mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE SAVANNAH HOPE STILLBIRTH CHILD TAX CREDIT
Erik Paulsen (Republican, MN) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise today as the author of the Savannah Hope Stillbirth Child Tax Credit Act, which would allow a one-time refundable tax credit after the stillbirth in a family, the same amount that is given for the existing child tax credit. prgtoken The bill is named after Savannah Schumacher, a baby that Steve and Jill Schumacher from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, lost at 33 weeks. prgtoken , families of stillborn children not only face medical expenses that aren't always covered by insurance, but they face burial, cremation, and grief counseling costs that add up to be very significant expenses. prgtoken Minnesota is among the States that have already enacted these credits at the State level. And while a tax credit can't make up for the loss of a child, it does acknowledge that child's existence, even though he or she passed away before birth, and it will hopefully help support grieving families that have gone through the unthinkable.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-3-13

from Vermont. I appreciate his remarks and his leadership on this, and I appreciate the remarks that Senator Durbin and Senator Murphy have added to this discussion. prgtoken I want to close by pointing out that in addition to being unlawful and in addition to being unconstitutional, our involvement in Yemen is unproductive in the fight against terrorism. The Houthis we are fighting are a regional force--one that doesn't harbor ambitions of attacking the U.S. homeland. While the Houthis are certainly no friend of ours, neither are they a serious threat to our country. Yet we are diverting considerable resources to fighting the Houthis, resources that would be better spent fighting more substantial threats--threats that harbor, rather openly, ambitions of bringing down the United States, of attacking the United States. These are threats like al-Qaida or ISIS. On that point, the best evidence we have suggests that their involvement in Yemen has arguably undermined our fight against ISIS. prgtoken The State Department's most recent study, its most recent ``Country Reports on Terrorism''--which, by the way, happens to be the authority on that subject for Congress and the American people--says that we have inadvertently strengthened ISIS by killing off its antagonists, the Houthis. This just reinforces the farcical character that our military excursions in the Middle East have the potential to undertake. We bomb with one hand; we give humanitarian aid with the other hand. We whack a terrorist from one group, and another springs up in its place. prgtoken Defenders of our efforts in this war in Yemen often claim that the real reason we are fighting the Houthis is that they are a proxy for Iran, which is the true threat to our Nation and to the world. This would be perhaps a reasonable rationale, but there are conflicting reports about the Houthis and their ties to Iran. Iran has expansionist views; the Houthis do not. Hezbollah is an officially listed as a foreign terrorist organization; the Houthis are not. The Houthis may be a rogue non- prgtoken State actor, destabilizing their own country, but they are not a threat to America--at least not yet. By helping the Saudis bomb them, we only give the Houthis reasons to start to hate us. Our involvement in Yemen detracts from our ability to be a diplomatic resource and the peacemaker in the region. prgtoken In closing, the substance of the resolution offered by Senator Sanders and cosponsored by Senator Murphy, me, and others is simple. It puts our war against the Houthi rebels to a vote. It concerns the Houthis and only the Houthis. If Members are convinced that our fight against the Houthis is worthwhile, then so be it. Congress will have done its part and the fight will go on, but if Members are not willing to pay the heavy pricetag for this war, calculated in dollars and in innocent human lives, then our resolution will bring U.S.
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY CLARIFICATION ACT
Bruce Poliquin (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-3-13

I thank the chairman very much for helping bring this very important bill to the floor. I also thank Chairman Rob Bishop from Utah, who also was very instrumental in bringing this bill to the floor. In addition to that, I thank all of the staff members of the Natural Resources Committee here in the House for all their great work. This is so important to our State. prgtoken , the great State of Maine is called Vacationland. Now, we have a population of just 1.3 million hardy souls in Maine. However, every year, our population swells to about 40 million vacationers from all over the world. We have such stunning natural beauty in Maine in a pristine natural environment in all these welcoming small towns that it is no wonder that people flock to Maine. prgtoken Now, right smack in the middle of midcoast Maine is our crown jewel called Acadia National Park, and we just love Acadia National Park in Maine. We are so proud of this. If you happen to vacation in Maine--if you haven't, you and your family deserve a vacation to Maine. If you drive up to Cadillac Mountain, you see this panoramic view of Penobscot Bay, and coming out of those sparkling waters of the Atlantic are these green-topped islands. You might rent a bike and go to these terrific, groomed historic carriage trails that wind through the woods of Acadia. Take your kids down to Sand Beach, right in Acadia National Park, and when their toes hit that ice-cold water, they shriek with joy. This is Maine. We are very proud of Acadia National Park. prgtoken , I do have to say that a couple of years ago, unfortunately, Acadia National Park expanded beyond its boundaries. This is because there was conflict in a couple laws that date back quite some time. Now, I am very happy that my bill that I worked on with great help from my fellow Member of Congress, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree from the First District, clarifies this boundary for Acadia National Park. It also closed a few loopholes but still allows the boundaries to be adjusted in very minor ways with abutting pieces of property. prgtoken Now, I made it clear, , that I would not sign on to this boundary clarification issue until one more thing is done, and that is to protect the livelihoods of hundreds and hundreds of hardworking Mainers who harvest bloodworms, sandworms, clams, and periwinkles along the mud flats around Acadia National Park. prgtoken Now, those folks who visit Maine from Utah or Kansas and spend a lot of money to come up and vacation in Maine expect to see the great ocean in front of them, . But because the Moon revolves around the Earth and the gravitational pull of the Moon causes one of the unique things in Maine, we have big tides. So if you are vacationing in Maine and you find out when you wake up in the morning the water is gone, don't worry about it. Six hours later, it will come back. prgtoken Now, the ebb and the flow of the tides in Maine along the coastline create what
DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TO TRANSFER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND TO FACILITATE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Rob Bishop (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-3-13

this bill involves 80 acres of land controlled by the Forest Service but not in the actual national forest. prgtoken Over the past 50 years, this land has been used by the Space Dynamics Laboratory, by NASA, by the Naval Research Laboratory, and they have a great deal of infrastructure on this land. prgtoken Unfortunately, the Forest Service decided to list this as disposable lands without contacting anybody, and now they don't have the ability of going back and delisting it so these groups can actually use this land for what they have been doing for the last 50 years. prgtoken , this bill is the cleanest and simplest way of simply transferring control of this land back to the entity which is using it now so they can continue their research, much of which is done in support of our military. It is a simple and easy and correct way to solve an administrative lapse, and I urge its adoption.
HONORING CONGRESSWOMAN MARCY KAPTUR ON BECOMING THE LONGEST SERVING WOMAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-3-14

I rise today to honor Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of Ohio's Ninth District, for becoming the longest serving woman in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. She breaks a record that has stood since 1960, when it was set by another great American trailblazer, Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers. prgtoken It is only fitting that Congresswoman Kaptur becomes the longest serving woman in the history of the House during Women's History Month. This dedicated public servant has demonstrated time and time again her commitment to constituent service and her passion for tackling the tough issues. In representing the Great Lakes Region, she has shown her dedication to preserving the waters, lands, and environment our states share. Her leadership in the Polish Caucus is greatly appreciated and I have learned much through exploring our mutual heritage. And as she has stood up for the middle class, I have had the privilege of watching her fight for the Midwest and our manufacturing roots. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Congresswoman Kaptur on this achievement. During my time in Congress, I have been honored to serve with Congresswoman Kaptur. Her conviction, work ethic, and strength stand as a model to all Americans. As we celebrate Women's History Month, I hope that many more women will be inspired by her example and pursue a career in public service. I extend the most heartfelt congratulations to Congresswoman Kaptur, both on her phenomenal accomplishment and her proud tenure in Congress.
SALUTING REPRESENTATIVE MARCY KAPTUR
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-3-14

I rise to honor Representative Marcy Kaptur as she becomes the longest-serving woman in the history of the United States House of Representatives. prgtoken For more than 35 years, Representative Kaptur has served the people of Toledo and northern Ohio with passion and tenacity. Ms. Kaptur has been a tireless advocate for energy independence, strong international engagement, robust national defense, workers' rights, and America's veterans. prgtoken There is no greater physical symbol of Representative Kaptur's leadership than the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Ms. Kaptur shepherded legislation creating the memorial through Congress and then worked vigorously to appropriate the funds needed to complete it. prgtoken It has been my privilege to serve with Marcy on the Appropriations Committee, where she is Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee and sits with me on both the Defense and Interior- Environment Subcommittees. prgtoken On every issue we consider, Representative Kaptur is a thoughtful voice who consistently prioritizes the needs and interests of her constituents. Her support for our Great Lakes has been invaluable to me as we work to sustain important restoration efforts in the area. prgtoken , the entire House is lucky to have such a distinguished colleague as Ms. Kaptur. As we celebrate this historic milestone, I salute Representative Marcy Kaptur on her service.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2018-3-14

I have come to the floor to talk about the legislation before us, which is the banking legislation that has been reported out of the Banking Committee on a bipartisan vote and awaits our attention here today. prgtoken , like my colleague from Washington State, I will also speak briefly to the issue that is being raised in States across America and in schools across America, where students are demonstrating their support and their solidarity with the folks in Parkland, FL, where 17 kids were lost earlier this year. prgtoken My dad was a hunter, grew up in West Virginia. I was born in West Virginia and grew up in Virginia. I bought my first BB gun when I was 10 years old, and I still have the shotgun that my grandfather gave me just before he died, when I was just a pup of a teenager. In my family, we are big believers in Second Amendment rights--to own and bear arms. We are also big advocates of using common sense with respect to weapons. prgtoken My dad was not only a hunter, he was also a gun collector. He would buy and sell guns to other people whom he knew. From the time my sister and I were little kids, my dad would always say to us, ``Just use some common sense.'' He said it a lot to us when we were growing up. We must not have had much of it because he said it very often. My dad said that it didn't make common sense for somebody who had serious mental health problems or a felony record to be able to go to a gun show and buy a weapon. It also doesn't make a lot of sense for people who can't fly on airplanes because they are on a terrorist watch list to be able to buy guns. My dad would have said that didn't make a lot of sense. prgtoken What is happening across the country is that the kids are leading us. In a verse in the Bible, it reads that the ``child shall lead them.'' I think that is really what is going on here, and I think States are already starting to address this issue in a more constructive way than we have done thus far. prgtoken My hope is that the children will lead us and that the States will lead us as well. Maybe we will be able to come to agreement on some of these issues that are respectful of our Second Amendment rights in the Constitution but that are also consistent with the kind of common sense that my dad always talked about with respect to everything, including the buying and selling of weapons. prgtoken , I remember standing on this floor--I think it was about 8 years ago--when we debated the Affordable Care Act. That was at a time when we were spending about 18 percent of the GDP for healthcare in this country--18 percent. The Japanese were spending 8 percent. They had better results in Japan for their healthcare than we had, and they covered everybody. Think about that. We had been spending 18 percent, and they had been spending 8 percent. They had gotten better results in healthcare--in life longevity for adults and in lower rates of i
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4545, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS EXAMINATION FAIRNESS AND REFORM ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1116, TAKING ACCOUNT OF INSTITUTIONS WITH LOW OPERATION...
Jared Polis (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2018-3-14

such time as I may consume. prgtoken President 's March 5 deadline ending DACA has come and gone, and all we got out of the White House was tweet after tweet, a stifling of bipartisan proposals in the Senate, and a continued failure to lead. prgtoken President tweeted: ``Total inaction of DACA by Dems. Where are you? A deal can be made.'' prgtoken , has the President forgotten that it was his decision to suddenly end the DACA program that has thrown the system into chaos? prgtoken Well, to answer his question, the are right here. My colleague is right here with a motion to solve DACA right now. Let's do it. Let's rumble. This is actually the 25th time that we have attempted to bring the bipartisan bill, the Dream Act, for a vote on the floor of the House, while it is colleagues who have stood by ignoring the will of this House and the Nation and refusing to let us vote on a bill that would fix DACA. prgtoken The have been and are making our position clear. We want immigration policies that make America safer and that reflect the fact that we are a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. It is time that President and my colleagues on the other side work with us to ensure that. prgtoken , if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 3440, the Dream Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would help hundreds of thousands of young people who are American in every way except for on paper. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-3-14

time and again, President and Vice President have made clear they will put extreme ideology ahead of women's health and constitutional freedoms. We have seen it in their efforts to undermine women's ability to get reproductive healthcare from providers they trust. We have seen it in their efforts to let employers deny women birth control coverage based on what they believe and regardless of what the women who work for them believe. We have seen it in the administration's close coordination with a hate group on tailoring policies to undermine Planned Parenthood. We heard it loud and clear when Vice President laid out his far-right vision that women's freedom to have safe and legal abortions could end in our time. We have also seen it implemented to an appalling extreme in Scott Lloyd's inexcusably harmful and ideologically driven actions as Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. prgtoken The Office of Refugee Resettlement is a little-known but very important office inside the Department of Health and Human Services. They are supposed to be helping resettle refugees who are fleeing violence, to resettle and integrate Iraqis and Afghans whose lives are actually in danger because they work for the U.S. Government. They provide rehabilitative, social, and legal services to survivors of torture, and they are charged with overseeing a network of providers across the United States who care for unaccompanied children who arrive at our Nation's borders--children and youth--seeking safety in our country. prgtoken However, under Director Lloyd, it has become a testing ground for the radical - agenda to interfere with women's health choices. Repeatedly, under the supervision of Director Lloyd's office, when young women--some of whom are survivors of sexual abuse--have sought safe and legal abortions, his response has been to personally step in and put up barriers to their care. He worked to prevent young women in his custody from speaking with lawyers about their rights. He personally interfered to try to pressure women out of their decisions to have abortions. Director Lloyd even had his office explore the possibility of reversing an abortion once the medical procedure was underway--a practice that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has noted is ``unproven and unethical.'' prgtoken A deposition from ongoing litigation shows just how reckless and irresponsible Scott Lloyd has been. In emails, prgtoken he admitted he was making these decisions on an ad hoc basis. In other words, Director Lloyd wasn't concerned with fulfilling his duty as the head of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. He wasn't concerned with the well-being of women. He wasn't concerned with their personal decisions or their freedoms. He was only concerned with furthering an extreme, ideological agenda. prgtoken Women and men across the country are not having it. They are standing u
TAKING ACCOUNT OF INSTITUTIONS WITH LOW OPERATION RISK ACT OF 2017
Nydia M. Velázquez (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-3-14

. Perhaps most importantly, the bill makes no mention of regulators also considering the protection a current or future regulation has for consumers or the benefit it provides to our Nation's financial stability. prgtoken Instead of developing sweeping rollbacks of financial regulation, we should instead spend our time working to improve our regulatory framework prgtoken in order to ensure it maintains appropriate protections and safeguards for consumers, investors, and taxpayers. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this ill-advised bill.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-3-14

along with my colleagues today, I rise to address what has unfortunately become the norm for our kids in schools and across the country. prgtoken On October 1 in Las Vegas, we saw the worst mass shooting in the history of this country--innocent concertgoers attending an entertainment venue outdoors. There were 58 killed and 500 injured at the hands of a madman with an assault weapon. prgtoken In the past 5 years, we have lost an average of 10 children each year to gun violence in Nevada alone. Today I speak in memory of the 50 children from my home State who will never get the chance to grow up and graduate from high school, pursue their dream job, or even have children of their own. prgtoken The names I am about to read aloud were beloved sons, daughters, friends, and classmates whose lives were tragically cut short in the last 3 years: prgtoken Clemente, 17 years old, from Las Vegas; Jovanni, 16 years old, from Las Vegas; Terry, a 17-year-old from Reno; Tiris, 17 years old, lived in Las Vegas; Marcus, 3 weeks old, lived in Las Vegas; Anthony, 17 years old from Laughlin; John, 11 months old, from Las Vegas; Anthony, 16 years old, from Las Vegas; Bradley, 4 years old, lived in Las Vegas; a young male victim, 16 years old, from Reno; Giovanni, 14 years old, Las Vegas; another young victim, 16 years old, lived in Las Vegas; Luis, 16 years old, from Las Vegas; another young victim, 15 years old, from West Wendover; Sincere, 12 years old, from Las Vegas; Ethan, 17 years old, from Las Vegas; Angelo, 15 years old, lived in Las Vegas; Benjamin, 17 years old, lived in Las Vegas; a young female victim, 3 years old, from Las Vegas; another male victim, 4 years old, lived in Las Vegas; Jhronne, 17 years old, from Las Vegas; Joshua, 17 years old, from Las Vegas; Xonajuk, 14 years old, from Las Vegas; Anhurak, 9 years old, from Las Vegas; Dalavanh, 15 years old, from Las Vegas; Robert, 17 years old, from Las Vegas; another young female victim, 17 years old, from Reno; and Fabriccio, 13 years old, from Las Vegas. prgtoken Across the country students are saying ``Never again'' to another child lost to gun violence, and I ask that this Congress do the same thing. prgtoken .