mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDING IRELAND TO E-3 NONIMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-11-28

I thank Mr. Chabot and Mr. Sensenbrenner, as well as Mr. Nadler, for bringing this legislation to the floor. prgtoken Indeed, it is bipartisan in nature. It is not an effort here to go beyond what the rules currently allow in terms of the cap on visas. It would allow Irish nationals to utilize those visas that have not been exhausted by Australia. prgtoken It is, as Mr. Nadler said, not a substitute for immigration reform, however. We note today that the Pew Center has released new numbers on the issue of those who, in America, are undocumented. While these two issues are unrelated, it is important to point out that we still, in this Congress, have to come up with a solution to a long-awaited problem that we recognize across the Nation, and that is what to do about undocumented citizens. prgtoken As Mr. Sensenbrenner also pointed out, I think with great accuracy, there are few stories of immigration that can be improved upon over what Irish immigration did in America. In the aftermath of an Gorta Mor, the Great Famine, that took place in the mid-1850s, more than a million people left Ireland and immigrated to the shores of the United States, and a million starved to death on the island of Ireland. prgtoken So when you consider that the population of Ireland at that time was about 8\1/2\ million people and today it is about 6 million people, it is understandable as to what that relationship has meant. And America, to its everlasting credit, land of the free and home of the brave, welcomed them. prgtoken The story that they told in succeeding generations--first, second, third generations--of which I enjoy that same privilege, it is pretty extraordinary. I call attention to that because I still think that the rest of the world desires to send many of its best to the United States. prgtoken It is still, for all of us, this notion that, today, because of the simplicity of travel, you can move back and forth. But what is, I think, a very important component of the story that we just related, when they left, whether it was in the 1850s or, in the case of one grandmother, no return, they were in with both feet. I think what we are pointing out today is that this is still an incredibly strong relationship. prgtoken I think Mr. Sensenbrenner was right on target with the commentary that he offered about the reciprocal agreement here. We are not substituting anything. We are simply saying that, for those E-3s that are not utilized, Ireland will be able to take advantage of it. prgtoken I again point out that this relationship, for as long as I can remember, has been one of the great relationships in terms of allies that we have had in the history of America.
TRIBUTE TO MAJOR, U.S. ARMY, RETIRED, TRUDY LEE CALDWELL
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2018-11-28

I rise today to recognize Trudy Lee Caldwell. She was a veteran, social justice activist, devoted daughter and sister. Trudy was born on September 19, 1967, and passed away at the age of 51 on November 7, 2018. prgtoken She was born in Madden, Mississippi, raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from James Madison High School. She enlisted in the United States Army in 1985 after graduating from high school. At the end of her initial enlistment, Trudy attended and graduated from Fayetteville State University (FSU) cum laude. While in attendance at FSU she served as both Student Government Association Present and student representative on the University's Board of Trustees, became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Program and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. prgtoken Trudy Caldwell's assignments during her military service spanned the globe and only accentuated her worldwide perspective in approaching issues. She was selected for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Office of the Secretary of Defense Internship Program. This internship Program led to assignments with the Joint Staff and the Army's Congressional Liaison Office. It was my pleasure to first meet Trudy while she was assigned to the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Army's Congressional Liaison Office in 2004. Under the auspices of the JCS, Office of the Secretary of Defense Internship Program, Trudy completed her Master's Degree from Georgetown University's highly venerated McCourt School of Public Policy. She also served a work placement in my congressional office as part of her graduate studies concentrating on Veteran's Issues; Trudy was a valuable asset bringing her knowledge and years of military service to assist the staff and constituents of the 4th Congressional District. prgtoken Major Caldwell lived life to the fullest and I was pleased to celebrate her 50th birthday with her and other friends two years ago in Milwaukee. Trudy achieved one of her goals to establish the Myrick Woodley Leadership Institute. The Institute mission is to inspire and empower youth in the greater Milwaukee area to develop to pursue STEM careers in nontraditional sectors. Youth would be exposed to opportunities at home in Washington, DC. The youth would become informed and engaged world citizens and leaders while carrying out her vision greater exposure and growth for youth. Major Caldwell retired from active duty in 2009 after an accumulated service of 20 years. After retirement, she continued her public service as a Department the Army Civilians and worked for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army in procurement where she worked until her transition. prgtoken She leaves behind many friends, admirers and family members to mourn her passing including: her mother Eliza B. Myrick; sisters Hope Myrick
Climate Change (Executive Session)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2018-11-28

. Thank you, . prgtoken Thank you to my colleagues Senator Markey and Senator Whitehouse. I am pleased to join both of you, who have done such a tremendous job in leading on this issue of trying to get everyone to wake up to the challenges that we face in climate change and what that is going to mean, not just for us in New England but for people across this country and across the globe. prgtoken Maybe the reason we feel so passionate about this is because we see it. We already see it happening in New England, as my colleagues detailed so well. We are on the cutting edge of these changes. You don't have to have lived in New Hampshire for very long to have seen what is happening as a result of climate change. prgtoken Last week, the U.S. Global Change Research Program released its fourth National Climate Assessment, and that details the profound effect climate change is having and is going to continue to have on the environment, on the economy, and on our public health. The report makes it abundantly clear that every American--every American--is affected by climate change and that the threat it poses will get worse unless we take action. prgtoken As I said, people in my State of New Hampshire have no doubt about the reality of climate change because we have been seeing it for years now. We have been experiencing it. prgtoken The steady increase in temperatures and the rise in annual precipitation are already affecting New Hampshire's tourism and outdoor recreation economy. Each year, hundreds of thousands of sportsmen and wildlife watchers come to New Hampshire to enjoy our mountains, our lakes, and all of our beautiful natural resources. The outdoor economy--hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation--contributes more than $4 billion to New Hampshire's economy each year, but this is threatened now because rising temperatures are shortening our fall foliage season, and they are negatively affecting our snow- and ice- related winter recreation activities. That includes skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. The New Hampshire ski industry employs 17,000 Granite Staters, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services warns that these jobs are threatened by climate change. prgtoken New Hampshire's--in fact, all of New England's fall foliage is at risk. This is climate modeling by the Union of Concerned Scientists that shows that by the end of this century, New Hampshire's summers will feel like present-day summers in North Carolina, 700 miles to our south. While the Presiding Officer certainly understands that this works great for North Carolina, it changes dramatically what happens in New Hampshire. prgtoken What this shows is that--this red color, which are the maple and beech and birch trees--the maple trees in particular that produce our maple syrup--that make such a difference in our fall foliage--those are going to be gone by 2070--by the end of this century. All of this red that we are
ADDING IRELAND TO E-3 NONIMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-11-28

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 7164, a bill to add Ireland to the E-3 nonimmigrant visa program. prgtoken In 2005, soon after the United States and Australia finalized the Australia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, Congress created the E-3 program for Australian nationals. That program provides up to 10,500 temporary visas, similar to H-1B visas, for Australians seeking to work in the United States in what are known as specialty occupations. prgtoken As with the H-1B program, specialty occupations are those that require ``theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge'' in fields such as science, engineering, and computer programming. prgtoken Australia has never used more than a fraction of the 10,500 E-3 visas that are made available each year in the program. In light of this fact, this bill would add Ireland to the program, thus allowing Irish nationals to use some of those remaining, unused visas. As amended, the bill would take the number of E-3 visas left unused by Australia in a given fiscal year and make that same number available to Irish nationals the following fiscal year. prgtoken This is a commonsense bill that recognizes the important bond we share with two of our country's closest and most steadfast allies. prgtoken I congratulate my friends, Mr. Sensenbrenner, former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Mr. Neal, ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee--soon to be chairman of the Ways and Means Committee--for championing this bill. They both deserve credit for working across the aisle on this issue. prgtoken I would be remiss, however, if I did not also point out the continuing need to reform our immigration system in a more comprehensive and fundamental manner. Small fixes such as this bill are fine, but this body also must find ways to come together to enact broader, more meaningful reforms of our immigration system for the good of the American people. prgtoken With that, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and .
RECOGNIZING CAXTON PRINTERS
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-11-29

today I wish to recognize an Idaho small business that has helped spread knowledge and information across the great State of Idaho and the entire western United States. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, it is my honor to recognize Caxton Printers as the Small Business of the Month for November 2018. Founded over 100 years ago, Caxton Printers provides high-quality printing and publication services to the greater Boise, ID, community. prgtoken Caxton Printers' roots can be traced back to 1895 when Albert E. Gipson moved his family from Colorado to Caldwell, ID, to establish a publishing house. In 1903, Gipson's publishing company, the Gemstate Rural Publishing Company, began printing a horticultural magazine for Idaho farmers named the Gemstate Rural. Following the success of the Gemstate Rural, Gipson reorganized the company and expanded his commercial printing business. As part of this reorganization, Gipson named the company Caxton, after the famous English printer, William Caxton. prgtoken In 1907, Albert Gipson's son, James Herrick Gipson, took the reins of the company from his father and continued the family business. Under J.H. Gipson's leadership, the company grew significantly and began printing school textbooks. The State of Idaho named Caxton the official Idaho State Textbook Depository in 1927. To this day, it continues to serve as a State distribution center for textbooks, technology, and education supplies for Idaho's public schools. prgtoken In addition to printing and school services, Caxton Printers is also known for publishing original materials. The company established its publishing division in 1925 with the publication of Fred E. Lukens' Idaho Citizen, which later became a textbook in Idaho's State education curriculum. By 1936, Caxton had published over 100 books of both fiction and nonfiction. Several of the authors published by Caxton went on to become known nationally and internationally for their work, including novelists Vardis Fisher and Ayn Rand. Caxton remains active in the publishing field today and continues to support the dreams of hopeful authors. prgtoken As Caxton has grown and prospered it has remained a family-owned and -operated business throughout its history. J.H. Gipson's two sons, Jim Jr. and Gordon, grew up working in the factory alongside their father. When J.H. Gipson passed away in 1965, Jim, Jr became company president while his brother, Gordon, became vice president. In 1991, Gordon was named president and Jim, Jr.'s son David became vice president. Currently, the company is led by the fifth generation of Gipsons, with Jim, Jr.'s grandson Scott Gipson running day-to-day operations. prgtoken Caxton continues to focus on the core services on which the company has built its reputation. The company offers custom printing solutions for a variety of needs for each client. Printing services include promotiona
MOURNING THE LOSS OF CHRISTOPHER RISNER
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-11-29

I rise today to mourn the loss of Christopher Risner, a friend and constituent of mine from Jackson, Michigan. He died last week at the age of 29, truly heartbreaking and far too soon. prgtoken I met Chris through a group called Andy's Angels, which fights the opioid epidemic in our communities. prgtoken A star basketball player in high school, Chris battled his own addiction as a young adult. He bravely and openly shared his personal struggles in recovery to educate young people and their families about drug addiction. By doing so, he touched many lives and inspired them to follow the right path. prgtoken , we have lost too many lives of sons and daughters to this devastating epidemic. That is why earlier this year we enacted a bipartisan law to combat the opioid crisis in a comprehensive way. Yet in memory of Chris and so many others, we still have more work to do. prgtoken May all of us commit to redoubling our efforts in this year ahead, and may God provide His peace and comfort to Chris' parents, Julie and Dan; his sister, Angela; and the entire Risner family.
TRIBUTE TO ELIAS THOMAS
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-11-29

each year, the 1.4 million members of the National Association of Realtors recognize five of their own with the Good Neighbor Award for their service to others, locally or globally. I am delighted to congratulate 2018 Good Neighbor Elias Thomas of Shapleigh, ME, for inspiring contributions from his hometown to some of the poorest villages in India. prgtoken Mr. Thomas, broker-owner of EXIT Key Real Estate in Shapleigh, has spent 40 years volunteering with Rotary International. His compassionate work started with his local chapter, where he helped to build meditation gardens for those with mental illness and developed job and housing assistance programs for newly released prison inmates. His international efforts began in the late 1990s, when he travelled to Cozumel, Mexico, for a project to prevent the island's garbage dump from polluting the water system. prgtoken In 2001, Mr. Thomas journeyed to India to assist in Rotary's signature project of preventing and eradicating polio. The deplorable living conditions and the gratitude of villagers for the Rotarians' assistance convinced him that India was where his energy and commitment were most needed. prgtoken Mr. Thomas has returned to India every year since then, leading teams of volunteers and personally immunizing about 500 children against polio. He has raised $40,000 to help pay for the corrective surgeries of some 1,000 victims of the disease. Throughout his four decades as a Rotarian, Mr. Thomas has raised more than $350,000 for Rotary International's charitable endeavors. prgtoken During a 2008 trip to India, he became aware of another dire situation there: the lack of safe drinking water in desert communities in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, which can lead to illness and death due to dysentery. prgtoken Mr. Thomas assembled a team of 78 volunteers from eight countries and worked with village councils on a plan to build dams to capture the runoff from monsoons for drinking water and crop irrigation. Every year for the last 10 years, Mr. Thomas has led a total of 350 volunteers from around the world, and working with local residents and without mechanized equipment, they have hand-built nine dams that provide clean and safe water to more than 45,000 people. prgtoken A fellow Rotarian who has been part of that team describes Mr. Thomas this way: ``Elias has deep faith that we can bring about change. He's a man that has dreams, and while most people talk about what they wish they could do to help others, he does it. To Elias, everyone in humanity is critically important.'' prgtoken Elias Thomas exemplifies the motto of Rotary International, ``Service Above Self.'' His caring spirit and boundless energy are improving and even saving lives here at home and around the world.
FEDERAL CIO AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
Will Hurd (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-11-29

it should come as no surprise to anyone in this Chamber that technology is integrated into every facet of our daily lives. We have come a long way since the bill that established the role of the Federal Chief Information Officer, the E-Government Act, when it was originally passed. prgtoken Less than 50 percent of the U.S. population had access to the internet in 2001. Nearly every American now has access to the internet. prgtoken Just 62 percent of Americans had cell phones when the original bill passed. Now 95 percent of Americans own cell phones and 77 percent own smartphones. prgtoken Mobile apps were non-existent in 2002. Today, over 2.2 million apps are available to consumers. prgtoken This bill recognizes how far technology has come. It codifies the position of the Federal CIO and elevates the office to report directly to the head of the Office of Management and Budget. prgtoken This bill establishes the role of the Federal CISO, the Chief Information Security Officer, who reports to the CIO and leads OMB's cybersecurity efforts. prgtoken Empowering CIOs at the Federal agencies is consistent with the principles of the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act and the Federal CIO should not be treated differently. $90 billion is spent on purchasing IT goods and services. Eighty percent of that is on old, outdated technology. We need a strong Federal CIO to make sure American taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. prgtoken , I want to thank my friends, my colleagues--Mark Meadows from North Carolina; Gerry Connolly from Virginia; my partner in crime on the Information Technology Subcommittee, my good friend, Robin Kelly from Illinois; and also Brenda Lawrence from Michigan--for showing the American people that bipartisanship actually happens up here in Washington, D.C in order to make sure we are keeping Americans safe. prgtoken , I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2018
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2018-11-29

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3 o'clock p.m Monday, December 3; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; further, that the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of Executive Calendar No. 1153 and that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture vote on that nomination occur at 5:30 p.m.
HONORING JOSH OWENS
Luke Messer (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-11-29

I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Josh Owens, for his work in my office and his service to our state. prgtoken Josh served in my Washington, D.C. office as an economic policy adviser during my first term in Congress. In that role, he served as the staff lead for our work on the House Budget Committee, he helped develop legislation, and advised me on economic policy issues. Since leaving our office, Josh has taught economics at Butler and Indiana University and now serves as the CEO of SupplyKick, a thriving Indianapolis-based online marketplace retailer. prgtoken On a personal note, I cherish my friendship with Josh and his parents. Josh and I are both proud alums of Wabash College too. I wish him and Andy continued success in all that remains ahead for their family.
NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM FURTHER EXTENSION ACT OF 2018
Edward R. Royce (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-11-29

the headlines are pretty clear: ``Hurricanes Bigger and Costlier than Ever Before''; ``2.3 Billion People Affected by Flooding Disasters in 20 Years''; ``Rising Sea Levels Could Cost the U.S. Trillions.'' prgtoken Yet, somehow, Congress fails to act. prgtoken I share with you that Mr. Duffy has articulated this problem very well. We are here again for the 40th time. Forty times since 1998 we have passed an extension of the National Flood Insurance Program, but without the needed reforms. Four months have passed since the last vote. We still have nothing to show for it. prgtoken No one has been a greater advocate for reform than our colleague, Mr. Blumenauer of Oregon. Together, he and I have authored a number of bills that would better prepare Americans for rising floodwaters, as had Mr. Duffy, reforms that would address the fact that fewer than 2 percent of 5 million policies have absorbed more than $80 billion in payments. prgtoken So, are we here today to talk about reforms? No. We are here to support a program that tells Americans that, if you buy flood insurance from Uncle Sam, no matter how many times your house floods, we will give you money to rebuild it without requiring mitigation; a program that currently makes it more difficult for people to move than to rebuild, that fails to encourage communities to mitigate flood risk, that promotes continued construction in the highest risk areas. prgtoken , I oppose this 1-week extension absent reforms, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.