mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2017-9-6

what I am really concerned about right now is that we are getting ready to do the National Defense Authorization Act. This is something that we will pass. We have passed it now for 55 consecutive years, and it is going to be passed this time. It is important because one of the primary constitutional responsibilities we have is to provide for the common defense of our great Nation, and recent worldwide events highlight the urgency of this need. prgtoken I have spoken numerous times about the grave threat that is posed by North Korea and warned that it would not be long before North Korea could demonstrate the capability of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile that would be capable of reaching the United States. It is not just my saying it; others are saying it. We have a lot of very courageous individuals who have come forth from the military. I am not used to this. I have been here for 23 years; yet I have not seen them come forth and just be clear about the threat that is facing this country. prgtoken In April, ADM Harry , the Pacific Command commander testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee that it is clearly a matter of when and not if that Korea would develop the capability to strike the United States of America. This has never happened before. In May, Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, who is the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, testified. Actually, he testified before the subcommittee that I chair. He said: Let me be clear on this point. If left on its current trajectory, the regime will ultimately succeed in fielding a nuclear-armed missile capable of threatening the United States homeland. prgtoken We have talked about this being the most threatened position that we have been in in the history of this country. I have often referred to the good old days of the Cold War when we had two superpowers. We knew what they had, and they knew what we had. It was predictable, but it is not predictable anymore. You have countries like Yemen, countries like Iran, countries like North Korea that are developing these capabilities that they now have. It is within reach. prgtoken Since then, unfortunately, I have been proven to be correct as the North Korea regime continues to demonstrate its dire threat facing us. On July 4, North Korea successfully launched its first ICBM. It was the first time that they had done it. If fired on a standard trajectory, the missile could have ranged Alaska. Some experts say that it could have gone even deeper into the continental United States. prgtoken In light of that test, the Defense Intelligence Agency updated its assessment of the timeline by which North Korea will be able to reliably range U.S. cities--we are talking about Washington, DC--with nuclear missiles as early as the end of next year or even earlier. This past Sunday, September 3, North Korea tested what is believed to be a hydrogen bomb, its mo
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2017-9-6

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I rise today to present H.R. 3354, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act. This legislation moves Congress one step closer to completing its critical work on our fiscal year 2018 appropriations bills ahead of the end of the fiscal year on September 30. prgtoken Our bill respects the American people, their priorities for our Nation, and their hard-earned tax dollars, and it will help move our great country forward to a more stable and prosperous future. prgtoken This funding, totaling $1.2 trillion, supports important domestic and international programs that keep our people safe and help our economy grow and thrive, protects us from terrorists and those who want to do us harm, and assures that America has a critical role across the globe both militarily and diplomatically. prgtoken Most importantly, this bill continues the work started with the national security funding package that passed the House in July, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, and it prioritizes the safety of the American people, targeting funding towards critical law enforcement programs, securing our borders and our cyber networks, fighting terrorism, combating opioid abuse, and stemming the flow of illegal drugs and goods. prgtoken Other funds are directed to programs that provide the greatest national benefit, including those that keep our food and drug supplies safe, that support public health preparedness, fight devastating wildfires, invest in critical infrastructure, and otherwise protect and support our economy and economic freedom. prgtoken All of these investments are made responsibly. In each of our bills within this package, we have found savings, gotten rid of waste, fraud, and duplication, and increased oversight to ensure that no taxpayer dollar is misspent, but we still have more work to do. This is the next step in the process, but it is not the end. prgtoken We must also address new needs arising from terrible flooding and damage prgtoken inflicted by Hurricane Harvey, which is affecting hundreds of thousands of people across Texas and Louisiana, as well as continue all government operations until the final appropriations package can be conferenced with the Senate and signed into law. prgtoken This legislation today represents the House priorities and shows the American people that this Chamber is moving forward, governing effectively, and getting things done here in Washington. prgtoken Before I close, I would like to thank the members of the Appropriations Committee for their hard work over the past few months, and the staff that allows us to consider this bill today, especially the 12 chairs of the subcommittees. The committee drafted, considered, and marked up all 12 appropriations bills in under 2 months, a record- breaking pace, and as a result, we have a fine package of solid bills on the floor this afternoon. prgtoken I par
HONORING HOLTEC
Thomas MacArthur (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2017-9-6

I rise today to recognize an important South Jersey business. Holtec International creates and manufactures custom-engineered equipment for energy companies and nuclear reactors. Holtec has been based in South Jersey for over 30 years ago and has a world-class manufacturing facility on the banks of the Delaware River. prgtoken Recently, Holtec opened up a new facility in Camden, New Jersey pledging to hire hundreds of people from the surrounding community. Holtec has shown it is invested in the future of the South Jersey community and its people by working with Camden County College to train welders and grow a highly-skilled work force from the local area. prgtoken Holtec's investment in Camden brings hope to a struggling city. South Jersey is better off because of Holtec's pledge to the community. One local laborer even said he had been waiting his whole life for this. prgtoken I'd also like to recognize the leadership of Holtec's President and CEO Dr. Kris Singh. None of this would be possible without him. Dr. Singh has led this company from its inception and helped it grow into the powerhouse it is today. Because of him, many South Jersey residents will have the opportunity to better their lives. prgtoken , companies like Holtec that are dedicated to their community should be commended. They help expand our economy, create jobs and improve the lives of so many Americans. I'm grateful for the impact Holtec is having on South Jersey. And I know many of my constituents feel the same way.
HURRICANE HARVEY
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-9-6

I rise today in support of heroes, in support of unity, and in support of love and compassion. I thank the senior Senator from Texas for his heartfelt remarks and leadership during this time of crisis, and I thank leaders across the State of Texas and across the country who are standing with the people of Texas. prgtoken Texas is hurting. This hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, is unlike anything prgtoken we have seen. I grew up in Houston. When you live on the gulf coast, you are used to hurricanes. It is part of life. I remember as a kid sheltering in the bathroom with my parents when Hurricane Alicia hit. We had a tree come down in the front yard. Harvey was different. Harvey was unlike anything we have ever seen before. Harvey is being described accurately as a 1,000-year storm, something that occurs every 1,000 years. prgtoken In Texas, we have never seen anything like it. Harvey started out as a category 4 storm, hitting South Texas, hitting Corpus Christi, Victoria, Rockport, Port Aransas, and Aransas Pass, all of which I visited in the past 2 weeks. Those communities were devastated by category 4 winds that destroyed homes, that destroyed schools, that destroyed county courthouses, city halls, and buildings and took down wires, took down power, took down water, and took down sewage. prgtoken As I visited each of those communities, you would drive down the street, and you would simply see home after home that had been obliterated by hurricane winds. I remember talking to the mother of a high schooler at Rockport High School who doesn't know where her son is going to go now because Rockport High School has been largely destroyed by the hurricane. She was saying how much the kids wanted to graduate from their high school, but their high school is badly damaged right now. prgtoken Harvey wasn't finished after making landfall and wreaking destruction. Harvey then turned north, north and east, and moved over the city of Houston and just sat there, sat there dumping rain, day after day after day. prgtoken I was home with my wife and kids. I live in Houston. For every day of those rains, it kept coming and coming. It is actually what made Harvey different. We are used to getting hit by a hurricane. Then it leaves, and you go and repair the damage and pick up the pieces. Harvey didn't have the good graces to leave. It sat there and dumped 27 trillion gallons of rain. Over 50 inches, which is typically as much as Houston receives in an entire year, fell in 4 days. prgtoken We saw flooding in parts of the city that had never flooded. I went in an airboat, just north of the Addicks Dam in northwest Houston, riding through a neighborhood with water up to the roofs of houses. It was an ordinary suburban neighborhood. You could see all the vestiges of families playing there. You could see children's toys floating in the water in the backyard. You could see holes in the roof, where either people in the attic
Lee M. Zeldin (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-9-6

this bill removes a burden from the Coast Guard. It doesn't micromanage any local council. It actually empowers the local council. It doesn't make any changes to stock assessments. You still are subject to the management of the local fisheries. You cannot fish for any more fish than you were previously. So actually, all the logic that was used by my colleague, you could actually very much more easily argue the opposite side. prgtoken It should be further noted that my colleague from California, as she speaks about what is the right policy here on the east end of Long Island for our hardworking fishermen, voted in favor of H.R. 3070, which was unanimously passed by the last Congress. prgtoken So it wouldn't make any sense to be arguing that this bill places a burden on the Coast Guard when it is lifting it, or that it is micromanaging a local council when it empowers it to control the fishery. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Paul Mitchell (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-9-6

I respect the work of the committee, certainly the chairman. prgtoken As I said earlier, I come from the private sector where, frankly, a 10 percent cut in administration is not uncommon. I worked at Chrysler Corporation back in the original loan guarantee days where Lee Iacocca said: ``If you can't cut 10 percent of your budget, I will just find a new manager.'' prgtoken We have made cuts. We made more substantial cuts than many other agencies. As noted earlier, we made significant cuts in, for example, the EPA, back to levels of 2005, 2006. I believe we can make these cuts and still maintain the safety and security of this Nation, maintain operations and programs, and while we may disagree, I will certainly work with the chairman and the committee to continue to work on getting our fiscal house in order. prgtoken , .
CONGRATULATING THE ARBOR CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
Kenny Marchant (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-9-6

I rise today to congratulate the Arbor Creek Middle School Band of Lewisville Independent School District on being selected to perform in the 71st Annual Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago, Illinois. prgtoken The Arbor Creek Band, directed by Mr. Rylon Guidry, has been recognized as one of the premiere middle school band programs in the state of Texas. Among their numerous honors, Arbor Creek's band has won the Foundation for Music Education's Mark of Excellence: National Wind Band Honors Contest on three occasions, was first runner-up in the 2016-2017 Texas Music Educators Association's Honor Band State Contest, and receives the University Interscholastic League Sweepstakes Award on a yearly basis. prgtoken This December, the Arbor Creek Band will perform at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago as one of only four middle school bands across the world chosen as an official performance group. This incredible honor is a testament to the hard work and dedication of these students. prgtoken The following musicians will represent Arbor Creek Middle School this December at the 71st Annual Midwest Clinic: Bailey Arrington, Ana Jones, Veronica Juarez, Larissa Kim, Nandita Kumar, Nancy Liu, Kaitlin Lutz, Hannah Mathai, Suhani Rana, Phil Tran, D'Marco DeLeon, Lillian Mulupi, Makayla Newell, Reagan Reasonover, Skylar Bohlman, Caroline Burrow, Tatum Gray, Olivia McClenaghan, Tessa Boyce, George Cardozo. prgtoken Dana Gingrey, Sarah Hurtado, Caeli Hwang, Brianna Kirkman, Marissa Kouba, Michelle Lee, Jestin Sifonte, Sean Simpson, Kamarion Hooks, Logan Stewart, Jaden Coleman, Spencer Griffin, Natalie Helmick, Aaron Martinez, Leia Phillips, Aditya Subramaniam, Gavin Dirks, Aden Robinson, Aidan Roark, Barrett Adams. prgtoken Richard Boudreau, Andrew Degan, Parker Guerry, Casey Ivanoff, Kaili Mancha, Joseph Miller, Lela Oliveira, Lily Rainey, Eloy Trevino, David Vazquez, Joel Weber, Ian Wright, Srushti S. Agashe, Weslyn Brown, Christopher Calltharp, Elayna Felder, Hudson Marr, Jamie Pina, Brendan Schmidt, Michelle Waida, Chance Akin, Ian Boggs. prgtoken Dylan Castillo, Malik Hamza, Aidan Lester, Jayden Mitchell, Matthew Mussell, Lance Wood, Garrett Baker, Trevor Hoffman, Grace McClenaghan, Adam Ronderos, Lucas Wittrup, Ryan Alonzo, Zachary Schroer, Neel Vavilapalli, Kyler Beck, Lauren Bond, Trace Downey, Parker Freeburg, Nhat-Tam Nguyen, Colby Petty, Alexander Walters, Ethan Watson, and Esther Yoo. prgtoken , I am honored to recognize these outstanding young musicians and congratulate them on this monumental achievement. I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating the Arbor Creek Middle School Band on its selection to perform in the 71st Annual Midwest Clinic Intemational Band and Orchestra Conference.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Duncan Hunter (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-9-6

my amendment transfers $5 million from prgtoken the Coast Guard's Operating Expenses account to its Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation account. The intent is to support sea trials for a Jones Act compliant icebreaker so the Coast Guard can determine whether a leased vessel can meet its immediate needs in fulfilling its 11 statutory missions around the globe. prgtoken I am going to stop my diatribe here. Steve Scalise has a statement. He is in his rehabilitation center, but he actually cared enough to write this. I am going to speak here, and these are his words, not mine: ``I support this amendment that will improve America's strategic, economic, and national security interests in the Arctic. As other countries are advancing their interests in the Arctic, the U.S. continues to lag behind. This amendment makes clear that Congress supports moving forward in identifying options for icebreaking capabilities in the Arctic. ``The Coast Guard has repeatedly stated we need a fleet of icebreakers to maintain the presence necessary in the Arctic and Antarctic to meet and protect U.S. sovereign interests and protect life and property at sea. Currently, the U.S. has two icebreakers--one of which is our Nation's only heavy icebreaker and is over 40 years old. Russia has more than 40 icebreakers, with more under construction. ``As the Arctic becomes increasingly accessible to maritime traffic, tourism, and energy exploration, we cannot continue to defer this much- needed capability--especially at a time when China and Russia are increasing their presence in the Arctic, expanding their icebreaker fleets, and encroaching over the extended U.S. continental shelf. ``I urge support for this amendment that will address this immediate and necessary investment and protect U.S. national security interests.'' prgtoken That is from Steve Scalise. Now back to my words. prgtoken To help narrow this capability gap between America and our peer competitors, the Coast Guard should examine the lease of icebreakers that could be deployed in the near term. prgtoken My subcommittee has held countless hearings on this issue, and I am convinced that a short-term lease of an existing icebreaker is one of the best chances to ensure the Coast Guard can meet its near-term and urgent mission objectives in the Arctic. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support my amendment, and .
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3354, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES; AND...
Rob Woodall (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-9-6

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I don't think my colleague is confused about where he is on this issue, and I don't think any amount of talking on the floor is going to change his mind on this issue. I would say that the underlying bill, which makes in order over 140 amendments so that we can have a conversation about different ideas and different outcomes and lets the people's voice be heard, is the right way to craft legislation. With the support of this body and this bill, we will move on to that underlying debate, and we will have that voice heard. prgtoken , .
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-9-6

. Mr. Chair, just one more time I will point out, it is all fine and good to say the Federal Government ought to be spending more money. We are broke, and we got a lot more broke in August when those hurricanes hit. I think it would be appropriate for everybody around here to remember that the day will come when we can no longer borrow money, and that will be a very ugly day indeed. prgtoken Like I said, we could have introduced the amendment to go back where wanted. I know he is a warrior and cares a lot about this country's children and grandchildren. I put a 2 percent upper in there. I think it is sad when people feel a 2 percent increase is being difficult on people. If there are problems back home, there is nothing that prevents local States or counties or individuals out of their own pocketbook to put more money in this sort of program. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
John R. Carter (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-9-6

. Mr. Chair, even if this money should be moved and the gentleman's amendment be approved, it wouldn't mean that any more fast-response cutters would be built in this calendar year. prgtoken I am fairly certain that the commandant of the Coast Guard would say that we have been very robust and very effective at producing fast- response cutters, and I believe that the detention beds is a deterrent for those coming across the border and for those violating the law as an important part of the defense of the borders and the people of the United States. prgtoken Therefore, I continue to oppose the amendment, and .
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Erik Paulsen (Republican, MN) \u2014 2017-9-7

. Mr. Chair, let me start by acknowledging my colleagues, Representatives Emmer and Nolan. I'm proud to call both of you my friends, but I'm speaking tonight because I disagree with this amendment. prgtoken We can be open to new types of mining in Minnesota when the necessary environmental reviews are met, like in the case of Polymet, which I support. prgtoken Taconite mining is part of Minnesota's DNA. However, the copper- nickel mining being proposed on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is not taconite mining, and has never been done before in Minnesota. Earlier this year, the administration said it would allow the current environmental review process to proceed to completion. I support that decision, and I oppose this amendment's effort to defund an ongoing environmental review to protect one of Minnesota's natural treasures. Indeed, it's one of our country's most spectacular wilderness areas. prgtoken The Boundary Waters is Minnesota's Yellowstone. Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit on fishing and canoe trips annually. Some of the best memories of my life have taken place in the Boundary Waters, both as a child and now as a parent with my daughters. prgtoken The public process that is underway after hundreds of thousands of people weighed in with their comments, should not be ignored and tossed aside. And, a science-based assessment of the best management practices of this sensitive ecosystem should be adhered to. We owe it to future generations to understand the impact copper-nickel mining poses to Minnesota's most precious water and land before we put it at risk.