mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THANKING THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK'S 19TH DISTRICT
John J. Faso (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-12-12

I rise today to give my thanks to the people of the 19th Congressional District for giving me the honor of serving them in the House over these past 2 years. prgtoken I ran for Congress focused on how I could make a difference for the people of our district. It is no secret that upstate New York has been in a long, protracted period of economic decline, with many families and businesses choosing to leave due to high taxes and few employment opportunities. prgtoken As such, my focus upon taking office was how we can make upstate more economically competitive while, at the same time, making sure that our citizens, businesses, and local governments have an active voice representing their interests before the Federal Government. prgtoken I listened to the people across the district--firefighters and emergency responders, law enforcement, educators, business owners, and average working families--who told me of the issues that we face: the opioid crisis, the highest property taxes in the Nation, the exodus of people and jobs from upstate New York. prgtoken A primary focus of mine was the opioid crisis. This issue has devastated and destroyed countless lives across our Nation. I was pleased to have become the primary sponsor of legislation in the House. Working with my colleague from Michigan, Mike Bishop, we successfully enacted major opioid legislation, which included the STOP Act. prgtoken This legislation will crack down on the flow of illegal drugs, such as fentanyl, coming into the U.S. from places like China through the U.S. Postal Service. The STOP Act is now law, and I am proud to have had a role in its passage. prgtoken Agriculture is another major concern in the 19th District. Serving on the House Agriculture Committee, we have lowered the cost and increased the flexibility of dairy risk management programs, fought for better documentation to protect the sanctity of organic agriculture, made it easier for veterans to transition into agriculture, and supported increased broadband and cell service, which is critically important in our rural areas. prgtoken I have also led on two initiatives which are critical to the economic health of upstate New York. My legislation, offered with other members of the New York delegation, would finally have ended our State's policy of imposing a share of Medicaid costs from Albany onto local property taxpayers. prgtoken This mandate is so significant that just the county government taxpayers in New York State pay more in State-mandated Medicaid costs than local taxpayers in the 49 other States combined. prgtoken People are fleeing upstate New York because of high property taxes, and New York's Medicaid mandate is one of the reasons for that exodus. prgtoken The second initiative which I advanced was to preempt the absolute liability standard for gravity-related construction site accidents on federally funded projects. Again, New York stands alone among the 50 States in this a
HONORING THE CALIFORNIA DELEGATION
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-12-12

for yielding. prgtoken , I am proud to be here tonight with my colleagues from California and recognize our friends who this Congress for some may be their last, others may be coming back. prgtoken I recognize Congressman Jeff Denham, Congressman Darrell Issa, Congressman Steve Knight, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Congressman Ed Royce, Congressman David Valadao, and Congresswoman Mimi Walters. prgtoken What makes this delegation unique is our bond with each other. In a State with 53 members, a class of 14 gets pretty tight pretty quick. But it isn't simply a matter of proximity that strengthens our ties. You see, it is our bond and belief in our Nation to be a more perfect union, to strive to continue to improve. prgtoken Being from California does not mean it is easy to get to Washington. But I will tell you every single week I would see the same faces getting on that plane going home because they understood who they represented. They understood who they had to listen to. prgtoken They also understood who they fought for. But they would get on that plane again and fly back the 8 or 9 hours to be the voice of those that they listen to. It is amazing--the accomplishments. prgtoken You know, for people who walk around this building, at times they will see these paintings of members of the past, and, I will admit, portraits last a long time, but a legacy of change lasts much longer. It is like compound interest or a snowball rolling down a hill. When I think about the legacy of change of my colleagues, it is tremendous. prgtoken When I think about from Transportation and Infrastructure to Veterans' Affairs, what a better way of life they have today because Jeff Denham served in this body. prgtoken I think of Oversight and Government Reform, the battles and the fearlessness of Darrell Issa. prgtoken When I think of the new programs for veterans getting service after hours, it wasn't because a bill passed. It was because a man fought, Steve Knight, because he was a veteran and the work that he has done that will continue to live. prgtoken Or the decades that Dana has served, from every aspect in Science, Space, and Technology to beyond, that his voice transferred and made a difference. prgtoken Ed Royce, when it comes to foreign policy and what has been accomplished in this Congress, his name was on the title of many of those bills, even when he allowed someone else to run it. prgtoken And when I look to California, and the statement out there is: ``Whiskey's for drinking. Water's for fightin'', it is one of the most difficult issues. This entire body got together strong to make a difference that hadn't been done in a quarter century. And the person really behind it was David Valadao. He is kind of that quiet leader that made a major difference, that he would continue to make things happen. prgtoken And it is a unique--but everybody serves a little different. My friend, Jeff Denham, has a voice as
TRIBUTE TO BOB CORKER
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-12-12

In his two terms in the Senate, Bob Corker established a strong reputation as a visionary leader who offered innovative, commonsense solutions and developed an extraordinary expertise in foreign policy. He has served the people of Tennessee and of America with distinction and will always be a good friend. prgtoken He certainly was well-prepared when he came to the Senate in 2007. His early work on a charitable mission to Haiti inspired him to serve his home community of Chattanooga as an advocate for the disadvantaged. He built a successful business, providing jobs and opportunity to others. As mayor of Chattanooga, he led initiatives to improve education, reduce crime, grow the economy, and increase accountability in government. Those experiences and accomplishments guided his work in the Senate. prgtoken As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Corker has been a powerful voice for U.S. global leadership and diplomacy, a complement to his visits to more than 70 nations since he took office in 2007. Although he has many accomplishments worth mentioning, I believe his leadership this year in enacting the BUILD Act, which modernizes American development finance to drive long-term economic growth in the developing world, may be among his most lasting contributions to American diplomacy and global security. prgtoken Senator Corker does not seek partisan advantage, but common ground. He has been an extraordinary Senator who always did what he believed was right. He has contributed greatly to our country and served his State well. I commend my colleague, Senator Bob Corker, for his outstanding service, and I thank him for his commitment, integrity, and friendship.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY TO RETURNS BY EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS AND RETURNS BY CERTAIN NON-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-12-12

before I begin addressing my opposition to the CRA, I want to spend a brief moment agreeing with all of the tributes and all of the accolades of Senator Hatch. prgtoken I wasn't able to get down here on the floor because I couldn't get down here in time--he started a little bit early--but I watched the entire speech from my office. It just showed the integrity, the patriotism, and the goodwill of this good man. prgtoken Like so many of my other colleagues, I don't know another Senator who offers more encouragement and more kind words to all of us than Senator Hatch. Again, I wish him and Elaine well in their retirement. I wish them the best. prgtoken God bless Senator Hatch for all of his faithful service. Congressional Review Act prgtoken , I rise to discuss the Congressional Review Act challenge put forward by the senior Senators from Oregon and Montana. prgtoken The CRA has been proposed in response to guidance on a revenue procedure recently announced by the Internal Revenue Service. As chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I have written to the IRS twice asking them to take the very actions this CRA seeks to overturn. prgtoken Let me begin by reviewing some basic facts about the guidance--facts that are irrefutable, but facts that are apparently being ignored by those supporting this measure. prgtoken First, I want to make it clear that the guidance in question mirrors a proposal that was crafted under the administration. While that proposal was never fully implemented, the fact that it was first proposed by the administration proves its bipartisan nature. prgtoken Essentially, the guidance makes clear that personal identifying information of donors for certain tax-exempt organizations does not need to be filed on a form with the IRS. However, these organizations will still be required to keep that donor information on file. Simply put, the guidance is merely a change in where the information is warehoused. prgtoken In the past, it was kept on a form at the IRS, as well as in the records of each organization. Now, it will only be kept in the records of each organization. prgtoken It is important to note that the officials in the administration said that the reporting of such information is no longer necessary for the efficient administration of the internal revenue laws. I am not actually sure it ever was required. prgtoken The one change being implemented that differs from the proposal is that the IRS also included in its new guidance needed privacy protections in response to recent government leaks and breaches. In order to protect taxpayer privacy, under this new guidance, the donor information in question is prohibited from being made public by the government no matter where it is warehoused. prgtoken So let me summarize. The donor information in question is not used by the IRS for the efficient ad
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY TO RETURNS BY EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS AND RETURNS BY CERTAIN NON-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-12-12

I rise in strong support of the resolution sponsored by Senators Tester and Wyden to overturn the Treasury Department rule. prgtoken We have heard loud and clear from the American people that they are sick and tired of the hundreds of millions of dollars of special interest money going into our elections. They are especially sick and tired of all of the secret dark money going into our elections. prgtoken What do I mean by that? I mean when wealthy individuals can contribute to organizations and the American public has no idea who those individuals are, while those organizations go on to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to try to influence the votes of our fellow Americans. prgtoken We have all seen those commercials that come on TV that say they are sponsored by the Committee for a Better America, the Committee to Support Mom and Apple Pie, and the public wants to know and has a right to know who is spending all of that money to try to influence their votes. prgtoken The vehicle of choice for these shadowy, dark money organizations has been organizing their entities under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. prgtoken We will soon--probably in January but early on--we will see a bill coming over to the Senate from the new ic majority in the House of Representatives because their No. 1 priority is electoral reform, including getting rid of secret money, making sure the public has that right to know who is bankrolling these entities. prgtoken What the Treasury Department did took us in the opposite direction. Currently, 501(c)(4) organizations have to report to the IRS the information about their donors, but currently the IRS keeps that information confidential. It does not share it with the public. We should share it with the public, and that is what the DISCLOSE Act that the House will pass will do. prgtoken What this Treasury rule does is it takes us in the opposite direction. It says to those 501(c)(4)s that they no longer even have to provide that information to the Treasury Department on a confidential basis. So it heads in the wrong direction. It is especially outrageous because it will take away one of the key tools the Treasury Department has to prevent foreign money from being spent in our elections, because right now that information is made available to the Department of the Treasury. prgtoken If you are a 501(c)(4), you have to confidentially report who is giving you money and how much. Now the Treasury Department says: We don't want that information. We don't want to see anything. We don't want to know if foreign governments are putting money into 501(c)(4)s. We don't want to know if the primary purpose of these funds is for electing or defeating candidates as opposed to social welfare--which is the requirement for a 501(c)(4) organization under our law. prgtoken I think a lot of people are wondering why it is that this administration--and now maybe the Senate--w
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-12-12

I come to the floor today to join many of my colleagues in support of passage of the underlying resolution. I was pleased to be one of the original cosponsors, along with the Presiding Officer and Senator Sanders, amongst many others. prgtoken This is clearly not the first time I have been to the floor to talk about the crisis inside Yemen and the broader crisis with respect to our relationship with Saudi Arabia that has grown worse and worse, especially in the last several months. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Menendez and Senator Corker for taking this incredibly seriously, especially since the death of Jamal Khashoggi, who was a resident of the United States here, ostensibly under our protection. I am hopeful that we will get another big bipartisan vote when this comes up for final passage. prgtoken I want to reiterate some of the reasons I think this is incredibly important. prgtoken First, let me state what I hope is obvious even for those of us who have been critics of Saudi Arabia. prgtoken Saudi Arabia is a very important ally of the United States. It is an important partner for stability in the region. We continue to engage in an important counterterrorism, intelligence-sharing relationship with Saudi Arabia. They have helped us track down some very bad people. We have helped them track down some very bad people. Sunni extremists-- separate and aside from the argument as to where that movement gets some of its seed funding--are out to get the Saudi regime, just as they are out to get the United States. prgtoken Second, it is important to note something that we take for granted in the region--this now long-term detente that has existed between the Gulf States and Israel, which did not used to be something you could rely on. In fact, one of the most serious foreign policy debates this Senate ever had was on the sale of AWACS to Saudi Arabia back in the 1980s. The objection then was that by empowering Saudi Arabia, you were hurting Israel and Israeli security. No one would make that argument today because Saudi Arabia has been a good partner in trying to figure out a way to calm the tensions in the region and, of course, provide some balance in the region, with the Iranian regime on the other side continuing to this day to use inflammatory and dangerous rhetoric about the future of Israel. prgtoken So this is an important partnership, and I have no interest in blowing it up. I have no interest in walking away from it. But you are not obligated to follow your friend into every misadventure they propose. When your buddy jumps into a pool of man-eating sharks, you don't have to jump with him. There is a point at which you say enough is enough. I came to this floor 3 years ago and suggested that time had already come. prgtoken Muhammad bin Salman, who is the Crown Prince, who is the effective leader of the country, has steered the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia off the rails. Folks seem to h
SHUTDOWN, SHOWDOWN
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-12-12

in 9 days, we are going to face another government shutdown. prgtoken The American people want a responsible Federal Government that works for them, but yesterday President prgtoken said that he will be proud to shut down the government. The President believes that his idea for an ineffective, $70 billion, 1,000-mile long border wall is more important than keeping the government open for business. prgtoken Our constituents are sick of this stuff. The President told them that Mexico would pay for the wall, and now he is threatening to close the government if he doesn't get what he wants. This is exactly why our constituents voted to put in control of Congress last month. They don't want their hard-earned money wasted on an expensive, ineffective border wall. prgtoken We should listen to them. and s need to come together and work together to meet their needs, not President 's. prgtoken While the President throws another Twitter tantrum, let's keep the government open and work on solutions for the real challenges facing our constituents: good-paying jobs, lower healthcare costs, and ending the corruption in Washington. That is what are committed to doing. prgtoken It is time for s to stand up to this President and work with for the benefit of the American people.
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-12-12

under our Constitution, we have article I, which addresses the powers of Congress, and article II, the powers of the Presidency. Our Founders were so concerned that the President would take us into war without justification that they made sure to explicitly place the power to go to war with Congress--with the House and Senate. prgtoken But here we are, debating the issue of how the President took us into war in Yemen as a facilitator of Saudi Arabia, providing intelligence, providing advice, refueling planes, providing armaments. It is time for us to take a powerful and clear stand and change this and end this. prgtoken Here is what has been going on. For multiple years now, Saudi Arabia has been bombing the civilian infrastructure of Yemen, indiscriminately slaughtering civilians, destroying schools and hospitals and neighborhoods and water systems. What is the result of destroying the water systems? The largest outbreak of cholera in the history of humankind. We now have well over 100 children under the age of 5 dying of hunger and starvation each day. We are told by the experts that 8 to 14 million people are at risk of starvation, but many are already starving, and not just children under 5--the whole spectrum of society. prgtoken We have been directly involved in ways that, in my mind, violate the War Powers Act by directly facilitating the movement of armaments and assisting Saudi Arabia in this assault, and this assault must end. We have to send a strong message, and we can do that through this vote we are facing ahead of us. That is one piece of the conversation regarding Saudi Arabia. prgtoken The other piece is that the Saudi Government has assassinated an American resident--an American resident who is also an American newspaper columnist. What do we have as a response? We have the weakest possible response from President , with President saying that we don't know what happened. The Saudi Crown Prince may have been involved; he might not have been involved. Who will ever know? prgtoken We need a strong watchdog for American values. We need the President to stand up to Saudi Arabia. We don't need to hear that we are going to be weak in the face of an assassination of an American resident because they happen to buy armaments from the United States. Yet that is what we are hearing from President --weakness, selling out American values because they buy some American products. prgtoken What more trouble can we invite around the world if we don't stand up for human rights and we don't stand up for our residents and we don't stand up for our journalists, all tied in together here? prgtoken Let's be forceful in how we vote on this resolution. Let's send a strong message. prgtoken This challenge of the President in ignoring the article I powers in our Constitution, in which the power to be involved in war is vested in this body, Congress, is not the only problem we have. We also hav
ASIA REASSURANCE INITIATIVE ACT OF 2018
Eliot L. Engel (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-12-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of this measure. The Asia Reassurance Initiative is an extremely important and timely piece of legislation. I am glad that we will be able to bring it forward today in a bipartisan manner. And that is no small feat. This legislation is so comprehensive and far reaching, it was referred to six different committees. prgtoken I cannot overstate the strategic importance of this bill before us today. In Washington, we all too often focus on immediate crises and fail to focus on the broader but slower moving challenges of our time. This legislation focuses on that bigger strategic picture. prgtoken Over the next 100 years, the most significant issue facing American foreign policy will be the rise of the Indo-Pacific. The region will be the most significant driver of economic and demographic growth. Its environmental policies will have immense impact on global health and climate change, and China's rise will have extraordinary geopolitical implications for the future of American leadership in the world. prgtoken The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act is an important piece of legislation in directing Congress' attention to its vital foreign policy. The bill states that the United States will develop and commit to a long-term, comprehensive strategic policy for the Indo-Pacific region that secures our and our allies' interests; advances American influence, including through the promotion of human rights; and supports the rule of law and international norms. prgtoken This bill also authorizes $1.5 billion in funds to State and USAID, so we can start to put our money where our mouth is on this Indo- Pacific policy. prgtoken Passing this legislation is critical, especially at this time, as China's assertive behavior in the Asia region threatens the regional balance of power--as this administration takes unorthodox positions and chooses to carry them out in ways that are of concern--and as much of the world sees the United States in retreat from the international stage, this bill sends a clear and resounding message to the region: American commitment remains steadfast. prgtoken , I strongly support this measure and urge all Members to do the same, and .