mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN REMEMBRANCE OF MR. BENJAMIN HENRY BASCUM HUBBARD
Robert J. Wittman (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-6-6

I rise today in solemn remembrance of the life of Mr. Benjamin Henry Bascum Hubbard, or ``B.H.'' as he was affectionally known. B.H. served as a dedicated lawyer in the Northern Neck, and was a tireless advocate for his commuriity as a member of numerous boards and organizations that greatly benefited the region. prgtoken B.H. was born January 19, 1946 in White Stone, a small town in Virginia's Tidewater. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in English and earned his J.D. from the University of South Carolina. He was a founding member of the firm Hubbard, Terry, and Britt, in Irvington, and demonstrated total dedication to his clients through his work. Beyond his firm, B.H. was always striving to improve the quality of life for his neighbors and the community he loved dearly. Most notably, he was chairman of the board of Rappahannock General Hospital and a member of the Board of Directors of Chesapeake Health Services. He also served on the Board of Directors for Bon Secours Richmond Health System. One of his greatest achievements was the successful merger of Rappahannock General Hospital with Bon Secours. Beyond his work, he was known by all for his compassion, his deeply caring spirit, and his incredible capacity for service. prgtoken I am fortunate to have called B.H. a friend and I extend my deepest condolences to his wife of over 50 years, Terry; daughters Emory and Elizabeth; son, Beau; and the rest of his family. B.H. leaves a lasting legacy in the Northern Neck that has been felt by all of its residents. As it says in the book of Matthew, ``Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'' prgtoken , I implore you and my colleagues to join me as we honor the memory of Mr. B.H. Hubbard.
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2018
Jason Smith (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-6-6

I rise today in favor of my amendment which protects the Mississippi River and Tributaries System and its floodways. The MR&T is our Nation's most successful flood control and navigation system expanding from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, down through Louisiana near the Gulf of Mexico. prgtoken Since 1928, the MR&T has prevented $1 trillion in flood damage and protected the lives of millions who live in the Mississippi Valley. prgtoken The MR&T's floodways and backwaters throughout the system relieve pressure on the Mississippi levees during flooding and are essential to keeping the system functioning. One of those floodways is in southeast Missouri, the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway. prgtoken In 2011, the Mississippi River experienced historic flooding, leading to the Army Corps' decision to intentionally breach, with explosives, the Birds Point Floodway. As a result, 130,000 acres of land were flooded, destroying people's homes, towns, and crops. prgtoken The people of southeast Missouri are resilient and, in the aftermath of this tragic action, tried to pick up the pieces and return to their lives. Unfortunately, it was not until over a year and a half later that the Army Corps returned the destroyed levees back to their original design. There were even some who indicated that perhaps these levees not be built back at all. That is truly unacceptable. prgtoken Floodway activation impacts not just residents in the floodways, but all of 4\1/2\ million people protected by the MR&T system. Floodways are a critical part of the MR&T, and their restoration after activation should never be in question. prgtoken My amendment ensures that, in the event of activation of any floodway or backwater feature within the MR&T, the Army Corps will prioritize expedient restoration of the damaged floodway's levees back to the original protection. prgtoken Activation of any floodway on the MR&T has serious consequences and should only be done as a last resort. This amendment simply ensures activated floodway is restored. My amendment is essential to the peace of mind of all people living near floodways and to the proper function of the MR&T. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2018
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-6-6

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Thursday, June 7; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. I further ask that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the Marcus nomination, under the previous order, with the time until 12:30 p.m. equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; finally, that at 12:30 p.m all debate time on the nomination be expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Marcus nomination with no intervening action or debate.
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2018
Bob Gibbs (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-6-6

I rise to introduce my amendment to H.R. 8, the Water Resources Development Act, to provide the Army Corps of Engineers greater flexibility and the ability to use a variety of factors in determining financial assurances with respect to section 404 permitted projects. prgtoken The Army Corps currently has considerable discretion at the district level on whether to require financial assurance or a bond of unauthorized projects. This includes a firm source of funding from a project or its history of successful completion of projects. The exclusion of this relevant data in determining a financial assurance requirement has led to uneven application of the Corps discretion at the district levels. prgtoken As a result, regulatory and financial requirements can be uncertain for even one private entity from Corps district to Corps district. My amendment will give a more uniform framework with a wider scope of factors used in determining the financial mitigation requirements for a 404 project. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this amendment for regulatory certainty, and .
TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL MARIAH SMITH
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-6-6

I am pleased to commend LTC Mariah Smith, U.S. Army, for her more than 18 years of service to the Nation. prgtoken Lieutenant Colonel Smith has distinguished herself for the past 2 years as a senior congressional liaison for the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Financial Management and Comptroller. In this capacity, she has worked successfully to build and uphold the critical relationship between Congress and the U.S. Army. prgtoken Lieutenant Colonel Smith managed the military personnel portfolio, which involves over 1 million soldiers, almost $60 billion in assets, and more than 40 percent of the Army's total appropriation. She approached this task with the dedication expected of an exceptional Army leader: She acted on opportunities to take care of soldiers. She has been notably proficient in resolving innumerable inquiries into individual soldier issues. In the same manner, she enabled Members of Congress to remain devoted to the care of their constituents, while also supporting congressional efforts to shape personnel policy. prgtoken Lieutenant Colonel Smith is recognized as a mentor and leader among her peers, with an outstanding depth of service in the legislative affairs area, having previously served as a congressional fellow, military legislative assistant for a Member of the House of Representatives, and a legislative liaison for the NATO training mission in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her tenure in the Army includes almost 5 years of leading soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and the Horn of Africa. Her significant contributions to the Army's budget liaison office are a credit to herself, the Army, and the Nation she serves. prgtoken I am pleased to commend Lieutenant Colonel Smith for her many years of distinguished service as a congressional liaison and to wish her well in her continued service.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-6-6

I am looking forward to proceeding to the National Defense Authorization Act soon. Earlier today, I objected to a unanimous consent request to get on the bill because I am very concerned that I get an opportunity to offer an amendment that I have. Based on the efforts of our chairman and his confidence that I will be able to offer this amendment, I am prepared to agree to allow us to get on the bill, and I look forward to doing that. prgtoken I want to address two amendments that I am hopeful will be included, mine and one other. One of them has to do with the tariffs, especially on steel and aluminum, that come under section 232 of our trade laws, and the other is an amendment that I intend to offer with respect to the CFIUS reform. Let me start with the section 232 tariffs. prgtoken This is a section of trade law that allows the President to restrict imported goods that threaten our national security. It has been the law of the land for some time. The statute gives very wide latitude to the President and the Commerce Department--but really to the President--to determine, first of all, what imports constitute a threat to our national security and, then, secondly, the existing law does not prescribe what the remedy will be. That is also left up to the President. So there is a great deal of discretion that is in the hands of the President. prgtoken In March of this year, after a nearly year-long investigation, the President imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum--25 percent on steel, 10 percent on aluminum. Then there was a temporary exclusion. Then there were negotiations to make the temporary exclusions permanent. In some cases that has occurred, as with South Korea and other places, but they were negotiated. The exclusion--the ability of the countries to sell steel to the United States without the American consumers being subject to this tax--had a condition, and the condition was that they would agree to other restrictions on their exports, such as quotas, for instance, on the volume of their exports that would be permitted. Shockingly to some, the President decided to even impose these taxes--taxes on American consumers--when they buy steel that originates in the EU, Canada, and Mexico, which originally had a temporary exclusion but apparently no longer do. prgtoken These three allies--allies, mind you--make up about 40 percent of U.S. steel imports by tonnage, and all three seem intent on imposing retaliatory tariffs, which is what typically happens when tariffs are launched. prgtoken More recently, the President has announced that the Commerce Department will investigate whether foreign vehicles or automobiles sold to U.S. consumers, like my constituents--cars and trucks-- represent a national security threat, with the possibility that they will impose a 25-percent tax on Americans who buy those imported cars and trucks. prgtoken I think this is a very bad idea. This is a bad path
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2018
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-6-6

such time as I may consume. prgtoken In order to successfully implement the many water infrastructure and conservation projects authorized under the Water Resources Development Act, Americans rely on the Army Corps of Engineers. prgtoken The Corps has approximately 37,000 dedicated civilians and military personnel delivering engineering services. They operate and maintain 13,000 miles of commercial ship channels, 12,000 miles of inland waterways, 700 dams, and have built 14,500 levees and works on more than 900 harbors. prgtoken Thus, our ability to build a robust infrastructure, to develop resources, and to implement environmentally conscious conservation projects, is inextricably linked to the strength of the Corps of Engineers' workforce. We should be doing everything we can to help the Army Corps of Engineers recruit, hire, and retain qualified employees to carry out duties that impact environmental sustainability and national security. prgtoken My amendment addresses this issue by requiring the comptroller general to provide recommendations to improve the capacity and preparedness of the Army Corps of Engineers' workforce in its report to Congress. In providing these recommendations, the comptroller general will evaluate many challenges, including, but not limited to, diversity, recruitment, retention, and on-the-job training. prgtoken I offer this amendment at a time when the national skills gap is at a record-high level. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 6.7 million unfilled jobs across the country, where employers have openings but can't find prospective employees with the adequate skills or training to fill them. Nearly 600,000 of these jobs are in government services alone. prgtoken Despite bipartisan efforts to address this issue, the skills gap continues to rise each month, up from 6.1 million this time in 2017. We need to do better. prgtoken I am confident that my amendment will help develop a 21st century Corps of Engineers workforce, which will, ultimately, benefit infrastructure, national security, environmental sustainability, and the overall American economy. prgtoken , for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-6-6

it is interesting that the majority whip just spoke about China, and this Senator wants to talk about Facebook and some of the things that are threatening national security and our personal privacy. prgtoken I rise to speak about the recent press reports on Facebook and how the social media giant partnered with at least 60 mobile device manufacturers and shared user information with the likes of Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry, Microsoft, and Samsung. Just today, on the subject of China, the New York Times is reporting that Facebook also partnered with four Chinese electronic manufacturers, including Huawei, which is known to have close ties with the Chinese Government and may pose a national security threat to the United States. According to the Times, these companies had access to vast amounts of Facebook's user data, including the information of friends who may not have provided proper consent to access and share their personal and their personally identifiable information. prgtoken We don't know all of the facts yet, but it is clear that what Facebook claims and what the New York Times is reporting doesn't end up squaring up. As a result, the chairman of the Commerce Committee, Senator Thune, and I as ranking member wrote a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, asking that he answer a number of questions about the New York Times' reporting. Specifically, Senator Thune and I want to know exactly who these business partners are and what the nature of these agreements is. We want to know what safeguards are in place and whether Facebook conducted adequate oversight to protect user or customer information from unauthorized use and storage. We also asked whether Facebook users and the Federal Trade Commission were aware of these business agreements. prgtoken Currently, Facebook is operating under a 2011 consent order as part of a settlement with the FTC, and it is not clear whether these data- sharing agreements are in violation of that order. The bottom line is that these revelations are yet another example of questionable business practices by Facebook that could undermine basic consumer privacy. prgtoken Remember, less than 2 months ago, Mr. Zuckerberg appeared in front of our committee in a joint committee hearing with the Judiciary Committee to answer questions in the face of the Cambridge Analytica fiasco. At that hearing, Mr. Zuckerberg apologized for his company's negligence and pledged to do better. He also asserted that consumers own their personal information and control how it can be seen and used. prgtoken I want to repeat what I just said. Zuckerberg also asserted that consumers--their users--own their personal information and control how it can be seen and used. That is what Zuckerberg said in our committee hearing. prgtoken The reporting in the New York Times suggests that is not accurate. While Mr. Zuckerberg asserted that app developers were prohibited from collecting friends' information in 2
HONORING ALBUQUERQUE HIGH SCHOOL STEAM TEAM
Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2018-6-6

I rise today to honor a talented group of students from the Albuquerque High School STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Team, which placed third overall and was the top placing United States team at the 2018 RoboRAVE International Entrepreneurial Challenge. prgtoken This impressive team, made up of Asael Diaz, Mary Cherino, and Dante Van Orten, created a robotic dog intended for fun and companionship. They also created a logo, brochure, and 30-second commercial video in order to present their invention to judges and competition attendees. prgtoken This competition represents an outstanding opportunity for students to gain valuable exposure to STEM disciplines, and I am so pleased that high schoolers from Albuquerque were able to participate and perform so well. I am hopeful that New Mexico will continue to be a leader in STEM fields and that our students will continue to apply their skills through outlets like this competition. prgtoken I would also like to recognize the team's sponsor, science teacher Valerie Kovach, as well as educational assistant Jean Hart, for the sacrifices they made in order to provide the team with valuable supervision and guidance. prgtoken , I want to congratulate the students and staff from the Albuquerque High School STEAM Team on their impressive performance at the 2018 RoboRAVE International Entrepreneurial Challenge. I wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors.
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2018
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-6-6

. Mr. Chair, I thank all of my colleagues who have been associated with this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, this has been a bipartisan effort. Mr. Culberson and I have worked together not only on this effort, but also to serve people. prgtoken We do have people who are still living in temporary shelter in Houston and we have people who are still awaiting FEMA's assistance. With some 4.7 million people in the area having been impacted, it is exceedingly important that this amendment be adopted. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I am appreciative that the chairman has indicated his support of it, and I thank Mr. Culberson, Mr. McCaul, and other colleagues for bringing this amendment to the floor.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2018-6-6

next month will be the 65th anniversary of the armistice that ended the battles and bloodshed of the Korean war. As I am sure my colleagues know, the Korean war was never officially ended. Over the last 65 years, we have seen hostility on the Korean Peninsula. We have seen North Korea develop nuclear weapons, raising security concerns, and active in cyber attacks and human rights violations. The list goes on and on in the context of a formal state of war between the north and the south. prgtoken The United States has made major investments in this region as a result of our security concerns and our national interests. We helped rebuild Japan and South Korea, we developed allies that share our values, which is certainly in our interests, and we created a military deterrent against a belligerent North Korea. Yet, during this period of time, the Kim Jong Un regime in North Korea developed a nuclear weapons program, including delivery systems. It violated international commitments. The international community, led by the United States--I must say, empowered by this Congress, which gave the administration the ability to impose sanctions--with the leadership of the United States, sanctions had been imposed against North Korea, and those sanctions had impact. prgtoken This year, we saw a breakthrough with there being some hope of security in the future. With the election of President Moon of South Korea, the South Koreans have a leader who wants to have a better relationship with North Korea, and the use of the Winter Olympics helped to develop confidence between North Korea and South Korea. Now President is scheduled to meet with Kim Jong Un at the Singapore summit on June 12, where there will be great opportunities. We hope this will be an opportunity to end the war between North and South Korea, create a framework to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, and forge a path toward stability and security for all. prgtoken It starts with an acknowledgment by North Korea that it has violated international norms. That is the reason sanctions have been imposed. It has an illegal nuclear program; its missile program violates international norms; and it has created an oppressive regime against the basic human rights of the North Korean people. Clearly, diplomacy is our best option. That was the purpose of imposing sanctions--so that we could get to this moment at which diplomacy actually may lead to results. We couldn't have gotten here if we had not had a strong sanctions regime imposed against North Korea. prgtoken As I have said all year, Congress gave the administration the tools with which to do that. In working with our partners around the world, the United States led in the effort in isolating North Korea in its continuing down this path. We now have an opportunity for diplomacy. Diplomacy is our best option. If we have to use the military, the risk factors are so great as to what could happen
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-6-6

first, this is an opportunity for me to commend and thank the Senator from Oklahoma for extraordinary leadership on the committee. Obviously, we were all inspired by Chairman McCain and his incredible leadership over the last many, prgtoken many years, but the Senator from Oklahoma has stood up there and really set a tone--and I think the Presiding Officer understands because he was there--of very purposeful, very deliberate, very collegial activity to bring everyone involved into the process. We were operating basically under the rules of appropriateness for the committee and a close connection to the Department of Defense because, as Chairman Inhofe said, this is ultimately about the men and women wearing the uniform of the United States. prgtoken Always, every year--we will pass this bill; I am confident of that because of the chairman's leadership and because of colleagues like the Presiding Officer. But each and every year, people see this as the only train leaving town, and we have to be able to keep in balance that this is about the Department of Defense and related agencies, like the National Nuclear Security Administration, for example, and the DOE and other agencies. We would like to be able to open up the floor to amendments that are closely connected and have a clear nexus to the Department of Defense, and the men and women in the Department of Defense, and then have votes. That is the ideal, and we hope we can do that. prgtoken We might have to spend some time procedurally getting to the bill. We will get to the bill, and under the leadership of Chairman Inhofe, we will get the bill done. We hope to be able to accommodate our colleagues as much as possible with amendments, and I hope these amendments will be directed once again to the activities, priorities, and critical needs of the men and women of the Armed Forces and related agencies. If we do that, I think we will have a very successful and very productive floor debate, as we did in the committee. prgtoken Again, let me thank the Senator from Oklahoma. We both stand ready to work and get this bill done for the men and women wearing the uniform of the United States. prgtoken Thank you. prgtoken .