mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION, DEFENSE, STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020-- Motion to Proceed
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-10-31

I rise to talk about the vote we are going to have in just a few minutes to appropriate our first appropriations bill for this fiscal year, which, by the way, we are already in the first month of our new fiscal year. prgtoken We are under a continuing resolution, which we have talked about ad nauseam in this body and how damaging that is to our military and how expensive it is over the long run. I had breakfast with one of our Secretaries in the DOD today, and he told me that just in the Navy alone, a continuing resolution this year would cost the Navy almost $5 billion. That is $50 billion just in one service over the next decade. We can do better than this. prgtoken I want to praise Senator Shelby and Senator Leahy, the ranking member and the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. They have done their job. The subcommittee chairman and ranking members have done their jobs. We are ready to vote on these bills, and it comes down to just an obstructionist issue about funding the wall versus funding our military. prgtoken Just last weekend, President announced that Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, had been taken off the battlefield by his own hand, I might say. This is a win not just for our country but for the world in this fight against terrorism. prgtoken As we now know, the world has gotten to be very dangerous--maybe the most dangerous in my lifetime--with five threats across five domains. We are worried now about places like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, prgtoken as well as the asymmetric threat of terrorism around the world in over five domains--air, land and sea, and now we have to worry about cyber and space as well. prgtoken Let's just take a moment and realize that without a strong military, this Special Operations op over the weekend would not have been possible. Our intelligence community, our special operators, our military personnel, all the supply people, all the people involved in supporting these people at the tip of the sphere came to bear and brought us a victory this week over the No. 1 terrorist in the world. prgtoken Everybody in America should be celebrating this incredible achievement by our military. Rather than celebrating, however, our friends across the aisle are trying to change the subject in many ways. One way is in the U.S. House with the hypocritical approach we are seeing right now of denying due process to our President and having a vote this week that is a real mockery of the process in itself. There is no guarantee of due process to the President in this resolution. prgtoken I believe the just don't understand how President got elected, and they hate it so much, they will not even let him have this win relative to taking a major terrorist off the battlefield. prgtoken We must never forget how depraved this gentleman was and their ideology really is. These ISIS thugs have been a scourge on that part of the world, and they a
DIRECTING CERTAIN COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHETHER SUFFICIENT GROUNDS EXIST FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD JOHN TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Debbie Lesko (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2019-10-31

. Madam , I thank Representative Cole for yielding. prgtoken This impeachment process is a total sham. This resolution, which seeks to legitimize it, misleads the American public. Section 2 of this bill is titled, ``The Open and Transparent Investigative Proceedings by the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,'' but the process set forth in this resolution is far from open and far from transparent. In fact, it is the exact opposite. prgtoken The resolution continues the closed-door meetings that blocks entry to Members of Congress and prohibits the President's due process rights. And it merely authorizes, but does not require, Chairman Schiff to make transcripts public. prgtoken Last night s offered 17 amendments to add some fairness into the process, but rejected them all. prgtoken I had an amendment to ensure minority witnesses could call an equal number of witnesses as the majority. said no. prgtoken I had an amendment to require the Intel chairman to turn over exculpatory materials to the Judiciary Committee. shot it down. prgtoken I had an amendment to give ranking members the same authority as the chairman to submit materials to the Judiciary Committee. rejected that, too. prgtoken The process set forth by this resolution violates basic standards of fairness. prgtoken I urge opposition to this resolution.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2019-10-31

I rise today to honor a true inspiration from my home State of Idaho, Margaret St. Clair Plastino. Likely the oldest living registered nurse in Idaho, Margaret has truly used her 102 years on this earth to improve the health of those in her community. Because of this lifetime of service, she is being honored on Monday, November 4, 2019, by her fellow nurses at the Idaho Nurses Recognition Dinner cosponsored by the Idaho Center for Nursing, Nurse Leaders of Idaho, and the American Nurses Association of Idaho. This is a well-deserved honor, as Margaret spent the majority of her life improving healthcare in Idaho. prgtoken Margaret was born in Utah in 1917 to Edwin St. Clair and Evelyn Borrow before she and her family moved to Shelley, ID. She has remained in eastern Idaho ever since, helping her community and serving as a positive influence in the lives of those she encounters. Margaret graduated from the Idaho Falls LDS Hospital School of Nursing in 1939 and was hired by Bonneville County as county nurse in 1942. Beginning her career during the Great Depression, Margaret not only provided much needed medical care, she also provided emotional support and comfort to patients. She treated each patient with the devotion and care that were central to her character. prgtoken Margaret married her husband, Ben Plastino, in 1948, and they were blessed with three daughters. She began a new full-time role raising their family in 1952. Although she was no longer spending her days caring for patients as a full-time nurse, Margaret continued to help provide healthcare to the community where she could, including administering important vaccines. She eventually returned to the nursing profession, becoming the first home health nurse in southeastern Idaho. After she retired, she maintained active in the field and volunteered in various roles for the next 25 years. prgtoken There are countless stories that illustrate Margaret's devotion as a nurse. Many of these have been shared in local and State newspapers recently and there are certainly more to be shared amongst her friends, family, and community. Such instances include Margaret's decision to administer tetanus shots to those affected by the Teton Dam collapse in 1976. She also cared for children of a struggling family when she found out they did not have sufficient food in their household. It is heartening to hear stories such as these and I hope they will continue to spread and inspire more individuals to do as Margaret has. prgtoken Margaret went the extra mile in all that she did to ensure the best care was administered to her community. She did not do this for accolades or attention. She recognized that she could be of service to her community and wanted to use her skill sets to help. She has demonstrated the love she has for her community and demonstrated how to treat each patient in a manner that reflects their dignity as a person. Margaret is selfle
TRIBUTE TO EVANN BERRY
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-10-31

I am pleased to commend Evann Berry for her contributions and dedicated service as a member of my personal office staff. prgtoken A native of Jackson, MS, Evann earned her bachelor of science in biological engineering at Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University. After her college tenure, Evann began her professional career by serving as an emerging leader scholar for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, followed by an internship with the office of the late U.S. Senator Thad Cochran. In May 2016, Evann was hired as a full-time staff member for Senator Cochran, where she easily proved how indispensable her talents were for serving the good constituents of Mississippi. Following Senator Cochran's retirement, Evann maintained a model work ethic within my office that has proven to be a testament to her good character. prgtoken Evann's contributions throughout her tenure have been invaluable to the legislative functions of not just my office but my predecessor's office as well, and her insightful input will be missed. I, along with the rest of my office, have benefitted from Evann's knowledge and experience. Her personal qualities are impeccable. She is a hard- working, courteous, and intelligent young woman, who has a strong sense of responsibility, good judgment, and a pleasant demeanor that makes her an easy person to like. prgtoken , Mississippi and our Nation have been well-served by the diligence, dedication, and commitment to excellence Evann provided on a daily basis. She has put forth her best efforts to reflect credit on me, our State, and the U.S. Senate and has been successful in doing so. I will miss Evann's good counsel. She has my appreciation and gratitude for the notable job she has done in the Senate. I wish Evann all the best in her future endeavors.
HONORING THE MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WHO CARRIED OUT THE MISSION THAT KILLED ABU BAKR AL-BAGHDADI
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2019-10-31

last weekend, elite U.S. Special Operations forces embarked on a daring and dangerous mission to locate and kill or capture the terrorist leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. prgtoken These soldiers knew that Baghdadi's compound was well guarded by radical Islamic terrorists who placed little prgtoken value on their own lives. They knew the compound was booby-trapped and that Baghdadi kept innocent children as human shields to protect himself against attack. prgtoken Nevertheless, these soldiers carried out their mission fearlessly and flawlessly. They breached the compound, eliminated Baghdadi's Praetorian Guard, and then cornered the terrorist leader in a dead end, underground tunnel. prgtoken Baghdadi chose the coward's way out, detonating a suicide vest, even though he was surrounded by his own children. True to form, he was as evil in the final moments of his life as he had been throughout it. prgtoken Now Baghdadi is dead, thanks to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and our canines too. There is no other Nation on Earth whose military could have carried out this raid, and the American people ought to be proud of them. prgtoken To commemorate their stunning success, Senator Graham and I have a resolution to honor the leaders and members of the military intelligence community who made it possible and to commend the President for his decisive leadership in ordering the raid. prgtoken Therefore, , I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 394 submitted earlier today.
DIRECTING CERTAIN COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHETHER SUFFICIENT GROUNDS EXIST FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD JOHN TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Michael T. McCaul (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-10-31

. Madam , I would also argue that Article I does not say you can do whatever you want to do. The Constitution says that, and our Founding Fathers said that, as well. prgtoken Madam , for 38 days, I have objected to this impeachment probe because it denies due process, fundamental transparency, and basic fairness to s, the White House, and the American people. prgtoken From day one, have ignored the rules and 45 years of historic impeachment precedent. prgtoken Without any authorization, Adam Schiff has conducted a secret probe outside of his committee's jurisdiction. He has blocked us from calling our own witnesses. His witnesses are being interviewed behind closed doors in the most secretive room in the United States Capitol. prgtoken That is not democracy. prgtoken He has muzzled s--I have been in the room--placing a gag order on depositions, while leaking cherry-picked facts to the press. He refuses to even allow us to read the transcripts without being babysat by a staffer. prgtoken He has refused to let us hear from the most important witness who brought this entire thing: the whistleblower. prgtoken He has barred White House counsel from any participation. prgtoken And now, 38 days into the ' rush to impeachment, Pelosi claims she wants to establish ``rules'' and transparency. You cannot make your game fair by allowing the opposing team onto the field at the 2-minute warning. prgtoken The bipartisan precedents from Nixon and Clinton still must be followed, and they are not being followed under this resolution. White House counsel remains shut out of this process. This is unacceptable. prgtoken Only three times in our Nation's history has Congress exercised its grave power of impeachment. prgtoken Our Founding Fathers, in Federalist Paper No. 65, Alexander Hamilton warned us of abusing this power because they saw a future Congress abusing it.
DIRECTING CERTAIN COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHETHER SUFFICIENT GROUNDS EXIST FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD JOHN TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-10-31

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. Yesterday the Rules Committee reported an impeachment resolution that was hastily drafted without input with just 24 hours' notice for review. Last night we offered, on the side, 17 amendments. Unsurprisingly, none were adopted. prgtoken Despite assurances that all Members will have access to materials supporting the Articles of Impeachment, to date, Chairman Schiff has ignored 72 bipartisan requests to view Ambassador Volker's transcript, but pursuant to rule XI, clause 2(e)(2), committee records are the property of the House, and thus, Members of the House should have access. prgtoken Last night at the Rules Committee, it was stated that perhaps s were not requesting the information at the right time, so we have to ask: When is the right time to ask to view our own House records? s requested an authorizing vote, and now we will have one. However, this process has not been open and transparent, and it diverts from precedent set in the two most recent Presidential impeachment investigations. As a result, this investigation will be conducted with no minority input. prgtoken A Presidential impeachment investigation is a national trauma. All Members must take this constitutionally vested power seriously, and Americans deserve to be represented in this process. Unfortunately, neither serious nor equal consideration, nor full access to records appear to be a criteria under which the are willing to conduct this investigation. That is a shame, and it renders this process a sham.
SKILLED NURSING SHORTAGE
David B. McKinley (Republican, WV) \u2014 2019-10-31

. Madam , I rise today to commend the House for passing H.R. 728, the bipartisan Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act. prgtoken My wife, Mary, was a critical care nurse for over 45 years, and we could tell you firsthand the role that nurses play in patient care. prgtoken But America is facing a shortage of skilled nurses. Our nursing workforce in America is aging, and the average age is 50 years old. By 2022 there will be 1 million nursing jobs open and available. prgtoken We must find a way to encourage people to go into nursing. This bill helps not only to recruit nurses but to provide rural and underserved communities a competitive way to attract and keep talent. prgtoken Madam , H.R. 728 is a step forward in addressing our Nation's growing need for nurses.
DIRECTING CERTAIN COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHETHER SUFFICIENT GROUNDS EXIST FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD JOHN TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Tom Cole (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-10-31

. Madam , I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken I want to begin by thanking my friend for his kind words and for the professionalism with which he handled last night's hearing. prgtoken But before I begin, Madam , I would ask the chairman if he would withdraw his resolution, at which time I will ask unanimous consent that the House immediately proceed to the consideration of H.R. 668 instead, which provides for consideration of H. Res. 660, under a rule. prgtoken Madam , this would in no way prevent consideration of the resolution before us today; however, it would provide us with an opportunity for all Members to participate in the process. prgtoken My proposed rule would provide for 4 hours of general debate on H. Res. 660, allow for amendments under an open process, and provide for a motion to recommit. prgtoken On an issue as important as this, Madam , 1 hour of debate on a resolution written in the dark of night and marked up in a process where no amendments were accepted is simply insufficient. prgtoken Additionally, it would allow all Members to offer amendments to improve the process to get to the truth, which I am sure is the goal of all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken Madam , with that, I would ask the chairman to accept my request. prgtoken I yield to my friend.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-10-31

today I voted against amendment No. 1141. I would like to take an opportunity to explain my position. prgtoken In September 2019, the Treasury Department reported, in accordance with Federal laws, that the highway trust fund's mass transit account had an unfunded authorization of $27 billion but only estimated $26 billion in revenue to be collected over the next 4 years. In other words, the account was expected to take on more than $1 billion in obligations than it would be able to collect in revenue. prgtoken Instead of correcting the problem, the Jones amendment ignored it, preventing Treasury from implementing the law to bring the mass transit account back into balance. prgtoken Since I joined this body in January, I have repeatedly noted my concern for our nearly $1 trillion annual budget deficit and our more than $22 trillion prgtoken Federal debt. Washington is broken. We do not have the money to finance even the most basic functions of our government: infrastructure and our national defense. prgtoken Today's vote was an example of the consequences we may face when Congress lets these serious financial issues languish. We cannot continue to ignore these problems. We cannot continue to pretend our fiscal problems are solved by waving away protections placed by prior Congresses. prgtoken I believe that Congress must fix this problem and bring our trust funds into long-term solvency. When the Environment and Public Works Committee approved our highway bill in July, I ensured the bill contained language stating our intent to do just that. prgtoken Today, Congress was lucky--we could push our spending problem off to another day. One day soon, we will not be so lucky.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-10-31

today is Halloween. This may sound a little ``candy corny,'' but this Iowan wants to talk about the scary prices of prescription drugs. prgtoken Since January, I have joined with bipartisan forces to drive a stake in the heart of ghoulish price-gouging. Senator Wyden and I are working to shut down the pranks poisoning the drug supply chain. We need our fellow lawmakers to step up and nail the coffin shut on monstrous drug price increases. prgtoken One example that can't masquerade as a next-generation drug is the 500-percent increase for insulin, which helps Americans with diabetes regulate blood sugar. This medicine was discovered 100 years ago, about the time the first horror movie debuted. There is no rhyme or reason for the terrifying price hikes spooking Americans. prgtoken The real horror story this Halloween is what is preventing Congress from doing its job. Big Pharma is spending a frightening amount of money to kill drug-pricing reforms. prgtoken Let's fix the real injustice haunting the American people, which is sticker shock at the pharmacy counter. Every Senator can be a superhero for Halloween. All you have to do is join us to dig a grave for batty prescription drug prices. Ending Big Pharma's pricing tricks would be a real treat for Americans. prgtoken . prgtoken .
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2019-10-31

I rise to introduce a bill to ensure that the treatment of the State and Local Property Tax deduction, also known as the ``SALT deduction,'' does not unfairly penalize married taxpayers. The SALT Deduction Fairness Act would eliminate the marriage penalty imposed by the current $10,000 cap on SALT by doubling this amount for married filers. prgtoken The SALT deduction has been in the tax code since 1913 when the income tax was first established and is intended to prevent double taxation. The original Senate tax reform bill in 2017 would have eliminated the deduction altogether. During the consideration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, I fought to keep the SALT deduction in the Federal tax code because of the incredible tax burden a complete elimination of this deduction would have imposed on American taxpayers, many of whom pay high taxes on everything from their incomes to their vehicles. prgtoken My amendment, which was adopted by the Senate, retained the SALT deduction for up to $10,000 in State and local taxes such as State income taxes, local property taxes, and vehicle excise taxes. This was especially important to families living in high-tax states like Maine, which not only has one of our Nation's highest tax burdens, but also a relatively low per household income--approximately $6,300 below the U.S average. Maintaining the deduction provided important tax relief for those hard-working Mainers who continued to itemize. prgtoken But a basic unfairness still exists in the tax code that penalizes married couples. Currently, individual taxpayers can deduct up to $10,000 in State and local taxes. If two people marry, however, the deduction remains at $10,000. As a result, a couple could be financially better off not getting married when it comes to the current SALT deduction. prgtoken This legislation very simply would remove the marriage penalty by doubling the SALT deduction from $10,000 to $20,000 for joint filers. This straightforward change would remove a bias against marriage from the tax code. And, most important, it would help make the dream of home ownership a reality for married couples. prgtoken The National Association of Realtors recently wrote to me about the importance of eliminating this marriage penalty, stating, ``Homeownership has long been a vital part of the American Dream. Research shows that an overwhelming majority of current renters aspire to own a home, and we know that our Nation's faith in homeownership has persisted through the Great Recession. For well over a century, our tax system has helped American families in reaching this Dream.'' prgtoken , we should not unfairly penalize American taxpayers for being married. This common sense legislation will fix this undue burden who are penalized for their filing status.