mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING KANGA ROOF IN BUCKS COUNTY
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-1-29

I rise today to recognize a company in my district that is making a huge impact by giving back to our community. Kanga Roof, a company that has been providing roofing in the Bucks County area for over 30 years, celebrated its 10th Holiday Roof Giveaway this past December. prgtoken Every year for the past 10 years, Kanga Roof has held a contest to provide a new roof to a deserving family in our community. This year, they selected my constituent, Bettemarie Bond, who is a tireless advocate for individuals with mitochondrial disease and those receiving IV infusions and tube feeding, whom I have had the honor of working with on this cause. prgtoken Kanga Roof views their annual Holiday Roof Giveaway as a way of giving back to our community and making our community stronger. I would like to commend them on their commitment to our community and to encourage all of our constituents to follow Kanga Roof's lead by being good neighbors and giving back to our community.
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2018-1-29

as we vote this evening on the Pain- Capable Child Protection Act, I speak to the bill as a doctor who practiced in a hospital for the uninsured for decades. I mention working in a hospital for the uninsured because the uninsured are vulnerable, but if the uninsured are vulnerable, among those, the uninsured pregnant woman is particularly vulnerable. If we are to say she is particularly vulnerable, then we can say her unborn child is most vulnerable of all. So I speak to these folks with that background. prgtoken Our country has struggled to find a balance between those of us who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice. As a pro-life doctor, I think the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act strikes a balance. Again, as a physician, let me say it is an obligation--our society's obligation--to care for the woman who is pregnant. Again, she is among the most vulnerable. Her child is the future of our society. prgtoken We all agree to this. You can see we agree because our social programs provide a safety net both for her and her unborn child. Example: Society pays for well-baby visits through Medicaid or through special programs for women if they are uninsured. If that child is born healthy, then he or she is more likely to be a healthy person, to contribute to society, to have life, liberty, and be able to pursue happiness. prgtoken Those of us who are pro-life and pro-choice can differ when the child within the womb deserves protection as a distinct human, but society has agreed at some point that protection is allowed. Again, I am pro- life. I think the protection should be when the child is conceived, but right now the law is divided. prgtoken If a pregnant woman and her child were killed by a reckless driver, there are two counts of manslaughter filed against that reckless driver--one way society acknowledges the life within the womb. prgtoken On one hand, let's be clear, a woman has the right to terminate that pregnancy at another point in the pregnancy. On the other hand, partial-birth abortion says that child's life cannot be terminated when she is coming through the birth canal. I think the rationale for this is that as a child comes through the birth canal, we recognize that child can live independently, if allowed to proceed. If you will, the criteria is: Does the child have the ability to live independently from the mother? Again, I think that is the rationale for the partial-birth abortion ban. prgtoken As it turns out, a child who is 5 months old within the womb has the ability to live independently. Again, I speak as a physician. When you see a baby in the womb at 5 months, it is incredible. prgtoken A friend of mine who works for me--actually, he and his wife are expecting now, and they are excited. They went and got the ultrasound, and they saw the child sucking on his thumb or her thumb--they don't know or they don't want to know. Nonetheless, it is marvelous what they see ins
RELEASE THE FOUR-PAGE MEMO
Lee M. Zeldin (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-1-29

I thank Mr. Gaetz for organizing this important Special Order and all my colleagues for coming to the House floor tonight encouraging the President of the United States now to certify the release of this memo to the American public. prgtoken The American public is a lot smarter than a whole lot of other people give them credit for. Present them with the facts and the truth, and they can form their own independent judgment as to what transpired. That was the first thought that came to my mind when I went to the basement a week before last--the basement of the House Capitol--to read this classified memo of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, that this memo should be immediately released to the American public so that they have all of the facts. prgtoken In addition to releasing the memo, I believe it is important to be releasing relevant material sourced in the memo. prgtoken Now, tonight, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence voted to publicly release this memo to the American public, and, at the same time, the House came to the committee calling for the declassification and public release of their memo. prgtoken Let me add a little bit more context on this memo that the House came to the floor asking to be released. prgtoken They did not allow the voting members of the House Intelligence Committee to read the memo tonight before voting to declassify and publicly release it. prgtoken Let me repeat that. The House , led by Ranking Member Adam Schiff, went to the House Intelligence Committee tonight calling for the public release of their memo, asking for their colleagues to declassify the memo and to publicly release it immediately, without giving them the opportunity to read it first. prgtoken I can speak for myself. I haven't read the memo that the House offered up tonight. I haven't been granted any access to read it. I am not aware of any other of my colleagues who have been able to read it. I can't even confirm it exists. prgtoken After the committee met, it was fascinating to watch the minority members of the House Intelligence Committee going straight from the hearing room to the cameras to give their narrative. At no point did they mention whatsoever, when they were saying that they were outraged that the majority members of that committee didn't vote to publicly release it, at no point did they mention that they never gave them the opportunity to read it first. prgtoken What you don't see, at the same time, are the majority members of the House Intelligence Committee racing off to all those same cameras to give their same side of the narrative, the members of that House Intelligence Committee. prgtoken What we are asking for is the American public to get the facts so that they can form the judgment of this FISA abuse for themselves. prgtoken I, too, applaud the leadership of Mr. Nunes and the House Intelligence Committee for their wo
SMALL BUSINESS ACCESS TO CAPITAL AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER ACT
Scott R. Tipton (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-1-29

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , small businesses across the country are especially vulnerable to natural disasters. Recent natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey in Texas and the wildfires in California have left small businesses torn apart in their wake. prgtoken Nationally, there has been a survey of 500 small businesses. In 2015, they found that 75 percent of small businesses do not develop plans to be able to prepare for disasters. This means that small businesses are nationally unprepared for natural disasters and are likely to experience a fair amount of difficulty in reopening their doors, a concerning economic challenge in the aftermath of an already challenging time. prgtoken Ms. Velazquez's bill, the Small Business Access to Capital After a Natural Disaster Act, would help alleviate some of these challenges by requiring the Securities and Exchange Commission's Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to identify any unique challenges in securing access to capital for small businesses that have been affected by hurricanes or natural disasters. prgtoken As a former small-business owner and co-chair of the Small Business Caucus, I know firsthand the positive economic impact a small business can have on regional and local economies that they serve. In the wake of a natural disaster, small businesses that reopen and rebuild can have a major impact on helping the local economy recover. prgtoken , as the small business advocate is already involved in communicating with small businesses, requiring the SEC to study issues with access to capital after a natural disaster and report annually on its finding is common sense. prgtoken , I commend Ms. Velazquez for taking the initiative on this important issue, and I encourage my colleagues to support her legislation. prgtoken , .
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-1-29

the Senator from Nebraska has generously allowed me to intrude on her time for a half a minute to say that I strongly support this legislation--the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. prgtoken Science is on our side in supporting this legislation, and public opinion is on our side in supporting this legislation. There are 60 percent of women, 64 percent of Independents, and 56 percent of who support ending late-term abortions, which is what we are trying to do. Medical practice is on our side in this legislation, and world opinion and world practice are on our side. prgtoken Let me simply reiterate that we in America are among a grim group of seven countries who permit abortions after 20 weeks--Canada and the Netherlands in the West and then China, North Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. We are in a grim group that includes North Korea and China. We may not have the votes this time, but we are advancing the issue, and we are going to continue to fight for the unborn, particularly those who are capable of feeling pain after 20 weeks. prgtoken I thank the Senate for its time, and I particularly thank the Senator from Nebraska for indulging me for a moment. prgtoken .
RELEASE THE FOUR-PAGE MEMO
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-1-29

I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz) for yielding to me. I appreciate the gentleman for taking the lead on this issue back some weeks or months ago to bring a resolution to the House Judiciary Committee to call for special counsel to more broadly investigate all of the defugalties that have been taking place in this country, driven by political partisanship on the other side of the aisle. prgtoken , I look back and I think about what the attitude was of President --actually, even before the election and shortly after-- when I listened to him, and he more or less expressed this sentiment, which was that, with Hillary Clinton and her transgressions and the way she had handled the classified material and up to the secret server next to the bathroom up in New York in her place, essentially, the President's position was that we need to move America forward. We should not be dug deeply into going backwards on this or looking back over our shoulder. Let's move forward. The public has litigated this in the election. prgtoken Now, I think that is where President wanted it to be, but it wasn't to be because the left could not accept the idea that the American people had spoken. They began to manufacture and continue the manufacture this Russian investigation, these allegations that were collusion allegations with the Russians to try to manipulate an American election. prgtoken I don't think anybody doubts that the Russians made some effort at that, but all of us doubt that they had any impact whatsoever on our election. Those of us, at least on this side of the aisle, have seen zero information and zero evidence that the campaign of President had any kind of relationship that went on with the Russians, that promoted it or colluded in any way. But because there needed to be some explanation for this phenomenal Presidential election of , we had to be drug back into this Russian investigation over and over again. Now, this began within 2 weeks of the President's election, after about November 8 or so. prgtoken Then as that unfolded, , then we saw what was really going on here. We got into about February or March of last year. At that point, I said: They are not going to relent on this Russian investigation business. They are going to continue to belabor this point. The election has already been settled and it is not in question, as far as the results of the polls are concerned. We have a President. Let's honor the President. Let's honor the will of the American people. Let's respect the decision made at the polls. prgtoken But, instead, the pressure continued on and on, allegations complicit with the mainstream media, the fake news, as we have now finally come to know them, I think, by habit and fact. At that point, I said: If they will not let up, then it is going to be an obligation to dig and drill deeply into all of the things that bring us together, from Huma Abedin and A
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Bill (Executive Session)
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-1-29

the United States is just one of seven countries in the entire world that currently allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and we are not in good company on that list. Of the other six countries that allow elective abortions at that very late stage of the child's development, half of those countries have authoritarian governments--communist governments with horrible records when it comes to human rights. prgtoken Yes, our abortion laws are as extreme and inhumane as the abortion laws in Vietnam, China, and North Korea. It pains me--and it should pain all Americans--that the United States lags so very far behind the rest of the world in protecting the unborn, protecting human beings, simply because they have yet to take their first breath. prgtoken Twenty weeks is the fifth month of pregnancy. Think about what that means. At that stage, the unborn child is about 10 inches long from head to toe. He or she is roughly the size of a banana. A baby at this stage sleeps and wakes in the womb. She sucks her thumb, makes faces, and, in some cases, might even see light filtering in through the womb. prgtoken By 20 weeks, if not before, science suggests that the baby can also feel pain. Each year in this country, more than 10,000 abortions occur after this point in the baby's development. Today, we have a chance to stop this grave injustice. prgtoken Moments ago, this body voted on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a bill that would prohibit abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy. This is a commonsense restriction that is supported by a majority of Americans. More than 6 in 10 Americans support a ban on abortion after 20 weeks, according to a Marist poll conducted earlier this month. Not only that, but a majority of --56 percent--said they would support an abortion ban at 20 weeks. Yes, this bill does, in fact, have widespread support, and it would bring America back into the mainstream of nations. prgtoken More importantly, this bill is just. It is humane. It is the right thing to do. It is the natural outcome of any question asked with a degree of moral probity: Is this right? prgtoken The reason we signed up for this job is to fight for what is right. And it is wrong--self-evidently wrong--that our country allows 5-month- old unborn babies to be killed. We, in this body, have a moral duty to protect those vulnerable human beings, but I have no illusions that this will be easy. prgtoken We have to overcome the misinformation of the abortion industry. This is a powerful special interest group that wants to keep abortion legal right up to the moment of birth. The abortion industry is attacking this bill by denying that there is any evidence that unborn babies can feel pain at 20 weeks. The linchpin of its argument is a 2005 study that claimed unborn babies could not feel pain until the 30th week of pregnancy. What the abortion industry never mentions, of course, is tha
PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS FROM SEXUAL ABUSE AND SAFE SPORT AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017
Susan W. Brooks (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-1-29

I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) for yielding me time. prgtoken , I rise in support of this legislation, S. 534. prgtoken I also want to thank my colleague from the other side of the aisle, the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues that I co- chair, Representative Lois Frankel from Florida, for helping me get this bill to this point and for helping us support Senator Feinstein and Senator Thune as they move the bill in the Senate. prgtoken In less than 2 weeks, over 200 American athletes will represent our Nation at the highest levels of sport in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. prgtoken These athletes have prepared their entire lives for these games, and their performances are a result of countless hours of practice, self- discipline, and sacrifice. prgtoken Tragically, we have also learned that many of our young athletes have been subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to be supporting them reach their Olympic goals. prgtoken We have seen more than 156 women use their voices to share their agonizing stories of sexual abuse at the hands of a doctor they and their parents were told to trust, Dr. Larry Nassar. prgtoken Their decision to publicly reveal their traumatic experiences is nothing short of heroic, and it was instrumental is ensuring that Nassar will never again touch another young athlete. prgtoken Now, after a 2016 Indianapolis Star investigation exposed what is now known as the worst sexual abuse scandal in athletics to date, we are taking action to prevent this heinous action from ever taking place again. prgtoken Today, the House will vote on the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017. This bipartisanship legislation mandates training, increases requirements for reporting abuse, and reforms a broken system that has failed too many victims. prgtoken This bill requires any individual who interacts with our amateur athletes to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, within 24 hours. If they fail to do so, they will be held accountable by the new law. prgtoken To prevent future emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, this bill designates the United States Center for Safe Sport to develop, implement, and enforce policies, procedures, and mandatory training for national governing bodies and their members. prgtoken The center will ensure that, when reports of abuse are made, they are investigated. It protects those who report abuse from retaliation. As commonsense would dictate, it requires that, until the investigation is closed, an adult who is subject to allegations prgtoken of abuse against a minor is prohibited from interacting with minors. prgtoken As the Nassar sentencings come to a close and the Olympic games quickly approach, we are reminded of the importance of protecting the safety and well-being of all of our athletes. prgtoken Today, we are strengthening protections for victims t
COST ESTIMATE ON H.R. 4433, THE SECURING DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FIREARMS ACT OF 2017
Michael T. McCaul (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-29

the following cost estimate for H.R. 4433, the Securing Department of Homeland Security Firearms Act prgtoken of 2017, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office was not made available to the Committee at the time of filing of the legislative report. U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, January 26, 2018. Hon. Michael McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear : The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4433, the Securing DHS Firearms Act of 2017. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark Grabowicz. Sincerely, Keith Hall, Director. Enclosure. H.R. 4433--Securing DHS Firearms Act of 2017 As passed by the House of Representatives on January 9, 2018 H.R. 4433 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve the security and accountability for firearms and other sensitive assets controlled by the department (such as badges worn by certain DHS personnel). The department is currently carrying out activities similar to those that would be required by the act; thus, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4433 would not significantly affect DHS spending. Enacting H.R. 4433 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4433 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. H.R. 4433 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz. The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
CELEBRATING 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOUTH FLORIDA RED CROSS
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-1-29

I rise tonight to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Red Cross South Florida. prgtoken The Red Cross opened its first south Florida chapter in 1918 in order to meet the demands of World War I. In the century since, its wonderful volunteers and trained personnel have valiantly responded to our most critical needs during national disasters and other catastrophes. prgtoken While this organization has significantly grown and expanded into five chapters, it still has remained true to its core mission, which is to be a vital source of relief for disaster victims while helping to prevent, to prepare for, and to respond to emergencies across 13 counties. prgtoken , by caring for the most vulnerable members of our society, the local Red Cross chapter has become a cornerstone of our south Florida community. So today I would like to congratulate all of the staff and the volunteers of the South Florida Red Cross for a century of dedication of service and of excellence. prgtoken Thank you for serving as stewards of the Red Cross legacy and for continuing to provide compassionate care to all who need it. prgtoken Congratulations to all.