mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
GUN VIOLENCE
Alma S. Adams (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2017-10-5

585, the number of people murdered and injured in Las Vegas on Sunday during the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. prgtoken 477, the number of days since the previous deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history in Orlando. prgtoken 521, the number of mass shootings since Orlando. prgtoken 91, the average number of Americans killed by gun violence every day. prgtoken 69, the number of homicides in Charlotte in 2017. prgtoken Zero, the number of actions taken by Congress to address the gun violence epidemic in our country. prgtoken When is enough enough? What is it going to take for Congress to end gun violence? prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to stop wasting time and demand that a joint select committee be established to combat gun violence and the bipartisan King-Thompson bill be brought to the floor for a vote. prgtoken It is time that we had the moral courage to act. Our Nation can't wait, and they shouldn't.
Las Vegas Mass Shooting (Executive Calendar)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-10-5

I would like to begin by talking about the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, with at least 59 dead and more than 500 injured, including one Minnesotan who was injured and another who lost his life. So I join my colleagues in mourning for the victims and their families. They are and should be our focus at this time, as well as making sure those who were hurt get the best medical care this country can give. prgtoken As we look ahead, these events underscore the urgency to continue fighting for funding to better treat mental illness but also for sensible gun safety legislation, and I joined with some of my colleagues the day after the tragedy in Las Vegas to call for those changes. No one policy will prevent every tragedy, but we need to come together on commonsense legislation to save lives. prgtoken One place we discussed this week where we could come together-- because we have in the past--is on background checks. My colleagues Senator Manchin and Senator Toomey, who are two A-rated NRA Senators, have already demonstrated that we can find bipartisan agreement on something as straightforward as background checks. I was very pleased they came together on this legislation, but the fact remains, the Senate's failure to pass that bipartisan compromise was disheartening-- one of my more disheartening days in the Senate because I began my day that day with the families of the Sandy Hook tragedy, with the parents who had lost their little kids, with the parents who had come to this building to advocate for a bill, the background check bill, that they knew wouldn't have saved their child's life, but they knew it would have saved others. What we have seen with expanded background checks is they reduce suicides and they reduce domestic homicides by a fairly large number. prgtoken Our constituents agree that we should be able to find some agreement here, as the numbers have consistently shown that Americans across the political spectrum, including gun owners, support proposals to require background checks by wide margins. I have prgtoken a State, like the Presiding Officer's, where there are a lot of hunters. It is a proud tradition in Minnesota so I look at all these proposals and I say to myself: Does this hurt my Uncle Dick and his deer stand? For many of the ones I have looked at, the answer is clearly no, including the background check bill. prgtoken When I talk to law enforcement in my State, they stress the need to have effective background checks to stop felons, people with severe mental illnesses, and others prohibited under current law from accessing guns. These efforts do not have to infringe in any way on Americans' lawful right to own guns. prgtoken Another sensible measure is Senator Feinstein's legislation to close a loophole that allows bump stop devices to convert semiautomatic firearms into weapons that work like fully automatic guns. Law enforcement of
Tax Reform (Executive Calendar)
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-10-5

here is what is happening with so-called ``tax reform.'' Tonight, the Budget Committee is voting on a budget resolution that does two things. prgtoken First, it sets the spending limits for everything in the government-- environment, energy, defense, healthcare, education, transportation, and so on. prgtoken Second, it includes something called reconciliation instructions that basically direct all of the committees to report back with legislation that either increases or decreases the Federal deficit by a certain amount. This time around, here is what they are doing--asking the Senate Finance Committee to draft legislation to increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion. Again, this is going to pass on a party-line vote, with s prevailing, to increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion. This is what will start the tax reform process. prgtoken That is not all. s still haven't given up on decimating our healthcare system. They are still trying to cut Medicaid and, this time, Medicare, and they are going to use this tax bill. They are going to cut $473 billion from Medicare at a time when our population is getting older and many seniors are already struggling. They are also going to cut $1 trillion from Medicaid. This is the program that pays for one out of every two births in this country. It helps millions of families who have loved ones in nursing home care. prgtoken Last week, they tried to pass a healthcare bill that cut taxes. Now they are trying to pass a tax bill that will cut healthcare. Their proposal will, actually, increase the deficit by $4 trillion. That is 12 zeros. prgtoken Here is what we could do with $4 trillion. We could completely rebuild half of the airports in the United States. We could put 20 million people through 4 years of college. We could pay off the debt for every student loan. prgtoken Instead, the United States is going to be in the red by $4 trillion, but after they cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and one-half trillion dollars from Medicare, the party that has railed against the Federal debt and deficit will still add $2.5 trillion to the deficit. prgtoken This is all so that they can give tax cuts to the richest people in the United States. I promise you, I understand that both parties are sometimes guilty of exaggerating and that sometimes both parties are guilty of relying on talking points and relying on caricatures of the other side, but you couldn't caricature this bill if you tried. This bill is already a caricature of what people say s are all about, which is to shred the social safety net and provide tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. prgtoken They are going to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent, and they are going to cut tax rates across the board, but the people who will actually benefit will be the people at the top. The Tax Policy Center, which is a nonpartisan, highly respected group, has crunched the numbers, and they fou
INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO REMOVE THE STATUE OF CONFEDERATE GENERAL ALBERT PIKE
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2017-10-5

I rise to introduce a bill to require the removal of a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, which is currently located on federal land near Judiciary Square in the District of Columbia. This statue was authorized by Congress in 1898, and was paid for by both federal and private funds--the Freemasons, of which Pike was a member, donated the majority of the money needed to build and install the statue in 1901. I oppose tearing down Confederate statues, because I believe they should be moved to more appropriate settings, like museums, to avoid erasing an important part of history from which Americans must continue to learn. However, Pike was a Confederate general who served dishonorably and was forced to resign in disgrace. Soldiers under his command were found to have mutilated the bodies of Union soldiers, and he was ultimately imprisoned after his fellow officers reported that he had been misappropriating funds. Adding to the dishonor of taking up arms against the United States, Pike dishonored even his Confederate military service. He certainly has no claim to be memorialized in the nation's capital. Even those who do not want Confederate statues removed will have to justify according Pike any honor considering his history. prgtoken After meeting with the Freemasons, I believe that the best course of action is to remove the statue and find a more appropriate place for it. The Freemasons themselves have said they ``will support an action . . . to remove the statue forthwith so that it shall not serve as a source of contention or strife for the residents of our community.'' The Mayor of the District of Columbia and the D.C. Council also support the removal of the statue. prgtoken My bill clarifies that no federal funds will be used to take the Pike statue down. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
TRIBUTE TO ANNE MAXWELL LIVINGSTON
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-10-5

today I wish to honor the service of my friend Anne Maxwell Livingston. Mrs. Livingston has served since 2011 as chairwoman of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, CRMC, which protects Rhode Island's coastal resources through research, regulation, and restoration. prgtoken During her 6-year tenure, CRMC has been a nationally recognized leader in ocean and coastal management. One of the shining jewels of CRMC's work has been its innovative Special Area Management Plans, or SAMPs. These plans are ecosystem-based management strategies developed in collaboration with government agencies, municipalities, and other stakeholders to best manage coastal systems. During Mrs. Livingston's tenure, the council saw its prgtoken groundbreaking ocean SAMP, the first formally adopted ocean spatial plan in the country, pay real-life dividends. In developing this plan, CRMC engaged a diverse group of stakeholders and laid the groundwork for cooperation among a multitude of regulatory agencies. This effort and CRMC's continued engagement in the process paved the way for the successful development of the Nation's first offshore wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island. prgtoken The CRMC has also helped Rhode Island towns and residents understand the increasing effects of sea level rise and storm surge. Using the latest climate change predictions and state-of-the-art modeling, CRMC, in cooperation with the University of Rhode Island and others, developed an online tool, STORMTOOLS, that gives anyone with an internet connection free access to information that can be used to help decide everything from what neighborhood to buy a home in to where to site a new stormwater treatment plant. CRMC is now developing a coastal environmental risk index that can show Rhode Island homeowners individualized flood risks in 3-D. prgtoken In addition to her service on the CRMC, Mrs. Livingston has served Rhode Islanders as a board member of the Jamestown Tax Assessment Board of Review and on the board of the Girl Scouts of Rhode Island and the Jamestown Education Foundation. She also continues to serve as treasurer for the Opera House Theater & Performing Arts Center in Newport and on the advisory boards of the Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island and the Providence Children's Museum. Mrs. Livingston is a passionate and committed leader, and I am grateful for her many years of service to our State's CRMC.
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-10-5

October is National Farm to School Month. It is time when we celebrate food education, school gardens, and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients. prgtoken Farm to School brings healthy foods from local farms to schoolchildren nationwide. The program teaches students about the path from farm to fork and instills healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime by introducing children to real food. prgtoken At the same time, use of local produce in school meals and educational activities provides a new direct market opportunity for family farmers in the area and lessens environmental impacts of transporting food long distances. prgtoken More than 31 million children eat a school lunch 5 days a week, 180 days a year. If school lunch can taste great and support the local community, everybody wins. In the early 1990s, there were merely a few Farm to School programs, and today there are thousands. prgtoken , as chairman of the Nutrition Subcommittee, it is encouraging to see this program grow and our schoolchildren's diets improving. A lifelong love of healthy, locally grown food from your local farmer is something we can all support.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Bill Flores (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-10-5

. In the tradition of The Heritage Foundation's 1980 mandate for leadership that provided a policy agenda for the incoming Reagan administration, our Blueprint for a Balanced Budget 2.0 for the new President and his administration set forth an agenda for governing in 2017. prgtoken By all accounts, the RSC budget has proven successful in achieving this goal, with President basing many of the policies for his fiscal 2018 budget request on the RSC's fiscal 2017 budget. prgtoken I am pleased to see that many RSC-led proposals are included in both the President's budget and the House budget that we will consider later today. prgtoken In the coming years, I look forward to continuing to see the RSC putting forth and leading on many conservative, sound policy ideas for our budgetary process. prgtoken , I urge all our colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the RSC budget and to vote ``yes'' on the House GOP budget.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Gary J. Palmer (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-10-5

I appreciate the hard work the Budget Committee has put forth to produce a budget that prioritizes our national defense and sets forth bold policy reforms that will get this country back on track to fiscal responsibility. prgtoken Specifically, I am pleased to see that this budget commits to reducing the substantial amount of improper payments throughout the Federal Government. The Government Accountability Office estimates that there were $144 billion--I want to emphasize $144 billion--in improper payments in 2016 alone, and that is not even a complete estimate. In fact, 18 Federal programs did not report their improper payments, so the total is undoubtedly higher. prgtoken To make matters worse, since 2013, the amount we have been incorrectly sending out has been trending upwards. Instead of reducing our fraudulent payments, the rate at which we pay them out has been increasing. Since 2003, there has been a total of $1.2 trillion in improper payments. Let me repeat, that is $1.2 trillion plus interest. prgtoken Because we have been running deficits over that timeframe, we have literally had to borrow that money to send it to fraudsters and others who prgtoken would not have received it. This is unacceptable. prgtoken As you can see from this chart, this represents improper payments for 2016 alone. It is money borrowed that we pay interest on to send to people who are not supposed to get it. We are borrowing money and adding to our debt through improper payments. prgtoken This budget, for the first time, sets forth a bold strategy for cutting these payments in half over the budget window, saving us $700 billion over our 10-year window. prgtoken While I hope, in the near future, we can zero these payments out, I am thrilled to see that we are beginning to tackle a problem that is putting an additional strain on this country's fiscal problems. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this budget.
RECOGNIZING PERRY TECHNICAL INSTITUTE AND TYLER ANDRINGA
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2017-10-5

I rise today to recognize the Perry Technical Institute for receiving the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges' 2017 School of Excellence Award. prgtoken Perry Tech has continually provided high-quality education and technical training for students in the Yakima Valley of central Washington, and this award is well deserved. prgtoken On top of that, I would like to recognize Tyler Andringa, who received the commission's 2017 Outstanding Graduate Award. Tyler graduated from Perry Tech in December 2016 with a certificate in information technology and communication systems. prgtoken Tyler has cerebral palsy and has overcome many challenges to obtain his certificate. He has served as a role model and a leader among his classmates. prgtoken Applying the resources and guidance he received at Perry Tech, Tyler is currently employed with Continuant, a telecommunications service provider, where he is succeeding in advancing his career goals. His achievements are commendable, and I wish him the best in his future endeavors. prgtoken Please join me in congratulating Perry Technical Institute on their achievements as they continue to provide excellent education and job training to equip students just like Tyler Andringa.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-10-5

I want to acknowledge and thank the Senator from North Dakota. She has been a champion for the Native people, the indigenous people around the country, including in my State of Alaska. Whether it is working to address the issues related to childhood trauma, which so many of our young Native children face, or the issues relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking--these are scourges that we see directed, unfortunately, at so many of our Native women in the State of Alaska, in the State of North Dakota, and around the country. prgtoken She has cited the statistics. I think sometimes we just get numb by the statistics. When you are told that you are four times the national average, that sounds bad. But what does that mean? When you put a face to it, when you hear the tragedy repeated through the stories, these are not just statistics that we are speaking of. These are real women. These are our sisters. These are our neighbors. These are our friends, and these are human beings who deserve to be respected in their lives but also respected in other tragic deaths. How we work to address these difficult issues needs to be a focus and a priority for us. prgtoken So I appreciate what the Senator from North Dakota is doing in bringing attention to our Nation's lackluster--and that is kind of a polite term here--response to the tragedy of missing and murdered Native women and girls. prgtoken I am proud to lend my voice to the proposition that Congress, in the exercise of our trust responsibility to our Native peoples, has a responsibility to do more. You would think that that trust responsibility demands us to be paying even closer attention, and yet it seems that we just withdraw from that, that that responsibility is not acknowledged. prgtoken Now, it is not often here in the United States that we benchmark our treatment of indigenous peoples against Canada, but in this case, there is actually a compelling difference between Canada's national response to the tragedy of missing and murdered Native women and our seeming indifference here in the United States. prgtoken Down in southeastern Alaska, right across on the Canadian side, lies a town called Prince Rupert. It is in British Columbia. The Alaskan ferry comes in from Washington State and stops in Prince Rupert and then moves into Alaska. Prince Rupert is also the terminus of Highway 16, and the locals refer to Highway 16 as the ``Highway of Tears.'' They refer to it as the ``Highway of Tears'' because it is a road on which Native women and girls have vanished for decades now. The question is, How many? Who is disappearing? Some would say as few as 12 and perhaps as many as 43. CBS News devoted a segment of its news magazine show ``48 Hours'' to the Highway of Tears. prgtoken Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed 54 million Canadian dollars to a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. I
REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL FREDERICK HOLLISTER CAMPBELL AND AMY S. CAMPBELL
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2017-10-5

I wish to honor the lives of Lt. Col. Frederick Hollister Campbell and Amy S. Campbell. prgtoken Lt. Col Frederick Hollister Campbell served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than 25 years, serving in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He earned prgtoken a Navy Commendation Medal for saving the lives of 250 fellow marines at the Battle of Iwo Jima. After his military career, Fred opened his own private law practice and taught college-level classes at Colorado College and the University of Colorado. prgtoken During a time when women rarely attended college, Amy received her B.A. in elementary education from National University and went on to receive her M.A. in reading education from Northwestern University. Prior to her marriage to Fred, Amy taught first and second grade. A two-time military widow, Amy lost her first husband, Bob Noran, as a result of injuries sustained during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. prgtoken Amy and Fred were married on April 14, 1951. A proud supporter of her husband's career, Amy put aside her teaching career to be a full-time officer's wife and mother to their daughter. prgtoken Amy and Fred went on to live an incredible life together, traveling, raising their daughter, Susan, and volunteering with many organizations. Fred passed away on December 27, 2011, and Amy went on to live near Susan in Missoula, MT, before passing away on November 29, 2016. I send my condolences to the friends and family of Fred and Amy, as they are both greatly missed. They will be laid to rest together in Arlington National Cemetery.
RECOGNIZING THE CAROLINA YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER'S NEW PARTNERSHIP
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-10-5

I would like to recognize and congratulate the Carolina Youth Development Center, Cummins, Inc and the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation on its new partnership to provide youth aging out of foster care an independent living transitional house. The Carolina Youth Development Center has been a blessing to our State for over 200 years with their bold mission. They work tirelessly to empower and equip South Carolina's most vulnerable children by providing a safe environment, educational support, and career readiness. prgtoken Carolina Youth Development Center has an impressive 227-year history of serving the community's most vulnerable children and families, dating back to its founding as the Charleston Orphan House in 1790. The agency remains steadfast in its commitment to youth in foster care and continues to lead the way, changing lives and transforming communities.