mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
Ben Sasse (Republican, NE) \u2014 2018-10-3

I rise to say in public today what I have been discussing with many individual Nebraskans over the last 17 days about the ``me too.'' movement, the important ``me too.'' movement, about a nation that is accelerating our descent into tribalism and about our continuing decline here in the Senate as a deliberative body--or as a Nebraska woman put it a little more bluntly to me 2 nights ago: What the hell is happening in my country? prgtoken One part of the answer to her urgent question is that the Senate is being swallowed whole by 24/7 cable news, and that inclination--that temptation--probably just can't be reconciled with being a great deliberative body. Doing reality TV and wrestling with big, hard, complicated, long-term problems are just fundamentally different things. prgtoken I am not here tonight to talk about the Supreme Court confirmation votes that we will probably be taking this weekend. I am here to talk about the nasty process we have been navigating over the past 86 days and about the false choices some people are claiming stand before us and about where we in the Senate will go next week, next month, and next year after that vote. prgtoken I am not here to talk about how fundamentally broken the Senate Judiciary Committee is or how absurd it is to think that the problems in our committee structures are going to be solved by preening and grandstanding Senators looking for sound bites, although both of those things are obviously true. prgtoken No, I am here to talk tonight about the false choice that is being repeated hour after hour after hour on television that this confirmation vote about one vacant seat on the Supreme Court--in that vote we are somehow going to be making a giant binary choice about the much broader issue of whether we do or don't care about women. That is simply not true. That is not what we are doing this weekend. prgtoken Fortunately, many Nebraskans the last 2 weekends when I have been home have been much more nuanced than the kind of screaming we hear on battling cable news channels. prgtoken A Supreme Court confirmation vote isn't a grand choice about whether we love our daughters or whether we trust our sons. That is not the choice before us. This is a consent decision about one person for one seat. prgtoken Again, I am not here to talk tonight about the particular vote. There is lots of lobbying going on around this body right now. I am not here to talk about that particular vote. But I will say that I have spent more than 150 hours at this point reviewing documents and in hearings and consulting investigators and experts related to this confirmation. prgtoken Moreover, I will also say that although I have said many complimentary things about Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his distinguished record of 12 years of service on the DC Circuit Court, I will say that I urged the President back in June and early July to make a different choice before he announced this no
200TH ANNIVRSARY OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF RUSSELLVILLE
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-10-3

today I wish to recognize the members and leadership of First Baptist Church of Russellville in celebration of the 200th anniversary of their first meeting in Logan County, KY. At a time when the United States was comprised of only 20 States, a small group of people, including 10 members and three elders, formed a church which held its first meeting on November 24, 1818. prgtoken For 200 years, the church has worked to meet the needs of its community and to reach far beyond the boundaries of Logan County to minister to the needs of others. The dedicated congregation at First Baptist Church of Russellville has planted three other churches and commissioned several members into full-time overseas missions, including Rev. and Mrs. Sheldon Trimble to Nigeria in 1865; Mary Nell Lynne to China in 1918; Robert and Mavis Hardy to Japan in 1958; Cathy Sue Smith to the Philippines in 1982; and Robert and Julie Johnson to Taiwan in 1992. prgtoken Furthermore, First Baptist Church of Russellville has given over $3,000,000 to the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention, which supports missionaries and trains pastors worldwide. Today, the men, women, and students of First Baptist Church of Russellville continue to play a vital role in the life of their community. prgtoken I congratulate Pastor Joe Ball and all the members of First Baptist on this truly exceptional milestone. I thank them for all they have done and continue to do through their many generations of service.
Bipartisanship (Executive Calendar)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-10-3

the Senate is debating right now, obviously, a really important issue. It is the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. It is a very serious and important debate. It is a contentious debate. There are a lot of emotions out there, and it is going to continue to be that way, but I want to talk about something that is not actually related to that. In some ways, it is actually related to something very different. prgtoken I heard in the news this morning--actually, I hear this in the news all the time. I say to our friends in the media, this speech that I am going to give has a little bit about something I want you to focus on and to try a little harder in certain ways to report. There is a conventional wisdom out there that the Senate is the most contentious it has ever been--that there is hyperpartisanship, that nobody talks to each other, and that nobody likes each other. I have heard people talk about 1850, the Civil War, and that nothing gets done. prgtoken Now, I am not a media basher. I walk out, and I do my interviews. I am very open. Back home in the great State of Alaska, I am open to the media all the time. I am respectful. I don't see the media as the enemy of the people or anything like that. They certainly have their biases, but I will say that I believe, to some degree, this narrative of ``hey, this place is so partisan; I haven't seen this since the 1850s; nothing gets done here'' is driven by the media. prgtoken Conflict sells. We know that. Senators fighting and bashing each other is kind of interesting to sell newspapers or to have a place on social media, but bipartisan, hard work--the good work for the Nation-- let's just admit, can be a bit boring. It can be a bit boring. prgtoken People say: Wow, these guys are working together. These men and women are working together. prgtoken That is a little boring in the media space. So it doesn't get written about nationally and, certainly, a lot of times, locally in some of our home States. I think this is a shame. I think it is a shame. prgtoken Of course, the media can write about the contentious issues. We are seeing a really important one right now, and it deserves a lot of print and a lot of press. It is getting it. That is for sure. It is a shame because this can be a bit dispiriting, not only for the Members of this body but much more importantly for the people we represent, for the Alaskans I represent. prgtoken They see this when they read the newspaper, and they think: Jeez, is this the only thing going on there? prgtoken So tonight what I want to do is something that is a bit of a shocker to some watching back home, and we still have people in the Galleries. It is going to be a bit of a shocker, and I am almost sure no one is going to write about it or do a story about it, but, nonetheless, the Alaskans I represent and the American people whom we all represent need to hear about it. prgtoken In the past few weeks--heck, in the past few h
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-10-3

. Authority for the FDA to require manufacturers to sell smaller doses of opioids; extending treatment for Medicaid patients from 15 to 30 days in covering all substances; the TREAT Act, Senator Markey, Senator Paul worked hard on this. prgtoken I want to especially thank Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer for creating the environment so we could put together the work of five different committees in the Senate and eight different committees in the House of Representatives. That rarely happens. It takes a good deal of restraint and good will, and the reason for it is because of this bipartisan urgency to deal prgtoken with this problem. This is not a moonshot from Washington. It is everything, though, we could think of to do; more than 70 different proposals to support patients and support communities as they continue to fight our No. 1 public health epidemic. prgtoken .
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-10-3

this has the potential of being a historic week in America. The last 10 days have been very troubling to me as a U.S. Senator, as an individual citizen, husband, father, son. prgtoken I am very troubled today by the extreme measures we see being made right now about a case my colleagues across the aisle are trying to make. I am outraged, actually. After a personal incident that involved my wife and me this week, we have seen firsthand the length to which Members of the other side of the aisle will go to distract us away from the truth. prgtoken This body, the U.S. Senate, has become nothing more than a bully pulpit for someone's special cause, when it should be a deliberative body. We should be finding the truth. prgtoken My ic colleagues claim they want to work together with s. They talk all the time about working in a bipartisan way. Yet, when we get into the heat of the battle, nothing could be further from the truth. prgtoken This is bigger than confirming Judge Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is about civility in our country. People have died supporting our Constitution and fighting for the freedoms we have in this country: innocent until proven guilty, for goodness' sake. When that is not convenient with an argument you are trying to make, it gets trashed. That is what we have seen this week in this body. prgtoken This is about the common discourse in America. Whoever said we always have to agree? We don't. But whoever prgtoken said you have to hate someone if you disagree with them? prgtoken Senate have made it clear, they are willing to say or do anything to stop the President's agenda which, by the way, is working. We are growing this economy at twice the rate we achieved under President . We have over 331 nominees today waiting to be confirmed--the first time in history this has ever been done to this degree. prgtoken One of my ic colleagues called Judge Kavanaugh ``your worst nightmare.'' Another called him ``a nominee who wants to pave the path of tyranny.'' Yet another said: This Supreme Court confirmation would mean ``the destruction of the Constitution.'' Seriously? That is irresponsible for somebody in this body. She said that before Judge Kavanaugh was even announced as a nominee. Worst of all, another one of my ic colleagues said anyone who supports Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation is ``complicit in the evil.'' I just don't understand that. prgtoken Really? Senate want to be reasonable and work together? Seriously? This rhetoric sounds anything but reasonable to me. In fact, I believe my ic colleagues have gone one tick too far this time. When paid activists who support you attack my wife, you have gone too far. The American people will know that on both sides. That didn't start outside this body; it actually started in here. You are inciting this disrespect of our law. prgtoken One of my ic colleague
UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.R. 302
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-10-3

I ask unanimous consent that following disposition of the House message to accompany H.R. 302, the majority leader or his designee be recognized to make a motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R. 6, and that notwithstanding the previous order in relation to H.R. 6, the Senate vote on the motion to concur without further intervening action or debate at 3:15 p.m. today, all as in legislative session.
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-10-3

I rise, as well, to speak about the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. He was nominated on July 9--86 days ago today. prgtoken Even before he was nominated, a number of Members of this body stood and said they would oppose the nomination to the Supreme Court with their not even knowing who he or she might be. After the name came out that evening, other Members of the Senate prgtoken said they opposed him. Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, said he would oppose the nomination with everything he had. It used to be that we could just disregard language like this as empty rhetoric-- not anymore. Now we know exactly what the had in mind from the very start. We have seen the kind of smear campaign they had planned from the very beginning. prgtoken What I have heard from people at home, in Wyoming, is that they didn't think things could get any lower in Washington, DC, until they saw this. The have done everything under the Sun to delay Judge Kavanaugh's nomination and to tarnish his reputation. It began with misrepresenting Judge Kavanaugh's sterling judicial record. Well, that didn't work. prgtoken Then they unfairly complained that they didn't have enough documents by Judge Kavanaugh. When that didn't work, they shifted to surprise attacks on his character. prgtoken The only thing they have accomplished is to set a new low for how the treat people in Washington, DC. prgtoken There is a way we do things in the Senate to make sure we can fairly and fully investigate nominees for important jobs. What we have seen is that the have absolutely rejected this bipartisan tradition. They hid information for more than 2 months. Then, after Judge Kavanaugh had gone through 4 days of confirmation hearings, the leaked that information to the press--information that they had been sitting on and hiding from the American people, hiding from the s on the committee, hiding from the judge himself. prgtoken This isn't the first time we have seen the try to change the rules when it comes to judicial nominees. The really do have a double standard. They do it time and again. They want one set of rules for when there is a ic President and then a totally different set of rules for when there is a President. prgtoken The have had for years something known as the rule, which was named after then-Senator and then-Vice President . This rule says you shouldn't confirm a Supreme Court nominee once a Presidential election is in full swing. The wanted that rule in place when was President. Once President was in office, the wanted to pretend they had never said it, never heard of it, and that it no longer applied. They wanted a totally different set of rules for considering nominees for a ic President than those
HONORING OFFICERS JAMES WHITE, WALTER MOAK AND JOSH SMITH
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-10-3

flags in Mississippi are flying at half-staff as my State mourns the loss of hometown heroes. The Mississippi Highway Patrol Honor Guard stands vigil over three fallen comrades, who swore to protect and serve their communities. prgtoken Mississippi law enforcement lost three officers in 2 days. prgtoken Early Saturday morning in Brookhaven, Officer James Kevin White of Sontag and Corporal Walter Zachery Marshall Moak of Brookhaven gave their lives in the line of duty. prgtoken On Sunday, off-duty Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper Kenneth Joshlin ``Josh'' Smith of Walnut was fatally shot near the Tippah and Alcorn county line. prgtoken James was 35. Zach was 31. Josh was 32. They leave behind children, wives, parents, and siblings, but they will be remembered not only by their families, but by grateful communities. I know this because I live in Brookhaven. These men protected my family and my neighbors, and I am so thankful for their service. prgtoken Local media in Brookhaven and Corinth have published tributes to these men, their service, and those they have left behind. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent that a September 29, 2018, article from Brookhaven Daily Leader, titled, ``Officers Remembered as Men of Service,'' be printed in the Record.
SPORTS MEDICINE LICENSURE CLARITY ACT OF 2017
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-10-3

amid all the unfounded, uncorroborated accusations and attacks on a fine jurist, I think it is important for us to remember that other things are happening here at the same time. For one thing, I will only make one comment about the comments of the previous speaker; that is, the program that is somewhat accurately described actually started not in the administration but in the administration. FAA Reauthorization Act prgtoken , what I want to say is that something really significant is about to happen; that is, something we have been waiting for for a long time. If you are not on the Commerce Committee, you are not dealing with this issue--actually, there are three committees dealing with it--and you wouldn't be aware of how significant the vote coming up really is. prgtoken We are going to be voting to reauthorize the FAA. This is something we have been trying to do now for many years. This is actually a 5-year reauthorization. That is significant. The last time we did a 5-year reauthorization of the FAA was in the 1980s. It is a huge win, not just for the obvious good things that are going on and what we need to be doing to update the system we are working with, but if you single out general aviation and pilots, it is a big, major deal. prgtoken The legislation makes needed investments in our Nation's airport infrastructure and supports the general aviation community. It improves commercial service for the flying public and streamlines the FAA regulatory process, eliminating a lot of the redtape that goes along with any bureaucracy. It enhances aviation security and promotes responsible and safe integration for drones in our national airspace. prgtoken As an active pilot, I am especially pleased that many pilot protections I have fought for are in this bill. In fact, I am very proud that I actually introduced in committee and was able to get in the bill six of my amendments that I know are very significant, and they mostly address general aviation. It is going to have more transparency in communicating with the FAA. prgtoken We have heard the stories about some of the FAA enforcement proceedings. That is common to a lot of bureaucracies. It strengthens one area: the notice to airmen. That is called NOTAM. NOTAMs are notifications to people who are pilots to let them know if they are going to land on a runway and if there is a problem on the runway and it is under construction or something like that. It came from a personal experience I had when I landed on one where there was work. But there were no NOTAMs. So there was no way of warning people. prgtoken I remember that I said: Well, where are the NOTAMs, if you say there are NOTAMs? prgtoken They said: Well, that is for you to find out. prgtoken This changes all of that. We have the NOTAM reform that is in there. It includes the Volunteer Pilot Protection Act. That is like the Good Samaritan
SPORTS MEDICINE LICENSURE CLARITY ACT OF 2017
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-10-3

I unfortunately don't have enough time right now to respond to everything the ic leader has said, but I do want to say this: The most accurate statement the minority leader made is, he was against Judge Kavanaugh from the start. No one should be confused about this being a search for the truth. This is about search and destroy. prgtoken Now, I think the Judiciary Committee conducted itself appropriately in giving Dr. Ford a chance to tell her story. I have said all along I want Dr. Ford to be treated just the same way my daughters or my wife or my mother would be treated under similar circumstances, and I think we met that standard, but we know the goalpost continues to be moved by our colleagues. This idea that you can assassinate a man's character, resulting in threats against his family, ruin his reputation and his future, and expect him to be a human punching bag and not respond forcefully--it is incredible to me. prgtoken This should be about a fair process, but a fair process means the people who ultimately decide should have an open mind at the beginning. You wouldn't want to walk into a courtroom and talk to a jury or a judge where the judge and jury had already made up their mind; you would want them to listen to the evidence. That is what a fundamentally fair process means. prgtoken It also means, if somebody is going to make an accusation against an individual for a crime, which is what has been alleged against Judge Kavanaugh, they would have to come forward with more than just an allegation; they would have to come forward with witnesses, proof, evidence because under our Constitution, people are presumed to be innocent of crimes unless proven guilty. They are accorded due process of law, a fair hearing, a fair process. prgtoken Unfortunately, as a result of the mishandling of Dr. Ford's confidential letter to the ranking member, contrary to her wishes and without her consent, leaked to the press, she has been thrust into this three-ring circus. She was not told by her lawyers that the Judiciary Committee had offered to send a bipartisan team of professional staff out to her home in California to interview her confidentially. Why would her lawyers not tell her that? Because they wanted this three- ring circus. Despite Dr. Ford's wishes not to be thrust into the spotlight, they evidently thrust her into that spotlight, raising the question in my mind: For whom are they working? Are these lawyers actually working for Dr. Ford or do they have another agenda and another client in mind? prgtoken Well, the idea that now this has all come down to what somebody wrote in their high school yearbook is beyond parody. I mean, you can't make stuff like this up. Oh, we know the judge is belligerent because he allegedly threw ice on somebody in a bar in college. Of course, the reporter who wrote that had previously sent out a tweet demonstrating his bias against Judge Kavanaugh, but now