mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING STEARNS COUNTY FOR WATER CONSERVATION
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2019-7-17

I rise today to recognize Dan Stoltz for receiving the HERBIE Award. prgtoken This award from the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes individuals that exemplify the traits inspired by its namesake, Herb Brooks: humanitarian, enterprising, resilient, bold, inspirational, and ethical. prgtoken Herb Brooks remains a Minnesota legend. As coach of the United States Olympic men's hockey team in 1980, he led them to their gold medal victory with his focus, determination, strong work ethic, and inspirational leadership. prgtoken As CEO of Spire Federal Credit Union and in his everyday life, I can attest that Dan Stoltz channels the energy of our Minnesota legend, Herb Brooks. prgtoken , I congratulate Dan for this well-deserved award. Our community appreciates the generosity he provides every day. Congratulating the Schlichtings, Farm Family of the Year
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2019-7-17

I am honored to join my colleagues today to commemorate this anniversary of an incredible event. prgtoken Fifty-eight years ago in May of 1961--the year in which I was born-- President John F. Kennedy appeared before Congress and boldly declared the United States would send an American to the Moon before the end of the decade. This was no small task, obviously, as programs had to be funded, as scientific advancements had to be made, and as foreign adversaries had to be kept at bay. As the head of NASA's Space Task Group said, ``Flying a man to the Moon required an enormous advance in the science of flight in a very short time.'' Yet President Kennedy was not deterred. In his ignoring conventional wisdom and the ever-present naysayers, he pressed on, and so did the patriotic Americans who were charged with making this happen. prgtoken A few years later, NASA began its Apollo missions, and the necessary scientific advancements became a reality. In October of 1968, Apollo 7 was the first Apollo mission in space, and it conducted the very first live TV program of a U.S. spacecraft. Apollo 8 launched 2 months later and successfully orbited the Moon. Apollo 9 carried the first lunar module into orbit in March of 1969. We were getting closer. Apollo 10 launched in May. It was a full dress rehearsal for the Apollo 11 mission. It was successful. We were ready. prgtoken Fifty years ago yesterday, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins launched the Apollo 11 mission to fulfill President Kennedy's promise of landing on the Moon. That week, my 8-year-old self and an estimated 650 million of my closest friends from around the world watched Neil Armstrong land on the Moon and plant our Nation's flag. He offered the famous phrase: ``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'' prgtoken That giant leap was a monumental moment in history, for sure, and it didn't happen in the abstract. It was really the result of hundreds of years of scientific discovery and decades of work from countless public servants who devoted their lives to this cause. Apollo 10 gave Apollo 11 the confidence that the operation would be successful. Apollo 7 gave us the opportunity to see its success with our own eyes. The astronauts of Apollo 1, in a fatal 1967 tragedy, gave their lives to this mission. That giant leap happened because prgtoken of the small steps that had been taken before it, and those who took that giant leap are pressing on even today. prgtoken The scientific discovery and space exploration that were made possible because of those missions continue to this day, including in my great State of North Dakota. Just a few years after the Moon landing, the University of North Dakota's John Odegard asked Buzz Aldrin to come to our State to help him start a space education program within the University of North Dakota, and Buzz Aldrin said yes. prgtoken He left the State, of course, ultimately, but the prog
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Devin Nunes (Republican, CA) \u2014 2019-7-17

. Madam , I thank Mr. Kelly for giving me time to speak in support of H.R. 748, the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019. This bill will provide much-needed relief from one of the most burdensome and blunt taxes in Care. prgtoken By repealing this tax, we will save employers from paying a 40 percent tax on high-cost employer-sponsored health coverage. The bill will provide much-needed relief not only for employers but for employees, some of whom are low-income earners with high-cost health benefits who are forced to bear the repercussions of this tax. prgtoken That said, I am disappointed that the majority chose not to repeal the medical device tax or the health insurance tax, both of which are harming hardworking Americans across the country. prgtoken The medical device tax is a 2.3 percent excise tax on the value of medical devices sold domestically. Making lifesaving products more expensive is not good policy and should be included in this repeal bill. prgtoken The health insurance tax, or HIT, is a more than $100 billion sales tax on private health insurance that affects every private plan in the country. At a time when we are all trying to lower the cost of healthcare, why are the in the majority preventing us from removing this unnecessary and burdensome tax? prgtoken This bill could do so much more, but I am happy that the majority is finally admitting that the Care tax increases are bad for the country and that good tax policy doesn't need to be replaced with more bad tax hikes. prgtoken At a time when much of our healthcare system is failing, when healthcare costs are still unaffordable for many, when Medicare will be insolvent within a decade, and when Medicaid's uncontrollable costs are bankrupting our States, it still leaves millions of low- and middle- income earners without access to doctors. We should be working harder to provide more access and choice to the American people in a fiscally responsible way. prgtoken Madam , I support the repeal of this tax, and I urge adoption of the bill.
Government Waste (Executive Calendar)
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-7-17

today is ``Washington Waste Wednesday.'' It is a new series I launched last week to highlight all of the ways Washington wastes taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ways. prgtoken My belief is that you, the American taxpayer, can spend your money better than Washington can. It is a novel concept here in DC. The way Washington spends your money is oftentimes an embarrassment. prgtoken As Governor of Florida, my focus on responsible spending meant more money in the pockets of Florida families and more funding available to pay down State debt and invest in what mattered most to our families. We paid down $10 billion in State debt over my 8 years as Governor-- nearly one-third of total State debt. We cut taxes 100 times, giving more than $10 billion back to Florida families and job creators. And we have record funding for education, for the environment, and for transportation. prgtoken But right now, our national debt is impossible to fathom, much less sustain. It is $22 trillion. Just let that sink in for a minute. We are already $22 trillion in the hole, but that doesn't stop the far-left from proposing more debt for this country. prgtoken Medicare for All, which I like to call Medicare for None, would not only throw 150 million people off the private insurance they like, but it is projected to cost as much as $32 trillion over a decade. That is $32 trillion with a ``t.'' prgtoken The problem with our healthcare system is rising costs. It just costs too much. Prescription drugs cost too much. Hospital visits cost too much. Care drove up the cost of healthcare. That is obvious. Then the government tried to hide that cost by providing Federal subsidies to the tune of $737 billion in 2019--$737 billion in 2019 and $1.3 trillion by 2029. prgtoken Instead of providing subsidies and proposing more wasteful ideas, we should be focused on bringing down the cost of healthcare, which solves two problems. First, it will result in more people having healthcare coverage, and, second, it would ensure that health insurance results in actual healthcare. prgtoken Reduce costs and you solve both of these problems, but solving problems is a novel concept in Washington. The in Washington just want to spend more money to solve every problem. On top of Medicare for All, the want a Green New Deal. The Green New Deal--I call it the Green Job Killer--would cost as much as $93 trillion. These two proposals alone will cost more than $100 trillion. To put that in perspective, that is more than $300,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States--$300,000. You wouldn't run a business like this, so why are proposing to run a country this way? prgtoken We are turning this Nation around. Our economy is booming, and wages are rising. We can't go along with this dangerous socialist playbook. Higher taxes, more debt, and more regulation will reverse our success and
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 582, RAISE THE WAGE ACT
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-17

an additional 1 minute. prgtoken Now, we find ourselves emerging into a new area of our economy, a new area of economic freedom. Why don't we embrace that? prgtoken Look, if we really wanted to do something to help people at the lower end of the wage scale, we would be working seriously on border security. We wouldn't have off-the-books labor competing with the lowest wage earners in this country. We would fix that problem as a United States Congress. That might have been a better effort than what we spent our day doing yesterday. prgtoken , .
RECOGNIZING DELL TECHNOLOGIES
John R. Carter (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-17

. Madam , I'm honored that Dell Technologies, one of the world's leading technology companies, has called Round Rock, TX home for the last quarter century. The impacts they've made on the region and state are rivaled only by the extraordinary innovations they've made in the demanding world of cutting-edge high technology. prgtoken Knowing that Central Texas was the ideal place to plant roots and grow, Dell Computer Corporation broke ground on a new campus in Round Rock, Texas on August 2, 1994. Since then, the company has exploded to the global scale, employing 145,000 people worldwide and making enormous contributions to the technology revolution that has defined our changing times. prgtoken Dell Technologies has brought prosperity and growth to the Texas city it calls horne. A once-small Texas town now has more than 125,000 residents and is regularly ranked in the highest tier of the nation's safest and most family-friendly cities. Dell Technologies fully embodies the Texas spirit of generosity, annually donating $13 million to local charities, and its employees dedicate more than 200,000 volunteer hours. Through its work providing technology support to Round Rock businesses, government, and schools to hosting the Round Rock Express AAA minor league baseball team at Dell Diamond Stadium, Dell Technologies has made lasting and positive impacts. prgtoken What has benefitted Round Rock benefits the rest of Texas. Dell Technologies supports more than 70,000 jobs statewide with wages nearly ninety percent higher than the state average. This commitment to excellent pay reaps dividends as every $100 in Dell Technologies employee wages drives about $200 of additional wages across the state. All this prgtoken leads to a staggering economic contribution to Texas of around $10 billion. prgtoken I salute Dell Technologies' success, am glad we share the same home town, and wish this vital pillar of the Texas economy the brightest of futures. I join all Central Texans as we look forward to years of transformation and prosperity as Dell Technologies continues growing a global business in the wonderful city of Round Rock.
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-7-17

after years of economic stagnation during the administration, we are experiencing an economic revival. Thanks to economic policies, the economy has taken off during the administration. Unemployment is near its lowest level in half a century. June marked the 16th month that unemployment has been at or below 4 percent. For 15 straight months--15 straight months--we have had more job openings than Americans looking for work. Right now, there are roughly 1.6 million more job openings than Americans looking for work. That is the largest margin ever recorded. June also marked the 11th straight month that wage growth has been at or above 3 percent. Before 2018, wage growth had not hit 3 percent in nearly a decade. prgtoken Importantly, the benefits of this economic growth are being spread far and wide. Ordinary Americans are seeing bigger paychecks, more jobs, and more opportunities. Over the past 3 years, pay hikes for the lowest income workers have grown the fastest. Huge numbers of new blue- collar jobs have been created. Unemployment rates for minorities have decreased substantially. The unemployment rates for Asian Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans are all at or near record lows. prgtoken While our economy as a whole is thriving, there is one segment of our economy that is not fully enjoying the economic growth we have been experiencing. While our Nation's farmers and ranchers have seen benefits from tax reform, years of commodity and livestock prices that are below the cost of production, protracted trade disputes, and natural disasters mean our agricultural economy is trailing behind the economy as a whole. prgtoken I am privileged to represent South Dakota farmers and ranchers in the U.S. Senate, and addressing the needs of these hard-working Americans is one of my top priorities. prgtoken Recently, I was very pleased to be able to help persuade the Department of Agriculture to move the haying and grazing date to September 1 for this year for cover crops on prevent plant acres. This will allow farmers and ranchers in northern States like South Dakota to sow cover crops without worrying that they won't be able to harvest or graze them before winter weather sets in. prgtoken Cover crops help farmers by improving soil health, which improves future yields, and they can save farmers significant money by serving as an important source of feed. That second benefit is particularly important for farmers right now. Due to last year's severe and lengthy winter, feed supplies disappeared, leaving no reserves. Cornstalks--a source of grazing and bedding--will be in short supply this year, and so will the supply of alfalfa due to winterkill. Cover crops will be crucial to alleviating this feed shortage. prgtoken If necessary, I will be encouraging the Department of Agriculture to release Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing this year t
Introductory Statement on S. 2147
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2019-7-17

I rise today to introduce the ``Anti- Spoofing Penalty Modernization Act of 2019'' with my colleague, Senator Sinema, who serves with me on the Senate Committee on Aging, which I chair. I am also pleased that Senators Hawley, Peters, and McSally have joined as original cosponsors. prgtoken This morning, the Senate Aging Committee held its 23rd hearing in the past six years to examine scams targeting our Nation's seniors. Scams the Committee has examined include the infamous IRS imposter scam the Jamaican Lottery scam, computer tech support scams, grandparent scams, elder financial exploitation, identity theft, and the notorious ``Drug Mule'' scam--where seniors are tricked into unwittingly serving as drug couriers. prgtoken Two things are central to nearly all of these scams: first, the scams are initiated by robocallers who cast a wide net in their hunt for potential victims, and second, the scammers ``spoof' the victim's Caller-ID to mask their identity, a key to the success of their outrageous frauds. When victims see the ``Internal Revenue Service'' or the ``local Sheriff's Department'' pop-up on their Caller-ID, they are understandably worried, scared, and often easily hustled into doing whatever the scammers demand. prgtoken Last year, robocallers generated more than 26 billion unwanted calls that reached American mobile phones. When landlines are included, the number soars to 48 billion. In Maine alone, our residents received an astonishing 93 million robocalls last year. That averages out to 73 calls to every person in Maine. So far this year, scammers are on pace to generate more than 58 billion unwanted, illegal robocalls targeting Americans. prgtoken Putting a stop to these illegal robocalls requires a coordinated approach from all levels of our government, working in coordination with the private sector. Recently, this body overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan ``TRACED Act,'' which makes a number of important changes to our law that will help make it easier to fight illegal robocalls, such as increasing civil penalties on robocallers and extending the statute of limitations for violations to three years. The TRACED Act also requires telecommunications carriers to implement the so-called SHAKEN/ STIR technology to verify whether Caller-IDs that appear on incoming calls are authentic. When fully implemented, this technology will be a major advance against illegal spoofing. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the TRACED Act, and I am hopeful it will soon become law. prgtoken The bipartisan bill we are introducing today complements the TRACED Act by doubling the penalties on illegal spoofing. Except for inflation adjustments, the penalties on illegal spoofing have not been updated since they were first passed into law through the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009. Our bill also extends the statute of limitations to three years for spoofing violations to match the extension for robocalling vi
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-7-17

it is really hard to believe that the first Moon landing was 50 years ago, but, in fact, 50 years ago today, three Americans were on their way to the Moon--Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. prgtoken I had the honor of actually meeting with Buzz Aldrin just the other day, shaking his hand, and being able to listen to his perspectives about what has happened in the last 50 years. What a great American. prgtoken At this moment, I would also honor the names of Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins. While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin got to step foot on the Moon, Michael Collins' assignment was to stay in the vehicle and orbit solo above. It was not at all guaranteed that his two colleagues would get back. We certainly thought we had the technology; we thought we could do it, and indeed we did, but it was not a given. prgtoken Michael Collins wrote during that lonely flight while his two colleagues were walking on the face of the Moon: I am . . . absolutely isolated from any known life. I am it. If a count were taken, the score would be three billion plus two over on the other side of the Moon, and one plus God knows what on this side. prgtoken Those are the words of American hero Michael Collins. prgtoken These three men were separated from the rest of humanity, but they certainly were not alone. Hundreds of millions of people watched and prayed and gave them their best wishes. prgtoken It is hard to believe--and I still have to pinch myself--that I was a freshman in college for this Moon walk, and that was 50 years ago. How could 50 years have passed by so quickly? prgtoken Men and women have always looked up at the night sky and seen their heroes in the constellations. Now we still look up at the sky, and we see our heroes, but among them are astronauts who go to the stars and return and will go to the Moon and to Mars and return. prgtoken I want to salute the people who have done it before and the people who are making plans to put a man and woman on the face of the Moon within 5 years. prgtoken I was so honored to chair a hearing just this morning featuring NASA Administrator Bridenstine, who has put forward a bold proposal from the administration, which has moved the deadline up from 10 years to 5 years. Indeed, I can tell you, it is the goal of NASA and it is the goal of this Member of the U.S. Senate and the committee that I chair to facilitate making this go and actually putting a man and a woman back on the face of the Moon in 5 years and then, beyond that, on Mars. prgtoken These are ambitious goals, which match and rival the ambition of President Kennedy, who announced this plan in 1961. Credit goes to President Johnson, who took up the cause after the assassination of President Kennedy, and President Nixon, a succeeding two , who saw it to fruition in 1969. prgtoken I am proud to salute all of the people--some nameless, faceless
SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-17

I appreciate the gentleman's question. I think it is an important question. prgtoken To take down the American flag, deface the American flag with the words ``abolish ICE,'' to turn it upside down and re-raise it; to raise, then, the Mexican flag alongside of it over this ICE detention facility, I went there the day after this occurred. I met with the individuals running this facility, both ICE as well as the private individuals, GEO, that were running it. prgtoken What did I find in the facility? It is a detention facility that houses 1,200 individuals. It was clean. prgtoken There were doctors' offices. There was medicine. prgtoken There were ping-pong tables. prgtoken There were iPads to watch news in home countries. prgtoken There were televisions. prgtoken There were video game stations. prgtoken There were three square meals. prgtoken There were clean bunk beds. prgtoken There were people from 57 countries. Only 29 percent of the people in there are from Mexico. prgtoken Traditionally, this ICE facility has 80 percent of its occupants coming from individuals who are brought in there from interior enforcement, usually violent criminals or people who have violated our laws other than immigration laws, and 80 percent are usually of that population. prgtoken Now, 80 percent of that is from people who are flooding across our border, overwhelming Border Patrol. ICE has no beds, no place to put these individuals who have violated our laws. As a result, you see the overcrowding in the Border Patrol facilities. prgtoken My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have, for months on end, been refusing to acknowledge that there is a border crisis, only awakening in the last several weeks to finally acknowledge that there is a crisis, to finally agree to pass only humanitarian aid, that is, dollars to go to HHS, ORR to take in individuals, unaccompanied children, to place them, but then restricting dollars for ICE. prgtoken Why? Because I think that the ic Caucus is run by four members of the Caucus. I don't think there is a single . I think there are four s, and I think those four s are deciding the policy for the Party. I think, as a result, we saw precisely what is happening. We have no resources for ICE--none. prgtoken We are vilifying ICE. We are vilifying Border Patrol. Speak to the Border Patrol agents on the border who are holding the line defending the United States of America while cartels have operational control of our border, while the Gulf Cartel, the Reynoso faction, Los Zetas, the Cartel de Noreste, the Sinaloas, they are using human beings for profit. They are using children as tickets to sell access to the United States. prgtoken Why are they doing that, and how are they doing that? My colleagues know full well the answer to that, and they don't care. They don't care that cartels are abusing our laws for profit, that they are doing so in a way that violates children, violates wo