mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SECURE ACT
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2019-12-3

as more Americans enjoy longer lives than ever before, it is more crucial than ever that retirement plans and the policies that govern them keep pace with healthcare innovation and demographic change. That is the reason why a bipartisan coalition in both houses of Congress has proposed the SECURE Act, to modernize retirement savings policies. prgtoken For the first time, it would give businesses the option to band together to create pooled retirement plans for their employees, helping them save time and money and expanding access to millions of workers to an indispensable job benefit. This would especially help small businesses who would love to offer their employees retirement plans but simply cannot afford it on their own. It would allow graduate and postdoctoral students to save for their retirements by contributing income from their stipends and fellowships to Individual Retirement Accounts. And it would allow parents to withdraw retirement funds, without penalty, for the birth or adoption of a child, providing special help to younger families when they need it most. prgtoken I support all of the above provisions, and to see them enacted, I am willing to accept multiple provisions in this bill that I oppose. Unfortunately, one provision goes over the line, would hurt the very workers it purports to help, and would set a dangerous precedent for Federal policy. This measure would allow a handful of select businesses to cut their required contributions to their workers' pension plans, while still promising those workers full benefits. prgtoken Under current law, if a pension plan fails to meet its funding target, the plan sponsor must eliminate the funding shortfall through additional plan contributions, plus interest, over 7 years. The bailout in the SECURE Act, however, would extend that period to 30 years for only a handful of struggling newspapers. Additionally, it would entitle them to legally assume a higher return on investment than other businesses must use. prgtoken This would reduce the amount that certain community newspapers are required to contribute to their employees' plans each month and, given the longer payback window, would also make it less likely that these bailed out companies would ever make up the shortfall. In other words, this bill grants a special bailout to a handful of community newspapers by allowing them to shortchange their workers' pensions. prgtoken This is bad policy and bad precedent. This short-sighted strategy might prolong the life of these community newspapers for a while; that is what short-sighted strategies do. But it would only do so at the expense of their employees because, when these newspaper pensions inevitably become insolvent, which is the trajectory they are already on, they will most likely end up in the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The PBGC is a federally-chartered business that provides pension insurance through premiums paid b
Tribute to Johnny Isakson (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-12-3

I rise to join my colleagues today in celebrating the distinguished career of our friend, Johnny Isakson. It is a great moment for all of us to talk about our shared aspirations as representatives of the American people, to recognize the role that we play--that all Americans play--in supporting our country, and to celebrate some of our successes. We have heard a lot about Senator Isakson's successes as a legislator and maybe to shrug off a few of our failures, but reaffirm our determination to make self-government work. prgtoken The senior Senator from Georgia did not set out to build a long, storied career in politics, I am told, or even to enter public service at all, for that matter. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he began a 40-year career in real estate. He opened a branch of Northside Realty and would later spend more than 20 years as that company's president. prgtoken Johnny's career in public service began in a unique way. It was by winning an election that he never entered. He made the mistake of not showing up at a meeting where he was selected as a member of a new commission, as new commission president, with the host of zoning issues that riddled the community, so that was Johnny's first election, as the new commission president of the zoning commission. prgtoken Of course, in that position, you could imagine he listened to his neighbors' concerns, and he would work with the commission to make improvements, but the truth is, from that point onward, Johnny was hooked. He went on to serve in the State house, the State senate, the U.S. House, and finally in the U.S. Senate, as the first and only Georgian to hold all four titles. prgtoken As we have heard--but it bears repeating--at each step, he never lost sight of his most important responsibility: to listen to his constituents and to work every day to make their lives just a little better. prgtoken Here in the Senate, I have had the privilege, as we all have had, of working with Johnny on a number of bills to empower our military, strengthen American agriculture, and improve our Nation's healthcare, but I believe his lasting legacy, the thing that perhaps is the most important to my mind that he should be very proud of--and I know he is--is our collective work together to support our Nation's veterans. prgtoken Johnny is a veteran himself, and he didn't take the position as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee lightly. He never stopped listening to America's veterans or fighting to ensure they have the services and the support they have earned. prgtoken One of the seminal pieces of legislation that we passed thanks to Johnny's leadership was the VA MISSION Act, which made significant reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs and strengthened healthcare options for all veterans. This was not an easy piece of legislation to move through the legislative process, which, as we all know, under the Constitution
UYGHUR HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY ACT OF 2019
Christopher H. Smith (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2019-12-3

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , first, I want to thank the for her very eloquent remarks and for her tenacity in promoting human rights and respect for the rule of law in all of China, including and especially with today's focus on Xinjiang, where, unfortunately, Xi prgtoken Jinping is conducting massive, massive crimes against humanity against the Muslim Uighurs. So I thank her for that leadership. prgtoken I thank Chairman Engel, Ranking Member McCaul, Brad Sherman, and Ranking Member Ted Yoho for their deep and abiding commitment to the suffering people of Xinjiang as well. prgtoken I would also like to express my special thanks to the 128 bipartisan cosponsors of my bill, the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019, H.R. 649, comprehensive human rights legislation that I introduced earlier this year with lead ic cosponsor Tom Suozzi to address the massive crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese Government against the Uighurs. prgtoken The legislation would require the administration to categorize and report on the human rights abuses being committed by the Chinese Communist Party each and every day, take specific steps to sanction Chinese officials for these abuses, especially through the use of the Magnitsky Act, and stop, to the greatest extent possible, the Chinese Government's efforts to create a high-tech police and surveillance state. prgtoken With endorsement of our bill 12 months ago and cosponsorship by the herself, as well as endorsement by the Washington Post, which said, a full year ago, ``This has become''--that is to say, the situation in Xinjiang--``one of the world's most urgent human rights crises. Congress should pass the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act.'' Today the Senate bill is before us, and I encourage my colleagues and the cosponsors of H.R. 649 to vote for it. prgtoken , at a congressional hearing that I cochaired last year, Mihrigul Tursun recounted her horrifying ordeal with torture, sexual abuse, and detention in one of China's mass internment camps in Xinjiang. prgtoken She broke down weeping, telling us that she pleaded with God to end her life. Her Chinese jailers restrained her to a table, increased the electrical currents coursing through her body, and mocked her belief in God. She was tortured simply for being an ethnic Uighur and a Muslim in China. prgtoken There are millions of stories like this waiting to be told about the crimes against humanity being committed each and every day by the Chinese Government against the Uighurs, the Kazakhs, and the Turkic Muslims. prgtoken Given that this year is the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, maybe we should not be surprised by the cruelty and brutality of the Chinese Communist Party. But the size and scale of what is happening in Xinjiang is audaciously repressive, even by China's low standards: prgtoken The mass internment of millions of people on a scale that has not
Tribute to Johnny Isakson (Executive Calendar)
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2019-12-3

. Johnny, at some point, this has to be painful for you. Very few people get together at their own funerals. prgtoken What we are trying to say is that we like you. You are a breath of fresh air in a body that has a hard time agreeing on much. I have known you since I got into politics. I served in the House with you, and I have served in the Senate with you. I have traveled the world with you. I have played golf with you. I have had dinner with you. I have gotten to know your family. prgtoken To sum it up, when it comes to being a U.S. Senator, Johnny Isakson has become the gold standard. prgtoken God bless you. prgtoken .
RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF BLOUNT COUNTY SHERIFF JAMES BERRONG
Tim Burchett (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-12-3

. Madam , I rise to recognize our Blount County Sheriff, James Berrong, who is celebrating his 30th year in office. prgtoken Since 1989, Sheriff Berrong and his deputies have served the community by maintaining safe neighborhoods, providing outstanding emergency service, and busting lawbreakers. prgtoken Sheriff Berrong successfully advocated better pay for his deputies and has prioritized hiring and retaining an excellent deputy force. Under his leadership, Blount County continues to be a safe place to live and raise a family. prgtoken Sheriff Berrong and his deputies remain focused on guaranteeing safety at religious institutions and schools, increasing the Sheriff's Office's presence when necessary. prgtoken Additionally, he ensures that sex offenders and human traffickers are held accountable. Sheriff Berrong has effectively led the crackdown on these dirtbags, and the Blount County Sheriff's Office has gained a reputation as one of the best law enforcement agencies, if not in the State of Tennessee, in the entire United States of America, for dealing with sex-related crimes. prgtoken It is my honor to recognize Sheriff Berrong for his outstanding career as Blount County Sheriff. I know I speak for many in east Tennessee when I prgtoken thank him for his continued service to our community.
China (Executive Session)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-12-3

the New York Times has recently obtained a secret trove of documents from the highest ranks of the Chinese Communist Party. Those documents reveal some chilling, terrifying details about Beijing's campaign to stamp out all dissent and religious diversity in Xinjiang Province in the north, where the party has concentrated more than 1 million Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other minorities in reeducation camps. prgtoken These documents bring to mind George Orwell's famous novel ``1984,'' not as the cautionary tale as he meant it, but as an instruction manual for the totalitarian government in Beijing. This reign of terror began in 2014, after a string of terror attacks in Xinjiang Province. But instead of bringing those terrorists to justice, the Chinese Communist Party used the attacks as an opportunity to eradicate all dissent--all wrong-think, if you will--from a province with 25 million residents. It would be as if you tried to turn the State of Texas into a concentration camp. prgtoken These secret documents reveal a stunning order from General Secretary Xi Jinping. He said, ``We must be as harsh as them and show them absolutely no mercy.'' So to beat these terrorists, Beijing chose to adopt the tactics of terror. Every Uighur and dissenter in the province is suffering as a result. prgtoken Secretary Xi tapped one of the most notorious enforcers to execute this mission, a man named Chen, who climbed the ranks of the Communist Party first by crushing dissent and religious diversity in the southwestern Chinese province of Tibet. The techniques that they perfected in Tibet, the Chinese Communist party took to Xinjiang. They have turned the province into a garrison state with ruthless and pitiless competence. Chen's order to the police? ``Round up everyone who should be rounded up.'' prgtoken Uighurs, young and old, were loaded on into buses and taken to concentration camps with thick concrete walls and razor-sharp barbed wire. The police informed anxious relatives that these were schools and that their loved ones were being ``reeducated.'' And, no, they were not free to leave the school, nor would there be any recess or field trips. prgtoken A secret manual obtained by Western journalists reveals that these facilities operate more like maximum security prisons than like schools. The manual's very first section deals with preventing escapes through the use of guard posts, patrols, internal separation, video surveillance, and double locks on dormitory and hallway doors. The manual even advocates the use of ``secret forces'' to infiltrate the detainee population to prevent them from joining forces or planning an escape. prgtoken Beijing now holds--let me say it again--more than 1 million people in these reeducation camps, supposedly for reasons of national security, but the truth is a lot more chilling. The Chinese Communists, like all totalitarians, are paranoid about their own survival--and rightly so--
RECOGNIZING THE CAREITY FOUNDATION OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
Kay Granger (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-12-3

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Careity Foundation of North Central Texas. They have been providing direct patient services through the ``Careity Celebrity Cutting'' for 25 years in Tarrant, Parker, Palo Pinto, Hood, and Johnson Counties in Texas. Careity provides early detection services to people who may otherwise go without and clinical services for those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Last year, Careity provided over 7600 patient services and has a strong record of responding quickly to patient's needs and caring about the people in the community who have been diagnosed with cancer. Careity prides itself in a high-profile low-cost event, the ``Careity Celebrity Cutting". The uniqueness of the event stands out above other charity events in that the entire venue is donated by the National Cutting Horse Association. All celebrities are volunteers, and Careity has no development or fundraising staff. Given the competition for supporters that the non-profit industry has faced in the last several years, we can all appreciate this enormous accomplishment which speaks to the strong leadership that has steered the Foundation over the course of its impressive history. Careity exists to provide direct care that saves lives, gives hope, eases pain, and allows cancer patients and families to focus on healing. I congratulate Careity on this significant milestone.
IRAN
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-12-3

. I hope a lot of Americans have been able to watch on television what is going on over in Iran right now. I hope Americans have an opportunity to listen to some Americans of Iranian descent who are commenting on what is going on over there because, recently, thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets protesting their country's corrupt regime. Frustrated by a lack of opportunity and frustrated by constant political oppression, these largely young and nonviolent protesters have stood up to say: Enough is enough. prgtoken In response to these protesters, we see the regime engaging in a brutal crackdown, and that crackdown is on a scale not seen since the 1979 revolution, killing hundreds of civilians within the last few days. prgtoken The United States is not an enemy of the Iranian people. In fact, Americans of all backgrounds can't help but sympathize with these brave protesters seeking a more prosperous, more responsible Iran and having the Iran Government give that sort of an environment. We need to tell the Iranian leaders the world is watching. prgtoken . prgtoken .
Tribute to Johnny Isakson (Executive Calendar)
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2019-12-3

I have had the pleasure of serving in the Senate alongside Johnny Isakson for close prgtoken to 15 years, and it has been a privilege to work and join with him on a number of legislative efforts, but, more importantly, Johnny is the big brother I never had, whom I aspired to be like. I will never have the speaking ability he does, but he is a brother because although we grew up across the country from each other, we shared many experiences that shaped our formative years and continue to influence our work in the Senate. We both served in the Air National Guard; we both were in business before entering politics; and we both were Sunday school teachers. Even our spouses, Dianne and Diana, have similar names. We both served in the State legislature before we came here. prgtoken Besides his speaking ability, there are many things I will never match. Johnny served in the Georgia legislature for 17 years, beginning in 1974. After serving as the chairman of the Georgia Board of Education for 2 years, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1999 and then to the U.S. Senate in 2004. prgtoken Throughout his time in both the State and Federal legislatures, Johnny was nothing short of a pioneer in the State of Georgia. He was the first Georgian ever to be elected to both Houses of the Georgia State legislature and both Houses of Congress. He is the first in Georgia to be elected to a third term in the U.S. Senate, and he is the only Senator currently serving as the chair of two committees at the same time. prgtoken Now, despite these tremendous achievements, Johnny never lost sight of what was important and remains committed to legislation that is important to the folks in Georgia and across the country. prgtoken I remember when I was chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, there was a mine accident in West Virginia. Senator Kennedy, who was the ranking member, and I decided to go down there to take a look, and Senator Isakson asked if he could come along. We went down, and we talked to the safety inspectors; we talked to the mine owners; and, most importantly, we talked to the families of the men who had been trapped in this mine. We learned the story of how coal mining had been decreasing over the years, so the people who sell the safety equipment quit inventing the safety equipment because they never had the market for it. Consequently, when coal mining started coming back up again, the equipment wasn't in place for it. We found out what was needed, but Johnny was the real salesman for it. He has a picture of one of the family members. He carried that picture with him everywhere, and anytime the subject of mine safety came up, he brought that picture out so everybody could see a real person--there it is--a real person whom we were trying to provide for the future and see that accidents didn't happen. prgtoken I also had the pleasure of working w
Tribute to Johnny Isakson (Executive Calendar)
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-12-3

. In the interest of time, I am going to put my remarks in the Record, but I do want to take just a moment to thank Johnny for his friendship. I won a special election to the House of Representatives and was assigned to the Transportation Committee. Literally, Johnny was one of the first people I met there. He was an important person on Transportation. prgtoken I was the 435th Member of the House, and he was so very, very kind. He helped me get acclimated. prgtoken His wife Dianne was just wonderful to my wife Cathy when I came to the Senate. Nobody was any nicer, again, helping her to get acclimated to the ways of the Senate, and, certainly, this is a family affair. We appreciate that so very much. prgtoken I had the honor of serving on the Veterans Affairs Committee. The reality is, we got a bunch done under your leadership. We appreciate that so very much. prgtoken Proverbs tells us that a good man is worth more than silver and gold, and that is really what this has all been about this afternoon, just hearing Member after Member express the good name of Johnny Isakson. We appreciate you, Johnny. We truly will miss you more than you know. prgtoken .
Tribute to Johnny Isakson (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-12-3

when I learned that Johnny Isakson would be retiring at the end of the year, I was saddened. I served with Johnny for a long time, not just here in the Senate, where we were both freshmen Members in 2005, but in the House of Representatives as well, and I have been honored to call him my friend. prgtoken It is really hard for me to imagine Congress without Johnny. He is, hands down, as I have said, the nicest person ever to serve in the U.S. Senate. He is a model of decency and graciousness and the kind of person who can fight hard every day for the principles that he believes in without ever developing any rancor toward his political opponents. prgtoken He is not just kind and decent. He is also a tremendously effective legislator. He is deeply knowledgeable on a prgtoken whole range of issues, and he possesses the gift of being able to explain complicated subjects in a very clear way. He gets things done. He doesn't stand around talking about things or playing to the cameras. He just rolls up his sleeves and gets to work, and he makes things happen. prgtoken If there was a decency index and we were all rated on that decency index on a scale of 1 to 10, Johnny would be the perfect 10. Anybody who knows Johnny knows that he has a real passion for people and he has a real passion for veterans. prgtoken I had the opportunity to work with Johnny on a couple of important issues. We served together on the Senate Finance Committee. Tax reform was something to which he brought tremendous knowledge and experience and know-how. He talked with great understanding about the complicated issues that we had to deal with when it came to reforming our Tax Code. His experience was invaluable as we did something that hadn't been done in over 30 years and reformed an outdated, archaic Tax Code that was keeping us noncompetitive in the global marketplace. prgtoken In 2015, he became the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and he spent the past 5 years working tirelessly to increase accountability at the VA, to improve healthcare for veterans, and to strengthen veterans' benefits. Over the course of 2017 and 2018, the Veterans' Affairs Committee, under Johnny, passed 25 pieces of legislation, all of which were signed into law. One of those pieces of legislation was the VA MISSION Act, which was a bill that made significant reforms to the healthcare delivery system for veterans to ensure that veterans have access to the care that they need when they need it. prgtoken My wife Kimberley and I have traveled with Johnny and Dianne a number of times over the years. One trip that will forever stand out for me is a trip we took led by Senator Burr to a number of World War I and World War II cemeteries in Europe--the Normandy American Cemetery, the Meuse- Argonne American Cemetery, and the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, as well as several others. We walked in battlefields where American soldiers fought and bled, and w