mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO BRYCE WILBUR
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-1-29

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Bryce Wilbur, of Indianola, Iowa, for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. prgtoken To earn the Eagle Scout rank, a Boy Scout is obligated to demonstrate how they live out the Scout Spirit in their life, to serve as a leader in their troop, earn a total of 21 merit badges, and, finally, to complete an Eagle Scout Project to benefit the community. For his project, Bryce supervised 25 people in tearing down an old stone retaining wall at Lake Ahquabi State Park in Indianola and replacing it with a new wall using railroad ties and crushed rock. The work ethic Bryce has shown in his Eagle Scout Project and throughout his scouting career speaks volumes about his commitment to serving a cause greater than himself and bettering his community. prgtoken , the example set by this young man and his supportive family demonstrates the rewards of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I am proud to represent Bryce and his family in the United States Congress. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating him on obtaining the Eagle Scout ranking, and in wishing him nothing but continued success.
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2018-1-29

over my time in public service, I have been committed to supporting commonsense, pro-life measures that offer empathy for women and for unborn children. Too often, women experience despair and pain and judgment from others during unplanned pregnancies. We should offer compassion for these expectant mothers, and they need to know we will continue to support them in the challenging years ahead. We should also be willing to protect the most innocent among us, the unborn, who can feel pain and have the chance at viability. prgtoken I rise to discuss the bill that the Senate will consider shortly--the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. prgtoken This is a reasonable bill that has the support of 47 Senators. This kind of legislation has passed in many States, including in my own. My State of Nebraska has a proud tradition of being pro-life. We were the first State in the country to pass a 20-week abortion ban. The bill before us today would enact the same policy at the Federal level, and doing so makes sense. prgtoken As a State senator, I was a strong supporter and cosponsor of that legislation. It passed in Nebraska because we focused on areas of agreement, and like the bill we are debating today, the legislation provided exceptions for rare and dangerous circumstances. This bill passed overwhelmingly in Nebraska by a vote of 44 to 5, and it had the support from pro-choice and pro-life senators from both parties-- s and . prgtoken The enduring support for this kind of legislation across the country and the world is pretty easy to understand, in that it is a righteous cause that is based on science. It states that abortions during the sixth month of pregnancy should only be allowed in moments of extreme danger and with exceptions. prgtoken Basic embryology shows that the human nervous system is developed within the first 6 weeks of pregnancy. Our sensory receptors for pain are developed around the mouth as early as 10 weeks and are present in the skin and mucosal surfaces 20 weeks into gestation. The connections between the spinal cord and the thalamus--the part of the human body that deals with pain perception--is present at 20-weeks' gestation as well. None of this is debatable. It is a fact. prgtoken We also know babies have been born and have survived and thrived before the current 24-week limit. In March of 2017, the academic journal Pediatrics discussed a girl in Dallas who, in 2014, was born at 21-weeks' gestation. Today, she is a typical, happy 3-year-old who is living her life to the fullest and has a bright future ahead of her. prgtoken Over time, views on this divisive issue have evolved toward the side of pro-life policies because, as we gain more knowledge about pregnancy and gestation, we understand the humanity of the unborn. We recognize them as the people they are--and this movement is on the rise. Nearly two-thirds of Americans support legislation prohibiting
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Ben Sasse (Republican, NE) \u2014 2018-1-29

as we consider this legislation to protect 20-week-old babies who feel pain, I want to ask my friends in this body to put aside whip counts and score cards, politics and reelection, and let's talk today simply about beauty and about science. prgtoken We love beauty. Beauty calls us. Beauty inspires us. Beauty captivates us. It is part of what makes us human. It is not surprising that there is almost nothing more universal on this Earth, almost nothing more beautiful, than our natural impulse to care for a little baby. prgtoken We all start in the same place--vulnerable and dependent in every way. We all ``ooh'' and ``aah'' over sonogram pictures of our children, our grandchildren, our nieces, our nephews, even sonogram pictures from a stranger on a bus or a plane. We all ``ooh'' and ``aah'' in the same way. When we look at those pictures, we love. We love. You don't have to be taught this. You don't have to be conditioned to love. You don't have to be conditioned to know that we should help the vulnerable. This isn't because of economics. This isn't because of politics. We love because they are babies. You don't need anyone to explain this to you. Every one of us has experienced this when we have seen the sonogram pictures. We should note that this love is not just a feeling; it is also built on and backed up by facts. prgtoken As we consider whether these unborn babies--having been carried by their mamas for almost 5 months--deserve legal protection, whether they deserve our protection, we should think, too, about the science and what is becoming clearer year by year and month by month. prgtoken I want to associate myself with the comments of the Senator from Montana who preceded me. A huge part of why the millennials are becoming more pro-life than the two generations older than they are is because they are seeing these sonogram images, and it is changing them year by year and month by month. prgtoken I have been on the floor for about 45 minutes today, and I have heard many claims about polling and facts that just aren't true. I am not here to argue this case and argue how we should vote on this legislation because of polls; I am here because we should all love babies. That is why we should be doing this. But just at the level of polling, there have been claims on the floor today that are absolutely not true. prgtoken Younger people are becoming more pro-life, as the Senator from Montana said, year over year right now, and it is because of the prevalence and the pervasiveness of sonogram technology. This movement, the pro-life movement, is ascendant, and it is because people are grappling with science, grappling with images, and grappling with the reality of that intrinsic feeling we have to love. prgtoken We can and we should appeal to ethics. We can and we should discuss human dignity. We should reaffirm intrinsic value. For now, for this conversation today, we can limit ourselves to just
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-1-29

I am grateful for the comments the Senator from Louisiana just shared. He is a physician. I am not a physician. I am a chemical engineer, and I believe it is important, as the Senator from Louisiana believes, that we look at science when we have this debate about abortion. prgtoken Our Nation loses anywhere between 13,000 and 18,000 children a year to late-term abortion. The numbers of children aborted overall are well over 600,000. The focus on the debate today and on the vote coming up this evening is on late-term abortion. prgtoken I remember a few months ago having a discussion with a young man, a father of several children, about abortion. We were just two guys chatting, having a snack in the kitchen. He brought up a question--he didn't come from a pro-life perspective--and he asked my views. prgtoken He said: Let me ask you a question. At what point should an abortion be legal? We took it out to the very end of gestation. If the baby is literally ready to be delivered, should an abortion be allowed at that moment? He said: Of course not. prgtoken OK. Well, let's back it up a day. What about if you are 8 months and 28 days, should abortion be allowed in that situation? Well, of course not. That is way too close to the actual date of giving birth. prgtoken So we kind of moved upstream toward conception. So where do you draw the line? prgtoken I believe that life begins at conception because that is that magical moment when a life begins, when unique DNA is created, but I realize it is a very contentious issue in our Nation. So one line we can draw is at 20 weeks, and I will talk about why I think 20 weeks is a place we can start to get bipartisan support to stop late-term abortions. prgtoken In fact, this young man I was chatting with teared up, and he said: Steve, you realize that when we were pregnant with one of our daughters--they have five children--at about 10 or 12 weeks they had a test run because it looked like there may be an abnormality in the baby and the doctor recommended an abortion. prgtoken He said: What is the alternative? We can wait a few more weeks, when we have a better idea of what is going on there with that little baby, but it puts the mother at perhaps a greater risk. prgtoken They decided to wait a few more weeks. A few weeks later when they came back with the test, the baby came back clear, and they now have a healthy, beautiful young girl who is 5 years old. With tears in his eyes, he said: I am so glad we chose not to abort; that we chose life. prgtoken At 20 weeks, babies have 10 fingers and 10 toes. They can suck their thumb. They can yawn. They can stretch. They can make faces. Science also shows these babies are capable of feeling pain. prgtoken I became a first-time dad 28 years ago. I still remember taking David to his first well-baby appointment, when Cindy and I would go to the pediatrician and get those well-baby checks. When they would give them shots--I thin
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-1-29

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Tuesday, January 30; 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; further, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Stras nomination; finally, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m and that all time during recess, adjournment, morning business, and leader remarks count postcloture on the Stras nomination.
CLARIFYING ACCEPTANCE OF DONATED MORTGAGE APPRAISALS BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Bruce Poliquin (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-1-29

. It is a commonsense bill, , such that if a bank teller speaks to one of his or her customers they have known for maybe decades, and the senior says, ``I would like to close my account and wire the proceeds overseas,'' this bank teller can stop, pause, call the authorities, and say, ``We might have a problem here, Mr. Smith, so let's get back to you on that,'' and the teller can do this without retribution from our privacy laws. prgtoken , I ask everybody, s and , men and women, to please support H.R. 2255, which the Senior Safe Act is embedded in.
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-1-29

I join Senator Grassley and my colleagues in supporting the bill before us today. prgtoken As we debate this issue, it always seems to be such a defining issue in terms of who we are and whom we hope to be. No country in Europe allows a pregnancy to be ended this late in the pregnancy. No country in Africa allows a pregnancy to be ended this late in the pregnancy. Only six other countries in the world allow pregnancies to be ended at any time. As I have listened to the debate today, the debate about 20 weeks, it sounds to me like it wouldn't matter to the opponents of the bill if it were at 30 weeks, certainly, or at 21 weeks or at 20. There is no week one can pass here. prgtoken The other bill we should vote on, which the House has passed, is the born-alive bill. There are people in the country today who actually oppose the born-alive bill. When a baby during an abortion process is born alive, my understanding is, you can't step in and take the life of that living child, but you can all step back from the table, on which that baby lies in front of you, and let the baby die. prgtoken Obviously, there is a point at which we are not going to be able to talk to each other in a way that apparently will persuade anybody. Maybe hearts will not change, and maybe minds will not change in the Senate today, but as many of my colleagues have pointed out, they are changing in the country. People realize there is a time when that child has every opportunity, with a little help, to live independently. That, surely, would be too late to end that life in the minds of most people. In the minds of younger people? It is more of the view of older people that life should be saved, but 63 percent of all Americans say we shouldn't continue to allow this to happen. prgtoken Senator Grassley just said and others have said a majority of women, a majority of , a majority of s, a majority of young people all believe this is not an acceptable place for us to be. Why would we want to be one of seven countries in the world that would allow abortion at any time? Why would we want to be one of four countries in the world that would allow abortions at a time when it is widely accepted that the child being aborted--the life being taken--is a child who can feel pain? prgtoken As we come to this point today--and while a majority of Senators, I think, will vote for this, though not a big enough majority to put it on the President's desk--I think, once again, we have to ask ourselves: At what point do our friends on the other side, who clearly disagree with us on this issue, feel a life is clearly a life that should be saved? Would you vote for the born-alive bill? Would you vote for this bill if it were at 25 weeks? Would you vote for this bill if it were at 28 weeks? I don't hear any of that in the debate. It is just: This is not the government's business. At some point, it is the government's business. Prote
HONORING THE LIFE OF TIM NELSON
Rodney Davis (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-1-29

I rise today to honor the life of Tim Nelson, a beloved father, husband, community leader, and football coach who passed away on January 16, after a courageous battle against colorectal cancer since 2013. prgtoken Despite spending weeks receiving treatment in the hospital and going in and out of remission, Tim's resolve and bravery in his battle against this disease never wavered. prgtoken The support he and his family received in the Metro East and the River Bend never wavered either. A member of the Calhoun High School's 1992 State championship football team, Tim served as head football coach at Marquette Catholic High School in Alton and Dupo High School before returning to his home school, Calhoun High School, as an assistant in 2013. prgtoken Each of these communities and the entire region never stopped rallying around Tim and his family. I am proud to honor him and his life in this Chamber, and I ask you to join me in keeping his wife, Casey; and young son, Crew, in your thoughts and prayers.
KANSAS DAY
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-1-29

I rise today to celebrate Kansas Day, a recognition of my home State's 157 years of statehood. prgtoken Kansas was accepted into the Union as a free State in 1861. Kansans remain resilient, and we work hard to meet the challenges of today; after all, our State motto, ``Ad astra per aspera,'' means to the stars through difficulties. prgtoken The Sunflower State has long been known for its wheat product, but today our agriculture industry is more diverse than ever. Kansas is home to the fastest growing dairy herd and is second in the Nation in the number of cattle and calves. prgtoken From the farms to our universities, Kansas is leading the charge on research and innovation in agriculture, biosecurity, aviation, medicine, and basketball. prgtoken , the proof is in the pudding. Kansans are leaders, and we have a long history of producing innovators. Walter Chrysler, Amelia Earhart, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Bob Dole are just a few of the many Kansans who helped shape our Nation and advance our society. prgtoken As I travel through my district and the State, I see the economic hardships our farmers and producers face, but I also see optimism and hope. I am proud to celebrate my home State today and every day as I represent the people of the big First District of Kansas.
PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-1-29

I appreciate the opportunity to join so many of my colleagues to speak in support of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. I thank Senator Graham for his continued leadership on this issue. I supported this bill when Senator Graham introduced it last Congress, and I am pleased Leader McConnell has brought this to a vote. prgtoken Regulating abortion after 20 weeks of conception--when a child can feel pain--is a prudent measure that reflects the basic decency of our humanity and brings us in line with most of the Western world. prgtoken Science demonstrates that human life begins at conception, and our understanding of neonatal development is increasing by the day. prgtoken As a member of the Labor-HHS subcommittee on Appropriations, I have championed funding for the National Institute of Health. At the NIH, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has advanced our knowledge of pregnancy and development in the womb. Under this institute, the Neonatal Research Network has pioneered research that has led to techniques that save the lives of children in their earliest stages, when these children are at their most vulnerable. prgtoken Such research tells us children who are 20 weeks old--those this bill will protect--experience what a newborn will: reacting to noise, sucking their thumbs, and, as this bill's title indicates, feeling pain. The research has led to advancements in medical care for premature babies, and 23 percent of those delivered 20 weeks after fertilization can now survive long term outside of the womb. This percentage will surely increase as advances in neonatal care continue. prgtoken Despite what we know, the United States is one of only seven countries in the world, among nations such as China and Vietnam, that permits elective abortion after 20 weeks. As a result, the Congressional Budget Office estimates more than 10,000 babies are aborted each year after 20 weeks of conception. prgtoken What we can't lose sight of as a society is that, when we are talking about abortion, we are talking about the end of the most defenseless of human lives. This is true at all stages of pregnancy, regardless of whether it is early in the pregnancy or in the late stages, when children are more developed and more capable of surviving outside of the womb. prgtoken So often we turn to scientific evidence and research to support the need for new policies. In this case, the research shows that these children have a chance to survive, a chance to grow. They can feel; they can move. We cannot ignore these reactions and feelings, which are indicative of human life and with them comes the need for legal protections--protections we would not hesitate to provide for those living outside the womb. prgtoken Indeed, we have laws that treat animals more humanely than unborn children. This vote gives the Senate an opportunity to send a message showing who we are as leaders and as a soc
A THREAT TO LABOR UNIONS
Al Lawson, Jr. (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-1-29

I rise today and ask that we act now to preserve and defend labor unions. prgtoken Unions have played a critical role in building and protecting the middle class in America. They provide hard working people economic stability for their families and give them the tools to build a good life, home and education for themselves and their children. prgtoken As early as this week, the Supreme Court could take up Janus v. AFSCME which aims to take away the ability of working people to join together in strong unions. prgtoken Janus v. AFSCME would gut the entire public sector ``right-to-work'' in one fell swoop. prgtoken Janus is the culmination of decades of attacks on working people by corporate CEOs, the wealthiest 1%. The forces behind this case are the same forces that have pushed for limiting voting rights, attacked immigrants, and undermined civil rights protections. prgtoken When working people have the freedom and opportunity to speak up together through prgtoken unions, we make progress together that benefits everyone. prgtoken If the billionaires and corporate CEOs behind this case get their way, however, they will take away the freedom of working people to come together and build power to fight for the things our communities need: everything from affordable health care and retirement security to quicker medical emergency response times. prgtoken With Janus, CEOs and billionaires want to use the highest court in the land to take away our freedom to create the power in numbers to win better lives for ourselves, our families, our communities and our country. prgtoken Labor unions date back to the 18th century. They were established to help workers with work related issues such as low pay, unsafe working conditions, and long hours to have a body of individuals to speak on their behalf. prgtoken Labor unions are a brilliant balance of power between employees and employers. They have gained the power to negotiate peacefully for adequate treatment and respect as the economic backbone of this country. prgtoken Some of the accomplishments include increasing wages, raising the standard of living for the working class, ensuring safe and sanitary working conditions, and increased benefits for both workers and their families. prgtoken The group mentality of unions provides the comfort of inclusion and recognition that employees seek in the workplace. When an employee sees his or her needs are important and being met, then the quality of his or her work life increases tremendously. prgtoken As the working class continues to push the economy forward, unions are becoming more and more necessary. prgtoken Unions are the spokespersons for the overworked--and sometimes the underappreciated. prgtoken Unions assure that every employee has a seat at the table. Some business employers may argue that unionized workers create an atmosphere that lessens the sense of partnership and trust with their supervisors. prgtoken No one is forced to jo