mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BORDER SECURITY
Brad R. Wenstrup (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-2-7

I thank Mr. Walker for yielding me the time. prgtoken , I rise to support the security and the safety of all our fellow Americans. The fact of the matter is that border security isn't or shouldn't be a partisan issue. That is why many of my colleagues from across the aisle have actually supported border security and fencing in the past. prgtoken The fact is, this is an American issue that affects every part of our Nation, sometimes in very visible ways, sometimes in ways less visible. prgtoken I represent southern and southwestern Ohio, not a border State, but it is deeply and tragically impacted by the lack of border security. prgtoken In the last couple years, there was a woman from my district area who was being deported. The archbishop called the Senator on her behalf, and he has every right to do that. This is someone who was being deported under the administration. They set a date. When the date came, she didn't adhere, and she was deported. prgtoken The archbishop had every right to engage in that act, if he felt like he should reach out to the Representative. But I met with the archbishop and I asked him: Where were you in the case--such as I am about to tell you about--where were you when someone was in need because of the actions of someone who was here illegally? prgtoken Last year, I met a mother of a 15-year-old girl. The mother told me about their neighbor, the neighbor that they trusted, that they had picnics with. They told him: You have nothing to worry about. You are here legally. prgtoken It turns out, he was a 41-year-old illegal immigrant who had previously been deported from this country but reentered the U.S. illegally and gained employment by using the Social Security number of a 69-year-old woman from Arkansas. prgtoken One day, he knocked on their door, and since their daughter knew him, she opened the door, and he went in and beat and raped her. prgtoken Her innocence was taken forever. Her life changed forever. He got 8 years. She got a life sentence, and it didn't need to happen. prgtoken Tragically, one of my local prosecutors tells me there have been multiple cases like this in our area over the last few years. These are the families I think about when someone calls a border wall immoral. prgtoken As President said in his address, we don't build walls because we hate the people on the outside. It is because we love the people on the inside. But, really, we also love the people on the outside who want to come here legally to be part of our American family. prgtoken This isn't about keeping people out of our country. This is about controlling access, so we know who and what is coming into our country. prgtoken Sitting idly by and making no effort to resolve these problems is wrong. It is a disservice to those who have suffered violence at the hands of criminals who have entered our Nation illegally. These victims are real, and so is their pain. We owe it to them to enforce our l
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 840, VETERANS' ACCESS TO CHILD CARE ACT; PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF H. RES. 86, PROVIDING AMOUNTS FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS...
Rob Woodall (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-2-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , it is troubling to me that we have those things that divide us, that permeate these conversations that could be uniting. Again, I don't think we have that many opportunities where we are able to come together as an entire institution unanimously to support legislation, so I deeply regret we have missed that opportunity. prgtoken I want to encourage my friends on the other side of the aisle not to fall under the same trap that I think s fell into just 8 short years ago. Every single conversation we have now in the Rules Committee, the tax cuts come into it. prgtoken The fact that so many of my ic friends didn't want tax cuts for the American people isn't a mystery to me. I got not one ic vote on the entire bill. I get it. One team thought it was a good idea, one team didn't, but we cannot use that disagreement as an excuse not to do the very best that we can on each and every bill going forward. prgtoken I will give you that example from the s experience. I was categorically opposed to the Federal takeover of healthcare that was the Affordable Care Act. I was categorically opposed to the way that small businesses lost options. And my friends that were promised they could keep their doctor and they could keep their plan, those promises were broken. prgtoken But I still came together with my ic friends on the floor to find additional dollars for veterans healthcare and plus-up those accounts, to find additional ways to serve veterans who had not been served through healthcare and plus-up those accounts. The fact that we disagree on really big important issues does not mean we cannot come together and do the very best that we can. prgtoken And with that in mind, I want to give credit where credit is due. I have talked a lot about how we unanimously passed this bill last Congress. It is true. We unanimously passed it out of committee, and we unanimously passed it on the floor of the House. But what that means is, it came to the floor of the House on the suspension calendar, which meant no amendments were made in order. prgtoken The way that my friends on the other side of the aisle have brought the bill up, amendments are made in order, and the Rules Committee made 21 different amendments in order. We passed the bill unanimously under our leadership, but there was not an opportunity to improve it. prgtoken My friends on the other side have chosen a different path that does allow an opportunity to improve it, but doesn't allow the opportunities that I am seeking to pay for it. prgtoken I don't have to demean my friends or their intentions because their intentions are pure, and they are thoughtful, honorable Members of this institution. The fact that we disagree about policy does not mean we have to disagree about the motives of one another. And when we have these opportunities to do not just good but better; not just good
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Andy Biggs (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2019-2-7

I rise today to discuss, briefly, some of the accomplishments of the administration that were pointed out in the State of the Union Address the other day. prgtoken I think it is imperative that we recognize that over 5 million jobs have been created in the last 2 years, over 300,000 in the last month alone. The economists had predicted and projected 170,000 jobs, and yet almost twice as many jobs were created. There are now a record of 157 million Americans employed in this country. prgtoken The unemployment rate has remained at or below the 4 percent for 11 straight months. That hasn't happened in almost 50 years. prgtoken There has been half a million manufacturing jobs since President became President, and there were more manufacturing jobs created in 2018 than any single year in the last 20 years. prgtoken We have seen the judiciary be restored to, in my opinion, normalcy, with the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, and more than 40 Federal judges confirmed just this week.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-2-7

today, I want to talk about the U.S. trade policy. This is something that affects every one of us. It affects all the families I represent, it affects our economy in a big way, and it affects our relations with other countries in significant ways. prgtoken Right now, we are fortunate to have a strong economy. When you look at the numbers, it is very encouraging. The tax reforms that were put in place at the end of 2017 and the pro-growth regulatory relief that has been put in place are actually doing exactly what many of us thought they would do. prgtoken When you look at the growth projections before the tax bill and the growth projections now, you will see that we have had a dramatic increase. If you look at the job projections, there is a dramatic increase in jobs. There were almost 2 million more jobs projected after the tax reform bill was passed. Why? It is because the tax reform bill was pro-growth and pro-jobs. It helps middle-class families, but it also helps small businesses, like the ones I visit all across my State of Ohio. They all have told me: You know, this is a nice shot in the arm for us. It gave us the ability to invest more in our equipment, in our people, and in our retirement savings. prgtoken Tomorrow, I will see it again. We will have a roundtable discussion at an Ohio manufacturer. This company makes tooling that is used in the aviation industry. They have already told me that they like the tax bill. I am going to ask them tomorrow what I ask all of these companies. I have visited with well over a dozen--several dozen--Ohio small businesses since the tax reform bill was passed. Specifically, I will ask them tomorrow: What happened to your bottom line, and what are you doing with the extra tax savings you are getting? What I think I will hear is what I have heard in other places, which is, We are investing more in people, and we are investing more in equipment. That is great. prgtoken The latest jobs report reflects all of this. When you look at the jobs report from last Friday--it was for the January time period--it showed an impressive 300,000 new jobs. That is way beyond expectations--302,000 new jobs in January. It also showed wages going up, which I think is even more impressive. In Ohio, wages have been pretty flat. In fact, for the last decade and a half, on average, wages have not gone above inflation. So when people say they are feeling the squeeze, they are. Expenses are up. Healthcare costs are up. Other expenses are up. Yet wages have been flat. I think that is one reason people feel that despite working hard and doing everything they were asked to do, they were not able to get ahead. Now they can feel they are getting ahead a little bit. If you look at the numbers from Friday, they indicate a 3.2-percent growth in wages for supervisory jobs, and for nonsupervisory jobs--you might think of those as more blue-collar jobs--there was a 3.4-percent increase i
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIMESTONE, MAINE
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2019-2-7

on February 26, the town of Limestone, ME, will mark the 150th anniversary of its incorporation. As one who was born and raised in the neighboring city of Caribou, it is a great pleasure to celebrate the generations of industrious and caring people who have made Limestone such a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families. prgtoken The story of Limestone begins long before its incorporation in 1869. For thousands of years, Aroostook County has been the home of the Micmac and Maliseet; the name Aroostook comes from the Native American word for ``beautiful river.'' French explorers, led by Samuel de Champlain, first visited the area in 1604. prgtoken For decades after the American Revolution, Maine's northernmost region was the site of a protracted and tense border dispute between our new Nation and British Canada. As negotiations to end what is now called the Bloodless Aroostook War neared completion in the early 1840s, families and entrepreneurs settled in the area. prgtoken Among them was General Mark Trafton, a veteran of the War of 1812, who was drawn to the region by the great deposits of limestone, vast stands of timber, and fertile soil. Soon a thriving settlement developed, and the prosperity derived from quarries, sawmills, and farms was invested in schools and churches to make a true community. prgtoken Later in the 19th century, the people of Limestone joined their neighboring towns in connecting their remote region to the world with their own hands. Town by town, they built roads and railroads with pick, shovel, and wheelbarrow. These transportation networks, combined with the region's rich soil, made Aroostook County an agricultural powerhouse, and the potato industry remains an essential part of the Maine economy. prgtoken People were drawn to Limestone in search of liberty and opportunity, and they have always worked and sacrificed to extend those blessings to others. Veterans' monuments throughout the area stand in honor of the many heroes who gave their lives so that all could be free. prgtoken During the Cold War, Loring Air Force Base was established in Limestone, due to its proximity to northern Europe, and it became a crucial forward post in America's defense. The closure of the base in 1994 was a difficult challenge for the people of Limestone, who responded with the qualities that wrote their history: strength, determination, and a strong work ethic. With the transformation of the former base into the Loring Commerce Centre, Maine's largest industrial park, they are building new jobs and opportunities. prgtoken Limestone's support for our Armed Forces continues at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service facility at the Loring Commerce Centre, where hundreds of hard-working and dedicated employees have established a reputation for excellence. The Loring Job Corps Center, also at the former air base, has helped thousands of young people gain the skills to succeed in t
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-2-7

today I wish to recognize the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Class of 2019 and their contributions to industry, our State and beyond. prgtoken Clairborne P. Deming, Joe M. Steele, Warren A. Stephens and John W. Tyson are icons and trailblazers. They shaped my home State of Arkansas and their business fields and industries where their influence continues to be felt today. prgtoken The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas established the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame to recognize Arkansans-- by birth or by choice--who have been influential business leaders and ensure their reputations and achievements are enshrined for future generations. Currently, there are more than 80 Arkansans who have been inducted. prgtoken This year's inductees are certainly worthy of joining the ranks of those who have the distinction of being named to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. prgtoken Claiborne P. Deming, the former president and CEO and current chairman of Murphy Oil, started his career with the El Dorado-based oil company as a staff attorney after graduating from Tulane Law School in 1979. He served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Murphy Oil before becoming the president and chief executive officer in 1994. prgtoken During Deming's tenure as CEO the company expanded internationally, tripled its production and oil and gas reserves and started an important business relationship with Walmart, whereby Murphy built and operated gasoline stations and convenience stores in Walmart Supercenter parking lots. However, Deming's legacy extends beyond business. prgtoken In 2007, he worked with the company's board of directors on a $50 million proposal to create an educational scholarship for students graduating from El Dorado High School. The program, called the El Dorado Promise, awards all graduates a scholarship equal to instate tuition and mandatory fees for bachelor or associate college degrees. The Promise scholarship has provided funding to over 2,000 students over the 10 years since it was established. Deming retired as CEO in 2008 and became chairman of the Murphy Oil Corporation's board of directors, a position he still holds today. prgtoken Joe M. Steele established Steele Canning Company in 1924 while still a teenager, packing tomatoes inside a shed on his family farm in Lowell. By 1932, Steele's young business had outgrown the small plant and he moved his operation to Springdale where it continued to grow rapidly. During World War II, 70 percent of Steele's canning products were diverted to the Armed Forces and became a regular export to soldiers on every battlefront. prgtoken Steele Canning was instrumental in several innovative marketing initiatives including sponsoring the Beatles' 1964 tour and increasing instore spinach sales with the addition of Popeye to its label. By the 1970s, Steele Canning became the industry standard and prgtoken was one of the l
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-2-7

I want to congratulate the Senator from Alaska on doing a wonderful job pulling together pieces of legislation that have been lingering around here for a long time. They have gone through the committee process and have been vetted--sometimes multiple times--but have never ultimately made it across the finish line. We have an opportunity here, when we get a chance to vote, to complete that work and to do something that will be very meaningful for Senators on both sides of the aisle who represent a wide swath of our country. prgtoken As the Senator from Alaska pointed out, she and her staff were very helpful to us. We have a little issue in Custer, SD. The city of Custer wants to have an airport--to expand their airport operations, and the Forest Service wants to transfer some of the land in order for them to do that, and it takes action by Congress to make that happen. So we are grateful to Senator Murkowski and her team for all they have done to advance this legislation and to give us an opportunity, once and for all, to get a number of things across the finish line that have been waiting for a long time. The Economy prgtoken , like to present themselves as the party of working Americans, but if that were ever true, it is certainly not true anymore. You don't have to look any further than recent ic policy to see how disconnected the ic Party is and has become from ordinary Americans. prgtoken Let's take the so-called Green New Deal. This proposal, which would require that all U.S. energy production be renewable, could raise electricity bills for families by more than $3,000 per year--$3,000 per year. prgtoken It is difficult to see how anyone who understands the challenges faced by working families would propose adding $3,000 per year to their electricity bills. When I am home in South Dakota, I regularly hear from South Dakotan families who are working hard to make ends meet. I can think of few families in my State--or anywhere else, for that matter--who could easily absorb an additional $3,000 a year in energy costs. With last week's polar vortex or even the average cold winters we get on the Great Plains, it is frightening to think about how many people would be at risk if it weren't for reliable and affordable energy. prgtoken Then, of course, there is the ' Medicare for All proposal. This sounds like a simple solution--who doesn't want to increase access to healthcare?--until you hear the price tag. The so-called Medicare for All would cost an estimated $32 trillion over 10 years. That is equivalent to the entire Federal discretionary budget more than two times over. prgtoken like to present the fiction of free healthcare. Well, that is precisely what it is--fiction. There is just no such thing as a free lunch, and there is certainly no such thing as free healthcare. Nurses have to be paid. Lab t
TRIBUTE TO MARLO PRONOVOST AND CARLI TORESDHAL
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2019-2-7

this week I have the honor of recognizing Marlo Pronovost and Carli Toresdhal for their impact on the Gallatin and Stillwater Counties. prgtoken Marlo and Carli are two sisters from Bozeman, MT. Born and raised in Montana, they both attended Bozeman High School and have stayed close to the area throughout their lives. Later in their lives, the two sisters both married members of Montana law enforcement. prgtoken Marlo met her husband 20 years ago, while working as a journalist at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Assigned to cover the Bozeman Police Department, they quickly fell in love. Carli met her husband also in Bozeman, where he worked in marketing and at the county jail, later becoming a police officer. He has now been a sergeant for 12 years. prgtoken Throughout their lives, Marlo and Carli were faced with the biggest challenge of being married to members of law enforcement--the unknown. They stayed strong in overcoming those challenges due to the sense of community between other members of Montana law enforcement and their families. Marlo and Carli relied on the Montana law enforcement community to back each other, regardless of the color of the uniform or department. prgtoken I applaud Marlo and Carli for their dedication to Montana. They stayed strong for their communities and have made a lasting impact on the State of Montana.
ALZHEIMER'S AWARENESS
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2019-2-7

as the co-chair of the Alzheimer's Working Group on the Ways and Means Committee, I rise today to raise awareness about this disease that has a profound impact on so many families across Illinois and our country. prgtoken Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, causing issues with memory and behavior. More than 3 million individuals are diagnosed with Alzheimer's per year. prgtoken Alzheimer's transcends race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic standing, touching families of all backgrounds. For 2019, more than $400 million was allocated for research, but it is more than just funding that is needed to find a cure. prgtoken As a Member of Congress, I have been proud to support legislation aimed at finding a cure for this disease, such as the RAISE Family Caregivers Act and the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, both of which were signed into law. prgtoken While we have taken important strides to find a cure for this disease, we still have much work to do. I look forward to working with Members on both sides of the aisle to find a cure for this devastating disease.