mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Tribute to Chris Campbell (Executive Calendar)
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-1-9

I rise to pay tribute to a trio of excellent staffers, all of whom served with distinction on the Senate Finance Committee for a number of years and who recently left the committee to pursue other ventures. prgtoken First, , I would like to say a few words about Chris Campbell, a longtime friend and trusted adviser, who until recently served as the staff director on the committee. Last summer, he was nominated and confirmed to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions. prgtoken I have known Chris for more than 17 years, and I cannot overstate his importance and contributions to my years of work here in the Senate. Chris joined my campaign for President back in 2000, where I immediately recognized his talent and leadership abilities and appointed him to be my national field director, although he was relatively young and inexperienced at the time. Needless to say, I don't blame Chris for how that particular campaign turned out. In fact, that same year, I asked him to serve as director for my Senate reelection campaign, which thankfully met with much better results. After that, he came to Washington to serve on my staff on the Senate Judiciary Committee. prgtoken I have long urged my staffers to get as much education as possible to enhance their understanding and gain new perspectives. I nagged Chris about this during my Presidential campaign. Eventually, after working on my staff for a few years, he wanted to upgrade his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California at Santa Barbara with an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. prgtoken A short time after receiving his MBA and a brief stint in the private sector, Chris desired to return to public service, and when he returned to Washington, I hired him back without hesitation and asked him to serve as my legislative director, a post he held until 2011 when I took over as the lead on the Finance Committee and appointed him to be the staff director. prgtoken During his time on the committee staff, Chris quarterbacked every major effort we undertook. This includes successes like the approval of free-trade agreements, the bipartisan renewal of trade promotion authority and the modernization of U.S. trade laws, the repeal and replacement of the Medicare sustainable growth rate, and the long-term funding of the Federal highway trust fund, just to name a few. prgtoken Of course, his work on the long-term tax reform effort was invaluable. We began our work on tax reform right out of the gate in 2011 and worked with Chairman Baucus and others to drive it forward. Chris was a key part of all of the work we did over the years to advance tax reform. While his move to Treasury came just before the final stages of that effort, I was fortunately able to benefit from his continued advice and counsel as we moved closer to and eventually crossed the finish
PROTESTS IN IRAN
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-1-9

39 years ago, a collective nightmare was foisted prgtoken upon the people of the nation of Iran, and so when roughly 2 weeks ago, while on recess, I became aware of the courage manifest in the action of the Iranian people in standing up to a brutal totalitarian regime, I immediately contacted our office and suggested that we secure this Special Order hour, and reached out to a number of my colleagues, several of whom join me today, to speak loudly and clearly on behalf of the United States and the nearly 6 million people represented by myself and the individuals who will speak here today in support of those who would stand up and risk their very existence for those most basic human rights, which we as Americans take, tragically, for granted. prgtoken As I stand in this well, , in cities that the bulk of Americans have never heard of, in Isfahan and Karaj and Tabriz and Mashhad and Tehran, indeed, tens of thousands stand in the face of a regime with a record of destroying not only freedom but life itself in the instance of those who would stand up and demand freedom, stand up and demand basic human rights and dignity. prgtoken , to put this into perspective, if you were to take the population of the nation of Iran circa 1979 and compare it to the population of the United States circa 1941 and then align the numbers of Americans killed in combat during the entire Second World War, it would proportionally be roughly equal to the number of people who have given their lives at the hands of the brutal Iranian regime inside the borders of Iran. Think about that for a moment. Roughly 60,000 during the coup d'etat revolution in 1979, about 12,500 from 1981 to 1984, almost 33,000 during the 1988 uprising. We don't know how many were murdered in 2009, when this Nation stood silent as Iranians, brave, took to the streets to demand self-determination and toleration; that a regime should not be able to dictate how one worships, who one marries, what one believes; that people should be given basic rights to self- determination. prgtoken Today, we know very little about what is going on in Iran except for the brave women and men who are confronting challenges that we, by virtue of the fortune of our birth as Americans, will hopefully never have to confront. We know that roughly 50 have been murdered; we know that roughly 3,000 are imprisoned. prgtoken This time, I will not be silent. I have spoken with Iranian Americans of all different facets from a number of different groups. I ask these Iranian Americans, as well as those resisting within Iran and Iranians disbursed across the globe, to set aside their political differences and join together for the common goal of deposing a regime that murders its own sons and daughters to a tune that is comparable to the total number of American combat deaths during the Second World War. Enough is enough. prgtoken Today, I stand beside an image of Habib Khabiri. Habib was the forme
LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY
Neal P. Dunn (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-1-9

I rise today to recognize Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Thank you to all who put their lives at risk every day and night to keep our families safe. Our law enforcement and first responders run into danger so that others can escape it. prgtoken Last year, we passed the Thin Blue Line Act to ensure that those who commit crimes against our law enforcement will be held accountable and seek justice for those murdered in the line of duty. I am committed to continuing to fight for the officers of the thin blue line. prgtoken Every day, despite great personal risks, law enforcement officers across the country put on their uniforms and carry out their duties to protect and serve. They have our backs, let's have theirs.
Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (Executive Session)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-1-9

I want to thank my friend and colleague, Senator Blumenthal, for his commitment to this issue. We started this caucus to end trafficking 6 years ago, and during that time period there has been some significant progress made here in the Senate and the House. We have been able to pass legislation to help crack down on trafficking. prgtoken Unbelievably, in this century in this country, sex trafficking is increasing, not decreasing, despite our good efforts. We have increased the penalties on those who purchase sex from underage children. We have changed the dynamic of how the Federal Government and HHS look at this issue and these girls who get engaged in trafficking and get trapped into the system and to treat them like the victims they are rather than as criminals. prgtoken We have done more to increase awareness of this issue. We have required for missing kids, which are probably the most vulnerable of all, that there be a photograph or another identifier, which, unbelievably, for the most part there was not prior to that. We have made some progress. prgtoken Senator Blumenthal and I have written legislation with regard to Government contractors who overseas engage in human trafficking--and our tax dollars go for that. So we have made some progress, but it is still increasing. prgtoken Why? Senator Blumenthal talked about it. The experts are unified on this. The main reason we see an uptick is because of the dark side of the internet. The Senator quoted the statistic earlier about an 850- percent increase in reports of sex trafficking over the last several years prior to 2015. The reason that was true was because we saw the emergence of these companies like backpage.com, which probably has about 75 percent of the commercial sex traffic on one site, and the ruthless efficiency of the internet getting engaged on this issue. So we have to address this issue. prgtoken Here is the tragic part of this. Not only are more and more lives being ruined and there are more and more heartbreaking stories, but it is because of a Federal law that provides immunity to these websites. So it comes right back here, right to these desks, right to this Congress, right to us as legislators to fix this problem, not to try to smooth it over but to actually fix the problem, which is that some of these online trafficking sites are immune from prosecution because of a Federal law. It was a well-intended law that was written 21 years ago, I think. It is the Communications Decency Act. Ironically, it was put in place to make it a crime to send pornography to kids online, but it has been twisted and used by these trafficking sites to provide them the ability to say: You can't touch us; you can't go after us. That is so because part of what the law says in trying to promote the internet is that if you post somebody else's material on your site, you are not liable. All we are saying is that if you know this involved traffic
TAX REFORM
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-1-9

just over 2 weeks ago, President signed a historic tax reform bill into law. Some, not really knowing what was in the bill and people who were determined to find fault with it, were let's just say a little skeptical at first. They wondered what this whole thing was about and who would actually benefit. But now the verdict is starting to come in. Many folks are pleasantly surprised, for the first time in a while, knowing that Congress and Washington, DC, actually have produced something that will make their lives better. They are appreciative because they are seeing the immediate consequences. In response, more than 100 companies have announced they will give wage increases, they will increase their charitable contributions, and they will give bonuses to their employees. One million Americans are receiving money they previously didn't have, thanks to passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. prgtoken But it is not just about bonuses, of course. We expect that once the IRS updates its withholding tables, wages will rise, too, take-home pay will go up, and hopefully people will see that in their paychecks in February. As my colleague the junior Senator from Ohio wrote last week, ``With this tax reform, the proof will be in your paycheck.'' Families can spend that extra money any way they wish, of course. That is the point. They can spend it on projects long delayed. They can spend it on their kids. They can give it as an allowance or some modest compensation for chores performed or apply it to their kids' future education, or people may just figure out they want to save for a rainy day. The number is pretty shocking as far as how many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and cannot sustain a $400 loss in income and make things work for them. So this will provide them, if they wish, a little bit of cushion for a rainy day. They can donate it to their house of worship. They can help a neighbor or a friend who has fallen on hard times. prgtoken In some places, we are learning that families will enjoy lower utility rates based on what gas and electric companies are doing for their residential customers in light of their new tax savings. In places such as Michigan, Montana, Minnesota, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, and Arizona, the utility regulators in those States are looking at the tax reduction of those investor-owned utilities and how that will calculate into the rate of return that they are guaranteed under the law. But it looks to me as if it will be good news for consumers, that lower heating bills will be the result during the chilly times of the year and lower air-conditioning costs and other electricity costs when spring and summer come around. So it is encouraging to see this sort of perhaps unexpected consequence of tax reform but one that will directly benefit consumers. prgtoken This is real, it is significant, and it is like priming our economic pump--a little push here and
SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE OF IRAN TO FREE EXPRESSION
Dana Rohrabacher (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-1-9

I rise today in support of H. Res. 676, which puts America squarely on the side of courageous Iranians who risk their lives in opposition to the corruption and oppression of the mullah regime in Tehran. prgtoken Iran is a country made up of oppressed minorities. It is a country made up of Kurds--there are more Kurds in Iran than there are in Iraq-- Balochis, Azerias, Arabs, and yes, anticlerical Persians. These people have lived under a regime that terrorizes their population into submission and supports terrorist attacks on other nations. prgtoken Unlike our last President, who closed his ears to the pleas of the Iranian oppressed and brutalized people--and also, I might add, facilitated the transfer of billions of dollars to that regime in the name of an arms control agreement--that President is gone, and our new President is making us proud today by endorsing the rights of those who are struggling for freedom and putting our country and people squarely on the side of those people who share our values in freedom and justice throughout the world.
Healthcare (Executive Calendar)
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2018-1-9

I will be subbmitting a resolution in the U.S. Senate honoring the North Dakota State University Bison football team, who just won their sixth national championship in 7 years. prgtoken , I know you are a football fan, so you can truly appreciate what a fantastic achievement that is. What NDSU has accomplished over the last 7 seasons is absolutely extraordinary. With our victory on Saturday, the Bison have now won six national football championship series division I national titles in 7 years. That ties them for the most of all time. Also, in each of the past 7 years, they have won or shared the top spot in the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship. prgtoken We also want to congratulate the James Madison University Dukes on an outstanding year. We had five championships in a row. The Dukes managed to beat us last year in a semifinal game, and we came back and avenged that loss in a thrilling championship game in Frisco, TX. It went down to the final play. It was a very, very exciting game. prgtoken Winning a national championship is not easy, and this success, reflected both on and off the field, is earned through hard work and dedication. We recognize and congratulate all of the incredible players and Coach Klieman and his tremendous coaching staff, who put in countless hours of practice and preparation. prgtoken We also recognize the importance of good leadership from athletic director Matt Larsen, NDSU president Dean Bresciani, and everyone at NDSU, all the coaches and the staff, team members, and really everybody who is part of Bison Nation. North Dakotans travel with our team. They show up in Bison Nation, and their cheering and supporting our great team is a huge part of our incredible victories. prgtoken We congratulate Easton Stick, the quarterback, for achieving MVP honors and leading a tremendous offensive effort by the Bison and also Nick DeLuca, middle linebacker, for leading an incredible defensive effort. These were two tremendous defenses--James Madison and North Dakota State Bison--fast, strong, and it was a thrilling game and fun to watch. prgtoken I want to compliment James Madison not only on their program but on all their fans and supporters--a real class act. I am very impressed with James Madison University--their students, their team, and all of their alumni, who also turned out in force for what was a tremendous game in Frisco, TX. prgtoken With that, I submit this resolution to the U.S. Senate honoring the North Dakota State Bison. prgtoken , I have just one other thing to say: Go Bison. prgtoken With that, .
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2018
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-1-9

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m Wednesday, January 10; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; further, that following prgtoken leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Parker nomination; further, that all time during adjournment, recess, morning business, and leader remarks count postcloture on the Parker nomination; further, that all postcloture time on the Parker nomination be considered expired at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Parker nomination with no intervening action or debate; finally, that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY
Paul Mitchell (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-1-9

today is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and so I rise to honor our men and women in blue. My oldest son is a local police officer, so I am acutely aware of the risks and sacrifices made by the men and women in law enforcement. prgtoken They assume risks every day--risks we sometimes take for granted in order to keep our communities safe. Being a law enforcement officer isn't a job. It is a calling. It is a service to the community. prgtoken Despite the very real risks, they respond to the call always knowing they may not go home. prgtoken Just last week, a deputy in the community my son serves in was struck by a car during a traffic accident. Yes, he was responding to a traffic accident, and he was hit by a car. It broke his back, broke his neck, and crushed his face. The last update I received, he was in critical condition. All he was doing was trying to protect people at a traffic accident. prgtoken We can't take that for granted. Today we need to pause and simply offer a thank-you to law enforcement officers across the country and to their families. We offer a prayer for those who have reached the end of watch. prgtoken Join me today in thanking police officers across this Nation. Take a moment to simply say thank you. Recognizing the Bicentennial Year of Macomb County
COUNTERTERRORISM INFORMATION SHARING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2017
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-1-9

such time as I may consume. prgtoken As we destroy the caliphate in the Middle East, foreign fighters and terrorist sympathizers have fled the battlefield and are looking for new ways to spread their hatred, recruit new followers, instill fear, kill innocent people, and disrupt our way of life. prgtoken The December 11 bombing at the New York City Port Authority Bus Terminal was the second terror attack in New York in less than 2 months and a grave reminder of the reality of this threat. prgtoken Given this current environment, at the direction of Chairman McCaul, I led a task force to identify specific national security challenges and examine how terrorists might infiltrate our homeland and bring harm to our people. Subsequently, we produced a report with a series of solutions to fix any identified weaknesses that may be exploited by our enemies. prgtoken This report resulted in several pieces of legislation that have come before the House today. To that end, my bill, the Counterterrorism Information Sharing Improvement Act, seeks to enhance the current information-sharing environment that exists within the Federal and military communities. Throughout the task force, we heard time and time again about the incredible amount of biometric and biographic data being pulled off battlefields in Syria and Iraq, as U.S. forces and our allies continue to roll back the territories once held by ISIS. prgtoken It is often DOD personnel that encounter ISIS fighters on the battlefield, which often leads to the collection of valuable data. However, if these fighters and their associates move back to the West or try to enter the U.S the DHS becomes the primary entity that will engage them. Therefore, it is critical that the data recovered by the DOD in the battlefield is able to reach the DHS and its systems for effective frontline screening and vetting of known or suspected terrorists. prgtoken In order to verify we are utilizing this information to support our counterterrorism efforts, we must ensure that the Department of Homeland Security gets access to that data in a timely manner, particularly so that it can be used for screening and vetting purposes. My bill directs the President, acting through the Secretary of Homeland Security, to ensure that the DHS has access to biographic and biometric data collected by the U.S. Government on individuals associated with a terrorist organization. The bill also directs the Secretary to report to Congress on these efforts. prgtoken The U.S. must prioritize any opportunity to identify bad actors outside the country and expand our ability to identify and deter threats before they reach the homeland. Unfortunately, information- sharing challenges among U.S. agencies can prevent valuable information from becoming available for frontline screening and vetting. Not only is this a bureaucratic challenge, given the number of separate government agencies and components inv
CONGRATULATIONS TO NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2018-1-9

I rise today to remember the life of one of Minnesota's heroes. On Tuesday, December 19, 2017, Captain Jeffrey Vollmer of the Mayer Fire Department died in the line of duty. prgtoken A loving father and husband, Jeff is survived by his wife, Emily, and their two daughters, Anika and Kennedi. He was a 12-year veteran of the all-volunteer fire department in Mayer, Minnesota. Friends and colleagues knew him as a selfless and kind leader who was always willing to help others. prgtoken Fire Chief Rod Maetzold described Jeff as the kind of guy you could count on when it mattered most. Jeff was an avid muskie fisherman who enjoyed hunting and photography. Jeff loved to work with wood. He built signs, tables, and even a bed set for his daughter. prgtoken We pray for peace and comfort for his colleagues, friends, and family. He will be missed by so many. Recognizing Jake Henriksen