mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MICRO OFFERING SAFE HARBOR ACT
Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican, MO) \u2014 2017-11-9

I thank Chairman Hensarling for his leadership on this issue. I also want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Emmer) for taking a lead on this important legislation. prgtoken As an elected official, I have the opportunity to interact with individuals across my district who strive to create new or expand existing small businesses. These are folks who work hard to provide for their families and serve as the backbones of their communities. prgtoken Unfortunately, for many entrepreneurs, overregulation has stifled their ability to innovate and grow. The National Federation of Independent Business published a recent study showing that 30 percent of small business respondents cited taxes, regulations, and red tape as their most significant business problem. prgtoken While certain sectors are reaping the benefits of a strong economy, the reality is that startups and small businesses are sitting on the sidelines with limited access to credit. It is something I hear about from businessmen and -women every single day, be they bankers, retailers, farmers, doctors, and every profession in between. prgtoken We also know that many startups and businesses have historically turned to local financial institutions for initial financing. In the years after passage of Dodd-Frank, small bank lending is down dramatically, leaving many commercial customers scrambling to find other forms of reasonably priced financing. prgtoken Across the board, we are enabling a burdensome system that penalizes entrepreneurship. We need to reverse course if we want to see a resurgence of small business creation and growth. prgtoken H.R. 2201 is commonsense legislation that seeks to reverse one impediment to entrepreneurship. Mr. Emmer's bill offers a thoughtful approach to a problem that has hindered and, in some cases, prevented small offerings across the Nation. It will appropriately scale Federal rules and regulatory compliance and will allow small businesses to access the capital necessary for growth. prgtoken More specifically, this legislation will exempt certain nonpublic micro offerings from the SEC requirements. The bill features guardrails that allow for investor protection and subjects any and all exempted micro offerings to the full suite of Federal and State antifraud laws. prgtoken The result will be a less burdensome regulation that stifles innovation and increases access to capital for startups and small businesses that comply with the parameters included in the bill. This bill is about Main Street, about the small-business men and women in each of our districts. prgtoken , I want to again thank and applaud the gentleman from Minnesota for his hard work on this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of the legislation.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Executive Session)
Johnny Isakson (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-11-9

today is America's lucky day. And we all know what the definition of ``luck'' is--luck is when opportunity meets preparation. We are very lucky as a country and we are very lucky as a Senate that our majority leader, Mitch McConnell, was where he is and is where he is at the time he is. It was his vision a few years ago that the tax issue was going to emerge as the central issue in the growth and development of our country and that unless we met the challenges of our Tax Code, opened up opportunity for our public, and expanded opportunity for our businesses, the American people could succumb to a high-tax system without productivity. prgtoken We also got lucky because Senator McConnell picked a man to be chairman of this committee--Orrin Hatch--who brought years of experience in the U.S. Senate and the compassion that Orrin Hatch has as a Mormon and as an American to a tax code that is by no means simple--it was always complex--to make it simpler and fairer, pro- family and pro-jobs. prgtoken Let me tell you something. There are a lot of disappointed people overseas right now because those who have been picking our pockets by inverting American corporations to foreign systems because their taxes were lower than ours are out of luck. Now those people are going to be incentivized to come to America, to make investments in our country, to expand opportunities and jobs in our country. No longer will companies want to leave America; companies will invest and be more American. That is fantastic, and that is why this is a pro-jobs tax bill. It is going to create a lot of opportunity, and opportunity is what Americans want and what Americans need. prgtoken For the average American family--and let me talk about my family for a second. I think I am pretty average. My wife and I are fortunate. We have three great children and nine great grandchildren. I was lucky enough to have worked in a small LLC--limited liability partnership-- real estate brokerage company, mom-and-pop brokerage company. My wife taught in public schools. Our children went to the University of Georgia and to the public schools of our community. We saved for their education. We did everything we could to invest in hope for them in the future, and today they are all gainfully employed. They are all happy, but they are all struggling, as everybody else is, with a burdensome tax system, with less opportunity than we would like for them to have. By simplifying the tax system, by making it fairer, as we have done here, we have given more opportunity to my grandchildren, my children, and more opportunity to America. prgtoken Lastly, I want to make this point: There are only two ways to raise taxes or raise revenue. One is to charge more. That means you raise somebody's taxes. The other way to do it is to create opportunity. So people create companies and jobs because the opportunity is there. When you create opportunity and when jobs are cr
WAYZATA SOCCER CHAMPS
Erik Paulsen (Republican, MN) \u2014 2017-11-9

I offer congratulations to the Wayzata High School Boys Soccer team on winning the Minnesota State Championship Title. prgtoken The Trojans topped off their incredible 20-0-2 season by coming home with the state championship trophy. It is inspiring to see a team that shows up with their best every day, and consistently comes out on top. After losing in the championship last year, they came back stronger than ever to win the state title in 2017. prgtoken After a scoreless first half, sophomore Patrick Weah netted a goal that eventually decided the match. The Wayzata keeper, Daniel Weshons delivered a shutout after facing thirteen shots. Just before the buzzer, Ethan Wagner put a second goal in the net to secure Wayzata's victory. prgtoken , the championship title earned by the Trojans shows how hard work throughout the season and the ability to play under pressure always pays off. These outstanding student-athletes have lived up to their obligations in the classroom and in the community. prgtoken Congratulations again to the players, coaches, and parents of the Wayzata High School Boys Soccer team on becoming state champs. Go Trojans.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-11-9

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I would not use that term, ``substantial,'' because, as you know, we have gone through this process for quite some time. We are all writing to the same number: $1.5 trillion. But, as you know, any bill, when it moves through regular order, where it gets introduced in committee and we have a markup, just as Ways and Means has done all week long--they will come to the final vote today--whatever amendments pass will be added. prgtoken You will then see that bill posted. You will then, next week, see the Rules Committee take it up, and then you will see that bill on the floor, just as with any other regular order bill in the process.
Nomination of Steve Grasz (Executive Session)
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise today to share my strong support prgtoken for Steve Grasz, who has been nominated by President to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The junior Senator from Nebraska and I asked Nebraskans to express their interest in this position, and we conducted a thorough process of the applicants. I must say that, with more than 5,700 lawyers, Nebraska proved itself to have a talented legal community that has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the rule of law. prgtoken However, in our search, one candidate stood out above the rest, and that was Steve Grasz. He is an outstanding Nebraskan and a talented legal mind. The President agreed. That is why he accepted our recommendation in August, and he nominated Steve for the Eighth Circuit. prgtoken Like so many other Nebraskans I have heard from during this process, the President recognized Steve's temperament, intellect, and skill as worthy on the Federal bench. prgtoken Steve excelled in his education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska College of Law. He then built a distinguished legal career, practicing appellate litigation over the past three decades. For 12 years, Steve served Nebraska as the chief deputy attorney general. He did so with dedication to justice, passionately defending our citizens and upholding the laws of our State. prgtoken Steve has handled numerous constitutional litigation matters in the Nebraska Supreme Court, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. In doing so, he has earned the respect of the Nebraska legal community. prgtoken For many years Steve has earned the Martindale-Hubbell ``AV Preeminent'' peer review rating, the very highest available. This peer- reviewed rating is based on legal knowledge and ethical standards, a nonpartisan litmus test. prgtoken Steve also serves on the executive committee of the appellate practice section of the Nebraska Bar Association, and he was selected as a fellow by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation, an honor reserved only for the top lawyers in my State. Nebraskans agreed that Steve has the extensive legal experience needed to serve on the Eighth Circuit. Yet the American Bar Association has rated Steve as ``not qualified'' for this position on the Federal bench. prgtoken As someone who spent months reviewing Steve's extraordinary qualifications for this judgeship, I was shocked when I heard the assessment. Something didn't add up. prgtoken But after a review of how the evaluation was conducted, things became more clear. The ABA rating of Steve Grasz appears to be based on his work defending Nebraska's pro-life laws as well as his personal views, which he shares with a majority of Nebraskans. Both evaluators discounted his remarkable legal career, choosing instead to focus on innuendo in their report because he associates with political organizations they disagree with. prgtoken There is n
A MESSAGE FOR THE MEDIA
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-11-9

I have a message for the liberal so- called mainstream media. prgtoken You are essential to democracy. You have an almost sacred responsibility to inform the American people, but they don't believe you anymore. prgtoken Your coverage of the President and conservative s is now obviously so slanted, so biased, that you have lost your credibility; in fact, polls show that it is at a record low. prgtoken In trying to destroy this President, you are destroying yourself. Is that what you want? prgtoken Remember the Chinese proverb: ``When you set out on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.'' prgtoken Why not trust the American people with the facts and let them make up their own minds rather than telling them what to think? I don't know of prgtoken any other way you can restore your credibility.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING FOR SENATORS AND STAFF
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-11-9

I join my colleague, the ranking member of the Rules Committee, as she seeks unanimous consent to adopt our antiharassment training resolution. It is closely modeled on a Senate resolution I introduced 2 days ago with Senators Feinstein, Klobuchar, Ernst, Gillibrand, and several other colleagues. prgtoken This resolution's adoption marks the first time that this Chamber requires sexual harassment training for all Senators, staff, interns, and fellows. prgtoken I wrote legislation on this topic after contacting the Rules Committee chairman last week to urge that everyone in this Chamber receive antiharassment training. This measure's passage with the Rules Committee chairman's support, just days after I called for the Rules Committee to institute a harassment training requirement for this chamber, is a sign of the wonderful things we can accomplish when we work together in a bipartisan way. prgtoken More than two decades ago, I sponsored the Congressional Accountability Act as a sign of our commitment to promoting fairness in the workplace. This 1995 statute requires Congress to follow the same civil rights, labor, workplace safety, and health laws to which other employers are subject. prgtoken It is certainly time for us to make antiharassment training mandatory, but we also may want to revisit the statute to ensure that it is working as intended. According to the Washington Post, over 1,000 former staff have contacted Congress in the last week to urge that we revisit policies relating to sexual harassment, and I am fully committed to doing so. prgtoken The resolution we have developed would ensure that the Rules Committee has the authority necessary to ensure that every Member of this Chamber, every employee on the Senate payroll, and every unpaid Senate intern receives antiharassment training. prgtoken All of us work hard to ensure that our offices are professional, free of harassment, and places where merit is rewarded, but I think we have to acknowledge that in our society, despite our best efforts and intentions, sexual harassment remains a serious problem. We must work together to make sure that the Senate remains free from harassment. prgtoken It is important for every Senate office to have a consistent stance on this particular issue. Every office should receive the same training so the Senate maintains a culture in which harassment is not tolerated. This is a common interest we all share. The voters who sent us here expect the best. We owe it to the American people to hold ourselves and our employees to the highest standards of conduct and professionalism. prgtoken I will close by again thanking Senators Klobuchar, Feinstein, Ernst, and others for working so closely with me on the measure's development. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Senate Chief Counsel for Employment and the Office on Compliance, who worked with our offices on draft after draft of this res
SALUTING VETERANS
Scott Taylor (Republican, VA) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise to salute all veterans on this day. prgtoken As veterans, you may forever and eternally take your place amongst the unbroken line of patriots who have stepped forward, whether voluntarily or drafted, with youth and rigor and bravery for your Nation, for your family, and for the soldier on your left or right. prgtoken On this day, we bestow honor upon you for once standing the watch. prgtoken Because of the standard you have set, future generations will continue to serve with pride in our American heritage and be willing to preserve its providential promise, willing to uphold our God-given inheritance as free people, and they shall fight for freedom, whatever the cost, with dogged persistence and with an iron will handed down from your legacy. prgtoken Happy Veterans Day, and may God lift you up, and may He always bless these United States.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Executive Session)
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-11-9

today, as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I am releasing a chairman's mark for the Senate version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation that is the culmination of years of effort to reform our Nation's Tax Code. We have been at this a long time, and today marks a significant step forward in this effort. While we refer to this document as a chairman's mark, it has really been a group effort, with significant input from all the members of the Finance Committee and great work from all of our staff. I want to thank everyone involved for their hard work, as well as their feedback, perspectives, advice, and ideas. prgtoken The last time Congress enacted a comprehensive overhaul of the Tax Code back in 1986, President Reagan famously noted that the American people would finally have a tax code they could be proud of. And in 1986, that was likely true. At that time, updates to the Tax Code were necessary to keep pace with the technological and geopolitical changes our Nation had been facing. That sounds pretty familiar, . It is, after all, what we have been saying for the last several years. The world of 1986 was vastly different from the world we live in today. Advances in the past three decades have been monumental. Yet our Tax Code has not advanced, and it is failing us. prgtoken The American people have dealt with years of stagnating wages, sluggishness in labor markets, and weak growth in the economy. Businesses are fleeing our country to find more favorable conditions in other countries. We have been working for years to address these issues and to meet the needs of the 21st-century global economy. prgtoken Fortunately, we now find ourselves in a position to make good on all of these years of hard work. A big part of that is the fact that our current President is fully engaged on tax reform, unlike his most recent predecessor. So we have been focused this year on providing middle-class tax relief, reforming the business tax system, and fixing our obscenely outdated international tax regime. prgtoken The mark we are releasing today will accomplish all of these goals and more. It will reduce individual rates across the board and direct substantial relief to low- and middle-income families and workers. It will bring down corporate tax rates--a goal long shared by s and --and provide businesses with new opportunities for growth and expansion. It will modernize our international tax system, bringing to an end our worldwide tax regime, a relic that should have been retired many years ago. We have been laser-focused on reducing taxes for the middle class, and that is exactly what this bill will do. prgtoken Combined, these changes to our broken Tax Code in the chairman's mark will give hard-working taxpayers across the country bigger paychecks and more opportunities. They will grow our economy, raising wages and improving the standard of living fo
Tribute to Alaska Native Veterans (Executive Session)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-11-9

as you know, I have been coming to the Senate floor pretty much every week for month after month to highlight someone in my State whom we call the Alaskan of the Week. It is someone who does something important, either for their community or the State or the country, and oftentimes they don't get a lot of recognition. The purpose of this is to say: Look at what these people are doing for Alaska, for America, for their community. prgtoken My State is known for many things: its physical beauty, incredible hunting and fishing, adventuresome spirit, size--you don't want me going there. I have difficult conversations with my colleagues from Texas on occasion about the different sizes of our respective States, but I will not go into detail prgtoken here. These are all things we have in Alaskan space, but the thing that really makes us a great place to live is our people--strong, resilient, kind people all across our State who look out for each other, often in harsh weather conditions. prgtoken We are a patriotic State. I know everybody here claims that, and that is great. We all are. prgtoken Nowhere is the spirit of sacrifice and patriotism more apparent than in our veterans across the State. In Alaska, in Missouri--the Presiding Officer's State--we are all celebrating that, and we are going to celebrate that this weekend, going home for Veterans Day. prgtoken In Alaska, we like to talk about our veterans. We also like to talk about the fact that we have more veterans per capita than any other State in the country. So it is a very patriotic place--full of service. prgtoken In every city, village, and every community across Alaska, you will find proud veterans, many of them working tirelessly together to make sure they get the help and support that our veterans need. A lot of times that happens with the older vets--Vietnam-era vets. They come to make sure the new vets get the help they need. prgtoken To all of them: I salute your service and your sacrifice. Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do for our country. Happy Veterans Day to all of Alaska's veterans. I can't wait to get home to celebrate in Fairbanks and Anchorage this weekend. prgtoken It is not just Veterans Day that is approaching in Alaska. This month we are also celebrating Alaska Native Heritage Month, where there is much to celebrate. Almost 20 percent of the population of our great State is Alaska Natives. This is a group of people who, generation after generation, have what I call a special patriotism. prgtoken What do I mean by that? Well, Alaska Natives serve at higher rates in the military--just like the lower 48. Native Americans have higher rates in the military than any other ethnic group in the country. This has been going on for generations--World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. When you think about it, it is special. prgtoken Let's face it. In the forties, fifties, sixties, and seven
HONORING THE CAREER OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL KIRK WINDMUELLER
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-11-9

I rise today to recognize the career of Lieutenant Colonel prgtoken Kirk Windmueller. LTC Windmueller's work ethic took him to the highest ranks of the military, serving as Deputy Chief for Combat Developments, G8, at U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and his current assignment as a Strategic Planner, J5, Joint Special Operations Command where he deployed in support of Operation Uprise Giant. prgtoken LTC Windmueller received a Bachelors of Science in Biology from The Citadel and a Masters of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. In addition, he trained at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, where he served as the Chief of Special Forces Doctrine in the Directorate of Training and Doctrine. prgtoken Deployed on numerous operational assignments around the globe and through some of our nation's toughest times, LTC Windmueller stood ready to answer the call to serve our great nation. Some of his most notable engagements took place during his assignment to 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. During this assignment he served as the Commanding Officer of a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha, with deployments to Kosovo and Iraq in support of Operations Joint Guardian and Iraqi Freedom, and commanded the Group Mountain Operations Training Detachment. Throughout these operations, he delivered on the promise to keep America safe and confront our enemies head on under the most difficult conditions. prgtoken During these deployments, LTC Windmueller received numerous medals, including the Bronze Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service, Army Commendation, Joint Service Achievement, Army Achievement, Armed Forces Expeditionary, Kosovo Campaign, Iraq Campaign, Afghanistan Campaign, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal. These medals are a testimony to his monumental success in safe-guarding America. prgtoken While fighting our nation's battles overseas, LTC Windmueller had a full family at home. His wife, Laura, and he have three wonderful children. This country cannot repay the debt we owe to LTC Windmueller and his family. The Windmuellers are true American heroes. prgtoken , please join me today in commemorating the career of Lieutenant Colonel Kirk Windmueller.