mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL FARMERS DAY
Ralph Lee Abraham (Republican, LA) \u2014 2017-10-12

I rise today to recognize America's farmers on National Farmers Day. prgtoken I call our American farmers the thin green line because food security is national security. We can never discount the importance of our Nation's ability to feed itself, and we can do so only by the hard work of the men and women in the agricultural community. prgtoken In honor of National Farmers Day, I wanted to recite a poem first delivered by a radio personality, Paul Harvey, to the FFA Convention in 1978. The poem is as follows: And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, ``I need a caretaker,'' so God made a farmer. God said, ``I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board,'' so God made a farmer. ``I need somebody with arms strong enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild; somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to wait for lunch until his wife is done feeding visit ladies, then tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon, and mean it,'' so God made a farmer. God said, ``I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt, and watch it die, and then dry his eyes and say, `Maybe next year.' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out of haywire, feed sacks, and shoe straps; who, planting time comes and harvest season, will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon, and then paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours,'' so God made a farmer. God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds, and yet stop in midfield and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor's place, so God made a farmer. God said, ``I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend to the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadow lark.'' It had to be somebody who would plow deep and straight and not cut corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week's work with a 5-mile drive to church; somebody who would bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life ``doing what dad does,'' so God made a farmer.
ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF REQUIREMENTS ACT, 2017
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-10-12

I had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico this past Saturday with a bipartisan group of legislators. We traveled there with Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, who has been an absolutely outstanding advocate for Puerto Rico during this difficult time. I have a few takeaways from that: prgtoken One, it was a sobering experience to see how widespread the devastation is on the island. Every single aspect of the island of Puerto Rico was affected. prgtoken Secondly, the full commitment of the Department of Defense, of FEMA, of every Federal Government agency and the effort to recover that is being conducted in conjunction with the Governor and folks on the ground in Puerto Rico is great to see. It is an effective initial recovery effort that has saved and has sustained lives. Millions of meals and millions of bottles of water have been distributed. prgtoken A third takeaway is this will require a sustained active and effective effort. prgtoken I want to thank the chairman for introducing this bill today, which is absolutely necessary to bring back the economy on the island of Puerto Rico. The top priority now is to rebuild the grid, which is absolutely essential to getting the economy in Puerto Rico moving. That is why we need this aid package. It is an important step along the long road to recovery for our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, as well as for all of those impacted by hurricanes in the South and those out West battling wildfires. prgtoken One thing I saw as well: the American people come to the assistance of other citizens in need, and that is true whether it is in Houston, Florida, or in Puerto Rico. prgtoken Again, I would like to thank the chair for introducing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
COMMANDER SETH ANTHONY STONE WAS A SOLDIER FOR THE LORD
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-10-12

I rise today to honor the life of Commander Seth Anthony Stone, a native Texan, a devout Christian, and a true American hero, who left us far too early on September 30, 2017, at the age of 41 years old. prgtoken Twice the recipient of the Silver Star Medal, our Nation's third highest combat award, Seth was among the most highly decorated U.S. Navy SEALS. prgtoken As a SEAL platoon commander in Iraq during the Battle of Ramadi in 2006, he served alongside my son, Leif Babin, as they led some of the toughest sustained urban combat operations in the history of the SEAL teams. prgtoken Seth was a storied and an exceptional combat leader that helped turn the tide for America in two of the most pivotal battles of the Iraq war. prgtoken Seth and his SEAL platoon played an integral role in the victorious efforts of the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division's Ready First Brigade Combat Team that transformed Ramadi from the most violent and dangerous place in Iraq to a stable, secure, and peaceful city. prgtoken In more than 6 months of continuous urban combat, a number of his SEALs were wounded and killed in action, including Master-at-Arms Second Class Michael A. Monsoor, when he dove onto a grenade to save three of his SEAL teammates next to him. For his actions, Petty Officer Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. prgtoken Seth returned to Iraq 2 years later and led a SEAL task unit that included American Sniper, Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, also from Texas. prgtoken Seth's outstanding combat record placed him in a very special class that included Petty Officer Michael Monsoor, Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, Petty Officer Marc Lee, and Petty Officer Ryan Job. prgtoken Seth epitomized the warrior ethos, risking his life on many occasions in combat against our Nation's mortal enemies. He saved countless U.S. servicemembers, and he helped bring stability to embattled regions of the world. prgtoken About his military service, Seth said: It was my honor to fight for my country. The best life is one lived as a sacrifice for others. I love my country, and I love the teams. That is what drove me to fight so hard for America while wearing the SEAL Trident. At the same time, I did not really consider myself to be a SEAL but, rather, a soldier for the Lord. prgtoken In everything he did and throughout his life he served the Lord from a place of deep faith. He was a very special person. I was proud to know him, and I will be forever grateful for his service to our great country and the friendship and camaraderie that he had with my son and all those whom he served with. prgtoken While Seth has left us on Earth, his passion for his friends, his country, and his Lord will certainly live on and never be forgotten.
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-10-12

. Madam , it has been an interesting number of days here this week. We continue to have hearings and fight for good legislation, and we continue to hear from people back home that we simply must at least work on our promises to repeal Care and bring their health insurance into a realm that is affordable. prgtoken They realize they were lied to. They will never get the insurance they liked back. They would like to try to get their doctors back. prgtoken One of the interesting things about the design of the devious architect of Care is the guy who bragged later: Yeah, we knew you couldn't keep your insurance, you couldn't keep your doctor, but we had to say that to sell it. prgtoken They actually incentivized the handful of remaining insurance companies not to put the best cancer healthcare providers in their network. Care actually incentivizes insurance companies not putting the best heart healthcare providers or, in fact, any chronic, expensive disease that the insurance companies, because of the design of Care--and I think it was intentional--basically were penalized if they put the very best cancer treaters, heart treaters in their network. So there actually are indications that insurance companies, they could see what the administration was encouraging them to do. prgtoken For example, I had read that MD Anderson was not in those networks as a cancer provider. Some would argue it is the best cancer treatment facility. That certainly can be debated. I think it still comes down to the effort to get to the point where government is completely in charge of every American's healthcare. prgtoken Care was a good start, but obviously if you design a system so that the insurance companies, they just get down to a handful of monopolies and they are having record years, and that same bill even allows those insurance companies to get what are called bailouts after they have had record profits, well, most people are going to end up hating the insurance companies. And we have seen that. prgtoken What would happen, of course, is eventually people get so outraged with premiums going up, whether it is 10 percent or 70 percent--I have heard of it being doubled, being tripled since the last 7 years. I have heard all kinds of horror stories from people in east Texas. Around other places I have visited, it is the same thing happening. They can't afford their policy, yet they can't afford to pay an extra tax for not having a policy that the government says they have to have; and yet if they pay for their policy, the deductible is so high, they are still not going to get any benefit out of it. prgtoken So it is easy to see, when you start looking at the way in which Care was created, the rules in place for it, the day would come when people got so outraged at how expensive their health insurance was that they would scream: Look, I just can't stand it anymore. I never wanted the government to be in charg
BEWARE OF POLLS
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-10-12

a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll professed to find that a majority of Americans supported amnesty for illegal immigrants. That is not hard to do, given how the survey was conducted. prgtoken The polsters asked to speak only with the youngest adult at home; over-sampled by at least 4 percent; used the word ``undocumented'' rather than ``illegal;'' questioned illegal immigrants, at least 3 percent of the population; and conditioned amnesty on requirements that can't be met. prgtoken Other than that, I am sure it was an accurate poll. prgtoken Beware of polls done by liberal media organizations that have an agenda of their own. The American people may not be getting the facts. They deserve better.
UNIFIED SPAIN
Francis Rooney (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-10-12

. Madam , I rise today as a member of the Spain Caucus to discuss why a unified Spain is both legally, culturally, and economically justified, and how it best serves United States foreign policy interests. prgtoken First, the illegal Catalan independence referendum was held in violation of the Spanish constitution and in defiance of the federal government. Catalunya, as an autonomous region within Spain, enjoys many rights and privileges under the Spanish constitution, but self- determination is clearly not one of them. prgtoken The historical and cultural ties between Spain and Catalunya are strong. Spain and Catalunya have a shared history, being united since the reign of Ferdinand and Isabel over 500 years ago, and later, under the governance of the Kingdom of Aragon, similar to how prgtoken it is a part of the Kingdom of Spain today. prgtoken Because of this history, Catalunya has a pluralistic society, with a mix of Spaniards and Catalans, and where both cultures' languages are regularly spoken. prgtoken Lastly, the deep economic ties Catalunya shares with Spain are evidence that Spain should be united. Catalunya relies heavily on Madrid for its financial sector, infrastructure, and its social security deficit. prgtoken A united Spain is a friend of the United States. A strong, united Spain has been a reliable ally in fighting the spread of Islamic extremism. Our relationship with Spain is invaluable to our foreign policy interests, and we need to speak out on behalf of a unified Spain.
THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION
Dana Rohrabacher (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-10-12

let me just note I believe that our President is doing a terrific job. I think that the last Presidents of the United States have left us an incredibly dangerous situation, and this President is trying to deal with it with strength and purpose, and, yes, being a forceful leader. prgtoken For example, during the Clinton administration, we provided $4 billion to $5 billion to North Korea, the same way the last administration tried to provide funds for Iran. prgtoken What do we have now? prgtoken A crisis with possible nuclear weapons and missiles in North Korea. That is called kicking the can down the road. They sure kicked it down to us, and now the people want to kick the can down the road with the Iranians. No, let's not do that again and leave future generations to face the music that we left them. prgtoken Our President wants to make sure that Iran does not become a nuclear power as long as it is controlled by radical, fanatic mullahs who don't even represent their own people. In fact, if Iran was more peaceful and actually more democratic, then we wouldn't have to worry about that because they wouldn't want to have a wasteful program of nuclear weapons. prgtoken Those are the type of issues we face today. We face a lot of uncertainties at home and abroad, and it behooves us to look for explanations for the shifts in power, the dangers, and the influence that are taking place in the world today. prgtoken Europe, along with the United States, for five decades, seemed to be the center of world order and progress. NATO, the European Union, and the common market all seemed to be the epitome of sophisticated and proper governance needed to offset humankind's destructive and combative inclinations. World Wars I and II had undercut, if not destroyed, the expansion of classical liberalism that was in the process of retiring royalist and imperialist domination of the world, which, of course, is where the world was at the turn and the beginning of the 20th century as classical liberalism began to replace imperialism and monarchy. prgtoken Yes, the two World Wars that we experienced were traumas that still impact our lives. The Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I was the last gasp of European colonialism. prgtoken Maps drawn at that international gathering brought on World War II. Some of those other lines that they drew on that map plague us to this day. prgtoken Those national borders mandated by the Versailles Treaty made the world temporarily tranquil. Maybe we just heard about that a few moments ago, how we have got to overcome the tragedy right now, like we did in Korea, by not having confrontations with those people who were engaged in hostile activity. prgtoken Yes, the Treaty of Versailles gave the world temporary tranquility, but doomed following generations to instability and conflict. Such future challenges were left to the League of Nations. When that failed, the baton was passed to the United Na
IN RECOGNITION OF MRS. SHARON RESCH AND HER LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO THE FINE ARTS, COMMUNITY PHILANTHROPY, AND WORLDWIDE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-10-12

I rise today to recognize Mrs. Sharon Resch of Green Bay for her ongoing commitment to community philanthropy, worldwide humanitarian efforts, and the fine arts. Mrs. Resch has achieved this by being a dedicated supporter of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay's mission and a vital resource and partner to its students. Mrs. Resch has helped transform the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay through her leadership in bringing the American International Czech and Slovak Voice Competition to campus on a semi-annual basis. Mrs. Resch has also founded the Sharon J. Resch Endowed Scholarship for Fine Arts, which is reserved for students who graduate from the non-profit Fine Arts Institute and continue their music studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Mrs. Resch's efforts are not limited to the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay. Her generosity can be seen all across northeastern Wisconsin, with contributions to the Resch Center, Miracle League of Green Bay, and Resch Aquatic Center at Fisk Park I urge all members of this body to join me in commending Mrs. Resch for her continued commitment to the betterment of our communities both at home and abroad.
ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF REQUIREMENTS ACT, 2017
Ken Calvert (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-10-12

I rise in support of the supplemental appropriations bill. prgtoken I want to commend Chairman Frelinghuysen and the committee staff for their quick and thorough work to put this supplemental package together, and I thank the leadership for its swift action in scheduling this for House consideration. prgtoken In fiscal year 2017, the Forest Service had a shortfall of nearly $577 million in firefighting funds. To cover its immediate firefighting costs, the Forest Service borrowed from its nonfire programs, as well as the Department of the Interior. prgtoken The bill will replace and repay those borrowed funds and close the books on fiscal year 2017. Specifically, it provides $526 million for the Forest Service and $50 million for the Department of the Interior. prgtoken The cost of fighting fires on our national forests and other public lands has increased dramatically over the last 15 years, yet these fires and costs remain highly unpredictable. prgtoken Right now the West is on fire. In my home State of California, firefighters are battling 22 large wildfires that have burned nearly 170,000 acres. The bill gives the government the tools it needs to assist local officials to get those fires under control as soon as possible. prgtoken We, the Congress, need to fix the way we budget for wildland fire so that the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior can focus on managing our Federal lands appropriately. We also need to give them the necessary legal authorities and tools to improve the condition and management of our national forests. prgtoken , I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2017-10-12

during my medical recovery, I missed the following Roll Call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: prgtoken June 15, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 308 prgtoken June 20, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 309 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 310 prgtoken June 21, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 311 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 312 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 313 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 314 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 315 prgtoken June 22, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 316 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 317 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 318 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 319 prgtoken June 23, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 320 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 321 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 322 prgtoken June 26, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 323 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 324 prgtoken June 27, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 325 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 326 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 327 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 328 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 329 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 330 prgtoken June 28, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 331 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 332 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 333 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 334 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 335 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 336 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 337 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 338 prgtoken June 29, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 339 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 340 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 341 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 342 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 343 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 344 prgtoken July 11, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 345 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 346 prgtoken July 12, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 347 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 348 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 349 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 350 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 351 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 352 prgtoken July 13, 2017 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 353 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 354 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 355 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 356 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 357 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 358 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 359 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 360 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 361 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 362 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 363 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 364 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 365 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 366 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 367 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 368 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 369 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 370 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 371 prgtoken July 14, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 372 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 373 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 374 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 375 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 376 prgtoken Nay on Roll Call No. 377 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 378 prgtoken July 17, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 379 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 380 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 381 prgtoken July 18, 2017 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 382 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 383 prgtoken Yea on Roll Call No. 384 prgtoken Nay
AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-10-12

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the month of October 2017 as American Pharmacists Month. prgtoken During this month, I would like to recognize all pharmacists across America to ensure that Americans have access to important and often lifesaving medications. prgtoken As the only pharmacist currently serving in Congress, I am proud to recognize the work that pharmacists are doing to promote a healthy America. Every day, pharmacists provide vaccines for a number of illnesses and prgtoken carefully counsel patients on prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to help heal sickness and reduce pain. Pharmacists are also considered one of the top two most trusted professions in America. prgtoken During October, as well as throughout the year, I encourage everyone to visit your pharmacist, ask questions about your prescriptions, receive advice about preventative care, and get to know the person who provides your medicine and works to keep you healthy. prgtoken Thank you, fellow pharmacists, for all that you do. Please know that your work is appreciated and you are an important part of keeping our Nation healthy.
RECOGNIZING ALABAMA STATE REPRESENTATIVE JAMES BUSKEY
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-10-12

I rise today to recognize Alabama State Representative James Buskey. prgtoken Representative Buskey recently announced that he will be retiring from the Alabama House of Representatives after 42 years of representing people in Mobile, Alabama. prgtoken He was first elected to the House in 1976, making him one of the longest-serving legislators in Alabama history. Outside of the legislature, Representative Buskey spent much of his life working in public education, including as a school administrator at E.S. Chastang Middle School in Mobile. prgtoken While we have had our share of political differences, I have always appreciated his institutional knowledge and respected his passion for our local community. I am honored to call James a friend and appreciate his decades of service to the people of Mobile and Alabama. prgtoken , I wish James and his wife, Vergie, all the best upon his retirement and the years ahead.