mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Calendar)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-11-13

I join the Senator from Missouri, the Senator from Alaska, and the other Senators in calling for the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken This bill is the last of a breed. It is a bill we have passed with a large bipartisan majority in Congress every single year for 58 straight years. It hasn't been derailed by petty, partisan politics or grievances between the parties. It has gotten large bipartisan majorities because Congress has understood that for those 58 years, the national defense must come before politics. It is the definition of a must-pass act, but time is short to get it right, unfortunately, because of those very kinds of petty, partisan politics. prgtoken This bill is an opportunity for us to continue rebuilding our military after 8 years of stagnation and cuts by the last administration. The bill would increase funding to our troops by $22 billion--money that would be spent on cutting-edge technologies, like new vertical-lift jet engines, to give our troops an edge in future conflicts. prgtoken This kind of investment is essential, especially as storm clouds brew in the Western Pacific from a rising China. The Communist Party of China is not derailed by petty, partisan politics; therefore, it is investing huge sums to transform its military into a world-class force that will be capable of rivaling and, it hopes, ultimately, of defeating our own military. At the same time, China is pursuing an aggressive technology strategy to dominate the next generation of military hardware. Beijing's ultimate goal, of course, is to replace us not just as the most powerful country in the Western Pacific but in the entire world. So we must invest in our military right now or else we will reap that whirlwind in the future. prgtoken There are many other important measures that have been included in this year's Defense bill that will not pass--that will not even see the light of day--on the Senate floor if we fail to pass the bill. prgtoken There is the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, which is my bipartisan legislation, that would crack down on foreign criminals--mostly Chinese--who smuggle deadly poisons across our border. Synthetic opioids kill tens of thousands of Americans every year, and that toll will continue to rise if we don't start to bust up the criminal networks that originate in China and then come through Mexico to poison our communities. Let's pass the Defense bill to give law enforcement the tools of the Fentanyl Sanctions Act. prgtoken There is also the PCS Act, which is my legislation that would help military spouses transfer their occupational licenses across State lines. When your husband or your wife is in the military, you follow his or her career, and if you are a lawyer or a nurse or a teacher or any of the other hundreds of jobs that require an occupational license in this country, you face barriers to working and putting food on the table for your family. This
Nomination of Steven J. Menashi (Executive Calendar)
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2019-11-13

today in the Commerce Committee, following an in-depth 18-month investigation to examine cultural and systemic issues regarding abuse in the Olympic movement, Senator Blumenthal and I introduced bipartisan legislation, the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019. It was accompanied by an investigative report, findings, and, recommendations. I am pleased that the Commerce Committee approved that legislation today. This marks a significant step forward to improving the protections and representations provided to our amateur athletes. prgtoken The subcommittee that I chair exercises jurisdiction over the U.S. Olympic Committee and amateur sports at large, and I remain fully committed to ensuring the health and safety of all American athletes. Our Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act would enact reforms to the U.S. Olympic system by strengthening legal liability and accountability mechanisms, restoring a culture of putting athletes first, and fortifying the independence and capacity of the U.S. Center for Safe Sports. prgtoken Our investigation, which led to the foundation of the provisions in this bill, included four subcommittee hearings, interviews with Olympic athletes and survivors, and the retrieval of 70,000 pages of documents. This was also made possible by the supportive leadership of the committee--the chairman and ranking member, Senator Wicker and Senator Cantwell--and the contributions of the committee staff, including the contributions of my staff and those of former Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson. prgtoken Also, I want to take this moment to thank Mr. Grassley, the Senator from Iowa and the chairman now of the Finance Committee. For a portion of the time we were dealing with this issue, he was the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He, too, made contributions to our legislation, and his continued leadership on this issue in general has helped to move this bill forward and out of the committee today. prgtoken During our investigation, Senator Grassley indicated an interest in working together to protect amateur athletes. After we introduced the legislation, I am pleased we were able to include provisions from his legislation that was just introduced yesterday here in the Senate. Specifically, the substitute amendment included funding accountability language for safe sports, clarification on mandatory reporting parties related to child abuse, and new reporting requirements to improve transparency. Senator Grassley was also successful in working with Senator Peters to include whistleblower protection language in the bill during today's markup. prgtoken Again, I thank Senator Grassley for his leadership and commitment to the health and safety of our amateur athletes. prgtoken Additionally, there were thoughtful contributions to our legislation--most recently, in the form of our substitute amendment-- from other members of the Commerce Committee, including
RECOGNIZING A & J AUTO REPAIR
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2019-11-13

as a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. However, in honor of Veterans Day on November 11, this month I will honor a veteran-owned small business for each of the 10 days the Senate is in legislative session. The personal sacrifices made by America's veterans have protected the very freedoms and values that give each of us and our children the ability to achieve the American dream. The skills veterans learn as members of the military are invaluable and undoubtedly contribute to Idaho's flourishing veteran business community. I am proud of the sacrifices veterans have made to protect our country and that they are choosing Idaho to call home when they complete their service in the military. As your U.S. Senator from the great State of Idaho, it is my pleasure to recognize A & J Auto Repair in Twin Falls as the veteran-owned Idaho Small Business of the Day for November 13, 2019. prgtoken A & J Auto Repair is owned and operated by Charles ``Abe'' Abrahamson, who served in the United States Marine Corps, and his wife Robin. Abe is an active member of the American Legion and was recently recognized as the 2019 American Legion National Recruiter of the Year for his work recruiting more than 700 new members in 2018. prgtoken In 2013, the Abrahamsons opened A & J Auto Repair to provide automotive maintenance and repair services to the Magic Valley. Factory trained and certified technicians at A & J Auto Repair service all makes and models of cars, trucks, and sports utility vehicles. Abe Abrahamson is certified to service Volkswagen and Audi vehicles. The company prides itself in providing customers with accurate and timely repairs. A & J Auto Repair technicians and staff work hard to provide exceptional, personalized services at affordable prices. prgtoken Congratulations to Abe and Robin Abrahamson and all of the employees at A & J Auto Repair for being selected as the veteran-owned Idaho Small Business of the Day for November 13, 2019. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.
National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Calendar)
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-11-13

the world is more dangerous today than at any time in my lifetime. We face five threats across five domains: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and terrorism. The domains have gotten very complicated--air, land, sea. Now we have to deal with cyber and space. prgtoken But in that background, three times over the last 50 years, this government, under the leadership of three different Presidents, has disinvested its military significantly--under President Carter, under President Clinton, and indeed under President . They cut the military by 25 percent at least in each one of those administrations. prgtoken The last one was extremely draconian. We saw the impact of that on our readiness, the fact that our modernization program had been killed, and we found ourselves falling behind what we ought to now call near- peer competitors. I would say they are peer competitors now. When you look at the money China is spending on their military, when adjusted for purchasing power parity, it is exactly the same as we are spending. And they don't have the regulatory overhang and they don't have the legacy costs we have here in the United States, so they can get things done quicker and cheaper. In the meantime, the world continues to become very dangerous. prgtoken Yet here we are in the second month of our fiscal year under a continuing resolution. As we now are becoming educated about, this is devastating our military and has been. This is the 187th time since the 1974 Budget Act was put into place that we have executed a continuing resolution. It sounds really easy. Well, we can't get agreement on how much to spend for the next year, so we will just keep spending at the same level. Some businesses do that, but in this case with the U.S. military, it is devastating because it locks them into existing programs. prgtoken For example, we did an audit last year. It was the first audit in the history of the United States of the Department of Defense--the third largest line item on our expense sheet. We did an audit. In that audit was found and identified by the Department of Defense $4 billion of obsolete programs that nobody really wanted to keep and continue spending on--$4 billion a year. So right now, under this continuing prgtoken resolution, not only are we not able to give a 3.5-percent pay raise-- the largest in 10 years--to our military, not only are we not able to improve their housing, but right now we are obliged to keep spending $4 billion a year on obsolete programs that the Defense Department doesn't even want. This is ludicrous. prgtoken Right now, I would say we are in gridlock. We had 88 votes here in this Senate where we voted to approve the National Defense Authorization Act several weeks ago--very bipartisan, negotiating in committee. I was on the Armed Services Committee, and we took this very seriously. We debated, and it was a definite fight, but we reached compromise. We reached bipartisa
PATRIOTIC EMPLOYER PROTECTION ACT OF 2019
Tim Burchett (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-11-13

I rise today in support of the Patriotic Employer Protection Act. I am proud of this bipartisan legislation that encourages small business owners to hire military reservists. prgtoken Military reservists bravely serve America and are also members of our Nation's small business workforce. In east Tennessee and throughout America, small business owners rely on the abilities and skills of reservists. When an employee is activated from the Reserves to answer the call of duty, small businesses should not struggle while that employee is absent. prgtoken This legislation improves small businesses' access to Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Repayment Deferral for Active Duty Reservists. These programs offer financial support to small businesses that lose valuable production when a reservist is activated for military service. prgtoken By improving access to these programs, small businesses can continue to operate while an employee is serving in the military. Additionally, it gives small businesses peace of mind that their businesses will not suffer in the absence of military reservists. prgtoken It takes courage to put your livelihood and career on hold to serve our country, and small businesses should be proud of their employees' military commitments. prgtoken , it has been an honor to champion this legislation with Representative Kim, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF WILLIAM J. ``BILLY'' McCOY
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-11-13

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the life of William J. ``Billy'' McCoy, who passed away on Tuesday, November 12, at the age of 77. prgtoken Billy was an honorable public servant, serving as of the House for the Mississippi House of Representatives for many years. As , Billy contributed to significant legislation that revolutionized the economy of our State. He was the champion of the 1987 infrastructure plan that established a four-lane highway system across Mississippi, which brought more businesses into the State that created thousands of jobs for Mississippians. Billy is directly responsible for bettering the lives of thousands of people. prgtoken Billy was respected by all lawmakers across the aisle as he lived his life true to Jesus' words: ``love thy neighbor as thyself.'' Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Edith, his two children, Sam and Kim, as well as all of the people who had the pleasure of working with him. Billy's life was one of service, grace, and love for his community. He will be greatly missed by all whom he encountered.
FUND THE MILITARY
Bryan Steil (Republican, WI) \u2014 2019-11-13

I rise to recognize 100 years of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. For a century, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau has supported farmers in Wisconsin. prgtoken Agriculture is a Wisconsin tradition. Generations of Wisconsinites have dedicated their life to farming and feeding our State and the world. From milk to cheese, from sweet corn to soybeans, from cranberries to whey, our proud, hardworking Wisconsin farmers are there. prgtoken I thank the Wisconsin Farm Bureau for helping Wisconsin become and remain America's dairyland. prgtoken Happy 100 years. prgtoken Congratulating University of Wisconsin Women's Hockey Team on Fifth National Championship
National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Calendar)
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2019-11-13

I want to join my colleagues today and speak on the importance of passing the fiscal year 2020 Defense authorization bill. prgtoken As others have mentioned, the process of negotiating the national defense bill is one that has a long history on Capitol Hill. For the past 58 years, the Congress has found a way to come together and unite behind a bipartisan bill that supports our servicemembers and enables the defense of this Nation. We must continue this tradition, and that means recommitting to the principles of bipartisanship and compromise upon which it is built. prgtoken Thanks in large part to the hard work and the leadership of Chairman Jim Inhofe and Ranking Member Jack Reed and the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate passed an overwhelmingly bipartisan version of this year's National Defense Authorization Act. The House of Representatives, however, passed a very different bill. The conference process is ultimately about finding the best solution that supports our men and women in uniform, but we have to be willing to compromise and find consensus. We cannot resort to political brinksmanship. prgtoken As the chairman said last week and as some of my colleagues have mentioned here today, we are running out of time. It is essential that our colleagues in the House come to the table to pass the fiscal year 2020 NDAA. prgtoken We live in a rapidly changing world and unfortunately one that contains a growing number of threats and challenges that our military must face head-on. These threats demand that we be ready, and our military can effectively confront those threats only if we provide our servicemembers with the support they need to execute the missions, defeat the enemies of freedom, and safeguard the Nation. prgtoken Providing for the common defense is the highest responsibility this body has, and that is why it is so essential that we pass this legislation in a timely manner. prgtoken As I said before, for 58 years the NDAA has been the subject of a bipartisan consensus in Congress despite all of our other disagreements. No matter what other issues arise, the one area in which we must forge agreement is in authorizing the resources our men and women in uniform need. prgtoken Time and again, we have heard from our senior military leaders that their greatest obstacle is budget uncertainty and unpredictable funding. If we do not come together and pass this year's NDAA soon, we are at risk of damaging our military capabilities and jeopardizing our ability to confront threats from China, Russia, and other malign actors. prgtoken It is essential that we work swiftly to secure an agreement so that we do not fail to provide the Department of Defense with the predictable funding they need. We must do our part and honor the service of all our men and women in uniform by moving this process forward and passing the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken I
IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-11-13

. Madam , the House of Representatives has been the scene of serious chaos, not only today, but for weeks. prgtoken Unfortunately for the American people, we have nothing to show for it. We have issued more subpoenas from this House than we have had bills that have actually been signed by the President. prgtoken We haven't been working on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement that President worked so hard to negotiate. We haven't been working on funding the military or bipartisan legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs. No, 100 percent of the energy of this place has been devoted to the impeachment of President . prgtoken There has been a lot of noise, a lot of rumors, and a lot of confusion about exactly what has happened and what is going on, where we are and how we got here. There is a reason for that. prgtoken You see, Madam , by House rules, impeachment is under the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee has a great big hearing room just across the street. That is where an impeachment inquiry is supposed to take place. But we aren't holding hearings there because Pelosi doesn't want them there. prgtoken Instead, the impeachment charade has been taking place in a small, restricted room, two floors underground, below this Chamber, deep in the bowels of the Capitol. That room is known as the SCIF. The SCIF is a very important room because it is where Members of Congress hear about our country's great secrets. You can't bring a cell phone in there. You can't bring a camera in there. Most importantly, the public can't go in there. prgtoken made a big spectacle about holding their first public hearing today. They act as if they are making some great, virtuous action to bring forth transparency, as if they are operating with the utmost integrity. The truth is that today's hearing is little more than a public showcasing of witnesses they have already interrogated and vetted in that little room to ensure they will only say what the desire. prgtoken You see, Madam , by conducting impeachment in that little room, Pelosi and Adam Schiff knew that the American people wouldn't know what was going on, what was being said. prgtoken But right outside the SCIF, that tiny room, you will find dozens of cameras and news people. Here they are, you can see, talking to Adam Schiff. prgtoken Adam Schiff and his staff have been feeding these reporters bits of information for weeks. For weeks, we have been flooded with reports of so-called explosive things that supposedly have been said in this small, secret room. prgtoken Madam , there is a rule of the House that every Member of Congress has the right to at least watch a committee hearing. A couple of weeks ago, some of my colleagues and I decided that we wanted to know what was really going on in that small, little room. So, we entered the SCIF, that little room, simply to watch. Adam Schiff immediately s
National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month (Executive Calendar)
Johnny Isakson (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-11-13

I want to say to my committee member how much I appreciate his dedicated work. In the committee, we work on a lot of things, including the diseases in here, getting presumptive conclusions done so we can cover as much as possible, but medicine is not exact. Diseases are not exact. Circumstances are not exact. When you make a decision to include a benefit for our veterans, you are making a commitment to spend that money from the taxpayers of the United States of America. prgtoken In the committee--and the Senator is part of it, and he knows this because I helped him a lot--we just approved blue water Navy funds, which is going to be one of the largest increases in the history of benefits going to our veterans. We are circumventing into that some of the due diligence--which you really ought to do before you make a presumption of the diseases caused in all cases. prgtoken I am an alumni of the Georgia Air National Guard and a veteran. I am chairman of the committee. I think the world of the Senator from Ohio. What he is trying to do is great and right, just as he wanted to lead us to help get us where we got to on the blue water Navy funds, but I object to this motion as one who would benefit because I have Parkinson's. I went into service during the 1960s, during a year that would be considered the Vietnam era. I didn't serve in Vietnam, but I served in that era, so I would have consideration if I got Parkinson's disease--which I have Parkinson's. Then they can use that as a conclusion to find out if it prgtoken was presumptively caused or not by the exposure I had. prgtoken I am just telling you as one who, if I wanted to, could take a benefit from this end run. I am not going to do it because I think it is time, as chairman of the committee--that it is time we make sure that every benefit we promise veterans, that we have the money to do it so we don't spend too much money on other benefits and leave ourselves short for theirs. prgtoken I object to the motion.