mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
OPPOSING GREEN NEW DEAL
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2019-3-25

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , I had a young family in my office this morning, a wonderful, nice-looking 11-year-old boy who was in my office today with his dad, his mom, and several other people from southwest Kansas. He looked at me and he said: Congressman Marshall, will I be able to run cattle when I get older? My great-grandfather ran cattle; my grandfather ran cattle; my daddy ran cattle; and I would like to run cattle someday, but this Green New Deal scares me. prgtoken He said: Will the Green New Deal keep me from running cattle? prgtoken I had to say: Unfortunately, yes, it would. prgtoken The Green New Deal would be the end of agriculture as we know it in Kansas. Agriculture makes up 40 percent of the economy of Kansas. For all practical purposes, it would be the end of the Kansas economy. prgtoken Another large part of our economy is oil and gas, and the Green New Deal would be the end of that. prgtoken I always try to think about the impact of something like the Green New Deal. First of all, it would triple your taxes. I think that would be well proven. But I always am especially concerned for that young family, maybe that family that I delivered 5 or 10 or 15 years ago, and they have two or three kids at home. How would the new Green New Deal impact them? First of all, their grocery bill is going to double or triple, I suppose. They would have to replace all the appliances in their home. Their utility bill is going to go up. prgtoken Then I think about the price of gas. I always noticed in my obstetrical practice that whenever the price of gasoline got about $3 a gallon, women would suddenly ask: Do we have to come back this often? Quite a few of my patients live 60 or 90 miles from me, and it was quite a challenge to come visit us. When the price of gasoline got about $3 a gallon, they didn't want to come quite as often. prgtoken I can't help but think what the Green New Deal would do to the cost of gasoline, if there is such a thing. I suppose we would all be driving electric cars. prgtoken Where I am from, I only wish that we could hop on a train and take public transportation, but there are just not enough trains to go around in Kansas. We are lucky to have roads in most places where we live, so public transportation just isn't an option. prgtoken All that being said, , I think, like the gentleman from Arizona, I want to leave this country and I want to leave the State of Kansas cleaner than I found it. I am so proud that Kansas waters and Kansas air are cleaner today than when I was growing up. I am very proud of that. I want to keep going in that direction. prgtoken I am very proud that the carbon imprint from the United States is less today than it was in 2004, and I want to keep going in that direction. But it is my belief that innovation is what is going to drive this and keep us going in that direction. prgtoken I am so proud of what the American entrepreneurs have done in Kan
IN HONOR OF JEFF SHELLEBARGER
Kevin Brady (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-3-25

. Madam , today I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Jeff Shellebarger on his retirement of 38 years of service with Chevron Corporation. prgtoken After graduating from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's and a master's in geology, Jeff Shellebarger began his Chevron career in 1980 as an exploration geologist in New Orleans. Throughout the 1980s, Jeff continued to earn assignments of increasing responsibility at Chevron. He established himself as a highly respected, effective leader, and by 1990 was named division geologist of Western Gulf of Mexico. prgtoken Jeff's career continued to accelerate. Not only did his work in managerial and development roles take him to Houston, San Francisco, and Bakersfield, but also overseas to Angola and Indonesia. Regardless of location, Jeff earned the trust and respect of his colleagues and the surrounding community. prgtoken In his last and most recent role, Jeff served as President of Chevron North America Exploration & Production Company. He worked to reshape and reposition the company, leading to record-setting production, increased revenue, and stronger, more competitive performance. prgtoken Jeff's focus on the Permian Basin strengthened Chevron's North American portfolio, and as production continues to soar, will play a vital role in America's energy renaissance. prgtoken Over his 38-year career, Jeff has led with ethics, integrity, and a commitment to community. During his tenure as President, Jeff worked to advance Houston's standing as a world-class city. He served as a Vice Chairman of the Houston Super Bowl LI host committee, Chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership, and Chairman of the 23rd World Petroleum Congress Houston Organizing Committee. Over the years he has also served on the American Petroleum Institute's Upstream Committee, the Board of the United Way of Greater Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Kinder Institute. prgtoken In retirement, Jeff and his wife Sydney look forward to having more time to read, travel, attend University of Georgia sporting events, and of course, spend time with their grandchildren. prgtoken I am proud to join Jeff's family, friends, and colleagues to congratulate Jeff on his retirement and thank him for his diligent service to our community. I wish him all the best that his well-earned retirement has to offer.
CONGRATULATING WILBUR BONTRAGER ON HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 47 YEARS AT JAYCO
Jackie Walorski (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-3-25

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Wilbur Bontrager on his retirement from Jayco, Inc after 47 years of dedicated and impressive service. prgtoken Wilbur was intimately involved with Jayco from its inception, having helped his parents Lloyd and Bertha set up the original facility on their family farm in Middlebury in 1968. He officially joined the Jayco team in the spring of 1971, utilizing his engineering and manufacturing skills to drive innovation and growth. He rose to the position of Executive Vice President in 1985, and then became CEO and Chairman of the Board in 1993. He later stepped down as CEO but remained Chairman until his retirement. prgtoken Wilbur made invaluable and far-reaching contributions not only to the company but also to the northern Indiana RV industry and our region's economy. Wilbur helped grow the small family business into a manufacturing powerhouse with nearly 4,000 employees. Over the last few decades, northern Indiana has grown into the RV capital of the world, and Hoosiers have dynamic companies like Jayco and excellent leaders like Wilbur to thank for that. Wilbur's remarkable vision and innovation have helped shape the landscape of made-in-America RVs, and the industry is sure to miss his leadership He even received the industry's highest honor in 2008 when he was inducted into the RV Hall of Fame. I want to thank Wilbur for the vital role he has played in creating good jobs for Hoosiers, and for his unwavering commitment over the years to Jayco's hardworking employees. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Wilbur's accomplishments in nearly five decades at Jayco. He defines his approach as doing things the ``Jayco Way,'' and for that we thank him. I am grateful for the legacy Wilbur is leaving behind, and I wish him all the best in the years to come.
OPPOSING GREEN NEW DEAL
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-3-25

from Arizona for yielding. prgtoken I rise today, , in strong opposition to H. Res. 109, the Green New Deal. This resolution is nothing short of a socialistic takeover of our energy, our transportation, and our agricultural industries that aims to change every single aspect of our lives, including how Americans eat, travel, stay warm, build their homes, and even what jobs we take. prgtoken As a fiscal conservative, I believe that the Green New Deal is entirely irresponsible. Recently, our national debt exceeded $22 trillion, and we have no realistic plan for paying that off. The Green New Deal would add trillions more to our debt, while simultaneously destroying the American economy. prgtoken It would also transfer tremendous costs onto the taxpayers, a total of $93 trillion over 10 years. For example, every home and every building would need to be retrofitted at the cost of $2.5 trillion over the next decade. prgtoken Additionally, the Green New Deal's stated goal is to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in that same timeframe, which will cost the taxpayer $11 trillion. Our current tax base could not support this catastrophic level of new spending. Therefore, taxes will need to be raised on every single American and business, inflicting massive damage on our economy due to the loss in take-home pay for the average family and resulting in job losses in the private sector. prgtoken Proponents of the Green New Deal also want to see all our American power come from wind or solar or batteries. This is completely unsustainable, currently, and will lead to blackouts, a dwindling food supply, and an all-out assault on private property rights. prgtoken The Green New Deal also contains no plan on what we will do with all the refuse and the trash that will be resulting from the millions of appliances, batteries, and buildings that need to be replaced or retrofitted. prgtoken This proposal, as grand in its scope as it is absent in its specifics, betrays a shocking naivete and a total absence of understanding of basic economic principles or even of our electric grid and infrastructure. prgtoken Most importantly, the authors of this proposal fail to appreciate the love of liberty and freedom that the American people share. Americans will never stand for such a radical, socialistic restructuring of our economy, and it must be strongly and emphatically rejected. prgtoken Over the last century, we have seen socialist governments around the world make the same empty promises of unlimited peace and prosperity if only their citizens would just relinquish control of their affairs and give up their freedoms and liberty to an overbearing government. The result has inevitably been the same: barren fields, crumbling infrastructure, broken economies, oppressed peoples, and, eventually, fleeing populations, as we prgtoken have seen firsthand in Venezuela, Cuba, the Soviet Union, and many other failed sociali
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE ACT OF 2019
Francis Rooney (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-3-25

we have no additional speakers. prgtoken I would like to thank the author once again, my colleague, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, and my neighbor in the Cannon Building. prgtoken I would like to also thank, once again, Chairman Sires for his leadership in this area, and I enthusiastically encourage everyone in this Congress to support this bill and prepare for the day when we can get aid to the people of Venezuela. prgtoken , .
CLOTURE MOTION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2019-3-25

I ask unanimous consent that all postcloture time on the Bade nomination expire at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow; further, 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. I further ask that following the disposition of the Bade nomination, the Senate proceed to legislative session and resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 88, with the time until 4 p.m. equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; finally, notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, that the cloture motions with respect to the motions to proceed to S.J. Res. 8 and H.R. 268 ripen at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
RECOGNIZING BEN DAVIS
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-3-25

the Boy Scout motto is ``Be Prepared.'' All Scouts say it, but very few live it. A young Scout from Sugar Land, Texas, lived it. His name is Ben Davis. prgtoken On July 2, 2018, Ben hears faint cries. He is horrified when he finds the source: an 87-year-old neighbor lying in her yard. She had fallen doing yard work. She had been lying in the hot Texas July sun for hours. She was dying. prgtoken Being a prepared Boy Scout, Ben knew exactly what to do: go into the woman's house, call 911. And that is exactly what Ben did. Ben stayed with his neighbor until help arrived. prgtoken Ben Davis is the best in Sugar Land, in Fort Bend County, in Texas, and in America. He is a prepared Boy Scout hero.
CONGRATULATING NORMA EHRIG
Michael Cloud (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-3-25

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Norma Ehrig of Gonzales, Texas, for receiving the David B. Walshak Lifetime Achievement Award. prgtoken The 97th Annual Gonzales Chamber of Commerce banquet recognized Mrs. Ehrig for her exceptional community engagement. Her friends and colleagues vouched for her much deserved recognition. prgtoken Mrs. Ehrig's involvement in the community has tremendously affected the lives of the youth. At Gonzales East Avenue Primary School, she counsels students and assists disadvantaged children. prgtoken Mrs. Ehrig's commitment includes providing funds for these underprivileged kids to buy food and clothing when their families are not there to support them. And as Mrs. Ehrig is never one to seek recognition, her family was not even aware of her financial contributions to help those less fortunate. Her family embraced her selfless acts and appreciated the way in which she devoted herself to helping the community. prgtoken Mrs. Ehrig has also assisted Gonzales' Child Protective Services; she helped raise funding for essential examination equipment to investigate severe child abuse. With her help, the city established the Gonzales Regional Child Advocacy Center. prgtoken To honor her, the board members renamed the center as ``Norma's House'' in 2001 and recognized her as a permanent board member. prgtoken I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Mrs. Ehrig and recognize her tremendous service in the Gonzales community.
Mueller Report (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-3-25

as the world now knows, yesterday evening Attorney General Barr sent a letter to Congress on the investigation by the special counsel. In his letter, Attorney General Barr confirmed the intelligence community's assessment that through a coordinated disinformation campaign and hacking operations, Russia sought to interfere with the 2016 election. Any attempts by a foreign government to interfere with our ic processes, successful or unsuccessful, must not be taken lightly. prgtoken Though the special counsel's investigation was very targeted and specific, Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which I serve, continue our work to more closely examine the matter as well as the broader threats posed by foreign interference as part of our oversight responsibilities. Although this was the major focus of the special counsel's investigation, it was not the most anticipated portion of Mr. Mueller's report. prgtoken After reviewing the special counsel's findings, the Attorney General concluded that the campaign did not coordinate with the Russian Government in their efforts to influence the election. Based on their reaction since General Barr released his letter, it is clear the partisans who will never be satisfied with any results of an investigation will not be appeased by this report from the special counsel or General Barr's summary of Mr. Mueller's conclusions. prgtoken I hope our colleagues will trust the dedicated team of public servants who investigated this matter for the special counsel and now allow Congress to move on so we can deal with other challenges facing the American people. The worst thing we can do is get bogged down in a relitigation of all these issues over which we have no real authority because Congress's role is to conduct oversight for purposes of determining whether the laws have been faithfully executed or whether changes in the law need to occur. Obviously, the special counsel's role is entirely different. It is a criminal investigation prgtoken to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of a violation of a criminal law that would warrant presentation to a grand jury, charging, and then a trial. Congress's role is demonstrably and decidedly different. prgtoken I would like to thank Mr. Mueller for conducting his investigation with the utmost professionalism. For those of us who have seen him in action over many years, we expected nothing different. I would also like to thank Attorney General Barr for promptly communicating his conclusions with both Congress and the American people. Throughout Attorney General Barr's confirmation hearings, he stressed his intent to release as much information as possible, and he is now in the process of delivering on his word. prgtoken I agree with those on both sides of the aisle, as well as the President, who want the Mueller report to be released publicly. As much of the report as can be released, and consist
TRIBUTE TO MELISSA PAPPAS
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2019-3-25

today I honor Melissa Pappas, the Orange County teacher of the year from Brookshire Elementary School in Winter Park, FL. prgtoken Melissa is a K-5 intensive autism teacher that works with children with severe behavioral functional and academic needs. She is motivated by her passion for her students and is responsible for one of only five intensive units districtwide, serving students with severe behavioral, functional, and academic needs. She believes teaching is not only a profession that teaches all other professions, but the one with the power to shape the future for all types of learners. prgtoken In the past year, she launched a schoolwide initiative during Autism Awareness Month to educate members of the school community to promote acceptance, love, and understanding of those with autism and special needs. As a result of the initiative, many students performed random acts of kindness and engaged students with exceptionalities. prgtoken I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Melissa for her devotion to helping her students succeed in life. I look forward to learning of her continued success in the coming years.
HONORING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF URNER'S HOME APPLIANCE STORE IN BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2019-3-25

. Madam , I rise today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Urner's Home Appliance Store. prgtoken From his humble beginnings selling cookware off the back of a bicycle in the 1910s, founder David E Urner's entrepreneurial dreams were realized when he opened Urner & Janes in the summer of 1919. With a company mantra of ``providing an easier way of living,'' Urner & Janes quickly became the premier store in the Central Valley for modern appliances In fact, Mr Urner was the first person to offer innovative appliances like electric refrigerators and the ``wonder'' machine--an automatic washing machine years ahead of its time--for commercial sale in Bakersfield His vision and relentless work ethic truly laid the foundation for Urner's to become the fixture in the community it is today. prgtoken When you look at family-owned companies that survive the test of time, one trait they all share is their adaptability, and Urner's is no exception. Largely unable to acquire metal-based appliances during World War II because of the war production efforts, Urner's had the foresight to begin selling toys and offering an appliance repair service. Fortunately, this knack for understanding the market extended well beyond David, and the company, now managed by the fourth generation of Urners, who have experienced so much success that they were forced to move from their original downtown location into a larger 52,000 square foot superstore to keep up with demand. Urner's also recently expanded to the mattress market, opening two Z's Please Sleep Center locations and becoming their flagship mattress destination for the entire state of California. prgtoken Even more noteworthy than Urner's commercial success is their boundless care and support of the Bakersfield community. From championing local organizations to simply treating every person that passes through the doors of one of their stores with kindness and respect, Urner's is the quintessential example of how a family owned and operated business should be run. On behalf of the 23rd Congressional District I want to congratulate Urner's on its 100-year anniversary, and I look forward to another 100 years of Urner's prospering in the Bakersfield community.
OPPOSING GREEN NEW DEAL
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2019-3-25

I rise today to lead a Western Caucus Special Order to voice our vehement opposition to the Green New Deal before it is put out of its misery by a vote in the U.S. Senate later this week. prgtoken With an estimated price tag of $93 trillion over the first 10 years, the Green New Deal costs more than four times the U.S. public debt. The Green New Deal is a Soviet-style takeover of our entire economy that will radically transform America into a country that will be very bleak and unrecognizable from the country that we know and love today. prgtoken The proponents of the Green New Deal like to make it out to be a program to improve our environment, but in reality, it is just a socialist experiment on a grand scale. prgtoken Included in the Green New Deal is a job guarantee, even if you don't want to work; a housing guarantee; a healthcare guarantee; and an education guarantee. The cost of these guarantees will put a major burden on the American taxpayer, with the healthcare guarantee alone costing taxpayers $32 trillion in the first 10 years. prgtoken None of these guarantees have anything to do with improving our environment but, rather, are socialist talking points dating back centuries. In fact, only 15 percent of the estimated cost of the Green New Deal applies to the environment. prgtoken Pair this additional tax burden with the cost of complying with all the new one-size-fits-all regulations included in the Green New Deal, which is estimated to cost $650,000 per household over 10 years, and the annually disposable income for an average household just vanishes. prgtoken In total, Americans will have to spend $155.5 billion to replace furnaces, $11.9 billion to replace gas dryers, $50 billion to replace water heaters, and $26 billion to replace stoves. prgtoken In the words of Michael Zehr from the Consumer Energy Alliance: ``American consumers need practical energy solutions that come from our Nation's existing mix of affordable energy resources. As it stands, the Green New Deal does not offer cost-efficient or sustainable solutions for hardworking families and businesses across our country.'' prgtoken The Green New Deal is a job killer. The Green New Deal would eliminate 10.3 million jobs in the oil and gas industry, 600,000 jobs in the aviation industry, 1.4 million hydroelectric jobs, 100,000 jobs in nuclear energy, and 50,000 jobs in coal. prgtoken , while it is important to point out the most obvious and radical policies of the Green New Deal, such as the elimination of conventional energy sources and industries, there are several other policy consequences that should be highlighted. prgtoken , did you know that, according to the think tank Data Progress, the Green New Deal will reinstate the administration's WOTUS, the waters of the U.S and the so-called Clean Power Plan rules as part of this terrible policy? These two burdensome regulations in and of themselves did more to strip Americans of thei