mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Patrick T. McHenry (Republican, NC) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam Chair, the balance of my time. prgtoken Again, I want to close by reminding Congress and reminding my colleagues that in 2009 and 2010 the House, Senate, and President nationalized the student lending industry. Ninety percent of student loans last year were done by the government. Only 10 percent were done by the private sector. prgtoken That is deeply problematic. It is government that is saddling a generation of students with debt that is unsustainable for them. The lost economic potential as a result of that is prgtoken deeply problematic for our Nation and for the individuals who are affected here. prgtoken To highlight the risk factors facing young consumers and student borrowers is the right thing. For our Congress to have that proper data is important, but do remember the nature of what is happening in the student loan industry is being driven by a proactive decision of Congress to nationalize that area of student lending. That is problematic. We need to resolve that issue. It is an issue I want to continue to highlight in any debate that we have around student lending. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment, and
Prescription Drug Costs (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-5-22

repealing the noninterference clause means a restricted formulary, which places limits on the drugs that are available to seniors, maybe excluding some drugs that your doctor wants to prescribe for you. I don't believe that Medicare beneficiaries want the government interfering in that process. prgtoken Then, as policymakers, we must keep in mind that we are making decisions that affect healthcare choices for the people whom we are elected to represent. prgtoken Let's all remember to first do no harm. Repealing the noninterference clause may sound good, but not even a spoonful of sugar will help that bad dose of policy medicine go down. prgtoken I come to the floor today to hope that I can put this issue to rest and, as we try to work in a bicameral and bipartisan way to reduce drug costs, that we don't get held up by people who want to do something different by having the government more involved, when it isn't going to save any money and will restrict formularies. It will get the government between you and your doctor. prgtoken In other words, I am trying to save Part D. It has been a great success. It is accepted by the people. Let's keep drug costs down without having this issue interfere with our process. prgtoken We need to preserve the foundation of private enterprise on which Part D is based--in other words, the marketplace working. We need to get to the real work of reducing prescription drug costs. prgtoken . prgtoken .
Memorial Day (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-5-22

Monday is Memorial Day. It is the day our Nation pauses to remember all those who laid down their lives in defense of our country, from Saratoga to Yorktown, to Iraq and Afghanistan. prgtoken We enjoy tremendous freedoms as Americans, tremendous privileges, but we do not enjoy these privileges by chance. They are hard-fought gains secured for us again and again by each new generation of American soldiers who lay down their lives in the cause of the free. It is important that we do not take what they have secured for us lightly, that we remember our freedoms have been paid for in blood. prgtoken Near the end of the film ``Saving Private Ryan,'' the dying Captain Miller tells Private Ryan of the sacrifice that has been made on his behalf. He says: ``Earn this . . . earn it.'' prgtoken I am not sure we can ever fully earn the gift that has been given to us by those who have laid down their lives in our defense, but we can attempt to live lives worthy of their sacrifice and to defend the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. prgtoken When we remember the fallen on Memorial Day, there is one other group we should remember, and that is their families. Our Nation's Gold Star families may not have laid down their own lives for our country, but they gave their loved ones, their fathers and brothers, daughters and sisters. For the sake of our freedoms, they live with empty spaces at Thanksgivings and birthdays, at weddings and graduations, at their dinner tables and Little League practices. We owe them a debt also that we can never repay. prgtoken I have been privileged to visit more than one veterans cemetery, such as our own Black Hills National Cemetery in South Dakota--which we recently expanded to ensure that our soldiers will have a resting place for generations to come--Arlington National Cemetery, and the American Cemetery at Normandy. There is a special hallowedness to the ground at these places. Valor and sacrifice still linger in the air, and a deep peace abounds--the peace of the warrior who has fought the good fight and found rest from his labors. prgtoken General George S. Patton once said: It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived. prgtoken I might disagree with General Patton on the first part, as it is right and proper that we should mourn our dead, but with General Patton, I say: Let us thank God that such men and women lived. prgtoken May the memory of our honored dead be eternal. prgtoken . prgtoken .
NATIONAL SEERSUCKER DAY
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-5-22

today I rise in recognition of seersucker manufacturers and enthusiasts across the United States. I wish everyone a Happy National Seersucker Day. This uniquely American fashion has a storied history dating back to 1909. Louisiana is proud to have played an important part in introducing the country to seersucker apparel. The first seersucker suit was designed by Joseph Haspel at his Broad Street facility in New Orleans, LA. prgtoken This lightweight cotton fabric, known for its signature pucker, has been worn and enjoyed by Americans across the country during the hot summer months. Mr. Haspel said it best, ``Hot is hot, no matter what you do for a living.'' In the 1990s, Seersucker Day was established by Members of this Chamber to honor this unique American fashion. I proudly resumed this tradition in 2014 in the U.S. House of Representatives by designating Wednesday, June 11, as National Seersucker Day. I have continued this tradition in the U.S. Senate and wish to designate Thursday, June 13, as the sixth annual National Seersucker Day. I encourage everyone to wear seersucker on this day to commemorate this iconic American clothing.
S. 1541
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-5-22

on Monday, I introduced legislation to raise the national minimum age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21. I walked through the long history of our Nation's complicated relationship with this major cash crop. I laid out the challenges facing tobacco farmers in Kentucky and in other States and the new opportunities some of them are actually turning to. I explained why, as we see signs of a new public health crisis of nicotine addiction in the younger generation, now is the time to take decisive new action. prgtoken Together with Senator Tim Kaine, who represents another State with a very long history of tobacco production, I was proud to introduce the bill that builds on the existing structure that is already in place and simply raises the minimum age to 21. Rather than reinvent the wheel here in Washington, it would set one national standard for enforcing new age-21 restrictions. It is a bill designed with States in mind, and it would allow States to take measures even more restrictive than Federal law if they choose. prgtoken Senator Kaine and I have been grateful to see--already, even in just the past few days--substantial support and recognition from public health advocates that our approach is the right way to address this pressing issue. prgtoken Already, our legislation has earned the support of leading voices like the American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, the Kentucky Hospital and Medical Associations, and many others. Here are just a few things these supporters of our bill had to say: prgtoken One advocate called it a ``critical step forward that will profoundly improve the health of our children and future generations.'' prgtoken Another stated our legislation ``will be instrumental in stemming the epidemic of vaping that is afflicting children as young as middle school.'' prgtoken Yet another said our bill could potentially ``save hundreds of thousands of lives.'' prgtoken This should be an area where we all lock arms to get results. I am proud this body will have a chance to take action and stem the tide of addiction among our Nation's youth. I am proud to be standing with Senator Kaine. I hope each of our colleagues will recognize the opportunity before us, avoid making this important issue any kind of partisan football, and join in supporting the Tobacco-Free Youth Act.
CONSUMERS FIRST ACT
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam Chair, I thank the for yielding, and I thank her for her words. I want to join the in thanking the chief. prgtoken Three decades, 34 years--it is not a job; it is a way of life when you become a police officer. Your job is a little different, and we see it each and every day. prgtoken Think of the complexity of being a Capitol Police officer. It is not just the safety of the women and men who serve in here; it is the thousands of visitors who come every day. But it is also the responsibility of keeping a government by the people, for the people, and of the people open. prgtoken Every day we see it, and we all have felt it. It is not just protecting us when it is inside this building. We saw it just a short time ago on a baseball field. We are reminded of the number of Members' lives your officers saved that day. prgtoken We are reminded of the number of times, just in a building that the majority leader room has, of the officers giving the ultimate sacrifice inside these Hallowed Halls to save the others. prgtoken So we thank you for your work, but, more importantly, we thank you for the force. We thank you for all the officers. prgtoken We know last week was National Police Week. They were here in the Capitol and throughout Washington, D.C. We know every day that we hear the other lives that were lost protecting us throughout the Nation. prgtoken We thank you for your service, and on behalf of a very grateful Congress, thank you for your decades of service, and we wish you all the best in retirement. Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Burgess
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-5-22

reserving my right to object, section 1332 is the innovation waiver that is part of the Affordable Care Act, passed by the ic majority. That act includes protection for preexisting conditions. Using the flexibility granted under section 1332 does not change anything about preexisting conditions. So it is misleading to the American people to suggest that it does. prgtoken This is another ic attempt to make it more expensive, to cost more for what you pay for healthcare out of your own pocket by taking away flexibility from the States to find a less expensive way for you to afford healthcare and, at the same time, not changing the preexisting condition protection that is provided by the Affordable Care Act. This is the latest attempt to do it, but the boldest attempt to raise the cost of your healthcare is Medicare for All, which if you have insurance on the job, as 181 million Americans do, would take that insurance away from you. prgtoken I object.
CONGRATULATING MEL SHOWERS
Bradley Byrne (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-5-22

I rise today to mourn the loss of the longtime mayor of Loxley, Alabama, Billy Middleton. After a long, hard- fought battle, Mayor Middleton succumbed to cancer last week at 78 years old. prgtoken Billy was first elected mayor in 1988, and before his passing, he was serving a remarkable seventh term. prgtoken His longevity was no accident. A former marine, Mayor Middleton was a true public servant whose dedication to his community extended far beyond his official duties and endeared him to the people of southwest Alabama. His community is better because he was a part of it. prgtoken , I offer my sincerest condolences to his wife, Lilly, and the many family and friends he leaves behind. Billy's memory and service to the close-knit town of Loxley will last long beyond his death.
Trade (Executive Calendar)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-5-22

I am here on the floor today to talk about international trade. It is a very complex issue, but also a really important issue to our country. Our goal with trade should be pretty simple: It is to level the playing field for America's workers, America's farmers, and America's businesses. prgtoken One, we have got to be sure they are not hurt by unfair imports coming into our country, so that is really a fairness issue and a trade enforcement issue. prgtoken Second, we should expand our exports. Opening up more foreign markets to our products is great for America. That is the balance. As a trade lawyer and as the U.S. Trade Representative in the administration and as a member of the Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over these issues, I have worked on the trade matters quite a bit. It is really important to my home State. prgtoken Ohio has products that are manufactured by workers and crops grown by our farmers that are shipped all around the world. In fact, in Ohio, 1 of every 3 acres is now planted for export. So our farmers are dependent on trade, and 25 percent of our factory workers-- manufacturing workers--have their jobs because of exports. Twenty-five percent is a big part of our manufacturing economy. prgtoken These jobs aren't just good for Ohio's economy. They are great for the people that have them. Trade jobs pay, on average, 16 percent more than other jobs, and they have better benefits, so we want more of these jobs. prgtoken With 95 percent of the world's population living outside of our country, we want to sell more of our stuff to the rest of the world to continue to grow and maximize the potential of our economy. So in my State and a lot of others, manufacturing and ag jobs that are the bedrock of our economy depend on balanced trade. That goes for our trading partners around the world, but particularly for our two biggest neighbors: Mexico and Canada. They are, by far, Ohio's biggest trading partners. prgtoken Since 1994, we have linked our economy to Mexico and Canada in the form of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. In 2018, Ohio shipped 39 percent of our exports to Canada, more than twice the national average. Along with our trade with Mexico, this accounted for $20 billion in trade. In all, trade with Mexico and Canada now supports 450,000 jobs in Ohio. So it is important. prgtoken We all know that the existing agreement--again, called NAFTA--has to be updated. It is 26 years old. It needs to be modernized. It needs to be improved. We need to be sure that we are doing a better job of leveling that playing field that we talked about and be sure that we are reflecting the nature of the 21st century economy. prgtoken Think about it. Back when NAFTA was negotiated, there was no digital economy. So we need to have new rules with regard to digital economy, as we do in our more recent trade agreements. prgtoken Also, as an example, there were no
TRIBUTE TO T. MICHAEL PUTNAM
Richard C. Shelby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2019-5-22

today I wish to recognize the Honorable T. Michael Putnam, who is formally stepping down from his 32- year term as a U.S. magistrate judge, effective on June 7, 2019. Judge Putnam served the Northern District of Alabama as a magistrate and chief magistrate judge during his many years of service to the court. He is the longest serving magistrate judge in the history of the prgtoken Northern District of Alabama, and I certainly commend him for this accomplishment. At the time of his appointment, Judge Putnam was the youngest magistrate judge in the country at age 32. prgtoken Instrumental in the expansion of the role of magistrate judges, Judge Putnam worked to highlight their value in the judicial process. He acted as the chair and vice chair of the Northern District's Criminal Justice Act Administrative Committee, playing a significant role in ensuring the highest quality of representation of indigent criminal defendants in the Northern District under the Criminal Justice Act. prgtoken Judge Putnam is widely known for his volunteer work at the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, AL. He has taught a pretrial practice and procedure class since 2006 and directed many trial advocacy and moot court programs. The Cumberland School of Law named Judge Putnam the 2019 recipient of the Friend of the Law School Award in recognition of his time and dedication to the betterment of students at Cumberland. The Young Lawyers Section of the Birmingham Bar Association also selected him for the Judge Drayton Nobles James Award in 2016, where they honored his spirit of volunteerism. prgtoken As an advocate for the Northern District, Judge Putnam played an active role in using technology to improve efficiency. He has been a judicial resource for the Office of the Clerk while implementing procedural changes to the electronic filing system. Judge Putnam led the Court in establishing the eVoucher system, making it easier for attorneys and courts to process vouchers for appointed counsel in criminal cases. prgtoken Judge Putnam received his bachelor of arts from the University of Alabama and his juris doctorate from the University of Alabama School of Law. He graduated in the top 5 percent of his class and was a Hugo L. Black Scholar. prgtoken Judge Putnam's contributions to Alabama's judicial system are truly remarkable and will have an impact for generations to come. I am proud to take this time to recognize and thank him for his service to the people of our great State and his unwavering commitment to the rule of law. I join Judge Putnam's friends, family, and colleagues in wishing him the best of luck as he transitions into a new chapter of his life.
HONORING FATHER ANGELO CASERTA
Warren Davidson (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-5-22

. Madam , today, I honor the life of a great man. Born in Piqua, Ohio, Father Angelo Caserta was the oldest active priest in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He peacefully passed away last week. prgtoken Those who knew Father Caserta recall his talent and love for people, his comforting words, and his love for our community. prgtoken When asked about the secret to his longevity, Father Caserta said: ``My secret is the good Lord. The Lord gets all the credit. I'm the only classmate surviving in my class. Not many average that milestone. . . . It's a celebration of God's goodness, how He could choose someone like me and take care of me for 70 years while doing his work in the priesthood.'' prgtoken On Tuesday, Father Caserta's life was celebrated in Piqua, as he was laid to rest by family and friends. prgtoken While I did not know him personally, I knew of his deeds by those who did and the love he had for our community. prgtoken Madam , I use my time on the floor today to honor Father Caserta's life of service, to celebrate his faith, and to extend my condolences to those who knew him.
BUDGET SCOREKEEPING REPORT
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2019-5-22

I wish to submit to the Senate the budget scorekeeping report for May 2019. The report compares current-law levels of spending and revenues with the amounts the Senate agreed to in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, BBA18. This information is necessary for the Senate Budget Committee to determine whether budgetary points of order lie against pending legislation. prgtoken The staff of the Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, prepared this report pursuant to section 308(b) of the Congressional Budget Act, CBA. prgtoken This is my fourth scorekeeping report this year. My last filing can be found in the Congressional Record for April 10, 2019. The information included in this report is current through May 20, 2019. prgtoken Since my last filing, Congress has cleared only one measure, S. 1436, a bill to make technical corrections to the computation of average pay under Public Law 110-279, with significant budgetary effects. This bill made changes to the calculation of retirement benefits for certain employees who staff the dining services for the U.S. Senate. Those services were privatized in 2008. prgtoken Budget Committee staff prepared tables A-C. prgtoken Table A gives the amount by which each Senate authorizing committee exceeds or is below its allocation for budget authority and outlays under the fiscal year 2019 enforceable levels filing required by BBA18. This information is used for enforcing committee allocations pursuant to section 302 of the CBA. Over the current 10-year enforceable window, authorizing committees have increased outlays by a combined $3.4 billion. For this reporting period, 9 of the 16 authorizing committees are not in compliance with their allocations. As a result of passage of S. 1436, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is now in violation of its allocation for both budget authority and outlays over the fiscal year 2019-2028 period. prgtoken Table B provides the amount by which the Senate Committee on Appropriations is below or exceeds the statutory spending limits. This information is used to determine points of order related to the spending caps found in sections 312 and 314 of the CBA. Appropriations for fiscal year 2019, displayed in this table, show that the Appropriations Committee is compliant with spending limits for the current fiscal year. Those limits for regular discretionary spending are $647 billion for accounts in the defense category and $597 billion for accounts in the nondefense category of spending. prgtoken The fiscal year 2018 budget resolution contained points of order limiting the use of changes in mandatory programs in appropriations bills, CHIMPs. Table C, which tracks the CHIMP limit of $15 billion for fiscal year 2019, shows the Appropriations Committee has enacted $15 billion worth of full-year CHIMPs for this fiscal year. prgtoken In addition to the tables provided by Budget Committee Repu