mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING COLONEL HUGH HANLON
Bill Flores (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-3-28

I rise today to honor Colonel Hugh Hanlon, who is retiring after 30 years of service to our county in the United States Air Force. prgtoken Colonel Hanlon graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987, and earned a Masters of Business Administration from Wayland Baptist University in 1998. He served for 30 years as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force, where he served as the Chief of CENTCOM strategy for the Air Force Checkmate Division and, among other assignments, as the Chief of Long Range Strategy during the Afghanistan War. During his 30 year career, Colonel Hanlon also served as an instructor pilot, flight examiner, operations officer, squadron commander, and Vice Wing Commander. During those years, he served in Hawaii, Japan, and Korea, prior to his current position as the Commander of Corps of Cadets Detachment 805 at Texas A&M University. prgtoken Over his three decade military career, Colonel Hanlon was awarded 12 awards and badges, including the National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, and Joint Meritorious Unit Award. He further distinguished his service by earning the Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, a Medal given to those who display acts of heroism or meritorious service. In addition, Colonel Hanlon earned the Legion of Merit Award, given to those who display exceptionally meritorious conduct, and the Defense Superior Service Medal, awarded to those in the Department of Defense who display superior meritorious service in positions of significant responsibility. prgtoken Colonel Hanlon has demonstrated his gifted skills as a pilot through over 3,500 flight hours, with 325 of those hours being in combat. He reached the rank of Command Pilot, and flew four different military aircraft during his service, including the T-37, T-38, A-10 and F-16. prgtoken I also would like to honor Colonel Hanlon for his service to the Texas A&M University. For nearly four years, he has served as the Commander of Detachment 805 of the Corps of Cadets, as well as teaching at the University as a Professor of Aerospace Studies. He has embodied the core values at Texas A&M, especially the core values of excellence and selfless-service. prgtoken , our Nation's history is grounded in the efforts of our men and women who have served in uniform. Those who protected and defended the United States of America deserve our highest praise and thanks. We also wish them Godspeed as they transition to the next chapter in their lives. prgtoken Today, I have requested that a United States flag be flown over the United States Capitol to honor the many contributions of Colonel Hugh Hanlon. As I close, I urge all Americans to continue praying for our country during these difficult times, for our military men and women who protect us from external threats, and for our first responders who protect us here at home.
TRIBUTE TO GENERAL HERBERT ``HAWK'' CARLISLE
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-3-28

I wish to offer my congratulations to Gen. Herbert ``Hawk'' Carlisle on the occasion of his retirement from the U.S. Air Force this month. prgtoken Over four decades of distinguished service, from the Air Force Academy to the Pentagon to leadership in two four-star commands, General Carlisle has been instrumental in advancing the capabilities of our Air Force and improving the lives of its most precious asset--its airmen. prgtoken As commander of Pacific Air Forces, General Carlisle was responsible for Air Force activities spanning more than half the globe, leading 45,000 airmen across the Pacific from Hawaii and Alaska to Japan and Korea. He provided critical strategic leadership as the United States worked to strengthen its commitment to peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific Region at time of increasing challenge. prgtoken Under General Carlisle's leadership, the airmen of Air Combat Command pressed the fight against America's adversaries, delivering devastating effects against violent extremism in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. General Carlisle's determination and hard work were essential to bringing the Air Force's F-35A Joint Strike Fighter to initial operational capability--no small achievement for a long-delayed and troubled program, yet one that is so critical for sustaining America's military dominance into the future. prgtoken I had the pleasure of getting to know General Carlisle when he served as director of the Air Force's Legislative Liaison Office. It was then that I came to appreciate his honesty and candor. Those of us tasked with the oversight of the Department of Defense and our Armed Forces rely upon the candor of our senior military leaders. In my interactions with General Carlisle in various positions through the years, whether in private meetings or in public testimony, I could always count on General Carlisle to provide his best military advice on critical defense matters affecting the Air Force and our Nation. I hope his successors will follow in that same spirit of transparency and collaboration. I also hope that my colleagues and I will continue to benefit from General Carlisle's wise counsel. prgtoken Once again, I want to express my sincere thanks to General Carlisle for his distinguished service to our country and congratulate him on a well-earned retirement. I wish General Carlisle and his family all the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.
PROTOCOL TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY OF 1949 ON THE ACCESSION OF MONTENEGRO--Continued
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-3-28

first I want to thank my colleague for coming to the floor today to speak about Montenegro and the importance of its accession into NATO, as well as for his focus on the Balkans and for his comment that right now the people of the Balkans and, for that matter, the people in Ukraine and other countries in eastern Southern Europe are feeling a lot of pressure. I applaud him for working on a bipartisan basis over the last couple of years to help us push back against some of the disinformation and propaganda that is primarily being promoted by Russia. prgtoken In each of these countries--and I know my colleague Senator Murphy has visited these countries--the first issue I hear about when I go on a trip to Latvia, where I went recently, and certainly Ukraine and even Poland is concern about this sort of unrelenting campaign of disinformation, as we call it; maybe the other term would be ``propaganda.'' We do need to stand up and be counted. The new department of global engagement at the State Department is beginning to do that. I know Senator Murphy has had some meetings recently--and I have, too--where they are starting to get their feet on the ground and being able to allow people to be able to see the objective truth; in other words, to sort of separate narratives from reality, to be able to ensure that we don't have an undermining of these great democracies-- these fledgling democracies, many of them. prgtoken So we are talking today, as my colleague from Nebraska did earlier, about the meddling in our own election here and the effect it is having on the level of trust in this country, and this is true not just here but in other democracies. I appreciate Senator Murphy standing up and being counted on that issue and then today specifically being able to help Montenegro to have the opportunity to develop its own institutions. As I said, it is not perfect, but they have made progress, they have made reforms, and they have followed the directions many of us have given them to enable them to be responsible members of NATO. So I thank Senator Murphy for being here today and talking about that. Read Aloud Month prgtoken , I am actually speaking out today about another issue, which is one that is a little closer to home, and that is about the importance of reading to our kids. It turns out that this month of March has been designated as Read Aloud Month, and this group called Read Aloud is doing fantastic work around the country. They actually started in my hometown of Cincinnati, OH, so I am a little biased about them, but what they are doing is incredibly important. It is about education, it is about the economy, and more importantly, it is about the lives of young people around the country and the ability to achieve their dreams. It is about child literacy. prgtoken Here is the information. Elementary schools and libraries are talking about this more and
Order for Recess (Executive Session)
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-3-28

the most solemn and serious and consequential act that the United States can undertake at any moment is to make the decision to send Americans into war. From time to time, war may be an unfortunate decision but a necessary decision--a necessary and potentially tragic function of any republic. And it might be necessitated by the need to safeguard the rights and the freedoms of the government's own citizens from foreign states--from those who would harm us. Yet we should enter into those wars and enter into any alliances that could lead to war only after utmost deliberation and strategic consideration, focusing specifically on the well-being of the American citizens--those people whom we are sworn to protect, those people whose safety is at stake whenever we go to war. prgtoken That is why, for the past several months, I have asked that the Senate have a rollcall vote on the measure to ratify Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty, and that is why I will be casting my vote against expanding NATO later today. prgtoken Of course, treaties and alliances with other countries can be beneficial; there is no question about that. But the Founders of this country understood that their seriousness needs also to be considered-- that the seriousness of a treaty needs to be taken into account in the same way that you have to consider very carefully the seriousness of going to war, and for the very same reasons. That is why both of these powers--the power to make and ratify treaties and the power to declare and execute war--are given not to one single branch of the Federal Government, but rather they are shared by the legislative and executive branches acting together. In addition to this, treaty ratification requires not just a majority vote, but a two-thirds supermajority vote within the Senate. prgtoken The United States should enter into treaties and alliances with foreign nations that will enhance the ability of American citizens to exercise their rights and freedoms and to safeguard those same people. At the heart of the NATO alliance is the article 5 guarantee for collective defense, stating, in essence, that an attack against any one NATO ally will be perceived and responded to as an attack against all. This means that the United States is obligated by treaty to make war because of an attack on an ally, and those allies are obligated to us for the same purpose and to the same extent. This, of course, is a very significant agreement. It is one that we should never take lightly. It is never one that we should just assume into existence any time we have a decision to make. prgtoken Simply put, I don't see how the accession of Montenegro--a country with a population smaller than most congressional districts and a military smaller than the police force of the District of Columbia--is beneficial enough that we should share an agreement for collective defense. Montenegro becoming a member of NA
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-3-28

last week the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court. Everything we heard from this nominee confirmed what has been clear from the beginning: Judge Gorsuch is the kind of judge all of us should want on the Nation's highest Court. prgtoken Judge Gorsuch obviously has a distinguished resume. He graduated with honors from Harvard Law School and went on to receive a doctorate in legal philosophy from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall scholar. prgtoken He clerked for two Supreme Court Justices--Byron White and Anthony Kennedy--and he worked in both private practice and at the Justice Department before being nominated to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he has served with distinction for 10 years. prgtoken He is widely regarded as a brilliant and thoughtful jurist and a gifted writer whose opinions are known for their clarity. Most importantly, however, Judge Gorsuch understands the proper role of a judge, and that role is to interpret the law, not make the law; to judge, not legislate; to call balls and strikes, not to rewrite the rules of the game. prgtoken It is great to have strong opinions. It is great to have sympathy for causes or organizations. It is great to have plans for fixing society's problems, but none of those things has any business influencing your ruling when you sit on the bench. Your job as a judge is to apply prgtoken the law as it is written--and here is the fundamental thing--even when you disagree with it. ``A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge,'' Judge Gorsuch said more than once. Why? Because a judge who likes every outcome he reaches is likely making decisions based on something other than the law. That is a problem. Equal justice under the law, equal protection under the law--these principles become meaningless when judges step outside of their role and start changing the meaning of the law to suit their feelings about a case or their personal opinions. prgtoken Judge Gorsuch's nomination has attracted support from both sides of the political spectrum. I think the main reason for that is because both liberals and conservatives know they can trust Judge Gorsuch to rule based on the plain text of the law, irrespective of his personal opinions. Here is what Neal Katyal, an Acting Solicitor General for President , had to say about Judge Gorsuch: I have no doubt that if confirmed, Judge Gorsuch will help to restore confidence in the rule of law. His years on the bench reveal a commitment to judicial independence--a record that should give the American people confidence that he will not compromise principle to favor the President who appointed him. prgtoken The Colorado Springs Gazette recently highlighted a letter signed by 96 prominent Colorado lawyers and judges and sent to the senior Senator from Colorado. Here is what those ind
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Session)
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2017-3-28

I wanted to come to the floor again to express my strong support for a very mainstream, well-qualified nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. prgtoken Last week, this country got to watch the Senate Judiciary Committee carry out days of hearings that questioned and probed Judge Gorsuch's legal approach, that questioned his temperament to the bench, his suitability to be on our Nation's High Court. I believe every member of the Senate Judiciary Committee had at least an hour to question Judge Gorsuch, to provide lengthy opening statements, to have an extended period of time to have a back-and-forth with Judge Gorsuch in order to go over his judicial philosophy--his approach--that he would take with him from the Tenth Circuit Court to the Nation's High Court. prgtoken A number of interest groups and personal witnesses were talking about whether or not they believe Judge Gorsuch is qualified for the bench, and some were highly favorable and spoke very highly of him, and others opposed his confirmation. That is what is great about this country--to be able to come before our Congress, our government, and to testify for or against somebody who will be in that third important branch of government, the judicial branch. It is incredibly inspiring to watch this process unfold. There were student groups around the country, classes and teachers, who were watching the confirmation hearing as a project, as an educational experience, as a lesson in civics, democracy, and government. prgtoken I mentioned, of course, that Judge Gorsuch is a judge on the Tenth Circuit Court today. He is a fourth generation Coloradan. He was confirmed to that position in 2006, 11 years ago, unanimously. He was confirmed to the Tenth Circuit Court 11 years ago unanimously. Based on some of the comments we have heard opposing Judge Gorsuch, it is hard to believe that anybody would have supported him unanimously 11 years ago--based on the things we have heard from the other side of the aisle about him. Judge Gorsuch was confirmed unanimously by 12 current ic Senators who did not oppose his confirmation 11 years ago and who serve in this body today. prgtoken Twelve ic Senators serve in this Chamber today who agreed with his confirmation or didn't oppose his confirmation 11 years ago. In fact, not a single opposed his nomination--not a single one, and his nomination was unanimous--not Minority Leader Schumer, not Senator Leahy, not Senator Feinstein, not Senator Durbin, not Senator Cantwell, not Senator Carper, not Senator Menendez, not Senator Murray, not Senator Nelson, not Senator Reid, not Senator Stabenow, and not Senator Wyden. Judge Gorsuch's nomination also was not opposed by then- Senator . It was not opposed by then-Senator , and it was not opposed by then-Senator Hillary Clinton. prgtoken This level of support for the other party's nomination is almost unheard of in
PROTOCOL TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY OF 1949 ON THE ACCESSION OF MONTENEGRO--Continued
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2017-3-28

as chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, I rise today to support Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also known as NATO. prgtoken NATO is a defensive alliance founded in 1949 to provide collective security against the threat posed by the Soviet Union. Although the world had hoped that the threat had subsided with the collapse of the Soviet Union, under the rule of Vladimir Putin, Russia has become an ever-growing menace to its neighbors and to world peace and security. As a result, NATO remains as relevant today as it was in the year of its founding. prgtoken As Defense Secretary GEN James Mattis stated in his January confirmation hearing, ``If we did not have NATO today, we would need to create it.'' prgtoken NATO has evoked article 5 of its charter--which states that an attack against one member shall be considered an attack against all--only once in its history, in response to the 9/11 attacks against America. Since then, our NATO allies have sent their sons and daughters to fight and die alongside our own in the generational war against radical Islamist terrorism. prgtoken The accession of Montenegro to NATO is important for a number of reasons. Montenegro has shown that it is committed to NATO and to making the internal reforms required to remain a member in good standing. Because of that commitment, Montenegro's membership in NATO will enhance stability in Europe. prgtoken Finally, Russia's alleged support of an attempted coup in Montenegro must not be rewarded by NATO turning its back on a country that exhibits such courage in resisting Russia's persistent aggression. prgtoken Just a few days ago, I met with Montenegro's Foreign Minister and the Ambassador to the United States. They expressed their sincere gratitude that the Senate will be voting this week on their accession and that Montenegro would be one step closer to aligning itself with the freedom-loving nations of NATO. prgtoken Montenegro is a small country, but it has already demonstrated its commitment to the international community in implementing internal reforms. Montenegro has sent members of its military to Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force and as a member of the coalition to counter ISIS. prgtoken In the years leading up to its formal invitation to join the alliance, Montenegro has partnered with NATO members to make a wide range of changes to strengthen its military, its intelligence operations, and its rule of law. While it currently falls short of the goals stated in the 2014 NATO Wales Summit to spend 2 percent of its GDP on defense, Montenegro has committed to meeting this target by 2024. prgtoken Expanding NATO to include nations that desire to join the alliance and commit to meeting membership requirements contributes to a strong and stable Europe. It wasn't all that long ago that the Balkans region was unstable and
CONGRATULATING ELLWOOD NATIONAL CRANKSHAFT
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-3-28

I rise today to recognize Ellwood National Crankshaft on receiving STAR certification in the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program. prgtoken Ellwood National Crankshaft, located in Irvine, Pennsylvania, is a unique manufacturer of new and reconditioned crankshafts for medium- speed engines in the 800- to 6,000-horsepower range. prgtoken , in order to attain this distinguished certification, a facility has met or exceeded the performance-based criteria for a managed safety and health system. It also passed the rigorous onsite evaluation conducted by a team of OSHA safety and health experts. prgtoken This recognition is even more significant, knowing that Ellwood National Crankshaft is one of only a few forging and process safety management facilities to obtain the STAR status. Its motto, ``Injury free every day,'' echoes the importance of safety throughout the plant. prgtoken I commend Ellwood National Crankshaft for making safety a top priority. Everyone wins when there are fewer days missed due to injuries or illness. prgtoken Congratulations on earning this prestigious certification and for placing such a high standard on the welfare of all the people employed at Ellwood National Crankshaft.