mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Johnny Isakson (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-2-13

today I am proud to honor in the Record a dedicated Georgian who has devoted his life's work to our State. prgtoken Mr. Kelly McCutchen has spent the last 25 years of his career guiding the direction of one of Georgia's respected think tanks, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. Most recently, Kelly served as CEO of the organization. Prior to taking the helm in 2010, he was the organization's vice president, and he remains as a member of its board of trustees. prgtoken At the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, Kelly helped create the Civic Renewal Project that highlights the work of outstanding community-based organizations, the No Excuses program to recognize and study high-achieving, high-poverty public schools, and the foundation's award-winning statewide report cards on education, crime, and taxes. prgtoken In January 2018, the foundation was named one of the best independent think tanks in the 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report. During his tenure, the foundation was also named No. 1 for ``highest integrity'' and No. 3 for ``most knowledgeable among business organizations or State associations in Georgia'' by James magazine in 2004. prgtoken A proud third-generation high honors graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Kelly has also served on the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. He is a founder and served as governing board chair of Tech High, a math, science, and technology focused public charter school in Atlanta. prgtoken At the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Kelly served on the education policy committee and the healthcare policy committee. prgtoken He chaired the board of the Healthcare Institute for Neuro-Recovery and Innovation Foundation and has also served on the Georgia Science and Technology Executive Committee and on the public policy committee for Metro Atlanta United Way. In addition, he is a policy adviser for the Technology Association of Georgia. prgtoken His service to our State has also been seen on the boards of Leadership Georgia and the Conservative Policy Leadership Institute. prgtoken Of particular significance to me as chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Kelly cofounded the Georgia Warrior Alliance, a nonprofit with the mission to make Georgia the national leader in programs supporting military veterans and their families. prgtoken Kelly's wife, Mary Kay Davis McCutchen, has been a dedicated companion and chief supporter of his work and civic engagement. Their son Kelly and daughter Caroline are college students who have wonderful role models to follow in their very special parents. prgtoken Kelly McCutchen is a Georgian whom I am proud to know and to call a friend. I applaud his service and wish him the very best as he continues his service to our State in his new role as executive director of the High Impact Network of Responsible Innovators.
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-13

yesterday we began floor debate on something that we have literally been talking about for years. I remember, after the election of 2012, meeting at the White House with then-President , with of the House Boehner, Leader McCarthy, Senator McConnell, and others. The President was prepared to do something he had threatened to do, which we actually asked him not to do, and that is, to try to take unilateral Executive action to deal with the issue of these young adults who came with their parents, when they were children, into the United States in violation of our immigration laws. prgtoken We said: Please, President , give us a chance to work with you to come up with a solution. prgtoken He listened and said: No. I am going to sign an Executive order or action, and I am going to go this alone. prgtoken Well, unfortunately for the young people who were the beneficiaries of this DACA Executive order, the court struck it down, so they were left in doubt and in some jeopardy, wondering, now that they had been granted a deferred action against deportation by President , what their future would look like. So President , upon the advice of General Kelly, who was then Secretary of Homeland Security, said: Give the Congress some time to deal with this. prgtoken Indeed, here we are with a deadline of March 5. All of the time that this President has been in office--since January 20 of last year--this has been basically living on borrowed time insofar as the DACA Program is involved. President quite appropriately said that this is a legislative responsibility and that Congress needs to deal with this. prgtoken Well, here we are. The debate actually began on February 8, which is the date that Senator McConnell, the Senate majority leader, agreed to initiate the motion to proceed on the debate. Of course, you will remember what happened. The government was shut down because our ic colleagues refused to proceed to deal with the continuing resolution for funding the government until there was some resolution of this DACA issue. So the majority leader said: We are going to deal with it starting February 8 if there is no other agreement, and it is going to be a fair and impartial process. Everybody's ideas are going to be aired, and people should be able to vote on those ideas. prgtoken Well, here we are. We started yesterday with cloture on the bill. Now, under the Senate rule, there are 30 hours that will expire tonight at 11 p.m. or thereabouts, and we are waiting on our colleagues across the aisle to begin this process that they were so eager to initiate that they shut down the government. prgtoken So far, the majority leader came to the floor and made an offer at about noon today, saying: We will start with a vote on an amendment of your choosing, and then we will go to one of our choosing. We will go back and forth and have an orderly process so I can follow through on
RECOGNIZING THE BUCKS COUNTY OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-2-13

I rise today to recognize the Bucks County Opportunity Council for their commitment to serving members of our community. The Opportunity Council will be offering free income tax preparation assistance to low-income residents of Bucks County through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. prgtoken Trained and certified volunteers will be available in Levittown, Warminster, Quakertown, and Newtown between February 1 and April 15 to serve as many members of the community as possible. Individuals and families with a combined income of $54,000 or less are eligible for assistance through the program. Volunteer tax preparers receive training and need to pass an exam to be certified. Others can assist in support roles such as greeting visitors and scheduling. prgtoken The program is sponsored by the IRS and supported locally by the Bucks County Foundation, KeyBank Foundation, and First National Bank & Trust of Newtown. prgtoken , we offer our thanks to the Bucks County Opportunity Council for all they do for our community.
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-2-13

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to proceed to H.R. 2579 be agreed to; that Senator Toomey or his designee be recognized to offer amendment No. 1948 and that Senator Coons or his designee be recognized to offer amendment No. 1955; further, that the time until 8 p.m. be equally divided between the leaders or their designees and that following the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate vote on the amendments in the order listed, with 60 affirmative votes required for adoption, and that no second- degree amendments be in order prior to the votes; finally, that if any of the amendments are adopted, they become original text for the purpose of further amendment.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 2018 CONGRESS-BUNDESTAG/BUNDESRAT EXCHANGE
Paul D. Ryan (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-2-13

since 1983, the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag and Bundesrat have conducted an annual exchange program for staff members from both countries. The program gives professional staff the opportunity to observe and learn about each other's political institutions and interact on issues of mutual interest. prgtoken A staff delegation from the U.S. Congress will be selected to visit Germany for nine days from Saturday, June 30-Sunday, July 8, 2018. During this nine-day exchange, the delegation will attend meetings with Bundestag/Bundesrat Members, Bundestag and Bundesrat party staff members, and representatives of numerous political, business, academic, and media agencies. prgtoken A comparable delegation of German staff members will visit the United States for nine days from Saturday, September 29-Sunday, October 7, 2018. They will attend similar meetings here in Washington. prgtoken The Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Exchange is highly regarded in Germany and the United States, and is one of several exchange programs sponsored by public and private institutions in the United States and Germany to foster better understanding of the politics and policies of both countries. This exchange is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. prgtoken The U.S. delegation should consist of experienced and accomplished Hill staff who can contribute to the success of the exchange on both sides of the Atlantic. The Bundestag reciprocates by sending senior staff professionals to the United States. prgtoken Applicants should have a demonstrable interest in events in Europe. Applicants need not be working in the field of foreign affairs, although such a background can be helpful. The composite U.S. delegation should exhibit a range of expertise in issues of mutual concern to the United States and Germany such as, but not limited to, trade, security, the environment, economic development, health care, and other social policy issues. This year' s delegation should be familiar with transatlantic relations within the context of recent world events. prgtoken Please note that the U.S. participants are expected to plan and implement the meetings and program for the Bundestag/Bundesrat staff members when they visit the United States. prgtoken Participants are selected by a committee composed of personnel from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State and past participants of the exchange. prgtoken Members of the House and Senate who would like a member of their staff to apply for participation in this year's program should direct them to submit a resume and cover letter in which they state their qualifications, the contributions they can make to a successful program and some assurances of their ability to participate during the time stated. prgtoken Applications should be sent to the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, HC-4, the Capitol, by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Ma
EXTENDING GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES PROGRAM
David G. Reichert (Republican, WA) \u2014 2018-2-13

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I thank my friend from New Jersey because we have worked on a lot of issues together over the past almost 14 years now, and I do agree with him. There are few moments where we have a chance to sort of have a kumbaya moment. MTB, a week or two ago, was one of those. prgtoken Tonight, on GSP, is another one that doesn't sound--you know, GSP, people ask: What is that? And we tried to explain it tonight. prgtoken It is a complicated issue, but the bottom line is that this is good for American businesses. It creates jobs, energizes the economy. Coupled with tax reform and fair trade agreements that we are also working together on, I think we can look forward to a bright, bright future here in the United States for our working men and women and our families. prgtoken So our last renewal of GSP in 2015 allowed TRI to hire more employees, as I said. So we are looking forward to, you know, more jobs being created. And TRI, I know, is going to be very pleased by the fact that this is going to be voted on tonight. prgtoken It is clear that H.R. 4979 has strong bipartisan support, and for good reason. Renewing GSP will benefit U.S. companies, workers, and consumers. Any additional delay in renewing this important program has real costs in prgtoken my home State, as I mentioned, and throughout the country. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and .
CONGRATULATING DR. LAWRENCE FAN FOR 30 YEARS AT KELSEY-SEYBOLD
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-13

I rise today to congratulate Dr. Lawrence Fan, of Pearland, TX, on 30 years of service at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. prgtoken Dr. Fan was honored at a luncheon recognizing employees that have served a milestone number of years. He is among 600 employees who have been with Kelsey-Seybold more than 15 years. Countless kids in Fort Bend County have benefited from the wonderful care they have received from Dr. Fan. prgtoken On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Dr. Lawrence Fan for achieving this milestone. I thank him for his dedication to keeping our Fort Bend community healthy. Keep up the great work.
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-2-13

I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Armed Services prgtoken The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 10 a.m to conduct a closed hearing. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions prgtoken The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Improving Animal Health: Reauthorization of FDA Animal Drug User Fees.'' Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 9:30 a.m to conduct a hearing entitled ``Worldwide Threats''. Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a closed hearing. Subcommittee on Cybersecurity prgtoken The Subcommittee on Cybersecurity of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a hearing.
TRIBAL LABOR SOVEREIGNTY ACT
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-2-13

this week, the National Congress of American Indians is holding its Executive Council Winter Session here in the Nation's Capital, and Tribes and Tribal leaders throughout the Nation are here to meet and to confer and advocate on policies that are important to them and to their Tribal members. I welcome them to Washington, DC, and I encourage them to make known to us as Members of the Senate things that are important to them as Tribal leaders and things that matter directly to their Tribal members. prgtoken One of the priorities that I know exist is the issue of Tribal sovereignty. Throughout the conversations you have with Tribal leaders, there is the importance of maintaining the sovereignty of their Tribe. prgtoken Tonight, I want to highlight for my colleagues S. 140, a package of Tribal bills that includes the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, which I introduced here in the Senate some time ago. prgtoken By moving forward on this legislation, and with its passage, we would return to the days where the law was as it existed for 70 years after the passage of the National Labor Relations Act. That was true for 70 years until the National Labor Relations Board stripped the Tribes of their governmental status under NLRA. Passage of this legislation would correct this decade-old error made by the NRLB. prgtoken The National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935. It exempted public sector employees of Federal, State, and local governments. Although it was not explicitly included, Tribal governments had their sovereign status respected by the NLRB for the next 70 years. This approach caused no problems and was what was expected. prgtoken Yet, in 2004, the National Labor Relations Board abruptly reversed its treatment of Tribal governments to enact right-to-work laws. Tribes have struggled to find economic success and provide for their people, and many of them still do, but the NLRB has now intruded on the gains that have been made. prgtoken The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act that was introduced, and will be before prgtoken the Senate before long, is pretty straightforward. It is straightforward. It amends the National Labor Relations Act to exempt Tribal-owned entities operated on Tribal-owned lands--no more, no less. Businesses owned by individual Tribal members or any operations off the Tribal lands still remain subject to the scrutiny of the National Labor Relations Board. prgtoken In 2013, the U.S. Senate voted on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. It included new authorities for Tribal governments to protect Native American women, including when harmed by non-Indians. With VAWA's passage, Congress placed our trust in Tribes to exact justice. We rightly determined that Tribes should have the ability to punish Indian and non-Indian offenders, but today it is being argued we cannot trust Tribes or Tribal members to justly treat Indian and non- Indian employees. prgtoken Many Tribes have
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Gene Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-2-13

I rise in support of the Bipartisan Budget Act, H.R. 1892, which will provide much needed federal funding to help Houston and County rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, reauthorize several critical health programs, and keeps the federal government open through March 23. prgtoken Hurricane Harvey's destruction was beyond anything witnessed in living memory in Texas. A record 52 inches of rain fell on Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast, causing catastrophic flooding in our nation's fourth largest city. prgtoken Harvey damaged over 300,000 homes and apartments in the City of Houston alone. Statewide, nearly 600,000 homes have been inspected by FEMA for flood or wind damage. Most tragically, 88 Texans lost their lives to Harvey's wrath. prgtoken This bipartisan agreement will provide $89 billion towards disaster recovery and relief for Texas and the other states and territories impacted by hurricanes and wildfires last year. prgtoken This includes $15 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to repair and construction new flood control projects in federal disaster areas. These funds are critical to protect Houston and County from the next major storm event. Our region has been impacted by flooding for three straight years: the 2015 Memorial Day Floods, the 2016 Tax Day Floods, and Hurricane Harvey last August. prgtoken Last November, the State of Texas released a report requesting $36 billion in flood control projects for the Gulf Coast region. This request included critical projects that are necessary to protection our district and Greater Houston from future flooding, including a new reservoir along Cypress Creek and a coastal barrier to protect Galveston Bay from a catastrophic storm surge. prgtoken It is my hope that Congress will provide additional federal funding for flood control projects for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast when Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) needs to be reauthorized later this year. prgtoken One of the greatest accomplishments in the Bipartisan Budget Act is the additional years of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In January, CHIP received funding for six years. With the enactment of this legislation, an additional 4 years of funding will be added, extending the program on which nearly 400,000 children from my home state of Texas rely on for access to stable and affordable care. prgtoken In addition to extending CHIP for a total of 10 years, this legislation also provides 2 years' worth of funding for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The Bipartisan Budget Act provided FQHCs with $3.8 billion for the current year and $4 billion in FY2019. prgtoken Both FQHCs and CHIP have enjoyed bipartisan support for many years. FQHCs have had bipartisan support since the 1960s and CHIP since it was created by Congress in 1997 with my vocal support. Both programs work because they provide individuals with access to needed
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-2-13

we are in the midst of debate in the Senate on the issue of immigration. It is the first time in 5 years we have taken up this issue. There are many compelling reasons for us to get this right. prgtoken On September 5, President announced that he was going to end the DACA Program, a program created by an Executive order of President 's that protects 780,000 young people who are undocumented in the United States. The elimination of that program officially on March 5-- just a few weeks away--will mean that these young people and many just like them will be subject to deportation and no longer allowed to legally work in the United States. prgtoken President challenged Congress to do something about it, to pass a law. As you can see, more than 5 months have passed, and we haven't done that. But we have a chance this week to get it right. We have a chance to make this work. prgtoken This morning, I come to the floor for a brief time to tell the story of two young women. The first one is named Tereza Lee. Tereza Lee is the reason for the DREAM Act, which is legislation I introduced 17 years ago. prgtoken Tereza was born in Brazil. Her parents were from Korea, but they traveled to Brazil first. She was brought to the United States at the age of 2 and made it to Chicago, IL. prgtoken Her father wanted to be a Protestant minister and to start a church. That was his dream, and he worked at it. They were a poor family. They didn't have much money to start with, but he pursued his dream. He gathered some people together in church settings. prgtoken Her mother went to work at a drycleaners in Chicago, which is not uncommon. The vast majority of drycleaning establishments in that city are run and owned by Korean families. It is a hard job, a lot of hours, but she was prepared to work to feed her family and to raise Tereza and her brothers and sisters. prgtoken During the course of her father's ministry, Tereza started banging away at an old piano at the back of the church and fell in love with the instrument. Someone gave her family a discarded piano, and she spent hours each day practicing. She signed up for something called the Merit Music Program in Chicago, which is available for kids in public schools who can't afford lessons, and she developed her skill as a pianist. At the point she reached high school, she actually was playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. People took notice of it and said: Tereza, you have to go forward with this amazing skill of yours and apply to the best music schools. She did. She applied to the Juilliard School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, and she was accepted. prgtoken She did run into a problem. When it came time to fill out the forms to go to school, there was a section where she had to declare her nationality or citizenship. prgtoken She said to her mom: What do I put here? prgtoken Her mom said: I don't know. We brought you here on a visitor