mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-4-27

I have offered this amendment whenever the opportunity presents itself because it tests whether there is any program in the Federal budget that Congress can bear to cut. prgtoken Essential Air Service is perhaps the least essential program in the entire government. It is a direct subsidy paid to airline companies to fly empty and near empty planes from small airports to regional hubs nearby. There was supposed to be a temporary program to allow local communities and airports to readjust to airline deregulation in 1978. Instead, it has grown to include 173 communities and a program that has doubled in cost in the last decade. prgtoken I want to emphasize, this program has nothing to do with emergency medical evacuations. It solely subsidizes regular scheduled commercial service that is so seldom used that it cannot support itself. prgtoken And why can't it support itself? In many cases, the small airports in the program are less than an hour's drive from regional airports. Essential Air Service flights are flown out of Merced Airport near my district in the Sierra Nevada of California; yet, Merced is less than an hour's drive from Fresno Regional Airport, offering regular scheduled commercial air service. prgtoken Subsidized service is available from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, just 31 miles from burg International Airport. Subsidized flights from Pueblo, Colorado, are just a 45-minute drive from Colorado Springs Regional Airport, and I could go on and on. prgtoken There are supposed to be subsidy caps of $200 per passenger and a minimum of 10 passengers per day, and yet, every request to waive these requirements has been granted--every one--for passenger subsidies that can go as high as nearly $1,000 per passenger. Now, by comparison, you can charter a small plane for around $150 to $200 an hour. prgtoken Over the next 5 years, this program will cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion in direct appropriations, which this amendment would cease. The program also gets another $100 million a year from overflight fees that would otherwise be available to fund high priorities in the aviation system, like 21st century air traffic control technology. prgtoken The argument for abolishing this program is simple: if a route cannot generate enough passengers to support its costs, that means that passengers themselves are telling us that it is not worth the money to them. prgtoken Perhaps we should listen. prgtoken Our country is drowning in debt. It now costs us $475 billion a year just to pay interest costs on the $21 trillion that we have already borrowed. Debt and taxes are driven by one thing: spending. prgtoken In the last 10 years, inflation and population combined have grown 26 percent. Revenues have more than kept pace, growing 29 percent in the same period; but spending has grown 46 percent, and it has doubled under this program. If we don't get control of spending soon, our Nation could enter a debt spiral
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2018-4-27

this Sunday marks the beginning of Small Business Week, where, as a nation, we come together to show support for the many risk takers, entrepreneurs, and mom-and- pop shops that make America great. prgtoken More than 99 percent of all businesses in the United States are classified as small businesses, and they are responsible for two out of every three jobs that are created in this country. That is why we often refer to small businesses as the backbone of the U.S. economy. prgtoken Thankfully, the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has given a boost to these operations, which is directly translating into more jobs, better pay, and new investments and expansion across America. prgtoken I have traveled all across the 15 parishes of my district, Mr over the last few months, and no matter where I go, our constituents tell us how the historic reform has helped them and all of our local mom-and-pop shops. Hardworking Americans everywhere, from all walks of life, are reaping the benefits of our reforms, and the best is yet to come. prgtoken So, for Small Business Week, which is next week, I want to thank all those who truly are the backbone of our economy. Keep up the good work, and we will continue to fight for you in Washington.
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF BILL MULDER
Jodey C. Arrington (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-4-27

today I introduced legislation to honor the life of a high school buddy of mine and a decorated Navy SEAL, Bill Mulder. Bill was a true American hero who served our country with honor and distinction. prgtoken Like many of our troops, Bill's greatest fight wasn't on the battlefield; it was the struggle that often ensues from the mental, emotional, and physical wear and tear from military service. On top of that, people like Bill, prgtoken who spend their entire careers pursuing excellence as a warrior, often wrestle with life back as a civilian. prgtoken The Transition Assistance Program can help prepare folks like Bill for the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to civilian life, to create a new sense of purpose, to equip them with the tools to be successful in the marketplace, leveraging their unique experiences and skills from their time in the armed services. prgtoken Named in honor of Bill Mulder, my legislation works to strengthen and improve this program. We owe it to Bill and every veteran to make the transition from Active Duty to civilian life more seamless and successful, which I believe this legislation does. prgtoken God bless the Mulder family. God bless our troops. God bless America.
HONORING ROCKLAND BAPTIST CHURCH IN HENDERSONVILLE FOR 150 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
Diane Black (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-4-27

I rise to honor the congregation of Rockland Baptist Church in the year of their 150th anniversary celebration. Since its founding, Rockland has been a beacon of light in the Hendersonville community and has been a sanctuary for countless lives, touching the hearts of all who enter. Pastor Leslie Stratton has faithfully served at Rockland Baptist Church since the fall of 1997, being preceded by Reverends Shipp, A.O. Kenry, Sam Bryant, Drew Bateman, Tom Mills, Frank on, Albert G. Jones, O.C. McClain, Willie L. Scott, Floyd Prude, James K.L. Alexander, John A. Perry, and Lloyd S. Peoples. Under his leadership, Rockland faithfully executes Christ's command in Matthew to ``love your neighbor as yourself'' through their ministries and active community involvement. Rockland's mission statement is ``. . .to provide Christ centered ministries, where people can be redeemed to a personal relationship with Christ, reconciled to God and His People, restored to wholeness and well-being, and revived for a full life of involved service to others.'' God is alive and working throughout our nation, and it is through the ministry of churches like Rockland that His hand is tangibly felt in our neighborhoods. I join the entire Rockland family and pastoral staff in celebrating this wonderful occasion. Rockland Baptist Church continues to be a pillar of hope in our community, and on behalf of the 6th district of Tennessee, I ask that you join me in congratulating and honoring this congregation for their continued faithfulness to Hendersonville. They are a shining light for the Lord and we are thankful for their gift.
FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
John J. Duncan, Jr. (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-4-27

this is a very simple amendment to establish a national standard of care for hiring freight shippers. This is purely and simply about highway safety, and everything carried on planes, of course, goes to and from on our highways. prgtoken Currently, there is no law that requires freight brokers or others to have any sort of standard when hiring a carrier for a shipment. Under this amendment, a broker or other entity would be deemed to have acted in a reasonable and prudent manner if they made sure the carrier met these three requirements: prgtoken One, authorization to operate by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; prgtoken Two, the minimum insurance coverage required by Federal law; and prgtoken Three, that the carrier had no current Federal unsatisfactory safety fitness determination. prgtoken This amendment does not prohibit or limit in any way any type of lawsuit, and, in fact, a lawyer could show that a broker or a company had acted in an prgtoken unreasonable manner if they did not comply with this hiring standard. This amendment would actually help trial lawyers by giving them stronger grounds to sue brokers who did not comply with this standard and tried to get cheaper rates by using unsafe or uninsured carriers. prgtoken This amendment would also make it less likely that a person or a company that hired a safe, legal motor carrier would be held liable for an accident that happened through no fault of their own. prgtoken This amendment also will help make it far less likely that unregistered, uninsured, unsafe freight carriers get any business in this country in the future. prgtoken , .
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-4-27

it is always an honor to speak here, and especially to follow friends--very dear friends--hear Steve King talk about the importance of life. prgtoken I know there is historical accounts in the Old Testament when it talked about different kings and what went on while they were there. It normally says something like: ``and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord,'' or ``he did right in the eyes of the Lord.'' prgtoken And every now and then, there is an addition to emphasize just how evil the people were. A society was under a particular king in Israel, and that addition was whenever--now and then, it would mention that mothers and fathers were sacrificing their babies on the altar of some idol. prgtoken And only if you believe the Old Testament, like the majority of Americans have for all our history, that ought to be quite an awakening when you realize that we have killed over 60 million babies. prgtoken I have talked to so many women who are brokenhearted, and they have got to learn to give it up and move on, but it eats away at them, the thought that they allowed a precious life to be taken that nature had entrusted them with. So, anyway, I just hate to see any women eaten up with guilt. prgtoken And it is not because there is a pro-life movement. It was there long before a pro-life movement. I hope that we can get the Heartbeat bill that my friend Steve King was advocating, I hope we could get that passed and get it to the Supreme Court. prgtoken Some of the rulings over the years have had to do with the ambiguity, the vagaries in at what point an abortion was no longer allowed. But any of us, if you see someone hurt and you want to find out if they are alive, you run up and you check. And if you find a heartbeat, then you call an ambulance--you call 911 and ask for an ambulance. If there is no heartbeat, then you report a dead body, and there is no lifesaving effort at all made if there is no heartbeat. prgtoken So I thought it was brilliant to have an approach like that. There are still some vagaries as to when a child first starts feeling pain in the womb, but there is no question, if you have on videotape evidence of the heartbeat, you see it, you hear it, then that is not so obscure that even some of the dense heads at the Supreme Court would be able to realize, yup, that is proof positive, that is hard, objective proof that there is a life and being worth protecting. prgtoken So I really applaud and join in with my friend Steve King's efforts, and we hope that even the last holdout pro-life groups, the National Right to Life, would get onboard. Most of us here that are pro-life, if we hear that there is any bill that will save innocent lives, we get onboard; count me in; I want to be part of it; I want to support it. So it is really intriguing when we have a bill that will save lives, even more than bills that that person or that group is already sponsoring. prgtoken And if anybody holds back, I don't kn
RECOGNIZING THE CHATHAM-SAVANNAH COUNTER NARCOTICS TEAM
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-4-27

I rise today to recognize the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, also known as CNT. prgtoken In 2017, CNT and the DEA identified a drug distribution group operating throughout Chatham County, and learned that a large drug transaction was to take place. With this knowledge, CNT conducted drug operations at various hotels, covering several local jurisdictions. prgtoken On March 25, 2018, CNT seized 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds of cocaine, and made six arrests, which is the largest single cocaine seizure in CNT's history. The confiscated cocaine had an estimated street value of $4 million. prgtoken Cocaine is a highly addictive and mind-altering drug that poisons communities and tears families apart. I applaud CNT's groundbreaking work, which makes the entire Savannah community a better place to live.
NORTH KOREA WANTS A UNIFIED COMMUNIST KOREAN PENINSULA
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-4-27

for generations, the Korean war has continued with no feasible end in sight. prgtoken Today, North and South Korea supposedly reached a peace agreement, which includes a denuclearized peninsula, but the definition of denuclearization is not defined in the agreement. prgtoken To the North, denuclearization only means the U.S. nuclear umbrella to protect South Korea will end. To the South and to the U.S this means North Korea will denuclearize. prgtoken This is not the first time little Kim has made agreements only to break them. And Kim's delusional idea of a unified Korea is a unified communist Korean Peninsula with him in charge, standing against the West. prgtoken For over 6 decades, the Kim regime has actively pursued nuclear and ballistic weapons, terrorizing anyone who opposes the rogue regime. prgtoken President 's hardball tactics have had their intended insurmountable effect. prgtoken We must proceed with caution and stand with our allies to ensure that this agreement is not merely a ploy to serve North Korea's nefarious, totalitarian, aggressive interests. prgtoken And that is just the way it is.
INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Steve Stivers (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-4-27

I rise today in recognition of the incredible contributions of international students at our colleges and universities. prgtoken During this time of year, students all over the United States and the world are beginning to make decisions about where they will attend college. As they begin to make these decisions, I would like to express my support for international students, and the value they add to our institutions of higher education, and our country as a whole. prgtoken Nationwide, only 2 percent of U.S. students study abroad every year. This makes it even more important our colleges and universities have a diverse student body, so our students can learn about different cultures. prgtoken In my district, there are nearly 1,500 international students enrolled in both the undergraduate and graduate level at Ohio University, and over 6,000 at The Ohio State University. These students contribute to a wide variety of our academic programs, including STEM subjects. Moreover, when they return home, they become informal ambassadors when sharing their positive experiences in our country. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the incredible value international students add to our country.
CONGRATULATING MR. GEORGE VITELLO ON HIS UPCOMING RETIREMENT
Gregg Harper (Republican, MS) \u2014 2018-4-27

I rise today to congratulate Mr. George Vitello on his upcoming retirement from the United States House of Representatives. George began working in the Office of Visitor Services in March 2011 before moving to the Office of the Sergeant at Arms in June 2012. prgtoken From his first day on the job, George developed a reputation as a reliable, skilled, and friendly asset to the entire House community. George first served as a Visitor Assistant, then moved to the Sergeant at Arms and the House Appointments Desks where he became a wonderful resource--and a good friend--to every single one of his colleagues. prgtoken George assists every Member, staff person, and visitor the very same way--with an abundance of patience and a calm and pleasant attitude. He is a familiar face to both Members and staff alike, never too busy to say `hello,' and always taking the time to ask how you are doing. George genuinely cares about every person he meets, and it shows in his work. prgtoken Working with the Sergeant at Arms, George demonstrated great initiative developing the form now used to track the monthly official business visitor counts for the Appointments Desks, as well as providing training to new interns and staff on the protocols for official business visitor badge use. Throughout his years with the House, George has been a true team player and someone who always volunteered for additional assignments, projects, and events. prgtoken George spent time as the VP/General Manager at Sea World in Florida prior to his employment with the House and always shared his passion for all creatures, great and small. prgtoken George Vitello has been a remarkable asset to the Office of the Sergeant at Arms, and he will be greatly missed by the entire House community. I am grateful for his service to the United States House of Representatives and wish him and his wife Joyce the very best in his retirement.
FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
Garret Graves (Republican, LA) \u2014 2018-4-27

in the aftermath of disasters, billions and billions of dollars in claims are often worked out between local governments, State governments, and FEMA. prgtoken In many cases, because disasters are inherently unpredictable, volatile, and folks are doing what they need to do to help their communities recover and address these urgent needs, in some cases, not every i is dotted, not every t is crossed. These minor issues often become obstacles to these communities being reimbursed and their ability to recover. prgtoken FEMA has an appeals process, . In that appeals process, you basically have FEMA reviewing FEMA. I don't think that that is the appropriate approach. prgtoken Section 618 of the underlying bill has an arbitration process, but that arbitration process has other Homeland Security officials reviewing the work of Homeland Security. prgtoken There was a better model that was used after the 2005 disasters whereby an outside board that exists, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, which is an independent body, was brought in to help review some of these appeals that local and State governments brought forth to the Corps of Engineers. prgtoken It was a better approach. It provided for more thorough evaluation and, again, the independence of having an outside entity review this. Our amendment simply improves upon the existing arbitration process in section 618 of the bill. prgtoken I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their work on this legislation. I think it is very important, and I urge adoption of the amendment. prgtoken , .
CONGRATULATING LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES DEL ``SHAWN'' JENNINGS UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE MARINE CORPS
Kay Granger (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-4-27

I rise today to thank Lieutenant Colonel Charles Del ``Shawn'' Jennings for twenty-two years of service with the Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Jennings was born in Fort Worth, Texas and began his education in the Fort Worth Independent School District, attending David K. Sellars Elementary School. He later attended North Carolina Central University, and was a teacher and coach for five years before being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Corps in August of 1997. In July of 2005, LtCol Jennings deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and served with distinction during his deployment to the Middle East. In 2011, LtCol Jennings deployed with the Division in support of Operation Tomadachi to provide humanitarian, disaster and relief assistance to the people of Japan in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami on Mainland Japan. Two years later, he returned to Quantico for duty as the Assistant Chief of Staff G-1, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. LtCol Jennings has been highly decorated throughout his military career. His awards include: the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 gold stars for third award, The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 2 gold stars for third award, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, The Iraq Campaign prgtoken Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Humanitarian Service Medal, and a Recruiting Ribbon. He also holds two Additional Military Occupational Specialties; 4802 Recruiting Officer-Operational Expert and 4804 Recruiting Officer-Multiple Tour Expert. LtCol Jennings is happily married to the former Michelle Ingram of Wilmington, North Carolina. They have a daughter, Jasmine, who is a second year law student at UNC Chapel Hill and a son, Jordan, who is High School Junior at Massaponax High School, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Please join me in thanking Lieutenant Colonel Charles Del ``Shawn'' Jennings for his many years of service to our nation. I wish him all the best in his new endeavors.
FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
Bill Shuster (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-4-27

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I appreciate the gentleman's amendment. It does remove the confusion with the industry stakeholders, but the hysteria that the other side is proclaiming, that roadways are going to become a slaughterhouse because if this goes away or it is clarified, truckers are just going to be out there running into people left or right, I mean, it is ridiculous. prgtoken It is not a good business model for any company to want to have an incentive, which the other side has, I think, said, to hire unsafe drivers. That is not a good business model. In fact, you will go out of business, most likely, if you go out there and hire drivers who are bad drivers, dangerous drivers. The facts don't bear that out. prgtoken Of the auto accidents that include trucks in it, over 75 percent of them are not the trucker's fault, it is the person in the car's fault. prgtoken Truckers are professionals, and to have impugned this whole class of people, this whole group of people that go out on these roadways and work hard every day and try to do it as safely as they can, is just plain wrong. prgtoken Again, as I said, truckers are professionals. Seventy-five percent of those accidents that truckers are involved in, it is not their fault. prgtoken We continue to hype up and to put these things out there for, again, another class of worker out there, and that is the trial lawyers. They make millions and millions of dollars going out there and suing these people that, again, do their best every day to try to be safe on the roadways. prgtoken So, again, this is a sensible amendment, this clarifies it, and it helps to make our roadways safer, not more dangerous. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I thank the gentleman again for yielding.