mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE ECONOMY AND TAX REFORM
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-6-13

now, on one final matter, after 8 years of sluggish economic growth under the administration, I was pleased to see some positive numbers out of last month's jobs report. Now, following so many years of failed leftwing policies that held Americans back, a new administration and a pro-growth Congress have been working together to move our economy and job creation in a positive direction. We have already undertaken what has been described as the most ambitious regulatory rollback since Reagan, and we are working hard in a number of other areas as well. prgtoken In fact, this month the administration is redoubling those efforts on the economy, kicking off with an emphasis on workforce development. These initiatives are a top priority for many States like mine, who are proud to have a Governor who has been a staunch advocate for expanding apprenticeship programs and preparing a workforce that can fill current employment gaps while also attracting new businesses and job opportunities to our State. prgtoken I have also been proud to play a role in supporting these efforts, and I have worked to secure Federal funds for workforce development programs in Kentucky. Specifically, I have been proud to help secure funding for training and employment services for laid-off coal miners in an effort to help them find new job opportunities. prgtoken Efforts like these are critical in preparing American workers for success in today's global economy, but we know there is more we can do to help. One way the Senate is working to do that is through tax reform. It has been more than 30 years since we last passed comprehensive tax reform legislation, and since then, the international economy has only grown more competitive. That is why it is imperative that we do what we can to modernize our tax structure, as we also better prepare America's workforce for the many challenges and the global competition that face us in today's economy. prgtoken Over the past three decades, our tax system has grown increasingly convoluted and punitive, making it harder for individuals and businesses to succeed. In fact, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate's annual report to Congress, ``if tax compliance were an industry, it would be one of the largest in the United States.'' It is not hard to see why, considering that our Internal Revenue Code is made up of about 4 million words, which, to give some context, is nearly seven times longer than Leo Tolstoy's notoriously lengthy ``War and Peace.'' prgtoken It goes on to say that ``a simpler, more transparent tax code will substantially reduce the estimated six billion hours and $195 billion that taxpayers spend on income tax return preparation; reduce the disparity in tax liabilities between sophisticated or well advised taxpayers and other taxpayers; enable taxpayers to understand how their tax liabilities are computed and prepare their own returns; improve taxpayer
IN HONOR OF MICHAEL SMITH
Barbara Comstock (Republican, VA) \u2014 2017-6-13

I rise to recognize Michael A. Smith, an outstanding member of a special family in the Shenandoah Valley, whose generosity of time, energy, and money has made a significant difference in the lives of my Shenandoah Valley constituents. Mr. Smith recently received the President's Award of Shepherd University, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for his extraordinary service and contributions to that university. prgtoken With the passing of their father, Gerald F. Smith, in 2003, Michael and his brother, Gerald Smith, Jr. have led the family owned business, Valley Proteins, Inc through a period of remarkable growth. Established in 1949 by their grandfather, Clyde A. Smith, as a one- truck service for recycling waste meat byproducts and spent cooking oils, Valley Proteins is now one of the largest independent rendering companies in North America, operating 12 plants in seven states. prgtoken Although the Smith family enterprise has consumed most of the brothers' time, they have both given back to the community in significant ways. Michael has served as the President of the Winchester Youth Development Center, which provides recreational and enrichment opportunities for the youth of Winchester, the Vice President of the Virginia Community College Foundation, which raises funds to provide access to post-secondary education to all Virginians, the Treasurer and Annual Giving Chairman for Powhatan School, and the President of the Board of Directors of the Upperville Colt and Horse Show. prgtoken Since graduating from Shepherd University with a business degree in 1989, Michael Smith has also generously given of his time and money to his alma mater. Today, he is president of the Shepherd University Foundation, which receives and administers private gifts for student scholarships, academic and program support, faculty excellence awards and other university initiatives. In addition to starting two endowed funds in the name of his grandfather and father, Smith assisted with the university's efforts to create a school of business, by issuing a generous challenge grant which resulted in the raising of more than $650,000 for the school. prgtoken , I ask that you and our colleagues join me in honoring Michael Smith, Vice President of Valley Proteins, Inc for his special recognition from Shepherd University and his extraordinary contributions to the residents of the northern Shenandoah Valley and the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--S.J. RES. 42
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-6-13

I take the floor to strenuously argue against prgtoken the proposition being pushed by Senators Paul, Murphy, and others to deny arms sales of about $500 million to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The package they are trying to exclude from the $110 billion arms deal is precision-guided munitions that would be used by the F-15s, a package of Joint Direct Attack Munitions, Paveway laser-guided bombs for Saudi Tornado and Typhoon aircraft. The bottom line is, the package we are talking about are precision weapons the Saudi Air Force and military could use in operations against Iran's proxy in Yemen and other threats that continue to plague us. prgtoken The flaws of the Saudi Government are real. They are known to me. My friends on the other side, particularly Senator Paul, constantly put Saudi Arabia and Iran on the same footing. I think that is a very unwise analysis. prgtoken To suggest that Saudi Arabia is as bad as Iran is just missing the point, big time. The Iranian bureaucracy is the most destabilizing force in the Mideast. They have aggressively pursued military action through proxies and have been directly involved in military actions in Syria. Iran's efforts to dominate Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and now Yemen have to be pushed back. prgtoken Here is what Secretary Mattis said about this proposal when I asked him the question: How would Iran view passage of this proposal limiting precision-guided weapons to the Saudis by Congress? He stated: ``I believe Iran would be appreciative of us not selling these weapons to Saudi Arabia.'' prgtoken That is pretty direct. Iran would be really happy. prgtoken On September 21, 2016, 71 U.S. Senators supported a tank sale to Saudi Arabia. The vote was 71 to 27. In other words, 71 U.S. Senators rejected Rand Paul's proposal to stop the sale of tanks. I would argue that a tank is not nearly as much of a precision weapon as the weapons we are talking about here to be given to the Saudi Air Force. If we are worried about collateral damage in Yemen, I understand the concern. Precision weapons would help that cause, not hurt it. prgtoken We have to understand whom we are dealing with in Yemen. We are dealing with Iran. Saudi Arabia has a border with Yemen. The Iranians are backing a force called the Houthis to bring down a pro-Western government in Yemen. From a Saudi perspective, everywhere you look you see Iran encroaching throughout the Mideast. prgtoken The bureaucracy in Iran is the biggest threat to the world order, and that is saying a lot, given the way the world is. I say that with confidence because what Iran is doing is trying to destabilize the Mideast in an unprecedented fashion. Our Arab allies are tired of it, and now is the time to stand with them--with their imperfections-- against Iran and their hostilities. prgtoken This $500 million chunk of the $110 billion weapons sale is absolutely essential to the Saudi Air Force to get these weapons, not only t
RECOGNIZING OPHELIA GAINES
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-6-13

I rise today to recognize the remarkable career of Mrs. Ophelia Gaines, who will retire as executive director of Concerted Services on June 30, 2017. prgtoken Mrs. Gaines' career with Concerted Services, a nonprofit action group that focuses on fighting poverty throughout 28 counties in southeast Georgia, has spanned nearly 44 years. prgtoken Mrs. Gaines began her work with the company in 1973, traveling door to door in low-income communities, educating families on how to enroll in programs like Head Start, Energy Assistance, and Senior Nutrition. prgtoken Mrs. Gaines' altruistic career continued with her decision to teach social work classes at both Georgia Southern University and Savannah State University, enabling young people to carry on her work throughout southeast Georgia. prgtoken I am proud to rise today to recognize Mrs. Gaines, and thank her for all of her outstanding contributions to our local communities and to the lives of our fellow Georgians.
THE PEOPLE'S NIGHT
Mark Walker (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-6-13

I thank Representative Banks, and I appreciate this is such an important issue that he is battling. prgtoken Once again, this evening, , we are reminding that tonight is the People's Night here in the people's House. We are focusing in on the work of the Members of Congress. prgtoken As you can see in our chart this evening, 158 bills have been passed through Congress. So many times we continue to hear: What is Congress working on? prgtoken Well, not only have we passed these 158, we are still working on passing things in the future. prgtoken One of the great Members from South Carolina, Mr. Jeff Duncan, is someone who has a genuine heart and passion for others, but also has a wonderful heart for the outdoors, as he is currently chairman of the Sportsmen's Caucus. prgtoken Without further ado, from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan).
VERIFY FIRST ACT
Lou Barletta (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-6-13

. Additionally, this legislation is supported by Citizens Against Government Waste and Americans for Tax Reform. prgtoken Finally, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy noting that the President would sign this bill into law. Statement of Administration Policy H.R. 2581--Verify First Act--Rep. Barletta, R-PA and 14 cosponsors The Administration supports H.R. 2581, the Verify First Act. Under care, millions of dollars in advance payments of the premium tax credit may have been paid on behalf of individuals who were likely ineligible beneficiaries, including illegal immigrants. By eliminating the practice of providing advance payments while an applicant's immigration status is being verified, this bill stems the flow of payments to ineligible individuals under care and strengthens the ability of the Administration to ensure premium tax credits will be appropriately provided to eligible individuals under the American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA). By protecting the integrity of Federal funds, this bill furthers the President's vision of a more efficient Federal Government that respects taxpayer dollars. H.R. 2581 would prohibit advance payments of premium tax credits to individuals under current law and the AHCA, unless the Secretary of the Treasury receives confirmation that the individual is a citizen or a national of the United States, or is lawfully present in the United States. H.R. 2581 would also strengthen the AHCA, as passed by the House of Representatives on May 4, 2017, which the Administration continues to support strongly. If H.R. 2581 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the bill into law.
COUNTERING IRAN'S DESTABILIZING ACTIVITIES ACT OF 2017
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-6-13

s, Senator Corker and Senator Cardin, for their fine work on the Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act, of course, and then this Russia amendment that so many of us have been pushing for so long. I especially thank Senator Cardin for his leadership on that, as well as Senator Brown and Senator Crapo--and the work that Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer did, as well as a lot of members of the Foreign Relations Committee, who care a lot about this. prgtoken As I look at this, I look first at the Iranian part of the underlying bill. We have had many disagreements in the last few years on the Iranian nuclear agreement, but it is now critical. This is the time for those who opposed the agreement and those who supported it to come together to ensure that all of the parties to the agreement are upholding their obligations. prgtoken When the United States and our allies agreed to the Iranian nuclear agreement, we made it clear that we will continue to hold Iran accountable for its nefarious activities outside of the four corners of the agreement. We must hold Iran accountable for missile tests, for financing terrorism, and human rights violations. That is our job, and that is why I was an early cosponsor of the legislation before the Senate today. prgtoken The Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017 imposes mandatory sanctions on those involved with Iran's ballistic missile program, as well as those who fund terrorist organizations and commit human rights violations. Iran's ballistic missile program is a threat to regional and global security, and United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 makes it illegal for Iran to develop ballistic missiles that could carry a nuclear weapon. Any person or business involved in helping Iran obtain illegal weapons should be banned from doing business with the United States, have their assets immediately frozen, and their travel restricted. prgtoken Minimizing the threat Iran poses also means holding it accountable for funding terrorist groups that threaten Israel and seek to destabilize the region. We should be doing everything in our power to better track terrorist financing so we can stop the flow of money that funds suicide bombers and illicit weapons. prgtoken Our mission here is clear: We must protect our own citizens and our allies by enacting strong legislation to ensure that Iran does not cheat on its international commitment. Iran must know that if it violates the rules, it will be held accountable. prgtoken and s have come together to get this done, and it is my hope that we can pass the legislation this week, including the amendment imposing strong sanctions against Russia, which is essential to protecting our democracy from foreign interference. prgtoken Seventeen United States intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 election. That is not all. We
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2581, VERIFY FIRST ACT, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF S. 1094, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT OF 2017
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-6-13

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I thank my friend, the gentleman from Colorado, for yielding me the necessary and customary 30 minutes for debate. prgtoken , I am here today to debate the rule for consideration of two separate pieces of legislation: S. 1094, the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act; and H.R. 2581, the Verify First Act. prgtoken I begin with S. 1094, legislation aimed at bringing enhanced accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs and improving the care we provide to our Nation's veterans. Among other things, this bill codifies in law the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection at the VA and streamlines the process to demote, remove, or suspend VA employees if evidence proves they engaged in misconduct or poor performance. prgtoken , last night at the Rules Committee, we had the opportunity to hear from the chairman and ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee about this legislation, Dr. Roe and Mr. Walz. They discussed the bipartisan nature in which they have worked on this issue, along with the bipartisan work done in the Senate, to craft legislation that they hope can achieve strong bipartisan support in this body. prgtoken It is because of this display of bipartisanship and cooperation and a semblance of regular order that I am dismayed that I must now address the process and substance by which we are considering the second bill encompassed in this rule, H.R. 2581, the Verify First Act. prgtoken Let me connect the dots for you on how we got to this point, and bear with me. The majority's path to take healthcare from 23 million Americans has been as convoluted as it has been chaotic. prgtoken , as I am sure you and my colleagues should remember, first, the mantra was repeal. Then it was repeal and replace. Then it was repeal and delay, followed by access to coverage, and then, patient centered. prgtoken Finally, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle settled on a three-bucket strategy. The first bucket of this strategy was the s' prgtoken American Health Care Act. The majority brought their first iteration of this bill to the floor after working on it for 17 days, and, with no hearings, only to have it go down in flames in the most public and spectacular fashion. prgtoken So they went back to the drawing board--not to improve the bill, or improve healthcare for the American people, mind you, but to garner enough votes for a bill that ultimately had 17 percent approval ratings. And they added a manager's amendment to get support, then they added another manager's amendment, then another, and another. prgtoken Then with a bill patched together with the wants and wishes of powerful healthcare lobbyists and tax breaks for the superwealthy, with no CBO score, and with no way for the American people, let alone their own Members, to actually know what w
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--S.J. RES. 42
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-6-13

let me say at the outset that I support the position from the Senator from Kentucky. I believe that what he has said about the situation between the United States and Saudi Arabia is timely and needs to be heard. People across the United States and around the world should be aware of the fact that we are witnessing four famines across this world. One of them is in Yemen, and three others are on the continent of Africa. This is a famine that is created not by drought, not by national defense, but by human disaster--by a war that has been created and is one that has been pushed largely by the Saudis at the expense of the people--the innocent people--who live in the country of Yemen. prgtoken What the Senator from Kentucky is basically calling on all of us to do is to ask: What role is the United States playing in Saudi Arabia's aggressive activities? Should we be more vigilant in our knowing that what we are selling them is being used in ways that are inconsistent with the values of the United States of America? We know the record of the Saudi monarchy when it comes to human rights, and the Senator from Kentucky has spoken to that quite eloquently. We know what they have done to their own people, to the people who live in their country, and to those who seek to have the basic freedoms that we take for granted in America. prgtoken We also know that, when it comes to the Saudi activity of promoting their version--the most extreme version--of Islam, they have been guilty of promulgating Wahhabism, which has led to extreme forms of the Muslim faith in some places in the world. Those are realities. prgtoken We know the reality of 9/11. When we traced the origins of those who came and killed 3,000 innocent Americans, too many roads led back to Riyadh; too many roads led back to Saudi Arabia. So why can't we be more open and honest in our relationship with this country? prgtoken The Senator from Kentucky has told us this morning that the amendment that will be offered shortly by him and by Senator Murphy is one that calls on the Senate to take an honest look at Saudi Arabia today and its relationship with the United States. prgtoken May I add one other element on a personal basis? prgtoken It is so rare on the floor of the Senate to see what we have just seen this morning--a proposal for an amendment to be debated and an amendment to be voted on on the floor of the Senate. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened this year in the Senate. What used to be the most deliberative body in America--the great debating society and so forth--has turned into a place of rubberstamps and unanimous consents. I am glad--win or lose in our effort here on this amendment--that the Senator is bringing this important issue to the floor. I thank him for making it a bipartisan effort in the process. Healthcare Legislation prgtoken , what I have come to the floor to speak
VERIFY FIRST ACT
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-6-13

it is always a privilege to share the Chamber with my fellow Northwesterner. prgtoken We have gone through this in the Ways and Means Committee with one of the least productive hearings I can remember, and that says a lot in my 10 years on the committee. We do it good natured, but, frankly, it is beside the point. And my friends from the Ways and Means Committee have documented the fact that this is a solution in search of a problem. prgtoken The real outrage ought to be what is happening now behind closed doors to take a flawed bill that came from the House, was actually made worse in order to get the votes for it, and passed through on a narrow party-line vote--actually, a number of s voted against it-- lodged in the Senate, no public hearings. In fact, we are told that they are not enabling people to actually get ahold of the documents to know what is going on. prgtoken You know, it is stunning to me to have heard some of my friends complain about the process of the Affordable Care Act. I was in the middle of that. We took a year. Three committees in the House had multiple hearings, work sessions. There were actually some amendments adopted out in the open. CBO scored the bill so people knew. Now we are on the verge of, we are told, having that sneak through the Senate without the glare of publicity, without an open public process, which will deny healthcare to millions of people--millions of people-- and shred much of the good work that has been done through the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken We have been told and we acknowledge there are little things that we could do to fine-tune it, but in 7 years of crow and crow, we have never had an opportunity to do that. Instead, this administration and my friends consistently made it worse, destabilized, sent conflicting signals to the healthcare industry, to the insurance companies. And you don't have to take my word for it. News accounts quote people in the industry about what the s have done to destabilize it and try to make it fail. prgtoken There was a reason that virtually everybody in the healthcare space was opposed to the approach. It is not thoughtful. It is not fair. It is not effective. It is not necessary. But today we are looking at some provisions that will make it a little more burdensome.