mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE ECONOMY
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-10-10

one final matter. While the Senate was focused on Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation last Friday, our economy reached a major milestone. According to the latest Department of Labor report, unemployment in the United States of America has now fallen to 3.7 percent. That is the lowest unemployment rate since 1969. It is now 3.7 percent--the lowest unemployment rate since 1969. The share of Americans who are seeking work but cannot find it is as low as it has been in just shy of 50 years. prgtoken There was other good news as well. Unlike what happened too often in the previous decade, this drop in unemployment did not come from discouraged workers giving up their search altogether; to the contrary, 150,000 more Americans joined the labor force last month, and the unemployment rate still went down. Now, that is an opportunity economy. That is exactly what an opportunity economy looks like. prgtoken Day after day, my colleagues and I have come to the floor and outlined all the things we are doing to try to help generate precisely this kind of economic momentum for the American people. This unified government has rolled back regulations and cut redtape at a pace that hasn't been seen for years. We have handed American families and job creators the most significant Tax Code overhaul in 30 years, lower tax rates, a bigger child tax credit, more help with small businesses, and better incentives to invest and create jobs right here on American soil. Our actions have been clear, and our economy is sending equally clear signals in response: the highest consumer confidence we have seen in nearly 18 years, the highest small business confidence we have seen in 35 years, and now the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in almost half a century. prgtoken I have said it before, and I will say it again: Government itself is not creating this prosperity. s know that growth starts with workers and entrepreneurs, not with Washington. Government can either put the wind in America's faces or at their backs, and there is little question which way the wind has been blowing these past 2 years. It certainly is not ``Armageddon'' or ``crumbs,'' as the House ic leader notoriously proclaimed in recent months. It is not a ``disaster,'' as my friend the Senate ic leader has suggested. No, it is rising wages, more job opportunities, and new investment, and it is reaching kitchen tables in communities large and small all across our country. The real winners here are the American people. s are just proud that our policies are helping them do what they do best.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-10-10

as you know this week we are voting and considering an important bipartisan piece of legislation known as America's Water Infrastructure Act, the most sweeping infrastructure package to be considered by Congress this year. It will literally reauthorize billions of dollars of spending for our Nation's ports, harbors, and waterways, and it will end wasteful spending on water projects that are no longer necessary. prgtoken I thank Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Carper for spearheading this legislation through the Committee on Environment and Public Works. They deserve a tremendous amount of credit for bringing us to where we are today. prgtoken Drinking water, wastewater systems, dams, levees, ports, and reservoirs matter to every single community in America. They are usually not front and center on our priority list, though, so people naturally take them for granted. We take it as a given that water will be available, that it will be treated and filtered, that wastewater will somehow be transported wherever it needs to go, and that dams and levees will hold up when they are put to the test by rising floods. prgtoken Actually, though, that is not the case in many parts of the world, and we in America do take that for granted because usually none of these present a problem to most Americans. None of these problems happen in the United States if public and Federal resources are allocated in the right ways, and that is why we can't afford to let our guard down and be lax when it comes to maintaining these important national treasures. prgtoken That is what makes this bill we are voting on so crucial. It is not just a drop in the bucket, so to speak. It is one of the main reasons the bucket-- prgtoken our Nation's entire public water capacity--functions at all. prgtoken As Chairman Barrasso has said, many pieces of our water infrastructure systems are aging and in need of serious attention. They need to be repaired, replaced, and other long-awaited projects need to begin. prgtoken I know that because some of those projects happen to be in my State of Texas. Following last year's devastating Hurricane Harvey, a catastrophic rain event, the likes of which the Houston region had never seen before, the gaps in our infrastructure became acutely apparent. As we began the recovery process, one thing became clear to us: There isn't much sense in rebuilding without ensuring the region can withstand major weather events in the future. So it is not just about fixing what was damaged; it is about making sure future infrastructure will not be damaged because it has been brought up to standard. prgtoken So one piece of the bill we will be voting on this week will be to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a study on the so-called coastal spine that will run up and down portions of the gulf coast. This is a new multilayered system of storm surge and flood mitigation improvements to address our most acut
Economy (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-10-10

2 years ago, when s took control of the White House as well as of Congress, we promised the American people that growing the economy was going to be our No. 1 priority, and we got right to work. prgtoken Under the administration, American workers and businesses faced a lot of obstacles, including burdensome regulations and an outdated Tax Code that acted as a drag on economic growth, so we immediately focused on removing burdensome regulations. Then we focused on developing a historic, comprehensive reform of our Tax Code, which was signed into law last December. Now, the Tax Code isn't necessarily the first thing people think of when they think of economic growth, but the Tax Code has a huge impact on our economy. prgtoken It helps to determine how much money individuals and families have to spend and save. It helps to determine whether a small business can expand and hire. A small business owner who faces a huge tax bill is highly unlikely to be able to expand her business or hire a new employee. The Tax Code helps to determine whether large businesses hire, grow, and invest in the United States. A large business is going to find it pretty hard to create jobs or improve benefits for employees if it is struggling to stay competitive against foreign businesses that pay much less in taxes. A large business is also unlikely to keep jobs and investment in the United States if the Tax Code makes it vastly more expensive to hire American workers. prgtoken Prior to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last December, our Tax Code was not helping our economy or American families. It was doing just the opposite so we took action. prgtoken We cut tax rates for American families, doubled the child tax credit, and nearly doubled the standard deduction. We lowered tax rates across the board for owners of small and medium-sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We lowered our Nation's massive corporate tax rate, which, up until January 1, was the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. We expanded business owners' ability to recover the cost of investments they make in their businesses, which frees up cash that they can reinvest in their operations and their workers, and we brought the U.S. international tax system into the 21st century so American businesses would not be operating at a competitive disadvantage next to their foreign counterparts. prgtoken Now we are seeing the results. The economy is thriving. Our economy grew at a robust 4.2 percent in the second quarter of this year. The unemployment rate is at its lowest level since 1969--almost 50 years ago. Think about that. In other words, it has been almost 50 years since the last time unemployment was at this low level. prgtoken More than 1.8 million jobs have been created since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. Wages are growing at the best rate in years, and incomes are up 4.2 percent. Businesses are bringin
TRIBUTE TO GENO MARTINI
Dean Heller (Republican, NV) \u2014 2018-10-10

today I wish to recognize the retirement of prgtoken city of Sparks Mayor Geno Martini, a dedicated public servant, a proven leader in northern Nevada, and a friend. As a citizen of Sparks for 71 years, Mayor Martini has been an integral part of our community, and is a Nevadan through and through. prgtoken As a Sparks High School and University of Nevada, Reno, graduate, Mayor Martini has devoted his life to improving the community he is proud to call home. Mayor Martini served as mayor of Sparks for over 13 years and was also a member of the Sparks City Council. He has played an instrumental role in a number of projects that benefit the Sparks community. Whether it is his work on the North Truckee Drain project that helps prevent flooding for businesses and homeowners or his efforts to redevelop the Sparks Marina and transform an abandoned parking structure into a beautiful apartment home community, Mayor Martini's legacy of leadership will be preserved through the positive impact that his work will have on this community for generations to come. prgtoken His colleagues credit the development and revitalization of downtown Sparks to Mayor Martini's efforts. We have seen tremendous economic growth in the city of Sparks and much of that would not have been possible without the leadership of Mayor Martini. prgtoken Additionally, Mayor Martini is a longtime advocate for those who serve the city and has worked to provide support to the community's residents who are in need. For instance, he helped to increase funding for Sparks' police and fire departments and played a key role in the creation of the community assistance center to shelter and offer outreach to individuals and families who are homeless. Further, he helps at-risk children in our community who cannot otherwise participate in recreation programs due to financial hardships by raising funds for the Sparks Youth Scholarship Program. prgtoken I congratulate Mayor Martini on his retirement and thank him for his years of service to our community. Sparks and Nevada are better places because of Mayor Martini, and his efforts and stewardship will not be forgotten.
S.J. RES. 63
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2018-10-10

earlier today I voted in support of the resolution offered by Senator Baldwin to roll back rules adopted in August by the administration that would allow individuals to purchase so-called short-term, limited duration health insurance plans for up to 1 year. The administration had previously limited the duration of such plans to 3 months. I rise now to explain why I chose to support the resolution and, beyond that, to note the critical need to take action to protect individuals who have no other affordable health insurance option. prgtoken First, as proponents of the resolution have noted, short-term limited duration plans do not provide protections for enrollees who suffer from preexisting conditions. As I have often emphasized, it is essential that individuals who suffer from preexisting conditions are covered. In June of this year, I wrote to Attorney General Sessions urging him to reconsider his decision not to defend provisions protecting individuals with preexisting conditions in ongoing litigation challenging the Affordable Care Act in Federal court in Texas. As I noted in my letter, striking down these protections is no small matter: ``In 2016, the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that 27 percent of American adults under age 65 have pre-existing conditions that would leave them uninsurable in the individual market. More recently, 57 percent of Americans responding to a poll said that they, or someone in their household, suffers from a pre-existing condition. These numbers include 590,000 Mainers, roughly 45 percent of the state's population.'' prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent that my letter be printed in the Record immediately following my remarks. prgtoken At the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that many individuals lack an affordable health insurance option. For example, individuals who earn more than 400 percent of the Federal poverty level--about $49,000--are not entitled to the ACA's premium tax credits and must shoulder the full cost of plans they purchase in the exchange. For a 64-year-old male living in Caribou, ME, this amounts to about $9,500 for the cheapest bronze plan--or nearly 20 percent of his income--far too expensive. Based on the statistics I have already cited, there is a better than even chance that this individual suffers from a preexisting condition. prgtoken Individuals who lose their jobs and their healthcare coverage along with it may also benefit from these plans. If someone is struggling to pay rent or a mortgage and trying to keep up with other bills, a short- term plan can help them achieve some measure of coverage without compounding their financial worries. There is a role for these plans, and I believe that we should work together to address these real-world situations. prgtoken The underlying flaw in the Affordable Care Act is that it does not provide affordable coverage, but I believe this flaw can be addressed witho
Tribute to Lisa Sauder (Executive Calendar)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-10-10

as the Presiding Officer knows, I have been coming down here nearly every week--usually Wednesday or Thursday--for the last 2 years to talk about somebody who is making a big difference in my State, the great State of Alaska. I call this person our Alaskan of the Week. prgtoken Most of the people who visit Alaska do so in the summer--I was honored the Presiding Officer and his family came up to visit this summer--and we know that is understandable, to come up when the Sun is high in the sky, but this time of year is truly magnificent in my great State. To borrow a phrase that is no doubt familiar to many, including some of the pages: Winter is coming. Winter is coming. prgtoken Every day, the Sun comes up later and sets earlier. Snow is already on the ground in some places in Alaska. In some places in the State, the mountains are dusted--termination dust, we call it--and that dust is quickly turning into deep snow and making its way down the mountains. It will not be long before it spreads out all throughout our communities in Anchorage and other cities. The whole State is crackling with energy to get ready for the long winter, like we do every year. prgtoken For some, though--particularly for the hungry and the homeless-- winter in Alaska can be incredibly difficult and incredibly challenging. Actually, as we all know here, for the hungry and the homeless any time of the year can be incredibly difficult and challenging. prgtoken In Anchorage, there is a place where everyone, no matter who you are, is greeted with dignity, respect, and a hot meal. The place is called Bean's Cafe, and the person who makes sure it all happens and comes together is Lisa Sauder, the executive director of Bean's Cafe, and Lisa is our Alaskan of the Week. prgtoken Let me tell you a little bit about Lisa. She was born in Anchorage and moved to the west coast with her parents when she was a young teenager. When she graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in communications and political science, she was on her way back home to Alaska. ``Alaska always calls you when you leave it,'' she said. ``It's always the place that feels most like home.'' prgtoken She worked at a local bank and the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Center, where she was able to travel all around the country to talk people into visiting our great State, particularly in the off seasons like fall, like now. Then her husband's job took them to the east coast, where they stayed for some time, but, once again, Alaska beckoned, and they returned. prgtoken Shortly after coming back home again, Lisa saw an ad to help run Bean's Cafe, and she knew she had to go for it. She knew that passion was in her heart. The fact that it is completely local and completely community supported was a huge lure to her, she said but so was helping and working with the homeless throughout the State. prgtoken Lisa's uncle, for example, was a Vietnam veteran with mental hea
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-10-10

just a little bit ago, a few hours ago, we had a matter before the Senate relating to S.J. Res. 63. This was a resolution of disapproval, which would have worked to disapprove of the rule that was issued jointly by the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services regarding these short-term, limited duration insurance plans. prgtoken I had hoped, actually, to have an opportunity to speak to this prior to the vote but was not able to. I want to take just a couple of minutes this afternoon to weigh in on this issue from an Alaskan perspective. I think there have been some suggestions that with this rule in place, those of us who care about protecting those with preexisting conditions, somehow or another, are taking these protections away. prgtoken I have weighed this carefully. In fairness, I think some of the arguments that have been made are, perhaps, not quite as clear cut as would be suggested and, perhaps, certainly, in a State like mine, where we still have the highest healthcare costs in the country and some of the highest costs for coverage in the country. prgtoken I think Members here in the Senate know full well that while I have opposed many aspects of the Affordable Care Act, I have supported and have strongly supported certain parts of it as well. Again, one of those things that I feel very strongly about is the need to ensure that we protect those who have preexisting conditions. That is a debate that, I think, is ongoing in other places as well. Yet I want to make clear that, certainly, my vote this morning is in no way meant to erode or undermine where I am coming from when it comes to preexisting conditions. prgtoken Back to the situation that we face in Alaska, as I mentioned, we are the highest in terms of the cost of care and the highest in terms of the cost of coverage, and we are still one of those States that has but one insurer on the exchange in Alaska. So our options are, really, pretty limited. As I am speaking to individuals about what they are hoping for when it comes to coverage, they are looking for additional options, but they are looking for affordable options as well. prgtoken It is true--it is absolutely true--that these short-term plans do not offer as much or, certainly, may not offer as much in the way of coverage as those plans that are offered on the individual exchanges. I understand that, but I have had to come down on this issue on the side of more choice for consumers and more options being a good thing for consumers. prgtoken In Alaska, our population, as one knows, is relatively small. We have about 720,000 people in the whole State, but we are talking about 18,000 people, give or take, who are enrolled on the individual exchanges each year. The prgtoken universe here is 18,000 people when we are talking about the exchanges. In the year 2016, which was the most recent year about which the IRS can give us information, there were about 15,000 people who
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, SECRETARY OF LABOR, AND SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN...
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-10-10

the resolution by the distinguished Senator from Wisconsin is a resolution to say to the plumber who is making $60,000 a year in Wisconsin or Tennessee: We want to keep your insurance prices high. We don't want to reduce them by 70 percent, and we want to keep 1.7 million people, according to the Urban Institute, uninsured. prgtoken Let me say that again. If this resolution passes--if you vote yes-- you are saying to the plumber who makes $60,000 a year, who can't afford to buy Care because his insurance premium is $20,000: We are going to do everything we can to keep your insurance costs so high that you can't afford it, and we are going to do everything we can to keep 1.7 million Americans, according to the Urban Institute, from having the option this short-term rule allows. prgtoken Let's see what we are talking about. We just heard eloquent comments about preexisting conditions. This resolution has nothing to do with preexisting conditions. It doesn't change one single word in the Affordable Care Act, which guarantees that if you have a preexisting condition, you have a right to buy Care, and you can't be charged more because of it. prgtoken Let me say that again. This rule, which the Senator from Wisconsin seeks to overturn, not only keeps you from lowering your cost 70 percent, but it has nothing to do with preexisting conditions because it doesn't change one single word of the Affordable Care Act guarantee that if you have a preexisting condition you can buy insurance and you can't be charged more. A rule can't change a law. It couldn't if it tried. That is one thing. prgtoken The second thing is that the rule that the Senator from Wisconsin seeks to overturn is the same rule that was in effect during all of President 's term. President 's administration allowed 1 year of short-term plans for people who couldn't afford insurance, couldn't find it anywhere else, or who might be between jobs. Even after the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, President and the ic Congress thought it was a good enough idea to allow these short-term plans to continue that they kept them in the law. The law supporting these plans has nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act. It was passed in the 1990s for the purpose of giving people who need a short- term option, which might cost less because it has less coverage, the chance to buy insurance. prgtoken States can regulate these plans. States may decide what protections they should have. States may decide what the price should be, but, typically, in 2016, the difference between the cost of an Care plan was $393 a month for an unsubsidized Care plan and for a short-term plan it was $124. In other words, the short-term plan, which the and the Senator from Wisconsin seek to overturn, which was in existence all during the administration and was authorized in the 1990s, would cut the plumber's insurance