mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Workforce Development (Executive Session)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-6-13

I am on the floor again today to talk about developing the American workforce. Why? Because it is such a big issue back home in Ohio and around the country. prgtoken Pro-growth Federal policies, including tax cuts, have really worked. I just had another group of Ohio small businesspeople visiting me today, telling me how they have taken those tax savings and used them to invest in their workers, invest in machine and technology, helping to create more economic growth. It is working. prgtoken The most recent report released by the Commerce Department shows that the economy grew by 3.1 percent in the first quarter this year. That is significant. By the way, it is about twice what was projected for that same quarter prior to tax reform being put into place. So we are doing about twice as well as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office thought we would be doing at this point. prgtoken Official unemployment is now 3.6 percent. That is tied for the lowest in 50 years. We continue to see solid wage growth, including better wage growth--which is really exciting for me--among people who are not, as I said, supervisory employees; in other words, blue-collar workers, a 3.4-percent increase in wages. That is after about a decade and a half of flat wages when you take inflation into account. Finally, we are seeing a real increase in wages. prgtoken I hear from our small business owners back in Ohio how this is working for them, but I also hear something else, which is that they are looking for workers. prgtoken The good news is, the economy is growing. There is a demand for workers, but that is not the whole story. We are still seeing a lot of individuals who are missing out on the benefits of a growing economy, not working, and not even looking for work. I have visited dozens of factories and businesses prgtoken over the past year, and I keep hearing the same thing: We just don't have enough skilled workers to fill all the positions we have in order to keep on growing, to keep expanding as a company. Yet, in Ohio and elsewhere, we do not have enough working-age adults participating in the labor force. prgtoken So how do we solve this problem? How do we bring this together? How do we take people off the sidelines and into work? By the way, I am told it is over 8 million men right now not working at all; meaning, they are not looking for work; they don't show up in the unemployment numbers. Labor force economists call this the labor force participation rate. It is relatively low. It has fallen in the past decade, meaning there are a lot of unemployed Americans not even looking for work, not being recorded in those official Department of Labor unemployment numbers. prgtoken It is so low that if our labor force participation was simply at its normal prerecession level--so go back 10 years and what was normal for decades before that. If you just went back to that labor force participation rate, our country's
RECOGNIZING SOUTH 40 SMOKEHOUSE
Johnny Isakson (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-6-13

it is said that the quickest route to a man's heart is through his stomach. I tried to prove that today at lunch when I supplied barbecue for all the Members of the Senate, and ic. prgtoken For the 11th year in a row, I have done that, and I have done it for a very specific reason. Tonight, when you listen to the news on ABC or NBC or you read the newspaper, they will talk about a do-nothing Congress, and they will talk about how we never do anything and we don't get along and how we don't work, when, in fact, I know, because I have been here a long time, we work pretty hard. Now, we have a difficult time getting results sometimes, but that is because the issues are tough. prgtoken When you feed a man barbecue, and you have a tough issue to handle, you have a chance of getting it done, and tonight we did that. prgtoken All but three Members of the Senate were there, stayed the whole time, and the barbecue was outstanding. I want to pay tribute to the people from Marietta, GA, my hometown, who drove here for 2 nights and then cooked all night last night so the barbecue was absolutely fresh today when the Senate had it. prgtoken Dale Thornton is here, and Dale and his wife Tracey have a catering business called the South 40 Smokehouse in Marietta, GA. If you have ever eaten good barbecue that has the best rub, the best smoke, best tenderness, best temperature, South 40 has it. They are fantastic. prgtoken Dale has been a good friend of mine for a time and was here last year, here this year, and has been here many years before, and all I have had all day long is people coming by and saying: Is there anything I can do for you? So I want my constituents to know I wasn't wasting my time eating barbecue. I was gaining good points from my Members so if I need a vote I can get it. That is not any way of using influence, but it is a way of using barbecue. prgtoken I want to thank Dale and his group, and I want to recognize all of them by name because I think they are listening at this time: Dale Thornton, who is the chief pitmaster; Tracey Thornton, who is his chief, I might add, but she is the chief and brains of the organization; Charles Wells, retired Fulton County Fire Department; Chief Todd Houghton, pitmaster and Air Force flight mechanic; Margaret Houghton; Brian Rule, pitmaster; Jay Tinney, pressmaster; Chuck Taylor, a 35-year chef; Jeff Carson, 20-year veteran chef; Kell Phelps, pitmaster; Janet Phelps; and Raylyn Phelps, the daughter. prgtoken They drove up here from Marietta, GA, about 700 miles away, to prepare the best food you ever had to eat. s and shared eating it all. We didn't have to do the dishes. So we ate all the food. We did it so we can take the last half of this year and work hard for the American people, and I hope a byproduct is our working together to find solutions for the American people's problems. After all, our job is not about who has
National Debt (Executive Session)
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-6-13

the national debt is what actually pulled me and you and others, to some degree, into this political process. I have come to this floor many times over the last 4\1/2\ years to talk about this. Today, again, it is very timely. It is why I ran for the U.S. Senate. Today, we have--I just checked--$22.3 trillion, and it is going up $100,000 a second, as we speak. I have a debt clock in the reception area of my office, in the Russell Senate Office Building, and that thing spins all day long, 24 hours a day. prgtoken Even more concerning, we have more than $130 trillion of future unfunded liabilities coming at us like a freight train over the next 30 years. That is $1 million for every household for every American. prgtoken What we have learned is that we can't cut our way out of it, we can't tax our way out of it, and we can't grow our way out of it alone. Any one of these three will fall short. It has to be a combination. We have to have a balanced approach over the long haul to solve this $22 trillion of debt problem. prgtoken I believe we will not solve this debt crisis unless and until we fix the way Congress funds the Federal Government. The current funding process is designed to fail. It really is. It doesn't work. It hasn't worked. It will never work. prgtoken Since the Budget Act of 1974 was put in place, Congress has only funded the Federal Government on time four times. That means that by the end of the fiscal year, Congress has only funded the Federal Government four times by the end of that fiscal year. Let me say that again. It has been four times in 45 years since the 1974 Budget Act was put in place. The last time it was actually done was in 1996, some 23 years ago, under President Clinton. prgtoken Congress is supposed to pass 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. Over the last 45 years, we have averaged just 2\1/2\ per year. Because of that, Congress has used a little known tool up here called a continuing resolution. In the last 45 years, Congress has used a continuing resolution 186 times. It is a release valve that lets the government continue to operate and on the surface doesn't really sound that onerous. You just keep spending at the same level you did last year. The problem with that is that it is devastating to some Agencies and, particularly, the Department of Defense, with regard to long-term contracts, long-term training, purchases, and maintenance over the end of the fiscal year, and so forth. They are devastating to our military. They create inefficiencies and uncertainty that hurt the bottom line and increase our procurement costs by dramatic amounts. The end result of that is that it lowers our readiness, and it causes the ability to fight to be reduced. prgtoken In addition, Congress has shut down the government, over the last 45 years, 21 times because they couldn't get together and agree on how to fund the government that year--21 times. prgtoken This fund
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-6-13

last week I came to the floor to discuss the agriculture economy. prgtoken While the broader economy is thriving, our Nation's farmers and ranchers are struggling. A combination of low commodity prices, protracted trade disputes, natural disasters, and weather-related issues have meant a tough few years for farmers. Nationwide, net farm income is about half of what it was in 2013. prgtoken One of the biggest things we can do in Washington to help our Nation's farmers and ranchers is to negotiate favorable trade deals that expand existing and open new foreign markets for American agricultural products. That is why I have been pushing for a speedy conclusion to the various trade agreements that our country is currently negotiating. prgtoken I strongly support the effort the administration has been making to secure more favorable export markets for American products. We have made real progress in negotiations. Now we need to wrap up the various agreements we are discussing as soon as possible so that we can get farmers and ranchers certainty about what international markets are going to look like. prgtoken Of course, there is one agreement that has already been wrapped up-- the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement. This is a hugely important agreement that will boost almost every sector of the American economy, from automotive manufacturing to digital services, to dairy farming. It will create 176,000 new jobs and increase wages for workers. prgtoken Passing this agreement is a big priority for the ag industry. Mexico and Canada are huge importers of American agricultural products. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve and expand American farmers' access to these key markets. prgtoken More than 950 food and agriculture companies and groups sent a letter to Congress, urging its passage. In my home State of South Dakota, Mexico and Canada are the No. 1 and No. 2 customers for our agriculture exports. Maintaining and expanding South Dakota farmers' access to these markets are critical. prgtoken I am particularly pleased with the improvement that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement makes for U.S. dairy producers. Dairy is an important and rapidly growing industry in South Dakota. If you drive the I-29 corridor north of Brookings, you can see firsthand the massive dairy expansion that we have experienced in South Dakota over the past few years. prgtoken The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement will preserve the U.S. dairy farmers' role as a key dairy supplier to Mexico, and it will substantially expand market access in Canada, where U.S. dairy sales have been restricted. prgtoken The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates the agreement will boost U.S. dairy exports by more than $277 million. prgtoken The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement also makes targeted improvements for U.S. poultry, egg, and wheat producers. Wheat is another important South Dakota prod
ANTI-SEMITISM
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-6-13

I thank my friend from Virginia for his powerful and eloquent remarks decrying anti-Semitism and implore all of us to stand united with one clear bipartisan voice, and s all on the same page, 100 to 0, saying that anti-Semitism has no place in the United States of America. prgtoken With that, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 189.
CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF CR FLETCHER ASSOCIATES
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2019-6-13

. Madam , I rise today in celebration of CR Fletcher Associates, Inc. This year marks the organization's 30th anniversary providing employment placement services throughout the greater Central New York area. CR Fletcher Associates has assisted job seekers and employers alike throughout its history. prgtoken CR Fletcher Associates was started in 1989 by Carol Fletcher. A graduate of LeMoyne College, Ms. Fletcher spent nine years gaining expertise in the recruiting industry before using her knowledge to begin her own recruitment and professional placement business. Her business has rapidly grown since opening its doors and has become a family operation with her husband Tom Fletcher joining in 2000. Thousands of job openings have been filled with the help of CR Fletcher Associates under the esteemed leadership of Ms. Fletcher, and she is a symbolic role model for those aspiring to become business leaders. prgtoken The services provided by CR Fletcher strengthen the Central New York economy by helping businesses meet labor needs. In addition, CR Fletcher supports individuals eager to pursue meaningful careers and opportunities. The firm's efforts have yielded several awards and recognitions, including CNY Business Journal's Fast Track 50 Award and Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Year Award. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in celebrating the 30th anniversary of CR Fletcher Associates. Businesses and individuals truly benefit from the presence of CR Fletcher Associates in our community. I am confident CR Fletcher Associates will provide further benefit to our community for many more years to come.
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2019-6-13

I rise to continue my tribute to Nebraska's heroes and the current generation of men and women who have given their lives while defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of these Nebraskans has a powerful story to tell. I will reflect today upon the life of LCpl Brent Zoucha of the Marine Corps. prgtoken Brent was born in Central City, NE, but he grew up in nearby Clarks, which is a small town of about 350 residents. While growing up, Rita, Brent's mother, described him as having a great smile and always goofing around. Brent was the youngest of four. He had two older brothers, Dominic and Dyrek, and an older sister, Sherri. prgtoken As the youngest of the bunch, Brent had to learn to adapt in the household. This would require him to wake up early to ensure he would have hot water when he got ready for the day. He was also known for acquiring his brother Dyrek's clothes as they were similar in size and only a few years apart. prgtoken Brent loved sports cars--a passion that pushed him to work at the local gas and oil shop at the age of 14. Because he was an easygoing youngster, Brent got along with all of his siblings extremely well. He loved sports and followed many professional teams, especially the New York Yankees and the Green Bay Packers. He had a very large baseball card collection and a special interest in the legendary Babe Ruth. prgtoken While living in Clarks, Brent developed his athletic ability and participated in basketball and track and field. His 6-foot-5-inch frame made him a perfect fit for both basketball and the high jump, and he was excellent at both. Rita, Brent's mother, fondly remembers the day that Brent came home while holding the rim and parts of the backboard to the basketball hoop at the school. He told her he had dunked the basketball so hard that he had broken the entire hoop. While Rita was worried about paying for a replacement, all Brent could do was laugh and smirk at his great athletic achievement. prgtoken Like many small town Nebraskan boys, Brent also spent much of his time hunting and fishing. He also had a strong bond with his animals and even trained one of his chickens to fly onto his shoulder on command. During high school, when Brent wasn't working at Pollard Propane & Oil, he could be found hanging out with his friends on the weekend or with Meghan Hammond, his long-time girlfriend. prgtoken While in high school, his older brother Dyrek enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Brent was inspired by his service to serve our country. Shortly after graduating from High Plains Community High School in May of 2005, Brent enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. The extreme discipline that his brother and other marines routinely displayed greatly interested him. He graduated from the Marine Corps Depot at San Diego in September of 2005. prgtoken He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force i
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020
Mark Meadows (Republican, NC) \u2014 2019-6-13

. Mr. Chair, this amendment withholds an additional $33 million from Pakistan, in addition to the $33 million that is currently being withheld. This seems like it should not be necessary, but, indeed, it is. prgtoken Dr. Shakil Afridi has been in prison for his role in helping the United States Government locate Osama bin Laden. The message, Mr. Chair, needs to be clear that imprisonment, in violation of human rights, of this fine doctor needs to cease. prgtoken Mr. Chair, you probably find the same thing back home in your State as I do in mine. Many of my constituents question why we are sending money to Pakistan anyway, let alone if they are going to violate the human rights of someone who has helped bring justice to a terrorist. prgtoken In prison since 2011, Dr. Afridi was almost entirely restricted. He was prevented from meeting with his lawyers. Indeed, his previous lawyer was murdered. Dr. Afridi has been tortured, reportedly. He has been described as now looking like a skeleton. prgtoken Mr. Chair, this body needs to stand unanimously together and send a clear message to the Pakistani Government that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior and this violation of human rights. We need to stand with his wife, and we need to stand for freedom. prgtoken We appreciate the support of Freedom House in supporting this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), someone I fondly refer to as ``,'' who has been a leader on so many of these issues.
IN RECOGNITION OF LYNN AAS
Kelly Armstrong (Republican, ND) \u2014 2019-6-13

. Madam , I rise today to honor a constituent, a veteran, and a dedicated public servant, Lynn Aas. Lynn's courage in battle, contributions to his community, and service to his state are testaments to his incredible character. prgtoken Lynn was born near Benedict, North Dakota, in 1921 and graduated from Velva High School. While attending the University of North Dakota, Lynn heard of the attacks on Pearl Harbor and immediately put his education on hold to enlist in the U.S. Army. His Army career was filled with distinguished service, earning a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Luxembourg Medal of Honor, and most recently, the French Legion of Honor Medal for his heroics during the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity. Lynn was one of five men who returned from his 55- man unit that survived the Battle of the Bulge. prgtoken Upon completion of his Army service, Lynn earned a bachelor's degree in commerce and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota. He worked as a special agent for the IRS in Minneapolis, where he met Beverly Stockstad, whom he married in 1952. They eventually settled in Minot, where he worked as the business manager of the Medical Arts Clinic and they raised their four sons. prgtoken Lynn's public service to North Dakota began by serving in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly in the 1967 and 1969 sessions. He also served as a member of the North Dakota Constitutional Convention in 1972. Upon retirement, he returned to the legislature, serving during the 1987 and 1989 sessions, marking four sessions as a North Dakota legislator. prgtoken Lynn has continued to have a profound impact on his community of Minot and the state of North Dakota. He is a longtime supporter of Minot State University, playing an instrumental role in starting their Nursing Program. He served as president of the Minot Chamber of Commerce, just celebrated his 59th year of service in the Kiwanis Club of Minot, and has been active in his church, and local and state politics. prgtoken June 4th marked Lynn's 98th birthday. For this special occasion, I send him warmest greetings on behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives and blessings to him and his family.
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-6-13

I wanted to speak today about the proposed disapproval of arms sales to our Gulf partners, Bahrain and Qatar. Last month, the administration notified Congress of its intention to sell Apache helicopters to Qatar. Those helicopters will help with security and counterterrorism patrols, especially ahead of the 2020 World Cup, which, of course, will be a prime target for terrorists. prgtoken We are also scheduled to sell air-defense missiles to Bahrain, where we have more than 8,500 Americans stationed in Manama at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet. These sales would also yield more than $3 billion for America, while making Americans safer overseas--what you might call a win-win. By contrast, rejecting these arms sales in a fit of pique would endanger Americans and weaken American influence in the Persian Gulf at precisely the moment when we as a Nation are being severely tested. prgtoken Right now, the Iranian regime is engaged in a bloody campaign of terror, testing our resolve. Earlier this week, Iran's proxy on the Arabian Peninsula, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, launched a missile attack on a civilian airport in Saudi Arabia, wounding more than two dozen civilians, including women and children. Where did the Houthis get that missile? Yemen isn't known for its defense-industrial base. That missile came from Iran, as surely as if it were launched from Iranian soil itself. prgtoken In recent weeks, four oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, flying the flags of our allies and partners--Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates--were attacked with explosives, in effect, terrorizing all traffic through that strategic chokepoint. Public reports indicate that the Iranians perpetrated these attacks. Let's just say I am confident it wasn't the Swedes settling old grudges against their Nordic rival. prgtoken Just this morning, hours ago, two tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman, with early indications that the damage is consistent with a torpedo or other projectile. While the attack hasn't been attributed yet, I think it is a safe bet that it wasn't the Omanis. prgtoken Let's not be naive about what is happening in the Middle East. As Iran's economy staggers under the weight of new American sanctions, the ayatollahs are lashing out and raging against the world. It is essential that we support our Gulf partners during this dangerous time so they can defend themselves from Iranian aggression and its proxies. prgtoken Besides, the arms we sell to Qatar and Bahrain will also protect all those Americans and their families in Bahrain and Qatar. prgtoken But instead of helping Qatar and Bahrain to confront a common adversary, some of my colleagues want to hang them out to dry. If we snub our Gulf partners today, though, there will be consequences. Our joint efforts to fight terrorist financing could suffer. Our pressure campaign against Iran could also be jeopardized. If we back