mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ROE V. WADE ANNIVERSARY
Andy Biggs (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-1-24

I have a deep sense of gratitude that I expressed to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his effort in promulgating the bill that we passed today, H.R. 7, and allowing me to speak tonight. prgtoken On Sunday, we recognized the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Sadly, almost 60 million American babies have lost their lives because of this ignominious Supreme Court decision. The tide is turning, though. prgtoken On Friday, I will have the pleasure of participating in the March for Life rally to stand with the millions of people who are defending life across this country. prgtoken I am immensely proud to live in Arizona, a State that prioritizes the protection of the unborn. Since 2009, Arizona has passed 34 provisions to restrict or regulate abortions, and Arizona's abortion rate has concomitantly decreased 12 percent in those same 4 years. I appreciate the efforts of pro-life advocates across my district who have worked tirelessly to help countless women choose life for their unborn babies. prgtoken I look forward to working with President and his administration on advancing pro-life legislation like H.R. 7, which we passed out of the House today, and ensuring pro-life candidates for all Supreme Court vacancies and ultimately reversing that ignominious ruling, Roe v. Wade.
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Steve Russell (Republican, OK) \u2014 2017-1-24

. Madam , the carving up and commercial sale of dismembered unborn children ranks as one of the most horrific and barbaric acts in American and human history. prgtoken As an adoptive father, I speak today on behalf of the 55 million Americans that have had their lives brutally ended with the scalpel, the suction hose, and the callousness of the murderous culture that allows it to perpetuate. prgtoken These Americans had a right to choose life that they did not want to lose. We have the ability to restore to future Americans that choice. Until that day, no American should be forced to end the life of an innocent human being with their tax dollars. prgtoken We can carve up a child and call it a choice. We can destroy human life and call it health care. We can make the killing of children legal and pretend it is beneficial. We can cover acts of barbarity with the veneer of civility. But we cannot escape our accountability before the Creator of life.
130TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LONGMONT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2017-1-24

I ask to have printed in the Record a copy of my remarks to the Longmont Chamber of Commerce on its 130th anniversary. prgtoken The material follows: remarks to the longmont chamber of commerce I rise today to honor the Longmont Chamber of Commerce on its 130th anniversary. For more than 100 years, this chamber of commerce has been an important resource for businesses of all sizes in the Longmont area. Colorado's Northern front range has experienced significant growth within the past few years, with an influx of residents moving to this region. Longmont, which sits in Weld and Boulder counties, is now home to nearly 100,000 people. The community's strong manufacturing, agriculture, and innovative technology companies have all contributed to Longmont's development. The Longmont Chamber of Commerce has been an active participant in helping all industries succeed and grow. Annual events, like the ``Unity in the Community'' event, draw more than 1,000 representatives from business, government, and nonprofit organizations. In addition, Longmont has received multiple recognitions for its ability to problem solve, and make their community a better place to live for all residents. In 2006, Longmont received the All- America City Award from the National Civic League, and in 2008, was named as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live by Money Magazine. The Chamber of Commerce will continue to play a critical role in the growth and development of Longmont, as the Front Range sees an increase in population and business endeavors. Longmont is fortunate to have a dedicated organization like the Chamber helping its residents grow their businesses. Congratulations to the Longmont Chamber of Commerce on reaching this significant milestone.
CABINET NOMINATIONS
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-1-24

I wish to talk a little bit this afternoon about the way my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are, unfortunately--and with no reason--delaying and delaying the confirmation of heads of critically important agencies, Cabinet Secretaries, for our country. prgtoken Now, we have differences of opinion in this body. That is often a good thing. We debate, we share ideas, we agree, we disagree, we give the voters the very best we have, and then we let them make their own decisions, which they do at the ballot box. prgtoken On election day, the American people chose President and Vice President . The American people did so knowing they would appoint a new Cabinet and be focused on the issues they ran on, but the American people did not vote for delay and they did not vote for obstruction. They voted for action and they voted for a smooth transition, which is what this body has traditionally done. prgtoken It has been a longstanding tradition of the U.S. Senate, working hard, to confirm Cabinet nominees of a newly elected President in a timely fashion, particularly when it comes to the President's national security team. prgtoken For example, in 2009, upon the election of President , 7 of his Cabinet members were sworn into office on the first day, 5 more were confirmed by the end of the first week--14 Cabinet officials inside of a week. prgtoken Where are we right now? Two Cabinet officials and one CIA Director. That is not what the American people expect. That is not the tradition in the Senate. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have a responsibility to the American people to put a government in place and to treat the confirmation process with the same courtesy and seriousness the Senate gave to President prgtoken 's Cabinet-level nominees, and that is not happening right now. This is serious business, particularly on national security issues. prgtoken I am hopeful my colleagues on the other side of the aisle can start getting serious and show this administration the same courtesy that s showed President 's administration when he came into office. prgtoken , .
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Kristi L. Noem (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-1-24

. Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act. prgtoken Specifically, this bill says directly that Federal taxpayer dollars could not be used to provide abortions. It does not do more than that. What it does is it puts into statute a permanency to legislation that has annually been renewed. prgtoken Becoming a parent was something that my husband and I always dreamed about. And when we did realize that we were having our first child, we prayed for her and we prayed for our future children, recognizing that they were a gift from God and that that life was to be protected even from the moment of conception. prgtoken That is the belief that I have, and my hope and my dream for everyone here in America is that we would recognize that those children are a gift from God to us to protect, to keep, and to make sure that they are brought into this world safely and helped from thereon. My perspective and my profound commitment to protecting unborn children is why I am standing here today. prgtoken Time and again, Congress has risen with bipartisan support to oppose taxpayer-funded abortions. Annual provisions, including the Hyde amendment, have been passed repeatedly; and they have been estimated to save over 2 million innocent lives. Our goal here is to save even more. We need to make these provisions permanent. prgtoken Care has allowed the tax dollars of hardworking Americans to flow to over 1,000 abortion-covering health plans. This has made today's bipartisan legislation more important than ever. prgtoken H.R. 7 would create a permanent governmentwide prohibition against Federal dollars to fund abortive procedures. It would also ensure the Affordable Care Act complies with the Hyde amendment until it is repealed and replaced. That is the right thing to do. prgtoken Today we stand to make sure that every single life is valued, not just the ones that we pick and choose for political reasons; that every single one that God has created has an opportunity to live out their dreams here in the United States of America.
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Martha Roby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-1-24

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee for yielding me this time. Opponents of this bill are suggesting that we are against women's health care. What we are vehemently opposed to is the killing of innocent lives, innocent babies. prgtoken So let's call abortion abortion and be reminded that the one voice, Madam , not heard today is that of the baby. So it is my privilege, alongside my colleagues, to speak on behalf of those who are not here today to speak for themselves. No taxpayer dollars should ever go to fund abortions. This is a commonsense truth that even the most ardent pro-abortion activists have a hard time arguing. prgtoken I am unapologetically pro-life, and it is no secret that I believe in stronger protections for unborn children under the law, but I also believe that we must assign greater respect for life within our society. That is why it is so important for Congress to make a statement, once and for all, that there is no place in the Federal budget for abortion funding. prgtoken As an appropriator, I can tell you that the Hyde amendment has been indispensable to stopping funding for abortion throughout our government healthcare agencies. Now it is time to apply the same longstanding provision across the entire Federal Government. prgtoken Madam , for my pro-life colleagues and me, fighting on behalf of the unborn has been an uphill battle these last several years. The abortion industry's fierce allies in the Senate and the administration have made sure that many worthy pro-life measures were defeated. However, with a unified government, our hope is that our prospects have changed for the better. On just the second day of his Presidency, President issued an executive order blocking Federal funding for international groups to provide or promote abortions. For the pro-life community, this long-overdue action was a welcome sign that the administration will be a powerful ally in the fight for life.
BENEFITS OF RENEWABLE FUELS
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-1-24

I rise to speak about an issue of great importance to my district and the State of Iowa, renewable fuels. prgtoken On January 31, a renewable fuels summit will allow Iowans to gather together and highlight the essential role Iowa plays when it comes to our energy needs. prgtoken The renewable fuels industry boasts good-paying jobs for our economy, not only in my State of Iowa, but across the country. Renewable fuels increase choice for consumers and lower prices at the pump. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report also showed how the renewable fuels contribute to reducing emissions and our Nation's reliance on foreign fuels. prgtoken This new Congress provides a lot of opportunity to both renewable fuels advocates and opponents. I look forward to engaging in meaningful discussions with my colleagues to inform them of the benefits of renewable fuels: energy independence, good-paying jobs, enhancing national security, environmental benefits, consumer choice with lower prices, and ensuring the strength and history of the family farm. prgtoken I will also work with the administration and anyone else to help protect the Renewable Fuels Standard and consumer access to conventional and advanced biofuels. The renewable fuels industry plays such a key role in so many of our Nation's needs.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-1-24

today I stand in support of my good friend and Governor, Nikki Haley, who has been nominated for the position of Ambassador to the United Nations. Simply put, Governor Haley is the right choice, and I could not be prouder to support her nomination. She has shown amazing leadership during very trying times in South Carolina, and I know that she will bring the same strength and resolve in reinforcing and prgtoken strengthening our relationships with our allies. prgtoken As she showed through her confirmation hearing, Nikki is a strong, principled leader. During a time with so much international instability, we need a decisive and compassionate leader like Governor Haley representing our Nation. She is the type of visionary leader who will help turn the diplomatic tide of the past few years and reassure our allies that the United States stands in strong support of them. prgtoken Nikki has served the people of South Carolina very well, and she will be missed. But now, I look forward to addressing her by her new title-- Ambassador. prgtoken . prgtoken .
Replacing ObamaCare (Executive Session)
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2017-1-24

in 2010, when I ran for Congress, all the questions circled around the Affordable Care Act. Every townhall meeting, every conversation, everyone who caught me in the grocery store, everywhere I went there was a conversation about the Affordable Care Act. What is going to happen? Where are things going to go? And there was a lot of concern about it. prgtoken The President promised at the time that if you liked your insurance, your doctor, and your hospital, you would keep it, and it would just get better. Prices would go down; options for insurance would go up. There would be marketplaces where more and more companies would rush in, and that would drive the prices down. prgtoken Now, 7 years later, the greatest fears of a lot of the Oklahomans I am around all the time have come true. Here is the crisis in Oklahoma dealing with health care: We have the highest rate increase in the entire Nation. Last year, our rates went up in Oklahoma 76 percent; the year before that, they went up 35 percent. That is an 111-percent rate increase in 2 years in my State. Over the course of the last 3 years, insurance companies have left my State. All 77 counties of Oklahoma now have one insurance carrier left. I met with that insurance carrier before, and they are seriously looking at how they stay functional in Oklahoma in the days ahead, which is a concern to me. There is a possibility that we may have zero on our marketplace in some counties and in some locations in Oklahoma. prgtoken With a 76-percent increase, I have had some folks who caught me and said: Well, your State didn't expand Medicaid. That is the problem. If you had expanded Medicaid, then it wouldn't have been an issue. Well, I will tell you that a study from HHS has now come back, and they have confirmed that it is true. If our State would have expanded Medicaid, it would have reduced our costs by 7 percent. That means instead of having a 76-percent increase, as we had, we would have had only a 69- percent increase of health care costs in our prgtoken State. Zero competition, dramatically higher deductibles, dramatically higher premiums--every hospital in my State, rural and urban, has more charity care now and more bad debt now than they had 7 years ago. prgtoken Insure Oklahoma, a program we set up a decade ago to take care of people who did not have access to insurance, continues to falter because my State is playing ``Mother May I?'' every year with the Federal Government on whether we can maintain a program that our State had and was growing. Small risk pools are not allowed. People still don't know the price of their health care. Electronic health records still can't talk to each other. There is still a rise in the cost of prescription drugs. We still have overlapping administrative costs on dual eligibles, Medicare and Medicaid, for senior adults. Compliance costs for our doctors, clinics, and hospitals have skyrocketed. Physician-owned ho
FUTURE OF THE EPA AND NOMINATION OF SCOTT PRUITT
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-1-24

last week the Committee on Environment prgtoken and Public Works held a hearing on the nomination of Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The hearing was really about the future of this Agency and how we can get it back to doing the job it was meant to do from the very beginning. prgtoken We are blessed in this country with enormous natural resources. Our goal should be to use these resources responsibly in ways that protect our environment and help make our economy strong. prgtoken Over the past 8 years, the leaders of the Environmental Protection Agency created broad and legally questionable new regulations that undermined the American people's faith in the Agency. The political leaders of this Agency have been reckless, irresponsible, and arrogant. prgtoken A course of correction is long overdue, and it is exactly what we are going to get. prgtoken If my colleagues have any doubts that the EPA lost its way, they can just look at two of the biggest environmental scandals we have seen in a long time. In the summer of 2015, there was what became known as the Gold King Mine disaster. The Environmental Protection Agency spilled 3 million gallons of toxic wastewater into a river in Colorado. This was water filled with toxic substances like arsenic and lead. It flowed to New Mexico and Utah, through the land of the Navajo Nation and the Southern Ute Indian tribe. There are 200,000 people who drink water from the river system that the EPA poisoned. Farmers and ranchers couldn't use the water for their crops or their animals. prgtoken The other disaster the Environmental Protection Agency helped to cause was what happened in Flint, MI. The EPA failed to do the proper oversight. As a result, thousands of children were exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water. The Agency knew about the dangers to the public health and for months did nothing to warn the people. prgtoken These are just two scandals where the Environmental Protection Agency actually harmed people's health because the EPA was negligent. There are also many ways the Agency has harmed families and the American economy, not by accident but intentionally. It has issued thousands of pages of regulations trying to shut down the entire coal industry in the United States. Since 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency has come out with nearly 200 new regulations. prgtoken According to the American Action Forum, the total cost of all of this new redtape is about $340 billion. The Agency has piled enormous new restrictions and costs onto American families and businesses, all to produce miniscule benefits. prgtoken One of them was the so-called Clean Power Plan. States sued to block this destructive bureaucratic overreach. The courts had to step in and tell Washington not so fast. prgtoken We should be looking for ways to make American energy as clean as we can, as fast as we can, without raising
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION AND ABORTION INSURANCE FULL DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2017
Diane Black (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-1-24

. Madam , today I am simply asking my colleagues across the aisle not to flip-flop on this issue. This legislation isn't just the right thing to do; it also has broad support. prgtoken Polling shows that 6 in 10 Americans agree that taxpayer dollars should not fund abortions. Despite this fact, a nonpartisan government study found that abortions could be funded with taxpayer dollars through Care, and this demands a response. prgtoken Today we have an opportunity to invest in women's health over abortion by passing H.R. 7 and making the Hyde amendment permanent and governmentwide. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to reject this motion to recommit and to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7. prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE ALDEN B. DOWN MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND ART BRUCE WINSLOW
John R. Moolenaar (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-1-24

I rise today to pay tribute to Bruce Winslow, the Director of the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art, upon his retirement. prgtoken Bruce was born and raised in Midland and has kept his heart in his hometown. After graduating from CMU he went on to attend the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where he honed his skills as an artist. After graduating in 1988, he found employment at the Midland Art Council, which later became the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art. prgtoken When starting his career he was the Coordinator of Public Relations for nine years, became the Curatorial Director and quickly after that the Director of the Museum. Since he took the helm in 1997, Bruce has taken the museum in many rewarding directions that have brought interest back into museum from unconventional museum goers. He has helped many see how science and art play a vital role in everyone lives. Now, during his final days as director, the museum is holding a new exhibit just for him, ``35 Years: The Bruce Winslow Retrospective.'' It is to celebrate his life in the arts, his family and his career. prgtoken Bruce has been especially helpful to Michigan's Fourth District, ensuring its participation in the Annual Congressional Art Competition for many years. During that time, not only has Bruce built an exhibit to showcase the artists' work from throughout the district, but he has also served as an integral member of the Art Competition Committee as a judge, helping select the piece to be displayed in the United States Capitol building. He also has given of his time and talents to help coordinate a special ceremony to honor all of the participants. prgtoken On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Bruce Winslow for his lifetime of work in the arts and for his commitment to the people of Midland.