mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE MEDIA COULD PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-4

the national liberal media continue to promote a divided America. This is largely a result of their chosen candidate not winning the Presidential election. Since 91 percent of the media's coverage of President-elect was negative, it is no surprise that they still see America in a negative light. prgtoken But the media could play a much more constructive role. They could report the good news that Americans are more confident about the future than they have been in 20 years. They could report on President-elect 's ability to attract individuals of competence and experience to his administration. They could report on his fresh approach and new ideas for, yes, making America great again. prgtoken Let's hope the media will put aside their bias and give the American people the facts, untainted by personal animosity. If they do, our country will be better for it.
GAO ACCESS AND OVERSIGHT ACT OF 2017
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-1-4

I rise today in support of H.R. 72, the GAO Access and Oversight Act of 2017. prgtoken The GAO is one of the most important tools taxpayers and Congress have to keep the Federal Government accountable. Without complete information, GAO is limited in their ability to prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. prgtoken This bill clarifies that GAO has access to data, such as the National Directory of New Hires, which will better equip GAO to audit key Federal programs on behalf of taxpayers. Every day, GAO handles the government's most sensitive information in a responsible manner, and GAO provides trusted recommendations for improving the Federal Government's operations. prgtoken The Federal Government reported $137 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2015, the largest ever reported. Total improper payments for the Federal Government over the past 10 years exceeds $1 trillion. This bill will increase the effectiveness of GAO to help reduce improper payments, dollars that could be used to better fund the programs that ultimately serve the people. This bill takes an important step forward by providing GAO with an additional tool to ensure GAO's effectiveness in preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
TRIBUTE TO ARLENE MATHEWS
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2017-1-4

I wish to recognize Arlene Mathews of Helena, MT, for her 63 years of volunteer service at St. Peter's Hospital. prgtoken In a basement in 1953, Arlene began the ``Sock Sew,'' which makes socks for newborn babies who are born in December at St. Peter's Hospital to take home. prgtoken This year, Arlene and volunteers sitting at 20 sewing machines cut, sewed, and glued 100 large stockings for the newborns and another 100 smaller stockings for patients at St. Peter's whose Christmas Eve is spent in the hospital. This is a wonderful gesture that made their Christmas in the hospital just a little bit better. Thank you, Arlene, for thinking of those in the hospital, especially during the Christmas season. prgtoken I am thrilled to honor our unsung hero, Arlene Mathews, for her 63- year service to her community.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017--Continued
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-1-4

I ask unanimous consent that for the duration of the Senate's consideration of S. Con. prgtoken Res. 3, the majority and ic managers of the concurrent resolution, while seated or standing at the managers' desks, be permitted to deliver floor remarks, retrieve, review, and edit documents, and send email and other data communications from text displayed on wireless personal digital assistant devices and tablet devices.
DOUBLE STANDARDS
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-4

it is an honor to get to come into this hallowed Hall and to have a chance to address our peers. prgtoken It was a rather enjoyable day yesterday, even with all the vitriol, but I was reminded and couldn't help but reminisce a bit and walk a bit down memory lane yesterday as we heard from Members of the House on the other side of the aisle expressing repeatedly a desire to have open debate and not shut off debate. prgtoken The reminiscing took me back to a time last year when, as far as we could find, the only time in American history one party in the United States Congress physically prevented another party from coming to the floor and going into session and trying to begin debate and trying to discuss the business of the day. We can't find that any party ever staged such a sit-in. prgtoken We know there are House rules about not eating on the House floor and about not having things to drink on the House floor other than water, and yet our friends across the aisle were eating and drinking. It is actually a violation of the House rules to sing on the House floor. Every now and then, people look the other way from the violation, but certainly not to take pictures and broadcast. prgtoken I approached the Sergeant at Arms and asked him why this wasn't stopped. prgtoken I was told: Well, they won't stop; we have told them repeatedly. prgtoken I said: Well, you won't let s get away with this kind of conduct. They are preventing debate. They are preventing a session from starting timely. This has been going on for hours. prgtoken I was told: Well, Congressman, when we tell you s that you are violating a rule, you stop and you follow the rules. We have told them repeatedly, and they will not stop violating the rules. They will not stop preventing you from going into session, so we don't know what else to do. prgtoken , I had issues like that when I was a felony judge, and they didn't last long because we had bailiffs who would drag people out to stop such inappropriate conduct. It just seemed that, in this potentially last bastion of civility where we can use words and debate issues, it is rather ironic, to say the least, to be preached to repeatedly about the desire for open debate and the desire to not be shut down from speaking when that is exactly what happened last year by the very people who were standing up, and some of them were reading a script pointing out how offended they were by being prevented by the rules under which we have been proceeding from going forward and debating. So it is rather ironic and rather incredible actually. prgtoken I also recall back when we were debating Care and some of us wanted to get amendments into Care. Of course, some of us remember the fact that John Dingell was chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce that had jurisdiction over the healthcare debate and the healthcare bill. He has been working for a healthcare bill, something like wha
MIDNIGHT RULES RELIEF ACT OF 2017
Darrell Issa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-1-4

such time as I may consume. prgtoken The gentlewoman from Florida, I am sure, is well intended, but there is nothing more transparent than calling up to the floor of this House and debating the removal of regulations that have been found to be excessive or extreme or simply not consistent with the law. That is a transparent process. The term ``regular order,'' in fact, could not be more appropriate to that process. We passed a law nearly three Presidents ago, if you will, that simply called for this procedure. prgtoken All I am saying is we should not be mired down, if there are five or six or eight bad regulations, in not combining them together for purposes of getting them disposed of in a timely fashion. I might suggest to everyone that they remember that many of us did not support the regulation change yesterday as to the ethics oversight, because we do believe in transparency and will continue to believe in transparency. prgtoken Again, nothing is more transparent than bringing to the House floor the debate about something that is believed to have been wrong done by unelected bureaucrats. ``Bureaucrat'' is not a dirty word, but ``unelected'' fits this process. prgtoken , .
CONGRESS SHOULD CONDEMN U.N. ANTI-ISRAEL RESOLUTION
Kevin Yoder (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-1-4

I rise today in solidarity and support for one of America's greatest friends and allies, but one the administration has sadly abandoned in its last days in office: the State of Israel. prgtoken Since September of 2015 alone, in Israel, 42 people have been killed in terrorist attacks, and 602 people, including four Palestinians, have been injured. Yet, last month, the United Nations Security Council felt the need to condemn Israel with a misguided resolution the United States should have vetoed. prgtoken In fact, as long as Israel has been part of the U.N it has been treated with little respect and almost openly disdained. In 2016, there were more resolutions regarding Israel at the U.N. prgtoken than there were regarding Syria, North Korea, Iran, South Sudan, and Russia combined. That is simply an unacceptable way to treat the only peaceful democratic state in the region. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to join together in sending a strong, bipartisan message this week to rebuke this misguided resolution so we can get back on a path to a peaceful solution to conflict in the Middle East.
PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY DONATION REFORM ACT OF 2017
John J. Duncan, Jr. (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-1-4

. I thank the chairman for yielding to me and for his support of this legislation. prgtoken , this is very simple, bipartisan legislation that would require organizers of Presidential libraries to disclose the identities of donors and the amounts they give. It wouldn't limit any donations; it would simply require disclosure. I introduced this legislation several Congresses ago because I felt then and feel now that the public should be made aware of possible conflicts of interest that sitting Presidents can have or may have while raising funds for their libraries. prgtoken First of all, I thank Ranking Member Cummings for again cosponsoring this very important legislation and making it bipartisan. The legislation is so bipartisan that, after the first time we passed the bill--and it passed 392-3--it was taken over, at my request and with my agreement, by then-Chairman Waxman, who made it his bill. We passed it once again, and we passed it in the last Congress by a simple voice vote, so there is a lot of support for this bill. In the Senate, it was introduced by Mr. Carper and Mr. Coburn, when he was in the Senate. We need to get some prgtoken more interest over there, and I think we are going to be able to do that in this Congress. prgtoken , we do not know who these donors to the Presidential libraries are or what interests they may have on any pending policy decisions that are to be made. I think that our government needs to operate in the open, not with secrecy. This legislation will apply to all future Presidential libraries and mandate, regardless of party, that the names of the donors and the amounts they contribute be disclosed. I would like to add that this legislation will apply to President 's future Presidential library. This will require him to disclose more than any other President has ever had to disclose before. This will be an unprecedented disclosure, and it falls in line with his stated desire to drain the swamp. Any sitting President has a great deal of power. Funds should not be raised for a Presidential library in his honor without some type of public disclosure. prgtoken I decided to introduce this bill after news reports surrounding a proposed Presidential library exposed that foreign governments from the Middle East were making very large donations. Then, in 2007, The Washington Post reported that President Clinton's Presidential library raised a substantial percentage of the cost of its facility with foreign contributions. However, this is not a partisan issue. I have introduced this and supported this legislation under both ic and Presidents. The Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2017 would bring clarity to the process of planning and building these Presidential libraries. prgtoken In 2013, Sunlight Foundation Policy Director Daniel Schuman endorsed an earlier version of this bill during a hearing in front of our House Oversight and Government Reform
HONORING OUR NATION'S VIETNAM VETERANS
Ralph Lee Abraham (Republican, LA) \u2014 2017-1-4

in honor of our Nation's and the State of Louisiana's Vietnam veterans, I introduce Louisiana House Concurrent Resolution 43. prgtoken This resolution recognizes November 13, 2013 through November 11, 2025, as the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. It is important that we recognize our Nation's heroes who served with valor and honor through this long war, which in many ways defined an entire generation of Americans. By the end of the Vietnam War, nearly 3 million American servicemen and servicewomen had served within the borders of Vietnam in some capacity. We would like to take this time to honor all Vietnam veterans and, especially, the more than 58,000 patriots who paid the ultimate sacrifice during this difficult and painful period of war. prgtoken Of the millions of Vietnam veterans who served our country, over 106,000 reside in my home State of Louisiana. Though we remain thankful for all of those who have served our great Nation, we would like to take this time to remember the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. It is important that we honor our veterans while they are still alive so that they can take honor for the sacrifices and know that they do not go unnoticed.
TRIBUTE TO SHELBY GARDNER
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-1-4

I would like to recognize Shelby Gardner, of Warren, AK, as this week's Arkansan of the Week, for her work with the Arkansas Veterans Hospital posttraumatic stress disorder program in Little Rock. prgtoken Shelby is a senior at Warren High School in Bradley County and is proof that you are never too young to give back to your community. Shelby wanted to find a way to honor the men and women who put their lives on the line for our safety: our veterans. Specifically, she wanted to help those veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress. prgtoken After learning about the Arkansas Veterans Hospital posttraumatic stress disorder program, Shelby began to talk with anyone who would listen about the program--friends and family, her church congregation, civic clubs, and other organizations across Warren and Bradley County. She told them about her passion for helping veterans, the good work this program does, and how much it would benefit from additional support. prgtoken Her hard work paid off. With the help of a local auctioneer, Shelby organized a community bake sale auction and managed to raise $8,000 for the Arkansas Veterans Hospital. But Shelby wasn't finished. She and a group of other volunteers spent hours preparing and selling sandwiches at the Bradley County fair and raised an additional $2,000, for a grand total of $10,000 for veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress. prgtoken A veteran in Shelby's community was struck by her commitment to such a noble cause and in his nomination of Shelby wrote: ``Her actions are proof that patriotism runs deep in small town America. She is an exceptional representative of many young people in our nation deeply committed to the men and women who serve protecting and defending our nation and our way of life. Shelby is a shining example of the caliber of young person this country requires to ensure the survival of our nation and our values. She is a focused, goal oriented young woman who is a credit to her family, her church, her community, her state and nation.'' prgtoken I am equally as inspired by Shelby's hard work and her commitment to our veterans. Patriotism does indeed run deep in a State like Arkansas. Now, because of her efforts, the Veterans Hospital in Little Rock can better serve Arkansans who suffer from PTSD. prgtoken It is an honor to recognize Shelby Gardner as Arkansan of the Week, and I am thankful for people like Shelby who, using the resources around them, work to make others' lives better.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017--Continued
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-1-4

the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. s won the White House. s control the Senate. s control the House. What will the first order of business be for the new majority? To pass a budget that never balances, to pass a budget that will add $9.7 trillion of new debt over 10 years. prgtoken Is that really what we campaigned on? Is that really what the Party represents? prgtoken Our first order of business will be a budget that never balances, a budget that adds $9.7 trillion to the debt, and they tell us: Oh, but it is not a budget. If you listen, they will say: No, no, it is a vehicle to repeal Care. prgtoken Yet I have the title in front of me, which says a concurrent resolution for the budget of 2017. We have special rules when you pass the budget so that we may be able to repeal Care, and I am all for that. But why should we vote on a budget that doesn't represent our conservative view? Why would we vote on a budget that adds $9.7 trillion to the debt? Because we are in a hurry, we can't be bothered. prgtoken It is just numbers. I was told again and again: Swallow it. Take it. They are just numbers. Don't worry. It is not really a budget. prgtoken Yet the legislation says it is a budget. The numbers say we will add $9.7 trillion of new debt. prgtoken So I say: If they are only numbers, and if the numbers that are in the budget don't matter, why don't we put numbers in that balance? Why don't we put a vision into the budget that represents what s say they are for? prgtoken s say they are the conservative party. Are we? When was President for 8 years, the national debt went from $5 trillion to $10 trillion. The debt doubled under a President and a partially Congress. Yet the words were these: Well, he had to deal with, and if we could ever take all three branches of government, things would be different. prgtoken The s took over the House in 2010. They still didn't control the prgtoken Senate, but they said: If we only controlled the Senate, we could be the conservative party again. prgtoken We have had an election. The conservative party--the supposedly conservative party--won. s control the House, the Senate, and the Presidency, and the first item of business for the s will be to pass a budget that never balances--a budget that will add $9.7 trillion to the debt over 10 years. prgtoken This sign could have been put up for 's first budget. Every railed and said: $10 trillion--President will add $10 trillion. And he did. President doubled the debt again. prgtoken It went from $5 trillion to $10 trillion. The national debt went from $5 trillion to $10 trillion under , and then it doubled again under President . It went from $10 trillion to nearly $20 trillion. prgtoken What are we look
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-1-4

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Thursday, January 5; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of S. Con. Res. 3.
CONGRATULATING ERIC STARNES ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE EULESS POLICE DEPARTMENT
Kenny Marchant (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-4

I rise today to congratulate Lieutenant Eric Starnes on his well-earned retirement from the Euless Police Department in the city of Euless, Texas, after twenty-three years of dedicated service. prgtoken Starnes' distinguished career with the Euless Police Department began in 1993 after completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Academy for his police certification. Additionally, while serving as an officer, Starnes was able to pursue a number of advanced degrees and certifications, including a Master's in Public Administration from the University of North Texas and a Juris Doctor degree from Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Starnes is also a member of the State Bar of Texas. prgtoken In his time as an officer, Starnes has served as a Field Training Officer, K-9 Officer, and a member of the Euless Police Tactical Unit. He has received over 2,500 hours of in-service police training which consisted of a variety of courses in patrol, criminal investigation, K- 9 criminal interdiction, police instructor training, and police supervision. He received his Basic Police Certification in 1993, Intermediate Police Certification in 1998, Advanced Police Certification in 1999, and his Masters Police Certification in 2001. In addition to these certifications, Starnes has received over forty commendations for professionalism and exemplary service to his community. prgtoken , it is a pleasure to recognize the tireless efforts that Lieutenant Eric Starnes has made in contribution to the safety and security of the City of Euless. I ask all of my distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating Eric Starnes on his many years of service.