mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2017-9-13

at some point during the course of this debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate may have an opportunity to vote on a McCain amendment authorizing a base realignment and closure round. prgtoken As Members know, I have the utmost respect for the chairman of our committee, and I hold him in high regard. But I will certainly be voting against the McCain amendment because I do not believe authorizing a base realignment and closure round at this particular time is in the best interests of the United States or the security of Americans. I do that for two reasons. prgtoken No. 1, whether you agree or not that base closings are a savings in the long run, almost everyone will agree that in the short term, a base closing round costs money. So it would be costly in the next fiscal year and in the fiscal year after that to have a base closing round. This is the very time when we don't need an additional expense, because we are dealing with the readiness problem we have in our various branches right now. prgtoken As chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee, I can tell you that we have readiness problems with our fleet; we have readiness problems in the Marine Corps--those services in which I have a particular interest in my subcommittee. We need that money for readiness, and we need it in this fiscal year and in the next fiscal year. So for reasons of the short-term costs that BRAC would cause us to incur, I urge my colleagues to vote no on the McCain amendment. prgtoken Further, it is my understanding that the wording of this particular amendment takes away the commission part of a base realignment and closure round. If you do believe we ought to move toward this concept-- which I do not believe we should do at this point--but if you do believe that, then we ought to at least have the independence that a commission gives to the process. It is the sort of process we have had time and again when we have had a BRAC round. It is what we had the last time the U.S. Congress faced a base realignment and closure round. prgtoken So for those two reasons, I submit to my colleagues that a ``no'' vote is called for. This is something we may need to discuss in 2020. It may be something we need to do later on, and I will be open to suggestions about that. But when we have a readiness crisis facing U.S. security at this moment, this is no time to be taking money away from those immediate needs. For that reason, I will be voting no on the McCain amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. prgtoken . prgtoken .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-9-13

as the Senate considers the National Defense Authorization Act, or the NDAA, I rise today to discuss a simple amendment in support of my constituents in South Dakota who are military retirees, as well as those in many other States who find themselves in a similar circumstance. prgtoken These retirees may be disproportionately and unfairly impacted by increases in the TRICARE prescription drug copay increases that we find within the bill that we are considering today. Specifically, provisions in this bill will increase cost-sharing amounts for the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program for the years 2018 through the year 2026. prgtoken Now, the rationale for the increases in the bill that we are considering today are that the savings generated from pharmaceutical cost-share increases can be used to improve healthcare outcomes and the experience of care for beneficiaries in the military health system, and I support that. I believe in improving the care for beneficiaries in the military health system. But in this particular case, the increased TRICARE pharmacy copays must be carefully considered to make certain that they could not disproportionately impact one part of the beneficiary population. prgtoken Unfortunately, that would be the case for South Dakota and for other largely rural States with large military retiree populations that live too far away from military treatment facilities to easily travel to these facilities and to make themselves available for the prescriptions that are available at those facilities. Instead, these military retirees and their families are compelled to use the TRICARE mail order system or the retail pharmacies in their local communities and, in both cases, they would have to pay higher copays. In other words, if you live close to the facility, you can go to the facility and receive those medicines, those pharmaceuticals. But if you are farther away and you have to use a retail shop in your own community or use mail order, you would be subject, under this bill, to a higher copay cost. prgtoken For example, a copay for a generic drug ordered through the TRICARE mail order system will increase by $10 in fiscal year 2018. Now, while this does not seem like a lot of money, those costs can add up rapidly if a military retiree or his family is required to make multiple copays for multiple prescriptions. Simply put, our military retirees who live more than 40 miles away from a military treatment facility should not be unfairly forced to pay higher copays on prescription drugs just because of where they choose to live. prgtoken Under my amendment, we would take a step back. The amendment would freeze copay increases for TRICARE retirees and their families who live more than 40 miles from a military treatment facility. Additionally, the amendment would require the Department of Defense to actually assess the financial impact of the higher copays on these beneficiaries. prgtoken
PRESIDENT TRUMP THREATENS THE ESTABLISHMENT
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-9-13

President doesn't have many fans in the political, media, or academic establishment. The definition of ``establishment'' is a ruling class or a controlling group. prgtoken They oppose the President because he is not one of them. They hold different views of immigration, trade, regulations, political correctness, and media bias. Their beliefs are threatened by his world view, so they are relentlessly trying to discredit his Presidency. prgtoken The President, I believe, sees himself as representing the working men and women of America; s, , and Independents. This is the broad middle class and those who aspire to be part of it. prgtoken The establishment has linked arms and resists the President's reforms, but all true reform starts with the voice of the people, and they are on his side.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-9-13

last week I came down to the Senate floor to talk about the need for tax reform. One of the most important things we can do to help our economy and American families recover from years of economic stagnation under the previous administration is to reform our Tax Code. prgtoken The Tax Code affects every aspect of our economy. It affects how much money you have left over to save or invest. It affects whether a new business can get off the ground. It affects whether an existing business might have the money to raise wages or to hire new employees. It is often the determining factor in whether American jobs go overseas. prgtoken Right now our Tax Code isn't doing much to help anybody. It is increasingly strangling our economy, depressing job and wage growth and new business creation, pushing American jobs overseas, and is placing a heavy burden on working families who see far too much of their paychecks going to Washington, DC. prgtoken That is why s are making tax reform a priority this fall, and we are hoping the will join us. Last week I mentioned the five principles that will guide any tax reform legislation. Any bill we pass will have to do these things: No. 1, result in increasing wage and economic growth; No. 2, provide tax relief for the middle class; No. 3, keep good-paying jobs here at home; No. 4, increase American competitiveness in the global economy; and, finally, it has to simplify the Tax Code. prgtoken Last week I spent some time discussing the first principle, which is increasing wages, jobs, and economic growth. This week I would like to take a few minutes to focus on the second; that is, providing tax relief for the middle class. prgtoken Hard-working Americans have had a hard time of it in recent years. Wage growth was almost nonexistent during the administration. A recent prgtoken survey found that 50 percent of people in this country consider themselves to be living paycheck to paycheck. Families who once looked forward to a secure future have found themselves wondering where the next mortgage or rent payment is coming from or if they will be able to afford to put anything toward their kids' college savings or toward their retirement. Fortunately, there are a lot of tax relief measures we can take that will help middle-income families, and any plan for relief has to start with lowering tax rates for the middle class. The Federal Government is simply taking too much money each month from working families. prgtoken We need to fix that. American families can do a much better job spending their money than Washington bureaucrats. Any new tax bill needs to leave more money in Americans' wallets--money they can put toward their family's needs in paying for a child's braces or saving for college. prgtoken Relief for American families starts with lowering the tax rate, but it doesn't end there. There are other things we can do to help hard- working
VALUABLE FARM BILL LISTENING SESSIONS
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-9-13

over the course of the summer, I was able to join some farm bill listening sessions with Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson. These sessions were titled ``The Next Farm Bill, Conversations in the Field,'' and they allowed committee members to gather input directly from farmers, ranchers, and stakeholders across the country. prgtoken As the House Agriculture Committee works to craft the next farm bill, these listening sessions have allowed us to hear firsthand from those who are directly impacted by the farm bill. They provide us with real world examples of what is working and what isn't. prgtoken With farmers in every region of this country, we heard many different perspectives. This feedback will help us write the best legislation possible. prgtoken Now, my schedule permitted me to attend listening sessions in Gainesville, Florida; San Angelo, Texas; and Decatur, Illinois. I also hosted a listening session in my own district. Our ``Barnyard Discussion'' at Penn State's Ag Progress Days focused on issues driving the state of agriculture in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I was joined by my ic colleague, Congressman Dwight Evans of Philadelphia; as well as Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Reading; and Rick Ebert, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. prgtoken We heard from a variety of stakeholders, including those from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, the Center for Dairy Excellence, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. prgtoken Penn State's Ag Progress Days is Pennsylvania's largest outdoor agricultural expo. Proudly, there are numerous opportunities for attendees to hear from their State and Federal lawmakers about regulations, policies, and government programs through various events and exhibits. prgtoken The Barnyard Discussion is an annual event for me and, in the same fashion, as the committee's listening session, it allows me to hear how our Federal policies are working for those who are directly impacted by these decisions. Producers from across the Commonwealth flock to Pennsylvania Furnace for the 3-day event that features the latest technology and research exhibits, educational programs, and guided tours. prgtoken This year marked the 42nd year, and it is one of only three agriculture exhibitions in the country to be sponsored by a major university. I especially enjoyed the Barnyard Discussion, and I gathered excellent insight about the challenges and successes facing the agriculture industry. prgtoken These sessions were particularly important to me, as chairman of the Nutrition Subcommittee, because Federal nutrition programs are vital to ensuring that all Americans have access to healthy foods, especially our low-income populations, the elderly, and those living in areas with strained access to nutritious foods, or what we call food deserts. prgtoken Programs like the
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Keith J. Rothfus (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-9-13

I, too, rise in opposition of this amendment. The proponent suggests that his amendment is basically necessary for the functioning of the CFPB. It is not. The CFPB is going to continue to function but with the accountability of the American people. prgtoken This amendment is inconsistent--inconsistent with the fundamental principle of American Government: of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. This amendment is inconsistent with the fundamental American principle of self-rule. That happens in this Congress. prgtoken Congress needs to have authority over every part of the Federal Government, including the CFPB, so we can make the determination of what harm it may be bringing to consumers. We do know that consumers have been harmed with loss of free checking and losing their local community institutions because of the overregulation coming from this town. prgtoken So I urge my fellow Members to defeat this amendment and to vote for accountability over the CFPB.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-9-13

the National Defense Authorization Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation to come before the Senate each and every year. It is, after all, the measure that authorizes the resources, the capabilities, and the pay and benefits that our men and women in uniform need to perform their mission. It is always worth remembering that our country fields an all-volunteer force. We owe a special obligation to all those who volunteer to fight on behalf of each and every one of us. prgtoken This year the bill, thanks to the good work of the Armed Services Committee under the leadership of Chairman McCain and Ranking Member Reed, passed out of committee with unanimous bipartisan support. It recommends a national defense level of authorization that will allow the Department of Defense to begin to rebuild our military and deliver a well-deserved pay raise to our men and women in uniform. That is especially important today. Our Nation faces a myriad of challenges around the world from both state actors and terror organizations that threaten American national security. These growing pressures require that our forces have the training and resources they need to combat those challenges and win. prgtoken Yet, due to a combination of the last administration's actions and the harmful consequences of sequestration, our military does not have the resources it needs to address the many global challenges before us in either a comprehensive or responsible way. We have to keep faith with the force. So we have to correct this situation, and doing so means equipping our servicemembers with the weapons and the training they need to sufficiently defeat these threats. prgtoken As I said yesterday, this spring's government funding bill made an important down payment toward rebuilding our forces, and the NDAA bill before us can build upon that progress further. As we consider the NDAA, I remain firmly committed to the men and women in the Armed Forces, including to those stationed in my home State. prgtoken I am proud to represent three Army installations and the Kentucky Air and Army National Guard. One of these installations, Fort Campbell in Christian County, is home to the 101st Airborne Division, the 5th Special Forces Group, and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. prgtoken Since World War II, the 101st Airborne Division has responded to threats around the globe, including, most recently, during multiple deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. This highly decorated unit, known as the Screaming Eagles, is contributing to keeping our Nation and national interests secure. prgtoken The NDAA will authorize the resources and capabilities to ensure that the troops at Fort Campbell, as part of the joint force, are prepared to continue responding to threats against our Nation. prgtoken Another Kentucky military installation is Fort Knox. With a distinguished history during both World Wars, Fort Knox has remained
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-9-13

the rain is no longer falling in Houston, but the streets are still being flooded as the Corps of Engineers lets water that threatens the integrity of dams located north of Houston out of those dams, actually reflooding some of the neighborhoods that previously have been flooded, even after the rain has stopped for a number of days now. prgtoken The weight of Hurricane Harvey is still pressing down on my home State of Texas, where many are struggling for some good news and a breath of fresh air. The latest numbers that I have seen are that roughly 100,000 people have lost their homes, 70,000 are still living in shelters or in motel rooms, others are living with friends and family, and more than 700,000 people have registered for individual assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency--more than 700,000. prgtoken With the water drained in most parts of the city and the area, mold is the next thing that pops up in buildings and houses, and then come the mosquitoes. The mosquitoes aren't just a nuisance. They are a public health hazard as well. We happen to live in an area of the United States where the particular mosquito that carries the West Nile virus and the Zika virus is present. So this represents a public health challenge as well. prgtoken These are just some of the aftereffects that I heard about as I traveled the State last week. Those are the more localized problems. As we know, there are others that spread far beyond brick homes and ranches with barbed-wire fences. For example, the challenges, the coordination, and the logistical support among many actors were usually some of the biggest problems that we saw demonstrated with Hurricane Katrina. prgtoken Having learned the lessons of Hurricane Katrina, I can't tell you how proud I am of the great collaboration, consultation, and support that we have gotten from the President at the Federal level and all the way down to the State and local leadership, which have stepped up and I think made all of us proud. prgtoken While some say it takes a village, my experience in Texas is that it also takes an army. Indeed, Harvey's devastation has been so vast across swaths of the State that we have called in help from our Armed Forces. Members of our military have served crucial roles throughout the storm and continue to do so now that the waters have begun to recede. These include the U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force. More than 12,000 Texas National Guardsmen were activated by Governor Abbott alone, and thousands more have been sent from other States to help out in the rescue and recovery effort. prgtoken What did these troops do in their Humvees, helicopters, their amphibious boats, and warships? They did a lot. The Army National Guard alone delivered more than 75,000 pounds of hay to flooded ranches and stranded cattle. Other troops showed up to provide medical services and disaster relief supplies. They ass
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-9-13

today, I am introducing a proposal that could substantially improve America's healthcare. Despite what some of my colleagues believe, it does not take a sweeping overhaul of Care to do this. Sometimes, even small changes can have a huge impact on people's lives. prgtoken That is why, throughout my four decades of public service, I have worked to shine a light on the need for innovative treatments to help those who suffer from debilitating illness and rare diseases. In that same spirit, I am joining Senator Schatz today to introduce the Marijuana Effective Drug Studies Act, or MEDS Act, which has the potential to benefit millions of Americans who are suffering from a wide range of conditions, including cancer, severe epilepsy, post- traumatic stress disorder, residual effects after a stroke, or chronic pain. prgtoken It is high time to address research into medical marijuana. Our country has experimented with a variety of State solutions without properly delving into the weeds on the effectiveness, safety, dosing, administration, and quality of medical marijuana. prgtoken Now, all puns aside, it will surprise no one that I am strongly against the use of recreational marijuana. I worry, however, that in our zeal to enforce the law, we too often blind ourselves to the medicinal benefits of natural substances, like cannabis. While I certainly do not support the use of marijuana for recreational purposes, the evidence shows that cannabis possesses medicinal properties that can truly change people's lives for the better, and I believe we would be remiss if we threw out the baby with the bath water. prgtoken In many cases, the compounds found in cannabis are the only hope for Americans who suffer from chronic medical conditions, such as severe epilepsy. Take the difficult case of a young man from Eagle Mountain, UT, who suffers from a number of different epileptic disorders and developmental ailments. My friend regularly takes 17 pills on a daily basis. Yet he continues to have seizures regularly. The current treatment for his condition, with no guarantee of success, would be invasive brain surgery. prgtoken This poor family is seeking help, yearning for a way for their child to live a safe and healthy life. Compounds found in marijuana could significantly mitigate the severity of my friend's seizures and even help him lead a normal life, but current regulations prevent the development of any such treatment from going forward. So this young man is left to suffer. Luckily, prgtoken the MEDS Act changes that. It updates the law for the 21st century, allowing for groundbreaking research on the potentially lifesaving benefits of medical marijuana. prgtoken Compounds found in marijuana have shown promise for treating a wide range of diseases and disorders, but because of bureaucratic redtape and fear, there is a lack of sufficient evidence about the safety and efficacy of these compounds. As a result,