mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Grace F. Napolitano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-7-14

I was absent during rollcall votes No. 356 through No. 378 due to my spouse's health situation in California. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the Conaway Amendment, ``yea'' on the Polis Amendment, ``yea'' on the Jayapal Amendment, ``yea'' on the Nadler Amendment, ``yea'' on the Blumenauer Amendment, ``yea'' on the Aguilar Amendment, ``no'' on the Rogers Amendment, ``yea'' on the Garamendi Amendment, ``yea'' on the Blumenauer Amendment No. 13, ``no'' on the McClintock Amendment, ``yea'' on the Garamendi Amendment, ``no'' on the Buck Amendment, ``no'' on the Perry Amendment, ``no'' on the Harztler Amendment, ``no'' on the Gosar Amendment, ``no'' on the Rooney Amendment, ``no'' on the Franks Amendment, ``no'' on the Lamborn Amendment, ``no'' on the Byrne Amendment, ``no'' on the Hunter Amendment, and ``yea'' on the McGovern Amendment. I would have also voted ``yea'' on the Motion to Recommit. I would have also voted ``no'' on final passage of H.R. 2810--National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2018.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-7-14

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , it sounds nice to say they can go home to their country from which they came, where presumably the foreign-flagged ship operates, but that is not the case. These are often American-owned ships or European-owned ships, and they are flagged in a country of convenience--Liberia, Panama, or wherever--where the worker may have no connection whatsoever, where the ship, for that matter, has no real connection other than flying the flag of convenience, and where there may not be a very decent court system. prgtoken That is why the practice has been, since before our independence--it has worked well the entire history of our country--that a foreign citizen working on a ship that calls in the United States, if denied the maintenance and cure that the ship is supposed to take care of someone on the high seas, then they can sue in an American court. We have always done this. There has been no showing of hardship whatsoever. prgtoken Yes, some rich cruise line operators would like, perhaps, to get rid of this obligation, but that is no excuse. This is an antilabor, an antihuman amendment. It ought to be defeated. prgtoken , I urge its defeat, and .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Seth Moulton (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-7-14

. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for including this amendment in the en prgtoken bloc package, because I remain concerned about the lack of a clear plan or strategy in Syria. prgtoken As the Syrian opposition supported by U.S. and coalition forces fight to liberate Raqqa from ISIS control, we are confronted with the complex and critical question of what comes next. Freeing Syrians from the brutality of ISIS is but one part of a complex, grinding civil war that began with the Assad regime's heinous violence against civilians and has endured for over 6 years, with over 400,000 Syrians killed, 6 billion Syrians displaced within Syria, and over 4.5 million forced to flee as refugees. prgtoken We now have over 500 U.S. troops deployed to Syria to advise and assist Syrian opposition forces. However, we have yet to have a clear, comprehensive political strategy that describes what the end goals are for U.S. involvement and how we hope to achieve those goals. prgtoken This amendment requires just that, and follows a similar effort I led with General and Representative John Bacon on Iraq that received bipartisan support in the Armed Services Committee last year. prgtoken This amendment requires a comprehensive political and military strategy for U.S. policy in Syria to be submitted by the Departments of Defense and State to Congress and the American people within 90 days of enactment. prgtoken We owe it to our troops, those young men and women whom we ask to risk their lives in Syria today, to tell them what their job is, what it entails, what the end goal is, and why it is worth the risks that they take every single day.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Richard M. Nolan (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-7-14

my first amendment simply declares that none of the funds authorized to be appropriated in this bill can be used to deploy members of the Armed Forces to participate in the ongoing civil war in Yemen. prgtoken By passing this amendment, we ensure that no hero, no patriot in a U.S. military uniform will be put in harm's way in a conflict that can only be settled by the parties involved. prgtoken My second amendment simply cuts off funds to any so-called friendly rebels in Iraq or Syria who make a mockery of our good intentions by misusing American arms and resources, and, in far too many instances, using them against us. prgtoken We have already spent trillions of dollars, lost thousands of precious lives in these endless wars of choice in the Middle East. It is time to put a stop to it, time to start investing in America and the American people. So I urge the adoption of these amendments en bloc. prgtoken I would only add that the President, in his last campaign, had a message that we need to embrace, and I think the en bloc group of amendments takes us in that direction. He pointed out we spend $6 trillion in Iraq and Afghanistan alone. For one of those trillion, we could have graduated every kid in America from college debt-free. For another one of those trillion, there is your trillion dollars for infrastructure to fix the trains that are coming off the track and the bridges that are falling down. For another one of those trillion, we could have found a cure for cancer or Alzheimer's or diabetes, and we still would have had $3 trillion for deficit reduction. prgtoken I applaud this committee for all the work that they are doing and the direction that they are taking us back to in getting us out of these endless wars of choice and start reinvesting in America, the American people, and the American infrastructure. That creates good jobs and the quality of life that we embrace. prgtoken To be sure, we must have a strong national security. There are evil people and evil forces out there that we need to protect ourselves against, but that doesn't mean we have to get involved in every civil war and every war of choice in the world.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-7-14

I rise in opposition to this amendment that is offered by my good friend from Alabama (Mr. Byrne). prgtoken I would just note that this is an amendment that has been around the last couple Congresses, and the intent clearly is to carve out a larger exemption from the longshoremen's act which is a law that goes back to 1927. prgtoken I would note that if that is the intent, the language of this amendment actually is kind of like legislating with a chainsaw instead of a scalpel because by carving out a larger exemption for recreational vessels above or beyond 55 feet long, basically there is a whole series of Coast Guard rules and regulations that have been enforced by the Coast Guard for many years that this amendment, unfortunately, is going to sweep up and undermine, including the rules related to alcohol on board vessels, waste management, Coast Guard inspection categories, vessel sales to non-U.S. citizens, tonnage taxes, and safety management systems. prgtoken The Coast Guard is out there every single day making sure that these rules which really protect our ports and make sure that particularly foreign, large, super yachts are paying their fair share, in terms of the costs of environmental protection, and boating safety is enforced. That is, again, what this amendment will undermine. prgtoken That is why last year the Coast Guard issued a statement pointing out the fact that because of the broad sweep of the language of this amendment, it is really undermining some key missions that the Coast Guard has been doing for decades for the American people. prgtoken So I would note that, at the outset, obviously there is, I think, another prgtoken issue which is just as significant which is undermining the longshoremen's act which goes back to Calvin Coolidge. It recognizes the fact that the folks who are engaged in longshoremen activity but also shipyard construction are engaged in a very high-risk type of occupation. prgtoken The longshoremen's act was a recognition that State workers' compensation systems, because of the fact that they varied up and down in terms of protections, really required a Federal minimum standard. That is really something that has obviously withstood the test of time over the last 90 years. prgtoken Again, if you look at the data, people who were involved in shipyard work, their risk of injury is much higher than many other occupations. prgtoken I am a proud Representative from a district that has the second largest employment level in shipbuilding according to the American Shipbuilding Association, and these folks are dealing with processes, equipment, and parts that, again, really are much higher risk than even aerospace or other forms of manufacturing. prgtoken , I think what we ought to do is stick to the Coast Guard definition of what a recreational vessel is because that has been on the books for many years, and it is something that I think all of us should l
HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF COLONEL CHRISTOPHER T. DREW
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2017-7-14

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, on behalf of myself and my constituents, to honor Colonel Christopher T. Drew, District Commander for the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)--Chicago District. Throughout his command, Colonel Drew has shown unwavering dedication to improving the quality of life for the people of the District under his command. Colonel Drew will relinquish his command to Colonel Aaron W. Reisinger on July 21, 2017, at which time he will complete his exemplary career in the United States Army. In 1992, Colonel Drew began his selfless twenty-five year military career in the United States Army. Throughout the years, Colonel Drew completed tours in Texas, New York, California, Missouri, and Kansas, before arriving in Chicago. He was also deployed several times, serving in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. Colonel Drew handled every assignment with courage, honor, and merit. He is regarded as a most gifted teacher who excels at bringing people together to solve problems and helping individuals become the best versions of themselves. For his distinguished service, Colonel Drew is the recipient of numerous awards and citations, including two Bronze Star Medals, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, one Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and two Meritorious Unit Commendations, as well as the Sapper Tab, Ranger Tab, Air Assault Badge, and Parachutist Badge. Colonel Drew took command of the USACE--Chicago District in 2014. During his time as District Commander in Chicago, his leadership has played a significant role in the organization's accomplishments, most notably in Northwest Indiana. The USACE initiated an ecosystem restoration project at the Portage Lakefront Park in 2015, in which sixty-five acres were restored, complementing the investments made previously by the USACE to open up public access to Lake Michigan. In East Chicago, Colonel Drew joined city officials to break ground on a shoreline restoration project that will enhance amenities to allow residents to enjoy the lakefront, while benefiting a diverse ecosystem. Stormwater and sanitary sewer projects were initiated by the Colonel's leadership, in partnership with local sponsors in various communities, which improve water quality throughout the region and ultimately improve the quality of life for residents in numerous communities. Work continues on the Little Calumet River Flood Control and Recreation Project, which protects residents along the river and creates opportunities for increased economic development, and the dredging of the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal carries on apace. These projects and others stand testament to Colonel Drew's commitment to the USACE's mission to work with its partners to energize the nation's eco
HONORING EDWARD CARL DEUTSCHMAN
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-7-14

I rise today to honor Edward Carl Deutschman for his outstanding service to our nation. A longtime resident of the central coast of California and a fellow sailor, he passed away this June at the age of 93. prgtoken Not long after graduating high school in 1941, Mr. Deutschman enlisted in the Navy and attended the Del Monte Pre-Flight School in Monterey. Today, this site is the center of the renewed Naval Post Graduate School, one of many prominent military institutions in my district. prgtoken During WWII, Mr. Deutschman was soon assigned to the USS Intrepid and flew over the Pacific Ocean on many combat missions. He flew a Corsair as a member of the Grim Reaper VF-10 Squadron in April of 1945, providing vital air cover for Marines. Mr. Deutschman was also a lead pilot during the amphibious assault of Okinawa--the final and largest of the Pacific island battles during World War II. Later he participated in an air raid over Tokyo. The anti-aircraft fire was so intense that, as he later put it, ``you could almost get out of the plane and walk on the stuff coming up.'' Years after, he maintained close ties to the pilots who fought beside him, reuniting with them each year to reminisce in old stories and enduring friendships. prgtoken Mr. Deutschman returned to the mainland and swapped his cockpit for the classroom. Armed with an undergraduate degree in business from California State University-Fresno prgtoken and a graduate degree in education from the University of Southern California, he discovered his passion for teaching. Over more than thirty years as an elementary school teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent, Mr. Deutschman made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of students. prgtoken In his retirement, he returned to California's Central Coast and continued his goodwill on behalf of organizations like the Grey Bears, Boy Scouts of America, Rotary International, and as a board member of Good Shepherd Housing. Edward Deutschman represented the best of his time, not only as a solider and educator, but as a dedicated family man to his late wife Katherine Bell Thomas, children Kathleen Deutschman Scott, Robert Edward Deutschman, granddaughter Tigest Scott Macauley, and great-grandsons Ibrahim Macauley and Abdul Rahman Macauley. On behalf of California's 20th District, it is my honor to recognize this American hero, Edward Carl Deutschman
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-7-14

. Mr. Chair, I rise to speak on House consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. prgtoken I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith and the Armed Services Committee for their work on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. prgtoken As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and Judiciary, I take our role in Congress as stewards of our nation's security seriously. prgtoken I offer my thanks and appreciation to the men and women of the armed services who place themselves in harm's way each day for the safety and security of our nation's people. prgtoken The National Defense Authorization Act's purpose is to address the threats our nation faces not just today, but into the future. This makes our work vital to our national interest and it should reflect our strong commitment to ensure that the men and women of our Armed Services receive the benefits and support that they deserve for their faithful service. prgtoken This bill encompasses a number of initiatives designed to confront the military challenges posed by violent extremism, terrorists engaging in ground wars, making more efficient the work of protecting America, addresses defense of our nation's computing networks and infrastructure, the medical health needs of men and women in the armed services, and extends economic and education opportunity to small minority and women owned businesses. prgtoken We live in a dangerous world, where threats are not always easily identified, and our enemies are not bound by borders. prgtoken Russia's aggression towards the United States has long been understood, but in 2016 the stakes were raised in terms of how far they would go to harm our nation and ic institutions when they interfered in our national election. prgtoken Since September 11, 2001, we have kept a steadfast commitment to ending the threat of global terror. prgtoken Boko Haram, ISIL, and AI Shabaab remind us of how fragile our nation's security could be without a well trained and equipped military. prgtoken The introduction of cyber offensive actions against the United States and our interest has altered the definition of war and with it our understanding about what is needed to combat a unique type of enemy that fights under no flag, for any nation, and can cause harm to computing networks. prgtoken I appreciate the House Armed Services Committee's continued support of our national defense and support a number of provisions in H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, such as authorities that support ongoing operations. prgtoken The amendments offered to this bill offered opportunities to address these and other Administration concerns that will improve the bill. prgtoken Let me discuss briefly the amendments I offered that were adopted by the House and included in the final version of the bill. prgtoken 1. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 56 calls fo
RECOGNIZING THE 52ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-7-14

today marks the 52nd Anniversary of the Older Americans Act, a landmark bill signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 14, 1965. prgtoken The Older Americans Act provides critical support services for tens of millions of senior citizens and their families. prgtoken With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, our country has an obligation to keep these programs strong. prgtoken Older Americans should be able to live a life of dignity and independence. prgtoken However, that promise is under attack by the Administration and Congressional s. prgtoken care will hurt older Americans by gutting Medicaid by $722 billion and allowing insurers to charge older Americans more money for less coverage, no matter their health status. prgtoken Not to be outdone, 's very first budget would eliminate programs like Meals on Wheels and senior employment services, forcing countless older Americans into a life of hunger and poverty. prgtoken We cannot break our promise to our seniors. prgtoken will continue to fight to protect the Older Americans Act and ensure every American can live their full life with dignity.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-7-14

. Mr. Chair, I am proud to have introduced the Apollo I Memorial Amendment to H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo I spacecraft fire that claimed the lives of three American heroes. With this Amendment we ensure that these three courageous astronauts, who gave their lives in service to our great nation, will be appropriately honored. prgtoken On January 27, 1967, Astronauts Virgil I. ``Gus'' Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee were killed in an electrical fire that broke out inside their Apollo I Command Module on Launch Pad 34 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The accident led to a detailed internal investigation and congressional hearings. As a result of their sacrifice, NASA made needed changes to the Apollo program which ultimately resulted in the successful Apollo 11 landing on the moon two years later. prgtoken My Amendment requires the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to construct a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery in their honor. This marker corrects an unfortunate omission, namely, that these three fearless astronauts, who were set to be the ones to fly the first Apollo mission into space, have not received a memorial at Arlington as was done for the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews. As Arlington National Cemetery is where we recognize heroes who have passed in the service of our Nation, it is fitting that on the 50th anniversary of the launchpad accident we acknowledge the sacrifice of the Apollo I Astronauts. prgtoken Mr. Chair, it is past time to install a memorial marker at Arlington so that current and future Americans never forget their sacrifice as we continue to reach for the stars. prgtoken Before closing, I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who supported the original bill from which this Amendment was drawn, H.R. 703, the Apollo Memorial Act. I would also like to express my deep appreciation to both Mr. Hollingsworth of Indiana and Mr. Posey of Florida who both offered to cosponsor this Amendment. prgtoken I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will continue to come together to support this amendment honoring these heroes.