mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Don Young (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-5-17

this is a simple amendment. The Clinton era Roadless Rule applies a one-size-fits-all approach to areas where those policies rarely work, especially the federally locked lands in Alaska. prgtoken At 16.8 million acres, the Tongass National Forest is the largest of the National Forest System. Coupled with the Chugach National Forest, Alaska contains 12 percent of the total acres of national forest lands in the total United States. prgtoken The Roadless Rule is nothing more than another effort to end the multiple-use mandate of Federal forest prgtoken lands, something that is required by law but often ignored by nameless, faceless, unelected bureaucrats. prgtoken Although the Tongass is over 100 years old, only 400,000 acres have been harvested. Of the remaining acreage, much of the forest is not topographically suitable for timber harvest, and 6.6 million acres are congressionally designated as wilderness areas, national monuments, and roadless areas. prgtoken Not only does the Roadless Rule violate the authorities granted under the Alaska National Lands Act, it was adopted without proper consultation or consideration of the countless communities that rely on responsible resource development. prgtoken Nearly 96 percent of the Tongass National Forest and 99 percent of the Chugach National Forest are protected by ANILCA and forest management plans. prgtoken Exempting Alaska from the Roadless Rule would help make certain that what is left of the timber industry in the southeast can survive. prgtoken Many individuals adamantly oppose logging old growth in roadless areas. However, old growth will continue to be predominant in the Tongass, and given the remote nature of Alaska, the vast majority of the forest is in a roadless state. prgtoken Over 90 percent of the Tongass is unaccessible by road. The lack of access to timber not only costs good-paying jobs, but results in trees dying of disease and infestations. Dead trees serve no purpose other than to become kindling, creating fires. So by having a robust timber industry, we can help prevent the spread of serious wildfires like have been seen in the lower 48. prgtoken To be clear, we are not talking about clearcutting the entire national forest. We just want to help it stay healthy and fulfill its multi-use mandate of the Tongass. prgtoken By significantly limiting the areas that are eligible for harvesting, the implementation of the Roadless Rule actually makes conservation more difficult since locations with less conservation value often can't be selected. prgtoken If any reasonable form of timber industry is to exist in the near future, it is imperative we restore Alaska's exemption from the Roadless Rule as quickly as possible. It has placed an undue burden on my State and the people of my State. prgtoken , we worry about immigration. We worry about homelessness. We worry about employment. We worry about education. I am saying this Roadless Rul
National Police Week (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-17

yesterday the Senate Intelligence Committee voted Gina Haspel's nomination out favorably by a vote of 10 to 5. It was a strong bipartisan vote. Of course, in just a few minutes, we will vote on her confirmation. prgtoken Last week, during her confirmation hearing, she said repeatedly what those of us who had supported her for weeks already knew: She believes that U.S. Government actions must be held to a strict moral standard. If confirmed, she would not obey an order she believed to be unlawful, and in her new role, she pledged not to restart the interrogation programs inside the CIA. Of course, that could not happen without consultation and approval of Congress because the standard has literally changed since the immediate post-9/11 era. prgtoken Based on her testimony, her record of service, and her exemplary character, it is clear that the only real option for the Intelligence Committee was to report her out favorably. prgtoken Our colleagues on the other side who have objected to this nomination have an opportunity to join a couple of their Members who have already come on over and acknowledged that she is the best qualified nominee in the Agency's history. prgtoken Our colleague, the senior Senator from Virginia and vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Mr. Warner, voted yesterday on Ms. Haspel's behalf. He praised her as an independent voice and found it noteworthy that she would be the first operations officer in more than five decades to lead the Agency. prgtoken Generally speaking, you have analysts and you have the case officers who actually handle the cases and do the important intelligence- gathering work from a human intelligence perspective at the Agency, and that is the work she has been involved in for more than 30 years. She would be the first officer in more than five decades to have that sort of experience and the credibility that goes along with it. prgtoken The senior Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, is joined by the senior Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Manchin, who also sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, as well as the junior Senator from North Dakota and others. In other words, there are a number of now who have decided that it is not in the Nation's best interest to oppose President 's nominees just because they happen to be President 's nominees. prgtoken Now I want to talk about some of the stated objections and why I don't believe they hold any water, but I am glad for this movement in the right direction, which will allow us to confirm her today. prgtoken I appreciate all of our colleagues carefully examining Ms. Haspel's records. A number of people I have talked to about the nomination said they wanted to do their due diligence. Well, that is our job, and I don't believe any nominee should be rubberstamped. I know they have reviewed her record, and they have met prgtoken with her in person and drawn the only reasonable conc
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-5-17

I thank again the gentleman from California for bringing forth this amendment and the gentleman from Texas for all of the work that he did on the bill. prgtoken I think sometimes, rather than have hearings, you find out a lot more about these Federal programs and particularly the SNAP program if you talk to the local clerks at the convenience stores and the grocery stores and the income maintenance workers in the counties or the people who manage the low-income housing to find out what really is going on here. prgtoken I will bring to light one in particular of the four provisions in the amendment: the idea that participants in training programs have to go through E-Verify. prgtoken It has been said that you have to be a citizen to get SNAP anyway. I would suggest talking to some of the income maintenance workers or some of the people who talk to some of the people who use the SNAP program, and I think they will tell you that, whatever the official Federal law is, SNAP is routinely used by people who are not here legally. prgtoken I think by requiring E-Verify for the training programs, we begin to go through the process of making sure that people who are in this country illegally are not taking advantage of taxpayer-funded programs. prgtoken I really wish we had more information on this topic, but, again, it is my belief that the average clerk in an average convenience store knows a lot more about the SNAP program than most Ph.D.s in sociology.
National Police Week (Executive Session)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-5-17

the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is not as old an office as some others in the President's Cabinet, but it is no less important. The Director's job is to provide the critical information on which the President's national security decisions are based. For this reason, Presidents of both parties have chosen seasoned statesmen to serve this post, men like Allen Dulles, George H.W Bob Gates, and Mike Pompeo. Out of respect for the CIA's integrity and professionalism, they often kept in office Directors who had been appointed by their predecessors. That is because partisanship has no place at the CIA. prgtoken The national interest must be uppermost in our minds, which is why I will be voting to confirm Gina Haspel as our next CIA Director. Secretary Pompeo left the Agency in good shape, and Ms. Haspel was his very capable Deputy. Moreover, few people have contributed as much to the CIA's recent successes as Ms. Haspel. She has 33 years of experience working for the Agency, serving first on the frontlines of the Cold War and later on the frontlines of the War on Terror. If confirmed, she would also be the first woman to lead the Agency. prgtoken Given her many accomplishments, her diligence, dedication, and her fierce love of country, I am astonished and disappointed at the controversy over the nomination of this great American. After all, Ms. Haspel is a career professional whose record of achievement speaks for itself. prgtoken She joined the Agency in 1985, working as a case officer for several years in both Africa and Europe. Over time, she rose up the ranks, serving first as Chief of Staff and then as Deputy Director of the Directorate of Operations. She served as Chief of Station--the officer responsible for overseeing all of the CIA's work in a foreign country-- four different times. prgtoken Having served under six different Presidents from both parties, Ms. Haspel has never been a partisan. She is a professional whose many years of work command respect throughout the CIA. She has never avoided controversy to protect her own career. prgtoken Time and again, Ms. Haspel sought out danger. She raised her right hand and volunteered for some of the Agency's most dangerous assignments. prgtoken It was on September 11, 2001, after seeing the first plane hit the World prgtoken Trade Center on television, that she walked into the CIA's Counterterrorism Center and said: Put me on the job. She didn't have to do that. As she said, she could have hidden out on the Swiss desk, but she didn't. She took on what she knew would be a tough and controversial job. That is the kind of woman Gina Haspel is. prgtoken It is true that because of her willingness to take on a tough job, she was present for some of the most difficult decisions about how to protect America in the days after 9/11. Yes, she was around when the Agency was responsible for the detention and interrogation of notorious terror
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-5-17

, and I appreciate that very much. prgtoken I just want to make a brief statement about the vote that just took place. I tried to communicate this, and there wasn't time before the vote. Right now, we have more threats than we have ever had in the history of this country. I think we all realize that. prgtoken General Dunford said that we are losing our qualitative and quantitative advantage over our adversaries. He was talking about Russia and China, in this case. We have adversaries out there that are actually ahead of us in terms of their capabilities in artillery and other areas. prgtoken Here we are, and, quite frankly, we knew how this vote was going to come out. I have a list of the same vote that has taken place for the last 5 years, and it came out the same way it did before. The point here is that even though it wasn't going to pass, the problem is, it is sending a message to our kids who are out there in harm's way. prgtoken We look and we see that we have started our road to recovery, and it has been an exciting thing because we came so close to being in a position where one-third of our brigade combat teams didn't work. The F-35s in the field--the Marines could use less than half of them. All of these things were going on because of what has happened to our military. prgtoken Finally, we turned the corner. We turned the corner on the last vote--not the one we took today but the one we took a few months ago-- and we now are rebuilding our military. prgtoken I had breakfast this morning with the Secretary of the Army and with the Chief of the Army, and really good things are happening. I can't think of anything worse than to send a message to our kids in the field that we are going to go back and undo the positive things that have pulled us up into a competitive position. prgtoken For the sake of our military, for the sake of defending America, the vote there was to vote against sending the wrong message to our kids in harm's way. prgtoken I thank Senator Warner for yielding.
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-17

. Mr President, I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources prgtoken The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing. Committee on Environment and Public Works prgtoken The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 10:15 a.m. to conduct a hearing. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on pending legislation and the following nominations: Andrew S. Oldham, of Texas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit, Alan D. Albright, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas, Thomas S. Kleeh, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia, Peter J. Phipps, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Michael J. Truncale, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, Wendy Vitter, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and Erica H. MacDonald, to be United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota, Department of Justice. Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. to conduct a closed hearing. prgtoken Joint Select Committee on Solvency and Multi-employer Pension Plans prgtoken The Joint Select Committee on Solvency and Multi-employer Pension Plans is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Structure and Financial Outlook of the Pension Outlook of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.''
HONORING PAM ROMANO
Doug Collins (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise today to recognize my friend from Jefferson, Pam Romano--a tireless advocate for adoptive families and children around the world. prgtoken In 2012, Pam and her husband Mark began the process of adopting two Russian brothers, Bogdon and Yura. In the same year, though, Russia enforced a ban on adoptions to the United States, separating the Romanos from their sons. prgtoken Since then, Pam and her husband Mark have assisted children caught in the crosshairs of this ban--like their two sons--by raising awareness on the issues dividing adoptive families. By meeting with lawmakers and sharing her family's story with others, Pam hopes to one day reunite with Bogdon and Yura. prgtoken Last year, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute honored Pam as an Angel in Adoption, a title given to leaders who have made extraordinary strides in helping children in need of a family. Moreover, her efforts inspired me to recently introduce the Intercountry Adoption Information Act--a bill designed to bring transparency to the international adoption landscape, where families often struggle to access up-to-date, accurate information they need. to navigate the adoption process. prgtoken Pam's efforts to bring her children home reminds us of the unwavering power of a mother's love. I'm grateful for her dedication to bridging the bureaucratic gaps between families and their adopted children.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Adrian Smith (Republican, NE) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise in opposition to this amendment. It is interesting to listen to the various arguments here, but certainly there is unfair competition, if you will--it is hard to even call it competition--overseas, but we have unfair trade practices. Sugar policy here helps us defend ourselves. prgtoken These are manufacturing jobs in western Nebraska that utilize, very responsibly, our natural resources, and I think it is only reasonable to continue a policy that is not generally a cost to taxpayers. prgtoken I urge opposition to this amendment.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-5-17

first of all, I ask support in opposing this amendment from my friend and colleague from California. prgtoken To my friends across the aisle who keep asking for bipartisan opportunity, you blew the first one. That was in subcommittee, where we could have amendments, and we are not seeing amendments from Members here. So there has been plenty of opportunity for bipartisan work. prgtoken I do appreciate the recommendations that my ic friends made in writing to both the ranking member and the chairman. All of those points and all the titles, I believe, were--I know in the nutrition title they were all incorporated into the base bill. prgtoken , .
VETERANS CEMETERY BENEFIT CORRECTION ACT--Continued
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-5-17

many of us this afternoon had the opportunity to see a screening of the HBO documentary ``For Whom the Bell Tolls,'' a tribute to Senator McCain. It is clearly a tribute, but it is also the story of his life and an expose of his sacrifice for his country. It is a moving story of Senator McCain's life and an inspiration to me and, I assume, to my colleagues for the commitment that he has made to always try to do right--putting his country above self. prgtoken I have had the honor of working with Senator McCain for the last several years in regard to legislation trying to improve the circumstances that our Nation's veterans face as they access healthcare within the Department of Veterans Affairs. prgtoken Senator McCain and I introduced legislation to accomplish a number of things related to this, particularly the Veterans Choice Program. Choice was passed back about 2014, at a time in which the VA was in a crisis and a time in which the veterans they were created to serve were harmed by decisions made at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The problems were highlighted in Senator McCain's home city of Phoenix at the Phoenix VA, in which a number of veterans may have died as a result of the inability to access healthcare in a timely fashion. prgtoken The solution to the problems exhibited in other places across the country--which included false waiting lists, in which the VA had determined a list that was not real but demonstrated that veterans who had no idea they had an appointment to see someone at the VA had an appointment, to camouflage the failures and the slowness of the Department of Veterans Affairs--resulted in a unanimous decision by the Senate to create a program called Choice. prgtoken Choice creates the opportunity for a veteran, under certain circumstances, to access healthcare in their home community at the veteran's discretion. This program, in my view, has significant potential to alter the opportunities that a veteran has to be cared for. prgtoken Those who served our country deserve the very best, and we want to make certain that happens both inside the VA and with a program that allows veterans to choose healthcare outside the Department of Veterans Affairs. prgtoken The Veterans Choice Program has expired since 2014. We have reauthorized it in a number of instances. I think three, perhaps four times. It needed funding, and we reauthorized the funding. Choice was a limited program in which for the veteran to qualify to receive Choice care in the community at their discretion and at their option was determined by whether or not that veteran lived within 40 miles of a VA facility or whether the VA could provide the services within 30 days of the time the veteran needed that care. prgtoken The committee here in the Senate has worked for a long time trying to reauthorize the Veterans Choice Program. It has been my position, with Senator McCain, that just to reauthorize Choice wo
MORNING BUSINESS
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-5-17

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-5-17

though I plan to withdraw this amendment, I seek to enter into a colloquy with my good friend, Chairman Conaway, regarding the Conservation Reserve Program and to express concern with the number of acres authorized in the CRP program in H.R. 2. prgtoken Chairman Conaway has been a strong chairman and a leader for America's farmers, and for that I would like to thank him. prgtoken CRP is a well-intended program that has a place in protecting sensitive lands; however, the program should not be expanded beyond levels currently authorized in the Agriculture Act of 2014. prgtoken The Agriculture Act of 2014 reduced the national CRP acreage cap from 32 million acres to 27.5 million acres in 2014 and to 24 million acres in 2018. H.R. 2 would then increase this cap by 1 million acres each year to a maximum enrollment of 29 million acres by 2023. prgtoken USDA's Farm Service Agency's CRP enrollment data reveals that, for the 2016 fiscal year, 23.9 million acres were enrolled in CRP, representing approximately 7 percent of the U.S. cropland. Rental rates and leases offered by the Federal Government are often much more lucrative than farming would be. prgtoken While congressional directives and a favorable farm economy in prior years led to lower CRP enrollment, nearly one-quarter of all land enrolled in CRP has been enrolled for more than 20 years, including 2.7 million acres, or 12 percent, enrolled for more than three decades since the inception of the program. During the 2016 fiscal year, payments for CRP lands totaled $1.7 billion. prgtoken As our Nation's farmers and ranchers face the challenge of meeting the increasing demand for food and fiber in the U.S. and abroad, I ask the chairman: Should America's producers be forced to continue competing with Federal programs for access to farmland? prgtoken from Texas.