mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6199, RESTORING ACCESS TO MEDICATION ACT OF 2018, AND PROVIDING FOR PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PERIOD FROM JULY 27, 2018, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3, 2018
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-7-24

the balance of my time. prgtoken First off, , let me reference an article from the Investor's Business Daily from April 10 of this year. I am quoting Investor's Business Daily: ``When the Congressional Budget Office released its updated budget forecast, everyone focused on the deficit number. But buried in the report was the Congressional Budget Office's tacit admission that it vastly overestimated the cost of the tax cuts because it didn't account for the strong economic growth they would generate. ``Among the many details in the report, the one reporters focused on was the Congressional Budget Office's forecast that the Federal deficit would top $1 trillion in 2020. . . .'' prgtoken Most of the news accounts blame the tax cuts. prgtoken I am continuing to quote here: ``But there's more to the story that the media overlooked. ``First, the CBO revised its economic forecast sharply upward this year and next. ``Last June, the CBO said GDP growth for 2018 would be just 2 percent. Now it figures growth will be 3.3 percent''--this was last April, ; I suspect it is probably going to be higher at the end of this quarter--``a significant upward revision. It also boosted its forecast for 2019 from a meager 1.5 percent to a respectable 2.4 percent.'' prgtoken , the tax cuts are working to boost economic growth. Obviously, the story is far from completed, but the revenue generated by that increased growth is more than enough to offset the tax cuts that were passed by this body last December. prgtoken , today's rule allows the House to take another step in fixing the problems created by the Affordable Care Act and returning control of healthcare spending back to patients, where it belongs. prgtoken H.R. 6199, the Restoring Access to Medication Act of 2018, will allow those Americans with health savings accounts to use those accounts to pay for over-the-counter medications, the practice which existed up until the took away that ability in the Affordable Care Act. This is the right thing to do. prgtoken I want to thank Representative Jenkins for her leadership on this legislation and the Members who contributed to the package that is before us today. I urge my colleagues to support today's rule and support the underlying bills.
TRILATERAL ALLIANCE OF GEORGIA, UKRAINE, AND MOLDOVA
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-7-24

our friends in Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia are facing major threats to their sovereignty from the Russian bear. These young democracies are striving to build peaceful, civil societies and effective governing institutions after decades of Soviet tyranny. Yet Vladimir Putin, the Napoleon of Siberia, refuses to accept their independence and sovereign rights as free nations. prgtoken For years, Russian troops have occupied each of these nations and incited violence within the borders. Moscow has used corruption and coercion to undermine the rule of law in democratic institutions of each of these nations. Putin continues to use cyber warfare against each of these nations. prgtoken We, as leaders of the free world and guarantors of the international, rules-based order, have a duty to stand by these sovereign states. In some cases, , we have signed pledges to do so. prgtoken Their struggle for freedom is not some distant battle that does not concern our well-being. Their fight for self-determination is a battle for the global order and the survival of democracy in the face of foreign tyranny, specifically Putin's tyranny. prgtoken Nations and the people they represent have the sole right to determine their own fates. Foreign bullies like Putin should not threaten or dictate their way of life or the futures of those children. prgtoken If we allow Russia to so blatantly break international law, particularly the fundamentals of sovereignty and territorial integrity, where will it end? When will the Russian bear march in the streets of some other friend, a NATO ally, perhaps? prgtoken We must recognize their courage in the face of such a daunting challenge and send a message to the Kremlin that we stand with our Eastern European friends on their quest to be a free nation and more integrated into the West. That is why I have introduced H. Res. 955, to affirm U.S. support to the nations of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova in their effort to retain political sovereignty and territorial integrity. prgtoken I am joined in sponsoring this important bipartisan resolution by Georgia Caucus co-chair, Representative Connolly from Virginia; as well as the co-chairs of the Moldova Caucus, Representative Olson from Texas and Representative Price from North Carolina; and the co-chairs of the congressional Ukrainian Caucus, Representatives Kaptur of Ohio, of Maryland, Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, and Levin of Michigan. prgtoken Our resolution reaffirms the commitment of the United States to support the democratically elected governments of these three nations. It condemns Russia's violation of the Budapest Memorandum, a commitment it made in 1994 to ensure the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. prgtoken Putin has lied. He lied in his commitment. Our legislation calls for the immediate and complete withdrawal of all Russian military and security personnel and equipment from the nations of Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldo
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-7-24

a lot of praise has flowed in for Judge Kavanaugh since his nomination, but I think the tribute that has struck me the most is the letter from his law clerks. These individuals have worked closely with Judge Kavanaugh and have a special insight into his temperament and philosophy. Here is what they have to say: It is in his role as a judge on the D.C. Circuit that we know Judge Kavanaugh best. During his time on the D.C. Circuit, Judge Kavanaugh has come to work every day dedicated to engaging in the hard work of judging. We never once saw him take a shortcut, treat a case as unimportant, or search for an easy answer. Instead, in each case, large or small, he masters every detail, and rereads every precedent. He listens carefully to the views of his colleagues and clerks, even--indeed, especially--when they differ from his own. He drafts opinions painstakingly, writing and rewriting until he is satisfied each opinion is clear and well-reasoned, and can be understood not only by lawyers but by the parties and the public. We saw time and time again that this work ethic flows from a fundamental humility. Judge Kavanaugh never assumes he knows the answers in advance and never takes for granted that his view of the law will prevail. prgtoken Those are the words of 34 of Judge Kavanaugh's law clerks. Every one of Judge Kavanaugh's clerks who was not prohibited by his or her job signed this letter. prgtoken These clerks represent a diverse group. They wrote: Our views on politics, on many of the important legal issues faced by the Supreme Court, and on judicial philosophy, are diverse. Our ranks include s, , and Independents. But we are united in this: Our admiration and fondness for Judge Kavanaugh run deep. For each of us . . . it was a tremendous stroke of luck to work for and be mentored by a person of his strength of character, generosity of spirit, intellectual capacity, and unwavering care for his family, friends, colleagues, and us, his law clerks. prgtoken This letter is a pretty significant tribute, and it confirms what has been clear from the beginning, and that is that Judge Kavanaugh is the type of judge who should sit on the Nation's highest Court. His clerks describe a judge who takes the weight of his responsibility seriously; a judge who is committed to reaching the right decision in every case and who does the hard work necessary to get to that decision; a judge who approaches each case with an open mind, looking for what the law says, not the outcome he wants. prgtoken As Chief Justice John Roberts famously said, ``Judges are like umpires.'' Their job is to call the balls and strikes, not rewrite the rules of the game. As Justice Roberts said, ``Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them.'' It is essential that a
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-7-24

before the two Senators from Missouri leave the floor, let me express my personal condolences to them, which I know are shared by each and every Member of this body. The tragedy in Missouri is absolutely heartbreaking for the families, for the community, and for the State, and I want our two colleagues from Missouri to know that we stand with them during this very difficult time. Amendments Nos. 3405 and 3422 to Amendment No. 3399
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2018-7-24

from Delaware for his very prgtoken forceful articulation of the reason for this resolution. prgtoken Again, I repeat what was said by the President today: ``Just remember what you're seeing and what you're reading is not what's happening.'' prgtoken Continually, the topic of election interference is being muddied and being further clarified and then further muddied. That is why it is important for this body to stand up and say: We know what happened, and we don't want it to happen again. That is what this resolution is all about. prgtoken The Senator who objected noted that we have a lot to do in Congress and we can't waste our time with resolutions like this. If this simply passes, it is done. We have stated what we came here to state. But as it stands now, since it has been objected to, we will bring it back. So if we are really concerned about the agenda for the rest of the year, let's simply agree to it and let the intelligence community know that we stand with them. That is what we are doing here. Why object to it? prgtoken There is not one sentence in here, not one word that says anything about whether the election interference by the Russians was dispositive, if it had any impact on the election. That is not implied in any way by this resolution. It simply states what is obvious, what the Senator who objected acknowledged, which has been repeated again and again by this body, by the House Intelligence Committee, and by every intelligence agency that we have. Because there was such a muddied statement in Helsinki, why not state once again here that we in the Senate know what happened and that we stand with those in the intelligence community who have brought this forward? prgtoken With that, .
THE AMERICAN LEGION 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Thomas MacArthur (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2018-7-24

I spent about 30 years in the insurance industry. A good deal of that time, I worked on this program. I know it, I would guess, better than anyone here, and I know what it does for people. I know its weaknesses as well. prgtoken , 140 million Americans live in coastal counties today. They are ordinary Americans, mostly of moderate means. I represent many of these folks in Ocean County, New Jersey. These are the victims of disasters like Sandy, and they absolutely depend upon this program. prgtoken In October, the House passed a bill that I worked on and I supported, a 5-year reauthorization with modest increases in premiums, increased mitigation dollars, and instilled some accountability at FEMA. It was too much reform for some, not enough for others. But it was absolutely necessary that we do that. The Senate has totally failed to act. prgtoken So, what do we do today? We hold every homeowner along the coast hostage? We cannot do that. prgtoken The NFIP program has $30 billion of borrowing capacity. That drops to $1 billion if this lapses. That is a modest event in this country. How do we look the American people in the eye after a storm and say: We don't have the money that you have been paying premiums for. How do we do that? How do we shut down the real estate market? prgtoken If you can't get a mortgage, you can't buy a home. And you cannot get a mortgage in coastal counties without flood insurance.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to discuss the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill for 2019. As chairman of the subcommittee, I have really enjoyed working with the ranking member, Senator Coons, and all of the members of the Appropriations Committee. prgtoken However, for many Members of this Chamber who are not on the Appropriations Committee, today will be their first close look at an appropriations bill from our subcommittee. It has been months in process, with many oversight hearings, a lot of debate, a lot of amendments, a lot of back and forth with a tremendous amount of input from Members of this body, and it is finally actually on the floor. prgtoken It has been nearly 7 years since the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill has actually been considered on the Senate floor. In November of 2011, the Senate began consideration of the combined appropriations package for Energy and Water, Financial Services, and State and Foreign Operations. Unfortunately, the floor consideration of that bill was halted shortly after it began, and Members were not able to offer amendments or have their voices heard. We are looking forward to that changing today. prgtoken This week's debate will subject the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill to public scrutiny and an open amendment process on the Senate floor for the first time since the subcommittee was established in 2007. It is too long in coming. I applaud the leadership of Chairman Shelby and Ranking Member Leahy, who were determined to see the committee return to regular order. prgtoken A little bit of sunshine will help us in this process. I am a firm believer that openness and transparency result in a better legislative product. It is my hope that today starts a trend where the appropriations bills that are seldom seen outside the committee, such as the Financial Services and Interior appropriations bills, can be debated openly and amended on the Senate floor. prgtoken We have made a concerted effort to make responsible decisions in allocating resources and to be responsive prgtoken to the requests we have received from Members of both sides of the aisle, and we welcome continued input and proposed amendments from other Members. prgtoken This Financial Services and General Government bill totals $23,688,000,000. It includes funding for a diverse group of 27 different independent agencies. It includes the Executive Office of the President, the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Judiciary, and the District of Columbia. The bill does not include any budget gimmicks or empty CHIMPS, or changes in mandatory program spending, which are often used as a gimmick by appropriations. It does not include those. prgtoken The bill provides targeted funding increases for the Treasury Department to combat terrorism financing, for the Federal courts to support their administration of justice, and for the GSA's
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2018-7-24

I am pleased to introduce the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. I am glad we are considering appropriations bills on the floor in a manner that allows us to fully debate amendments. prgtoken I am pleased also to join my colleagues from the Subcommittees on Interior; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; and also Financial Services in putting together this legislation. prgtoken For now, I am going to limit my comments to the ag provisions. I will defer to my colleagues on their provisions, but I look forward to our partnership in moving these bills across the floor. prgtoken The activities funded by the Agriculture bill touch the lives of every American every day. I like to talk about how important good farm policy is because good farm policy benefits every single American every single day with the highest quality, lowest cost food supply. prgtoken As we move this Agriculture appropriations bill, that is what it is about. It is about our farmers and ranchers, no doubt about that, but it is something that benefits every single American every single day. prgtoken These activities include ag research, conservation activities, housing and business loan programs for rural communities, domestic and international nutrition programs, and food safety and drug safety. prgtoken Funding for each of these deserves thorough and thoughtful consideration. The subcommittee has made difficult decisions in drafting this bill. We had to choose and we had to prioritize in terms of putting this legislation together, but I think we brought forward a bill that works. It is one that got broad-based bipartisan support from the Appropriations Committee. prgtoken It is written to our allocation of just over $23 billion. That is about $200 million above the current enacted level. We worked hard to invest taxpayer dollars responsibly, funding programs that provide direct benefits to our farmers, our ranchers, and rural communities, supporting programs that provide direct health and safety benefits, again, to every single American every single day. prgtoken Ag supports more than 16 million jobs nationwide. It forms the backbone of our rural communities. Our agricultural producers are the best in the world at what they do, and we have to work hard to give them a level playing field because they produce food, fuel, and fiber for this country but also for countries around the world. We really do feed the world, so we need access to those markets to do so. prgtoken This is, of course, in part, the result of smart investment in America's ag research infrastructure, something that truly helps our farmers and ranchers, our producers do what they do every day. Ag research helps us do it better, more cost-effectively, with higher quality, and more productivity. prgtoken That is why I am pleased this bill puts significant emphasis on maintaining
PROTECT MEDICAL INNOVATION ACT OF 2017
Erik Paulsen (Republican, MN) \u2014 2018-7-24

reclaiming my time, on the individual mandate, 6.6 million people who paid the penalty had incomes below $50,000. These are middle class people who had to pay the fine instead of buying overpriced Care coverage that they could not afford. Now, starting in 2019, they are not going to have to do that anymore. s think that is a good thing. prgtoken Let me close back on the bill, though, . prgtoken The good news is that both s and here today agree and understand that the medical device excise tax does more harm than good, and it has to be repealed. We heard testimony and speakers today on both sides of the aisle. We will have a strong, bipartisan vote to repeal this tax permanently. prgtoken We have already had a suspension twice. But we need to give this industry certainty so that we can make sure that this American success story not only survives, but thrives. prgtoken It is about high-paying jobs with net exports around the world. This makes sure that patients not only in the United States are going to have access to new medical technology devices, for baby boomers, seniors, and those getting up in their elder years with new devices. This is really critical for the innovation that is going to help to make sure that we are protecting patients around the world, keeping headquarters here, keeping jobs here, and improving healthcare outcomes. prgtoken Today, we have an opportunity to help. It is helping those small startups that are part of the very ecosystem that has made this industry so strong in the United States that provides these jobs, and making sure that entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, and folks who come up with an idea in the backyard or in the garage can see their idea come to fruition. prgtoken So let's remove this threat to innovation. Let's remove this job- killing tax once and for all. There are 277 cosponsors in the House. How many bills actually get that many cosponsors of and s? Let's continue to show the American public that what we are doing here in Washington on this issue is results oriented, is solution oriented, and we are sensitive, and we understand that. prgtoken , I ask everyone to vote for the passage of H.R. 184, and .
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to speak on the latest efforts to derail the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. I would like to focus today on a few areas where attacks have come up. prgtoken Judge Kavanaugh's critics, faced with an exceptionally well- qualified, baseball-loving, carpool-driving nominee, are struggling to find anything that might slow or even stop his confirmation. Let me focus today on a few areas where their attacks have come up short. prgtoken It seems that some folks can't mention Judge Kavanaugh without suggesting in the same breath that his confirmation would somehow be the death knell of Special Counsel Mueller's investigation. It can be difficult to keep straight critics' dizzying array of claims on these separation of powers issues, but it is worth taking a closer look to set the record straight. prgtoken It was hard to miss the headline, ``Brett Kavanaugh Once Argued That a prgtoken Sitting President Is Above the Law,'' or the article that suggested Judge Kavanaugh ``has been an open advocate for precisely the sort of imperial presidency that the founders of the American experiment feared.'' prgtoken soon piled on, but never in the law review article that spurred this hysteria did Judge Kavanaugh suggest that a President would be immune from civil or criminal liability. Rather, he suggested that, as a policy matter, it might be wise for Congress to enact a law that would defer such litigation until the President leaves office, and, of course, Congress could accelerate that timeline through impeachment. prgtoken Judge Kavanaugh's law review article represents an interesting policy proposal--and one, it is worth noting, that he offered while a was in the White House. The critics' attempts to equate his policy recommendations with his views on the constitutional limitations on prosecutions of sitting Presidents are simply wrong. If anything, Judge Kavanaugh's recommendation that Congress enact a law suggests that in the absence of any such legislation, a sitting President can be investigated and perhaps even prosecuted. prgtoken Then there was the hoopla over Judge Kavanaugh's statement that he would ``put the final nail'' in the ruling that upheld the constitutionality of independent counsels; never mind the fact that the independent counsel statute expired nearly two decades ago and was described by Eric Holder as ``too flawed to be renewed.'' prgtoken Today, special counsels, such as Robert Mueller, are appointed pursuant to Department of Justice regulations. They do not represent the same constitutional concerns as the independent counsel statute. By conflating independent counsels and special counsels, Judge Kavanaugh's critics ignore his own record on the matter. prgtoken In a dissenting opinion he wrote last year, Judge Kavanaugh himself observed: ``The independent counsel is, of course, distinct from the traditional