mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING MALCOLM W. APPLEGATE
Susan W. Brooks (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-12-19

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Malcolm W. Applegate, a titan of journalism in our nation. From the outset of his career on the sports beat at the Salina Journal in Salina, Kansas, to the end of his career as the President and General Manager of Indianapolis Newspapers Inc and Publisher of the Indianapolis Star, Malcolm was considered by his peers to be the consummate ``old school'' journalist. Ever the prolific writer, Malcolm dedicated himself to delivering honest, informative and timely news to his readers at each stop along his storied career. prgtoken Malcolm was born on January 26, 1936 in Kansas City, Missouri, to parents Florence and Paul Applegate. Growing up in WaKeeny, Kansas, Malcolm attended Trego Community High School, spending many hours after school on the basketball and tennis courts, forging lifelong friendships, and sparking a love of sports. After the tragic death of his father Paul in 1954, Malcolm and his mother Florence relocated to Topeka, Kansas, to start life anew. Wanting to stay close to home Malcolm initially chose to attend Washburn University, to study journalism and compete as a member of both the basketball and tennis teams. Later transferring to Kansas University, Malcolm continued his study of journalism while serving as the Editor of the Daily Kansan. It was also during this time that Malcolm competed as a member of the Kansas men's varsity tennis team and joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. prgtoken Near the end of his time at Kansas University, Malcolm would reconnect with grade school friend Constance Eaton, a student at nearby Fort Hays State University. Their friendship would quickly blossom into a lifelong love affair. After they both graduated from their respective universities, they began their life together, getting married on July 12, 1959. prgtoken After earning a Master's Degree from the University of Iowa in 1961, Malcolm joined the faculty at Fort Hays State University. He later returned to Kansas University, this time as the Assistant Dean of the Journalism School. In 1969, Malcolm was offered the chance to join the well-respected Gannett Newspaper Company. He relocated to Rochester, New York with Connie, and their daughters, my very dear friends Kellie and Paula. Malcolm then began to rise up the ranks of Gannett which led to a number of opportunities. prgtoken In 1971, Malcolm became the Editor of the Ithaca Journal in Ithaca, New York. Later in 1975, he relocated to Lafayette, Indiana to become the Publisher of the Lafayette Journal & Courier, and the Regional Vice President of USA Today. Malcom's next opportunity came with a move to Lansing, Michigan in 1986, where he would serve as both the Publisher of the Lansing State Journal and Vice President of USA Today. prgtoken In 1990, Malcolm and his family arrived at their final stop in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Malcolm served as the President and General Manager of Indianapo
RECOGNIZING DR. PAM MOBLEY FOR HER HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN THE BAHAMAS
Tim Burchett (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-12-19

I rise today to recognize Dr. Pam Mobley, a physician from Knoxville. Dr. Mobley has been in the Bahamas since September assisting with medical relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. prgtoken Dr. Mobley was on Green Turtle Cay in the Abaco Islands when Hurricane Dorian began battering the Bahamas. The storm displaced the local personnel on Green Turtle Cay, but Dr. Mobley decided to wait it out. Once it was safe, she began providing medical assistance to those injured in the hurricane. prgtoken Even though Dr. Mobley could have returned to the United States months ago, she has remained in the Bahamas to care for the injured and help with relief efforts. Her selfless actions are truly remarkable. prgtoken I applaud Dr. Mobley for her humanitarian efforts in the Bahamas and thank her for being an excellent representative of the Knoxville community. prgtoken I know I speak for many in east Tennessee when I say Pam is making us all very, very proud, .
BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT ACCURACY AND TECHNOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY ACT
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-12-19

the Senator, my good friend from Utah, has asked unanimous consent that we pass the version of the bill I authored. Ordinarily, I would very much appreciate that. The problem with his request is that in this Congress, it prevents us from acting today to get to this ZTE and Huawei problem. We have a solution, and we need to get started on it. prgtoken Let me also make the point that some things are worth paying for, and protecting Americans, protecting our electronic system, our broadband communications from the Chinese-owned Huawei and ZTE is worth paying for. prgtoken What my unanimous consent request would have done, had the Senator not objected, is we would have passed the bill and leave the issue of how we fund it to another day. Perhaps the appropriators would have decided to appropriate money for it. Had they done so, they would have operated within the budget caps, as the Appropriations Committee has done, and found room, found some offsets, and paid for it that way. prgtoken The proposal I made, that was objected to by my friend from Utah, would also have left open the possibility of having a pay-for by the sale of some spectrum. prgtoken I regret that the Senator is objecting based on how we will pay for this very needed expenditure down the road. So I am compelled to object to my good friend's unanimous consent request.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
Jim Hagedorn (Republican, MN) \u2014 2019-12-19

. Madam , after advocating for USMCA this past year, I am excited to vote for it today. prgtoken Not only will this deal expand trade with Mexico and Canada, but it is going to help us build momentum for deals with other nations, like China, Vietnam, and so forth. It is going to be great for our country. prgtoken One quick example of how this helps the American people, particularly farm families: Over the summer, Farmers for Free Trade rallied in our southern Minnesota district for USMCA. We were at the Hoffman Dairy Farm, about 15 miles south of New Ulm. The Hoffmans are sixth- generation dairy farms. They said that it has been 5 or 6 years of tough commodity prices--low prices, high input cost. They needed a win. prgtoken Our market for dairy has been shut out of Canada, virtually, with 300 percent tariffs. USMCA is going to knock down those tariffs, allow more exports, create more demand, help families like the Hoffmans, and help our country. I urge everyone to vote for the agreement.
HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. ROBERT B. DALEY
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2019-12-19

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Robert B. Daley who passed away on December 15, 2019, at the age of 87. A veteran, dedicated teacher, loving husband, father, and grandfather, Mr. Daley will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and community. prgtoken After graduating from St. Lucy's High School in Syracuse, Mr. Daley went on to study at Le Moyne College where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1954. Mr. Daley was a lifelong advocate of Le Moyne College. It was at Le Moyne that Mr. Daley and my father became fast friends. My family is forever grateful that Mr. Daley introduced my father to my mother, Mary Lou, and was rewarded by being best man at their wedding. prgtoken Following graduation, Mr. Daley went on to enlist in the United States Army. While in the Army, Mr. Daley was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, Hawaii. Upon completing his tour of duty in 1957, Mr. Daley returned to Central New York to work for Bristol Labs and later, at Jamesville-Dewitt High School, where he taught Chemistry and Earth Science for 34 years before retiring. Following his retirement, Mr. Daley continued to be active in the education field, consulting for Syracuse University. In this role, he observed teachers in various Central New York school districts, working to mentor the next generation of teachers. prgtoken Throughout Mr. Daley's career, he has been a dedicated volunteer, helping build homes for Habitat for Humanity, assisting with the New York State Science Olympiad, and supporting numerous activities for St. Ann Catholic Church of Manlius, where he was an active member. Madam , I ask that my colleagues in the House join me in honoring the life of Mr. Robert B. Daley. A devoted family-man, career educator, and patriot, I wish his family peace during this incredibly difficult time.
BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT ACCURACY AND TECHNOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY ACT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-12-19

in October the Senate Judiciary Committee marked up and passed S. 2132, the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2019. I am happy to say that after further good faith negotiations among key stakeholders within and outside of Congress, a version of the bill is included in the appropriations package the Senate will soon consider. prgtoken I am proud to be a lead cosponsor of this bipartisan bill and to have helped lead it through the Judiciary Committee. Senator Lankford, who introduced this legislation, has tirelessly worked to get it across the finish line in the Senate. From day one of this effort, American victims of terrorism have had a tremendous ally in the Senator from Oklahoma and his staff, and I thank him for his leadership. prgtoken Earlier today, Senator Lankford discussed parts of this bipartisan legislation in greater detail. I would like to associate myself with his remarks. prgtoken I am also very grateful to Senators Duckworth, Rubio, Blumenthal, and Coons for their support and work on behalf of victims. prgtoken It is not easy to find common ground here in the Senate, but there is one issue where we should all agree: Those who aid or carry out terrorist attacks overseas that kill or injure Americans should be held fully accountable in our justice system. prgtoken For over 25 years, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1992, ATA, which I authored and Congress unanimously passed, has empowered American victims of international terrorism to bring lawsuits in Federal courts to vindicate their rights and obtain compensation for their injuries-- providing some semblance of justice. prgtoken Equally important, these lawsuits disrupt and deter the financial support of terrorist organizations. By cutting terrorists' financial lifelines, the ATA is a key part of the U.S. arsenal in fighting terrorism and protecting American citizens. prgtoken The 1992 law removed the jurisdictional hurdles that had for so long frustrated or outright prevented American victims' ability to seek justice in U.S. courts for attacks committed overseas. Congress passed the ATA in the wake of international terrorist attacks, including the Palestine Liberation Front's 1985 killing of Leon Klinghoffer, a Jewish American aboard the Achille Lauro cruise ship. prgtoken For 25 years the law worked as intended. The Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, and Palestinian Authority themselves were repeatedly held to account in U.S. courts and paid a price for terrorist attacks that harmed or killed Americans. But starting in 2015, lower court decisions made it impossible for American victims injured abroad to hold sponsors of international terrorism accountable in our own courts. These decisions nullified the fundamental purpose of the ATA--to protect Americans wherever in the world they may be--and disrespected Congress's power to protect U.S. citizens and U.S. interests. prgtoken Last year, I introduced the b
MEASURES PLACED ON THE CALENDAR
Richard C. Shelby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-12-19

just a few weeks ago right here, Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 20. At that time, few if any of us predicted that we would pass all 12 appropriations bills in such a small window of time. Yet today we are poised to do just that in a few minutes. prgtoken Bipartisan cooperation has made this possible. Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger on the House side and my friend Vice Chairman Leahy and I on the Senate side worked together to change things. I believe that the four of us have shown once again that, if given the opportunity, we will find a bipartisan path forward to get the job done. It is very important that we do this. prgtoken I would be remiss right now if I did not recognize all members of the Appropriations Committees, and s, committees on both sides of the aisle and the Capitol, our subcommittee chairs, our ranking members in particulars, and, of course, our staff. We would not be here without their diligence and willingness to work night and day with very little sleep. prgtoken I thank the leaders on both sides, Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer. prgtoken I especially want to take a moment here to acknowledge the role played by the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary Mnuchin, in these negotiations on behalf of the administration. Together, everybody negotiated the budget agreement that paved the way for these bills, and they helped guide them down the stretch. Secretary Mnuchin in particular has been a voice of reason and a driving force in our ability to get to yes, and we should be grateful for that. prgtoken I believe these bills are good bills that my colleagues can be proud to support. I do not have time here today to go into all the particulars of such a complex piece of legislation, but I want to hit a few high points as I see them. First--always first to me--is America's military, our national security, the security of our Nation. Defense spending here has increased by $22 billion over the previous year. Our men and women in uniform will receive the largest pay increase in 10 years at 3.1 percent, which they deserve. Our veterans can rest assured that they will get the healthcare they earned and deserve through the funding of the VA MISSION Act. These are victories for America and for the American people. prgtoken Turning to Homeland Security, which is very important, as well, $1.375 billion is provided for the border wall system, and the President will have some greater flexibility on where he can build along the southern border. Not only that, but the President retains critical transfer authorities that will allow him to devote additional resources to border security and immigration enforcement. Again, the objective here and, I believe, the outcome is to make America strong. prgtoken The last thing that I will mention before wrapping up is that these bills will maintain all legacy policy riders
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-12-19

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc; 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 nominations be printed in the Record.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
George Holding (Republican, NC) \u2014 2019-12-19

it has been over a year since President successfully negotiated the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. prgtoken This is a good deal that will benefit every corner of the country. USMCA will empower businesses of all sizes to grow and create jobs, and it is a substantial improvement over NAFTA. prgtoken , as it turns out this week is the 116th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers making the first flight in a powered aircraft. As we all know, the Wright Brothers were innovators and they traveled to North Carolina for this historic achievement. prgtoken To this day, North Carolina continues to attract the world's most creative and innovative workforce. One prime example is the enormous amount of pharmaceutical research that takes place. Lifesaving drugs are being made in my back yard and the world is better off for it. prgtoken This Administration was successful in getting Mexico and Canada to raise their exclusivity protections for cutting-edge biologic drugs. This was a monumental achievement. It is incredibly disappointing that sought to weaken these standards and actively worked against American innovators. These standards would have protected the hard work that is done by our health care industry as they work to come up with new cures and save more lives. prgtoken By striping these protections from the final agreement--Congressional have effectively kneecapped the dedicated scientists, doctors and manufacturers working around the clock to develop new cures. prgtoken I have a tough time understanding why American lawmakers would actively advocate against the interest of American companies trying to do business abroad. prgtoken Ensuring that American innovators' rights are protected in Mexico and Canada would have had no impact on drug pricing. The Ways and Means Committee has been over that topic before, and to insinuate that there is a correlation between protecting our inventions in Mexico and higher drug prices in the U.S. is disingenuous. prgtoken While I support the USMCA, the absence of these protections is a missed opportunity and we should do better.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-12-19

on another subject, even though I am very close to this subject in that I chaired the Armed Services Committee, and that is where all of this really began, I do want to mention one thing about what happened this morning. I think our leader over here, Mr. McConnell, did a superb job. He made it very clear on the impeachment that took place last night. It is something that has not happened before. It is the first time it has happened, in that there is no impeachable offense, and it is nonetheless, I think, all driven by hatred. When you stop to think, here it is right before Christmas, and the hatred that is driving that, it is wrong. prgtoken I want to mention something that is significant, that you haven't thought of, I say to the Presiding Officer. That is, this 153rd day of the year is very significant. That is December 19. People have not stopped to realize the significant things that have happened on December 19 throughout our history and the history of the world, going all the way back to December 19, at 11:54, Henry II became King of England. We haven't really thought about the fact what does that mean to us today, but we will before long. prgtoken In 1843, December 19, again, Charles Dickens wrote ``A Christmas Carol.'' It is the most watched, listened to, and sung event every Christmas. prgtoken In 1932, December 19, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the BBC, began transmitting overseas. That was the beginning of a whole new world of knowledge and understanding. prgtoken In 1950, December 19, NATO named General Dwight D. Eisenhower as supreme commander of the Western European defense forces. prgtoken Then in 1972, December 19, Apollo 17, the last of the Apollo moon landings returned to earth. prgtoken December 19 of 1984--I remember this well because I was in Hong Kong when this happened--that was when China signed an accord returning Hong Kong to the Chinese sovereignty. A lot of people thought it was good at the time to accept people from Hong Kong. I was there, and look what has happened now after all these years. I would have to say that hysteria has continued to this day. prgtoken Then, in 1998, December 19, the U.S President Bill Clinton was impeached. I was there at that one, too. We have something to compare it with now, but that was December 19, 1998. prgtoken The event that is more significant by a landslide is what happened on December 19, 1959. On December 19, 1959, my wife Kay and I got married. That makes this the 60th anniversary of our wedding. Just look at all the beauty that has followed us, 20 kids and grandkids. All of that in that 60-year period of time. prgtoken What I want to say is the beautiful life that we are still having together--and I would like to say at this point that Kay, after 60 years, is still loving, and I wish you a happy anniversary; and to everyone out there as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, Merry Christmas, and God bless you. prgtoken I yield t
UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2019-12-19

. Madam , I thank the ranking member for yielding the time. prgtoken I rise today in support of the USMCA. prgtoken And let's call this what it is: It is a win for America. It is a win for our farmers. It is a win for our manufacturers. It is a win for our workers. prgtoken For the past 2\1/2\ years, so many people have worked tirelessly to ensure that this high-standard and modernized trade agreement got completed. prgtoken I would especially thank Chairman Neal and Ranking Member Brady and our Ways and Means staff for all the hard work and the commitment and dedication to getting this done. prgtoken Also, to Bob Lighthizer. There is not a more capable trade ambassador that we have had than Bob Lighthizer. He has been relentless in his pursuit of getting this done. prgtoken Lastly, President , it wouldn't have happened without him and what he did working with the Canadians and the Mexicans to get this trade agreement done. prgtoken This free and fair trade agreement benefits all of us, all sectors of our economy. Moreover, it will further support the record-breaking economic growth that this country has seen. We, arguably, have the best economy we have had in 40 years, and this will help that. prgtoken It is true that this agreement is not perfect. There are a few things that I would have liked to have seen done differently on sunset provision and ISDS and rules of origin. prgtoken But, at the end of the day, when you look at these 24 chapters and what it does to market access for agriculture, to digital trade provisions, USMCA puts America on top, and it shows the world that, with our two largest trading partners, Mexico and Canada, we can negotiate an agreement that is solid. prgtoken Remember, we represent 4\1/2\ percent of the world's population. We have to have markets around the world. This agreement sets the standard for doing that. prgtoken In Congress, I am proud to represent the 18th District of Illinois. It is the eighth largest district in terms of corn and soybean production. When I think about what this does for market access, breaking down barriers, this helps our farmers. prgtoken In Illinois, ag is the number one industry in our State. I think about our manufacturers and what this means for jobs and opportunities for them for products in Canada and Mexico. prgtoken The ability to sell our goods, products, and services around the world is absolutely vital to economic success in Illinois and across the country. Forty percent of the products we grow, produce, or manufacture in Illinois go to Canada or Mexico. This helps with that. prgtoken In closing, I would just say this is a good agreement. I look forward to supporting it, and I would ask my colleagues to do the same.