mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-2-8

I was talking with the pages earlier asking if they knew what was going on. I am not sure if people watching the debate know what is going on. Let's talk about the mechanics of what is happening right now. prgtoken We have a measure before the Senate right now that cures at 1 a.m. tonight. At 1 a.m. tonight, we are going to vote on something we could vote on right now. The outcome is going to be something my friend from Kentucky will oppose, but it is going to happen because the majority of s believe that funding the government is a pretty important thing to do. prgtoken I am in a club. I am in a club that says we need to keep the government open. I am in a club that says we don't need to be telling people they are going to be furloughed tomorrow when we know darn well that at 1 a.m. tonight, we will be back open for business. I am in a club that tells everybody we obligated ourselves to pay our bills, and we are going to pay our bills. prgtoken I don't like this. I served as speaker of the house for 4 years. We paid our bills on time and got our budgets done on time. We had regular order. I agree with all that stuff. prgtoken Right now, we are in a position to where this is very simple. We can, right now, provide certainty to the thousands of people who expect the government to be open or we can play this game until 1 a.m. I, for one, think we should do it right now. If we want to go through the theater, and we want to go until 1 a.m that is going to be the end result. prgtoken Employees out there, I apologize on behalf of people who can't give you certainty right now at 9 p.m. At 1 a.m you will have it. I am sorry we have to go through this process. We seem to go through it far too often. prgtoken I will also tell you something else I have to speak briefly on, and I am going to offer a motion. prgtoken This whole idea about this concept of let's just withdraw from Afghanistan--I have been to Baghdad. I have been to the Kurdish region in Iraq, and I have been to Afghanistan. I have heard people in Iraq say the worst thing we did was a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq. We can debate whether we should have gone in there, but we are in there, and now we have to figure out a way to exit that doesn't put Iraqis at risk and American men and women who are serving this country. You don't do it through a precipitous withdrawal. It is irresponsible, and I will guarantee you, there is not a single person in uniform who would agree with you that is the prgtoken right way to protect our troops and protect the people of Afghanistan and the many allies we have there trying to take the fight to the Taliban and al-Qaida. It is irresponsible. So I am a member of that club. prgtoken I am a member of a club that says when the United States said we are going to protect a country and try to get it on the right path, we stay there until we get it done and do everything we can while there to keep our men an
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-2-8

Washington, DC, has an addiction problem. Washington, DC, is addicted to spending. Washington, DC, is addicted to debt. prgtoken This budget deal takes a giant step backward. Instead of shrinking government, it grows government by 13 percent. In fact, it is the largest spending increase since 2009, the first year President was in office. prgtoken I spent 28 years in the private sector before I came to Capitol Hill. I was expected to produce a balanced budget. In fact, better than that, I was expected to produce a budget that actually took in a little bit more than was spent. That is called a profit. This budget deal is blowing our budget. It takes discretionary spending up $300 billion and only offsets it by one-third. prgtoken By looking at numbers, it is pretty clear that Washington, DC, doesn't have a revenue problem if we look at revenue as a percentage of GDP, but if we look at spending as a percentage of GDP, we start to see the real problem. DC doesn't have a revenue problem. DC doesn't need to ask for more money from the American people. Washington, DC, has a spending problem. Controlling government spending is a big challenge, but it is one we have to rise to meet. We must rise to the occasion, not retreat to trillion-dollar deficits. prgtoken Funding our national defense is a fundamental requirement laid out in the Constitution. The men and women of our military, including our veterans--absolutely crucial. Funding for our community health centers, something I have been fighting hard for--important for our States. In fact, earlier today I supported a reasonable proposal to address both of these concerns without going rogue on spending. prgtoken The question is, At what point is Congress going to look in the mirror and see that the real long-term certainty, the long-term sustainability of these programs we all support, is directly tied to fiscal responsibility? prgtoken Even the former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ADM Mike Mullen, once said, ``The most significant threat to our national security is our debt.'' We have now crossed the $20 trillion debt threshold, and this bill simply accelerates that. prgtoken I left the private sector to run for Congress and came to the Senate to fight for more jobs and less government. I will tell you, I think if you look in the dictionary for the term ``more government,'' you would find this bill. This bill defines ``more government.'' prgtoken Washington's broken budget process results in bad budget deals like this one, and we are continuing the cycle of irresponsible budgets which creates more irresponsible budgets. It is an addiction to spending. It is an addiction to debt, but it doesn't have to be that way. Many of our States have figured that out. Many of our States aren't running deficits and large debts. prgtoken The first bill I introduced when I arrived in Congress was the Balanced Budget Accountability Act. It is not complicated. It
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-2-8

I come to the floor to offer my support for the Bipartisan Budget Act, which we expect to vote on later today. prgtoken This bipartisan agreement includes a number of priorities that will benefit Americans, including $20 billion in new investment and infrastructure over the next 2 years, $6 billion to combat the opioid epidemic, disaster relief assistance for those impacted by recent hurricanes, funding for community health centers, a permanent repeal of Care's Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, and the creation of two select committees to address pension reform and Congress's broken budget process. prgtoken Most important is that this bipartisan agreement removes the arbitrary spending caps that have hampered our Armed Forces. For the first time in years, we prioritize our national security by adequately funding the military. Of all the positive aspects of this agreement that will benefit the people of my home State of South Dakota and American families across the country, the addition of $165 billion in defense funding over the next 2 years is crucial. prgtoken As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have been deeply concerned about the underfunding of our military. If we are going to adequately recover readiness levels that were lost over the last 8 years, as well as modernize our Armed Forces in this increasingly dangerous and complex world, adequately funding our troops is vital. This is the reason I support the Bipartisan Budget Act. prgtoken I had previously expressed my strong displeasure for short-term funding measures or CRs, but this agreement makes significant progress toward rebuilding our military, and, finally, after years of underfunding, provides the Department of Defense with a much needed spending boost. This will provide the resources to adequately train and rebuild the Armed Forces at a time of increasing global threats, but don't just take my word for it. Let me quote Defense Secretary James Mattis, who testified before the House Armed Services Committee earlier this week. He said: Let me be clear: As hard as the last 16 years of war have been on our military, no enemy in the field has done as much to harm the readiness of the United States than the combined impact of the Budget Control Act's defense spending caps, worsened by operating for 10 of the last 11 years under continuing resolutions of varied and unpredictable duration. prgtoken Secretary Mattis went on to tell the committee that: The consequences of not providing a budget are clear . . . should we stumble into a year-long continuing resolution, your military will not be able to provide pay for our troops by the end of the fiscal year; will not recruit the 15,000 Army soldiers and 4,000 Air Force airmen required to fill critical manning shortfalls; we will not maintain our ships at sea with the proper balance betw
CONGRATULATING PYEONGCHANG WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES ATHLETES
Chris Stewart (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-2-8

I want to congratulate all 243 United States athletes that have secured qualification in the upcoming Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. I am proud to say that 15 of these Olympians come from my home State of Utah. Through their talent, their hard work, and their dedication, I am confident that they are going to represent Utah and, in fact, the entire United States very well. prgtoken These individuals come from all walks of life. Some are in the middle of their professional careers, some are students, many of them are parents. Together, these individuals will be able to showcase their immense strength prgtoken and skill through unparalleled determination. prgtoken Although these Olympians are not guaranteed success or a medal, it doesn't prevent them from doing what they love to do. We should all look up to these Olympic athletes for inspiration to become better, stronger, and more dedicated to reaching our goals, even when we know it is tough. prgtoken I wish these athletes good luck in the upcoming events, and I thank them for representing the United States and the great State of Utah. As we watch the Olympics, all of us look forward to hearing our national anthem played and hearing them chanting: U-S-A, U-S-A.
IMPROVING RURAL CALL QUALITY AND RELIABILITY ACT OF 2017
Kristi L. Noem (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-2-8

I rise today to support the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act. prgtoken Most Americans can rely on their phone service to keep in touch with loved ones. They can respond to urgent work when away from their place of business and respond to emergencies. But many of my constituents in South Dakota continue to have these critical calls dropped with absolutely no warning. prgtoken More specifically, companies in the business of routing voice calls sometimes purposely drop long-distance calls headed for remote areas as a way to save money. prgtoken While this is inexcusable just for the sheer inconvenience, some of these calls involve emergencies, leaving families in unnecessarily dangerous situations. prgtoken The provisions within this bill are simple. We simply direct the FCC to establish basic quality standards for providers that transmit voice calls. This will help ensure businesses, families, and emergency responders can count on phone calls being completed. prgtoken , I love living in a small town in America. It is where I grew up, and it is where I have chosen to raise my family. prgtoken Dependable phone service shouldn't be a question for those who make the choice to live in wide-open spaces, especially when we are making new, amazing technological advances on a daily basis. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation and ensure that those in South Dakota and rural areas across the country can rely on their phone calls going through.
HONORING PFC JOHN WILLIAM LITTLE
Carlos Curbelo (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-2-8

last year Congress passed historic tax reform repairing our Nation's broken Tax Code. The positive effects of this new law are beginning to be felt across the country as businesses of all sizes reward their workers with bonuses and higher wages, all while hiring more people to fill new positions. prgtoken Millions of Americans across the income spectrum will start seeing more money in their paychecks as soon as this month. However, with the growth of wages and bonuses being realized, reprehensible individuals looking to commit fraud and take advantage of countless hardworking Americans as they file their taxes will see this as a prime opportunity to ply unsuspecting victims. Sadly, fraudulent tax preparation is a problem we know all too well in south Florida. prgtoken Fortunately, free tax filing assistance is available for those who need it. The IRS offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, known as VITA, to provide free tax preparation services from volunteer tax professionals in local communities. prgtoken , for low-income families with an annual income of less than $54,000, the elderly, and those struggling with English, VITA services are an opportunity to make the most of the recent tax relief legislation and ensure they are getting as much in their tax return as possible. prgtoken Sixty percent of residents in my district qualify for this assistance in preparing their taxes, which is why I have made fighting to protect and strengthen the VITA program one of my top priorities since being appointed to the Ways and Means Committee last year. prgtoken Together with my ic colleague Representative Danny Davis, I introduced a bipartisan bill that would permanently authorize the IRS to fund this free tax preparation service. It also ensures that VITA grant recipients, who already have accuracy rates of 94 percent, including tax returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit, maintain strong records of accuracy that will save taxpayers money. prgtoken My legislation is an important step toward ensuring the IRS is serving taxpayers and not the other way around. I am proud it has strong bipartisan support. prgtoken In my district, United Way of Miami-Dade and United Way of Monroe work hard to connect lower-income taxpayers or those with limited English skills with reliable, legitimate tax preparation assistance-- entirely for free through the IRS VITA program. I was honored to invite United Way of Miami-Dade to Washington last year to share the work they do to help so many in our community fully utilize this free resource. prgtoken Unfortunately, I won't be able to visit United Way in South Dade this afternoon as planned, but I look forward to rescheduling to bring attention to their work soon. prgtoken I want to ensure as many constituents as possible are aware these services are available to protect their hard-earned paychecks, especially in a period of historic tax relief, and I encourage anyone
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1892, HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-2-8

I am prepared to close, and the balance of my time. prgtoken , let's acknowledge that a deal like this could have come much sooner if the majority tried bipartisanship from the very beginning. Instead, our Nation has had to go through four short-term funding fights and two government shutdowns to arrive at where we are this morning. All of that was entirely preventible. It was brought on by the majority's inability to get its work done. prgtoken It was little more than a week ago that President stood in this Chamber and gave his State of the Union Address. In it, he proclaimed: ``I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people.'' prgtoken That was Tuesday. But the following Tuesday, the President said that he would love to see a shutdown. He keeps injecting incredible confusion and uncertainty as to what he actually would be willing to sign into law. I am aware that my colleague, Mr. Sessions, did assure us that he wants to sign this bill. prgtoken , it has been an awful long night, and it didn't need to be. We don't need to take up every crisis to the very brink. Since you control every lever of power in this government, you have failed the most basic responsibility: to run this government in a sensible and intelligent way. Everybody--all of us--know, whether we want to admit it or not, that this is no way to run a government and certainly not a government as important as the one we were sent here to represent. prgtoken I also urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question so the House can take up the Dream Act because time is so quickly running out on those young people. It would be a blot on our conscience for the rest of our lives if we did nothing to help. prgtoken , .
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-2-8

I rise to speak about the need to protect our Dreamers from deportation. When we talk about Dreamers, we are talking about immigrants who came to this country as children. We are talking about immigrants whose parents brought them here when they were young to give them a better chance than they had in their own countries. We are talking about young immigrants who, when they were children, had no choice in the decision to come to the United States. prgtoken These Dreamers know no other home than these United States. Many of them have spent their lives in limbo, identifying as Americans but lacking legal status and under the constant threat of being sent back to countries that are completely foreign to them. prgtoken In 2012, President took steps to protect some of these Dreamers from deportation. Through an Executive order, he established the program known as DACA or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. DACA created security and opportunity for hundreds of thousands of young Dreamers, allowing them to live and work in our great Nation without the threat of deportation. So what DACA really stands for is ``Deserving a Chance in America,'' DACA, and a protection for these innocent young people who deserve a shot at the American dream. prgtoken I would like to take a moment to speak about one of these Massachusetts Dreamers who benefited from DACA. Her name is Estefany. She came to the United States at 9 years of age to escape violence in El Salvador. She was brought here by her grandmother, along with her two sisters and a baby cousin. The journey took 22 days. It was arduous. Estefany was so scared at one point she asked to be left behind. When she finally got to the United States, she found it difficult to adjust to this whole new world, but Estefany was overjoyed to be reunited with her mother, who had come to the United States a few years before the rest of the family was able to come. prgtoken Estefany was grateful for the opportunity she was given and did not want to squander it. She wanted to succeed in school and live up to her mother's sacrifice. Estefany, who only spoke Spanish when she arrived, struggled with elementary school and tried to do her homework every night. Working as hard as she could, in 2 years she was moved on from her English as a Second Language class. Her hard work paid off in even greater dividends when she was accepted into the prestigious Boston Latin Academy for high school. prgtoken Her work ethic and desire to deserve her family's sacrifices were what motivated Estefany and got her through the many hardships that come with being undocumented--fear, uncertainty, anxiety. When Estefany began her college application process, she fully understood, for the first time, what it meant to be undocumented. prgtoken Although she wanted to go to college and have a career, she was afraid to tell her guidance counselor and her teachers of her fears about he
HONORING ANDREW J. NICKS
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-2-8

I rise today to honor Dr. Andrew J. Nicks upon the occasion of being named Napa and Solano County Medical Society's Physician of the Year. Dr. Nicks is a renowned radiologist who has dedicated his life to the study of medicine and community service. prgtoken Dr. Andrew J. Nicks grew up in the state of Wisconsin where he attended the University of Wisconsin and received a bachelor's degree in zoology. He then graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin and began an internship at the Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he met his wife, Nancy. There he began an impressive medical career in the military, serving as a U.S. Navy flight surgeon, a medical resident and later Chief of Diagnostic Radiology at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco, California. prgtoken After retiring from the military, Dr. Nicks was Chief of Radiology at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California. He introduced several technologies that increased the quality of care, including CT, MRI, Nuclear Cardiac Scans, Radiation Oncology, and other forms of digital imaging. He also sat on the Board of Trustees and chaired several committees. prgtoken Throughout his career, Dr. Nicks has been repeatedly recognized for his outstanding work in the medical field. He was named as a Fellow of the American College of Radiology, an honor that is given to only 10 percent of radiologists based on service to profession, teaching and the community. He served as the President of the Radiology Medical Group and co-founded Radiation Oncology Centers throughout Northern California. His commitment to service extends beyond hospital walls. He served on the Boards of Directors of the Napa Valley Country Club, Collabria Hospice and Adult Day Care, Vintage Bank and Napa Valley Bancorp. prgtoken Dr. Nicks believes in the importance of dedication and diligence. His consistent application of these principles throughout his life, accompanied by his quick wit, sense of humor, loyalty, high level of professionalism and exemplary leadership has resulted in nearly 50 years of professional excellence. prgtoken , Dr. Andrew J. Nicks is well deserving of the honor of Physician of the Year. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor him here today.