mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING STEVE KAWA
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-6-22

I rise to honor Steve Kawa for his 25 years of service to the city and county of San Francisco. Steve Kawa is no ordinary staff member. He is an exceptional public servant who has served three mayors of San Francisco in a wide variety of positions. prgtoken Most San Franciscans have never heard Kawa's name--and he prefers it that way--but they have certainly felt the impact of his work. He helped guide the City through the aftermath of 9/11 and the Great Recession. He played a key role in achieving marriage equality and universal health care access, and he oversaw unprecedented investments in affordable housing and infrastructure projects. His bosses have called him a cautious, shrewd negotiator, a driving force behind policy decisions and one of the best Chiefs of Staff a mayor could have. His effectiveness and style have also earned him nicknames such as the enforcer, the shadow mayor, the sphinx and the man behind the curtain. prgtoken Steve Kawa was born in Dracut, Massachusetts as the fifth son out of six children of Edward and Janet Kawa and grew up in a Polish-Irish American Catholic family. Mrs. Kawa was a school bus driver. Mr. Kawa was a construction worker. Steve credits his mother with his interest in politics. She loved the Kennedys and was fascinated with the Watergate hearings. Steve grew up watching the hearings on TV and says the inner workings of government mesmerized him. prgtoken Steve was the first member of his family to attend a four-year college and graduate from Merrimack College with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1983. To pay for school he worked four jobs as a bartender at the Polish American Veterans Club, as a dishwasher in a nursing home, as a florist's delivery man and as a security guard working the night shift. While attending law school at Suffolk University, he served as a legislative aide in Boston's State House at night. He graduated in 1989. prgtoken Two years later at the age of 30, Steve traveled to San Francisco for the first time and decided to make it his home. Within a month he found his first job working as a legislative aide to Supervisor Tom Hsieh. In November 1995, Willie Brown was elected Mayor and hired Steve as liaison to the Board of Supervisors. He promoted him to Director of Legislative Affairs and then Acting Director of the Mayor's Budget Office and then Deputy Chief of Staff. The next mayor, Gavin Newsom, hired Steve as his Chief of Staff in 2003. In 2011, Mayor Ed Lee did the same and Steve remained Chief of Staff until he recently decided to retire from his career at city hall. prgtoken Steve is the ultimate public servant. He is still mesmerized with the inner workings of government, just as he was when he was watching the Watergate hearings with his mother. He recently told the San Francisco Chronicle, ``There is so much cynicism about government and politics, and when I'm here I don't see the cynicism. I just see people working re
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-6-22

. That is confirmed. prgtoken So I ask unanimous consent today that any substitute or perfecting amendment offered to Calendar No. 120, H.R. 1628, not be in order if the text of the amendment has not been the subject of a hearing, subject of executive session, during which amendments from both the majority and minority were considered and reported favorably by the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
WATER SUPPLY PERMITTING COORDINATION ACT
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-6-22

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Mr. Chair, the State of California is being mentioned quite a bit in this conversation. prgtoken It bears noting that the State of California is not asking for this legislation; and, in fact, the State of California has consistently opposed the rolling back of environmental standards and is busy passing bill after bill in this State legislative session to try to backfill for anticipated rollbacks in Federal environmental standards. So, certainly, if we are talking about the State of California and what it wants and it needs, its elected leaders are taking a very different direction than posing the false choice between environmental standards and infrastructure. prgtoken Again, the United States Bureau of Reclamation has emphasized that there are other factors, that it is not environmental review that has stopped any water projects in the West. The Congressional Research Service has reached the same conclusion. prgtoken And I just heard from my friend, Mr. McClintock, that we can't build new reservoirs until we change these laws. Well, I have got to point out that California has built new reservoirs under current law. You can ask the folks in Contra Costa County about Los Vaqueros Reservoir. prgtoken They didn't need any environmental waivers or special legislation. They built their dam. And in fact, they are getting ready to move forward with an expansion of that surface storage project. It should be broadly supported, and they are not asking for any special tweaks to the environmental laws. The same would apply to Diamond Valley Reservoir in southern California. prgtoken And, in fact, we have actually added nearly 6 million acre-feet of new surface and groundwater storage over the past few decades in California, all while honoring bedrock environmental protections like ESA and NEPA. prgtoken .
HONORING CHIEF STEVE WESTERMANN
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-6-22

I proudly pause to recognize the outstanding achievements of Chief Steve Westermann. Chief Westermann is one of the most respected fire district chiefs and is retiring from the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District. I join with his family, fellow firefighters, and the citizens of the central Jackson County in congratulating Chief Westermann on his many years of success, contributions to the community and retirement. Chief Westermann started his career as a volunteer in 1972 while in high school. In 1977, he was hired as a Fire Inspector with CJC, creating the Fire Prevention Bureau and beginning the first in-school education programs. In 1979, he was promoted to assistant chief, and in 1981 left to take a position as the Assistant Chief / Fire Marshall in Chesterfield MO. In 1985 he returned to CJCFPD as a fire apparatus engineer and was soon promoted to deputy chief. In 1988, Chief Westermann was appointed Chief Fire Executive (CFE), the fourth in CJCFPD's history. Along the way, Chief Westermann has also been elected or appointed to serve in leadership and executive positions on countless local, state, and national organizations and committees, dedicated to making the communities we serve, and the fire service as a whole, stronger and safer. While serving as CFE, Chief Westermann moved CJCFPD forward in all areas and created an organization that is recognized and respected across the country. CJCFPD grew from 18 to 133 career staff, assumed complete responsibility for emergency medical services, achieved an Insurance Services Office rating of 2, significantly expanded fire and EMS training, added Station 5 and a state of the art training facility I ask that you join me and the rest of the community, family and firefighters in applauding Chief Steve Westermann's outstanding achievements and contributions to the community, and the State of Missouri. We wish Chief Westermann and his family the very best in years to come.
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF CAMP SHELBY
Steven M. Palazzo (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-6-22

I rise today to recognize and commend one of the many fine military institutions in Mississippi that has had a profound impact on its history and continues to play a positive, vital role in its present and future, training the elite military men and women of the United States Armed Forces. prgtoken One hundred years ago, in 1917, the largest state owned training facility in the nation, Camp Shelby, was established in Mississippi on United States Highway 49. With its North Gate located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Camp Shelby encompasses over 525 square kilometers and more than 134,000 acres of both Perry and Forrest Counties. prgtoken Camp Shelby was named for Governor Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky and a renowned soldier who served as a Colonel in the Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War as a militiaman in the Kentucky and Indiana territories. As Governor and leader of the Kentucky militia during the War of 1812, Governor Shelby helped solidify victory for his American troops at the Battle of the Thames in Canada in 1813. prgtoken When Camp Shelby was established in 1917, the first commanding officer was Major General William Hamden Sage. Major General Sage was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor, bravery and fortitude at the Battle of Zapote River during the Philippine Insurrection in 1899. prgtoken During wartime, Camp Shelby's mission is to serve as a major independent mobilization station of the United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). Camp Shelby's 134,000 acres allow for battalion- level maneuver training, Gunnery Table 8-12, field artillery firing points and a wide range of support facilities, while also being utilized by units across the country for its ability to support numerous different missions. prgtoken Camp Shelby serves as the training ground for the Abrams M1 and the Paladin Howitzer Tanks. It is home to the 177th Training Support Brigade and is the annual training location for National Guard and Reserve units based in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Additionally, the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team and the 278th Armored Calvary Regiment conduct their gunnery training at Camp Shelby and store the bulk of their combat equipment in the Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (MATES) on base. prgtoken During World War II, Camp Shelby was the training site for the famous Japanese-American 100th Battalion 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Women's Army Corps. It even housed a prisoner of war camp for detained soldiers from the German Africa Corps from 1941-1943. prgtoken On June 6, 2004, Camp Shelby was federalized as a FORSCOM Mobilization Center, and since that time several Regimental and Brigade Combat Teams have mobilized through the camp, including the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Tennessee Army National Guard); the 155th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (MS ARNG); the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division (PA ARNG); the 56th Stryker B
Russia Investigation (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-6-22

in March, Mr. Comey briefed Ranking Member Feinstein and this Senator on the Russia investigation. This included telling us who was and who was not under investigation. prgtoken After that meeting, I publicly called for Mr. Comey to tell the public what he had told us about whether President was under investigation. I did this because the public had a right to know. Mr. Comey told me and other congressional leaders that the President was not under investigation. He even told the President himself, and I understand that he repeatedly told this to the President. But Mr. Comey didn't listen to my request for transparency. I think transparency in government is very important because transparency brings accountability, and government needs to be accountable. Mr. Comey didn't listen to the President's request. Only months later has the truth finally come out. prgtoken Well, it ought to raise the question with anybody: What happened in the meantime? What happened because Mr. Comey refused to tell the American people that the President wasn't under investigation? The short answer is something you see almost hourly, particularly in this city: media hysteria. Countless media articles falsely claimed the President was under investigation for colluding with Russia. Unfortunately, a number of our colleagues in the House and Senate played right along. Over and over again, the media published selective leaks. They published classified half-truths. All this was used to make false allegations of sinister conduct by the President. And, of course, there were a lot of people who believed it. prgtoken The intelligence community conducted an assessment of Russia's efforts to interfere in the election. That assessment said one of Russia's goals was to undermine public confidence in our democratic system. prgtoken Because Mr. Comey refused to tell the public that the FBI was not investigating the President, conspiracy theories and, of course, wild speculation have run rampant about the election, the President, and Russia. These conspiracy theories and wild speculation have played right into Russia's aim of undermining faith in our democratic system. prgtoken That doesn't come out very often in these stories, but we have to understand that Russia makes a career of not only undermining democratic systems in the United States, look at what they have done in Ukraine militarily, and look at what they have done in France with the elections and in the Netherlands with the elections. They are talking about upcoming elections in Germany, where the Russians will try to do the same thing because autocrats don't like democratic systems that work and whatever they can do to undermine those democratic systems is going to obviously make them look better in comparison. prgtoken Those national security concerns should have taken precedence. Mr. Comey said he was worried about a duty to correct the record if evidence o
A TRIBUTE TO TESSA SHIELDS
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-6-22

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Tessa Shields, a graduate of Mount Ayr High School in Mount Ayr, Iowa. Tessa was recently honored for outstanding academic achievement at the Fifteenth Annual Governor's Scholar Recognition on April 30, 2017. prgtoken This statewide program is sponsored by the Iowa Governor's Office, the Iowa High School Athletic Association, and the Iowa Farm Bureau. Each Iowa high school was invited to select a senior with the highest academic achievement. Not only are recipients academically gifted, but the selected students are also those who have had success in extra- curricular activities and community involvement. prgtoken , it is an honor to represent leaders like Tessa in the United States Congress and it is with great pride that I recognize her for utilizing her talents to reach her goals. I invite my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating her on receiving this esteemed designation, and in wishing her nothing but the best.
RECOGNIZING IMMIGRANT HERITAGE MONTH IN JUNE
Charles W. Dent (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-6-22

I rise today to reflect on the historical and cultural impact immigrants have had--and continue to have--on our great nation, as we recognize Immigrant Heritage Month this June. prgtoken Throughout its history, America has shone as a beacon of opportunity to millions of people seeking refuge from prejudice, political instability, or extreme hardship in their homeland. Our willingness to welcome those escaping persecution and seeking economic opportunity has only fortified our strength as a country, and it will continue to do so. The United States is ripe with opportunity for fiscal and personal prosperity, both of which have appealed to those who have arrived on our shores looking for a new life for themselves and their families. The resulting mixture of ethnicities and cultures has only served to embolden the unique American way of life and experience. prgtoken The foundation of our nation is built on immigrants, and as the descendant of German, English, and Irish immigrants, I am thankful for a chance to reflect on the importance of immigration to this country's historical narrative.
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-6-22

I enjoyed listening to the comments of my friend, the Senator from Minnesota, and I would just say a couple of things. prgtoken One is that if 10 or so would have the courage to work with us, we could pass a true bipartisan healthcare bill, but the message we received from ic Leader Schumer and others is that they don't want to get involved in the process. So it is a little hard to take seriously the statement that if we would just be willing to work with them, we could get this done, because we have asked, and they have refused. prgtoken But it is not too late. If we could get a bipartisan group of Senators to actually improve the status quo, which is a disaster under Care, then I think we could make progress. But that is not what I hear. prgtoken I hear Senators criticizing the House bill. I guess that is because they haven't read the Senate bill, and we have said all along that we want to improve on what the House did. I think the draft bill, which is just that--it is a draft; it is a work in progress--does represent in many instances an improvement over the House bill. prgtoken I look forward to working with a coalition of the willing, whoever that might be. I hear some happy talk, but I don't see many people willing to cross over and actually work with us, roll up their sleeves, and do the hard work to actually pass a bipartisan bill. prgtoken I just have to say, I hear the criticism about cutting Medicaid. Well, the fact is, under the draft bill that was filed today, the essential safety net for low-income Americans is preserved. We actually will end up spending more money next year than this year and more money the following year because what we do is add a consumer price index increase. prgtoken As the Presiding Officer knows, being a practicing physician, this is a complex issue, but the fact is, it is absolutely critical to reforming Medicaid and making it work better. In addition to spending more money each year, which is not a cut in most of America--maybe it is in Washington, DC--as we all know, Medicaid is an open-ended entitlement, so if you qualify based on your income, then you get access to Medicaid. Medicaid continues to drive the budgets--not only the Federal Government but also the State government--and crowd out other priorities that are also important, such as law enforcement and education. prgtoken What we have decided we must do is to put Medicaid on a sustainable path by spending more money each year on low-income Americans. We still have some more work to do. But the idea that just because--compared to an uncapped entitlement with no limits on spending--we end up spending a set amount, as we spent this year or will spend next year and add more each year based on the cost-of-living index, that somehow is a cut, is just ludicrous. That is certainly not my understanding of what a cut is; it is a reduction in the rate of growth. So if you call that
Nomination of Kristine Svinicki (Executive Session)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-6-22

I come to the floor today to speak in support of President 's nomination of Kristine Svinicki to continue serving as a nuclear safety regulator. prgtoken Ms. Svinicki has served as a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for more than 9 years. In January, President designated Ms. Svinicki as the Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She is well qualified. In her time in office, she has proven to be knowledgeable, dedicated, and an outstanding public servant. prgtoken She also has been very responsive to Congress. Since becoming a Commissioner, she has testified 18 times before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Before becoming a member of the NRC, she served as staff in the U.S. Senate, as a nuclear engineer at the Department of Energy, and as an energy engineer for the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. prgtoken She has already been confirmed twice to serve on the NRC. In both 2008 and 2012, her nomination was approved by the Environment and Public Works Committee and by the full Senate, each time by voice vote. Earlier this month, the Environment and Public Works Committee approved her nomination for a third time, again by voice vote. prgtoken Her nomination has garnered support from groups like Third Way, which is a think tank once labeled as ``radical centrists'' by the New York Times. Josh Freed, who is the vice president of the Clean Energy Program at Third Way, said this: ``Svinicki's work at the NRC has resulted in improved readiness to regulate small modular and advanced reactors that could provide enormous benefits for climate, American leadership, and domestic job creation.'' He went on to say that Chairman Svinicki's continued leadership at the NRC is needed now more than ever. prgtoken The Senate must act quickly to confirm Ms. Svinicki. Unless she is confirmed by June 30, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will no longer have a quorum of its members. We can't let that happen. The NRC has an important mission of regulating America's nuclear industry. The Commission serves to protect public health and the environment. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission needs a quorum of its members in office to meet its mission. prgtoken We need to confirm Kristine Svinicki, and I urge all Senators to vote yes on her nomination. prgtoken . prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO MAUREEN RILEY
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-6-22

today I wish to pay tribute to a remarkable leader in the airport industry, Maureen Riley, who is retiring on June 30. Maureen is not only an accomplished businesswoman, but also a well- respected collaborator who had the vision and tenacity to get a $3.1 billion airport redevelopment program off the ground at Salt Lake City International Airport. prgtoken For more than 30 years, Maureen's professional life has been marked by many significant achievements in the airport industry. She has distinguished herself as a trusted consultant for numerous airports across the country. She has also served as deputy executive director at Orlando International Airport and, most recently, as executive director for the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. prgtoken Maureen believes in collaboration and sharing information to create better operating results. She has served in top leadership positions for the Airports Council International-North America, ACI-NA, a trade association of airports around the globe. She also served as a member of the ACI World Board of Directors for 4 years. prgtoken I first met Maureen after she took over the helm at Salt Lake City's Department of Airports, a position she has served in for more than a decade. During this time, Maureen guided the airport through the planning, financing, and now construction of the $3.1 billion airport redevelopment program. prgtoken Maureen is an exceptional manager who can be credited with gaining approval from the airlines to construct the new airport, which is paramount to the success of Utah's economy. She has the unique ability to bring people together and has been able to persuade the airlines, architects, financers, and construction teams to get the construction program off the ground. Maureen never backs away from a challenge and does what is necessary to keep a project on track and on budget. She is well respected by her colleagues and is known as being a tough negotiator. As one airline executive once told Maureen, ``It is hard to resist your reasonableness.'' prgtoken Maureen is passionate about providing excellent customer service to airport passengers. She is committed to seeing that a project is done right the first time and is not afraid of saying no when a project or proposal does not make sense. Maureen is also committed to promoting women in the workforce and encourages the use of gender-neutral language in meetings by contractors, consultants, and staff. prgtoken Maureen has been the driving force to ensure the airport redevelopment program leaves a positive lasting impression on passengers and meets Salt Lake City's passenger growth well into the future. prgtoken Maureen Riley is leaving a lasting legacy as she steps down from her position with the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. I want to wish Maureen well in her retirement and send my best wishes to her and her family on this momentous occasion.