mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
GOVERNMENT FUNDING
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-2-11

as recently as a few days ago, our government funding discussions seemed to be in a pretty good place. Bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on finishing out the year's appropriations process seemed to be right on track. We appeared headed toward a compromise result that would have provided much needed investments in border security and completed our remaining appropriations bill to fully fund the government. prgtoken Last week, the ic leader seemed confident that ``we worked out a plan to refund the government, deal with border security in a way that would be acceptable to all sides. That's working pretty well.'' Just this past Friday, the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy, suggested that ``we're 95 to 98 percent done.'' prgtoken But then over the weekend, we heard that the talks had suddenly hit a snag. The bipartisan momentum had stalled. What went wrong? Here is what happened. The House decided to add a poison pill demand into the conversations at the eleventh hour. It is a new demand. It is really extreme--a hard, statutory cap on the number of illegal immigrants who could be detained by the Federal Government. This would result in the release of thousands of criminal aliens and our inability to detain thousands more criminal aliens whom our Federal and State law enforcement authorities will apprehend. prgtoken This is a poison pill that no administration--not this one, not the previous one--would or should ever accept. Imagine the absurdity of this. House want to set a limit on how many criminal aliens our government can detain. This is a limit that is not based on any aspect of reality, such as how many criminal aliens there actually are or what crimes they have committed; it is just an arbitrary number a couple of lawmakers have pulled out of thin air. The consequence of such an arbitrary limit is obvious: Thousands of criminal aliens would simply be released into the interior of our country, both immediately and then on a rolling basis into the future. prgtoken The National Sheriffs' Association explained this in a letter to Chairman Shelby and Senator Leahy. Here is what the sheriffs had to say: Capping the number of detention beds . . . not only jeopardizes the integrity of the immigration system, but would cripple ICE's ability to detain criminal aliens and other aliens who pose a risk to public safety or are a flight risk. . . . In order to meet the cap tentatively proposed by Congress, ICE would be compelled to release thousands of aliens from custody. prgtoken That is what the National Sheriffs' Association had to say about it-- released, just like that, right out into the United States of America. It is hard to believe this is where some are--a get-out-of- jail-free card for criminals because the radical left doesn't like U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Let me say tha
BORDER SECURITY
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-2-11

tonight I rise to address the dangerous proposal being put forth by in the ongoing negotiations to secure our border and fund the government. prgtoken Talks on this issue are now stalled because are demanding a cap in the number of beds allocated to detain illegal criminals. But this new initiative blatantly contradicts what our leaders on the ground are asking us to do on this issue. prgtoken Just this weekend, the National Sheriffs' Association and the Major County Sheriffs of America both stated: ``Any legislation that reduces ICE's detention capacity would hinder its ability to perform its national security and public safety missions. . . . In order to meet the cap being tentatively proposed by Congress, ICE would be compelled to release thousands of aliens from custody.'' prgtoken The sheriffs went on to say that if the ' plans were approved, then 9,000 illegal immigrants would have to be released by the end of the fiscal year. That is 9,000 criminals. prgtoken We need to focus on securing our border, funding the wall, and making our country safer, not protecting criminals and sending them back onto the streets to endanger our citizens. prgtoken We need to listen to these recommendations.
CLOTURE MOTION
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-2-11

I rise to discuss two economic issues this evening. The first is a reaction to a proposal that comes to us from our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Let me preface this with the observation that I am pretty sure we are living through the strongest economy in the United States in my adult lifetime. It has been fantastic for the people I represent. prgtoken Our unemployment rate is pretty much at a 50-year low. African- American and Hispanic unemployment is the lowest that has ever been recorded. The youth unemployment rate is extremely low. It is at historically low levels. Our economy has accelerated, and wages are growing exactly as we said they would. It is very simple. The demand for workers has grown so much that employers are being forced to bid ever higher for the services of the workers. prgtoken Now we are in a tremendously enviable position of having more job openings in America than there are people looking for work in America. It is fantastic. This is exactly what we want to have happen. prgtoken Last week, the President was right when he said that our economy is the envy of the world. It is totally true. prgtoken So what do our colleagues on the other side of the aisle propose to do in light of the fact that we have this fantastic economy? Well, Senator Sanders and Senator Schumer joined up and made a proposal that we adopt legislation that would severely restrict the ability of American companies to buy back their own stock. This is just the latest iteration of a socialist tendency that seems to be growing on the far left. This is a horrendous idea. prgtoken I suppose we shouldn't be surprised when we hear a Socialist-leaning idea coming from a self-described ic Socialist or a Socialist --whatever the description is--but I am surprised to hear this coming from the Senate minority leader. prgtoken Let's talk about this a little bit. First of all, what is a stock buyback? It is not that complicated. It is when the owners of a company take some or all of their money out of the company. prgtoken Let's think about it this way. A business is owned by its shareholders, and the shareholders hire a management team to take their money and invest it in a way that will generate a return for the investor, for the shareholder. That is the role of the management team. prgtoken So why would they buy back their own stock? The reason they would buy back their own stock is that sometimes it happens that the management team of a company is just not able to deploy any more capital in a way that would generate a better return than what is generally available in the marketplace. What sometimes happens is companies might make huge investments; they may be investing tremendous amounts--record amounts-- in expanding their capabilities, expanding their production, more R&D, and expanding their staff, but they can reach a limit as to how much they can expand and how much they productively i
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2019-2-11

a little over a month ago, I stood before this body to object to the massive public lands package that it was poised to pass. This bill, some 680 pages long, was released at 10 a.m. that morning--that very morning when they first wanted us to pass this. My staff and I had not seen it beforehand, and we had been given no time to read it. This is, of course, really bad process--terrible process. This is not the way legislation should be written. It is not the way legislation should be debated. It is, of course, never ever the way legislation should be passed. In addition to the bad process, I objected at the time because I suspected that it also contained bad policy--bad policy that would disproportionately and negatively affect my State of Utah. prgtoken Now we find ourselves today, more than a month later, at a moment at which we are considering the bill. During that time period, I have, of course, had time to read the bill. Unfortunately, those suspicions that I had prgtoken about the bill have since been confirmed. This bill perpetuates a terrible standard for Federal land policy in the West, particularly for the State of Utah. prgtoken To give one some background, the Federal Government owns more than 640 million acres of land. This is a staggering amount of real estate-- an amount of land that in its totality is larger than the entireties of France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands combined--all of them. I don't mean the national parks of those lands combined. I don't mean the government lands owned by those respective nations. I mean the entirety of those countries combined. That is how much land the Federal Government owns just within the United States. That is a problem, especially because of the way it is distributed. prgtoken Do you see this? Federal public land is not distributed evenly across the entire country. It is distributed in such a way that the West bears a disproportionate burden. In fact, my home State of Utah is a place that itself bears a disproportionate burden, a disproportionate share of that land, with two-thirds of the land being owned by the Federal Government. You will see, on this map, we have Federal land marked in red, and land that is not owned by the Federal Government is marked in white. You will see there is a big difference, as you move from west to east, in the amount of Federal land that exists. prgtoken I remember when Eliza, my daughter, was about 8 years old. It was the first time I ever showed her this map. As best I could, I explained it to her, an 8-year-old. prgtoken At the time, she looked at the map and said: Look, Daddy. They own Utah. prgtoken I said: Yes, Eliza, you're right. They own Utah. prgtoken In every State east of Colorado, the Federal Government owns less than 15 percent of the land. In many of those States, it is in the low single digits as a percentage of the
MAKING FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019--MOTION TO PROCEED
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2019-2-11

I offer my thanks and appreciation to the chairman of the committee, Senator Murkowski, and the ranking member, Senator Manchin, for the work they have done on this lands package. They have tried their best to bring to the forefront a number of different viewpoints and, obviously, a wide variety of issues that are included in this package. They have worked hard to meet many demands on all sides, and I thank them for getting that done. prgtoken I am going to be installed this week as one of the chairmen of the sportsmen's caucus, and we are thrilled to be able to have the sportsmen's bill included in this package so that we can continue to see this great American tradition of families and friends enjoying the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and recreating in this beautiful land that we have here in the United States of America. prgtoken I am very fortunate today to welcome a number of conservationists from Nebraska to Washington, DC. This is a group of bright, young people who are taking part in Nebraska's Leadership Education/Action Development Program, true conservationists who are ag producers, ag business people, and are here visiting us. This is known as the LEAD Program. They are individuals from various backgrounds who participate in this premier agriculture leadership program. prgtoken Over the course of 2 years, Nebraska LEAD fellows engage in monthly seminars all across the State; they visit our Nation's Capital; and they even have the opportunity to study agriculture systems overseas. The goal of the LEAD Program is to develop the next generation of innovative thinkers, problem solvers, and decision makers who will work to provide food and fuel to our world. prgtoken As a proud LEAD alum myself, I can tell you that it has helped to shape who I am today. This program continues to be near and dear to my heart. Through the LEAD Program, I learned valuable leadership skills that I have carried with me in serving my community in the Nebraska Legislature and right here in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Many may not know this statistic, but by the year 2050, there will be an additional 2 billion people to feed in this world. It is important that the future generations of agricultural leaders are motivated and prepared to deal with unforeseen challenges on the road ahead. The LEAD Program is an extraordinary opportunity for Nebraskans to learn more about international trade, about foreign policy, and the unique agricultural systems that we have in our State, in our country, and in our world. Participants in the program will gain firsthand experience in what it means to be an agricultural leader here at home. prgtoken Agriculture is the beating heart of my State's economy. The hard work of our farmers and ranchers in Nebraska produces abundant bounties every year. We feed the world. We are privileged to do this and proud of this responsibility, and we pass it on to the next generation. prgtoken We also kn
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-2-11

in honor of Black History Month, I recognize Beverlye Colson Neal. prgtoken Beverlye Colson Neal is the president of the Orange County branch of the NAACP and the former executive director for the Florida State Conference of the NAACP. She has spent most of her life fighting for civil rights, beginning in her early childhood, as a member of the Jacksonville Youth Council of the NAACP. prgtoken She has a wealth of experience in the field of civil rights, community, and political organizing. Her involvement has been centered around safeguarding the Black community. prgtoken She coordinated the 1984 GOTV efforts for the Congressional District 3 for Reverend Jesse Jackson for President of the United States, getting the only elected Jesse Jackson delegate from Florida from that congressional district. In 2009, she was asked by Dr. C. Delores Tucker to start a chapter of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. in Florida. She has since organized five other chapters in the State. She has been instrumental in ensuring the programs under the NCBW-Orlando reflect the needs of Black women and their families in Orlando. prgtoken She is the mother of three adult sons--James, Odell, and Kenneth Neal--and the proud grandmother of five grandchildren. She has a committed passion for the work that she does in the State, and is always working for those who are ignored or overlooked. She feels that this is God's purpose for her life on Earth. prgtoken And for that, Mrs. Beverlye Colson Neal, we honor you. Recognizing Johnnie Walker
GUN VIOLENCE
Julia Brownley (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-11

this Thursday marks 1 year since the horrific shooting in Parkland, Florida, that took 17 precious lives. My community faced our own tragedy just 9 months later when 12 of our friends and neighbors were stolen from us at the Borderline Bar and Grill. prgtoken As our communities continue to mourn these devastating tragedies, we must also honor the memories of those we lost with action. There is no single answer that will stop every incident of gun violence, but to do nothing with the argument that it will not fix everything is unconscionable. prgtoken One of the first steps we need to take is passing H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which is being considered by the House Judiciary Committee this week. prgtoken I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill, a critical first step to keeping deadly weapons out of the wrong hands.
CONGRESSIONAL CHILDREN'S CAUCUS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-2-11

the clarity that I would like to offer is that none of us should tolerate any shutdown of the government or ever holding our Federal workers hostage to policy debates, and that is for my colleagues and friends on the other side of the aisle and for this administration. prgtoken But I think in all fairness, the clarity on the question of detention beds is to make sure that the criminals are detained and to make sure that women and children, like little 9-month-old Roger, have alternative housing. That is the debate. But that debate can go on and go on beyond holding the government hostage and our workers hostage. prgtoken , I would also like to introduce the fact that I am establishing the Congressional Children's Caucus, as we have done every year since I have been here. Our focus is for better quality of life for children, not only in this Nation but around the world. One of the priorities will be hunger amongst children here in the United States and around the world. prgtoken It is noteworthy that children do go to bed hungry here in the United States, and it is important that we support the food nutrition programs and the lunch, breakfast, and dinner programs in our public schools. prgtoken We must ensure that this Nation protects its children.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-2-11

today I wish to honor the life and legacy of Officer Clayton Townsend, killed in the line of duty on January 8, 2019, at the age of 26. Officer Townsend was born in Glendale, AZ, on May 30, 1992. He was a dedicated, loyal, and highly skilled police officer at the Salt River Police Department. Our State will miss him dearly. prgtoken Officer Townsend served the Salt River Police Department for 5 years and was applauded by superiors on numerous occasions for excellent communication skills and performance on the job. He had always dreamed of becoming a police officer and truly embodied a genuine, caring, and compassionate commitment to protect and serve others. prgtoken Officer Townsend is survived by his wife Deanna, his 10-month-old son Brixton, and his mother Toni. He will be dearly missed by other family members, friends, and hundreds of bereaved members of the Salt River community. In the words of his older brother Cole, Clayton ``brought a warmth with him wherever he went. He had a smile that everyone felt.'' Please join me in honoring his memory.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-2-11

. Thank you. It is also my understanding that S. 47 makes uniform the process by which Federal lands may be closed to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting Moreover, it is my understanding that S. 47 does nothing to change the standards that the Federal Government uses to determine whether to close Federal lands to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting or to otherwise limit those activities. prgtoken Is that a correct reading of the bill?
HONORING CAPTAIN ROGER HARLESS
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-11

. Madam , I rise today to remember the life of Captain Roger Harless and honor his commitment to public service and our community. prgtoken Mr. Harless was born in Berkeley, California and grew up in the nearby towns of Lafayette and Moraga with his brother, Paul. In May of 1990, he joined the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. He was in the first Fire District class of paramedics and kept his certification throughout his entire career. In April 2003, he became the captain of the district's paramedics team, where he worked diligently to serve and protect the people of Contra Costa County. In 2018, Captain Harless was a member of the first group to complete Hazardous Materials training. Mr. Harless passed away on January 11, 2019 from an illness acquired in the line of duty. He spent 29 years at the Contra Costa Fire Protection District, rising to the rank of Captain at Station 11. prgtoken Mr. Harless was dedicated to public service and our community. He cherished the time he spent mentoring new recruits and his fellow firefighters. Mr. Harless also mentored children in our community as a youth basketball and soccer coach. One of his joys was watching talent develop, whether at the fire station, on the court or on the field. prgtoken Mr. Harless leaves behind a loving and devoted family. He was married to his wife, Karen, for nearly 35 years. He was the father of Jessica, Martin and Kelsie and the grandfather to Sophia, Claire, and Mattisyn. He was adored by his wife, children, grandchildren, extended family, friends and many others throughout our community. prgtoken Madam , we thank Mr. Harless for his dedication to public service. For this reason, it is fitting and proper that we honor and remember him here today.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-11

. from Alaska and appreciate her help with this measure. Yes, her characterization of this provision is exactly right. There is no intent that this designation will have any impact on water rights or water-related management decisions. The general protections and limitations, along with the inclusion of language specific to Delta water operations, makes certain that the designation of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area will not affect or influence water operations of the Central Valley Project, State Water Project, or other water supply facilities within the Bay-Delta watershed, including a reduction in water exports from the Bay-Delta. I am pleased that we have included additional language to dispel any such concerns and make absolutely certain that no one reads anything into the legislation that is not there and was never intended. prgtoken I thank her for including this designation in S. 47 and for all of her work to move this historic public lands package forward. The public lands package includes a number of provisions that will benefit California, and I appreciate her leadership in building bipartisan agreement to steer it through the Senate.
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT INFORMATION DATABASE ACT OF 2019
Katie Hill (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-2-11

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I support this commonsense measure. The Settlement Agreement Information Database Act would create a database of settlement agreements entered into by Federal agencies that relate to alleged violations of Federal, civil or criminal law. prgtoken The Office of Management and Budget would manage this database and set deadlines for submission. The heads of executive agencies would be required to submit details about the types of settlement agreements, the parties involved in the settlements, specific violations, and the dates on which the settlement agreements were agreed to. prgtoken The information about the settlement agreements would remain public until 5 years after the termination of the agreements. The information in the agreements would remain subject to the Freedom of Information Act, but if the head of the agency decided to keep an entire agreement confidential, he or she would be required to provide an explanation of that action. prgtoken This bill would improve the transparency surrounding settlement agreements which, in the past, have been difficult for the public to access. prgtoken , .