mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DETROIT RIOT
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-10-30

today I wish to observe the 50th anniversary of Detroit's tumultuous summer of 1967, widely known as the 1967 Detroit Riot or the 12th Street Riots. The events of 1967 made a tremendous impact on the city and coincided with multiple incidents that took place across the country during that historic summer. prgtoken On Sunday July 23, 1967, patrons of an after-hours club were celebrating servicemembers coming home from Vietnam, above the Economy Printing Company on Clairmont Avenue and 12th Street. At 3:30 a.m police officers raided the club, which was within a mostly African- American business district with an active nightlife, arresting 85 people. prgtoken While the police arrested each person inside of the establishment, a crowd formed on the outside. Those who were gathered began reacting to the escalating discord between those who lived in the neighborhood and the police department. As time elapsed, a rise of arson and looting began to erupt. By 8 a.m the number grew to an estimated 3,000 people who assembled in protest. As the Detroit police force struggled to contain the crowd, Mayor Jerome Cavanagh and Governor George Romney agreed to deploy the Michigan National Guard that afternoon; paratroopers joined 2 days later. prgtoken Just over 7,200 arrests were made between July 23 and July 27, 1967. As tensions began to subside, community members and government officials surveyed the aftermath. More than 1,600 buildings were destroyed, and the cost of damage to commercial and residential property totaled an estimated $132 million. Beyond property damage, the community suffered the loss of 43 citizens and hundreds were injured. prgtoken Detroit's 1967 unrest was not an isolated event; urban centers across the country were experiencing similar instances of civil disturbance. A day after the conclusion of the unrest in Detroit, President Lyndon B. Johnson sought out to investigate the cause of the phenomenon, establishing the Kerner Commission. The Commission concluded that the riots that took place between 1965 and 1968 were due to racism and frustration at lack of economic opportunity. From these findings, the Commission suggested economic, social, and housing reform to quell tensions. prgtoken The events of that summer were seen through countless eyes. Many Detroiters saw the unrest as a rebellion against the systemic oppression that plagued the African-American community, who had no voice or adequate representation in government or in the police force but accounted for one-third of Detroit's population. Various government agencies painted the events as an insurrection, war, or riot. Regardless of how the events were characterized, there is no denial of the real emotional and physical toll the summer had on citizens. The countless stories of people in their homes watching tanks roll down the very streets children once played in or the visual of soldiers with rifles on their backs juxtapos
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Recovery Effort (Executive Calendar)
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-10-31

I rise to discuss a matter of religious liberty. In particular, I urge this body to respect our constitutional values and avoid any hint of applying religious tests to those who heed the call of government service. prgtoken Freedom of religion is as foundational a principle as we have in this country. Yet some in this Chamber want to take a cabined view of it. If you are a judicial nominee, it is fine to attend the occasional worship service, but don't let on that you take it too seriously. That seems to be unacceptable. prgtoken From the inception of our Republic, religious believers have chosen to serve the country in countless ways. Whether through the Armed Forces, holding elected office, or sitting on the courts, Americans of faith always answered the call. We should welcome this service, and we should not sit idly by while others question the propriety of their service by suggesting a de facto religious test. prgtoken The Framers of the Constitution were fearful of this very thinking. They understood the importance of religious participation and foresaw the benefits religious believers of all backgrounds would contribute to the common good. They also knew, from centuries of war and suffering in Europe, the high cost of religious intolerance. prgtoken That is why they made it clear in article VI of the Constitution that no public officers could be subject to a religious test. This edict was entirely unambiguous in its language and its intent. This country is to be served by prgtoken people of all faiths, committed to the Constitution and the common good. It is up to us to question the qualifications and jurisprudence of nominees, not their religious views. prgtoken Unfortunately, that is not what is happening to Professor Barrett. I was at the confirmation hearing, where she faced inappropriate questions and objections based on her religious views. I witnessed a citizen heeding the call to serve her country, only to face inquiries into her religious beliefs that bordered on ridicule. My friends on the other side of the aisle defended their questions and their conduct, and I don't doubt their sincerity, but there is little comfort in the defense that it doesn't matter that Professor Barrett is a Catholic, but somehow it matters what sort of Catholic she is. These are unconstitutional distinctions without differences. prgtoken In addition, otherwise respectable news outlets have provided sensational reports of Professor Barrett's personal charismatic religious practices. As a Member of the Senate, I find this troubling, as a person of faith, I find this objectionable, and above all, as an American, I find this abhorrent. prgtoken It is religious liberty--enshrined in constitutional provisions like article VI and the First Amendment--that has allowed my faith and so many others to flourish in the United States. It is also religious liberty that is threatened when we seek to evaluate the fitness o
HONORING THE SERVICE OF WIN AND POLLY BELANGER
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-10-31

I rise today to honor and recognize Win and Polly Belanger of Willsboro, New York, for their consistent and enduring dedication to community service. prgtoken After retiring from the United States Air Force in 1990, Win Belanger moved to Willsboro, New York with his wife Polly, where they have worked for the betterment of their community by lending both their ears and their voices. prgtoken By urging individuals in Essex County to become more involved in their government and enter into public service, the Belangers have helped to encourage authentic and sincere representation. Additionally, Win has shown a steadfast commitment to the wellbeing of his peers through his work on the Willsboro Central School budget committee, the town zoning board and as a founding member and officer of the Willsboro Community Housing Assistance Task Force. prgtoken On behalf of Essex County, I would like to thank Win and Polly for their service, their patriotism and their friendship, while also wishing them the best of luck in their future endeavors.
Building and Sustaining a Larger Navy (Executive Calendar)
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-10-31

over the past year, our Navy has had four serious mishaps at sea, including fatal collisions involving the USS Fitzgerald on one occasion and the USS John S. McCain on another. In the McCain and Fitzgerald accidents, 17 of our sailors were killed. prgtoken In response to these serious incidents, the Chief of Naval Operations, ADM John Richardson, directed the comprehensive review take place. Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee was briefed on the results of this comprehensive review. The results will be made public either tomorrow or the next day, and Americans will be able to see the serious situation we are in. prgtoken There are various reasons for these collisions and these fatalities, including, regrettably, human error and unfortunate circumstances, but, also, the review makes it clear that we are not doing right by our sailors, we are not doing right by the Navy, and we are not doing right by the taxpayers, in terms of making sure these brave men and women have what they need. prgtoken We need to work quickly with the Navy here in Congress to implement the recommendations that will be coming forward later this week. We need to enhance training and readiness, and we need to recognize--and I think the majority of this Senate does recognize--that the size of the fleet has contributed to the problems. prgtoken Simply put, we need to acknowledge that the Navy has a supply-and- demand problem. We have a demand for more naval action than the supply of our ships can produce. Our ship force has declined recently by some 20 percent. We are asking too few ships to do too many things for American security, and that needs to be rectified. prgtoken The consequences of this supply-and-demand mismatch were summed up by naval analysts Robert C. O'Brien and Jerry Hendrix in a recent National Review online article. They argue that the Navy is on the precipice of a ``death spiral,'' wherein more overworked and damaged ships place an increasingly greater strain on the remaining operational ships, thus eroding readiness across the fleet. prgtoken I agree with Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Hendrix that this situation will result in ``more collisions, more injuries, and more deaths in the fleet.'' To avoid this death spiral, we need to commit to growing the Navy and meeting its minimum requirement of 355 ships. prgtoken I have the privilege of chairing the Seapower Subcommittee, which has held a series of oversight activities, both classified and unclassified, on the Navy's 355 ship requirement. We have examined the security environment that drives the requirement to add about 80 more ships to the fleet. We have listened to Navy leadership, outside experts, and industry on options, capabilities, and considerations. We received perspective from the key players behind President Reagan's naval buildup in the 1980s. prgtoken As the Fitzgerald and McCain collisions have demonstrated, the short- term costs of ``doing more with
HONORING THE LIFE OF LESLIE AMUNDSON
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2017-10-31

I rise today to honor the life and memory of Leslie Amundson from my hometown of Sunnyside, Washington. Les was a decorated war veteran, a small-business owner, a farmer, and, truly, a pillar of our local community. prgtoken Les served this country honorably. As an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II, his plane was shot down over Holland. He and his crew spent a month hiding underground and being cared for by the Dutch people before being captured by the Nazis. Les served 18 months at a prisoner of war camp and earned a Purple Heart. prgtoken His family's roots were only strengthened when Les married and bought a farm in Sunnyside where he and his wife, Helen, raised their five children. He would often find opportunities to contribute and to help those around him, and his appreciation for the community showed in his actions. prgtoken Les leaves behind a legacy of devotion to the people of Sunnyside and to our Nation. prgtoken My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time, and I ask my colleagues to please join me in remembering my friend Les Amundson.
RECOGNIZING THE MASSAC COUNTY GIRLS GOLF TEAM
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-10-31

I rise to recognize the Massac County Girls Golf team, who are the 2017 Class 1A Illinois team golf champions. prgtoken Massac County's overall score of 89 was six shots better than its nearest competitor, as the Lady Patriots were led by two top 20 finishers, with Millie Lawson placing 12th overall, and Emma Korte tying for 18th place. This championship is Massac County's fourth title in the last 12 years. prgtoken I would like to congratulate the entire Massac County Girls Golf Team on this victory, Emma Korte, Millie Lawson, Madie Coakley, Mady Blair, Lauren Coakley, and Madison Cunningham, as well as Head Coach Laurie Glass, on a superb end to a great season. prgtoken , I rise today to acknowledge the excellence of the Massac County Girls Golf Team in winning the 2017 state golf title, and I wish the players, and their coach, all the best in the future.
WE MUST NOT ABUSE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-10-31

governments, militaries, and civilizations sometimes ignore history to justify their actions against individuals. prgtoken A bit of history is important here. When the British controlled the Colonies, they heavily taxed the Colonies. Citizens had to pay a tax on goods they brought in to the Colonies. The Colonies had no say on the imposition of those taxes. That is another issue. prgtoken The King issued writs of assistance. What that was was a piece of paper allowing the British military to go into businesses and homes, unreasonably, to search to see if the Colonies were paying the tax on imported goods. For example, John Hancock was a merchant. They would search his business to see if he had a tax stamp on the rum he brought the Colonies. prgtoken The right of privacy and the right to say something about your taxes were two reasons for the American Revolution that came about. The right of privacy is a natural right, as Thomas Jefferson said, one of the rights given to us by our Creator. prgtoken So, our ancestors wrote the Fourth Amendment, unique to the United States, and here is what it says: ``The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation''--that means the officer has to swear to it--``and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized''--Fourth Amendment. prgtoken So what does that have to do with us today? I will explain. prgtoken Congress has passed the FISA legislation, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows government to go after terrorists and people who are working as an agent of a foreign government and search their information. They go to a secret court and get a secret warrant-- it is called a FISA warrant--from a FISA judge to allow that search of all that information. Separate the bad guys from Americans who they may be communicating with unrelated to terrorism. They may be cousins talking about whatever. But government, our government, NSA, seizes that information on Americans--emails, conversations, text messages-- seizes all that information and keeps it forever. prgtoken And here is what happens in the violation of Americans' right of privacy: Government then can go back into that information, unrelated to terrorism, to search to see if those people are paying their taxes. Maybe somebody didn't pay their taxes on importation of Irish whiskey. So the government, IRS, files a criminal case against that American citizen. prgtoken Remember, all of that information was based upon no probable cause warrant issued by a real judge. prgtoken We are getting ready to reauthorize, maybe, FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Before we do that, we need to protect Americans' right of privacy. It is in a section called 702. It really gets down in
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Billy Long (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-10-31

on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, Wednesday, September 27, 2017, Thursday, September 28, 2017, Monday, October 2, 2017, Tuesday, October 3, 2017, and Wednesday, October 4, 2017, I was unable to vote on any legislative measures due to a foot injury. Had I been present, I would have voted the following: (Roll no. 532) On ordering the previous question providing for consideration of H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, and H.R. 2792--Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 533) On adoption of the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, and H.R. 2792--Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 534) On approval of the journal, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 535) On agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Pascrell of New Jersey Amendment No. 2 to H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, had I been present I would have voted no. (Roll no. 536) On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 2824-- Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, had I been present I would have voted no. (Roll no. 537) On passage of H.R. 2824--Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 538) On ordering the previous question providing for consideration of H.R. 3823--Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 539) On adoption of the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3823--Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 540) On passage of H. Res. 311--Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 541) On motion to recommit with instructions to H.R. 3823-- Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted no. (Roll no. 542) On passage of H.R. 3823--Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 543) On passage of H.R. 2792--Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 544) On passage of H.R. 1547--Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act, had I been present I would have voted yes. (Roll no. 545) On passage of H.R. 965--Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Redesignation Act, had I b
Wasteful Government Spending and Economic Growth (Executive Calendar)
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-10-31

since 2001, the Federal Government has exploded in constant dollars from $2.4 trillion in 2000 to last year almost $3.9 trillion in costs. Those are constant dollars. In September of this year, just a few weeks ago, our national debt surpassed $20 trillion for the first time, and no one in Washington blinked an eye. If that is not enough of a wakeup call, this debt is projected to increase over the next 10 years, according to the budget we are operating under now, by another $11 trillion. If that is not enough, over the next 30 years alone, it is projected that over $100 trillion of future unfunded liabilities--Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, pension benefits for Federal employees, and the interest-only debt--are coming at us like a freight train. These are unfunded liabilities. prgtoken Today, with $20 trillion in debt, we are only paying about $270 billion every year in interest only. I say that because just in the last year, we have seen four increases in the Federal funds rate, which fundamentally increases our interest by 100 basis points. That 100 basis points over the next few years will grow our interest on the debt by more than $200 billion on top of the $270 billion. By the way, today that is almost 25 percent of our discretionary budget, already, just at the $270 billion. If it doubles, it will be almost half of our discretionary budget. If interest rates just go back to their 30-year norm--between 4 percent and 5 percent--we could be paying as much as $1 trillion on our Federal debt. That is almost equal to today's discretionary budget. prgtoken It is going to take a long-term fix. We can't tax our way out of this problem. We can't cut our way out of this problem, and we can't just simply grow our way out. It is going to take a multifaceted approach. There are five interwoven imperatives that are at work in solving this problem. It is one thing to call the crisis, but it is another to call out the ways to fix it, and they are all within our grasp today. prgtoken No. 1, we need to fix Washington's broken budget process. prgtoken No. 2, we need to root out all the wasteful spending in the Federal Government today. prgtoken No. 3, we have to grow the economy by repealing and pulling back on a lot of regulations that are unnecessary, by revamping our tax structure and by unleashing our energy potential. prgtoken No. 4, we have to save Social Security and Medicare, of which both trust funds go to zero in 14 short years. prgtoken Lastly, we finally have to get after the real drivers of spiraling healthcare costs. prgtoken As we are working to change our archaic tax system to become competitive with the rest of the world and to get our economy rolling again, I want to talk about two things today. One is prgtoken this wasteful spending, and two is economic growth. These are two of the five imperatives that I just outlined. prgtoken According to the General Accountability Office, today and also