mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HYDROPOWER POLICY MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2017
Evan H. Jenkins (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-11-8

my amendment is very straightforward. It supports the mission of the underlying bill to responsibly increase opportunities for hydropower across the Nation. prgtoken My amendment authorizes agencies with an existing memorandum of understanding with FERC to study the expansion of hydropower. The need for this arises from a project in my district in Summersville, West Virginia. There is what is called a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project in Summersville. There is an MOU between the town--the city of Summersville--FERC, and the Army Corps of Engineers. prgtoken The Summersville hydro project was actually licensed by FERC in 1992 and constructed in 2001, with the cooperation of the Army Corps of Engineers. It provides enough renewable energy to power 22,000 homes. It might be possible to increase hydropower by adjusting the seasonable pool levels and managing the releases. Even if this is only for just a few days, it could result in a 15 percent increase in power generation for the surrounding community. prgtoken Unfortunately, I have heard that even to conduct a study requires explicit authorization from Congress. So that is what we are doing here today with this amendment. This amendment would provide that authority, and only in limited cases where there is an existing MOU on the books between the agencies and FERC. prgtoken , I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton).
Tax Reform (Executive Session)
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2017-11-8

I rise today to talk about a historic opportunity that will soon be before this body. It is an opportunity to bring real relief to the American people. It is an opportunity to jolt our economy into a higher gear and bring real, tangible benefits to America's hard-working families. prgtoken It has been over 30 years since this country last reformed its Tax Code. Over those 30 years, we have seen a lot of change. We have seen the country move from Ataris to smartphones and Wi-Fi. This photo shows a Ford LTD station wagon, which rolled off the assembly line 30 years ago. It is a car that any of us would have been excited to drive 30 years ago. Today we have cars that drive themselves. Unfortunately, we still have a tax code that is made for this LTD. prgtoken So while the world has changed around us and other countries have learned to craft tax codes to entice businesses to grow, our code has gotten more and more out of date and more and more laden with special- interest giveaways. Our Tax Code has turned Main Street into a dead end and our overseas growth into a one-way street. prgtoken Reforming the code is not only a way to give us an opportunity to end those giveaways, but it can also boost our economy. I applaud our colleagues in the House, who last week introduced and are working on a proposal to overhaul the tax system. In the coming days the Senate Finance Committee will introduce their own legislation. prgtoken While I will mostly focus my comments today on one aspect of tax reform, I will note that on Friday the Tax Foundation released its analysis of the House tax proposal. This analysis concluded that the House proposal would create 975,000 full-time-equivalent jobs and push GDP 3.9 percent higher than it would otherwise be. Taking into account the economic feedback from the proposed reforms, this means taxpayers would end up with 4.4 percent higher income. In other words, they will make greater, higher income as a result of the bill that the House is working on today. Indeed, the Tax Foundation concluded that the total after-tax gain in income for a middle-class family would be nearly $2,600. prgtoken Importantly, for my constituents in my home State of Colorado, the gain would be over $3,000. These are serious gains that will bring real, meaningful benefits to hard-working Americans. This is just the starting point for our reform. This number is over $3,000 of impact to the people of Colorado of additional income and tax relief. When a significant segment of Americans don't even have access within 24 hours to just a few hundred dollars, a $3,000 a year gain is a significant amount of money. prgtoken Today I would like to focus on one part of the tax reform package, and that is the lowering of taxes on America's job creators. Because we have this clunky Atari-era Tax Code--this Ford LTD station wagon Tax Code, our tax rates are no longer competitive. They encourage companies to invest
Authorization for Use of Military Force (Executive Session)
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-11-8

the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had a very important hearing last week regarding the 2001 authorization for use of military force, the law that serves as the legal underpinning for the war against al-Qaida and the Taliban. I am grateful to our witnesses, Secretaries Mattis and Tillerson, for making themselves available to the members of the committee and for the straightforward and honest answers they provided to us. prgtoken As we have gotten further and further away from the September 11 attacks that resulted in the passage of the 2001 AUMF, I have urged Congress to take a fresh look at that authorization. When four soldiers died recently in Niger, I think most Americans--and even some Members of Congress--were shocked to learn that we even had troops in that country. Our troops were not there under the auspices of the 2001 AUMF, but considering that they were reportedly ambushed and killed at the hands of an Islamic State affiliate, questions have been raised about where our forces are and where they are at war with terrorists versus when they are simply conducting train-and-equip or other missions of that sort. prgtoken It was encouraging that nearly every member of the Foreign Relations Committee was in attendance at that hearing where the witnesses testified that the administration believes it has ample authority to prosecute the war on terrorism and does not need a new AUMF. prgtoken I can't say I was surprised to hear that testimony. No administration, or ic, will ever willingly cede the broad authority given to the executive branch 3 days after the September 11 attack. If they were to say that we need new authorization, they would be conceding that they haven't been acting with authorization all this time. So they are never going to say that we need a new AUMF. prgtoken What has surprised me is that there are Members of this body, the Senate, who are content to let this 16-year old authorization remain in place. Some have even suggested that any updates to the AUMF can be made using the appropriations process. Are we really going to start using policy riders on annual spending bills to approve of sending troops into harm's way? We rarely even vote on individual spending bills anymore, let alone controversial policy riders to those spending bills. Are we truly willing to leave it to the members of the Appropriations Committee to update a law that has put our servicemembers into harm's way, particularly those of us on the authorizing committee, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee? I hope that we more jealously guard our prerogatives than that. prgtoken Our inaction on updating the 2001 law has already relegated the role of the Senate in authorizing force to that of a cog in the feedback loop. I would submit that we in the Senate ought to aspire to be more than that. prgtoken For 16 years, Congress has been all too willing to let successive administrations us
FOOD SECURITY IN AMERICA
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-11-8

. Madam , I just want to mention-- because I think we have talked prgtoken about the wildfires in California and Oregon. We have heard about the terrible--the one-two punch, actually, in Puerto Rico with Hurricanes Maria and Irma, and how these programs are stepped up. prgtoken I want to certainly touch on the other parts of our country where American citizens have been impacted as well. prgtoken While we are talking about Hurricane Maria, I think it is very important to talk about our U.S. citizens who live on the United States Virgin Islands. prgtoken This is an area as well where we have been able to mobilize under the authority of the work that we do, and in the Agriculture Committee through USDA. For the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services, we are able to receive a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as well, in the districts of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas. prgtoken This is obviously an island that has been devastated by Hurricane Maria. It makes it very difficult to deploy resources, especially in the interior of islands, but I really appreciate how the administration proactively anticipated the disaster was going to occur and staged resources. prgtoken As a former EMT, firefighter, and rescue technician, really to be able to pre-deploy, to be able to serve those American families--they were in a very difficult situation, and including the work of the tremendous staff at the Department of Agriculture, and the food and nutrition service, and Under Secretary Perdue's leadership, to be able to serve these citizens, that is an ongoing effort. prgtoken There is no doubt about that. Numerous aspects of our food assistance for disaster relief were deployed there, and we just really appreciate the efforts. prgtoken In the southeastern United States, actually in addition to Texas and in southwestern Louisiana as well, families and individuals in Louisiana felt the impact of Hurricane Harvey. They received a waiver to allow distribution in August of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program which are food packages that were distributed in 2017, and they were provided in an August food package, and a September food package. So there was assistance under Disaster SNAP as well there. That was Hurricane Harvey. prgtoken As we have heard already about Hurricane Irma, the tremendous damage that was done impacted individuals and families in both Florida and Georgia where we saw the supplemental assistance program, or D-SNAP, that was provided to eligible households. Some of the affected counties were able to receive 2 months of benefits to meet their food needs while they settled back home following the disaster. prgtoken FNS also approved an extension of the States' hot foods waiver, as you heard about earlier. Those waivers are an important part of what we can do to help people's lives be better immediately following and during the transition time for a temporary period of time following disast
FOOD SECURITY IN AMERICA
K. Michael Conaway (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-11-8

. Madam , I rise this evening to acknowledge the response of our communities and Federal agencies to the recent hurricanes and wildfires. I would like to first offer my thoughts and prayers to families affected by these tragedies. prgtoken The USDA and FNS play a vital role in providing supplemental nutrition assistance when disasters occur by coordinating with State, local, and voluntary organizations. Nothing is more important that providing food when people find themselves suddenly, and often critically, in need following disaster-related emergencies. prgtoken FNS has worked tirelessly to provide nutrition assistance to those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as the Western Wildfires. Our fellow citizens in Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, California, and Oregon have received assistance including automatic mass replacement of benefits, D-SNAP, free school meals, and waivers, ultimately ensuring people have enough to eat in their time of need. prgtoken As Secretary Perdue has said, each disaster situation is unique. The USDA and FNS have demonstrated their ability to respond to each of these unique situations in a timely and effective way. prgtoken The challenges facing our communities ravaged by hurricanes and wildfires are unprecedented. Getting food on the table in a timely manner should not be an additional challenge. I want to recognize the fortitude of our fellow citizens as they come together to rebuild after such devastation as well as acknowledge the USDA's diligence in addressing the nutrition-related needs of our fellow citizens.
PROPER NUTRITION FOR EVERYONE
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-11-8

I rise today to talk about nutrition and, more specifically, malnutrition. My family and I have traveled across the country doing mission work, from the poorest country in this Western Hemisphere, Haiti; to the plains of Kenya; across Mexico; and throughout Central America. prgtoken On those trips, I went there as a physician thinking that I could help people, but what I quickly discovered was that, despite how many antibiotics or bottles of IV fluids that I had, without proper nutrition, without proper water and sewage treatment, I was simply running into a headwind in a war that I could never win. prgtoken Unfortunately, across the globe, there are almost 1 billion people who suffer from malnutrition, and it is a problem that doesn't exist just across the world. It also exists in my own district, in my own communities. We think that actually about 12 percent of the United States households have food insecurity issues, and, in households with children, the number goes up to 16 percent of food insecurity issues. prgtoken It would be my opinion, without this hierarchy of needs being met, the hierarchy of the needs of proper water, proper sewage, and proper nutrition, that you will never have a healthy community. Without a healthy community, you will never see economic growth. prgtoken This battle against malnutrition is long running. In recent years, many in the hunger community have recognized the value of fighting malnutrition in targeted ways. One way was popularized by Roger Thurow in his book, ``The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children--And the World.'' prgtoken Research shows that good nutrition actually begins before conception. Good nutrition starts before conception, continues throughout the woman's pregnancy, and, especially, those first 2 years after a child's birth are very important. prgtoken As a practicing obstetrician for 25 years, I see over and over the impact of proper nutrition. Proper nutrition in those first 1,000 days starts with a well-balanced diet and adequate calories. Additionally, we always try to start our prenatal vitamins at least 3 months before conception. prgtoken You might ask: Why is that important? What we have found is that if there is adequate folic acid in a woman's body, along with adequate iron, it decreases birth defects, and it decreases premature birth and low birth weights. Specifically, folic acid decreases neural tube defects. So those two vitamins are particularly important that we continue in these diets preconceptually, during the pregnancy, then after for at least the first 2 years. prgtoken A child that receives the proper 1,000 days of nutrition has a lower chance of obesity, heart disease, and chronic illnesses. The child is 10 times more likely to overcome serious childhood illnesses and is more likely to fulfill their full God-given potential. prgtoken What we know and understand is that the most vulnerable will succumb to viruses, wh
Honoring Our Veterans (Executive Session)
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-11-8

I rise today to commemorate the courageous service and selfless sacrifice of our Nation's veterans. prgtoken Honoring our veterans is one of the greatest privileges I have as a Senator, which is why I often attend celebrations in Arkansas to acknowledge and salute some of the brave men and women who have served our Nation in uniform. prgtoken I recently had the pleasure to recognize the service and valor of 15 Arkansas veterans during the Arkansas Military Veterans' Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The class of 2017 inductees comes from all across Arkansas. These veterans served in conflicts ranging from World War II through the War on prgtoken Terror. Together, they have earned some of our Nation's most prestigious honors and commendations, including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit, and the Silver Star Medal for gallantry. prgtoken I also had the opportunity to present three Arkansas veterans with the medals and commendations they had earned when I attended the Veterans Day celebration in Fort Smith, AR. I am proud of the work that we do to obtain the service medals and recognition that these heroes have earned. prgtoken We have also worked hard to honor the efforts of Mr. Errol Severe, of Eureka Springs, AR, as he strives to preserve and promote the role of joint service aviation cadets in the 20th century. Mr. Severe, an Air Force veteran, operates the Aviation Cadet Museum, which is the only museum in the United States that exists exclusively to celebrate the teamwork, collaboration, patriotism, and courage of the individuals who trained for and fought in the national aviation effort from 1917 to 1965. prgtoken As we recognize our veterans and honor the sacrifice and heroism of those who have been called to serve our Nation in uniform, we must recommit ourselves to fighting on their behalf. As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am committed to honoring the promise made to our veterans. prgtoken We have made tremendous progress during this Congress. In June, President signed the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. This strengthens accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs by allowing the VA to dismiss bad employees while protecting those who expose wrongdoing. prgtoken We are also continuing to improve the Choice Act. Earlier this year, we hosted listening sessions with Arkansas veterans to obtain their input on the strengths and the weaknesses of the program, as Congress continues to expand access to adequate healthcare options for veterans. prgtoken In addition, we enhanced the post-9/11 GI bill benefits to increase educational opportunities. I am proud to have played a role in crafting this law, along with my colleague from Oregon, Senator Wyden. I am pleased that he can join me on the floor to recognize the importance of the provision we have championed for se
TRIBUTE TO DIWALI
Todd Rokita (Republican, IN) \u2014 2017-11-8

I rise today to acknowledge and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the India Association of Indianapolis (IAI). The IAI is a non-profit organization that unites Indian-Americans located in the central Indiana area. It has become a vital cultural bridge between Indian-Hoosiers and the community. prgtoken The IAI was founded in 1968 by fifteen families living in the Indianapolis area. Today, the IAI has a membership that exceeds 2,000 families and continues to climb. There are over 30,000 Indian-Americans living in the Indiana. The IAI has been a valuable voice for all Indian-Hoosiers and has increased understanding of India, Indian people, and Indian culture in central Indiana. prgtoken The mission of the IAI is to promote the cultural activities of India, to foster cultural exchange between people of India and the USA, and to carry out educational and charitable activities. Over the course of the last 50 years, the IAI has performed its mission admirably and has enriched the community immeasurably. It has played a crucial role to protecting, preserving, and promoting Indian traditions and has showcased the beauty of India to the Indianapolis community. prgtoken Whether it's the annual Diwali celebration, the Holi Festival, the yearly marking of India's independence, or a cricket game meant to foster friendship between the Indian and Pakistani-American community, the IAI has been a constant force of goodwill in Central Indiana. The IAI has grown exponentially since it was founded and is destined to do bigger and better things in the future. Indiana is lucky to have such an organization in its midst and I acknowledge the IAI, its leadership, and all its members. prgtoken , on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, I would like to salute the India Association of Indianapolis.
ROLL CALL FAKES THE NEWS
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-11-8

a front-page story in Roll Call about Chief of Staff General Kelly is as misleading as you can get. It clearly is an intentional hit job. prgtoken The headline read: ``Kelly's Antics Rankle Capitol.'' The article claims, ``GOP and ic Members are united'' in not wanting General Kelly to speak out. But only one , known for his criticism of this administration, is quoted, compared to four . Of the four , three are current Members of Congress, and one is a former Clinton administration official. prgtoken So much for balance, and so much for the article's unfounded claim. This is what passes for journalism these days. When you see stories like this one, you begin to understand why the President is right to use the term ``fake news.'' prgtoken I doubt General Kelly will be intimidated, and I hope he will continue to speak out.
CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE AVIATION PROGRAM
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-11-8

it's my honor to recognize the Northwestern Michigan College Aviation Program upon the occasion of its 50th Anniversary. Through innovation, passion, and dedication, NMC Aviation has become an indispensable part of Northern Michigan. prgtoken Founded in 1967, NMC Aviation came from small beginnings with three planes and five instructors. In just 50 years, it has grown to be one of the most respected aviation programs in the country. Today, they continue to raise the bar of innovation through ground-breaking courses and program partnerships with Michigan high schools and colleges across the world. Its instructors have real life experience, and its students have access to exceptional training and resources. prgtoken As a commercial pilot of 22 years, I know the great need for quality pilots in our global economy, as well as the dedication and skill this profession requires. NMC Aviation has proven itself to be one of the best institutions of its kind at training the next generation of pilots. prgtoken , it's my honor to congratulate the NMC Aviation Program for its 50 years of success and community investment. Michiganders can take immense pride in knowing that the First District is home to this outstanding institution. On behalf of my constituents, I wish the Northwestern Michigan College Aviation Program all the best in its future endeavors.