mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PARKLAND SHOOTING ANNIVERSARY
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-2-12

this Friday marks the 2-year anniversary of the shooting at the school in Parkland, FL, where 17 innocent lives were lost at the hands of evil. We will never forget that tragic moment and day. prgtoken I am dedicated to keeping weapons from dangerous people. That is why I have introduced the EAGLES Act over the past 2 years. This bipartisan, bicameral bill reauthorizes and expands the leading center in threat assessment and prevention. This bill is a tribute to the victims and the families. prgtoken Also, the Justice Department still hasn't provided to Congress its report on the shooting. I hope the Department of Justice will get off the stick. It owes it to the families to get this report done. prgtoken . prgtoken .
FORT KNOX
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-2-12

yesterday, the U.S. Army and the Commonwealth of Kentucky both received some really great news. prgtoken Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy and Army Chief of Staff GEN James McConville announced that Fort Knox will be the headquarters for the new Army Corps. They stopped by my office last night to discuss the good news. prgtoken The new Fifth Corps will support U.S. forces and operations in Europe, helping fulfill requirements of the national defense strategy. It is expected to bring more than 600 additional soldiers to Fort Knox. prgtoken Along with Congressman Brett Guthrie and Senator Paul, I had urged Army leadership to select Fort Knox for this new corps headquarters, and, obviously, we think they made a great choice. prgtoken Now Fifth Corps will join the eight commands already stationed there, including the Army's Human Resources, Recruiting, and Cadet Commands. I have worked for years to help ensure that Fort Knox receives the national attention that it deserves. prgtoken It is really great to see the Army agrees that its high-quality facilities are perfect for this new headquarters. The extraordinary work of the Knox Regional Development Alliance has made it a wonderful place both to live and to work--both for servicemembers and for their families. prgtoken Last year I was proud to host Defense Secretary Mark Esper in Kentucky to meet with members of the Fort Knox community. I am certainly grateful to him, Secretary McCarthy, and General McConville for recognizing our potential.
COLORADO WILDERNESS ACT OF 2019
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-2-12

I would like to thank my friend from Idaho for yielding. prgtoken The legislation before us today represents the same failed policies that have caused recent fire seasons to be some of the worst on record. Over 1.5 million acres of new wilderness is created by this bill. prgtoken , a wilderness designation is the most restrictive land classification that can be levied by the Federal Government. Wilderness designations such as these greatly hinder Federal and local agencies' ability to actively manage our forests, which greatly enhances the risk of catastrophic wildfires. prgtoken Just yesterday, I hosted a roundtable with stakeholders from across the West representing local governments, State governments, animal conservation groups, and private companies that are developing groundbreaking technologies to help us fight the threat of catastrophic fire. Every participant in the panel spoke to the importance of actively managing our forests. prgtoken Wildfire prevention saves money, human lives, and protects vital wildlife habitats. Passage of this bill puts all of that at risk. prgtoken This legislation also represents another attempt by the majority to legislate in other Members' districts without their support. I especially want to highlight the provisions in this bill dealing particularly with Colorado. prgtoken The vast majority of the 700,000 acres of new wilderness created by this bill in Colorado is located in Mr. Tipton's district and Mr. Lamborn's district. Neither of these Members support this legislation. prgtoken This is a continuation of legislation previously taken up by this House restricting mining in my district that I did not support and attempts by the other side to restrict mining in northern Minnesota and oil and gas development in ANWR completely against the wishes of local Members of Congress as well as people back home. prgtoken Legislation like this before us today flies in the face of what public lands legislation should be. It should be locally driven and benefit those who live closest to those lands. prgtoken This legislation does none of that. Instead, it applies a top-down approach to land management, with decrees being levied from Washington, D.C without the input of local stakeholders. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this disastrous legislation.
HONORING THE SERVICE OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS A. BUSSIERE
Don Young (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-2-12

. Madam , I am deeply honored to express my gratitude to Lieutenant General Thomas A. Bussiere for his years of dedicated service to the United States of America, the Air Force, and the great state of Alaska. As Commander of Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Alaskan Command, and Eleventh Air Force, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, he is responsible for the integration of all military activities in the Alaskan joint operations area, operations to defend North American air sovereignty from foreign military aviation incursions, and the planning and execution of all homeland defense operations within the area of responsibility. In 1935 Brigadier General Billy Mitchell stated, ``I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world.'' Since taking command in August 2018, General Bussiere has expanded upon General Mitchell's sentiment and has become a tireless advocate for Alaska and Arctic readiness. So much so that he is the first Alaskan Command Commander to be designated as the USNORTHCOM Lead for Arctic Affairs. Since graduating from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Norwich University in 1985, General Bussiere has exemplified what it means to be an American Airman. However, he is more than the stars on his shoulders and the wings and ribbons on his chest that illustrate his military career. General Bussiere has also endeared himself to Alaska's communities. Additionally, he has continued to work with and advocate for Alaska Natives. In a show of respect, three Native communities bestowed Native names upon him; giving him the Inupiat name of Alongnonnuq, the Yup'ik name Evuneq, and the Tlingit name Litseenikaa. On January 13, 2020, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper announced that the President nominated General Bussiere for assignment as Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command. While I am saddened to see him leave Alaska, I am proud that he will continue serving as a sentinel for our Nation.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF PAULDING COUNTY'S 200TH ANNIVERSARY
Robert E. Latta (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-2-12

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the Bicentennial of Paulding County, Ohio, the last frontier to be settled in our great state. Our country was founded because of the brave pioneers who ventured into the Great Outdoors in order to create a better life for future settlers. prgtoken In 1819, Captain James Riley and his surveyors trudged through the mosquito infested Great Black Swamp to lay out the township lines for what would later become Paulding County. prgtoken The Great Black Swamp covered more than 1,500 square miles. It was created more than 10,000 years ago after the glaciers receded and formed the Great Lakes. From the surveyor's notes, we know that the Ottawa and Shawnee Indian tribes inhabited this land of deciduous swamp forest. The giant oaks, hickory, elm, ash, and many other large tree species created a dense canopy, which blocked sunlight from reaching the forest floor. The dense forest and mucky conditions made settlement of the area extremely difficult as Paulding County, in its entirety, laid beneath the swamp. The landscape required drastic alterations before settlers were able to make Paulding County into the flat, agriculturally rich region that it is today. prgtoken In 1820, this area was named Paulding County in honor of John Paulding, an American hero during the American Revolution who aided in the capture of Major John Andre, a British spy who was the co- conspirator of Benedict Arnold. prgtoken The celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Paulding County reminds our community of the determination and pioneering attitude upon which counties throughout Ohio and our country were founded. Congratulations to Paulding County on this significant milestone.
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-2-12

debates between the executive branch and Congress over the power to conduct war is not a new topic, but in many ways, I think this debate has been blown out of proportion. A lot of this has to do with the decision made by President , with the advice of his advisers, to eliminate one of the worst terrorists in the Middle East, Qasem Soleimani, who was plotting to burn down the American Embassy in Iraq and also threatened the lives of American troops--to take him off the battlefield. This is clearly within the President's authority under the Constitution. It really isn't a matter of whether Congress needed to give him the authority to do that. prgtoken I think we all agree that the President, as Commander in Chief, has to have his constitutional authority to defend American lives and American interests when Congress doesn't have the time--and we don't have the time--or is, frankly, not built for speed when it comes to addressing threats to national security like that. prgtoken We do have a shared responsibility, but primarily the responsibility of the Congress can be exercised through our appropriations authority. We could literally cut off the funds that the executive branch would use to conduct operations if Congress sees fit. prgtoken If this resolution succeeds, it will tie the Commander in Chief's hands while the threat posed by Iran and terrorist organizations, like the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, and the Quds Force that was headed by General Soleimani, remains high. prgtoken Actually, I think the President should be congratulated. Former general David Petraeus said that what the President did by taking Soleimani off the battlefield reestablished some level of deterrence. In other words, if you are going to be stepping into the shoes of the head of the Quds Force and the IRGC to lead terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies, you are going to have to think twice before you do that because you might end up in the same condition that General Soleimani did. Reestablishing deterrence is very, very important because when our adversaries sense weakness, it is a provocation and an invitation to attack America and our allies and our interests. prgtoken Again, I know some of our friends were upset that General Soleimani was taken out by a drone strike, but he was one of the most consequential military leaders in the Middle East and was directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American servicemembers, training Shia militias and others in the war in Iraq, providing them with improvised explosive devices. Actually, they are designed so they literally will melt through armor like a hot knife through butter. That all came from Iran and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of American servicemembers. prgtoken When a successful mission carried out by U.S. forces finally brought an end to Soleimani's reign of terror, our colleagues couldn't even acknowledge t
ALLOW TREASURY TO WAIVE VOTING AUTHORITY
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-2-12

. Madam , I rise today to bring attention to a bill that I will be introducing this week. prgtoken My legislation allows the Secretary of the Treasury to waive voting authority for the international financial institutions on a case-by- case basis. prgtoken The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund receive U.S. funding and are subject to legislative oversight, which often dictates by a mandate what projects and policies they can endorse. prgtoken For example, when the World Bank takes a vote to approve a lending project, the United States may have to abstain or vote against it due to the parameters put forward by a mandate from Congress. Even further, Congress keeps adding to the mandates and has never tried to streamline them, resulting in mandates that are antiquated and can actually conflict with one another. prgtoken As a result, the Financial Services Committee has increasingly come to a bipartisan consensus that new mandates should have waiver authority and sunset clauses. prgtoken This legislation would allow the Treasury Secretary to waive a mandate and be able to properly vote on a financing, subject to a written report as to why to Congress. This means more flexibility to pursue our national interests, but also strong accountability to Congress.
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-2-12

I am here on the Senate floor to talk, once again, about the addiction crisis in our country. Over the past 4 years, I am told I have given over 64 speeches on this topic, and that is because it is a crisis, and a national one, and we have done a lot here in this Senate and also in the House of Representatives to deal with the issue. prgtoken We passed some important legislation. We are making some progress, but, gosh, prescription opioids, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine continue to harm so many people in our communities and so many of the families we represent. We put new policies in place to help deal with it--better prevention, better treatment, and better recovery efforts. prgtoken Among other things, we passed legislation like the SUPPORT Act, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, the 21st Century Cures Act, and the STOP Act. Through these new laws, we have also provided over $4 billion in additional Federal resources just over the last 3 years to be able to combat this epidemic--particularly, the opioid epidemic. prgtoken In Ohio alone, our State received nearly $140 million through the CARA and Cures legislation. It has gone toward innovative, evidence- based programs to try to figure out how we intervene at the appropriate time to keep people who are addicted from overdosing and, instead, to get them into treatment and into longer term recovery in a successful way. prgtoken I have gone to visit many of these programs across our State, and I can tell you many of them are working, and they are working because local volunteers, local communities, and the State are also involved. So that is the positive thing. I was very pleased that the year-end spending bill passed with a record $658 million, as an example, in funding for these CARA grants that again go to these innovative ideas back home. prgtoken Let me give you an example of one. In many of our communities now, we have the ability, after somebody has overdosed, not to simply have them go back home and go to the same neighborhood and get addicted, and continue to be addicted and overdose again and again and again, but, rather, to intervene and to go there with law enforcement, with treatment providers, with first responders, and get them into treatment. prgtoken It is working. In a program I was recently at in Columbus, OH, the RREACT Team, 80 percent of the people whom they go to visit end up getting into treatment. And the evidence is, not only are they getting into treatment, but because there is the ability to monitor that, they are also going into longer term recovery programs. It is helping to save lives, but for the first responders, it is also a great relief because no one is more frustrated than they are. Think about it. You help somebody through an overdose by applying Narcan--that miracle drug that reverses the effects of the overdose--and the next day they are right back again. This is the right thing
Introductory Statement on S. 3287
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2020-2-12

I rise to introduce the Chief Financial Officer Vision Act of 2020, shortened to be the CFO Vision Act of 2020. I am pleased to have Senators Warner, Grassley, Johnson, Lankford, and Perdue join me as cosponsors of this bill to strengthen Federal financial management and improve financial and performance data. prgtoken Improved financial management--this is numbers; I know this puts people to sleep--improved financial management and better data can help us make more informed budget decisions and ensure that taxpayer money is wisely and appropriately spent. Effective financial management helps to safeguard taxpayer money and ensure that it is used lawfully, efficiently, and effectively for the purposes intended. prgtoken Thirty years ago, Congress passed the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, known as the CFO Act. This law laid a new foundation for Federal financial management. It established a financial management leadership structure, provided for long-range planning, required audited financial statements, and strengthened accountability reporting, among other reforms. The CFO Act also called for improvements in the integration of agency accounting and financial management systems, in performance measurement and cost information, and in our financial management workforce. prgtoken Since enactment of that act, we have seen substantial improvements in Federal financial management. Today, agencies have CFOs in place to provide leadership and accountability over financial operations, and most agencies receive clean audit opinions on their annual financial statements. However, serious and persistent problems remain. prgtoken Many agencies have struggled to modernize legacy accounting systems and are unable to integrate their financial and performance data. Oftentimes, the Federal Government is unable to show the relationship between dollars spent and results achieved. After more than 20 years of trying, the Government Accountability Office still cannot give an opinion on the Federal Government's consolidated financial statements. They cite serious financial management problems at the Department of Defense, among other issues. prgtoken The legislation we are introducing would update that 1990 law in a handful of key ways to ensure sustained progress in improving Federal financial management. It is based in large part on a GAO--Government Accountability Office--review of the 1990 law and testimony last October from the Comptroller General of the United States, Gene Dodaro, before the Senate Budget Committee. prgtoken First, the CFO Vision Act would standardize CFO and Deputy Chief Financial Officer responsibilities, which do vary across Federal agencies. To allow for better strategic decision making, the Chief Financial Officer Vision Act would specify that the Chief Financial Officer responsibilities should include budget formulation and execution, planning and performance, risk management and int
THANKING DR. WILLIAM GRISCOM
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-2-12

I rise today to congratulate, to honor, and to give thanks to Dr. William Griscom, the President of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, who retired recently at the end of January. prgtoken Dr. Griscom, across his 23 years at the helm of Thaddeus Stevens, transformed the institution into one of the most successful 2-year- degree granting institutions in the Nation, boasting an over 96 percent placement rate for its graduates. In fact, last year, there were 1,400 employers seeking to fill 4,000 jobs all looking to hire Thaddeus Stevens' 365 graduates. prgtoken Dr. Griscom increased enrollment at the school from nearly 500 students when he started in 1996 to over 1,200 students enrolled today, completing capital projects worth tens of millions of dollars to increase the school's capacity, and led the school through accreditation with the Commission of Higher Education Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. prgtoken , the lives of thousands of individuals across south central Pennsylvania and across Lancaster County have been put on the path to success because of Dr. Griscom's leadership. It has been an honor to work with him over the past decade during my time in the State senate chairing the education committee, and now as a Member of Congress. prgtoken , I thank Dr. Bill Griscom for his years of committed and thoughtful leadership of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and wish him continued success and happiness in retirement.
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS--MOTION TO PROCEED
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-2-12

today we are taking up a War Powers Resolution ostensibly aimed at hostilities with Iran. The impetus for this resolution was the strike the President authorized to take out Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. prgtoken Iran has a long history of fomenting violence and conflict in the Middle East, and General Soleimani was always right in the center of that. As head of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, Soleimani masterminded Iran's terrorist activities for two decades. Iran has been linked to one in six U.S. military deaths in Iraq, notably through the IEDs that have become so emblematic of the War on Terror. prgtoken This was Soleimani's work. He is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers and countless innocent civilians, and the threat Iran poses to U.S. personnel is an ongoing threat. At the end of December, an Iran-backed militia fired more than 30 rockets at an Iraqi military base, killing an American contractor and wounding four U.S. troops. Days later, Iran-backed protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, conducting a 2-day siege of the Embassy before withdrawing. prgtoken The strike on General Soleimani wasn't just based on these recent attacks or on Soleimani's long reign of terror in the Middle East. The President authorized the strike on Soleimani because there was credible intelligence that Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against U.S. interests. That was the conclusion not of the President but of the U.S. intelligence community and nonpartisan experts like the CIA Director and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. It was in response to this conclusion from the intelligence community that the President ordered the strike. prgtoken The War Powers Resolution coming before the Senate was introduced out of concern that taking out Iran's top terrorist leader would lead to escalation, but that has not happened. The perspective provided by the nearly 6 weeks that have passed since Soleimani's killing underscores the one-off nature of the strike. The President has not escalated this conflict or used Soleimani's death as an excuse to send troops into action against Iran. In fact, this strike was designed to check escalation in the region--specifically, increasing aggression and imminent attacks by Iran. prgtoken We live in a dangerous world. The United States must be able to respond to imminent threats to our security. I support the robust interpretation of Congress's constitutional prerogatives when it comes to the declaration of war and the deployment of U.S. troops, but I also believe that the President has the authority and, indeed, the responsibility to protect the United States from imminent threats. prgtoken The strike against Qasem Soleimani has reminded those hostile to the United States that we will not stand idly by while U.S. personnel are threatened. It has removed the top terrorist leader from the arena, a leader responsible for the