mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-3-12

across America, nearly 100,000 public schools open the door of opportunity to more than 50 million students from kindergarten through high school. In honor of this remarkable national accomplishment, I rise today to join Senator Tester in recognizing March 12 through 16 as Public Schools Week. prgtoken I have visited more than 200 schools throughout my home State of Maine, and I have seen firsthand an inspiring commitment to excellence. It is a commitment that is shared by dedicated educators and staff, involved parents and community members, and enthusiastic students. prgtoken Public education has had a profound impact on our Nation's history and continues to shape our future. Nine out of 10 students in the United States attend public schools. Last year, our public high schools achieved an alltime high graduation rate of 83 percent, and nearly 70 percent of our high school graduates went on to higher education. Public schools both inspire students and give them tools to achieve their dreams. prgtoken Not only do our public schools create lifelong learners, but they also help to foster active citizenship. In addition to academics, athletics, and the arts, schools throughout Maine offer programs to encourage environmental responsibility, civic engagement, and community service. I am so proud that every Veterans Day and Memorial Day, schools throughout my State hold assemblies to honor the men and women of their communities who served our Nation and defended our freedom. prgtoken Our schools have become so much more than places where children are taught. From nutritious meals to health and emotional support services, public schools play a vital role in the lives of our young people. prgtoken Education has been described as ``not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a flame.'' We are fortunate to have many keepers of the precious flame of learning throughout our Nation, and I urge my colleagues to join Senator Tester and me in recognizing them during Public Schools Week.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-3-12

I rise to recognize the role of nutrition in the health and wellness of our Nation and the development of our children. Arkansas' agricultural producers play a vital role in providing affordable, nutritious food, not only for our State and country but for the entire world. prgtoken March is recognized as National Nutrition Month. This is a time to focus attention on the importance of a balanced diet and healthy eating choices. As a cochair of the Senate Hunger Caucus, I am committed to supporting and raising awareness of efforts that provide nutritious, healthy meals; creating policies that fight hunger; and supporting programs that have proven successful. prgtoken The Department of Agriculture's Child and Adult Care Food Program is a unique effort that uses public-private partnerships to meet the nutritional needs of vulnerable children and adults. This has become a critical tool in the fight against hunger. prgtoken Senator Klobuchar and I recently introduced a resolution designating this week as National Child and Adult Care Food Program Week to honor and raise awareness of the important role the Child and Adult Care Food Program plays in the health of those in Arkansas, Minnesota, and throughout the country. Through this program, more than 4 million children and 130,000 adults in childcare centers, adult daycare homes, and afterschool programs receive nutritious meals and snacks daily. prgtoken Studies show that access to the Child and Adult Care Food Program can measurably and positively impact the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical health and development of children, leading to more favorable outcomes, such as decreased likelihood of being hospitalized, an increased likelihood of healthy weight gain, and an increased likelihood of a more varied diet. prgtoken As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I will be working to ensure that individuals who need food assistance are able to access affordable, nutritious meals. I will also continue to press for flexibility in the Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program so children who rely on school meals when class is in session can access healthy, nutritious meals during the summer in order to have a seamless transition from the school year to the summer programs. prgtoken In Arkansas, more than 50,000 children receive nutritious meals through this program. For many rural areas of the country, like the Natural State, this one-size-fits-all approach fails to meet the needs of communities and the children who are most in need. prgtoken More than 60 percent of Arkansas' children rely on free or reduced meals during the school year, so we need to modernize the program so that summer meal sites are available to children no matter where they live. Arkansas is blessed to have the support of schools, churches, Boys & Girls Clubs, libraries, and other organizations that serve as host sites for summer meal programs, and we need
Introductory Statement on S. 2538
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2018-3-12

when these ill-conceived tariffs were announced last week, I said I would introduce legislation that would immediately nullify this very unfortunate exercise in protectionism before it could wreak havoc on our economy. prgtoken If implemented, these tariffs will do just what tariffs have always done. They will lead to job losses and will stymie economic growth. What is worse, the President's attempt at flexibility in the form of poorly defined exceptions only serves to harm the economy further by creating uncertainty. Tariffs are bad enough on their own; tariffs married with uncertainty are even worse. prgtoken Can you imagine the President saying one day, ``Well, I think that Australia is moving in ways that we think are good in this area or that, so I am going to lessen the tariffs that we impose on steel and aluminum for Australia''? The next day it is Brazil. ``If it does this or that that is unrelated to these tariffs, I might lift tariffs or lessen the burden of tariffs on that country.'' Yet, a week later, if Brazil makes another move, the President might seek to reimpose or to make the burden heavier. That simply doesn't work if you are trying to achieve economic growth and if you are trying to convince countries to enter into trade partnerships with you. Particularly when you are dealing with our allies, that is no way to treat your allies. prgtoken I understand free trade is sometimes a challenge. I understand that it is a challenge on the campaign trail, certainly. It is often easier to point to a shuttered factory and blame trade or immigration or some other convenient scapegoat other than what is usually the case-- modernization or mechanization or something that has meant that we have increased productivity or simply the best allocation capital in order to facilitate trade. prgtoken We have to aggressively negotiate both bilateral and multilateral trade deals if we are to catch up. If we fail to do this and continue to withdraw from the global marketplace, we are going to be left far behind. We saw this with regard to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We pulled out of those negotiations, and the other 11 countries involved simply went on their own and left us behind. That has meant, in particular, countries in Southeast Asia, which would like to be a part of our trade orbit, have had no choice but to be more reliant on China. That doesn't serve our interests at all. prgtoken We have to remember we represent just 20 percent of the world's economic output. We represent just 5 percent of the world's population or just less than that. If we don't trade, we don't grow. You can be pro-growth or you can be pro-tariff, but you can't be both. prgtoken Those who have reservations about these tariffs ought to support this legislation that I am introducing today to prgtoken nullify the tariffs. Those who have expressed admiration for free trade or supply-side economics ought to support this bill as
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-3-13

I rise today to join the citizens of Massachusetts who are making their voices heard and sending a clear message to President : The Commonwealth of Massachusetts stands strong in opposition to his reckless proposal to expand offshore drilling. We stand strong in opposition to yet another handout to Big Oil executives who are willing to put corporate profits ahead of the health of our coastal families. We stand strong in opposition to this administration's willful ignorance of climate change and the world's ongoing clean energy revolution. prgtoken President may say that his drilling plan is about growing jobs, but the truth is that this offshore drilling proposal is a slap in the face to every hard-working coastal family. President is willing to put corporate profits for his Big Oil buddies ahead of shipping crews in Boston, ahead of the fishermen from Gloucester to New Bedford, ahead of the mom-and-pop diners all along the Cape, ahead of every tourism industry worker, and ahead of the families of all of these workers. President is willing to gamble with the livelihoods of over 600,000 North Atlantic coastal and ocean workers. The people of Massachusetts and the people who depend on a clean coast are not willing to take that gamble. prgtoken Our coastal communities remember when the BP Deepwater Horizon oilspill happened in 2010. One offshore oil well blew and caused Deepwater Horizon's drilling rig to explode. It killed 11 workers, injured 17 others, and unleashed one of the worst environmental disasters in human history. Nearly 5 million barrels of oil gushed into the ocean, contaminating more than 1,300 miles of coastline and nearly 70,000 square miles of surface water. Millions of birds and marine animals died, suffocated by thick coatings of oil and poisoned by other toxic chemicals. The gulf fishing industry lost thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. The spill devastated the gulf's coastal tourism economy. The environmental and economic devastation hit working families and small businesses across the region. prgtoken But the administration insists on padding the pockets of Big Oil while small coastal towns bear all the risks that something will go wrong. The local towns bear the risk of a devastating oilspill. The local towns bear the risk of climate change impact, including increased coastal habitat destruction, fisheries threatened by ocean acidification, and rising sea levels. President and this Congress want to bury their heads in the sand or bury their heads in the big pile of Big Oil money, but the reality is this: Climate change has happened, and the evidence is all around us. The consequences are worsening with every single day of inaction. prgtoken Make no mistake. We are in the most critical fight of our generation and we are running out of time. We are in a fight to save our coastal towns, a fight to
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-3-13

let me thank Senator Udall for his kind remarks and his great leadership. prgtoken I rise today to add my voice to his voice and to that of so many of my colleagues in calling attention to the growing threat of climate change, and to encourage the Senate to take meaningful action. First, let me join all of my colleagues in recognizing and thanking my colleague, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island. His tireless work to raise awareness about the devastating impacts of climate change has truly made a remarkable difference in our country and around the world. prgtoken Senator Whitehouse comes to the Senate floor every week to tell us why it is ``time to wake up,'' and I am pleased to be able to join him as he gives his 200th such speech. These 200 speeches provide at least 200 reasons why we should be acting quickly and decisively to address climate change. Just one of those reasons, which I would like to highlight, is the impact of climate change on our national security. Climate change acts as a threat multiplier, exacerbating other problems in unstable areas around the world. It is already creating conflict related to a lack of resources, whether it is access to food, water, or energy. prgtoken I was just traveling through Djibouti and Somalia--adjacent to Yemen--and one of the great crises in Yemen is not just the conflict on the ground, but it is a water crisis that is causing massive drought. Then I moved on up to Jordan, and there spoke with our representatives. There is a water crisis in Jordan also and another threatened drought. prgtoken These national security problems are climate problems, and these climate problems are national security problems. When it comes to our national security, decisions are made through a careful evaluation of risks, and we must be sure to include risks caused by climate change. It is particularly troubling to me to see that the current Administration is instead choosing to ignore the reality of scientific consensus by removing all references to climate change from documents like the ``National Security Strategy'' and the ``National Defense Strategy.'' prgtoken The Department of Defense must be able to execute its missions effectively and efficiently. So it is disconcerting that climate- related events have already cost the Pentagon significant resources-- measured in both monetary costs as well as in negative impacts on military readiness. prgtoken In fact, Secretary Mattis, who understands these issues very well, and despite the official publication of the Department of Defense speaks very candidly and directly, has declared the following before the Senate Armed Services Committee: Where climate change contributes to regional instability, the Department of Defense must be aware of any potential adverse impacts. . . . climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today. . . . and
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY CLARIFICATION ACT
Chellie Pingree (Democrat, ME) \u2014 2018-3-13

from California (Mr. Lowenthal) for yielding me the time. prgtoken , I, too, rise today in support of H.R. 4266, the Acadia National Park Boundary Clarification Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bipartisan bill, which was introduced by my colleague from Maine (Mr. Poliquin). prgtoken While you have already heard from Mr. Poliquin a lot about the importance of the intertidal zone, about the livelihood of clam diggers and wormers, and about the Acadia National Park, because our State is so important and we love our park, I am pretty much going to say it all again. prgtoken Maine is very proud to be home to Acadia National Park. This national treasure is a place where the mountains actually meet the sea. When you climb those mountains, you see miles of clear, blue ocean dotted with literally some of the hundreds and thousands of islands off the coast of Maine, one of which I am lucky enough to live on, not the one where Acadia National Park is. prgtoken But millions of people visit Acadia National Park every year to experience the incredible natural attractions, the hiking, and the climbing. But they also come there to be in downeast Maine. Downeast Maine is full of very many tight-knit communities, and those tight-knit communities are full of hardworking men and women, many of whom make their living on the water; and it is really hard work. Some of them are hauling lobster traps every day so that we can enjoy the wonderful lobster that is only delicious if you get it from the State of Maine. But many of them are bent over digging in the mud for clams, for other species, and for bloodworms; and it is really hard work. prgtoken H.R. 4266 would clarify a number of points to strengthen the park's relationship with the surrounding communities that we have been talking about. Most importantly, this bill will ensure that clammers, wormers, and other traditional harvesters can continue to work in the places where, frankly, they have worked for generations, many of them working alongside their sons or daughters when they go out every day. prgtoken In the spring of 2016, the harvesters were shocked when the park staff began prohibiting them from working prgtoken along the coastline within Acadia's boundaries. There was no warning about changing a practice that had, frankly, gone on for decades. I appreciate the fact that park officials quickly ended their enforcement, but the actions sent shock waves throughout the area. prgtoken Washington County is the poorest county in Maine, and families there simply just can't afford to lose any source of income. H.R. 4266 would give the communities a sense of security by very explicitly stating that harvesters have a right to work within the park. It is a critical step to ensuring that Acadia National Park remains an attraction not only for its natural beauty, but for its unique way of life. prgtoken Again, I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Po
DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TO TRANSFER CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND TO FACILITATE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Alan S. Lowenthal (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-3-13

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I support this legislation and its adoption by the House. prgtoken H.R. 1800 authorizes the transfer of 80 acres of Forest Service land to the Utah State University Research Foundation. The land will support ongoing research efforts that support national defense and space programs. prgtoken The idea that there should be national public lands that belong to and are managed on behalf of the American people is a value that dates back to the founding of our country and is embedded in our Constitution. prgtoken Generation after generation of Americans have endorsed the idea that our public lands should be managed for the benefit of all Americans to support a wide range of activities. As stewards of this land, we must work to find a balance between compelling yet sometimes competing interests and make sure that the Federal Government is a good neighbor to local communities. prgtoken Whenever we decide that it is appropriate to sell or convey these shared resources, we must make sure there is adequate compensation to Federal taxpayers or safeguards in place to guarantee that the land is used for public purposes. prgtoken , I thank Chairman Bishop for working across the aisle to ensure that we met these goals in this legislation. I support H.R. 1800 and its adoption, and .
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT-- Continued
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-3-13

we have a series of Senators who are going to be speaking about what is happening as a result of climate change and sea level rise, which is having its effects in my State of Florida, particularly. prgtoken Few States are as vulnerable to climate change than what we find particularly in South Florida, Miami Beach being Ground Zero. What is happening as the sea level is rising--and these are not projections, they are not forecasts; these are actually measurements, measurements by NASA and NOAA over the last 40 years that the sea has risen in South Florida 5 to 8 inches. prgtoken We see the effects of that at the seasonal high tides--now, more increasingly, along with the cycles of the Moon each month. Water, typically, is sloshing around in streets and sloshing over the curves. As a result, the city of Miami Beach has had to spend tens of millions of dollars on huge, expensive pumps and has also had to raise the level of the roadbeds. prgtoken NOAA's most recent worst-case scenario projections predict a 2-foot sea level rise by 2060 and, if we take it all the way to the end of the century, 6 feet by 2100. Needless to say, in a peninsula that sits in the middle of what we know as Hurricane Highway, 6 feet would inundate so much of the coastal areas. By the way, the population of Florida is 21 million people, and 75 percent is along the coastal regions. That puts all of the entire Nation's low-lying coastal cities at risk of major flooding, not to mention our military installations along the coast. prgtoken The seas are not just rising; they are also warming, and they are rising because they are warming. Of course, I have explained this several times on the floor of the Senate: As the Sun's rays come in and hit the Earth, some of the heat is absorbed, but some of it is reflected off the Earth's surface and is radiated out into space. prgtoken When you put up an extra abundance of greenhouse gases--mainly carbon dioxide and methane--and they move into the upper atmosphere, they serve like a glass ceiling of a greenhouse; thus, the term, the ``greenhouse'' effect. Then, as that heat is reflected off the Earth that would normally radiate out into space, it is trapped and, thus, the entire Earth starts to heat. prgtoken Two-thirds of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans, and 90 percent of that heat is absorbed into the oceans. What happens to water when it is heated? It expands. So we see the reasons that warmer water means the sea levels rise. prgtoken Do you know what else it produces? More frequent and more ferocious hurricanes. After the back-to-back punch of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, imagine how much we would have to spend in Federal disaster aid if we had a hurricane season like last year every year. That is why it is so critical to continue funding climate and weather research and to keep improving NOAA's hurricane models. prgtoken This information can make the difference in a life-o
HONORING THE TOP 10 FEMALE HIP-HOP COLLABORATIONS OF ALL TIME
Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-3-13

throughout the years, artists such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Bruce Springsteen have been recognized on the floor of the House of Representatives. prgtoken Today I rise to honor the top 10 female MC hip-hop collaborations of all time. prgtoken Number 10: Eve, ``My Chick Bad remix.'' prgtoken Number 9: Monie Love, ``My Buddy.'' prgtoken Number 8: Missy Elliott, ``Hot Boyz remix.'' prgtoken Number 7: Remy Ma, ``Ante Up remix.'' prgtoken Number 6: Lauryn Hill, ``Ready or Not.'' prgtoken Number 5: Nicki Minaj, ``Up All Night.'' prgtoken Number 4: Da Brat, ``Da B Side.'' prgtoken Number 3: Lady of Rage, ``G Funk Intro.'' prgtoken Number 2: Fox Boogie Brown, ``Ain't No.'' prgtoken Number 1: Representing BK to the fullest, Lil' Kim, ``Quiet Storm remix.'' prgtoken These extraordinary MCs, along with legendary pioneers such as Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Salt-N-Pepa, shattered hip-hop's glass ceiling with their skill, talent, and lyrical ability. prgtoken As we celebrate Women's History Month here in the United States Congress, these dynamic women are worthy to be praised.