mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRUMP'S REFUGEE EXECUTIVE ORDER: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-2-1

I rise to express my fervent support for President 's executive order: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry. prgtoken I, along with many other Members of Congress, have been speaking out for more than a 1\1/2\ years about the dangers posed by our U.N.-run refugee resettlement program. I applaud President for following through on his promise by imposing strict vetting for seven countries that President labeled in 2016 as countries of particular concern for terrorism. prgtoken Liberal activists and politicians are leveling baseless assertions about the policy only to see a lazy and complicit media parrot their claims without exercising due diligence to validate it. To me, this is fake news. And in this incident, it is the mainstream media that is pushing this misinformation. Let's separate myth from fact and inject a little coolheaded commonsense into this national dialogue. prgtoken Friday's executive order does a few things: It pauses the entry of all refugees for the next 120 days; it caps refugee admissions for fiscal year 2017 at 50,000; it stalls, for 90 days, the admission of foreign nationals from seven countries that are well established as terrorist hotspot countries; and it puts priority on highly persecuted religious minorities when the refugee program resumes. prgtoken The media has echoed the protesters' assertion that this is somehow a Muslim ban. They are flat-out wrong. Remember, it was President who created this seven-country list, not President . prgtoken If it were a Muslim ban, then why doesn't it include restrictions on the other 40 majority Muslim nations? That makes no sense. That is because this is a targeted approach to deal with the threat posed by terrorists who operate freely in these failed states and pose a direct threat to the American people. There is absolutely nothing in this executive order that says anything prgtoken about banning any particular group of people. prgtoken Another shortsighted fallacy being propagated is that President is the only President to ever implement restrictions on refugee admissions. Conveniently forgotten is the fact that in 2011, President stopped processing refugees from Iraq for 6 months after a terrorist plot was uncovered involving two Iraqi refugees who had come into the United States. prgtoken Previous Presidents of both parties have responded to global threats with refugee admission limitations, so characterizing 's actions is unprecedented, is simply fiction and a gross demonstration of partisanship. prgtoken As ISIS has infiltrated the ranks of refugees in Europe, the President is similarly responding to global threats with the appropriate safeguards as he sees fit. prgtoken This is something that he should be praised for--not condemned. prgtoken The notion that the executive order is inherently un-American must be addressed as well. After all, America is the land made up of imm
NOMINATION OF NEIL GORSUCH (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-2-1

last night President announced the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. He will fill the spot left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. prgtoken Justice Scalia left a profound mark on our judicial history. He had a brilliant mind, a ready wit, and a vivid and colorful writing style that made reading his decisions not only illuminating but enjoyable. But most importantly, Antonin Scalia had a profound respect for the rule of law and the Constitution. He knew that he was a judge, not a legislator, and his job was not to make the law but to interpret the law. That is exactly what he did. prgtoken For 30 years, Justice Scalia ruled on the plain meaning of the laws and the Constitution. His politics, his personal opinions, his own feelings about a case--none of those was allowed to play a role in his decision. He asked what the law said, what the Constitution said, and he ruled accordingly, even when he didn't like the result. Justice Scalia once said: If you are going to be a good and faithful judge, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you're not always going to like the conclusions you reach. If you like them all the time, you are probably doing something wrong. prgtoken Needless to say, Justice Scalia left some big shoes to fill. But after learning a little about Judge Gorsuch, I have to say that if anyone can come to fill them, I think Judge Gorsuch can. Like Justice Scalia, Judge Gorsuch has a brilliant mind. He shares Justice Scalia's gift for the written word. The Washington Post noted the many people ``who have praised Gorsuch's lucid and occasionally lyrical writing style.'' Slate called Judge Gorsuch's writing ``superb, incisive, witty, and accessible.'' prgtoken But most importantly, like Justice Scalia, Judge Gorsuch understands the role of a Supreme Court Justice. He knows that a Justice's job is to interpret the law, not write it. In a speech last year, Judge Gorsuch said the following: ``Perhaps the greatest project of Justice Scalia's career was to remind us of the differences between judges and legislators.'' prgtoken Understanding those differences is indispensable. Brilliance, eloquence, learning, compassion--none of those things matter if you don't understand the proper role of the Supreme Court. That role is to interpret the law, not make the law--to judge, not legislate; to call balls and strikes, not to try and rewrite the rules of the game. prgtoken It is great to have strong opinions. It is great to have sympathy for causes or organizations. It is great to have plans for fixing society's problems. But none of those things has any business influencing your ruling when you sit on the Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch understands this. That is why I trust him to sit on the Supreme Court. prgtoken When Judge Gorsuch was nominated to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals 10 years ago, he was confirmed by a unanimous vote h
MOMENT OF SILENCE HONORING CHIEF SPECIAL WARFARE OPERATOR RYAN OWENS
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-2-1

I rise with a heavy heart to honor Ryan Owens, a Navy SEAL from Peoria, Illinois--my hometown--who paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country over the weekend in Yemen. prgtoken Ryan Owens, with his elite counterterrorism unit, SEAL Team Six, was fatally wounded during a night raid against al Qaeda in Yemen. The Department of Defense reported that the raid was a success but that the price was steep. prgtoken The Constitution of our great Nation was written in ink, but those principles are defended in blood. This remarkable man's sacrifice is a painful reminder of the immeasurable cost of our freedom and national security and of the dark evil we face as we wage the war against terrorism. prgtoken My thoughts and prayers are with Ryan's grieving family this week: his father, his wife, and his children. I pray that they will take comfort in knowing that his death was not in vain and that neighbors, community, and Nation are joining them in mourning his death and in remembering his life. Ryan Owens will be posthumously awarded with the Purple Heart. prgtoken , at this time, I would ask that the House rise in a moment of silence to pay tribute to Navy SEAL Ryan Owens for his exceptional service to our country.
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-2-1

last evening, I had the pleasure of being at the White House when President introduced his nominee to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch, who happens to be serving on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. It shouldn't surprise anybody that President delivered on a promise made during the campaign, when he listed 21 people he would choose from. Everybody knew ahead of time what sort of a judge he would put on for this vacancy or any future vacancy. prgtoken Judge Gorsuch's decade of service on the Tenth Circuit has earned him a reputation as a brilliant, principled, and mainstream judge, just exactly the sort of mainstream that Senator Schumer must have been thinking about when he said he wants a mainstream judge. prgtoken It has already been widely reported that he was unanimously confirmed by a voice vote to the Tenth Circuit in 2006. prgtoken There are still 31 Senators in this body who voted for the judge at that particular time; 12 of them are , and one of them is Senator Schumer. Judge Gorsuch was supported, of course, by both of his home State Senators for the Tenth Circuit. One happened to be a , and one a . He has been recognized as a great jurist by Members from both parties. For instance, when he was sworn into the Tenth Circuit, Senator Salazar, then a ic Senator from Colorado, remarked that the judge ``has a sense of fairness and impartiality that is a keystone of being a judge.'' prgtoken The judge happens to be fourth generation Coloradan. He is eminently qualified to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. His decades of experience span many facets of our legal system. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, the judge was also a prestigious Marshall scholar at Oxford. He served as Principal Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. prgtoken Judge Gorsuch also knows the Supreme Court well, having clerked for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and also Anthony Kennedy, who is still on the Court. prgtoken He currently serves with distinction on the Tenth Circuit, where he has established himself as a mainstream judge with a reputation as a fair and brilliant jurist. As a mainstream jurist, Judge Gorsuch enjoys broad respect across the ideological spectrum. At the confirmation hearing for his current judgeship on the Tenth Circuit, he was introduced by Senator Allard from Colorado and ic Senator Salazar from Colorado. Senator Salazar, of course, isn't exactly a conservative firebrand, having most recently served as head of the transition team of Secretary Clinton. prgtoken At his hearing in 2006, William Hughes, Jr a ic candidate for the House of Representatives, authored a strong letter of recommendation for Judge Gorsuch stating: I have never found, nor thought, Neil's views or opinions to be tainted or swayed by any partisan
DISAPPROVING A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-2-1

there is no question that President put his own environmental legacy ahead of the well-being of the American people. The administration squandered taxpayer money for 8 years attempting to force the stream protection rule down our throats. prgtoken The deception and lack of transparency utilized to implement this rule were unprecedented. Along with manipulating job loss numbers, the administration even changed the rule's name, thinking the American people might forget about it. But the fact is, you can't put lipstick on this pig. Whether you call it the stream buffer zone rule or the stream protection rule, the rule still stinks. prgtoken The American people who want good-paying careers have missed out on hundreds of thousands of jobs around the country as a result of President 's ideologically-driven war on coal. But today is a new dawn in America, and this job-killing, midnight regulation is now directly in the crosshairs of the administration and of this Congress. prgtoken On behalf of all hardworking Americans, I urge my colleagues to vote to support this commonsense legislation.
REMEMBERING ROBERT JUSTIN STEVENS
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-2-1

I rise today in fond memory of Robert Justin Stevens, a former staffer of mine who recently passed away-- entirely too young--after a long, arduous fight with cancer. prgtoken Justin was exemplary in his desire to serve and his love for public policy and politics. He was a dedicated public servant who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Americans. Over the last few years, Justin managed Federal policy and advocacy for homeland security, public safety, and military-related issues as legislative director with the National Governors Association. prgtoken Before that, Justin worked with me and later with Senator Scott Brown as a professional staff member at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security. There, he helped us to identify and address waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending and financial improvement, audit readiness, and business transformation at our Federal agencies. During my 2008 Presidential campaign, Justin served as a senior advance team lead. It was in that context that I was first introduced to Justin's boundless love of life and energy. prgtoken Justin also served as the director for candidate operations and advance for the Scott Brown for Senate 2012 campaign; a financial systems analyst with the EMCOR Group; and a Navy/NASA University Faculty Fellowship program manager with the American Society for Engineering Education, ASEE. prgtoken Justin never took his young life for granted. An avid runner and adventurous soul, Justin sought to improve himself by taking courses in furtherance of a master's in national security and strategic studies at the U.S. Naval War College, after having received a B.S. in business administration from the University of Florida and graduating East Lake High School. Also, unbowed by his continuing struggle with cancer and always filled with hope, Justin married the love of his life, Elizabeth. prgtoken Justin will be forever remembered for the joy he brought to the lives of his family, friends, and colleagues with his humor, energy, and selflessness. Throughout his young life, Justin always made sure that those closest to him knew how important they were to him. prgtoken Cindy and I extend our warmest condolences to Justin's wife, Elizabeth; his mother, Karen; his stepmother, Jean Nowakowski, with whom Justin was exceptionally close; his siblings, Bryan and Damon; his niece, Magdalena and nephew Jackson.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-2-1

I rise in support of H.J. Res. 41. As you have heard today, it has an immense cost to our economy. The SEC estimates, as you have heard from other Members, up to $590 million per year, Mr. . Now, think about that. That is $5 billion over 10 years. And if we put a 10 multiplier on it, that is $50 billion of investable capital that could be put out for productive use helping the world have more mineral resources. Instead, it goes to this ill-advised rule. prgtoken In the past two decades, the United States has lost more than 50 percent, , of its public companies, in large part due to the costs and regulatory burdens of being associated with being a public company. Dodd-Frank's resource extraction rule piles on even more harmful red tape for those publicly traded companies in the United States that are global energy providers. prgtoken As this rule only applies to publicly traded companies, this increased burden puts U.S. companies at a disadvantage. Over 75 percent of the extracted minerals are owned by state-owned enterprises, Mr that are not covered by this rule. That puts our companies at a competitive disadvantage. It requires our companies to reveal confidential information, putting our companies at a competitive disadvantage. prgtoken And if, , the people want transparency, the best way to handle that is through self-disclosure through global transparency and accountability. There are important public policy goals, and 51 countries have entered into the Extractive Industry Transparency Institute, which is self-reporting and publishing, by country, by company, both public and private, these important issues about mineral extraction. prgtoken Finally, , if it is about corruption, our friend, Senator Proxmire from Wisconsin, long ago, in the 1970s, passed the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. There is no more act feared by global corporate America than complying with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and ensuring that our companies, our shareholders are not prone or party to bribery. prgtoken I support this resolution.
REMEMBERING DR. HENRY HEIMLICH
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-2-1

today I wish to pay tribute to the life of a famous Ohioan, Dr. Henry Heimlich. prgtoken The son of Jewish immigrants who fled Central and Eastern Europe for a better life in America, Henry Judah Heimlich spent his life helping others. prgtoken As a 21-year-old medical student, he was riding a train from Connecticut to New York City when the train derailed. Henry rescued one of his fellow passengers that day. That was the first of the many lives he would save. prgtoken By 23, he had his medical degree. Two years later, he left his internship at Boston City Hospital to serve in the Navy during World War II. He was sent to treat American Marines and Chinese soldiers in the Gobi desert of Inner Mongolia, behind Japanese lines. In those rugged conditions, he came up with a new solution to help there hundreds of people there who had a certain bacterial infection that caused blindness. prgtoken In 1957, after sketching the idea on the back of a napkin, he became the first American doctor to repair a damaged esophagus using a tube made from the patient's stomach. A year later, it became a standard procedure in the United States. prgtoken In 1964, based on those experiences during World War II operating without electricity in the Gobi desert, he invented the Heimlich chest drain valve, which drained blood and air out of the chest to help those with gunshot wounds or collapsed lungs. It all started with a toy noisemaker he found at a dime store. He noticed that the toy had a flutter valve, which he realized could be used as a model for a valve to prevent fluids from flowing back into the lungs. prgtoken This invention was immediately used to save the lives of American soldiers serving in Vietnam, and more than 4 million of these valves have sold since then. prgtoken In 1968, Dr. Heimlich moved to my hometown of Cincinnati and became surgery director of Jewish Hospital and professor of surgery at the University of Cincinnati. He taught at UC until 1978, when he became a professor of advanced clinical science at Cincinnati's Xavier University. He taught at Xavier until 1989. prgtoken In 1974, he became famous around the world for finding a better way to save someone from choking. prgtoken At that time, some 4,000 Americans were dying every year from choking, and it was one of the leading causes of accidental death. Many of those victims were kids who choked on small toys. prgtoken With a great feeling of compassion for them, Dr. Heimlich set out to find a solution. Whatever it was, it would have to be a quick and efficient solution because, within just 4 minutes of being deprived of oxygen, the brain becomes irreversibly damaged. prgtoken Dr. Heimlich thought that the conventional techniques used at that time were not just ineffective but actually harmful because they risked pushing the blockage farther down the windpipe, making the problem worse. prgtoken At Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati, Dr. Heimlich led 2 years
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 41, PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 40...
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2017-2-1

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying resolutions. prgtoken Before us is a resolution of disapproval that restores constitutional rights and empowers individuals with disabilities. Many of us know someone who struggles with a disability. We know friends or family who have mental challenges. We know these people, and we know they deserve the same constitutional protections as everyone else. prgtoken That is why this resolution is so important. It ends discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It restores due process rights. It keeps the Social Security Administration focused on its duty. prgtoken , the administration's last-minute regulation to strip disability benefit recipients of their constitutional rights is deeply troubling. prgtoken The regulation at hand declares that just because an individual needs assistance in managing their disability benefits, they are also unfit to own a firearm. But this kind of thinking is discriminatory, forcing those with disabilities to choose between their constitutional rights or their disability benefits turns back the clock on disability rights. prgtoken This regulation singles out a single constitutional right to strip away from a group of Americans. It doesn't make sense. prgtoken Why take away one right and not others? Why not also strip those citizens of the right to vote or the right to trial by jury or the right to free speech? prgtoken In this country, your rights can't be limited without due process, but this regulation limits a constitutional right and only offers the recourse of appeal after the decision has been made. When it is easier to have your rights stripped away than to have them restored, it means your due process rights have also died in the process. prgtoken , this resolution restores the due process rights of individuals with disabilities. This resolution also refocuses the Social Security Administration. The agency's job is to administer benefits to Americans, not adjudicate cases concerning constitutional rights. prgtoken , I am also worried that this regulation will divert precious Social Security Administration resources from vital agency tasks. We trust the agency to fulfill our commitments to seniors and those with disabilities. This regulation distracts from those sacred promises. prgtoken I thank Mr. Johnson and my colleagues for their hard work on this resolution. We need to pass it. prgtoken , we also need to pass the joint resolution of disapproval for the Dodd-Frank section 1504 regulation. This resolution restores competitiveness to American energy companies. It allows American companies to comply with foreign and domestic laws, and it protects American workers abroad. prgtoken Section 1504 of Dodd-Frank requires companies to report their payments to our government or foreign governments related to oil, natural gas, and mineral extraction. After reporting
HONORING MR. SCOTT C. GRAVES
Ted S. Yoho (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-2-1

I rise today to recognize the work, commitment, and character of Scott C. Graves, House Agriculture Committee staff director. Scott is my kind of man--intelligent, understanding, and a straight shooter. His rise from an intern on the House Agriculture Committee to the committee's staff director over 10 years speaks to his strong work ethic. Raised on a cattle ranch in Texas, his commitment to rural America is unquestioned--a view shared on both sides of the aisle. His work as a steadfast advisor to Chairman Conaway solidified his role as a leader who is both fair and firm. prgtoken But it's Scott's character that I notice most. As a member of the Agriculture Committee for the past 4 years, I have had the privilege to witness that character as he balances not just the demands of committee members, staff, and interest groups; but of a growing family. Scott, thank you for your guidance, your example, and your friendship. I wish both Scott and his lovely wife Haley all the success in the world as they turn the page onto a new chapter in their lives.
TRIBUTE TO ADELE GRIFFIN
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-2-1

today I want to recognize Adele Griffin, a longtime Senate staffer in my Jacksonville office, for her years of hard work; for me, my staff, and the people of the State of Florida. prgtoken A fifth-generation Floridian, Adele previously worked under Senator Mel Martinez and Senator George LeMieux before her time in my office. Adele has been a dedicated and diligent leader who took special pride in addressing the many issues facing northeast Florida over the years. prgtoken I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Adele for all the great work she has done and wish her a happy retirement.