mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-3-13

I come to the floor to amplify the efforts of my colleague Senator Whitehouse as he gives his 200th climate speech on the Senate floor. He really has become a modern-day Paul Revere on one of the most critical issues of our time that very well dictates the future of our planet and our way of life as we know it. I believe history will record that Senator Whitehouse riveted the attention of the Senate--or attempted, certainly, to do so--and the Nation on the real threat that is climate change. Climate change may be an inconvenient truth to some, but it is a threat to New Jersey, to the United States, and to the security and stability of our world. It is a challenge we cannot afford to ignore. prgtoken I agree with my distinguished colleague from Rhode Island that it is well past time for this Congress to wake up and demand climate action from this administration. prgtoken We often hear the administration officials, and even some of our colleagues in Congress, suggest that ``we don't know enough'' about climate change to take action, when the truth is, we know too much not to take action. prgtoken We know about the greenhouse effect and how gases like carbon dioxide trap heat in our atmosphere. We know that since 2010, we have experienced the five warmest years on record and that momentary cold snaps in our weather do not detract from the indisputable reality that around the world, temperatures are steadily rising. We know that 97 percent of scientists agree that manmade climate change is real and that the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities have led to unprecedented levels--unprecedented levels--of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and in our oceans. prgtoken We know experts at NOAA have concluded that since the Industrial Revolution, our oceans have become 30 percent more acidic--the greatest increase in 300 million years. prgtoken Likewise, we know the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world and that as icecaps melt, our sea levels rise, endangering the coastal communities that drive so much of America's economy. prgtoken In New Jersey, we know the real threat posed by climate change, and we know that threat is real. My constituents bore the brunt of Superstorm Sandy when it devastated the Jersey shore. We know rising sea levels and the powerful storms that accompany them jeopardize our coastal communities. From tourism to commercial fishing, to coastal property values totaling nearly $800 billion, millions of families across New Jersey depend upon a healthy coast and a safe climate. While I may be partial to the Jersey shore, the reality is, nearly 40 percent of the American people live along a coast. That is 40 percent of our country threatened by rising sea levels, stronger storm surges, and more extreme flooding. prgtoken Of course, climate change is far from just a coastal problem. From life-threatening heat waves to crop-destroying droughts, to rec
MODIFYING THE BOUNDARY OF VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK
Richard M. Nolan (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-3-13

I want to thank my dear friend and colleague from California (Mr. Lowenthal) for his distinguished service. I thank Mr. Curtis for his distinguished service as well. I also thank Mr. Bishop, all the members of the committee, and the staff, of course, for the wonderful work they have done on this. prgtoken , I rise here to join in support of H.R. 1350. prgtoken Basically, as was explained by Mr. Curtis, the bill authorizes a land transfer between the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service, a move that would greatly improve the overall land management and efficiency within the Voyageurs National Park in my district in northern Minnesota. I might add, we are very proud of that accomplishment. prgtoken Specifically, the bill permits the transfer of 49 acres of land within the park from the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management to the National Park Service, as was originally intended by the original legislation for the park when it was signed into law; but, for a variety of reasons, these 49 acres, including 61 separate tracts of land, were not included in the original Federal legislation that established the park in 1975. prgtoken It may interest some of my colleagues to know that I was here in 1975 and was able to, of course, register my support for the establishment of that park. prgtoken Now, to be clear, the National Park Service administration already manages the 49 acres; but without a change in the law that permanently transfers the lands, a cumbersome and duplicative renewal process is required every 20 years. The procedure involves a notice, a publication in the Federal Register, and a review of comments, all of which are, essentially, a waste of taxpayers' money and everybody's time within the government who has to deal with it. prgtoken So make no mistake about it, as Mr. Curtis pointed out, this bill saves the taxpayers' money and the bureaucracy time. prgtoken In addition, the bill would also authorize the National Park Service to acquire and integrate new land into Voyageurs National Park through land exchanges with the State and local governments that own land within or adjacent to the park's boundaries. prgtoken In short, , this bill would eliminate any future concerns related to the Department of the Interior's ownership and jurisdiction, facilitating the ease of management for the National Park Service, the State, and the county; and it would do so at no cost, in addition, of course, to saving money for the Federal Government as determined by the Congressional Budget Office. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to adopt the measure.
JORDAN CROSS
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise today to recognize and applaud Jordan Cross for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Jordan Cross is a student at Arvada West High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Jordan Cross is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Jordan Cross for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-3-13

from Minnesota for laying out the case so clearly on the challenge, as I like to call it, of taking on climate chaos. prgtoken My wife Mary comes from Minnesota. I know they value the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Every time I have said that before, I always say the ``Land of a Thousand Lakes,'' and Senator Klobuchar corrects me. I just can't quite envision 10,000 lakes. prgtoken Minnesota is a land with incredible wildlife, a land that certainly has seen the impacts of climate chaos, as has my home State. So thank you so much for your remarks and for being here to help celebrate our colleague and our friend, the Senator from Rhode Island, Mr. Whitehouse, who spoke tonight just a few minutes ago for his 200th time, to say: Wake up. Wake up, America. prgtoken We have a significant challenge, the sort of challenge that you may not notice from one day to the next. We may wake up tomorrow and not realize that the damage being done to our planet is greater than the day before or we may not be able to wake up a week from now and realize that the damage is more. Nonetheless, it is, if looked at over any significant span of time, a huge, huge force wreaking havoc on our planet, and it will just get worse with time if we do not take on this pollution of the atmosphere by carbon dioxide. prgtoken Back in 1959, an eminent scientist was asked to speak at the 100th anniversary of the petroleum industry. That scientist was Edward Teller. Edward Teller gave his speech at this 100th anniversary in 1959, but he said to the gathering of the fossil fuel industry: You do realize that you will eventually have to look for a different form of energy to invest in, first, because the amount of fossil fuels in the Earth's crust is limited and it will run out. He said: Second of all, there are some interesting facts that many of you might not be aware of--that when you burn fossil fuels, it creates carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide might not at first seem like a pollutant because it is invisible and it is odorless, but it has this quality where visible light passes through it, but heat energy is trapped. As a result of trapping heat energy and changing the makeup of our atmosphere, we will start to do major damage to the planet. He talked about how it would affect the melting of ice on the poles, the rising of sea levels, and that humankind lived by the oceans and, therefore, this carbon dioxide would do enormous damage and it would be important to transition off of burning carbon fuels, off of burning fossil fuels. That was in 1959, which is a long time ago that we have had the information about the damage wreaking havoc by this pollutant, carbon dioxide. prgtoken Henry David Thoreau, the philosopher, challenged us and said: What is the use of a house if you don't have a tolerable planet to put it on? prgtoken Yet everywhere we see our planet crying out for us to pay attention-- never as much, however, as in
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2018-3-13

. I thank the Presiding Officer for recognizing me. prgtoken , I know the Presiding Officer hasn't been here the whole time, but many Senators have been speaking about climate change. We see in the Presiding Officer's State, in Glacier National Park-- which I think kind of tells it all--a national park created around glaciers, and they are disappearing rapidly. prgtoken I come to the floor, first of all, to thank Sheldon Whitehouse for his remarkable leadership on the issue of climate change. His weekly wake-up call speeches have inspired a lot of us. Articles have covered his effort on this. This one is titled, ``A Climate `Wake Up' for the 200th Time.'' He has been down here religiously taking on this issue. prgtoken In this article, a major leader in the environmental movement said about Sheldon's speeches, ``[His] speeches have been critically important in drawing attention to the need for climate action.'' She also said, ``Demand for climate action is only growing, and certainly we give him credit for his leadership in that effort.'' Very true. prgtoken I remember traveling with Sheldon Whitehouse to Paris, when all of us were very much enthused to see the world come together and sign the Paris climate agreement. We were all very excited. This effort had been going on for 40 years, and here the countries in the world were finally getting together. I watched Sheldon making those arguments over there. He argued his case persuasively, and he wins converts easily. So we all are here to thank him for his leadership. prgtoken In particular, I would also like to talk about climate change, its impact on the Southwest, and where we are headed in my home State of New Mexico and the Greater Southwest. Climate change is here and now. I want to talk about that impact in the Southwest, which is severe. My home State of New Mexico is right in the bull's-eye. prgtoken Our Nation and our Earth cannot afford for us to sit back and do nothing for the next 3 years, but this is precisely what is happening under this administration and this Congress. Our executive and legislative branches are not only sitting on their hands in the face of climate change disruption and devastation; they are aggressively halting all progress we are making. prgtoken I was so discouraged when I saw the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency take down a climate change website that had gone from a administration to a ic administration. I think it had been going on for almost 10 years. This was covered in the Washington Post. Administrator Pruitt, on taking office, took it down and said: We are going to update it. Here we are, more than a year, and if you try to look at that website, it just says: We are in the process of updating it. I don't think we are ever going to see it again, would be my guess. prgtoken Let's look at some of the reasons and how the progress is being halted here. There are a number of reas
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-3-13

let me thank the Senator from Wisconsin. prgtoken Like Wisconsin, Rhode Island has a one-word motto as well. Hers is ``Forward.'' Ours is ``Hope.'' Together, they point in the right direction. prgtoken Americans are dissatisfied. Opinion surveys tell us that only 35 percent of Americans believe our country is headed in the right direction. Why this alarming dissatisfaction? We don't have to guess. Popular opinion tells us quite plainly. In a survey taken after the 2016 election, 85 percent of voters agreed that the wealthy and big corporations were the ones really running the country. That includes 80 percent of voters who supported . It is not just opinion. Academic studies have looked at Congress and confirmed that the views of the general public have statistically near zero influence here--that we listen to big, corporate special interests and their various front groups. prgtoken Even our Supreme Court is not immune. In a 2014 poll, more respondents believed, by 9 to 1, that our Supreme prgtoken Court favors corporations over individuals rather than vice versa. Even among self-identified conservative s, it was still a 4-to-1 margin. prgtoken So hold that thought: The wealthy and powerful corporations control Congress, and people know it. prgtoken As I give my 200th ``Time to Wake Up'' speech, the most obvious fact standing plainly before me is not the measured sea level rise at Naval Station Newport; it is not the 400 parts per million carbon dioxide barrier we have broken through in the atmosphere; it is not the new flooding maps that coastal communities like Rhode Island's must face; it is not the West aflame; it is not even the uniform consensus about climate change across universities, National Laboratories, scientific societies, and even across our military and intelligence services, which warn us, as Senator Reed indicated, that climate change is fueling economic and social disruption around the world. prgtoken No. The fact that stands out for me, here at No. 200, is the persistent failure of Congress to even take up the issue of climate change. One party will not even talk about it. One party in the executive branch is even gagging America's scientists and civil servants and striking the term ``climate change'' off of government websites. In the real world, in actual reality, we are long past any question as to the reality of climate change. The fact of that forces us to confront the questions: What stymies Congress from legislating or from even having hearings about climate change? What impels certain executive agencies to forbid even the words?
WINGS UP
Francis Rooney (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise today to not only congratulate the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) women's basketball team as they head to the NCAA tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons, but also to wish them continued success throughout the tournament. prgtoken The Eagles fought hard to beat Jacksonville and clinch the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Championship. I congratulate Coach Karl Smesko and all of the players for their hard work this season--best of luck and continue to make us proud. Wings up.
NATIONAL K-9 VETERANS DAY
Scott Perry (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-3-13

I also want to join my friends in honoring National K-9 Veterans Day. prgtoken Every March 13, we commemorate the United States Army's first K-9 Corps training program. While this program began in 1942, the history of our ``best friend'' engaging in training and combat with us extends well beyond that date. prgtoken Today, we commemorate the iconic Sergeant Stubby. If you don't know about Stubby, Sergeant Stubby was a brindle bull terrier mutt from New Haven, Connecticut. Stubby was adopted by U.S. Army Private Robert Conroy, who stowed him away on a ship bound for France in the First World War, where his service was integral to saving American lives. Stubby was allowed to join our soldiers on the front lines after he was discovered by Private Conroy's commanding officer. Because Stubby rendered a salute to the commander, he was allowed to stay. prgtoken While on the front, he was once injured during a gas strike and developed a unique sensitivity to the smell of chemical weapons used at that time. His sensitivity was used to alert sleeping troops to another gas attack. He rescued them on numerous occasions from an ill and very painful fate. prgtoken Sergeant Stubby also thwarted a German spy attempting to map out the battlefield of the Allied trenches. He did that by grabbing onto the German soldier, biting him and subduing him until the American soldiers could arrive. prgtoken Sergeant Stubby served in 17 separate battles during World War I. Private Conroy's grandson, Curt Deane, recalled stories about Stubby: ``My grandmother was always clear: he was a service dog. He gave the troops comfort . . . and support. He used to run through the trenches and warn them about gas attacks. He used to go outside of the trenches and into this sort of no man's land between the U.S. and the German trenches and stand by soldiers who had been injured until the medics could come and get them.'' prgtoken Sergeant Stubby became a lifetime member of the American Legion and was recognized as the mascot of Georgetown University in the 1920s, where Private Conroy then studied law. In 1921, Stubby was awarded the Humane Education Society's Hero Dog gold medal and earned the honor of meeting General John ``Blackjack'' Pershing, the highest ranking servicemember since General George Washington, at that time. prgtoken Sergeant Stubby died in Private Conroy's arms on March 16, 1926. prgtoken Today, Sergeant Stubby is set to be immortalized in an animated film prgtoken premiering next month. That will be great for us all to see. His loyalty, bravery, and selflessness is the legacy for thousands of service dogs being trained at any given time in all branches of our military, as well as our local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies. prgtoken While we aren't yet able to measure the exact number of lives saved by service dogs, one thing is certain: dogs really are a man's and woman's best friend. We are forever grateful and indebted
HONORING GIRL SCOUTS ON ITS 106TH BIRTHDAY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise today to honor the Girl Scouts of the USA as it celebrates its 106th birthday. prgtoken I know firsthand the positive impact that Scouting can have on the life of a young person. I have been actively involved with the Boy Scouts of America my whole life. prgtoken On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low founded the first Girl Scout troop with just 18 girls. Over a century later, more than 50 million American women are Girl Scout alums, and the Girl Scout program reaches 2.6 million members. prgtoken Girl Scouts helps girls lead in their own lives and communities. It also positions them to become tomorrow's leaders in our country and the world by encouraging them to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals. Girl Scouts is committed to ensuring all girls develop to their full potential. prgtoken This week, as we celebrate Girl Scouts' 106th birthday, I applaud the Girl Scout councils that serve girls in my community for building evermore girls of courage, confidence, and character.
IN HONOR OF DOROTHY R. (DOTTIE) SPINDLE
Barbara Comstock (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise today to honor one of Fairfax County's leading citizens, Dottie Spindle, who is retiring as Secretary of The 123 Club after 27 years of service. prgtoken The 123 Club was formed over 30 years ago by a group of Northern Virginia Business Leaders who were interested in promoting economic development in Northern Virginia and George Mason University. Since that time, Fairfax County has blossomed into one of the most vibrant business corridors in the nation, and George Mason University has grown to house over 35,000 students at the graduate and undergraduate level, making it the largest University in Virginia. prgtoken Through the last 27 years, Dottie Spindle has served as Secretary (a volunteer position), coordinating meetings, reaching out to speakers, and keeping the books on an evolving membership of movers and shakers across Northern Virginia. The 123 Club has hosted Governors, Senators, Congressmen, State Legislators, Cabinet officers and leaders in economic academia. Though membership has changed, along with a growing and diverse business establishment, Dottie Spindle has been the one constant, holding together a band of eclectic community leaders and scheduling meetings, ensuring quorums and keeping the group together. prgtoken A long time employee of Dewberry, a large engineering firm in Fairfax, Dottie has announced her well-earned retirement, and will be stepping down this spring from both entities. The 123 Club and the citizens of Fairfax County will greatly miss her, as she has made a substantial mark serving behind the scenes. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Dottie Spindle for her contributions to our community.
FINDLAY NAMED TOP MICROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
Robert E. Latta (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise to recognize Findlay, Ohio for being named the 2018 Top Micropolitan Community in the United States. Awarded by Site Selection magazine, Findlay has now received this recognition as the top city for business for four straight years. prgtoken To qualify, a micropolitan city must have a population ranging from 10,000 to 50,000. Site Selection judged 575 of these cities on business growth and sustainable success. In totality, Findlay listed 21 projects that met Site Selection's criteria leading to its fourth straight first-place finish. prgtoken It is a team effort top to bottom that has led the way to Findlay's consistent success. I commend Mayor Lydia Mihalik, the Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development office, the Hancock County Commissioners, and the entire community for everything they've done to top the charts once again. prgtoken , the `Findlay Formula' has an established track record that meant to cultivate growth and prosperity for the community. With their business-friendly environment, I have no doubt that Findlay will be at the top again next year. prgtoken Congratulations once again to Findlay for being named the country's No. 1 Micropolitan Community.