mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO SARAH R. SALDANA
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-5

today I would like to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant and Texan, Sarah R. Saldana. Ms. Saldana is stepping down as Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, and retiring after many years of Federal service. prgtoken Born as the youngest of seven children to working-class parents in Corpus Christi, TX, Director Saldana learned the importance of hard work and education at a young age. After she graduated from W.B. Ray High School in 1970, Director Saldana attended Del Mar Junior College and graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M, formerly Texas A&I, University in 1973. Shortly thereafter, she began her career as an 8th grade language arts teacher at D.A. Hulcy Middle School in Dallas. Later, she worked as a technician for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC, and as an investigator and management intern for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD. Additionally, she worked as a Federal Representative for the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration until 1981. prgtoken Ms. Saldana then decided to pursue a legal education at Southern Methodist University, SMU, in Dallas, TX, where she earned her J.D. in 1984. Following graduation, she clerked for the Honorable U.S. District Judge Barefoot Sanders. As a trial attorney, Director Saldana was an associate for the law firms of Haynes and Boone, and then Baker Botts, where she became partner in their trial department. prgtoken In 2004, she returned to public service and became an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, where she prosecuted a variety of criminal cases. She also served as the deputy criminal chief in charge of the district's major fraud and public corruption section. prgtoken In 2011, Ms. Saldana was nominated and confirmed to become the first Latina United States attorney in the history of Texas and only the second woman to hold that position in the 135-year history of Texas' Northern District--a region that includes the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and spans 100 counties and stretches across 95,000 square miles. prgtoken In 2014, Ms. Saldana was confirmed to lead the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As ICE's Director, she helped to oversee the largest investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security and to protect the safety and security of the United States. prgtoken Throughout her career, she has served with integrity and character. Ms. Saldana has served the people of Texas and the United States with honor--fighting illegal immigration, public corruption, organized crime, sexual predators, and other dangerous criminals. prgtoken Her legacy will continue to benefit the American people and I join with her family, friends, and coworkers in saying that her experience and dedication to public service will be missed. prgtoken I offer my appreciation to Sarah R. Saldana for her service to our Nation and send my best wishes for the
IN RECOGNITION OF MRS. ERICA SARGENT
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-1-5

I rise today to thank Mrs. Erica Sargent for her service to my office and the people of California's 21st Congressional District. prgtoken Mrs. Sargent was born on May 30, 1990 in Los Banos, California, where she grew up on her family's dairy farm with her parents, Joey and Charlotte Mello, her sister Trisha, and her brother Michael. As a child, Erica took part in Future Farmers of America, where she showed dairy cows, Holsteins, Jerseys, and swine. prgtoken After graduating from Los Banos High School, Mrs. Sargent went on to receive her Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture Business at California State University, Fresno in 2013. While in college, Erica was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority and worked as a nanny part-time. On September 3, 2016, Erica married her husband Brandon Sargent. prgtoken Mrs. Sargent has held several positions with my office, in both Washington, D.C. and California over the past 4 years. She first joined my team as Staff Assistant in my Washington, D.C. office in July 2013. As Staff Assistant, she was instrumental in supporting others in daily tasks and helping the office run smoothly. In December 2013, she was promoted to Scheduler. Mrs. Sargent relocated from Washington, D.C. back to California's Central Valley, where she remained on my team as a Field Representative in Fresno County. Mrs. Sargent was known for her hard work and excellent community outreach. She was respected by her peers and was able to create and foster connections with constituents, business leaders, and public officials, all of which are integral skills of congressional staffers. prgtoken Outside of work, Erica enjoys spending time with her family, especially her husband, sister, and niece, Sofia. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree from National University and hopes to become a school counselor. prgtoken Mrs. Sargent's time with my office will come to a close today, January 5, 2017, when she leaves to begin an internship in Laton, California, as a school counselor. Knowing Mrs. Sargent, her character, and her work ethic, I have no doubt that she will achieve many great things in her future. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in commending Mrs. Erica Sargent for her public service to the people of the Central Valley and wishing her well as she embarks on the next chapter of her life.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2017-1-5

I rise today to offer my warmest wishes to my legislative director, Stephen Higgins, as he begins the next chapter of his truly remarkable professional career. It is a career that is characterized by unshakable dedication to the common good and supreme attention to detail. These qualities make Stephen Higgins a true professional. His service is a labor of love for our country and this institution in particular. prgtoken Stephen has worked in the Senate longer than all but nine of its current Members, serving this Chamber for 23 years. Stephen still remembers his first day on payroll: March 21, 1994. He began with Senator William Cohen of Maine as a counsel on the Juvenile Justice Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee. There he began what would become a decades-long mission: to advance crime victims' rights. prgtoken A year later, Stephen joined the office of Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, where he would distinguish himself as a committed, talented lawyer over the next 18 years, serving as chief counsel in Senator Kyl's personal office and for 14 years as chief counsel on his Judiciary Committee staff. During that time, Stephen played the lead role, supporting efforts to pass a bipartisan crime victims' rights constitutional amendment. The end result: After 8 years of hard work, a landmark statute was passed by a vote of 96 to 1. This is one of Stephen's proudest accomplishments. ``We did something significant to help crime victims,'' he said. ``We enshrined into law the rights of crime victims to be informed, present, and heard.'' prgtoken To put it simply, Stephen Higgins helped humanize America's criminal justice system. This work reflects his sincere beliefs about that system. ``The criminal justice system is about seeking the truth,'' he said. ``The truth matters.'' prgtoken For Stephen Higgins, the truth has always mattered. He is a man of high character and great personal integrity. These attributes made him exceptionally well-suited for work in another critical realm of the Senate: judicial nominations. ``Judges hold people's lives in their hands,'' Stephen said. ``Their decisions have life-altering consequences.'' prgtoken Most recently, Stephen played a key role in the nomination of Omaha attorney Bob Rossiter to serve as U.S. district court judge for the District of Nebraska, and last year, the Senate confirmed Judge Rossiter unanimously. This was a beautiful capstone to Stephen's Senate career. prgtoken He leaves the Senate now for a new position: managing director of the prgtoken Human Ecology Institute at the Catholic University of America. This is an interdisciplinary research institute that will apply the rich intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church to contemporary problems in our society. As Stephen said, ``I love the Senate. The only institution I love more is the Catholic Church.'' Sounds like a match made in Heaven. As he takes his new post, I know Stephen will work like
READING OF THE CONSTITUTION
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-1-5

. Amendment XXII, section 1: ``No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.'' prgtoken Section 2: ``This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.''
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-1-5

I rise to share my strong support for this rule and the underlying legislation. prgtoken , there is no greater friend to the United States than Israel. Israel is a beacon of hope in a very dangerous part of the world. They are an important economic and military partner of the United States, and they play a critical role when it comes to fighting radical Islamic terrorism. prgtoken Given the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, I was deeply disappointed to see the United States recently passed a flawed anti- Israel resolution that will only make it more difficult to achieve peace in the Middle East. Even more disappointing was the fact that the United States just stood by and did nothing as it happened. Instead of vetoing the resolution, the United States Ambassador abstained from voting at all. prgtoken In other words, the United States turned its back and looked the other way as the U.N. passed a flawed resolution attacking Israel. This represents a prgtoken dangerous break in a longstanding and bipartisan policy to protect our sole democratic ally in the region from one-sided resolutions at the U.N. prgtoken Let's be clear, this resolution does absolutely nothing to make peace more likely in the region. Instead, it muddies the water and only further complicates what is already a very complex issue. prgtoken No solution to the ongoing problems with Israel and the Palestinian Authority is going to come from an international body like the United Nations telling them what to do. Any real solution must come through negotiations between the involved parties. prgtoken Honestly, given the many blunders of the administration on the world stage, I guess this most recent action shouldn't be all that surprising. But this action is one of the most irresponsible acts ever by an outgoing President. It will be a dark stain on an already disastrous legacy. prgtoken By abstaining and allowing this resolution to pass, the administration has upset decades of bipartisan policy as it relates to Israel and put a pathway to peace even further out of reach. Now is the time to be standing up for Israel, not turning away from them. prgtoken It is my hope and my belief that under President-elect the United States will once again stand arm in arm with Israel, and this resolution is an important step in that direction. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule and the underlying legislation.
REGULATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE IN NEED OF SCRUTINY ACT OF 2017
Tom Marino (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-1-5

I rise today in strong support of the REINS Act. I would like to thank my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Collins) for taking charge of this bill in the 115th Congress and Judiciary Chairman Goodlatte for quickly bringing it to the floor. prgtoken This week and next, the primary focus of debate here in the House is the stranglehold of regulation on the economy and its intrusion into the everyday lives of Americans. These onerous burdens are well-known to Members of Congress on both sides. prgtoken Over the past several years, I have spent countless hours traveling across the nearly 6,600 square miles of my district. I have met with my constituents in their homes, in their workplaces and social halls. They have pleaded with me for release from the regulations that limit their ability to prosper, innovate, and grow. prgtoken Unlike the nameless, faceless, ever-growing bureaucracy here in Washington, we have listened to the people's concerns. We have made regulatory reform a priority and the focal point for jump-starting our economy. By placing final approval of major regulations in the hands of Congress, the REINS Act is an important launch point in our efforts to dismantle the administrative state and make government more accountable to the American people. prgtoken Our Founders vested in Congress--and Congress alone--the power to write the laws. Unfortunately, over our history, we have delegated much of that power away. The Founders could not have imagined our current scenario where the complaints of many fall on the deaf ears of an unelected few in Washington. prgtoken Thinking over the past 8 years, the REINS Act could have prevented numerous regulations that the American people knew were threats to their very way of life. Perhaps a trillion dollars in costs could have been avoided. I cannot even imagine how many jobs might have been saved or created if we avoided the regulatory barrage brought on by the administration. prgtoken For example, we could have prevented the waters of the United States regulation that impacts the farmers near my home in rural Pennsylvania. The FCC's net neutrality rule might have been overturned, a classic rulemaking bait and switch where the FCC ignored the mountains of public comment to achieve its own political ends. An unaccountable sum of environmental regulations might have been avoided before destroying large swaths of our industry and imposing huge costs on taxpayers. prgtoken Our prime takeaway from these instances and others is that the runaway regulators issued wide-ranging and economy-destroying regulations with complete disregard for the hardworking American citizens whose livelihoods were at stake. prgtoken Today we take an important step to reassert the voice of the American people in our government. The REINS Act reestablishes the Congress as the final judge of whether or not any particular regulation actually does what the Congress meant it to do. <|
PERVERSE TORTURE PERPETRATED BY HEARTLESS YOUNG ADULTS
Tim Murphy (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-1-5

today, four people were charged with a violent crime after a Facebook showed 30 minutes of horror. The criminal charges barely scratch the surface in describing the terror experienced by an 18-year-old boy who suffers from mental disabilities. prgtoken He was forced for 5 hours to cower in a corner scared, stunned, and powerless by people he thought were his friends. His mouth was duct taped shut. His hands and feet were tied. They cut his clothes, his hair, and scalp with a knife. He was burned, punched, and beaten. He was humiliated and berated. This was not just bullying, this was violent, perverse torture perpetrated by heartless young adults. His psychological trauma will haunt him for years. prgtoken He is not alone because children with disabilities are four times more likely to be assaulted than the general population. prgtoken We enacted major mental health reforms just a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we cannot litigate compassion, mandate morality, nor legislate common decency for perpetrators who have no sense of shame. But today, as a Nation, we should all be ashamed and recommit to teach our children there is never any excuse to harm a disabled person. Never. I pray for the victim and his family.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-1-5

. from Delaware, and I appreciate his comments. He did walk in just as I was talking about that particular issue of a series of things that I believe would improve the cost and affordability of health care. for sharing his experience in Delaware and elsewhere and use that as an opportunity to indicate that the cost savings that comes from that kind of reform is a positive, but we also want to make sure those who, through no fault of their own, are actually harmed are made whole to the best of our ability that this can be accomplished. prgtoken Finally, I would use this as an opportunity to point out that this Senate ought to work in a way in which the ideas of all 100 Members are considered in a respectful way as we try to find solutions to the access and affordability of health care. prgtoken Again, I thank you for the time on the floor.
HONORING THE LIFE OF A. WARREN KULP
Thomas J. Rooney (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-1-5

I rise today to honor the life of A. Warren Kulp, Jr better known as Sonny, who passed away on New Year's Eve in West Palm Beach at the age of 81. prgtoken Sonny's life was the American Dream personified. After graduating from Hilltown High School in Pennsylvania in 1953, he worked as a self- employed dairy farmer for most of his life. He also earned his real estate license and worked as the head of the real estate department for 8 years in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. After moving to Florida with his wife, Judy, he worked at the Palm Beach Kennel Club until his retirement in 2007. prgtoken Outside of work, Sonny pursued many different interests. He was a loyal, lifelong and served as an officer and committee chairman for the Pennridge Club in Pennsylvania. He was a consummate grassroots advocate and always could be relied upon for sound advice on both politics and sports. prgtoken , our thoughts and prayers are with Judy and the Kulp family and the entire community as they mourn his passing today. He will be greatly missed.
HONORING JOEL MADDEN
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-1-5

I proudly pause to recognize Joel Madden. Joel is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1099, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Joel has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Joel has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Joel contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project I proudly ask you to join me in commending Joel Madden for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.
OBJECTING TO UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2334
Lee M. Zeldin (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-1-5

I oppose U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334--an anti-Israel, anti-Jewish attempt on behalf of pro-Palestinian nations to delegitimize Israel and ethnically cleanse East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria of the Jewish people. prgtoken The Israelis have long been willing to compromise large swaths of land in this region in pursuit of a two-state solution. It has been the Palestinians who have, time and again, declined real offers on the table for their own state. Just think about this reality. If the Israelis agreed right now to make all of the concessions this U.N. Security Council resolution calls for, there would still not be peace. A viable two-state solution isn't just about Israel's recognizing the Palestinians' right to exist; it is also about the Palestinians' recognizing Israel's right to exist. prgtoken As for me, I stand for freedom, and America should stand strong-- shoulder to shoulder--with Israel. prgtoken President lit a menorah this year at the White House. He reflected on Hanukkah as a celebration of the prgtoken Maccabees' fight for freedom--the Maccabees, who lived, prayed, and fought on the land that this resolution now calls illegally occupied territory. It is an insult this resolution was passed just one day before the start of Hanukkah. Israel is one of America's greatest allies and is a beacon of freedom and liberty in a very dark region of the world. The administration, by allowing this resolution to pass, is attempting a dangerous shift in American foreign policy that cannot be allowed to stand. prgtoken I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution, and I thank Chairman Royce for his leadership.
REGULATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE IN NEED OF SCRUTINY ACT OF 2017
Bob Goodlatte (Republican, VA) \u2014 2017-1-5

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for offering this amendment, and I rise in support of it. prgtoken The cumulative burden of Federal regulation will surely be reduced by the REINS Act, but that burden has two elements: the burden being added by new regulations and the burden already there. prgtoken This amendment adds a useful provision to the REINS Act to address the elimination of unnecessary burdens already in the Code of Federal Regulations. It does so, moreover, in a manner that parallels President-elect 's promise to pursue a policy of one-in/two-out when it comes to new regulatory actions by his administration. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I support the amendment.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-1-5

this amendment is corrosive to the privilege of the budget resolution, meaning that it is outside the scope of what is appropriate for a budget resolution. Any inappropriate amendment could be fatal to the privilege of this resolution, which would destroy our efforts to repeal Care. In other words, a vote in favor of this amendment is a vote against repealing Care. prgtoken In addition, this amendment is not germane to this budget resolution. This budget resolution is much more focused than a typical budget resolution. The Congressional Budget Act requires that the amendment to a budget resolution be germane. Since this amendment does not meet the standard required by budget law, a point of order would lie. As such, I raise a point of order under section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.