mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-8-22

I rise in support of the Defense appropriations bill being considered by the Senate. With this important measure, we are greatly enhancing our national defense by providing the actual funds our warfighters need to maintain a decisive advantage over our adversaries. prgtoken As home to one-third of our strategic ground-based nuclear arsenal, Montana plays a critical role in deterring aggression, enabling diplomacy, and maintaining a posture of peace through strength. prgtoken While serving in the U.S. Senate, I have visited Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, MT, several times. I have toured the missile fields and the silos. I have had the honor of sitting down and speaking with the men and women who maintain this important nuclear deterrent. Their hard work and their professionalism are unmatched. We owe it to them to support their work and give them the tools they need to be successful. prgtoken It is so important that we advance the deployment and the development of the next ground-based strategic deterrent. This bill achieves that goal by replacing Montana's current Minuteman Missile, as well as the UH-1N replacement helicopter that services our missile fields. It also recognizes the important work Montana's university researchers and small businesses do in support of our Nation's military readiness. prgtoken Montanans are quite proud of the critical role our State plays in defending this great Nation. This bill strengthens and enhances that role. prgtoken As a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I am pleased to note that it makes substantial investments in emerging technologies, such as hypersonics, directed energy, artificial intelligence, and cyber security. In particular, we are providing additional funding for new cyber units within the National Guard that will be available to the States under title 32 authority. prgtoken I worked with my colleagues here in the Senate to secure these additional funds because I believe the National Guard will play an increasingly important role in defending our Nation against government- backed cyber attacks from nations like China, Russia, prgtoken North Korea, and Iran. These nations target critical civilian networks like schools, hospitals, or private businesses, where the military's authority is limited. Only the National Guard has the unique ability to provide assistance on request by a State's Governor. prgtoken These new units will fill a critical need and increase the effectiveness of our military's existing cyber defense forces. They will also bring in new skill sets and new perspectives from citizen soldiers who work in cyber-related professions. prgtoken In closing, I wish to urge my colleagues to support the measure before us today to empower our servicemen and our servicewomen and ensure that our Nation's military capabilities are unmatched by our adversaries. prgtoken With that, .
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-8-22

I rise today to speak about the Defense appropriations bill that we are now debating. I congratulate Senator Shelby and Senator Leahy, and other Senators for working together in a cooperative manner to fashion and advance this important legislation. prgtoken For my home State of Colorado, this legislation means critical funding for our men and women in uniform at installations such as Peterson, Buckley, and Schriever Air Force Bases, the Air Force Academy, and Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, and beyond. prgtoken This bill provides the first significant pay raise--the first significant pay raise--for soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines for close to 10 years, and it is well deserved and long overdue. prgtoken As the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, I want to highlight several provisions related to these areas. The bill provides $356 million in additional funding to expand and accelerate cyber research across the Department of Defense, including $117 million for Army cyber security research efforts and $116 million in Missile Defense Agency cyber security enhancements. prgtoken This legislation will support critical cyber security programs, including CyberWorx at the Air Force Academy, DIUx in Silicon Valley, and the Army Futures Command in Austin, TX. prgtoken The bill focuses on our ability to modernize not only what we might use in conflict but also to understand how conflict might be waged through technology. prgtoken Through a fully funded and equipped Cyber Command, we will be armed not only with new funded capability and technology but with new titles and authorities to be able to downgrade, disrupt, and destroy cyber attacks on our infrastructure and economy. prgtoken As our force evolves and changes, the Cyber Command will continue to be a vital stakeholder in our defense communities. prgtoken I am also pleased that the legislation supports the administration's concept of a ``free and open Indo-Pacific'' by fully funding our military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, including U.S. Pacific Command theater cooperation activities with partner nations. prgtoken I am also pleased that the bill specifically includes funds to support activity with the Pacific Island nations, including Palau. These nations are at risk of falling under more and more Chinese influence, and it is important for the United States to exert an active leadership role to keep these allies engaged. prgtoken Countering China's rise represents a grave challenge for U.S. national security, but it is a challenge that we must absolutely rise to meet. According to the ``National Security Strategy,'' released in December of just last year, ``for decades, U.S. policy was rooted in the belief that support for China's rise and for its integration into the post-war international order would liberalize China. Contrary to our hopes, China expanded it
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-8-22

reserving the right to object, I do stand reluctantly and in an unenviable position, as my friend from North Carolina has noted. As the chairman of the authorizing committee, the Energy Committee, I will be objecting at this time. But I want to acknowledge not only the work of the Senator from North Carolina but the passion with which he has put himself into this issue, which is something I think all of us--whether we are from North Carolina or Alaska or points in between, coastal, inland--care about. We care about our Nation's environment. We care about the land that supports us. In our hearts, I think we are all conservationists. prgtoken When you think about the purposes for which the Land and Water Conservation Fund was established, it is to do just exactly what Senator Burr has outlined. Some of the good work we see in North Carolina; some of the good work we see with stateside LWCF. In my State, and in all of our States, I think we have seen that role. prgtoken What the Senator has laid out here today I think is, in fairness, very right. It is a very popular program. We have had individuals look at it and see the concrete benefits in the places they love. It does have good support in both bodies. I think that is an absolute, when you look at the cosponsorship, particularly on the House side. Sometimes it is a little bit difficult over there to get those strong numbers. prgtoken The Senator rightly points out that the language he has used was part of an Energy bill that enjoyed strong, strong support on this floor--85 to 12--a year or so ago, and the language he has utilized in his proposed bill is language that we had included, for the most part, in our bill, with the addition of what he has suggested, with the opportunity every 3 years to revisit this. So it takes a good core of a bill that has already passed and kind of stood the test of fire, if you will. prgtoken I think it is important to note, with that Energy bill, that LWCF piece was part of a negotiated package that did include other components. I think we would still like to see those other components moving through. I am certainly committed to working to advance them and have told the Senator from North Carolina that is my intention. prgtoken I also believe Senator Burr when he says that he will continue with this effort--that he will continue to bring this issue to the fore-- because he believes it is the right thing to do. Permanent reauthorization is timely. I will note to colleagues that while this authorization does expire September 30, it is important to remember that the outlays from the LWCF will continue. So the appropriations he has referenced--$450 million for this particular year--still go out. But he raises a very valid point that we have an authorization. As it is coming due at the end of this next month, this is an opportunity for us to act. It seems that we act best when there is a little pressure from behind
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-8-22

before I talk about what I came here to talk about, let me add my congratulations once again to the vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy, and to Senator Collins, both of whom are critical members of the Appropriations Committee. They have gotten us much further than we have gotten in the last 15 years when it comes to the appropriations process. prgtoken I am optimistic that we will be able to wrap this up tomorrow. If we do, the Senate will have voted to fund 87 percent of discretionary spending. The last time we sent him an appropriations bill, the President told us: Don't send me another omnibus. He is exactly right. Omnibus appropriations bills are the worst way to do business; maybe close behind that is a continuing resolution. prgtoken We are not doing our job if we don't act in a bipartisan way to move these appropriations bills forward, especially since we have agreed to the spending caps. prgtoken I would just congratulate all the members of the Appropriations Committee--Chairman Shelby and all of the committee--for their good work. Army Futures Command prgtoken , tomorrow I will be heading back home to Austin where, on Friday, I will be attending the activation ceremony for the new Army Futures Command. The establishment of this command, which began operations last month, is the most significant Army reorganization since 1973. Its new headquarters is in the capital of Texas--Austin. It will make that the epicenter of Army technology development. prgtoken So what does the Army Futures Command do? How does it fit into the existing organizational structure? Why is it necessary? prgtoken Let's start with what it does. It seeks to modernize the Army, period. It will do this by leveraging commercial innovation, science and technology, and delivering them to warfighters in useful, cutting- edge ways. In a world with rapidly evolving threats distinct from others we have faced throughout our Nation's history, the Futures Command could not come at a more pivotal time. prgtoken The Army chose Austin because it wanted to be close to a hub of innovation, which Austin certainly is these days. It has roughly 6,500 high-tech companies nestled among what is affectionately referred to as ``Silicon Hills.'' We have Silicon Valley and Silicon Hills. prgtoken There are major academic institutions nearby, like the University of Texas in Austin, St. Edward's, Texas State, and Texas A&M, with thousands of students graduating each year with degrees in STEM fields--science, technology, engineering, and math. prgtoken It is also worth noting that Austin has become a hub for startup culture and is ground zero when it comes to useful talent, technological ingenuity, and path-breaking ideas that are changing industries, institutions, and what our normal ways of doing things were in the past. What sometimes people refer to as ``disruption''-- certainly, we h
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Richard C. Shelby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-8-22

I just say that the Senator from Connecticut has a worthy amendment. We are all concerned about what is going on in Yemen. I would have hoped that we would not do it on this bill because we are trying to keep out a lot of riders and things, but this is something we are going to have to address. prgtoken I and others on both sides of the aisle would like to work with him because what has been going on in Yemen is atrocious. I object, though, at this point in time.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-8-22

I have come to the floor every week for the past several months to draw attention to a matter that I think should be important to anybody who travels overseas, anybody who does missionary work, anybody who can go to a country and potentially get detained for false charges and imprisoned for nearly 2 years. I am talking about a Presbyterian minister from North Carolina who has been in Turkey for the better part of 20 years. He was a missionary that entire time. He created a church in Izmir and has lived there peacefully and lawfully for two decades. prgtoken In October of 2016, after the coup attempt--an illegal coup attempt, and the people responsible for it should actually have to answer to the Turkish justice system--they swept Pastor Brunson and thousands of other people into the Turkish justice system, and he has been in prison since 2016. prgtoken He was in prison for nearly 19 months before he was ever charged with anything. In fact, he lost 50 pounds over the course of about a year. He was in a cell that was designed for 8 people but had 21 people in it. I don't believe any of the others even spoke English. He was then transferred to another prison where he was kept in a cell with one other person, given virtually no access to the outside world. prgtoken He has experienced medical challenges, as anyone would expect when you are in prison without charges, and we found out the charges were bogus. That would weigh on you mentally. prgtoken We started working to try to first let Pastor Brunson know we knew about him and that I, as a Senator from North Carolina, cared about him. I cared enough to go to Turkey to visit him in prison several months ago. I told him I wanted to assure him face-to-face that as long as he is in prison, I will be working for his release. As a matter of fact, we have more than 70 Senators who have signed on to a letter who share my concern that he is illegally in prison. prgtoken What have we done? We actually put a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that holds Turkey accountable. They are a partner in developing the Joint Strike Fighter. It is a capability I sincerely hope someday Turkey may have. There is no way on Earth we should transfer that technology to Turkey as long as they are illegally imprisoning Pastor Brunson and others whom I will talk about shortly. prgtoken We did make some positive progress a few weeks ago. After he had been in prison for nearly 20 months, a little over, he was released on house arrest. At least he is now in his apartment near Izmir. He has an ankle bracelet on and is not allowed to go out of his house. prgtoken He has had several hearings. I actually attended one earlier in the spring. I was in that courtroom for almost 12 hours. I heard some of the most absurd claims you could ever allege as a basis for keeping somebody in prison overnight, let alone 2 years in October. prgtoken We are working with the administration,
REMEMBERING CHRISTOPHER COUSINS
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-8-22

in 2010, Bangor Daily News journalist Christopher Cousins wrote a touching essay on a fishing trip he had taken with his young son to the Maine lake where he and his father had fished throughout his childhood. It was his first trip back since his father's death 3 years earlier. prgtoken That remarkable essay exploring the special bond between father and child and the powerful link between fond memories of the past and hopes for the future took on added poignancy on August 15 when Chris passed away at age 42. At this difficult time, I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Jen, and his sons, Caleb and Jacob. prgtoken As a husband and father, Chris was devoted to his family. As a consummate journalist who worked for several Maine newspapers, he was devoted to the best ideals of his profession. His work covered a wide range of subjects, but it consistently demonstrated a commitment to the truth and to providing his readers with the information that is the lifeblood of democracy. prgtoken Chris joined the Bangor Daily News in 2009, covering local news in southern Penobscot and Somerset Counties with a keen understanding of the issues that concern the people of Maine. In 2010, he covered the Maine Gubernatorial race with extraordinary energy and insight. prgtoken In 2013, Chris became State house bureau chief for his newspaper. Always tenacious and unfailingly fair, he earned the respect of politicians on both sides of the aisle and throughout the halls of government. His work ethic, skill as a writer, and belief in accountability led to a better understanding of the complex and often contentious issues that confront our State. prgtoken Chris's passing is a great loss to the people of Maine, his many friends, and his colleagues at the Bangor Daily News. It is a heartbreaking loss to his wonderful family, and I hope they will find comfort in knowing that his contributions and accomplishments truly made a difference to people throughout Maine.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-8-22

I rise to pay tribute to our Nation's Purple Heart recipients. The Purple Heart is one of the most recognizable medals of our Armed Forces. prgtoken The military decoration, a heart-shaped medal featuring a bust of George Washington and his coat of arms, is bestowed upon the men and women in our military who are wounded or killed in action. This is a powerful symbol of the sacrifice made by our Nation's military servicemembers. prgtoken This month, we recognized Purple Heart Day, which is observed annually on August 7. This day commemorates the anniversary of the Badge for Military Merit, the precursor to the Purple Heart created by George Washington. Purple Heart Day recognizes those men and women who have borne the ruins of battle, and paying tribute to the recipients of our Nation's oldest military medal demonstrates our respect and gratitude for their sacrifices. prgtoken I have also been working on new ways to honor and acknowledge the men and women who put themselves in harm's way in the defense of our Nation. In July, Senator Schatz and I introduced the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 to expand commissary eligibility to Purple Heart recipients and other deserving groups of veterans. I am pleased that the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act included this language that opens access to Purple Heart recipients. prgtoken Additionally, last year Congress passed the Forever GI bill. At the beginning of August, several provisions took effect, including the eligibility for post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients to receive full education benefits for up to 3 years. prgtoken An estimated 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded in our Nation's history, and it is symbolic of the price our men and women who serve in uniform are willing to pay and the debt of gratitude we owe them for their selfless service. The story of these heroes who earned this military honor continue to inspire us all. prgtoken Purple Heart Day honors the sacrifice of Aaron Mankin. Aaron joined the Marine Corps in 2003. In May of 2005, while deployed in Iraq as a combat correspondent, he survived an IED attack near the Syrian border. He sustained intense burns and major lung damage. The injury to his lungs was so extensive that he was placed on a ventilator. He had third-degree burns on his arms and lost his thumb and two-thirds of the index finger on his right hand. To date, he has endured nearly 70 surgeries. prgtoken During a ceremony by the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Fayetteville, AR, earlier this month, Aaron spoke about the medal's significance to him. He said that his Purple Heart medal reminds him that we have those among us who are willing to shed their blood, their sweat, and their families' tears to protect the values and ideals we hold most dear. He told attendees: ``It is up to us to ensure that we are living lives worthy of such a sacrifice.'' prgtoken Aaron has
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-8-22

if I may, for his remarks and his leadership on this amendment. I think it is important to be clear about this. Of course, the Senator has a right to object to the amendment, I suppose, but sooner or later this amendment, or something like it, is going to become law. I support the amendment. President supports the amendment. prgtoken Senator Durbin has worked with s and , over the last 3 or 4 weeks, to think of different appropriate ways to require television advertising to state what the price of a drug is. There would be different ways to do it. I asked him to take a few weeks to help us talk that out. He did that. I think he has come to a conclusion that deserves support. I support the bill. prgtoken I am chairman of the authorizing committee, the Health Committee, in the Senate. This is going to happen one way or the other. I suggest we try to find a way to go ahead and do it now because if the President supports it and you have bipartisan support in the Health Committee and bipartisan support in the Labor and Health Appropriations Subcommittee, it is going to become law. It makes good sense. prgtoken The cost of healthcare is a major issue we need to address, and we can't do it all at once. Prescription drugs are a part of it. Prescription drugs are 10 percent of the cost of healthcare. They are 17 percent--we have had testimony before our committee--if you include the drugs that are administered in hospitals. There are other factors as well. prgtoken Complexity is a big factor. Administrative burden is a big factor. Electronic healthcare records and their inadequate operation and lack of inoperability are big factors. Overutilization is a big factor. prgtoken Through the Chair, I wish to say to the Senator of Illinois, we have had excellent witnesses through our committee from the Institute of Medicine--some of the most distinguished witnesses we could have in the country--who tell us that as much as 30 percent to 50 percent of all that the United States spends on healthcare is unnecessary, wasted. prgtoken We spend 17 or 18 percent of our entire gross domestic product on healthcare. We are the richest country in the world. We produce about 24 percent of all money in the world, and we spend 18 percent of that on healthcare, much more than similar countries do, and our own experts tell us much of it is unnecessary. prgtoken We can't deal with it all at once, but one way to deal with it is competition and transparency and letting patients know the cost of what they are buying, whether it is doctors' services or it is a prescription drug. prgtoken I believe Senator Durbin and Senator Grassley are correct. The President believes they are correct. The Secretary of Health and Human Services supports their bill, and we should pass prgtoken it. Consumers should know, when they see a television ad about a prescription drug, what the cost of that drug is. <|p|