mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-10-18

I come to the floor this evening to talk about amendment No. 1141, which would raise a point of order against any provision that would strike State and local tax deductions. prgtoken As we talk tonight about how our country moves forward economically and as we talk about what are the best ways to have tax fairness in America, I guarantee you, my constituents want to make sure they continue to be able to deduct their sales tax, their mortgage deductions, and there are important policies that other States have for tax deductions. prgtoken The State of Washington has been a leader--and I would match our State, prgtoken as it relates to our tax code and efficiency, with just about any other State. For a long time, Washington and Oregon have had the most unique tax codes in the United States of America. Yet our economies have grown faster than the national average every year since World War II. So we are doing something right. So the fact that we don't have an income tax in Washington State and the fact that Washingtonians, for many years, have been able to deduct our sales tax from our Federal tax obligations for income is something we are not interested in losing. What we are interested in is a fair debate about our Tax Code, an open process, and important discussion points of order if anybody tries to strip from us these very important tools. prgtoken State and local tax deductions have been an important way in which our taxpayers make sure they are treated fairly. For us in Washington, as I said, many of our citizens use these itemized deductions because of the fact that we don't have an income tax and we are able to deduct our sales tax from our Federal tax obligations. In fact, 30 percent of Washington resident taxpayers--1.1 million--itemize their taxes and claim an average State and local tax deduction of $7,402. These deductions put an average of $600 back into the pockets of Washingtonians each year. So any attempt by legislation to try to erode that--particularly at a time when we also get a deduction on our property taxes as well--is something critically important to our State. prgtoken If legislation continues to move forward that repeals these deductions--I know our colleagues think they are doing good work by trying to simplify the Tax Code. In fact, they are saying: We are going to increase the standard deduction as a way to simplify the Tax Code. But for my Washington residents--and, my guess is, for many other States that are in the same boat that don't have an income tax--you literally are going to penalize them and the efficiency of their tax code, which is so important. prgtoken For example, 40 percent of tax filers who make between $50,000 and $75,000 claim this deduction, and 53 percent of taxpayers who make between $75,000 and $100,000 claim this deduction. So when my colleagues talk about doubling the deduction from $6,000 to $12,000 or from $12,000 to $24,000 for families,
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2017-10-18

from Vermont for his leadership on this amendment and his words today. I will have more to say about the amendment in a moment. prgtoken , as Senator Sanders mentioned, his amendment that we are working together on, amendment No. 1119, will do the following, and it is right in the text of the purpose section of the amendment, to provide additional resources to restore the $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid paid for by reducing the tax breaks for the wealthy. That is the quick summary of what we are working on. prgtoken I think it is also important to put this amendment in the context of discussions we are having in the Senate and, I am sure, throughout the country; that is, the tax proposal put forth by the administration as well as the leadership, the so-called unified tax proposal. This is a proposal that comes before the country. I think it is essential to read both the tax proposal along with the budget we are debating on the floor together. prgtoken There are a lot of ways to describe what the tax proposal is all about. I will describe it very bluntly, in my own words. This tax proposal is, for sure, a giveaway to the wealthy. The superrich do quite well. Big corporations do very well. The middle class does not do well at all at the end of the day. prgtoken Why do I say that? Because there have been a number of analyses done of the proposal. Even the proposal, as it stands now, will have more analyses done when the bill is actually introduced, but in terms of what is on paper now, you have, for example, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities stating that by the year 2027--at the end of the 10 years--80 percent of the tax cut goes to the top 1 percent. prgtoken There is another analysis that is even more pointed in terms of the year. You don't have to wait until 2027 to figure out what is happening to the top 1 percent. Here is what the Tax Policy Center says with regard to the tax benefit that accrues to the top 1 percent and also what would accrue to the top 0.1 percent. The top 1 percent is roughly those making above $730,000. The top 0.1 percent, of course, is even higher. Here is what the Tax Policy Center said in September based upon the proposals so far. Table 2 in the report says the following: Starting in 2018--the assumption here is that the tax proposal as currently crafted would happen this year. If it were to pass this year, in 2018--the 2018 tax year--the top 1 percent would get a tax cut of $146,470. That is the first year of the tax cut for the top 1 percent, $146,000. How about the top 0.1 percent, a very small number of extraordinarily wealthy Americans? They get $747,580--roughly, $747,000 in a tax cut. That is just in year one. We could provide more examples year after year, but you get the picture that a lot of the tax cuts, if there are any, will be shifted to the top 1 percent and the 0.1 percent. <|
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-10-18

I want to start by making it very clear that this is not the way our budget process should work. In fact, to even call this a budget process gives it more credit than it deserves. With s in control of the White House and both Chambers of Congress, the budget process has now descended into chaos and dysfunction. I talked about this in the Budget Committee, but I am going to keep talking about it because it is important. prgtoken First of all, look at the date. We are debating a budget for fiscal year 2018 months too late and more than 2 weeks into the fiscal year for which we are supposed to be budgeting. prgtoken Secondly and far more importantly, we are not really here to talk about a budget. We are not really here to have a debate about our values and our priorities or where we should be directing prgtoken our limited national resources. We are not here to talk about what or whom we should be investing in as a nation. We are certainly not really here to try to come together around a shared vision for where our country can head next year or 5 years from now or even 10 years from now. Yet do want to have this conversation. We believe this is a critical debate to have, and we would love to spend time on this floor debating a budget that opens up that conversation and puts us on a path toward working together to actually get that done. prgtoken We all know why we are really here. It is that leaders want to start another fast-track, partisan process to jam legislation through Congress and do everything possible not to have to work with . For what? It is to give more tax breaks to the rich, to raise taxes on the middle class, to circumvent any debate about a major environmental decision that would be unwise and potentially catastrophic, and to blast a hole in our budget that will increase the deficit, blow up the debt, and put Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education investments, healthcare, and so many more priorities at risk. prgtoken All of this is not just shameful and wrong--it is not going to work. We all have seen what has happened in the last few months. The s have spent months trying to jam Care through Congress, and they have refused to work with . So here we are now, months later, with and s finally working together to improve healthcare after there being months of delay. prgtoken I say this to my colleagues: Let's skip this first part. Let's skip this partisanship and dysfunction and acrimony and bitterness, and let's move, right now, to the bipartisan work and negotiations that we all know our constituents actually want and expect. I know it will not be easy, but I am confident that we can get it done. prgtoken All we are asking is that President keep the promises he made on the campaign trail to put workers and the middle class first. It should not be that difficult, and the choice
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-10-18

I would like to begin by quoting David Stockman. David Stockman was the head of the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan administration. He wrote a famous book after his tenure running the Office of Management and Budget. It is called ``The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed.'' Let me read you a quote from David Stockman's book. This is what he says: The hard part of the supply-side tax cut is dropping the top rate--the rest of it is a secondary matter. . . . Then, the general argument was that, in order to make this palatable as a political matter, you had to bring down all of the brackets. But, I mean, [the plan] was always a Trojan horse to bring down the top rate. prgtoken I quote from David Stockman in his book ``The Triumph of Politics.'' He wrote about how President Reagan sold massive, deficit-busting tax cuts for the wealthy by making knowingly erroneous arguments, by making faulty economic arguments. prgtoken As we stand here on the Senate floor today, debating the budget of 2017, we focus on what Mark Twain once said: History does not repeat itself, but it does tend to rhyme. prgtoken This looks very much like what Reagan tried to pull off in the early 1980s, to no avail, and his book is very clear as to why they were unsuccessful. The Reagan-era promises of economic growth and budget surpluses turned out to be massive debt and deficits. There is some kind of nostalgia, political nostalgia, for a Reagan era that never existed and, instead, a painting of a past that just has to be replicated today. Let's look at what David Stockman said he did and why it turned out so unsuccessful for President Reagan. The s are back again with a new budget, but they are using the same old bag of tricks and gimmicks from more than 30 years ago. prgtoken This is their plan, which is very simple, and it is identical: No. 1, claim unspecified funding cuts to many domestic programs many, many years in the future; No. 2, assume unrealistic growth from your policies that will magically balance the deficit; and finally, No. 3, use those questionable economic assumptions to provide massive tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations in our country. prgtoken The budget we are debating today hits all of these points. It claims to balance the deficit, while in reality it is a blatant attack on the middle class for the benefit of these super rich. prgtoken First, let's start with the budgetary trick: unspecified cuts to domestic programs. Back in the 1980s, David Stockman called these ``magic asterisks,'' meaning that the Reagan administration would count the savings from these future cuts, but in reality, they would be someone else's problem to figure out at a later time. prgtoken Today, we are dealing with a budget containing more than $1 trillion in completely unspecified and unallocated funding cuts over the next decade--the m
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-10-19

if I could ask a question, through the Chair, to the Senator from Washington. prgtoken In my conversations with President , he has made it clear--and several of my colleagues have made it clear on the side-- that they don't want to bail out insurance companies. What I responded is that I 100-percent agree. prgtoken I have already said this to the President, but I think it is important for our colleagues to know that probably the most heated debate Senator Murray and I had was not over whether we agreed with that but on how to actually do it in the most effective, strongest, toughest way possible. prgtoken So I wish to emphasize the point that these payments are designed to help low-income Americans pay their copays and deductibles. We have in our agreement about a page and a half of language that requires every State to make sure the benefits of those payments go to the consumers in 2018 and not to the insurance companies. prgtoken I wish to ask Senator Murray if she sees any disagreement at all between her and me, and most of our colleagues on that side of the aisle and over here, about whether we want to bail out insurance companies or whether we prgtoken would be willing to consider any effective language that would improve our own language.
REMEMBERING CHARLES L. GRIBI
Brad R. Wenstrup (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-10-19

I rise today in memory of Charles L. Gribi, who recently left this earth on September 15, 2017. prgtoken A Cincinnati native, Charles grew up in Riverside, and throughout his childhood held numerous jobs in an effort to support his family through the Great Depression. prgtoken His compassion for the safety and service of others does not stop there. After winning a scholarship to Xavier University in Cincinnati, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the start of World War II. prgtoken His medals from World War II include the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 5 clusters, each cluster representing an air battle. prgtoken A revered Cincinnati native and WWII veteran are just two ways to describe Charles. He was also an adored father and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed. prgtoken Thank you, Charles, for your life full of dedication to your country, your community, and your family.
REMEMBERING EVELYNE J. VILLINES
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-10-19

today I wish to recognize the passing of disability rights pioneer and my longtime friend, Ms. Evelyne Villines. Ever since I first met Evelyne during my early years in the Iowa House of Representatives, I knew her to be a fierce advocate on behalf of those with disabilities. She had an outstanding work ethic and never stopped campaigning for those with disabilities to be recognized for their abilities and not by what others saw as their limitations. prgtoken Thanks to people like Evelyne, our society has made a lot of progress in this area. Evelyne's tireless work earned her recognition on both the State and national levels as an inductee into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame and the national Hall of Fame for Persons with Disabilities. Evelyne's efforts were recognized as paving the way for passage for the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. prgtoken She served on numerous commissions and joined the board of SourceAmerica in its infancy, leading the company to become one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in the Nation. Evelyne's advocacy and resulting accomplishments have opened the doors of opportunity for people with disabilities. I am honored to stand before you in recognizing Evelyne for her lifelong commitment to service. Evelyne's legacy will live on for years to come through the countless individuals who will continue to benefit from her life's work.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-10-19

I have great news. This is the last amendment and the only bipartisan amendment tonight, and after this we will vote on the entire bill. prgtoken The purpose of this amendment is to declare this process--the vote- arama--utter nonsense. It is part of a budget process that both parties have perpetrated and persisted with for 43 years. It has only worked four times; to fund the Federal Government, according to the Budget Act of 1974, four times in our history. We are supposed to appropriate 12 bills a year to fund the Government. We have averaged 2\1/2\. prgtoken I urge all of my colleagues to make clear to the American people that we recognize this budgeting process is broken and we are committed to fix it. prgtoken Thank you.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-10-19

across the country, s promised to repeal Care. They promised to repeal all of Care, root and branch. Not one promised to keep and block grant Care. They promised to repeal Care. prgtoken Tonight I present another chance. My amendment will provide budget reconciliation instructions so Senators can fulfill their promise; so they can actually repeal Care, root and branch, as they promised.
HONORING THE LUFKIN LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STARS, THE 2017 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-10-19

a different variety of thunder rolled across Williamsport, Pennsylvania in late August, which provided some respite from the devastating storms which were battering Texas . . . the ``Thundering 13'' from Angelina County, Texas captured the attention of millions and the title of a lifetime when they emerged victorious as the U.S. National Champions in the 2017 Little League World Series tournament. prgtoken The Lufkin All-Stars gained its distinctive nickname of ``Thundering 13'' during grueling two-a-day practices and games leading up to the tournament, when the young men pounded so many home runs that spectators said it sounded like thunder. prgtoken A single loss during the national tournament motivated the team even further, resulting in a rematch where they ultimately emerged victorious against the only team that challenged their bid for the national title. prgtoken With the strength of their camaraderie uniting them, and the unwavering support of their family, friends, and fans, this talented, resolute, and relentless national championship team never lost sight of the dream. prgtoken This remarkable accomplishment cannot be possible without the determination and hard work of every team member, along with the skill and experience of dedicated Head Coach and Manager Bud Maddux, along with Assistant Coaches Malcolm Deason and Ryan Deaton. prgtoken My most enthusiastic praise and congratulations goes to national champions Chip Buchanan, Malcolm Deason, Jr Charlie Deaton, Hunter Ditsworth, Kolby Kovar, Lance Modisette, Christian Mumphery, Zach Phipps, Mark Requena, Collin Ross, Chandler Spencer, Blake Slaga, and Clayton Wigley. prgtoken The path to a championship title can be long and arduous, but the Lufkin All-Stars met the challenge sustained by the solid and enthusiastic encouragement of a fiercely loyal network of community support which provided the foundation upon which a national championship emerged. prgtoken These young men bear witness to the fact that anything is achievable though focus, hard work and determination. These are guiding life principles that lead to success not only on the field, but will undoubtedly resonate through every endeavor these valiant championship players undertake in their entire lifetimes. prgtoken May God continue to bless these young people, along with their families, friends and neighbors in east Texas and beyond. It is an extraordinary privilege to recognize the Lufkin All-Stars, 2017 Little League World Series U.S. National Champions.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-10-19

our constitutional structure puts in place a Federal Government with powers that James Madison described as ``few and defined'' and those reserved to the States as ``numerous and indefinite.'' Among other things, the Constitution gives powers to the Congress to regulate interstate commerce, trade or commerce between the States, with foreign nations, and with Indian Tribes. It does not give the Congress the power to regulate any and every activity occurring intrastate. Yet, for the last few decades, under the Endangered Species Act, this very power has been abused to regulate species that exists only in one place, only within one State, never crossing State lines, never forming any part of any channel or instrumentality of interstate commerce. This is wrong, it is unconstitutional, and it eviscerates and circumvents the meaning of the 10th Amendment. We need to liberate this country from the dictates of a few bureaucrats in Washington, DC, who have overextended their authority under the Endangered Species Act. My amendment fixes that, and I urge my colleagues to support amendment No. 1429.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2018
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-10-19

I came to the floor today in support of the budget resolution for one reason. It is because it provides the Senate a path forward on tax reform. I strongly support this effort to fix America's burdensome tax system. It is my hope that reform will lead to simplifying the Tax Code, strengthening the middle class, and ultimately boosting our economy. prgtoken Unfortunately, I cannot offer my support without reservation, so I have come to the floor today to explain my concerns and remind my colleagues of the important work ahead of us. Even as we support this resolution as a means to achieve meaningful tax reform, we must acknowledge the fact that the underlying budget contains an insufficient level of funding for national defense. As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, my highest priority is to ensure that our men and women serving in uniform have the training, equipment, and resources they need to keep our Nation safe. prgtoken The Senate budget resolution will set fiscal year 2018 defense spending at the levels dictated by the Budget Control Act cap. This budget is $54 billion less than the President's request and $86 billion less than this body authorized just last month in the National Defense Authorization Act. We passed the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 89 to 9, a demonstration of the overwhelming bipartisan belief that the Budget Control Act level of defense spending is inadequate and unacceptable. prgtoken Let be me clear. There is no BCA-level defense budget that would be sufficient to provide our military with what they need to fulfill current missions and prepare for future threats. prgtoken For those of us who have been paying attention, we heard the warnings of the steady decline of our military. Time and again our senior military and civilian defense leaders have sounded the alarm about the dangers of the Budget prgtoken Control Act spending caps. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our highest uniformed military officer, General Dunford, has warned that if we continue on the current path, he assesses that ``within 5 years, we will lose our ability to project power; the basis of how we defend the homeland, and advance U.S. interests, and meet our alliance commitments.'' prgtoken Make no mistake about what that means. America's military advantage is degrading. Without the ability to project power, the United States will no longer be a global power. That means that we put at risk not only our ability to secure our interests and protect our Nation but also the unprecedented era of security and prosperity that American global leadership has provided the world. prgtoken I might add for the benefit of my colleagues that former President today gave a very strong statement emphasizing this problem and the challenge we face. This is the strategic reality we are facing in the next 5 years. It should not be a surprise. We have seen the steady