mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-5-17

I am pleased to be here on the floor in support of my colleague Senator Gillibrand's bill, the Congressional Accountability and Harassment Reform Act. I am pleased that so many Members of the Senate have supported the earlier version of the bill and are signing up to support this version as well. prgtoken It has been 100 days since the House acted on a significant and substantive reform of the process here in Congress on how we address sexual harassment. There have been plenty of stories about how unacceptable the current system is. prgtoken In spite of how far women's rights and equality have come in America, too many women continue to face inequality, discrimination, and harassment day in and day out. Our congressional workplace is not immune to that. prgtoken The world is changing, and the world is changing quickly, and movements like the ``me too.'' campaign are finally giving women the voice they need to stand up and say no more. prgtoken Yet, in spite of this tide of change, the Senate refuses to act on our unacceptably obscure, complex, and difficult system for staff members to address sexual harassment and discrimination--a system that is difficult to navigate and void of transparency. It needs to change. It must change. One hundred days ago, the House said absolutely it must change, and we have seen no bill allowed to come to the floor to address it in the Senate. prgtoken The House did its duty. They put forward a vision of updating and strengthening procedures to protect women from sexual harassment and to address it, should it occur. Now it is time for the Senate to act, to hold ourselves to a much higher standard, to lead by example on Capitol Hill and for the rest of the Nation, to give those who work on our team who have been victimized by sexual harassment or discrimination a fair and transparent process to tell their stories, to pursue justice, to be free from the fear of professional or political retribution. That is exactly what the Congressional Accountability and Harassment Reform Act does. It requires sexual harassment awareness training. It simplifies a process for staffers to file complaints. It eliminates a mandatory, laborious process of required counseling and mediation. It protects a victim's option to publicly discuss their claims. It prohibits members found responsible for such behavior from using government funds--their office funds--to settle the claims, and it requires all settlements to be disclosed publicly unless the victim prefers otherwise. No longer would we be able to silence the victims or hide the misdeeds of the perpetrators from the American people. prgtoken I understand Members on the floor of the Senate may say: I want to hide from my actions; I want to pay off any settlement with my government funds, but being able to hide from your actions is unacceptable, and using government funds to pay off the situation is completely unacceptable. prgtoken
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-5-17

I rise today to honor Dr. Arol Augsburger who will be retiring from his position as the president of the Illinois College of Optometry, ICO, on June 30, 2018. During his 16-year tenure at the ICO, which is located on the near southside of Chicago, the performance of the student body exceeded national averages. This achievement showcases Dr. Augsburger's positive impact on the college. In addition, ICO doubled its investable assets, and its on-campus clinic was able to grow to accommodate over 110,000 visits annually. This on-campus clinic, the Illinois Eye Institute, is the largest safety net provider of eye and vision care in Illinois, and it offers ICO students a unique opportunity for robust clinical training-- something that is not available at other institutions. prgtoken Prior to Dr. Augsburger's appointment at ICO in 2002, he served for 30 years in a variety of leadership positions in higher education. He served as the interim provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB, dean and professor of the UAB School of Optometry, and professor of clinical optometry at the Ohio State University College of Optometry. Dr. Augsburger has also served as president of Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and the Rotary Club of Chicago, Rotary 1, the world's first Rotary Club and as the immediate-past chairman of the ROTARY/One Foundation. Additionally, Dr. Augsburger served as the 2014-2015 chairman of the board of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, on the Near South Planning Board of Chicago, and the Jackson Park Hospital Foundation Board. He was also on the Special Medical Advisory Group of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. prgtoken In addition to being named Optometrist of the Year in three States, Dr. Augsburger was named National Doctor of Optometry of the Year and a Distinguished Service Award recipient by the American Optometric Association. In June of 2014, he was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame. prgtoken I applaud Dr. Augsburger's commendable work as the president of ICO and in the field of optometry. Students, patients, and Illinois constituents have greatly benefited from his lifetime of commitment to education and optometry.
National Police Week (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-5-17

as the Senate moves to vote on the nomination to head the CIA, here is the bottom line. While the American people have been told that Gina Haspel likes Johnny Cash and talked to Mother Teresa, Ms. Haspel has been exercising the unprecedented power to personally censor any facts about her that might get in the way of her nomination. prgtoken When the Senate votes on a nomination when all the relevant information is, by design, kept secret, how is this any different than a coverup? I regret to have to say that the surrender of the Senate's responsibility to conduct real prgtoken oversight of this nominee means that Gina Haspel has been given a pass on all the most important and the most relevant issues. prgtoken I am going to start with three. prgtoken The first is this: What was her opinion about the CIA's torture program when it was happening? prgtoken The Washington Post newspaper reported that unnamed officials were pushing back against accusations that she has supported torture. prgtoken Now, Ms. Haspel said she learned about the program in 2002. I believe it is especially important to know what her views were later, between 2005 and 2007, when the CIA itself was winding the program down. At that time, did Ms. Haspel call for the program to be continued or expanded? I asked her that in an open intelligence meeting. She did not come close to answering that crucial question. prgtoken No. 2, what was her role in the destruction of the torture tapes? The nominee's story here is riddled with holes, and key facts have been covered up. prgtoken One matter that we know about is that her boss at the time, Mr. Jose Rodriguez, has publicly contradicted her account of the handling of the destruction of the torture tapes to a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. prgtoken No. 3, how can the Senate possibly take seriously Ms. Haspel's confirmation conversion on torture that was submitted on the eve of a crucial vote? prgtoken There has been a lot of reporting in the press saying that she personally played a role in the CIA torture program. The American people deserve to know whether those reports are true. Every single material question to her about them has been met with stonewalling and evasion. Instead of real responses, Ms. Haspel offered possibly the latest confirmation conversion in history, 16 years after she first learned about the torture program and only just before a vote on her confirmation. prgtoken Over and over again, I and other Senators have insisted that Ms. Haspel declassify information about her background that would not in any way compromise the safety of the American people. This is information that is directly relevant to her nomination. In the language of the Intelligence Community--I have read it--the overwhelming bulk of this information can be declassified without compromising sources and methods. Yet every single time a Senator pushed for declassification, Gina Haspel said no. Despite ou
GLOBAL HEALTH SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT: LESSONS LEARNED AND WAYS FORWARD
Christopher H. Smith (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2018-5-18

yesterday we held a hearing on global health supply chain management. By holding yesterday's hearing, this subcommittee is fulfilling its obligation to the American taxpayers to conduct vigorous oversight of our global health programs in order to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used properly and efficiently to deliver aid to rightful beneficiaries. It also, we hope, will help better the lives of those beneficiaries in the developing world who receive life-saving medications thanks to the generosity of the American people. Specifically, we addressed serious concerns regarding the United States Agency for International Development's contractor selection process and performance by that supply chain management company, Chemonics International, which was awarded the agency's largest ever monetary contract--a contract with a ceiling of $9.5 billion over five years. Congressional interest in this was triggered by reports last year that Chemonics had failed repeatedly to deliver essential health commodities in a timely manner to African and other countries where they are desperately needed--most critically, anti-retrovirals to treat HIV/AIDS patients. At its lowest point, only seven percent of deliveries were made on time and in full. The purpose of this hearing is to determine where USAID went wrong in the selection and transition process of this contractor and what can be done to prevent such a failure in the future. In January of 2014, USAID issued a Request for Proposals for a supply chain management contractor that would consolidate procurement and delivery of health commodities to Africa and elsewhere as well as provide health systems strengthening in conjunction with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Two companies responded to the request, the first being the then existing contractor, Partnership for Supply Chain Management, and the second being Chemonics. In April 2015, USAID awarded the contract to Chemonics, in large part because Chemonics displayed greater data visibility and IT capability. As might be expected, the incumbent losing bidder filed a complaint against USAID with the U.S. Government Accountability Office and, upon losing that, lodged an appeal with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. In both instances, a deferential standard of review is applied, and thus USAID's decision was upheld. Following the final decision, the Partnership began the process to transition services to Chemonics. While tensions between the two companies were evident throughout the transition process, performance levels remained steady until after Chemonics fully took over operations. At the end of 2016, under Chemonics' leadership, on time deliveries dropped from 84 percent to 67 percent. They continued to freefall throughout 2016, down to 31 percent and then reaching an all- time-low of 7 percent in the first quarter of 2017. During this time, some countries report
THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS IN BLUE
Randy Hultgren (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today during National Police Week to honor those serving and remember those who have served in the ranks of our Nation's law enforcement. prgtoken Our brave law enforcement officers at all levels--Federal, State, and local--run towards danger knowing the serious risks involved. prgtoken Just 2 weeks ago, a Federal law enforcement officer working with Chicago police was shot in the face as he worked to get illegally trafficked guns out of the hands of criminal gangs. We hope and pray for his quick recovery. prgtoken Stories like these are a grim reminder of the inherent danger of their job. It is why we take time this week and every week to show our support for their work and their service. prgtoken To our friends in blue everywhere, we simply say: Thank you. Thank you for all that you do to keep us safe. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. We are with you, and we are grateful.
IN RECOGNITION OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL H.R. McMASTER UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S. ARMY FOLLOWING 34 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to honor a soldier who, for the past 34 years, has been an exceptional and faithful servant to the nation. With the retirement today of Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, the U.S. Army is losing a towering figure, who more than anyone, embodies what he has described as the ``warrior ethos.'' As someone who had the good fortune to work with H.R I can say that serving under his command was one of the great privileges of my life. General McMaster has described the warrior ethos as ``a covenant between the members of our profession comprised of values such as honor, duty, courage, loyalty, and self-sacrifice.'' H.R. has lived by this covenant, earning a well-deserved reputation as one of the Army's pre-eminent soldier-scholars and the honor of serving as the President's primary advisor on national security issues. Over his more than three decades of distinguished service, General McMaster stands out for his success in both conventional and irregular conflict. During the Gulf War, his textbook assault at 73 Easting stands as a high-water mark of American conventional superiority. More than a decade later, his early adoption of a population-centric approach to warfare turned the tide in Tal Afar and helped usher in a sea change in the American approach to combating the insurgency in Iraq. General McMaster has also stood out for his steadfast commitment to puncturing what he has called the ``vampire fallacy'' of easy war. This sensibility is captured by the historian T.R. Fehrenbach, who wrote in This Kind of War, ``you may fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, pulverize it and wipe it clean of life--but if you desire to defend it, protect it, and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman legions did, by putting your young men into the mud.'' As H.R. has described, ``Our military is a living historical community and those of us serving today are determined to preserve the legacy of courageous, selfless service that we have inherited from the veterans who have gone before us.'' There is no one whose legacy of courageous and selfless service is more worthy of preservation than General McMaster I urge all members of this body to join me in saluting Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster for his service on behalf of a grateful nation. I thank H.R. for showing us all what it means to live by the warrior ethos.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Ted S. Yoho (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-5-18

as a veterinarian, I rise to voice my opposition to the amendment. prgtoken , the amendment poses a threat to the health of Americans. Consumption of raw milk has demonstrated public health risks, as you just heard. The link between raw milk and foodborne illnesses has been well documented in scientific literature for over 100 years. prgtoken Raw milk is a key vehicle in the transmission of human pathogens, including E. coli, campylobacter, Listeria, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, cryptosporidiosis, brucellosis, cowpox, diptheria, and typhoid fever. You can throw some ascarids in there, too. prgtoken Since the beginning of time, humankind has strived to improve survivability and increase human health. In fact, Louis Pasteur, in 1864--1864, over 154 years ago--discovered the benefits of heating milk to kill the microbes that were detrimental to human health, hence the term ``pasteurization.'' prgtoken Nearly two-thirds of all raw milk or raw milk products--cheese, butter, ice cream--and the outbreaks that come from those involve children who are not able to make informed decisions on what to consume. And according to the prgtoken CDC, at least one child younger than 5 was involved in 46 percent of the raw milk and raw milk product outbreaks reported between 2007 and 2016. prgtoken It is obvious and scientifically proven that this amendment would threaten the health and well-being of all Americans. I am not against raw milk, but if it is your cow, I think you ought to drink it at your house, and it shouldn't be sold as a healthy product without contaminants. prgtoken Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.
IN RECOGNITION OF MS. DEBORAH LELIAERT
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to recognize Deborah Leliaert, Vice President for University Relations and Planning, as she retires from her position at the University of North Texas. Ms. Leliaert joined UNT in 1992 as director of news while attending UNT's Toulouse Graduate School. In 1996, she advanced to associate vice president for marketing and communication and UNT System associate vice chancellor for communications and marketing. She held this title until 2001 when the UNT System Board of Regents approved the creation of associate vice president for university relations. Ms. Leliaert was promoted into this new role to oversee the university's communications and marketing as well as visitor and public relations. She continued in this capacity as associate vice chancellor for communications and marketing for the UNT System. In a career spanning more than a quarter century of UNT's history, Ms. Leliaert witnessed a tremendous period of growth, challenge, and celebration, serving six presidents and three chancellors as the institution's chief internal and external spokesperson through much of this time. This window of UNT's history included its acceptance as a full member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; countless new programs and building projects; new campuses; recognition of UNT as an emerging research institution and the development of ground-breaking relationships for the University through research efforts and public partnerships such as exists with UNT's current relationship with the Dallas Cowboys. Managing much of the marketing and communications involved in supporting UNT's brand management and institutional reputation, Ms. Leliaert also supported UNT's ambitious student recruitment and retention objectives for a campus that has grown by almost 20 percent in only the second half of her tenure with UNT. Her efforts to bolster UNT in the media intersected with the rapid rise of social media and modern transformation of the media landscape. Ms. Leliaert's talents, particularly her eloquence and skill to respond in times of crisis, will be sorely missed by the UNT community. As a proud UNT alumnus, I thank her for her contributions as a long- serving member of UNT's staff, and I wish her much happiness as she commences her retirement after a significant and successful career.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Scott DesJarlais (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today in support of the amendment of Mr. Hollingsworth of Indiana on this issue. prgtoken In short, the amendment would allow the Secretary of the Interior to issue depredation permits to livestock farmers authorizing the taking of black vultures. This is an issue that has been brought to my attention by farmers across the entire Southeast, as well, who have all witnessed black vultures prey on and kill their livestock. Unfortunately, because black vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, farmers are left with little or no recourse of action. prgtoken After years of frustration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began issuing depredation permits as part of a pilot program to try to address this shortage. While this has worked well in my State, it is clear that our farmers and ranchers need a more permanent fix to this ongoing problem. prgtoken Black vulture attacks on various livestock have already led to significant economic losses for many, and I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this commonsense amendment.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Thomas Massie (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-5-18

. Madam Chair, I know Big Milk opposes raw milk. The milk lobby doesn't like my amendment. In fact, the lactose lobby is very intolerant of freedom. prgtoken But I am here today to take up for consumers and small farmers and States' rights, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this. Reject pasteurization without representation. Vote to allow the interstate transport of raw milk between two States where it is legal. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
ARMED FORCES DAY
Mac Thornberry (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to recognize Armed Forces Day in honor of the brave men and women who have served and who are serving in the United States Armed Forces during times of war and peace. Celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May, Armed Forces Day came into existence on August 31, 1949, when Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced that this single day would replace the individual celebrations for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. President Harry Truman led the effort to establish a holiday for citizens to unite and to honor our military heroes for their patriotic service in support of the United States of America. Armed Forces Day also plays an essential part in educating society and expanding public knowledge of the military and the important role they play in every community. The first official Armed Forces Day took place on May 20, 1950, and was themed ``Teamed for Defense.'' In an excerpt from the Presidential Proclamation of Feb. 27, 1950, President Truman stated: ``Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America's defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, toward the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense.'' Generations of men and women have answered the call of a nation in need, and on Armed Forces Day, we are especially mindful of their service, sacrifice, and that of their families. I appreciate what communities all over the country do to honor those responsible for our freedom, and I am hopeful we will continue to honor and support our military in all its strength.