mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
No-Fly List Gun Legislation (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-2-27

today the Senate is voting to confirm Judge Elizabeth Branch to serve as a U.S. circuit court judge for the Eleventh Circuit. Judge Branch was favorably reported out of the Judiciary Committee on a 19-2 bipartisan vote. She has broad bipartisan support from her home State of Georgia. The American Bar Association rated Judge Branch as unanimously well-qualified. If the Senate confirms Judge Branch, as I am confident it will, she will be the fourth woman confirmed by the Senate to the Federal courts of appeals in the 115th Congress, three more than the one woman confirmed at this point in President 's first term. prgtoken Judge Branch's judicial career and broad range of legal experiences have well prepared her to serve on the Eleventh Circuit. Judge Branch was appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 2012. In her time on the appellate bench, she has participated in over 1,500 cases. Before joining the bench, Judge Branch spent several years in private practice. She also served in government, including her role as a top lawyer for the Department of Homeland Security. Judge Branch received her B.A. from Davidson College and her J.D. from Emory. After law school, Judge Branch clerked for Judge Owen Forrester on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. prgtoken As I noted earlier, if confirmed, Judge Branch will become the fourth female circuit court judge confirmed under President . Her confirmation puts her in good company, joining a class of first-rate female jurists and legal scholars. She will join a group that includes: Seventh Circuit Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a former professor at Notre Dame University Law School and law clerk to Justice Scalia; Tenth Circuit Judge Allison Eid, a former Colorado Supreme Court Justice and law clerk to Justice Thomas; and Sixth Circuit Judge Joan Larsen, another clerk of Justice Scalia and former Michigan Supreme Court justice. I am confident that Judge Branch will serve as an excellent addition to this outstanding class of female circuit court judges. prgtoken Judge Branch's impressive background and bipartisan support suggest that she will be an excellent court of appeals judge. I am pleased to support her nomination today.
ALLOW STATES AND VICTIMS TO FIGHT ONLINE SEX TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2017
Ann Wagner (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-2-27

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Alabama for yielding. prgtoken Mr. Chair, in recent years, sex trafficking has moved from the streets to the internet. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has witnessed an 846 percent increase in suspected child sex trafficking reports. Eighty-one percent of these reports concern online trafficking facilitated by websites that help traffickers post advertisements of child victims. prgtoken I find it hard to imagine that if a neighborhood business hosted a slave auction, the auctioneer would not be considered liable. But that is actually what is happening with websites like backpage.com and hundreds others. prgtoken I have spoken with State and local prosecutors across America who want to hold online advertisers accountable for facilitating traffic and promoting prostitution, but they cannot. prgtoken Section 230 has been interpreted so broadly that courts have ruled in favor of backpage.com in criminal and civil cases, despite the website's clear criminal conduct. These rulings defy congressional intent. prgtoken Twenty-two years ago, Senator Jim Exon from Nebraska, the sponsor of the Communications Decency Act, stated that ``the information superhighway should not become a red-light district.'' prgtoken Section 230 was an amendment to the CDA that intended to motivate websites to screen explicit content in ``good faith,'' and to shield websites from unfair liability for third-party content. However, section 230 was never intended to shield websites from liability for criminal conduct. prgtoken Congress did not intend to allow businesses to commit trafficking crimes online that they could never commit offline. It never meant to imply that criminal conduct can hide behind the defense of legitimate publishing or editing. prgtoken H.R. 1865 is a long-overdue clarification of section 230 explaining to America's courts that State and local prosecutors are not handcuffed from protecting their communities and that the State laws should be freely enforced against websites that unlawfully promote prostitution and sex. prgtoken Mr. Chair, the Jackson Lee amendment will help us track the use of this new crime, and I am delighted to support it. I thank the gentlewoman for offering it. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I am horrified that children and adults are sold on the internet like a T-shirt or takeout. I am horrified that human beings are sold with impunity and have no access to justice. prgtoken Today, please vote ``yes'' for justice.
TRIBUTE TO HEIDEH SHAHMORADI
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-2-27

today I wish to express my gratitude to Heideh Shahmoradi, who since 2011 has served as clerk for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, or THUD, for her many years of distinguished public service. prgtoken Heideh's 24 years of public service have included time on both the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee, as well as the Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, where she first started as a part-time employee at the age of 16. prgtoken In her 7 years with THUD, Heideh has played an instrumental role on a host of issues. Her programmatic knowledge and technical expertise have been critical in policy-making decisions that ensured air traffic controllers were able to get back to safely managing our Nation's air traffic control system following the across-the-board spending cuts in 2013. Heideh has also worked to make groundbreaking transformations in how we address youth homelessness, which afflicts far too many young people each year. Thanks to Heideh's dedicated efforts, we have successfully created targeted programs that are designed to meet the unique needs of teenagers through the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, in ways that our traditional approach to homelessness was unsuccessful in addressing. prgtoken Heideh is truly a consummate professional, a brilliant expert, and most importantly, one of the kindest and friendliest people in the Senate. She is known by her colleagues as being an honest broker who is able to work in a truly bipartisan fashion in order to help us advance important legislation. prgtoken As Heideh leaves the Senate after years of hard work and dedicated public service, she leaves behind an impressive list of accomplishments and colleagues whose lives she touched because she was such an exceptional role model and mentor. I wish her continued success and much happiness in the years to come.
RECOGNIZING THE WEISS SCHOOL
Brian J. Mast (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-2-27

I rise today to recognize The Weiss School, a K-8th grade school in Florida, whose students designed the WeissSat-1 satellite selected by NASA to be launched into space. prgtoken I have had the opportunity to meet a number of these incredible students. They devote themselves fully to the pursuit of knowledge. Some of them remarked to me that the worst part about school was that they had to leave at the end of the day and they wished that there were apartments there. I think that speaks to the incredible high quality of their teachers and the faculty in that institution of learning. prgtoken The WeissSat-1 was selected for its outstanding design and scientific importance, as part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, an excellent program that, unfortunately, has a very uncertain future. The CubeSat Launch Initiative was established in 2008 as a mutually beneficial program to spur innovation in the STEM community and simultaneously advance NASA missions. prgtoken Since its inception, NASA has selected 149 CubeSats, built by 85 organizations across 38 States, and they have launched 58 of these CubeSats to date, all of them at a fraction of the cost of developing satellites in-house. prgtoken NASA's Office of Education is currently being restructured and the future of the CubeSat program is in jeopardy. prgtoken Students and teachers from the Weiss School are in the House gallery today to witness the introduction of a resolution that they themselves helped to write. prgtoken The WeissSat-I resolution that I will introduce today with bipartisan support from my Florida colleagues will raise awareness of the CubeSat Launch Initiative and encourage continuance of the program as NASA reorganizes their Office of Education. prgtoken I would like to thank the students of the Weiss School for their dedication, their faculty, their teachers for their work in helping their students to reach the highest and fullest potential that any students could reach.
THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF REVEREND BILLY GRAHAM
Randy Hultgren (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-2-27

I am so grateful for so many of my colleagues who were able to join us tonight to remember Reverend Billy Graham, born November 7, 1918, and died February 21, 2018. prgtoken Billy Graham was a lion of the Christian faith and a believer in the all-encompassing love of God for all people. prgtoken I knew Billy Graham from such an early age: knew of him, knew of his ministry, and was struck even more so most of my growing up years in Wheaton, Illinois, where Billy Graham went to school, met his wife. Much of his ministry started in Wheaton and in that area around Wheaton. prgtoken His ministry spanned generations of American religious thought and culture, but his core message remained unchanged throughout his entire lifetime. His evangelistic gatherings attracted millions throughout the globe for decades. His name is known around the world, as many have said tonight, maybe one of the most recognized names and most respected throughout his entire lifetime. prgtoken I remember way back in 1971--I was 5 years old--my mom and dad brought me down to McCormick Place down in downtown Chicago, to be part of the 1971 Billy Graham crusade. My dad was a counselor at that crusade. I was a little 5-year-old boy, but I still remember that night. I remember the power of the message, I remember the power of this messenger of God sharing his love for us, but also the truth of the love that Jesus has for us. That he gave everything so that I could have hope, so that I could have new life. prgtoken Even as a little boy, that affected me. It moved me. It moved me so much that it had me ask more questions of my own mom and dad when I got home. And, ultimately, it was that same year, right around that time, when I recognized that I was sinful, even as a little boy, that I was selfish, that I needed help, I needed a savior, and that I needed someone to pay a price that I couldn't pay. prgtoken And as Billy Graham had stated, and as my mom and dad had taught me, and as my own grandpa had taught me, only Jesus could pay that price, and he wanted to do it to give me that free gift of redemption, the hope that we can have only through Jesus. That was the story and the message of Billy Graham. prgtoken Jumping forward quite a few years, I had the privilege, just 12 years ago, of being down in Louisiana. I went to the Louisiana State Penitentiary. It is also known as Angola. Louisiana State Penitentiary was known as the bloodiest prison in all of America for decades and decades and decades--more killings and more violence than any other prison. And then something happened. prgtoken God used some people, specifically a warden there, Warden Cain, who came, and others, to change the hearts of these inmates. They brought a seminary into this Louisiana State Penitentiary. prgtoken Now, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of prisoners in Louisiana State Penitentiary have gone through seminary--New Orleans Seminary-- that is right there in the prison,
TRIBUTE TO ANTHONY STOKS
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-2-27

today I recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Anthony Stoks. Anthony hails from Adelaide, Australia, and is a law student at Flinders University. prgtoken While interning for the Commerce Committee, Anthony assisted the Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness. He is a dedicated worker who was committed to getting the most out of his internship. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Anthony for all of the fine work he did for the committee and wish him continued success in the years to come.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-2-27

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12:45 p.m Wednesday, February 28; 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. I further ask that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Vought nomination; finally, that all time during recess, adjournment, morning business, and leader remarks count postcloture on the Vought nomination.
HONORING REVEREND BILLY GRAHAM
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-2-27

I rise today to honor the life and ministry of Billy Graham. Billy Graham shared a simple message of the good news of salvation through Jesus. He never tired nor wavered from the story of how, as humans, we all have a relationship problem with God because of sin in our lives. But God loves us so much that He doesn't give up on us. In fact, God has offered us an escape from the punishment due for our sin through the free gift of salvation, a gift that we can receive but we cannot earn because Jesus paid the price for our sins when He gave his life on the cross. Jesus overcame death; and through faith in Christ, we can, too. prgtoken Billy Graham shared this message out of a deep love for God and his fellow man. Not for fame. Not for fortune. prgtoken I thank God for the ministry of Billy Graham and the example he lived. May God comfort his family and a grateful nation as we mourn his loss, and may we never tire of sharing the good news of Christ.
Remembering Frederick Douglass (Executive Calendar)
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-2-27

200 years ago this month, a man was born into slavery in a cabin not far from here in prgtoken Maryland. The child knew his mother only briefly; they were cruelly separated when he was young. He knew his father only by the rumors. He didn't even know the exact day of his birth. Yes, even his birthday-- for many of us, that foundational aspect of identity--was denied him by the cruel master of slavery. prgtoken This slave was whipped and beaten. His days were filled with toil. His nights were filled with restless turning on a packed dirt floor. But that is not where the story ends--no, it is only the beginning of the incredible life of Frederick Douglass, the great abolitionist, orator, and one of the greatest Americans ever to live. As Douglass would later write in his memoirs, ``You have seen how a man was made a slave. You shall see how a slave was made a man.'' prgtoken For all its terrible might--its bloodhounds and its implements of torture--slavery was not built to withstand Frederick Douglass, just as it was not built to withstand the universal desire for freedom that lies within the heart of man. prgtoken Douglass knew that the first step to freedom was education, so he taught himself to read in secrecy because slaves were punished for learning to read. Around the time he was 12, he got hold of an old textbook called ``The Columbian Orator.'' Little did Douglass know that around that same time, the same textbook was being studied on the Illinois prairie by a young man named Abraham Lincoln. In that textbook, Douglass found speeches by George Washington and Benjamin Franklin--men who revolted against tyranny to claim their liberty. In that book, he also found a fictional dialogue between a slave and his master where the master brought forward ``the whole argument in behalf of slavery . . . all of which was disposed of by the slave.'' Douglass wrote: This exchange ``gave tongue to interesting thoughts of [his] soul.'' It kindled his burning conviction that slavery was wrong and he must escape it. From that moment on, Douglass was a grave threat to the very institution of slavery itself. He was free in his own mind. prgtoken Douglass' journey ``from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom'' would go through many dramatic twists and turns before its conclusion. When a notorious slave breaker tried to beat him for disobeying orders, Douglass wrestled him into submission. He insisted on being treated as a man, and from that day forward, he was never whipped again. prgtoken Douglass' first attempt at escape was a failure, thwarted at the last minute by a betrayal of confidence. He did not fail a second time. In 1938, traveling in disguise under an assumed identity, Douglass took a steamboat north to the blessedness of freedom. At this point in the story, you might expect Douglass to fade from history, to enjoy a modest and tranquil life with his wife and his children. But no--the former s
IN RECOGNITION OF THE PASSING OF MR. JOHN PAGEL
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-2-27

today I rise in honor of the life and legacy of Kewaunee County native, Mr. John Pagel. prgtoken Mr. Pagel was a successful businessman, a revered community leader, and, most importantly, a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was taken too soon, but John leaves behind a proud and enduring legacy that lesser men could not hope to forge in a dozen lifetimes. prgtoken While reflecting on John's time with us, I turned to scripture and was reminded of him in one of my favorite verses. ``And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.'' (1 Thessalonians 4: 11-12) prgtoken A dairy farmer by trade, John's passion for his family and community, entrepreneurial spirit, and respect for nature brought him tremendous success in life. A towering figure in Wisconsin industry and a renowned public servant, John never shed the humble hometown qualities that earned him respect and happiness from the start. Beloved by his family, community, and employees, good and honest men like John are hard to find and even harder to lose. prgtoken John's extraordinary memory will be cherished by countless people across Wisconsin and America. May his humility, decency, and uncompromising integrity be remembered and emulated by all who knew him.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4296, OPERATIONAL RISK CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BANKING ORGANIZATIONS, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4607, COMPREHENSIVE REGULATORY REVIEW ACT
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-2-27

I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. prgtoken Just 3 weeks ago, we hosted a small lender in my district office who was being hindered in his efforts to serve home buyers in eastern Colorado. Why? Washington, in its unyielding effort to regulate every decision of Americans, lumped this lender into a broader regulation that came out of the housing crisis 10 years ago. This isn't some theoretical exercise. These regulations have real impact on Coloradans. prgtoken The last time I was on the floor debating these issues, I discussed the affordable housing situation in Colorado. Without completely recounting that debate, I want to reiterate the basic facts. prgtoken From 2009 to 2016, Colorado had a net increase of 600,000 people. In that same time, housing costs skyrocketed by more than 57 percent. prgtoken Since 2016, our growth has begun to fall off considerably. When The Denver Post researched why a State with a high quality of life and decades more growth potential had a dramatically slowing growth rate, they found that a substantial part of it had to do with rising housing costs. prgtoken We must reconsider our Washington-knows-best regulatory approach. We here in Washington can't possibly know what is the best for a potential home buyer in Trinidad or Las Animas or Fort Morgan or Greeley or Castle Rock, Colorado. prgtoken I, for one, am tired of the arrogance of Washington telling us in eastern Colorado which banks we can and can't use to finance our mortgages. It is time that we bring financial accountability to the place that needs it most: Washington. prgtoken That is what these two financial bills do. They return power to the American people. They reduce unnecessary regulations on small community banks and credit unions, thereby freeing up capital that small businesses and employers can access to create new jobs. They make commonsense changes to Federal laws so that regulators have to routinely review their regulations to ensure that the regulations are not overly burdensome. prgtoken Eastern Coloradans are frustrated with the Washington-knows-best mindset of their government, and I am listening to them. prgtoken , .
Honoring Officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering (Executive Calendar)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-2-27

I would like to talk today about two prgtoken brave Ohioans who were tragically killed while serving their community and all of us. prgtoken On Saturday, February 10, Ohio lost two of its finest when Westerville Police Officers Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering were fatally shot responding to a 9-1-1 call. They rushed to the scene. When they arrived, they were under fire. Officer Joering was killed at the scene. Officer Morelli died in surgery later that day. prgtoken Officer Morelli was a 29-year veteran of the Westerville Police Department. He leaves behind his wife Linda, their daughter Beth, and son Chris. Officer Joering was a 16-year veteran of the Westerville Police Department, where he was a K-9 officer partnered with his dog Sam. prgtoken Eric loved working with Sam, but what he really loved were his kids and his wife. His most important job, he said, was being a husband and a father. He is survived by his wife Jami and his beautiful daughters Eva, Elena, and Ella. prgtoken Both men were loved and respected members of the Westerville community, and both will be sorely missed. I had a chance to talk to a number of their fellow officers, their colleagues, over the weekend and heard many stories about them, their bravery, and their commitment to service. prgtoken I also had the great honor to meet with the families of both of these fallen officers over this past weekend in Columbus, OH. Linda Morelli and Jami Joering are incredibly strong women and incredibly strong mothers. I expressed my thanks from all Ohioans for their husbands' service. I also had a chance to talk to four of the five children about their fathers' exemplary service; that they had fallen in service to all of us and how much we appreciated them. prgtoken The U.S. Capitol has flags that are flown for special occasions, and two flags were flown in honor of the sacrifices these two good men made protecting the people of Ohio. prgtoken Throughout this tragic situation, I will say the people of Central Ohio and, frankly, across the Nation have stepped up in big ways to support and assist these two families. I am encouraged by the kindness and generosity we have seen. prgtoken I want to take a moment to just say that these two brave officers, Tony Morelli and Eric Joering, were the best. They made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Today, we hold their families up in prayer. (The remarks of Mr. Portman pertaining to the introduction of S. 2456 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')