mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-5-16

I was in a conversation with a group of Oklahomans just last week, and the issue of net neutrality came up in that conversation. A gentleman there who had published his content on the internet seemed very concerned about net neutrality and wanted to make sure that the content he had he could continue to publish, and he would not have to go to every single ISP--internet service provider-- across the country and negotiate a deal with them. That is what happens with net neutrality. prgtoken I said: It is very interesting. Has that happened to you? Have you faced that? prgtoken He said: No, but I am afraid I might. prgtoken Here is the problem we have with this conversation about net neutrality. For 20 years, the internet functioned under a very clear set of rules. The Federal Trade Commission had a set of rules both for content providers and for the fiber--the internet service providers. There was a clear set of rules. They couldn't violate any trade practices. They couldn't do monopolies. They couldn't violate the basic rules of commerce. There was a very clear set of rules. prgtoken Then, 2 years ago, the FCC--the FTC is the Federal Trade Commission, and the FTC has been the one regulating the internet for two decades. The FCC decided they wanted to regulate not the content and the internet service providers, just the internet service providers. So the FCC, in an unprecedented ruling that had already gone to court multiple times and failed, grabbed the regulatory control from the FTC and said: We will take the internet service providers, and we will manage them, and you keep the content folks. That is the fight we are in right now. prgtoken It is the funniest thing to me to be in a conversation about net neutrality because the implication is that the internet will not be free if the government doesn't regulate it with this particular entity--the FCC. When I ask people ``Would it be OK if the government regulated with the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission?'' most people say ``Well, that would be fine too.'' Well, good, because that is the way it has been for 20 years. For 20 years, there has been one set of rules on the superhighway of the internet--the Federal Trade Commission. prgtoken Here is what I would like to say to people who are trying to listen in and trying to figure this out: Most of the arguments and the fights that have come about cost increases and about paid prioritization and about blocking and about people monitoring content haven't been from the internet service providers. It has been from the content folks. prgtoken You tell me, when you go to your news feed on whatever social media site you go to or whatever news site you go to, are there paid commercials that come up first, and then your friends come up second? Probably most of the time. Are there certain bits of content that you pay more for if you are on Facebook? You can put this out, but you will reach more people if you pay
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-5-16

I hear from my constituents in southern Illinois that rural America is hurting. That is why we need the farm bill, to address the concerns facing agriculture all over rural America. prgtoken The farm bill does just that. The farm bill protects the farm safety net, including commodity programs and crop insurance, invests in rural broadband, modernizes FSA loan programs for new and beginning farmers and ranchers, and invests in conservation. prgtoken President Eisenhower once said: ``Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're 1,000 miles from a corn field.'' Those words hold true today, and that is why this bill was crafted with those farmers in mind, because farmers are everyone's bread and butter.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-5-16

. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this issue. prgtoken Let me start by saying that it is not very often that we talk about agriculture in the context of national security. I believe it is next week we are going to be taking up the NDAA reauthorization. While that is very important to our national security, I think it is equally important to consider how vital our agriculture producers are to our national security. A country that can't feed itself is a country that is not secure. It is inviting danger and peril. All you have to do is look around the globe and see those nations that are in that situation. Most notably in our hemisphere, Venezuela can't feed themselves. You can see the turmoil that has ensued as a result. prgtoken But there are other countries around the world. One of the big ones that we don't talk about very often and, quite frankly, we should, and that is China can't feed themselves. They have 1.4 billion people. prgtoken What we should be doing is taking every effort during this debate to thank farmers across the country for what they do and for the security they provide to this Nation, recognizing that, without them, the nutrition programs that we are fighting over couldn't exist. prgtoken Let's get a little different perspective, if we can, and recognize that, first and foremost, we have got to have the food produced, not only to provide a level of security in this Nation, but to be able to feed the 300 million-plus that call this country home. prgtoken Second, we have to be about trying to secure that food source and making sure that farmers are in a competitive marketplace that gives them equal opportunities to sell their commodities. prgtoken Certainly, the nutrition part of this is paramount. But I think most Americans across the country--and I think prgtoken there are polls that bear this out--some 75 percent of Americans say, yes, we probably should encourage folks to work and/or get educated as a component of receiving nutrition benefits. That is all we are saying. We are not trying to compromise anyone's nutrition or threaten a single calorie. prgtoken One thing I think we need to clarify, too, is the Agriculture Committee has no jurisdiction over school nutrition programs.
NET NEUTRALITY
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-16

today our ic colleagues insisted on an aimless vote on the issue of net neutrality. This is what has been called by the Wall Street Journal a vague name which essentially is cover for regulation of the internet like a utility under the previous regime, which is the -era regime. prgtoken Following the FCC issuance last December of the Restoring Internet Freedom Order, our ic colleagues vowed to make net neutrality a campaign issue. prgtoken To me, one of the most maddening things about the title ``net neutrality'' is that this is the opposite of neutrality. This is all about more regulation of the internet. prgtoken Oh, by the way, I noticed that the internet seemed to be working just fine while this Restoring Internet Freedom Order by the FCC was in effect. prgtoken How did they do this? By painting the FCC's decision as proof somehow--and I am not really sure how, other than maybe gullible press and people willing to just accept their argument at face value--that some of us are against net neutrality. That is just not the case. prgtoken I believe the free market has done more to help the internet grow and succeed as an engine of commerce and something that allows us to communicate with our friends and family, share pictures and the like, beyond our wildest dreams. I guess Thomas Friedman's book ``The World is Flat'' talked about how one of the most important events in recent history was the development of the world wide web in 1995. We have come a long way since 1995, and the internet has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams, which is the reason the last thing we should want is the government to come in and inject itself with more controls. prgtoken We have always supported a free and open internet. Internet service providers should not be able to block, slow, or otherwise unfairly discriminate against any legal website or online service. In fact, it was our ic colleagues who blocked s from passing the bill earlier today that would have prevented the internet service providers from being able to do just that. prgtoken The issue up for debate this week, though, was how to classify these providers for regulatory purposes, and here, there was a choice. Our side of the aisle has long favored a light-touch approach that is offered under title I of the Telecommunications Act. Our ic friends favor a more onerous approach under title II. That is why they favor repealing the FCC's recent order, returning to Depression-era regulations implemented under the administration. prgtoken Our ic colleagues have now gotten their wish, in a way. They voted here in the Senate to repeal the current FCC order by using the Congressional Review Act, which gives Congress the power to nullify agency rules and requires only a simple majority to pass. But our colleague, the senior Senator from South Dakota, is correct when he refers to their stunt as ``political thea
CELEBRATING MRS. KAREN SHELDON
John R. Carter (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-16

I rise today to celebrate Mrs. Karen Sheldon for her sixteen years of service on the Georgetown, TX Chamber of Commerce. Karen's untiring commitment to making Georgetown a great place to live and work represents Texas values at their best. prgtoken After joining the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce in 2002 as Administrative Assistant, it was clear that Karen's hard work and dedication to the Chamber were unmatched. During her tenure, she served in many roles including Director of Development, Vice President, and Executive Vice President before being named Chamber President in 2014. Her time as President was focused on guiding the success and growth of her beloved community through advocacy, education, and civic engagement. prgtoken Karen's work in public service wasn't confined to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce. She has continuously strived to make Georgetown a better city by serving on multiple boards and volunteering with numerous organizations. When she is not working for her community, Karen is a loving sister and proud mother of two daughters. prgtoken Retirement is meant to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is not the end of a career, but the beginning of a new adventure. Mrs. Karen Sheldon has left big shoes to fill as she has gone above and beyond the expected duties of a public servant. I thank her for her dedication to her community and proudly join her family, friends, and colleagues in wishing nothing but the best for her richly-deserved retirement.
HONORING AND REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF MR. JOSHUA WUNSCH
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-5-16

it's my honor today to acknowledge the life of a devoted community leader and loving father and husband, Mr. Joshua Wunsch, who passed away at the age of 69 on April 25, 2018, surrounded by his loved ones. prgtoken Josh was born in Traverse City on November 7, 1948, to Ellis and Ann (Donald) Wunsch. A third-generation Grand Traverse County farmer, Wunsch, along with his wife Barb, son Isiah, and daughter Adele raised apples, tart cherries, and sweet cherries on their family orchard. Wunsch's passion for the trade was evident in his roles with the Michigan Agricultural Commodities Marketing Association (MACMA) and the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB). He was first elected to the MACMA board in 1988, becoming Vice President in 1999. There he worked to promote and protect the Michigan apple industry until his retirement in 2011. On the MFB board, Wunsch was District 9 Director from 1988 to 2011, served as MFB Vice President from 2006 to 2009, served on the MACMA Board from 1989 to 2011, and served on its Executive Committee and as Vice President from 1999 to 2011. prgtoken In 2012, Wunsch received the MACMA Apple Division Distinguished Service to Agriculture award. In addition to his work with the MACMA and MFB, Josh was a board member of Shoreline Fruit Inc Sleeping Bear Co-op, Traverse City Cherry, and Cherrco Inc. As a leader in his community and industry, Josh was well-known for his knowledge, expertise, and willingness to mentor others, and his dedication made him one of the most respected growers in Michigan agriculture. When not in his orchards, Josh loved to travel, enjoy Michigan's beautiful outdoors, and spend time with his family. prgtoken , Joshua Wunsch's impact on Northern Michigan cannot be overstated. His family and community can take pride in knowing that the state of Michigan is a better place thanks to his life's work. On behalf of Michigan's First Congressional District, I ask you to join me in recognizing an outstanding community leader whose contributions will continue to bless Michiganders for many years to come
Calling for the Release of Pastor Andrew Brunson (Executive Session)
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-5-16

this is my third occasion on a speech that I wish that I didn't have to give on the floor of the U.S. Senate, but I promise that I am going to give a speech on this subject every week that the Senate is open for as long as I am a U.S. Senator and there is a man in a Turkish prison who I don't believe should be. prgtoken This man's name is Andrew Brunson, Pastor Brunson. He is a Presbyterian minister from Black Mountain, NC, who has been in Turkey for about the last 20 years with his wife. He raised his family there. He is a Presbyterian minister who at first just did ministry work. He didn't have a church to actually open up to the community. He just did ministry work--preached the Word and delivered the Word for the people in Turkey who wanted to hear it. It was a small church with only about 50 full-time members. It was a church that was just outside of Izmir. It was actually in Izmir proper, which is one of the larger cities in Turkey. prgtoken As of today, this man has been in prison for 586 days. He was actually taken to prison, without charges, under the emergency order after the coup in 2016. He was put in prison on October 4, 2016. For almost 17 months, he was held in a prison cell that was designed for 8 prisoners but had 21 in it. None of the other ones were American. None of the other ones were English speaking. Many of them were charged on either ISIS or terrorist charges or for plotting a coup attempt. He was in that prison for almost 17 months. He lost 50 pounds. His health diminished. His mental state, as anyone would expect, diminished. Yet he is a strong man of faith, and hopefully he will continue to have the strength to go through this horrible process. prgtoken We have been handling this. We have what we call casework. If somebody in North Carolina needs help, whatever that may be, we encourage them to call our office, and we open a case. We do any number of things for veterans, for military families, for seniors--anybody. If you need help in getting through to the Federal Government, you call our office. So we opened a case on Pastor Brunson about a year ago, and we have been trying to work through diplomatic channels to get him released. prgtoken About 3 months ago or 4 months ago, we heard that the indictment was going to be served on Pastor Brunson. I received word from some of the family members and people in the faith-based community that they were concerned that the American people were going to read the indictment and really judge him as guilty and turn their backs on him and have him languish in prison for what would be, essentially, a life sentence. He is 50 years old, and the charges would be up to 35 years. prgtoken It was so important for me to have him know that we cared about him that I traveled to Turkey. I got a visa to go to Turkey and made a request to go to that Turkish prison and look Pastor Brunson eye to eye and tell him that we were not going to forg
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-5-16

yesterday President joined Senators for lunch. He was very optimistic and very positive about a lot of the developments in America's foreign policy in places like North Korea. At the same time, we all recognize that the world continues to be a very dangerous place. National security must be our first responsibility. My goal is a nation that is safe, strong, and secure. prgtoken To have safety and security at home, we need peace and stability abroad. s in Congress understand that. So does President , and so does Gina Haspel. That is why the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today approved Gina Haspel's nomination to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. It was a bipartisan vote. prgtoken That used to be the normal way things operated around here--in a bipartisan way. When you had a nominee who was undeniably qualified, they got support from both sides of the aisle. It has become very uncommon over the past year. prgtoken have decided to obstruct President 's nominees for important jobs almost at any cost, but Gina Haspel got this rare bipartisan approval from the committee for the right reason--because she is the right person for this job. Now we will have a vote on the Senate floor. prgtoken This should be one of the easiest votes for Members of the Senate to cast all year. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is a very important member of the President 's national security team. She is the right person for the job. prgtoken She has been a career intelligence officer for 33 years. That goes back to the days of the Ronald Reagan administration. She actually got interested in the CIA when she learned that women could serve there doing clandestine work all around the world. prgtoken She has served in Africa, Russia, Central Europe, and Asia. She has held top jobs at the Agency's headquarters. She understands every element of the work of America's intelligence community. prgtoken Since she is actually the acting head of the Agency today, I think anyone would be hard-pressed to say she is not up to the job, because she is doing the job. She has the faith and the trust of the men and women in the field who keep us safe every day. prgtoken Let's not forget that she has also worked very closely with Mike Pompeo. He was head of the CIA. Now he is Secretary of State. Having two people in these important jobs who already have a solid, respectful working relationship is extremely important for making sure that the U.S. foreign policy is airtight. prgtoken No one else that the President could have nominated would have been able to work as closely with Secretary of State Pompeo. She is an expert on terrorism. She is an intelligence expert. She is a national security expert. prgtoken She began her work at the CIA during the Cold War. So she has a deep understanding of Russia and a deep understanding of our challenges there. prgtoken I think it is c
PROTECT AND SERVE ACT OF 2018
Bob Goodlatte (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-5-16

such time as I may consume. prgtoken On October 15, 1991, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was dedicated to honor Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our Nation and its people. prgtoken The memorial features two curving, 304-foot-long, blue-gray marble walls. Carved on these walls are the names of more than 21,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty throughout U.S. history, dating back to the first known death in 1791. prgtoken Each spring, law enforcement officers from around the country gather in Washington, D.C for Peace Officers Memorial Day. For a week, these men and women attend events to celebrate and honor those law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Each year, there is a memorial service in which the names of fallen officers are added to the long, curving marble walls of the memorial. Unfortunately, the list of names keeps growing and shows no signs of slowing down. prgtoken That is why today I am pleased we are considering the Protect and Serve Act. This bill is designed to ensure those who seek to harm police officers face swift and certain justice. prgtoken In recent years, the brave and dedicated men and women in blue who serve our communities are facing increased levels of hostility and violence. The increasing levels of hostility towards the law enforcement community have given rise to an increase in ambush-style attacks on police officers. prgtoken In 2016 alone, 64 police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty, 21 of whom were killed in ambush-style attacks. According to CNN, in the first 17 weeks of this year, 21 law enforcement officers across the U.S. have been shot and killed in the line of duty. That averages out to more than one death every week. prgtoken Only a few weeks ago, on April 19, 2018, two sheriff's deputies were gunned down and killed in a suspected ambush while they were eating at a restaurant in Gainesville, Florida. prgtoken To address this threat to the brave police, who put their lives on the line each day across our country, the Protect and Serve Act allows for Federal prosecution of criminals who knowingly assault law enforcement officers and cause serious bodily harm or attempt to do so. This bill applies to both Federal law enforcement officers and State and local officers where there is a nexus to interstate commerce. prgtoken Importantly, , this legislation recognizes that most often these crimes are wholly within the jurisdiction of a State to prosecute. Therefore, in addition to other requirements in the bill to ensure a Federal connection, H.R. 5698 states specifically that prosecution under this new statute may only be pursued if the Attorney General certifies that, one, the State does not have jurisdiction; two, the State has requested that the Federal Government assume jurisdiction; three, the verd
ORDER OF PROCEDURE
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-5-16

I ask unanimous consent that following leader remarks on Thursday, May 17, Senator Paul or his designee be recognized to make a motion to proceed to S. Con. Res. 36; further, that there be up to 90 minutes of debate on the motion, with 45 minutes under the control of Senator Paul or his designee and 45 minutes under the control of the ic leader or his designee; finally, that following the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate vote in relation to the motion.