mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PAYING TRIBUTE TO COLONEL JAMES A. DeLAPP UPON HIS RETIREMENT
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-6-25

I rise to pay tribute to Colonel James A. DeLapp upon his retirement from the U.S. Army. DeLapp most recently served as Commander of the Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. prgtoken Colonel DeLapp, a native of Barrington, Illinois, has served our nation in the U.S. Army for over 24 years. Within this period of dedicated service, Colonel DeLapp assisted in military and peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Croatia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as leading the Corps of Engineers Recovery Field Office mission to provide relief to residents of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. prgtoken Prior to his experience commanding the Mobile District, Colonel DeLapp served as Commander of the Nashville District of the U.S. prgtoken Army Corps of Engineers. As Commander of the Nashville District, he managed improvements in navigation, flood damage reduction, hydropower, environmental stewardship, and recreation for the Cumberland and Tennessee River basins. prgtoken Colonel DeLapp graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Kansas State University with a Bachelor's of Architecture Degree in 1994. In 2003, he earned his Master's of Science in Construction Management from Texas A&M University. prgtoken Colonel DeLapp has accumulated a commendable number of awards for his time served in the U.S. Army, including the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Superior Unit Award, as well as others. prgtoken The work the Army Corps does in Southwest Alabama and throughout our country is critical to protecting our local communities, ensuring the free flow of maritime commerce, and protecting our unique coastal ecosystem. Colonel DeLapp has played a pivotal role in ensuring that mission is accomplished on a day-to-day basis, and his leadership will be sorely missed. prgtoken On behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District and the countless people his leadership has impacted, I wish Colonel DeLapp all the best upon his retirement. His tireless service to our country will not be forgotten.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-6-25

I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the ic leader, the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 601. I ask consent that there then be 5 hours of debate, equally divided, and that following the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; that no further motions be in order; and that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record.
ADVANCING CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION ACT
Chris Stewart (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-6-25

as you know--I think everyone knows this much--much of the land in the Western States is controlled by whom? The Federal Government. prgtoken In my own home State of Utah, about two-thirds of the land is owned and controlled by the Federal Government. Because States cannot tax this Federal Government land, it means that about two-thirds of the land in Utah cannot be taxed. prgtoken This, as you can imagine, presents enormous challenges for Western States when they are trying to raise sufficient funds for things like public education. prgtoken Recognizing this challenge, Congress made sizable land grants to the Western States, but it was based on the condition that granted lands be held in trust and used to generate revenue for education and other worthy causes. prgtoken Since the time State lands trust grants were made, large areas of the West have been designated for Federal protection. This has resulted in these trust lands being encapsulated inside federally protected lands, creating land management conflicts that are just enormous and very difficult to overcome. prgtoken Once again, the end result is that you have reduced revenues for our children in Utah, and we have a challenge finding sufficient revenue to educate them. It is clearly in the best interest of States and the Federal Government to transfer ownership of some of these trust lands to the Federal Government in exchange for less sensitive and revenue- generating lands transferred to the State. prgtoken This truly is bipartisan, a win-win, and not difficult to see that everyone is better off by this. Land exchanges between States and the Federal Government have become very expensive and time-consuming. That is why my bill advancing conservation and education creates a streamlined mechanism for transfer of lands between States and the Federal Government. prgtoken As I said, this bill truly is a win-win, and it proves to the people on all sides that we can come together and that we can solve some of these very complex land issues. prgtoken So, again, I want to thank my friend from Colorado (Mr. Polis) for working with me on this important legislation. I would also like to thank the Wilderness Society, SITLA, and others who have worked to make this possible. prgtoken If you are a conservationist, if you are an educator, if you are a legislator on either side of the aisle, this is something that most of us agree is helpful and positive for the Federal Government and also for the children in Utah.
TAX REFORM BENEFITS
Jim Banks (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-6-25

I thank my friend, Chairwoman Brooks, for her attention to the positive effects of tax cuts on our Nation's economy, especially back home in Indiana. prgtoken , when this body was debating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we were told that 3 percent growth was impossible. We were told that the middle class and small businesses would not see any benefits. And we were told that manufacturing jobs would never come back. prgtoken , all of these so-called experts were dead wrong. prgtoken Since December, the U.S. economy has been growing at 2.9 percent and the Atlanta Federal Reserve bank estimates that growth this quarter will exceed 4 percent. prgtoken This is hardly the ``secular stagnation'' that so many on the left insisted was the inescapable future for the U.S. economy. prgtoken The bottom line is this: the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has unleashed record growth by lowering taxes on America's families and businesses. prgtoken When I am back home in northeast Indiana, I am constantly hearing good news as a result of tax reform. prgtoken In Bluffton, 20/20 Plastics is increasing annual wages by $1,200 and looking to invest in new manufacturing facilities in 2019. prgtoken In Fort Wayne, Quake Manufacturing is adding $1,000 bonuses and dental insurance for its employees. prgtoken Hoosiers across northeast Indiana have experienced the benefits just from turning on their lights, as Northern Indiana Public Service Company requested that customers' utility rates be lowered. prgtoken It is no secret why this is happening: Washington is taking a page out of Indiana's playbook. prgtoken During my time as a State senator, I was proud to work with Governors Mitch Daniels and to significantly lower taxes on individuals and businesses. prgtoken As a result, Indiana has one of the strongest economies in the country, with an unemployment rate of 3.2 percent and a labor force participation rate well above the national average. prgtoken Unemployment claims are at a historic low, and Indiana consistently ranks as one of the top States for business investment and economic growth. prgtoken For example, the annual report ``Rich States/Poor States'' ranks Indiana as having the country's third best economic outlook, while CNBC has consistently ranked the Hoosier state as one of the best places in the country to do business. prgtoken Finally, Indiana continues to be a manufacturing powerhouse, with 536,000 Hoosiers employed in the industry, and this number will only grow thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. prgtoken Monthly manufacturing job gains have more than doubled under control, with over two-thirds of manufacturers creating new jobs to fill. prgtoken Even more impressive, 86 percent of manufacturing firms plan to increase capital investments thanks to the tax cuts passed by s. prgtoken As the district with the most manufacturing workers in the country, this is great news for Hoosiers as companies across northeast Indian
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-6-25

on Friday, I traveled to the Rio Grande Valley, right along the U.S.-Mexico border, expecting the front-page news to be about separation of families when our immigration laws were being enforced. Imagine my surprise when the front page of the newspapers in the Rio Grande Valley were talking about the flooding in South Texas. prgtoken We heard that late last week, more than 200 water rescues were performed on the border city of Mission alone, and some areas were pounded by more than 15 inches of rain over a 4-day period. Cities in South Texas, such as Harlingen, Mercedes, Weslaco, Brownsville, and others, were affected. I saw it myself when I was in the Valley last week. A feeder road and entire soccer fields were underwater, and county officials were out surveying flood damage around the airport. This has been especially tough news because some of the coastal areas in my State that were impacted by this flood were also hit by Hurricane Harvey less than a year ago and are still recovering from that catastrophe. Just as life started to get back to normal--whatever normal is--the rains came. prgtoken As hurricane season is now underway, we will continue to monitor the weather and the conditions there that may arise throughout the remainder of the summer months and to work with all of my constituents and leaders at the local, State, and Federal level to make sure we are as prepared as we can humanly be for the next adverse weather event. Keep Families Together and Enforce the Law Act prgtoken As I said, , I went to the border to talk about immigration and family separation policies. I traveled there to tour two facilities in Brownsville, along with Senator Cruz, that housed young children--some very young and some up to 18, just under 18 years of age--who are being sheltered after their parents crossed illegally into the United States. prgtoken It is important to note that in so many respects, life is pretty good in the Rio Grande Valley. Business is booming. Men and women are working hard, going to school, paying their bills, just like the rest of us. It is not all the Wild Wild West, as the press sometimes makes it out to be. prgtoken When it comes to immigrant shelters, I think it is very important that we learn what the facts are rather than continue a narrative that has very little basis in fact. prgtoken The truth is, the surge of humanity coming across our southern border is nothing new. This year so far--since October 1--there have been roughly 32,000 unaccompanied children who have come across the border, more than 50,000 families, but all told, the Border Patrol has detained roughly 250,000 people coming across our southwestern border. prgtoken I know that here in Washington, you could be forgiven for thinking ``Well, the border is not a problem. Illegal immigration is not a problem,'' but I am here to say it is a problem, and it is a national security threat. T
HONORING THE MEMORY OF MASTER SERGEANT GARY GORDON
Bruce Poliquin (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-6-25

I rise today to commemorate this year's 25th Anniversary of the death of Master Sergeant Gary Gordon, U.S. Army Special Forces. prgtoken MSG Gary Gordon was an extraordinary man and soldier, serving as Sniper Team Leader, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in the Battle of Mogadishu. He went above and beyond the call of duty on October 3, 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia, giving his own life to save another. prgtoken Since MSG Gary Gordon's heroic death in 1993, his beloved family, the Town of Lincoln, and our Great State of Maine have never forgotten his service and sacrifice. It has become tradition for the people of Lincoln, Maine to pause and honor MSG Gordon, their hometown hero, each and every year. prgtoken This year, on June 30, 2018, we will pay tribute to his life with MSG Gary Gordon Day, including a 5k run and walk and a yard sale fundraiser to erect his memorial statue in The Town of Lincoln's Veterans Park. The memorial will feature MSG Gordon's Medal of Honor citation, as well as a plaque with the names of all the American soldiers killed in 1993 in Somalia. prgtoken Today, the legacy of Master Sergeant Gary Gordon and his selfless sacrifice lives on in the Town of Lincoln. We are so proud that this man lived, and hailed from the heart of our Great State of Maine. I am humbled and honored to serve in the United States Congress on behalf of the Gordon family and the residents of Lincoln, Maine, who are always looking to honor the memory our brave heroes like MSG Gary Gordon. prgtoken and distinguished colleagues, please join me in recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the death of Master Sergeant Gary Gordon, and in assuring his family, friends, and community that he will never be forgotten.
HONORING THE CAREER OF TOM MELIUS, MIDWEST REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-6-25

I rise today to honor Tom Melius on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service after nine years as the Midwest Regional Director. For more than 30 years of distinguished Federal service, Tom has been a leader who is always focused on the Service's mission to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. prgtoken As the Director of the Midwestern Region of the USFWS, Tom skillfully oversaw more than 1,000 people based at eight field offices, and an area encompassing 1.5 million acres of land in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. Tom also led the national effort to protect the monarch butterfly: the state insect of Minnesota and synonymous with the imagery of the great plains throughout the Midwest. Under his stewardship, the program became a national model for other pollinator and wildlife conservation programs. prgtoken Prior to his posting in the Midwest Region, Tom oversaw the vast and rugged terrain of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska region and served as Assistant Director for External Affairs in the Washington, D.C Office from 2003 to 2006. There he led the national programs for Public Engagement, Congressional and Legislative Affairs, and the office of Native American Liaison. prgtoken Tom has also conducted substantive conservation for the Service while he was Assistant Director for Migratory Birds and State Programs. In this role he acted as the Service's representative on issues regarding the management and conservation of migratory birds and the implementation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and wetlands programs. prgtoken In 2014, Tom was named one of four U.S. Commissioners on the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and advised the sea lamprey control program, which became one of the most successful invasive species programs in the history of international conservation. His efforts in guiding this program directly improved the health of the vast habitat and ecosystem that is the Great Lakes. In turn, he ensured that the lakes would remain healthy and true to their natural characteristics well into the future. prgtoken Before joining the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tom served as a staff member on Capitol Hill, rising to a senior position on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he crafted policy for fishery management with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Coast Guard; and for coastal programs with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He also advised the Committee on international conservation matters involving wildlife trade, marine mammals and endangered species. His thorough understanding of the legislative process has likely played a significant role in his ability to be an incredibly effective leader at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. prgtoken
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2018-6-25

I want to thank Chairman Alexander as well as Vice Chair Leahy, Chairman Shelby, Chairman Boozman, and many other people who have made this minibus work. We are going to adopt it tonight. I hope that our work over the last week has set the tone for the Senate's consideration of the remaining appropriations bills. prgtoken We have opened debate and considered a number of amendments, and we have avoided controversial issues that have too often torpedoed our work in prior years. Between rollcall votes and the managers' package, we have adopted 40 amendments, including 14 to the MILCON-VA appropriations bill. This speaks volumes to the bipartisan cooperation that I expect will continue as we try to get back to some semblance of the regular order as it relates to the appropriations process. prgtoken I especially want to thank my colleague from Arkansas, Chairman Boozman, for managing a fair amendment process and for working to keep the bill bipartisan. I want to thank subcommittee staff Patrick Magnuson, Jennifer Bastin, and Joanne Hoff. And from my subcommittee staff, I thank Chad Schulken and Jason McMahon. They worked late nights reviewing hundreds of amendments. prgtoken I also want to thank our counterparts on the Energy and Water and Legislative Branch Subcommittees, and their staffs, for their great work over the past few months to put together bills that I believe will pass overwhelmingly today. prgtoken Lastly, it is important to thank Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Leahy for getting us to this point. By the end of the week, we will have reported out of the full committees all 12 government funding bills with 3 having passed the floor, and all before July 4. That is what is possible when there is a commitment to making this place work. prgtoken I will just call out one particular moment that actually impressed me. Things got a little wobbly when the rescissions package, which was a privileged matter, hit the floor. We had a couple of tough conversations, but we navigated our way through that. Then there was an amendment offered that was in order, but it was about waters of the United States. Without getting into great detail about this, there is probably nothing that causes people to go put on their partisan jerseys more than WOTUS--waters of the United States. Chairman Shelby and many s, including Leader McConnell, said, essentially: Listen, I am with you, Senator Lee, in principle, but this is not the bill on which to do this. That is the kind of discipline that is going to be required of both parties if we are going to keep the appropriations process on track and allow it to be held harmless from some of our more partisan disputes. prgtoken Their strong leadership and that of their staffs--Shannon Hines, Jonathan Graffeo, and David Adkins from the majority and, of course, Chuck Kieffer, Chanda Betourney, and Jessica Berry from the minority-- have gotten us where we are today
TANZANIA
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-6-25

I rise to call attention to the trend of increasing restrictions on basic freedoms in Tanzania, a country that appeared to be on a path toward greater democracy and political openness. I am deeply concerned about reports of Tanzanian security forces' use of repressive laws, decrees, and actions to harass those who disagree with the current regime and unattributed attacks on democratically elected opposition party officials. I call upon the administration to increase its efforts to encourage the government of Tanzania to support individual and collective freedoms, freedom of expression, and civil liberties. Such norms are the hallmarks of a healthy democracy and are among the basic rights and duties guaranteed to Tanzania's citizens under their constitution. prgtoken These reports are troubling because, on the whole, Tanzania is among the most stable and peaceful countries in the region. Tanzania is a top African prgtoken contributor of personnel to international peacekeeping operations, and we honor the sacrifice of the Tanzanian people, who have lost nearly 50 peacekeepers during these vital missions, including 14 killed in the ic Republic of Congo. It is one of the leading African economies and had the sixth largest GDP in Africa, according to IMF data published in April. prgtoken U.S.-Tanzanian ties have, for many years, been cordial, and U.S. bilateral aid expanded significantly under the previous two U.S. administrations. The U.S. has had a robust development relationship with Tanzania, including investments in some of our premier development programs, such as Feed the Future, the Global Health Initiative, the Global Climate Change Initiative, Power Africa, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief--PEPFAR--and Trade Africa. Since 1962, Tanzania has hosted a Peace Corps program. In 2013, Tanzania also successfully completed a Millennium Challenge Corporation, MCC, funded Compact. prgtoken Upon taking office in October 2015, President John Pombe Magufuli pledged to stamp out public corruption and make his government accountable to ordinary citizens, and he has taken some steps to do so. He made an unannounced visit to the Ministry of Finance to see civil servants at work on his first day as President and redirected funds from Independence Day celebrations toward anticholera operations. He initiated corruption reviews of the Tanzanian Port Authority and Tanzanian Revenue authority, resulting in the dissolution of an ineffective board and purging of civil servant rolls of ``phantom staff.'' According to AfroBarometer surveys, the government's handling of corruption in public office has had a positive impact, reducing citizens' perceptions of institutional corruption in key public agencies. prgtoken By many measures, Tanzania is doing fairly well. My purpose is not to offer gratuitous criticisms of Tanzania or its people, but to register my strong concern that the progres