mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE 2018 NATO SUMMIT
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-7-10

this week, America's closest allies have come together to discuss issues critical to our common security at the 2018 NATO Summit. prgtoken In these challenging times, with serious global threats, we must affirm our commitment to NATO. Liberty's defense requires strong bonds with proven allies. prgtoken Sadly and needlessly, our President's wishy-washy statements regarding the transatlantic alliance have already led to uncertainty and discomfort among our allies. How counterproductive. prgtoken Instead of strengthening bridges among freedom-loving nations, our President has derided our closest allies. He has cozied up to Vladimir Putin and North Korea's dictator, even inviting Russia back into the G7 Group. prgtoken Putin's murderous regime is waging an illegal war in Ukraine, killing over 10,000 Ukrainians already, displacing millions, and actively seeks to undermine our democratic institutions and alliances. prgtoken This President's dangerous behavior is weakening U.S. leadership and global security. NATO has brought peace and security to liberty-loving nations. We must be clearly resolute in our defense of liberty, and to that end, NATO.
Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-7-10

from Connecticut. Certainly I am happy he is bringing to the attention of the Senate this critical issue of the future of the Supreme Court and the impact it will have on families across America. Certainly, when it comes to something as basic as our health insurance, we understand this. prgtoken There are forces at work in Washington in the administration that are trying to put an end to the Affordable Care Act, and in Congress, many Members of Congress--the House and the Senate--have voted 60 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We barely saw it survive just a few months ago when Senator John McCain, in the middle of the night, came and stood in that well and voted no, along with two other Senators. They saved the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken Most Americans had their own questions about the Affordable Care Act and how important it was, but they couldn't understand how the s would come to us and say ``Get rid of it'' and have no replacement. prgtoken We realize, as the Senator from Connecticut just explained, that under the old rules with insurance companies, under the old rules, many of us were victims. If you had someone with a preexisting condition in your family--perhaps you had diabetes, perhaps your child was a cancer survivor, had asthma, or so many different things--health insurance was very expensive, if you could get it. We changed the law. We said: You can't discriminate against an American because someone in their family has had a preexisting condition. Everybody is in the same pool in America. We are going to join together. prgtoken Well, now the administration has said they are going to fight that in court. They are going to try to declare it unconstitutional to protect people with preexisting conditions, so they filed a brief in a lawsuit--a lawsuit that is wending its way to the Supreme Court. When the Senator from Connecticut, Mr. Murphy, came before us and talked about the new nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court, it is important that he focused on the impact it could have on ordinary people. prgtoken Most Americans, put to the test, couldn't name the Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. Well, they know it is a big Court, an important Court, the highest Court in the land, but they don't know who is there until we get into this kind of debate. As we do, people tend to learn a lot more about the Justices and what their core beliefs are. prgtoken When it comes to Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who now sits on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, he has a lengthy record--12 years of opinions as a judge, not to mention all the years before that when he was active politically in Washington, DC. Senator Murphy of Connecticut is correct to note that his approach to the law and his approach to the Constitution do not give us great hope in preserving the protections on health insurance that are part of the Affordable Care Act. One
Nomination of Brian Benczkowski (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-7-10

I rise to support Mark Jeremy Bennett's nomination to serve as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. prgtoken Mr. Bennett's nomination is how judicial nominations should work. His name was not on a rightwing wish list created by outside groups. Instead, the White House worked closely with both of Hawaii's ic Senators to find a consensus nominee that would get broad bipartisan support. prgtoken Senators are constitutionally directed to provide the executive branch with advice and consent. I encourage the White House to continue to consult with Members of both parties on all future nominees.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued (Executive Session)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-7-10

this past year and half of the administration has been a constant, daily barrage of scandal, corruption, and chaotic incompetence. In this environment, the Senate now considers the President's controversial nomination of Brian Benczkowski to lead the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. It has been over a year since Benczkowski was first nominated, and there have been repeated calls for his nomination to be withdrawn. prgtoken Why this man, for this job, at this time? There is a very good chance that something fishy is happening here. The warning signals of something fishy should be evident to ic and Senators alike. prgtoken The obvious question is whether President and his political or legal team are using this appointment to sneak a fast one by the American people and put themselves in a position to interfere, from the inside, with the Department of Justice investigation into the dealings between Russia and the campaign--the so-called Mueller investigation, though it has expanded beyond Bob Mueller into several other parts of the Department of Justice. prgtoken How would this fast one work exactly? We will be voting tomorrow to install a ally and nominee--a longtime political operative with ties to a Russian bank and to the recused Attorney General Jeff Sessions--into one of the most powerful posts at the Department of Justice, a position that just so happens to have significant supervisory control over Special Counsel Mueller's investigation and the criminal investigation of the Southern District of New York into 's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. What could possibly go wrong? prgtoken Remember, we are dealing with a President who remains the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation by the Department of Justice. We are dealing with a President who repeatedly violates longstanding rules and norms in his continuing effort to interfere with that investigation. We are dealing with a President who has told the press he believes he has ``absolute control'' over the Department of Justice and who repeatedly criticizes Attorney General Sessions' recusal from the Russian interference investigation as insufficiently ``loyal.'' prgtoken We are dealing with a President who appears to have actively interfered in the Department's investigations into Michael Flynn, who insisted on ``loyalty'' from his FBI Director, and who admitted that firing that FBI Director was to ease pressure over what he called ``the Russia thing.'' prgtoken We know all of this in the Senate, often from this President's own mouth and his own tweets. With that backdrop from the Oval Office for this nomination, extra caution is warranted to be sure we are not being led into trouble. prgtoken Worse still, it is not just the President who is up to no good with respect to the ongoing criminal investigation. s in the House--I suspect hand in hand with the White Hou
NATO (Executive Calendar)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-7-10

. First, , let me thank my colleague, my neighbor from New Jersey, for the excellent job he does in just about anything he does but particularly today as ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee. His leadership is invaluable to this country so I thank him for it. prgtoken , President is on his way to attend the annual summit of NATO leaders in Brussels. The President should use the occasion to reinforce and build up the transatlantic alliance rather than tear it down. prgtoken Since its founding nearly 70 years ago, NATO has become the most powerful and successful security partnership ever created. The first half of the 20th century was marked by unprecedented human suffering-- depression, war, and genocide. After World War II, in the face of Soviet aggression and expansion, NATO showed the world a different way. prgtoken Working together with other international institutions, NATO established the political and economic rules of the road that have promoted our national security and our mutual prosperity. prgtoken This institution now finds itself under incredible and completely unnecessary strain from Russia's interference in democracies across Europe and including the United States, from China's rapacious economic aggression and geopolitical provocations, from the evolving threat of terrorism, and, shockingly, from within. prgtoken Our President, President , has routinely berated the leaders of our NATO allies in far harsher terms than the President has ever criticized President Putin of Russia, a dictator who has invaded a sovereign country, murdered journalists and political dissenters, directed a nerve agent attack in the United Kingdom, and continues to prop up the brutal Assad regime in Syria. He has shown an eagerness to impose tariffs against Europe but a reluctance to sanction President Putin and his cronies. He has accepted the word of President Putin over the consensus of 17 agencies of the American intelligence community. prgtoken For reasons that continue to baffle so many, President will follow up his summit with a one-on-one meeting with President Putin in Helsinki, a mere 100 miles from the Russian border. prgtoken Before leaving for Europe this morning, the President summed up his agenda. He said: ``I have NATO, I have the UK . . . and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of all. Who would think?'' prgtoken Who would think? President , considering all you have said and done in the past 2 years, considering your kid glove approach to President Putin that has everyone here scratching their head, any one of us could have predicted that Putin would be your easiest meeting, but every one of us is in fear of what Putin might get out of it. prgtoken Every time the President has negotiated one-on-one with President Xi, with Kim Jong Un, our rival has gotten the better of him and of our country. And many of us fear what President will do
Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-7-10

I come to the floor to discuss my strong opposition to the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh for a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken There are few issues I take more seriously as a Senator than my duty to consider and vote on Supreme Court nominees. It was watching the Clarence Thomas hearings and seeing how my voice and the voices of people like me all across the country were not being heard that got me to run for the Senate in the first place. I believe it is one of the most important jobs we have on behalf of our constituents. prgtoken During my time in the Senate, I have had the opportunity to consider nominees from and from s. For each one of these nominees, I made my evaluation and based my decision on their experience and record and on my understanding of whether they would uphold the Constitution and protect our rights and freedoms. prgtoken I voted for some of them, including a nominee from President . I voted against some of them, each on their merits and each based on how I thought they would serve, but this time is different. There will still be scrutiny. There absolutely needs to be. This time we know everything we need to know already. This time, the balance of the Court is on the line. We know exactly where this nominee will fall on specific issues, no matter what vague answers he chooses to deliver throughout this process. We know this because President told us openly, publicly, and repeatedly. prgtoken More than any President I have seen, he has been explicit about what he expects from his nominee. He has laid out specific tests and promised to only pick nominees from a prescreened list of people who would absolutely meet them. prgtoken Here is what he has said, and here is how we know exactly what this nominee will do. President has said he wants a nominee who is fully committed to overturning Roe v. Wade, criminalizing abortions, and rolling back women's ability to access contraception and other basic healthcare. prgtoken On the campaign trail, he promised that Roe v. Wade ``can be changed'' and that he was going to be ``putting pro-life justices on the court'' so that it would be overturned ``automatically.'' prgtoken He has said he wants a nominee who would immediately declare healthcare reform unconstitutional and cut off access to care for people with preexisting conditions. prgtoken On the campaign trail, he criticized Chief Justice Roberts because he--this is him--``should have, frankly, ended Care, and he didn't'' and promised ``a strong test'' for a ``strong conservative'' who would be different from Roberts on healthcare. prgtoken He has made it clear that he wants a nominee who would keep handing more power to massive corporations and the wealthiest Americans and keep diluting the power of regular voters. He has made it clear that he wants a nominee who would eliminate protections that preserve the air we breath
SCORE FOR SMALL BUSINESS ACT OF 2018
Alma S. Adams (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2018-7-10

the balance of my time. prgtoken I do want to thank Chairman Chabot for his support. prgtoken There is no question that we need to support our small businesses across the country, no matter their location, industry, or expertise level. My bill, H.R. 1700, provides that critical support by reauthorizing a major component of SBA's entrepreneurial programs and clarifying the utilization of the volunteer base. prgtoken This bill is supported by the SCORE Association and is reflective of the growth of this program that actively engages business owners, as well as retired executives, to mentor the next generation of job makers. prgtoken I want to again thank Chairman Chabot for working in a bipartisan manner to help our Nation's small businesses and for his support to reauthorize SCORE. prgtoken I would urge all of the Members to support this bill, and .
Tribute to Thomas Stephenson (Executive Calendar)
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-7-10

today I would like to recognize a very special Michigander. It is my pleasure to welcome Tom Stephenson of Greenville, MI, and his family to Washington, DC, and to have them in the Senate Gallery right now. Tom is joined by his parents Hollie and Mark, as well as his younger sister Sarah. prgtoken Today Tom is fulfilling his wish to be a U.S. Senator for a day with the assistance of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It is truly an honor to partner with Make-A-Wish to grant Tom's wish. prgtoken This wonderful organization creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, giving them and their families meaningful experiences while bringing communities together. prgtoken Tom discovered his passion for government and politics at 8 years old when he joined his grandmother on a trip to Washington, DC. During that trip, Tom met with legislators to advocate for heart defect research. Today he is getting a firsthand look at a day in the life of a U.S. Senator. prgtoken From my weekly constituent coffee to meetings with my fellow Senators, briefings, interviews, and even a conference call with the Michigan media, U.S. Senator-for-a-Day Stephenson is getting the full experience. prgtoken I am always inspired when I meet young people interested in public service, and I am impressed that Tom chose serving as a U.S. Senator for a day as his wish. prgtoken One issue that Tom is particularly concerned about is college affordability and how his generation will prepare for the future. This is a concern I share with Tom and that I know many of my fellow Michiganders share with us. Here in the Senate, I am working to ensure everyone has access to the skills and education that are vital to joining the modern workforce and competing in today's global economy. prgtoken I introduced legislation that will reduce the pricetag for higher education by allowing students to complete college-level courses while they are still in high school. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find commonsense solutions that will help make higher education more affordable. prgtoken I would like to thank my colleague from West Virginia, Senator Capito, for taking time out of her day to meet with me and Tom this morning. We wanted to show him that there is real bipartisanship in the Senate. We discussed how we worked together to enact legislation that will help recent graduates who have defaulted on their loans repair their credit and get back on track. prgtoken All of us in the Senate should draw inspiration from Tom. At a time when our country is increasingly polarized and politics can feel toxic, we need smart, hard-working young people to recommit to public service and to making our country a better place. prgtoken At 18, Tom is still 12 years away from being eligible to serve as a U.S. Senator, but his passion for our government gives me faith in the future and that our future is bright. prgtoken I
INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION INFORMATION ACT OF 2018
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-7-10

I rise today in support of the Intercountry Adoption Information Act. As co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and an original cosponsor with Congressman Collins, I am pleased to see the House take up this bill on suspension. prgtoken There are an estimated 140 million orphaned children worldwide and many families waiting to provide a permanent, loving home. prgtoken However, in recent years, countries have carried out policy changes that have reduced our intercountry adoptions altogether. Many of these changes are suddenly implemented, leading to confusion for families in the middle of the adoption process. prgtoken H.R. 5626 adds reporting requirements to the act of 2000 to track foreign countries that have made changes to their adoption policies. prgtoken This bill is a simple fix that allows families to access accurate, updated information. It gives clarity to prospective families and the millions of children who are in need of a permanent, loving home. prgtoken Again, I want to say thank you to my ranking member and to Representative Collins, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
CONDEMNING SLAVE AUCTIONS OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN LIBYA
Karen Bass (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-7-10

I rise today in support of H. Res. 644, strongly condemning the slave auctions of migrants and refugees in Libya, and for other purposes. prgtoken In November 2017, CNN broke a story about modern-day slavery in Libya with a grainy video that shows an auctioneer standing in front of a group of young men shouting: ``Big strong boys for farm work. 400, 700, 800.'' The video left people shocked and sparked protests outside of Libyan Embassies here in the U.S. and across Africa and Europe. prgtoken In April 2017, the U.N. Migration Agency, the International Organization for Migration, gathered evidence and issued a warning about slave markets in Libya. While there were warning signs from various organizations that migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers were suffering abuse, it took actual video evidence for the world to pay attention. prgtoken Libya has become a primary transit hub for migrants and refugees attempting to reach Southern Europe by sea, and various organizations estimate that there are between 400,000 and 1 million migrants and refugees in the country. Refugees and migrants are routinely subjected to grave human rights abuses committed by Libyan officials and security forces, as well as armed groups and criminal gangs who are often working in close cooperation and to mutual financial advantage. prgtoken How did we get here and what is the solution to this crisis? prgtoken Refugees and migrants in Libya are exposed to horrendous human rights violations in a country where institutions have been weakened by years of conflict and political division. The end of Qadhafi's regime in 2011 led to significant political turmoil and insecurity within Libya. Since then, there has been no effective government in place in the country. Today, three governments, divided along geographical and ideological lines, combine for power, each with limited control over parts of the country. The collapse of government and security institutions has made the trafficking in refugees a lucrative business. prgtoken This resolution condemns slave auctions and the exploitation of migrants and refugees as forced laborers in Libya. It also calls upon all parties to the conflict, including parties to the Libyan Political Agreement, to investigate and eradicate the slave auctions and to manage migration flows and migrant detention centers in a humane manner. prgtoken I want to also mention that the Congressional Black Caucus was at the head of this effort. We immediately called upon the Libyan Ambassador to come to the Hill to explain what was happening in the country and how the government intended to respond. prgtoken I have to say that she was very open in stating that the country needs the help of the international community to address this crisis. And she explained to us that she was aware that there were parts of her country that basically were not governed by any of the three governments and that they needed international assistan
McCARTER-CAISSE-VICE-HALE MEMORIAL OVERPASS
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-7-10

I rise today to commemorate the McCarter- Caisse-Vice-Hale Memorial Overpass in Paxton, Illinois. prgtoken On April 7, 1979, Illinois State trooper Michael McCarter was attempting to stop four speeding vehicles on I-57 and Paxton patrolman William Caisse was dispatched to provide assistance. One of the suspects fled to the overpass and opened fire on the two officers, subsequently killing State Trooper McCarter and Donald Vice, McCarter's brother-in-law who was riding along with him on his shift. prgtoken Paxton patrolman Larry Hale arrived to the scene as gunfire continued. A second suspect drew a rifle from the back of his pickup truck and fatally shot Officer Caisse. Hale was then shot in the leg and chest, but despite his prgtoken wounds was able to subdue the second suspect and eventually recovered. prgtoken , I wish to send my gratitude to these men for their bravery and service to their community. Their heroism and sacrifice will never be forgotten. God bless them and their families.