mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COUNTERING IRAN'S DESTABILIZING ACTIVITIES ACT OF 2017--MOTION TO PROCEED
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-6-12

I would say to my friend from New York that he is omniscient if he claims to know the content of a bill that has not yet been voted on or agreed upon by s in the Senate. I would just put that in the same category as his other advice to folks on this side of the aisle and again challenge his memory to how we got here in the first place. prgtoken I was here on Christmas Eve when we voted. I ended up voting against, but voted to jam Care through this body and on a strictly party-line vote. The fact is, Care is failing millions of people because if they have access to coverage at all, many of them have seen their premiums go up an average of 105 percent since 2013. That is the average in the 30-plus States that carry Care insurance on the healthcare exchanges--a 105-percent increase. Many of them have also seen their deductibles get so big that they cannot even really use the insurance they have because basically they are effectively self-insured. prgtoken So I take with a grain of salt the comments from my friend from New York that somehow we are doing something that is so horrible when we are trying to rescue the American people and clean up the mess our ic friends created when they jammed Care through on a party-line vote. If they were serious about it, what they would do is accept our invitation to work with us to improve healthcare for all Americans. It would be much better if we could do this on a bipartisan basis. It would certainly be more durable and be sustained for much longer than things done strictly on party-line votes. Yet, in the absence of any real help from our ic friends, who just seem to be standing idly by and not lifting a finger to help the people being hurt by Care today, we are going to have to do the best we can with the hand we have been dealt on behalf of the people whom we represent. prgtoken , on another matter, as a global leader of state- sponsored terrorism, Iran continues to threaten the very existence of the nation of Israel and destabilize the Middle East by creating a breeding ground for violence and hatred. prgtoken For the past several years, the United States and our allies have attempted to contain Iran, often to no avail. For one, President 's lopsided nuclear deal left a zero imprint on Iran's terrorist activities. So last week the senior Senator from Tennessee, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced legislation to apply impactful and powerful sanctions on the nation of Iran. This bill will give the President the ability to block any trade that could benefit Iran's ballistic missile programs or support its military buildup. prgtoken I plan to introduce a bipartisan amendment to this bill that would target Mahan Air. This is Iran's largest commercial airline that doubles as the preferred mode of transportation for terrorists and their weapons. T
DAVID JOHNSON
Lynn Jenkins (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-6-12

I rise today to recognize and congratulate David Johnson of Lawrence, Kansas, for his commitment, leadership, and service to the State of Kansas and people struggling with mental illnesses everywhere. As his tenure as CEO of the Bert-Nash Community Mental Health Center nears its end, and we reflect on his sixteen years serving as CEO, we celebrate the work he has done to positively impact the Lawrence community, Douglas County, the State of Kansas, and beyond. David demonstrated national leadership as the CEO of a community mental health center by continuing to serve the ever-growing community of Lawrence, while facing the challenge of decreased funding. David has championed initiatives for mental health care such as the Mental Health First Aid grant program and was the person who first brought that program's need and impact to my attention. David has been such an effective national voice for this program that he was invited as a Congressional witness in 2014 to share with Members of Congress the need for the Mental Health First Act of 2013. As one of the original fourteen people trained as Mental Health First Aid instructors in the country, David undoubtedly encouraged and inspired more people to get that training so they could help their family, friends and neighbors in their time of need. David is willing to boldly lead on the issue of mental health care and advocate for the millions of Americans hiding in the shadows struggling with mental illness. When it comes to our home State of Kansas, David has made his imprint through undertaking statewide efforts that help create new opportunities for people with mental illness and their families. These initiatives allow more people to discover and receive the care they need while their families are educated on ways to help their loved ones. I extend my deepest appreciation to David Johnson for his service and commitment to the State of Kansas and while I am sad to hear of his retirement, I wish him and his family all the best in the years ahead.
HONORING DR. GERARD OAKLEY, JR. OF HUNTINGTON, WV
Evan H. Jenkins (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-6-12

I rise today to recognize Dr. Gerard J. Oakley, Jr. of Huntington, West Virginia. Dr. Oakley served his country as a medical officer in the United States Air Force during Operation Desert Storm, retiring after 20 years of service with the rank of lieutenant colonel. prgtoken After serving in the armed forces, Dr. Oakley made his home in Huntington with his wife, Tanyia, and their four sons to continue his practice as a gynecologic oncologist. Dr. Oakley has spent the last 20 years providing quality cancer care for patients in his community, both through his private practice and with the Mountains of Hope Cancer Coalition. prgtoken Dr. Oakley has been recognized as a leader among his peers on numerous occasions, from service as the leader of gynecologic oncology at Marshall University to chief of staff at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Dr. Oakley was instrumental in the founding of the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center in Huntington and has been serving as its medical director. prgtoken Dr. Oakley helped the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center obtain its certification as an Academic Comprehensive Cancer Program and brought new technologies in radiation oncology and robot assisted surgery to the cancer center, allowing patients to have cutting-edge cancer care close to home. prgtoken I thank Dr. Oakley for his leadership, his service, and all he has done for the people of the great state of West Virginia in the fight against cancer.
BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A LARGER NAVY
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-6-12

as chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee, I rise this afternoon to direct the attention of this body to an important national security issue: building and sustaining a larger Navy. prgtoken President wants a 350-ship Navy, which aligns with the Navy's requirement for 355 ships. Right now we have only 275 ships in the battle fleet. Increasing the size of the Navy by 80 ships, even as older ships retire each year, is a test of national will. It will not happen overnight. However, Congress has the responsibility to lay a firm foundation this year to prepare for a deliberate and responsible buildup in the future. A healthy shipbuilding industrial base is necessary to succeed. prgtoken Today, I will offer some general comments about the state of shipbuilding. Then I will focus on the submarine industrial base, in particular, because of its unique challenges. Finally, I will make suggestions on how Congress can support the industrial base in general and the submarine yards specifically. prgtoken Last month, my subcommittee convened two hearings on this matter. The first was with naval officials. This took place in a classified setting because of their expertise and because of sensitive information. The other hearing was with the country's two top shipbuilders--Huntington Ingalls and General Dynamics--as well as the Shipbuilders Council of America, which is the trade association for suppliers. We discussed the industrial base as it exists today and the challenges associated with building up the fleet. prgtoken Based on my subcommittee's work, here are four general impressions of the state of shipbuilding. prgtoken No. 1, the yards are turning out most classes of ships on time and on budget. Ingalls Shipbuilding just delivered the newest big-deck amphibious ship--the LHA--13 weeks early. Electric Boat and Newport News continue to deliver Virginia-class attack submarines, or SSNs. Construction time for attack submarines has declined by 1\1/2\ years-- from 84 months to 66 months. There are a few notable exceptions, but, by and large, industry is delivering for the warfighter and for the taxpayer. prgtoken No. 2, most yards have excess capacity to ramp up shipbuilding. This is very good news for national security. The Navy's accelerated fleet plan concluded that the industrial base can build an additional 29 ships--above projections--over the next 7 years. The glaring exceptions are the submarine yards, which will struggle to meet planned demand as the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine production starts. In terms of capacity, our submarine yards have a ways to go. prgtoken No. 3, two decades of low-rate shipbuilding have significantly reduced the supplier base. The Congressional Budget Office has stated that ships cost more today than they did during the Reagan buildup, even when adjusting for inflation. Twenty years ago, about 17,000 suppliers served the submarine business. Now only ab
FEDERAL POWER ACT AMENDMENT
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-6-12

and friend from Michigan, the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, as well as the ranking member of the subcommittee for this opportunity. prgtoken I also want to start off by thanking the Energy and Commerce Committee staff on both sides of the aisle for their time and work on this issue. prgtoken Additionally, I would like also to thank my colleague, Debbie Dingell, for being an original cosponsor of H.R. 1109 and helping advance this bipartisan and, might I add, commonsense rule. prgtoken Based on current statute, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission takes the position that approval from the Commission is necessary for all mergers and acquisitions, no matter how small or insignificant the value of the facilities involved, even down to zero. prgtoken FERC's interpretation has led to trivial paperwork that bogs down the Commission and creates unnecessary red tape for American businesses, ultimately increasing utility bills for the consumer. H.R. 1109 will help reduce excessive paperwork burdens and bring down energy prices for American families. prgtoken This bipartisan solution unties FERC's hands and allows the Commission to ensure American consumers are getting the most affordable and reliable electricity possible in a commonsense sort of way. Mr I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1109.
RECOGNIZING RICHARD J. SLOMA
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-6-13

I rise today to recognize Colonel Richard J. Sloma, a Syracuse native and second-generation Polish-American, who has dedicated much of his adult life to serving this great country and our community. Colonel Sloma enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve upon graduating high school and later went on to obtain his bachelor's degree from SUNY Oswego and his master's degree from the University at Albany. Colonel Sloma is currently a member of the Polish Legion of American Veterans--Post 14, the Syracuse Polish Home, the Polish American Historical Association, and serves as an Archivist for the New York State Archives in Albany. This year, Colonel Sloma will be honored at the 2017 Syracuse Polish Festival as the ``2017 Pole of the Year.'' He will be recognized for his dedicated service to our country. Colonel Sloma served on U.S. Army active duty assignments in New York State, North prgtoken Dakota, and Italy. Colonel Sloma then joined the New York Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan with the 27th Infantry Brigade from Syracuse in 2008. There, Colonel Sloma served as the Director of Intelligence for the Task Force Phoenix in Kandahar. Colonel Sloma later retired in 2013 with the rank of Colonel as the New York State Counterdrug Task Force Commander. Colonel Sloma had over 20 years of active duty experience and 31 years of total military experience, earning the Legion of Merit award, Bronze Star, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, three Meritorious Medals, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Airborne Badge. I am honored to recognize Colonel Richard J. Sloma for his service to our great nation and upon being named ``2017 Pole of the Year'' by the Syracuse Polish Scholarship Fund, Inc.
APPLAUDING THE WORK OF THE NATIONAL YOUNG FARMERS COALITION
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-6-13

last week, I met with members of the National Young Farmers Coalition. This nonprofit was founded just 8 years ago by three farmers in upstate New York. They gathered around a farmhouse table to talk about the challenges facing them and their peers: difficulty securing loans, access to affordable farmland, and student loan debt. prgtoken They decided that they and other young farmers needed to step up and fight for the future of farming as a united front. Across the country, other young farmers were also coming to the same realization, and the coalition was born. prgtoken It works in conjunction with farmers, consumers, organizations, and government to tackle the many challenges that young, independent, and sustainable farmers face in their first years of operating a farm business. prgtoken Young farmers include all people who are kicking off a career in agriculture. Typically, in their first 10 years of growing, this includes anyone from a first-year farm apprentice to someone pursuing a midlife career change to agriculture. prgtoken , rural America is struggling. But rural areas offer unique contributions to our Nation, often in the form of agriculture, raw materials, and naturally occurring commodities. prgtoken As more and more young people pursue fast-paced careers in cities and urban centers, the size and composition of populations in rural America is rapidly changing. American agriculture, in particular, is facing a crisis of attrition. prgtoken Two-thirds of our farmland is on the cusp of transition as farmers grow older and retire, and there are fewer young farmers positioned to manage this resource. prgtoken Farmers over the age of 65 outnumber farmers under the age of 35 by a margin of 6 to 1. The number of farmers under the age of 35 grew by only 1 percent from 2007 to 2012. In order to fix this problem, we must help incentivize more young people to pursue careers in agriculture. prgtoken That is why, together with Representatives Joe Courtney of Connecticut and John Faso of New York, I prgtoken introduced the Young Farmers Success Act, which aims to accomplish this by adding farmers to the existing Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. prgtoken After making 10 years of income-based student loan payments, a young farmer would see the balance of his or her student loans forgiven, just as other public servants who utilize this program currently do. It is my hope that the enactment of this legislation will lead to the continued enhancement of our Nation's farms. prgtoken Agriculture is the number one industry in Pennsylvania, , and as such, many of the rural communities in the State depend on agriculture in some form. Unfortunately, USDA released its first farm income forecast for 2017 and predicted that net farm income is expected to decline for the fourth consecutive year. prgtoken Declining farm income coupled with low commodity prices over the past few years have adversely impacted farmers and r
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ST. CLOUD AREA ADAPTED SOFTBALL TEAM
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2017-6-13

I rise today to congratulate all the recent high school graduates in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District on completing a major milestone in their young lives. prgtoken This milestone represents the beginning of the rest of your lives. And while we celebrate your achievement, we are also excited for your future, and there is so much to be excited about. prgtoken Many of you will go on to further your careers in education, travel and see the world. Some of you might go to medical school, and one of you might actually cure a disease. Some of you might run for public office, and one of you might even become the President of the United States. prgtoken You will be active in your communities. You will build families and be incredible assets to the great State of Minnesota. Your possibilities are limitless, and I hope you will always think big and never give up on your dreams. prgtoken We wish you the best of luck as you take the next step in your journey, and we look forward to watching you succeed and thrive. prgtoken I also want to thank your parents and the teachers of these wonderful scholars for guiding them along and helping them achieve this great goal. An education is the key that opens all of life's doors, and we thank you for handing these students the key. Recognizing the Service of Mark J. Sizer
PASS VETERANS AFFAIRS ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT
Martha Roby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2017-6-13

today we have an opportunity to send to the President's desk legislation bringing unprecedented accountability to the VA and badly needed protections for whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing. prgtoken , as someone who has worked with whistleblowers to shed light on negligence, abuse, and even criminal activity within the Central Alabama VA, I can tell you that this reform legislation is long overdue. When it comes to the VA scandal that erupted a few years ago, most Americans probably remember Phoenix, Arizona, and the horrendous activity that happened there. Phoenix became the epitome of a nationwide VA accountability problem, and rightly so. prgtoken However, in many ways, the Central Alabama VA could also be considered a poster child for the need of reform of the Department of Veterans Affairs from top to bottom. It might not have garnered as many headlines as Phoenix, but the nature and extent of the abuse inside the Central Alabama VA was every bit as bad, if not worse. prgtoken My staff and I worked with courageous whistleblowers and dedicated journalists to pull back the curtain there. Here are just a handful of examples of what we found: prgtoken More than 900 X-ray cancer screenings, some showing malignancies, were lost and unread for years. When alerted to the problem, top administrators tried to cover it up. prgtoken A VA pulmonologist manipulated more than 1,200 patient records, but even after being caught twice, was still give an satisfactory review. prgtoken Perhaps the most disturbing is a Central Alabama VA employee took a recovering veteran to a crack house and bought him drugs and provided him prostitutes in order to extort his VA payments. And even when caught, this employee was not fired, not until 1\1/2\ years later, when we exposed it in the newspaper. prgtoken The crack incident stands out in my mind for many reasons. First, it still haunts me to my core just how callous prgtoken and uncaring a person could be to do such a thing to a veteran patient. Second, it illustrates just how complacent the bureaucracy had become to let that behavior slide. And third, it is chilling to think that we would never have even known about it if not for a brave VA employee who walked into my Montgomery office and handed us a copy of the police report. prgtoken Thankfully, under the 2014 reform law, the director of the Central Alabama VA was fired in the wake of these exposures. That law took an important step toward speeding up the termination process for top officials. But did you know that he remains the only senior official fired as a result of the VA scandal? prgtoken , we all know that law did not go far enough. For one thing, it did not extend the strict accountability standards to rank- and-file employees. Senior managers aren't the only ones responsible for the failures at the VA. There has been a culture of complacency up and down the chain of command for a very long time, and the complicated proc
COUNTERING IRAN'S DESTABILIZING ACTIVITIES ACT OF 2017
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2017-6-13

I rise today to pay respect to a law enforcement officer in my home State of Arkansas who lost his life in the line of duty yesterday, Monday, June 12, 2017. prgtoken Lieutenant Patrick Weatherford of the Newport Police Department joined other officers in responding to the call of a vehicle break-in when he was shot. Sadly, Lieutenant Weatherford passed away later that evening. prgtoken Lieutenant Weatherford served on the Newport police force for 15 years and recently graduated from the FBI Academy. He was also a graduate of ASU-Newport and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. prgtoken Lieutenant Weatherford was recognized as the 2016 Jackson County Officer of the Year by Arkansas attorney general Leslie Rutledge. prgtoken His colleagues had great respect and admiration for him, and he was known as an officer who performed his duties with professionalism and skill. prgtoken This is the second Arkansas law enforcement officer we have lost in 2017. Any occasion when someone who is sworn to protect and serve their community does not return home to the loved ones waiting for them is incredibly sad and heartbreaking. Arkansans value the men and women who volunteer to help ensure and enhance public safety knowing the risks involved. prgtoken We are devastated by the loss of another law enforcement officer in our State, and we thank all of those who sacrifice so much to protect us. prgtoken I want to encourage my colleagues to pass the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act to allow Governors to order the American flag to fly at half-staff in recognition of the sacrifice of first responders like Lieutenant Weatherford who make the ultimate sacrifice. prgtoken My thoughts and prayers go out to Lieutenant Weatherford's family and friends, as well as the community he served, which will no doubt miss him dearly. I pray they will all find comfort during such a difficult time as this. prgtoken I also stand with all Arkansans in expressing our gratitude for Lieutenant Weatherford's service and commit to honoring the sacrifice he and others have made to protect us. prgtoken With that, . prgtoken .
FORT JACKSON CENTENNIAL
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-6-13

this month marks the Fort Jackson Centennial, a celebration of 100 years of military service and opportunity at that extraordinary post. prgtoken As the largest initial entry training facility for the Army, Fort Jackson has been a leader in training in military readiness. Indeed, Fort Jackson recently achieved a remarkable milestone, having trained an estimated five million soldiers. prgtoken I know firsthand of the dedication and capability of Fort Jackson. As a member of the Army Reserve and the South Carolina Army National Guard and a graduate of the Adjutant General School, I trained at Fort Jackson. Additionally, three of my four sons have served in the South Carolina National Guard, receiving world class training at Fort Jackson. prgtoken I have also seen how Fort Jackson supports the Midlands community, promoting civilian and military jobs, providing strong leaders and volunteers for our community, drawing millions of visitors. This is why the Midlands has worked hard to become the most military-friendly community in America. prgtoken Congratulations to General Pete Johnson for a strong command at Fort Jackson. I look forward to continued success for American families. Victory starts here. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, and may we never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.