mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-1-17

I would like to have printed in the Record an article that was published in today's Miami Herald, ``What makes a classroom click? Meet four great teachers who make it happen,'' and recognize the finalists for the annual Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year contest. I wish them, and all nominated teachers from around the State the best of luck and commend their hard work and dedication to Florida's students. prgtoken The material follows: prgtoken What Makes a Classroom Click? Meet Four Great Teachers Who Make It Happen (By Kyra Gurney) What's the secret to being a great teacher? The four finalists for Miami-Dade's annual Teacher of the Year contest--chosen from the county's roughly 18,000 public school teachers--have some ideas. Inspiring students takes passion, hard work and perseverance, they said. Above all, a great teacher finds a way to connect with each child as an individual, not as a test score. The winner of the 2019 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year will be announced on Jan. 25 along with the rookie teacher of the year. The awards dinner will be held at 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport & Convention Center at 711 NW 72nd Ave. The winner will compete for the state title. Here are the finalists: prgtoken North Region: Molly Winters Diallo, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Molly Winters Diallo grew up in a family of teachers, so going into education ``felt like it was the natural route to take,'' she said. Her first teaching job was at a private school in the British Virgin Islands. In the early 2000s, Winters Diallo moved to Miami because she wanted to teach in the Haitian community. She spent five years at Miami Edison Senior High before transferring to Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High, where she teaches Advanced Placement Human Geography and Psychology and Honors U.S. History. Winters Diallo said she encourages every student to take advanced classes, like the college-level Advanced Placement courses she teaches. ``I believe that regardless of students' backgrounds, they should be able to take advanced coursework and they should see college as an attainable goal,'' she said. In 2016, Winters Diallo was selected as a Bezos Educator Scholar--one of 12 teachers chosen nationwide to participate in a leadership program funded by the Bezos Family Foundation, which was created by the parents of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. As part of the program, Winters Diallo and a student created ``Branch Out'' at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High, an effort that brings together students from diverse backgrounds who might not ordinarily so
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-1-17

when we passed tax reform late last year, we knew it would be a win for American workers and for the American economy. This win for our workers and families was long overdue after so many years of sluggish wage growth. prgtoken Americans will see tax cuts very soon. They will be reflected in their paychecks next month. But tax reform is already making a positive difference. The response from our job creators--both small and large job creators--has been overwhelming. Some 164 companies so far, spanning industry sectors and geographical boundaries, have announced employee bonuses, higher minimum wages, better benefits, new jobs, charitable deductions, charitable donations, and new investments. According to Americans for Tax Reform, well more than 2 million Americans will benefit from these bonuses. The National Federation of Independent Business says that the tax cuts for our small businesses-- the bread and butter of our economy--will amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. prgtoken I want to take a moment today to highlight how some of these job creators are giving back to the hard-working citizens of my State. They include Mississippi's single largest private employer, Walmart, which has announced that it is raising its starting wage rate for hourly employees to $11. Walmart is also expanding its maternity and parental leave benefits, as well as giving employee bonuses, as a result of the new tax bill. BancorpSouth, headquartered in my hometown of Tupelo, MS, has announced that it will give back to employees through pay raises or bonuses. In fact, BancorpSouth says it plans to invest more than $10 million into the employees who work in its 234 locations across Mississippi and seven other Southern States. Another bank based in Tupelo, MS, Renasant, has announced that it will invest its tax savings in its 2,000 employees. prgtoken Nationally, AT&T is giving $1,000 bonuses to 200,000 employees. So are Bank of America, American Airlines, Boeing, and Comcast. And I could go on and on and on with bonuses benefiting hundreds of thousands of employees. prgtoken Other Americans will get new jobs. Last month, television station WLOX on the gulf coast of Mississippi reported that the Half Shell Oyster House plans to use its tax savings to open new restaurants and hire more employees. Isn't this what we want? Isn't this what we predicted? And isn't it wonderful to see this come to fruition? Kevin Fish, a co-owner, told the news station: ``We've passed up on opportunities in the past that we wouldn't have passed up on had we had this tax structure.'' prgtoken Millions of Americans might also see lower energy bills from investor-owned utilities. Utility companies across the country, including in Mississippi, are discussing how the law can help them lower energy costs for our consumers. prgtoken The message is clear across my State, across every State, and across this country: The more money our job creat
THE MARCH FOR LIFE
Ron Estes (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-1-17

I thank Congressman Smith for hosting this Special Order on the 45th anniversary of Roe v. Wade to remember the devastating impact on children and women, and to celebrate the sanctity of all human life. prgtoken Each and every life is precious, a unique gift with intrinsic value. Furthermore, science is clear that, at just 16 weeks old, a baby's body is fully formed and has fingerprints, and a baby can even make facial expressions. prgtoken , I have been blessed with three incredible children, each one of them unique with their own special personalities, talents, and dreams. As a father, I am excited to see what impact they will have on the world. Each of them will contribute to society and bring a unique perspective to the world that only they can. prgtoken As we approach the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I am reminded that in the past 45 years there have been over 60 million fewer individuals in the country today because of abortions. That is 60 million fewer people living the American Dream, starting families, farming in Kansas, or going to medical school to save lives. Their fate was determined before they even had a chance to show the world their talents. prgtoken In my home State of Kansas, I am thankful for the countless volunteers who assist with educational programs and outreach to ensure that we are becoming a society that values life, even before a child is born. prgtoken For many years, my wife and I have been involved with Kansans for Life and have been blessed to work with so many tireless advocates for life. Hundreds of these volunteers are coming here this week for the March for Life. prgtoken With 63 percent of Americans now supporting abortion bans after 20 weeks--that is 5 months--I think we are seeing an incredible pro-life generation. This gives me hope, , and I am ready to see what kind of impact these unborn children will have on our world.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-17

last week, the House voted to reauthorize for a period of 6 years section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act--a vital tool in tracking foreign terrorists abroad. Last night, we had a very important vote in this Chamber, a cloture vote, which will allow us to proceed to a final vote on this legislation perhaps as early as tomorrow morning. prgtoken Congress enacted section 702 in 2008 in direct response to the enduring threats to the country being posed by radical Islamic extremism and the ever-expanding use of the internet and social media by terrorists and foreign operatives. The law authorizes the Attorney General of the United States and the Director of National Intelligence to conduct surveillance on foreigners who are outside of the United States so that the U.S. Government can effectively acquire that intelligence information. As the Director of National Intelligence and many others have stated--former FBI Director James Comey is another one--section 702 is the crown jewel of our foreign intelligence collection and a critical weapon in the defense of our Nation. prgtoken The law expires this Friday--that is right, just 2 days from now--so the clock is ticking. I am glad the Senate took the first step last evening, and I trust my colleagues will soon make sure the law is reauthorized so that the U.S. Government can continue to collect information that is vital to the protection of the Nation. prgtoken Because the law requires targets of section 702 to be foreign citizens outside the United States, those targets are not covered by the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Clearly, people who are inside the country, American citizens, are all protected by the Fourth Amendment, but not foreigners, under Supreme Court precedent. Because of that, the government isn't required to obtain a warrant before initiating surveillance. That is where the misconceptions and confusion start to arise, and I want to talk a little bit more about that. prgtoken Despite the strong bipartisan vote in support of section 702 in the House of Representatives last week and the strong bipartisan support for the provision here in the Senate, some critics want to delay reauthorization and engage in a never-ending lamentation about the demise of the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment, of course, is a guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures. Again, that applies to American citizens, not to foreigners abroad. But these critics have mischaracterized the aims of the many and ic proponents of this law, and frankly their concerns are misplaced. They ignore the enduring value and core protections in section 702 and the merits of various pro-privacy reforms in the House bill. As I said, it is truly a bipartisan bill. prgtoken Critics have expressed three concerns, and I want to address each in turn. prgtoken The first is that under 702, ``millions of bits of information are
WORLD BANK ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
Jeb Hensarling (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-17

10 seconds just to say when my colleague on the other side of the aisle talks about meaningful participation, not one single amendment was offered by my ic friends. It was a perfect bill. It passed 60-0. prgtoken I would also point out the only leverage we have as the United States is our contribution, and that is what this bill does. prgtoken , I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), the chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investments.
TRIBUTE TO REB BROWNELL
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-1-17

now, finally, on an entirely different matter, I would like to say a few words about Reb Brownell, a key member of my team who is departing the Senate today. prgtoken Reb has served with distinction in my office for nearly 13 years. He began as an aide on foreign affairs, defense, and veterans issues. Since then, he has risen through the ranks, now serving as my personal office deputy chief of staff. prgtoken Reb is a tireless worker and a loyal public servant. He has been my point person on more important issues than I can name, including my support for democracy in Burma and research on prominent Kentucky leaders throughout history. I know he is especially proud of our work to help Dr. Noelle Hunter bring her daughter back to America. prgtoken I will miss more than Reb's fine work. I will miss him challenging my title as the biggest history buff in the office, and all his colleagues will miss Reb's genuine warmth, his quick wit and good humor, and his readiness to mentor young staffers. Of course, nobody is perfect. Reb is a diehard Michigan State fan. Fortunately, he never let it get in the way of serving the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. prgtoken I am sorry to see Reb go. I thank him for his service, and I wish him and his wife Sandy every success in their future endeavors.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-1-17

. Thank you, . prgtoken I appreciate the majority leader allowing us to do this. prgtoken To the present Presiding Officer, thank you very much for trying to fix a difficult problem called immigration. prgtoken I am going to start with what drives my train the most. I want to fix a broken immigration system. There are 700,000, 800,000 DACA recipients who are going to go into chaos on March 5 if we don't do something. prgtoken As to the President, I think you were right to end this program and to give Congress the chance to fix it through the legislative process. I thought President overreached through Executive action. You said March 5, we are going to replace DACA with legislation. The only way that works, , is for you to help us and lead us to the right answer. prgtoken The one thing I can tell you that drives my train the most is rebuilding a broken military. We have an opportunity here to fix these problems: help the men and women in the military who have suffered mightily from sequestration, to get them more money at a time when they need it; to provide certainty to 800,000 young people who have no other country to call home than America; again, to repair a broken border, start transforming a broken immigration system, and marching to comprehensive reform in phase two. prgtoken The reason I am here tonight is I see an opportunity to do something we should have done years ago--increase defense spending consistent with the threats we face. prgtoken Here is what Defense Secretary Mattis said on June 12, 2017: ``No enemy in the field has done more to harm the combat readiness of our military than sequestration.'' Congress has shot down more planes and sunk more ships by denying the military the assets they need to build new equipment, to replace old equipment, to keep people in the field in the fight, and other people trained and ready to go in the fight. prgtoken General Milley, the Chief of Staff of the Army, said: If we return to sequestration, the Army will be required ``to draw down end-strength even further, reduce funding for readiness, and increase the risk of sending under-trained and poorly equipped Soldiers into harm's way.'' So this is the head of the Army saying: If we can't get our act together and increase military funding in a more permanent way, if we go back into sequestration, you are requiring me to increase the risk of sending undertrained and poorly equipped soldiers into harm's way. If that doesn't motivate you, what will? prgtoken General Goldfein said: ``[P]ermanent relief from the Budget Control Act--with predictability funding--is absolutely critical to rebuilding Air Force capability, capacity, and readiness.'' We have lost a lot of capacity. Our readiness is at an alltime low because we are having to rob Peter to pay Paul to keep the planes in the air in the Air Force. prgtoken Navy Secretary Spencer said on October 28: The ``Budget Control Act and cap seque
CYBER DIPLOMACY ACT OF 2017
Edward R. Royce (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-1-17

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , let me begin by saying the United States is increasingly under attack by foreign actors online. Nobody knows this better than our members on the Foreign Affairs Committee, but especially Mike McCaul, who assisted me on this bill. As you know, Mike McCaul also chairs the Homeland Security Committee. prgtoken So this legislation is focused on correcting a serious threat. prgtoken Malicious cyber activities by state and non-state actors threaten our U.S. foreign policy, our security, and our economic interests right now around the globe. prgtoken Last year, the intelligence community's Worldwide Threat Assessment summed this up well. As they looked at the problem, they said: ``Our adversaries are becoming more adept at using cyberspace to threaten our interests and advance their own, and despite improving our cyber defenses, nearly all information, communication networks, and systems will be at risk for years.'' prgtoken But it is not just the security of our networks that the United States needs to protect. It is the very fabric of the internet itself that is increasingly under assault by governments that want to erect digital borders, that want to impose more control, and that want censorship online. prgtoken The State Department has a critical role to play in promoting an open and secure cyberspace by developing international norms of responsible state behavior and deterring malicious actors from carrying out destructive cyber operations. prgtoken Last year, the President signed an executive order charging the Secretary of State with creating an interagency strategy to protect the American people from cyber threats along with a plan to improve international cooperation in cybersecurity. prgtoken Despite the prominent role assigned to the Department by the President's executive order and support from this body for such work, the office tasked with leading this effort for the State Department was merged into the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. The concern is that this limits the Department's ability to confront the full range of issues in cyberspace--such as security, internet access, online human rights, and cybercrime--beyond the clear economic challenges. prgtoken So I believe this sends the wrong signal to Moscow, to Beijing, and to other governments around the world. The United States should make it clear that we place a high priority on the whole range of cyber issues, including cybersecurity, internet access, online rights, deterrence, and cybercrime. prgtoken In testimony before the Foreign Affairs Committee--and here is the good news--I was relieved to hear our Deputy Secretary Sullivan say that this was just an interim step and that he expects cyber issues will ultimately be elevated to a Senate-confirmed role. This is exactly what this bill requires. prgtoken So now, more than ever, we need a high-ranking cyber diplomat at the State Departme
THE MARCH FOR LIFE
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-1-17

I thank Chairman Chris Smith for leading the Pro-Life Caucus and for organizing this evening's Special Order. prgtoken This Friday, our constituents from all across the country will arrive on the National Mall for the 45th annual March for Life. Last year's March for Life was one of the first events that I had participated in, here in Washington, after I took office in January of last year. prgtoken Hundreds of my constituents had marched down the National Mall. I had the opportunity to meet with them afterwards and hear from them about their hopes for the pro-life movement. They had just come back from hearing the Vice President speak. He had spoken about life is winning here in America. He said: I've long believed that a society can be judged by how we care for its most vulnerable, the aged, the infirm, the disabled, and the unborn. prgtoken Since that day, , I am proud to say that this Chamber has taken steps to protect the lives of the unborn. prgtoken We passed the commonsense Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, banning abortion after 20 weeks, the point at which we know that an unborn child can feel pain. prgtoken We passed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, ending taxpayer subsidies of abortions, and codifying the Hyde amendment governmentwide. prgtoken I was very happy to be part of a body that passed both of these bills and, of course, voted for and supported those measures. prgtoken And this week, the House will vote on legislation--the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act--requiring medical care be given to any child who survives an attempted abortion, prgtoken with strict penalties for those who do not comply with the law. prgtoken Voting against this legislation would be unconscionable. A child, made in the image of our Creator and born into this world, should not need additional legal protections requiring medical care if they are born alive after an attempted abortion. prgtoken But here we are, continuing our fight for the rights of the unborn and the born. It is a fight worth fighting, and we aren't going to stop. prgtoken I look forward to joining my constituents on the National Mall on Friday to raise our voices for those who cannot yet speak. They have our commitment to continue to work in this Chamber to protect the lives of the unborn.
RAPID DNA ACT OF 2017--Continued
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-1-17

the last 3 weeks have shown us the beginning of what happens when Congress listens to the American people and delivers on our promises. prgtoken For years, we have been talking about real, lasting tax reform-- helping American families bring more of their hard-earned money back home in their paychecks and ensuring that the jobs of the future are created here at home in America. prgtoken Last month, we started reaching those goals, and just 3 weeks since we passed tax reform, more than 2 million Americans have received bonuses in their paychecks, and hundreds of thousands of employees have been informed that they will have permanent pay increases or increased benefits. prgtoken Right after Christmas, in my home State of South Carolina, Nephron Pharmaceuticals announced that 640 employees will receive a minimum of a 5-percent raise. This is good news. The raise is due to the passage of tax reform. In other words, 2 million Americans all across the country--thousands of Americans in South Carolina--are starting to see the fruit of tax reform. prgtoken This is just the beginning. In fact, all across the country, more than 160 companies have already begun the steps of improving the lives of their employees by allowing them to share in the benefits of tax reform. This is counter to what we heard on the floor for days and weeks and I would dare say for months, when folks railed about how the corporations and the companies and the employers of America simply would not share the benefits of lower taxes. prgtoken I am thankful that I live in a country and blessed to live in a State where our corporate family has obviously recognized the benefits and the wisdom of sharing the profits with their employees. And that number will rise. As a matter of fact, I think just today the Apple Corporation--home of the iPhones and all those good gadgets--said that instead of making the $1.5 billion investment that they had announced, they would instead make a $300 billion investment here at home in America, creating 20,000 new American jobs. This is good news. prgtoken Earlier this month--last week, I believe it was--the IRS announced that they had been able to change the withholdings, and they have predicted--this is an astounding number--that up to 90 percent of employees will see more take-home pay in their paychecks as early as February 15. prgtoken You see, lower taxes and higher take-home pay translates into maybe a movie night out for a struggling family, maybe new tennis shoes for a youngster, and, without any question, more money to do more good for nonprofits, for churches and other organizations. prgtoken Next year, when they file their taxes, our efforts to double the child tax credit and our efforts to double the standard deduction will kick in, and more families will see more money from their returns. prgtoken Frankly, my Investing in Opportunity Act that was included in the tax prgtoken reform will present new o