mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
David Perdue (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-9-27

I would like to echo what my esteemed colleague from Missouri has outlined in the last few minutes. His leadership on this issue is pronounced, and his experience on this floor is not to be underestimated. I appreciate his leadership on this, and I appreciate the opportunity to weigh in on this. prgtoken Before my remarks today on this historic opportunity before us right now to finally, after 30 years, become competitive again with the rest of the world, I would like to preface my remarks with a personal comment. My mom and dad were schoolteachers. We were middle class. I grew up working on our family farm. My mom and dad were really the first two in their extended families who had ever been to college. All of my relatives were farmers in the South. prgtoken I think the Tax Code that we have had for the last 100 years, since it was instituted in our country, has created an imbalance. We can see right now that we are losing competitiveness with the rest of the world. We have a growing disparity among income levels in this country, borne out somewhat by the derivative results of an archaic, out-of- control, out-of-date, and inappropriate tax policy. prgtoken Today, we have two crises in America. I have spoken on this floor a lot about this. We have a global security crisis that cannot be argued against. It is deadly. It is serious. We also have a debt crisis, and they are interwoven because of our inability to discipline ourselves on this floor over the last 30 years, particularly the last 16 years. We now have $20 trillion of debt, and that is the result of an explosion in the size of our Federal Government. prgtoken In 2000, the size of our government--these are constant 2016 dollars. The size of our government in 2000 was $2.4 trillion. ``Trillion'' is a big number, and it gets a lot of zeros out there. I have a hard time even digesting what that is. But 2.4--I can relate to the size that it is today, and it was $4 trillion last year. So our Federal Government has grown over 60 percent in 16 short years. There was one President and one ic President. My experience here in the last 2 years has been that there are no innocent parties in terms of this out-of-control spending on the part of the Federal Government. prgtoken One of the solutions to this debt crisis is a growing economy. President , from day one, has said that growing the economy is job one, but it was part of a bigger strategy in his first year. prgtoken There were four components to the strategy in the first year. One was that we had to get Neil Gorsuch confirmed to the Supreme Court, and that was done. Second, we had to roll back on some of the more onerous regulations that were stifling the very life out of the free enterprise system. To date, over 800 regulations have been removed from our government. Third was healthcare. We are still trying to fix a collapsing Care system that is hurting people back h
DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017
Carlos Curbelo (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-9-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , Hurricane Irma's direct hit to the lower and middle Keys was devastating to my district. Many lost everything to the storm's 130-mile-an-hour winds and significant storm surge. Some lost their lives. prgtoken But fortunately, the Keys' recovery is well underway, and the resiliency and generosity of Conchs and other south Florida residents have been on display before, during, and after the storm. prgtoken While facing the prospects of receiving the full force of the storm, Key West police and fire departments decided to remain on the ground, risking their personal safety. They wanted to be there for their neighbors when the storm had passed. prgtoken Navy personnel, under the leadership of Captain Bobby Baker, who sacrifice for our country every day, once again answered the call to serve and stayed behind to ensure they would be there to get the runways open and ready to receive aid. Coast Guard Captain Jeff Janszen also stayed to make sure the Port of Key West could open. prgtoken Two days after the storm had passed, I visited with both of these leaders. They were working tirelessly to stand up their bases and had not yet checked on the interior of their own homes. prgtoken Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay rode out the storm at the Marathon shelter because he felt it was his responsibility to be there to protect his community. Officials from local municipalities from the city of Key West prgtoken to Ocean Reef have been working around the clock with their teams to get utilities up and running, roads cleared, and government offices operational. prgtoken I am grateful to our first responders and all the public officials and employees who have been working hard to serve the people of the Florida Keys. prgtoken I also want to thank my office's Florida Keys director, Nicole Rapanos, who has dedicated long hours to assist our constituents and our neighbors in the Keys so that they can get the resources they need. I am grateful for her dedication to her neighbors and proud to have her on my staff. prgtoken Community organizations are also playing an instrumental role in the Keys' recovery. Nonprofit groups like Star of the Sea Outreach, Rotary Club of Key West, and the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, just to name a few, have been volunteering their time, coordinating donations, and serving direct relief to the community. prgtoken Private companies and small businesses have also stepped up to help. Robert Spottswood, whose family owns the Marriott Beachside, opened up the hotel to first responders, Navy personnel, and others who chose to ride out the storm. prgtoken Baby's Coffee, which was left with its own damage from the storm, was providing their entire stock to residents of Key West, along with hot meals and coffee. prgtoken Ikon Builders and UDT have brought supplies to the food banks and donation distribution centers. The Marathon EOC, which has been operating
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALLEN MISSISSIPPI MARINE LANCE CORPORAL (LCPL) JOSHUA SCOTT OSE
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-9-27

today I rise in memory of fallen Mississippi Marine Lance Corporal (LCpl) Joshua Scott Ose who gave his life while in service to our nation on September 20, 2010, during Operation Enduring Freedom. LCpl Ose was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force. prgtoken LCpl Ose was killed by enemy gunfire while conducting combat operations in Musa Qala, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The day after LCpl Ose's death was announced, a United States flag was flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. That same day, flags were flown at half- staff in his hometown of Hernando, Mississippi. prgtoken LCpl Ose enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps during his senior year at Hernando High School. He graduated in 2009. Sissy Fernandez Ose, LCpl Ose's mother, said her son began talking about serving in the military when he was in the sixth grade. ``That was all he wanted to do,'' Mrs. Ose said. ``It was his choice. He was very proud.'' prgtoken Reverend Robert A. Hatcher, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hernando, delivered the eulogy at the funeral which was held at the Trinity Baptist Church in Southaven. According to the Associated Press, Rev. Hatcher prgtoken praised LCpl Ose for his service. ``Josh was fighting to keep terrorism away from American soil,'' Rev. Hatcher said. ``Some may question the philosophy of war, but do not question this young man's desire to put an end to terrorism. He did not shirk his duty to fight for America.'' prgtoken Lee Caldwell, a family friend, said LCpl Ose set a great example for others to follow. ``He was an exemplary young man,'' Mrs. Caldwell said. ``He paid the ultimate sacrifice. We will never forget him and all those who have fought for our country as he did.'' prgtoken Retired U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Colonel (Col) John Caldwell was asked by the family to escort LCpl Ose's body from Dover Air Force Base to the First Presbyterian Church of Hernando where a visitation was held. Col Caldwell said LCpl Ose was a true hero. ``He epitomized what it was to be a Marine,'' Col Caldwell said. ``He wanted to represent his country and fight. He and Marines like him are true heroes. We need to remember them every day. We need to remember them for paying the ultimate price.'' prgtoken In 2011, the Mississippi State Legislature passed House Concurrent Resolution No. 49. The resolution commended LCpl Ose for his service. It further stated that LCpl Ose is counted among Mississippi and America heroes who committed to our nation's safety and security. prgtoken LCpl Ose is survived by his parents, Ross and Sissy Ferdandez Ose, grandparents, Earl and Darlene Ose; aunts and uncles, Brenda and John Conrad, Sherry and Scott Fernandez, Dr. Dennis and Dr. Wendy Ose, and Paul and Sarah Ose. prgtoken LCpl Ose will always be remembered for his sacrifice to protect America.
DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017
Ralph Norman (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-9-27

I rise in support of H.R. 3823, the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, which provides additional time to debate the future of our Nation's air traffic control system. prgtoken Earlier this week, I visited Charlotte Douglas' air traffic control tower and learned firsthand from the controllers about the importance of modernizing our traffic control system. Fortunately, Chairman Bill Shuster exercised leadership through spearheading H.R. 2997, the 21st Century AIRR Act, that does just that, by shifting the current bureaucratic and broken air traffic control to a stakeholder-managed, not-for-profit corporation. With NextGen projected to ultimately cost $120 billion, it is imperative that we fix our air traffic control in this Congress. prgtoken Importantly, the 21st Century AIRR Act also strengthens air service in rural communities through ensuring that general aviation will have full access to U.S. airspace. It advances the remote air traffic control tower program, which means that rural communities are fully integrated into our Nation's air traffic control system. prgtoken , I look forward to working with my colleagues on this critical issue facing the Fifth District of South Carolina.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-9-27

when the Senator from West Virginia talked about the 40 percent that can come out of your hard work, the 2 days a week of a regular 5-day workweek--and many families are wishing they could get back to a 5-day workweek because they have really been stagnant in terms of the opportunities for their families for a long time. It is a good way to think about how hard families work just so the government can get more of their money. prgtoken This is a discussion about how the government can take less of your money. For everybody listening who wonders, ``Well, if the government is going to take less money--I thought the government already had a deficit''--we need to work on that. One way to work on that and the best way to work on that is to have more taxpayers--not higher tax rates but more taxpayers. We are looking at some tax changes here that would allow more taxpayers to share the burden, hopefully paying taxes, as I said earlier this afternoon, on a bigger paycheck to start with. You can take less money out of that paycheck, and the government gets more money because we have more people paying those taxes and more growth. prgtoken The 70-year average on growth since World War II is 3.4 percent. Every year, the economy was that much bigger than the year before. That ought to be achievable. For 70 years, we achieved that. We should be able to get back to that again if we do the right things. But for the last 8 to 9 years, that growth has been less than 2 percent. prgtoken Our problem is with jobs that aren't growing as they should in terms of what they pay and the government is not having the money it needs to defend the country and do other things. A lot of that could be solved by an economy that is thriving again. There has been 10 years of not seeing that happen. prgtoken We combine good tax policy with good regulatory policy, which means the regulatory excesses of the last few years clearly are being brought back under control. The Federal Government is beginning to look at regulation and being sure it is commonsense regulation again. Consumer confidence is growing. Every single month we look at those numbers, and they generally have been better each month than the month before. They certainly have been better the last 7 months than they were in any previous 7-month period of time for some time now. When we have a good tax policy and a good competitive policy, then before you know it, things begin to happen. prgtoken On stagnant income, you can see a study here that says, well, maybe the income hasn't gone up, but because things are a little less expensive and inflation has been so low and so many of the things families need are less expensive, they really have more money than they used to have. Try to explain that to mothers and fathers who are trying to buy five pairs of tennis shoes for five kids. You as a parent are trying to do something for your family every week or so that is a little
EXTENSION OF REDACTION AUTHORITY CONCERNING SENSITIVE SECURITY INFORMATION
Darrell Issa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-9-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken As chairman of the Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Subcommittee, I recognize the importance of judicial security needs. prgtoken Federal judges hear cases involving hardened criminals on a regular basis. Although not everyone threatens a Federal judge and not everyone is a gang member, many are. Federal judges and their families should not be at risk for simply doing their jobs. prgtoken Congress provides funding for a variety of judicial security needs by building secure court houses, staffing metal detectors at entrances, and so on, but there is a simple way to address security needs without extending taxpayer dollars. One method is to redact specific information from judicial financial disclosure reports done by the judges and other key employees. If they are to be targeted, we cannot have a judge's home address or other information that allows tracking by a criminal to, in fact, be a source of their demise. prgtoken The redaction authority has been in place since Congress began, in 1998, to allow for this, and it has been extended and expanded, in a number of cases, to include family members. The redaction process requires input and agreement from the U.S. Marshals Service. prgtoken The legislation that my colleague from New York (Mr. Jeffries) and I introduced would extend the redaction authority for an additional 10 years, until December 31, 2027. There is no financial impact from this, and it serves to put judges and their families in a position they have historically been in since 1998: less at risk by this information being disclosed. prgtoken I not only urge the House to support this legislation, but after careful consideration and research, we find that this authority has not been abused, it has been properly used, and the Federal judges have earned the absolute right to this limited redaction. prgtoken , .
DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017
Dennis A. Ross (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-9-27

. In addition, NFIP policies do not cover homeowners displaced by living expenses. prgtoken , this legislation has an untold number of supporters. I include in the Record a letter from 15 major insurance, housing, banking, and trade associations in support of the private flood insurance provisions in H.R. 3823. September 26, 2017. Hon. Paul Ryan, , House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, ic Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Ryan and Leader Pelosi: The undersigned trades and organizations strongly support the ``Development of a Private Flood Insurance Market'' title of H.R. 3823, the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017. This package includes bipartisan, clarifying language, introduced by Representative Dennis A. Ross (FL-15) and Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14), to increase acceptance of private flood insurance products. This will increase flood insurance options for consumers, thereby providing more competition and coverage options to families and businesses. The Ross-Castor language passed the House last year by a vote of 419-0, and it was ordered reported out of the House Financial Services Committee in June by a vote of 58-0. The bipartisan fix clarifies what is already in federal law (following the passage of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 and reinforced in the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014) intended by Congress to allow lenders to accept private flood insurance in lieu of federal coverage to satisfy the mandatory purchase requirement. The undersigned trades and organizations strongly support inclusion of the bipartisan Ross-Castor language in the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017 that allows consumers the choice of government or private flood insurance coverage. We ask for you to vote in favor of this important legislative package when it is considered by the House of Representatives. Sincerely, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) Reinsurance Association of America (RAA) National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) National Apartment Association (NAA) American Bankers Association (ABA) Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB) American Insurance Association (AIA) National Association of REALTORS (NAR) National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) Financial Services Roundtable (FSR) Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big ``I'') Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-9-27

I was presiding when the colloquy started with my colleagues here to talk about tax reform. I had not intended to speak today, and I am sure my staffers are scrambling, wondering what the boss will say. I want to weigh in with this discussion mainly because of the personal perspective of a leader who has seen the positive impacts of having the courage, focus, and discipline to deliver on tax reform. prgtoken Back in 2011, I was in my third term. s had the majority, and I became speaker of the house. When I came in February of 2011, it was reported to me that we had a $2.5 billion structural deficit. We had the fourth highest unemployment rate in the Nation and we had 6 months to figure out how to balance the budget. So it was counterintuitive to a lot of people that we would spend time on regulatory reform and tax reform--particularly tax reform--reducing the amount of revenue coming in at the same time we were in a deficit ourselves. But in the first 6 months that we were in the majority, we cut the sales tax. Then we went over a 2-year period, even with that $2.5 billion structural deficit, to make the changes in the corporate tax and the income tax. It took North Carolina from the 44th most taxed State--in other words, there were only 5 States ahead of us for the highest tax burden in the United States--now down to No. 12. It was one of the worst growing economies, and it now ranks in the top five in the Nation, and it is one of the fastest growing economies in the prgtoken Nation. We created over 250,000 jobs and actually put North Carolina on the map by all references--CEO measures and by independent organizations. It is the State where businesses want to set up and do business. prgtoken We took the corporate tax from 6.9 down to 2.5. We took personal income tax rates from 7.75 down to 5.49. We got people back to work. prgtoken Along the way, we had our challenges. Everybody in Washington is for tax reform. They are for tax relief. They will come into your office and tell you: Let's get her going. Then on the side they will say: except for that one righteous exemption I may need. We have to have Members who have the courage to do tax reform that helps working families, that creates jobs, and that silences the people who want to take this exemption or that exemption away, so we do what is right for the generation that is about to look for jobs and the people who need a job today. prgtoken They want their businesses to grow. They want their economies to thrive. They want the United States to be the strong, great economy that it can be. It is going to take courage. It is going to take discipline. It is going to take time--but only so much time. prgtoken I believe this Congress, this Senate, over the course of a few months, if we focus on it and with the support of the President and in collaboration with the House, can get this done. We have to get it done. We promised the American p
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2017-9-27

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m Thursday, September 28; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Erickson nomination, with the time until the cloture vote equally divided between the two leaders or their designees.