrival in the Senate of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. After months of delay by House , USMCA is finally--finally--moving through Congress. Here in the Senate, it is advancing rapidly through the required committees, and I expect it will be received for final Senate consideration in the next few days. prgtoken Last week, I voted in support of this agreement in the Senate Finance Committee, and just this morning--a few minutes ago, in fact--I voted for this agreement in a meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been a big priority of mine over the past year, in particular because of the ways the agreement would benefit farmers and ranchers. prgtoken Canada and Mexico are the No. 1 and No. 2 markets for American agriculture products, and this agreement will preserve and expand farmers' access to these two critical export markets and give farmers certainty about what these markets are going to look like going forward. prgtoken I am particularly pleased about the ways that USMCA will benefit dairy farmers. If you drive the I-29 corridor north of Brookings, SD, you can see firsthand the major dairy expansion South Dakota has experienced over the past several years. prgtoken The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve U.S. dairy farmers' role as a key dairy supplier to Mexico, and it will substantially expand market access to Canada. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the agreement will boost U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million. The agreement will also expand market access for U.S. poultry and egg producers. It will make it easier for American
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-1-15

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today it adjourn until 9:45 a.m January 16; 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; further, that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 5430 under the previous order.
BUDGET SCOREKEEPING REPORT
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2020-1-15

I rise to submit to the Senate the budget scorekeeping report for January 2020. This is my third scorekeeping report since I filed the deemed budget resolution for fiscal year 2020 on September 9, 2019, as required by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, BBA19. The report compares current-law levels of spending and revenues with the amounts agreed to in BBA19. In the Senate, this information is used to determine whether budgetary points of order lie against pending legislation. The staff of the Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, prepared this report pursuant to section 308(b) of the Congressional Budget Act CBA. The information included in this report is current through January 7, 2020. prgtoken Since I filed the last scorekeeping report on December 4, 2019, four measures with significant enforceable budgetary effects have been enacted. prgtoken The first measure enacted this reporting period, H.R. 5363, the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act, FUTURE Act, cleared the Senate by voice vote and became P.L. 116- 91. The bill included two provisions with significant cost over the 10- year period: a permanent extension of mandatory funding for historically Black colleges and universities and additional mandatory funding for the Pell Grant program. To offset these provisions, the measure allows the Department of Education to access taxpayer data when administering Federal student aid programs. Overall, CBO estimates that the FUTURE Act would reduce outlays by $997 million in the first year, $835 million over 5 years, and $435 million over 10 years. This measure was charged to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. prgtoken The second measure enacted this reporting period was the conference report to accompany S. 1790, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. This measure, which became P.L. 116-92 and was charged to the Armed Services Committee, authorized appropriations for the Nation's national defense apparatus for the current fiscal year. In addition to the authorization of funds, the conference report included changes in law, notably to the Survivor Benefit Program, that would affect direct spending and revenues. According to CBO's estimate, the measure would increase direct spending by $5.6 billion over the 2020 to 2029 period. prgtoken The third measure, H.R. 1158, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, became P.L. 116-93. This bill provided funding for fiscal year 2020 programs within the jurisdictions of four Senate appropriations subcommittees, including Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Financial Services and General Government, and Homeland Security. CBO estimated that the bill would bring total budget authority provided for programs covered by these four subcommittees to $860.3 billion in fiscal year 2020. Of the amounts provided, $767.6 billion was considered regular appropriation
THE 47TH ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE
Robert E. Latta (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-1-15

I rise today in support of the right to life for every unborn child. prgtoken But before I start, I want to thank the gentleman from Jersey for his tireless work and efforts to reverse this decision and to make sure that life is what we are about in this country, because, tragically, in the 47 years since Roe v. Wade, there have been more than 60 million abortions in our country. prgtoken This is more than a statistic. These are innocent lives lost. Even if this decision is brought back before the Supreme Court, abortions can still be prevalent due to the increasing use of chemical abortion pills. That is why my bill, the SAVE Moms and Babies Act, is necessary, to ensure that the current FDA policy regulating these dangerous pills will stay in place--preventing expanded use--to protect the health and safety of women. prgtoken I am a committed advocate for pro-life policies, for the protection of the sanctity of life. I appreciate and thank those who offer an unwavering dedication to defending the unborn, despite a culture that often marginalizes pro-life values. Such perseverance is incredibly inspiring. It is an important reminder that we must all be a voice for the voiceless. prgtoken The fight for life must continue.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-1-15

. I am on the floor today to talk about international trade. What a week it has been. In the same few days, we are seeing the culmination of nearly 3 years of effort by this administration to deliver wins for American workers, for businesses, for farmers, and for consumers with regard to our three biggest trading partners, China, Canada, and Mexico. prgtoken This is a big week. While the media is focused on impeachment--and I can say that because as I walked in that is all the reporters wanted to talk about--here we are on the floor talking about something that directly affects the constituents we represent. I think it is very positive in all three areas--China, Canada, and Mexico. In a way, it is like prgtoken the World Series and the Super Bowl of trade all in the same week because these are big agreements that make a big difference. prgtoken The U.S.-Mexico agreement is being finalized, and it will be voted on tomorrow. prgtoken Second today is the signing of phase one of the China agreement, something many of us have been focused on over the past few years and wondered whether we would get here, and here we are. prgtoken As a former trade lawyer and as a former U.S. Trade Representative under and as someone on the Trade Committee, which is the Finance Committee here, I follow these issues closely. Most significantly, I come from Ohio, which is a State that depends on trade and depends on that trade being fair to our workers, our farmers, our service providers, and our small businesses. We have a lot of manufacturing and a lot of agriculture. In fact, 25 percent of our State's factory workers have export jobs. One out of every three acres planted in Ohio is planted for export. Think about that. When you drive through our beautiful State and you see the corn and the soybeans out there in the field, one out of every three acres is being planted to be exported somewhere else. That is great for our farmers. It gives them markets, and it raises prices for their product at a time when they really need it. By the way, these trade jobs are good jobs too. Jobs dependent on trade pay, on average, about 16 percent more than other jobs, and they have better benefits. We like to be able to send more to the rest of the world. prgtoken We have about 5 percent of the world's population in this country. We have to be sure that with 25 percent of the world's economy here and 5 percent of the people, that we are selling stuff overseas to the other 95 percent. It is always in our interest to open up overseas markets for our workers, our farmers, our services, and our service providers. While promoting those exports, we need to ensure that we are protecting American jobs from unfair trade and from imports that would unfairly undercut our workers and our farmers. prgtoken Simply put, we want a level playing field. With that level playing field, where you get fair and reciprocal treatment from other countries, we wil
CELEBRATING MONROE COUNTY BICENTENNIAL
James Comer (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-1-15

I rise today to honor my beloved Monroe County as we enter the 200th year of our county's rich and storied history. prgtoken A small rural county in south central Kentucky, Monroe County is home to communities steeped in history and tradition. Whether you are from Tompkinsville, Gamaliel, or Fountain Run, you have a shared Monroe County identity. prgtoken If you are a Monroe Countian, you more than likely enjoy our legendary barbecue and probably have countless stories to tell about our county's rich history, especially our political history. prgtoken This Sunday, January 19, hundreds of us will gather to celebrate Monroe County's 200th birthday. As we meet at the Tompkinsville National Guard Armory for this proud occasion, I will be seeing many of the friendly faces that shaped my upbringing and remain good friends to this day. prgtoken Monroe County holds a special place in my heart; and now, more than ever, I am proud to serve as a voice for our citizens right here in our Nation's Capitol. Taking a Stand Against Sanctuary Cities
TRIBUTE TO JENNIFER DOUGHERTY
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-1-15

as chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, it is our privilege to pay tribute to Jennifer Dougherty as she prepares to leave her position as a detailee for the Senate Committee on Armed Services and return to her position as a Senior Analyst for the Government Accountability Office. prgtoken For the past 12 months, Ms. Dougherty has assisted the committee and its members with high-priority work on contracting reform in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2020 and overseeing implementation of previously enacted acquisition reforms. Her contributions to our committee's work have been significant and highly valued by our members and staff. prgtoken On behalf of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, I thank Ms. Dougherty and wish her future success as she continues to support the U.S. Government.
PROTECTING OLDER WORKERS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION ACT
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-1-15

. Mr. Chair, as my colleague from California and my colleague from Illinois know, I respect both of them greatly, and I would have thought that they would have come up with an amendment that would have helped us understand this issue before we pass such a bill instead of after we pass it. prgtoken As I understand it, this amendment requires the GAO to report on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's ability to investigate and process age discrimination cases after H.R. 1230 unnecessarily reduces the burden of proof in these cases and nullifies decades of Supreme Court precedent. prgtoken This amendment is not needed. The EEOC already reports on its workload management and ability to respond to age discrimination charges in the agency's annual budget request and recurring strategic plans. We should not mandate that GAO waste resources on an unnecessary, redundant report. prgtoken In addition, assuming this GAO report discovers new information, such information would be useful before the House votes to expand liability in four employment statutes. The new law will be in place, and the horse will have already left the barn by the time we receive the information. prgtoken We all agree, American workers should be protected from discrimination in the workplace in every form possible. It is already against the law to discriminate based on a workers' age, as it should be. Congress has enacted separate nondiscrimination statutes, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act because age discrimination includes issues that are different from other forms of discrimination addressed in other statutes. prgtoken Under H.R. 1230, a plaintiff can argue that age was only a motivating, not a decisive factor that led to an employer's unfavorable employment action. Allowing such mixed-motive claims will lead to more frivolous litigation and upset the careful balance Congress enacted in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. prgtoken Unfortunately, H.R. 1230 will not help workers. Under the bill, a plaintiff is very unlikely to receive any monetary damages from a defendant because most employers would be able to show to the Court that they would have taken the same employment action, regardless of the worker's age. The only parties who will win in nearly all cases in H.R. 1230 are trial lawyers. prgtoken Disappointingly, have chosen to further their pro-trial- lawyer agenda by bringing H.R. 1230 up for consideration, a bill falsely advertised as a protection for workers. H.R. 1230 is yet another one-size-fits-all mandate that fails to address the purported problem, ignores real world experiences, and disregards decades of Supreme Court decisions. prgtoken This amendment does nothing to address the fundamental flaws in H.R. 1230, is redundant with other government reports, and will not provide the House with timely information. I urge my colleagues to oppose it. prgtoken , I reserve the balance of
AMERICAN HERO RETURNING TO INDIANA'S SIXTH DISTRICT
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2020-1-15

I rise today to give my wholehearted support for the upcoming March for Life rallies taking place across the Nation next week. prgtoken I am a passionately pro-life American and I will always fight for unborn children. It is our duty to protect the most vulnerable and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. prgtoken As millions of Americans march across the Nation next week, I pledge to always stand with their cause. Greenfield-Central High School Radio Station