mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE MONTH AND 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF CAPITAL CARING
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-11-27

I would like to take time today to acknowledge that November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and to honor Capital Caring, a nonprofit hospice, on its 40th anniversary. In the 12 counties of the Mountain State, the organization is known as West Virginia Caring. prgtoken Capital Caring, with its headquarters in Falls Church, VA, provides daily in-patient and home care to thousands of patients and families across the mid-Atlantic region--West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Malene Davis, MBA, MSN, RN, CHPN, is president and CEO of Capital Caring. In 2016, she and her team offered hospice care to 6,980 patients and palliative care to an additional 1,892 individuals. In addition, 1,000 people are employed by Capital Caring and West Virginia Caring. prgtoken This is a year of milestones for Malene. She is currently serving as prgtoken chair of the West Virginia University Alumni Association's national board of directors. As chair, she has proven successful in encouraging her fellow alumni to follow her lead and expand their businesses in the Mountain State. prgtoken I thank Malene and her team for all they do to make life more meaningful for people when they are most vulnerable. As National Hospice and Palliative Care Month comes to a close, I would like to honor all of the physicians, nurses, caregivers, and volunteers who provide this valuable patient service under the Medicare Hospice Benefit. As someone who has cared for aging parents, I understand how important the work they do is and how much support and comfort it provides to patients and their families.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2017-11-27

I would like to recognize and congratulate the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee on their 50th anniversary. Agriculture is Montana's No. 1 economic driver, and wheat and barley are the principal grain crops produced in Montana. Established in 1967, the committee works to promote Montana wheat and barley producers, help identify and open markets both at home and abroad, and advance research that helps with crop quality and production. The severe drought and low commodity prices that Montana farmers have faced over the course of the past year have highlighted the importance of these efforts, and I thank all the directors, members, and staff for their years of dedication.
GAO OPINION LETTER ON EASTERN INTERIOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-11-27

I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO, dated November 15, 2017. prgtoken The letter provides notice that the Eastern Interior Resource Management Plan--Eastern Interior Plan--as well as the four resource management plans--RMP--that comprise the Eastern Interior Plan, signed by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management, and approved in Records of Decision, December 30, 2016, is a rule subject to the Congressional Review Act, CRA, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 801 et seq. prgtoken I wrote to GAO on April 13, 2017, asking it to determine whether the Eastern Interior Plan, along with the RMPs for the Draanjik Planning Area, the Fortymile Planning Area, the Steese Planning Area, and the White Mountains Planning Area, constitute rules subject to the CRA. In response, as communicated in its letter of November 15, 2017, GAO determined that the Eastern Interior Plan is a rule and does not fall within any of the exceptions provided in the CRA. GAO reached the same conclusion with regard to each of the four RMPs that comprise the Eastern Interior Plan. Accordingly, with this GAO opinion and its publication in the Congressional Record, the Eastern Interior Plan rule, and the rules for each RMP will be subject to acongressional joint resolution of disapproval. prgtoken The letter I am now submitting to be printed in the Congressional Record is the original document provided by GAO to my office. I will also provide a copy of the GAO letter to the Parliamentarian's office. prgtoken For those who may be interested, GAO's determination of the Eastern Interior Plan and the four RMPs can be accessed at https://www.gao.gov/ assets/690/688420.pdf.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-11-27

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Tax Reform (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-11-27

the Senator from New York is my friend, and we have worked together on a number of occasions, but I must disagree with a number of things he said today. prgtoken First of all, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was a partisan creation by during the administration that had virtually no support. What they did is that they created a modern-day emperor, somebody immune from congressional oversight and the appropriations process. Now that Mr. Cordray is leaving, following the election of a President, they are taking exception to the fact that this President has the authority under the law to appoint his successor. Instead, they are insisting that somebody chosen by Mr. Cordray--this modern-day financial emperor--should be able to make a choice and foist that on this administration when, clearly, this administration was elected to office in part in response to the overreach of the previous administration. prgtoken This is a perfect example of how nimble my colleague can be with the facts. The fact is that he comes here and complains about the fact that this tax bill we will be taking up is not partisan enough for him, when Senate have made it clear that they don't want to do anything that would give any credit to this administration or the majority. prgtoken Rather than taking the opportunity to find common ground and govern, they, essentially, have taken up the resistance, leaving the results of the election last November basically unresolved, in their minds, at least, even though the American people have clearly moved on and expect this administration, which was elected to office, along with a majority in the House and the Senate, to actually govern. prgtoken I remember days and times when, after we had elections, we actually figured out that we needed to govern and weren't focused then on the next campaign. Apparently, our colleagues across the aisle have simply forgotten that. That is the bad news. The good news is that it is not too late for them to change their ways and join us and bring historic tax reform to the American people. prgtoken This week, we will be considering the Senate's version--voted out of the Senate Finance Committee last Thursday night--of our Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is the first major overall of our Nation's Tax Code in more than 30 years. It cuts tax rates across the board, reducing the burden on American job creators and middle-class families alike. prgtoken Under our proposal, it has been estimated that folks back in my home State of Texas will see more than 76,000 new jobs created. After-tax income for middle-class families should rise by nearly $2,600. Now, that may be chump change here inside the beltway; our friends across the aisle may turn their nose up and say: Who would want to do this for $2,600 additional tax savings. But I can tell you, my 28 million constituents in Texas d
Net Neutrality (Executive Session)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-11-27

last year, Chairman Pai, of the Federal Communications Commission, threatened to take a weed whacker to the FCC's net neutrality rules. On December 14, Chairman Pai and the FCC are likely to make good on that promise. Last week, they issued their plan. They are quite proud of it. Chairman Pai is very proud of their plan. They got that done last week. Then, on December 14, they are going to execute their plan to execute the net neutrality rules of our country. prgtoken Net neutrality applies the principles of nondiscrimination to the internet world, ensuring that broadband providers--America's internet gatekeepers--do not block, slow down, or prioritize internet traffic. In 2015, the FCC correctly adopted the open internet order, enshrining these net neutrality principles into law, but now net neutrality and the free and open internet--this diverse, dynamic, democratic platform--are under attack. prgtoken Here is what Chairman Pai is proposing. No. 1, he would gut the rule against blocking. What does that mean? It means an internet service provider could block any website it wants. It could block something just because it decided to. That includes a website of a competing service or a website with a contrary political view. Whatever they want, they can block. The biggest companies--Comcast, AT&T--they can just block it. prgtoken No. 2, Chairman Pai would gut the rule against throttling. What does that mean? That means the internet service provider could slow down any website it wants. prgtoken No. 3, Chairman Pai would gut the rule banning paid prioritization. What does that mean in easy-to-understand language? That means the internet service provider could charge websites for an internet fast lane--meaning those websites would load quicker, while websites that can't afford the internet ``EZ pass'' would be stuck on a gravel path, taking more time to load and frustrating consumers with long buffering times. prgtoken No. 4, Chairman Pai would gut the forward-looking general conduct rule. What does that mean in easy-to-understand language? That means whatever discriminatory conduct ISPs think of next in the coming months or years would be perfectly legal. prgtoken No. 5, Chairman Pai would create an unregulated interconnection market. What does that mean, an unregulated interconnected market? In plain English, it means the Federal Communications Commission would lose authority to oversee places where the internet service providers connect to the internet and extract fees. prgtoken No. 6, Chairman Pai would prevent States and localities from adopting their own net neutrality protections. If you live in Massachusetts or you live in California or you live in Alabama, prgtoken your State can't give you any protections. They can't say: Here's how we want the internet to be operating. prgtoken What will replace these enforceable net neutrality rules? Nothing. Chairman Pai will leave it to the internet ser
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-11-27

right now, as we all return from Thanksgiving--some of the American people did not have to work over Thanksgiving weekend, but many, many people in this country do and struggle and continue to work two jobs--and as Congress returns from Thanksgiving, the priorities of this Congress are becoming pretty darned clear to the American people. People want to know the answer to a fundamental question. In this body we all stand up for election every 6 years--in some cases, a little more often--and people fundamentally want to know which side you are on. Are you on their side? Are you on the side of Wall Street or the side of corporations that outsource jobs? prgtoken So the question is this: Whose side are you on? The question is this: Are you going to stand with multinational corporations that ship jobs overseas, all to pad their own executives' fat bonus checks? Are you going to stand with banks that rip off consumers or that steal their information and get off scot-free? Maybe some of their executives give their bonuses back, but that is about the only penalty they pay. Are you going to stand with American workers who have been working too hard for too long for too little pay and who are just looking to catch a break? Are you going to stand with children whose parents work two jobs to put food on the table when, unfortunately, both jobs that they work do not pay for health insurance? These are the choices we face. prgtoken Right now, the leader of the Senate--the majority leader, who works in that office down the hall, the majority leader back in that office there--negotiates with lobbyists, negotiates healthcare bills, and writes healthcare bills in the back room with drug company lobbyists and insurance lobbyists. Now he has written a tax bill in the back room. We voted on it last week in committee, but it just keeps changing. That is all done in the back room with Senator McConnell, the leader, and his lobbyist friends from corporate America-- with the corporate America that ships jobs overseas, with the Wall Street banks that fleece Main Street taxpayers, and with other corporations, which are the drug companies and oil companies and the Koch brothers and all of that. These are the choices that we face. The leaders of the Senate have made it really clear whose side they are on--period. prgtoken While the Senate spends its time on a bill to cut taxes for corporations that send jobs overseas--that is the bill that Senator McConnell is negotiating, is writing, is drafting with his lobbyist friends in that office down the hall--children here in America, pure and simple--there is no other way to say it--are about to be kicked off of their health insurance through the Children's Health Insurance Program. As soon as this week, families of young children are going to get letters in the mail that will bring devastating news--that their children will lose their health insurance--period. The
PUBLIC HEALTH THANK YOU DAY
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-11-27

today I wish to express my gratitude for a community of individuals who are unfailing in their commitment to protecting the public health in my home State of New Jersey, across the United States, and abroad. From preventing chronic disease to responding to pandemics, epidemics, and natural disasters, to ensuring our Nation is prepared in the event of bioterrorist attacks, to reducing health disparities in ways that promote access, participation, and opportunity, the extraordinary and diverse contributions of public health professionals have profound impacts on American lives. prgtoken The breadth of functions for which public health departments are responsible and the depth of expertise the public health workforce possesses are truly remarkable. Among their many responsibilities include Zika response and awareness; ensuring restaurants, local parks, and other venues are safe and clean; monitoring air and water quality; tracing and containing disease outbreaks; conducting health screenings; providing health education; investigating potential cancer clusters; fielding questions on everything from animal welfare to newborn screening, and the list goes on. prgtoken The importance of public health research and practice is clearly evident as neglected diseases of poverty emerge and spread in the U.S. While these bacterial and parasitic infections primarily affect low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, they are increasingly evident in the U.S. In fact, illnesses including Zika, toxoplasmosis, and Chagas disease have collectively impacted millions of Americans. Despite significant gaps in awareness and resources, our public health workforce has made great strides in monitoring and preventing these diseases; their efforts benefit both Americans and communities across the globe. prgtoken Placing a high priority on public health not only improves quality of life, it helps drive economic growth. By preventing disease and promoting healthy behaviors, we can reduce both direct healthcare costs and economic losses due to reduced productivity. The fiscal benefits of public health are clear--according to the American Public Health Association, every dollar we spend on childhood vaccinations saves $16.50 in future health costs. Additionally, an estimated 75 percent of health spending in the U.S. is related to preventable chronic diseases--investing in community health initiatives that reduce the rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes saves both money and lives. prgtoken It is with gratitude for their invaluable contributions to the health and security of communities across New Jersey, our Nation, and the world, that I recognize Public Health Thank You Day on Monday, November 20, 2017.
Net Neutrality (Executive Session)
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-11-27

one cannot say it much better than the Senator from Massachusetts has said it. Everyone has come to expect a free and open internet--one that does not charge more for certain content and charge less for favorite content. It is supposed to be free. It is supposed to be open. It should be balanced. Hopefully, since it seems that the Pai regime is, in fact, going down this road, there will be immediate lawsuits that will be very time-consuming. At the end of the day, sometime in the future, there may be an opportunity for a legislative solution, but it has to be a balanced solution that protects the right of the public to a free and open internet.
REMEMBERING FATHER SOLANUS CASEY
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-11-27

today I wish to recognize cofounder of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and member of the Capuchin Franciscan Order of Saint Joseph, Father Solanus Casey. Father Casey is the third American-born to be honored with the distinction of Blessed from the Roman Catholic Church, the final step before sainthood. prgtoken Born as Bernard Francis Casey on November 25, 1870, Father Casey was raised on a farm in Oak Grove, WI, along the banks of the Mississippi River, with his parents and 15 siblings. At an early age, Father Casey learned diligence, obedience, and piety from his parents, who honored their Irish Catholic faith above all else. At the age of 12, Father Casey attended Saint Patrick Church in Hudson, WI, and felt the call to the priesthood during the lessons for his first Holy Communion. prgtoken After working as a logger, prison guard, and streetcar operator, Father prgtoken Casey decided to pursue a lifetime of service and entered Saint Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, WI. The next 8 years were a difficult journey toward priesthood for Father Casey as he struggled academically. The seminary officials believed that Father Casey did not have the proper skills to be a priest and suggested he join a religious order: Franciscans, Dominicans, or Jesuits. After praying before a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Father Casey heard the Blessed Mother tell him to ``Go to Detroit,'' home to the Capuchins. In 1897, Father Casey was invested as Capuchin Novice Francis Solanus, named after Saint Francis Solanus of the 17th century. The name seemed fitting as both Father Casey and Saint Francis Solanus loved to play the violin. prgtoken After being ordained as a simplex priest in 1904, Father Casey began his ministry in the State of New York, serving three different parishes: Sacred Heart Parish, Our Lady of Sorrow Parish, and Our Lady of Angels Parish. While in New York, Father Casey held numerous positions within the church, including porter. He embraced the task of doorkeeper, welcoming and praying with all visitors and offering simple and candid comfort. Father Casey held weekly services for the sick and quickly became known for his compassion towards all who suffered. He embodied the ultimate spirit of public service by giving 100 percent of himself to the poor, the hungry, and the unloved. prgtoken In 1924, Father Casey was appointed to the Saint Bonaventure Monastery in the city of Detroit as a porter, providing soup for the hungry, kind words for the troubled, and a healing touch for the ill. For over 20 years, he brought comfort and hope to people of all religions, earning the recognition as ``The Doorkeeper.'' During the Great Depression, Father Casey helped establish the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in the city of Detroit, which prepared large sandwiches and warm cups of coffee for the hungry and unemployed. Today the Capuchin Soup Kitchen is recognized as one of the most well-known food pantries in the region,
RECOGNIZING PLEASANT VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Joe Donnelly (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2017-11-27

today I wish to recognize Pleasant View Elementary School of Zionsville, IN, for being named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. prgtoken Established in 1982, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools that have demonstrated a vision of educational excellence for all students, regardless of their social or economic background. Since its inception, this program has offered the opportunity for schools in every State to gain recognition for educational accomplishments in closing the achievement gaps among students. prgtoken Zionsville's Pleasant View Elementary School serves over 800 students from preschool through fourth grade. In addition to the core curriculum, the school provides many different learning opportunities for students before and after school, including language enrichment, music, and robotics programs. Pleasant View Elementary seeks to tailor instruction to meet students' individual learning styles and provide hands-on learning experiences. Pleasant View prides itself on creating a nurturing and collaborative learning environment where teachers, students, and parents work together so that all students can reach their potential. Teachers are encouraged to come up with new ideas to foster student growth through research-based practices to empower students and help them develop useful life skills. At Pleasant View, teachers understand that education is not one size fits all and that each student has their own unique way to learn. prgtoken Pleasant View Elementary maintains a high standard for academic excellence, driven by the success of a rigorous curriculum, innovative instructional practices, and a highly qualified and dedicated staff. Faculty works closely with parents to ensure their children are receiving a quality education. The parent teacher organization also creates community and campus events to further enrich students academically and socially. Pleasant View Elementary School's dedication to student achievement and positive atmosphere have been key to its success. The school's staff and families work together to teach and foster values that develop strong character and better the community. prgtoken I am proud to recognize Pleasant View Elementary School principal Stacy Smith, the entire staff, the student body, and their families. The effort, dedication, and value you put into education has led not only to this prestigious recognition, but will benefit you and the Zionsville community well into the future. prgtoken On behalf of the citizens of Indiana, I congratulate Pleasant View Elementary School, and I wish the students and staff continued success in the future.