mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Tax Cuts and Jobs Bill (Executive Session)
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-12-1

with passage of this bill, we are another step closer to providing real tax relief to the middle class and providing a much-needed boost to our economy. prgtoken Today's events have been years in the making. This has been my chief legislative focus for many years, and it has been a priority for many of my colleagues as well, including some that are no longer serving. I am talking, of course, about people like Dave Camp and Senator Max Baucus, who did a lot to move this effort forward. I feel gratified to have been here and to have worked with my colleagues to get this far. prgtoken As efforts this year began earnest, we set out to give low- and middle-income Americans some much-needed relief and to give our country an opportunity to compete in the global economy. prgtoken This bill will do that. With passage of this bill, American families will have bigger paychecks and better wages. Our employers will have more favorable conditions to invest in expansion, grow their businesses, and create more jobs right here in the United States. prgtoken So many people both in and out of Congress have worked hard to get us to this point, and I want to express my appreciation for their efforts. Of course, I can't thank everyone in a single floor speech, but I do want to thank some who may be within earshot at the moment. prgtoken First and foremost, I want to thank the members of the Senate Finance Committee, who put in countless days, weeks, and months in preparing this legislation and helping to get it passed. All of our majority members contributed greatly to this process, and I am most grateful. prgtoken I also want to thank the distinguished majority leader who also did so much to secure the details of the bill and shepherd it through the Senate. prgtoken I want to thank Chairman Brady and Ryan over in the House of Representatives. They, too, have been great partners in this endeavor. prgtoken Of course, I need to thank Secretary Mnuchin and Director Cohn for their commitment to this effort and their help in getting it done. prgtoken I want to thank the staff of the Finance Committee, who have done so much of the heavy lifting here. I need to single out Mark Prater, my chief tax counsel, who has served the committee prgtoken for decades now and whose knowledge and expertise on these matters is recognized by everyone here and pretty much everyone everywhere else. Thank you, as well, to the rest of my committee tax staff: Jennifer Acuna, Tony Coughlan, Christopher Hanna, Alex Monie, Eric Oman, Marty Pippins, Preston Rutledge, and Nick Wyatt. prgtoken I need to thank my staff director, Jay Khosla, who quarterbacked the staff through this whole ordeal and who has spent many years with me as we have laid the groundwork and started construction on this undertaking. I want to thank the other members of my senior team as well, including Matt Hoffman, Jeff Wrase, Julia Lawless, Jennifer Kuskowski, Chris Armstrong, and Bry
UNKNOWN BUDGETARY EFFECTS
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-12-1

section 4105 of H. Con. Res. 71, the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, makes out of order any amendment to a fiscal year 2018 reconciliation measure if the amendment has an unknown budgetary effect. prgtoken As chairman of the Budget Committee, I have reviewed S. Amdt. 1846 and determined that it has an unknown budgetary effect. Therefore, section 4105 applies to S. Amdt. 1846. This amendment is susceptible to a section 4105 point of order.
TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT--CONTINUED
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2017-12-1

. Thank you, . I am thankful for my colleague from Pennsylvania, Senator Toomey, for his remarks and for his leadership in getting us to this point tonight for this most historic moment in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken I spent 28 years in the private sector before I came back to Washington, DC. In fact, the last election I won before I won election to serve in Congress was student body president in my high school. prgtoken I spent many years working in businesses, growing businesses, creating jobs, sending a lot of money to Washington, DC, in taxes. You are not going to find a single here who says taxes are bad. What we are saying here is that we are an overtaxed Nation. prgtoken In fact, if I were to ask you where are the most affluent counties in the United States, where are they, you might guess, well, Beverly Hills, perhaps Silicon Valley, New York City. The answer is, the most affluent counties in America are suburbs of Washington, DC. prgtoken The American people have watched this city increase in power, increase in wealth, and I think this city has forgotten something; that the dollars that are sent here by hard-working Americans do not belong to the government, they belong to the American people. It is their money. prgtoken I will tell you what. I don't think we realize how much taxes we pay. We are focused right now on Federal income taxes, Federal corporate taxes. However, imagine you wake up in the morning--if you are like me, my cell phone is now my alarm clock--and you grab your cell phone. You reach for it. The first thing you do is maybe look at what inbound emails you have, maybe you look at the Twitter feed, but you realize, as you are grabbing the cell phone, on average, a U.S. wireless consumer pays about 17 percent--of that bill you pay for your cell phone, there are Federal, State, and local taxes for that cell phone. That is how the day starts. prgtoken So then I go, and I get dressed. I think about how much sales tax was paid, which most States have, for the clothes that you are wearing. Well, then you might leave your home, walk across your driveway to get in an automobile, perhaps, and you realize you are paying significant property tax on that property you own--if you are a homeowner--and you get in your automobile. Oh, by the way, you have paid a significant tax on that car too. You have paid a sales tax, most likely. You may be paying hundreds of dollars a year to put license plates on it. Then you want to drive on to work, and you might want to stop at that coffee shop. You might want to get that nice cup of coffee there to get you going for the day. What do you do? Well, you pay a sales tax, most likely, as you get your cup of coffee. prgtoken Perhaps on the way to work, you need to fill up your gas tank. Now, in Montana, we drive pickups. I could tell you, when you fill up your pickup, it costs you a chunk of change. prgtoken You are paying 18.4 cents per gallon ju
RECOGNIZING MICHAEL McDERMOTT of HOMER, NEW YORK
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-12-1

I rise today to recognize Mr. Michael McDermott of Homer, New York. Mike is a veteran of the United States Navy, having served from 1964 through 1967, including 13 months of service in Vietnam. When Mike returned home from the Navy and Vietnam, he became active in the Homer community serving as a village trustee for 6 years and mayor for 6 years. prgtoken Mike's true passion has been as an advocate for his fellow veterans through his service at the American Legion Post 465 in Homer where he has been a member for over 34 years. During his time with Post 465, Mike has served in many roles, including commander for 13 years. He also served as commander of the Cortland County American Legion. prgtoken Mike is also involved in State and national leadership for The American Legion. He serves on the National Security Council for The American Legion and with the National and New York American Legion Press Associations. prgtoken Most importantly, Mike continuously gives back to Cortland County's and Homer's veterans, hosting a veterans service fair and supporting veterans' causes throughout the village and county each and every year. prgtoken We are grateful to compassionate citizens like Michael McDermott throughout our communities, and we are grateful for their service and dedication to our Nation's veterans. Thank you to Michael McDermott from a giving and warm community. We appreciate his service.
RECOGNIZING JIM SACKET FOR HIS SERVICE
John J. Faso (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-12-1

it is with great respect and admiration that I rise today to recognize the illustrious career of James ``Jim'' Sacket on the occasion of his retirement. Jim is retiring this December after twenty years of dedicated service to Schoharie County as District Attorney. prgtoken Originally from Pennsylvania, Jim has resided in Schoharie, New York for over sixty years. From a young age, he exhibited a rare diligence and a community-driven spirit. While attending Schoharie Central School, Jim was an Eagle Scout and an active participant in the National Honor Society as well as in many athletic programs. prgtoken In 1984, he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Suffolk University. He then went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree in 1987, and later clerked for Attorney Paul Callahan in Duanesburg, New York. In 1990, Jim was admitted to the New York State Bar, and established his own practice shortly thereafter. Jim's legacy of hard work is a source of inspiration, instilling the values of determination, confidence, and civility in his community. prgtoken In 1997, Jim was elected Schoharie County District Attorney and has proudly served as the county's Chief Law Enforcement Officer since. In this capacity, through his effective prosecuting, Jim has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to preserving the safety and security of Schoharie County. Jim is a man of uncommon judgement with a fierce loyalty to the integrity of our judicial system. prgtoken As District Attorney, Jim served as a respected leader of the Schoharie community, and I thank him for his commitment to the State of New York. I wish him, his wife Rhonda, and their two children, James and Anne, every happiness as they embark on this new chapter.
SHERIFF HARVEY GJESDAL RETIRES
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2017-12-1

I rise today to recognize Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal of Douglas County, Washington, for his significant contributions to the safety of the constituents in the Fourth District and to congratulate him on his recently announced retirement. prgtoken Sheriff Gjesdal has served in Washington State law enforcement for over 30 years. He began his career in 1985, at the Garfield County Sheriff's Office, and he spent 8 years in the Bellevue Police Department before landing in Douglas County in 1995. He was promoted to sergeant in 2000 and elected to his current position in 2006. prgtoken Additionally, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve for 26 years, where he was activated four times, including two tours in the Middle East. prgtoken For the last 22 years, Sheriff Gjesdal has been promoting safety and building strong relationships in central Washington. I am thankful for his leadership and compassion, and I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him on a successful career.
PRESERVING ACCESS TO MANUFACTURED HOUSING ACT OF 2017
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-12-1

I thank the chairman for the additional time. prgtoken , it accommodates manufactured home purchases up to $75,000 while maintaining the tough restrictions on lenders to prevent any borrowers from being taken advantage of. Yes, that is right, this preserves those consumer protections. prgtoken As Members of Congress, we have an obligation to protect the American people from regulations that harm their ability to purchase an affordable home for themselves and their families. We need to end government policies under the guise of consumer protection that are actually protecting Americans right out of homeownership. It is not consumer protection, , when you deny people affordable housing. prgtoken I thank the chairman for his leadership on this issue and I applaud both and s who support this commonsense solution.
TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT--CONTINUED
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2017-12-1

let me pause in this class warfare for just a minute to make a couple of observations that I think are certainly important to me. prgtoken First of all, I agree that no one has said that the underlying bill is perfect. prgtoken Incidentally, I will not respond to the Senator's specific request until I have time to go back and get the proper response, and then I will be glad to do it. But I will say this. We are going to have a conference. There is going to be opportunity for us to go and get some of the things ironed out--some of the things we are both concerned about. There are a couple of things I want to serve notice right now that I am going to be concerned about. One is that the bill that we have punishes trust ownership. It doesn't treat the trust ownership the same way it does ordinary ownership. I think they both should be treated equally. I talked to a number of people who will be participating in this on the other side of the aisle, and I would like to kind of serve notice that we are going to be talking about this, because I think it is very, very significant. prgtoken The second thing is that we hear a lot of good ideas. Certainly, there is this idea that somehow there isn't a good idea unless it emanates from this body. I have to tell you this. It is interesting for me to be standing here because I am not on any of the committees that have anything to do with this bill. I am not on the Finance Committee, and I am not on the Budget Committee. If you want to talk about defending America and roads and highways, I will talk to you about that. That is my specialty. I am on those committees and have senior leadership in those committees. But as a Member not directly involved in this debate, I have looked at it and I have heard good ideas from the outside. I heard one a week ago that actually came from the Hugh Hewitt show. I heard an idea that I tried to pick apart, and I can't find any faults with it. So I have developed an amendment that we are going to have that will address this idea that I am talking about. That amendment would offer an alternative to those who have retirement programs, where the individual is not to pay for the income until the withdrawal date--say, age 59\1/2\. prgtoken The amendment would provide that there would be a one-time opportunity to withdraw up to 25 percent of the retirement account for a single flat fee of 10 percent in lieu of paying income tax at that time. prgtoken There are a lot of benefits that I think are pretty obvious. We are talking about retirement programs where the individual is not to pay for the income until the withdrawal dates--let's say, at age 59\1/2\. This would have the immediate revenue of 10 percent of all savings that are withdrawn, and this would actually amount to billions of dollars. We are talking about immediate dollars, not dollars that may be there in the future. prgtoken Now, you could argue that this might reduce some
TRIBUTE TO SHRIYA MAGATAPALLI
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-12-1

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Shriya Magatapalli. Shriya and her fellow teammates created the winning app, City Recycle Day, as part of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge. Their team is combined of students who attend Waukee High School and Prairie View Middle School in Waukee, Iowa. prgtoken The Congressional App Challenge encourages students to learn how to code through annual district-wide competitions hosted by Members of Congress from their home district. The team's app is entitled ``City Recycle Day''. It is designed to alert members of a community as to the date of their next trash/recycle pickup day. It also alerts users of special pickups and delays. prgtoken , I am honored to recognize Shriya and her teammates for creating the winning app, and I am proud to represent them in the United States Congress. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating Shriya and her teammates on this outstanding accomplishment and in wishing them all nothing but continued success.
HONORING THA YING XIONG
Sean P. Duffy (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-12-1

I rise today to honor an incredible young man, Tha Ying Xiong of Weston, Wisconsin, and congratulate him on receiving this year's Paul Bunyan's ``larger than life'' award. Paul Bunyan, with his trusty blue ox, Babe, was a larger-than-life figure in Wisconsin. And through his dedicated work in the Wausau region community, Tha Ying certainly exemplifies the term ``larger than life.'' Tha Ying serves his community as a member of the Help Making Our Next Generation (H.M.O.N.G.) Youth Program, a member of the ReUnited Dance Group, coordinator for the first Mr. Hmong Royalty competition, and has spent countless hours on behalf of the Hmong American Center fundraising and helping to fulfill the day-to-day operations that every organization needs to thrive. He is described as a leader among his peers, even by those who are much older than him. His selfless acts to improve the community around him serve as a true inspiration to us all and as a credit to the legacy of Paul Bunyan. Congratulations, Tha Ying.
PULMONARY HYPERTENSION AWARENESS MONTH
Kevin Brady (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-12-1

I rise today in honor of Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month and the outstanding work of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. prgtoken It is hard to believe that just over 20 years ago pulmonary hypertension patients were given less than 3 years to live and no treatment options. Today, there are 14 FDA-approved treatments for patients with this rare condition, and they continue to live longer. prgtoken I am proud of the work of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and their volunteers and leadership over the past decade and a half, and I am glad to be a small part of it. prgtoken My inspiration was a 5-year-old patient named Emily, the daughter of my dear friend Jack Stibbs. Thanks to medical advancements, Emily graduated from Vanderbilt University and is leading an amazing life. prgtoken , I encourage my colleagues to continue to support critical research efforts to improve the lives of our PH patients.
RECOGNIZING PERKASIE'S 108TH COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-12-1

this Saturday evening, Santa Claus will arrive in the Borough of Perkasie atop a borough electric truck to light the town's Christmas tree and, in doing so, continue a tradition over 100 years old. prgtoken Since 1909, residents of this small borough in upper Bucks County have gathered together to participate in the community tree lighting ceremony recognized as the oldest tree lighting in the Nation. While a lot has changed over the generations, community leaders, elected officials, and local residents have kept this annual event's unique, small-town charm and enshrined it as a timeless Christmas ritual. prgtoken Now in its 108th year, this official start to the holiday season continues to serve not only as a source of pride for the people of Perkasie, but also an example of what makes the communities across my district special and an honor to represent. prgtoken I am proud to recognize Perkasie's 108th community Christmas tree lighting and join in the celebration of this enduring holiday tradition.
PRESERVING ACCESS TO MANUFACTURED HOUSING ACT OF 2017
Keith J. Rothfus (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-12-1

I thank the chairman for yielding. prgtoken , I rise today in support of H.R. 1699, the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act. prgtoken As the vice chairman of the Financial Institution Subcommittee and the cosponsor of this legislation, I urge my colleagues to support its passage. prgtoken Representative Barr's bipartisan bill--and I really appreciate the comments from Mr. Scott, my colleague from Georgia on this bill--will remove misguided barriers that block access to affordable manufactured homes while preserving consumers' protections. prgtoken It is important to keep in mind that the challenge of finding affordable housing is not exclusively an urban problem. Housing affordability is a challenge in many rural areas, including parts of my district. prgtoken Manufactured homes can be a solution to this affordability challenge. They can give many low- to moderate-income families the chance at homeownership. prgtoken The fact is, , the current regulatory environment is taking competition out of this market to the detriment of consumers. prgtoken Nationwide, 22 million Americans live in manufactured homes. In my State of Pennsylvania, manufactured homes comprise almost 5 percent of the housing stock. Manufactured homes account for 73 percent of all new homes sold under $125,000, and the average income of a manufactured home purchaser is less than $40,000 per year. prgtoken The manufactured housing business also sustains thousands of families. Sixteen thousand workers in Pennsylvania are employed in this industry. Unfortunately, the misguided rules from Washington threaten to choke off access to manufactured housing. prgtoken The Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act will address these harmful rules that are making manufactured homes unaffordable for perspective customers while preserving important consumer protections. It is important to keep in mind that the Truth in Lending Act and State consumer protection laws will still apply after enactment of this legislation. prgtoken Representative Barr's bill is narrowly focused, common sense, and a bipartisan effort to target a specific challenge facing perspective purchasers of manufactured homes. The bill will preserve access to this affordable option for millions of Americans. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT--CONTINUED
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-12-1

I rise today to engage in a colloquy with the distinguished chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hatch. prgtoken , I would like to clarify a point in connection with the application of the base erosion anti-abuse tax in the Tax Cuts and Jobs act to services companies. The act provides an exception from the base erosion anti-abuse tax for services. The act limits the exception to the ``total services cost with no markup.'' As a practical matter, companies account for amounts paid or accrued for services in a variety of ways. I would like to clarify that, if in a transaction a company used one account for services cost with no markup and another account for any additional amounts paid or accrued, that the first account would be subject to the exception under the bill. prgtoken The act also excludes an amount paid or incurred for services if those services meet the requirements for the services cost method under Internal Revenue Code section 482, excluding the requirement that the services not contribute significantly to fundamental risks of business success or failure. prgtoken Is it the intent that, for this purpose, that the business judgment rule under current law and regulations will not prevent an amount from being excluded under the act?
TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT--CONTINUED
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-12-1

I strongly oppose this motion to strike. This is our opportunity to provide jobs, to create revenues and resources, and to protect an environment that as Alaskans we know how to protect. We are seeking with this energy title to develop 2,000 acres out of 19.3 million acres, one ten-thousandths of all of ANWR, and we are seeking to do it with a smaller, limited footprint, using the technologies that have become available over the decades that we have been seeking to advance these opportunities--opportunities for Alaska, opportunities for the Nation. prgtoken I would implore colleagues. For 40 years now we have been looking for the opportunity to best protect our long-term energy and national security. This is our chance. prgtoken The pending amendment No. 1717 would cause the underlying legislation to exceed the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's section 302(a) allocation of new budget authority or outlays. Therefore, I raise a point of order against this measure pursuant to section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.