mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Richard Burr (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to support Senator Dan Coats, our former colleague and a friend, as the President's nominee to be the next Director of National Intelligence. Dan Coats has been asked to lead our Nation's intelligence community of over 100,000 individuals during, I think, the most profound period of threats and change. Let me say to my colleagues, it is a job that Dan Coats is well prepared to do. prgtoken After graduating from Wheaton College, Dan served honorably in the U.S. Army before serving the State of Indiana as a House Member, as a Senator, and for not only Indiana but this country as Ambassador to Germany. prgtoken While in the Senate, Dan was engaged and was a valuable member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He dedicated countless hours to understanding and overseeing the intelligence community--in essence, one of 15 people who certified for 85 others and for the American people that we do everything we can to keep America safe but we do it within the parameters of the rule of law. He is well versed in the operational capabilities and authorities. He understands the threat we are facing at home and abroad. He understands that we need to improve our ability to collect against our adversaries, and Dan will be a forceful advocate for intelligence collection but, again, never jeopardizing that line of what is legal and what is not. prgtoken Dan's legislative experience also translates to his understanding and his appreciation of the need for transparency with the appropriate oversight committees and, more importantly, with the Congress and the American people. prgtoken Dan's intellect, his judgment, his honorable service, and his commitment to the workforce make him a natural fit as Director of National Intelligence. I have absolute trust that he will lead the community with integrity, and he will ensure that the intelligence enterprise operates lawfully, ethically, and morally. prgtoken So today I rise in this austere body to urge my colleagues to support the President's nominee for Director of National Intelligence. We are now in March. We have gone from January until March with one of the most important posts of this administration unfilled. Congress must act quickly, and it is my hope that Members, before the end of this day, will make sure we have a Director of National Intelligence in place. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this nomination. prgtoken . prgtoken .
IN RECOGNITION OF JENNIFER MORGAN
Patrick Meehan (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to honor the accomplishments and contributions of Jennifer B. Morgan of Newtown Square, PA. Jennifer Morgan was appointed President of SAP North America in 2014, a position in which she oversees some 20,000 employees with more than 100,000 customers in every sector and industry of the U.S. economy. With Jennifer at the helm, SAP has launched a successful expansion into groundbreaking new cloud computing services and other innovative new business segments. SAP is not only one of the largest employers in Delaware County, PA, it's also a good corporate citizen, sponsoring and supporting non-profits and economic development in our region. Jennifer is a groundbreaking female executive, and one of far too few females at the pinnacle of American business and industry. She's prioritized diversity in the workplace, promoted pay equality and worked to level the playing field for all employees. This National Women's History Month, Jennifer is being honored by the Delaware County Women's Commission with their Woman of Achievement Award. It's a fitting honor to an outstanding leader in our community.
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Session)
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-3-15

as I did 2 weeks ago and will continue to do until he is confirmed, I rise to support the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch is an accomplished, mainstream jurist, and I look forward to helping to make sure that he receives an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. prgtoken Next week, my colleagues and I on the Judiciary Committee will hold confirmation hearings on Judge Gorsuch. I look forward to hearing his testimony. I am confident that he will impress the country with his knowledge of and respect for the law, just as he has impressed me and my colleagues. prgtoken But before the hearings get under way, I thought I would use this opportunity today to highlight an additional aspect of his life and his jurisprudence that make him an ideal nominee to serve on the High Court. So far I have spoken on the floor about his fitness to fill Justice Scalia's seat, as well as his defense of the separation of powers and his support for religious liberty. Today I would like to discuss a more personal aspect of Judge Gorsuch's background--the fact that he is a westerner. As an Arizonan, I cannot overstate how important it will be to have a fellow westerner serving on the Supreme Court. prgtoken Where you are from influences your understanding of cultural and regional sensitivities. When you look at the current makeup of the Supreme Court, there is an unmistakable lack of geographic diversity. Of the eight current Justices, five of them were born in New York or New Jersey, and that number was six before Judge Scalia's passing. Granted, Justice Kennedy is from Northern California, but to be frank, much of Northern California is about as culturally western as Justice Breyer's hometown of Boston. prgtoken The Supreme Court is in desperate need of a western perspective. Judge Gorsuch fits that bill. When I had the opportunity to meet Judge Gorsuch in my office last month, we discussed our respective western backgrounds. I talked to him about my days growing up on a cattle ranch in rural Arizona. He told me that his heart has always been in the American West. You can learn a lot about a person by how they spend their time with their friends and their family, and there is no mistaking this aspect with Judge Gorsuch. He is a westerner through and through. prgtoken He told me about his home outside of Boulder, where his daughters raise and show chickens and goats. I was pleased to learn that each year he takes his law clerks to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, one of the Nation's largest rodeos. By now, I think we have all seen the picture of him fly fishing with Judge Scalia. While all this demonstrates how much he has embraced the western lifestyle, what makes Judge Gorsuch a true westerner is more than just where he lives or where his personal interests are. Judge Gorsuch's western values are evident in his jurisprudence, which reflects a strong commitment to publi
NEW STEAKHOUSE DEBUTS IN RICHMOND, TX
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to recognize a new upscale restaurant in Richmond, TX, and its executive chef, Ja'Nel Witt. prgtoken Sammy's Steakhouse will be Sammy Vela's sixth restaurant in the area and will cater to steak and wine lovers. The menu has a variety of delicious dishes, from green chili-smoked gouda mac and cheese to mouth-watering steak. An extensive wine bar allows customers to complete their dish with the perfect complement. The executive chef, Ja'Nel Witt, will be a great addition to the new restaurant, especially having been the Season II winner of Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen. Her culinary talents will be appreciated by Richmond and Houston area visitors. prgtoken On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I again recognize and welcome the newest restaurant, Sammy's Steakhouse, to TX-22. We look forward to trying Sammy's Steakhouse.
Nomination of Neil Gorsuch (Executive Session)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2017-3-15

joining my colleague here on the floor, I agree with all of the comments the Senator from Arizona has made. They are interesting because as to the history of the State of the Senator from Arizona and his family history, Judge Gorsuch has a similar history, to the point that his great-grandfather built a hotel in Wyoming called the Wolf Hotel, in Saratoga, WY. I found a picture of that hotel from 1878, which was 12 years before Wyoming became a State. I got that picture from the American history museum at the University of Wyoming and got a copy of the picture and gave it to Judge Gorsuch. prgtoken In front of the hotel in 1878, there was a stagecoach with six horses lined up ahead of it. The Wolf Hotel was a halfway stop on the stagecoach line between a couple of communities in Wyoming. They were about 40 miles apart. So that is the heritage from which Judge Gorsuch comes. prgtoken I think that western heritage is important. But I think that additionally important is what the Senator referred to--his judicial temperament, being such a mainstream member of the judiciary, and this general belief inherent within him that the role of a judge is to apply the law, not to legislate from the bench. prgtoken We have seen so much legislating from the bench. I think you just don't get that if you take somebody from the Rocky Mountain West who has this view of the Nation and an understanding of the rule of law and the Constitution. prgtoken So I think we are going to see that when the Senate Judiciary Committee begins its hearings next week on Judge Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court. I visited with him, reviewed his writings, and then compared it to what I saw when I visited with Justice Scalia when he came to Wyoming. The Senator from Arizona mentioned the picture of the two working together, fishing together. prgtoken I just think he is the right person to continue that incredible legacy of Justice Scalia.
Tribute to Pastor Evelyn Erbele (Executive Session)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-3-15

every week for the past few months, I have been coming down to the Senate floor to recognize a special Alaskan, someone who makes my State--what we believe is the most beautiful and unique State in our country--a better place for all of us. I call this person our Alaskan of the Week. prgtoken Last week, I had the opportunity to recognize Glen Hanson, who volunteers his time by flying in what we refer to as the Iditarod Air Force--members of the Alaska volunteer community pilots who fly supplies in for the Last Great Race. prgtoken I know the pages are really interested in the Last Great Race. So, just as a quick update, we had a winner. It is still going on, but one musher, Mitch Seavey, crossed the finish line in Nome, AK, in record time. I congratulate Mitch and all of the members of the Iditarod Air Force who are still out there, flying, when it is 30, 40, below zero. It is a tough race, a real tough race. Iowans, I am sure, could do well in it but not a lot of other Americans. prgtoken Today, I want to take my colleagues and viewers to a very different place in Alaska--about 1,300 miles southeast of Nome, where all the Iditarod action is going on, really almost a world away--to a beautiful city called Ketchikan, AK. prgtoken Ketchikan is the first port city that people will visit when they take the Alaska Marine Highway's Inside Passage up to Alaska. It is a trip that I encourage everybody to take. It is beautiful. Flanked by the towering Tongass National Forest, it is a place full of life and spirit, mountains, forests, lots of rain, lots of salmon, and lots of jaw-dropping scenery. prgtoken Yet, like most places across our country, it has its challenges, and it has a challenge with homelessness, like many communities in America and Alaska. Luckily, for all of us, Ketchikan is also home to a very caring community that has set its sights on helping its fellow Alaskans. One of these people is Pastor Evelyn Erbele, our Alaskan of the Week, who has dedicated her life to helping others. prgtoken Evelyn is the copastor with her husband Terry of the First United Methodist Church of Ketchikan. There is a day shelter in the church's social hall, which provides a hot meal, shower, clean clothes, and a place for the community's homeless to go every day of the week. prgtoken Oftentimes when we think of homelessness, we think of people not having a place to sleep, but it is also important to remember that being homeless means having no place to go during the day. First City Homeless Services--Day Shelter gives people a place to go during the day. Pastor Evelyn oversees that day shelter. According to the manager of the shelter, Chris Alvarado, who himself has been homeless, she does so with commitment and with kindness and with compassion. ``She has a heart of gold and gives 100 percent,'' said one resident of Ketchikan about Evelyn. prgtoken Evelyn met her husband Terry in Seward, AK, where she was a n
NOMINATION OF NEIL GORSUCH
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to once again address the nomination of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to be the next Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken I am extraordinarily pleased that the President has nominated such an outstanding individual to fill the seat that was held by my friend, the late Justice Antonin Scalia, for nearly three decades. prgtoken In the weeks since Judge Gorsuch's nomination, I have done my best to make the case that he is exactly the kind of Justice that we need: one that will--in the timeless words of Marbury v. Madison--say what the law is, not what he wishes the law would be. prgtoken In my view, his outstanding credentials and his understanding of the proper role of a judge under our Constitution make him a choice that should command universal support. Unfortunately, this feeling does not appear to be as broadly shared as it should be. prgtoken Leftwing activists are demanding a scorched-earth approach to Judge Gorsuch's nomination, and I am afraid that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle appear to have been swept up in this fervor. Their opposition stems from two different prgtoken sources and has taken two different forms. prgtoken The first cause is the visceral reaction among some to our new President. After last year's bitterly fought election campaign, many on the left simply refuse to accept the legitimacy of the new administration and are dead set on all-out opposition to every initiative, every policy, and every nominee of this President. As a case in point, we are in mid-March and the President is still waiting for the Senate to confirm his Cabinet nominees. This hasn't happened, to my knowledge, in the 40 years I have been in the Senate. prgtoken Skeptical of any nominee's willingness to hold the administration that nominated him accountable to the law, they are demanding assurances about how Judge Gorsuch would rule on the administration's most controversial moves. prgtoken The Supreme Court confirmation process should not be treated as just another forum to litigate the wisdom and lawfulness of the new administration's policies. Not only does such an approach distract from the proper focus on the nominee's qualifications and judicial philosophy, but it also threatens to undermine the very independence claim to want in a Supreme Court Justice. prgtoken As I have explained in detail as recently as last week, nominees of both parties for decades have refused to speculate on cases that may come before them in order to not prejudice their potential future judgments. Moreover, as a sitting Federal judge, Judge Gorsuch is bound by the code of conduct for United States judges, one of the canons of which prohibits a judge from making ``public comment on the merits of a matter pending or impending in any court.'' prgtoken In light of this longstanding, necessary, and, in Judge Gorsuch's case, legally mandated practice, I have found it extraordinarily
MONTENEGRO'S ACCESSION INTO NATO
John McCain (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-3-15

I note the Senator from Kentucky is leaving the floor without justification or any rationale for the action he has just taken. It is really remarkable that a Senator is blocking a treaty that is supported by an overwhelming number--perhaps 98, at least, of his colleagues. To come to the floor and object and walk away--walk away--the only conclusion that can be drawn when he walks away is that he has no argument to be made. He has no justification for his objection to having a small nation that is under assault from the Russians be part of NATO. prgtoken So I repeat again: The Senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin. prgtoken .
HEALTHCARE REFORM
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-3-15

I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson), my esteemed colleague. prgtoken I rise today to recognize the New Yorkers who have been hit especially hard by the policies of the previous administration and Care's so-called reforms to our healthcare system. Patients have been hurt, doctors have been burdened, and families and taxpayers are being crushed by this terrible law, and its thousands of pages of onerous regulations. prgtoken Our most vulnerable citizens--seniors, the hardworking middle class, and veterans--are in worse shape now in upstate New York than they were before. In New York State and across the 22nd District, patients are being denied high-quality care that they deserve and need. prgtoken With higher costs, less accessible and affordable care, and mountains of red tape, this law has proven to be everything but a Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Now, some deductibles are higher than a house payment, and premiums across the Nation have increased on average by 25 percent. Our families didn't sign up for this. prgtoken Patients have had their plans canceled and their doctors are deemed out of network. They have fewer and worse choices than before. All the while, costs have skyrocketed with premiums and deductibles jumping by double digits and triple digits in some cases. prgtoken This failed law has hurt our economy, small-business owners, and family farms while driving hundreds of thousands of jobs out of our communities. Small businesses are being crushed by Care and have either stopped hiring or dropped insurance coverage for their employees. The CBO estimated that Care will result in the loss of at least 2 million jobs. In fact, the number one complaint of small- business owners in my district throughout the last 6 years has been Care, and 70 percent of the new jobs are created by the small businesses in our community. prgtoken One small-business owner, in fact, told me that she had to lay off nearly a dozen employees just to keep up with the cost of Care. Just think of looking at 12 families and saying: You have now lost the primary caregiver in your family just to keep up with Care mandates. prgtoken Another family that I met with told me they had their insurance lost after being canceled three times, and now their options are either limited or unaffordable. prgtoken Another independent, self-insured man with three children told me that he had an insurance plan, but he had no prgtoken health care, with a $12,000 annual deductible. prgtoken This is unfair and it is unsustainable for small-business owners, particularly those in the independent market. prgtoken Hardworking middle class families in New York are being burdened with nearly the highest taxes in the Nation. New York is one of only four States that passes the State 50 percent share Medicaid burden onto the local taxpayers. Twenty-five percent of the State's obligation to cover Medicaid costs ar
REPUBLICAN HEALTHCARE BILL
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-3-15

one final matter: Last year, President said his signature healthcare law had ``real problems.'' He recognized that there are ``people who are hurt by premium increases or a lack of competition and choice.'' President Clinton called it ``the craziest thing in the world.'' And the ic Governor of Minnesota said that ``the Affordable Care Act was no longer affordable for increasing numbers of people.'' So even recognize that the Care status quo is unacceptable. prgtoken Costs have continued to climb higher. Insurers have dropped out of the marketplace. Care is a disaster, and it is going to keep getting worse unless we act. My home State of Kentucky, like so many others across the country, just can't take it anymore. prgtoken s promised the American people relief from Care, and we are working hard to keep that promise. The legislation the House introduced to repeal and replace is already moving through the committee process. prgtoken Here are some things the Congressional Budget Office said about it: It will lower premiums by double digits. It will help stabilize the healthcare market. It will significantly reduce taxes on families and lower the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars as well. These are the things we heard from CBO. prgtoken Instead of forcing Americans to buy something they may not want as Care does, it will actually give Americans the freedom to choose the type of coverage that is right for them. I appreciate the hard work the House is doing to advance this legislation. We look forward to receiving it here in the Senate. When we do, I expect to consider amendments as part of our robust debate. prgtoken But remember, this bill is only one part of a three-pronged strategy to help bring relief to the American people. The first prong is this bill, the second prong is executive action, and prong three is more legislation to reform the healthcare market and make it more competitive for consumers. prgtoken The one thing we shouldn't do is nothing. Care is a failed law that is hurting the middle class. Maintaining the current Care status quo is really not a good option. prgtoken We are fulfilling our promise to the American people, and I urge all of our colleagues to join us.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ACT OF 2017
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-3-15

I take great pleasure that we may come to the floor today to celebrate and recognize the remarkable legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. King is characterized by modeling his life after Jesus Christ in order to live a life dedicated to the service of others, whether that be preaching the Gospel to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church, or to the pursuit of justice and equality. prgtoken , my home state of Georgia has the great honor of preserving King's legacy at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. And today we have the opportunity under the leadership of my friend and fellow Georgian, John Lewis, to pass H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, to re-designate the site as a National Historic Park. prgtoken I strongly believe that this site meets and exceeds the requirements for re-designation as a National Historic Park and fully support my friend in his effort I'd like to thank Congressman Lewis for leading this legislation. As a cosponsor of this bill, a member of the Committee on Natural Resources, and as a fellow Georgian, I offer my strongest support and encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 267.
RECOGNIZING SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN, POLICE OFFICERS
Paul Mitchell (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-3-15

I rise today to highlight an act of bravery from police officers in an incident occurring just miles from my district office in Shelby Township, Michigan. prgtoken In mid-February, Sergeant Troy Titchenell and Officer Paul Fox responded to a call that a boy had fallen through the ice on Iroquois Lake. Sergeant Titchenell, without concern for himself, first on the scene, immediately got a life ring from a local resident and walked onto the ice. Officer Fox then arrived and walked onto the ice to take the rope attached to the life ring. prgtoken While towing the young man to safety, the ice broke and Sergeant Titchenell was submerged in the water up to his chest. With Officer Fox pulling on the rope and Sergeant Titchenell supporting the boy in the water, both were able to rescue the young man. I believe they saved a life that day. prgtoken This incident exemplifies the risks police officers will take to protect all of us. Their daily acts of bravery must be recognized. I am proud to highlight the actions of these courageous officers, and I am grateful to recognize their service to our community.