mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF MARYBETH SHEA
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise today in recognition of Marybeth Shea as she is named the 2018 Citizen of the Year by the Norwell Chamber of Commerce. prgtoken Marybeth is a pillar of the community, serving on seventeen boards and committees and being a staple in town politics and events. For thirty years, she has put the people of Norwell first, always trying to figure out how to better her community. prgtoken After first moving to Norwell, Marybeth immediately become involved in the Parent-Teacher Organization. Marybeth has stepped up at every point to improve our school and our community. prgtoken Marybeth spent eight years as president of the Norwell High School Boosters Committee, where she planned fundraisers and headed countless initiatives, including the creation of the Norwell High School Athletic Hall of Fame. She made every opportunity to advocate for the students of Norwell and worked to ensure their incredible athletic accomplishments would long be remembered. prgtoken Outside of school, Marybeth has become a familiar face in local politics and does not miss an opportunity to advocate and inform others about issues that have a direct impact on the town of Norwell. prgtoken , I am proud to honor Marybeth Shea for her dedication to her community. I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking her for her work and wishing her all the best as she continues her efforts.
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise in strong opposition to the rule governing debate, and the underlying bill, regarding H.R.2, the so- called ``Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018,'' the House s' failed attempt to produce a Farm Bill that is good for America. prgtoken A more fitting name for this terrible and bitter legislative pill would be the ``Let Poor Families and Children Starve so Billionaires Can Get Fatter Act.'' prgtoken Going back to 1962, beginning with Senators Hubert Humphrey, Bob Dole, and George McGovern, Farm Bills have always attracted bipartisan support and engendered an enduring alliance between urban and rural legislators in the common cause of ensuring livable incomes for farm families and an affordable and nutritious food supply. prgtoken With this purely partisan bill, House s have turned their back on this 56 year heritage. prgtoken , St. Augustine, the great Catholic theologian, said: ``Without justice, what else is the state but a gang of robbers?'' prgtoken There is no justice in this Farm Bill, but there is harm--lots of it--inflicted on the most vulnerable, so much so that many people are saying that the House majority has produced a bill that is worthy of a gang of robbers. prgtoken I oppose this rule and underlying legislation for several reasons but most of all because of its abject cruelty to American's most vulnerable families and children. prgtoken H.R. 2 slashes $23 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (``SNAP''), a lifeline depended upon by millions of families and children to provide for their daily nutrition needs. prgtoken But who among us can say they are truly surprised? prgtoken Since taking office sixteen months ago, the President has made abundantly clear his indifference to the most vulnerable citizens in society. prgtoken And he has been aided in his endeavors by a feckless House majority. prgtoken The President began his presidency with a concerted and determined push to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a law which has helped over 17 million individuals gain health insurance; reduced the uninsured rate by 40 percent and, provided 89 percent of Americans with the security and peace of mind that comes with access to affordable quality healthcare. prgtoken When that effort failed, the President next turned his efforts to passing the massive -GOP Tax Scam, which slashed taxes for the top one percent and multi-national corporations, but the negative consequences of which the -GOP Tax Scam have been devastating for the average American. prgtoken The GOP Tax Scam has now been revealed not to generate broad-based economic growth but instead to create annual trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. prgtoken , if we are to be honest about creating an environment where individuals have an opportunity to emerge from poverty conditions, there must be access to nutritious food. prgtoken SNAP is a critical component to providi
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Dwight Evans (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2018-5-17

. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. When Ranking Member Peterson, who has done four Farm Bills and is one of the most moderate in our Caucus, is upset with the process and the result, it tells you that the well has been poisoned. But let me tell you a little about me and why I chose to be on the Agriculture Committee. prgtoken I came from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania where I was proud to serve as Chairman of the state legislature's Appropriations Committee for twenty years. prgtoken There, I was able to secure billions of dollars for state programs that addressed urban and rural needs, roads and bridges, schools, the first Healthy Food Financing Initiative, and most importantly, many, many Agriculture programs around the entire state of Pennsylvania. prgtoken We should be in the business of first doing no harm, but here we are trying to pass off the Farm Bill as bipartisan, when in fact, this is an assault on the working poor, the disadvantaged, seniors, and veterans. prgtoken , in Pennsylvania that would translate to an additional 199,000 individuals between the ages of 50 to 59 who would face cuts to their SNAP benefits. It is more difficult for older individuals to find work when unemployed and many people want to work more than 25 hours, but simply cannot due to lack of available hours, children, or age. prgtoken Almost 2 million Pennsylvanians benefit from the SNAP, with over 215,000 in my District alone, and with the majority of benefits going to those in great need. This bill before us is unworkable for Philadelphia. It fails them, the process fails them, and for that I give this bill an F.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise in support of this amendment, which will create some fairness for more than 600,000 workers across our country who are in small businesses and manufacturing facilities that use sugar as an ingredient in the products they make. Over 91,000 of those jobs and 2,300 of those businesses are in my home State of California. prgtoken This amendment would make the sugar program fairer for taxpayers, manufacturers, and American consumers. By removing the many unnecessary government interventions that have kept sugar prices excessively high, manufacturers will create jobs and American consumers will no longer be on the hook for $4 billion per year in hidden sugar costs.
VETERANS CEMETERY BENEFIT CORRECTION ACT--Continued
Joe Donnelly (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2018-5-17

as we observe National Police Week, I rise today to honor our fallen law enforcement officers and to discuss some of the ways we are working to make it safer for officers to do their jobs and protect our communities. prgtoken Together, we honor and remember the lives of the law enforcement officers we have lost in the line of duty. These men and women put their lives on the line to protect our neighborhoods so that a Hoosier senior can safely sit on his porch and watch his grandkids play in the front yard or to ensure that working families can go to and from their jobs in peace. They are on the frontlines battling the devastating opioid epidemic that has plagued our State. Our police are the ones who work with our communities and local leaders to help stem violence and to help fight crime in our neighborhoods. They are the ones putting themselves in harm's way every single day. prgtoken These officers are heroes. To their families, they are even more. They are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, wives and husbands, and their families pray that they come home safely at the end of every shift. Sadly, as we know, that doesn't happen every time. prgtoken When we lose an officer, that loss is felt deeply, particularly by their family and those who know them and love them. It is a grief that is also shared throughout the entire law enforcement community and throughout our State. prgtoken Since I began serving in the U.S. Senate in 2013, the Hoosier State has lost nine officers in the line of duty. I want to take a moment to pay tribute to these fallen heroes. prgtoken In September of 2013, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer Rod Bradway was shot and killed while responding to a domestic dispute call in a northwest Indianapolis apartment complex. A veteran officer, he had served with the Wayne Township Fire Department for 10 years before working for 5 years on the IMPD force. Officer Bradway is credited with saving the life of a domestic dispute victim and her baby before losing his life protecting them. prgtoken In June 2014, Tipton County deputy sheriff Jacob Calvin was killed in a car crash while responding to an accident. Deputy Calvin served his community and our country in more ways than one. He was with the department for 2\1/2\ years and had previously served his country in Iraq in the U.S. Air Force and volunteered at the Kempton Fire Department as a firefighter and EMT. prgtoken In July 2014, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer Perry Renn was responding to reports of gunfire when he was shot and killed. Officer Renn served more than two decades in the force. He was a two-time recipient of the IMPD's Medal of Bravery Award, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart posthumously. Officer Renn was also a U.S. Army veteran. prgtoken Also, in July of 2014, Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield of the Gary Police Department was found fatally shot while on duty
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Chellie Pingree (Democrat, ME) \u2014 2018-5-17

. Mr. Chair, from Washington State for yielding me the time and for speaking against this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I am sorry to say to my colleague from the other side of the aisle, we oppose this amendment, prgtoken which would remove money from the highly successful Value Added Producer Grant program. prgtoken The base text of this farm bill already removes all mandatory funding from VAPG. Now this amendment would make a bad situation worse by rescinding $8 million from VAPG. prgtoken The Value Added Producer Grant is one of the only grant programs that goes directly to farmers. prgtoken At a time when the farm economy is hurting, we should be helping farmers find new markets, not taking away opportunities to do so. prgtoken USDA's Economic Research Service released a new report earlier this month. Businesses that receive VAPG support are less likely to fail than nonrecipient businesses, and businesses that receive VAPG support also employ more workers than nonrecipient businesses. prgtoken This amendment would also exclude beer, wine, distilled spirits, and hard cider projects from being eligible for VAPG. It is completely arbitrary and foolish to restrict these products. prgtoken In my State of Maine, there has been an explosion of craft breweries, distilleries, and cideries that are contributing to the local economy. prgtoken Two years ago, Ricker Hill Orchards in Maine received VAPG money to increase production of hard cider and fruit wine. This provided the farmers with an opportunity to diversify revenue and reach new markets. prgtoken This may be a very small program, but it can make a big impact on farmers and rural communities in States like mine and across the country. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
National Police Week (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-5-17

in December 2012, the legendary Senator from Hawaii, Daniel Inouye, passed away. He was the longtime chairman and vice chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. prgtoken By a twist of fate, I succeeded him in that role, and one of the most notable surprises to me was how much of the funding for the intelligence community came with that responsibility. prgtoken Together with my earlier service on the Senate Intelligence Committee, I have learned that oversight of the secret agencies of our government is one of the most challenging and important roles of Congress. prgtoken It is a difficult task. Many of the issues involved in overseeing the CIA and other agencies are highly technical. Some issues present extraordinary challenges, where the security of our Nation must be balanced with the best interests of the American people. All of these matters are blanketed by the highest degree of secrecy. prgtoken Despite all of these oversight challenges, there are issues that are simply black and white. The starkest of these issues in the last two decades was the CIA's program to torture detainees at black sites throughout the world after 9/11. prgtoken After 9/11, many Americans thought long and hard about whether to torture terrorists to gain information to stop the next catastrophic attack. Implicit in that moral question is the assumption that we would capture the right people who might have essential intelligence to save American lives. prgtoken Last week, the New York Times published an article by a Libyan woman who says she was detained at a black site in Thailand. prgtoken Her story details how she and her husband were taken by masked men to a windowless room in Thailand. When moved, she was bound to a stretcher. She was deprived of sleep. She was struck in the abdomen. prgtoken The administration used the euphemism ``enhanced interrogation techniques'' to describe this kind of abuse. Despite their words, this was torture, plain and simple. prgtoken The Libyan woman was halfway through a pregnancy at the time. She was then sent to Libya, where she spent weeks in another prison, with a crib in the room, as though she was being mocked for being with child. Her baby was born just after her release. prgtoken Last week, the highest levels of the British Government formally apologized for its role in the detention and treatment of her and her husband. No such apology has been forthcoming from the United States. prgtoken To understand the full dimensions of the CIA's so-called enhanced interrogation techniques is a difficult task. I commend Senator Feinstein and her staff for an exhaustive report, years in the making, that explains this torture program in great detail. The stress positions, the sleep deprivation, the ``walling,'' the slapping, and the waterboarding, it is all in there, unclassified, for the public to see. prgtoken Simply informing the public about what happened is not sufficient. T
TRIBUTE TO DAVID W. THOMPSON
Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to David W. Thompson, the President and CEO of Orbital ATK, Incorporated and the Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Orbital Sciences Corporation, for his extraordinary and ongoing contributions to the nation. Mr. Thompson has contributed nearly four decades of leadership in the advancement of space technology and national defense. History will note that he conceived and built Orbital Sciences Corporation as a pioneering venture that was among the first to demonstrate a new model of commercial funding, development and manufacture of space systems. prgtoken Both companies have flourished in Virginia. Orbital ATK, headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, is the largest new space and defense technology company to emerge in the post-Sputnik era. Orbital grew from three employees and zero revenue in 1982 to become Orbital ATK with 14,000 employees and a $9 billion enterprise value. Orbital ATK is one of the world's top 10 aerospace and defense manufacturers. It is among the top five suppliers to NASA and it is a critical partner with the US Department of Defense. Orbital ATK's services to the nation include resupplying the International Space Station using its Antares launch vehicle and Cygnus spacecraft and providing essential national defense capabilities that include the company's key role in protecting America from ballistic missile attack. prgtoken For over 36 years, Mr. Thompson has inspired new generations of engineers and scientists to conceive innovative space and national defense solutions through his exceptional vision, creativity, perseverance and dedication. Mr. Thompson's many awards include the National Medal of Technology, Virginia's Industrialist of the Year, High-Technology Entrepreneur of the year, the National prgtoken Air and Space Museum Trophy and the Theodore von Karman International Wings Award. Mr. Thompson is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. prgtoken America and Virginia have been abundantly blessed by the patriotism, dedication and achievement of David Thompson. David has enjoyed the loving support of his wife Catherine and daughter Maggie. I wish them Godspeed and continued success as David pioneers a new chapter.
HONORING LOUIS C. THARP
Nita M. Lowey (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise to honor my constituent, Louis C. Tharp of Upper Nyack, New York. Mr. Tharp recently finished a six-year term on the Army Education Advisory Committee, a committee governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act. prgtoken During his tenure on the Army Education Advisory Committee, Mr. Tharp worked on a number of important issues including women in combat, sexual assault and harassment, a facilitated soldier teaching plan, soldier talent management, Soldier 2020, an assessment of drill sergeant responsibilities, and second-and third-order effects of transgender integration. prgtoken He was recommended for this Senior Executive Service position by former Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy and the Victory Institute's Presidential Appointments Initiative. During his tenure at West Point, Mr. Tharp served as the first out gay coach and authored ``Overachiever's Diary, How the Army Triathlon Team Became National Contenders.'' The proceeds from its sale benefited the team. prgtoken Mr. Tharp served honorably in the Indiana National Guard. In addition, he has contributed to several organizations, including Knights Out, the West Point LGBT alumni association, and the Rockland County Anti-Bias Commission, which he chaired. He currently serves as Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic illness. Mr. Tharp and his husband, Jim Bumgardner, will celebrate 34 years together this fall. prgtoken , I urge my fellow Members of Congress to join me in expressing thanks to Mr. Tharp for his service.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-5-17

. Thank you, . prgtoken Before I get into the substance of my remarks, I always listen diligently to my friend from Kentucky. There is a number that is missing in his charts; it is 1.5 trillion. The reason we don't like government spending is--he thinks--a lot of it is wasteful, but, ultimately, the reason is also that there is a huge deficit. prgtoken Our side scratches our heads not only with our friend from Kentucky, but with everyone on the other side who rails about too much government spending and creation of the deficit when they created the deepest hole they could have with the tax break that could have been paid for by closing loopholes. A group--a bipartisan group--had put something together that would have reduced the corporate rate to 25 percent, brought the money from overseas at 8, 9 percent, increased the child tax credit, left the individual side alone, and would have barely increased the deficit. So our side, at least, rankles when we hear these budgets that relate to deficit spending when, on the tax side, that doesn't seem to apply at all. prgtoken I say that with due respect to my good friend, who I know is sincere in his beliefs. He will argue with me that cutting taxes increases the economy. I would say that spending money on education and infrastructure also increases the economy. It is a slippery slope once you say: We can cut all the taxes we want; the deficit doesn't matter. It would be like our side saying: You can spend all the money you want; the deficit doesn't matter. We don't quite say that. prgtoken I thank my friend. Net Neutrality prgtoken , yesterday was a good day for the future of the internet. forced the Senate to take an important step closer to restoring net neutrality. It is another step closer to ensuring that large internet service providers don't get to hold all the cards, another step closer to protecting equality of access to the internet. In doing so, Senate stood with the 86 percent of Americans who oppose the repeal of net neutrality. prgtoken I am proud to say that Senator Markey's Congressional Review Act resolution passed yesterday afternoon with the votes of every single , as well as three of our colleagues. I thank Senators Collins, Murkowski, and Kennedy for supporting this fine legislation. prgtoken Here is what my friend the Senator from Louisiana had to say after the vote: If you trust your cable company, you won't like my vote. If you don't trust your cable company, you will like my vote. prgtoken He is right. It is that simple. So you have to wonder why 47 s voted no yesterday. Do they trust the cable companies and the large ISPs to do what is level best for the average American family? Do they believe that cable companies are really popular with the American people? I don't think so. prgtoken Now s in the House h
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Dina Titus (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-5-17

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill which, much like the s' tax measure, comforts the comfortable and afflicts the afflicted. It will have devastating impacts on SNAP recipients across the Nation, including one in seven in Nevada who are on this program. It will take away food assistance from some of our most vulnerable: young children, seniors, and the disabled. It will also force families to jump through extra hoops in order to access other needed benefits like assistance with their electricity bills. prgtoken We can and should be doing more to lift families out of poverty and end hunger in the United States. Shamefully, this bill does just the opposite.