mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MO'S PLACE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-27

I rise today to congratulate Mo's Place, of Katy, TX, on its 30th Anniversary. prgtoken Mo Jeloudarzadeh came to America with only his suitcase in hand, and worked his way through college as a dishwasher. He was later promoted to bartender and it was during this time that Mo fell in love with country music. In March 1988, he opened Mo's Place in a small strip center in the Katy area. Mo's passion for serving others and his welcoming hospitality have been the key ingredients to his success. Last year, Mo was awarded the Pioneer Award from the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame for his continued support of Texas Country music artists. prgtoken On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Mo Jeloudarzadeh for celebrating 30 years of success at Mo's Place. We're excited to see what the next 30 years bring.
THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF REVEREND BILLY GRAHAM
Ted Budd (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-2-27

it is not every day that I get to speak on behalf of someone who has changed the lives of millions of people across the globe, but today, I do. prgtoken Billy Graham, who passed away last week, was known as America's pastor, and rightly so. prgtoken When I was spending time this week in the district, someone who is a baseball fan came up to me and said: Do you know who's got the most saves in Yankee Stadium? prgtoken I said: ``Sorry, I don't know my baseball history that well.'' prgtoken He said: It was Billy Graham, in 1957. prgtoken I had to laugh to think that it was truly God who did the saving. prgtoken But let's think for a minute about Billy Graham. He was born in 1918 on a dairy farm in Charlotte, North Carolina, just south of my district. His crusades in the 1950s attracted thousands of people and shaped the beliefs of a generation by introducing many to the evangelical faith. prgtoken In July of 1957, Graham invited Martin Luther, King Jr to preach in front of his audience at Madison Square Garden on the issue of racial justice. This was just months after the Montgomery Bus Boycott. prgtoken Graham was a White pastor from North Carolina, and King was an African American pastor from Alabama. But both of them knew that the Lord doesn't see skin color and that the love of Christ could heal any racial division in today's polarized political culture, we could learn a thing or two from their friendship. prgtoken Throughout his life, he met with 12 Presidents, dating back to Harry Truman. President Eisenhower called Graham ``one of the best ambassadors our country has,'' and John F. Kennedy brought Graham in before his inauguration to express his worry over the moral and spiritual condition of the Nation. prgtoken Aside from his role in the civil rights movement and vocal opposition to communism, he uplifted the souls of millions of Americans. By introducing them to the love of Christ, Graham gave hope to the hopeless and love to those who were in need. prgtoken , while our economy now is growing and wages are rising, Americans have still become increasingly more isolated, more lonely, and more depressed. This social crisis needs to be addressed but can't be solved by a bill that we pass in Congress or an executive action by any President. prgtoken We have gotten to a point in our country where too many people put their hope in elected officials. These people will most certainly be let down, because elected officials, like everyone else, are fallen, imperfect, sinful people. prgtoken Graham knew this, and he knew that the only person who would not let us down is Christ himself, and that we should trust in him for the forgiveness of our sins and have everlasting life. This is now the life Billy Graham will enjoy forever.
Fix NICS Bill (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-2-27

I heard the remarks of my colleague from Illinois, and I, too, hope that we can get past the rhetoric and the talking points of the past and actually do something meaningful when it comes to public safety and address the terrible tragedies like the one that occurred at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida just 2 weeks ago. But we are not going to do it by trotting out our laundry lists of requests and saying that it has to be all of this or nothing because when you say here in Washington--and particularly in Congress--``I want everything on my list or I want nothing,'' one thing is for sure. You will end up with nothing, and that simply is an unacceptable outcome, particularly when it comes to the public safety crisis manifested here most recently at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. prgtoken We know that there were many, many failures; you might even call this a systemic failure when it comes to the children at Stoneman Douglas High School. First and foremost, why didn't Federal and local law enforcement follow up on threats and warnings? This young man, the shooter who took the lives of 17 people, telegraphed in very clear, unmistakable language what he intended to do, but the very people whom we trust and entrust with public safety at the Federal and State levels did not respond. prgtoken We know that the alleged shooter was expelled from school for disciplinary reasons. We know that deputies in Broward County received at least 18 calls warning them over the course of several years--18 calls. We know about the disturbing YouTube posts, where the shooter basically said what he intend to do and did, in fact, do later. We know that the FBI received many disturbing tips from citizens about the imminent danger posed by the shooter. prgtoken Another question is whether mental health officials could have done more. We know that this young man had a long history of violent outbursts. We are told that in 2016 he reportedly attempted suicide by drinking gasoline. He had been accused of verbal slurs against racial and religious minorities. prgtoken We know that Florida has a State law, as some have advocated at the Federal level, that permits forced hospitalization of people in mental health crises, but it seems that in this particular case, mental health workers concluded that this individual was stable at the time they examined him. Why and how was that determination made, and why does that stand in such stark contrast to the picture that we have been able to draw as a result of all the information that we received since this terrible shooting? If law enforcement, public health workers, and school officials were communicating and coordinating effectively, would they have made the same decisions in this case? Could they have made a difference in the outcome? Well, I think we need the answers to those questions. prgtoken There are two other questions we need to answer as well. One is why an
RECOGNIZING ADVANCED WELDING AND STEEL
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-2-27

setting out to start a small business in America is not for the faint of heart. In many cases, it takes a great deal of self-sufficiency and perseverance, and, for most, success does not come easily. Success is often built through years of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication. prgtoken Today, I would like to recognize a small business from my home State of Idaho that exemplifies these very traits. As chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am proud to recognize a Grangeville, ID, small business, Advanced Welding and Steel, as the Small Business of the Month for February 2018. This small business demonstrates a dedication to producing quality goods while providing a unique service. Their story reminds us that, with hard work and dedication, Americans can accomplish almost anything to which they set their minds. With over 20 years in business, Advanced Welding and Steel has served as a great example of the determined entrepreneurial spirit found all across Idaho. prgtoken Advanced Welding and Steel's story is the quintessential story of American entrepreneurship. Ryan Uhlenkott grew up in a hard-working entrepreneurial family. He learned valuable traits such as a strong work ethic, timeliness, and honesty while working on the family farm, splitting wood for the winter, and helping out at the family water well drilling business. While a college student, he worked part time sweeping floors in a welding shop, which led to a full-time welding job. prgtoken Before he set out on his own, Ryan gained experience in a variety of positions across the fabrication industry, including as a crane operator, planner, mapper, welder, erecter, and fabricator. After receiving certifications in boiler and pipe welding, he decided to introduce his own approach to fabrication. He drew upon his knowledge, experience, and his innate entrepreneurial mindset in 1998, when he founded Advanced Welding and Steel. Ryan started out with one welder mounted on the back of a pickup truck. The company quickly grew in both employees and capacity, going from a 6,000-square-foot shop in 2003 to the current state-of-the-art 60,000-square-foot shop with paint booths, shot blasters, and a railings shop. A major motivating factor in starting his own business was Ryan's desire to spend more time with his family. To this day, he considers his family and his employees' families to be the center of his business model. prgtoken Today, Advanced Welding and Steel delivers its products across the western United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The company's attention to detail in its processes of estimating, detailing, and project management has turned the small business into one of the most respected fabricators in the region. A team of 15 highly qualified professionals work at the company, and over the years, they estimate that they have delivered over 15 million pounds of steel to their customers. Their hard
Nominations of Ryan Nelson and Susan Combs (Executive Calendar)
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-2-27

as chairman of the Senate Western Caucus and as a Montanan, I am here to urge the swift confirmation of two outstanding nominations to serve in the Department of the Interior. The first is Ryan Nelson, a native of Idaho Falls, ID, as Solicitor of the Department of the Interior. The second is Susan Combs, a rancher from Big Bend, TX. She is nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget. prgtoken Both of these positions are critical to managing our public lands and wildlife. Yet these two well-qualified individuals have been waiting in a bureaucratic limbo. Mr. Nelson was first nominated over 209 days ago, and Ms. Combs received her first nomination over 231 days ago. prgtoken Mr. Nelson is a great choice to serve as Solicitor. He is a westerner, and he spends time fishing and hunting with his family in Idaho. He understands our western way of life, and he has the work experience to make sure our public lands are managed and protected in the right way. prgtoken His service includes serving as clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, serving as special counsel for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. prgtoken At the Department of Justice, he worked to defend vital Federal programs and oversaw many complex cases involving our natural resources, wildlife, and environment. He also compelled polluters to limit harmful emissions into the air and worked with then-Solicitor of the Department of the Interior David Bernhardt on the listing decision for the polar bear. Like Mr. Bernhardt, Ryan is capable of upholding the law and the science, even when it is not easy. prgtoken If you want someone who values conservation, who knows the appropriate use of laws, like the Antiquities Act and the Endangered Species Act, then Ryan is your guy. The Department of the Interior needs Ryan's expertise to help make the best decisions possible for the benefit of our natural resources and the people and wildlife living around them. His confirmation must be prioritized. prgtoken Ms. Combs is also exactly the right person for the job to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget. Ms. Combs has had a long and successful career both in business and in public service, including as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, as Texas's agriculture commissioner, and as Texas's comptroller of public accounts. Her proven management track record in public service and in business is crucial to making the Department of the Interior more efficient and effective to help ensure the responsible stewardship of western lands. prgtoken Both Mr. Nelson's and Ms. Combs's nominations have been pending longer than any of their predecessors'--now listen to this--over the past 25 years. This is not just bad governance; it is a complete lack of governance. Here
OPERATIONAL RISK CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BANKING ORGANIZATIONS
Trey Hollingsworth (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-2-27

I am pleased to rise in support of this legislation because I think it addresses a fundamental flaw in how we have looked at operational risk capital. prgtoken Fundamentally, we want banks to hold capital necessary for the risks they are taking today and the likely risks that they may incur losses into the future. By purely looking backwards, we are driving down the Interstate in the financial system driving by looking in the rearview mirror only. That is a terrible mistake by only looking at past risks instead of the risks they have today. prgtoken If we want to encourage institutions to become less risky, then we need to ensure that they can reduce the amount of capital buffer if they are doing less risky activities. This is basically incentivizing the right behavior. If we continue to say to institutions: You are going to be penalized for the past irrespective of what you may be doing today, irrespective of the less risk you may be taking into the future, then we are essentially providing them no incentive to become less risky. prgtoken I think the lesson after 2008 is making sure that we allow the free markets and institutions to act with the right incentives, not the wrong incentives. We want them to become less risky over time by their own decisions and by their own elections. prgtoken This doesn't change anything about the basic operational risk capital that they must maintain, except that it says it should match what they are doing today and the activities that they are going to be engaged on in the future. prgtoken So I do think this is commonsense legislation. I do think this is a thoughtful response to a genuine problem that I hear about back home in Indiana frequently. So I continue to support H.R. 4296, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.
No-Fly List Gun Legislation (Executive Calendar)
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2018-2-27

I rise today in support of bipartisan legislation aimed at ensuring that those individuals who are on the Department of Homeland Security's no-fly list are likewise not able to have access to guns. I just met with several of the students from the shooting at the school in Florida and heard the very compelling case they have made to take this issue seriously and do what we can on a commonsense basis to make it more difficult for those who shouldn't have guns to have guns. prgtoken Regardless of what happened in Florida these past couple of weeks, this is a measure we should have taken before. It has been brought to the floor of the Senate, and it has received majority support here. I think it is simply common sense that someone who is not permitted to fly in this country and is considered by the Federal Government to be a potential threat to national security should not be allowed to purchase a firearm. prgtoken The no-fly list and the selectee list that we are talking about is composed of those who are not allowed to fly. With the selectee list, it is those who require additional screening. These are both narrowly tailored, defined, targeted lists. prgtoken This restriction would affect just a small number of people, all of whom would be afforded due process under the Constitution. Those who find themselves on either of these lists would have the authority to challenge that designation, and the onus would be on the government, not the individual; the onus would be on the government to justify the classification and to prove that they should not be allowed to purchase a firearm. These are strong, robust, due process protections that would make sure that these restrictions are constitutionally sound. prgtoken This bill also adds another layer of safety for citizens from those who would do us harm, ensuring that anyone who has been denied the right to fly cannot purchase a weapon without at least undergoing additional scrutiny. It simply stands to reason that if we fear that someone may use our commercial airlines as a weapon or to prgtoken harm those on board, we should not allow that same person to purchase a weapon without additional scrutiny. prgtoken I encourage my colleagues to review this bipartisan legislation and to join me, along with Senator Collins and a number of our colleagues here--a bipartisan group of Senators--in supporting this commonsense piece of legislation. prgtoken I hope we will have a debate on some of these measures. I will be talking in the coming days about some of the other measures that we ought to take to make sure that we don't put guns in the hands of those who shouldn't have them. prgtoken My heart goes out to those in Florida, and my vote will go here to measures that will make schools safer. prgtoken .
Gun Violence (Executive Calendar)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-2-28

I appreciate the senior Senator from Florida, and the grief he represents through his State, coming to the floor and speaking about the lives which were lost and the clarion call for us to act. prgtoken I come to the floor today because 2 weeks ago, once again, a weapon of mass murder was used to commit mass murder in an American school, and, once again, our hearts are heavy with a grief that has become too routine. prgtoken Once again, the gun lobbyists say we are powerless to do anything about it, but this time it feels different. That is because the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have started a movement to turn ``once again'' into ``never again.'' prgtoken Unfortunately, too many of my colleagues act as if mass shootings are inevitable, when, in reality, they are preventable. The American people are sick and tired of it. That is why they have been so inspired by these students from Parkland. prgtoken I saw it with my own eyes last Sunday. A few of these Marjory Stoneman Douglas survivors came to visit New Jersey, and my constituents came out in droves to support them. Together with the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest and Moms Demand Action, we rallied well over 2,000 people in support of their ``Never Again'' movement. prgtoken What is remarkably refreshing about these students is, they are not yet jaded by the ways of Washington. They have spent their lives practicing active shooter drills. They have grown up being told that mass shootings are just a fact of life, but they know they deserve better. prgtoken After being thrust into a tragedy, they have turned their mourning into a movement. By speaking out, the students of Parkland have pricked the conscience of this country, and the American people are answering their call to action. prgtoken We see it at rallies across the country calling for tougher, smarter, commonsense gun safety laws. We see it in students across America organizing the March for Our Lives, and we see it in corporate America. prgtoken Companies such as United Airlines have already parted ways with the NRA. Retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods have announced they will take AR-15s off their shelves and stop selling guns to teenagers. prgtoken As Americans take action, the question is whether Congress will do the same. Far too many of my colleagues still fear a backlash from the NRA. That is why, after Las Vegas, they refused to ban the bump stocks that make mass shootings more deadly. That is why, after Sandy Hook, they refused to pass tougher background checks. That is why, after Orlando, they refused to even consider my own bill to ban the sale of high-capacity magazines. High-capacity magazines are designed for one thing and one thing only--high-capacity killing. They are the grim hallmark of mass shootings in America, linking Parkland to Newtown, and Las Vegas to San Bernardino, and Aurora to Orlando. prgtoken Certainly, I have been encouraged to
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-2-28

like all great cities, Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and one of its most storied neighborhoods is an enclave on the South Side. It is called Bronzeville. Bronzeville was born a century ago, during the first wave of the Great Migration, when tens of thousands of African Americans left the oppression of Jim Crow laws and lynching in the Deep South and headed north, to Chicago, in search of industrial jobs. By 1920, Bronzeville was home to so many African-American-owned businesses that it took on a prestigious new moniker: ``Black Metropolis.'' prgtoken Among the famous African Americans who called Bronzeville home were Ida B. Wells, journalist, civil rights activist, and cofounder of the NAACP; Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman pilot; and Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National Baseball League, the league that gave America such greats as Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and the legendary Satchel Paige. prgtoken Black History Month, which America celebrates each February, also has its roots in Bronzeville. It began as a modest proposal, but it seemed revolutionary at the time. In 1926, the distinguished historian and journalist Carter G. Woodson launched America's first Negro History Week. prgtoken Carter Woodson, the ``father of Black history,'' had earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Chicago in 1908. He had gone on to become only the second African American ever--after W.E.B. DuBois--to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. Years of studying history convinced Carter Woodson that the contributions of African Americans were, in his words, ``overlooked, ignored, and even suppressed by the writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them.'' The result, he believed, was an incomplete and inaccurate account of history that perpetuated racial inequality and stunted the dreams of many African Americans. So Carter Woodson made it his life's mission to fill in the missing chapters in America's history books. He returned to Chicago often, almost always staying in Bronzeville at the Wabash YMCA, the first African-American Y in the United States. prgtoken In 1915 in Chicago, he and four other African-American historians founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, later renamed the ``Association for the Study of African American Life and History.'' In 1916, the association began publishing The Journal of Negro History, ``particularly targeted those responsible for the education of black children.'' prgtoken Woodson chose the second week in February to mark Negro History Week--to commemorate the birthdays of the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the ``Great Emancipator'' Abraham Lincoln. prgtoken In the 1970s, Negro History Week became Black History Month. prgtoken As we near the end of this year's Black History Month, I want to tell you about an amazing woman from the Chicago area who is making history today by helping