mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-6-26

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I rise in support of this amendment to provide $30 million for DOD's MD5, the National Security Technology Accelerator, within the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy. prgtoken The 2018 NDAA authorized support for national security innovation and entrepreneurial education programs, including MD5. prgtoken MD5 aims to educate and build a network of innovators and entrepreneurs equipped with the expertise to successfully develop, commercialize, and apply DOD technology. It is a way of bringing American ingenuity and ingenuity and entrepreneurship from Silicon Valley to problems faced by the DOD. prgtoken MD5 initiatives educate veterans and other students in technology innovation and entrepreneurship and provide a unique pathway for veterans to leverage their expertise while learning cutting-edge business innovation methodology. prgtoken The program also increases postmilitary opportunities for servicemembers and helps them apply their knowledge to new national security problems. prgtoken Through MD5, DOD is growing a cadre of entrepreneurs who are adept at creative problem solving and the formation of successful ventures that deliver economic, national security, and social value. prgtoken Passage of this amendment would mean a $5 million increase from MD5 fiscal year 2017 and 2018 levels. The funding increase would enable them to scale up their entrepreneurial education programs, including the highly successful program Hacking for Defense, otherwise known as H4D. prgtoken H4D is a course currently taught at 11 universities across the country, with many more in the process of coming onboard. It pairs student teams with problem sponsors from across the DOD and intelligence community to apply Lean Startup methodology developed in Silicon Valley to rapidly solve challenging, nonclassified national security problems. prgtoken Of the 205 students across the Nation who have already been through Hacking for Defense classes, 66 percent plan to continue working on their problems after the course is over. Nine companies have been formed by H4D alumni, and six of them have received DOD or private equity funding to continue working on their projects. prgtoken That is, the DOD and/or private equity have found their attempts at solutions for these critical national security problems potentially to be viable. prgtoken H4D not only delivers American innovation to problems that the DOD is facing, but also inspires smart young innovators, some of whom were Active Duty servicemembers or veterans, to apply their talents to solving national security problems. prgtoken These experiences serving their country and boosting our national security will influence them for the rest of their careers, as well as greatly benefit the country. prgtoken , I strongly urge support for this amendment, and .
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2018-6-26

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of Section 8129 of this bill. prgtoken This section would allow the Secretary of Defense, in the event of a government shutdown, to make military death gratuity payments to families of fallen service members. prgtoken I commend the Committee for including this long overdue provision, which was my number one priority request to the Committee and the subject of bipartisan legislation I have introduced with my colleague Representative Tom Rooney of Florida. prgtoken It is shameful that Congress would allow the government to shut down and allow grieving military families to go without this small and partial measure of our gratitude for their loved one's service. prgtoken Sadly, that is what happened in October 2013 and January 2018. prgtoken We must ensure that it never happens again. prgtoken Thank you again to the Chairman and Ranking Member for being responsive to the more than 200 members who have cosponsored the Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act (H.R. 1928) and the two dozen veterans organizations who have endorsed the bill. prgtoken But most importantly, thank you for caring for our military families.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2018-6-26

the amendment before the House increases funding for the Peer Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program by $5 million. prgtoken Our colleague Mr. Hastings has worked closely with Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts, Mr. Costello of Pennsylvania, as well as Mr. King of New York, each of whom have cosponsored this bipartisan amendment. prgtoken The need to fund research in order to prevent, treat, and cure breast cancer is vital to both save American lives and also to address important economic and healthcare costs, and I would ask my colleagues to adopt the amendment. prgtoken , .
CONGRATULATING BISCAYNE ENGINEERING
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-6-27

I am delighted to congratulate Biscayne Engineering as it celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. prgtoken Located in my congressional district, Biscayne Engineering is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, business in the city of Miami, and the oldest land-surveying firm in south Florida. prgtoken Over 100 years ago, two partners, J.S. Frederick and W.E. Brown, established the company just 2 years after the city was incorporated in 1898 and made the first official map of the city of Miami just a few years later. prgtoken They were tasked with many important projects that were vital to the community, including laying out the city of Miami's streets and other parts of the greater county. One of its most prominent projects was their role in developing Villa Vizcaya, a north Italian, 16th century- style villa built for James Deering. prgtoken Biscayne Engineering's responsibility included building and road design, paving and drainage layouts, and the conservation and preservation of the estate's national foliage. Today, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens serves as a national historic landmark for visitors from all over the world to come and enjoy. prgtoken , for decades, Biscayne Engineering has had its hands on so many important projects that have helped shape south Florida into the jewel that it is today. It has aided in the development of our U.S. post office building; Federal courthouse; Bayside Marketplace; Fisher Island; Star Island, which is the area's first manmade island; and even assisted with the renovation of many of the historic art deco hotels in Miami Beach, which is located in my congressional district. prgtoken Additionally, Biscayne Engineering has been involved with the Miami- Dade Transit Metromover, the Miami-Dade Public Library System, and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. prgtoken Biscayne Engineering has professionally partnered and worked with prgtoken private clients, local municipalities, counties, and State government, and even played a larger role in the surveying and construction of two of my alma maters, the University of Miami--go 'Canes--and Florida International University--go Panthers. The list goes on and on. prgtoken Most importantly, its engineering surveyors, planners, and staff uniformly promote the company's core values of integrity, honor, and leadership in their work and, to this day, still continue the commitment and the tradition of its founders. prgtoken So congratulations to Biscayne Engineering on its 120th anniversary. I am always glad to celebrate anything that is older than I.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2018-6-27

I rise today to highlight the 6-month anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I would like to illustrate what it has meant to the people of West Virginia since President signed this into law. I will speak in a larger sense, as well, regarding what a difference it has made in this country. prgtoken We see it in the news every single day, and the benefits are really undeniable. Since Congress passed tax reform, we have seen incredible job creation--more than 1 million jobs, to be exact. We have seen unemployment drop to historic lows and wages are on the rise. Our small businesses and their employees are feeling optimistic again. prgtoken When I travel throughout the State and visit our small businesses, there is a real hop in the step of those small business owners and those who work there because of their increased business, because of their ability to expand, and other things that they have wanted to do for years. So it really has been an incredible transformation. prgtoken Only a few days ago, a ``CNBC News'' survey showed that 54 percent of Americans say the economy is ``good or excellent''--good or excellent. That is the highest percentage that has ever been recorded in the 10 years that CNBC has been doing the survey. prgtoken But even more important are the number of stories that I have heard of what has transpired since we did tax reform. In letters, in meetings, and everywhere around town, I have heard from West Virginians who are feeling the positive effects of tax reform. Our small businesses have been able to expand and hire new employees. They have been able to give back to their employees, whether in the form of bonuses or reaching out to their communities with more charitable donations. Others have been able to create jobs and hire more workers. prgtoken Just this month, I received a letter from a constituent, Chris from Charleston, who owns an eye consulting business. Chris wrote that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is ``legislation that has benefited small business owners all across the country and our folks back here in West Virginia.'' He said that as a result of the tax cuts, small businesses have hired more people, raised employee wages, and expanded opportunities and operations. prgtoken He continued to talk about the other aspects of the tax cuts. He said: That doesn't sound like a tax cut that only caters to the rich and powerful. As each week passes, more and more of our fellow Americans support the new tax code. I hear it from my patients in the office all the time. prgtoken Chris isn't alone. I have heard from families who are better able to cover expenses and invest in their children's education. When President traveled to West Virginia this spring, we spoke to one family, the Ferrell family from Huntington. Thanks to tax reform, the Ferrells were able to open a 529 savings account for the first time to help support their children in their
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE AND INNOVATION ACT OF 2018
Randy K. Weber, Sr. (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-6-27

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 5905, the Department of Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018. prgtoken This legislation authorizes the Department of Energy's Office of Science programs for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. It also authorizes upgrades and new construction of major user facilities at the Department of Energy national labs and universities. prgtoken Over the past 4 years, the Energy Subcommittee has met with stakeholders, held hearings, and worked extensively with our colleagues to draft the language included in today's legislation. During this comprehensive process, we spoke with DOE officials, directors of DOE national labs, academia, and industry representatives about the right priorities for these Office of Science programs. The result was a series of bills that the Science, Space, and Technology Committee has advanced through the House this Congress, including H.R. 589, H.R. 4376, H.R. 4377, and H.R. 4675. prgtoken The legislation we will consider today combines these bills to form a bipartisan authorization of the department's basic science research. This includes more than $6 billion in fundamental research and discovery science, largely performed at DOE national laboratories and user facilities around the country. prgtoken Last month, I had the opportunity to visit a number of these facilities at Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory with several of my Science, Space, and Technology Committee colleagues. We got to see firsthand the incredible work that those researchers do for our country and for the world. prgtoken From advanced scientific computing to nuclear physics to fusion energy science, focusing on basic research at our national labs provides the best opportunity for U.S. economic growth and technology innovation. prgtoken H.R. 5905 authorizes funding for critical infrastructure projects at these national labs. In the Basic Energy Sciences program, it authorizes upgrades to world-leading X-ray light source facilities around the country, like the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory and the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. prgtoken These facilities give American scientists the tools they need to study the structure and behavior of both physical and biological materials, enabling innovation in many fields, including creating new materials for industrial as well as pharmaceutical use. prgtoken This legislation also authorizes the construction of new DOE research facilities for physics and high-energy physics. This includes construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB, at Michigan State University, which will enable critical nuclear physics research across a wide breadth of fields, ranging from astrophysics to medicine, and eventually the construction of the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility at Fermilab, an internationally coordinated project to
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Doug Lamborn (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-6-27

well, let me just conclude by saying in opposition, if it hasn't been developed yet, you don't know that it doesn't work. We have hundreds or even thousands of bright minds. I appreciate my colleague's credentials, but we have hundreds of scientists and engineers working in the Missile Defense Agency and at the government-sponsored laboratories and in other parts of the defense community in the private sector, and at the Department of Defense in the government sector, and there are possibilities here that are being pursued that have great promise, have great potential. prgtoken I think it would just be the height of foolishness to cut it off all right now when there is not even any money being appropriated for this. It is just even the possibility that the gentleman is trying to cut off, when we have potential for something that would be helpful to saving our homeland, and making those who want to rain missiles on us have to suffer the consequences of those missiles coming back down on themselves. So we shouldn't foreclose the possibility and shut the door. prgtoken , I would urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and .
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-6-27

I am so glad that you are presiding at this time because I know you are part of the Joint Select Committee on Budget Reform. I want to address that a little bit. prgtoken Earlier this week, the Senate passed its version of the fiscal year 2019 Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bills. Prior to this week, the last time the Senate had passed its version of a regular appropriations bill--not a supplemental or an omnibus bill--was more than 2 years ago. prgtoken I commend Chairman Shelby and the members of the Appropriations Committee for their work in getting us this far and for their commitment to restoring a more regular process for the consideration of appropriations measures. I hope that in the weeks to come, we will be able to process more such measures in a similarly productive manner. prgtoken It was a long road getting to this point. Last February, after a brief government shutdown that followed an immigration policy dispute and a yearlong stalemate on appropriations, Congress and the administration agreed to legislation establishing new discretionary spending caps for this fiscal year and the next and providing a process for budget enforcement--something normally done by the Budget Committee. prgtoken This latest budget agreement follows a string of 2-year budget deals, each reached under the threat of a shutdown. In fact, frustration with the current process has grown so great that through the February legislation, Congress created the Joint Select Committee tasked with improving our broken budget and appropriations process. I commend the Joint Committee and its leaders, Co-Chairman Womack and Co-Chairwoman Lowey, for their work on this subject. Our budget and appropriations process is clearly in need of reform, and I wish them success in this effort. prgtoken Today, I rise to share some of my thoughts and experiences on this subject, having led bipartisan efforts in the Senate Budget Committee to explore and reform the budget process. prgtoken As my colleagues know, the Senate Budget Committee sets the top-line spending levels that the Appropriations Committee then divides each year among the various departments and accounts. The Appropriations Committee does the specific spending. While there are many potential improvements we could make in this process, I will focus my remarks at this time on just three points. prgtoken First, the annual spending process will never truly improve so long as we are willing to hold it hostage to larger ideological or political battles. Both sides have been guilty of this in the past, and until we are willing to say ``no more,'' no process reform will succeed. I am hopeful that the progress we are seeing now on fiscal year 2019 appropriations bills is a sign that we have reached a tipping point and are willing to work together, as the American people expect us to do. prgtoken The second topic I want
FARM BILL
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-6-27

I also thank my colleague, the Senator from Colorado, for his efforts in getting this done. It has been a real bipartisan effort. We hear so much about all the infighting that goes on here, and this is certainly one of the underpinnings of our country. Again, we are working very hard to get it across the finish line. So I thank him very much. prgtoken The majority leader recently announced his intention to keep the Senate in session through the majority of August. It is the right thing to do. We have a lot of work to complete ahead of us, and our to-do list just got a little bit longer with today's excellent news. The 12 appropriations bills are at the top of that list. We have been busy clearing these bills at the committee level and now on the Senate floor. I am particularly pleased that Military Construction-VA appropriations bill was part of the first group of appropriations bills that received bipartisan approval here on the Senate floor. prgtoken While we work to ensure passage of bills that fund vital Federal programs, we must also continue to pass the important bills that authorize them. We have a chance this week to add to our list of bipartisan achievements by passing the farm bill, which was recently approved by the Ag Committee with overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle. prgtoken If you have ever been to Arkansas, I don't need to tell you how important the farm bill is to our State. You have seen it. You have seen the cotton fields, the rice silos, the chicken farms, the cattle ranches. We have it all in the Natural State. In fact, 95 percent of the land resources of Arkansas are devoted to agriculture and forestry. While there is variety in what our farmers grow or raise on their land, the family farm is a way of life shared by thousands of Arkansans. prgtoken Agriculture is a driving force of the Natural State's economy, adding $16 billion to our economy every year and accounting for approximately one in every six jobs. But the farm economy is in a much different place than the last time this Chamber debated a farm bill. That is the case not just in my home State of Arkansas; it is an issue nationwide. If you look at the numbers across the Nation, farm income is approximately half of what it was then. Farm bankruptcies are up by 39 percent since 2014; financing is becoming more expensive; input costs are rising; and the trade outlook is volatile and uncertain. prgtoken Farmers across the country, regardless of where they call home or which crops they grow, are hurting. They are experiencing the most fragile farm economy since the 1980s farm crisis. With the current farm bill set to expire at the end of September, we must pass a new one in a timely manner to provide certainty and predictability to the folks who feed and clothe our Nation and the world. prgtoken Programs authorized by the farm bill are vital to making sure that as a nation we do not become dependent on ot
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Rob Bishop (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-6-27

. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the committee's support for the program and was encouraged to see additional funding for increased Tomahawk missile production in FY18. I would like to emphasize that this funding was provided at the Navy's request. However, I understand that the Navy recently informed the committee that they intend to utilize this for purchasing support equipment instead of missiles, as the committee intended.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCE AND INNOVATION ACT OF 2018
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-6-27

first of all, let me thank the chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Mr. Weber, the gentleman from Texas, for yielding. prgtoken I strongly support this bill, H.R. 5905, the Department of Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018. This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by 12 members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee authorizes the basic research programs within the DOE Office of Science for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. The programs include research in basic energy sciences, advanced scientific computing, high- energy physics, biological and environmental research, fusion energy science, and nuclear physics. prgtoken These basic research programs are the core mission of the Department of Energy and will produce the scientific discoveries that will help maintain U.S. leadership in technology. prgtoken This bill also prioritizes basic research funding for solar fuels, electricity storage, bioenergy research, exascale computing, and low- dose radiation research. It provides the Office of Science funding for upgrades and construction of seven high-priority user facilities at DOE national labs. prgtoken This legislation is the product of more than 4 years of bipartisan work by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to advance basic research and set clear science priorities for the Department of Energy. prgtoken H.R. 5905 builds on the initiatives included in the House-passed bill, H.R. 589, the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act, and also incorporates four bipartisan Science, Space, and Technology Committee infrastructure bills that passed the House in February. prgtoken One example of the central missions authorized in the DOE Science and Innovation Act is the exascale computing program. Developing an exascale system is critical to enabling scientific discovery, strengthening national security, and promoting U.S. competitiveness. Exascale computing will have real-world benefits for American industry and entice the best researchers in the world to conduct groundbreaking science at the DOE labs. prgtoken To strengthen U.S. energy independence, this legislation also supports fusion energy sciences. When commercial fusion becomes available, it will revolutionize the energy market and could significantly reduce global carbon emissions. prgtoken H.R. 5905 also authorizes funds for U.S. contributions to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project, a critical step to achieving commercial fusion energy. prgtoken Again, I want to thank Representative Weber, as well as Representative Lofgren, for their longstanding support of basic research and investments in our world-class science facilities at the DOE national labs. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support the bill.