mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Calendar)
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-2-15

2 weeks ago, President nominated Tenth Circuit judge Neil Gorsuch of Colorado to fill the vacancy left by the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Judge Gorsuch, in my opinion, is the ideal choice to fill this seat. He has impeccable credentials and a decade-long record on the bench demonstrating a keen understanding of the proper role of a judge. prgtoken Given the increasingly contentious nature of the confirmation process, it is not surprising that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and their special interest group allies are stretching to find anything objectionable about Judge Gorsuch, no matter how ridiculous. prgtoken Today, I wish to address one of their latest, most outlandish claims: that Judge Gorsuch would not serve as an independent check on the executive branch. For example, last week in Politico, Senator Schumer, the distinguished Senator from New York, declared in an opinion piece: ``The most important factor in assessing a Supreme Court nominee . . . is whether or not the potential justice will be an independent check on an executive who may act outside our nation's laws and the Constitution.'' Senator Schumer doubled down on these comments in the New York Times. There, he argued that it was impossible for him to discern Judge Gorsuch's judicial independence when they met in person. Why? Because Judge Gorsuch refused to say how he would rule on specific issues or how he would review particular government actions. These misleading narratives are an irrelevant, wasteful distraction from our consideration of Judge Gorsuch's sterling record and the merits of confirming him to the Supreme Court. prgtoken Last month, I warned that the left would use these diversion tactics in an attempt to discredit the President's nominee. Shortly before Judge Gorsuch's nomination was announced, I predicted in an opinion piece in the Washington Post that advocates and interest groups would want to know how the nominee would decide particular cases before those cases ever reached the Court to make sure the nominee is on the right team. I was right. prgtoken Our Nation's Founders would have been embarrassed by such questions. Instead, the questions we ask should focus on whether the nominee will interpret and apply the law faithfully and neutrally no matter what the issue is. After all, that is what our Constitution demands. prgtoken Our Founders are not the only ones who would be embarrassed. I have been in the Senate for the last dozen Supreme Court confirmations. Every nominee we have considered has rightly refused to answer such questions. Consider, for example, Justice Ginsburg's response at her confirmation hearing. She said: A judge sworn to decide impartially can offer no forecasts, no hints, for that would show not only disregard for the specifics of the particular case, it would display disdain for the entire judicial process. prgtoken
The Economy (Executive Calendar)
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-2-15

I rise tonight to speak about the opportunity our country has to move this country forward. prgtoken I appreciate the comments by my good friend from Michigan. I appreciate all the comments in this hallowed ground called the U.S. Senate. But I have to say that while I agree on some points, I disagree on others. prgtoken The one I am really troubled by tonight is the fact the other side is creating the ultimate shutdown in government right now. We had an election. Our democracy has worked. We have a new person in the White House. We have a new direction for our country. Yet this person in the White House cannot even get his team approved in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken After some 27 days, I think President had 26 of his Cabinet and other appointees already confirmed. At this point, President has only 13 of his nominees. Quite frankly, had we not turned the Senate on 24/7 over the last few weeks, it would be until June or July of this year before we could get the full slate of just the 15 Cabinet officers confirmed. That is no way to run the Federal Government and, indeed, shows the hypocrisy of the other side. They complain about shut down this and shut down that. What is happening right now in the U.S. Senate is that the prgtoken other side is shutting down this administration from getting on with the people's business of what they elected him to do. prgtoken Today, after 8 years of failed fiscal policies that have produced the weakest recovery in 70 years, the lowest GDP growth on a per capita basis in our history, a devastating time that left 4 million women in poverty after the last 8 years and left many people struggling to get from payday to payday--after those 8 years, tonight I am actually very encouraged to finally be debating pro-growth tax ideas that can actually grow the economy and put people back to work. We now have an enormous moment of opportunity to change the direction of our country and unleash a new era of economic growth and prosperity for every American. prgtoken President has repeatedly said that job one is growing the economy. Personally, having worked in most parts of the world in my career, I see this so differently from Washington. My perspective is that of someone who has a global business perspective, not unlike that of our President. I know the way forward is not complicated. We absolutely can grow this economy. prgtoken There are three things this administration is already talking about to grow the economy: One, they have said we need to deal with this archaic, outdated, and noncompetitive tax structure that we have; second, we need to push back on these arcane regulations that have sucked the very life out of our economy; third, we need to unleash the God-given energy potential that we have in our country today. The bottom line is we have to create a more level playing field generated by trade negotiations to allow us to compete on a level playing fi
TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT: IT'S TIME
Randy Hultgren (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-2-15

it is a bitter reality that universal human rights are under daily assault around the world. prgtoken I rise today joining in celebration and in mourning with Chinese democracy activist Zhu Yufu. This past week, he turned 64, but he marked the occasion in prison. prgtoken Zhu Yufu has devoted his life to promoting democracy and human rights, to the ire of Chinese authorities. In 2012, he was condemned to 7 years imprisonment on unjust charges. Since then, his health has deteriorated, made worse by denial of medical care and inhumane treatment. His family fears for his life. prgtoken The poem that led to Yufu's imprisonment is called ``It's Time.'' I completely agree. It is time. It is time for the Chinese government to provide Zhu Yufu with proper medical treatment and humane care. More than that, it is time for the Chinese Government to release Zhu Yufu and political prisoners like him who are unjustly detained. It is time for the Chinese Government to recognize and support freedom of speech, assembly, thought, and belief.
Tribute to Mona Painter (Executive Calendar)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-2-15

in the past month, I have come to the floor to recognize Alaskans who have generously devoted their time and talents to our State and made it a better place for all of us to live in. It is a great place to live. There is a mystique surrounding my great State--a well-earned mystique. People travel to Alaska from all over the world to discover a part of themselves that craves high peaks, beautiful mountains, streams, and swaths of wilderness. prgtoken The real wonders of Alaska are our people--kind and generous people, many of whom have etched warm homes and welcoming communities out of wilderness. One of those people who has helped make my State truly extraordinary is Mona Painter, our Alaskan of the Week. prgtoken Mona, who will be 80 years old soon, first visited Alaska when she was just 11 in 1949. She flew, by herself, with others in a tiny four- engine passenger plane to visit relatives. In the 1950s, she moved to Alaska for good and eventually settled in Cooper Landing. Cooper Landing has about 350 year-round residents, but that number swells in the summer. It has some of the best fishing and rafting anywhere in the world--an astonishingly beautiful place. prgtoken It has people like Mona, a devoted wife, grandmother, great- grandmother, and someone, who according to one fellow resident, is ``the glue that binds the community of Cooper Landing together.'' prgtoken She has done so much for this community--volunteering countless hours over the decades to ensure community cohesion in the schools, churches, and various clubs, including the Cooper Landing Community Hall, which serves as the community's unofficial city council. prgtoken Since living in Cooper Landing, Mona received an art degree, has taken anthropology classes, and even took a taxidermy class--once practicing her skills on a moose left on the side of the highway. prgtoken One of Mona's passions throughout the years has been to keep history alive in Cooper Landing. To that end, she started the Cooper Landing Historical Society and Museum, with which she is still very involved. For years she has devoted her time and energy to collecting bits of history about Cooper Landing and sharing that history with her neighbors, with residents, and with all Alaskans. She is also the founding member of the Kenai Communities Association and helped to spearhead the effort to create a national heritage area in that part of our State. prgtoken One of her friends said about her: ``The whole essence of her life has been to make this community a better place to live and to restore the history of the community.'' prgtoken People like Mona make my State great, and I want to thank Mona for all she has done for Alaska, and thanks for being our Alaskan of the Week.
Nomination of Andrew Puzder (Executive Calendar)
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-2-15

every day we continue to set new records for how long it takes for the new President to get his Cabinet in power--in office--and the responsibility to carry out the things that the President said that he wanted to do when he was elected. prgtoken In the great history of confirming people, from the Garfield administration in the 1880s until Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, the entire Cabinet in that whole period of time was confirmed on the first day. Now we are in the longest period in the history of the country since George Washington was President to try to get a Cabinet in place, not to mention all of the other jobs that go along with confirming the Cabinet. It is a good thing and no wonder that a few years ago the Senate looked at the numbers of people we had taken responsibility to confirm and said: Now, which of those do we really have to confirm and which of those would we only confirm if someone in the Senate believes we have to have a hearing on that level of person and that agency at that time? prgtoken We tried to streamline a process that we all know needs to be streamlined, but with only a couple of exceptions, every nominee so far has been the most dangerous nominee of all time for whatever job it is. There must be fill-in-the-blank speeches back there somewhere that go from one to the next: This would be the worst person who could ever possibly hold this job. prgtoken In the case of Congressman Mulvaney, it appears to be because he wants to try to do things that allow our entitlement programs to survive; he wants to do things that allow the deficit at some point to be eliminated. And no matter what point that is, that point would be too early for some of our friends on the other side. prgtoken Interestingly, as we talk about the Affordable Care Act, which has turned out to be very unaffordable for almost any family on the individual market and many families who had insurance that worked for them before--the Affordable Care Act cut Medicare in the plan by $500 billion over 10 years. We hear speaker after speaker on the other side say: We would never do anything to cut Medicare. I argued vigorously against those cuts when they occurred. prgtoken As we move forward, I think we ought to be very thoughtful that we restore the cuts in areas where clearly it is not working the way people thought the Affordable Care Act would work. The person in charge of the numbers, the person in charge of the balance sheet, the person who calculates the costs should be someone with the capacity to do that. The President has decided, and the Senate, when finally allowed to vote, will determine that person is Mr. Mulvaney.
HONORING OAKWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL AS FUTURE CITY FINALISTS
Bob Gibbs (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-2-15

I am honored to recognize the students of Oakwood Middle School, finalists in the Future City competition. prgtoken Each year, more than 40,000 students from 1,350 schools across the country compete in the Future City competition, which challenges students to create futuristic cities and solve sustainability issues within the city. Thirty-four eighth-grade students from Oakwood Middle School in Canton, Ohio participated in this year's competition under the guidance of their teacher, Ms. Vanessa Board. prgtoken This year's competition tasked the students to create an efficient, eco-friendly city set 100 years in the future. These talented students used their knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to create the city of Skotgeta, an Icelandic city powered by geothermal energy, which harnesses sustainable natural resources and utilizes technology to cure cancer. Their hard work earned them First Place at the regional competition and qualified them to compete in the national Future City competition. prgtoken The achievements of these students demonstrate the same ingenuity and determination of other Ohioans like Neil Armstrong, Thomas Edison, and the Wright Brothers. I am confident in the future of our nation when Oakwood Middle School's Future City team represents the next generation of American leadership. prgtoken , this accomplishment is a testament to the students and their teacher's dedication to academic excellence. I am proud of each of these individuals, and I wish them much success in the future.
DISAPPROVING RULE SUBMITTED BY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RELATING TO SAVINGS ARRANGEMENTS BY STATES FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-2-15

such time as I may consume. prgtoken In response to the gentlewoman from California, I would just say that much of what we have been doing for the past 4 weeks on the floor, including today, is trying to give a shot in the arm to our economy, to our workers, our workforce, our retirees, and savers to take off some of the traps that have been put in place that have frustrated this economy and the growth of this economy for 8 years. prgtoken There is a reason for what took place at the ballot box. And the expectation is that we move to take some of the clamps of the Federal Government off the private sector, the States, the local communities, and, more importantly, the citizens of this country. prgtoken .
Tax Reform (Executive Calendar)
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-2-15

I rise today to support the nomination of Congressman Mick Mulvaney and ask my colleagues to vote to confirm him as the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget. prgtoken It may not surprise folks that I have a markedly different viewpoint than the Senator from New Hampshire. Congressman Mulvaney wants to save Social Security and Medicare. Congressman Mulvaney wants to prevent, stop the mortgaging of our children's future, the bankrupting of America. prgtoken One thing on which I do agree with the good Senator from New Hampshire is that we need to concentrate on economic growth. It is the primary component of the solution. But this Nation faces many, many challenges. From the standpoint of foreign policy, take a look at what is happening around the world, the turmoil in so much of the world. We are in a generational struggle against Islamic terror, against ISIS, al-Qaida. Iran--that nuclear agreement was horrible. It modified the behavior for the worse. We have just witnessed North Korea test-fire another missile. Combined with their nuclear capability at some point in time--probably not in the too distant future--they will threaten America. China has been emboldened. Russia has become more aggressive. Why? Because in so many instances, these nations perceive America as weaker than we once were, lacking the strength and resolve to provide the leadership, project our values around the world. prgtoken With all these threats that America faces, at the same time our military is being hollowed out. We won't have the resources militarily to fight back if they strike first. prgtoken Domestically, we also face many perils, many challenges. Care didn't work. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act did not protect the patients. It is not affordable. In my State, Wisconsin, premiums on the individual market have doubled and tripled. A young mother working a part-time job so she could stay home with her children had to quit that job to take full-time work to pay her $8,000 per year increase in premiums. Wages have stagnated for years. Our infrastructure is old and in many cases, crumbling. Our borders are porous. We are not winning the War on Drugs because of porous borders in many respects. Unfortunately, the War on Poverty has also not been won. In many cases, it has created perverse incentives that have trapped generations in a cycle of poverty and dependency and despair. It has resulted in the national debt rapidly approaching $20 trillion. Again, that is that mortgaging our children's future that Congressman Mulvaney wants to prevent. prgtoken As the chart nearby shows, we are on a completely unsustainable path that Congressman Mulvaney also understands must be stopped. If you take a look at this chart, according to the Congressional Budget Office, over the next 30 years, our projected deficit will total $103 trillion. That would be put on top of that $20 trillion in debt. It
TRIBUTE TO ROSE ILES FEALY
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-2-15

today I wish to recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Rose Iles Fealy. Rose hails from Perth, Western Australia, where she studies political science at the Australian National University. prgtoken While interning on the Commerce Committee, Rose has assisted the Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security Subcommittee. Following her internship, Rose intends to pursue law school. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Rose Iles Fealy for all of the fine work she has done for the committee and wish her continued success in the years to come.
CALIFORNIA'S MARCH TO THE EXTREME LEFT
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-2-15

one of the most troubling aspects of California's lurch to the left are the rise of two doctrines unknown in this country since the last gasp of the Southern Confederacy. prgtoken The first is the doctrine of nullification, the notion that States may defy Federal laws that their leaders simply don't like. The most outspoken advocate of this doctrine was John C. Calhoun, who, in referencing our Nation's most-revered document, the Declaration of Independence, observed that our Nation had been founded on--his words-- ``self-evident lies.'' prgtoken The doctrine of nullification has been revived in the sanctuary cities movement, and has now reared its head as State legislation. Our Constitution clearly gives Congress the sole prerogative to make immigration law, and it commands the President to faithfully execute these laws. Our President is now doing so. Yet, California's legislature is actively considering a bill that would assert an independent power to defy them. And this is not just happening in California. prgtoken , States ought to be jealous guardians of their organic powers and the prerogatives against unwanted encroachments by the Federal Government. But the Supremacy Clause binds the States to our Federal laws. This is the very essence of Constitutional Federalism in Article VI: ``This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and of all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.'' prgtoken If a State, in rightfully guarding its powers, believes that a Federal law unconstitutionally infringes on those powers, the Constitution provides that the courts shall resolve such disputes. But asserting the power to nullify a Federal law, a law that is clearly within the enumerated powers of the Congress and clearly under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, that crosses a very bright line that no State has breached since the first State seceded in 1861. prgtoken Which brings us to the second, even more disturbing development in California's march to the extreme left. There is no single act which more ultimately and categorically rejects our Constitution, our country, and all that they stand for, than a proposal to secede from the Union that has preserved our liberties for nearly two and a half centuries. It is logically impossible to support secession and, yet, maintain loyalty to the Union from which you propose to secede. prgtoken Secession is the ultimate act of disloyalty today, no less than during the days of Confederacy. Yet, in California, a formal secession movement is now circulating petitions for signature to place exactly such a proposal on the ballot. prgtoken It should come as no surprise that one of its leading proponents is an Am