mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-2-7

I expect Senator Rubio to be joining me here on the floor as we talk about some of the legislative fixes to some of the problems that have come about as a result of these devastating hurricanes. prgtoken It has been 5 months since Hurricane Irma hit Florida, and it has been 4 months since Maria hit Puerto Rico. Irma hit Puerto Rico as well. Of course, before Florida's Hurricane Irma, you had all of the problems with the flooding from another hurricane in Texas and then, later on, from the wildfires in California. So I am happy to finally say that we have a path forward now on a disaster aid bill for all of these natural disasters. prgtoken I can't count on the fingers of both hands how many times I have been out here. I could say the same of the letters written and the speeches that Senator Rubio and I have both given together about this disaster aid and the need for it. Finally, we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel in that there is a good possibility this is going to happen in the Senate within the next 2 days. prgtoken The problem is that, in Puerto Rico, American citizens have been living without power, and schools and businesses are closed. The Federal Government has been dragging its feet to help them. People have been waiting, and they have been suffering. Right now, over one-third of the people in Puerto Rico are closing in on 5 months after the hurricane and are without electricity. Potable water is still a problem in Puerto Rico. prgtoken Can you imagine in any other mainland State, nearly 5 months after a hurricane, one-third of its people not having electricity restored? I mean, there would be such outrage and demonstration. This is what is going on in Puerto Rico. Finally, I think we are able to see in this disaster bill some assistance to the island, as well as to the Virgin Islands, and especially to our State of Florida, which was hit so hard. prgtoken I will outline some of this and tell Senator Rubio that I have been talking about all of the things that we have done together ad infinitum in trying to get this disaster aid package finally to the point at which we can say we are so thankful we see a path forward. We have discussed over and over with Senate leadership Florida's agriculture industry, which needs help. Our schools need additional funding to deal with the influx of students from Puerto Rico into Florida. Our critical infrastructure, such as the Lake Okeechobee dike, needs funding to withstand a future storm. prgtoken The agriculture industry in our State sustained significant damage after Irma. Citrus growers have suffered approximately $760 million of loss. Why? prgtoken Because, right after the hurricane, half the crop of the citrus grove in central Florida that Senator Rubio and I visited was on the ground. If you go further south in Florida, there are groves where, actually, 100 percent of the oranges have ended up on the ground because of the ferocit
CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-2-7

I want to thank my colleague from New York, who is on the floor today, for her leadership on this very important issue. prgtoken I am here to join in the discussion on one of the most pressing issues facing American families all across our country--our Nation's outdated family leave policy. About 2 weeks ago, I announced that I am expecting a baby girl in April. The support for my announcement has been overwhelming, and I am grateful for it. I have received so many congratulations and lots of questions about my daughter-to-be. I have also gotten questions about how I balance being a working mother and a legislator, how I expect to handle having a newborn and a 3-year-old as I continue my work here in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken I know these questions come from a good place, but let's be real. It is 2018. Women have been having children since the beginning of humanity, and I am nowhere near the first person to be a working mom. In fact, my colleague was a working mom and legislator long before I was. prgtoken Millions of women have been balancing the demands of their job and their families ever since female trailblazers first joined the working world, but you wouldn't know that based on the policies we have adopted as a country. The United States is one of just a handful of developed countries in the world that doesn't offer paid maternity leave, and one of the very few industrialized nations that doesn't offer paid parental or family leave to parents. prgtoken Across our Nation, working parents face barriers to staying in the workforce. Lack of access to affordable child care and paid family medical and parental leave forces people to choose between taking care of their children or a sick family member and losing their job and their health insurance. That hurts our entire country. That is why, as we mark the 25th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act today, I want to highlight the commonsense legislation my colleagues and I have introduced to make the workplace more accommodating for working parents. prgtoken Senator Gillibrand has a great bill, the FAMILY Act, which would do just that by creating a universal family and medical leave insurance program that would cost employers and employees less than $1.50 per week on average. This is the ultimate in self-help. This is people helping themselves so that they can have the leave they need when their families need it. prgtoken Senator Patty Murray's Child Care for Working Families Act would ensure every family has access to affordable and high-quality child care. And my Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools Reauthorization Act would increase access to on-campus care for student parents, who make up more than one-quarter of all college students in America. prgtoken These bills are a great place to start, and we should take them up in the Senate as soon as possible. After all, the FMLA passed in 1993. While it was an important step forwar
SUPPORT FOR LIBERTY IN IRAN
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-8

this year started with thousands of Iranians, including many young people, taking to the streets in opposition to the corrupt regime of the mullahs in Iran. prgtoken Iranians face brutality, imprisonment, and execution simply because they want freedom of expression and disagree with the Iranian Government. prgtoken Protests in over 100 cities have been silenced by the IRGC thugs as the rogue regime continues its crackdown on human rights. prgtoken The government has shut down the internet and social media. prgtoken The United States should stand with the Iranian people by seeing to it that the Iranians have access to social media through satellite communication. prgtoken If we help the Iranians have freedom of expression through speech and press, the world will know how the illegitimate regime persecutes its own people. prgtoken Hopefully, the people will remove this dictatorship and have a government that they, the people, put in power. After all, isn't that what freedom is all about? prgtoken And that is just the way it is.
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-2-8

reserving the right to object, I ran for office because I was very critical of President 's trillion-dollar deficits. Now we have s, hand in hand with , who are offering us trillion-dollar deficits. I cannot, in all good honesty and all good faith, just look the other way because my party is now complicit in the deficits. But, really, who is to blame? Both parties. prgtoken We have a 700-page bill that no one has read and that was printed at midnight. No one will read this bill. Nothing will be reformed. The waste will continue, and government will keep taking your money irresponsibly and adding to the $20 trillion debt. prgtoken There are no amendments being allowed. This is the most important debate we will have in the year over spending, and no amendments are allowed. We should have a full amendment process. We have been open for business for 10 hours today. You can do four amendments an hour. We could have done 40 amendments. So it is a canard to say that we cannot have one amendment and cannot spend 15 minutes debating whether or not it is good for the country to add $1 trillion of debt. prgtoken , I object.
SMALL BANK HOLDING COMPANY RELIEF ACT OF 2018
Mia B. Love (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-2-8

she would like to expand her business to employ even more people, but she continuously receives red tape, and it makes it very difficult for her to be able to provide for her community. This is about families sitting around the kitchen table imagining the possibilities of renovating their home and the entrepreneur dreaming of starting a restaurant or being her own boss. prgtoken Raising the threshold received strong bipartisan support in the Financial Services Committee, and I hope that it will receive equal support in this Chamber. prgtoken , I would like to thank the chairman for this bill.
SMALL BANK HOLDING COMPANY RELIEF ACT OF 2018
Lee M. Zeldin (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-2-8

I rise in strong support of H.R. 4771, the Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act, and I commend my friend from Utah, Mia Love, for her amazing leadership on this important issue and her tireless effort to bring relief to the community banks that lend to small businesses and families in my district and in towns all across America. prgtoken By reforming the onerous one-size-fits-all regulations mandated by the Dodd-Frank law that roped small community financial institutions in with large global too-big-to-fail megafirms, this commonsense bill will give community banks and the customers they serve more clarity and allow them to focus on their important mission of lending to homeowners and businesses. prgtoken This legislation also makes it easier for small- and medium-sized institutions subject to Dodd-Frank mandates to form new holding companies, fund existing holding companies, and make acquisitions by issuing debt at the holding company level. prgtoken Now that they are subject to the Basel III capital requirements, many community banks have found it difficult to access and raise capital.
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Paul D. Ryan (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-2-8

I will be brief. prgtoken A few hours ago, the Senate passed this agreement with a very big bipartisan vote: 75 percent of the Senate , 68 percent of the Senate s, s and coming together on a true compromise measure. I think that is a thing to celebrate. prgtoken It accomplishes what so many of us had been fighting for. First and foremost, this agreement accomplishes getting the resources that we need to rebuild our military. Also, this includes long-delayed disaster funding to aid recovery from the hurricanes and the wildfires; money to fight opioids, something that knows no partisan boundaries; and the extension of important healthcare programs. prgtoken This agreement will also allow us to step off this carousel of short- term funding bills that do nothing but hurt our military and stymie our ability to focus on other important agenda items. And I think that has been noted here tonight. prgtoken You know, most Americans are not even awake yet, or maybe they are just getting up for the first shift. By the time they catch up with the news this morning, they will see one of two things, depending upon what choice we make here right now. prgtoken Either Congress will have done its most basic responsibility: funding the government and taking care of our brave men and women in uniform. I really believe that that is what the majority of this people in this body want to see happen. prgtoken Or they will see a second needless shutdown in a matter of weeks. Entirely needless. prgtoken s will deliver more than our share of votes this morning. I urge my friends in the minority to stand with us on this bipartisan bill. prgtoken My commitment to working together on an immigration measure that we can make law is a sincere commitment. Let me repeat. My commitment to working together on an immigration measure that we can make law is a sincere commitment. We will solve this DACA problem. prgtoken Once we get this budget agreement done--and we will get this done, no matter how long it takes for us to stay here--we will focus on bringing that debate to this floor and finding a solution. But we cannot do that unless we pass this budget agreement. prgtoken Our military can no longer be held hostage in this process. So, for this morning, let's honor our troops. Let's do our most basic job and let's pass this bill.
SMALL BANK HOLDING COMPANY RELIEF ACT OF 2018
Keith J. Rothfus (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-2-8

I thank the chairman for yielding. prgtoken , I rise today to express my support for H.R. 4771, the Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act. prgtoken I also want to thank my colleague from Utah, Representative Love, for her hard work on this important issue. prgtoken We have extensively discussed the challenges that small banks face in the current regulatory environment, both on the House floor and in the Financial Services Committee, including, just yesterday, a debate on the Mortgage Choice Act. prgtoken These challenges contribute to the continued retreat of community banks from small towns and underserved communities across our country, including those that dot my district in the hills and valleys of western Pennsylvania. prgtoken This hurts families and Main Street businesses by depriving them of the access to financial services that they desperately need. prgtoken The Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act will allow more institutions to operate under the Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, which will help them raise additional capital by issuing debt. prgtoken It will also make it easier for covered institutions to form new holding companies, fund existing holding companies, and make acquisitions. prgtoken Altogether, this is a smart, targeted bill that will help more small financial institutions grow and adjust to the changing economic and regulatory landscape. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
CONGRATULATING DEREK LEONARD ON HIS COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINATION
Rodney Davis (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-2-8

I rise today to congratulate Coach Derek Leonard, who was nominated by the Chicago Bears for the 2017 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award. prgtoken Nominees for this award are chosen for their character, integrity, leadership, dedication to their community, commitment to player health and safety, and on-field success. Derek Leonard exemplifies all of these qualities. Coach Leonard has coached the Rochester Rockets football team since 2006 with an impressive 133-29 career record, including a record seven State championships, the most by any public school in my home State of Illinois. prgtoken Derek is known for being one of the most gifted offensive minds in high school football, but Coach Leonard reaches beyond football with his message of faith, family, and football, in that order. He is a leader with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and ensures his players are equipped to become good men in life after they graduate from high school and walk off o that football field. prgtoken I am proud to have Coach Leonard as a friend, and I want to congratulate him and his family and his team on this honor.
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-8

I want to express my gratitude to my friend from Vermont for his service on the Appropriations Committee and working with us specifically on this particular legislation as it relates to the disaster relief aspect of it. prgtoken Obviously, my State was devastated by Hurricane Harvey, but I must tell my friend, I have new empathy and understanding for how bound we are together as to what happens in one part of the country should be of concern to those of us in other parts of the country because eventually, sooner or later, disasters are going to visit all of us. prgtoken It is good news that the majority leader was able to announce yesterday that we reached a compromise on government funding through not just the end of this fiscal year but next year as well. This agreement ensures that our Armed Forces will finally have the resources they need. prgtoken My colleague and fellow Texan Mac Thornberry, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, along with the senior Senator from Arizona, Mr. McCain, said it best. They said: This budget agreement is indispensable for our national security. Without it, our military would not be able to defend our Nation. prgtoken Hard stop. Let me repeat that. This budget agreement is indispensable for our national security. Without it, our military would not be able to defend our Nation. prgtoken I think, of all the demands made on the taxpayer dollars that are sent to Washington, DC--and many of them have a lot of merit, some more than others--but I have to say, if you were going to ask me to prioritize how do we appropriate money here in Washington, DC, national security would be job No. 1. prgtoken In addition, the funding bill will provide support for our veterans, those who have worn the uniform but have now left the military service, as well as their families, and it will clear the way for new investment in our Nation's infrastructure. prgtoken I am grateful to the majority leader for his hard work during this series of long and delicate negotiations. We all know it could not have been easy. Even more than that, I am glad, as I indicated at the outset, that the funding package finally sends disaster relief to prgtoken Texas--disaster relief that had been long promised but had been delayed time and time again. prgtoken Today, the Senate will be considering supplemental appropriations for disaster aid that affects the victims of Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harvey, as well as the wildfires and mudslides out West. Last August, Hurricane Harvey made its landfall near Houston, along the gulf coast. When that storm hit, communities like Port Arthur, Beaumont, Rockport, and Victoria were crippled, not to mention Houston, where most of the major media covered, one of the largest cities in the United States. prgtoken The National Hurricane Center's official report released last month confirmed what those who lived through the storm a
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1892, HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Paul Mitchell (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-2-8

at 3:40 in the morning, I am a little surprised that some of our colleagues wish to reprise history, but I guess so be it. prgtoken Some forget here that we passed all 12 appropriations bills in September, to no avail. They sit in the Senate requiring 60 votes. prgtoken I remember a few days ago I stood here and we talked about math with my colleagues, and the s had 51 votes in the Senate. A democracy requires people work together. prgtoken The Senate decided not to do that, so we have ended up with a series of continuing resolutions, what I consider to prgtoken be an absolute travesty of governance. We have to fund the government in pieces. A month here, 6 weeks there. prgtoken The last CR, we almost had a deal. It seemed like there was an arrangement we would have to move forward to fund the government before the shutdown. prgtoken But, I will stress, some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle in the other Chamber decided to throw the kitchen sink at it, demand their entire legislative agenda be put into a CR; DACA, which we are hearing tonight, then they came up with pensions. It was one thing after another of demands, using funding our military, funding our government, keeping the lights on as leverage for their political agenda. prgtoken We have a basic function here: keep the lights on. prgtoken The second thing the Constitution says is to preserve and protect our Nation, which means we have to fund our military. But some have felt this is not necessarily a priority of theirs if they can't get the other things they want when they want them. prgtoken We now have a bipartisan agreement that the Senate has sent over. It is far from perfect. I don't know if we will ever see perfect in this Chamber. In my 35 years of business, I rarely saw perfect, but you take progress and move on. prgtoken What does it do for us? prgtoken It fully funds defense at the level that Secretary Mattis requested so we can defend our Nation against the threats we see and take care of our military men and women. prgtoken It funds community health centers. I have 11 of them in my district. It provides 10-year funding for CHIP now--the Children's Health Insurance Program--near and dear to all of us. prgtoken It provides a down payment on infrastructure that is badly needed in this country. prgtoken It provides additional funding for opioid treatment in this Nation, a crisis that we face. prgtoken So, again, I am left to wonder why it is we want to defeat the rule to turn down this effort, this bipartisan agreement, to add another agenda in there. Why would my colleagues want to do that? prgtoken At some point in time we take progress. The has indicated we will deal with DACA. We will also move on to dealing with infrastructure. We will move on to workforce development. We have got serious policy issues to deal with, but the priority we have at this moment in time is to fund the government. prgtoken We have a bipartisan agree
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-2-8

I thank my friend from Alaska for once again segueing to the larger issue there. Vessel incidental discharge is a very important part but only a part of the Coast Guard authorization. The Senator from Alaska makes the very valid point that we really need to get to a point where we take up the Coast Guard reauthorization on a regular basis because it is a very vital part of our national security. The Coast Guard is actually one of those domestic discretionary programs that provide us prgtoken with a great deal of national security. Our Coast Guard currently operates ships in its high-endurance cutter fleet that are more than 45 years old. We need some reforms in the Coast Guard. The Senate and the House need to pay attention to the reauthorization on a very regular basis. So the larger issue is absolutely well-taken on the part of the Senator from Alaska. prgtoken I would once again say that my friend the Senator from Alaska has exercised excellent leadership. He has been relentless on the Coast Guard reauthorization and particularly the vessel incidental discharge, and he and others who have fought so hard really deserve some results because there are no substantive objections that can be raised at this point.