mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-6-19

yesterday I spoke briefly about the ongoing situation at the U.S.-Mexican border. It continues to be on my mind and on the minds of many others, including the Presiding Officer, who has offered some very constructive suggestions for how to address this situation. prgtoken Just as under the administration in 2014, we have seen a surge of unaccompanied children and families coming across our southern border during the spring and summer months. At the time, President called it a humanitarian crisis, and it truly was and is. prgtoken Between October 1 of last year and May 31 of this year, the number of families apprehended at the southwest border rose by 58 percent, compared to the same period a year earlier. Many of these individuals hail from Central America. Some have presented themselves lawfully at ports of entry, but others have tried to enter illegally in more remote, unpopulated areas. prgtoken Let me explain. I think Secretary Nielsen tried to make this distinction, but I am not sure it quite penetrated. If someone shows up at a port of entry and asks for asylum, they have not violated our immigration laws, and their claim for asylum needs to be considered by the Border Patrol and by the immigration judge to whom their case is assigned. prgtoken If someone tries to enter the country between the ports of entry, they have violated a Federal law. Secretary Nielsen made the point that there is no reason for people legitimately claiming asylum to enter the country illegally when they can come through the ports of entry, much as Cubans have in times past during the existence of the so-called wet foot, dry foot policy that was later abrogated by President . prgtoken People with a credible fear of persecution in their home countries may present their claims through normal, well-defined processes. There is no reason for somebody to go to the far reaches of the frontier, the border region--the Wild Wild West, as I like to call it--and try to come in by illicit means. There is simply no reason to do that if you have a legitimate claim for asylum. prgtoken Nonetheless, many people opt to go that route anyway. For them, the administration has made a decision to enforce our laws on the books by prosecuting adults in criminal court when they are apprehended crossing our borders illegally. Those are laws passed by Congress, signed by the President of the United States, and the administration has made the logical decision that it is their responsibility to enforce laws that are on the books. prgtoken The relevant laws--the ones that make it illegal to cross the border in the first place, a misdemeanor, and it often makes subsequent crossings much more serious--have been on the books for many decades, but they were not always enforced by previous administrations when families were involved. Now, because of a number of Federal court decisions, consent decrees, and statutes, an adul
PREVENTING ADDICTION FOR SUSCEPTIBLE SENIORS ACT OF 2018
Peter J. Roskam (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-6-19

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken Madam , I have spent a lot of time, as I know we all have, listening to my own constituency, the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago. I have listened to physicians, police chiefs, educators, caregivers, and others, and I have heard a common theme, and the common theme is: We need legislation that encourages the use of alternative treatments, that increases provider education and assists with detection of those who are at risk. The Preventing Addiction for Susceptible Seniors, PASS Act, will help do this. prgtoken I would like to thank my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee for working together in a bipartisan effort by recognizing this crisis and coming together in offering this solution. I would also like to thank our colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their commitment to working on this, particularly my counterpart who chairs the Health Subcommittee, Dr. Burgess, and Chairman Walden as well. prgtoken This bill was brought through the committee process in a bipartisan fashion, and now, on the floor, I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of H.R. 5773, the PASS Act, to prevent overuse and overprescribing in the Medicare program. prgtoken , .
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-6-19

the good economic news keeps pouring in. CNBC reports that economic growth for the second quarter of 2018 is ``on track to double 2017's full-year pace.'' prgtoken In April, for the first time since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the data, the number of job openings outnumbered the number of job seekers. In May, unemployment dropped to its lowest level in 18 years. Wages are growing at the fastest rate since July 2009. Retail sales are up significantly, and small business optimism has hit its second highest level ever. A recent survey from the National Association of Manufacturers reported that 77 percent of manufacturers plan to increase hiring as a result of tax reform, 72 percent plan to increase wages or benefits, and 86 percent report that they plan to increase investments, which means new jobs and opportunities for workers. Those are a lot of numbers, but they all boil down to one thing; that is, that life is getting better for American families. prgtoken Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported: ``Economic confidence among lower-income Americans has taken a recent leap, the latest evidence that benefits of the economic expansion are reaching a broader swath of workers.'' prgtoken If there is one thing that is needed to help people achieve the American dream, it is a thriving economy. What do people think about when they think about the American dream? They dream about starting a business from their kitchen table and growing it into a thriving enterprise. They dream about a secure job that will allow them to own a nice home, plus have extra to take the kids to the beach each year, and save for education, retirement, and those unexpected expenses. They dream about landing a job at their dream company and working their way up the ladder to the top; they dream about fulfilling work that can turn into a fulfilling career; and they dream about a secure retirement with extra money to treat the grandkids. Those are the types of things Americans dream about when they think about the American dream. prgtoken Well, it is pretty hard to accomplish any of those dreams if the economy is stagnant or struggling. It is pretty hard to work your way up the ladder if your company is having to lay off people. It is hard to buy a house or save for the kids' college if you don't have anything left over once you have paid the bills. prgtoken During the last administration, the economy did not thrive and, as a result, American families struggled. So when President took office, s and President made reversing our economic decline a priority. Perhaps the two biggest drags on our economy during the administration were burdensome regulations and an outdated tax code. So we took immediate action to roll back burdensome administration regulations, and we got to work on reforming our outdated Tax Code. Six months ago this week, we passed historic tax reform. Before th
WELCOMING DR. RON BRACY
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-6-19

I rise today to welcome Dr. Ron Bracy as our guest chaplain. prgtoken Dr. Bracy has served our Nation in uniform and through his faith. He entered the Air Force Academy after high school and served in the U.S. Air Force for 42 years. prgtoken Dr. Bracy is a veteran of the Vietnam war, where he flew 183 combat missions and was on duty in the Pentagon during the 9/11 terrorist attack. prgtoken He is a retired minister and author of ``Walk On: From the Valley of Despair to the Mountaintop of Praise.'' prgtoken He has taught at all levels of education, and currently teaches at the Geneva Classical Christian School in Texas. prgtoken Dr. Bracy was my family pastor for many years. He and his wife, Judith, are truly loved. prgtoken We are incredibly blessed to have Dr. Bracy here with us today.
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-6-19

I first thank Senator Alexander for the great efforts he has undergone to bring this legislation forward. prgtoken The Senate is working as it should. We are processing amendments. Hopefully, we will make it through all of our appropriations bills this year and go back to regular order so that we avoid the kinds of collisions we have had all too often in the past few years as we try to accomplish the business of our government. prgtoken As we have been told, the next amendment planned to be voted on in the next few minutes, we hope, is the Crapo-Whitehouse amendment. This amendment is one that focuses on our nuclear energy in the United States. prgtoken Nuclear energy is a carbon-free emissions source of energy. It is becoming recognized as one of the more important parts of the energy solution in the United States, and our amendment does a very simple thing. It creates a pilot project at the Idaho National Laboratory to begin perfecting and implementing the process of processing spent naval fuel into fuel that can be utilized in our new, advanced reactors. prgtoken Currently, when naval fuel from our reactors in our Navy ships is spent, it still has about 80 percent of its value or its energy in it. The new, advanced reactors need about a 20-percent level. So we can literally get about four times as much fuel out of a spent naval fuel rod for new, advanced reactors as is in the rod itself, once it is ready for processing. prgtoken This is a tremendous source of new energy for the United States and one that should help us as we move forward in developing an ``all of the above'' energy policy for the United States. I encourage my colleagues, when we have the opportunity to vote for this, to support it and help us to move forward in this important part of our national energy policy.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2018
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-6-19

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m Wednesday, June 20; 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. Finally, I ask that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 5895.
RECOGNIZING THE CAREER OF CAM MARTIN
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-6-19

I rise today to recognize an outstanding individual, Mr. J. Campbell ``Cam'' Martin, in recognition of his retirement from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). After four decades of Federal service, Cam recently retired from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California. prgtoken Cam earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Logistics from Pennsylvania State University. Later, he received a Master of Arts & Administrative Sciences from George Washington University. A longtime patriot and public servant, Cam served in the United States Navy before beginning his career with NASA Langley Research Center in 1988. While at Langley, he received the NASA Group Achievement Award for the Airborne Wind Shear Flight Operations Campaign foreshadowing a long and fruitful career. In 1994, NASA Armstrong, formerly NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, was fortunate to gain Cam as Chief of the Office of External Affairs, and he has remained an integral member of the Armstrong community. prgtoken Cam distinguished himself as a man who truly loved what he did, and he never failed to inspire an interest in aeronautical science with those who worked with him. It was this passion that drove Cam to advocate for years to change the name of the Dryden Flight Research Center to the Armstrong Flight Research Center. Cam knew better than most of Neil Armstrong's legacy as a test pilot at the Center from 1955 to 1962, and through his great effort and collaboration with NASA and our community, the site was renamed in 2014 after the first person to walk on the Moon. prgtoken As Armstrong's Legislative Affairs liaison, Cam has served as an incredible resource on all things space and science-related, always underscoring why NASA's mission is worthy of support. Usually soft- spoken, whenever Cam started to extol the great work being done at Armstrong, I could hear the excitement and passion rise in his voice. He never engaged in hyperbole--he never had to since the work at Armstrong is truly amazing. During Cam's tenure at Armstrong, NASA and Lockheed Martin made significant progress on the Quiet Supersonic Technology X-Plane (QUESST), a program designed to quiet the sound of a sonic boom and offer the world the promise of commercial supersonic air travel. Among Cam's other achievements at NASA Armstrong was his successful advocacy for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) program, which still flies to this day and provides incredible science. During the fatal test flight crash of SpaceShip Two on October 31, 2014, Cam provided on-scene contingency communications support throughout the day directly to the chief executive of Mojave Air and Space Port, who described those contributions as providing ``calm presence'' and having ``professional brilliance.'' Additionally, Cam has routinely served as a member of my Service Academy Panel, offering his expertise
OPIOID ADDICTION ACTION PLAN ACT
Brett Guthrie (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-6-19

as much time as I may consume. prgtoken , I want to commend Representative Kinzinger, Representative Clarke, Representative LaHood, and Representative Davis for their work on this important bipartisan bill. prgtoken H.R. 5590 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop an opioid addiction plan to evaluate what HHS is doing across the department to address the opioid crisis and how it can be improved. This action plan will include an evaluation of coverage and reimbursement rates for nonopioid pain treatments, the potential role of medical devices in addressing this crisis, and the availability of treatment for rural and medically underserved communities, among other components. prgtoken In addition, Medicare and Medicaid are on the front lines of this epidemic, and we need to be sure that they are not creating adverse incentives that can harm beneficiaries with coverage and reimbursement decisions. prgtoken The issues addressed in this bill will also provide an informative review of how CMS can continue to fight this national crisis. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support and pass this bipartisan bill, and . House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, June 7, 2018. Hon. Kevin Brady, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Brady: On May 9 and 17, 2018, the Committee on Energy and Commerce ordered favorably reported over 50 bills to address the opioid epidemic facing communities across our nation. Several of the bills were also referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. I ask that the Committee on Ways and Means not insist on its referral of the following bills so that they may be scheduled for consideration by the Majority Leader: H.R. 1925, At-Risk Youth Medicaid Protection Act of 2017; H.R. 3331, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic health record technology; H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act; H.R. 4841, Standardizing Electronic Prior Authorization for Safe Prescribing Act of 2018; H.R. 5582, Abuse Deterrent Access Act of 2018; H.R. 5590, Opioid Addiction Action Plan Act; H.R. 5603, Access to Telehealth Services for Opioid Use Disorder; H.R. 5605, Advancing High Quality Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in Medicare Act; H.R. 5675, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require prescription drug plan sponsors under the Medicare program to establish drug management programs for at-risk beneficiaries; H.R. 5684, Protecting Seniors from Opioid Abuse A
SECURING OPIOIDS AND UNUSED NARCOTICS WITH DELIBERATE DISPOSAL AND PACKAGING ACT OF 2018
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2018-6-19

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of this bipartisan legislation, and I want to thank Representatives Hudson and Butterfield, both of North Carolina, for their hard work on it. prgtoken Opioids are often prescribed in higher volumes than necessary and not properly disposed of after patients no prgtoken longer need them. That leads to an oversupply of unneeded drugs that can be subject to abuse by family members and others. prgtoken In order to reduce the volume of unused opioids in the market, this bill will direct the Food and Drug Administration to work with manufacturers to establish programs for the efficient return or destruction of unused schedule II or III opioid analgesics. prgtoken In addition, this bill will facilitate utilization of packaging that may reduce overprescribing, diversion, or abuse of opioids. prgtoken Finally, the bill will require the GAO to study new and innovative technologies that claim to be able to dispose of opioids and other unused medications safely. prgtoken This bill takes several targeted steps to minimize the amount of unused opioids on the market, and I encourage my colleagues to support its passage. prgtoken , I yield such time as he may consume to gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson), one of the authors of this important legislation.
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREATER SCRANTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-6-19

I rise today to recognize my constituents at the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce on their 150th anniversary and highlight their contributions to making the greater Scranton region a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. prgtoken Established in 1867 as the Scranton Board of Trade, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is the largest business network in northeastern Pennsylvania, with more than 1,500 member companies representing a variety of employers. The chamber is also the parent organization to a number of affiliates that support economic development, provide small business lending services, facilitate leadership development programs, and guide workforce development initiatives. From Scranton's early days as a hub for American heavy industry, the chamber has actively served the region for more than 150 years, always with the mission of attracting, sustaining and growing jobs in the area. prgtoken Since its inception, the chamber has been recognized as one of the region's preeminent business and community advocates. It has worked in partnership with numerous stakeholders to address the challenges brought on by an ever-changing regional economy. For their part, as the region transformed over the last century, so too has the chamber. Since 1923, the chamber has evolved and developed a number of affiliates whose missions are to address and respond to the changing regional dynamics through economic, industrial, workforce, and community development. These affiliates have worked to diversify the region's economy and utilize the tools and resources available to them to meet the needs of the community and its business members. prgtoken Today, new industries now call northeast Pennsylvania home and have helped the area become a regional leader in fields such as education, medicine, and manufacturing. Most notably, what drives the region today is building upon the greater Scranton area's rich history of industrial and economic prosperity. These are key points the chamber and its partners have seized on to promote the region as an ideal location for businesses of all sizes and specialties. With a history of success and an abundance of talent and expertise, the greater Scranton area is well positioned to attract entrepreneurs and businesses alike. prgtoken I wish to recognize the significant contributions that the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and its members have made to the city of Scranton and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over the last 150 years and wish them all the best as the chamber celebrates this sesquicentennial anniversary.
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-6-19

the Legislative Branch bill, as advanced from the Committee on Appropriations, provides $4.79 billion for Congress and its support agencies. That is $90 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level of $4.7 billion. prgtoken This bill provides just over $1 billion for Senate-only items, which is an increase of $5 million from last year; $1.4 billion is included for House only items, and $2.3 billion is provided for joint Senate and House items, which in total meets the $4.79 billion legislative branch allocation for fiscal year 2019. prgtoken We have made thoughtful decisions about how to prioritize investments for this fiscal year. Resources are allocated in a responsible way to maintain existing services and allow for critical investments in numerous needed areas. prgtoken For example, this bill will strengthen security on the Capitol campus and ensure that the men and women who protect our visitors, our staff, and Members have the support and resources they need to do their jobs. And $453 million is included for the Capitol Police, which is a $26.5 million increase from last year. prgtoken In fact, just 1 year ago last Thursday, we witnessed tragedy strike on a baseball field in Alexandria, where the lives of our colleagues and their family and friends were put in imminent danger. Last week's Congressional Baseball Game was a reminder of the bravery demonstrated by my friend, Representative Steve Scalise, our Capitol Police officers, and all those tragically affected that day. The unfortunate reality remains that the Capitol Complex and its occupants face an evolving and growing threat environment, and this bill will help address these needs. prgtoken This bill also addresses cyber security threats by providing funding for the Sergeant at Arms Senate network cyber security initiatives. Further, this bill demands a rigorous review before any telecommunications equipment from companies linked to Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea can be acquired by legislative branch agencies. prgtoken This bill also promotes transparency for the American people by including a provision called e-file, which streamlines the process for Senate campaign filings, requiring Senate candidates to follow the same standard of transparency required by all other Federal candidates. This provision enhances government transparency, reduces unnecessary bureaucratic redtape, and would save hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars by having candidates--Senate candidates--file directly with the Federal Election Commission, instead of the current paper-based practice. prgtoken This bill provides $933 million for the Senate, which is $13 million above last year. I want to specifically note that $5 million is designated for the sole purpose of voluntary compensation of Senate interns by Senate offices. This additional funding will help ensure that the broadest possible pool of intern candidates have the opportunity to serve.