mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING ROBERT KOLAS FOR HIS THIRTY-ONE YEARS AS MAYOR OF HIGGINSVILLE, MISSOURI
Emanuel Cleaver (Democrat, MO) \u2014 2020-6-8

. Madam , I proudly rise today to recognize Mayor Robert ``Bill'' Kolas for his 31 years of dedicated service to the community in his role as Mayor of Higginsville, Missouri. Having been steadfast in his commitment to the betterment of this small, close-knit community, Mayor Kolas undoubtedly leaves behind a legacy of unparalleled leadership. prgtoken Mayor Kolas was born in Carrollton, Missouri, the son of William and Doris Kolas. Going into his 5th grade year, his family moved to Higginsville, Missouri and established themselves within the community. Mayor Kolas graduated from Higginsville High School in 1957 and went on to work in construction for two years before he joined the United States Navy in October of 1959. After proudly serving a four-year tour, Mayor Kolas returned to Higginsville before taking on a traveling sales position. For the next 20 years, Mayor Kolas represented livestock feed companies, encompassing a Midwest region of five states. In 1977, he made Higginsville his homestead for good, settling in with his beloved wife and daughter, and has remained an active force in the community since then. prgtoken After a two-year term serving on the Board of Alderman, Bill sought the mayorship, successfully winning his election and serving a two year term. Dedicated to carrying out and directly shaping the community, Bill ran for mayor again in 1991 and has been leading Higginsville as mayor ever since. Mayor Kolas' list of accomplishments is expansive. Under his leadership, the Tax Increment Financing Commission was established, the power plant was expanded, the city took on a sewer improvement project and constructed 3 miles of sidewalks, and a \1/4\ cent public safety tax was passed, just to name a few. Moreover, in addition to mayor, Bill serves his community in many roles ranging from Founding Committee Member of the Lafayette County LEAD 2000 leadership program, Board Member, Vice President, and President of the Missouri Municipal League, Council Chair for the Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission, to the President of the Whiteman Airforce Base Community Council. prgtoken Madam , please join me honoring Mayor Bill Kolas' 31 years of leading the Higginsville, Missouri community. On behalf of the people of Higginsville and Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, myself included, I thank him for his dedicated service to the public. I wish him the best in this next chapter of his life.
IOWA'S PRIMARY ELECTION
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-6-9

the House of Representatives has passed a bill that is kind of like a one-size-fits-all for elections, meaning that everything ought to be run out of Washington, DC, which is contrary to what we have done in this country for 240 years, wherein we have had 50 States running the elections. I want to refer to what happens in the State of Iowa. prgtoken Last week, Iowans voted in record numbers in our June primary. In most elections, about 40 percent of Iowans choose to vote by absentee ballot. This year, in our primary and, understandably, because of the pandemic, the vast majority cast its votes by absentee ballot--a State decision, a personal decision, not something dictated by Washington. prgtoken As I have already referred to, there are those here in Washington, DC--in Congress and maybe outside of Congress--who say that, unless the Federal Government mandates that States adopt a whole new, centralized, nonoptional vote-by-mail system before November, Americans will not be able to vote from home. prgtoken Iowa's successful primary election shows that the absentee ballot system that is already in place in our State--and in most States--that is run by our county auditors is up to the task. We have proven that. Every Iowan who wants to vote absentee in November can do so, and those who want to vote in person can also do so safely. prgtoken . prgtoken .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-6-9

I am here tonight on the floor to talk about a historic opportunity for our country and for our national parks--a true treasure of this country. When Teddy Roosevelt started the national parks, he wanted to preserve some of the most beautiful, pristine lands in America for public use. prgtoken It was a good decision. Now we have 84 million acres of parkland all around the country. Some of them are historical parks, battlefields, or Presidents' homes. Some of them are like Yosemite or Yellowstone. The Tetons are known as spectacular, beautiful vistas. Others, like Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, are really suburban parks. It sits between Cleveland and Akron, OH. It is the 13th most visited park in the United States of America. It is a fantastic park--for fishing, for hiking, for bicycling, for going on a scenic railroad. prgtoken People love the parks. There is a good reason for that--because they are spectacular. In fact, visitation at the parks is up. During the 10 years just before the park centennial, which was in 2016, we had about a $58 million increase in visitors to our national parks. prgtoken As the coronavirus begins to fade--thank goodness--more and more people are wanting to be outside, do things with their family, do something that is not expensive but is fun and healthy. Our national parks are the perfect place. As our parks begin to reopen, we are going to get more and more visitors to those parks. prgtoken The problem is, when they go to these parks, they are going to find that there are some issues. These issues are that our national parks over the years have not kept up with their maintenance, with the basics of what you would expect in any organization--the water systems, the roads, the bridges, the bathrooms, the visitor centers, the trails. Many of these are now closed in some of our parks because they haven't had the funding to do the capital improvements, the things you would think about in deferred maintenance at your home. For instance, if your roof starts to leak, you want to fix it because if you don't, then your wall begins to get moldy or your floor begins to couple. That is what is happening in our national parks. prgtoken Not only has Congress not provided the money for these more expensive infrastructure changes in our parks, but that has caused additional damage. Every day it is causing more and more damage. It is the biggest challenge we have in the parks. prgtoken I was a member of what is called the Centennial Commission for the national parks, which is a private sector group that was formed when I was not in public office a few years ago, and it was working up to the 2016 centennial. The top issue was this deferred maintenance. prgtoken I have been on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and have been passing legislation related to the parks. The Centennial Act we passed in 2016. That was very important because it provided more funding for the park
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-6-9

if you were to approach a random person on the street in any city in America today and say: Who is George Floyd, I could all but guarantee you that you would be met with a quick response. They would tell you about their horror at seeing this video of him being killed at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer; that, sadly, he was not the first victim of this type of crime; and that his death has now mobilized Americans of all races, ages, and backgrounds to demand action. prgtoken A friend of Mr. Floyd's for more than 35 years said: Everybody in the world knows who George Floyd is today. Presidents, Kings, and Queens--they know George Floyd. prgtoken It is true. His name and face are everywhere. He is the subject of incredible artwork, passionate speeches, and dinner table conversations. He is the reason for marches and demonstrations in the cities from Houston to Minneapolis, to London, to Sydney. And today, after 2 weeks of grieving, the Floyd family will finally lay their beloved brother, father, and friend to rest in his hometown of Houston, TX. prgtoken Over the past 2 weeks, I have joined the chorus of voices calling for justice for Mr. Floyd. The first step is underway now that the officers have been charged, but this alone is not enough. Our country has a responsibility to do the best we can to prevent another family from burying their son or daughter as a result of excessive force by a police officer. prgtoken People of all races are now actively engaged in a national conversation about the racial injustices that exist in our country--one that is deeply needed and long overdue. prgtoken I want to assure the people of Texas that these conversations are happening in the U.S. Senate as well. Our friend and colleague Senator Tim Scott, from South Carolina, briefed the conference today on the package of bills he is developing, with help from a group of our Members, to combat the racial injustice that still exists in our country today--particularly, as it applies to law enforcement. prgtoken This is a product of discussions that Leader McConnell and I and others have had that would make real and lasting changes in communities across the country. I am proud to be part of the discussion led by Senator Scott, and I want to commend both him and the majority leader for their leadership and sense of urgency--one we all feel. prgtoken I think the necessary changes begin within our criminal justice system. Despite calls from some to defund or even disband the police, I believe these steps would do far more harm than good. It is not the right answer. Instead, we need to do a top-to-bottom review of our criminal justice system--something that has not happened in more than 50 years. prgtoken Senators Peters, Graham, and I have introduced a bill to create a National Criminal Justice Commission that would do just that. Over the course of 18 months, the Commission would examine ou
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-6-9

this is going to be a historic day for the U.S. Senate, as we come to the floor after the recess, after lunch here, to be voting on the confirmation of Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr to be the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force--Gen. C.Q. Brown. I will be voting for General Brown because he is the right man, at the right time, for this very important job. Let me explain why. prgtoken General Brown has an impressive academic record and a sterling record of service to our great Nation and, of course, to the U.S. Air Force. He is a distinguished graduate of the Armed Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech--the Presiding Officer might like that--as well as a master's degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. prgtoken Currently, General Brown is the commanding officer--the four-star general--in charge of Pacific Air Forces, all Pacific Air Forces. Of course, , you know that is really important because he is literally on the frontlines in implementing the national defense strategy, which has a focus on great power competition, particularly China, as the pacing threat to our Nation for the next 50 to 100 years. General Brown is in that battle right now, frontlines, every day, in his current billing. That is really important. prgtoken Prior to being commander of the Pacific Air Forces, he was the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command for 2 years. He knows all about the national security challenges that we have from that region of the world, which are still very significant--particularly violent extremist organizations, like al-Qaida and ISIS--that continue to threaten the United States. prgtoken From 2015 to 2016, he served as the U.S. Air Force's Central Command Combined Force Air Component Commander, where he oversaw the strategic bombing campaigns against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, as well as operations against insurgent groups in Afghanistan. prgtoken With a record like that--pretty remarkable--he understands the threats we are currently facing. He understands the big challenges we are seeing over the horizon with regard to China. And he is ready to lead the Air Force to take on those threats as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. prgtoken The Secretary of the Air Force, Barbara Barrett, said of General Brown: He has unmatched strategic vision and operational expertise. His leadership will be instrumental as the service continues to focus on the capabilities and talent we need to implement the National Defense Strategy. prgtoken That is the Secretary of the Air Force on Gen. C.Q. Brown. prgtoken In my conversations with him, I certainly believe these qualities, these characteristics, the Secretary of the Air Force describes to certainly be true. I have had many good conversations with him on strategy, on strategic basing, including in the Asia-Pacific region, and
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2020-6-9

this month will forever mark a historic moment for conservation across this Nation when the U.S. Senate votes on one of the most important conservation bills in decades. prgtoken The Great American Outdoors Act isn't just about tomorrow, next week, or even next year. This is a bipartisan bill about the future of our children and grandchildren, about legacy, about their ability to enjoy and access our great outdoors and our public lands. prgtoken Standing here today, I can tell you there aren't too many issues, unfortunately, that bring both s and together, but protecting our public lands for future generations is something that brings us all here together. prgtoken Just yesterday, we saw a major bipartisan step forward to getting this bill across the finish line--an 80-to-17 vote to move forward with this important bill. prgtoken Today, I am joining my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to share how important it is that we pass the Great American Outdoors Act as soon as possible. prgtoken Many may ask: Well, how is it, then, that we have finally built enough bipartisan momentum to get this across the finish line? Well, over a year and a half ago, my colleagues and I passed a historic bipartisan public lands package that permanently authorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund--a critical conservation program in Montana and across the country. prgtoken In fact, as I am standing here, I am looking across the Chamber at the ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. This is what it is all about in Washington. This is what should be happening more and more. When Senators who sit on opposite sides of the Senate Chamber because of the way we sit, with on one side, s on the other--here we are together. We are not fighting each other right now. We are talking about how we are going to come together and pass this. prgtoken This is a great moment for our Nation--a time when we need to come together--and, once again, it is public lands that are pulling us together instead of dividing us. prgtoken Back in February, just a few months ago, I sat down in the Roosevelt Room with Senator Gardner, Leader McConnell, and President to see what it would take to get full, mandatory funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and how we can fix this maintenance backlog, which is plaguing our national parks and our public lands, across the finish line. prgtoken In fact, I shared several of Montana's Land and Water Conservation Fund funded projects and shared how vital this funding is for Montana and those who visit. Seventy percent of our fishing accesses in Montana are funded by LWCF. prgtoken The President listened. I remember he sat back in his chair. He commented how beautiful the landscapes were that he saw in these pictures. He said that we need to get this across the finish line, and he said that h
THE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-6-9

to most Americans, the so-called Great American Outdoors Act is a mistake. It is expensive, shortsighted, and it is wrong; but to those of us who live in the American West, it is a disaster. Despite its rosy claims, this legislation combines two bills that will only tighten the Federal stranglehold on our lands and drive us deeper into debt, to the detriment of our economy, our environment, and the livelihoods and the freedom of the American people. prgtoken So just how, you might ask, does it do that? Well, let me explain. The first title containing an expanded version of the Restore Our Parks Act attempts to address the roughly $19.3 billion maintenance backlog on our Federal lands, concentrated primarily within national parks projects, which approach a $12 billion maintenance backlog just on their own, but it seeks to do so by spending $9.5 billion of Federal offshore energy revenues over 5 years, without any means whatsoever of offsetting those extra funds. prgtoken Now, that, to be clear, is money that is currently going to the U.S. Treasury to pay for a number of other costs, a prgtoken number of other expenditures--from aircraft carriers to Federal courts and everything in between--and will only add to our already ballooning national debt. prgtoken It is, we have to remember, Congress's job to set priorities for the funds in the Treasury. If we prioritize something--if we prioritize one thing--we must either proportionately decrease the funding for something else or find another way to generate new revenue. prgtoken This bill does neither. Furthermore, without any measures to prevent it, it guarantees that a similar backlog will only reemerge in the future. There are better ways to address this problem. For example, there are much better ways in a proposal that has been introduced by Senator Enzi in a bill called the REAL Act. The REAL Act would modestly increase park visitor fees by $5, businesses and tourist visa fees by $25, and a visa waiver program fee by $16--estimated to bring an additional $5.5 billion in revenue over the next 10 years. prgtoken This, the REAL Act, introduced by Senator Enzi is a reasonable, practical solution to sustainably address the maintenance backlog on our National Parks, which is a problem. It is a problem that needs to be dealt with, and the REAL Act does it in a very responsible, sustainable fashion. What is more, the REAL Act would create a permanent and independent way of supplementing the funding for our National Parks and do so without adding to the national debt. prgtoken The second title of this bill--of the Great American Outdoors Act-- creates almost $1 billion of mandatory spending every single year on new Federal land acquisition through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In other words, it adds a new entitlement, adding to our already unaffordable system of entitlements. It puts it on a level playing field with things like Social Security an
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-6-9

I am on the Senate floor today to talk about the protection and restoration of the Gulf Coast, an issue extremely important to those I serve in Louisiana in the Gulf Coast, but important to the rest of the Nation, whether the rest of the Nation knows it or not. I will explain why that is. prgtoken In the coming days, the Senate will vote on whether or not to pass the Great American Outdoors Act. This bill dedicates funding over 5 years towards deferred maintenance. We have spoken about it at length. It adds an additional $900 million to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, an amount which is already authorized but never funded. This would make it mandatory that it is funded. prgtoken Many will say that this is a good thing or even a great thing. I will tell you, for Louisiana, for the Gulf Coast, and for a lot of other States, this is not a great thing in its current form. In fact, I will show how this bill currently benefits only certain States at the expense of others. prgtoken First, it is almost entirely funded with money from the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production. So 50 to 60 percent of the dollars go to five States. So we are going to put up about $9.5 billion, and 50 to 60 percent of it goes to five States. Needless to say, that lacks equity. I would argue that we can make this bill better in terms of benefiting many more Americans than it currently does. prgtoken First, let's speak about where the revenue comes from. Again, about $1.9 billion a year comes from energy production, redistributing that across the country, as we mentioned, to deferred maintenance programs. About 90 percent of that revenue from which this money will be extracted comes from oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. This will be about $4.3 billion coming from the Gulf of Mexico. Now, this makes the Gulf of Mexico the primary revenue source for this whole project. It adds $900 million to what is already designated the Land and Water Conservation Fund. There is $1.9 billion a year for 5 years to go for deferred maintenance, and this is in addition to $125 million a year, which is currently being spent on the Land and Water Conservation Fund. prgtoken Now, some of the advocates, by the way, just for a point of clarity, will say or imply that these dollars are not otherwise allocated. Let's just be clear. The dollars are allocated. Right now, the dollars that will be used for this fund come to the U.S. Treasury and are used for the priorities of the American people, and they are allocated for, you name it, higher education, debt service, paying troops, defense, et cetera. This would make it mandatory that a certain amount of this money would go towards both deferred maintenance and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. prgtoken Now, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is supposed to be a fund that functions to benefit, kind of, all Americans, but I would argue that it really benefits select regions of A