mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-7-26

this is a Davis-Bacon amendment that addresses the MILCON component of the legislation that is before us. prgtoken This Congress has had this debate a number of times over the past years. The history of the Davis-Bacon Act goes back to, I will say, a couple of s that got together and decided they didn't want the construction market to have to face the competition of African Americans coming out of Alabama to build a Federal building in New York City. They took such great offense to that that they wrote legislation that is known as the Davis-Bacon Act, and the language says it requires a prevailing wage. prgtoken I have spent 42 years in the construction business, if I count the work my son does as he owns that company today, and we have dealt with that, I would say, nearly every year, if not every year, throughout all that time. prgtoken What we have is the Federal Government interfering in the relationship between the employer and the employee and setting a wage scale that is called prevailing wage. But that is set by folks sitting inside a room with a closed door, and they come out of there with the equivalent of a union wage mandated by the Federal Government. That is the net effect. prgtoken As we have kept records over the years, the increase in the cost of the projects for us has been between 8 and 35 percent, depending on how much is labor, how much is materials, and the nature of the job. prgtoken The Heritage Foundation has done a study or two. They come with a number kind of in that area. So I just boil it down to 20 percent. It is a 20 percent increase over the otherwise cost of a project, and that means this: without the Davis-Bacon wage scale imposed upon it by the Federal Government, the merit shop employees who meet plans and specs and do high-quality work--and there is nothing in our 42 years of history that would indicate otherwise--that we can build 5 miles of road instead of 4, we can build five barracks instead of four, we can build five bridges instead of four. prgtoken This is an unnecessary cost to the taxpayer. It brings efficiency to the expenditures of the taxpayers' money, and it does a lot better job of taking care of our military. prgtoken , I urge the adoption of my amendment, which simply does this: it says that none of the funds may be used to implement, administer, or enforce prevailing wage requirements that is referenced as Davis-Bacon. prgtoken , I urge its adoption, and .
TRIBUTE TO ABIGAIL KOSIAK
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-7-26

today I recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Abigail Kosiak. Abigail hails from Sioux Falls, SD, and is a rising junior at Utah State University. prgtoken While interning on the Commerce Committee, Abigail worked in the committee's front office, assisted the Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee and gave tours of the Capitol. She is a dedicated worker who was committed to getting the most out of her internship. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Abigail for all of the fine work she did for the Commerce Committee and wish her continued success in the years to come.
AN IMPRESSIVE MILESTONE
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2017-7-26

I rise today to honor two men from my State whose quick thinking saved the life of another earlier this year. prgtoken Dr. Bob Schwegler and Dr. Tom Cress were both golfing with Steve Blattner at the Albany Golf Course when Steve began to suffer a cardiac event. Instead of panicking, both doctors successfully performed lifesaving measures on Steve, and with the assistance of the Albany Fire Department, their efforts were successful in saving Steve's life. prgtoken As a result of their heroic actions, Dr. Schwegler and Dr. Cress were recently presented with lifesaving awards by Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson and Lieutenant Vic Weiss at the Stearns County Board of Commissioners meeting. prgtoken Thank you, Bob Schwegler, Tom Cress, and the Albany Fire Department, for your heroic actions. We appreciate your service. A Perfect Score
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Scott Perry (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-7-26

we are in agreement that the regulations have to be in place. I, too, like the yellow sticker, just like she does; and somehow the yellow stickers are in place without this new rule. They are there right now. You have been seeing them for years. This is new--this is a new regulation. prgtoken I would contend that, yeah, the manufacturers have gotten on board and they have negotiated this rule. Because what choice did they have, right? prgtoken The Federal Government is going to regulate. They are going to do it. You either get in the game and play ball or you know what happens to the bat. Right? They didn't want to be in that position, so they took the best they could. prgtoken I am telling you and it is my contention that the free market is going to figure this out because we all want the most efficient, the most cost-effective, and the most maintenance-effective, whether it is an air-conditioner, whether it is a car, or whether it is an electric toothbrush. prgtoken We don't need the Federal Government telling us to do it. By the way, this company has applied for a waiver, years in the making. They literally have the president of the company spending almost, he said, 85 percent of his time dealing with Federal regulation compliance. prgtoken The president of the company is the guy who wants to hire these 125 people, go make sales, and produce things. Instead, all he is doing is dealing with the Federal Government. Somehow, someway we all got to this point. prgtoken It feels pretty cool in the Capitol right now, right? It feels pretty cool in the House of Representatives. prgtoken The yellow labels were there before this regulation ever happened. prgtoken , I ask and urge the Members to vote in favor of the amendment, and .
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Dean Heller (Republican, NV) \u2014 2017-7-26

that would express the importance of Medicaid in our individual States. I would like to read from it two provisions that I think are important to this whole body; that is, the Senate prioritizes ``Medicaid services for individuals who have the greatest medical need, including individuals with disabilities;'' also, that we ``should not consider legislation that reduces or eliminates benefits or coverage for individuals who are currently eligible for Medicaid.'' prgtoken That is the amendment. I want everyone to express for their own States how important the Medicaid Program is for their States, and I would urge a ``yes'' vote from my colleagues.
CALLING FOR UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF U.S. CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS HELD FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN
Edward R. Royce (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-7-26

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , this particular resolution calls for the unconditional release of American citizens and legal permanent residents that are being held as prisoners right now, being held in jail by the Iranian regime. prgtoken I would like to begin by thanking the ranking member and the chair of our Middle East Subcommittee--and that is both Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chair, who is with us, and Mr. Ted Deutch--for their tireless work on behalf of these victims and on behalf of the families. They have introduced this resolution along with Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Judge Ted Poe. prgtoken The reason for it, as you all know, is that Iran just continues to engage in this despicable practice of detaining people who are visiting Iran, and then they come up with fabricated criminal charges, and then these innocent people are held captive; but not just held captive, it is the brutal conditions which they find themselves in. prgtoken When we have talked to those and they have shown us what they have been through, these former prisoners in Iran, these Americans, they describe being subjected to electric shock, to forced drug withdrawal, through whippings, solitary confinement, they are denied medical care oftentimes, and routinely forced to sleep on the floor, if they are permitted to sleep at all. prgtoken Right now we have a number of U.S. citizens, Siamak and Baquer Namazi, Xiyue Wang, and U.S. permanent resident Nizar Zakka. prgtoken These U.S. citizens and permanent residents were imprisoned after being falsely accused of collaborating with a hostile government or accused of espionage. Their families are paralyzed with fear about how they are being treated. prgtoken Why is Iran so intent on holding Americans on bogus politicized charges? prgtoken It is because the Iranian regime believes it can use detained Americans as leverage to demand concessions, like ransom or sanctions relief, in violation of the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages. prgtoken U.S. citizen Robert Levinson, he is still missing, and this is after 10 years. He disappeared 10 years ago in Iran, and Iran has not remotely fulfilled its commitment to try to help locate him. prgtoken Our committee has held multiple hearings with these prisoners' families, most recently yesterday, when family Members testified before our Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, and we thank them for their bravery in sharing their stories. prgtoken We stand in solidarity with these citizens and with their families as we call for their release. We can't imagine the horror that one would be experiencing, but our hearts are with you, and we are committed to advocate on behalf of you and your loved ones. prgtoken H. Res. 317 calls on Iran to let these Americans, and all individuals being unjustly detained by Iran, come home. And it also calls on Iran to fulfill its many promises to help find Bob Levins
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Luther Strange (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-7-26

I rise today in defense of those who cannot defend themselves. After 8 years of policies that have undermined the sanctity of life, we have an opportunity today to extend the protections of the Hyde amendment wider than ever before. prgtoken After 8 years of a failed social experiment that subverted the will of a majority of Americans and denied rights of conscience and religious freedom, we have an opportunity to ensure that taxpayer dollars will not contribute to the scourge of abortion under any circumstance. prgtoken As we consider options to fix our nation's failing healthcare system, partisan lines cut deeper on abortion than on any other issue. However, we should all be able to agree that taxpayer funds have no place in funding abortions. prgtoken I also hope we can agree that our society cannot be truly prosperous until it respects the rights of the most vulnerable among us. If we fail to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, then the words of our founding documents, the words inscribed in the halls of this building, and the truths we each hold in our hearts mean nothing. prgtoken To that end, I will be offering a motion to waive the point of order on Hyde amendment protections as we work to solve our healthcare crisis. Today, and every day, I stand for life. I am joined by colleagues who understand what is at stake, and I thank Senator Enzi for his leadership. prgtoken .
BUDGETARY REVISIONS
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-7-26

section 3001 of S. Con. Res. 3, the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017, allows the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee to revise the allocations, aggregates and levels in the budget resolution for legislation related to healthcare reform. The authority to adjust is contingent on the legislation not increasing the deficit over the period of the total of fiscal years 2017 to 2026. prgtoken I find that amendment No. 271 fulfills the conditions of deficit neutrality found in sec. 3001 of S. Con. Res. 3. Accordingly, I am revising the allocations to the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, HELP and the budgetary aggregates to account for the budget effects of the amendment. I am also adjusting the unassigned to committee savings levels in the budget resolution to reflect that while there are savings in the amendment attributable to both the HELP and Finance committees, the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation are unable to produce unique estimates for each provision due to interactions and other effects that are estimated simultaneously. prgtoken This adjustment supersedes the adjustment I previously made for the processing of S. Amdt. 267. This adjustment applies while this amendment is under consideration. Should the amendment be withdrawn, fail, or lose its pending status, this adjustment will be null and void and the adjustment for amendment No. 267 shall remain active. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that the accompanying tables, which provide details about the adjustment, be printed in the Record.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
David B. McKinley (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-7-26

let's step back a minute on this issue. prgtoken As you can see from this chart, coal, natural gas, and oil--fossil fuels--make up 81 percent of this country's energy consumption--81 percent. prgtoken But the proportion of R&D funding, you can see, is only 18 percent, which is far below what is currently being spent on renewables and nuclear. prgtoken The reality is that America and the entire world are going to be dependent on fossil fuels for years to come. The Energy Information Administration estimates that by the year 2040, fossil energy will still make up 78 percent of the energy used around the globe. prgtoken Are my friends on the other side serious about addressing these emissions? prgtoken Shouldn't America's goal be to develop the technologies so that we can utilize coal and natural gas around the world in the cleanest, most efficient way possible? prgtoken Shouldn't America be that global leader on energy technology? prgtoken You can't do that without research. prgtoken , we can't be cutting research on fossil fuels and technology. We should actually be increasing it. prgtoken Fossil fuels will be around for the foreseeable future. I think we have a responsibility for our children and our grandchildren to make sure that it is burned and used in the most efficient, clean manner that we can, and this requires research. prgtoken , the House has soundly defeated similar amendments to this in the past, year after year, and I hope they will defeat this one, too. prgtoken , .
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-7-26

I thank the chairman of the Appropriations Committee for yielding me time. prgtoken I am very pleased to support H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act of 2018, especially because it includes H.R. 3266, which provides appropriations for the energy programs within the Science, Space, and Technology Committee's jurisdiction. prgtoken Chairman Simpson, who is on the floor behind me, has worked closely with us on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to include responsible, pro-science funding levels for the Department of Energy. prgtoken Chairman Simpson, your leadership and cooperation have been exceptional and are much appreciated. Thank you for your leadership in passing this legislation that sets America on a path to remain the world's leader in innovation. prgtoken The appropriations included in this legislation are consistent with the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which passed the House last Congress. This bill also funds programs authorized in H.R. 589, the DOE Research and Innovation Act, which passed the House earlier this year and was the product of over 3 years of work by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to advance basic research and set clear science priorities for the Department of Energy. prgtoken American industry relies on Federal support for basic research to produce the scientific breakthroughs that fuel technological innovation, new industries, economic growth, and good jobs. prgtoken Around the country, scientists at our National Labs and universities are conducting groundbreaking, basic science research that provides the foundation for next generation technology in energy, medicine, and manufacturing. prgtoken This legislation provides strong support for the Department of Energy's Office of Science at $5.4 billion for fiscal year 2018. The Office of Science will get increased funding for research in basic energy sciences, high-performance computing, nuclear physics, high- energy physics, and fusion energy. prgtoken The strong support for the Office of Science in the appropriations bill will prioritize the basic research programs that are the core mission of the Department and the National Labs and lead to scientific discoveries that can provide benefits across the economy. prgtoken This legislation also includes responsible funding for DOE's applied programs, prioritizing early-stage research in electricity, energy efficiency, renewables, fossil, and nuclear. prgtoken An example of such critical early-stage energy research involves nuclear energy where the bill's funding supports the priorities outlined in the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, which passed the House as a part of H.R. 589. That legislation, sponsored by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber of Texas, combines the strengths of the National Labs, universities, and the private sector to develop advanced nuclear technology. This technology is our best opportunity to pro
THE SECRET SERBIAN RESCUE MISSION OF WORLD WAR II
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-7-26

during the long, dark, lamentable days of World War II, Serbians and Americans forged a bond in a secret mission that remained classified for almost 60 years. prgtoken What was known as Operation Halyard became the largest rescue operation of American airmen in history. It would not have been possible without the courage of the Serbian people. prgtoken In 1944, as the Allies advanced into fortress Europe, American bombers based in southern Italy began to strike Germany's vital oil supplies in Romania. The 15th Air Force launched nearly 20,000 sorties into Eastern Europe to degrade Hitler's war machine. To do this, they had to fly over Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia. As many as 1,500 pilots and airmen were shot down during these dangerous flights. prgtoken Serbians who had been resisting German forces since 1941 risked their own lives to rescue American aircrews and hide them from patrolling Nazis. One of them was Serbian George Dudich, the father of Elaine Dudich, my chief of staff when I was a judge in Texas. prgtoken For months, George Dudich and the other Serbians aided downed Americans, caring for and protecting the pilots, and then smuggling the aircrews back to Allied lines. prgtoken By August 1944, hundreds of other downed aircrews were being sheltered by the Serbian guerillas. The OSS, the predecessor to the CIA, devised a plan to evacuate the Allied pilots in a daring mission coordinated with the Serbian resistance. prgtoken On August 10, unarmed American C-47s flew numerous sorties deep into enemy territory and landed at an improvised airfield built and protected by local Serbians near the village of Pranjani. By the 18th, more than 500 Allied airmen had been secretly rescued and flown back to Italy. prgtoken Here on this poster you see the Serbian resistance, along with American aircrews that had been downed, moving them to hiding from the Nazis that were patrolling the areas. For over 60 years, this bold, unbelievable secret operation was kept classified. prgtoken Our alliance with Serbia and the Serbian people goes back even further to the First World War. One hundred years ago, Serbia stood up to the aggression from the larger Austrian-Hungarian empire. We should admire such defiance against overwhelming odds. prgtoken Serbia's stand against tyranny also set events in motion that would lead the U.S. to take up the cause of freedom in Europe in World War I. That common devotion to liberty and the spirit of the Halyard mission still lives today with the close ties between the United States and Serbia. prgtoken As was the case in both World Wars, Serbia and the United States still face shared threats. We work together now to preserve each others' security. Serbian soldiers serve along with U.S. forces in fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, and Serbia is a partner in keeping terrorism from spreading in Serbia and in Europe. prgtoken However, Russian propaganda efforts in the country are particularly strong and
HONORING FONA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Peter J. Roskam (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-7-26

I rise today to honor FONA International, Inc a company located in Geneva, Illinois, which was recently named the number one small/medium workplace in Chicago by Fortune magazine and consulting firm Great Place to Work. At FONA International, Inc. 97 percent of employees say they are proud of their workplace, have been offered training or development to further themselves professionally, and have access to a special and unique benefit system. This was only possible due to the leadership of Joe and Mary Slawek. Since FONA International's founding in 1987 the Slaweks has been the driving force behind its exceptional corporate culture which stresses retaining and recognizing its employees. The Slaweks have championed innovative programs and initiatives which have earned their company a spot on the National Association for Business Resources' list of Chicago's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work for. FONA International, Inc. is currently celebrating 30 years creating and producing flavors for the largest food, beverage, and nutrition companies in the world. Their excellent work over the years has made them an industry leader and they have even been awarded the 2016 Food Quality and Safety Award by Food Quality and Safety magazine. and distinguished colleagues, please join me in congratulating FONA International, Inc. on being named the number one workplace in Chicagoland and for their legacy of achievement. FONA International Inc. is a company that truly cares not only for their customers, but also for their employees.