mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2018-2-12

I wish to personally thank the Presiding Officer for all the work he has done to come up with what I believe is the right framework for fulfilling the promise to solve and create a viable solution for the DACA population and to deal with the other things that are critically important as we take this first major step in immigration reform after decades of failure. prgtoken Last year, I and Senator Lankford, who will be speaking after I do, decided we really wanted to get a discussion around a legal path to citizenship for a significant portion of the population of the illegally present. The deferred action program that was implemented by President is what we used as kind of a baseline for determining how we could actually define that population and set terms so we could ultimately accept them into this country, and they could ultimately get citizenship. prgtoken The proposal we have outlined today--and I should also thank Chairman Grassley for his leadership. I have served on the Judiciary Committee for 3 years during my first term in the Senate and for 3 years on the Immigration Subcommittee. Under his leadership, we have crafted a framework that is consistent with what the President has proposed. prgtoken It is also consistent with what virtually anybody who has been around here for any amount of time has voted for in one form or another. It is a four-pillar framework that first begins with a path to citizenship for some 1.8 million DACA-eligible persons in the United States today. They were young when they came into this country. Some are adults now, but they came to this country through the decision of their parents. I, for one--and I believe many of my colleagues who support this bill-- believe they should be given an opportunity to be U.S. citizens. prgtoken After the bill is ratified, they will have an opportunity, based on a 10-year or 12-year timeline, to have the certainty of having legal status and then a path to citizenship that could be 10 to 12 years. It is fairly straightforward, in terms of the requirements to come into the program. Some 1.8 million will qualify, once we ratify this bill and send it to the President's desk. prgtoken Coupled with this, it is critically important to not make the mistakes of the past. First off, let's not just come in and assume we are going to pass a standalone Dream Act. The reason for that is, it has failed every single time it has been attempted. It has failed under a administration. It has failed under a ic administration. It even failed at a time when President was in the White House, and there were supermajorities of in the Senate and a majority in the House. So even when not a single vote would be necessary, they were unable to produce a solution. prgtoken Now, this week, we have an opportunity to debate one that I think works. No. 1, there is broad consensus. Even among people who have neve
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-2-12

I would like to start by thanking my colleagues and especially my friend from Iowa, our senior Senator, Chuck Grassley, for his tremendous work on this project and all of those who participated in the discussions on the Secure and Succeed Act. prgtoken This legislation puts us on the best path forward to provide a permanent solution for our DACA recipients, all while strengthening our borders and entry security. Our legislation addresses the unique challenges faced by the DACA population, many of whom were brought to America by their parents through no fault of their own when they were just children. prgtoken In Iowa and across our Nation, DACA recipients are an integral part of our community. They are our neighbors, they are our classmates, and they are our fellow churchgoers. prgtoken This last summer, while I was at the Clay County Fair in Iowa, I was approached by a young lady. She came up to me and said: Senator Ernst, I would like to know where you stand on DACA. prgtoken So I explained my position to her. prgtoken Meanwhile, she is pulling out her billfold. Out of the billfold, she pulled out a small card. She showed it to me, and she said: I am a DACA recipient. prgtoken I said: Well, thank you for taking the time to come up to me and sharing your story with me. prgtoken She was there with her younger siblings at the county fair, just enjoying the day, and she explained her situation to me. She had been brought into the country by her parents. They came illegally into the country from Mexico. Then she pointed at her younger siblings, and she said: They were born here. They are citizens, but I am not. I am not. prgtoken As we were standing there at the Clay County Fair, right by the Iowa Army National Guard recruiting booth--I was a member of the Iowa Army National Guard--she went on to explain to me that a while back she had actually met with one of the recruiters, and they had told her: We can't accept you. We can't accept you because you are a DACA recipient. prgtoken She expressed to me how disappointed she was. She wanted to join our military. She wanted to serve this country--the only country she had known to be her home, the country she loved. Her story and her determination and her desire to serve this country and to defend our freedoms were absolutely clear to me. This bill would allow DACA- eligible recipients to defend the only country they have ever known-- the country they love. prgtoken That said, I cannot overstate the importance of addressing the legal, economic, and security concerns that are prgtoken ever present in this debate. A huge priority of mine has been, and remains, to provide border security. Our homeland and our borders must be secure, period. Tragically, human, drug, and sex trafficking are still viable markets in the darkest corners around this world. Unfortunately, we have those corners of the world right here in our own Nation. Ensuring the integrity of our immigr
TRIBUTE TO ANDY CROLEY
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-2-12

today I wish to pay tribute to Andy Croley, who will be honored by Leadership Tri-County, LTC, as the 2018 Leader of the Year. LTC was established in 1987 to serve Knox, Whitley, and Laurel Counties. According to LTC's board of directors, the annual award is given ``to the individual who has made an outstanding contribution to leadership in the area and has done a lot to contribute to the growth and development of the area.'' A lifetime resident of Whitley County, Andy has served as the county coroner since 2002, and he began serving as the county's deputy coroner in 1995. Because of his years of service to southeastern Kentucky, Andy is an ideal choice to receive this distinction. prgtoken In addition to his work in Whitley County, Andy has responded to national tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As part of a recovery team in New York, Andy spent several weeks working in the wreckage of the World Trade Center. In appreciation for his brave efforts, New York officials gave him a beam from the fallen towers. Andy donated the beam to the University of the Cumberlands, where it was established as part of the school's Patriot Park in 2003. prgtoken Andy is also dedicated to helping members of the next generation succeed. Promoting high school football in Kentucky and Tennessee, he has served as the chairman of the Border Bowl for several years. This nonprofit organization hosts a football game in Williamsburg, KY, featuring top players from both States. Andy's work on the Border Bowl has given young athletes in both States the chance to hone their skills and compete in a popular event. prgtoken I want to congratulate Andy Croley on being named the 2018 Leader of the Year. I would like to commend him on this accomplishment, and I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing his work.
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-2-12

today we begin our immigration debate in earnest. Senator McConnell has kept his promise to bring an immigration vehicle to the floor. This week, we will be taking a series of votes on DACA, border security, and other related subjects. prgtoken I wish to take a few minutes now to outline where I am on these issues and where I see this week's debate heading. prgtoken I have made very clear that I believe we need a legislative fix for DACA. We cannot continue to keep people in our country and grant them work authorization by Executive fiat. DACA recipients deserve certainty. So, too, do other immigrants who enter our country legally and have done their best to follow the rules. prgtoken We also need better border security and interior enforcement. Thirty years ago, we granted amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal immigrants, and the result over the next two decades was a surge in illegal immigration. We need to prevent that from happening again. prgtoken I think it is fair and equitable to give DACA recipients a pathway to lawful status because they came to our country through no fault of their own, but I also believe we need to pair DACA legislation with strict border security and interior enforcement measures so we don't find ourselves right back here again in another 20 or 30 years or even sooner. prgtoken I also think legal immigration needs to be a part of the discussion; in particular, high-skilled immigration. I have spoken several times on the Senate floor about how high-skilled immigration is merit-based immigration. It is immigration targeted at the best, the brightest, and the most highly educated. It is immigration targeted at individuals who have the skills employers need. prgtoken I believe we can find a path forward on our current immigration controversies, and I am committed to doing everything I can to bring both sides together. But I also want to be clear right here at the outset: High-skilled or merit-based immigration needs to be part of the discussion, especially if we start talking about reforms to family- based immigration. prgtoken Getting to 60 votes is going to take a lot of negotiation. I know that as well as anyone. I have passed more bills into law than any other Member of Congress alive today. I know how this process works. prgtoken So I say to my colleagues, as you think about how to advance your priorities this week, keep in mind the priorities I have outlined recently. Take a look at my I-Squared bill and the amendments I will be filing. These are indications of what I am hoping to accomplish. prgtoken I believe we can get something across the finish line. I really do. I think we can have a bill we can all be proud of, but in order for that to happen, we have to be reasonable. We have to consider a broad range of views. It can't just be ``my way or the highway.'' We need a bill that can also pass the House and then be signed into law by the President. prgtoken I am ready
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-2-12

I wish to thank my colleague Chairman Grassley for the excellent work on this issue, on which he has helped to lead us all. We have a working group. The Presiding Officer herself belongs to prgtoken a small working group. We have introduced legislation this week that transforms the President's four-pillar framework into an actual bill, and it is the one bill that can become a law. prgtoken We have a plan not to pass a bill but to pass a law, because twice in the last 12 years, the Senate has passed a bill that hasn't become a law because the House of Representatives couldn't pass it and, therefore, ultimately, the President couldn't sign it. prgtoken I urge my colleagues: Let's not simply signal our virtue to our counterparts in the House or to the President by passing a bill. Let's solve this problem by passing a law. prgtoken This bill is the one bill that can become a law because it is the one bill that translates the President's framework into actual legislation. It provides legal status and ultimately citizenship for people who were brought here through no fault of their own as minors, before the age of accountability. It provides more money and legal authorities to secure our southern border and to help our brave immigration agents. It eliminates the useless diversity visa lottery and reallocates those green cards for more productive and worthwhile purposes, and it puts an end to the practice of extended-family chain migration, allowing immigrants to bring not just his or her spouse and minor children but parents, siblings, and, ultimately, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and on down their extended family tree. prgtoken That doesn't solve every problem under the sun we have with immigration. It doesn't, for instance, include mandatory nationwide E- Verify, which I would support. It doesn't resolve the many problems we have with numerous temporary guest worker visas. But it is consistent with the President's framework, and it solves the problem in front of us of young people who were brought here through no fault of their own, but also it has the side effect of giving those people legal status. prgtoken I know there are a lot of half measures floating around the Senate right now, saying that we should give legal status to these 1.8 million people in return for a small pittance at the southern border, but that simply will not do. It is not responsible because if we give those people legal status, we will have two negative side effects. First, we will create more incentives--perverse incentives--to encourage illegal immigration with minor children to this country. That is dangerous. It is immoral, not to mention unwise from our national interests. prgtoken Second, if we give legal status to these 1.8 million people, we will create a whole new pool of legal permanent residents and, ultimately, citizens who can naturalize their extended family, including their parents--the very people who
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-2-12

this week in Washington we are going to do something that hasn't been seen for a long time--for over a year. If you are not careful, you may tune in and see an actual debate on the floor of the Senate--real Senators, and s, coming to the floor actually debating an issue. prgtoken I am not sure what is going to happen because it has been so long since we tried this, but it really is exciting to think about; that men and women elected to this body, known as the greatest deliberative body in America, are finally going to deliberate. It is true, and it is by design, not by accident. After a lot of negotiation back and forth, Senator McConnell, the leader, agreed that this week we would debate immigration and DACA, the Dream Act; that it would come to the floor of the U.S. Senate. prgtoken I am excited about it, although I have no idea how this debate will end--in most good debates we don't know because it depends on the strength of an argument as to whether a measure is going to pass or not pass, but it is certainly an issue I have been waiting for. prgtoken In fact, I have been waiting 5 years for it. It is a long time even by Senate standards. It has been 5 years since we actually debated immigration on the floor of the U.S. Senate. It is not because the immigration laws of America are so perfect--far from that. It is because it is a tough issue, it is a delicate issue, and it is a volatile issue, and it always has been in America. I have this notion that as soon as the Mayflower landed and the passengers got off the boat, they looked over their shoulder and said: I hope no more people are coming. We are perfectly happy with this country the way we see it--because throughout history and up to today, there has always been a resistance by those already here to new people from new places with different languages, cultures, religions, and food. prgtoken We have done some things in the past which are not exactly things to brag about. It was 1924 when we passed an immigration bill. There was a fear after World War I, because Europe was in shambles, that all these people would come flooding into America. So the Congress here and in this Chamber and the House of Representatives passed the Immigration Act of 1924. It was horrible. It was horrible. It expressly excluded groups we didn't want to be a part of America's future--groups like people of the Jewish religion, Italians, people from Eastern Europe, the Japanese, and many others. That immigration act said: We don't want any more of those people, and for 41 years that was the law of the land. There were slight modifications, but that was the basic standard for immigration in America. prgtoken Not until 1965 did we look at immigration again with a different view to a broader acceptance of the world as part of are our future. Since then, we have continued to have problems with immigration and questions about change of poli
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-2-12

before I begin, I thank my friend the leader for his gracious invitation to address the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville this morning. I learned today that you don't say, as we say in New York, ``Lewey-ville.'' It is pronounced ``Lou-a-ville.'' It was a great pleasure to speak to hundreds of bright Kentucky students who are interested in the future of this great country. Seeing these kids gives you faith in the future of America despite all the ``sturm und drang'' we witness here in this city. prgtoken It was my distinct pleasure to give the leader a bottle of Brooklyn bourbon as a thank-you for his invitation. I assured him that it was not a challenge to Kentucky's pride but, rather, to suggest that maybe Kentucky and New York were not so different at all. Our craft distilling industry is booming, and we have very good bourbon that is made in no place other than Brooklyn, NY. By the way, as long as it is made in America, it can be called bourbon. I am not sure if it can be called Kentucky bourbon, but it can be called bourbon. prgtoken , now on to the business of the day. On the heels of passing a significant, bipartisan budget deal, the Senate returns this week to grapple with one of the most contentious of issues-- immigration. prgtoken Leader McConnell, to his credit, has promised a debate on a neutral bill with an amendment process that will be fair to both sides. and s are working hard to find a bill to protect the Dreamers and provide border security that will garner 60 votes--no easy task. It is like threading a needle. I am sure we will have the opportunity to vote on a few ways to do it, but the key is to find a consensus bill that is largely acceptable to a significant number of Members in both parties. The purpose here is not to make a point, as the leader just said. That is easy. The purpose is to get something done. That is hard, but it really is so important. It will not be easy, but it is, certainly, achievable. prgtoken are fully committed to protecting Dreamers, and we have long supported effective border security. Many s are in the same boat. The only enemy here is overreach. Now is not the time or the place to reform the entire legal immigration system. Rather, this is the moment for a narrow bill, and every ounce of our energy is going into finding one that can pass. prgtoken Just like on the budget, this is an opportunity for the Senate to lead the Nation. Let the same spirit of bipartisanship and compromise that generated the budget deal carry forward this week as we debate the fate of the Dreamers. Infrastructure and the President's Budget prgtoken , on infrastructure, the administration, today, released its infrastructure plan. released our own plan over a year ago and have waited just as long to see this plan, because infra
BROADER OPTIONS FOR AMERICANS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-2-12

last September President rescinded the DACA Program. Since that time, nearly 20,000 DACA recipients have lost their status. That number continues to grow. I have posted this sign outside my office so my colleagues can see that 122 Dreamers are losing their status every single day. This chart cannot begin to tell the story of the impact this arbitrary decision has had on Dreamers' lives. prgtoken Over the past year, I have held roundtables with Dreamers throughout Nevada. I wanted to hear their concerns, listen to their stories, and make sure they know their rights. Dreamers prgtoken are not charts or numbers. They are people. They are amazing. They are putting themselves through school, studying hard, serving in our communities, our churches, and our military--all while working multiple jobs to support their families. prgtoken In meeting with them, I have learned that they are their own best advocates. Dreamers deserve the chance to speak for themselves. They deserve better than to be used as pawns in a cynical game. They should not be forced to choose between achieving protection in the only country they have ever known and seeing their families attacked with arbitrary and cruel cuts to our family reunification and diversity visa programs. I am tired of seeing the White House pit people against one another. prgtoken Tonight and this week, Congress is about to determine the future of these patriotic young men and women. Before we begin this debate, we need to take a few moments to understand who they are, what they are doing for our country, and what the consequences will be if we fail them. I wish to read a few letters they sent me. prgtoken Listen to this letter from Jevi. He is a freshman at Nevada State College. Jevi said: I was born in Mexico in March 1998 and was brought to the United States when I was six months old. I recently started my freshman year at Nevada State College. I am majoring in Business Administration in the hope that I can open a small family restaurant someday. I have grown up in Las Vegas my entire life. It's the city I know, the city that raised me. It is my home, my only home. prgtoken Listen to this letter from Maggie. She wrote: I came to the United States when I was ten years old. I faced language barriers when I started elementary school, but I quickly learned English and excelled as a student. I graduated from High School in 2007 with $20,000 in academic scholarships, but couldn't use them because I was undocumented. After receiving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in June of 2013, I was able to begin working as a health care enrollment counselor for Nevada Health Link. In January 2014, I was accepted to the University of Nevada Reno, where I continued working to help people access affordable health care while going to school full time. prgtoken That was